Mojo 98 projects

I was so inspired by the Mojo Monday sketch for the week that I did two projects with it.
Here is the first:

This card is actually also a submission for a chance to win some wonderful blog candy over at Crafty Goings On. Karen is generously offering the chance to win a set of 72 copic markers. Her contest ends on August 9th, so be sure to check it out!
I used stamps for the 'cherish' definition and also for the background behind it. The butterfly is cut from a TTF using SCAL. The circles were cut with Plantin Schoolbook. I handstitched around the edges of the square.

Here's my second project:
This is 'sort of' a card. I have a hard time with birthday cards--the outside is always fun to make and decorate, but I'm always intimidated with the amount of space to write sentiments on the inside. So, instead of a traditional card, I wrapped her present and used the sketch to decorate it as if it were the front of a card. Then, we'll just sign our names to the back of the gift and call it good!
I used Plantin Schoolbook for the circles, the 42, and the yellow ric-rac. You can't tell from the picture, but the 42 is cut out 3 times for added dimension, and popped up with pop dots to make it stand out. I used thickers for 'happy' and rub ons for 'birthday.'

Thanks for looking!

Dad

This card was made for the latest Whimsical Scraps and Bugs challenge. We were issued a Mojo Monday sketch (#88) and asked to make a Father's Day card using masculine paper and a Cricut cut. The patterned paper I used is from Basic Grey--it is actually 2 sided paper-one side with the dots and the other side with the stripes. I embossed the brown cardstock with Cuttlebug's Spots and Dots folder and inked the raised image with Tim Holtz's Distressing Ink. The circle was cut from Plantin Schoolbook, as were the letters and shadows to spell 'Dad' and the bird was cut from 5o states--I believe the cut is Wisconsin's state bird. I cut the little bird at 1 3/4". The ribbon is Offray and I got the spool from WalMart--10 yards for...47 cents! And they carried probably around a half dozen colors. Yes, please!!!

Thanks for looking!

Happy Mother's Day, Mojo-style

Well it's that time of year again to work on Mother's Day cards. Once again, Mojo Monday pulled through with an awesome sketch that I used to make 2 cards with 2 different looks for 2 special mothers. Without further ado, here they are:
This one is for you, Mom Staley. So, if you're reading this, you get a sneak peak. That's okay, though, because unfortunately your card will probably not arrive on time for Sunday. As I was about to mail it, I thought I might add a finishing touch of stickles around the heart and then I remembered that it has to dry before I put it in the envelope, and the deadline for the mail to go out today had passed by the time it had dried. So, when you are feeling like you have a lame daughter on Sunday who "forgot" about Mother's Day, please feel free to visit my blog and see the card that should be arriving on Monday. Oops. ;)
I used Memory Makers patterened paper and black and cream cardstock for this card. The heart was cut with Graphically Speaking and the black paper was embossed with the Swiss Dots folder. I do not know the brand of the stamps or the ribbon. Here's another view:
And this one is for my special mother-in-law, Rose. This one should be there in time for Mother's Day. :) I used the DCWV "Pocketfull of Posies" stack for the patterned paper. The scallop is a Martha Stewart border punch, "Scallop Dot." The ribbon is from American Crafts and I used stickles for the flower and for the border around the sentiment. The orange paper is embossed with the Floral Fantasy folder.
Another view:And here is the sketch that I used for both of these cards: It is Mojo Monday Sketch #85.
Thanks for looking, and I hope all the moms reading this enjoy their Mother's Day weekend!

Heritage

I created this layout for a challenge at Whimsical Scraps and Bugs. The challenge was to use sketch #81 from Mojo Monday (pictured below) and a favorite verse or quote. If you have looked at my blog recently, you'll already know that I love Mojo Monday for their creative card designs. This time, though, I wanted to use the sketch to create a layout. I chose Psalm 127:3 for the verse which says, "Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from Him." The picture is of our firstborn on Easter of 2007 with my hubby Scott. The paper is from the DCWV "All About Boys" stack. The title font is from the Cricut Calligraphy cartridge and the frame for the verse, the stars, and the circles at the bottom are all from Graphically Speaking. I hand-sewed the borders and the circle around the stars. The circles at the bottom have a stamp on them that says "a son is a blessing; a son is a gift." Brads in the center finish it off.

Thanks for looking!

Thinking of You

This is yet another MojoMonday card (sketch 79, pictured at the bottom of the post). I hope you're not getting sick of seeing them! I really want to get back to scrapbooking, but sometimes when my time is limited all I can finish is a card.
I've had the birdhouse stamp for a long time, but I'm not sure I'd ever used it. I used watercolors to color it in. The sentiment stamp (hard to see, but it is to the right of the birdhouse) is from Stampin Up! and it says 'thinking of you.' I inked the edges with distress ink to age it a little and to give it some more depth.
Thanks for looking!

You're "Tea"riffic

I made this card to donate to a stranger named Jen Tapler. She is going to have a charity auction for all the cards she collects with the proceeds going to raise money for the Alzheimer's Association. Jen is seeing firsthand the effects that this disease is having on her father, and I do hope that she will receive many cards that will further the work of the Alzheimer's Association.
As if that incentive is not enough, for those that participate before April 3rd (that's Friday so you have a couple more days), she is having a huge stamping blog giveaway (see details on her blog, linked above). Even if you don't get a chance to participate before Friday, you can still make a card (or cards) and send them to her before April 20th.
I got the sketch from this week's MojoMonday, seen below.
Thanks for looking!

Same look, different Mojo--part 2

Here's my take on another Mojo sketch, #75. Again, I used the same stamps from CTMH (love them) and colored them with watercolors and stickles. I like using the same supplies (since they're already out, right?) to create similar but unique cards by altering the sketch.
Here's another view to show the dimension. I used pop-dots under the image and I left the dragonfly's wings free to 'fly.'
This card is a pop-up card. Here's the inside sentiment:
The "Thanks" stamp is from Inkadinkado. I cut out and stickled the leaves, flowers, and butterfly to give the card unity inside and out.
Another view:
Thanks for looking!

Same look, different Mojo--part 1

A couple of weeks ago, I participated in my first Mojo Monday card sketch and I so enjoyed the process that I pulled out that same stamp set (from CTMH) and worked on some previous sketches. This is sketch 77. I colored the images the same way--using watercolors and stickles for the shimmer. The circle that the dragonfly sits on is cut at 1 3/4" from Plantin Schoolbook and the scalloped circle is cut at 2 1/4" from Storybook. The background paper is from DCWV--The Stack VI and the orange paper was embossed using my Cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder and I inked the dots to give it a little more dimension.
I will post my other card tomorrow. Thanks for looking!

Mojo Monday 78--Thank You

I loved this week's Mojo Monday sketch, and I knew right away what I wanted to do with it. I had the perfect occasion to make a thank-you card--Christina sent me a lovely RAK--a SU! stamp set. How fun is that? The set is called "Botanical Blooms" and I'm loving it! So, if you're reading this, Christina, thanks again!!
Thanks for looking!

Mojo76

This card was inspired by the sketch over at Mojo Monday. I've mentioned them before on my blog, but it bears repeating that every Monday they provide a fabulous new sketch.

I used a stamp set from Close to My Heart on this one. I love the spring look to it and with temps nearing 70 this week, it's definitely feeling like spring is on its way. The background paper is watercolor paper, and I colored all of the stamps with watercolors. I forgot how much fun they are to work with and how nice the results are! I used dimensionals on some of the flowers to give it a 3-D effect, and the dragonfly's wings are folded upwards to imitate flight. I used stickles on the raised flowers, the butterflies, the dragonfly wings, and the stems to give the card some shimmer. The paper is from DCWV--the Stack VI. I pierced a circle around the sentiment at the bottom for added interest.

Thanks for looking!