Craft Critique: K&Company's Que Sera Sera Papers

My apology for the late post, but my Craft Critique article was originally scheduled for Friday and not Thursday.

I bought the K&Company Que Sera Sera Specialty Paper Pad and Designer Paper Pad at Michaels a few months ago. Love them. I have a complete review of them on Craft Critique. Make sure you check out the review there because I am also giving away a 4.75x6.75 paper pack Only comments submitted on Craft Critique will be eligible for the giveaway (no international shipping on the giveaway).

I made several cards to compliment the review. Check out my slide show of the cards.

"You're The Best" Card
cardsctock: craft supply and Die Cuts With A View (DCWV)
patterned paper: K&Company Que Sera Sera designer paper
heart die cut: CuttleKids
cork: Quartet Cork Craft Sheets (at Michaels)
stamp: Hero Arts
ink: Tim Holtz/Ranger
ribbon: Hobby Lobby

"Take Good Care" Card
cardstock: craft supply and Die Cuts With A View (DCWV)
patterned paper: K&Company Que Sera Sera designer paper
dry embossing: Quickutz labels embossing folders
stamp: Hero Arts
ink: Tim Holtz/Ranger

"Many, Many Thanks" Card
cardstock: craft supply
patterned paper: K&Company Que Sera Sera specialty paper
stamp: Hero Arts
ink: Tim Holtz/Ranger
ribbon: May Arts
scalloped circle die cut: Quickutz
circle punches: EK Success

"Happy Everything" Card
cardstock: craft supply
patterned paper: K&Company Que Sera Sera designer paper
circle punches: EK Success
butterfly punch: Martha Stewart/EK Success
twine: Darice
buttons: unknown

"Hello" Card
cardstock: craft supply
patterned paper: K&Company Que Sera Sera specialty paper
letter stickers: American Crafts Thickers

Tag Book
See the Que Sera Sera Tag Book short video including all the pages from the tag book

Thanks for looking.

Happy Everything :: Color Inspiration and 2 Sketches 4 You

Wow, the week almost went by w/o me doing much card making. Just taking it slow is all. I did get the Cuttlebug Challenge done (see yesterday's post).

I do like the inspiration for the Color Inspiration - skeins of yarn. I love when I see the DMC floss all lined up and color coordinated. The 2 Sketches 4 You sketch is a no-frills sketch. Love that.

I don't have much more to say about this card. It's just simple and fresh. I started to distress the edges and do some sewing, but sometimes less is more.

Thanks for looking .... here's what I used:
cardstock: Bazzill
patterned paper: ??
stamp: Hero Arts
ink: Tim Holtz/Ranger
ribbon: Michaels
flower die: Sizzix
felt: craft supply

Just a Simple Thank You

I made this card using some scraps. However, the labels are a new purchase. They are from Martha Stewart. They are supposed to be gift tags, but I just love the labels w/that hint of gold trim. So I added the stamping and heat embossed w/gold embossing powder. I'll probably do more of the labels like this. The ribbon adds another level of simplicity, but classic.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: craft supply
dry embossing: Cuttlebug
stamp: Hero Arts
ink: VersaMark
embossing powder: Joann
ribbon: Michaels
label: Martha Stewart

Cuttlebug Challenge :: week 3

Another week and another challenge over at the Cuttlebug Challenge blog. This week's challenge almost crippled me. Sometimes I just don't want to think outside of the box.

The challenge was to make something other than a card or layout. I had to make a list of things I might be interest in making: magnets, book marks, ATCs ... yeah, it was a short list for me. But then I sort of got an idea that I had wanted to try out last year, but never got around to it. I had to high tail it to Michaels and find the star that I ended up altering. I know that Pat Catans has paper ones, but Pat Catans ain't so close to where I live. The one here is metal.

This project was not simple in the least. I ended up creating a parallelogram template to use for each point on the star. Who wants to do alegbra at my age? Took me a couple of tries to get it near right. But wah-lah! I like the way it looks, though I am going to go back and use some Modge Podge on it because the paper is not staying on.

Oh, and love that paper, right? Basic Grey does not disappoint. I used paper from a couple of different lines. I think it's Figgy Pudding and Dasher or Blitzen.

Well, thanks for reading my post ... here's what I used:
patterened paper: Basic Grey
dry embossing: Cuttlebug (one of the small snowflake folders)
ink: VersaMagic
star: Michaels
ribbon: American Crafts

Thanks :: 2 Sketches 4 You

It's funny, most of my cards from the 2 Sketches 4 You sketches are Thanks and Thank You cards. That is so unintentional, yet interesting and funny to me.

What is also funny, how my card turned out based on the sketch. It does not totally match up, but these things are up for interpretation, right? I thought that the vertical pattern on the paper was complimentary to the vertical sections in the sketch. As for the two circles @ the bottom of the sketch, I wanted to add another flower, but the one is plenty.


Speaking of the flower, I used a Sizzix die and cut it from Fun Foam. Love that bling too. It's from Joann/CK. The sentiment is a $1 stamp from Micheals. I was going to stamp in like a pink, but that Tim Holtz Weathered Wood nearly matches the flourish underneath it; I love it when these things work out.

What almost did not work out was the sewing. I used some craft thread in the sewing machine, but I did not adjust the tension, so the first panel that I made got all ripped up. Note to self: do the sewing first and the stamping last when possible.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: Bazzill
patterned paper: Making Memories
fun foam: unknown
flower die: Sizzix
bling: Joann/CK
stamp: Michaels $1
other: sewing

Holiday Card :: cps 85

I finally got around to making some cards this week. I was really into it last night and out of the blue the power went out - not all of it mind you, but just enough that I could not do the sewing - and I just had to have some sewing.

When things finally got back to normal this afternoon, I was still in the mood to sew, heck, I even took the time to change the color of the thread - twice!

I do like the results. I put a lot of thought into this card using this weeks Card Positioning Systems (cps) sketch. I love the Papertrey Ink papers, but I only have the swatches so this was a good sketch to put them to use. Also, I wanted to have the feel of using the ribbon like you would if you were wrapping a gift. Finally, that little christmas tree is adorable and it says "We wish you a Merry Christmas, we wish you a Merry Christmas, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!" How cool is that? I thought cutting it out and adding foam tape would add a bit of punch. One more thing, I was going to use red ribbon w/a pattern, but I went for the monochromatic look. Love that.

I also entered this card in Steph's Stamptoberfest Happy Holidays Stamp Challenge on 2Peas.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: Bazzill
patterned paper: Papertrey Ink
stamp: Studio G/Michaels $1
ribbon: Michaels
ink: VersaMagic
dry embossing: Cuttlebug Swiss Dots
other: sewing

September Blog Hop

I'm way too excited about this month's Papertrey Ink Blog Hop. I have missed the last two. One because I was out of town and the other because I had absolutely no creative juice for what to do w/a cd case other than its initial use. Shame on me, eh? But I'm back, yes indeed!

So, here I am w/an actual idea and participation. My idea is not unique, as a matter of fact, I saw it on the Hero Arts Blog. I just love the idea of handmade book marks. I do a lot of reading, but you would not believe what I use as book marks: receipts, paper scraps, post it notes, torn pieces of newspapers, old bills or junk mail ... I could go on. How nice, to actually have a book mark for the purpose of marking my place in a book? So I've decided to give these to my reading group as an early holiday gift. There are only seven of us, so it's not a lofty project and of course, one for me as well.

The tree and the sentiment on the book mark are both $1 stamps from Michaels. For the stamped background, I used three different $1 stamps from Michaels that all say "Happy Holidays". Love that VersaMark look. And my seldom used colored pencils came in handy here.

As for the card, well, I've had that stamp- the trees - for some time. One of those wonderful $1 stamps from Michaels too. It looked so cute, like they usually do, but I've never used it. I got out my colored pencils here as well. Love that. I think I've used the Holiday Cheer stamp before. Maybe not. It's from Anna Griffin. Oh, and do you see the hint of Papertrey Ink Holiday Vintage paper? Yep, thanks Nichole for the free sample.

Enough gabbing, gotta hop around, right? Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: craft supply
patterned paper: Papertrey Ink
dry embossing: Cuttlebug
stamps: Michaels $1 = Katie & Co., Studio G and Oogaloo; Anna Griffin
ink: Tim Holtz/Ranger
colored pencils: EK Success and Loew-Cornell
circle punch: EK Success
other: sewing

cps 83 :: Blog Hop Preview

Well, w/so much on my plate, I had to double dip at some point. I did have some fun w/this one. I had to go and pull out my trough of holiday patterned paper (made me decide right away that I can never purchase any more patterned paper - holiday or otherwise).

I do like this week's cps sketch so much. Thanks to Tami for hookin it up. Good stuff. Oh, and the Blog Hop Preview is that I used some of Papertrey Ink's most recent line of patterned paper - Holiday Vintage. Make sure you click the link to get the pdf and print it out for yourself.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: craft supply
patterned paper: Papertrey Ink and Creative Imaginations
dry embossing: Cuttlebug
circle punch: EK Success
stamp: Michaels $1 stamps/Studio G
embossing powder: Ranger
other: sewing

Thanks :: 2 Sketches 4 You

Another week, another 2 Sketches 4 You sketch. Love these. So many inspirational participants. I've tried to view all of the entries. I think I got through all of them once. Almost all of them twice, then I just lost count because I have to actually craft, right?

And craft, craft, craft is what's on the menu for this week. I have this week's CPS (Card Positioning Systems) sketch, then the Two Peas Profile on Thursday as well as PaperTrey Ink's Blog Hop. I also have little entry for a contest on the Hero Arts Blog. I actually have all those projects done. So I hope to work on some personal projects and calls for publication.

As for this week's 2S4Y card, I do like this baby. I managed to marry two different lines of patterned paper - Making Memories and Creative Imaginations. Nice.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock and sticker sentiment: Bazzill
patterned paper: Making Memories and Creative Imaginations
chipboard (under the sticker sentiment): Making Memories
ribbon: Michaels and Offray
other: sewing

Did Someone Say "Holiday Cards"?

Yeah, I know that it's a bit soon to even think about the holidays. But no one told that to the folks over @ 2Peas. And I'm okay w/that. They've been presenting some holiday card making classes. Lots of goodies and tons of ideas. All in the name of getting you prepared well in advance. That theory could work too - you nip away at the card making week by week and the next thing you know, you are all done, your cards are in the mail and you are actually enjoying the holiday season ... it is indeed a theory.

Here are some of the other cards that I made.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: craft supply
felt tree: Hobby Lobby
stamp: Oogaloo/Michaels/$1
ink: VersaMark
embossing powder: Ranger
star: Darice

A Cutie Christmas Card

Not much to say about this one ... it speaks for itself. I almost added more bling, but sometimes simple is best.
But the good news here is that the tree is/was a Christmas ornament. It was in the $1 bin @ Michaels - there were some other shapes too like a star and I think a reindeer. I immediately thought that I could use some acrylic paint and go to town. Love that.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: craft supply
paint: Making Memories
stamp: oogaloo/$1 Michaels
ink: Tim Holtz/Ranger
bling/star: Darice

You're Fab :: Triple the Sketch

I've gone sketch crazy. You'd think I have a personal goal to do a sketch a day; not the case, but it easily could be, huh?

I picked up this paper pack from K&Co. w/40% off coupon from Michaels. Blue Awning is the name of the line and I love it. Reminds me on denim in a way.

So I grabbed the Triple the Sketch sketch and crafted these cards. I went a bit more simple than the sketch, just trying to tone it down a bitl. I guess it works.

I used a stamp from See-D's (sophisticated friends set) as well as some blue shimmery embossing powder from Joann.

I don't know which card I like the best; they're not really that different, right?

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: Bazzill
patterned paper: K&Co.
stamp: See-D's
ink: VersaMark
embossing powder: Joann
ribbon: Michaels
oval and scalloped oval die cuts: Nestabilities
other: sewing

Girlfriends :: 2 Sketches 4 You

It seems as if I was missing my mojo for a minute here. I've been putting off working on this week's 2 Sketches 4 You sketch because I could not figure out which direction to take this card. You would think that having a sketch would make things more simple. That's a good assessment however, this week the prize and sponsor is the Scor-it.

And I've discovered that I am not the only one who'd like to have this as one of their craft tools. Well since the ante is so high, so is the creativity. I scouted out some of my competition and decided that I would rather take this week off - especially after making the Fab 5 last week; then I thought better of it and here I am in the thick of the quest for a Scor-it. May this week's craftiest crafter win.

I like this card w/it's weathered look but w/a touch of 'pretty'.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:

cardstock: Bazzill and Die Cuts With A View (DCWV)

patterned paper: K&Co. and Basic Grey

stamps: Studio G/Michaels $1 (girlfriends) and Autumn Leaves/Rhonna Farrer (flourish)

charm: Making Memories

twine: Crafts Etc.

pearls: Mark Richards

embossing powder: Ranger and Joann

ink: VersaMark and Tim Holtz/Ranger

other: distresser and sewing machine

Happy Birthday Song on Paper

This is a scraplift! And an old one at that. I've been combing through some of my old CARDS magazines. I always go to my dog-eared pages first and sometimes wonder ... 'why did I like this?' I decided I would go to my mag stash more often for inspiration.

But this card is scraplifted from Alissa Fast and it's from the March/April 2006 issue (p. 99). I would have scraplifted more identically if I could have located my KI Memories note cards that she used as the base fo the card. Instead I had to use some note cards from Die Cuts With a View (DCWV); not a bad substitute just that I have those KI ones, but who knows where.

As for the happy birthday sheet music ... I just used Google Images to locate 'happy birthday sheet music'. I then imported the image into Photoshop and converted the image to a brush. That way I could better manipulate the coloring, which is a shade of brown.

Top it off w/stickers and it was a relatively easy card to produce.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:

note card and cardstock: DCWV
stickers: American Crafts
ink: VersaMagic
stamp: Katie & Co./Michaels $1
Happy Birthday sheet music: created using Photoshop

Caardvarks Sensational Sketch

I so love this lil sketch and just knew that I had to create a card using it. It's a part of a Caardvarks Challenge and the sketch is courtesy of Laura from 2 sketches 4 You. I have not posted on Caardvarks in some time. They have some cool challenges; I have just been all over the place, but I'm back Caardvarks.

So, now ... a little bit about this card. I was in a rush to complete it because I needed to hit the road for a weekend trip. The card is okay, but there will be a transformation; there has to be. Because just okay is not my thing.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: craft supply and Bazzill
patterned paper: A Muse
stamps: $1 Michaels and Wordsworth
rick rack: Creative Impressions
dry embossing: Cuttlebug Swiss Dots
embossing powder: Ranger
other: sewing machine