Trees for Two

Yikes!  What a challenge Darnell's Twofer Card Challenge is!  I really have to get my brain in gear to make two different cards for two different occasions using the same stamp!

But I think this month, I actually got it!  Using a tree stamp in two different ways!

For my first card, I used the lovely willow tree as a tree.  Stamping the tree and die cutting it, adding the little swing and birdhouse.  

I got this stamp set from a flash sale from PTI.  It's called Backyard Branches and PTI sold it from Facebook a few weeks ago - I got an e-mail about the sale and was lucky enough to order two of the four sets available before they were gone!  They are small stamp sets with the dies included for $15.00 each.   

I think they may offer the four sets again - but it's not in the web store now.  

Anyway -  I made this a Birthday card and stamping Happy Birthday inside.

For my Sympathy card, I took the willow tree leaf stamp (it's separate from the trunk stamp), turned it upside down, inked the bottom half of it with Simply Chartreuse and the top half with Plum Pudding - thinking it would look rather like a lavender plant.   I die cut the square frame out of a panel of Plum Pudding and layered the stamped panel behind the opening using foam tape so it sits  back from the frame.  I stamped the sentiment from Words of Comfort from PTI and added 3 Tiny Twinkles and layered it all over a white card base.

So there you go -  my Twofer!  And please excuse me while I go take a nap to rest my brain!!

Twofer Card Challenge 

Blue Skies card:
Stamps:  Backyard Branches - PTI, Sentiment - Inkadinkadoo
Paper:  White, Textstyle Bitty Dot Basics - PTI
Ink:  Hero Hues Black, Blueberry Sky, Simply Chartreuse Cocoa Bean - PTI
Accessories:  Backyard Branches Dies, Noted: Scalloped A2 dies - PTI, foam dots, Tiny Twinkles - Taylored Expressions.

So Sorry card:
Stamps:  Backyard Branches, Words of Comfort - PTI
Paper:  White, Plum Pudding - PTI
Ink:  Hero Hues Black, Simply Chartreuse, Plum Pudding - PTI
Accessories:  Square Peek a Boo Die - MFT, foam tape, Tiny Twinkles - Taylored Expressions.

You're an Angel

I've got another Christmas card under my belt and into my card box all ready for December!

I gold embossed this beautiful angel stamp from Inkadinkado, stamped the sentiment from the Silent Night set from PTI and added gold tape to the top and bottom of the panel.

I linking my card to Merry Monday Challenge - use an angel or a cherub

 I'm SO glad it's Friday!

For those of you into mixed media -  I want to remind you about a couple of fun challenges in case you find you  have some crafty time this weekend!

Mixed Media Card Challenge - Flowers

A Vintage Journey "Through the Looking Glass" challenge

Stamps:  Holiday Silhouettes - Inkadinkado, Silent Night - Papertrey Ink
Paper:  Vintage Cream - PTI
Ink:  Versamark, Archival Jet Black
Accessories:  gold embossing powder, heat tool, gold tape - Luxe Letterpress Kit.

A Frosty Thank You and Thanksgiving Place Cards

Isn't this a cute snowman Thank You?!   I made him for two challenges this week -  Lee Anne was the Featured Stamper over on Split Coast and I CASED her cute Snow Woman card

For mine - I stamped the front and back of a 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" piece of white card stock with the Vintage Christmas Backgrounder stamp by Waltzingmouse. Then I die cut through both layers of card . I scored the back piece across at the neck and adhered the head pieces together down to the neck with score tape - then the back bends at the score and the snowman stands up. I did cut a piece off the bottom to make it flat as well.

Then I just tied a wrinkled seam tape 'scarf' around his neck, added a rhinestone 'coal' eye and stamped the Thank You from Vintage Garden Seed Packet by Waltzingmouse - love the font on this sentiment!

I thought this would make a great thank you card for those holiday gifts received.

I'm also entering this into this weeks dynamic duos challenge:

I wish everyone celebrating in the US this Thursday a blessed Thanksgiving Day!    

As a final shot - thought I'd share some simple Name Place Cards I made a friend for her Thanksgiving table.  She's having 18 people (!) so I made 6 each of 3 designs for her.  She will write in the names in the blank space. I started with a 4" x 4" piece of card stock folded in half. I drew the framing with a fine tip pen.  The images are stamped on linen vellum and colored with Copics, layered to a larger colored circle and adhered to the cards with foam tape.

I think these will make for a very festive table don't you?!

Frosty Thank You: 

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Vintage Christmas Backgrounder, thank you from Vintage Seed Packet

Paper: white - PTI

Ink: Memento Teal Zeal, Versafine Onyx Black

Accessories: wrinkled seam tape - Prairie Bird Boutique Etsy Shop, Rhinestone - Kaiser Craft, Snowman Die - Winter Wonder Tim Holtz/Alterations 

Name Place Cards:

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse - Salt box house from Blessed by You, Maple leaf, Happy Harvest and Happy Thanksgiving from Peace and Plenty,  Inkadinkado - pilgrim hat,  Lil' Inker Designs - Thankful for you from Thanksgiving Wishes set.

Paper:  Linen Vellum (images stamped on this), rustic white, royal velvet, canyon clay, dark chocolate - PTI

Ink:  Memento Rich Cocoa, Archival Coffee.

Accessories:  Copics - N2, YR07, YR23, C6, fine tip brown pen - Creative Memories, foam tape, 1 1/2 " circle punch - EK Success, 1 3/4" round punch - SU.

A Thanksgiving Ship and a Strawberry B'day

I promised to share with you the projects I taught at my class at the Paper Tree this weekend. We made this great Mayflower ship and two clean and simple Thanksgiving cards. The sail is made using the Labels Eight Nestabilities. I inked all over them with a Chai ink cube. The paper for the ships is woodgrain by Amuse.

The template for this super ship was made by Qbee and can be found on Split Coast here. It's the perfect size to place at each guests seat at your Thanksgiving table filled with nuts or candys. Last year I made some and stamped everyone's name on the sail as place markers.

The cards are each 4x4 size with score lines at top and bottom. The cute turkey wagon stamp is by Amuse. (may be retired). The sentiment is Just Rite Stamps - Brayton Font 50 pt

This fun pilgrim hat is by Inkadinkado (may be retired) and the sentiment is by Hero Arts. I colored both images with Copics.

On this Mayflower the stamps are Stampin up - Hello from All Occasions Sayings and Happy Thanksgiving from All Year Cheer III (I think both sets are retired)

I love how cute these are! And they go together really easily - I'm making them for everyone this year!

Next up is my card for the challenge on Split Coast today.

Dawn (treasureoiler) was the featured stamper . I needed to make a b'day card for my 4 year old God-Daughter, Eden and I knew I'd find a wonderful card to CASE because Dawn uses lots of cute little girl stamps on her cards!

Sure enough I found this adorable card to CASE.

I changed the image, the colors and added a lacey punched edge as well as the number 4.

Eden loves Strawberry Shortcake - so I found an image on line and printed it on card stock. I colored it with Copics and framed it with circle Nestabilities. I added a couple of gemstones for a touch of glitter! I'll be giving her this tomorrow night along with a few gifts - we're getting together for a little tea party!

Thanks so much for coming by!

Stamps: the number 4 - Clear Art Stamps Birthday set
Paper: Pure Poppy, white - PTI, Sage Shadow - SU, DP Cosmo Cricket - Early bird/cherry pie
Ink: Pure Poppy - PTI
Accessories: Strawberry Shortcake image from web, Circle nestability, pinking circle nestability, scalloped circle punch, circle punches, foam dimensionals, saddle stitched ribbon Ocean Tides - PTI, Martha Stewart lacey punch, Copics: BG10, BG11, YGo5, YG09, Yo2, RV1

All You Need in Life

I made this chocolate card for two challenges today. The Split Coast Clean and Simple Challenge to use stitching on your card - and the Doubledog Dare Challenge I do with some Split Coast friends. Anne (Itsapassion) was our hostess this past week and her challenge was 'Good Enough to Eat' where our main image had to be edible and all our colors had to have edible names! (this was harder to do than it sounds!)

I used Chocolate Chip, Vintage Cream and Raspberry Fizz card stock - I was trying to figure out how to have a silver wrapping on the kiss that would have an edible name - and then realized Silver Ice Stickles would work! and the ink I used is Dark Chocolate. We'd love to have you join in the DDC challenges - just add DDC to the keyword when you load your edible card to your Split Coast Gallery. Scroll down to Post #20 in this forum on SCS. You can see all the DDC cards here.

Stamps: Sentiment: Inkadinkado, Kiss: Rubbernecker
Paper: Vintage cream, Raspberry Fizz: PTI, Chocolate Chip: SU
Ink: Dark Chocolate: PTI
Accessories: tissue paper, sewing machine, Silver Ice Stickles, heart punch, foam dimensionals

Three Awards and an Inspiring Fireplace

I am so late in acknowledging these wonderful awards bestowed upon me by some of my blogging friends - there just aren't enough hours in the day!

I received this "I Like Your Style" award from my good friend Anne Harada

This Honest Scrap award was given to me by Krazykropper


the rules for this award are:

1) Acknowledge the person who gave you the award

2) List 10 honest things about yourself

3) Put the Honest logo on your blog

4) select 7 other worthy bloggers to receive the award and list their links.

So I can at least tell you 10 honest things about myself:

1. I'm tall - I was 5'8" in 7th grade and hated it as I was taller then most of the boys at that age. Now that I've finally accepted my height - I'm shrinking - due to #2 below.

2. I'm getting old! I remember when the Miss America's were all WAY older than me - now they are younger than my son!

3. I am totally addicted to stamping - I'd rather stamp than go out to a movie, visit friends, or go for a walk on a sunny day - I'm currently seeking therapy for this addiciton LOL!!!

4. I love my DH and I'm so thankful that I met and married him 12 years ago after being a single mum for 20 years.

5. I'm thankful that God loves me and I find the older I get - the more I seek knowledge of Him and what he wants to teach me - and for that I am very grateful.

6. Contrary to my statement in #3 - I do love to be out in the yard gardening, or on the river kayaking, or in the woods snowshoeing!

7. I am always trying to practice good eating habits (ie dieting!) and sometimes I do better than others.

8. I love cutting flowers from my gardens and having them all over my house. This goes along with #6 above.

9. I love pizza and chips - and hot fudge Sundaes which is in direct contradiction with #7 above.

10. I am so thankful that I have met all of you wonderful blogging friends and I appreciate all I learn from your creative efforts!

I received this fun Lemonade Award from My Muse way back in April (I'm so bad!)

I'm afraid I'm just going to post these here for now - most of my blogging friends have already gotten awards from their other friends! Everyone that comes here to visit me deserves these - so please feel free to take one for yourself!!

And now I'll share a card I made Saturday for the Inspiration challenge on Split Coast. We were getting packed for vacation and I just 'took a peek' at the challenge and of course, got hooked and just had to make a card before leaving (Yes honey - I'm almost done packing - I'll be right there!!!) LOL!!
I used this fireplace view of the Better Homes and Gardens living room that Lori showed us for my inspiration.

I thought the tree Basic Grey Designer paper could represent the tile surround and I used PTI polka dot designer paper for the firebox itself. I stamped the potted flowers by Inkadinkado twice, cut out the blooms on one and layered it over the first stamping with foam dimensionals.

I have two gray kitties and I just love this tiny cat that's part of the new PTI set On My Couch Additions - so I just added that onto the sentiment with a foam dimensional.

Thanks so much for checking in with me today - hope you are inspired to go make a card too!

Stamps: Flower: Inkadinkado, Sentiment: In Bloom: PTI, Cat - On my couch additions: PTI
Paper: White: PTI, DP Bitty Dot basics - PTI, Basic Grey Off Beat
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Smokey Shadow: PTI
Accessories: tags 5 Spellbinders, foam dimensionals, copics: R32, YG63, Y06, RV06, E34

A Clean Dump Truck

Today's CAS (clean and simple) challenge on Split Coast was to choose something from the Robeeze catalogue for inspiration. Here are the boys slippers that caught my eye because I had a similar dump truck stamp! Aren't they cute?!I made two narrow cards (2.5 x 5) to replicate the 'pair' of slippers. I debated using the ribbon on a boys card but figured it was a bright enough orange to be masculine and I thought the black thread through the middle sort of looked like a highway dividing line?!? I sponged the edges of the cards and the image panels with Creamy Caramel ink. The truck is Inkadinkado and the sentiment is from Cornish Heritage Farms (Little Boy/Little Guy). On the inside I stamped this cute sentiment by Inkadinkado. I love these little kid quotes!


Thanks for dropping by today!

Stamps: Truck: Inkadinkado, Sentiment: Cornish Heritage Farms- Little Boy
Paper: Creamy Caramel: SU, white: PTI
Ink: Onyx Black Versafine, Creamy Caramel: SU
Accessories: orange grosgrain ribbon: Michaels, sponge, copics, Prismacolor markers, key tag punch: SU, corner rounder

A Couple of Sweet Valentines!!

Today's Ways to Use it Challenge on Split Coast was to alter patterned paper to make it special. I've been making crafts to sell at my church for Valentine's Day and I needed to create something to decorate some pretty red heart shaped glass bottles I bought on sale last year at Michaels (they were 50 cents each as I recall - great buy - I just had to store them all year and remember that I had them for this year!!)


I chose to stamp on my patterned paper and punch it with a scalloped heart punch and attach it to the pretty bottles.

I tied a narrow grosgrain ribbon around the neck and filled it with candy Conversation Hearts.I love how they came out! A simple adornment but very effective I think!

I just got the stamp and paper in the mail today from Danielle (DPKennedy on SCS) as part of some wonderful blog candy I won on her blog last week - Thanks for getting them to me so quickly Danielle!!

Stamps: Heart: Inkadinkado Gem Stone Hearts, xoxo: PTI Sweet Love
Paper: DP: Sabrina 6x6 paper set Making Memories
Ink: True Black: PTI
Accessories: marvy heart punch, ping grosgrain ribbon: Michaels, Conversation Candy Hearts: Necco

And here is a 2nd Valentine's Day craft I made for our sale - once again using containers I got at Michaels last year on sale (again 50 cents each!) These are red and white heart shaped ceramic dishes.

I didn't decorate the dishes at all - but chose to fill them with red and white basket filler paper and a clear treat bags (from Michaels candy aisle) filled with jellied candy hearts (CVS) and tied with grosgrain ribbons.

I made the cute narrow cards to tuck inside the dish. Each card is 1 1/2" x 8 1/2" Kraft card stock folded in half (pieces left over from the Velentine Origami Boxes I made here.) I stamped on a piece of white card stock 1 1/4" x 4" and adhered it to the folded Kraft piece. The XOXO is a $1 stamp from Michaels - and the hugs and kisses as well as the Happy Valentines Day inside are from the Sweet Love set by Papertrey Ink.

Stamps: XOXO: Michaels $1 stamp Studio G, Hugs & Kisses, Happy Valentine's Day: PTI Sweet Love set

Paper: Kraft, White: PTI

Ink: True Black: PTI, L'amore Red: Palette

Accessories: Ribbon: Michaels, clear treat bags: Michaels, Red & White Heart Shaped ceramic dishes: Michaels, Jellied hearts: CVS

I hope you are inspired by my Valentines Crafts - easy peasy to make if you have the containers or something similar. Thanks so much for coming by today!

All You Need in Life

Here is my project for the Limited Supplies challenge over on Split Coast today where you had to use chocolate some way on your card - the color, or candy stamps, or something chocolate themed. It was so difficult doing this challenge today - I mean how many people really like chocolate - let's be honest...... (HA!) ok - so we all LOVE chocolate..... I decided to decorate a small gable box from Papertrey Ink with chocolate chip card stock, a chocolate and pink designer paper and chocolate ribbon! And isn't this stamp from Inkadinkado just terrific for this theme today?!?!

I added jeweled flowers and punched butterflies. And, of course, I had to ADD chocolate for my box! The Avery labels on the Nuggets were stamped with a label stamp from Papertrey Ink set called Limitless Labels. The set came out last year and it's the first time I've used it! That's one of the reasons I love the Split Coast Challenges - it makes me use my stamps!

I colored in some of the flowers on the labels with my Prismacolor marker to coordinate with the designer paper I used. There were several more nuggets in the pile as I was making this project - I wonder where they went???!!!?!?!

Hope you have a great weekend everyone! I'm going to the Cinema to see Twilight sometime in the next few days - I was so addicted to the books and I just can't wait to see the movie!! I've already got the sound track and keep playing it over and over (Yikes - am I reverting to being a teenager again??!!)

Thanks so much for coming by!

Stamps: All you need: Inkadinkado, Label: Limitless Labels: PTI
Paper: Choc Chip, Naturals Ivory, DP: SU
Ink: Dark Chocolate: PTI
Accessories: butterfly punch: Martha Stewart, Ribbon: Dark Chocolate Satin: PTI, jeweled flowers: Petaloo, Hershey Nuggets, Avery Labels 8460, foam dimensionals

Is Frosting in the 5 Food Groups? and a Travel Napkin

My first card today is for the weekly Double Dare Challenge I do with some SCS friends. Joan Ervin was our hostess this week and she challenged us to make a card with plenty of sugar and calories - something good to eat!

I thought this fun sentiment stamp by Inkadinkado (don't try the cupcake - go for the frosting, happy birthday. Liam Holland Age 8) and yummy little cupcake by Lockhart Stamps would fit the bill!

Remember when you just lapped the frosting off cupcakes and then didn't eat the cake?!?!?! Or was I the only one that did that?!?!?

You can check out all the high calorie cards here!!

Stamps: sentiment: Inkadinkado, Cupcake: Lockhart Stamps
Paper: white, PTI, Ballet Blue, Real Red: SU, DP: basic grey Cupcake
Ink: onyx black versafine
Accessories: SU markers, coffee ice stickles, hole punch, nestability circles, foam dimensionals

My second card was for Today's Try a new Technique challenge on Split Coast that was to use a decorative paper napkin on your card.

These are the Lynn's instructions: Supplies:
Decorative Napkin
Freezer Paper (the white stuff with a waxy coating on the backside)
Iron
A piece of scratch or copy paper
Other cardstock and supplies you would like to complete your project.

First start by unfolding your napkin and if it is a multi-ply napkin, carefully pull the layers apart so that you only have the top decorative layer for your project. Cut a piece of freezer paper a little larger than your napkin (about 1/2 to 3/4") Heat your iron while you first lay your freezer paper, shiny side up, on your ironing board.

Next, lay your decorative napkin (pretty side up) onto your freezer paper, then lay your copy paper on top of your napkin.

Heat with your iron (set on medium - no steam) for about 15 to 30 seconds, moving your iron over the copy paper, applying gentle pressure until your napkin is adhered to your freezer paper.

Now just apply your pretty napkin to your cardstock, (just like you would if you were using patterned paper) and complete your project as desired.

I used this pretty scenic napkin that I got on a summer vacation on Prince Edward Island. I thought it looked so lovely - I didn't add anything accept the sentiment under the image.

I must say that I had some issues with the napkin separating from the freezer paper when I put the double sided adhesive on the paper. So I think I need to play around with the ironing bit a little - maybe I ironed it too long? Most of it stuck together - just a few areas pulled apart and I just put some adhesive between the layers and stuck it back down! I think it's a great new technique for a different kind of card though and worth another shot to get the technique down pat.

That's it from me today - I appreciate your stopping by!

Saturday I'll be participating in the H&M Design Team Blog Hop - all the DT members are making lovely holiday decorations to inspire you - so be sure to come by this Saturday - Nov 1!

Stamps: Sentiment: Simple Little Things: PTI
Paper: Kraft, Ruby Red: SU
Ink: Onyx Black versafine
Accessories: decorative paper napkin, freezer paper, iron, sheet of typing paper
Techniques: paper napkin transfer

A Lumiere Textile Christmas

I learned a new technique over on Split Coast Stampers today - Lynn calls it embossed shimmer! We used Lumiere (I got mine through Stampin Up) with re-inkers on a piece of acetate (like you use for an overhead) and a stipple brush (like you use for stenciling). You can read the instructions here.
I was too anxious with the first try and the lumiere came off on my Cuttlebug folder!! It has to be dry to the touch before you try to emboss the acetate. Trust me on this one!! I only used one color reinker (Ruby Red) with the Lumiere (the instructions say to use 2 or more). I used the Textile Cuttlebug folder for the embossing.

The Merry Christmas image is stamped on shimmery white card stock and layered to black. It's attached to the acetate with foam dimensionals. I attached the embossed panel to a piece of shimmery white with glue dots. I wrapped the ribbon around these 2 panels, tied a knot on the front - then attached the panels to a white Bazzill card.

So now I have my first Christmas card made - only 79 or so to go!

Thanks so much for coming by today - I hope you try this fun technique yourself! You can see other samples in the Split Coast gallery.

Stamps: Inkadinado
Paper: white Bazzill, Shimmery White, Basic Black: SU, Acetate
Ink: ruby red reinker: SU
Accessories: Lumiere: SU, glue dots, sheer black ribbon, Cuttlebug, Textile Folder, stipple brush, foam dimensionals

A Flight of Colored Pencils

I'm late loading tonight - I had my hair cut after work and thought I wouldn't be able to stamp - but instead of going to bed - I found myself in my stamping room making this card! The challenge on Split Coast today was to use colored pencils.I stamped the image with white stazon ink - heat dried it - and then colored over it with my Koh i noor woodless colour pencils. Then I outlined with my gel pen - this is the black magic technique found on Stampowl's blog here. (If I do this again I might not do the outlining with the gel pen).

The designer paper is by Imaginisce and has a pretty glitter on some of the stripes. I used my Fiskars scallop punch for the bottom edge. I cut the ovals with my nestabilities. I couldn't find the right sentiment for this card - so I left it off for now.

Now I'm off to bed for real!

Thanks so much for stopping by!!

Stamps: Inkadinkadoo
Paper: basic black, lavender lace - SU, DP - Imaginise : tied up with strings
Ink: White Stazon
Accessories: slot punch, Koh I Noor woodless colour pencils, white gel pen, Fiskars scallop punch, sheer ribbon, dew drops, oval nestabilities

A Double Dare, Two Dogs, and Trying Copics!

I have 3 cards to share with you today - I was so busy this week doing Sneak Peeks for Artful Inkables that my other cards have been piling up!!

I made this 5" x 5" card for the weekly Double Dare Challenge I do with a group of SCS friends. This week I was the hostess and I sent everyone 2 Magnolia stamped images (an Edwin and a Tilda) and they had to pick one and use it on their card. I chose Edwin the skier for my card.

I colored him with Prismacolor markers and used Copics for his face. I added punched photo corners that I embossed with the Swiss Dots Cuttlebug folder then topped with dew drops. The Let It Snow is a silver sticky strip by Stampendous. I had the acrylic word sticker in my stash and don't remember where it came from (!) - there are 7 or 8 of them with different words or snowflakes - all in white and blue. This is the first time I've used one of them!

You can check out the other challenge cards here and you'll see some of the Tilda's.

Stamps: Magnolia
Paper: White: PTI, Wild wasabi: SU, Plaid DP - DCWV Christmas Stack
Ink: Onyx Black bersafine
Accessories: Prismacolor markers, copics, dew drops, Class a Peel Stickers: Stampendous, photo corner punch: SU, acrylic word sticker, glue dots, cuttlebug, Swiss Dots folder, foam dimensionals

I made this b'day card for my future daughter-in-law, April - who's birthday was 8/10. She was away visiting her mother in NC on her birthday so I will give her this when she gets back.She and my son have 2 bassett hounds and so I'm always looking for anything with basset hounds on it.

This cute puppies image was a RAK from Mrs. Noodles over at SCS (thank you Dina!). The middle puppy is a basset hound. The fun sentiment and puppy stamp are both by Inkadinkado - the paw print with the heart in it is part of a new stamp set called Top Dog by Artful INKables

And these are the real thing - my 'grandchildren' (!) 7 month old Roscoe and 4 year old Daisy - and yes - the 7 month 0ld is already bigger than the 4 year old! (Trouble - right here in River City!)

Stamps: puppies & sentiment: Inkadinkado, paw print: Artful Inkables
Paper: white - Papertrey Ink, choc chip: SU, DP- DCWV The Pet Stack
Ink: Onyx Black Versafine, Espresso - Adirondack
Accessories: Prismacolor markers, brown satin ribbon, foam dimensionals, circle punches.

Here is my card for the Ways to Use It Challenge at Split Coast - to use Copic markers to color an image on a card. I have about a dozen copics but haven't used them much yet not having a lot of colors - I usually use my Prismacolor markers and don't do a lot of shading. So my image today is colored with a combination of both kinds. I was quite surprised and thrilled with how the coloring came out - I have had this Kinkade stamp for ages - but have only previously stamped it monochrome - afraid to attempt coloring it. And for my first try I think it came out well - and will only improve as I practice and get more colors!

Here's a close up of the colored image. For some reason the colors look a little bright here - it's more subdued IRL!

Thanks so much for coming by today! If you leave me a comment I can come by and visit you too!

Stamps: Thomas Kinkade - Cornish Heritage Farms, Healing - Verses Rubber Stamps
Paper: White - PTI, Mellow Moss - SU, DP - Autumn Leaves - Manhatten: Pied a Terre
Ink: Onyx Black versafine
Accessories: ribbon: PTI Spring Moss, foam dimensionals, Copics, Prismacolor markers, decorative edge scissors

Two Opportunities - and Three Projects

Hi Everyone - just wanted to share some fun opportunities that I recently found on line.

First - Kristin at Artful Inkables is looking for Design Team Members - so if you have ever thought you might like to do that - check it out here. I just sent my application in to them so wish me luck!

And Heather, over at H&M Stamps is having a really fun promotion - buy a certain number of her stamp sets between now and September - and have the opportunity to win some fun prizes! Check that whole thing out here. Check out her fun stamp set with a Statue of Liberty - that will be perfect for the upcoming 4th of July holiday as well as her barbecue set!

And now I'll share two projects that I did over the weekend and didn't get a chance to upload until now! I made this fun two pocket bag for the Featured Stamper challenge on SCS this past Sunday. YLM (Cindy) was the chosen stamper this week. I chose this card of hers to case.
My changes were - I used different color designer paper, made a ribbon handle instead of DP, and made a Sunflower instead of the one she had.

I loved the flower on the bag - and I have been wanting to make more of these adorable two pocket bags ever since I made one for the challenge a week or so ago. I learned how to make this wonderful sun flower using graduated sizes of nestabilities when I attended a workshop Lauren Meader ran at The Papertree in Manchester, NH (see info on that here).


The paper is Cosmo Cricket called Be Good: Peppermint Candy. I cut 5 sizes of scalloped circle nestabilities out of More Mustard, sponged the edges with Close to Cocoa, cut slits on the sides of each scallop, and ruffled the 'petals'. Then I layered them using foam dimensionals and attached the leaves by Prima. The bee is from PapertreyInk - Honey Bees set and I highlighted it with yellow stickles.
You can see the tutorial for the two pocket bag here:

Stamps: bee: PapertreyInk Honey Bees
Paper: More Mustard, Bazzill Brown, DP Cosmo Cricket
Ink: Close to cocoa
Accessories: 5 graduating sizes of scalloped circle nestabilities, Prima Artful Leaves, super sticky red tape, yellow stickles, circle punch, Summer Sunrise Twill: PTI, sponge, foam dimensionals, Fiskars Embossing tool, slot punch

My 2nd card is a Snowman Happy Flag Day card. A coworker commissions me to make snowmen cards for every holiday. She sends them to a friend in Florida as a running joke they have. You can see some of the other snowman cards I've made for her here.

This snowman with the cute bird perched on his nose is by Inkadinkado. The card is Night of Navy and the DP's are by GCD - Bedtime stories and All Boy Argyle - I thought they looked kind of 'flagish' on this card! I colored the snowman with Prismacolor markers. Then I stamped the flag hat on a scrap, colored it, cut it out and layered it over the real hat. I popped it up on foam dimensionals.
On the inside I dry embossed a piece of white cs with my square Nestability cut it out and stamped it with this stamp from My Sentiments Exactly and Karen Foster Snap Stamps.
And finally I'm throwing in the snowman card I made for Mother's Day that I forgot to upload when I made it!
This cute little guy is by Hampton Art Stamps and in real life he is holding a little gnome like snowball creature but I have him holding a pretty flower bouquet for Mother's day. The paper is Two Scoops by Basic Grey.

So..... that's it for today! Thanks so much for coming by!

An Altered Journal & Workshops with Lauren

I have had 2 very crafty days! First, last night I altered this little 4 3/4" x 4" note pad. I bought it on sale at a Utrecht Art Store. It just had a plain cover and has lined paper inside. I use books like this to record every card or project I make - listing supplies and how I made it for future reference.

For this one - I cut 4 pieces of Basic Grey Archaic designer paper 3 1/2" x 4 3/4" and attached them to the covers - inside and out. I sponged the edges with Vintage Photo DistressInk. I also cut a piece 1/2" x 3" to slip inside the Pentel RSVP pen so it matches. I stamped the Cornish Heritage Farms background stamp - Lined Paper - with Terre Cotta Adirondack ink and cut a small piece off it. I over stamped the sentiment by Inkadinkado in Ranger Distress Ink Vintage photo - sponged and distressed the edges. I punched a hole in the side and attached a large eyelet using my Cropadile and looped a piece of ribbon through it. I attached it to the cover with foam dimensionals. I punched the Martha Stewart butterfly 3 times - sponged them with the Vintage Photo ink and attached them as shown.


On the inside cover I stamped this fun lined note stamp - Rock & Roll Page by Hampton Arts with Terre Cota Adirondack ink - sponged the edges with Vintage photo, distressed them, and attached it with adhesive tape.

Here is the back view - and you can see all the ribbons I knotted on the binding wires. I cut them about 6" each - double knotted them and then trimmed the edges. I also added a long narrow piece you can see sticking out - I use that for a book mark.
I took my fun book with me to an all day Workshop I attended that was taught by Lauren Meader - I know you probably know Lauren - she has the most wonderful blog and is a past member of the Dirt Pile on SCS. When I saw she was teaching these workshops and it was just 1 hour from my home - I jumped to register! It was held at the Papertree, 865 Second St., Manchester, NH so if you're ever in that area - stop by and say hello to the owner, Michelle, and check out all her wonderful stamping supplies - I brought two bags full of them home with me - but I left some there for you!

Here is a picture of all the things we created today - I took 3 workshops - from 10 am - 5 pm!

I know you can't really see them very well - but from left to right they are: a door knob hanger with a little box attached on the front - that is butterfly DP and punched butterflies on it and the sentiment says Thanks a Million. The Cylinder item has an acetate circle window on it (looks white in pic) and you fill this with candies - it's tied from bottom to top with a brown ribbon. Next is a fun Lollipop holder stamped with the cute dog sherrif from the Cat's Pajamas Set and the row of buildings from the set stamped on the brown part. There are holes punched on the top that you put the lollipops through. Next in purple is a beautiful box made from plain Bazzill paper and a beautiful floral paper that is tied closed with a gorgeous brown satin ribbon. We made 8 lovely monogramed cards using the Just Rite Monogram stamper to put inside. In front of that is a pouch that is sort of like a french frie container with a cute birthday bird stamped on it - that is made from one piece of 12x12 DP! Next is a beautiful flower basket made of layers of Nestability scalloped circles in graduated sizes - how cute is that!! And finally - another box made of 2 sheets of DP - corners tied with ribbons - and inside a stamped note pad and 4 stamped cards. A super, super creative day!!

And, of course, I had to take a picture of myself with the famous Lauren - to prove I really met her! She is just as sweet, lovely and talented as she is on her blog! She is going to be running more classes at this shop and I hope to be able to get to them!

And to top off my crafty day - I made this as a Thank You gift for Lauren. She had said it was her first time teaching at a craft shop (other than doing Stampin Up workshops) so I thought it would be nice for her to have something to remind her of this day.
The little monogram cards are 3"x3" so you can tell how big the canvas 'bag' is - I made this out of Confetti Cream card stock by Stampin Up and a navy blue card stock. The pattern for the bag is from a book called "Paper for All Seasons" by Sandra Lounsbury Foose you can find it on Amazon.com and other places it's about $19.95. The little monogramed notes are made using the Just Rite Monogram stamp, my scalloped circle nestability, DP by Scrapborer SCRB decorative collection, and Bashful Blue cardstock by SU. I tucked 4 inside the bag. The star is another nestability cut and embossed and stamped with a sentiment from My Favorite Things Back to School set. I put a square silver eyelet on the top and threaded a piece of hemp through it to attach it to the bag.

Well, - hope you enjoyed all my crafts today! Thanks so much for stopping by! I'm exhausted!

Todays quote from Poor Richard's Almanack by Ben Franklin: "If Passion drives, let Reason hold the Reins."