essentials by ellen: april pin-sights challenge

Howdy!  I'm submitting this super last-minute card to the Pin-sights Challenge hosted by Essentials by Ellen.  Here's my card...

...which was inspired by this pretty mood board.

I was inspired by the color palette and the polka dots mostly.

I used the Congrats die that came with the Essential by Ellen zipper panel as well as the star dies from the Home and Hearth die set.

Fingers crossed that my card will be picked for the $50 gift card to Ellen Hutson.  I just saw the Essentials by Ellen spring release and I want everything!  Every darn thing! Ha!

Thanks for looking:)

Supplies:
Dies: Essentials by Ellen - Zipper Panel, Home and Hearth
Other: patterned paper

mama elephant - party recap and release in review

Hi all!  I'm guest posting for Mama Elephant's blog today, sharing some wonderful memories of the party we had last weekend to celebrate Mama Elephant's 2nd anniversary as well as some cards I made using Mama Elephant's newest products.

The anniversary party took place at the Westbeth Artist Housing and Center for the Arts in the NYC, and folks braved the rain to be part of such a special event.  We had one "make and take" table, which was full of crafters before the party even officially started, and by one hour in, we had spilled over to 4 full tables.

We had a chance to play around with Mama Elephant's newest products.  It was lovely to see everyone's creations, from sparkly tags and holiday cards to neon backgrounds using Mama Elephants new ink pads.

In the house that day: cardmakers, scrapbookers, parents, children, folks who had traveled great distances, people new to crafting.  It didn't matter how long you had been crafting, the atmosphere was warm and friendly, and we all just had a great time together.

My friend, Gary, came to join the fun.  This was the first card he ever made.  I'm so proud of him:)

Some were even lucky and won raffle prizes: gift certificates to spend in the pop-up store that the Mama Elephant staff set up for us.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, the mamas behind Mama Elephant are pretty incredible.  They are so thoughtful with their product design and are committed to making quality products for their growing fan base (Mama Ele-fans?).  Stamp sets are compatible with each other and can be stretched for so many occasions, their aesthetic is cute, classy, and consistent, and there's just so much joy in their products.  More than that, Kryssi and Angela are two of the most fun, down to earth, talented, smart, and humble people I know.  When there are so many places where we can spend money, I choose to support a business where they people behind it respect and appreciate their customers and are just good people.

Congratulations to the mamas, Kryssi and Angela!  Happy 2nd Anniversary from your Mama Ele-fans!!!

We had a fantastic 3-day Stampede last week that showcased all of the new products in the most recent release.  But, you know we can never get enough of Mama Elephant goodness, right?!?  So, I put together some cards and would love to share with you.

Using Arctic Penguins, Season's Greetings, Jolly and Merry, and Boutique Borders.

Using Alpine Carolers (stamps and creative cuts) and Season's Greetings.

Using Block Party and Peace on Earth

Using Borderlines Trio and Thanks Script 

And, the last set of cards feature the "Happy Everything" stamp set and creative cut, free with purchase of over $100 (to get stamp set) or $150 (to get stamp set and creative cut).  

That's it for me!  Thank you for checking out this long blog of loads o' photos.  I hope you can see just how excited many of us are about Mama Elephant's anniversary and new release.  Congrats again, Kryssi and Angela.  To many more years of Mama Elephant goodness!

pandamonium

It was one of those tough days today...the kind where you just want to call a do-over and start the day over again. Starting with the stalled train on the commute this morning, which made me an hour late to work, it just got a bit sillier from there.  To pass the time on the train, I scrolled through my photos on my phone and reminisced about the unforgettably awesome Fabrege egg hunt that I participated in this past spring.  Then it clicked, and I wanted to make a card for the CAS(E) this Sketch Challenge.

The sketch:

My inspiration:

My card:  

Yes, it's definitely a loose interpretation of the sketch.  I though about having the sentiment partially cover the pandas, but they're too cute, and I just couldn't do it.  So, I moved my sentiment down.

By the way, the Faberge egg hunt took place all over New York City.  Almost 300 eggs, each designed by artists around the world, were hidden throughout the city.  The Pandamonium egg was created by artist, Dot Zacharius, who stated that the egg shows the beauty of all moving parts fitting together neatly like a jigsaw puzzle, both in nature and in our lives. 

Thanks for looking!

Supplies:

Stamps: Mama Elephant Pandamonium

Inks: Versafine (onyx black)

Dies: Mama Elephant (Confetti, Type It); Lawn Fawn (Stitched Journal Card)

pretty pink posh blog hop

I'm excited to participate in Pretty Pink Posh's sequin shaker blog hop.  Paulina at PPP makes shaker cards look so easy, but I seriously struggled to get everything just right.

This card is for a proud mother to give to her son who is graduating from college.  She ordered a money lei from me so that her son could wear it in his graduation ceremony.  I threw in this card with her order to send my best wishes.

With graduation and wedding season coming up, I'm thinking I'll be making quite a few of these.  Good thing I enjoy it:)

Thank you for stopping by.

Supplies:

Stamps: Mama Elephant Sunny Skies; Studio Calico Bluegrass Farm

Inks: Hero Arts (cup o joe, mint julep); Versafine (onyx black)

Dies: Kelly Purkey Twentyfourteen; Lawn Fawn Say Cheese

Other: various sequins

yay for a day with family and new friends!

Thank goodness I'm off today as I'm recovering from a busy and fulfilling weekend.  My sister is in town from Cali and we've been working like madwomen since the moment she touched ground.  First, I'm so thankful that she's here.  I've been wanting her to visit me in NYC for a while now (and ahem...she's visited our brother in Hawaii 4 times since the last time she came out to NYC...just sayin').  Secondly, sister time is the best.  So, with that I say yay!

My sister and I had the pleasure of baking for and attending Mama Elephant's 1-year anniversary party in New Jersey.  We both seriously love their products and when we met Kryssi and Angela, the two amazing women behind the magic, we knew exactly why.  They are the sweetest.  And so humble and down to earth.  We had a chance to craft with fellow fans, try out their new products, get to know some of the east coast stamping family, and just have a good time.  And for that, I say another yay!

Here are some photos of the party taken by my partner in crime, Hervay.  He came along for the fun and now really understands how crafting can bring people together.

Checking out the display of Mama Elephant's complete collection.

Some of the desserts made by yours truly;)

I used a Mama Elephant border stamp for my little signs.  Ha!

You know, I've seen lots of companies and organizations in their beginning years.  I've seen them struggle to figure out who they are and what they're about and take years to reach a level of maturity and self-awareness...One of the many things I admire about Mama Elephant is that Kryssi and Angela figured it out from the start.  They are thoughtful, meticulous, and full of integrity.  Plus, their talent is incomparable.  They've reached a level of professionalism that I strive for.

I tend to operate with some very simple mottoes in life, one being support good people.  I know that I don't have a lot of money to just throw around, so each dollar I spend I consider to be a decision or a vote.  So, when I come across a company like Mama Elephant that is high in quality and run by wonderful people, well hey, they get my vote.

Kryssi, me, Angela, my sister, Lynn

I'm just going to throw in a third yay here.  I won one of the raffle prizes.  Can I have had a more awesome day?  I don't think so.

So happy my sister is here with me.  So happy that we made new friends.  Congrats Kryssi and Angela!  Happy 1-year anniversary and to many many more to come.  Cheers!

This card will be entered into the CAS(E) this Sketch Challenge and the Simon Says Stamps Wednesday Challenge.

Supplies:
Stamps: Mama Elephant Central Park, Party Kit
Inks: Mama Elephant Creative Color (ocean); Memento Luxe (grey flannel, pear tart, rhubarb stalk)
Dies: Mama Elephant Party Kit

congratulations danny!

This card is a special one.  It's for my friend, Danny, and his business partner, Mike, who just opened up a new spot called Juke Bar in NYC's East Village.  I met Danny in the same way I met many of my NYC friends -- on the dance floor.  He's an actor, comedian, firefighter, DJ, and overall cool guy.  Even with all his jobs, for years he's dreamed of opening up his own bar, and finally -- with all his hard work and the support of his friends and family -- his dream has become a reality.  Congratulations!

When I was unemployed over the summer, I volunteered at Juke Bar a bit.  On my first day, I cleaned the kitchen and packed a bunch of glasses the previous owner had left behind.  I also pulled out screws and nails in preparation for a new ceiling to be put in.

The following times, I sanded, painted, and made trips to the hardware store.  And closer to opening night I framed photos and washed those same glasses that I had packed away a few months prior.

I recently attended Juke Bar's grand opening and I had a great time.  The music was fantastic, the crowd was in good spirits, and of course I found my home on the dance floor.  But, more than that, the Juke Bar has heart. I experienced this each time I came by to volunteer before the grand opening...friends that Danny has known for years (some from his childhood) were always around to lend a hand -- from working on the plumbing or painting the logo to providing consultation on the bar and kitchen menu.  It was like all these folks who Danny had helped out before came around to return the favor, and all these folks who wanted to support Danny's dream came through and chipped in.  That same energy was present at the grand opening.  It was a true celebration.

Congratulations Danny and Mike!  I'm thinking of making Juke Bar my new happy hour spot, and that's a big deal for me...for one, I don't really drink and secondly, I'm a Brooklyn snob and try not to leave my borough unless I absolutely have to.  Ha!

This card will be entered into  the CAS(E) this Sketch challenge and CASology (cue card is "crisp").  I thought about crisp air, apple crisp, crispy bacon...and, then I thought of a nice crisp and refreshing glass of sparkling wine.  So fitting for a "congrats on the opening of your new bar" card;)

                         

Supplies:
Stamps: Mama Elephant Midnight Letters; drink stamps (manufacturer unknown)
Inks: Memento (tuxedo black); Copic markers
Other: Wink of Stella glitter brush (clear), glossy accents