Happy Mother's Day

It's almost Wednesday! I've been playing around with my anniversary set some more and created this card.



I die cut the butterfly with sweet blush cardstock as well as vellum, and put all the layers together with a button and twine to hold it in place.

Thanks for looking!
Melissa

"Happy Mother's Day" (all PTI unless noted)
Stamps: Round and Round (2009 Anniversary set), Delightful Dahlia (for sentimtent)
Ink: Sweet Blush, Antique Linen and Walnut Stain (Ranger), Creamy Brown and Chestnut Roan (Colorbox)
Paper: Kraft, Sweet Blush and Vintage Cream
Other: Butterfly die, Sweet Blush Button, Rustic Cream twine, Sweet Blush satin ribbon, sewing machine

Anyone want free stamps?

If you are interested in winning a free soon-to-be released stamp set from Waltzingmouse Stamps, go here and leave a comment saying "I'm (your name here) and Melissa Ladd sent me!". You and I will both be entered to win!

Here are the details straight from Claire's blog:

"Leave a comment on this post, include your name. Then go and tell a stamping friend about our first birthday celebrations. Ask your friend to leave a comment on this post and to mention your name, they might post something like "Hello, I'm Joan Smith and Betty Marbles sent me to say hi!"

Waltzingmouse Stamps will be celebrating it's first anniversary and releasing 8 new sets in May! Congrats Claire on a successful first year!!

Enjoy the Ride

I'm enjoying playing with my PTI goodies! On this card I used A Little Argyle for the background, the car from Enjoy the Ride and the new Mat stack die to cut out the Dotti Biscotti paper.



I tried to keep it simple and masculine...but it needs something more. Any suggestions??

Thanks for looking!
Melissa

"Enjoy the Ride" (all PTI unless noted)
Stamps: A Little Argyle, Enjoy the Ride
Ink: Chesnut Roan (Colorbox), Hawaiian Shores, Walnut Stain (Ranger)
Paper: Dark Chocolate, Kraft and Dotty Biscotti
Other: Mat Stack 1 Die, foam tape, sponge

April PTI Blog Hop

I'm back tonight with my card for this month's PTI Blog Hop. Our challenge is to use tissue paper...I only had white tissue, so I colored mine with a sponge and raspberry fizz ink. I folded my piece several times and cut it out using the small scallop die. Then, I layered each one over the next and tied a ribbon at the top.



For the sweet peas image I wanted to try paper piecing and colored using the Dotty Biscotti paper like Dawn did here , second card down.



Thanks for coming by to look!
Melissa

(all PTI unless noted)
Stamps: YOF: Sweet Pea
Ink: Rich Cocoa (Memento), Walnut Stain and Antique Linen (Ranger), Rasperry Fizz
Paper: Raspberry Fizz, vintage Cream, Kraft and Dotty Biscotti
Other: sponge, small scallop die, Copic markers, Girl Friday ribbon (Cosmo Cricket)

There's no place like home

Are bee hives in trees? Seems like Winnie the Pooh is often digging around in one to find honey...

Anyway...I stamped the woodgrain background on Lavendar Moon cardstock and use the mat die on kraft. The sentiment is from Home for the Holidays ( I just masked off the "for the holidays" portion). The shimmery bee from the set Honey Bees is stamped in Brilliance ink.

Thanks for stopping by!
Melissa

"There's no place like home" (All PTI unless noted)
Stamps: Background Basics: Woodgrain, Honey Bees, Home for the Holidays
Ink: Chestnut Roan (Colorbox), Pearlescent Orchid (Brilliance) and Walnut Stain (Ranger)
Paper: Lavedar Moon, Dark Chocolate and Kraft
Other: brads, Mat Stack 1 die, sponge, foam tape

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Saturday! I made this card using the beautiful new Anniversary set, Round and Round. I also used a background from A Little Argyle. The sentiment comes from Women of Life.

Thanks for looking!
Melissa

"Happy Mother's Day" (All PTI unless noted)
Stamps: Round and Round (2009 Anniversary Set), Women of Life, A Little Argyle
Ink: Lavendar Moon, Plum Pudding and Hawaiian Shores, Antique Linen Distress (ranger)
Paper: Vintage Cream, Lavendar Moon, and Hawaiian Shores
Other: Lavendar Moon satin ribbon, Hawaiian Shores felt, sewing machine, gems, Copics to color gems, Mat stack die, sponge, foam tape

My Apologies

I needed a card to take into a secretary at my son's soon-to-be, in the fall kindergarten school. Why, you ask? Because my two year old knocked over and broke one of her jars the last time we were there filling out paperwork. Not the best first impression, so I wanted to be sure to redeem myself!



Not really knowing this person I played it safe using some pretty flowers and a simple layout. I used Delightful Dahlias for the blooms, which I stamped twice and cut out one set after coloring to pop up. The beautiful sentiment comes from Waltzingmouse Stamp's Say it with Style.

And I included a gift box with chocolates!

Thanks for coming by!
Melissa

"My Apologies" (all PTI unless noted)
Stamps: Delightful Dahlia, Say it with Style (WMS)
Ink: Rich Cccoa (Memento) and Antique Linen (Ranger)
Paper: Vintage Cream and Berry Sorbet
Other: Foam Tape, Copic Markers and sponge

Hybrid Challenge

About a week ago I posted a new hybrid challenge over at The Hybrid Chick blog . Hop on over to read about the challenge, see the beautiful inspiration photo from A Creative Mint, and learn more about the prize you can win by playing along! (The odds are really in your favor!!)

You could win a $10 GC from Kelliegh Ratzlaff's Shop ! She has some amazing templates and gift boxes!

Here is one of the cards I made from the color inspiration.



Please come over, take a look at the other card I made here , and I hope that you'll take part!

Melissa

Oh My Son

We are back from our big adventure in New York City! I thought I would share some photos and a bit about our weekend. My daughter, Kennedy, did feel better on Friday morning, so our whole family was able to go. We drove up Friday morning and checked into our hotel, Park Central. It was a nice hotel across the street from Carnegie and two blocks from Central Park, so it was very convenient for us. I had a rehearsal at St Patrick's Cathedral, the largest Catholic cathedral in America, that night.




The next morning we had breakfast at the Broadway Diner and walked to Central Park. The kids enjoyed the playground, climbing all the rocks, and watching for the horse-drawn carriages. After the Park we walked down to Times Square and then over to Rockefeller Center. Kennedy, my mom and I went into the American Girl store and Colin, my brother and my husband went to Nintendo World. Both kids got a fix of their favorite things: dolls and Wii!


Taking Central Park by storm!

I then headed off to the dress rehearsal at Carnegie. My mom and brother brought Colin into the rehearsal so he could see what it was all about. After the rehearsal we all went to grab dinner at the Burger Joint in the Parker Meridien Hotel. Then it was time for the performance. My brother stayed with the kids at the hotel (Thank you Doug!!), and my mom and husband came to the performance. It was such an amazing experience to be a part of. My friends with whom I sing at Georgetown Presbyterian, Karla and Javier, had lead roles and they were so fabulous! I sang as a member of the chorus, which was the St. Patrick's Cathedral Choir along with a few members of another NY chuch choir and some people from the DC area.


I am the first person on the left that you can see in the middle row of the chorus.

If you are interested in reading more about the opera itself and the composer here are two links to articles: here and here . The composer, Marcos Galvany, is Spanish and the opera, Oh My Son, was written using his remembrances of Easter and Lenten celebrations from when he was growing up. It is such beautiful, lyrical music and I am still singing the songs today!

I feel so lucky to have had this experience and I hope that if Oh My Son is performed again in another locale that I might have the chance to sing with the chorus again.

I hope to be back soon with a card. Thanks for letting me share my experience with you!

Happy Mother's Day

This week has been crazy! I've been rehearsing the music and preparing for my trip to New York tomorrow, and my daughter got sick on Wednesday. Sick with a 104.1 degree fever! So we are unsure if she will be able to come (my husband would stay home with her). Hopefully this yucky virus will be gone by tomorrow morning so we can all go as planned.



Anyway, that has not left me with much time for crafting! I did manage to make a quick card. I was inspired by a beautiful card that I saw that used a large butterfly die to cut out the front, and then a background was stamped behind it. I can't remember where I saw this or who made it, if anyone knows what I'm talking about, leave me a comment and I'll post the link.

Hope you have a great weekend!
Melissa

"Happy Mother's Day" (all PTI unless noted)
Stamps: Delightful Dahlia, Background Basics: Petal Power
Ink: Scarlet Jewel and Raspberry Fizz
Paper: Stamper's Select White, Scarlet Jewel and Raspberry Fizz
Other: Gems, foam tape, 1/8" silk ribbon, Copic marker to color ribbon and gems

Happy Mother's Day

I want to share a new card with you today and the news that I have been asked to join the hybrid creative team for a Brazilian digital designer, Boutique Cute Dolls .



This card was created using the new kit Fresh Garden . I used the green damask and the flower papers, as well as the fun tab image to house my sentiment.



I stamped the sentiments on the front and inside using Delightful Dahlia stamps.

Thanks for looking!
Melissa

"Happy Mother's Day"
Digital kit: Fresh Garden ( Boutique Cute Dolls )
Stamps: Delightful Dahlia
Ink: Chestnut Roan (Colorbox), Walnut Stain (Ranger)
Paper: Kraft and Rustic Cream (PTI)
Other: Plum Pudding satin ribbon, New Leaf buttons, Rustic cream twine (PTI), foam tape, circle punch, sewing machine

Thank you

Hope you had a nice Easter! We are still on spring break for two more days...the weather should stay beautiful, so we will be spending lots of time outdoors playing!

Here's is my card for the latest PTI Princess challenges , hosted by Val. Since I am behind on the challenge and I just realized that my card also is a "CASE" (in a way) of Michele's card set here , I just have it work for the last two challenges and call myself caught up!! I may still do another card since Michele has so many beautiful cards to work from!



Thanks for coming by!
Melissa

"Thank You" (all PTI unless noted)
Stamps: Beautiful Blooms II, Scattered Showers Additions
Ink: True Black
paper: Kraft and True Black
Other: True Black satin ribbon

Happy birthday

I had time to make some cards today and I decided to play along with Becky's Compose a Card #7.



I guess I didn't really follow the directions or inspiration piece to closely though, oops! I used Rustic Cream as a base and my patterned paper is green, not yellow! The flower outlines are cut out of black felt using the Beautiful Blooms #1 Die. This was definitely a challenge for me, but I'm glad I gave it a shot!

Happy Easter to those who celebrate it!
Melissa

"Happy Birthday" (all PTI unless noted)
Stamps: Beautiful Blooms 2, Delightful Dahlias
Ink: Spring Rain and New Leaf, Walnut Stain (Ranger)
Paper: Rustic Cream, Spring Rain and Green Boutique paper
Other: New Leaf grosgrain ribbon, Sprin Rain satin ribbon, New Leaf buttons, cream DMC floss, Beautiful blooms dies, Polka Dot Impression plate,gems

Easter Blessings

Hope you're having a great day! I took my kids to a local nature center this morning for a Reptile Festival and we enjoyed a short hike the woods. The weather is beautiful here! Tomorrow morning we are off to a picnic in the cherry blossoms, should be fun!



I based this card off of a sketch from the new magazine "Go-To Sketches", which has tons of great cards and ideas. The digital tags are a freebie from Quirky Twerp , who has amazing digital designs! You can find the freebies here . The card base is rustic cream cardstock from PTI--which I just got in my last order. I'm not sure why I waited so long to get this and the rustic white--it's awesome!

Thanks for coming by!
Melissa

"Easter Blessings" (all PTI unless noted)
Stamps: Spring Baskets (Waltzingmouse Stamps)
Ink: Chestnut Roan (Colorbox) and Walnut Stain (Ranger)
Paper: Rustic cream and Epson Premium Paper Matte (for printing the digital images)
Other: Rustic cream twine, foam tape and Vintage Easter tags