Nothing a Good Babka Can’t Cure!

I am running a tad behind on sharing some Easter inspiration, but most of you know my grandfather passed away right before Easter and we went to Philly for his funeral. We just returned last night and I had to share some Easter and springtime cards along with our family’s new mantra...“nothing a good babka can't cure!” You see, I come from an all Polish background and we have a love of our polish foods such as kielbasa, babka, pierogis and others that I can't begin to spell correctly, so I won't bother even trying! LOL.

The morning of my grandfather’s funeral, I woke up with the inside of my cheek aching from biting it while chewing gum the day before...I know I am Polish...try not too laugh to loud now! I asked my mom if she had anything I could put on it and she gave me some ambesol. I rubbed it on my finger and dabbed it on my scrapes. Minutes later the left side of my face felt as if I had a shot of novacaine. I went into instant panic wondering if I would have enough feeling on the left side of my face to get through the prayer of the faithful reading at my grandpa's funeral mass or if I would be drooling over the page. Time was flying by so I decided to eat some babka for breakfast and worry about it if I was still numb after we left the house. Fortunately after breakfast the numbness wore off and I was back to normal, so my Irish brother-in-law, Kevin, later joked, “ah, nothing a good babka can’t cure!”, and so that became the mantra for the weekend, and our standing family joke. If only life were that simple! Some of our family members and friends are dealing with the diagnosis or return of cancer and facing treatment so humor has proved to be an important tool for our family in coping with the stress and sadness. But one thing that I truly discovered this weekend is that nothing can take away pain and suffering, but there is nothing like a family coming together during trying times. These bonds can turn tears to laughter, and make the most unbearable endurable even if for a brief moment.

This “Easter Flutters By” card features a background paper from Karen Foster Design, diecut & embossed butterflies using Stampin’ Up!’s new Beautiful Wings Embosslits die and a Sizzix Big Kick along with a verse from their Well Scripted set. The leaf diecut is also created using the Little Leaves die from Stampin’ Up!®.

This is a not-so-typical approach to an Easter card created using an old scrap of patterned Cardstock from Fancy Pants Designs along with some digi stamps from some of my new sets on myGraficO.com...Easter Tweets color digi stamps and Elegant Frames digi stamps. I used non-traditional colors on this and re-colorized and stacked the verse to match the frame. The digi stamps were colorized and scaled using Adobe Illustrator, then printed out on an inkjet printer. I trimmed them and layered the elements on this card along with some accent cardstock and ribbon to create this fast and fun Easter greeting. Tip: I set up a file with numerous digi stamp elements then print out on one sheet to minimize paper waste. Then I create cards to keep on hand for upcoming holidays, birthdays and general greeting cards.

Check back for more stamped and digi card inspirations that I will post this week.

2 Day Easter Sale at MyGraficO

If you want to save on clip art, digi stamps, brushes, and scrapbook elements, just hop on over to www.MyGraficO.com to save 25% on all products in the shop. Check out my 5 newly added sets: Hip & Happy, Easter Tweets Brushes, Easter Tweets Digi Stamps, Something Springy Brushes and Something Springy Digi Stamps...all included in this sale!!! The sale starts early Friday, April 2nd and ends Sat., April 3rd at midnight. Check out all the great sets available, and have a very Happy Easter!

Easter Pocket Garden

I promised to post on Monday a spring card using the pocket from Lindsay’s Stamp Stuff Patriotic Set, however life interrupted. So, finally I get to share this card with you today! It features my digi stamp collection, ModTwist Garden. I used brushes in color to create the flowers inside the pocket, which I colorized first then printed directly onto Core’dinations cardstock. The embossed, diecut butterflies (Beautiful Wings Sizzlits) and Easter verse (A Good Egg set) are both products from Stampin’ Up!®. The patterned papers used on this are from Doodlebug Designs, Inc. and the solid CS is also from SU. I hope to post a tutorial later this week to show you how I did it. The sheer ribbon is a retired Wide Organdy from SU and the fibers are from Basic Grey. I used Glue Arts adhesives to assemble the card with small strips of their ribbon adhesive to adhere the 3-D butterflies. I used double sided foam adhesive to pop up the flowers. To purchase the digi stamps to create this card, go to www.mygrafico.com. You can order the SU products from my friend, Ree!

Patches of Patriotism

Remember the days of coloring in coloring books as a child or maybe as a grown up showing your child how to color? Relaxing, fun memories. Well, digi stamping can be very much the same. You can scale and print out the designs in your computer software program such as Photoshop, Microsoft Word, Corel Draw, InDesign or Illustrator on your inkjet printer. Let the ink set for a few minutes, then color to your hearts content. This is just one way to incorporate digital stamping into your craft projects.

Today I want to share with you some cards I made using Lindsay’s Stamp Stuff set named Patriotic Collection. It has great card kit elements for you to cut and paste, or if you have a photo editing program like Photoshop, you can incorporate layers of the stamps and add computer colorized backgrounds along with other digi stamps. I loved the quilted feel of her stamp design, so I used the Stitches set by Mels Brushes, also from Mygrafico.com to add the white stitchery to this card. I printed it out, hand colored the center using markers and blender pens, and I mounted on a deep red linen 5" x 7" card with blue and white panels embossed with the Divine Swirls cuttlebug embossing template and some gold metallic ribbon. I also embellished with the raised up star button and a couple more buttons, too! This set would be so awesome for making cards for the troops or for celebrating U.S. holidays like 4th of July, Memorial Day and Labor Day.

This Pockets of Patriotism card showcases another way to use digi stamps...print them onto colored cardstock. The pocket was printed on blue CS and shaded using an ink pad and sponge. I matted and layered the other hand colored digi stamp over an embossed dotted white background which I matted in red and placed on top of a hand stamped background using a distressed dot stamp from Stampin’ Up!’s Extreme Elements set. I alternated using Pacific Point and Real Red ink. And I added the red bow with white stitching as a vibrant accent.

Lindsay & I swapped sets to show our friends and followers what you can create using one another’s designs. To check out the card creations Lindsay made with my Elegant Name Plates set, check out her blog. To see some other card samples I made using some of her designs, be sure to see yesterday’s blog post. Also, check back on Monday for a spring card version using this very same pocket stamp! With digi stamping you never run out of ink, supplies or creativity!

Working on Samples

If it isn’t enough work creating the sets, I had to get busy showing samples of how to use them. There just aren't enough hours in the day it seems. One minute I am consulting on Prom Decor, the next giving boyfriend advice, next cleaning (which I try to avoid until it is time to evict the dust bunnies), then it’s writing, designing and creating. I know you can all relate to me! Right? I am well behind on cards for friends and family too, but here are some sneak peek photos of some cards I just posted to my mygrafico albums. For all the details on what sets I used, you can check there. These range from fairly simple to more complex hybrid . I will be posting more ideas today and tomorrow in the gallery. Happy Friday!

Frugal Crafting at It’s Best!

I have this super crafty and talented friend, Lindsay Weirich, who comes up with just the best ideas on saving money on your crafts. You have to check out her YouTube video on how to make faux pearls and dew drops. You will agree with me that she is amazing. I couldn't resist sharing this video technique using a hot glue gun and making it a Happy Crafting Friday for you! I will definitely have to try this one out!

Preview of New Sets

Here is a quick peek at 3 of my new digital design products available for purchase at MyGraficO. The Elegant Frames has been a popular set for cardmaking, scrapbooking and for custom stationery. You can pair with the Elegant Verses sets to add text or create your own.

These are also great for elegant scrapbook page layouts! I also have a color version.

Another new design that has been well received is my Birthday Pals set with it’s whimsical characters. It comes with b&w art that you can color or edit on computer as well as the 12 bonus colorized designs you see featured. I have some great phrases that go along with these!

I know most of us are just about shaking off the cold winter weather, but Easter is right around the corner. Just think of the fun ways you could incorporate these Spring Chicks designs into your Easter creations! This set has pre-colorized designs that are ready to print and use, or you can use them in a photo editing program, such as Photoshop, to incorporate into digital or hybrid scrapbook pages. As I catch up on some sleep from my designing frenzy, I will be sure to post some examples here for inspiration!

Be sure to check the site and my blog for samples made with all my new releases, and I would love to see your creations in the gallery! Not sure how to use digital designs in your creations? Keep checking back to my blog for tips and examples of how you can, digitally, live life creatively!

Helping You to Feel Lucky!

What luck! The St. Patrick’s Day Lucky Sale is the perfect time to purchase some of my brand new digital stamp designs at 30% off!!! Even though I am only Irish through marriage, I thought it would be fun to help you save a little green on St. Patrick’s Day! The sale will start Wed., March 17th, early morning and run through Thursday, March 18th at midnight. The entire store is on sale, so click on this link to Mygrafico.com to check out what all the buzz is about! Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

If you just want to go to my shop, click here.

Be sure and check out the new set, just added, called Birthday Pals!

My Big New...A Launch into Digital

Many of you know me as a stamper, scrapbooker, crafter and project designer, however you may not be aware that I have also been a graphic designer & illustrator for over 25 years. In the past I have designed logos, ads and other marketing materials for clients, and since being introduced to the craft and hobby industry, my designs have appeared on papers, stamps and product packaging. I have been wanting to get back to doing more designing and illustrating and was accepted to be one of the designers for a wonderful site called MyGraficO.com. It features clip art, digital art, papers, stationery designs and more from talented artists from around the world. These designs can be printed out, colored in, or used to create digital and hybrid crafts including cards, scrapbook layouts, albums, tags, craft projects and even embroidery. My digital designs can be found by clicking on my name in the left hand column, (this link will take you there, too!) where you will be taken to a list of items in my shop. Since I am busily working on new products, there will continually be more products added to my shop, so check back often and please tell all your friends!!!

Who doesn’t like getting something for free, right? To kick off my launch into digital, I am offering this combo pack of digital papers as a free download. Follow this link. Register at the site, add to your cart, and the file will be emailed to you! I saved my favorites to share with you all and I hope you enjoy using them on projects. Be sure to email me so I can post your examples on my blog, or you can post them in the mygrafico gallery, too!

Keep checking back for more news about my digi art design team and new freebies!

Please share this blog post with all your friends and family.

Can you tell I am a little beyond excited? LOL!!!

Walking on Sunshine

I just got back from a walk in the sunshine, yes sunshine and warmth has finally returned to Florida today and I can't tell you how glad we all are to see it. This is the weather we truly love and miss. So I went through some of my project files to dig up a bright, cheerful card to post in honor of the bright, cheery weather.

In this “Wow, thanks!” card I chose a 3 color plus white combination of only orange, tempting turquoise and orchid opulence. The stamp set is Wow Flowers set also from Stampin’ Up¡®. This is a very simple and clean layered card to make. I also used a felt flower, brad along with a circle and scallop circle punch for the framed accents. I used my Glue Glider™ Pro with PermaTac adhesive for main parts and a few dimensionals to raise up circle area. (Be sure to stamp first before adding dimension or you won’t get a good image).

Hope this brightens your day. Craft something in vibrant colors today even if you can’t go walking in the sunshine.

A Card for A Craft Idol

American Idol is in full swing and it got me to thinking about how I actually got to meet and eventually become friends with one of my crafting idols, Susan Stringfellow. You see as I go go through my scrap and stamp magazines and find projects I REALLY like, I always check out who the designer is. More often than not the name was Susan Stringfellow. I was a huge, anonymous fan of her work so imagine my surprise when our worlds collided when designing for Inque Boutique. Susan and I have kept in touch and share projects and inspiration whenever we can via email and our blogs. Now the real dilmena...I wanted to send her a surprise along with a card. Talk about intimidating! I finally let go of trying to create the most fantastic Susan worthy card and sent one that reflected my style. Here is the card. I used papers from Me & My Big Ideas Sassy specialty CS pad, fiskars scallop heart punch an old hostess set of occasions verses for the greeting, flourish set from Autumn Leaves and this cool new wood mounted rubber stamp flourish from Inkadinkado that I used over top of the two side hearts. I used black and pixie pink ink from SU.

P.S. She liked the valentine surprise and the card!

A Momentous Birthday

Lately, it seems like I have had many family momentous occasions...50th birthdays and anniversaries, 70th & 80th birthdays, sweet 16 birthdays, so I am getting pretty used to making cards to commemorate these special events. Here is the Flourishing at 70 card that I made for my Aunt Floss’ 70th birthday. I didn't get to post on that day since the big baby delivery was the main focus. Still waiting on precious photos to share with you. I will either post on my facebook page or on the blog if anyone ever sends one. The new mom is pretty busy but Kelly promises to get them edited and to send us one. I did get to peek at the ones taken at the hospital and she is such a cutie pie!