Halloween Birthday Card

Here I go again taking The Diva Dare from Verve!  My Terrific Trios this time are the 3 inks I chose to sponge on the card, more specifically, on the cupcake (the background used four).  I had never intended to use this cute cupcake stamp set (one of Verve's latest releases) for a masculine card when I ordered it, but hey, boys love cupcakes too!  My nephew's birthday falls on Halloween and this year he's turning the big one-oh.  

I used the emboss/resist technique to create the background and the cupcake frosting:  The background was made using a chevron stencil - I heat embossed with Versamark & black embossing powder, then sponged on the different colours.  The cupcake was stamped with Versamark, then also sponged using the 3 inks. 

I added some glitter to the cupcake as well as to the number '10', which I drew in with a black Sharpie.

As a finishing touch, I thought it would be cute to incorporate a little spider (a digistamp) hanging by its web from the flag :o)

This card also qualifies for the Show Us Your Verve challenge, using 2 of Verve's August releases.

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies Used:
Paper: CTMH White Daisy, Black
Stamps: Verve's Small Packages; MyGrafico Digistamp
Ink: Rangers Broken China Distressed Ink; CTMH Creme Brulee; SU Lovely Lilac & Only Orange
Other: Verve's Cupcake Frame Die Set; Cuttlebug; Color Box Chevrons stencil; Versamark; Stampendous Black embossing powder; Sponge; Martha Stewart Onyx & Turquoise glitter; Black Sharpie; silver thread from stash; 3-d foam tape

Quilled Teddy Bear

It's time to take the Dare! Verve's Diva Dare, that is!  My Terrific Trios are the 3 quilled balloons.  
Addicted to Stamps and More has a CAS challenge and Addicted to CAS has a 'Cuddly' theme this week (my 1st CAS challenges ever!) that I'm also playing along with.  
I haven't quilled in a while, and thought it would be fun to make this card for my husband's colleague, who just had a baby boy.  This little teddy bear gave me quite a challenge, though-I couldn't seem to make him quite 'cute enough'.  It wasn't until I got some advice from my wonderfully creative cartoonist husband :0) on how to make and position his nose and eyes that I was satisfied.  Prior to his facial reconstruction, the poor teddy looked 'freaky', as my son put it!
(Wish I had a before-and-after shot)

Have a wonderful day!

Supplies Used:
Stamps: Verve's Small Phrases
Embellishments: Verve's Shine Bright Sequins
Other: Verve's Charming Banner Die; Cuttlebug; Cuttlebug Polka Dot embossing folder; twine; quilling strips

Fall Festive Card

It's my favourite time of the year-there's an abundance of inspiration all around, from the colours nature's offering to the delicious food (pumpkin and apple pie, oh my!)  Addicted to Stamps and More has a 'Holiday' challenge this week, and being in the fall festive mood I'm in, I decided to have some fun and play along using some of my 'Thanksgiving goodies'.
I particularly love this stamp set that I used from CTMH because of how versatile it is.  I've used the cute images for Valentine's Day, Easter, and now Thanksgiving (love the sentiments that go along with it, too!)

We had a wonderful evening out with some dear friends last week, so I'm planning to mail this card out to them :)  Hopefully they'll enjoy it as much as I enjoyed creating it!


Supplies Used
Stamps:  CTMH 'You Are My Happy'
Paper: Recollections Autumn Designer Paper Pad; CTMH Black, Kraft
Ink: CTMH Cocoa, White Daisy
Embellishments: My Mind's Eye Enamal Dots; CTMH Canvas Buttons; Jolee's Boutique Brass Leaves; twine
Other: Versamark; Recollections Snow Embossing Powder; Cuttlebug; The Paper Studio Woodgrain embossing folder