Big Top Birthday

I'm just tickled pink with how these birthday invites turned out. I showed you the digital version back HERE, and promised I'd share the physical version after they were printed. Well, wait no longer- they're here!

Since they are 12" long I used a double z-fold to close them to fit in a standard card envelope. Here is a top view so you can see the fold a little better. The card is scored and folded every 2" (except in the middle- skip that 2" mark).

Isn't it adorable folded up too? It is just like a circus tent that opens right up! I love that the tent was symmetrical so I was able to design it to do that :) Oh, just ignore my fingers in the photo- I had to make sure it stayed shut nice and tight so you could see it good in the picture ;)

And then I actually used one of the clear envelopes to mail them- I mean, who would want to hide all that cuteness :) Did you know that you can mail cards in those? If not, now you do! The only trick is that you want to use the back side (i.e. the plain white side) as the side of the envelope you put mailing labels and stamps on.

Hope you enjoyed today's inspiration. Flutterby again soon!

Project Life by Stampin' Up!

It's HERE, it's HERE!!! I was so excited about this new line by Stampin' Up! that I put in my demo preorder the first morning it was available- and then anxiously tracked the delivery online. I couldn't wait to get it :) It was scheduled to arrive Friday- so all day long I ran to the front door everytime I thought I heard the delivery truck. My hubby actually made it home from work before it arrived, and then laughed at my antics and said he had never seen me so 'geeked out' (his description, not mine) and excited about an order before :)

Once it finally got here I had to tear into it right away! Which is no small feat with an almost 1 yr old trying to eat everything I unpacked :) My pictures for the album had even come in the mail earlier that day too so I was able to start sticking them right in. I was a happy camper Friday night :)

My plan for the Project Life album = get those pictures off my phone and into a format where they can be enjoyed! It's going to be my life on the go book. I even designed my own title page inserts (using the wonderful MDS) to match the Everyday Life kit. I will be sure to share pictures once I get the page put together. :)

Here is the first layout I finished Saturday during the kids' short nap. Yes, I finished a layout during a nap. Whoopie! It was so fast- I think I'm in love!

These are my January pictures. I selected cards that had the black/yellow theme for this layout, mostly because I really liked that title card. Of course I still need it to say January- totally kicking myself for not ordering the calendar stamps in the preorder! So learn the lesson from me the hard way- you are going to want those calendar stamps. You may 'think' you will figure out a different method, but it will never be as fast as just using those stamps. And Project Life is all about fast, so they are going to be perfect. I know what I'm getting in my next order :)

I also wanted to show you a close up of this embellishment. The Everyday Life stickers are a nice heavy cardstock. I felt that they would stand up to some abuse without being covered by a page protector, so I was able to adhere it on the outside. It helps give some dimention to the page and breaks up the building block look just a tiny bit. I really loved the way it turned out!

Oh, I should also mention- everything here is from the Project Life preorder except the rhinestones (which would be the first thing I would add to the kit) the button and string (which I had lying around in my SU! stash) and the small black circle of cardstock that I added for a little extra dimention. All of which are not needed, but I felt that they dressed it up just a little more. I love that this kit was made to coordinate with SU! products which makes that possible :)

Hope you liked your first look at the Project Life kit by Stampin' Up! I'll be sure to share more in the future. Let me know if you are intersted in this method of scrapbooking and I'll be sure to help you get started ;)

Flutterby again soon!

Kaleidoscope Birthday

Guys are so hard to make cards for. I mean, really, give a guy a flowery, cute-sie card to say "Happy Birthday!"?? I think not. They would think you are nuts!

There however is nothing flowery about the Kaleidoscope DSP. Bright colors, geometric shapes, and trendy patterns it dishes out in spades though. All of which are great for a male card. Here is the card my hubby got from my mom this year. Isn't it awesome:

So next time you need to create a male card, reach for this paper stack. It is sure to please both the male eye AND all your friends that you show on pinterest ;)

Flutterby again soon!

Birthday Butterflies

You know you are getting older when your birthday celebration has more to do with your kids than you. This year, to celebrate our birthdays (my husband and I are only 4 days apart, give or take a year...) we had take-out food at home and then went to a kids jungle gym. Yup- I'm getting old :) but that is okay. It was a fun birthday and I love seeing my kids run around with big goofy smiles on their faces!

And of course, what would a birthday be without pretty hand-stamped cards from my Mom. Can you tell she knows I love butterflies :)

And I've got a trick to share with you about this card. See that square in the background? Wondering how to do it? It's not a stamp- but actually just a clear block :) Doesn't it give a cool effect! Just ink up the block and use it like a stamp (if you are using a darker ink make sure to stamp it off once first or it will be too dark for the card). It creates a nice little base on the card to stamp your image over and really makes it pop. Fun trick for you to try on your next card!

My mom always likes to decorate the inside of a card as well. Isn't it sweet- it matches the front so cute :)

Hope you have a fantastic day! Flutter back soon!

Say Farewell

Saying goodbye is always hard to do. Especially when some of our favorites go away. But keep you chin up- in this case it makes room for new favorites to emerge!

Never-the-less, you better stock up on your favorites now before they are gone!!! Check out the full list HERE.

And this year Stampin Up! is making saying goodbye even a little sweeter. Until Friday there is FREE shipping on your order :) So go check out on the list and stock up now!

Up Next: Project Life!

Have you heard the word? Becky Higgins and Stampin Up! have joined forces to bring you exclusive Project Life kits! They will be everything you love about Project Life, but in Stampin Up!'s colors and with matching stamps to boot :) Sooo excited over here!!

For anyone that has missed the Project Life craze until now, here is what you need to know. It is a simple and quick form of scrapbooking that goes 'back to the basics.' Using pocket style page protectors you can add pictures and then add cards for journaling and titles, or just to cute-sie up the layout. Project Life is what really started the pocket style scrapbooking craze (which Stampin Up! is no stranger to)- and now we get to join it and offer the real deal. Although, unlike other Project Life kits we will have matching stamps as well (of course!)

The first products will be available May 1st, and just look at all the fun stuff available (there are even matching framelits!). The complete line will be available in June with the launch of the new catalog- I can't wait to see the all the themes, can you?

Perfect

Today's card I got in a swap with my stamping friend Mary Beers. She is so funny- she is a farm lady and thinks cats don't belong in the house... but this winter when it was SO COLD she took pity on one that liked to hang out by her door and now she has a new pet :)  So in honor of her new feline friend she brought this card.

Now, I'm not a big Crumb Cake (the color of this cardstock) fan, but I love how it turned out on this card. It is beautiful with the different embossing folders and the brown sponging along the edges. It would be really fun to distress the edges of the cats as well- it would give them a furry look :)

Now I have to tell one more story about this card. During the swap one of the other ladies accidentally stamped the sentiment upside down. But in this case- no need to fret- the saying itself says it doesn't have to be perfect! We all got a good laugh from that one :)

Flutterby again soon!

A Pot of Spring Flowers

After last weeks snowstorm the weather finally shaped up and spring is (hopefully this time) here to stay. Bring on the 60* degree weather! It is a wet, muddy mess out there, but I'll take it over the gobs and gobs of snow we suffered through all winter. And when that much snow melts this fast it is bound to be muddy for awhile right :) So I say hello mud, goodbye snow!

So, in honor of the beautiful weather we are having, I'm bringing you some spring flowers today. I actually made this last summer with my mom- isn't this a fun card? It certainly breaks the mold of a flat fold :)

The bottom 'pot' of the card is a piece of cardstock folded in half (to form a pocket) that was then trimmed at an angle to give it the pot shape. Then there is a small tag that slides into the pocket- the top of which is decorated to look like the flowers in the pot. So when you pull on the flowers the message slides right out, see:

There are tons of ways you could decorate up this card, especially with all the flower/punch combos in the catalog. We used the Secret Garden stamps and matching framelits. Instead of coloring the flowers we just stamped them on scraps of DSP- what an easy and fast way to add color (and if you know me, you know I despise images I have to color in myself- I'm just not talented in that way).

IMPORTANT TIP- while assembling this card, have it laying ontop of the envelope you wish to put it in. That way you can be sure you keep the flowers low enough to the pot that it will fit! I learned this the hard way and had to rearrange my 'flower arrangement'. Opps :) So learn from my mistake, and take that tip right from the get go (ps you can thank my mom for that little gem!).

Flutterby again soon!

An April Snowman

Yes. I give you a snowman in April. If Mother Nature can do it, so can I.

I've been debating for awhile if I should share this little cutie my Mom made with Elli. I kept thinking- but people are sick of winter, they want springy projects, and to be truthful so did I. But April is now here with yet another 'Winter Storm Warning' dumping a foot or more of snow on us, so I figured, hey why not. After all, he is adorable and I didn't want to miss the chance to share him with you.

To make the body of the snowman you use the Gift Bow Bigz L die. You need two of the bigger, long (two bump) pieces to make the bottom and then four of the smaller (one bump) pieces for the head. After that it is just a matter of embellishing him however you wish!

Well, hopefully this will be my last 'winter' theme post, as the weatherman is saying NEXT week it should finally stay in the high 40's to 50's. If he is lying I may have to hunt him down though.... :)

Flutterby again soon!