Ta-Daaaaa!!! Crafter's block solved!

So right after I posted my last entry, the ideas started flooding in.  I had the faux stitched cacus and beanie, and I knew I wanted to use that some how. 

The purple paper is from Recollections Snowy Days paper pad

White rectangle cut using Spellbinders Nestabilities Wonky Recangles and embossed with D'vine Swirl and inked with ColorBox chalk ink

Cactus cut at 4" from Destinations cart

Beanie cut at 1" from Gingerbread cart

Merry Christmas stamp from Fiskars Holiday Hooplah and embossed with Stamp Stuff Winter Wonderland embossing powder

Red 3/8" ribbon from my stash

Card, cactus, and beanie faux stitched with white gel pen

And my favorite part...  Penguins jumping rope using Christmas lights stamp on the inside!

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!



Crafters Block

So, I got this card order, and I'm totally stumped.  I've been thinking about this for a few weeks, and it is just not coming out like how I have it in my brain...  Doing Christmas in the Desert should be super easy...  right?  Well, apparently, WRONG. 

Embossing snowflakes onto Christmas plaid was a no-go. 

Picture framed cactus was less than exciting. 

Candycane striped cactus is cute...? 

I'm sure to most people, these ideas look fine, but we are our own worst critic!  And I am just not proud enough of this product to put my name on it...  Any one ever feel the same?  I'm cuttin close to the deadline...  and I'm just tryin to get past this crafters block...

Die cuts?

More ribbon?

Gold embossing?

Craft punches...???

Maybe too many options is a bad thing.

...Hmph...

Brads, Velum, and Stamps, oh my!

Here's a set I made to accompany a gift set of books.  I wanted to make a card for the gift, then included matching note cards for each of the books so I could include a special message.

As usual, I fell in love with this turquoise paper, so I didn't want to cover it up.  I had a stack of 3 inch velum strips left over from a project so I thought that would be perfect for this paper. I'd never stamped on top of velum before, so I wasn't sure how it was going to turn out.  I stamped the fuschia hearts then stamped the black words on top of the pink.  It turned out so cool!

I used scraps of the turquoise pattern paper on top of strips of turquiose paper to create continuity on the note cards.  I added distressing to the edges of the card as well as all the strips.  The Distressing Ink used on these cards are Antiqued Linen and Tea Dye.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!!  It's definitely cold and rainy here, so I'll be bundling up for all my errands...

Holiday Boutique

This past weekend was the "big" debut for S. Elle Designs.  I joined up with Hayley from Smiling Circus for a Holiday Boutique in Irvine.  We were both excited, nervous, and tired, seeing as this was our first event ever for the both of us, and we had only two weeks to prepare.  I brought all my wreaths and 13 sets of cards.  Smiling Circus has mostly sewn items but also embelished vintage windows.  Sewn items included bibs, lovie blankets, flower clips, and coffee cozies. 

The Hubster came to help us set up our booth and helped us arrange the layout since we didn't have any time to prep that ahead of time.  He was also a great, big, huge help on transporting everything from the car into the venue, since neither of us had a fancy wheely cart.  

Hayley had an awesome vintage-y bookshelf to display my sample cards.  You can also see this awesome window that everyone just had to get their hands on.

Funny story about the wreaths... Since it was such short notice, and I didn't want to spend a ton of money and time looking for a display easel, I had no idea how to showcase the wreaths.  So I scoped out Target in the hopes that I would find some inexpensive or clearance shelving when I walked down the laundry aisle.  And then the light blub went off!  A handwash drying rack.  PERFECT!  Thankfully I already had the rack, so I was all set.  Just needed some shower hooks and I was golden.   And I think it turned out pretty nifty.

In this one, you can see the wreaths as well as the windows from Smiling Circus.  These two windows have hooks added to them.  One of them also has glass etched leaves.



We were pretty bummed with the turn out of the event.  Based on information from past years, there wasn't a good turnout this year.  There were lots of lookers and touchers, but hardly any buyers. All in all, it was an interesting experience.  I think I'll do another boutique or craft fair again... just with much, much more notice next time...

Surrounded by wreaths!

My dear friend Hayley from Smiling Circus asked me to join her at a Holiday Boutique in the beginning of Novemeber.  Seeing as I had only a couple weeks to prepare, I had to quickly hop to it.  I've been workin away every night after the regular 9-5 job on recreating a bunch of the favorites from the cards that I've done.  But this boutique needed something bigger...

So I hit the craft stores for some inspiration, and both Joann's and Michael's were having massive sales on the autumn silk flowers, so, wreaths it was. 

It took a little bit to find my grove since it's been amost over a year since I've made a wreath, but once I found my flow, it was like I knew exactly where every little piece belonged.

And this next one is my favorite.  Once it was done, I told the Hubster I didn't want to sell it because I felt like it fit so perfectly on our door.  But after some convincing, I was pursuaded and gave in.  If it is perfect for a door, then some one who can't make it should have it for her door.  I can always make myself another one.  

I love the mix of reds and greens and pops of yellow.  Something about it just seemed simple, yet intricate. 

Even though a SoCal autumn means temps in the low 70s in the day and at least in the mountain ish area that I live 40s over night, something about hanging these wreaths signifying the change in seasons just gets me ready for scarves and boots.  Although, it may not get that cold until January...  I'm excited non the less. 

I hope you all have a fantastic weekend!!  It's back to the craft cave for me.

~S. Elle Designs~

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!