It's a Cupcake!

I love sweets.

And cupcakes are sweet (both in flavor and appearance).

But this cupcake I really like because it has no calories!

Its my paper cupcake. Its cute. Its a gift. Its a gift card holder. Yup. There's a secret gift card buried in there.

Paper, ribbon, glitter and a gift card (make mine Starbucks, please!) all come together in this cutesy over-sized guilt free sweet.

It takes awhile to make but every time I finish one, I feel the smile on my face. They're just so dang cute! And who wouldn't want it? No one rejects a cupcake, especially this one.

Enjoy!
Holly

Finally!

Ok. So I have to apologize..I haven't posted anything in about a week and its for a good reason. I haven't made anything in about a week!

Work has been busy (what's new) but I've also had a little side project to work on for a school auction AND both me any my hubby got sick this weekend. Not fun but I'm feeling much better now...him? Not so much. He's in bed so I was able to get a card done tonight. And guess what? I FINALLY got my MULTIPURPOSE PLATFORM today! So excited but also a little overwhelmed. So today, I started small. Just messed around with the Spellbinders I've had sitting here but actually used a simple PTI die for the card you'll see below.

So here it is. The card inspired by Pattern #108 from Card Patterns.

Here's the Card Pattern inspiration sketch:

I like this sketch. I probably should have challenged myself to use it the way it is displayed but was feeling a lil' more vertical today. Another day, another design...

I hope you enjoy!

Holly

A Challenge of Color

I'm sad.

Sad that I haven't been able to spend more time in my studio this week and experiment with all my fun stuff. I can't tell you how great it is to have a new sturdy desk in my space. I can distress to my heart's content and there's so much more space to stretch out. Unfortunately, I've taken advantage of this feature too soon. Now my huge desk looks like a huge mess!

But such is the life of a creative person. You should see my desk at work...and my computer desktop... (don't get me started on that - you wouldn't believe how many people comment on how messy all my icons look).

Anyway, here's my card. Its cute. Thanks for the push CR84FN!

Here's my card:

Based on the color inspiration from this image:

I really like this color combination. I will probably use it again.

I'm pretty pleased with the fact that I used paper from different manufacturers rather than using ones in the same line. The card base is Bazzill Basics Velvet. I love how deep the purple is. The flowered pattern half circle is from a DCWV Premium Stack called Latte Matstack. This pattern ties all of the colors in this challenge together. The green houndstooth is Colorbok. I think the subtle differences in the houndstooth pattern is a nice compliment to the busy flower pattern. The cream paper is Curious Metallics - I think its Poison Ivory. I use Curious occasionally at work as a graphic designer. They put out some really beautiful, slightly shimmered papers. The only thing I didn't like (with this project) is that this card stock is on the heavy side and was a bit of a challenge for my Martha Stewart border punch. Good thing it was only a few inches!

Love, love, love this green grossgrain ribbon with the slightly darker stitch on the outside edge. I'm at the end of my spool so I'll have to go get some more soon. I also got to use some new distress ink colors on this project which I love. I got to use my new liquid pearls in platinum today too around the sentiment. I like this - I think I'll pick up more colors the next time I hit Paper Zone.

Off to bed! G'night!

Holly

Happy Saturday!

Ok, so it's technically Sunday morning while I'm writing this by my Saturday hasn't ended yet. What a day!

Bryan made me a new desk and installed in my studio today which was a HUGE improvement. It's long so I have a bit more work space and its super sturdy so I'm very, very happy. It was really cute to see Grady want to jump in and help Bryan while he was installing it with his play safety goggles and Handy Manny tool set. So cute, even that I had to snap some pictures of him "working".

So I spent a good portion of the afternoon rearranging things and getting settled.

But tonight, after I put G to bed, I got cracking on a card which I really like based on a sketch challenge from Card Patterns - #107.



I think it turned out very cute. I really love these papers from Echo Park - so cute and springy. I actually cut the banners out by hand because I AM STILL WAITING for my multipurpose platform to come to me by mail. Can you believe it? Two weeks today and I still don't have it. Sometimes I hate E-bay. The only thing that makes me feel better is that I tried finding it elsewhere (online and in the brick-and-mortars around here) and had a hard time finding one in stock. People all over America must be cuttin' up stuff with their Sizzix! Ha ha.

Anyway.

Hope you had a great weekend. Spend time with your family today if you can. Laughing at Grady today made me remember how he as grown a lot - and a lot in the last 6 months or so.

G'night!
Holly

Challenge Card

So I'm working on pushing myself to get better. I know I have a long way to go before I can come up with some of the really neat stuff I know is in my lil' brain somewhere. So practice, practice, practice!

Here's a card for two challenges, the Moxie Fab Trigger Tuesday and the Card Patterns challenge #106.

Moxie Fab World

Trigger Tuesday

Button, Button

Card Patterns
#106

I really like this layout, the colors were a little more tricky. I wanted to put a lot more color into this but I really did want to see if I could stick to the colors in the inspiration photo and challenge myself to work with what was there. What I did take from the inspiration photo was the simplicity, the understated-ness (is that a word?) of it.

The layout was something different. I think I will use it again and I already have some new ideas on what I want to do to add to it.

I'm waiting for a multipurpose platform for my Big Shot before I can use all the dies I just got in the mail. This is papercrafters' torture - having a bunch of fun stuff you want to use but have one missing (and critical) piece. Do you know what's worse? I ordered it two weeks ago! Let's all cross our fingers and hope it comes in the mail tomorrow (if you're reading this, you're either a friend or love papercrafting so please, cross with me!).

See you!
Holly

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

You know you're a mom when you have your pulse on every single holiday - big, small, legal - and St. Patrick's Day seems like one of those important kid holidays to me. I started off this morning reminding Grady, "We need to wear green today..." and he finished my sentence for me..." So I don't get pinched!"

But St. Pat's doesn't HAVE to be a kid's day.

Here's a cute little canister filled with individually wrapped LifeSavers especially for today. Do you think I remembered to bring it to work to share them? Yah right! The life of a mom!

Have a great one!
Holly

Late Night Inspiration

So this morning I hopped onto Moxie Fab World to find an inspiration challenge - Tuesday Trigger they call it. And I just fell in love with the picture. They called it Oh So Lovely and I'd have to agree. I instantly thought of some American Crafts papers I just bought without a real purpose and how they mirrored the colors and sentiment of the inspired photo. So romantic, so girly, so floofy. So NOT what I work with during the day so this was a nice departure from the norm.

I milled it around in my head all day long. I wanted to participate in the challenge but wasn't sure where to start. First thought: Wedding card. Second thought: Mother's Day card. Third thought: Birthday card.

No real plans to work on it tonight but at about 10:15 tonight (eek!) I felt the call! And I today I learned that a co-worker is sick so I decided on a Get Well card. I sit here now, 12:18 am (so says my iPhone docking station), card complete, photos taken, posting going up now.

Tomorrow's energy at work is gonna stink! Oh well. Here's to a designer's spur-of-the-moment inspiration!

Enjoy!

Holly

Exciting News! (Well...it is to me)

I learned on Friday afternoon that one of my card designs (one you guys haven't seen yet) was selected for a special edition of Paper Crafts Magazine. I think the people in the car next to me in the parking lot at Safeway thought I was crazy when they heard me squealing when I read my email.

Keep your eyes peeled for the Go-To Sketches for Card Makers due out in August! For all you papercrafters out there, the concept is a very cool one. Paper Crafts Magazine posted a ton of sketches to choose from to base a card design on. If you're ever stuck on an idea, need to have some help getting started or just want to challenge yourself a bit, these sketches are perfect. I actually downloaded the PDF and saved it for myself to use when I need it. You should too. There are some interesting starts in there.

I can't wait to share with you my design. I hope to get so more things made so I can keep submitting them for publication. I have to tell you, it's a great feeling to know that there were 2700 cards submitted and only 288 picked! I think this might turn into an addiction (Oh no! Like it isn't one already.)

I spent a good part of the day on a birthday card for a friend and I hope it'll be done soon so I can share it. I promise step-by-step instructions to show you how I made it.

Have a great Sunday!