Rain Puddles Design

Wow! Did you all have a wonderful couple of weeks? It's been a long time since I've posted so I'm sorry it's been quiet around here. I've was busy with some non-card projects and then I spent two days cooking in the kitchen for our Thanksgiving feast, but then I was able to focus on this project I've had brewing in my head for a while. Here's a peek at a label I've designed for a friend of mine. I'm not finished adding layers and bling yet, but I added enough to show you what it looks like, because I'm so excited about it. I started out looking for a die-cut shape that I liked and even though a circle punch or die would have been the best idea, I just had to make it unique. I found the Papertrey Ink Jar Label die the right size and price to try out my skills. The details on how I cut out the labels after printing them on metallic gold paper are somewhat time consuming, but I came up with a few tricks along the way that might be of som...

It's a valentine card today. It's true, just around the corner it will be the big month of everything sweet and red and romantic. It always sneaks up on me and most particularly when my kids have valentine day at their schools. So yes, I have a valentine card collection starting with this one. LOL This card has a digital stamp from DigiStamp Boutique called Valentine Zoe ... too cute, don't you think so? Joining Valentine Zoe in the Valentine Cutey Characters set are Henry , Marvin and Matilda , which is one of the two Offer of the Month treats at DigiStamp Boutique. Here's the linky if your itching to get them on the spot. I had some fun creating several home made embellishments for this card. I was in the mood to craft and stay in denial about Mount Laundry, Menu Planning and house cleaning for the holidays that were planned. I was in my craft room all day! Well my two sweet children were crafting beside me. They started at 6:30 this morning in fact. L...

Whoo-Hoot! or is it... Hu-it, tohoo! Hoot is coming to spread a bit of joy on my card today. The owl, Hoot, is colored with Prismacolor Markers and handcut with a craft knife. I had quite a few die cuts lying around on my table so I decided to just pull them together for this card. What was lying around? A tag die from Verve , a photo corner from Martha Stewart , jumbo ricrac from My Favorite Things and a circle from Spellbinders . I used Papertrey Ink 's rick rack for accent. In Basic Black ink, I stamped 2003 Stampin Up mini background onto the card base and the 2007 "joy" stamp on Neenah Solar White. The kraft circle needed a little something so I grabbed a sponge and white gesso paint and did some accent sponging around the edge. For some finishing touches I gave the tag some tails with hemp twine and three black rhinestones from American Crafts. Pile It On Challenge - Christmas or Winter with Animals Lil Red Wagon - Use some red Raise The Bar #43...

I splurged last week. I was in the mood for a little me time with some new supplies and Verve's release party was just at the right time. Since I still have little time in the craft room, I had to play clean and simple on my card for the Mojo Monday Sketch 163 , but I used my two newest favorites from Verve. There is a new scallop tag AND matching die. But OH MY WORD, the system is spectacular. You have to go look at the tutorial here , to see just how easy it is to stamp and die cut the tag. I played with the tag stamp and die for a while because I just wanted to have some fun, but then the gold gingham paper in front of me was calling to be made into a tag. I stamped the tag in Graphite Black then a leaf sprig from the Great Friend set in Garden Green and hand cut out the tag. Yep, I am so use to cutting out my stamped images that I didn't even think twice about the tag die sitting next to my Cuttlebug. *sigh* I used my new Friendly Phrases set for the sentiment, stampi...

And just so I'm not leaving anyone hanging with the second belated birthday card for my other sister... I've used this technique from Susan Liles a couple of times and I giggle everytime I do it... cutting a sliver from one of the coordinating cardstock makes for a very easy needle and "thread" on a button. Just love how quick and easy it is! Details: Stamps: DigiStamp Boutique Birthday Zoe , Verve Kind Words Paper: Textured brown cardstock and others from scrap bin Ink: LaserJet, SU! Chocolate Chip Writer (stitching), Graphite Black Accessories: Buttons, Papertrey Ink RickRack Border , American Crafts Chocolate buttons

For my MOPS group this past week, we decided to go organized-style. We made a quick kit that can be tucked away somewhere in the car or around the house that will keep us on our toes for the holidays. Even if we have a master calendar and lists started it's always nice to have a place to contain our holiday planning and even to keep christmas cards, thank you cards and postage stamps. I found some 8 x 8 inch clear plastic scrapbooking envelopes, 2 in a package, for $1. My favorite local paper store had chipboard in packages of 25 for under $4 as the stable base for our kit. The rest was all made or grabbed from other websites (appropriate permissions granted). So here is the kit! A large calendar for adding tasks and reminders like, "clean guest sheets ", "thaw turkey", "send xmas cards", "pick up table linens from dry cleaner" (yeah, I don't have to do that either. LOL) What's that peeking out the back? LISTS! from the Or...