Bunches of Birthdays

Goodness I am behind...  I just scrolled through my posts, and I realized just how many cards I have to share with you all!!  With all the stuff still on my list to create, I felt I'll never catch up with blogging them all.  Here's some more birthday cards...

You'll have to excuse the lighting/shadows.  At the time I was still experimenting with lighting in the craft cave.

 I just noticed that both of these stamps have the same birthday sentiment on the front.  I just get a kick outta knowing how much I use those bargin bins.  Love me some $1 stamps from Michael's!

I saw this butterfly paper and I just had to have it, but it took me a while to find a project that had a good mix of texture to match.  The pattern was embossed, so I needed something where you could still see what was going on, but also not have it be too plain.  And that was the way I felt about the ribbon too.  Because it was orange and yellow, up against any plain paper it just didn't pop.  But up against most patterns the ribbon just faded into the back ground.  I was suuuuuuper stoked with this combo, they were both simple enough to mesh, but textured enough to stand out from each other. 

Also, this was one of the first cards I did after I found out how AWESOME using brads are!

I hope you all have had an amazing weekend, I know I have!!  I've been able to spend a lot of time with both sides of my family, and I am so thankful to say that I am so blessed!!!! 

I read on a plate in a trinket store once upon a time, that "Friends are the family we choose for ourselves" and I believe it!  We surround ourselves with those who love us and I am so apprectiative for those I was lucky to be born with already in my family, and those whom I have chosen to be part of my family as well.  I love you guys!

Enjoy Labor Day!  Eat some BBQ :]

Birthday Cake

Here's one I made for the Hubster's cousin for his birthday last month.  I find it more difficult to make cards for boys... I'm a big fan of girly-girly frilly and shimmer, most of which boys are NOT a fan of.  I decided to go with cake instead...  you can't go wrong with cake!

Celebrating a Fashionista

Here's a birthday card for a girly girl who loves fashion.

I was really exicted to use all the different shoe designs on some of my cartridges.  Seeing as I'm kinda a shoe fiend myself, this card was a lot of fun. 

Swirly pair of heels cut at 2 5/8 from the Wall Decor and More cart.

Slippers cut at 3 1/4 from Tie the Knot cart, attached on foam dots.

Striped glitter shoe cut at 1 3/4 from Tie the Knot cart.  Squiggles embellished with fuschia glitter.

Sentiment is embossed with black and silver glitter.  Stamp is from the dollar bin from Michaels.  

Insert sentiment is Fiskars Birthday Cheer Simple Stick stamps.

Pink swirlies stamp is from TPC clear stamps Flourish, stamped with Spun Sugar Distress Ink.

First Letterpress/Dye Cut Creation!

So sorry I haven't posted in a while...  all this schooling has kinda been taking up all my time.  And the little time that I do have left over, I've been trying to squeeze in some QT with the Hubster and Pendleton.  There just isn't enough hours in the day...  But I'm sure if there was a way for me to add more to it, even then there wouldn't be enough time to get all the things on my to do list done.

But since I can't change that, on to things worth talking about.  My birthday was a couple of weeks ago, and the Hubster was super duper excited about the birthday present that he got me.  Waaaaaaay back in March, when I came home from the scrapbook convention, I told him I wanted a letterpress/dye cutting machine.  And since he's forgetful, he pretty much ordered one online that day.  So it had just been killing him to wait over 2 months for me to open my present.  But let me tell ya, I am so glad that he did, because I LOVE IT!! 

Thankfully, very soon after I opened my present, I had a card order come in, and I just couldn't make the card fast enough with the dye cutting machine. 

Super stoked to do a bunch of other stuff with this fun new toy.  I actually just got a wedding invite order, so that has been the other thing keeping me super busy...  but I can't show you all yet!!  The bride and I want to keep the invites a secret till they get mailed (since I'm close with the fam, it would totally ruin the surprise if I posted pictures.)  These invites use all my toys right now, I am SO excited.  Little bit of cricut, some cricut design studio, letterpressing, distressing inking, and so much more. 

Stay tuned!!

Big 'ol Flower Birthday

Happy Thursday!!  We are almost to the weekend!! woop woop!

Here's a birthday card inspired by a post by Everyday Cricut.  I LOVED the way this scalloped flower look and I just had to try it out myself.  I made a little change with the inner part of the flower to make it my own.

The base of the flower is a scalloped circle cut from the Paper Lace cart at 3".  I cut 5 circles and fold 4 into quarters and used photo sticks to attach them to the 5th scallop.  I cut another 4 scallop circles at 2" for the inner part of the flower with the same process, folded into quarters and adhered with photo sticks.  Surprisingly, I didn't have any big pink buttons on hand, so I went with a shimmery clear/white button.

The sentiment was layered on plaid, magenta, and orange paper and adhered with pop dots on 3 corners. One corner was nestled in the flower folds and adhered with a photo stick.

The inside of the card has the same bright pink, orange, and yellow tiedye pattern that the flowers were made from. And the insert of the card is the same bright orange to match the front, with a magenta birthday sentiment stamped on the inside.

I hope you all have a fabulous rest of the day!

Red, White, and Black Birthday

Good morning crafters!!!!

Today is my Friday, so I am super stoked to get today up an moving.  Ya know that birthday card I've been talking about??  Well it is finally time that I can bring it to you. 

My sister is very classy old school vintage, and I'm talkin, fave music group is the Rat Pack, totally Frank Sinatra style.  Loves everything black, white, and red, and a big fan of the paisley theme.  So I knew I just had to come up with something for her super special 21st birthday.

I've been itchin to put my Cricut Design Studio to work, so I created this background with the one flower lookin designed and copied, and welded all the images together.  Let me tell ya, pulling this intricate design off a super sticky mat was tricky!!  I was so nervous I was going to rip it an have to start all over. 

I also got a bunch of birthday stamps and if you know me and my sister, we LOVE dessert and baking.  So when I saw this cake and ice cream stamp, I knew it would be just perfect.

So stickin with a classy elegance, I went with a monogrammed "21" for the insert.  Used the Design Studio again to weld the numbers together into one image.  It was a little tricky to get the shadow to match excatly, but I am so stoked with how it turned out. 

And of course, she loved it!!

I also got her a white picture frame that mostly matched the white pattern on the front of the card.  It was seriously perfect.

Hope you all have a good Cinco de Mayo!!

Fifty, Fuschia, and FABULOUS

I am definitely excited to see S. Ell Designs starting to take off.  Just finished a custom order for birthday cards, and I must say that I am so proud of how these cards turned out.  I had a little trouble getting my ideas off the ground at first, but then everything just clicked.

A very special lady in my life wanted some birthday cards to celebrate with her friends for a, shall we say milestone, birthday.  And I was more than happy to fulfill this request.  The only thing, they had a theme...  Fifty, Fuschia, and Fabulous.  Since most of the cards I've been doing lately have been for babies, most of my supplies consisted of pastels and neutrals.  So back to the craft store I went.

But of course, no one has to drag me into a craft store or two.  When I go, I usually spend an hour or so just wandering around the aisles, getting ideas and inspiration.  And on occasion will go to one, two, or three craft stores in one trip just to make sure I have everything I need.  Or, at least everything that I think I need.

1 Card for $3.50 or 3 for $9.75



1 for $3.25 or 3 for $9



1 for $3.50 or 3 for $9.75

 Each card is 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 and includes a beige envelope.  Card inserts have been left blank for the card givers to add their own personal sentiments.

Like what you see and want some for yourself??  Email me at s.elle.designs@hotmail.com and let's talk about your custom order!