Yep, that's right

I really need to stop looking at Laura Bassen's blog because I keep finding both beautiful cards and also challenges that seem too good to pass up! If you want to see a professional in action, check out her blog here.

Laura has got me on a magic "card-pet" ride with a new card challenge site found here.

Another card challenge, yep, that's right!

Here is the inspiration photo by Virginia from Lily pad Cards:

And my take:

Supplies: Stampin Up! heart punch, stamp PTI

Thank you for your nice comments about my work and my blog, I smile with each one :)

My Deer Friend

I had been hoarding this card for some time now, but thought it was time to give it away.  :)

I learned this from Kristina Werner, who suggested writing the message on a post it so the person can reuse the card. CLEVER!

Supplies: Cricut Create a Critter, patterned paper Cosmo Cricut Girl Friday, Cuttlebug Embossing folder-Swiss Dots

See you next time!

Beachorado Entertaining: Button Up

This Saturday, I am having some friends over for a Nurse Practitioner Cuisine, Card, and Conversation night. It got me thinking, what would BEACHORADO entertaining look like?

One of my favorite elements for cards and scrapbooking is BUTTONS! I haven't met a button I didn't like. I saw this on a blog I visited that was a Moxi Fab Tuesday Trigger photo and immediately thought: THIS IS BEACHORADO ENTERTAINING at its finest. Look at the colors! It's the right combination of simple and clean mixed with interest and texture. Not too difficult to do either.


You can find the original post by Moxi Fab World here.

Hopefully, my presentation will be as beautiful!

Moxi Fab Challenge: Map to your heart

I saw this challenge and let it simmer a while. Different card designs floated in my head. Some were too complex, others too simple. Then a card design came to me that felt just right. I finally sat down and made it. I think I am quite pleased with myself...hope you are too.

First: you can find more about the challenge here. I subscribe to Papercrafts magazine which is dedicated to handmade card creations. Their blog is called Moxi Fab World. The ideas and photos that are very inspiring. The map challenge seemed interesting, so here is my take on it.

(please pardon the little feet in the corner of the photo, it's my daughter L.o.V.E)

Supplies: heart die Stampin Up! sentiment stamp Unity, patterned paper Boarding Pass by October Afternoon , twine Walmart

Don't you love it when a good sentiment brings it all together? :)

Runway Inspired Challenge 4: Submission 4

This the last of my posts on the sweet rainbow inspired dress from RIC. I know, I am sad too, but I have to move on.   Afterall, there are other challenges to conquer!

Runway Inspired Challenge #4

you can play along here.

I have this stamp set by Stampin Up! and the rainbow dress on the Runway Inspired Challenge blog had me thinking gumballs...so to change it up, I made a gumball tag.

Supplies: stamp Stampin Up!, bakers twine, ribbon Michaels

phew! I had those cards in my head for a while and it is so nice to create them and share.  Now on to the next challenge and card creation...mwahahaha (evil laugh here)

Runway Inspired Challenge 4: Submission 3

I just can't STOP! Here is another rainbow card for your viewing pleasure! I was once again enamored by the Runway Inspired Challenge found here .

Here is the Runway Look: 

Here is my card: 

 

See you tomorrow for another Rainbow filled day!

 

Runway Inspired Challenge 4: Submission 2

You will find over the next few posts that I have gone completely bonkers over this Runway Inspired Challenge. I just kept having more and more ideas. Anyhoo, here is another submission for the RIC #4.

Here is the photo again:

And here is my card:

Supplies: stamp Hero Arts, gems Iroc, button PTI, bakers twine 

More Rainbows to come! See you tomorrow!!

Runway Inspired Challenge #4

This next runway inspired challenge was too cute to pass up!

You can find out more about the challenge and see other entries here:

Here is the photo:





First I had to figure out what I had that contained all the colors of the rainbow. Then I had to figure out how to get some attention among all those fantastic cards...GLITTER was it!!!

I also found this sentiment in my Unity stash that was so perfect! Rainbows are nature's miracles.  

And so here is my take:

I decided to "pose" my card along a railing just like a model for a photoshoot, ok maybe just a little too literal of an interpretation...

Supplies: stamp Unity, glitter Martha Stewart, score tape, black embossing powder

Berry Berry Mediocre

I bought the most delicious strawberries the other day...and I ate them, then I found these little berries in my stash and felt inspired...and full :)!

Some days you feel like you rocked it as a mom, wife, worker, and cardmaker, and somedays, not so much. This is one of those cards that had a lot of potential and then fell flat at the end. Maybe it is the color combo or the speckled chocolate sprinkles on the kraft cardstock, but the berry is not as a standout as it was when I bought the package of them. I might try again with a brighter color scheme. Anyhoo, I'm still posting it because I made it with love.

Also some of you wanted to know who won the card competitions. You can find one here:

http://runwayinspired.blogspot.com/

and here:

http://www.moxiefabworld.com/2012/01/tuesday-trigger-winter-blossoms.html

Supplies: Jolee's berry, seam binding, sentiment and speckles is from Stampin Up! and Martha Stewart punch

Moxi Fab Challenge: Using Punches

Today I am entering another challenge by Moxi Fab World.

Here is the link if you want to check it out.

http://www.moxiefabworld.com/2012/01/cool-tools-week-punches-challenge.html

Sadly, I didn't win my other challenge contests, but the competition is stiff out there in card making land.  I am not one to mope too long about a loss, so here we go!  :)

I used the windows punch by Stampin Up! to create a contemporary card. Pretty Easy I must say! The trick is to get papers that coordinate.

Stamping this little beauty made me realize I need to get some more stamp pads, the bottom of the happy birthday was not as crisp as I like, but I didn't want to risk having a blurred sentiment by trying to stamp over it. Sometimes, you just have to let it go!

Supplies: Word windows punch by Stampin Up! and stamp Hero Arts.

Thanks for visiting and if you want to say something nice, leave a comment, cause a girl could use a kind word about her cards, especially after a loss...hint hint.

A Winner for my first Giveaway!

A few posts ago, I offered my first prize, all of the cards for the first week of my blog. Here is the winning number.

Angela! You won!!

I will email you with details on sending you your package. Congrats and thanks for following my blog!

When you need a few minutes to yourself, try licorice

So, I am a mom of 4 and people ask me sometimes, "how do you do it?" Well I am going to reveal one of the secrets to my success, as well as a scrap page.

My secret is LICORICE.

Here's the story behind this page:

When my son was born and my daughter 2 and a half, I was struggling to manage 2 kids. At the time, I was trying my hand at a new job opportunity  called "the stay at home mom".  ( I really should have asked about the benefits more before taking on that job, by the way). 

When I first started staying home, I was trying to do all the roles/chores with superior performance. As the months went on, I started to have a, shall we say, "breach of contract." In the end, it was complete surrender, as my once neighbor and friend Jenifer told me to do. That is: PJ's at noon, brushing teeth when I could, and  going to the bathroom on a PRN basis so that I can play with my kids and focus more on them and less on the duties of the home. In the nursing world PRN means "as needed."  In my case it was as needed and when possible. Oh, and just to clarify, Jenifer didn't tell me to dress in my PJ's, just to not get so upset that my chores are not done when I want etc. at the sacrifice of my kids. You know?

One day I decided that going to the bathroom peacefully was of the utmost importance. You know those days when something minor becomes your battleground and you are determined to win. Anyhoo, I wanted to go and not be interrupted or rushed, you know, like I used to go, back in the day! So I gave my son licorice. He loved it and spent a good 20 minutes munching on it because he was getting teeth. He made a BIG mess! 

Sure, I had to clean it all up later, probably with a bath that he needed anyway. (I later learned to better manage time too). BUT, it was TOTALLY worth it!  And I was even able to take a picture before clean up just to remember the moment!!  And yes, I am scrapping it 4 years later. Cuz that's what happens when you surrender.  :)

Tuesday Trigger: By the Numbers Challenge Submission #2

Here is my second card for the challenge...

Here is the inspiration photo by Moxi Fab World 

http://www.moxiefabworld.com/2012/01/tuesday-trigger-by-numbers.html

The stitching was very interesting to me, but I have trouble keeping my stitches perfect, like Lucy Abrams, so I decided to approach it a bit differently, using mat pack and paper piercing tool by Stampin' Up! 

 Supplies: Stampin Up! Heart and Brackets Die and Mat Pack and Paper Piercing Tool, seam binding, stamp and felt PTI

Tuesday Trigger: By the Numbers Challenge

I am entering a challenge today by Moxi Fab World:

http://www.moxiefabworld.com/2012/01/tuesday-trigger-by-numbers.html

As soon as I saw the photo, my mind went to an embossing folder that needed some dusting off! I had used this embossing folder on this gift card after I saw the challenge, but wanted to change the color scheme a bit for my entry. 

Here is the photo:

 

Here is my take: 

It's hard to tell, but I did ink the edges in tan as well as the numbers, just like it looks like the edges in the picture are "inked" with blue. All you have to do is glue the gift card on the right side and sign! Easy Peazy!

Supplies: Ribbon Michael's, Stamp and Die PTI, Embossing folder Numbers Collage Cuttlebug

Thanks for stopping by!

How I approach Beachorado Design

I am no decorator, I have no fancy degree...there, disclaimer stated.

Decorating can be intimidating. Where do you start? Well, this is how I do it. I know there are lots of ways to design a room probably with more logic than my way, but my way makes sense to me! This post is focused on where to start. A lot of people tell you to cut pages out of a magazine and figure out your "style" and so on. That takes too much time for me and my style is always changing, hence why I had to come up with my own design category. My approach is very simple.

1. Go to your favorite store, don't worry about the price bracket of the store. Places I like include Arhaus, Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrel and TJ Maxx. These stores carry products that are breathtaking, and well, so are their prices. But! this part is worth the spending. We can skimp in other areas...more on that in a bit.

2. Search the pillows in this store and find one that you:

ABSOLUTELY LOVE.

CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT.

MUST HAVE OR ELSE.

Probably the pillow you chose will have it's own style to it. I will give you an example from Crate and Barrel of a BEACHORADO pillow:

http://www.crateandbarrel.com/decorating-and-accessories/decorative-pillows/palisade-16%22-pillow/s381937

For those of you who struggle with figuring out what colors go together, I recommend you chose a pillow with lots of color. The pillow is the basis to which room will be designed. From the pillow, I chose wall color, draperies, furniture etc. I will show this in later posts. So, that's it! Easy peazy! 

If for some reason, you have something else you must have in the room, say a couch that you can't replace or an art piece that spoke to you, then you would try to find a pillow with that particular color in it and build that way.