Love You Forever & Always

I think this might be a record for me. I never post two cards in one evening. I guess my mojo is flowing so I better take advantage of it. You never know when it's going to go on vacation :) My second card for tonight is for the Less Is More and still addINKtive challenges.

Here is my card:

What a beautiful set of colors they gave us to play with. Put those together with a super CAS sketch and I'm in heaven. I think I might have to do this layout in a few different colors.

Well I think that's all for tonight. It's getting so it's time to take put the inks away for the night. As always, thanks for stopping by.

Deanna Jean

Supplies:
Stamps: Papertrey Ink With All My Heart
Inks" Stampin' Up! River Rock, Pink P irouette and Soft Suede

Muse Challenge #2

I'm back for the second Muse challenge. I had so much fun playing along last week, that I just couldn't pass up this week. I was so shocked when I checked to see who the winner was, and saw my card among the three. If you voted for my card...thank you sooo much. What an honor to have your fellow crafters and friends select your card. I just love this whole concept and I hope to see more challenges doing this.

Here is my card for this week:

This week's inspiration card is so full of bright fun colors. I love the beautiful cluster of flowers that Suzanne created. The various flowers and mixture of colors are so eye catching. I played around with a bunch of my flower stamps and dies trying to re-create this. I would have never put this together on my own..but I really like how it turned out.

The inspiration:

Thanks for stopping by. If you haven't checked out this new challenge you really should.

Deanna Jean

Supplies:
Paper: Papertrey Ink Raspberry Fizz
Stamps: Papertrey Ink Signature Greetings, Botanical Silhouettes, Heart 2 Heart #7, Flower Fusion # 2 and #9
Inks: Papertrey Ink Aqua Mist Stampin' Up! Real Red, Regal Rose & Lucky Limeade
Dies: Heart 2 Heart #2, Flower Fusion #2, Mat Stack 3 and Mat Stack 3 Layerz

ColourQ 174

Between working on wedding invitations I managed to find a little time to make a card for this week's ColourQ. Well, I made sure I had time because I just couldn't pass up these beautiful colors. I've been stamping so much purple it was nice to change colors...haha.

I went with a pretty basic layout, but I always like the way the cards looks with that little stripe of added color. It's hard to tell in the picture, but I promise the flower centers and the sentiment are stamped in Early Espresso.

Here are this week's colors:

As always, thanks for taking the time to stop by. I hope you can find the time to play along with us this week.

Deanna

Supplies:
Stamps: Papertrey Ink Emobroidered Blooms & Funky Florals
Inks: Stampin'Up! Raspberry Ripple, Primrose Petals, Pink Pirouette and Early Espresso
Paper: Stampin' Up! Primrose Petals  

Merry Monday #47

For this week's challenge you get to play a little Tic Tac Toe. For my card I went with blue, dry embossing and snow.

Here is my card.

For the trees I stamped the three front ones then decided there needed to be more. For the ones in the back I inked up my stamp then stamped it on a piece of scrap paper to take most of the ink off, then I stamped it on the card. To create the falling snow I used an old Lasting Impressions metal polka dot die and my light box. To bring in just a little more color I added the blue paper to the bottom.

This week's challenge:

Wow, where did that month go? My time as a guest designer at Merry Monday has come to an end. I had such a wonderful time.

As always, thanks for stopping by,
Deanna Jean

Supplies:
Stamps: Papertrey Ink Holiday Photo Finishers & DeNami Large Pine
Ink: Papertrey Ink Spring Rain
Paper: Papertrey Ink Spring Rain
Embossing: Lasting Impressions   

Dynamic Duos #37

It's time for a new set of colors at Dynamic Duos. We're going a little softer with this week's colors. It's week four and that means it's monochromatic week.

Here is my card:

This week's colors are so soft and gentle, I thought they were perfect for a sympathy card. I didn't want the card too busy so I used very little color.

I attached the top square to the bottom square with foam tape. Then I attached that piece to my card base with foam tape. This allowed my focal point to really pop.

Thanks for stopping by,
Deanna

Supplies:
Stamps: Stampin UP! Summer Silhouettes & Papertrey Ink Think Big #4
Ink: Stampin UP! Soft Suede & Crumb Cake 

Muse #1

I was checking out the blogs of some of my favorite blogging buddies and wouldn't you know...there is a new challenge in town :) I'm always looking for a great challenge blog, and I'm thinking this one's going to be one of them. If you haven't seen or heard about it yet, it's called Muse, you should go check it out.

Here are the rules:

• Use what you have in your stash, don't purchase anything new for your Muse cards.
• Explain your interpretation of the Muse inspiration card in your post and link back to Muse. 
• Provide supportive comments to at least 3 of your fellow member’s submissions. 
• Vote for one of your fellow member's submissions that you find inspiring.

And here is my card:

If you follow my blog, or stop by from time to time, then you know about my job situation. I am fortunate enough that I will continue to work until the first week of May. However, three of my co-workers, including my boss, will be leaving on Feb. 15th.While making this card I was going over my list of cards I needed to make and decided this one would be perfect for her.

Here you can see that I stamped two flowers and cut the center of one and attached it to the other with my dots, as well as the flower itself. I attached the card front to the base with foam tape. I added a little extra color with a copic marker.

Here is this week's inspiration card by the very talented Amy. I pulled my inspiration from the beautiful yellow flower and great layout. 

Thanks for stopping by. Don't forget to check out this supper fun new challenge.

Deanna Jean

Supplies:
Stamps: Papertrey Ink Rosie Posie & Thanks Always
Inks: Stampin'Up! Daffodil Delight & Lucky Limeade
Pattern Paper: Stampin' Up!
Copic marker: YR23
Other: My dots  

ColourQ 173 & Some Changes

As most of you know my daughter is getting married this summer, and we're doing everything ourselves.  I will also be losing my job at the beginning of May. The bank I work for has merged with another, and unfortunately they don't have a position for me. So, after 23 years in banking, and 17 with the same company, I have decided it's time for a change. I will be going back to school to purse a career in medical billing. Because of everything going on in my life, and the time needed for wedding planning and school, I had made to very hard decision to step down from the ColourQ design team. Then Arielle sent me a message asking me if I would rather stay and play along when time allowed...oh happy dance!! So, you will still see me around, just not every week.

Okay, enough about me...on to this week's ColourQ challenge.

Here is my card:

This card it totally different for me. I've seen so many cards like this and just love the look...so I thought I would give it a try. I had to improvise with my colors this week because I don't have half of these. It's amazing as many ink pad that I have you would like I would. I was still able to pull it together.I always put a sentiment on the front of my cards, but I couldn't find a place for one that looked right. Does it look okay without one?

Here are this week's colors:

As always thanks for stopping by.
Deanna

Supplies:
Stamps: Papertrey Ink Turning A New Leaf & a set I got at Michael's (sorry I don't know the name of it.)
Ink: Papertrey Ink: Classic Kraft, Sweet Blush & Canyon Clay
Paper: Had on hand   

Merry Monday #46

Happy Monday! Are you ready for a new Merry Monday challenge? For this week's challenge we have a theme...birds.

Here is my card:

I have a ton of stamps and can you believe nothing worked for this challengs. So, I went on the hunt for a digital image and found this one. I got the image here. This gave me a chance to practice with my Copics some more too. I'm thinking about doing this for my Christmas cards this year..what do you think? It was a lot of work but it's so pretty.

This week's challenge:

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you can find the time to play along with us this week.
Deanna Jean

Supplies:
 Digital Image: See link above
Stamps: Papertrey Ink Bells & Boughs
Copic Markers

Invitations Have Been Started

With just over 7 months to go, the wedding preparations are in full swing around here. We have projects started all over the house. One of the first things I told Tiana when she got engaged, was that I wanted to make her wedding invitations for her. After many...and I mean many samples we finally came up with one her and Donnie both agreed on.

Here is my stack of supplies all ready to go. 

And here is what I have been able to get done so far. Let me tell you, that was a lot of stamping! But aren't they amazing? I still have to do the directions, registry and RSVP parts. They all have almost as much stamping as the invitation itself does. She's lucky I love her so much :)

I'm off to mount these on purple, then to the tri-fold invitation base.

Deanna

Dynamic Duos #36

Hello there! Welcome to this week's Dynamic Duos challenge. It's week three..already...and that means it's black tie week. This is my favorite week. I just love the look of black with any color. I think it makes such striking cards. For this week's challenge we are pairing up black with red with the fun dessert option of a Valentine theme.

Here is my card:

 

This card was so much fun to put together. To start I cut my piece of red cardstock to the height I wanted it. I ran this through my BigShot along with my impression plate. Then I lined up the heart die and ran that through.

I die cut and stamped my other two hearts. I attached the top heart with foam tape. I attached the heart to my card base where I wanted it. Then I lined up the two red pieces so the edges matched those of the base heart and left a small gap. Super cute don't you think?

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you will join us this week.
Deanna

Supplies:
Stamps: Papertrey Ink With All My Heart
Paper: Stampin UP! Real Red
Ink: Stampin UP! Real Red & Basic Black
Dies: Papertrey Ink Limitless Layers Heart Dies
Embossing: Papertrey Ink Simple Stripes Impression Plate   

ColourQ #172

Hello there and happy Tuesday. I hope you are ready for a wild set of colors this week at the ColourQ. I was a little thrown off when I first saw them. Arielle sure has a way of doing that me...haha. This is one of those color combos that I would have NEVER thought to put together.

Here is my card:

I think it was the gray that made this one so hard for me. Once I decided I could do gray leaves the rest just fell into place. This set from PTI has two steps. I tried doing gray then stamping off and doing the gray again, but that didn't work so well. So I went with black instead. I really like the way it turned out.

Here you can see that I attached the card panel with foam tape and the flowers with my dots. I originally stamped the flower centers black. I showed the card to my daughter and she told me to do black pearls instead..such a good idea.

Here are this week's colors:

Thanks for stopping by,
Deanna

Supplies:
Stamps: Paptertrey Ink Embroidered Blooms & Thanks All Ways
Ink: Stampin UP! Melon Mambo, Summer Starfruit, Basic Gray & Real Red.
Paper: Stampin UP! Melon Mambo
Embossing: Papertrey Ink Linen & Canvas Impression Plate  

Merry Monday #45

Welcome to another Merry Monday challenge. For this week's challenge Lesley has given us a wonderful sketch to use. When it comes to sketch challenges, I have a tendency to avoid them. For some reason I have such a hard time with them. I have no idea why. So when I saw this week's sketch I was so excited to see it was one that didn't scare me...haha.

Here is my card.

I found this super sweet digital image at Bugaboo Digi Stamps. Isn't she just the sweetest thing ever? I've been playing around with my Copics so I thought I would give her a try. She was fun to do, but I sure have a lot more to learn when it comes to using my Copics. Practice, practice, practice.

Here is this week's sketch:

Thanks for stopping by today, and I hope you can join us this week.

Deanna Jean

Supplies:
Stamp: Bugaboo Digi Stamps and Papertrey Ink Bells & Boughs
Paper: Papertrey Ink Pure Poppy
Embossing Folder: Cuttlebug
Dies: Spellbinders
Button and Twine: Papertrey Ink
Copic Markers   
 

Retro Sketches #46

Hey there. Wow two posts in one day. That's just not like me. I had a little extra time today so I made this card for this week's Retro Sketches challenge. I absolutly LOVE this sketch. I'm sure I will using this one again..and again..and again :)

Here is my card:

I just got this fun set from The Alley Way Stamps. What a cute way to let someone who's feeling a little under the weather know that you're thinking of them.

Here is the sketch:

Thanks for stopping by.

Deanna

Supplies:
Stamps: The Alley Way Stamps Gotta Bug
Inks: Lucky Limeade, Island Indigo and Marina Mist

Seize the Birthday

Hi there. I hope all of you are having a nice relaxing Sunday. I'm stopping in with a card I made for the Seize the Birthday challenge. I'm always looking for great challenge blogs. I was so excited when Leslie announced this one. If you haven't heard of it yet, be sure to go check it out!

This week we have a sketch to work with and the card needs to be girly.

Here is my card:

I just love these fun bright colors together. This wasn't the direction I originally had in mind. But you know when things start going a different direction, sometimes you just have to go with it.

Here you can see the dimension I created. I fussy cut one of the leaves and attached it just at the base then gently curved it..super cute!

Here is this week's sketch:

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful rest of your day.

Deanna

Supplies:
Stamps: Papertrey Ink Quilled Elegance, Funky Florals, Beautiful Blooms & Polka Dot Basics
Ink: Stampin UP! Lucky Limeade, Daffodil Delight, River Rock, Crumb Cake Papertrey Ink Fresh Snow
Paper: Stampin UP! Daffodil Delight & Papertrey Ink Simply Chartreuse
Dies: Notched Flowers 
 

Dynamic Duos #35

It's time for a new set of colors at Dynamic Duos. With it being week two, that means we are going on the softer side with our colors.

Here is my card:

When I saw this week's colors the first thing that came to my mind was...baby:) I just love these two colors together. So sweet. To create my plaid I used the Background Basics: Super Stripes from Papertrey Ink....LOVE this set!!! I stamped the elephant on the card and then on a separate piece of paper that I had already stamped the plaid on and fussy cut it out. It works good to stamp your pattern first. This allows you to stamp your image and line it up so you get the background pattern right where you want it.

Here you can see that I attached the panel the elephant is on to my card base with foam tape. The elephant was attached with my dots. For his ear I added adhesive at just the top and pulled up for a little extra fun touch.

Here are this week's colors:

Don't forget to stop by Dynamic Duos and see what the rest of the design team has been up to.

Thanks for stopping by,
Deanna

Supplies:
Stamps: Papertrey Ink Bitty Baby Blessings, Celebrations, Background Basics: Super Stripes & Communique Sentiments Mini
Inks: Stampin Up! So Saffron & Certainly Celery
Paper: Stampin Up! Certainly Celery
Other: Foam Tape and My Dots  

ColourQ #171

Welcome to this week's ColourQ. We have a fabulous set of colors for you this week that are perfect for those hard to do guy cards. You know you dread them just as much as I do. What do you mean..make a card with no flowers, buttons or ribbon?

Here is my card:

I just got a couple of stamps sets from The Alley Way Stamps. If you are a fan of our fearless leader Arielle, you know that she uses them a LOT. I love all of  her creations and thought I would give a few sets a try. For this card I created a mask about 1 1/2 inches wide and used this great circle from Awesome Blossom and randomly stamped it in this week's colors. I then added a score line at the top and bottom of my mask.

Here are this week's colors:

I hope you are able to join us this week. Be sure to head over to ColourQ and see what the rest of girls have created for your inspiration.

Thanks for stopping by,
Deanna

Supplies:
Stamps: The Alley Way Stamps Awesome Blossom & Papertrey Ink Celebrations
Ink: Stampin Up! Daffodil Delight, Night of Navy and Basic Gray Papertrey Ink Classic Kraft 

Merry Monday Featured Designer

Yep, I get the honor of being the featured designer at the Merry Monday challenges for the month of January. I was so excited when the super sweet Lesley asked me. I love the idea of this challenge so much. I don't know about you, but I'm always scrambling at the last minute trying to get all of my Christmas cards done. If you play along each week by the time Christmas gets here you should be set..or close to it.

This week's challenge is a color challenge...my favorite kind. For Christmas my wonderful husband got me Stampin Up ink...whoo hoo. I can finally play along with the challenges and actually have the right color. Here is my card.

I would have never put these colors together on my own, but they look so great!

Here are this week's colors:

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you'll join us this week.

Deanna Jean

Supplies:
Stamps: Papertrey Ink Bells & Boughs & The Alley Way Stamps Holiday Sparkles
Inks: Stampin Up Island Indigo, Real Red and Pool Party 

Dynamic Duos #34

Happy New Year! I hope all of you had a Blessed Christmas and a wonderful New Year. After taking a little break for the holidays we're back with a new set of colors for you over at Dynamic Duos. It's the first week of the month so that means we have a bold and sassy color combo for you to play with.

Here is my card:

For my balloons I used various stamps and created different patterns. Then I used a balloon punch to cut them out. These are fun to do because you can create so many different patterns and make them match any color scheme.

I attached some of the balloons with foam tape and some with my dots. Here you can see the dimension this gives the card.

This week's colors:

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you'll join us this week. Be sure to stop by Dynamic Duos and see what the rest of the amazing design team created with this week's colors.

Deanna

Supplies:
Stamps: Papertrey Ink  Background Basics Super Stripes, Background Basics Chevron Stripes, Polka Dot Basics & Quilled Elegance
Ink: Stampin Up Melon Mambo and Island Indigo
Paper: Stampin Up Melon Mambo  

Less Than 8 Months

We are down to just under 8 months until my daughter's wedding. It's hard to believe she's been engaged for almost a year already. I thought it would be fun to keep all of you up to date on the planning and post pics of the process.

So here we go...

Tiana wants a small outdoor wedding so they have decided to get married in our back yard. Her theme is burlap and lace..country chic...as my mom calls it. We are doing all of the decorations ourselves. Over the past 11 months we have been gathering supplies and getting lots of ideas. We have boxes everywhere.

Here is the super cute couple the day after they got engaged..in the same alley they got engaged in. Donnie took Tiana to dinner on their 3 year anniversary. 

This is our backyard...AKA the venue. It's good sized but not big enough to set up chairs for the wedding, and have a place for the reception. To fix this problem the tables will all be set up, and the guest will sit at them during the ceremony.

The wedding will be at 7:00 in the evening. Because it's going to be in August, and it does tend to get warm, we are making fans. On one side they will have the wedding party information and on the other will be how they met. Some will be from Tiana's point of view and some will be from Donnie's point of view. To keep with the "country chic" theme we painted the handles white then sanded them down to look old. Yep, all 148 of them. There were 150 but a couple of them were no good.

Their colors are purple and green and for the flowers she wanted hydrangeas. I tried and tried to get her to go with real flowers, but she insisted on having silk. We lucked out and Michael's had a really good sale and we stocked up. I've had the flowers boxed up since March.

My dad made the boxed for the center pieces...LOVE them! Again we painted them white..added some paint that makes it crackle to look old and sanded them down too. Then it was time to bring in the burlap and lace!!! So pretty. There is one more thing that will be added to each center piece, but you'll have to wait to see what it is :) You're going to love it!

Well that's where we're at right now. My dinning room is upside down with wood boxes, burlap and lace. And it's just the beginning. I'm looking forward to creating a beautiful wedding for my daughter and making memories with her that we will both cherish for years to come.

Tiana has been posting wedding updates over on her blog "Mercy Over" you can check it out here.

Deanna