Taking care of business and other good things

So, first of all, can I take care of some business?

Core'dinations is doing a feature on Graphic 45 papers and the new Graphic 45 Core Impressions Cardstocks and this includes some give-ways.  Check out the Core'dinations blog to put your name in for a prize.

Next, will you vote for me this week. I have a card at Scrapbook Etc that is in the running for a prize and you can vote each day this week.  Thanks if you have the time.

And, I just had a birthday.  I had so much fun receiving emails from all kinds of companies and businesses with birthday presents.  I needed to share the list with you. . .

Jersey Mike's sandwiches - free sandwich and drink

Acapulco Mexican restaurant - free entree of my choice

Rubio's Mexican restaurant - free entree up to $7

Hometown Buffet - free dinner with the purchase of a dinner

Wendy's - $1 off

Jack in the Box - free dessert

TGIF restaurant - free dessert

Chili's restaurant - brownie sundae

Red Lobster - $5 off two dinners

Panera restaurant - free pastry

Pick up Stix - free wonton appetizer

Fuddruckers - free Hamburger

Betty Crocker - free recipe book download

Del Taco - free milk shake

Starbucks free drink - postcard in the mail

I guess there are even more places that do this, you can search on the internet for more. It sure made the day fun.

Now to share a card - my Card Positioning Systems card for this week. I used some new stamps by Darcie Heater stamps.

Here is a link to this actual set

The set includes parts to create little guys, this penguin, a snowman, an owl, etc.  I just love the patterns in the different parts.

Many of the parts are interchangeable.  The background was embossed with a Cuttlebug embossing folder on Gemstones Core'dinations.

And, last but not least - we went to Disneyland yesterday. It is amazing to go over the Christmas holidays.  I'll share more photos later but this is from the fantastic fireworks show. If you went for no other reason, you would want to go to see this.

The lights kept changing the colors of the castle - amazing!

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

Guess what we did today and a layout to share!

My granddaughter has very curly hair and over the years, the easiest thing to do with it was to put it in braids. Her mom took her for a "grown up" haircut and some lessons on managing all of the curls! She is so proud of her new look! It was fun to capture a few photos. I wanted to use these Graphic 45 papers so this seemed like the time to use them.

I punched out one of the circle designs from the paper and created a little flower accent to help with a more "girly" look.

And, now, can you guess what we did today????

See that big smile with a big hole in it??? Riley was determined that that loose tooth was going to come out today and then he actually posed for a photo. His most recent MO has been to hide or make faces when he sees the camera!

And, with some amazing spring-like weather, Dathan got a taste of playing in the backyard. The boys had the balls out so that was right down his alley! Here he is yelling at the boys, too cute!

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

SHE IS AMAZING layout

Materials: Cardstock

Scallop border strips - Bazzill
Patterned paper – Sitting Pretty:Times Nouveau Collection/Graphic 45 and Scenic Route
Tiny letter stickers – Sticko
Puffy letters – American Crafts
Scallop circle punch - Marvy
Machine sewing
Tonic Paper Distresser
Fluid Chalk stamp pad - Clearsnap

It's about CUPCAKES and SKETCHES

Cupcakes are so the rage right now but it would also seem that using sketches for creating cards and layouts are also the rage. There are so many great sites working with sketches and so I picked three to help me create my cards with, you guessed it, my new stamps from Hero Arts!!!

Card Postioning Systems blog sketch #103 is one that I just love so this is my third card this week that I created using this same sketch. I might have to do even more with it. It just works! I thought the cherry on the cupcake fit well with this Graphic 45 paper.

Can you see the big chunks of glitter on the frosting? I picked up this great glitter from Impress Rubber Stamps and it looks like I coated it with sugar. It was actually covered completely with Aleene's Paper Glaze and then the glitter was sprinkled on that. The nice thing about this Paper Glaze is it goes on rather thick and it stays exactly where you put it, it does not flow out of the lines and it dries with a 3-D look. It holds glitter perfectly. The cherry has a 3-D look too because after I colored it with a Copic marker, it was coated with the Paper Glaze.

A brand new sketch site is Card Patterns #2. Of course I had to give that a try too for the above card. I used another cupcake in this same set by Hero Arts.

This cupcake is colored with Copic markers and the frosting has a complete coat of this pink glitter Fashion 3-D paint. The dots are white Fashion 3-D paint.

Now for a card that uses the 2 Sketches 4 You Kazan's sketch #20. The flourish stamp by Hero Arts fit just perfectly.

The cupcake is colored with Copic markers and accented with swirls of the Aleene's Paper Glaze as well as the cherry being coated with that too. The white dots are white Fashion 3-D paint.

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

HAPPY THOUGHTS

Materials list:
Cardstock
Patterned paper – Dollie’s Teaparty/Playtimes Past Collection/Graphic

Cupcake stamp – Clear Design Cupcakes/Hero Arts

Phrase stamp – Clear Design Heartfelt Messages/Hero Arts

Border punch – Fiskars

Corner rounder punch – Fiskars

Black stamp pad – Versafine

Clear embossing powder

Copic Markers

Ribbon

Rhinestones – Mark Richards, Inc.

Clear Paper Glaze – Aleene’s®/Tulip

Glitter – Impress Rubber Stamps

FRIENDS ALWAYS

Materials list:
Cardstock – Basic White Dot
Patterned paper - BasicGrey
Lace borders - Doodlebug

Cupcake stamp – Clear Design Cupcakes/Hero Arts

Phrase stamp – Clear Design Heartfelt Messages/Hero Arts

Border punch – Fiskars

Black stamp pad – Versafine

Fluid chalk stamp pad - Clearsnap

Clear embossing powder

Copic Markers

Rhinestones – Mark Richards, Inc.

Clear Paper Glaze – Aleene’s®/Tulip3-D

Fashion Paint – Pink and White/Tulip

Yellow sparkle brads – Creative Impressions

SEIZE THE CUPCAKE

Materials list:
Cardstock
Patterned paper – Parkman Road/Garland/Scenic Route

Cupcake stamp – Clear Design Cupcakes/Hero Arts

Flourish stamp – Hero Arts

Scallop scissors – Family Treasures

Corner rounder punch – Fiskars

Black stamp pad – Versafine

Fluid chalk stamp pads - Clearsnap

Clear embossing powderWatercolor Crayons and Watercolor brush

Clear Paper Glaze – Aleene’s®/Tulip

3-D Fashion Paint –White/Tulip

Machine sewing

Valentines Roses and a Kiss Kiss card

Yes, for Valentines Day I received a gorgeous bouquet of roses from the cutest 9 year old and 6 year old boys in the world!!! (I am NOT prejudice) The colors are so amazing and I figured I needed to get a photo so I could share some of the goodness.

I have so much wonderful paper in my stash to use so I thought it was time to pull out this great Graphic 45 paper and use it for a fun card.

I don't remember where I saw this first, but I just had to copy the idea - my Martha Stewart border punch using black cardstock! YUM!

Here is a close-up peek at my fun flowers. They are punched from another pattern of the Graphic 45 papers. Punches, machine sewing, paper distressing, inking with stamp pads, buttons and brads created these cuties.

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

KISS-KISS card
Materials list:
Cardstock – White Bazzill Dots
Patterned paper – Bee’s Knees/Times Nouveau Collection/Graphic 45 (both sides) and Hey You!/Times Nouveau Collection for the flowers (both sides)

Yellow label – My Mind’s Eye

Circle punch and Scallop circle punch – PaperShapers/EK Success

Buttons and brads

Dot ribbon – Michaels

Rub-on words – Making Memories

Border punch – Martha Stewart

Corner rounder punch – Fiskars

Fluid Chalk stamp pads – Clearsnap

Machine sewing

Tonic paper distresser

CPS #79 and more

How about a close up of my Card Positioning Systems card for this week? I also pulled out a previous sketch card so you could see some close-ups of it and some of it's details. These two cards also represent a couple of my current favorite paper companies, October Afternoon and Graphic 45. (really, I have many more too!!!)
The papers and the stamps are all from October Afternoon.
When this sprig of flowers is stamped, it is just the black outline of the flowers and leaves and so I colored them in with my watercolor crayons and watercolor brush. The larger flower was then covered or coated with the Aleene's Paper Glaze. There are a few products that work pretty much the same as this Glaze - I just love that little bit of interest and dimension that it brings.
This card is from Sketch #72
The stamp I used for my front design is by Invoke. It is one stamp and I just cut that piece into the four pieces that would match with the sketch.
Here is an advantage of using 2-sided papers - take a peek at the yummy inside of this card!

Thanks for visiting, Linda (aka lbpost)

TODAY-NOTEWORTHY card
Materials:
Cardstock
Patterned papers and stamp sets – Daydream/October Afternoon
Machine Sewing
ColorBox Black and Fluid Chalk stamp pads – Clearsnap
Black Top Boss embossing powder – Clearsnap
Watercolor crayons and watercolor brush
Stickers – Ranger
Brads – SEI
Tonic Paper DistresserClear Paper Glaze – Aleene’s®/Tulip

FAVORITE FRIEND card
Materials:
Solid Cardstock – Core’dinations
Patterned paper – Hip to the Jive/Times Nouveau Collection/Graphic 45
Stamp – Invoke
Ancient Page and Fluid Chalk stamp pads – Clearsnap
Flowers and rub-on words – Making Memories
Brads – Target