Bargin Hunter

That's what I am.  You all know it, I've talked about my 'never pay retail' rule...never...ever...  It does get hard when purchasing my paper craft supplies.  I like to get the hottest items asap for my publication submissions, so I search...and search...for the best bargain on what I want.  Generally I shop online or a local craft discount store but I end up needing to wait a month or so until things go on sale.  

 Enter Pumpkin Spice, their motto - Memories are Priceless, budgets are not.  *LOVE IT* ...This site is right up my alley....  Bargains galore!  Everything is always 30% off or more....you had me at hello....and they carry tons of great brands *BONUS*!   AND, as I was perusing their site yesterday, I saw they were on the hunt for a new Design team and thought I'd throw my hat in the ring.  I'm a little late for the party....the deadline is Friday....I did my craftin' on during the girls naps and was able to whip out 5 cards for their DT call.  Can I share them with you?  Grab a cuppa joe this is gonna take a while...


Recently I had a post about my craftin' style....a little bit shabby, a little bit cutesty....I'm pretty consistent with my style, but being a Fine Arts major, I do appreciate and sometimes go outside my norm.  CAS is foreign to me, but I do occasionally pull one out like this.   I love to use all kinds of papers, My Minds Eye, Cosmo Cricket, Echo Park, American Crafts, Websters Pages, the list goes on for miles.  I am really drawn to bright fun, graphic papers...like me, I'm fun!.... but can never seem to get a cohesive creation made with them.  The Shabby, Cutesy ones come natural, but tend to be softer....so not my personality...  I love to embellish with items I've made or dyed but love the convenience of coordinating embellies too.  


Enough babbling, on to the creations!  This is a subdued shabby creation.  The BoBunny paper from the Timepiece collection inspired the direction on this one. 

I added the My Minds Eye Quite Contrary Little Boy Blue Day Dream paper behind it for a masculine color and kept the embellies simple....well the bow isn't really simple....  The script panel is My Minds Eye, Stella & Rose Mabel Love Letters, I border punched the edge and inked it with Soft Suede ink.

Now you'll have to forgive me, for some reason the perimeters of the call slipped my mind...I had a brain fart....and forgot that I needed to use 2 different papers from 2 different lines on my creations.  So, the next cards have different papers but from the same vendor....some from different lines though....  At least you can see how much fun I had today!  This is a cutesy card using that same My Minds Eye Quite Contrary Little Boy Blue Day Dream paper and coordinating stickers.  

The scallops the owl and the buttons are all from that sticker sheet, aren't they cute?  I added a little crochet lace and stitching to make it 'me' and there you have it!  Cutesy cute!

This is my favorite and the quickest card I made today.  The Baha Breeze color is so me and I love the My Minds Eye Meadow Lark 'Dawn' Cards paper.  One side of it is the script, the other a whole slew of tags just waiting for me to use! 

I added my favorite fabric doily which I dyed dark grey, seam binding ribbon and handmade pin details.  Then I inked the bird to make it stand out a little bit more.  I think this took all of 15 minutes to make and I know exactly who this is heading off to tomorrow!

Can you tell I like My Minds Eye papers?  Here's another one My Mind's Eye Lush Green Houndstooth paper...although I used the polka-dot side....and My Mind's Eye Alphabet Soup Girl 'Lovely' paper. 

I'm obsessed with the argyle, I'd dress my kids in it everyday if I could...and if they wouldn't get beat up for it ;)...  It's another cutesy one, with my glitter dragonfly....hello lover....some gingham ribbon and another fav of mine, a doily...of course...

Last but not least, it's shabby time.  These papers are from the BoBunny Gabrielle collection, which if your shabby at heart, you have to get!  It's *FABULOUS*!  I was even able to get my hands on the Gabrielle Trinkets to match, see that cameo?  That's it there.  BoBunny is really starting to get my attention here.

Finally, to really get your heart pumpin', let me show you some comparison shopping numbers.  The BoBunny Gabrielle 6x6 paper pack retails for $5.99...of course I didn't pay that....  Since I didn't have time to order my things from Pumpkin Spice, I had to pay $4.95...not great, but not retail...at my local discount craft store....no it's not Michael's, I said discount....  Pumpkin Spice's everyday low price is $4.19!  Hello, bargain!!!! I'm telling you, save your pennies...and your gas...and get your things there.  I know I am.

Supplies:

Thoughts of You:
CardStock: Early Espresso (SU!)
Patterned Paper: Timepiece collection (BoBunny); Quite Contrary, Little Boy Blue and Stella & Rose, Mabel Love Letters (My Minds Eye); label (Martha Stewart)
Ink:  Soft Suede, Chocolate Chip Handsome Hunter (SU!)
Stamp Set: Tag Time #4 (PTI)
Tools: Friskar's border punch
Accents: assorted buttons
Fibers: Brown twill (May Arts)


Cutesy Owl
CardStock: Crumb Cake (SU!)
Patterned Paper: Quite Contrary, Little Boy Blue (My Minds Eye)
Ink:  Chocolate Chip (SU!)
Stamp Set:  Up, Up & Away (PTI)
Stickers: Quite Contrary Little Boy Blue (My Minds Eye)
Fibers: crochet lace and hemp twine

Hello Birdie
CardStock: Baha breeze (SU!)
Patterned Paper: Timepiece collection (BoBunny); Meadow Lark Dawn Cards Paper My Minds Eye
Ink:  Baha Breeze, Basic Black (SU!)
Stamp Set:  Think Big Favorites (PTI)
Tools: corner rounder punch (SU!)
Accents: handmade pins, white button
Fibers: aqua seam binding (Snug Hug); aqua embroidery floss (DMC); fabric doily


Hello Arglye

CardStock: Whisper White (SU!)
Patterned Paper: Alphabet Soup Girl 'Lovely' and Lush Green Houndstooth (My Minds Eye)
Ink:  Old Olive (SU!)
Stamp Set:  Think Big Favorites (PTI)

Stickers: Quite Contrary Mary, Mary 'Wonderful' (My Minds Eye)

Fibers: Red gingham ribbon; white string
Accents: orange button; glitter dragonfly; doily

Merci Gabrielle
CardStock: River Rock (SU!)
Patterned Paper: Gabrielle Collection (BoBunny)
Ink:  Soft Suede, Craft White (SU!)
Stamp Set:  Think Big Favorites (PTI)

Tools: bunting die (Spellbinders)

Accents: handmade pins, Gabrielle Trinkets (BoBunny); white button; doily

Fibers: pink seam binding (Snug Hug); Brown twill (May Arts); hemp twine