Retrosketches #196: Valentine Love Bug

 I'm on a roll. One of my New Year Resolutions was to keep my blog active since I neglected it in 2015. So far I've been pretty consistent.  In addition, I have been using more of my pattern paper. Using it always poses a challenge for me. Besides, I hate to give it up despite the fact that I have tons.
I'm trying to get a head start on my Valentines along with the many birthdays I have in January & February.

When I saw this adorable sketch for this week's challenge at Retrosketches, I knew I had to play along.

Having a limited amount of Valentine stamps besides endless hearts, I pulled out the love bug from the 2010 Love Tags from PTI. (This is a vault set now)

The hearts are from three different dies: Tiny Tags, Love Lives Here and Notched Heart Banner die.

Thanks for stopping by to take a peek.

November PTI Blog Hop: Paper Houses

  It's been awhile since I last updated my blog. But hopefully, I will be able to get back in the swing of things and start posting regularly. It's been a whirlwind the past couple of months, but I'll save that for another day. So what enticed me to post?? That could only be one thing. Pti's monthly Blog Hop. The challenge this month is to create a paper house!!!! I couldn't resist.

 My house isn't displayed in any fancy way. In fact being able to finish it, take a photo and upload it to my blog on time is a major accomplishment in itself.

 I used the template provided. The shutters & door were made using the Banner Builder Dies. I used vellum and  the square print die for the windows. The heart came from the Tiny Tag dies. The tree was made using the Layered Postmark die.

A side view of the house.

My 2nd house used a different template.  It was a little smaller. I cut a semi circle for the front window.

A side view: I used Prisma Glitter on the scalloped roof.

Here's the houses side by side.

  These houses were fun to make;but, a little time consuming.  I had wanted to put the pink house on a base and add a picket fence using the die, but didn't have enough time. I would like to find a template for a church to add to these two house. If time permits, I might make one.

Thanks for stopping by to take a peek. I can't wait to see all the other houses. I am sure they will be beautiful.

PTI July Blog Hop

 The 25th of the month is one of my favorite days.  Why? It's PTI's Blog Hop.  I get to see so many beautiful cards made by some of the most creative crafters. The challenge this month is awesome.  One is to create a project using one of the Fruits of Summer color schemes. They were all so yummy! Since I was planning on using Delightful Dahlias Additions, I chose this one:

  I used the smaller dahlia image.

The limeade/new leaf combination was too harsh for me. I still used the two colors for the leaves, but stamped off first on each color creating  lighter shades that seem to complement each other a wee bit better.

  The sentiment is from Mixed Messages stamped onto a tiny tag.  Thanks for stopping by to take a peek. Enjoy the Blog Hop.

    

Happy Mother's Day!!!!

  Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there. I hope you have a nice relaxing day and get the opportunity to spend some time with your family. We celebrated Mother's Day last night. My son was in town with his fiancee so my daughter & her family came for dinner. Holidays and special occasions can be stressful for my daughter as her in laws live in the same town I do. I know she wants time as a family with her girls/husband. So I thought it would be easier for her to celebrate Mother's Day on Saturday with me and let her visit her MIL on Sunday.  We had a great dinner and more importantly family time.  To me the best present in the world is Family Time.

 This is the card I made for my daughter celebrating her day as a mother. She is an awesome mom.  So loving, caring, patient, gentle, kind: I could go on forever. Her daughters are truly blessed as am I.

      I stamped the background with Garden Variety additions using Simply Chartreuse and Winter Wisteria inks from PTI.. The sentiment is from Delightful Dahlia.

   At the last moment I decided to add the Tiny Tag heart as I wanted to include a heart somewhere on this card.

Just a little something on the  inside of the card to make it extra special.  Thanks for stopping by and taking a peek.

Flirty Purse Birthday Card

 Another birthday card here.  This one is for my niece.  I needed to make something in a flash since she lives in New York City and snail mail takes about four days. The base of the card was already assembled as it was an extra from a set I had previously made.  All I had to add was the flower, tiny tag and inside sentiment.

 The purse was made from a template I purchased years ago from the company Dejaviews. the finished size ia approximately 3 3/4 by 3 1/2 and fits nicely in a standard envelope.

A close-up shot of the flower using bloom builder #3.

     I cut the tiny tag from the same pattern paper on the front of the purse. The sentiment is from Tag its #1.

   
Thanks for looking.

Masculine Birthday Card #2

    My uncle turns 89 on the 13th of September.  Earlier this summer, my aunt told me he was turning 90.  I originally had a different card in mind focusing on the 90.  However, I remembered my mother-in-law telling me that he was born the same year she was born.  She is turning 89 on October 1st.  After doing a Google search, I learned that he is indeed turning 89 this year.  I had to come up with plan B.
    I decided to use the birthday present image from Make A Wish Additons that I used in the first masculine card I made earlier this month.  Since blue is my uncle's favorite color, I chose Enchanted Evening as the base.  Several months ago I bought the Simple Circles die.  Having yet to use it, I was determined to incorporate it into my card.  This is what I came up with.

   You can't really tell from the photo, but I used the linen canvas IP on the Enchanted Evening cardstock.  It really does add some texture to the card.

 Here is a close up of the Fillable Frame #1. 
                        
 I used the Tiny Tags Die to cut out the star and stamped the "Celebrate" sentiment from Mixed  Messages.

A close up shot of the presents.

                                   
 Once again I fussy cut the presents.  I used dimensionals to prop up the presents.



 Wanting to get more use out of Half & Half, I use both the sentiment & die for the inside.

 
   I finished my third masculine birthday card for the month of September tonight.  I'll be taking pictures tomorrow so I can post that one.   Thanks for looking.

Supplies:  CS: PTI Enchanted Evening, Pure Poppy; Bazzill Blue
Ink: Memories Black; Colorbox Dark Blue
Stamps: PTI Make A Wish Additions, Half & Half, Mixed Messages; Hero Arts Cupcakes
Dies: PTI Half & Half, Simple Circles, Tiny Tags, Fillable Frame #1
Other: PTI Twine, Linen IP, Pure Poppy button, dimensionals, Distressed Dots PP