Rain Puddles Design

Viva La Verve is CAS this week

2012-01-27T00:00:00.000-07:00

It's Friday and time for a new Viva La Verve challenge. Super talented and sweet Shannan Teubner is bringing on the CAS this week for the sketch.

I decided to use some of my own stash of the Purge Hop candy (see my sidebar link) I'm giving away to make this card. The sash was tied with some natural twine and sewn on to the border stitched osnaburg fabric and adhered with sticky tape. The sentiment is from Verve's Twitterpated set that came out earlier this month.

We hope you'll come and join us with Shannon's CAS sketch this week!

Details:
Stamps:  Twitterpated (Verve Stamps)
Paper:  Soft Suede (SU!)
Ink:  Chocolate (CTMH)
Accessories:  natural twine, Osnaburg fabric, tea stained fabric, pinking shears, sewing machine, red line tape (IHP)

All Aflutter

2012-01-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hello all,

It's the middle of the week and it's going to be a long day around here, but I wanted to get this simple (looking) CAS card out to you today. I know you'll be wondering what kind of magic tricks I performed on this card so I'll show and tell.

All Aflutter Plain Jane, Wings of Love, and Twitterpated stamps (Verve)
Hearts and Swirls Frame Die and All Aflutter Die (Verve)

At first look the All Aflutter butterfly looked symmetrical so I cut out two shapes with the All Aflutter die (super sweet by the way) and put them back-to-back. Yea, it was! I stamped the All Aflutter plain jane twice with Tuxedo Black and clear embossed them. I pulled out my copic markers and within a few seconds decided to create a Blue Morpho butterfly. Blue on the top of the wings and brown on the under-wing.

The butterflies are glued together sandwiching a string of nylon thread down the middle so there would be a way to attach it to the window of the card.

The window of this card is created with the Hearts and Swirls Frame die. If you remember my post for the Verve After Party this month, you might remember that I talked about the guides on the die cutting two holes on the valentine cards. I simply added more holes to make it look purposeful. This time I didn't want the holes. I laid down the frame die on scrap chipboard and traced around it a couple of times and cut them out. Not too careful about it until I got to where the guides were located. Then I made sure to cut away any chipboard that might let those guides cut through my card front. Those two layers of chipboard were mono-adhesive glued to the back of the die and then it was time to cut out the window. It worked! There are only a slight indent on both of them, but nothing a finger nail can't smooth out. I stamped the "to fly." sentiment from the Wings of Love Set and added a two more periods for the ellipse.

I saved the shape cut out from the front and laid it back where it came from and carefully opened up the card. I made a few light pencil outline marks around it and then put the shape aside. I stamped the frame using a Stamp-a-Majig so that I could make sure that it would all show through the window. The sentiment "dream" from Wings of Love was stamped underneath it.

With the window complete I glued the butterfly to the inside cover of the card and hid the nylon thread ends with two hearts I stamped and fussy cut from the Wings of Love set.

I so appreciate your interest in my creativity here on my blog and want to say how thankful I am for your nice comments and suggestions all along the way. Please check out the Purge Hop link at the top of my side bar for a look at some blog candy!

Details:
Stamps: All Aflutter Plain Jane, Wings of Love, and Twitterpated stamps (Verve)
Paper: white cardstock (Mohawk)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Brilliance Tsukineko), Copic Markers
Accessories: All Aflutter Plain Jane (Verve Stamps),Hearts & Swirls Frame Die (Verve), clear embossing powder (SU!), nylon thread

Sweet Friendship

2012-01-24T06:00:00.000-07:00

As the wind might take a leaf so does my crafting inspiration. My card today ended up quite differently than I first started out to create. It turned out more than I had anticipated with vibrant color, but I really love how it turned out in the end.

I had a piece of pattern paper that was an old catalog print (speaking of catalog - stay with me to the end of the post), really bothering me that I hadn't finished using it up. So I started with the paper as my inspiration. I envisioned the Stampendous Deco Lady on the card and grabbed it after adding a thin layer of white gesso with a brush.

Gesso will warp the paper as it dries so here are some tips if you decide to try this out. Tape around the edges of your paper with painter's tape. No blue tape? Use masking tape, but lightly press it onto some natural fiber so that it won't be too sticky and tear your paper. Once the paper has dried from the layer of gesso, it might lay flat with a few wobbles here and there. If it has too much wobble for your taste get out some tack liquid glue and prepare to get messy. Spread a thin and even layer of glue across the back and then lay it down on your mat layer before you cut it out then trim it down to the right size for your card.

I started coloring with my watercolor pencils and aqua pen in very light (watered down) hues, but then orange highlights for hair turned into a full on head of oranges and reds.

The creative process is a great way to slowly get out of our comfort zones... as long as we keep saying, "It's only a piece of paper."

This Deco Lady received many different vibrant hues and a few other beautiful surroundings, like a butterfly from the Charm Collection and a whimsy sentiment from Friendship Assortment. For some layout balance I added the swirl from the Charm Collection to the opposite corner of the Deco Lady and framed the whole of it with my trusty Omnigrip 6-inch ruler and PITT artist black ink pen.

Did I mention that Stampendous has a booth for the 2012 winter CHA? They have been posting sneak peeks from new catalog items this week. My card today uses stamps that are also in the new Catalog. Go check out the sneak peeks so far and then check out the catalog that will go live at Stampendous website as soon as CHA has started (You can look at the bottom of the main web page to see the current catalogs for now ~ wink).

Details:
Stamps: Deco Lady, Charm Collection, Friendship Assortment
Paper: Crumb Cake (SU!), kraft (Wausau), Old Catalog pattern paper (unknown)
Ink: Versafine™ Onyx Black Ink Pad, watercolor pencils, PITT artist black pen
Accessories: gesso paint (Rowney and Dawler), aqua pen, omnigrip ruler

Verve's Plain Jane Verses

2012-01-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

It's a Sunday post from me today. I'll be relaxing with my family and hopefully having a nap to get ready for the week. Verve's January release has two Plain Jane's that have some delightful work of fonts as well as the meaning of the verse's they are displaying.

The first Plain Jane is on a card using week 3 sketch for Viva La Verve Challenge on SCS.

Verve's Psalm 63:3-4 Plain Jane and
Twitterpated sets, All Aflutter and Wavy Hearts
A Cut Above Die sets

I have lots of little Verve-y touches on the card from the Verve January release and one old favorite of mine. Let's see if we can find them all. The Sweet Scallop die that's stamped and embossed with the new Psalm 63:3-4 Plain Jane. The tag is keeping company with the small All Aflutter style butterfly that's in the Twitterpated set and cut out with the All Aflutter die. If you can CASE a sketch, I've added the heart shape in the VLV sketch for week 3 with the Wavy Hearts die.

A few years back I watched some sewing videos that I've been wanting to try out on cards. Sometimes a hand stitch look is what I want, but I don't have the time to do it. If you load a bobbin with your decorative thread you won't have to worry about it going through the needle or the paper. I tried this out with a 6-strand embroidery thread on the Psalm's card. Granted it's an old machine in need of a tune-up, I think it turned out really well! Try it out and let me know what you did to make it work in your sewing machine.

Verve's second Plain Jane Bible verse is Zephaniah 3:17. I used another Viva La Verve sketch for January.

Zephaniah 3:17 Plain Jane

This one is a bit dear to my heart. I've been working with a team of ladies for a year long theme in women's ministry. We used this verse as our direction for finding and sharing God's Love Story for each of us. A one-of-a-kind uniquely yours story to which no one can argue. In the CEV version it's worded a little different and I'd like to share that with you,

The LORD your God
   wins victory after victory
   and is always with you.
   He celebrates and sings
   because of you,
   and he will refresh your life
   with his love." (CEV)

Remember I'm giving away some of my stash along with a few other friends. Check out the photo link in my sidebar called Purge Blog Hop.

Details for Better than Life:
Stamps: Psalm 63:3-4 Plain Jane (Verve Stamps), Twitterpated (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Kraft (Wausau), A gift of love (Bo Bunny), Cream (Wausau)
Ink: Ruby Red (SU!), Vintage Photo (Ranger)
Accessories: Sweet Scallop Tag Die,Wavy Hearts Die Set, All Aflutter Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), lace ribbon, silk ribbon (Martha Stewart), Liquid Pearls (Ranger), embroidery thread,
sewing machine, Elegant Lines embossing folder (SU!)

Details for Rejoice Over You:

Stamps: Zephaniah 3:17

Paper: Victoria Gardens (Echo Park), White (Neenah), paper doily

Ink: Black Soot (Ranger), Worn Lipstick (Ranger), Versamark (Tsukineko)

Accessories: sewing machine, thread, corner rounder, border punches (Martha Stewart), Labels Fourteen nestabilities, handmade crochet flowers, gingham ribbon and Kiwi Kiss grosgrain ribbon(SU!), brad, detail black embossing powder (SU!)

Wearable Bling

2012-01-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

It's a Saturday and we are half way through the Stampendous January Challenge. Do you remember what it's all about this month?

*Bling*

Let's see how I took the challenge this week!

I was still in the mood for flowers when I made this card and had never tried making a lapel pin. I created this pen with cream cardstock, Dream Text Cling Stamp and a glue gun for some Champagne Glass Glitter a place to stick. There's a tutorial in the near future, stay tuned.

There's more Design Team ready to show you their projects Covered In Bling and here's the links to keep hopping.

Stampendous Impressions Blog

Now here are the Challenge details:

Just add a direct link to your card to the linky tool at the end of this post (or on the Stampendous blog) no later than February 2, 2012 at 11:00 PM EST. You don't have to use Stampendous products to play along, but we sure love it when you do! And as an extra incentive for playing, one lucky person (drawn at random from all the entries) will receive this gorgeous Cherub Wishes Perfectly Clear Stamp Set:

Due to shipping restrictions, the winner must have a US address. We hope you find some time to play along with us!

Details:
Stamps: Dream Text Cling Stamp
Paper: white cardstock
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, VersaMark pad, Brown ink pad
Accessories: Stampendous Jumbo Handle, sponge, Stampendous Deep Impression Embossing Enamel, flower shape punch, heat gun

Friends Purge Hop 2012

2012-01-21T00:18:00.000-07:00

A few blogging friends of mine are having a hard time letting go of much loved papers and embellishments, so we decided to share them with all of you in a week long Purge Hop! If you’ve already been hopping along you have come from Julee’s blog, but if you are starting here just look at the list below for all the links to before and after to get in on all the fun.

Just comment once on the hop spots you want a chance to win and tell us what you spy as your favorite item(s). The hop will stay open until January 28th, 5PM ET. Each of my friends will post a winner from their prize post on Monday, January 30th!


1.Tosha	6. Julee
2. Andrea	7. Janelle
3. Maureen	8. Betty
4. Sonja	9. Teresa
5. Laurie

Here's my treasured supplies I'm willing to give away!

Numerous 6 x 6 sheets of scrapbook paper from these paper packs (over 166 sheets in all)

DCWV - Flower Shower
Echo Park - Truly Yours
DCWV - Where the Heart Is
Me & My Big Ideas - Sassy
Bo Bunny - Gift of Love
My Mind's Eye - Stella Rose Hazel
Pebbles - With Love
Dollar Spot - Halloween theme (a spool of coordinating ribbon)
Authentique - Wonder

Osnaburg fabric A2 size swatches
Tea-stained 4-inch wide strips fabric (selvage to selvage)
Clothespins 20, 1-inch long
Handmade crochet flowers perfect for valentines, the product of stop lights and waiting lines
5 yards each of 12 different colors of No. 10 Cotton thread (used as solid twine) plus 10 yards of vintage natural twine

Now on to the next stop at Betty's blog.

Shamrock Fields Blessing

2012-01-19T07:00:00.000-07:00

If you were around last week you notice our first spotlight day was all about St. Patrick's Day. What a great set !

My card today is one I showed at the release party last Friday night. I hope you were able to attend, but pardon me for showing a re-run... there's an extra portion of the card I want to share today.

I made up a pendant for the bow embellishment using cardstock, stamped Verve shamrock and a couple layers of Ultra Thick embossing enamel from Ranger. The embossing will darken the image a little bit, so plan for that in your cardstock and ink selection. I punched a hole at the top and and added a DIY jump ring by wrapping some wire around a pencil tip and pinching it closed once I put the shamrock on it. Then I added a bead on another wire by bending one end so it wouldn't fall off and looping through the jump ring.

Verve has the whole January Verve Stamp release and Verve A Cut Above die release as two 15% off collections right now. They are a fabulous! Go check other lovely sales too, just in time for your Valentine projects!

Details:
Stamps: Lucky You (Verve)
Paper:  White (Neenah), Viola Black Magic (Core-dinations), Leafy Tree Tops (My Mind's Eye), Citron (Wausau)
Ink:  Onyx Black (VersaFine Tsukineko), Pale Olive YG95 (Copic)
Accessories:   Shamrock Die Set (Verve Stamps), felt zigzag ribbon (AC), lace ribbon, UTEE (Ranger), black Cotton Thread No. 10, Black Copper wire, glass bead

Covered in Bling Challenge

2012-01-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

I took some time this weekend to rest up and get ready for the days ahead, but one project was still idle from last week that I wanted to finish up. It's a challenge card for this months Stampendous Challenge to cover your card in bling!

My card started with a tacky sheet strip bedazzled with Halo Gold glitter from the Treasures Glitter kit. After that I just started having fun with all the small detailed images from the Charm Collection, stamping them on the card base. The frame was stamped on a scrap of paper embossing the center with Aged Silver Embossing Enamel for a mirror effect and fussy cut out to be popped up on foam adhesive to the card. Then I went big with the leaf twig from the Jumbo Thank You set embossing with Shabby White Embossing Enamel in the Frantage Embossing Enamel kit coming out at the end of the month. I die cut two sheets of cardstock and stacked them before stamping the sentiment from Friends Assortment and the filigree from the Charm Collection. I offset the sentiment mat on the card and trimmed off the excess. The finishing touches of cotton thread wrapped around the bottom of the card front, a bead of Glossy Accents around the sentiment sprinkled with Halo glitter from the Treasures Glitter Kit. Once that was dry I added the cut out frame.

We want YOU to play along with us! Just add you direct link to your card (make sure you've loaded it up with tons of BLING) to the linky tool below my signature (or on the Stampendous blog) no later thanFebruary 2, 2012 at 11:00 PM EST. You don't have to use Stampendous products to play along, but we sure love it when you do! And as an extra incentive for playing, one lucky person (drawn at random from all the entries) will receive this gorgeous Cherub Wishes Perfectly Clear Stamp Set:

Due to shipping restrictions, the winner must have a US address. We hope you get a chance to play along with us - happy stamping!

That's it for today and here's the link list of Saturday's blog hop of bling!

Melinda Gleissner
Jennifer Ingle

Details:
Stamps: Charm Collection, Jumbo Cling Thank You, Friendship Assortment
Paper: kraft cardstock (Hobby Lobby)
Ink: Onyx Black ink (Versafine), Cocoa Bean (CTMH)
Accessories: Halo Gold and Crystal glitter from Treasures Glitter kit, Shabby White Embossing Enamel, Aged Silver Embossing Enamel, Glossy Accents (Ranger), tacky sheet, Ecru Cotton thread

Verve After Party Hop!

2012-01-14T07:00:00.000-07:00

Good morning everyone!

Welcome to our January 2012 After Party Hop! Last night we released 3 new stamp sets, 4 plain janes and 4 dies! All of the new products we've been showcasing this week are available now in the Verve store! Be sure to leave a little comment love as you take one last stroll through the Diva blogs. One lucky commenter from today's hop will win the ENTIRE Release! Check out the Verve Blog today for all the prize details and deadlines.

The hop before me was at Julee's blog and when your done here you can hop on over to Betty's blog where she'll be wrapping up the hop. If you've jumped in on my blog, the full hop list is just below so you can go to the start. Have fun and good luck!

*January 14, 2012*

1. Amy	8. Tosha
2. Maureen	9. Laurie
3. Sankari	10. Julee
4. Andrea	11. Janelle
5. Teresa	12. Betty
6. Amber	13. Shannan
7. Charmaine	14. Jackie

These 3 x 3 inch valentine cards were made with the large heart from the Wavy Hearts Die Set. Before I used the die cut I straight stitched around the edges with a machine and glued it to the card base. The die has small position guides that created a couple holes, but not to worry, I grabbed my eyelet tool and just made a few more!

The sweet word phrases are from the Twitterpated set. I stamped them on some scraps of white cardstock and trimmed around it and added a tail. It was glued through the heart window, tied and glued down with a twine bow around the banner to finish off the front.

Now that the front of the card has a window it left little room for a personal note on the inside, so I fixed that with a coordinating color circle scored 1/4" in on one edge to create a hinge. Now you can lift it up and write your sweetie a note! I added a punched out embellishment from the scraps of pattern paper I used on the front.

My next project I couldn't stop myself from buying disposable shot glasses from the local party goods store, they are just the right size for treats!

I used the Wavy Hearts Die on some Pebbles With Love paper and stamped Happy Valentine's Day from the Twitterpated Stamp Set in Onyx Black. I sprinkled glitter onto Glossy Accents around the edges of the hearts. Once that was dry I punched a hole for attaching to the treat jar with some twine.

The collar was made with a nestabilities circle and scallop circle. I cut through to the center and wrapped it around the cellophane covered treat overlapping a few scallops to glue together and make a cone shape. I dotted some Stardust Stickles on the scallops for some bling.

Now you're off to one more hop with uber talented Betty!

Details: (Secret Valentines)
Stamps: Twitterpated (Verve Stamps), Wings of Love (Verve Stamps)
Paper: With Love (Pebbles), Cream (Wausau), White (Neenah)
Ink: Rose Red (SU!)
Accessories: Wavy Hearts Die Set (Verve), circle nestabilites, circle punch, sewing machine, white thread, maraschino twine (Twinery)

Details: (Wavy Heart Tags)
Stamps: Twitterpated (Verve Stamps), Wings of Love (Verve Stamps)

Paper: With Love (Pebbles)
Ink: Versafine (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Wavy Hearts Die Set (Verve Stamps), circle and scallop circle nestabilities, lime twist twine (Twinery)

Verve January Release 2012 -Day 3 of Spotlights

2012-01-13T07:00:00.000-07:00

I'm so glad you stopped by! It's the third day of Verve's Spotlight Hop and the Divas are sharing some last peeks of stamp sets, dies and Plain Jane's! Tosha's place was your last hop, but no worries if you are just joining in here, there is a hop list at the end of this post to get you where you need to go!

Okay, Eeks! The couple in the Twitterpated set tickled my crafty funny bone right away. They are so artistic with adorable character that I headed for the mixed media supplies. With some new tips in hand shared by my friend, Em, I stamped and colored this card with delight! They. Are. Cute!

One lucky commenter from one of the spots on today's hop will win the stamps and dies being spotlighted today... Twitterpated, Hearts & Swirls Frame Die, All Aflutter Die Set and All Aflutter plain jane.

All of the stamps and dies you'll see previewed this week will be available following the release party on Friday night. Deadline for comments to be eligible for the prize drawing is 5PM Mountain on Friday, January 13. Winners will be announced during the release party this Friday night!

You're next spot is with the talented Diva, Amy at Pickled Paper Designs!

*January 13, 2012*

1. Amber	7. Amy
2. Teresa	8. Laurie
3. Charmaine	9. Maureen
4. Andrea	10. Julee
5. Tosha	11. Sankari
6. Janelle

Details:
Stamps: Twitterpated (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Cream (Wausau), old printed page
Ink: Versafine (Tsukineko), watercolor pencils (Design), .08 black pen (Copic)
Accessories: gesso (Daler-Rowney)

Verve's Spotlight Day 2 - Love Impressed

2012-01-12T07:00:00.000-07:00

What a great Spotlight yesterday! Did you all see a little bit of green in your future? It's possible that you might get some free goodies to ink up of your own though... if you're lucky! Comment along the hops each day and get them in before the deadlines (see the details on the Verve Stamps Blog) then come to the release party to find out if you'll be walking away with some sweet new Verve!

Are you ready to start off your day with a little love? We're spotlighting Wings of Love stamp set, Wavy Hearts Die Set, and Valentine’s Day Plain Jane today. Let's

*January 12, 2012*

1. Janelle	7. Teresa
2. Julee	8. Andrea
3. Laurie	9. Sankari
4. Tosha	10. Maureen
5. Charmaine	11. Amy
6. Amber

I used the Wings of Love stamp set for my card today. I saw the Verve-y style winged heart in this set and knew I'd be sharing it with you. Definitely put this one on your wishlist! It's packed with some fabulous word sentiments... sweet!

Julee's Poetic Artistry blog is your next stop... have fun!

Details:
Stamps: Wings of Love (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Kissing Booth (Basic Grey), Black (SU!), Kraft (Hobby Lobby), Cream (Wausau)
Ink: Versafine (Tsukineko), Soot Black (Ranger)
Accessories: Charming Banner Die (Verve Stamps), Lots of Love Letterpress (SU!), black acrylic paint (Chroma Temp), fine and coarse sponge (CTMH), glitter brads (We R MK)

Verve's January 2012 Spotlight - Lucky You

2012-01-11T07:00:00.000-07:00

You have arrived at the last spotlight hop for today and I have a question. Have your inspiration socks been fully knocked off? And uh.... what am I'm doing here with all these wonderful Divas? Please tell me, because it's still like a complete dream to me. For real, it's been a dream I've tucked away in my wish book and now it has a sweetly drawn check-mark next to it. Thank you for all the warm welcomes and to Julee (and Mr. Verve)... I'm speechless.... thank you.

Okay, all sappiness aside. Let's get a last look for today's Lucky You and Shamrock Die Set spotlight. I asked my daughter which of two projects to show you and she insisted that it be this one. "I like the shiny one the best", she said.

Lucky You has some terrific shamrocks and sentiments perfect for St. Patrick's Day and I can imagine another half dozen or more design ideas, too. I framed the sentiment with the outer lines of the frame from a set released about this time last year called Sweet Treats. I went back in with an embossing pen and then added more green embossing powder. I used the matching A Cut Above Die called Classy Label Die to shape it out.

I've finished up the blog hop for today, but if you've started here on my blog why don't ya gear it in reverse or make a u-turn and go through the hop list below with the other Diva's! There's one lucky blog hop commenter today that will be a random winner of today's spotlight! Lucky you! Get all the details and deadlines over on the Verve blog...

It's a great day to be inspired!

*January 11, 2012*

1. Amy	7. Charmaine
2. Maureen	8. Tosha
3. Sankari	9. Laurie
4. Andrea	10. Julee
5. Teresa	11. Janelle
6. Amber

Details:
Stamps: Lucky You, Sweet Treats (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Kissing Booth (Basic Grey), Kraft (Hobby Lobby), Cream
Ink: Versamark (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Shamrock Die Set (Verve Stamps), Classy Label Die (Verve Stamps), Jade and Aged Gold embossing powder (Stampendous), Chestnut embossing powder (Zing American Crafts), Copper micro-beads (Martha Stewart), glue dots (Thermo-o-Web)

It's Cold Outside

2012-01-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

Most of the winter's I've lived in Idaho have been cold, some really cold, but it's usually without snow. Yes, there has been snow, but nothing like the dropping down of inches that stayed for days kind of snow that I remember growing up in Colorado. Now that I have children I want them to have some of the same memories I had of playing in snow. So when it does snow we take advantage of it!

I'm sharing today the first layout, I think, ever! I might have done a digital layout last year or the year before, but it's been a very long time since the last one. My daughter is having some fun in the snow on our deck. I didn't allow for journaling, but I think it kind of speaks for itself. If I needed to I'd tuck it underneath each photo or the last one... maybe.

To make it really snowy, I used Alene's Tacky Glue around the photos and sprinkled Stampendous Cotton Ball White Fun Flock on top. The first step was to sponge the glue on so it would be a thin layer, then I dropped beads of glue around sparingly. To get it to look like a drift I pulled the bead out with a wooden skewer (it was handy for me, but anything will do).

Once the photos were dry I glued them down and added some more drifts in the nooks and cranny's of the cascading photos. Lots of fun going on there!

I decorated with two different stamps. One is the snowflake stamp from the Jumbo Merry Magical set and the other is a wood mount sentiment called Cold Outside. I thought they worked perfectly with the layout!

Details:
Stamps: Stampendous' Jumbo Merry Magical and Cold Outside
Paper: MME Bohemia Paper Pack
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black ink pad
Accessories: Stampendous Cotton Ball White Fun Flock, Alene's Tacky Glue, foam adhesive dots, ribbon scraps, Martha Stewart Large Circle Cutter, various circle punches, Stamp-a-majig, Sew Easy Tool with zigzag piercer attachment, white button thread

God Chosen Friend

2012-01-07T17:09:00.003-07:00

Hi again!

I created a card today that almost formed in my dreams last night. I say that only because I was over at Lori B's house last night, one of my talented friends and the best supporter of my creativity. She told me how she's been liking some of my clean and crisp designs lately. So what is a creative mind to do? Pendulum swing, of course! LOL Thanks Lori for the compliment and I'll probably swing back to the clean and crisp side soon.

I grabbed the first Viva La Verve sketch of the year over on Splitcoast Stampers today to give my dream something to stand on and since I had this card on my mind all night long it only took me, oh... a couple of hours to put together. {wink}

Love Deepens Stamp Set (Verve)

Look at all those fun quirky layers! Love it.

I have a new tutorial in my head from this card. Hope to be able to share that soon.

Details:
Stamps: Love Deepens (Verve)
Paper: Perfect Plum and Rich Razzleberry (SU!), vintage graph paper, Jubilee (K and Company), Pink (LSS)
Ink: Rose Romance and Marvelous Magenta (SU!)
Accessories: Circle and eyelet circle nestabilities, razorback scissors, zigzag rotary cutter, cutter from wax paper box, embroidery thread, sewing machine, Lavender and Diamond glitter glue

New Year means new bling!

2012-01-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

It's the first Saturday of the new year! Bring out your bling because the new Stampendous challenge starts today! It's always fun to get inspiration so we're doing a blog hop! You can grab your skinny nonfat latte and get some creative ideas going for your covered in bling project!

My card is Frantage-blinged today. Here's the bling list (it's hard to get the bling to sing in a photo):
Tarnished Mica Fragments on sticky sheet die cut with Spellbinders,
Aged Gold Embossing Enamel sparingly pinched on cardstock and heated from the back,
Champagne Crushed Glass Glitter dot made from hot glue. There's a tutorial headed your way for this one!

The stamps list is:
Charm Collection Perfectly Clear Stamps Set for the corset in Brushed Corderoy ink,

Ranunculus Perfectly Clear Stamps Set for the sentiment in Cocoa ink

It's time to hop....

Stampendous Impressions Blog

Cyndi Bundy

Wendy Price

Janelle Stollfus - already here!

Now here are the Challenge details:

Just add a direct link to your card (make sure you've loaded it up with tons of BLING) to the linky tool at the end of this post (or on the Stampendous blog) no later than February 2, 2012 at 11:00 PM EST. You don't have to use Stampendous products to play along, but we sure love it when you do! And as an extra incentive for playing, one lucky person (drawn at random from all the entries) will receive this gorgeous Cherub Wishes Perfectly Clear Stamp Set:

Due to shipping restrictions, the winner must have a US address. We hope you get a chance to play along with us - happy stamping!

Details:
Stamps: Charm Collection, Ranunculus
Paper: Wausau Exact Cream
Ink: Ranger Brushed Corderoy, CTMH Cocoa
Accessories: Tarnished Mica Fragments, Aged Gold Embossing Enamel, Champagne Crushed Glass Glitter, Tacky Sheet, heat gun

Merry Magical Winter

2012-01-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

It's a bright and sunny day today and decided to share a card I made in December that was a bit blustery weathered. It will make a for a great post holiday thank you card.

I used Dream Text as the background stamp and embossed with Aged Black embossing powder. Added the snowflake stamp on top of it with some Shabby Embossing Enamel and then cleaned and inked up the snowflake again in StazOn Black over the top. The corners of the background paper are decorated with mica flakes by sprinkling them over the embossing and heating from underneath the paper. I grabbed a blue reinker bottle and tinted some white gesso to spread around the edges. It looks kind of like a frosted window.

The background paper was wrapped with Martha Stewart twine from the holiday set and I glued the ends in place for a whimsy look. Then I brought out some favorite ribbon from the CD gift packaging and tied on jingle bells with black button thread that I heat embossed with Aged Copper and one with Aged Silver.

It's hard to see how great these embossing products are through photos. The aged has hints of speckled gold and the shabby are a collage of sparkly pearlized goodness.

It so good to be back on a schedule... except for the many more things on my To-Do list. LOL

Details:
Stamps: Dream Text, Jumbo Cling Merry Magical
Paper: Grey, Black
Ink: Versamark, StazOn Black, Brown Bag
Accessories: Shabby Blue Embossing Enamel, Aged Black Embossing Enamel, Tea Stained, Bronzed and Pearlized Mica Fragments, MS twine, brass mini jingle bells, button thread, silk iridescent ribbon, reinker and white gesso.

Without You...

2012-01-03T10:41:00.000-07:00

Today our schedules started back to normal. The hubby of mine is back to work and it's the kids and I for one more day until school resumes.

This card just says it all for us today, in two ways. There wasn't snow this holiday to play, although the kids did make a tiny mound out of fallen hail that resembled a snowman once a carrot was placed near the top, and when my hubby is gone it just doesn't seem as special of a day.

This snowman had a pal when I printed him out. It was good ol' St. Nick. Then time flew by before I could color up this sheet of digis and so did the holiday, so I cut out the snowman and left St. Nick behind for another year! Maybe I need to sign up for the SCS Christmas Card Challenge this year just to get them all done. hmmmmm..... The sentiment on the outside and inside are computer generated and designed by none other... if you're interested in getting them just comment with your email. I'll only give it out until Friday, January 6th 5pm MT, so get your request in soon.

I colored with copics and here the colors.

I've got a lot coming up this week! Hope you'll stop by often!

Details:
Stamps: DigiStamp Boutique Cute Santa November Freebie (sorry, it's not available any longer)
Paper: HL kraft cardstock, Neenah Smooth White
Ink: printer, copics
Accessories: scissors

With Love - 2011

2011-12-31T06:00:00.000-07:00

Christmas is over and my week just swept on by as I enjoyed being with my family. I was also on a mission to clear out some dust in my craft studio. I've been finding quite a few lost projects and one of them you'll see on my card today for the Stampendous Color Challenge.

There is one more week to play along in this challenge. If you have an itch to create something in these colors, CREAM, PINK, GOLD, and BROWN, then add it to our challenge gallery. It's that easy, really. Now the rest of the details for the challenge are to have them in by January 5th, 11:59pm ET. If you have Stampendous... show it off on your creation, but don't let it stop you from joining the fun. There will be a prize winner randomly picked from the gallery (US winners only) to receive this lovely set Amore Frame.

Now here's my card inspired by the challenge.

Those flowers were already punched out from text print paper. You can use the Dream Text cling stamp if you happen to have it. I'll be posting a project next week using it!

Mini-tutorial: For this project I added rolled white felt flowers to the center that I dyed with a few drops of Copic Various Blender refill, quickly coloring over it with R20 and E31, then rubbing it together like I was trying to get a stain out of my shirt. LOL The size of the felt I started with was about 1-inch square for each rolled flower. If you haven't yet tried a rolled flower, here is my quick description. You can also search on the internet for "rolled paper flower" and find many more blogs and videos with instructions. Round the corners and start cutting in toward the center in a spiral pattern. Roll up starting with the outside and hold together with a drop of glue. Fast set with a glue gun or use liquid glue and set it aside to dry.

I glued my felt flowers with a glue gun to the center of the paper flowers and then glued them onto the card. I dropped a small amount of black pearl paint onto the center of each flower. That's it!

Here's a list of more challenge inspiration from the Stampendous team:

Stampendous Blog
Jennie Black
Kristine Reynolds
Wendy Price
Jennifer Ingle
Pam Hornshu
Janelle Stollfus -you're here!
Wendy Jordan

It's been a beautiful year and I had lots of fun sharing my creations with you all. Thanks for "stopping by" and I hope to see and hear from you in the next year!

Best wishes for a safe and fun night and a bright New Year!

Details:
Stamps: Cherub Wishes
Paper: Cream, Text paper
Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black Ink, Tea Dye ink pad, Black soot ink pad, black ink pen
Accessories: White felt, Viva Decor Black Pearl paint, Copic Various Ink refills and/or markers, glue gun

Stampendous and Cinnamon Sugar Dust

2011-12-24T05:00:00.000-07:00

It's a special Saturday! Our family is happily making cinnamon rolls for our gifts to neighbors, there's nothing like fresh pastries baking in your home in the morning and we want to share that wonderful moment with some super delicious cinnamon rolls. We make up each batch in our bread machine and roll up and place them in a gift pan with a packet of frosting, then wrap them up with instruction to bake in there own oven.

It's not a secret recipe... here it is from All Recipes website.

Clone of a Cinnabon

While we have flour up to our elbows and cinnamon sugar on the floor, take up a cup of coffee and enjoy some of my recent Stampendous projects. Why Stampendous? Because after the wrapping paper has been torn off of every crafty gift, you may want use the monthly challenge that is going on. It's the perfect color challenge to help you get started on those Valentine's. Oh yes, I said Valentines, but that's a couple months and a day away. You only have a few weeks left to jump in to the challenge though. It can be any occasion for the card, but the colors matter!

CREAM, PINK, GOLD and/or BROWN
Check out the DETAILS on another post of mine!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend and God bless you this holiday!

Musical CD Cover

2011-12-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

I have a slim-down version of my Date Night Kit creation. I only did the CD sleeve for a great gift option. Just slip a video CD or Audio CD in it, then write a greeting on the inside. Voila, you've got a great wrapper with a personal touch in and out side.

I used the Perfectly Clear Vintage Piano stamp set on the cover. This worked out perfectly for a music CD gift that is planned to slide into the sleeve. Love it when a project comes together seamlessly.

Since this didn't include a slot for gift card or tickets (the full Date Night Kit version), I only used the first three steps of the tutorial found at this post.

Details:
Stamps: Stampendous Vintage Piano
Paper: Bohemia Pattern Papers, Wausau Dark Brown
Ink: Versamark, Aged Photo Ink Pad,
Accessories: Stampendous Penny Copper, Deep Impressions Clear and Lettuce Embossing Powder, Crop-a-dile punch, circle punch, HL ribbon, Stampin' Up Copper cord, beads and Beacon's 3-in-1 glue.

Pick Your Colors

2011-12-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

Saturday is here! I'm on the home stretch to staycation. I don't know about you all but I'm getting ready for some presents under the tree. At the Stollfus house, no present is present until Christmas Eve. I think it's because my hubby doesn't trust I won't peak! Not really, I'll tell you the real reason when it gets closer to present time.

So while we are waiting, like we all don't have a million things left on our to-do list, let's have some fun on a little blog hop for this month's Stampendous blog color challenge. Use any of these colors on a project, CREAM, PINK, BROWN, and/or GOLD, and submit it on the linky below before January 5th, midnight ET.

Remember there's a romantic prize that will be randomly drawn? It's not a cruise for two, sorry, but take a look at this post for the stamp set that could be yours. All you need to do is link up any new project(s) at the end of any design teams post that has one (I do)!

My card for the challenge today has a couple of techniques that I've been tinkering around with to create dimension on my projects. Tissue pillow pockets. For now all I'm doing is stacking some wrapping tissue 4-6 layers and stamp on the top and cut it out with my Martha Stewart large circle cutter measured at 4 1/4-inch diameter. I stitched around the edge at 1/4-inch. A quicker method would be to staple it (oooo, that's a good idea!!!!). I wet the raw edges a bit and distressed it. This technique is on the gorgeous jumbo medallion from the Stampendous Cling Jumbo Think of You set. I used the Shabby Pink Embossing Powder because it fits the challenge, wink-wink, on the medallion. I sponge distressed with CTMH Brown Bag ink and direct distressed (ink pad directly on the tissue paper) the raw edges with StazOn Timber Brown.

The frame is from Perfectly Clear Cherub Wishes. I used this Paper Craft Connections Stamp It! technique to get the solid embossed frame shape before stamping the fine detail of the frame with Saddle Brown StazOn ink. I cut out the center and outer edge of the frame using the embossed shape as my guide then sponge distressed around the edges. This gave me a great shadowy piece of brown sponged cardstock that I used later for the shadow box effect. (Keep reading...)

The clear acetate sentiment is stamped with Saddle Brown, then again with Timber Brown. That was just a preference, you don't have to stamp in two colors. Let it dry and turn it over to scratch the back with a sand block. This helped the CTMH Colonial White ink I rubbed on with a cotton swab have something to grab on and stay put. That is then glued to the frame with Beacon's glue. I put a foam tape border around the acetate just at the frames edge and place some Silver mica flakes into the acetate area before I added that shadowy shape to the tape. I cut around that so it wouldn't show from the front.

My background paper is pale pink cardstock embossed with a Sissix embossing folder then sponge distressed around the edges. I had some more distressing fun running a scissor blade around the edges and flatly on the raised embossing. I picked up a sponge to distress it some more and it was from another project, so it's a lot darker, maybe Ranger Walnut Stain. After I glued it down to the sponged card base I sponged some glue from my Essential Glue Pad at the corners and sprinkled Cotton Ball White Fun Flock on it. I pressed it in and then shook off the excess (I'm not patient enough to wait until the glue dries to take off the excess.).

I finished off with some pink rhinestone glitz on the frame and along the left edge of the card.

More inspiration is waiting for you on the design team's blog below.

Stampendous Impressions

Taylor Usry

Pam Hornschu

Suzanne Czosek

Thanks for sticking around to the end! Oh and those techniques for dimension? Tissue pillow pockets (as I'm naming them) and clear acetate stamped on the top side and distressed or painted on the other than glued directly to the backing or foam tape glued.

Details:
Stamps: Jumbo Cling Think of You, Perfectly Clear Cherub Wishes,
Paper: Wausau Cream, LSS Pale Pink, White tissue paper, clear acetate
Ink: Versamark, CTMH Brown Bag and Colonial White, StazOn Saddle Brown and Timber Brown
Accessories: Shabby Pink Embossing Powder, Cotton Ball Fun Flock, sewing machine and white thread, KaiserCrafts pink rhinestones, Sissix embossing folder

Preschool Cookie Sign-ups

2011-12-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy week here at the homestead. There have been lots of practices, parties and to-do lists. One of them was to bake 18 cookies for my son's classroom party. Just a simple 18 non-decorated sugar cookies. I made the dough and went on a hunt for my large star cookie cutter. I wasn't finding it anywhere. Then I realized I left it in a zipper bag with his classroom to use for their play-dough time today. Umph... what to do.

I had smaller stars, so I just decided I'd make up a few more than 18. But the creative juices were flowing and I decided a Christmas tree made from stacked cookies would be THE best way to celebrate! I'm thinking along the lines of motor skill development, you know, similar to playing with lincoln logs or legos. But with cookies and frosting!!!! Score!

So that the volunteers in the room will understand what to do with the cookie kits I put together, I created (or wasted some of my sleep time) this "diagram". It's totally not needed, but I had SO much fun creating it.

The thought just crossed my mind that my son's teacher's might not let me sign-up to bring anything again! This might be too much work for those little hands and brains. Nah, I think it's more about getting to eat it than make it.

I'm sure that everyone needs a diagram of a stacked cookie tree, don't they? I just thought I'd share it. I hope it makes sense! I didn't think to spell check it. : ) If for some reason you need to have this... please use it for personal use only, thanks!

Have a wonderful Friday! I'll be back on Saturday with a Stampendous post. See ya soon!

Update (12/16/2011 2:23pm MT):

The children loved it. There were lots of parents there who helped to construct them. Some children ate them right away or wanted to take it home to share with family. Here are a few that were going home to share!

Happy Birthday Laura!

2011-12-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

The Stampendous Design Teams are hollering out a grand Happy Birthday to Laura Mann Weed today! She's the teams navigator and director, among other official hats at Stampendous! Here's a warm and bright card (since it's so cold in Idaho right now) for Laura's birthday.

I hope you have a terrific day!

My tree is colored with Prismacolor pencils and blended with OMS (odorless mineral spirits). I was in a panic yesterday because I had already started coloring on it when I realized I misplaced my tortillons (paper stumps) to blend with OMS. I found one hidden in the bottom of a draw, thank goodness! I added some highlights with Copic's Opaque White acrylic and a wooden skewer.

Most of the time I don't know which kind of card to send, so here's another one just in case!

These candles are aflame with Silver Halo Glitter-covered acetate. I punched out a 5-petal flower and embossed with clear powder to get the glitter to stay put and then cut into the center of the flower between each petal to get my flames.

Melinda is starting it off and after you've stopped here, jump on over to Taylor's blog.

Here's the master hop list if you need it!
Melinda http://mynoteworthycards.blogspot.com/
Janelle http://rainpuddlesdesign.blogspot.com/ - You're right here!
Taylor http://taylorusry.blogspot.com/
Wendy P http://paperinkandsmiles.blogspot.com/
Trudee http://trudee.blogs.splitcoaststampers.com/
Jennie http://jenniebstampin.blogspot.com/
Pam http://1pamperedstamper.blogspot.com/
Lynn http://www.stamperosity.com/
Krissy http://www.paperinkspirations.blogspot.com/
Stephanie http://blog.artycarty.com/
Kristine http://stampingandscrapingincalifornia.blogspot.com/
Wendy J http://www.papertherapy-wendy.blogspot.com/
Jen Ingle http://www.justjingle.blogspot.com/
Jennifer Dove http://just4funcrafts.blogspot.com/
Rachel http://gingerbreadgallery.blogspot.com/
Cyndi http://www.scrappychickcyndi.blogspot.com/

Be sure to stop off at the Stampendous Facebook page to chat it up for her birthday!

Details:
Stamps: Stampendous Cling Tree Swing, Counting Birthdays
Paper: Neenah White, Fun-fetti and Celebrate pads, Assorted cardstock scraps in fun colors, clear acetate
Ink: Tuxedo Black, Prismacolor Pencils, Versamark
Accessories: Odorless Mineral Spirits, Copic Opaque White, paper crimper, clear embossing powder, Stampendous Silver Halo Glitter, 5-petal flower punch (flames)

Happy Weekend and a Reminder

2011-12-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

It's really Saturday again? I'm running out of time before I need to send out Christmas cards. If all goes well, I'll have some cards that will hold my kids school photos to send out to family completed and few more cards and/or gift card holders for my Helping Hands fundraiser (Tuesday is my last chance to help out!), but most of all to be able to relax with my family.

The Stampendous Impressions Design Team is putting on another Saturday hop of inspiration for the December monthly challenge. This month's challenge is to choose any three colors, in any shade you choose.

CREAM, PINK, GOLD and/or BROWN. It's as simple as that! It starts the first Saturday of the month and this color challenge ends on Thursday, January 5, 2012 11:59pm EST There will be one lucky winner randomly chosen who will receive the new Amore Frame Perfectly Clear set. Yep, add your creation(s) on the inLinkz gadget at the bottom of this post!

So my inspiration for the challenge this week was CAS! I've been working on some multi-layered projects and needed to not only add some depleting Thank You cards to my stash, but just be quick.

CRS5003 Cling Jumbo Thank You

I know it's a busy month for all of us so it's possible that there just doesn't seem to be enough time to play, but consider this a sweet little reminder that we would love to have you play along this month if you get some craft time.

I put this card together in a jiffy. The fabulous Cling Jumbo Thank You stamp is SOOOO nice and big that's all this card needed! Here's how this card dwindles down and I mean that you'll see why.

I started by cutting the pattern paper from Tapestry's Vintage pack and sized it wrong, so I cut a bit more off of it. (dwindling...) Then, the last cut grabbed the paper and tore it a bit in the corner...dwindling... so I distressed the edges with my scissors...dwindling... I got out my old Janome sewing machine and started to stitch around the edges and the foot folded over more of the edges ...dwindling complete. The base and distressed edges are sponged with Creamy Caramel and the Thank You sentiment is stamped with a freshly re-inked Creamy Caramel pad just to make sure it's nice and solid!

So here are the fabulous ladies that will give you miles of inspiration for the December Color Challenge. Please be sure to stop in and tell them hi!

I hope your in your craft room more than holiday traffic or waiting in check out lines this weekend!

Details:
Stamps: Cling Jumbo Thank You
Paper: Pattern paper scrap, Wausau Exact Cream
Ink: Creamy Caramel
Accessories: Sewing machine, white thread

Sets, we want sets!

2011-12-06T05:00:00.000-07:00

You know one phrase I've heard over and over again is "Make sets of cards", "Do you have sets of cards?". My response is the same, "Not at this time."

I don't have anything against card sets. I actually like the idea... a lot! My mother-in-law can create sets of sets in no time at all and if she can do it I can do it too, right?

I tried. I really did try to make a few sets of cards for my booth on Saturday. It was just hilarious how hard it was for me to start.

See this card I posted last week (to the right)? I created enough parts of this card for a total of 6 cards. The only part that I was left to do was the ribbon ensemble and color the poinsettia. I was on my way to making a set of cards!!!! Who-hoo!

Sadly, I wasn't looking forward to the long process of laying the ribbon out on a sticky note to hold their position and dry - stitching, stitching without thread, through the note... hand stitching and gathering and gluing the bead to each end of the knotted thread. So I tried to come up with a paper version...nothing looked quite right. I didn't want those extra pieces go to waste, so I started to position them around and grabbed some of those crocheted flowers I made a few months ago and voila a different card was born.

SU! Leafy Glade BG and Verve
Bloom and Grow, Glad Tidings and Love Story

I only had one of those flowers made so I needed to do something else. I tried using my cherry cobbler striped ribbon before but now it was looking good next to the circle and leaf I tossed it onto my pile of parts. So another card was made. Does it bother you that the background panel is sideways? It does a bit, but then I like how it runs perpendicular to the ribbon stripes. I left it. I was on a roll.

SU! Leafy Glade BG and Verve Bloom and Grow,
Richly Blessed and Elegant Leaves Die

Now how about some gold accent? Hmmmmm, liking it.

SU! Leafy Glade BG and Verve Bloom and Grow,
Glad Tidings, Love Story and Elegant Leaves Die

So what if I might have cut the background paper too big and don't have any A6 envelopes to go with it? Go without the background paper!

SU! Leafy Glade BG and Verve Poinsettia Christmas, Bloom and Grow,
Glad Tidings and Elegant Leaves Die

What if I'm just tired of the parts and want to enjoy another background paper I found? Nicely simple.

Stampin' Up Supersize Snowflake

I think it was a great exercise for me. I laugh at the thought I couldn't just reproduce a card six times, but now I know how easy it is to make a "collection" of cards that can be sold as a set! Fantastic twist on a classic request! I know I'm not the first one to think of this, but it was all in the process I needed to take. I'm still learning after making so many cards!

These cards were all based off of the inspiration challenge by Verve's December Diva Dare: A Handmade Christmas! There are only a few days left to enter ANY of your handmade creations. Go to Day 1 post and link it up!

Details:
Stamps: Stampin Up! Leafy Glade BG and Supersize Snowflake, Verve Poinsettia Christmas, Love Story, Bloom and Grow, Glad Tidings and Richly Blessed
Paper: DCWV Text Prints, SU! Crumb Cake, Certainly Celery or Kiwi Kiss (?) and Basic Black, Wausau Cream, Hobby Lobby Holiday pack red cardstock
Ink: Tuxedo Black, CTMH Brown Bag, Real Red, Versamark, Copic Markers, multiliner pen
Accessories: DMC embroidery thread, Verve Elegant Leaves and Lovely Marquee Dies, Nestabilities circle die, Walmart lace ribbon, handmade crochet poppy, handmade porcelain heart pin, SU! iridescent ice embossing powder, polished hemp twine, SU! cherry cobbler striped ribbon, Hobby Lobby gold metallic ribbon

Reminiscent of a Booth

2011-12-05T05:00:00.000-07:00

Good morning!

It's the Monday after my first booth at the Christmas Extravaganza and do you know how it went? Did I sell a lot of my work? Ask me a different question and you'll get a more positive answer! {blushing} Well then, what did you learn out of your first experience selling at a booth? A million wonderful things! Well, it probably isn't ONE million, but so many wonderful learning points. And I'm happy to share a few of them with you.

So here's me at my booth!

Wait! Can I put a disclaimer on what you are about to see? I stayed up until 3 am getting all my price tags, table tents, cards bagged and emergency supplies (tape runner, scissors, etc.) put together and set up on a table in my dining room. I slept for 4 hours and then spent 15-20 minutes getting ready in the morning before I ran out the door. Sooooo, I'm not looking a bit exhausted and less than enthusiastic, I think. LOL

Since I had all my items placed on my dining table it was easy to swoop up and put in my storage container. A long time ago, for some reason, I purchased a rolling cart. Not a dolly or hand truck. It's one like this...

Platform Truck from Harbor Freight

This gem made it so easy to stack all my stuff and roll it from my car to inside at my table. The handle folds down to make this cart less than 7-inches tall for easy storage under the table and also in the back of your car or in your trunk.

I set up my table at home with the cards on the right and the tree on the left. When I found my booth it was next to the entrance and the tree would be the first thing people would see instead of the whole table. I had to flip my layout. No problem until I tried to hang all my cards up on the display. They were facing backwards. (I'll try and get a closer shot and post it sometime with my cheap display alterations I used.) And now...

Point #1 - Never expect electricity to meet you at your booth. My little christmas tree was pre-lit, but even with an extension cord I was not close enough to an outlet. No worries, they can still see the ornaments for sale.

STOP! Count how many men you see in this picture...
now how many women?

Point #2 - Plan what you're going to say to the selling audience! The first hour was a room full of men who had been filled to the gills with breakfast buffet and chatted out after an hour meeting. What are you going to say to men who have used up all their words and tummy contented? Hee-hee. I thought all about what I could offer them to get for their spouses and family members. I knew some of them personally, but getting to a point that I could sell to them I needed to know WHAT they thought their families would need or want.

Everything is set up and a chance to take a breath,
and smile for the camera.

I walked around to all the booths and said hi! I handed out a Rolo candy to each one and smiled and said hello, taking a look at what was available at each booth. It was a wonderful time to make new friends and potential buyers. Everyone knows... that goes... we buy and sell to eachother almost more than the people coming in the door.

Point #3 - If your going to sell aside any of these businesses again, know what they sell and figure a way to combine or compliment eachother. I had cards, gift card holders and probably could have figured out some more things to "help" out their sales too... if I had more time. I cut up some blank cardstock to use as a note for the gift card holders, BUT they could have easily been used to write out a gift certificate or add a business sticker from one of the other booths. Does that make sense? I'm in the business of creating communication through paper products and/or sold to the end user. It doesn't always have to be in the form of an A2 card. In this close-knit group of business owners, I could have emailed out a notice that I would have some things available to help them sell more! (Yes you read the tense of that sentence correctly, so lets say that is a mini point 3.5.)

My last point for now, which I'll be contemplating all the other wonderful networking moments I had that day for a post to write later, is this...

Point #4 - Shop at your own booth before anyone else does. I was thinking of how to display my cards, holders and 3-D items and came up with some clever ways to do it (I'll share those later), but I didn't walk through my booth and try to buy anything. If it's hard to find things that catch my eye... I won't buy it if I can't see it. Who else will?

To be honest, I walked out of that building Saturday thinking I would never do a booth again. I hardly sold enough to pay for the booth rental! In the short 10 minute drive home my attitude changed from what I didn't get to what I did get out of my time at the Extravaganza. It is now exciting how much I learned and the new friends I made. I even have some direction to help Rain Puddles Design grow into much more than I hoped it would be.

Stampendous December Challenge

2011-12-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

The Stampendous Design Team is so sweet to let the BlogStars play along in the monthly challenge that I could not wait to jump in and play. You won't want to wait either, because it's easy peasy and love the challenge too!

Are you ready to get your challenge gears rolling? Here are the details!
The Challenge is to make a card or project with pink, cream, gold, and/or brown. You don't have to use Stampendous images and/or products on your designs...but we sure love it when you do!

It starts TODAY!, December 3rd and runs through to January 5th at 11:59 PM EST . All you need to do is link up your creation(s) to the InLinkz at either the Stampendous Impressions blog or any of the team members blog post. One lucky random winner (US winners only) will win this fabulous Stampendous prize as well, whoot- whoot... go check it out here....

Amore Frame Perfectly Clear set

Now here's my take on the challenge:

This sweet Eskimo is from the Snowy Short Stacks set. (This is the set that pacified me until my goodie box arrived.) The whole set is amazing, but the call for a magical path with some Fran-tage Champagne Glass Glitter was A-calling on this image! A VersaMark pen, clear embossing powder and some glass glitter is all it took. For more delicious details on how I made this card you can see my debut post on the Stampendous Impressions blog!!!!!!! I am SOOO tickled to be creative along with all these wonderful ladies.

Now let's see how the Design Team and BlogStars took the challenge. If you started on my blog go back to the beginning at Stampendous and hop on along!

I had so much fun doing the card I colored another one to start an Advent Countdown to Christmas tag for my daughter's lunch box! You know me and lunch box tags {snicker - snort!}

Details: Card (Tag)
Stamps: Snowy Short Stacks
Paper: WRF Chocolate, SU! Crumb Cake, Neenah White (Pink Passion, Neenah White)
Ink: Tuxedo Black, CTMH Vanilla Cream, Copic Markers ( Tuxedo Black, Pink Passion, CTMH Brown Bag, Copic Markers)
Accessories: Sissix embossing folder, metallic gold ribbon, clear embossing powder, Stampendous Fran-tage Champagne Glass Glitter (Martha Stewart snowflake punch, Provo Tag sale alpha dies, and alpha die set that came in a holiday die cut kit - I can't find out the name, sorry!, Verve Tiny Sweet Scallop Die set, Nestabilities circle dies)

Nesting Ornament Surprise

2011-12-01T05:30:00.000-07:00

Updated Monday 12/5/2011: I forgot to mention that I'm playing along in the December Verve Diva Dare: A Handmade Christmas! You can play along, too! Go to Day 1 on the Verve Stamps Blog and link up your handmade holiday goodness!

I'm only two days away from my booth day! I've had my nose stuck to, adhered on, and impressed by almost everything in my craft room this week. It has been the most fun week in that way. Other more realistic ways are that I'm not getting as many sweet family moments in than I might have normally. I have had some though.

The day after Thanksgiving we pulled out the artificial trees and decorated them, put up the stockings and opened up the pine smell candle. Of course, I still want it to smell like a real pine tree in our family room! Hee-hee. I'm living in a dream world friends.

So getting back to this week. I spent one-on-one time with each of my children to create an ornament with them. It was full of tacky sheets and glitter. After they finished up their ornament we found a spot on the special kid tree in the front "kid friendly" room. To my heart's delight I found this little gem on the tree!

These two chicks are from Easter baskets they received from their Grammy CJ. They are nestled into toy work goggles that escaped her house for project purposes and haven't gone back. I think I'll have to tuck these into the ornament box and bring them out again year after year! Precious, I tell ya.

Here's a peek at two more of my creations this week. I'm making more of those tag ornaments. You put it on a gift as a tag and the recipient can slide a photo or flat memorabilia into it and hang it on the tree for many years of enjoyment.

Verve Christmas in the Air and Waltzingmouse
Very Vintage Labels No. 1

Updated: This card is going to be mass produced, for me that's a total of six times. I have all the pieces stamped and cut out waiting to get glued to the card bases. I used the Mojo214 sketch as my inspiration.

Stampin Up! Leafy Glade BG and Verve
Verve Poinsettia Christmas, Bloom and Grow, Love Story, SU Leafy Glade

Lots of Iridescent Ice on this card!

Oh and another mommy and me time is my first ever sock puppet with my son. He's esctatic about it and still needs to "decorate" it. That's for another post. Until then, keep making special times happen both in your craft room and your life!

Details: Project 1 {Project 2}
Stamps: Verve Christmas in the Air and Waltzingmouse Very Vintage Labels No. 1, To and from in the Stampin' Up Framed set {Stampin Up! Leafy Glade BG and Verve Poinsettia Christmas, Bloom and Grow, Love Story, SU Leafy Glade)}
Paper: White cardstock, Crumb Cake, chipboard, SEI Sunny Day pack {Text Prints dp, Crumb Cake, Certainly Celery, Cream, HL Holiday red}
Ink: VersaMark {Ruby Red, Old Olive, Versamark}
Accessories: Nestabilities, Ranger white embossing powder, ribbon, clear acetate, red craft felt, SU Pretties kit pearls, Recollections bead string {SU Iridescent EP, Elegant Leaves Die, Lovely Marquee Die, DMC floss (Ecru, 349), Aqua Pen, Copic Markers, Glass beads, Offray ribbons, circle die}

Stampendous Monday!

2011-11-28T05:00:00.000-07:00

There are two packages that I am so excited to see on my front door. I don't care much the size or color of the packaging, but I sure will jump for joy when I open them up. I have a mass order of mono refills coming with a looming "In Transit" on it's tracker page. It's not good to be without tape for a crafter... not good at all.

The other is starting to show up in my dreams....! I'll be starting real soon on creations for the Stampendous BlogStar team and it is going to be FUN. I even went out and bought a sweet little set, just because I couldn't wait! Well, now my other crafts have gotten in the way of inking it up so I'll show you two other Stampendous cards that I made a couple weeks back. I've got some sweet ideas for my new set!

Stampendous! Petals Nouveau and Scrolled Seasons stamps
and Teddy Bear Tan Fun Flock (color discontinued...I think)

This holiday card was a fun technique to try out. Use a glue pad on the stamp and sprinkle down some fun flock on it, pressing it in a bit, and letting it dry while I stamp and distress the rest of the card!

Details:
Stamps: Petals Nouveau, Scrolled Seasons
Paper: Kraft, Chocolate Chip, Wausau Chocolate
Ink: CTMH Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Glue pad, Inverted Square Nestabilities, Offray satin ribbon

Stampendous! Birthday Assortment and Ranunculus PC sets

This was a great simple card using three different Stampin' Up ink pads (Baroque Burgundy, Rose Red and Positively Pink) and the Ranunculus PC set. I laid down three of the flower blooms onto my large clear acrylic block and inked them up to give me two main clusters of blooms. I separated the blooms onto different blocks and inked in different colors and made a random layering of them. The sentiment is just sweetly tucked under all those airy flowers.

Details:
Stamps: Birthday Assortment, Ranunculus Perfectly Clear
Paper: Neenah White
Ink: Stampin' Up! Baroque Burgundy, Rose Red, Positively Pink and Tsukineko Tuxedo Black
Accessories: NA

Gifts Galore!

2011-11-26T05:14:00.000-07:00

Updated Monday 12/5/2011: I forgot to mention that I'm playing along in the December Verve Diva Dare: A Handmade Christmas! You can play along, too! Go to Day 1 on the Verve Stamps Blog and link up your handmade holiday goodness!

It has been a good week! It's now the weekend and I'm about to show you some of the projects I've been up to this past week. BEWARE... it's a long post with lots of pictures!!!!

In one week I'll be sitting at a booth selling some of my papercrafting and artsy projects to men! Well, only for one hour and then it's open game to all the women. I think I mentioned before that my church is getting all the ladies who own businesses or run them out of their homes, to set up shop for one morning. It happens to be right after the Men's Christmas breakfast. I think they have been encouraged to bring their wallets~ lol.

So here are a few different items I've been working on to sell. All handmade items and all paper crafted.

A gift card box:

Verve's sets: O Christmas Tree and Winter Tree PJ with
Winter Fun Die Set

The belly band removed and an angled showcase for the
gift card based off of the Creations by AR gift card holder
I purchased and the pizza box template.

Tag Ornament: (my own design from this post)

Verve set Glad Tidings and the
Snowflake Tidings Die Set

Getting a closer look at the acetate window... doesn't show
very well in any of the pics I took, sorry.

Take out the "tag" and slip in a photo.
Then hang it on your tree next year!

Reflecting God Collage Ornament

Explanation? I've been keeping my old paper quarterly church devotionals called Reflecting God, and using them as text backgrounds. So when I was trying to think of something that might be unique to do for ornaments I had an A- ha! moment. It's my first try at collage ornament in triptych style, but oh well, it was a growth experience for me. And yeah, I made up that whole style name. It's not Google-ble, I tried.

Verve Frosty Flakes and
Frosty Snowflakes Die Set

Verve Believe, Blessed Christmas, Filigree Fantasy
and Frosty Flakes.
Frosty Snowflakes Die Set

Verve's Everlasting Life, Christmas in the Air,
O Christmas Tree (very faint tree) and Believe
(Frosty Flakes and Frosty Snowflakes Die Set too.)

A view of the shape and hanger loop.

There are duplicates in different colors and styles of these plus a whole lot more, like plain ol' cards, I've got waiting for the booth. I've heard people spend their whole year creating for one event, I sure wish I had that in mind last winter, but this is a first for me and it will be a great learning experience!

Details? If anyone is curious how I made it, just send me an email. I'll be glad to get back to you as soon as I can. I turned to scraps of holiday looking paper that is too old to find links or it was a garage sale buy. The inks, embossing powders or folder, glitter glue or spray and dies are under these umbrellas; Verve, Spellbinders PaperArts, Stampin' Up, Close to my Heart, AC Zing, Copic AtYou, Ranger and Fiskar for the razor back scissors.

2011-11-21T05:00:00.000-07:00

It's Thanksgiving week for our family and we are all home just hanging out. If our paths don't cross on my blog this week have a wonderful week and I for those of you cooking up a fantastic dinner on Thursday, Happy Thanksgiving!.

Today's card is a CAS card challenge from Splitcoast Stampers. I saw Lisa Lara's card about chocolate and that was the end of it. I had to go find my ONE stamp about chocolate and use it on this challenge. I guess I CASE'd Lisa's CAS!

Challenge 142: Ivory, Brown and Red

I've got some more creating to do for the Christmas Bazaar booth I've sign up to do. I hope I can moving quicker than a snail on some of these because I've got great ideas, but my time is going very slow

Details:
Stamps: HA designer woodgrain, Verve Love Flower
Paper: Close to Cocoa, Ivory, Chocolate
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Real Red
Accessories: Offray red ribbon, Labels 14 Nestabilities, Tween Lattice texture plate

News and Good News!

2011-11-19T10:54:00.001-07:00

Good morning! Well it was mid-morning when I started this post, but I'm still here to give you all sorts of news today.

I've been working on some cards and tree ornaments this week to sell at an upcoming holiday shopping day. It's geared towards my church's men's ministry. They meet for breakfast once a month and so we are setting up shop next to their meeting room. After the breakfast is over they really just need to just shop as they walk out to their cars! LOL
This is the first time I've had a booth all to myself and seriously it will be sparse since I signed up only two weeks ago. I'll let you know how it went and show some sneak peeks as they get done in bulk!

Jen instructing me and my friend,
Jill McDonald owner of Urban Paper,
on the feathering technique... I think.

You know my October was turned upside down as my father passed away, but my first business-like adventure happened as well. I went to Portland, OR for a friday class to better understand how to use COPIIC Markers! You can see the back of my head in a tweet photo from CopicMarker. Our instructor was Jen Balcer, a lovely lady, who had plenty of tips and tricks that had this coloring veteran spinning! I had a learning high so much that I begged to be in the Intermediate class. Lucky for me, Imagination International (the US company that does these classes) just decided earlier in the week to run a trial process letting students register directly from their Standard classes. I got to be with the talented and hyper, Colleen Schaan and extraordinary Marianne Walker for that class the next day. So you can now call me certified to know how to use Copic markers when I create. It's time for me to set up some classes out of my home! I'm working on a few digital stamps that I can use for practice pieces, then its hype time.

Incredibly fun news is next! STAMPENDOUS! news!
I saw a tweet from Taylor Usry a couple weeks ago about the Stampendous BlogStars Design Team Call. I prayed and debated about it in my head and decided to submit. I used it as an excuse for a few new stamps and wouldn't you know I came home with three new sets to ink up and my back problems kicked in. It took me almost a week to be able to sit at my computer for more than an hour, so I wasn't sure I would be able to create cards AND get them sent in time. Thankfully I got them done and emailed in time to be considered. Whew! So now here's a card that I submitted that uses my new found Copic Marker knowledge AND my new Jumbo Cling Hydrangea stamp.

Isn't that hydrangea make you swoon? I'm partial to that plant even though I can't grow them AT all so now I have one that will last a very long time! LOL

I stamped the flower cluster with Going Grey ink, a new learned technique, after stamping the butterfly in Memento Tuxedo Black and masking it off with a post-it note.

I used Copic markers to color it all in and then I pulled out my new absolute favorite black pen, Copic Multiliner 0.08mm size and squiggled a line along side a see-thru ruler that measured 1/8-inch away from the edge of the card.

The sentiment is from another Stampendous set called Birthday Assortment. It's got quite a few ways to say exactly the right thing on a birthday.

Details:
Stamps: Jumbo Cling Hydrangea, Birthday Assortment
Paper: Neenah Classic White
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Going Grey, Copic markers and black multiliner
Accessories: Omnigrid ruler

Stitched Birthday Blessing

2011-11-16T05:45:00.002-07:00

This card was something I did back in October for the Viva La Verve sketch challenge week 5 from Diva Andrea, but didn't have time to post about them all. A nice simple card with only one thing stamped!

The paper is from the Double Deck set by Cosmo Cricket using the Material Girl set. I hand cut the rulers off one page and just "wrapped" them around the middle of the card. I used the red ruler as a two tail banner from the sketch layout. The sentiment is stamped in Brown Bag ink onto about 7 layers of old sketch paper that was die cut with a nestabilities scallop circle die. Then I pulled out my plastic canvas circle and pierced around the edges for my stitched DMC embroidered border. I sponge distressed around the scallops to make it pop off the background a bit, but also added three-dimensional tape to finish it off. The button is a DIY chipboard made with three thin chipboard circles glued together after the button holes were punched with a Crop-a-dile. I used black craft paint to color the button after a failed attempt to heat emboss it. I don't know how some of you pull that off, but I'm not any good at that. I've tried on several different projects and it's just not in me.

The sketch had a three panel background that wasn't showing up as nicely as I wanted so I drew by hand some stitches above and below the focal point. Not the best, but I think it works with the style of sewing and stitching.

Have a splendid Wednesday!

Details:
Stamps: Love Deepens
Paper: Material Girl, vintage graph paper
Ink: CTMH Brown Bag, Ranger Tea Dye
Accessories: Paper button and embroidery thread, scallop circle nestabilities die

2011-11-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

We are celebrating Veteran's Day in the US today. Thanks to all who have served and are serving our country. Our family is grateful for your service!

I've been on hold with a lot of projects this whole week. I woke up Monday morning with a stiff neck and upper back. It's usual for me to have these episodes, but I can usually tag it on to some outrageous feat I've accomplished. This time it just happened. I must be getting old. Oh-hum.

Well anyway, last week I managed to create three cards in one night and then I had no time or strength to blog about them.

Here's one of the cards made for the October Viva La Verve Challenges on Splitcoast Stampers forum. It's the week 4 sketch by Charmaine Ikach. There are already two sketches for November. I'd better get crackin'!

I had fun tearing these pattern papers from My Mind's Eye Bohemia pack. I glued them to a precut sheet of copy paper sized 4 x 5 1/4 inches. When I was done, I tore away the copy paper from the pattern paper where it might have shown around the edges. I left some pieces going off the edges for a spontaneous card base.

The sentiment is from Verve's Always on my Mind set. I stamped it on heavy watercolor paper with Memento Tuxedo Black. I used a Nestabilities oval die to cut a larger shape around it and then wet the embossed edge the die makes with an aqua pen. I tore the edges and the paper stopped at the embossed edge. Nice effect, I think.

The scribbles was a overflow of creativity from all of the tearing I did on this card. I just wanted a free form edge and my new favorite pen (Copic Mulitliner 0.08mm). I believe that pen is going to give me many more creative edges in the future.

I'll be posting about the other cards as I have time and upper body strength to sit at the computer. Until next time,

Details:

Stamps: Always on My Mind (Verve)
Paper: Bohemia pack (MME), watercolor paper
Ink: Copic Multiliner pen, Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: Moss Rhinestones, oval die cut (Spellbinders PaperArts)

Happy Birthday Blues

2011-10-31T23:51:00.001-06:00

Just a quick post with a Verve-y card today. I liked the sketch Maureen challenged us all with for the third week of October's Viva La Verve on Splitcoast Stampers. I stretched the sketch taller into a A7 size card and what a difference that made in the balance of my card! I missed a layer in there somewhere too.

I used two different sets from Verve. I love that flower out of Great Friend. I think it's the easiest fussy-cut flower of all! I stamped the Happy Birthday sentiment from the Hope Blooms set and highlighted one stamp with Muted Turquoise Prismacolor marker.

After cutting out the sentiment circle it looked a bit bland so I found a scrap of black paper that I previously cut out a nesties bloom for this project. I cut out the trim with the same size circle and glued it in place. A bit of bling, sponge distressing and satin ribbon bow... I think that's it!

As always, I'm so glad you stopped by to see a bit of my creations.

Details:
Stamps: Great Friend, Hope Blooms
Paper: Neenah Solar Smooth White, Basic Black, Authentique Journey
Ink: Distress Ink Soot, Memento Tuxedo Black, Prismacolor Marker
Accessories: satin ribbon (Stampin' Up), circle and bloom dies (Spellbinders Paper Arts), Smoke Rhinestones, scallop edge punch (Stampin' Up), Sew Easy Tool, Button thread,

Thank You Caregiver's in Greeley

2011-10-25T23:27:00.001-06:00

I've been enjoying the little bits of time I've had this month to get in to my craft room. I thought I'd be able to handle all my obligations and still get a post or two in a week. It hasn't turned out to be that way at all, but I had to create when I returned home this weekend.

My card today is another Viva La Verve sketch Week 2 designed by Teresa Kline. She has a way with circle layouts, doesn't she you know. The theme of the card is for the SCS Hope You Can Cling To Challenge, Thank a Caregiver card with an attempt at the Try a New Technique challenge to stamp a border.

My father had many care-giver's in the last few years of his life. Life Care, Sterling House staff and most importantly my older brother and sister who took care of all the emergencies and "small" stuff that made a big difference in my dad's life. I mentioned in my previous post that he passed away this month from an injury resulting from his battle with Parkinson's Disease. While it isn't the focus of SCS challenge this month, I couldn't help but think of my dad and all the helper's he's had a long the way.

Some of my embellishments are from a RAK package Verve sent out a few months ago with my order. I've taken the dark brown trim and hand stitched it with some twine across the middle of the doily using old DMC embroidery thread. I needed to do a border on the card base and thought it would go quicker to use the sewing machine for the stitch holes and when I finished the holes on the back of the paper was a wonderful design so I left it alone and added a hand-drawn line. Some Cinnamon Stickles is dotted around the doily and the corners of the blank thread stitching to weight down my layout. The white tissue flower I made a while ago and saved just hoping I'd have a use for it. : )

The ticket is from the Lifestyle Crafts die set I fell in love with at my local scrapbook store. NEEDed it! LOL The stamped filigree is from the Verve set, Thankful Notes, that you can see around the circle pattern paper and the top of the ticket. "Thank You" is from the Words Cannot Express set from Verve also. The paper is from K and Company Ancestry.com pack.

Details:
Card Size: 5 1/2-inch square
Stamps: Thankful Notes and Words Cannot Express (Verve)
Paper: Pattern paper (Ancestry.com K and Company), Tissue Paper, White cardstock
Ink: Sage Shadow, Really Rust (Stampin' Up), Brown Bag, Parchment (CTMH)
Accessories: Sewing machine, Sew Easy Tool (MME), flower punches (EK Success and Stampin' Up), brown trim, hemp twine, embroidery floss, corsage pin, cinnamon and iridescent glitter glue (Stickles), paper doily, ticket die (Lifestyle Crafts)

Dream I Can Be

2011-10-15T03:30:00.000-06:00

I'm playing along with Amber's week 1 sketch for Viva La Verve Challenge this month. I thought I was following the sketch fairly close, but now that I've finished I see it's got a few proportions askew.

This card is also for the Splitcoast Stampers Hope you can Cling to campaign of Challenges to Bling the Cling! Check out the badge in my sidebar and take the link to get really inspired with challenges and support a good cause.

The pattern paper is from a Colorbok pad I spotted at discount store and I cut out the flower from one of the pages as an accent. I dusted off my embossing folder collection and brought out some Red Rust paper in my stash for the left panel and then again with a Martha Stewart loop edge punch. It's always hard to photograph glittery accents so I'll mention that the tip of each petal has a bit of glitter from a clear Spica glitter pen. It looks pretty neat in real life.

The sentiment is from Verve's Believe set. I stamped it a long time ago for another card that I could never get the parts to work well together, so I'm made this card to fit the sentiment! LOL (This Verve set is specially designed to use for those who may need encouragement and awareness about breast cancer in and around their lives. If you decide to buy this set from Verve, they donate $10 to the Susan G Komen for the Cure.)

I finished this card last night between two very difficult phone calls from my family back in Colorado. One was that my father was in the hospital with a head injury from a fall and another that he was no longer in pain from the Parkinson's that took away his freedom to move around on this earth. I wish I was there to have been able to say goodbye, but that's not how it was suppose to be. He'll be missed, but I'm glad he's not struggling with his Parkinson's any longer.

Details:
Stamps: Believe (Verve)
Paper: Colorbok Neutrals Pad, white, black and red rust scraps
Ink: Graphite Black (Brilliance Pad), Toner Gray Copic markers for flower petal shadows
Accessories: Martha Stewart loops edge punch and silver ribbon, antique ribbon from Lori Bowerman's tag sale finds, rhinestones (Craft Warehouse $1 bin), Sissix embossing folder

New Arrival: Look Out World

2011-10-11T05:35:00.000-06:00

Whoa! It's amazing how busy I've been since school has started up in my family. I noticed last week that I haven't come by with a project for over two weeks and I do miss having something to share.

Yesterday I etched out some time to put an image from DigiStamp Boutique that I had colored so long ago into a card. Now I have something to share with you all.

This is Rex and Roxy with their new little family member are "Out of this World" cute. I used my copic markers and practiced some texture techniques on the belly of the baby and also the underside of the dad. One item to note is that I made a deliberate attempt in leaving white cardstock on some of the colored areas for a shine and light effect. I have some ways to go before I come close to doing what I'm thinking, but just seeing these dino's colored makes me smile.

Since the card front is CAS I decided to use some color and layers inside the card. Here's a peek at that.

I know I missed saying Happy Monday, but I can still pay it forward for a delightful Tuesday! Thanks for stopping by today!

Details:
Stamps: Rex and Roxy (DigiStamp Boutique), "Look out World" sentiment from To the Moon (Verve)
Paper: Chocolate (Wausau Royal Fiber), Smooth White (Wausau Exact), kraft and green (scraps)
Ink: Laserjet, Tuxedo Black (Memento), illustrator markers (copic sketch)
Accessories: Pinking rotary blade cutter (Fiskars), sewing machine (beloved Janome)

The Gift of thought

2011-09-22T06:30:00.000-06:00

I was asking my daughter what she wanted in her backpack for lunch one morning and she happily said, "the usual." Her body stood still and you could tell she was thinking on something then she said, "And I'd like a note in it too."

I was reusing the tags I made because I just couldn't stop putting something in her lunch box so she knew I was thinking about her during the day. But one day, I was in a hurry. She hadn't been saying one way or another about them reappearing in her lunch box so I left it out.

It's amazing how our little gestures, even gone seemingly unnoticed, are important. I'm glad that my daughter likes the little extras in her lunchbox and I hope I can keep them up without fail. I pulled together a new one for her Monday lunch this week and here it is.

A digital image from DigiStamp Boutique called Birthday Beau.
It was already printed out so I just needed to color it and find a good sentiment to add with it. And now a plug for recent Verve release set that has almost every sentiment you might need, it's the Small Phrases set.

Thanks for stopping by!

Details:
Stamps: Birthday Beau (DigiStamp Boutique), Small Phrases (Verve)
Paper: kraft (Hobby Lobby), Pumpkin Spice (SU), scraps of red, white (Wausau)
Ink: laserjet printer, tuxedo black (Memento), copic markers
Accessories: jewelry wire, shaper scissors (Fiskars), rectangle hole punch (Fiskars)

Wishing a Great Year

2011-09-20T05:45:00.000-06:00

Hello and happy Tuesday! I was out of blogland this weekend, my computer lost it's video card to my hubby's computer and then we both ended up having to get new cards. I quick ship from Amazon and we are hopefully both back on the happy cyber trail again.

Last week I delivered three homemade baskets for each of my children's homeroom teachers. I made up tags to go on them and then started to think creatively with a brown paper bag.

For the tag I went with the apple from Paper Smooches, Falling for You, and paper pieced it together with DCWV Flower Shower Spring Stack and some tan and cream cardstock. I wanted a unique sentiment to go with my apple assortment in the basket and looked on the web for something. I googled teacher appreciation and apples to see what I could find and came across "wishing you sweetness throughout the year" and changed it to include the tart moments because I had a couple of granny smith apples in the bag. Once approved from my mother-in-law, retired school teacher, I played with the font size and placement of the text using A Little Pot (free font) style text. Then some Offray crochet trim and black gingham ribbons with a few rhinestones and SU! scallop edged to finish it off.

The tag on a re-purposed paper grocery bag with hand-shredded bag filler. I put in about 7 apples of three different variety in the middle of the bag. The jars (below) hold homemade caramel sauce and chocolate sauce.

Details:
Stamps: Paper Smooches Falling for You
Paper: Flower Shower Spring Stack (DCWV), black and kraft cardstock (Hobby Lobby), Exact Cream (Wausau)

Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Accessories: Large paper grocery sack, large format paper cutter (for shredding), blossom dies (nestabilities), circle punch (SU), stapler, 1/2 pint canning jars

Coco Love

2011-09-15T05:05:00.000-06:00

I managed to leave out a tag for my lunchbox tags series last week. Like you haven't gotten enough tags, LOL.

This tag has my most favorite of all my teddy bear stamps, I think ever! I've got a few of them. It's Coco from DigiStamp Boutique. He just melts my heart every time I see him and I love how he came to life with the coloring I chose to use.

Last week I mentioned that DigiStamp was coming out with new September specials, there was a snafu but they are now available. If you like cute nativity scene's you'll want to go check them out. Can I say "Adorable angel!" Back to Coco... awwwwwww....

I hope you are all having a fantastic Wednesday, uh, Thursday! Thanks for stopping by today!

Details:
Stamps: DigiStamp Boutique Coco with little hearts, Verve Happy Phrases
Paper: scraps from the green and pink bin (Hobby Lobby and SU!), white cardstock (Neenah)
Ink: laserjet printer, Multiliner 0.05 black pen, copic markers
Accessories: nestibilites, button stash, Lydia's cotton thread Size 10, Michael's ribbon, Fiskars Razorback scissors

Ink Free Quilt Block

2011-09-12T06:00:00.000-06:00

Last week an unexpected package arrived on our doorstep. Inside it were two amazing quilts for my kids that were made by my sister-in-law. The only true thank you I could imagine was a card with a paper quilt block on it.

My daughter spread out the quilt and looked at it and her smile grew to the size of the quilt itself, then she fell down open armed and hugged the quilt. That's how much she loves her new quilt.

My son was on a rolling vocabulary of "WOW!" "It's [s]Piderman all over!" "Whoa!"

There were some goodies in the box for me too! Close to My Heart Stamps, Stampendous and Ranger embossing powders, heat gun, ink pads and chalks and blank calendar sheets. Oh, am I going to have some fun!

Details:
Stamps: None?
Paper: Watercolor Bouquet (K and Company), Smooth White (Neenah)
Ink: None?
Accessories: Martha Stewart Score Board, sewing machine and Mono Liquid glue

sMOOches to You

2011-09-07T06:21:00.000-06:00

A super quick post today! I'm sharing a MOO-velous tag for, you guessed it, my daughter's lunchbox. This is a darling little image from Paper Smooches Chubby {cow} Chums with matching sentiment.

So much fun!

When are these lunchbox tags going to end? I'll have one more to share on Thursday... or Friday. Then I'll just quietly make them to stash in her lunchbox.

Details:
Stamps: Chubby Chums
Paper: Basic Black, Pink Passion, Smooth White (Neenah)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento), Copic Markers
Accessories: 1/8" Gingham ribbon (Stampin' Up), mini - miniature clothespin, black rhinestone, circle, blossom and scallop circle dies (Nestabilities), Iridescent Ice glitter glue (Stickles)

More Lunchbox Tags

2011-09-06T04:30:00.000-06:00

I’ve decided I love coloring! Yes, again. It’s been a long, long time since I’ve had a desire to get the markers and digi images out every night, but it’s started up again while making "notes" for my daughter's lunchbox meals. Two of the tags have already been sent in her lunchbox, but the last one she'll find today.

I’ve colored up some DigiStamp Boutique images that were already printed and ready to color. I love these images and can’t believe how long it’s taken me to get back to them. Sally-Ann has a release today so it’s a perfect time for me to plug in a linky to go see what’s new!!!!!!

There’s Jasper doing the happy dance.

and Barney and heart

then my favorite monkey Valentine Marvin.

I can’t wait to see what’s new for September!

I’ll be back tomorrow with some more tags using Paper Smooches!

Where's the details? Just send me an email (found on my About Me section) if you have any questions or in the comments for this post. The names of the images are links to the DigiStamp Boutique store.

Love You!

2011-08-30T08:05:00.008-06:00

This pleasantly chubby cat is going to be putting a smile on my daughter's face during her first lunch in a school cafeteria. Yep. It's her first day of school and if she can get to opening up her lunch bag, she'll be greeted by the Paper Smooches Chubby cat.

He's ready to play with his ball of matching yarn, but not before letting my daughter know how dearly we love her today!

Thanks for stopping by!

Details:
Stamps: Paper Smooches Chubby Chums and Pretty Phrases
Paper: Kraft (Hobby Lobby), smooth white (Neenah)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento), Copic Markers
Accessories: circle punch (SU!), orange Perle Coton #8 (Michael's Loops and Thread), orange satin ribbon (Offray)

Miss You Like Crazy!

2011-08-26T04:55:00.000-06:00

Today I'm posting a card that is inspired by my motherly instincts kicking in this week. My sweet 6 year old girl goes off to school next week... FOR THE WHOLE DAY! I am going to miss her like crazy, but I can't tell her that or we'll never part at the classroom door. I can let you all know how much I'll be missing her and that will make it all better, right?

This card is going in with the Viva La Verve August gallery on Splitcoast Stampers. It's a fun sketch every Friday and if you happen to get all the sketches in a month you might just win some Verve goodies! I used Amber's sketch from week 1...

I stacked some dimensional adhesive squares behind the sentiment so it looks like it’s draping over the tag. That butterfly is a CASE from somewhere in the Verve gallery or a blog hop. I’m sorry I can’t give due credit for that idea, but I can give a shout out to Amber for the idea with the embossing folder on the side of my base panel.

A fun technique to try out is cut the sticky end of a sticky note and use it as an edge for your sponge distressing. I tried it on my back panel and promptly covered it up with all my layers. Here’s a snapshot of the idea.

Thanks for stopping by this fine Friday!

Details: (5 1/2-inch square card size)
Stamps: Hope Blooms, Sweet Scallop Tag
Paper: Journey DP (Authentique), kraft (Hobby Lobby), Basic Black (SU), tracing paper
Ink: Basic Black (SU), Soot (Ranger), Faded Denim (Ranger)
Accessories: Flutterby Die (Verve), black medium eyelets (American Crafts), sewing machine, zig zag scissors (Fiskars), Just my Type embossing folder (Provocraft), aida cloth, DIY ruffled blue ribbon, sponge distress tool (CTMH)

The sweetest cupcake…

2011-08-22T06:35:00.015-06:00

Good morning! Over the weekend I made up this little card using an image from DigiStamp Boutique. I've been missing my digi-images and decided to print them out, give them a little love and get my feet wet with some new markers.

My card has a cupcake from an A4 collection called Mother’s Day Sheet. It’s no longer at the boutique, but there is another adorable cupcake in the Everyday Collection 1 set.

There are plenty of sketch challenges out there and I am always going to find one to finish my cards up, but this time I knew what I wanted to do with this sweet cupcake. If you want to have a fun and easy sketch to try out here you go. Leave me a comment if you decide to join me! I’d love to know how you used the sketch so leave a link for me to hop on over and see!

Hope you have a wonderful Monday and thanks for stopping by!

Details: (A2 size card)
Stamps: Mother’s Day Sheet A4 Collection
Paper: kraft (Hobby Lobby), chocolate (Wausau), smooth white (Neenah)
Ink: laserjet, copic markers
Accessories: Doodolonomy Fred (free font), pop dots

Miss U.

2011-08-16T10:30:00.000-06:00

Getting MME Stella and Rose "Remember" stamps inky.

And fussy cutting a garage sale Stampin Up set Defining Alphas.

And my hand crochet rose bud.

Have a beautiful day!

Details:
Card size: A2
Stamps: MME Stella and Rose Hattie “Remember” Stamps, Hero Arts Friends Definition
Paper: Kraft, Stella and Rose Hazel Papers
Ink: VersaMark, Memento Black, CTMH Brown Bag
Accessories: pinking shears rotary cutter, buttons, crochet rose bud, Zing Charcoal EP

Tag You’re It!

2011-08-13T02:41:00.008-06:00

Tuesday I was inspired to create. I had just finished looking through the Verve Release Spotlight Blog Hop and I read that this week was a Get Your Diva On challenge, to create something on or with a tag.

I wasn’t sure if I could make time to play along, but then my mind started figuring out something new I wanted to try; gigantic cardboard!

I grabbed some kraft paper from Hobby Lobby (it is a very toothy/textured cardstock) and about ten Prismacolor markers. I cut the paper into about a 4 x 11 inch strip and misted it down with water. I set the paper down on my cutting mat and then weaved a marker below it and above it, pressing down on it all as I went so that it would stay flat, but also so it would curve the cardstock. Once done, I grabbed a mason jar as stops for the weaved paper, keeping the markers flat with a couple more jars on top and walked away for it to dry. The next day I went for the white glue bottle and some more kraft cardstock of the same size and created the top and bottom of the cardboard. Those instructions are found on Youtube here. I walked away and let it dry over night.

Oh this was so much fun to make! I played with all the techniques or embellishments styles I’ve been seeing this week during Verve’s release week blog hop.
The tag front was created using the Viva La Verve Week 2 sketch by Andrea Ewen this month.

Thanks for hanging in there to the end! I hope you are having a great weekend, everybody!

Details:
Tag Size: 4 x 8 inches
Stamps: New Mercies, Sweet Scallop Tag Stamp
Paper: Journey (Authentique Papers), kraft (Hobby Lobby), Dark Blue
Ink: VersaMark, Ranger Tea Dye Stain Ink
Accessories: Sweet Scallop Die, Liquid Pearls, MFT scallop die, Martha Stewart border die, sewing machine, Sissix embossing folder, poster chalks, Glimmer mist, Stampin Up silver cord, Brocade Blue ribbon, shell button, Hemp twine, Jute twine, Zing Silver Embossing Powder

What is she doing?

2011-08-11T07:32:00.004-06:00

I’ve been working hard this summer to get through some non paper crafting projects, so when winter hits I can just be in my craft studio and play. The problem lies in the fact that I can’t stop creating projects. So when I see something that needs to be adorned or emphasized I’m on it. I was happily working on a small thank you gift this spring, that quite honestly I was afraid to send. In the end I made up something totally different and it’s finally out the door and in the recipients hands. That and sewing a 1940’s dress pattern for a friend’s daughter (I promise I’ll post that one when I haven’t a card to show you).

Yes, sewing. One more thing I like to do. I love fabric just a teensy weensy less than I love paper. I have more paper at present.

Sewing is a good creative outlet while I’m not doing card making (and not tackling the other projects I should be doing). So when I saw Larissa’s tooth fairy pillow last week on her mmmcrafts blog, my heart jumped a beat and then almost stopped completely when I saw she offered the best photo tutorial AND pattern to make it myself. I was searching for a simple option to hold my daughter’s tooth when the tooth fairy came around, loose tooth pending, but hey I’ll create more work for me when it’s this amazingly cute. LOL. This tooth fairy pillow won over the child in me. I now secretly wish one of my teeth would start to move loosely. Talk about an easy project! I’m now in the process of making one for my daughter’s friend who has two loose teeth and then one for my son. He’s not going to start losing teeth yet (I hope), but if I’ve got the supplies out I might as well get it done. Maybe a basketball tooth “angel” as he calls them. This one is only lacking some glittery wings and it’s done.

Have a blessed day and I hope I haven’t enabled too many of you with yet another ADORABLE projects because of my blog search find. :)

Mojo Monday 202 - Blessings

2011-08-07T21:46:00.000-06:00

My card today is for the Mojo Monday contest last week. Sketch 202 is amazing and I was so excited to create with it. My week got away from and then most of my weekend. I squeaked in some time to make this card.

I did a few fun techniques with this card. The first one was to use one of my neglected embossing folders and sewing machine, but what made it even more fun was to spread some white gesso across the pattern in a few spots and let it dry. I pulled out a Mister bottle with diluted Rose Red inker and sprayed a couple of places then grabbed my heat gun to set it and create a watercolor look. I wanted the edges to pop out alittle bit more and that meant sponging around the edges with Ranger's Antique Linen. (I did this again on the sentiment panel.) The overall affect was quite lovely.

The other technique was to go window shopping for tuts on how to make or crochet some ribbon tails. Of course I didn't find any that matched what I had dreamed up in my mind, but I did run across a photo of some Maya Road Canvas pennants that I CASE'd but used aida cloth and brass eyelets. Those little gems were die cut with the larger size pennant die from PTI's Banner Builder Collection set.

Lots of fun with this little card and I wish I could have beat the clock and had it posted in time for the contest portion of the sketch. It is a fantastic and unique sketch I'll be using again and again.

Details:
Stamps: Words Cannot Express
Paper: Neenah White, Dusty Durango, Kraft
Ink: Rose Red, Old Olive
Accessories: Paper crimper, aida cloth, PTI banner die, sewing machine, crop-a-dile, brass eyelets, MS border punch, Silver glitter spray, Nestabilities scallop and circle dies

A CASE Study Challenge Anniversary Card

2011-08-06T22:57:00.000-06:00

I've thoroughly enjoyed visiting the design teams CASE on themselves over at the CASE Study's Anniversary Blog Hop. They are an amazingly talented and sweet group who inspire and encourage the best I've seen in awhile. To see the details about the hop go to the post on Thursday at the CASE Study Challenge blog.... here.

At the end of the hop list there is a time for us who have finished drooling to join in on the anniversary fun. Pick any past or present design team member to CASE!!! I glanced over to the sidebar and immediately saw Mercy Kerin. I enjoyed looking at all of her creations every week and for some reason missed that she was a muse at one time for CASE. I'm sure that's not part of the rules, but I was drawn to this long card design here.

And here is my CASE...

The flowers are from the Stampendous Ranunculus set and I used my Prismacolor markers on them after masking and stamping them out with Memento Ink.

Details:
Stamps: Stampendous Ranunculus Perfectly Clear Set
Paper: Pumpkin Pie, Basic Black, Neenah White
Ink: Memento Ink, Prismacolor Markers
Accessories: Michael's Black Gingham ribbon, Queen and Co. Rhinestones

Be Confident

2011-07-29T09:54:00.000-06:00

Hello all, I'm in for a quick post before my day starts off with some fun with a friend and her daughters. A little bit of bartering and then some fun in the pool!

Today's card is using two challenges from Verve. My last order with Verve came with a wonderful gift bag of goodies and with some delicious paper among many other yummy stuff. I have a small pack from the same line so I know its MME's Hazel Papers. So sweet. I've been hoarding each sheet so it will last and now I have bonus paper. So fun.

Anyway, I've been watching the Diva Dare Challenge and it's Sentimental About Paper. To use your sentiments and break out that fun paper you've been saving. I've got an addiction for Verve's sentiments. They are the best, nothing more needs to be said! LOL And my affection for paper is something of a serious note. I must start using it more than I already do!

The second challenge is the latest Mojo Monday (#201). It's the last week of the month so you can choose the same sketch in either a round shape card or a square card. Here's the link for this challenge.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone! Thanks for stopping by my blog.

Details:
Stamps: Verve's Philippians 1:6 Plain Jane
Paper: Hazel Papers from MME, Chocolate from Wausau, Smooth White from Neenah, scrap Pale Jade cardstock
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Martha Stewart edge punch, aida cloth and Sissix Rolled Flower Die, Inverted Scallop, Square and Round Scallop and Round dies from Spellbinders, mini clothespin, pearl dimensional paint from Pebeo, lace ribbon, button, bead and thread from my stash.

So Happy for You

2011-07-21T11:21:00.000-06:00

It's Thursday and I'm bringing you a card I made for a friend of mine! We planned a morning back in June to do a mini workshop at my house (hah, I'm talking like I'm an instructor or something) so she could create some cards for graduation and also a wedding. We worked on the graudation cards too long and the wedding card still needed to be done, so I went ahead and pulled this together. It's not a traditional looking wedding card, but I really like how it came out.

My friend told me that the bride loves classical literature and the groom likes to play computer games. I really wanted to make a card that used both of those elements. I was delighted to have the help of my mother-in-law, who is an avid reader, tell me some classics that might work on a wedding card. We found a list online and as I did a sound off, we narrowed it down to three authors, two of poetry and one of short stories. Having them online I printed out my choice in an old looking font and then distressed in Ranger inks and here's a TIP; if you print things out on a Laser printer that uses toner it can be scrapped off with a sanding block then cleaned up with the adhesive remover eraser!!!!!

Classical literature, check!

Now for the gamer groom. Too hard to add some time of a game so I opted for the puzzle card. This mojo sketch hides the Joy Card fold nicely and might even intrigue the groom to figure out how to put it back together again.

Puzzle game quest, check!

Here is a list of challenges that the card is being entered.

	Mojo Monday 200 - Woo hoo! Happy 200th Mojo Monday and the Mojo Makers
Play Date Cafe Challenge 91 - just one color of your choice and just a splash! (Just happens to be sponsored by The Twinery)
Crazy 4 Challenges C4C96 - Joy Fold Card
Splitcoast Stampers Free 4 All #73 - Twine!

Thanks for stopping in today!

Details:

Stamps: Verve's New Mercies, Hope Blooms, A Cup of Life

Paper: Wausau Cream, WRF Ginkgo, kraft cardstock

Ink: laser printer (O. Henry short story in circle), Graphite Black, VersaMark

Accessories: Nestabilities Standard Circles, Recollections edge punch, Michael's Rhinestones, Offray cream satin ribbon, Twinery Honeydew twine

I little Pinãta fun last week

2011-07-19T06:00:00.000-06:00

For a few weeks now, my son has been asking for a pinãta. It began sometime in May and it wasn't really a request, it was introduced as an idea. My son has a terrific mind full of things to make and we know it's share time when he starts out with, "Hey! I have a good idea!".
So we've made a pinãta and it was a grand party in our backyard.

(My mind is still on vacation... I took ALL of the photos with my Macro setting from the last card photo I took. I hope the photos don't make you dizzy!)

Now, once we layered the paper-mâché on the balloon and hung it in the laundry room to dry, all of the sudden the good idea became a great idea. We could go and buy a "shaped" pinãta! I really do understand and agree, because a newspaper print balloon shape pinãta is not as much fun as a colorful tissue paper fringed shaped pinãta. What to do? Make it look like a shape. What's an easy shape to make with an oblong sphere?

We watch a lot of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Ta-dah!

Now for the swinging and face-off.

The nose is the first to go. Then when my daughter had her turn it was an ear.

So a few more swings and the pinãta split open... nice.

Hmmmm.... I think someone put the ear back on...feeling a bit sad for our mouse, I guess.

My pinãta tip of the day? For a good first pinãta experience, only do two layers of newspaper so it only takes a few swings to break apart. I'm thinking about a recent car commercial now....

Here's the Scoop: A New Sketch!

2011-07-17T13:41:00.000-06:00

I've got another card I squeaked in this weekend! I made this on Saturday and have let the blogger elves post it for me today, because I'm most likely watching the Women's World Cup Soccer match from our DVR!

I wanted to play in a challenge that didn't have any pressure, hah! I can't believe all the sister's samples for the SFYTT challenge. I'm just inspired beyond anything. The sponsor is My Favorite Things Stamps so I started with my only stamp set from MFT, Here's the Scoop, and colored with Prismacolor markers. I did an MFT trio on this card with the Scoop girl, newer Notched Tag Die and Stamp Set and the Jumbo Scallop Die (Hey, I guess I've got two stamp sets if you include all the cute sentiments and tag texture stamps that come with the notched tag die).

Just head on over to this post to look at the sketch details and list of sister's blogs for some eye candy. Hope your as inspired as I was looking through the SFYTT sisters gallery!

Have a wonderful day!

Details:
Stamps: Here's the Scoop, Notched tag die and stamp set
Paper: Fresh Paint Textured paper (Pinks), Basic Grey Nuetrals (carpet), Provocraft Slab Pack (Green Polka Dot), Neenah Smooth White
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Memento Black, Prismacolor markers
Accessories: MFT notched tag die and jumbo scallop die, SU chocolate chip double-stitched ribbon, Papertrey Ink rick rack die, Sew Easy Tool, DMC embroidery floss (3 strands)

Simply CASE Study ~ Bloom and Grow

2011-07-15T06:27:00.009-06:00

It is the middle of July already and all my summer projects are slowly dwindling down. How are your's coming? There are always house projects to tackle, but I finished a very surprisingly arduous sewing project for a friend. A simple children's dress for a photo shoot. I hopped in her car and hand stitched the lace on to the sleeve's as she was driving over to the photographer's house. The last stitch and knot was done in the driveway! I laugh now, but boy was I worried if I was ever going to get it done. Did I mention that I started it in March?

I have been putting my stamping on the back burner since the beginning of the year, hoping that I could find a way to organize my To Do list to where I would be spending more time in my art studio during the day and not so much during the sleeping hours. I think it's going to be a longer process for me, but I'm enjoying some time to get my other hobbies done, like the sewing project I mentioned earlier.

Well, I just felt like I needed to get a card done, to feel like I still had game. I pulled up a practice piece for mixed media. I'm so inspired by all that is coming in to the card making world that I used when I was naive to the industry. I hope to keep playing and creating some more with traditional art supplies.

To motivate the start to my card I went for a Splitcoast Stampers challenge and found that the Ways to Use It (WT331): Crazy Collage challenge would work with my practice paper's. I added some more stamping to fit the challenge, but was still needing a layout. I used the July CASE Study challenge blog (CSC48) as my inspiration to finish this card. This month's muse is Dawn Woleslagle. What a crisp study piece!

My collage paper is a patterned paper that I stamped the flowers from Bloom and Grow in Baroque Burgundy and then stamped the leaves from the same set in Old Olive. This was after I laid out my mini gathered flowers stencil by Creater's Workshop and spritzed with some diluted Baroque Burgundy inker out of a Mister Spritzer bottle. Once I placed my elements I used two more stamps from my new Stella and Rose Doilies from Gertie "Girly" Stamps. Then to add some mixed media to it I dry brushed antique yellow craft paint on it, sometimes dipping the brush into a lighter yellow paint. So for the challenge I used 1) flower, 2) leaves, 3) medium doily and 4) small doily.

Have a fun and safe weekend.

Details:
Stamps: Verve's Bloom and Grow, MME Stella and Rose Gertie "Girly" Stamps
Paper: I can't tell what the pattern paper is on the mixed media panel, dafodil delight (pleated and sewn sentiment panel), cream cardstock base
Ink: Baroque Burgundy, Old Olive, CTMH Colonial White, Ranger Vintage Photo, Brilliance Black Graphite
Accessories: Sew Easy Tool, Black Button thread, QuicKutz fancy antique key die, gold cord, Hobby Lobby gingham ribbon, Tombo Liquid Glue, Queen and Co. Nightfall rhinestones

Summer/4th of July Blog Hop Winners

2011-07-06T07:58:00.001-06:00

Time to announce the winners from last weekends Summer/4th of July blog hop!
Since I love to tell the winners "YOU WON!", I've included the list Taylor sent out to us hoppers. Congratulations and happy stamping!!!!!!

You have one week to claim your prize...if you haven't contacted Taylor by Friday, July 15th she'll give your prize away to another commenter!

Jan Garber - Stampendous Cling Jumbo flower and handle (will be chosen by Stampendous)

Crystal Irwin - Stampendous Cling Jumbo flower and handle (will be chosen by Stampendous)

LUV2SCRAP - Karber Digital Studios - 2 digis of your choice

Alison Heikkila - Dreamweavers Stencils prize pack

Chris - Ippity Kit, courtesy of Maria Levine (will be chosen by Maria)

Jan-Marie - a muse studio catalog and stamp set of your choice ($12.99 or under), courtesy of Sunghee Chon

Jessica Diedrich - Stampendous Cling Jumbo flower and handle (will be chosen by Stampendous)

Mousekmom - Chi Chi Memories digi stamp set of your choice

Lillian Child - Ellie Loves the Beach stamp from Your Next Stamp

Martha (Sissy) Speed Ramey - Skipping Stones Design stamp set (of their choosing)

Jennifer Ingle - $20 gift certificate to Little Potato House, courtesy of Sunghee Chon

Rachel - Pixie Dust Studio - 2 digis of your choice

Corinne - SU Fast and Fabulous set, courtesy of Cindy Coutts and Christian Paper Crafts

I had so much fun on this hop and was incredibly inspired at each stop along the way. I'm so thankful for your kind and generous comments.

Have a great day!

Summertime Friends Blog Hop

2011-07-02T06:00:00.085-06:00

Hello and happy weekend to all! I’m hopping with a few friends today to celebrate summer and the US holiday, Independence Day. I’m so glad you can join in on the fun and inspiration!

We are starting the hop at Taylor Usry’s blog where all the details about the hop can be found. Even if you see it here in my post, she will be the official list and guidelines keeper.

If you have been hopping from the start, then Mary should have been your last stop before arriving here.

If you feel like a chance at a prize we have just the ticket for you! Go back to the beginning of the blog hop list and comment your way through as your creative mind catalogs all the great projects. You have until Tuesday, July 5th at 6:00 PM EST to comment on as many blogs as you can. Winners will be drawn from random comments on blogs, and announced on Wednesday July 7th (on Taylor's blog.

My project today is inspired from the new mixed media trend and a few outstanding artists like Sherry Cheever who I’ve come across for inspiration in “Chunky Art”. I've made a wooden price tag cut from a 2 x 4 plywood using my miter saw (love it), and some old touch up paint sanded away for the worn look. I combined a couple of flower techniques made from unused coffee filters as the paper. My blossom nestabilities for the shape and some old college watercolors for the color.

It's time to stroll on to Erin's blog for some adorable inspiration!

Master blog list
1. Taylor	16. Wendy P
2. Cyndi	17. Suzi
3. Lynn	18. Kathy
4. Patricia	19. Beth
5. Alison	20. Wendy J
6. Berenice	21. Kerry
7. Erica	22. Louise
8. Mary	23. Liz
9. Janelle	24. Laura
10. Erin	25. Lee
11. Maria	26. Jennifer I
12. Jennifer D	27. Krissy
13. Pam	28. Sunghee
14. Angelique
15. Sandie

Winner’s Prize List (13 prizes)

Stampendous (3 prizes)	1 Cling Jumbo Tulip set 1 Cling Jumbo Tiger Lily set 1 Cling Jumbo Dogwood set each set comes with a Jumbo Perfectly Clear Handle
Chi Chi Memories	1 digi stamp of winner’s choice
Pixie Dust Studio (1 prize)	2 digi stamps of winner’s choice
Dreamweaver's Stencils	1 prize pack to winner
Karber Digital Studio (1 prize)	2 digi images of winner’s choice
Maria Levine	1 Ippity kit
Skipping Stones Design	1 clear set
Cindy Coutts/Christian Paper Crafts	1 Stampin’ Up Fast and Furious set
Sunghee Chon	1 a muse studio catalog + 1 stamp set of choice (Value equal or less than $12.99) for US residents only
Sunghee Chon / Little Potato House	$20 gift certificates to Little Potato House template shop for US or non-US resident.
Karen from Your Next Stamp	Ellie Loves the Beach stamp

Have fun and hope you win something from the prize list!

Tag Trio Details:
Stamps: LOC Acanthus Leaves Clear Art Stamps, Verve Feel the Sun
Paper: DCWV Linen Closet, Stampin' Up Chocolate Chip, watercolor paper
Ink: CTMH Colonial White, Stampin' Up Chalks, Brilliance Graphite Black
Accessories: Nylon Cord, coffee filters, corsage pins and beads, pleated white ribbon, Pebeo Chocolate Pearl Dimensional Paint, half pearls and string pearls

Vacation

2011-07-01T23:17:00.000-06:00

It's been a long time since I've posted a thing, hasn't it. My family and I sneaked away on a vacation a week after I did a whirlwind trip out to my nieces graduation. The month of June was pretty much spent outside of my house.

I'm back and wanted to share a photo or two from my family trip AND to let you know I'll be back Saturday with a project for a Friends blog hop. There are 29 friends hopping and a total of 13 prizes!!!!! Get a cold beverage and hop along with us tomorrow. We're going to have a great time.

Old coop (I guess) left to age quietly

My son giving a calf some sweet treats.

My brother with my daughter heading the cows to graze.

See ya soon!

Happy Father's Day ~ Daddy

2011-06-19T06:10:00.015-06:00

Hello everyone!

I'm popping in with a quick post and happy wishes to all the dad's out there. I hope your day is the best!

I put this card together with scraps and experiment pieces I had saved. If you look hard enough you can find unique things in your scraps, that is if you save scraps like I do.

I played with some stamps a while ago to make the card base look rugged and then left it alone and forgot about it. I updated it with the dressmaker tool used with tracing paper, what's that called? Well I dragged that lightly across my ink pad and ran it a few times on the paper to get a nice stitching hole look. I had a scrap of embossed paper that I dry brushed burnt umber acrylic over to get a good wood grain look. I think that was from a Father's Day card last year! I made a thank you card a couple weeks ago and stamped the filler paper stamp from Verve, yep an extra one was laying on the work table. A distressed tag from my husband birthday card last year. I've been trying to use these chipboard photo corners I had wet embossed with Ranger distress EP and finished with ink distressing for a Viva La Verve sketch in January 2011. The most recent was the experiment making corrugated board from a link I took on an inspiring post and piece by Julee Tilman.

I think this is the quickest card I've put together with embellishments the probably each took me 30 minutes to make.

It would take a long time to figure out all the tools and supplies I used on this so I'll tell you what I stamped on it last week and call it good. {grin}

Verve Blue Skies, Happy Phrases, World's Best

Have an awesome day!

It's Your Birthday!!!!!

2011-06-02T05:01:00.000-06:00

I've pulled together a card for my sweet daughter whom turns 6 today! Just can't say enough goodness about that girl. Love her completely!

I'd be lost without sketches. I had Viva La Verve PDF printout and used the sketch from week 1 by Amber. The pattern paper is from Petal Press called Everyday Glitter, WHICH it is all glitter and nothing but glitter. I scored some green cardstock with a criss-cross pattern and then spritzed it with Marshmallow Tattered Angels spray for glitz and glimmer. The deep layers were just a fun experiment with Mono Liquid Glue and... It sticks faster than I thought it would so the pleated blue cardstock is more accordion-like. LOL

I stamped Chloe from Verve's stamp set Chicks Rule and accessorized with a crown and hair flower in the same set for some princess touches. She got framed from a stamp in Verve's To the Moon set. And then I went to town with the Black Diamond Stickles Glitter Glue, but I'm sure that my daughter is going to love it all.

Have a happy day! Thanks for stopping by my blog

Details:
Stamps: Chicks Rule, To the Moon
Paper: Everyday Glitter (Petal Press), Scraps of green and blue, Neenah White
Ink: Prismacolor Markers, Graphite Black (Brilliance Tsukineko)
Accessories: Martha Stewart Scoring Board, Stickles Black Diamond