Howdy Card

 As things get busy, sometimes it's really nice to get a sweet little note just to say hi. Think about it, how much would you love to get a random greeting card for no reason other than to say hello!

That is why I made this little cutie - to brighten a friend's day. It is super simple, which is the way I love making them. I used a black polka dot paper and punched the corners, added a simple tag, rub on word, a small flower and that tiny touch of bling.

My favorite part of this card is the ombre hearts down the right hand side. Guess how I did! Punched a paint chip card! I love using those - the color card was free and I only paid a $1 for the punch at Walmart. Granted it wasn't the greatest punch in the world, or the easiest to use, but it did the trick for minimal investment.

Things here have been pretty busy. I have a few things I have been able to get done, but not nearly as much crafting as I would have liked over the past few months. I'm hoping with the changing season I will be able to get more accomplished, I have a couple of blankets that I am in the middle of crocheting, DH is just about finished with some living room additions that I am super excited about.

And with everything I am working on and wanting to get done, I also have some pretty big organization projects in the works. Some are for around the house, others just for my office. I have to be honest here - my office is no longer controlled chaos, no it has gotten to where it is just a mess. That is my biggest work in progress at the moment.

Anyway... I should be able to share a couple other projects I have gotten done. Please be patient with me!

He Makes Me Happy - Anniversary Card

Yesterday I told you that I challenged myself to come up with a more manly card to give my DH for our anniversary. The card I shared was a good start, but I was a little worried the pink/red LOVE sticker was still a bit girly.

So I made this one instead. I had the main embellishment (the dimension sticker sentiment) in my stash for years. I think I bought it with a set of wedding stickers when we first got married. The gray/blue/brown stripes were actually leftover strips of paper from other projects.

Once again, this is a very simple design. I love simple designs. I see a lot of cards that are beautiful, but seem to have a lot going on. I like to keep the focus on the sentiment.

My DH is not very judgmental when it comes to these things. He knows I made it and it comes from the heart. That's really how most people view a handmade card. It doesn't have to be perfect. It doesn't have to look designer or have a lot of bells and whistles going. Yes, some of those super snazzy and complicated cards are amazing and would be great to give. But don't stress about making simple cards.

N says what's the point - no one keeps the cards anyway and she has decided to not buy them anymore. I don't blame her. That's why I make them and hope there will be some sentimental attachment.

A Very Simple Love Note

DH and I celebrate our wedding anniversary in October. (This weekend actually.)  I love making cards but I usually worry about the cards being a little too feminine. So I challenged myself to make a less girly card for my hubby. I came up with a different ideas.

This was probably the easiest card I've ever done! The main part of the card is a piece of gray paper I glued to a blank card. The gray paper was left over from one of the pages in the graduation book I made. It had the white stripes and black distressed look. The only things I added were the "LOVE" sticker and key sticker from a $1 set of stickers from Walmart. The metallic heart on the key came from a set I got from Joann's.

This was a super simple card that could be easily copied. (Go ahead, you have my permission :)  ) And this is a great design if you are in a hurry. Some pretty paper and a couple stickers to compliment and add sentiment.

Card for the Expectant Parents

 K and G are expecting their first child at the end of January and recently found out they are having a little girl. I made this card before they knew for sure what they were having, but the colors seem to it now.

This is a super simple card, and a good reason to splurge on some of the $1 paper craft/scrapbook supplies available at Joann's.

The purple paper came from my stash and I used a decorative punch to filigree the corner. The yellow around the quote stands out so nicely on the purple.

The whole reason for the yellow flower in the lower right corner, which is set on a pink plaid chip board sticker, is to cover up a mistake I made with the punch. It never fails, I always seem to goof up one corner. But in this case you would never know if I didn't tell you.

The quote says "We find delight in the beauty and happiness of children that makes the heart too big for the body." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson  Personally, I think this is a great sentiment for expectant parents. I may use it on another card in the future...

Give A Hug Card

 Today the school year officially started where I am. This means there are plenty of students off to college and there are lots of moms wishing they could still give them a hug.

That thought inspired this card. It is very simple with the happy colors of the pink tag set off against the warm fall toned background. A glittery hug sticker and sparkly stones will make a loved one smile when they receive it.

This is the time of year when life tends to get even busier than usual. At least in my neck of the woods it does. I have buckets of tomatoes and cucumbers to can, just received a few dozen ears of corn to deal with, along with fall cleaning, getting ready for the cold of winter, my hubby possibly changing jobs and the holidays to plan for.

I would like to think I am a little better prepared this year. Jars are ready for canning, gifts have been bought throughout the summer and I'm about have done with my holiday shopping. Being able to make these simple cards offers a nice, relaxing escape from all the stuff that needs to be done. Or, let's be honest, a productive way to procrastinate on cleaning and canning. But hey, I can still say I got something accomplished!

Anyway - time to tackle all that corn!

Christmas Planning in July

Every year I tell myself that I am going to get started on Christmas planning really early. The goal is to have as little stress as possible during the holiday season. This year, being on an especially tight budget, I've decided to actually follow through. I started my gift shopping in June and have to say I'm already done shopping for a couple of people.

I know, I miss all the great Black Friday sales. Sorry - I was never one for those sales. I'm not that crazy. On Thanksgiving I put a higher value on spending time with my family than prepping for all night shopping. Don't get me wrong, I still hit the sales - Memorial Day, Back to School and 4th of July are all good times to shop. And if you know what you want to get some one, you can bargain shop year round.

At any rate, to get myself ready for the holiday season, I've already made my Christmas cards. I even got the envelopes addressed and ready to go. One less thing for me to worry about later.

I found some really cute papers at my local Joann's (and on sale!), the gems I found at Walmart for $1 a pack (and I needed 2), and then the holidays just beg for glitter so I added a little glitter glue accents to the ornaments. I love the shimmer of glitter but hate how it goes everywhere! As a result, I am a strong advocate for glitter glue. You get the shimmer, but it actually stays where you want it!

Speaking of glitter, the red and white circles are textured, glittery paper. I just couldn't seem to get a good picture. :(

The cards went together relatively easily. I spent one afternoon was spent cutting out all the shapes and strips and finalizing what I wanted the cards to look like. The next afternoon was spent piecing everything together. I set up a little assembly line method. Now to just sign them and set them aside until it's time to mail them.

It's In The Air

Yep, it's Valentine's Day again which means cards, candy and dinner out. My in-laws have this wonderful tradition of giving each other the same cards every year, adding the year and maybe a little note of love.


For me, I like to make my honey his Valentine's card. It's relaxing for me to have to worry about finding just the right card and I can really poor my heart in to the design.


This year, I made a couple extra cards just for the fun of it. I'm one of those people that once I get started, I just can't stop. And these were so easy to make - it took only ten minutes to complete both of them.


The only supplies needed were the blank cards, striped card stock cut to size, die cuts, one sticker and a adhesive. If you are really stumped and want a simple and quick card with that hand made feel, you can't go wrong with these!

A Spooky Greeting

It is the time of year to plan for the sugar-fest known as Halloween! Are you having a party? Maybe just want to say hi to former ghoul you tricked and treated with? A simple little handmade card is a great way to send that greeting or invitation.

The above card was so quick and simple to make that I whipped it up in about five minutes. I glued the orange cardstock paper to the blank card, used two different $1 Michael's stamps and some black metallic dots ($1 at Joann's) and I was done. These would make great invitations to Halloween party because you could make as many as you need in a very short amount of time. Then you can focus on all the other frighteningly fun things about Halloween!

Happy Crafting All!

Thinking Of You Card

This is the time of year when it is so nice to remember our friends and family that may not be close to us. Kids that have gone off to school or siblings who have followed a path that led them to another state. Whomever you want to remember, a simple handmade card can bring a warmer feeling than any store bought card.

The card above was made with a simple $1 stamp, some metallic dots, scrapbook paper and self-adhesive ribbon along the bottom. Using colored pencils, I added a little more color to the stamp. This is one of my favorite cards - at least that I made this year! I am typically not a big fan of brown, but it seems to work here.

Happy Crafting All!

Thinking Of You Card

The new school year has begun, and a lot of us have children who have gone off to college. This can be a scary time for the student and parent a like. Why not remind your child how much they mean to you with a simple hand made card. The card above was made with a scrap of pretty scrapbook paper, two different $1 stamps from Michaels, some $1 metallic accent dots from Joann's, colored pencils and stamp pads. It took only a few minutes to whip together but what a wonderful way to say hi to your loved one 'Just Because'.

Happy Crafting All!

Just A Little Note

It makes me feel incredibly old to say this, but I miss getting letters in the mail. I remember as a kid I would always get extra excited as any holiday approached because it meant I would get a card from my grandmother. It made me feel important to get mail.

Now, I would love to find something in my mailbox other than bills and advertisements. Don't get me wrong - email is a wonderful thing, allowing me to keep in touch with family and friends in ways I couldn't as child. At the same, though, I'm sure a lot of people out there would love getting something pretty in the mail.

The card above took me all of 15 minutes to put together. On a blank card, I glued the green rectangle of textured card stock and embellished it with a photograph of a rose (made into a die-cut). Using an inexpensive stamp, ink pad and colored pencil, I added the embellishment to the right of the picture. For very little expense and not very much time, I created a card that will make someone's day when it shows up in their mailbox. Why not try to make a card for someone special in your life, and see just how happy it will make them!

Happy Crafting All!

Birthday Wishes - Classically Simple

I love this birthday card. It is so simple but classic with it's textured background, the rolling letters stamped on simple white paper, self-adhesive ribbon and the beautiful metallic butterfly in contrasting pink. This card design could easily be altered to make it a little more masculine or more feminine. As it is right now, it would be perfect for a woman who loves to be active or loves the calming ocean tone the textured paper lends to the project. To make the piece a little more interesting, I used double-sided foam tape to raise the birthday greeting and left the butterfly tag loose, adding dimension to the piece.

Again, simple, classy and handmade in less than a half hour. It's sure to make someone smile!

Happy Crafting All!

Birthday Wishes - The Simple Way

Sorry for the sideways picture, but for some reason the Blogger likes to turn some of my pictures when I upload them.

Anyway, this is another example of a super simple birthday card. All I did was glue a piece of lavender paper to the front of a blank card, added a stamped cut out which I used colored pencils to add some color to and some simple glittery flower stickers. The stamp I used was another of (my favorite) Michael's $1 stamps and the stickers I found at Wal*mart for a $1.

I love to make these cards because the handmade aspect makes them special. However, handmade paper crafts don't have to cost a fortune. Always check $1 bins at your craft stores, a lot of dollar stores will have craft sections (you just have to look for them) and watch for sales and coupons. Once you accumulate a stash of simple stamps, papers and stickers, you'll be able to whip out these cards in no time!

Happy Crafting All!

Super Simple Birthday Card

I have three August birthdays in my immediate family - much more once I start counting in-laws and cousins. So over the next couple of weeks, I'm going to share some of the super simple birthday cards I've made to help celebrate these special days.

This card took me about 15 minutes to create. I used a neat birthday paper, a $1 cupcake stamp from Michaels, colored pencils and glue. Granted, the picture is not the greatest, but you get the idea of how quick and easy this card was to put together. Now it is ready for when I need it.

If you were able to find a similar birthday paper in a 12"x12" scrapbook sheet, you could easily make multiples of this card to always have on hand.

Happy Crafting All!

Summer Is Wedding Season

It seems that summer is the best time of year to get married - the beautiful weather lends itself perfectly to outdoor ceremonies and receptions. The simplest way to let the bride and groom know you wish them the best on their special day is through a handmade card.

Of course, the idea of a handmade card can seem overwhelming to someone who doesn't necessarily enjoy paper crafting or someone who is short on time to get that card ready. The card I made, displayed above, is simple, elegant, conveys a heartfelt sentiment and only took 15 minutes to make.

A plain white card, a scrap of soft pink card stock paper, a pair of stamps (each costing only $1 at Michaels) and an optional decorative paper punch (like the one I used on the pink, which is from a line by Martha Stewart), created this super simple card. The flowers in the bouquet were colored in to give the perfect accent colors. This card can easily be personalized to match the wedding colors by switching up the colors of the flowers and the background paper.

Again, super simple, inexpensive and straight from the heart - what could be better?

Happy Crafting All!