a card for my dad - love

This card is for my dad.

When I was home visiting my family over the summer I taught my parents how to text, take photos, and send photos via text using their new phones.  Dad will now occasionally text me photos of what he and my mom are eating for dinner, which is cute an all, but hello?!? For someone who misses a home-cooked meal, that's just mean:(  But, I love it...



My dad sent me a funny text message this morning, so as I made this card, I was a little giggly.
It's blue and gold, the color of my alma mater.  When my dad knows that I'm coming over to the house, he wears one of the many Cal (Berkeley) shirts I've given him over the years (Go Bears!).  One time, I came home unexpectedly, and I noticed my dad go into his bedroom to change his shirt.  He came out rockin' the blue and gold.  I mean really, is that love or what?!





I'm submitting this card to the Paper Smooches SPARKS Challenge.  In this week's Trend Watch Challenge, we were asked to use flowers as the focal point.  Flowers work perfectly for a card for my dad, since he's been all about gardening these days.  He has a beautiful rose garden in the front yard, and all sorts of fruits and veggies in the back...calamansi, tomatoes, peppers, oranges, and his  favorite -- a bunch of bittermelon that he planted in a narrow strip of dirt at the side of the house.  For my card, I actually tried to mimic the way the vines climb up the stakes and wire.  See it here...



And, here's the text message that put a smile on my face.

I'm quite sure my dad knows how to spell Jose, but "hosey" is just awesome.  Thanks, Dad!  And, thanks for the fun challenge, Paper Smooches!

Supplies:
Stamps: Paper Smooches Spring Fling
Dies: Paper Smooches Love Word Die
Inks: Memento (tuxedo black); Stampin' Up (certainly celery); Versamark (champagne); Delicata (golden glitz); Copic markers
Other: gold embossing powder

cas(e) this sketch #43 - love you more everyday

This entry for CAS(E) This Sketch is full of love, love, love.

I made it by using the following sketch from CAS(E) This Sketch #43, and have to say, it was pretty difficult for me to follow at set design.  But, I focused, put the people inspiring me to make this card in the center of my heart, and pulled through:)

I changed the orientation...it just felt right.

There were two friends on my mind and in my heart as I made this card.  They needed prayers and good thoughts, so I poured it all into this card.  Sending them love and light.

Supplies:

Stamps: WPlus9 Fresh Cut Florals; stamp set received from Damask Love Live

Dies: WPlus9 Fresh Cut Florals

Inks: Delicata (golden glitz); Memento Luxe (nautical blue)

Other: patterned paper

cas-ual fridays 113 - thanks so very much

This is my first time participating in a CAS-ual Fridays challenge.  In this week's challenge, we had to use kraft and text, so I kept it super simple and made this.

I used a minimal amount of glue to adhere the leaves to the card base because I wanted some parts of the leaves to curl up from the paper, thereby mimicking real fallen leaves...as seen here:)

It's difficult to see, but there is glitter brushed on to the sentiment.

This card was made for my friend, Marjorie, who over the years has been encouraging me to turn my baking hobby into a baking business.  She has been so supportive that along making her this card I baked her this cake -- a lemon olive oil cake.

Marjorie actually texted me a picture of an olive oil cake one day, and it looked so delicious that I found a recipe, pinned it, and then tried it out.    Luckily, this cake for Marj turned out well - very light and spongy with a little kick of lemon.  I served it with peaches poached in red wine, and whipped/sweetened mascarpone.

Thank you, Marjorie, for having confidence in me and for encouraging me to share what I do with others.  Much love.

Card Supplies:

Stamps: Limited edition stamp set provided by Damask Love Live 

Inks: Hero Arts (butter bar, cup o' joe)

Die: Memory Box Berkshire Leaf Outine

Other: Zig Wink of Stella Glitter Brush (clear) 

monday mood board #19 - thank you

I just sent my sister a text message accompanying the following picture that simply read, "You need this stamp set."  Yes, need.



I love and use WPlus9's Fresh Cut Florals so much for the versatility and endless combos.  This card was made for WPlus9's Monday Mood Board Challenge.  The mood board can be seen here.

I was drawn to the colors and the burlap ribbon, which inspired me to pull out this cute little paper pad that I purchased when I was home in California.  It had some burlap patterned paper that I especially liked.

My friend, Jane, was on my mind when I made this card.  Before she went on vacation to Cali, she offered up her weekly veggie and fruit shares through her local CSA (community supported agriculture).  Free fruit and veggies?!  Um, yes please!  This is what I picked up last week.

It was clearly too much produce for me to get through alone, so I divided it up and shared it with 4 other friends.  Community, indeed.  Thank you, Jane, for your generosity.  From all of this, I made sangria (with the plums), salsa, vegetarian lumpia, and more salsa:)

Card Supplies:
Stamps: WPlus9 Fresh Cut Florals
Dies: WPlus9 Milk & Cookies
Inks: Hero Arts (bubble gum, cup o' joe, green hills); Stampin' Up (melon mambo, regal rose, rose red)
Other: patterned paper

runway inspired challenge #42

It's my first time participating in the Runway Inspired Challenge, and I already have a feeling that this will quickly become one of my favorite challenges.  Not that I know much about  fashion or anything, but I really enjoy the different color schemes and patterns that serve as our inspiration.

For the current challenge, I made this card...



using this wonderful dress from the Peter Pilotto Resort collection as my inspiration.



I wish I could wear something like this!!!  I tried to match the colors from the dress.  For the design, I actually tried to mimic the tiles from a kitchen back-splash that caught my eye the other day.

It's a bit hard to see, but I used glossy accents to make the little punched out squares actually look like tiles.  I also brushed on some glitter to some of the tiles.  (It looks better in real life, I swear!)

This card is dedicated to a friend that I've known for 20 years.  He's one of the smartest, most ambitious, and accomplished people I know.  We met up for dinner last night and talked for hours about family, work, and living life with no regrets.  Thank you, Ray, for the catch up time.

Supplies:

Stamp: WPlus9 Fresh Cut Florals

Inks: Memento (tuxedo black); Tim Holtz (broken china, faded jeans, spiced marmalade, wild honey)

Other: Zig Wink of Stella Glitter Brush (clear); glossy accents

10 minute craft dash #24 - part 2

This is my second and final submission to this week's 10 Minute Dash Challenge hosted by Pretty Pink Posh.  I used the rose, light orange, and cornflower blue color palette to create this card, which was completed in 9 minutes and 38 seconds.

I actually do think that french macarons are too sweet, and I think the sentiment works well with the little sugary cookies.

This card is dedicated to my best friend, Hervay, who has helped me so much with my baking gigs.  I am pretty confident with making simple cupcakes and cookies, but very often I get requests for items that require a lot of patience to make/bake...which I don't have.

Hervay helped me to make 300 cakepops for a wedding, a beautifully frosted three-layer cake (I can never get the layers even!), and most recently a bunch of doggies with mustaches and tiaras, made out of fondant.  Neither of us knew how to make or work with fondant, so we learned together.  And, thank goodness Hervay was around to help.  I know I couldn't have pulled this off without him.

Here they are!!!

Not bad for our first try.

All packed up and ready for the party...

Thank you, Hervay, for being a rockstar.  We make a great pair.  And, if the card isn't enough of a hint, it's time that we learn how to make macarons...

Thank you to Pretty Pink Posh for another fun challenge!

Supplies:

Stamps: Avery Elle Bonjour; stamp set from Damask Love Live

Inks: Memento (tuxedo black); Stampin' Up (baja breeze, pumpkin pie, regal rose)

10 minute craft dash #24

My nephew, Kainoa, starts his first day of college tomorrow and I couldn't be a prouder auntie.  He is an aspiring baker/restaurateur and is holding down a part-time job at a bakery while attending classes.  Such a good kid...ahem, I mean young adult.  Clearly, I'm in denial that my nephew has grown up.

I'm submitting this card I made for him as part of the 10 Minute Craft Dash hosted by Pretty Pink Posh.  I finished in 7 minutes and 24 seconds.

Yup, I do think my nephew is awesome like milk and cookies.  Here he is on his graduation day, wearing the money lei that I made for him.

               

So proud of you, Kainoa!!!  Thanks again for the great challenge, Pretty Pink Posh!

Supplies:

Stamps: WPlus9 Milk & Cookies; stamp set received from Damask Love Live 

Inks: Brilliance (moonlight white); Hero Arts (bubble gum, pool); Memento (tuxedo black); Stampin' Up (pumpkin pie)

Dies: WPlus 9 Milk & Cookies