WhoIsTracy? Blog

With so many amazing products and sets released last month, we're taking the opportunity this month over at Clear and Simple Stamps to look a little closer at some of the sets and products from the collection and show you their versatility.

Today, the entire design team is showcasing a party theme for you. How fun!

There are those of us (adults and children alike) that are a bit addicted to a series of books written by a certain J.K. Rowling. {wink} In fact, I'm re-reading this particular series for the umpteenth time right now. So, my post today is centered around having a wizard party.



For my invitation, I used Party Elements: Critters for my sentiment. Then stamped the little owl from Taglines: Critters in the center. I discovered that the branch (with the leaf masked out) made a perfect wand!

For a more rustic look, I used Background Basics I and added a layer of Haute Red Couture cardstock for a bit of Gryffindor cheer.



On the inside of my invite, I stamped the date, time, place and RSVP from Party Elements: Critters. And then wrote the details in by hand. Of course, I could have used a quill, had I been a bit more prepared. [Didn't have time to make a trip down to Diagon Alley to restock my supplies.]



For my party favor, I used the Party Favor 3 die cut to make my little container and decorated the front with a little owl made from the Build-a-Critter Owl/Kitty die cuts. Again, the branch here makes a perfect wand!

I filled a little cellophane bag with some popcorn, added a tag with a simple thanks stamped on it. Tied the bag closed with some hemp twine and attached the tag to it with that twine. And that's it!

Of course, now that I've made this duo my mind is spinning with games and food and more favors to make for my wizard party. I think I've started trouble here!!

Be sure to check out what the rest of the team has made:
[Dana | Kim | Laura B | Laurie | Lori | Stephany | CSS]

Wizard Party Recipe
Cardstock: CSS On the Catwalk Cream, You're Such a Gray-cious Host, Kraft Like a Rockstar, Haute Red Couture, Orange You Fabulous
Stamps: CSS Party Elements: Critters, Taglines: Critters, Lucky Charm, Background Basics I
Ink: CSS Haute Red Couture, Dish all the Dirt Brown
Accessories: Tags 1 die cuts, Build-a-Critter Owl/Kitty die cuts, Party Favor 3 die cut, cellophane bag, hemp twine

Tomorrow is release day over at Whimsie Doodles. Can you believe a month has gone by since the last release already?!?

So today the design team is sharing peeks of what's to come tomorrow on our blogs. Be sure to stop back tomorrow to see my card. {wink}

Today over at Clear and Simple Stamps we're reviewing two fabulous sets that came out last month: Alpha Duo and Background Basics I.

I decided to make a fun masculine birthday card for my father using Alpha Duo. [Happy birthday Dad!!] What I love about last month's release is that all of the sentiment stamps coordinate so well together.



I spelled out happy and stamped it repeatedly down the right side of my card base in blue ink. Then on a scrap of kraft cardstock, I used the birthday sentiment from Little Critters Too. Dad was spelled using Alpha Duo, this time in orange ink for a little pop.

The little leaf (from Little Critters) was stamped on felt and cut out for some texture. I hope he likes it!

Wordy Birthday Recipe
Cardstock: CSS Kraft Like a Rockstar
Stamps: CSS Alpha Duo, Little Critters, Little Critters Too
Ink: CSS True Blue Fan, Orange You Fabulous, Perfect Little Black Dress
Accessories: green felt, Copic Spica sky blue glitter pen

I am absolutely smitten with these little Valentine Messages from Whimsie Doodles this month! They're perfect for clean and simple Valentines.

I printed out a few sheets of them and had a crafting session with my two nieces (ages five and ten) and it kept us all busy for more than two hours! They had a blast making Valentines for their parents, grandparents, and aunts & uncles. Even my nephew who's only five couldn't resist the fun. He made me a little Valentine using one of the digis- so sweet!

So, in honor of that- this card is for him. I hope he digs it!



I used this sweet little truck digi, colored it in with my prismacolor pencils, and cut it out with my nestabilities. Then popped the whole thing up on dimensionals to make it pop.

Some red ribbon and a bit of sparkle from my red spica pen finished it off. I'll be sending this one in the mail special delivery to my nephew. I can't wait to hear how much he enjoyed getting a Valentine in the mail just for him!

I Dig You Recipe
Cardstock: PTI kraft, harvest gold
Stamps: Whimsie Doodles Valentine Messages
Accessories: prismacolor pencils, red stitched ribbon, circle nestabilities, Copic Spica red glitter pen, Sticky Thumb dimensionals

Hi there! Sorry if I've blinded you with the uber-bright colors on my card today. {wink} I just felt like stepping out of my winter rut a bit and I think I went a little overboard!

This week over on Card Patterns we're sponsored by the wonderful My Favorite Things Stamps. Each design team member was able to select some products from their store to use on our creations. [Thanks so much Kim!!!]



I couldn't resist the adorable scooter in MFT's You Move Me set and paired it with this equally adorable sentiment. I love how the scooter and two puffs of exhaust smoke were the perfect fit for the sketch this week. Isn't it fun when that happens??

[As an aside- have I ever told you about my obsession with Vespas? I have been begging my husband for years to get one, partly due to the cuteness factor. But partly because my commute is less than eight miles round trip. Think of the gas savings!]

Anyways, be sure to stop by Card Patterns this week to see what our fabulous design team made with the sketch and to play along with us. As always, there's a great prize up for grabs and a chance to be our guest designer!

Cruising By Recipe
Cardstock: PTI lemon tart, new leaf, white, raspberry fizz
Decorative Paper: Echo Park Summer Days
Stamps: MFT You Move Me
Ink: Palette Noir, Boudoir Blush
Accessories: MFT You Move Me die-namics, MFT Fresh Cut Grass die-namics, Creative Impressions mint glimmer ribbon

Valentine's Day is creeping up and I couldn't help playing with a few of this month's new releases from Clear and Simple Stamps.

My card was inspired by the fall-to-layout #172 on the Clean & Simple blog.

That lovely script background is from Quotes II, and so are the row of hearts. It's hard to read from my photo, but the quote is actually a poem by E.E. Cummings.



I cut a black mat out using my long rectangle nestabilities. Then fussy-cut the row of hearts out by hand. I added a bit of CSS red twine, the row of hearts over that, and then finished my card with one tiny red heart that I stamped and cut out from Hearts Plus.

Thanks for stopping by!

Heart Notes Recipe
Cardstock: CSS A Blanc Check (heavy), A Blanc Check, Perfect Little Black Dress
Stamps: CSS Quotes II, Hearts Plus
Ink: CSS Perfect Little Black Dress, Haute Red Couture
Accessories: long rectangle nestabilities, CSS red twine, dimensionals