I have been slacking on my blog. Oops. :)
Did you have a lovely Valentine's Day? I woke up to some beautiful flowers and a gorgeous pair of earrings. Then I was surprised with some chocolate covered strawberries at work! Followed by a wonderful cooked meal by my husband. I sure am loved!

Time has really been slipping past so quickly... I cannot believe that February is already in the second half of the month. I even forgot to post about my latest entry to the Iron Craft Challenge! Our challenge was hearts and flowers so I decided to go with some handmade Valentines!

My sister came over a few weeks ago (on the 2nd) and we really had a fun time making Valentines and watching Groundhog Day. Check out some of her lovely work below!

If you follow me on Vine and Instagram, you've probably seen a couple videos and a photo of my progress of cleaning out my craft nook. I'll have an update post soon!

xo. Lauren

Paper: Kiss Me (Bella Blvd.); Kraft (Recollections); Early Espresso and Whisper White (Stampin' Up!); generic dark blue
Stamps: XO Roller Date Stamp (American Crafts); Smitty's ABCs (Lawn Fawn); I Heart Hearts (retired - Stampin' Up!)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Momento); Melon Mambo and Whisper White (Stampin' Up!)
Ribbon & Twine: Blushing Bride 3/8" Pleated Satin Ribbon (retired - Stampin' Up!); Peppermint Twine (Divine Twine); pink pom pom trim, green ribbon
Embellishments: Dear Lizzy Foam Thickers, XO Heart Buttons Wood Embellishents (American Crafts); Heart & Cloud and Love Grid Washi Tape (Freckled Fawn); Envelope and Mustache Wood Flourishes (Kaisercraft); Basic Pearls (Stampin' Up!); Gold and White Sequins, Pink and White Tags (Studio Calico); red floss, toothpicks, white thread
Tools: sewing machine, typewritter

Oh Friday, I'm so glad you're here. Although one of my dearest friends will be moving next week and today was his last day at work. He truly has been a wonderful mentor, friend and well... a great "work dad." He has a daughter my age and really has been such a great person to talk to when it came to stuff in my life -- both at work and personal. I am so thankful for everything these past (almost) 3 years and even though he will still work for the company, it will difficult to not wander to his office to talk. It is comforting knowing that he will still be a phone call or office communicator message away.

Anywho, before I get any more emotional today... This was a simple card I made using a sketch from Studio Calico and a challenge from Moxie Fab until I realized I wasn't using Studio Calico product and the challenge was 10 different types of embellishments. Oh well. I still love it! I love the lines, the simple and clean look and the sequins! Plus I had just opened this Amy Tangering paper and couldn't wait to use it. So fun!

I hope everyone has a great weekend! Anyone else planning on eating on Sunday for the Superbowl? I have NO CLUE who is even playing, I just know there's gonna be food. Woo!

xo. Lauren

Paper: Ready Set Go by Amy Tangerine (American Crafts); grey cardstock
Stamps: Picture It (Avery Elle)
Ink: Soft Suede (Stampin' Up!)
Embellishments: Satin Gold Sequins (Studio Calico); white thread
Tools: sewing machine

I meant to post these last Friday but I got so busy that time flew by and all of a sudden it's Wednesday. So, it's going up today. I haven't been too much in a crafty mood this week so I'm not sure what Pinsday is going to be about this week... But stay tuned.

My first card in my latest Challenge Round-Up is with Moxie Fab's 75 Creative Card Challenges Week: Challenge #49 -- Make Your Own Background Paper. I really liked the bright color scheme from Studio Calico's Woodbrooke Road kit so I played around with everything and created this layout. I used the stamp in the kit with yellow and white ink to create my own background paper. I think it turned out nice and sunny! Reminds me of spring.

Kits: Woodbrooke Road Kit (Studio Calico)
Paper: Marina Mist (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: Crushed Curry and Whisper White (Stampin' Up!)
Embellishments: Aqua Blue Sequins and Small White Tag (Studio Calico); Cappuccino Baker's Twine (The Twinery); white thread
Tools: sewing machine

And the second card today as a simple card that I had some fun with. This card is for Moxie Fab's 75 Creative Card Challenges Week: Challenge #18 -- Stamp With a Homemade Stamp. It's a bit simple, but I like it a lot. I used a red and white paint from Martha Stewart a pencil eraser! I think this would make a great Valentine's Day card to send in the mail -- it's flat!

Paper: Kraft (Recollections)
Paint: Tartan Red and Wedding Cake (Martha Stewart)
Tools: pencil with eraser

I still have a few more Valentine's to make before sending them off... How are you doing on yours?

xo. Lauren

Is this week going by slow for you?
Maybe I need a vacation already.

This week I wanted to gain my pinspiration from pretty finds on Pinterest with the colors from the latest 10 Minute Craft Dash from Pretty Pink Posh. I found these three photos to be the prettiest with the colors. It help me envision how to use the colors. Pink and green were the featured colors, while grey was more of a background color or more subtle.

1 // 2 // 3

Well, I couldn't find a color of grey that matched what I wanted so I decided to go with green. I ran it through my big shot using the argyle embossing folder and put it under a heavy book to flatten it out. I started on my lolly and used the fun pink and red paper because it would look like a spiral. I glued the doily down, glued the lolly down and added the heart on top to hide the center. I was running out of time fast (I wanted to distress or color the heart with grey) so I threw on some enamel dots and noticed my doily and lolly were off center. BOO! But I tied on some twine and stopped the clock. I wouldn't have made it if I tired to fix it, so off center it is! :)

I was bummed I didn't get more grey in my card, but I think the enamel dots are enough. I like the concept behind this card so I might try to make another one without time constraints and see how it turns out.

Have you tried the 10 Minute Craft Dash challenge?

xo. Lauren

Kits: Wildberry Court Add-on Kit (Studio Calico)
Embellishments: Peppermint Twine (Whisker Graphics); 4" doily
Tools: Argyle Textured Impressions Embossing Folder and Big Shot Die-Cut Machine (Stampin' Up!)

Yesterday we had a great time at the Make & Take Club! It had been so long since we had a few of our friends. :) Our class theme was "Anything but A2" and made some cute cards and other fun projects for Valentine's Day.

Here is the card I designed for our kit:

Isn't that whale just the cutest? You can buy the set here. Check out the Make & Take Club's Gallery for more photos of our projects.

xo. Lauren

I am obsessed with how adorable Papertrey Ink's Love Potion set is. It is SO cute! I keep finding all these adorable cards people have made with it, too! I pinned seven amazing photos and used them as ispiration for a few cards. Two of them are a little less frilly but the third one is very girly and fun. :)

1 // 2 // 3

Kits: Block Party Card Kit (Studio Calico)
Paper:  Poppy Parade (retired; Stampin' Up!)
Stamps: Love Potion (Papertrey Ink)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Momento); Crushed Curry (retired), Lucky Limeade and Poppy Parade (retired; Stampin' Up!); VersaMark
Embellishments: Lemondrop Baker's Twine (The Twinery)
Tools: Binding Edge Punch (EK Tools); Tiny Attacher (Tim Holtz)

4 // 5

Kits: Block Party Card Kit (Studio Calico)
Paper:  Kraft (Recollections)
Stamps: Love Potion (Papertrey Ink)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Momento); VersaMark
Tools: Binding Edge Punch (EK Tools); Tiny Attacher (Tim Holtz)

6 // 7

Paper: With Love (American Crafts); Blushing Bride (retired) and Whisper White (Stampin' Up!)
Stamps: Valentine's Day (Heidi Grace); Love Potion (Papertrey Ink)
Ink: Ladybug and Tuxedo Black (Momento); VersaMark
Embellishments: With Love Button Candy Dots (American Crafts); Red Heart Line Washi Tape (Freckled Fawn); Feldspar, Garnet and Kunzite Glitter (Martha Stewart); Star Dust (Stickles); Peppermint Divine Twine (Whisker Graphics)
Tools: Small Heart Punch (Stampin' Up!)

I think the last one is my favorite. :) I think it's so fun to mix in science with girly things! Do you do the same?

xo. Lauren

I love crafty challenges! In fact, a lot of my cards are made from using color, sketch or theme challenges. But, I really want to push myself to do more than challenges so every once in a while I'll post a Challenge Round-Up to show you what some of my favorite challenges are as well as my take on them. :)

First I have a card I created for Papertrey Ink's Make It Monday #99 Challenge.

The rules: Create a project utilizing your take on the challenge. Your project must use at least one Papertrey product and one of the rainbow color schemes illustrated... along with a repeated die-cut or stamped image.

I absolutely love Papertrey's Love Potion Stamp Set and the coordinating Love Potion Die Set. Adorable, right?! I don't own any Papertrey Inks so I did my best to match up to Stampin' Up! Colors that I had. Some are retired :X and I did my best to match them up to available colors in the list of supplies below.

Stamps: Love Potion (Papertrey Ink)
Paper: Whisper White (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: Apricot Appeal (retired; closest Daffodil Delight), Bermuda Bay (retired; closest Tempting Turquoise), Cool Caribbean (retired; closest Pool Party), Lucky Limeade and Melon Mambo Classic Stampin' Pads (Stampin' Up); Bermuda Bay (retired; closest Tempting Turquoise) Stampin' Write Marker (Stampin' Up!)
Embellishments: Clear, Hot Pink, Light Blue, Light Green and Yellow Twinkle Goosebumps (Queen & Co.)
Tools: Love Potion (Papertrey Ink); Big Shot (Stampin' Up!)

Second, I have a card I created for Lawnscaping's Let's Party! Challenge No. 49.

The rules: Create a NEW PROJECT based on  the challenge.

Oh, how my heart belongs to Lawn Fawn's stamps. They're so fun and adorable! They're my Pokemon... Gotta catch 'em all. Or should I say, Gotta buy 'em all. The cloud paper from Studio Calico's Block Party Card Kit was so fun and perfect with Lawn Fawn's balloon stamp. I stamped the balloon on various other paper in the kit and stamped the sentiment on a wood veneer. Simple, but fun and bright!

Kits: Block Party Card Kit (Studio Calico)
Stamps: Admit One and Bake Me a Cake (Lawn Fawn)
Ink: Lady Bug and Tuxedo Black (Momento)
Embellishments: Banners Wood Veneer (Studio Calico)

Next, I have a couple cards inspired by Studio Calico's Sunday Sketches. One of them is supposed to be for a scrapbook layout,  but I used for a card instead. :)

The rules: How will YOu use this sketch? Whether it's a layout, a card or something else, link us up to your project...

Sketches are fun to work with. I like to adapt them to fit my vision - like move things around or opt out on certain pieces. Since it was a Studio Calico challenge, I used their Block Party Card Kit for almost everything. Just used my own inks! PS. Isn't that washi tape amazing?!

Kits: Block Party Card Kit (Studio Calico)
Ink: Baja Breeze, Basic Grey, Crushed Curry (retired; closest More Mustard) and Lucky Limeade (Stampin' Up!); black gel ink pen
Tools: Paper-Piercing Tool, Stampin' Pierce Mat (Stampin' Up!)

Geez, I made a lot of cards for challenges this week! :) The final card I have is inspired by Mojo Monday Sketch 275.

The rules: Just upload a creation using this week's sketch to your online blog...

Since I had my card kit out, I used it for this sketch as well. I thought the paper lolly in the middle made it perfect! It's from one of my favorite embellishment kids from Freckled Fawn! Love it! I'm going to make some of my own.

Kits: June 2012 OHdeerME Kit (Freckled Fawn); Block Party Card Kit (Studio Calico)
Ink: Basic Grey (Stampin' Up!)

Well, that's enough for one post... Don't 'cha think? ;)
Happy Friday!

xo. Lauren

Lawn Fawn's stamp from Studio Calico's Central High Card Kit is probably one of my favorites. I love all the fun arrows! When I was perusing the Studio Calico Member Gallery, I stumbled up mbelles' cute card and I scraplifted the arrows and turned into a birthday card.

It was fairly easy to make and will be perfect for a masculine birthday card. You can see the supplies I used at the end of the post.

Is there a go to design or sketch for masculine cards that you use? I tend to stick to simple, not too many layers, no frills... But, I think I need some new ideas! :)

xo. Lauren

Kits: Central High Card Kit (Studio Calico)
Paper: Whisper White (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: Elderberry, Lady Bug, Nautical Blue, Teal Zeal and Tuxedo Black (Momento); Black (Sharpie)

Happy birthday to the hippest mom around! My mother is the reason why I started paper crafting and it is something we enjoy to do together. I made her a card and envelope using supplies from Studio Calico's Central High Card Kit as well as my current favorite washi tape from Freckled Fawn.

If you've been reading long enough, we took my mom to Bingo last year for her birthday and she wanted to do it again! We set up the table with some cheap party decor so we could throw it all away when we leave. Easy pick up! For dessert this year she said she wanted a surprise (last year she picked the Twix Cupcakes) so looking around Pinterest I found a delicious recipe for Pretzel Bottomed Banana Bread Cupcakes with Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting by How Sweet Eats. Uhm, YUM! I seriously love her blog. If you love food, you should follow her.

The night was so fun and we even won some money! And we all loved the cupcakes - salty, sweet, fruity & chocolate. A win, win, win and win. :)

xo. Lauren

I was up a little later than I should have been last night working on some thank you cards. Now that the holidays are over, I want to send some thank you notes to my beautiful family and friends that I exchanged gifts with. :)

The cards are mostly made from Studio Calico's Central High Card Kit. I used a Lawn Fawn sentiment and sprinkled in a few of my favorite things here and there like a doily, pearls and shimmer mist.

The two cards above are my favorites! I can't wait to write inside and get them sent! Do you send out thank you cards? I know a lot of folks that are more verbal, email or phone call thank you'ers.

I'm also excited that it's finally Friday! Tomorrow is my momma's birthday and we're taking her to play some bingo. So fun!

xo. Lauren