On a bit of a hiatus...

Hello All,

As you can see, I have taken another very long hiatus from this blog.

This time though, it is because our family is trying to recover from broken hearts.

In October, Steven and I gave birth to our 4th child, our only daughter, Brynna Elizabeth Finnegan.  She was delivered via emergency c section as my uterus ruptured during an otherwise normal labor.  I underwent an emergency hysterectomy as well.

Brynna lived 6 days in the NICU, but ultimately passed away on November 1st.

Needless to say, I have yet to return to my craft room.  For the moment, I just can't find the motivation to get creative.

I am not going to delete this blog, however.  Just put it on hold.  I'll be back, I know I will.  And in the meantime, you can follow our journey through our walk of grief if you would like at our family blog:


http://www.finneganlife.blogspot.com


Thanks.
Laura

Another Exciting PTI Color Challenge

Today's challenge at Papertrey is another color challenge, but this time there are twelve color palettes to choose from and no template restrictions.

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I decided to go with Lisa Johnson's color combo of Kraft, True Black, Vintage Cream and Spring Moss. Love, love, love it!!

This was my first time using the On My Couch set and I just can't get over the cat sleeping on the back of the couch!!

Simple layout, lovely colors, darling stamps...it doesn't get any more enjoyable than this, huh?

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Stamps: On My Couch and On My Couch Additions (PTI); Sentiment stamp from Mailbox Greetings (PTI)

Ink: Black Noir (PTI)

Paper: Kraft, True Black, Vintage Cream, Spring Moss Cardstock (PTI); patterned paper (Everyday Blessings paper collection PTI)

Other: Spring Moss, Spring Rain, and Party Plaid ribbon (PTI)

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Paint By Numbers Challenge- Papertrey Ink

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Today's challenge for Papertrey Ink was a good ol' fashioned "Paint by Number". One of the big announcements was that the company would soon be carrying acrylic paints in all of their signature colors. Following with this idea, they laid out a card sketch idea and based on the first letter of your online user name, a color scheme was also assigned.

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Above and belowe are images of the card layout assignment as well as the color palette.

And here is what I came up with:

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The situation was complicated by the fact that where I stamped the sentiment "You make me smile", I wanted to use the assigned color "Smokey Shadow", but I don't own that color ink.....yet. You can bet that will change soon.

Anyway, I made it work by using Stampin Up's Night of Navy and coloring in the sentiment using copic markers.

I stamped the little flowers on the Scarlet Jewel cardstock using Vintage Cream ink and topped them off with pink rhinestone centers. So stinkin' cute, if you ask me :o)

Also, I have to share my little excitement from today. To many of you it will seem minor, but it is kinda big for me.

For a long time now I have been wanting to be more fastidious in updating my card blog and eventually stocking my Etsy shop with cards to sell. In the last few days, I have been using PTI's anniversary celebration challenges to really try to achieve this goal and take a chance on getting my stuff "out there".

Yesterday, I did the challenge from the CPS website, and sometime between midnight last night and today when I checked, three random (and extremely complimentary) ladies left little ol' me some feedback! On my blog!! I was so excited and so flattered that they took the time to write something. It just really helped keep the fire lit for me to keep doing this, and I just wanted to say thanks. So, "thanks, ladies" wherever you are. :o)

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Stamps: Small flower (With Sympathy PTI); Smile sentiment (Say it with Style PTI)

Paper: Kraft, Smokey Shadow, Vintage Cream, Scarlet Jewel cardstock (PTI)

Ink: Vintage Cream (PTI); Night of Navy (SU)

Other: Sweet Blush ribbon (PTI); pink rhinestones (Basics by Kaisercraft)

CPS Sketch #153/ Papertrey Challenge

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So here I am again doing another Papertrey Ink Anniversary Challenge. Today, they are having us do a sketch challenge from CPS which you can see here: http://cardpositioningsystems.blogspot.com/2010/02/reader-ideas-week-of-2710.html

I decided to do a redo on an old favorite of mine. I just cannot get enough of this Amuse stamp! The little boy sitting on the end of the dock fishing just fills me with happiness and good feelings. I think partly because I grew up spending each summer at Lake Cushman on my family's property, and the memories from those times are some of my most cherished.

The color combination of white, kraft and navy are classic to me. Not to mention the tiny "swiss dot" like patterned paper. Love it!!

I decided to stamp this card with a sympathy sentiment on the inside. I think this fits well with the serene, peaceful feeling you get from the stamp itself.

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Stamps: Boy Fishing and waves stamps (Amuse); inside sentiment from With Sympathy set (PTI)

Paper: Kraft and white cardstock (PTI); Night of Navy (SU); patterned paper (Chocolate Remix Paper collection PTI)

Ink: Black Noir (PTI); Chocolate Chip (SU)

Other: square nestabilitie die; Dark Chocolate 3/8" Topnotch Twill Ribbon (PTI)

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Guy Cards are Tough...but "Do-able"

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I have found throughout my relatively short stamping career that guy cards can be very tough to pull off. A friend and I try to get together monthly for a "stamp-crazy 2 day-a-thon" and a few times ago, I made it my mission to try to get a good supply of guy cards in my stash.

The above card, I believe, is perfect for a man's birthday. It's understated color scheme and simple, linear design keep it from being too "Hi, my name is Laura and I hand-stamped you a fancy card for your birthday" :o)

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Stamps: Bronc Buster (SU), happy birthday sentiment (SU); inside birthday wish sentiment (PTI)

Paper: Basic Gray, Chocolate Chip cardstock (SU); Scarlet Jewel, and Vintage Cream cardstock (PTI)

Ink: Chocolate Chip (SU)

Embellishments: brad (Jo-Ann)

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This next card is also perfect for that guy in your life. I loved the fly fisherman stamp but at first I had a heck of a time figuring out a layout and color scheme that wouldn't seem too busy, as I knew I would be hand coloring the fisherman with Copic markers and I wanted that to be the focus. In the end, I decided to deboss a frame using a nestabilities square die directly on the card front, and then just let the stamp take center stage. I lined the inside of the card with a light brown paper to cover the areas where the markers had soaked through.

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Stamps: Fly Fisherman stamp (SU); happy birthday sentiment (SU); inner birthday sentiment (PTI)

Paper: White cardstock (PTI); inside lining light brown cardstock

Ink: Close to Cocoa (SU); Chocolate Chip (SU)

Other: Square Nestabilities die, copic markers

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This card, I have to admit, includes one of my favorite stamps. The rocker boy stamp from Amuse just cracks me up! I love that this card could be used for a boy's birthday, or a man who is still "young at heart". :0)

Very simple to put together and following a pretty classic layout pattern, this card is a great one to have in stock.

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Stamps: Rockstar, You Rock sentiment, & Party Like a Rockstar sentiment (Amuse); Happy Birthday sentiment (SU)

Paper: Not Quite Navy (SU), Spring Rain (PTI); patterned paper (matstack); white cardstock (PTI)

Ink: Black Noir (PTI); Lime Pastel (Colorbox Chalk ink); Not Quite Navy (SU)

Other: circle and scallop circle nestabilitie dies, copic markers

Embossed Resist Papertrey Ink Challenge

So I don't know how many times it will actually take me saying I am going to update this blog frequently or how many times I will have to tell myself I will stock my Etsy shop (see previous blog entry) before I actually start believing myself and do it....

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Truth be told there is part of me that is scared to take the plunge. Why? I don't know. Maybe because it's that between work, and being a mom and a wife, I don't have all that much time left over to run a "card shop". And unless some message can drop down from the sky saying, "Laura, your stuff is really that good and you really should take a chance on yourself," I can justify a million and one reasons (excuses) I should be spending my time doing something else.

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I got close the last time, I really did. I even had my close friend Alecia who happens to be an amazing photographer come take pics of some of my most popular cards (the ones I sell the most of to my coworkers and friends). And I had every intention of loading them onto my Etsy shop and going for it..... and then I didn't.

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But this time I really am going to try. Honest. Papertrey Ink (the online stamp company I love so much) is turning three this month, and like last year at this time (see below blog entries) they are holding contests for free giveaways.

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The above card is one I made today for a Papertrey giveaway. The challenge was to make a card using the technique of "embossed resist". I have to be honest, normally I can knock a cute card out in no time, but for some reason I had a hang up with this challenge. I could not seem to get my card "balanced" looking. In the end, I believe it turned out well (after many, many revamps of color combos and layout attempts) and it would be a cute one to give for Valentine's Day. So.... here we go again, and look out everyone because here I come (for reals this time :o)

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Stamps: Simple Valentine set (PTI)

Paper: basic white, Berry Sorbet, and Pure Poppy carstock (PTI)

Ink: Rose Red (SU), Cameo Coral (SU), Vintage Cream (PTI), Black Noir (PTI), Pure Poppy (PTI), VersaMark

Embellishments: scallop punch (SU), label punch (SU), red grosgrain ribbon (Jo-Ann)

Let's Try This Again, Shall We?

So quite a while ago I decided I was going to start "getting my cards out there" for everyone to see, and potentially open a shop on Etsy (an online forum where people sell the most amazing homemade/handmade items). However, life happened and my plan got put on hold. I am back and ready for action though, and I think this is the perfect card to post today.

The stamp is a girl swinging and the sentiment says, "the sky's the limit". That is how I feel about my love for crafting and the potential to sell my cards. What I have discovered is I am only limited by my own inhibitions and reserve. Well today I am throwing all caution to the wind and starting my adventure.

I am starting an Etsy shop called "CardsByLauraFinnegan" and you can reach it either with the link at the side of this blog or by googling the above title. You can also get there by going to http://www.cardsbylaurafinnegan.etsy.com/ . I hope you all check it out and pass on to your friends who may be in need of something handmade, that I am out there.

My focus is on sincere, simply stated cards that convey their message without being "over the top" or "too much". If you have a specific need for a card, invitation, etc, you can contact me via email or through etsy and let me know, and I will do my best to create it.

The shop is a few days from being "stocked" and up and running, but I am really excited and I can't wait to hear what all of you think about it.

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Paper: Spring Rain, Dark Chocolate, and White cardstock (PTI); Green Gingham Patterned Paper (Nana's Nursery Baby Boy Premium Stack by DCWV)

Ink: Chocolate Chip (Stampin' Up); Thatched Straw (VersaMagic)

Shading/Coloring: various Copic Markers (sorry it has been a while since I actually created the card and the exact markers used escape me)

Stamps: Swing Girl (A Muse); "The Sky's the Limit" sentiment (A Muse); Yellow stamped background "Big Block" (A Muse)

Embellishments: Lemon Tart Topnotch Twill Ribbon (PTI); Buttons; Sew Mini used to adhere paper to cardstock