It took me into May to finish up my April Mystery Image Swap card, so I’m doing better this month to have May’s done just after the middle of the month.

Susanne sent this month’s image and although I LOVE it, it’s an awfully big image, which I always struggle with….I could have put it on the page straight, I guess, but that just seemed to boring, so I decided it needed to go crooked.

I love this background paper and I thought it went perfectly with the card.

Can’t wait to find out what June’s image is!!

*Okay, yes, it’s true, this is the ONLY Design Team I’ve been on. But it’s still really awesome.

Use It Tuesday is gearing up for the next Design Team term, July 1, 2013 to December 31, 2013. We would love for YOU to be on our next team. We encourage people from all experience levels to apply.

Maybe I should apply?

April was Tina’s month and she sent us this image called Ralph Fishing by Rubbernecker stamps. I was a bit scared of this image at first because it’s so darn big! But, I got it onto a square card and I like the way it turned out!

I decided to make it a retirement card, since Ralph looks like he doesn’t have to worry about a daily job. I just got the background paper in a recent swap and I love how it turned out here!

Can’t wait to see what everyone else did!

The theme is “What Women Want”. The cards could be about exercise, hormones, shoes, shopping, stamping, friendships, chocolate, housework, hobbies, coffee, etc….very open ended.

Anyway, I decided I had to make one. Mine didn’t turn out quite the same, I decided to use a pre-cut wreath instead of making my own, like Patty did and as a result I had to buy a 18″ instead of a 16″. I think I would have liked the 16″ better, but it doesn’t matter. I still like the way it turned out.

Patty gives a detailed tutorial on her website on how to make the flowers. One is made from the scalloped circle punch, another with the five petal flower punch and the third with the blossom punch. I made about 95 flowers. Started with Patty’s recommended 80 blossoms and then had a few spaces to fill given my larger wreath.

Here’s a close up of some of the flowers:

It was a great project, but what a lot of work! After finishing it, I decided I didn’t have the greatest space for it here (especially where Claire couldn’t touch it), so I gave it to my Mom for her house.

This week, we’re celebrating two things: 1) May flowers and 2) Mothers, with a challenge we’re calling “Flowers for Mom”. You can see from our DT inspiration that we want you to make a project with ONE OR BOTH of these elements.

I have a couple of Mother’s Day cards already to go from last year, so I chose to focus on the flowers portion of our challenge this week. These fun and glittery flower stickers have been in my stash for a long while. It was a pretty big package and while I’ve used them on and off over the years, now I’m ready to finish the package and move on to new things. I also used paper and ribbon from a card kit that had been partially used.

Now, show us your “Flowers for Mom”. Remember, you don’t have to use both elements, but at least one must be there. As well, don’t forget to tell us what part of your beautiful creation has come from your hoarded supplies.

Projects can be linked up to the Use It Tuesday website by noon (PST) on Friday May 3, 2013. No blog? No problem! Just use the keyword USE054 when uploading your project to an online gallery and leave us a direct link so that we can find your creation.

**Don’t forget, we ask that you please mention you’re playing along with us and tell us all about project supplies that come from your hoarded stash.**

Have fun!

Carol is our host this this time and she picked this cute little dancing couple. Unfortunately, I forget where they’re from!

I though the stamp had a retro feel to it and found a paper pack in my room that I thought suited the feel. I decided to go with a rather neutral card and then pop it up with some bright red highlights.

But back to the challenge. This week at Use It Tuesday, we’re getting sticky! Sticky Situation is our challenge this week, which means hauling out those stickers, rub-ons, embossing powder….anything that sticks.

I do not use stickers very often. But, I can’t seem to stay away from the really cute ones. Rub-ons are the same, although those I tend to acquire, not buy. (Where do they come from?) I used one of each for you here today.

The button flowers are a set of stickers. Loved these cute flowers! I was searching for something for this card and finally decided…I MUST use these! Best thing? I used the WHOLE package up (yay for me). The last two adorn the inside of my card. As for the rub-on, that’s my sentiment. Perfect match!

Next we shall talk about that woodgrain embossing folder I bought many moons ago and opened, just for this challenge!

You’re turn to get sticky. Once you’re done, link up your Sticky Situation: Stickers, Rub-ons, Embossing project to the Use It Tuesday website by noon (PST) on Friday April 19, 2013. No blog? No problem! Just use the keyword USE053 when uploading your project to an online gallery and leave us a direct link so that we can find your creation.

**Don’t forget, we ask that you please mention you’re playing along with us and tell us all about project supplies that come from your hoarded stash.**

Have fun!

I took a quick look through the site and found this:

Weird choice, I know. You were probably expecting something colorful. But, what I saw in this was two things…1, it was masculine and I wanted to make a masculine birthday card. 2, I thought it would work great as a layout sketch.

Here is the card I came up with:

I liked the texture of the book cover, so I found an embossed panel in kraft to use. I used my square punch to make some not quite square panels for the front. The rounded corners on the cover make an appearance and then I finished it off with a quick bow where the author’s name is located.

This is actually my second attempt. My first attempt was not good! The colors weren’t right at all and I just didn’t feel like I could save the thing.