Love is In The Air!!!

Hello Friends,
Sometimes when life gets busy we forget to pick up our phone and say hello to friends from afar, tell the ones we love that we love them or are thinking of them, or even send a note in the mail to surprise someone with something in the mail other than junk mail or BILLS. For today's card, I created it with the idea that I haven't been keeping up with my family that lives on the other side of the US and they are probably wondering if I have forgotten them. So I wanted to make a special card that I can write a nice message in and send it on its way. I hope it finds them happy and healthy!

Card Size: 4 1/4" X 5 1/2"

Colors Used: Soft Suede, Bravo Burgandy, Bashful Blue, Wild Wasabi, Crumb Cake, Sahara Sand, and Daffodil Delight

Stamp Sets Used: Happy Greetings

Accessories and Tools Used: Bravo Burgandy 1/4" Gross grain Ribbon,

Wood Grain embossing Folder (NOT Stampin Up), Bird Builder Punch, dimensionals,Basic Pearls, daubers, Eyelet Border Punch, and 2 1/2" Circle Punch

Monday Sketch Challenge 6

Happy Monday!!!

This card sketch is simple but beautiful. Enjoy!

Here is my card. I hope you love it as much as I do. There is just something about pink and gray that I love. I wanted to spotlight the beautiful flocked designer series paper. I cannot tell you enjoy about how much I love these papers. Every time I use these flocked papers my cards turn from simple to elegant. I HIGHLY recommend this designer series paper to EVERYONE!!!                                          

                           Card Size: 4 1/4" X 5 1/2"                                  

      Colors Used:  Pink Pirouette, Basic Gray, BasicBlack, Melon Mambo, Sahara Sand
                          Stamp Sets Used: En Francais, Posy Punch, and Vintage Vogue

Accessories and Tools Used: Mocha Morning Specialty Designer Series Paper, Basic Rhinestones, Dimensionals, and Fancy Flower Punch

These next two cards were created by my dear friend Becky, I am so glad she has decided to join in on the fun. They both look great!!

I love this one with the heart, it would make a perfect Valentine card or just one to remind your loved ones how much you care!
I just love how the same layout looks different depending on the type of card you are creating!

Here is Marcia's card. I am glad you are having such a good time playing with these challenges! I really love the way you did your flower!

Next is Jessica's card. I love the green and pink together and I love the embossed flowers on the green paper. So cute!

Beveled Glass....what a great way to enhance a card!

Happy Thursday,

Today I decided to use some beveled glass panes in my cards. I bought them several months ago but have been afraid to use them. I think its more of a hourding issue than actual fear! I have to admit, I, Sandi Alba, loves to hourd ALL of my accessories! I really don't know why because I could always buy more but this is just a habit that keeps creeping back up on me all of the time. Anyway, here is my pretty card....

Stunning isn't it? The beveled glass panes have little slits in them perfect for using your favorite ribbons to attach them to your cards.  You could use them to accent a stamped piece as I have or even to highlight your sentiment so that it stands out. I love how the windownpane fits beautifully with the elegant lines embossing that I used on the Perfect Plum paper, it's as if that embossing folder knew that a windowpane would fit perfectly with it. They would also be amazing in scrapbooks or in a framed piece that you would hang on the wall of your home. Perhaps something I may try next???

Card Size: 4 1/4" X 5 1/2"

Stamp Set Used: Charming

Colors Used: Crumb Cake, Perfect Plum, Melon Mambo, Very Vanilla, Soft Suede

Accessories and Tools Used: Stripes Impressions Embossing Folder, Elegant Lines Impressions Embossing Folder, Beveled Window Panes, and Victoria 5/8" Crochet Trim

Friends Have a Way of Making Our Day Better!

Happy Tuesday Friends.

Today was an exhausting day for me. I hardly slept last night as one of my twin babies decided to have a fever ALL night so needless to say neither of us got any sleep. I am pretty sure it was a teething fever because of course there wasn't any other symptoms and if you look in her little mouth you can see some back molars peeking through her gums, I know poor baby girl! The good news is her fever broke around 4:30am. But by then I figured I might as well get up and begin my day. So I went to work with an IV of coffee LOL. I really was not excited about my day figured it would be a very long day but my dear friend, Tracy came by to visit. I have to say, sometimes you just NEED to see your friends because they can really bring you out of a poopy mood. I don't think she knows that just stopping by and saying hello really helped to brighten my day, but it did and I am definitely going to let her know. So while thinking of her today, I made this card.....

Card Size: 4 1/4" X 5 1/2"

Stamp Set Used: Vintage Vogue

Colors Used: Crumb Cake, Wisteria Wonder, Very Vanilla, and Concord Crush

Accessories and Tools Used: Basic Pearls and some retired Designer Series Paper

Monday Challenge 5

Happy Monday Friends,

Today's challenge is............

Don't be afraid of it :o)

Remember, your card does NOT have to be exactly like the sketch. If you want to use a different accent than the flower you can or a different brad or even a button! Have fun!

Okay so I had fun with this sketch. What do you think?

Card Size: 5 1/2" X 4 1/4"

Stamp Sets Used: Touch of Kindness and Itty Bitty Bits

Colors Used: Lucky Limeade, So Safron, Whisper White, Pumpkin Pie, and Pool Party

Accessories and Tools Used: 1 3/4" circle punch, Scallop Edge Border Punch, Subtles Buttons, and Twine

This next card was created by Jessica.I love how it turned out Jessica! I am glad you didn't decide to give up on this one. I think you made a very cool card!

And Here is Marcia's card. I definitely will need this set from the Holiday mini!!!

I will defintely have to order this set!!!

Happy Happy Birthday Baby

Hello Friends,

Today's card is a card I made for a sweet little boy. He is turning 7 and has a smile that can melt your heart. I wanted to make him an extra special card so I decided on a tri fold card.

Here is the card when closed. To open it you hold onto the two outside flaps which are a little longer than the actual card and pull. The sentiment is actually only attached to one side of the card.

When you open the card you have several panels. If you wanted to add small pictures of other stamped images you could do that on those panels. You could even attach a mini envelope to place money inside or a giftcard,
I chose to place a sweet cupcake on the bottom corner of the center panel because I want to have room to write a special message.

Card size: 4" X 4 1/4" (when closed)

Stamp Sets Used: Tagtastic and Create a Cupcake

Colors Used: Rose Red, Temtping Turquoise, Old Olive, Crumb Cake, and Daffodil Delight

Accessories and Tools Used: Decorative Label punch, Old Olive 5/8" Satin Ribbon, and Stripes Textured Impressions Embossing folder

Monday Sketch Challenge 4

Hello Friends,
Happy Monday,

Today's sketch challenge is ....
Good Luck and have fun!

And here is my attempt.....

Elegant don't ya think??? This card was so fun to make. I heat embossed the sentiment for a more elegant look. Oh and you can't see it but the Designer Series paper has black flocking on it..soooo pretty!

Stamp Set Used: Tagtastic

Colors Used: Crumb Cake, Basic Black, and Cherry Cobbler

Accessories and Tools Used: Mocha Morning Specialty Designer Series Paper, Top Note Bigz Die, and Antique Brads

Here are Jessica's cards...Yes, you heard me right, cards, as in more than one...You Go Girl!!!

This next card is by Marcia, OMG I LOVE these colors together. SO pretty, I may have to get my Just Believe set out and make this one!

Next up is Darla's card. I am so jealous, I NEED not want but NEED this stamp set!!! Such a great card.

Bring on the Cupcakes...

Hello Friends,
Happy Thursday! I hope you are enjoying your day. For me, Summer has finally ended...Sure did fly by. Today is the first day of school so I am back at work meeting all of my new little 1st graders and I am sure they are all adorable! Hope your day is amazing!

Card Size: 4 1/4" X 5 1/2"

Colors Used: Chocolate Chip, Melon Mambo, Pretty in Pink, Crumb Cake, and Whisper White

Stamp Sets Used: On Your Birthday and Create a Cupcake

Accessories and Tools Used: Crystal Effects, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, Hemp Twine, 1/4" Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon (retired) Cupcake Builder punch, 1 3/4" Circle Punch, 1 3/8" circle punch, and dimensionals

Make Every Moment Count!

Hello Friends,
Happy Tuesday!
I had to make today's card with this adorable set because I just love it's message. Just incase you cannot make out the sentiment it says;  "When we see with our hearts, every moment is the most wonderful gift in the world". Isn't it beautiful?

Card Size: 5 1/2" X 4 1/4"

Stamp Set Used: Every Moment

Colors Used: Concord Crush, Wisteria Wonder, Whisper White, and Daffodil Delight

Accessories and Tools Used: Stampin Write Markers, Blender Pen, 2 1/2" Circle Punch, Basic Rhinestones, Dimensionals, retired hostess DSP,Uni-ball Signo Gel Pen, and 1/8" Daffodil Delight Taffeta Ribbon

Monday Sketch Challenge 3

Hello Friends,

Here is our Monday Sketch Challenge for the week. Enjoy.....

Another fabulous layout by

Liz Goldhawk. ------->

And now for what I came up with........

Card Size: 5 1/2" X 4 1/4"

Stamp Set Used: Oval All

Colors Used: Not Quite Navy, Very Vanilla, Crumb Cake, and Baja Breeze

Accessories and Tools Used: retired DSP, Beautiful Butterflies Bigz Die, Beatiful Wings Embosslits Die, Large Oval punch, Scallop Oval punch, Scallop Trim Border, Basic Pearls, and Dimensionals

Here is Jessica's cards...

WOW she was inspired to make more than one card.

Love crumb cake don't you?

Marcia, I like your tectured flower, such a pretty addition! I adore your color choice. Probably because I use this color a lot LOL.

This next card was created by my friend Darla, It is an amazing and beautiful card.

Next is Aliya's card. I like how you reversed the order of the butterfly.

Everyone is so creative, definitely lovin it :o)

Don't miss out on this terrific promotion. For the month of August if you buy 3 Designer Series Paper packs you get 1 free!! Click on my link and order away, or feel free to contact me and I can place your order for you!http://sandialba.stampinup.net/

Elements of Style

Hello Friends,
Happy Sunday! Today's card is one of my all time favorite cards that I have ever made. The picture is beautiful but if you saw it in person you would see just how gorgeous it really is. For example, the adorable hummingbird has a tiny white pearl for his eye and he is covered in Dazzling Diamonds Stampin Glitter. The other part of this lovely card that is hard to see is the floral element is embossed.

I love this card. In fact, I am going to make it again in a variety of color schemes and then frame it as a four piece collection. I think it will be such a beautiful piece of art for my home.

Stamp Sets Used: Elements of Style, Love and Care, and En Francais

Colors Used: Island Indigo, Pool Party, Whisper White, and Night of Navy

Accessories and Tools Used: Pool Party 3/8" Ruffled Ribbon, Basic Pearls, Dazzling Diamonds, Stampin Glitter, Clear Stampin Emboss Powder, Dimensionals, Decorative Label punch, Ticket Corner punch, Night of Navy Classic Stamp pad, Pool Party Classic Stamp Pad, Island Indigo Classic Stamp pad, and sponges 

Monday Sketch Challenge 2

Hello Friends, Happy Monday!
I hope you are as excited to start this next week's challenge. I had so much fun playing with this layout, but I think I nailed it! Give it a try. Remember to email me a copy of your card once you have made one so I can post it here! My email address is sandialba@verizon.net

This sketch was created by Liz Goldhawk.

Here is mine. What do you think?

I had to take it's picture next to the beautiful morning glories that are growing between the neighbor and my backyard. They are in full bloom and look so beautiful.

Card Size: 4 1/4" X 5 1/2"

Stamp Sets Used: Simply Soft and Perfect Words (both of these sets are hostess sets, if you want one then email me and we can book a workshop so you can earn them!)

Colors Used: Concord Crush, Whisper White, and Wisteria Wonder

Accessories and Tools Used: Designer Series paper pack( last years In Colors--retired), dimensionals, Word Window punch and Modern Label punch

This next card was created by Aliya. Love your color scheme! I am so glad that you are enjoying the sketch challenges.

This next card is from one of my closest friends; Roxanne. I so love this card and definitely love this stampset: Funny Folk.

The next card is by the creative and talented; Marcia!!!!! She used the stampset called Clearly For You!

The next card is a bright and cheery card made by my good friend, Jessica. She used the Pocket Silhouettes stamp set.

This next card is by my dear friend Evelyn, who claims she made it at 3:00am...is she out of her mind??? You should be asleep during that time. She also said she made her card from her scrap bin..guess I am not the only scrappy queen. Remember to save your scraps because they really are useful!

Keep them coming friends, it is so fun to see the variety of cards from the same layout.