Picture this.

Last Sunday, which was the last day of our cruise, I woke up at 4:40am and couldn't go back to sleep. I laid in bed until about 6:30 and finally got up to go get something to eat. While I was eating, I checked my e-mail, which I hadn't got to do in a week! After that I watched the sun rise and it was just breathtaking! Take a look!

After we left our room and went to get my 2nd breakfast and Joey's 1st, lol. While Joey was in the bathroom, I decided to check my e-mail again and found an e-mail that I had always hoped I'd get to see!

Remember Paper Crafts World Cardmaking Day Contest? It turns out that I was one of the winners in the Birthday category! Not only do I get to receive an amazing prize packaged valued at over $400, but I will be published in Paper Crafts Magazine's March/April 2013 issue. 

My eyes filled up and I couldn't believe it! This is one of those things that I've always wanted but never really thought would happen! When Joey came out of the bathroom, I looked at him with a blank stare and smiled. He probably thought I was crazy, until I handed him my phone so he could read it.

SO EXCITING!

If that isn't enough exciting news, I have more! I am now a staffer at Scrapbook News & Review! It has been quite a week, that's for sure! I am so beyond excited about both of these things, I'm beside myself!

You're my cup of tea.

Before I get to my card I want to wish a very Happy Birthday to the best Mom ever made!!

 

 I made this card for the Scrapbook News & Review call for October.. to make a tea cup shaped card.

I sketched this out, that's why it's a but lopsided! lol.

I used Pink Paislee's "Hot Cocoa" paper from their "Cozy Sweater" collection. for the cup.

 

The spoon and sentiment are from Basic Grey's Nook & Pantry stamps.

I inked the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink and I used some Zva rhinestones as well.

Photo booth

  Don't you love how I mentioned posting every single day then I don't post for 2 days? lol. Ohhh life.

On Saturday, I went to the Scrapbook Expo in Ontario, CA. It was REALLY fun and I spent way too much money but.. I got some really good stuff too! I will be sharing it when I take photos.. I think the post will be over a couple days though, I got a LOT.

I made this layout for the October call for Scrapbook News & Review for Photo Booth photos.

I stamped the background with a toilet paper roll of all things! I just dipped them in paint and stamped away.

These photo booth photos were taken at my boyfriend's friends wedding. I added some Hambly and 3 Birds Rub-Ons.

For the title, I used foam Thickers called Giggles & Delight.

I also used some washi tape and some negative die cuts.

Journaling: I've always loved photo booth photos but Joey was never up for it. When we saw one at a wedding we were at, there was no getting out of it! I think the bottom one is my favorite.. It really shows off our goofiness! 5.19.2012

I love this banner! I've been making quite a few of these banners but this is by far had the smallest pieces!

I used Echo Park & Pink Paislee for this banner.

I love.. layout + My Birthday Post..3 months later!

 I made this layout for the June Call of Scrapbook News & Review for a layout with "10 things I love..".

 I made a banner out of Elle's Studio's "Sweet Summer Scallops"

For the title, I used printed chipboard Thickers called Forrest.

For the list I used Echo Park's "Playground" and printed my list on the computer.

So, my Birthday was on June 15th, and I've yet to share the photos, so here they are!!

The appetizer before my Birthday dinner! salami, basil, tomato and mozzarella cheese! YUM.

For my Birthday dinner, I requested Linguini and Clam Sauce, YUM, again!

YUM, yet again! I found this recipe on Pinterest and it was even better than expected!

 Coconut Carmel Drizzle Pie Recipe

Me, the boyfriend and the famous Birthday Hat! Everyone has to wear this hat when it's their Birthday.. but it always seems to disappear around October for my Mom's Birthday.. pretty convenient, huh? Well, one year, she was in Ohio for her Birthday, so I mailed it to my cousin in Ohio and while they were singing Happy Birthday, she came up behind her and put it on her head.. she was very surprised!

My sister had the great idea to tape together all the money she and my brother-in-law gave me. She didn't put a little piece on each one... she taped it from end to end, lol. I used it as a scarf before it took 5 of us to get them all apart!

Joey & I in Dana Point on the 16th! It was really foggy that day so you can't see the ocean in the background!

My favorite place to eat in Dana Point is called Stuft Pizza.. it's SO good!

We ended the night, roasting marshmallows on the beach!!

AVM monogram Card

I made this card for a customer that wanted a Monogram Wedding card.

For the background paper, I used an old Basic Grey line called Two Scoops. I layered vellum on top of it to give it an even softer look and stitched around the edges.

I layered the Monogram and ran the vellum through the printer a couple times to make the "V" darker.

The ruffled crepe paper garland is from GCD Studios.

I'm stuck on you

Have you noticed a few changes around here? Okay, maybe a lot of changes! I decided to change the name of my Etsy shop to My Wise Designs, so I changed my blog along with it. Check out my Etsy shop for my new banner and my new avatar! If you're looking for one for your shop, please check out Erin Bradley Designs on Etsy! There are two reasons why I went with her... one, she had the lowest prices.. two, she had the cutest designs! She went above and beyond to help me because after she finished, instead of just sending them to me and that being it, she said that one of the words didn't look right and if I wanted it changed to a different font, to let her know. So, she changed that! Then I added something on another one and she was more than happy to change it as well. 

Made Fresh Daily Monthly Challenge

I am going to stop my blog challenge for a while and maybe pick it back up one day!

On to the card!

This card was featured in Scrapbook News and Review's July issue.

I used Crate Paper's "Paper Hearts" and Echo Park's "Winter Park". I used an edge distresser to rough up the edges of the Echo Park paper.

My boyfriend got a new shirt and I was noticing the pins in his room.... he saw me looking at them and said "you can have them" hahaha. He knows me too well. So that's where the little silver pins came from!

One loaded post!

I have been a very busy bee this week! I wanted to finish all my cards for the June Card Challenge that I host on Scrapbook.com. I also wanted to submit projects to Scrapbook News & Review so I mixed and matched the challenges up!!

All of the following cards are for SNR's July Call.

The first card up is for the June Card Challenge for Photo Inspiration. This is the photo we needed to get inspiration from this month. I took it on Main St. at Disneyland last month.

One punch, a bunch of pattern paper, a cute cupcake embellishment and a button and ta da! =]

I used American Crafts Remarks, Sweet Tooth. I added Glossy Accents to the cupcake stand and the vanilla frosting. I added Copper Stickles to the chocolate frosting too.

 

 

 

 This card is for the June Card Challenge for the Lift Category.

I used Pebbles Inc. felt layered embellishments but had to cut the last layer off cause they're super thick!! For the sentiment, I used October Afternoon's Mini Market Alphabet stickers.

I can't believe my niece is going to be a year old in a week and a half! It went by so very quickly!

She's such a ham!! Look at her little arm.. that was all her, lol.

Last night I had the idea to see if the Cricut would cut duct tape... to my surprise, it DOES!

I used the Accent Essentials Cartridge for these super cute embellishments.

 This is the card I made her for her 1st Birthday. It's for the June Card Challenge for Bonus, which was to use duct tape on your card.

I used the circle above to make a pattern on the background of the card.

I used instructions by Beate Johns on Splitcoaststmper's for this Easel Card, which you can find, HERE.

I kind of mixed and matched. There's instructions for a circle card and a square one, but I of course had to be different and mix them! I really like how it came out!

The card all collapses into itself too!

I used October Afternoon's Mini Marketplace Alphabet stickers for the sentiment and stuck a Sunrise Thicker in there too! I coated it with Frosted Lace Stickles. That cute giraffe is from Alphabet soup from My Mind's Eye.

This is the "inside"!

Last but not least is this encouraging/uplifting card. I used the sketch for SNR's sketch call this month. It's also for the June Card Challenge for Technique which is Pleated Paper, which you can find, HERE.

I did the technique on the yellow polka dot paper which I just noticed you can barely see!

Again, I used Pebbles Inc.'s felted layered embellishments and had to cut the bottom layer off. 

I absolutely love this sentiment.. to me, it's hilarious! I hope you find it funny too!

"If life gives you lemons, make lemonade. If life gives you ham, don't make lemonade." Isn't that a fun sentiment for an encouragement card? It would sure make me smile!

A play on words!

Have you ever seen cards that use a play on words? I've always loved those and wished my mind worked like that, to think of some! Well, it turns out, it does. =]

I made this card for call, to use letters & or numbers.

I also made it for The Paper Variety's Week #47, to use any kind of thread on your project. I went with pink and white bakers twine.

I came up with the sentiment "never lettas grow apart", instead of, "never let us grow apart".

I stamped all the letters on the background paper, which was kind of fun itself, trying to figure out which letter would fit where!

My Parents asked me to make a thank you card for a friend. My Dad told me she was Irish and maybe I could put shamrocks on it. I couldn't do that, lol. I found this sketch through Pinterest, that lead me to Quintessentially Me Blog. She has a ton of cute card sketches, check them out!

I came up with "Irish we could thank you enough", instead of, "I wish we could thank you enough."