Everlasting Ink

Collage Style

2012-01-06T21:47:00.001-06:00

Hi Friends,

I've found myself admiring the doodling and collage style of many of the artists I've been stalking over on Pinterest. So I am testing the waters here... bare with me on this one!!

I'm guest hosting over on Splitcoast this weekend and the website I chose is called "Close 2 My Art". "Michele" the artist of the pieces found on this website, is incredibly talented, with a very playful flare. "Often, if something seems too perfect, I will skew it towards the unrealistic to capture the essence of a whim. Although the pieces I design are practical, my hope is that my art will never become so serious that I betray the uniqueness that inspires me."

I love her work! I chose this fun "Bike Art Print" from her shop as my inspiration.

I started with a card base of Crumb Cake CS and partially covered it with a torn dictionary page from this old dictionary book I got from an antique store - $5.00.

I then stamped the bike (by PSX) onto another sheet from the dictionary, and dry-brush stippled over it with TH Worn Lipstick distress ink. I then outlined the bike in a teal Copic shade. Had to add Flower Soft to the basket! I trimmed it down and then layered that onto dark brown cardstock.

The next part was very simple, I just mounted a sheet of patterned paper from the "Colorful Life" stack by DCWV (perfect for this project) onto dark blue cardstock, layered that onto the card base at an angle, then the bike layer over that. I then added stitch marks all around my layers.

Next I turned to some more Tim Holtz goodies for the fun part... I used an Adirondack Acrylic Paint Dabber in "Snow Cap" to smear some white paint over the layers to make a space for my sentiment. I let it dry then stamped the sentiment from SUs "Happiness is a Journey" set on the white paint. I layered a strip of acetate Film Strip Ribbon by TH over the top of all the pieces, and finished with some hearts that I doodled and cut out from the same DCWV paper. Added a little more distressing to the edges of the card and it was done!

I know it's a little "amature-ish", but I really enjoyed dabbling in the collage realm! Thanks for sticking with me on this one! LOL!

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Birthday Card for Rick and Leslie

2012-01-06T00:53:00.000-06:00

Hi Friends,

I have been painfully neglectful of my blog, of posting anything - anywhere, throughout the holiday season... I'm sorry!!! But I've been having such a wonderful time with family, my husband, dog, home, new stuff, it's just been so nice... the holidays were a real blessing this year. I enjoyed them more than ever -- family came here to visit (shock!), and I took an entire week and half off from work -- never in the history of my working career have I been away from the office that long. It was euphoric!

But alas, reality sets in, and I am returning to the "rut" that I so adore!! I now happily resume my card making and blogging, web shopping and surfing (i.e., Pinterest!), and all the things that I do in my down-time after my "work" life!!

December in our family is a big (and busy!) deal! Not only do we celebrate Christmas and New Years, but it is my husband's closest brother's birthday, our daughter's birthday, and our anniversary during the same week!! So there is much celebrating going on here in the Harada household during the holidays in addition to those Holidays!!

As a result, I have a few cards to share with you! :)

The first is this gift card holder that I gave to my nephews for Christmas. Not really so unique except that I needed them to have 3 pockets since I gave them 3 different Fast-Food gift cards (Chipotle, Whataburger, and Chick Filet).

The holders are basically 3 small envelopes (3-3/4"x2-5/8") encased in a sleeve and secured with brads and twine. Nothing too complicated!

Next is the card I made for my husband's brother, Rick. Which, is still sitting here at my craft table, "returned" by the USP for having the wrong address on it!! EEEEK!! Re-sending tomorrow!! LOL!

The mug and sentiment are "Viva Las Vegas" stamps. The mug is colored with Copics, covered with Glossy Accents, and the "foam" was created with white Liquid Applique.

Finally, I created a Vintage style card for my daughter, Leslie's, birthday (see lead photo).

This one took awhile to complete because I kept looking at it, changing it, adding to it, distressing it, just everything I could think of to make it look "authentic." and shabby! I used Webster's Pages lacy ribbon, Tim Holtz Rosettes die, AC roses, Prima swirly rhinestones and pearls, and "Life Stories" CS.

TIP!! A cool thing that I discovered when making this card was how to make teeny little rosettes! I made the ones on this card by layering three of the small, single-layer Prima flowers from the "Got Flowers" milk bottle jar. I just bent the petals up, and tighter, in the center. The swirly bling Rhinestones on the card are from Prima's "Say it in Crystals" collection.

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Some People

2011-12-16T20:44:00.000-06:00

Hi Friends,

Here's a card for the Inspiration Challenge I'm hosting this weekend over on SCS. The website I chose is called "At West End". Such a cool website, filled with lots of unique goodies, I loved this one!

I selected this "Eva Botanica" center piece as my inspiration. Loved the white daises and dark background. The flowers are made with a the Sizzix "Blossom Party" die from SU! The light green DP (from Websters Pages) is die cut from Nestabilities Labels 8. I stamped my sentiment (Crafty Secrets "A Couple of Cuties") onto white card stock and hand cut it into a flag shape along with the coordinating matting. I added some stems and dots with a brown marker as accents.

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Gigantic Rosette Wreath... Love...

2011-12-05T00:08:00.001-06:00

Wow,

Time sure goes fast around the holidays! There's been so much going on lately and not much time to blog. I can't believe my last post was a month ago!

The good news is, I have gotten a few things done that I want to share!

First, I just finished this big giant fan fold flower, or rosette, or whatever they are called. Most of you know my infatuation with those things (I use TH Paper Rosette dies for the ones I make), so you can imagine how my heart raced when I came across this video via Pinterest "Large Rosette Wreath" by Jennifer McGuire. Oh my word! The video hadn't even finished and I already had my scoreboard out and DP ready to start my own wreath! What fun!! Woo hooo!! This thing is about 12" across and it took about an hour to make from beginning to end. If I had it planned out, it would not have taken as long, so really, they are pretty simple and definitely fun!! It's made with Basic Grey's holiday papers (Figgy Pudding and Blitzen I believe) from the last couple of years and some KandCompany die cuts that I got sometime ago.

For perspective on it's size, here is the same photo but shown how it's hanging on a column in my living room. It's quite sturdy because a circle of chipboard has been adhered to the back per the tutorial. Talk about a great way to use up some of that holiday paper I'm trying to finish up!! Be sure to check out Jennifer's blog to see the tutorial.

And for goodness sakes, aren't you on Pinterest yet??? :)

Then I have all of these next cards that I put together. I'm working on a card workshop that I'm doing next weekend so I'm trying to figure out 3 or 4 relatively simple Christmas cards for the girls to do since they are all novices. These are some of my contenders.

The poinsettia die is Marianne Design Creatables, the medium flower.

This next one is using Penny Black's "Cardinals" image stamped in SU Chocolate Chip, and highlighted with a white gel pen and an Early Espresso SU marker.

This card is more Basic Grey holiday DP, a TH Rosette (yay!) and some little red bells from Hobby Lobby.

The center of the rosette is a chipboard piece from Crate Paper's Winter Day collection and the snowflake border is a MS border punch.

Next up, this very CAS card featuring Sizzix Textured Impressions Folder 4 pack called "Winter Botanicals". The little red bow is a holiday embellishment from Hobby Lobby's tree decorating section. They have tons of mini ornament things so this is one of them from there.

Lastly for today, is this card that I made after virtually attending the "Holiday Card Boot Camp 2011" that I signed up for with Kristina Werner and friends. The class was awesome, but even more so was "meeting" some more very talented crafters like Jennifer McGuire who is mentioned at the very beginning of this post. I learned at least a couple of new techniques (new to me anyways!) and I'm inspired to try Casing several more of the cards they did. It was really awesome!

The focus on this card is the sketch. The two strips of DP going from top to bottom are an example of ways to use up some scraps. The chipboard focal piece is from Crate Papers Snow Day Collection.

And that's it for now! TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Christmas is Coming!

2011-11-07T08:31:00.003-06:00

Hi there!

Here's some more holiday cards I made and a few of those simple and easy Christmas cards I mentioned in my last post. I thought I'd post them all at once in one long display of glitter and holiday frenzy!! The lead card is my favorite of the ones I made I think. The image is Penny Black, stamped in Cherry Cobbler and highlighted with Copics. The little pine embellishment is seam binding ribbon and some mini pine cones I got from Hobby Lobby.

These next two cards are made with Crate Paper's "Snow Day" collection kit from last year that included stickers and coordinating chip board. I'm still trying to use up that pack of goodies -- I've barely made a dent in it. It will probably show up again next year on my blog!

These next two are part of the quick and easy ones I made last weekend. Again, this is me trying to use up supplies from last year. Both of these are made very simply with a dimensional sticker as the focal point.

Have to show you a close up of this sticker because it's just so pretty! Its a shaker globe sticker with really sparkly glitter flakes inside.

Here's a couple of CAS cards from a sketch that I saw on "Paper Truffles" (Julie's) blog a zillion years ago. Sorry, if I had the direct link to her specific card I'd add it but at least I remembered who did it, LOL!

And then there's these two random ones that I started and really had no idea how they were going to end up. (These usually end up in my donations pile!!)

Thanks for taking the time to check out my cards!! I'm really glad you stopped by!

Easy Christmas Card

2011-11-02T09:06:00.000-05:00

Hi All!

I made some really quick, simple cards this weekend that I'll post this week. This one is made with Crumb Cake CS, Hero Arts "Merriest Christmas Wishes" stamp set, and a Prima poinsettia. I snipped the little banner freehand after stamping the sentiment.

A little embellishing with a jewel for the birdie's eye and dashes with a white gel pen. The main image is stamped in Basic Brown and popped up with dimensional tape.

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Retro Style Christmas Cards

2011-10-28T18:48:00.001-05:00

Stamps: Inkadinkadoo Winter Silhouettes, Penny Black Cardinals. DP: Basic Grey Nordic Holiday

Hi Friends,

I made these cards for the IC this weekend. I get to host again so the website I chose was "Blue Carrot Shop". I'm drawn to retro pieces these days so I loved wondering around this website.

I chose this "Ezee-Up ChristmasTree Stand" for my inspiration. The colors are great for Christmas cards, so I made a quick set using some sample papers Fran (Frantic Stamper) sent me and a Christmas stamp set I picked up after the season last year.

Here's close-up photos of each of the cards in the set. The pearl and jewel embellishments (and the crocheted rosette) are from one sheet of Prima "Say it in Crystals" cut up and divided between three of the cards -- they are an amazing value when you can buy one and make it work on 3 cards! One of the cards is using part of a another set of the same type of Primas that I had used on a different project.

Have a great week everyone!

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

2011-10-25T00:30:00.000-05:00

Hi All,

I was making my Thanksgiving cards and had a hankering to use my Copics. It's been awhile since I created something with them. Anyhow, here's the card that I made...pretty intense, huh? I just kept making the colors darker and darker.

Then I made this one, just some simple stamping and bling. I got the idea from a card I saw on Pinterest. (Still not on Pinterest? What's wrong with you LOL!!!)

Although my card looks nothing like the one from Pinterest, it was inspired by the use of the tree. Here's the card, not sure if you can see it if you're not linked in to Pinterest, but just in case to give credit, it's this one!

Have a great week everyone!! TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Two Different Styles of Cards

2011-10-22T09:01:00.001-05:00

Hi Friends!

I've finally stopped to upload some stuff! Here's a couple of the cards I've made recently and they are completely opposite styles!

The lead photo is a paper pieced designed for this week's Inspiration Challenge. I was drawn to the pattern and colors of these stripes so that is what got me going! The flower is a Stephanie Ackerman stamp (her blog is here and you can buy her stamps at Purple Onion) that I paper pieced, then drew a matching birdy to go with it and added it to the top with a mini clip embellishment.

I made this next card when I got my "You Inspire Me" set from Just Rite (inspired by Michele Woerner's work here).

I stamped the frame onto an old dictionary page and trimmed it out. Adhered a TH Rosette that I had made previously that was waiting to be used. I stamped the "Thanks" from the stamp set in the center.

I attached a beaded stem from the Wedding aisle of JoAnns to the card by piercing two holes along the stem and threading short pieces of wire through. I bent the wires on the back of the card like they were brads.

And as you can see, I added some gorgeous lacy trim that I had in my stash that I don't remember where it's from!! The DP is new Basic Grey Picadilly and there's a little more of the old dictionary page used at the bottom.

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

2011-10-07T21:46:00.001-05:00

Hello!

This card is for the IC this weekend 'cause I'm hosting again! I've been looking for a cover for my iPhone lately and came across this website called "Gelaskins" while surfing. Lots of "artistic" work to choose from so it was hard to settle on just one that I liked. I finally went with this print called "Bloom". I liked the color combo and the simple design so I tried to keep with that concept.

My background is glossy paper sponged with distress inks by Tim Holtz. I stamped the bare trees with StazOn ink, sponged a deep pink across the top of the trees and added a few white dots with a white gel pen. The ribbon is some scrap satin ribbon tied with Bowdabra wire and curled a bit. (Side note -- the Bowdabra wire is so much easier to use than standard craft wire, makes it really easy to create a simple bows; sometimes it's the little things that make a difference, right??). The ribbon truly is a dark pink magenta that matches the trees IRL! I added a Websters Pages "Little Whimsies" resin heart embellishment to the middle of the bow after gathering it with the wire.

I hope you'll be inspired by the website! Come join in this weekend!!

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

World Card Making Day 2011 Blog Hop!

2011-10-01T00:37:00.000-05:00

Hi Friends,

Happy World Card Making Day to everyone!! What a fun celebration to participate in! Thanks for stopping by on your WCMD tour!!

The card and puffy heart I made features vellum. The base is a panel of vellum embossed with the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder. I used a Scalloped Heart Nestibility to create a window in a piece of “Prima Romantique” paper and placed the embossed vellum behind it. I layered it onto a light pink cardstock base and added dimensional dots onto the scallops with a Viva Pearl Pen in "Salmon"

Next, all I really had to do was punch out shapes from the vellum and glue them onto the card. I used a Sizzix Sizzlet branch die, a MS fern punch, and a Punch Bunch Medium petals punch (for the large rose). I inked the petal edges of the flower with chalk ink so it would blend softly into the opaque color of the vellum. I grouped additional small Prima flowers with the punched-out vellum shapes and glued them to the main panel.

Next, I created a little "puffy heart" using Vellum.

I started by die cutting two pieces of vellum with a Nestability Scalloped Heart die. Next, I stamped a sentiment (Inkadinkadoo) onto one of the hearts with StazOn Jet Black ink.

Keeping the two pieces together, I pierced holes around the edges and sewed them together using red/white twine. I left about a ½” inch opening. I then cut some cotton balls into tiny pieces and stuffed them inside the heart.

Once it was filled, I closed the opening and glued on a little ribbon holder. I embellished the finished heart with some die cut leaves and Prima “Say it in Crystals” swirls.

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Happy Halloween Bird

2011-09-22T08:56:00.000-05:00

Just a quick post today!

Created this for the Hero Arts challenge this month - Halloween Theme. The "Bird with Long Legs" is Hero Arts colored with Copics.

The hat is a MS punch that I spritzed with water, crunched up, then opened back up. I hit it with my heat gun to dry the wrinkles into place. The background is a spider web from Inkadinkadoo and I doodled the border. Sentiment is SU!

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Inset Frames - One of A Kind (not!)

2011-09-12T09:24:00.001-05:00

Hi Friends!

This weekend flew by, I stamped a little, ran errands, stamped a little more, went out with friends, stamped a little, did housework and laundry, stamped a little more, shopped, stamped a little more, hung out on the internet, stamped a little... whew! Busy!! LOL!

This card started out as a card-front that I didn't know what to do with. I stamped it several weeks ago using the same Markers to Glossy technique that I use a lot (see this link)!

I ended up using 3 of my Rectangle Nesties to cut my image into 4 separate pieces. I separated out the pieces and prepared them for reassembly!

First, I stamped a sentiment from Stamps of Life "You Are Too Kind" set on the center piece and added adhesive foam tape to the back of it. I then added foam tape to the middle frame piece.

Then, I began the reassembly! I laid down a piece of Pacific Point CS first, then the outer frame of my stamped image. Next I adhered the raised frame with the foam tape inside of that piece. I continued with the next two pieces until the image was reassembled. I attached the whole thing to Old Olive card base and added swirly bling rhinestones by Paper Studio.

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Thanks Set - Paper Piecing

2011-09-05T15:59:00.000-05:00

This set is for my sister who asked me to make her some Thank You cards. I really love the stamps I got from Purple Onion Designs designed by Stephanie Ackerman. They are whimsical, easy to color and fun to paper piece, depending on my mood! And they remind me of Judy, my sister who's going to get these!

The stamps I used on these cards are "Hearts on a String", "Faith the Chicken", "Curly Bird" "Heart Flower" and "Pot-a-Flower". (The "Thanks" sentiment is one of 3 freebies that came with my order!) I stamped several different Basic Grey DP scraps with all the images so I would have a big selection to choose from when it came to assembling the cards.

I made this set assembly-line style. I first cut out my 6 main panels in white, doodled all the borders and then mounted them onto black CS. Next I stamped my focal images onto the panels using Versafine Onyx Black ink. Then, I just started cutting out the different matching pieces from the DP that I had stamped earlier and created the pieced images. I popped up some of the pieces with dimensional tape. On the big flowers, I added a K&Company bauble in the center just because they were the same fun, whimsical style as the images. Once the focal image was done, I then selected some coordinating DP to layer under the finished panel, added another layer of black CS and finally, I mounted the whole thing onto a white CS base.

Here's pics of them individually:

The teeny hearts on all the "Thanks" sentiments and the teeny birdies like the one on this card are just some that I drew on DP and cut out and glued to the cards.

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Inspiration Challenge No. 300!

2011-09-02T21:51:00.000-05:00

Wow! What a fun milestone this weekend; SCS is on Number 300 of the Inspiration Challenge. It's been one of my favorite things getting to host on occasion! I love being able to "give back" as a contributor to the website that is my major source of inspiration and creativity!

The website Stephanie chose this week is called "Pomegranite". Lots of fun pieces and inspiration. I went with this napkin ring because of that wonderful weave design behind the dragonfly, just love that texture!

My butterfly charm is by "Heart and Soul" from Michale's and those wire, bling stems are from HL that I got at 50% off last week in the Bridal section. I bought one bunch, and liked it so much went back and got 4 more! What?? It's not like I'm hoarding, really...ahem.

So come join us over on SCS for the 300 Inspiration Challenge!! Upload your card and I'll go by and see you!

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Lots Done This Weekend!

2011-08-21T21:39:00.006-05:00

Hi Friends,

The mojo is up and running at full throttle this weekend! Got a lot of card-making done and played around with lots of ideas I've had in my head. Mostly vintage and retro styles, which I think is where the motivation is coming from. It seems to be quite trendy these days, awash with samples on Pinterest (yay!), so there's lots of inspiration all over the internet.

Here's a quick tour of my weekend accomplishments...

The ornament pictured up top is a case of this week's FS on SCS, Korin (aka Sweetn SassyStamps). I cased her "Poinsettia Nestabilities Ornament" but used a fan fold flower as my white layer and die cut the flower. The poinsettia die cut is from an awesome set by "Marianne Design Creatables" that I picked up this Summer at the rubber stamp show. (Best time to shop for holiday goodies!).

The ornament project got me going on fan fold flowers (again, I know, obsessed), so I followed my mojo and went with it. I used the same basic design, but this time I used my SU! Bird Builder punch and layered the bird onto the base of the flower instead of a poinsettia. A little bling for the birds' eyes and a bit of doodling and these were ready for frames. I adhered them to $1 ornamental frames I picked up at Michaels awhile back. The DP is Graphic 45.

Side view of the frames.

These next two cards are inspired by that retro trend, which I love. I dunno why. I just do, maybe the cheery colors? Any how, here's a couple cards that I made...

This image is Purple Onion Designs (love) which I stamped 3 times on Crate Paper Emma's Shoppe DP. I cut out the flowers, spritzed with water, scrunched up, dried with my heat gun, opened them back up, then layered and tied them together with a button. I added scraps of papers to the bottom and a punched border and coordinating chipboard piece across the top. Doodled everything (ha ha!) and layered it onto a torn-away dictionary page.

This next card is my fav! "Almost last, but not least!" I received some retro chipboard pieces free in the mail last week that I had to play with. They're from "Designs by J. Ellory LTD" called "Nana Loves". Be sure to visit Jennifer's blog -- you'll love her work!! There was about 50 pieces in all, and each of them so so cute, I love them all! They came free with a quarterly craft mag I get that comes from the UK. You'll be able to see the whole set I received and the magazine issue on her blog.

The DP is Emma's Shoppe and another dictionary page. I also used a Maya Road chipboard frame that I painted with TH Crackle Paint in Walnut. No stamping but of course, some doodling!

Finally, the last card is a vintage style card. I just wanted to use this "Daisies" set that I've had forever and never used. It's a set by Sheena Douglas who is really a painter. Her work is amazing and she's now designing stamps so I had to jump on these.

I stamped the Sheena Daisy onto a dictionary page, brushed a very light blue copic over the petals, then added some Craft Lounge Sparkly Fluff in Coffee Bean Brown to the center for texture and a bit of sparkle! I layered it onto a scrap wood grain-patterned paper (unknown source) and tried to create a look of a hanging sign on a fence.

Whew! I told you I got a lot done...and there was actually more but now I'm out of blogging stamina!

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Ice Cream Cone Celebration!

2011-08-19T22:31:00.002-05:00

Hi Friends!

I'm hosting the Inspiration Challenge on SCS this week! Come and join me!! The webstore is Patina , and I chose this "Celebration Platter" as my inspiration piece.

The triple scoop cone was made with a Sizzix die and the colors were intended to mimic the colors of the platter. I used the "Simple Stories: Designer Cardstock Paper Pack - Life Documented" collection. It comes with coordinating letter stickers that I used along with some Paper Studio fibers to create the bunting.

I went to an antique store near my office this week and found some old, and very cheap, vintage books to use in my card making. So on this card, I used a page from one of the books to make the scalloped border and one of the "scoops". I doodled around all the pieces, added some faux stitch markings and sponged the edges with black Chalk ink.

Come join in the Inspiration Challenge this week!!

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

In a World Where Butterflies are Bigger Than Birds!

2011-08-15T00:01:00.002-05:00

Hi All,

This is a birthday gift for my sister Judy! I enjoyed embellishing this thing so much!! And I also liked that it allowed me to use up some of my stash that is overflowing in my craft room!

I found these fun metal birdcages awhile back at Michael's for $1.00! (Kicking myself for not getting all of the ones they had!!) The little doors open, and they are all different.

To start, I went out back and grabbed a branch that had been trimmed away from our tree last Fall, to use inside the cage.

I gathered up my faux flowers that I ~~hoard~~ store when I find them on sale because "I might need them some day". {Oy!!} Also had some charms, little birds and butterflies that were perfect for this project too.

Then, with my trusty, amazing E600 (awesome) glue, I proceeded to transform the little red cage into a gift that is suitable for my sister's birthday gift!!

The following are pics of the progress as the embellishing ensued!

Here I trimmed down my twig for the cage and then glued the bird on to it with E600 (awesome) glue.

I strung a couple of charms onto piece of craft wire and twist-tied it to the inside of the top of the cage.

Some of the flowers I strung through the bars of the cage and some of them I glued on with E600 (awesome) glue.

I also twist-tied these glass flowers that come on wires (that I've had since time began) around the bottom of the cage. Used one of them to help secure the twig to the inside of the cage too.

A look inside the cage after gluing some flowers to the twig, then inserting it inside. I used E600 (awesome) glue around the contact points (where the twig came in contact with the cage) to stabilize the twig.


I left part of my twig sticking outside the cage so I was able to add another bird and more flowers!

These are the butterflies I added to the top. (Pretend you don't notice that they're bigger than the birds!! LOL!)

A look from the top with the doors and top open.

Back side.

Random photo (because it's "my" blog hee hee ) of my little guy, Charlie!

And there you have it! Fun, girly and ready for gift-giving!!

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Fun Flowers

2011-08-13T15:54:00.000-05:00

Hi Friends,

Very fun things came in the mail last week!! I did some shopping on eBay for some new (to me) dies from Sizzix and Cuttlebug and ordered some Purple Onion Designs stamps designed by the most amazing Stephanie Ackerman, my new hero and muse. She's a Christian, a blogger and an extremely gifted artist -- my 3 favorite qualities in a person!! ;) Check out her blog "Homegrown Hospitality" and you'll see why I gush! (By the way, I found her via Pinterest -- you should know by now how much I love that place! PM if you want an invite or more info!! I want that for you!!)

I made these cards this morning for the Inspiration Challenge on Splitcoast. Whoa. It's all about buttons, be still my heart!! The webstore is Blumenthal Lansing. I was inspired by the "Fabric Sensations" section and it caused me to pull out my vast collection of fabric brads!! Yay!!

I started by attaching the sheet of rubber from Stephanie's "Pot a Flower" set to my large Rock-a-Block. I didn't cut the stamps apart yet since I knew I'd be using them for paper piecing today. And because I used the Rock-a-Block, I didn't have to add any cushioning to the rubber! Awesomeness! (I just use my ATG tape for the adhesive for my blocks, I don't buy any special adhesive, FYI.)

I stamped the set onto 3 different Basic Grey DPs.

These are the pieces I cut out.

Next I assembled several of the pieces and adhered them to the background paper (Emma's Shoppe by Crate Paper). I added my Basic Grey Stitched brads to the centers of each flower.

To finish, I sponged Tim Holtz Distress ink in "Tea Dye" and doodled around the edges. I layered the finished pieces onto SU! Early Espresso and then onto a Very Vanilla card base. The final cards are 6-1/4" x 3-1/4".

Here you can see how I used my pen to add the doodling where the stitch marks got cut off while I was cutting out my pieces.

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

A Masculine Not-a-Card!

2011-08-09T08:55:00.005-05:00

Hi Friends,

Here's an easy project I thought I'd share. I had to get something done for my college-bound nephew's birthday by Friday, Aug. 5, so of course on Thursday night (the 4th) I sat down to create something!!

I've made business card holders before out of cassette tape holders, but it's really not a gift for a non-working college student, so I decided to take the same idea and make a little desk-top cork board instead. That way he can use it to pin reminders, small photos, tickets etc. that he wants to keep on top of anything else that might be laying on the desk.

It's super simple, and I missed taking some step photos, but hopefully you can get the gist of how to make it yourself with what I have here. Just email me if you have any questions!!

Also, since I didn't have time to run out to the office supply store to get map pins (which would work better for this project), I used the push pins I have here at home. Oh well, next time...

First thing to do with your empty cassette tape holder is open it up to the inside and snip off the two wheel holder things...they stick up into the holder to hold the cassette tape in place. I used a button shanker tool and they popped off just like button shanks, easy peasy.

There was a little bit of bumpy part left on it but I knew I'd be covering that up so I moved on to the next step.

I cut a cork tile I had (not sure why I had it - ha ha!!) to fit inside the lid -- 4" x 2-1/2".

Next I cut a piece of DP 6"x 4", scored it at 3/4" and 5" so it would wrap around the lid completely.

I folded it over at the 3/4" score and adhered it to the top end and wrapped it around the lid.

Then I just tucked the excess DP into the turned up lip part. (Sorry, no technical terms allowed!!) and adhered that end to the inside.

Next, I adhered the cork board piece to the inside and then stamped a "To Do" sentiment along the rim.

For the other lid, I did basically the same thing. I measured and cut two pieces of DP to cover the inside and outside of the other lid. The inside piece was 4" x 2-1/2" and the outside piece was 4" x 2-3/4".

And that's the basics. I added minimal embellishments to the outside (stickers) since it's for a boy!

The tiny notebook papers inside are just some that I cut into little squares and clipped together with a mini-binder clip. I dropped 3 push pins into a little plastic baggie and tucked them all inside. (The push pins sort of bulge in the closed box, so I would definitely get some map pins for this project!)

Hope you can try this -- it's really easy! So hang onto those old cassette tape boxes!!

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

A Bird in a Cage

2011-08-06T08:29:00.001-05:00

Hi Friends,

The Dirty Dozen gals over on SCS get together (virtually) once a year to host a two-week long event featuring 35 different challenges. 35 Dirty Dozen alumni issue the challenges -- its always fun to see some of the retired DD gals resurface! And it's a blast contemplating all the different challenges and trying to figure out how many you can combine onto one card!! So here's my attempt at a few of the challenges:

This first card is for the following challenges:

DTGD11Understandblue - paint (TH White acrylic dauber paint)
DTGD11Kittie 747 - handmade paper flower (paper-pieced flowers)
DTGD11Cmf1216 - distressing
DTGD11lisahenke - polkadot
DTGD11Knightrone - 3 types of embellishments (buttons, ribbon, pearl pen)
DTGD11va.sunshine - handmade flower

And this 2nd card is for these challenges:

DTGD11Chupa - Sketch
DTGD11juliemlacey - kraft CS
DTGD11Cmf1216 - distressing
DTGD11lisahenke - polkadot
DTGD11Knightrone - 3 types of embellishments (faux jewels, ribbon, chipboard, primas)
DTGD11TexasGrammy - piercing (hard to see in photo, pierced the edge of the dp)
DTGD11Jami - black accents (panel layer, bird and flower are black)

I'm in the middle of one more... stay tuned!

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Kowabunga!

2011-08-05T21:12:00.001-05:00

It's the weekend! Woot!

So, I'm hosting the Inspiration Challenge over on SCS this weekend and found a fabulous website via Pinterest -- and if you haven't started surfing the web via Pinterest you are SO missing out!! Seriously!! Do it NOW!!

Anyhow, the website I chose to go with this week is "Modern Lola".

I chose this very simple inspiration piece as my jumping off point: "Multidot napkins".

I replicated the dots using similar colors punched from cardstock with a 1-1/4" circle punch, adhered them to a square 4-1/4" piece of white cardstock, stamped the sentiment, rounded the corners, then ran it through my BigShot with a textured EF. I stamped my dog image on another piece of white CS, fussy cut him out, then popped him up onto the card. I layered the finished card onto a black panel and rose card base! Done!

The image and sentiment are by Cats Pajamas and I used Copics to color the pup's swim trunks. I painted on "3-D Galaxy Gloss" after I popped it for some extra shine.

Hope you'll come join me this weekend over on SCS! I'd love to see you there!!

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Cards for Friday

2011-07-29T09:23:00.003-05:00

Hi All!

Have some cards that I've made for several challenges this week. I'm really bad at posting as soon as I'm done with the card, so I'm posting these all at once, gotta get them up before I miss the challenges they're intended for!

Challenge card for CCEE Stampers: #1130 Winter or Summer season

Aud Sentiments Challenge Blog: Make Someone Smile

Chi Chi Memories: Summer Time Fun

Little Miss Muffet Challenges: #14 Summer

Shelly's Images: Summer

Stampavie and More - #148 Summer

This card is for BIL. I know, not the most masculine card but it's summer, time for cookouts, and it made me smile and that's what I was going for. The stamped image is by Cats Pajamas (colored w/Copics). Flags are Imaginisque, chipboard are AC Thickers, and DP is Emma's Shoppe by Crate Paper -- had this DP since June and just cracked it open this week! Super cute stuff!! Crumb Cake, Calypso Coral CS and twill ribbon are all SU!

Next a card for an upcoming teen birthday. A little "cutesy" for a teen probably, but I think she'll like it:

Challenge Card for Art Impression Stamps: #26 Inspiration from Nature

Paper Play – In the garden

The flower images that I paper pieced are Recollection from Michaels (the set had no name??), the sentiment is Stamps of Life and the little button accents (flower centers, leaves and worm) are "Dress it Up" buttons from HL. Same DP and CS as the card above!

Lastly, this card is going for a a few more challenges I found -- and then I got distracted and almost didn't post it -- so I finished it up this morning and here 'tis!

Stampin' B's: Use ribbon

Your Next Stamp Challenge: 3 embellishments, 2 patterned papers, 1 image

The Paper Variety: Tic Tac Toe ("card", faux stitching, pink)

The stamped, paper-pieced image is Penny Black "Whispers, the sentiment is Verve, and the DP is Basic Grey Hopscotch. The ribbon was heated slightly to curl and it's accented with a string of faux pearls. I said "faux" in case you might think they're real {kidding :p }.

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Masking on Glossy Paper

2011-07-18T22:26:00.007-05:00

Hi Friends,

Me (left) and Bev Gerard

Went to the local Rubberstamp show this weekend with my stamping buddy Lou (Stamp Cat Creations) and enjoyed shopping with her and being amongst all our other homies! Stampers really truly rock, don't you know?! Shout out to Joan (Stamping with a Passion) and Bev (Savor the Journey)!! Loved visiting with ya ladies!!

This is a pic of me with Bev who was working the Rubbernecker Stamps booth along with Joan. So much fun!! I always wish I had taken more pictures!

At the show, one of my fav vendors, "Local King Rubberstamps" had a booth there this weekend. The designer was demo-ing several different techniques using glossy paper including the technique I learned from them last time I saw them. It's one of my favs and I've blogged about it and used it many times. You can click on this link "Markers to Glossy Technique" (I made up the name, I don't know what it's official name is!!) to see the many times I've used that technique!

I was wowed by the way she was creating a blended, colorful background using regular make-up sponges and water-based inks directly onto glossy paper. She used a mask to create the "sun" and once the mask was lifted, filled in the blank area with yellow. Finally, she overstamped the background with an image using black StazOn. The results are beautiful!

This card is my version, using their "Silence" stamp.

For this next card, I created a mask from Tim Holtz' "Weathered Clock" die and used the TH "Old Car" stamp for the front image. I also used TH Distress Inks; they tend to be a wetter dye and so the colors lend themselves to blending really well. I left the mask image blank and liked the contrast it created with the dark colors. I went ahead and attached the clock hands that the die made with an eyelet to complete the card front.

For this next card, I used SU's "Lattice" die to create a mask and used the "Silence" stamp again as the front image.

A little "oops" required me to hand-draw a third bird flying around on this card!! You'll have to compare the two cards (the pink one and this one) to see if you can figure out which is the "extra" bird LOL!!

And just for fun -- and because I love the technique, I made another card with the markers direct-to-rubber technique that I learned from "Local King Rubberstamps" last year. I included a few quick pics of how it was made.

Used SU markers in Bermuda Bay, Ballet Blue, Pear Pizzaz for the color on the birds.

A photo of the rubber that has been randomly colored with the markers. Part of the technique is to then add a tiny bit of black here and there onto the colors before stamping.

This is the first "layer" of the image stamped onto the glossy paper.

I then colored a Rubbernecker branch stamp called "Floral" in the same way using Always Artichoke and Chocolate Chip and stamped it onto the panel.

Finally, this technique has you using a background stamp over the entire image. Here I used SU's retired French Script with Adirondack "Lake Mist" ink for my "background". It's such a light color that it doesn't interfere with the main image colors.

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Simply You

2011-07-12T20:42:00.000-05:00

Hi All

Loved making this card! I used both the "You" sentiment and the running "that fantastic, incredible..." etc. sentiment from Technique Tuesday's "Simply You" set for this card.

The running sentiment is so thin and etched so finely, that it was easy to "bend" it to follow the curves of the card pieces that I cut out (free hand).

Add caption

The little pennant banner that is stamped across the top is a $1 "Hampton" stamp from Michael's. I added little "bows" made out of brown hemp twine to each end of the banner.

The DP is Basic Grey Hopscotch 6x6 pad. The main panel is mounted onto SU Crumb Cake CS. And since I'm terribly obsessed with KWerner Design-inspired dashes right now, I added dashes around the panel with my white Signo gel pen.

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Stamps of Life

2011-07-10T16:53:00.001-05:00

Hi All,

Last month here in North Texas the Great American Scrapbook Convention came to town. I noticed a new (to me) company called "The Stamps of Life". Lots of fun images caught my eye and as I wandered into the booth, I met the very friendly owner, Stephanie Barnard. Stephanie used to design See D's stamps for the no-longer-in-business "Inique Boutique" line. She is so sweet and was happy to talk to browsers checking out the booth. Since I Iove paper-piecing and coloring, lots of her sets appealed to me!

Two things that made me spend money on her stamps are 1) the value -- so many stamps for a $12.95 a set. 2) They are very very versatile - you can mix them with other sets entirely, they "fit" with other sets (i.e., the petals of the butterfly can be paper pieced into the flower set (that I didn't get yet!). All the pieces are all separate, you can get very creative with the individual images.

I joined her monthly club (details here) and have already received my first monthly set! I haven't played with it yet (except I used the sentiment on the title image of this post), I already know it's going to be a fun one!!

The sets I had in my hand when I walked away were:

Kites2Fly

Background is made with blue Pan Pastels, sentiment is from July's Club Member se.

Kite bows are made dimensional with Viva Glass Effects Gel Pen

Card cased from KWerner Designs

Butterfly2Build

And the sentiments I used are from this set -- which is AWESOME and so versatile!! :

"YouAre2Kind"

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Using Pan Pastels - You'll Love them!

2011-07-01T08:59:00.003-05:00

Hello Friends!

Wishing you a wonderful holiday and may I just say "God Bless America all His children bravely standing to up to fight for our Country". I am more grateful today for our freedom than I ever was before.

And on with the show... :)

I recently purchased a few colors (4) of "Pan-Pastel Artists' Pastels" to play with. They cost about the same as a Copic and come with two different kinds of applicators with each color. I chose colors that would make sunset and sky backgrounds because they seemed to make such beautiful brayer-looking backgrounds.

I watched several You-Tube videos (this is a really good one by the manufacturer, but there are tons of others), I actually emailed the inventors of the product to ask questions that I couldn't find answers to (they were very responsive BTW!), and I searched on-line for pros and cons about using them. Everything I read about the product, and I mean EVERYTHING, was thumbs-up by both professional artists and casual card makers/scrapbookers alike.

Because I'm short on time today, I won't go into too much detail about my card (I will post more cards that I've already made later), but I did want to share this very quick and easy card I made. I used Magenta, Permanent Red, "Diarylikde" Yellow Tint, and Orange. All it took was a few swipes of each color using a soft round sponge (similar to the kind you get in a pressed makeup compact), a little blending, and a quick light spray of hairspray to afix the colors. Insanely EASY to achieve the background, not to mention quick!

The pastels are "almost" creamy, like mineral makeup foundation, they blend beautifully so you can create tons of different colors, they will erase with a white eraser so they are very forgiving, and you can layer color upon color to get as rich and vibrant a color as you need. They are awesome!! They don't "dry" on your paper (like ink) so you can continue to blend, change or add colors as long as you like until you get the background you're going for. When you're done, spray it lightly with a fixative and the colors are now in place and touchable.

After spraying your background with a fixative (hairspray will do), you can stamp right over it like I did here. You can use any techniques with these pastels that you can do with any other chalks or pastels (will post some samples soon).

Check out You-Tube (search Pan-Pastels) and you'll find several videos on using them. If you try Google you'll also get lots of information. Or, you are welcome to leave me questions and I'll share what ever I've learned and try to answer!!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Fathers Day 2011

2011-06-13T00:01:00.007-05:00

Hi Friends,

This is the card I'm making for Father's day. Kinda funny how the simpler the card, the more I stress about it!

I used my favorite DP set (Basic Grey Max and Whiskers) as my color inspiration, and my favorite technique on this card: "Marker to Glossy" (I just this minute named it that, I don't really know what it's really called LOL!). Just color your [mostly] solid image stamp directly with dye markers then stamp the image onto glossy cardstock. The smoothness of the cardstock surface subtly blends your colors so you don't have hard lines. You get a watercolor, kinda shabby look. I did discover while making this card that Tim Holtz Distress inks work really great with this technique! Distress inks are a wetter composition, so the colors blend really well when you smash them down onto the cardstock! Check out this link HERE to see other samples Ive posted using this technique.

I applied TH "Tea Dye" ink to my image (TH Collection Car), then colored in random areas direct-to-stamp with SU! "Not Quite Navy" and "Ruby Red" markers. The last step of this technique is to always add a little "black" ink to your stamp, so I touched over a couple of ares with a black marker and made the tires black as well. The sentiment is Technique Tuesdays "Simply You".

A dressed it up just a bit with paper flags from Imaginesque.

Thanks to the following Blog owners for letting me enter this in their weekly challenges:

Stamp, Scrap & Doodle Saturdays: Father's Day Challenge
Secret Crafter: #138 - A Male Card
Crazy4Challenges: C4C91 - Masculine
Creative Inspirations: #61 - Fathers Day Card
Dream Valley Challenges: #9 - Fathers Day

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

My Vintage Projects

2011-06-11T18:28:00.000-05:00

Hi Again,

One more project for Frantic Stamper is done! I'm using some fun American Crafts Primas, wonderful dimensional ribbon and gorgeous "Spring in Bloom" Donna Salazar DP. Love the paper, it has a soft linen-type texture, so the Primas that came with it matched perfectly.

On the card, I used Technique Tuesday "Simply You" sentiment and Tim Holtz Psychedelic Grunge stamps on the background with various TH distress inks for, uh, distressing (how about that?!) I crumpled up the paper, shred up the edges and attached it to a Kraft card base at an angle. The butterflies actually came attached to ribbon running down the side of the card, as did the tiny white rosettes across the bottom. Additional embellishments include a cream lace trim ribbon across the bottom, TH Mini Fasteners {LOVE}, TH Tiny Attacher staples, and two Maya Road Star Pins.

For the tag, I used all the same materials as the card with the addition of the Maya Road "Blue Ribbon Sentiments" Stamp set for the pennant. Cute cute set, this will get used a lot I can tell!

And there you are my friends! Thank you so much for stopping in to check these out. I hope you enjoy. :)

All products used on these projects can be purchased from FRANTIC STAMPER INC.!! Pop over and see her endless stock of goodies, she always carries all the latest crafting supplies.
TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Beach Theme Projects!

2011-06-07T22:09:00.002-05:00

Hi All,

Just finished up a project for Frantic Stamper and thought I'd post it before the days get away from me! Fran sent me a collection of beach-themed products from her amazing store: "Frantic Stamper Inc." to work with this month! Included were miniature dyed sea shells from Sealife Treasures; "Photo Gems" (so cool!), die cuts and glitter rub-ons from Paper House Productions and fun ribbon netting to go with Cosmo Cricket's "Salt Air" Mini Deck and coordinating Ready Set Chip Board. I had so much fun!

First I made a luggage tag by covering scrap cardboard with the Salt Air DP and cutting out two tag shapes. I used a Nesti die to cut a window out of one and adhered a piece of acetate to the back. I applied red-lined tape to the sides, then added 2 eyelets to the bottom to hold the pieces together. Next I added two more eyelets to the top corners of the front piece only. These top two eyelets do not go all the way through the tag.

By only adding eyelets to the front piece of he top part of the label, I created a gap between both pieces so a label could slide in and out of the tag easily. I then removed the backing from the red-line tape, sealed the sides together, and the tag was ready to embellish. This tag could be used for luggage, a child's lunch box, back pack or even a purse! Simply slip in your information or note and it's ready to go!

Next I made a couple of easy key chains. Both of these are made with Tim Holtz acrylic Fragments that come with a hole perfect for adding on a chain. The little chains are Tim Holtz Swivel Clasps.

This first key chain is simply a single "Photo Gem" sticker that I applied to the round TH Fragment. The stickers are dimensional, epoxy coated photo quality images that are really fun to play with!

For the second key chain, I glued Salt Air DP to the back of the Fragment piece using Crystal Effects. I added a "Beach Comber" glitter rub-on (the starfish image) and then used E-6000 glue to adhere the cute little sea shells. I added some letter stickers and it was done!

Finally, this little altered bucket and matching card.

I used Cosmo Cricket Salt Air DP, coordinating Chip Board pieces and some fun ribbon netting from Fran's store.

The bucket is a 3-for-$1 find from the Dollar Store. It comes painted white so that was a big head-start! To cover the flared shape, I cut a length of DP to fit around the bucket, then cut strips up from the bottom all the way up, to about 1/4" from the top of the DP. I glued the uncut top edge to the top of the bucket just under the top lip of the bucket, then glued each strip down, overlapping as necessary to accommodate the flair.

I used the negative piece of the "window" that I had cut out with a Nestie from the (above) luggage tag project as my bucket handle. (I had to cut a second one for the back side to match!) I glued the top of the labels together using E-6000 glue, then slid it over the handle and decorated each side.

For this side of the bucket, I used another TH Fragment and an awesome, real starfish by Sealife Treasures on the label. The base of the bucket is embellished with more of the fun netting, little seashells, faux gems and chipboard pieces.

This is the reverse side of the bucket -- more seashells, faux gems and chipboard embellishing!

My favorite part was gluing some shells and faux rhinestones to the inside, bottom of the bucket as a little surprise for the recipient!

Everything I used in these projects (except the Dollar Store bucket!) can be found at Fran's store -- The Frantic Stamper Inc.!! You won't believe the stock of goodies she keeps on hand!! Hope you'll visit and take a good look around! (And tell her I sent ya {wink!} )

Have a great day everyone!

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Fan Fold Flowers -- Part Two!

2011-05-19T08:00:00.003-05:00

This is a continuation of yesterday's post! When I was day-dreaming about what to do with my fan fold flowers, "wheels" came to mind and eventually I settled on making a flower cart with them. So here's the results!

I used a lid from one of my 2x2" Dollar Store boxes and covered it with DP, then added some large eyelets to one end so I could slip my "handles" through.

My handles and peg legs for this cart are these "Bonny Party Pics" that I got in the beer and wine section at a grocery store. One of those "I-might-be-able-to-use-these-for-something-some-day" items (I KNOW you know what I'm talking about!! LOL) that I grabbed and stashed away!

I used two of the smoky colored ones for the handles and slipped them through the eyelet holes.

For the cart's peg legs, I covered a 1/2" x 2" piece of chipboard with DP and punched two 1/8" holes where I wanted the legs to stand. I snipped down a pair of the clear pics, squirted glue into the holes and inserted them -- they fit perfectly!

Next I covered a piece of chipboard with coordinating DP that I had cut down to fit inside the 2x2 lid. I glued down the chipboard piece over the pegs and that served to hold down and cover up the sticks, and it filled up a good portion of it!

This photo shows how I then spread a very thick layer of "Yes" paste over the "floor" and up the inner sides of the cart to prep it for the flowers!

Finally the best part! I started with a layer of punched, green leafy branches on the bottom that I just randomly stuck into the glue letting them spill over the sides.

Then I added a mix of flowers that I had from my stash. Totally non-discriminatory; there's paper flowers that I handmade, Primas, glass flowers that I had from years ago, refugee flowers from old arrangements in my house, just about anything that was little and colorful went into the mix!

The stems of the flowers were inserted into the paste to keep them secure inside. Now that the paste is dry, the flowers are all but permanently stuck in there like that!

I was half expecting it all along not to come out so I didn't put a lot of thought into the placement of the flowers.

And this is my little flower cart! This will probably stay with me as inspiration to make more!!

These are the last two samples of the stuff I made with my flowers this past weekend.

This little can -- it came naked from Michaels.

And this box. I'm not sure where this came from, but it used to have something inside it!!

So thanks for joining me in this fan-fold flower oddessy of mine. Although, I know I'm not done. There will be cards... oh so many cards!! I still have a few more flowers to use up!!

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Fan Fold Flowers Gone Wild!

2011-05-18T09:27:00.001-05:00

So maybe I've gone a little overboard with my favorite fan-fold flowers . . . I asked some Facebook friends for ideas for these flowers and got some great suggestions! So I just started crafting to see how many I could make. There's still a few more I want to try and make before I get over my obsession (like the blinged out frame, the hanging banners idea, for example) but, I thought I'd stop and share what I got done this past weekend.

First up, this little party bird. Chick. Whatever he/she is! This was too fun.

The chick eggs were a dollar-store-find around Easter time. I have a few extras... so I can dress them up for any occasion! Wish I had done something in time for Graduation...can't you just see him with his grad cap and scroll? LOL! This was totally fun and as easy as it looks!

Just made a little cone hat for him, glued it on with E-6000 glue and added a flower topper. Next I straightened out a paper clip, glued the flowers on it, then glued the stick to the back of his hand or wing or whatever that is that has 2 fingers!

Here's the back, cute, eh? He made me smile. He still needs to be filled with something fun... more flowers (LOL!!) Anyhow, gotta make more of them! :)

Next I made some bookpage markers and a container for therm.

These were fun to build and decorate. Endless possibilities here -- almost any kind of embellishment can go in the center of them. You could add a magnet to the back of them and they are suddenly paper holders for the fridge!

To make the container for them, I used a 2x2" box from this $1.00 pack of 3 little boxes I found at the dollar store awhile back. (I must go get more!) They made this such a fast and easy project to get done. I could make tons of these sets all day, just please let me quit that day job!!

Next this little altered can -- it's a shower gift for a shower that I am late to!

Actually, I knew I wasn't going to be able to attend (it was out of town) but I did want to send a gift, so I made this and I am going to fill it with small baby things, like a rattle and a rolled-up baby cloth or T's?? Not sure yet. Plus a gift card - yeah, I still need to finish this idea with a gift card holder. I will take the photo and share again when I do get it completed.

And lastly -- for today...

I had the top of the box left over from the bookmark container so I tried to make it into a little basket, but it didn't quite work out, but I thought I'd show it to you anyways.

Hee hee, not sure what I'll end up doing with this. Probably be condemned to my "unfinished" drawer for life!

I have a couple of more projects that I'll be blogging for you tomorrow. My personal favorite is still to come! Here's a sneak peak -- I hope you'll come back to see the rest of what I've been up to!!

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Glass Beads and Flowers

2011-05-13T21:34:00.001-05:00

Stephanie has given me 3 dates this month to host the Inspiration Challenge so I'm so excited to get to share several websites that I have used for my own inspiration. This week's the website is called "Doodletart Glass" (yeah, it's "doodleTART"!) and the artist represented on that website is super talented! I love her glass pieces!

Anyhow, I chose her "Garden by the Sea" piece for this card sample. Such bold colors and wouldn't you know, it gave me another opportunity to use my fan fold flower die again!!

The smaller purple flowers on my card are made with MS punch and the centers are made with a Viva Pearl Pen. The greenery is a combination of another MS fern punch and SU! Large Bird punch. The sentiment is a Michael's Studio G $1 stamp.

Although it's not very visible in the photos, the background is textured with a Cuttlebug folder and the finished size of the card is 3-1/2"x5".

Hope you get a chance to play in the IC with me!! I'll look for you there!! :)

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Spread Your Wings!

2011-05-07T08:54:00.000-05:00

Hi All,

Came across a super cute owl made with the Stampin Up! Owl Punch on Wendy Jansen's blog who cased it from Teneal Williams! So I'm definately not the originator but I am a fan! Punched "anything" is always an easy way to get results!

I didn't find instructions on piecing the owl together so I just sort of copied what I saw. It looked to me like the wings were made from the circle scallop punch so I just trimmed those up and positioned the wings like their pictures and assembled the rest of the owl as the punch was intended.

I had some graduation-cap-shaped brads from last year so I used one of those instead of trying to figure out the cap like the originators did.

This card was really hard to photograph! I guess because of all he white, my little 5-year old 35mm couldn't soak it all in! So I took a closeup of the embossing that is on the base of the card. It's a Cuttlebug folder, just sort of added a little bit of a finishing touch to the whole thing.

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Brown, Blue and Prayers

2011-05-06T21:48:00.007-05:00

Hi Friends,

The weekend is here and it's time to get crafty!! Woo hoooo!! This card is for the Inspiration Challenge this weekend on Splitcoast. I get to host tonight and I've been looking forward to it all week!! The website to check out for inspiration is Henriettas Handbags. I chose this bag for the colors -- love blues and browns together!! Hope you get a chance to play along! Head over to SCS for all the deets!!

The DP is Stampin Up!, the ribbon is May Arts, the roses are "Paper Roses" by Kaiser Craft from Frantic! Awesome awesome awesome flowers, I love them!! They come in gorgeous colors and shades!

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Double Hopping!

2011-04-28T07:57:00.002-05:00

Hello Hoppers!!

The Woodware DT is so excited to show off our new partnership with Stamping Scrapping so we're doing a Double Hop with the both DT!! And to celebrate the double hop, there's double the prizes of course!! How can it get any better?

Join both teams as you hop back and forth viewing their creations that highlight both Woodware USA and StampingScrapping.com stamps. Be sure to leave a comment on all the blogs for the chance to win a prize! Each company will choose a winner from those who leave comments on their respective team members blogs.

For my card today I used

WWUSA set: Invitation Elements

AND

StampingScrapping's Spellbinders Matching Stamps set: Fancy Accents

The hop starts at the StampingScrapping.com team blog at 10pm on Wednesday, April 27th, and it will end on the Woodware USA team blog. You have until 11:59 pm on May 1st to complete the hop. The winner will be announced on our blog on Tuesday! Please be sure to leave your email address, so that we may contact you!

Here is the hop order:

StampingScrapping.com

Alicia Ekermans

Anary Baumgarth

Anne Harada YOU ARE HERE

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

FYI - Earth Day

2011-04-21T00:01:00.002-05:00

Hi All,

The For Your Inspiration Challenge today is in honor of "Earth Day"! Fabulous photo, right? If you would like to join in the challenge for an opportunity to be a Guest Designer and earn the right to post the "Lovely Lotus" badge, please join in and link your creation to the FYI Blog! Any art medium is welcome!

Here's my card, simple but totally inspired by the photo! It's all punching and the sentiment is Woodware USA "Mixed Greetings" set. Easy peasy!!

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Itty Bitty Cupcake

2011-04-18T00:01:00.012-05:00

Hi there!

Here's my card for this week's Woodware Challenge -- Diecuts and Punches! This card uses probably the largest Nestie I have and the smallest punch I have! (Look at the close-up below, you'll see tiny punched flowers under the half-back pearls.)

Mixed Greetings

The tiny cupcake in the middle is an image from the "Mixed Greetings" Woodware set. Just a great set to have, lots of unique and useful sentiments along with coordinating images.

For this card I only used the image on the outside. When it comes time to give it away, I'm sure one of the greetings from the set will go on the inside. The DP is Cosmo Cricket "Togetherness" 6x6 pad.

And don't forget!! Please be sure to pop in at the Woodware USA Blog this week to play along for a chance to win a free WWUSA set! It's almost time for this month's drawing!!

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Girlfriends!

2011-04-11T08:43:00.001-05:00

My Woodware Challenge card for this week is another new set by Jennifer Garant called "Girlfriends Live Well"! I used just the sentiment from the set and lots of shabby embellishments!

The DP is My MInds Eye "Life Stories" collection. I used both the printed flowery side and the reverse side of the printed DP because the back side is a craft paper color. The flowers are Paper Blooms by Kaisercraft and the ribbon is Decorative Trim from Hobby Lobby. The pink stamens are also from HL, just some I picked out from their flower arranging section at the store. Not sure who makes those.

The challenge this week is the popular "Anything Goes" so anything you create this week can be submitted for this challenge! All the deets over on the Woodware USA Blog!! As always, there's a free WWUSA set to be won and a chance to be a Guest Designer along with the rest of the DT! We'd love to have you!!

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

For Your Inspiration! Challenge #3

2011-04-07T08:32:00.005-05:00

Hello Friends!

This photo is the inspiration piece for this week's For Your Inspiration Challenge! I loved the color theme and the seaside inspiration, so this is what I came up with.

The DP is DCWV Green Stack, decorative trim from Hobby Lobby, and a Nestie label stenciled with TPC Studio Aqua ink. The image is Inkadinkadoo stamped in Blue Bayou. Oh...and I had to toss in one of my little Tim Holtz die flowers!!

So what what inspires you in that photo?? Create whatever it inspires you to do and share it with us on the FYI blog!! This challenge is open to all crafters and any medium can be used to express your creativity!

Link up to the blog and win a chance to be a Guest Designer and this blinkie for your own Blog! See who won our last challenge and meet our Guest Designer is for this week!!

I hope you'll join us!

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Funky Chicken!

2011-04-04T01:01:00.004-05:00

Hi Everyone!

My Woodware Challenge card for this week is the new set by Jennifer Garant called "Deuce Roosters"! These guys made me smile, just had to have them!!

The challenge is to make a monochromatic card, so I went with browns and a white neutral, easy peasy! I love browns! I stamped the image with Versafine Onyx Black ink and used almost all my brown Copic colors! The DP I used for layering is from Jennie Bowlin's Brown Transferware Mini papers -- super cute paper; 4x4 versions of her big 12x12 patterns, perfect for square cards!

Hope you'll join in this week's challenge over on the Woodware USA Blog!! As always, there's a free WWUSA set to be won and a chance to be a Guest Designer along with the rest of the DT! We'd love to have you!!

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

She Shells See Sells

2011-04-01T20:48:00.003-05:00

Hello Everyone!

It's the weekend at last and I'm hosting the Inspiration Challenge over on SCS! Yay!! This week the webstore for the challenge is "The Outer Banks Trading Group". I don't know how I stumbled upon this website but I stayed to look around because it brought back memories of one of our best vacation spots ever many years ago!! This is a photo of DH and me on said vacation on the Outer Banks of NC, clearly having a wonderful time, enjoying this fabulous 3-level ocean front home we rented along with family and friends!! Some day we'll go back... until then, it's a great memory and a fun challenge opportunity!

And about that Challenge...I chose this simple photo of a framed sea shell because...yes... it reminded me of the fun TH Flowers I've been obsessed with making this past week!

I made one plain white accordion flower, sponged over the top lightly with Color Box Creamy Brown and Dark Brown ink and added a neutral colored prima and a brad. I ran a square panel through my Big Shot with a bubbly looking Cuttlebug EF, layered onto brown and white CS, and finally adhered my flower to the center of it!

Come on by and join me in this weekend's challenge!! I'd love to see what inspired you from the Outer Banks Trading Group website!!

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

New Tim Holtz Die!

2011-03-30T08:22:00.002-05:00

I love all the new stuff that came in the mail last week from Frantic Stamper!! (My card uses a new Magenta butterfly stamp called "Papillion Post Card".) Lots of new Primas, stamps and paper goodies; but, the best ever -- EVER -- that I've had so much fun with is this new Tim Holtz "Mini Paper Rosettes" Sizzix Sizzlet die! (scroll to the very bottom of the page of THIS LINK to find it and grab one!!!) You can run 2 pieces of DP through your die cutting machine and you get four, cut-scored-ready-to-fold, rosettes in 2 different sizes. I couldn't stop making them this weekend!!

Here's a pic of the strips of scored and scalloped paper that the die cuts for you.

After die cutting your paper, accordion-fold the paper strips along their very-well defined scored lines and glue the ends together. Let them stand while the glue dries.

Next, use both hands to flatten them out so that the bottom (unscalloped) edge gathers in the center.

Hold and add glue to the center area.

Add a matching DP circle to center of the front and the back of the rosette for stability. (BTW, the little center circles are cut at the same time you run your paper through to die cut the rosettes!)

Now you have four rosettes ready to embellish or immediately stick onto your card or 3-D project! Super fast...seriously easy as pie!! Awesome, right?!!

By the way, if you haven't stopped by recently, the Frantic Stamper blog has been reformatted into a fantastic resource for stampers and crafters!! Lots of tips, techniques and product reviews and tutorials!! Check it out and leave Fran some love!!

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Blog Award! Thank You!

2011-03-30T00:01:00.002-05:00

I so appreciate the award Julie and Emily!! How awesome that you thought of me!! I want to get this posted and pass it on, so while I'm checking out my blogging buddies that I want to pass it on to, I thought I'd go ahead and share it with you!!

Thank you so much, I love that you thought of me and stopped by to say so!!

Hugs!

A CAS Card for Today's Challenge

2011-03-28T09:20:00.000-05:00

Hi Everyone,

Today's challenge over on the Woodware USA blog is "CAS". I love CAS cards! A single image and some DP and you're done!! There are some wonderful samples on the blog made by our DT -- you just gotta stop by!!

My image is from WWUSA's "Take it Easy" set. Cute images that can be used for lots of different occassions, not just as Get Well, etc.!

Hope you'll join us in the Challenge this week. Pop over to WWUSA blog for all the deets. Your entry will be eligible for our monthly drawing for a free Woodware USA set and you the opportunity to be chosen as a guest designer for a future challenge!!

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

A Woman's Work

2011-03-27T13:20:00.003-05:00

This weeks Featured Stamper over on SCS is Elaine (aka Quixotic). Wow, can this girl color! I checked out her blog and she has several tutorial on Copic Coloring, really really excellent work. I learned I have a lot to learn with that medium!!

I chose to Case this "Lola Di Vinci" card of hers. I kept the color scheme and layout, but changed out all the materials to what I have on hand. My image is "Wanda" by Loralie Designs. These images are so much fun! They all come with "accessories" to the main image, just like paper dolls! I picked up several from Loralie's collection last year at a trade show. Another Loralie Design I made is posted here if you want to see another example.

I paper pieced her dress, apron, and hair wrap. Then I used all copics to color in the skin, hair and shoes. The DP is Cosmo Cricket "Salt Air" and Me and My Big Ideas "Fashion District". The punch and ribbon are SU! and the sentiment stamp is from Viva Las Vegas Stamps (picked it up last month from that outrageous stamp store!). Finally, her earrings and necklace are Basic Grey Opaline half back pearls.

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Black and White and ?

2011-03-21T13:08:00.000-05:00

Hello All,

Today is a COLOR CHALLENGE over on the Woodware Blog! Come join us for a chance to win a free WWUSA set and/or a Guest DT spot! The rules are found on the WWUSA Blog, where you will also link your fabulous card for commenting and selection by the DT!

The image on my card is from the Lunch in Paris set, another Jennifer Grant set, which I love! Her quirkly art nouveou style makes me happy!!

Please stop by the Woodware USA blog to join in the challenge and see what other images and designs are waiting there for your inspiration!!

Thanks so much for stopping by!!

Oh My That's Sparkly!

2011-03-20T13:09:00.002-05:00

Hi Friends,
Yesterday I stopped by my LSS (since I was in the neighborhood, ahem..) and picked up this crazy sparkly, thick CS! It's almost chipboard, it's so thick, which is awesome because it runs beautifully through my Big Shot. The paper is American Crafts "Glitter Palette". I sliced off a section of several of the colors and die cut some flowers and leaves to play with.

I checked out the Etsy Challenge for this week and this really bright and colorful handbag caught my eye so I chose as my color inspiration.

Then I checked out this week's FS over on Splitcoast to find inspiration for a card to make so I could use these insanely sparkly flowers and came across this "Dogwood Fancy" card by "MBRCuties25" -- who is this weeks FS! It worked great as a jumping off point so here is what I came up with:

The dies I used are Sizzix Paper Sculpting Daisy and the leafy branch is from SU's Bird and Branch punch. The pom pom trim and sentiment are also SU.

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Dedicated to Demetria

2011-03-19T09:09:00.001-05:00

Glossy and Old Olive CS, "Autumn Leaves" Kaleidescope ink pad; Black Momento Ink, SU! Pocket Silhouettes

Hello All,

This card is for the IC over on Splitcoast. The website this week is Kirkland's; I love the artwork there, I've been to the actual store many times!

I was inspired by this painting: "Spiced Canvas Sunset"

It was the perfect background for a card I wanted to make today. My cousin, who I was very close to when I was growing up, has been admitted to a mental hospital suffering from bi-polar disease and is in a severe and dangerous depression. Her doctors are closely monitoring her and changing her meds daily to try to help her. She's an incredibly gifted writer, poet, and humanitarian and my heart is praying for her recovery. I hope you will too! Her name is Demetria, and here is a link to her biography and a peek inside some of her works.

Thank you so much friends!

Hugs,

Inspired by an Amazing Sunset!

2011-03-17T00:01:00.006-05:00

Hello All!

The second ever "For Your Inspiration" challenge is posted over on the FYI Blog -- check out the awesome projects inspired by the photo above!

Here's the card I came up with. I stamped Stampin' Up!s "Dotted Spring" in the background with Versamark and used hologram glitter EP for some sparkle. The Butterflies are from Kitchen Sink's Butterflies set which I stamped using a variety of blues, purples and pinks. I threaded the satin ribbon through holes that I punched with a Fiskars border punch.

Join in the fun and show us your beautiful creation by linking it to the blog!! You can find all the details posted there. Can't wait to see what you come up with!!

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Woodware Challenge -- Spring!

2011-03-14T08:34:00.000-05:00

Hello Everyone!

Here's my card for this week's Woodware USA Challenge - Spring! I used the set "Haute Couture" because the hats, shoes and accessories in this set are all about Spring!

The DP on this card is "Madeline" by Prima and the sentiment is from "StampingScrapping" designed to be compatible with Spellbinders Fancy Tags dies.

Stop by the WWUSA Blog this week, join in the challenge for a chance to win a free WWUSA set and a chance to be a Guest Designer!! All the deets can be found here!!

And some good news! You can receive 15% off all orders from the WWUSA Store by entering code: DISCOUNT during checkout! See the NEW Woodware Spring 2011 Collection and the NEW Jennifer Garant line.

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

IC Challenge and a Quick Tip!!

2011-03-11T21:38:00.003-06:00

Hello Friends!

It has been awhile since I've had a chance to blog!! I went on vacation and then came back with a terrible multi-virus thing that required masses doses of antibiotics and steroids to kill. But, the good news is, it worked! Just in time for the weekend - LOL!!

My card is for the Inspiration Challenge this week that I get to host! I chose the website "Fossil" because my sister just got a job there (after 2 YEARS of job hunting) and it looks like a fabulous place!! I'm so excited for her and excited that it led me to this fun inspiration site!! (Did you know Fossil even sells antique retro items??)

I chose this fun "Sasha Butterfly Clutch" as my inspiration.

My butterflies are made with Prima "Madeline" DP and SU's Butterfly Bigz die. I used SUs Priceless set for the swirls and embossed them with gold EP. The border punch is MS. Addtional stamps used are SU's "Shapes and Shadows" and "Well Scripted".

I also have this quick tip for ya!!

For the butterfly antennae, I used these Blue Moon metal eye pins that are traditionally used for bead work. They are so cool, they already have a tiny loop ("eye") at the ends so all I had to do was twist and adhere to the back of the butterflies! All three packs of them came on one card, and they are 3 different lengths.

I tried to get a close up of the curly antennae but it dosn't show up so well. You might click on the photo for a close-up look.

I haven't tried yet, but I think next I'll try using them as stick pins for embellishments.

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

For Your Inspiration! Challenge #1 !

2011-03-03T00:53:00.003-06:00

The very first "For Your Inspiration" challenge is underway today over on the "For Your Inspiration Blog!" Head over there as fast as you can to join in and see what the DT has come up with! We'd love to have you participate and see your creativity at work!! All the details on what you can win and how to enter are posted there!

This is the gorgeous photograph to inspire you this week! This was the first time I'd had a scenic photograph as inspiration, so this really challenged me -- I love that!!

I started with black CS and smeared some Blush Rose and Ivory Colorbox chalk inks lightly across the bottom of the black panel. I erased some chalked areas with a plastic eraser in rectangular patterns and then dotted them with a white Signo gel pen to simulate a skyline. I then die cut daisy shapes from silver "mirror board" and placed them randomly on the black panel over my skyline. I layered the panel onto Rose Red and Black CS. I created a frame for my picture using some of the scraps of mirror board.

So what do you see in that photo?? Create whatever it inspires you to do and share it with us on the FYI blog!! This challenge is open to all crafters and any medium can be used to create anything at all that the photograph inspires you to create!

I hope you'll join us!

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

For Your Inspiration!

2011-03-01T00:01:00.023-06:00

Hello Friends,

Beginning this Thursday, March 3 and continuing every 1st and 3rd Thursdays of each month, there is an awesome new challenge that you can join in!! It's called "For Your Inspiration" (aka "FYI") challenge! I'm very happy to let you know that I have been invited to join the Design Team by the very sweet and talented coordinator Steph (aka "Where'd All My Money Go") for the next six months!

This challenge will present gorgeous photography to inspire you to create! The "Lovely Lotus" badge (shown here) will be awarded to the winner of each challenge and each participant has a chance to be a Guest Designer for the challenge! I hope you'll join me THURSDAY for the inaugural challenge!! (Specifics about how to participate in the challenge and be eligible to win will be posted on Thursday on the new "For Your Inspiration" blog!! Be sure to check back!)

Here is the list of the FABULOUS DT Stephanie assembled:

Steph (our coordinator) "Where'd All My Money Go"
Brenda "Rose Blossom Legacies"
Corinna "Stampin With a Java Junkie"
Debbie "Live, Life, Loud"
Valerie "Paper & Cookies {creative pursuits of a crafty suburban mom} "
Wanda "Cullen-ary Creations"

I had not "met" most of these ladies in my blogging circles yet, but I have to tell you, I'm now wondering where the heck I've been looking all this time -- these are some truly talented crafters!! I think you'll agree!! Hope you'll get a chance to visit them and leave some congrats love!!

See you Thursday!!

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Anything Goes!

2011-02-28T00:01:00.026-06:00

Stamps: Girlfriends Live Well; Paper: Webster's Pages Lifes Portraits DP collection; Copics, handmade flower

Quickly posting my Woodware Challenge card for this week!! As always, you are invited to join in for a chance to win a free WWUSA stamp set!! Head over to the WWUSA Blog for the deets and to see the awesome inspiration the DT created for you!!

I'm in Las Vegas this week with DH as you read this!! Yahoooo!! We're attending the "2011 ASD Trade Show" with my cousins who own a small boutique in NM (where they sell my cards and crafty items of their own!). This trade show is for retailers and wholesalers to see what's new and place orders for product being showcased in over 40 categories -- cooking, cosmetics, clothes, jewelry, (yes crafts!), toys, home decor, etc. etc.! There are over 3000 exhibitors !! Whew!! It should be fun to see "other" new products just hitting the market. We'll have plenty of time for other touristy stuff to do while we're there too!

BTW, I hear "Viva Las Vegastamps" is where I want to hang out!! See this You Tube tour of the store! Anyone out there in blog land been there?? What did you think?

Thanks for stopping by today! Hope you come back tomorrow for the launch of a NEW challenge and Design Team news!!

Have a blessed day!

Libster Award!

2011-02-25T22:48:00.000-06:00

A very sweet Robin (Inky Fingers) tagged me with this Libster Blog Award today! It's a great feeling to receive such a kind compliment! Thank you from the bottom of my heart Robin!!

And as is the tradition of Blog Awards, I am happy to pass this along to a few of my very favorite bloggers that I like to frequent as often as possible! Your talent brings me such joy and it is my pleasure to share this with you! Please grab the award GFs for your own blog!! Once you have it posted, please pass it along to 3-5 of your favorite Bloggers and continue sharing the love!

Lou (Stamp Cat Creations)
Julie (Julies Stamping Station)
Steph (Where'd All My Money Go?)

Blessings!

Woodware Challenge and My Altered Mailbox!!

2011-02-21T00:01:00.033-06:00

Hello All!

A few weeks ago my good friend Lou (Stampcat Creations) came over for a play day and brought a little mini mailbox (the $1 ones from Target) for each of us to alter as a challenge!!

Egads!! I'm not an "alter-er"!! Seriously, it took my crazy talented friend, Lou, only part of the afternoon and she was finished with BOTH the mailbox and matching card (see her fantastic set here) and it took me days... and I literally mean days... to finally be o.k. with mine.

And it's really still not finished in my eyes!! It needs a stamped sentiment on the flag, doesn't it -- am I right?? I'm sure it does!! But I haven't decided on the occasion for which it will be given away. So until then, it will remain unaddressed. Sigh...I apologize. . .

Meanwhile, these photos show you the different sides of the mailbox as it remains right now along with the matching card that I made (and actually forgot to give away at Valentines -- Bad Anne!!)

BUT WAIT -- THERE'S MORE!!

NEXT UP .... My Woodware Challenge Card for week!! The challenge this week is for a shaped card!! Yep, this is a fun one everyone!! Be sure to head over to the Woodware Challenge Blog and enter your "Shaped Card" for a chance to win a free Woodware USA Set!! I love the new Spring Sets that have been released!! Have you checked them out yet??!!

This card is made with my Cricut and the Owl Set. I used Cindy Lou Cartridge and the WWUSA Owl Greetings Set.

Super easy an so much Fun!!! You can make any shape you'd like!! Hope you'll join us!! Be sure to check out the other DT members blogs for more awesome samples and leave the hard working gals some love!! Thanks so much!!

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

3-Day Weekend Continued!

2011-02-19T11:58:00.003-06:00

Supplie: Sugar Nellie "Choose" stamp, Paper Studio Doilie Ribbon, PTI button, Copics, Signo White Gel Pen

Another card this weekend for these Challenges:

Inspiration Challenge on SCS: WallTats. My Inspiration is this Balloon Hearts Wall Decal.
I colored in the image with Copics using the rose and blue colors from these serving bowls for the Etsy Inspired Challenge this week. And finally the layout is based on the sketch from "Sketch Saturday" found here.

Off to make more cards!!

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

3-Day Weekend with Challenge Cards!!

2011-02-18T18:26:00.002-06:00

Edited on 2/22/11:

This card won me the "Midnight Madness Masterpiece" award! Woo hoo!! Thanks Priscillastyles DT! I will post this badge proudly!!

Oh boy oh boy! Haven't had President's Day off since Grade School!! Random!! But I'll take it! So I'm starting it off with a Challenge card... First thing I did was check out the challenges to be found out there and then designed my card.

I chose these challenges and went from there:

Paper Romance: Button, Ribbon, Lace (Recollections Neutral Doily Ribbon)
Do You Stack Up: Dots (Me&My Big Ideas Fashion District DP, Dots Sizzix EF)
Really Reasonable Ribbon: "Spring" theme (Me&My Big Ideas Fashion District DP and coordinating Icons)
Priscilla Styles: Midnight Madness Sketch
Top Tip Tuesday: Stitching

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Valentines Day

2011-02-14T01:01:00.002-06:00

Happy Valentines Everyone!

This card is for DH today. Had to wait until now to post it, just in case he tried to take a peak! There's no stamping on this card. I used black and white CS, Basic Grey Scarlett Letter DP, Basic Grey Rubons, and a very "old" Sizzix die (a small green one, remember those??!) called Double Heart. The pearly lacy trim is some that I picked up many years ago at an antique store. Not that it's antique really, but I had never seen anything like it before at that time.

The card came together pretty quickly. Hope he likes it!

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Woodware Challenge -- Embossing

2011-02-14T00:01:00.003-06:00

Today's Woodware USA Challenge is to emboss on your card -- either method. I chose heat embossing which will suprise none of my friends that know me well. Heat embossing is my #1 fav technique!

I used the set called "Tulips" from WWUSA. Great set, I used it before on this Valentine Card that I made last month.

I embossed the tulips with white Zing EP, then used a dauber and Colorbox Chalk ink to lightly swirl colors over the image. I wiped it with a tissue after I was done so the white outlined showed up clearly. Then I added Crystal Effects to the blooms and fine light green glitter to the long leaves. The grosgrain ribbon and background DP are SU.

Come join us this week over on the Woodware USA Blog! Create a card using "embossing" (either type) and link it to the Challenge. You will be eligible to win a free WWUSA stampset. If your card uses a WWUSA image, your card entry will get counted twice, and you may be chosen for our upcoming Customer Spotlight !

Be sure to stop in and visit the rest of the Design Team's samples!! They have gorgeous creations to motivate and inspire you!!

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Thinking Happy Thoughts

2011-02-13T00:12:00.001-06:00

Hello Friends!

Here's my Case card for this week's Featured Stamper, Charlene (aka Willlo01). I came across this card in her gallery and loved it!! Even though it dosn't look very much like her awesome card, it is totally inspired by her design!

I used S.E.I.'s Dill Weed DP and mini Prima Roses. The rub-on sentiment from SU! says "Thinking Happy Thoughts" even though it's hard to see it in the photos. I used Tim Holtz' Tiny Attacher to staple the stems and the bottom die cut strip.

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Blog Hop and Fun New Woodware Releases!

2011-02-07T02:01:00.002-06:00

Hi All!

The DT is hopping this week and we would love to have you join us!! There's a free stamp set up for grabs for a lucky reader that makes it all the way through the hop!!

To win, visit each of the blog links below, leave a comment on each, then browse the Woodware USA Store to see the complete collection of just released stamp sets and all of our favorites!! Lastly, when you get to the last stop on the blog hop, the WWUSA Blog, leave a comment there telling us which set is your fav!

The winner will be announced on Friday, Feb. 11, so you have plenty of time to do your hopping!!

Visit each of these talented ladies' blogs:

Alicia

Anne (you are here!)

Dawn

Harriet

Kerry

Nancy

Piali

Suzanne

Then . . .

Woodware USA Store (browse the site to decide which set is your fav)

Woodware USA blog (comment here on which is your fav set)

So onto my card... I used one of the new Jennifer Garant sets this week! I'm really excited about the addition of this artist's designs to the Woodware collection -- I so love "whimsical" art styles! You can see Jennifer's official website here, you may recognize her style -- it's truly delightful and amusing! WWUSA has released 8 of her sets along with 22 additional new sets as part of their NEW "Spring Collection"!

The set I used is the "Girlfriends Live Well" Set. Eeesh!! Love it!! The sentiments in this set include "Girlfriends" and "Bon Vivant" which means "(French) n A person who enjoys luxuries, esp good food and drink". Why yes, indeed!!

I stamped the image onto Websters Pages Garden Gala DP (made for a quick background!) and colored it in with SU! markers in coordinating colors. I added just a tad bit of sparkle to the presents on the front of the bicycle and two tiny grosgrain bows and that was about it for embellishing. Layered it with more Websters Pages DP, black and Marina Mist cardstock and left it at that!

Hope you'll join the hop to check out all the wonderful cards our DT has made using many of he new releases. Be sure you stop by the Woodware USA Blog this week to tell us about your fav set, and by all means, play along in the challenge too: "Ribbons or Bows". Link your card and you'll be eligible at the end of the month for ANOTHER WWUSA stamp set!! Thanks so much for stopping by!! Hop along to Dawn's Blog now to see what fabulous-ness she has for you!!

ALSO!!! To get a 15% DISCOUNT on the purchase of ANY Woodware USA set, enter the word "DISCOUNT" in the Coupon Box during checkout!!

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Uncommon Cat

2011-02-04T17:00:00.002-06:00

Hello Hello!

I'm hosting the Inspiration Challenge on Splitcoast this weekend and here's a sneak peak for you if you want to play along!! The website is "Uncommon Goods". A very fun website to browse through just for laughs if nothing else!! I found these "Post Cardens", Baby Tee Pees and Elephant Poo Paper Roses that made me smile (gotta give 'em credit for the "uncommon" in their title LOL!) but I didn't use them as my inspiration!

I chose this "Pet Card Case" for my inspiration piece. It reminded me of my very favorite Basic Grey "Max and Whiskers" collection that I've devoured and happily use whenever I can.

I created a label using Cuttlebug Embossing Folder Fanciful Labels and daubbed the raised portion with Adirondack Acrylic Paint dabber in Snow Cap white while it was still in the folder. I stamped the sentiment with Blue Bayou ink then went over it with a clear Sakura Glaze Pen to enhance the color and raise the letters a bit.

After layering all my panels, I added a large Daisy Doodles prima flower and coordinating Basic Grey Chipboard pieces.

As an afterthought to finish it off, I gave the cat a little collar charm from my stash -- I think it's from Hobby Lobby. I always have so much fun using this collection!

Hope you get a chance to play along!

Thanks for stopping by today!!!

Splitcoast Tutorial!

2011-02-02T10:50:00.000-06:00

Hi All,

I have a new tutorial being featured on Splitcoast today -- Faux Pressed Flowers! It's a way to get the look of old fashioned, pressed dried flowers on your card. Hope you'll check it out! I've made several cards doing this technique that I haven't posted until now (including the two in the tutorial)...here ya go!

This one uses Cuttlebug's Houndstooth Embossing Folder.

This one uses SU's Square Lattice Embossing Folder.

This one (full card is featured on the SCS tutorial) and the one below use SU's Square Lattice Embossing Folder also.

Several other folders that I know work really well too are the Tiny Bubbles folder, Tiny Mosaic Texture folder, Herringbone folder, Mesh Texture folder. Try it with some of the ones you have at home, and let me know!! I'll come and check it out!!

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

A Bucket of Valentines!

2011-01-31T00:01:00.001-06:00

Quick!! Head over to Woodware USA Blog!! We have some new DT members and some news about incentives to join our Challenges!! Good stuff stampers!! :)

This week's challenge is "Anything BUT a Card". (Egads, always my most challenging challenge!) I can't alter worth a hoot!! My brain just want's to do cards. But, I gave it a whirl!! And it was a blast!! Give it a try all! Post your project, un-card, or anything you created that is not a card over on the Woodware USA Blog ASAP to be included in the January drawing for a FREEEEEE Woodware set!! Yahoo!!

For this challenge I used the heck out of the "Lot's of Hearts" set! This set is amazing, 18 stamps included, easy to color and wonderfully versatile!! Love it!!

I cheated and made cards...six of them, but they're little (3x3) and I put them in a not-card thing. So it's not a card, it's my Valentine bucket. (Anything but a Card -- check.)

I alterered this little bucket that came with a bag of gummy bears in it... I ate the gummy bears a long time ago (hee hee!). But saved the little clear bucket "just in case."

Turns out, my little bucket fit little 3x3 cards and envys perfectly!! (Can you see them inside the bucket??)

I cut out six 3x6 card bases, punched a 3/4" square hole in the front of three of the cards, cut a square scallop using Nesties, then punched a 1" square in those and positioned the (now) scalloped frame over my 3/4" square hole. The insides are a variety of the different stamps from the "Lots of Hearts" set, and all colored using only R22 and E25 Copics.

Wanted to show you how fun the "Love You" image from this set is. I curved the image onto my acrylic block and stamped it onto white CS so it is banner-looking! I colored in just the little heart in the middle of the sentiment.

Next, I punched a large heart in the front of the other three card bases using SU! Large Heart punch. I cut them out just as they were, and adhered them over my heart hole. Fun, right?!! I outlined this card with dashes using a Signo with gel pen.

To decorate the outside of the pail, I randomly stamped a variety of the images from the set onto two 3-1/4" x 2-1/2" white cardstock panels. Each of the panels are different (i.e. random!). I colored in the images with the same R22 and E25 Copics and adhered one to the front and one to the back of my bucket with ATG gun tape.

My embellishes on the bucket include Large scallop border punch by EK Success (around the top brim), Paper Studio crocheted trim, and a few half-back pearls.

For the lid, I used my Nesties to cut a perfectly sized circle of PTI Summer Sunrise CS. I punched SU Early Espresso CS with SU! Large Scallop punch, ran my tape runner around the back side edge of the Espresso scallop and adhered Paper Studio crocheted trim. I layered the trimmed scallop with a white circle scallop (SU!) and a 1" circle of Cameo Coral CS. The sentiment I used in the center is from Woodware's "All Through the Year" set. The lace bow embellishment is Jolee's Boutique Baby Patches.

And finally, I didn't know what to do with the handle, ribbon just didn't look right. So I adhered a die cut scalloped heart and large heart with dimensionals in between and tied them together with Waxy Flax fiber and a Gina K button.

I know this was a long post! Thanks for sticking with me!! Be sure you head to the Woodware USA Blog to join in the challenge and see all the other AMAZING inspiration there!!

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

A Happy Set :)

2011-01-25T21:31:00.000-06:00

Hello All,

This set started out as just one card, but it was so quick and easy to put together, I made it a set. The card base is a pack of stationary that I got at a stationary store that was going out of business. The dark brown CS is pre-scalloped and measures 6-1/2 x 4". For this set, I folded it in half to make smaller 4x3-1/4" size cards.

I used Basic Gray Green at Heart paper pad for the main panel and coordinating Basic Grey Woolies Flowers. I stamped each panel with Rubber Stampede's "Girl Play" silhouette image.

Additional embellishments are SU! Rubons, MS border punches, Webster's Pages trims, Recollections Trims, and Basic Grey paper doilies.

This is being posted over on SCS for today's Technique Lovers Challenge hosted by the lovely, talented and sweetheart friend Joan (aka Stamping with a Passion).

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

So Outrageous!

2011-01-24T01:13:00.000-06:00

Hello Friends!

Hope your weekend was fun and productive!! I had much on my plate, but here it is 1:00 a.m. and I'm happy to say pretty much everything was accomplished!

Since it is "Anything Goes" over on the Woodware USA Blog this week, I created an outrageous Valentine Card!! I used the WWUSA sentiment from the "All Through The Year" set and some awesome new "Swirls" Woodware Peel-Offs that I got in the mail last week to play with (yay!! Peel Offs!).

The heart-shaped part of the card was made with Cricut "Cindy Lou" cartridge and then embellished with many pearls, flowers, the peel offs and a bow. I mounted the embellished, shaped panel onto a Chocolate Chip card base that I embossed using SUs! Framed Tulips EF. The DP on this card and crocheted flowers are also SU!

Hurry over to the Woodware USA Blog and submit your Challenge Card entree to be entered into the drawing at the end of the month for a free stamp set!!

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Red, Pink, White

2011-01-17T00:01:00.002-06:00

Hello Everyone!

I made this card is for the Woodware Challenge this week: Red Pink and White cards are on the roll call for today! Join the challenge for a chance to win a WWUSA stamp set! Head over to the WWUSA Blog for all the details!!

Today I used my WWUSA "Tulips" set, I think these are poppies...?

The flower image was stamped with Versamark onto Crumb Cake CS and heat embossed with Zing White EP. I colored it in using Copics, then added Crystal Laquer to the red blossoms.

I used my Circle and Scalloped Circle Nesties and an oval and oval scallop punch to create the layers. The background paper is Basic Grey, the sentiment is SU! "Well Scripted".

Stop by the WWUSA Blog and check out the rest of the talented team's challenge cards!!

NEWS TO SHARE! Woodware has just released it's Woodware Spring 2011 Collection - 22 new designs! See them at this link: Spring 2011. Also new is the first launch of Jennifer Garant's new line of clear stamps. See the additional 8 new sets now at this link: Jennifer Garant.

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Quilted Card

2011-01-16T12:55:00.005-06:00

Hi All,

Now this was fun!! This week's Featured Stamper over on SCS is Tracy, aka "Whoistracy". I was drawn to all her quilt cards and decided to give it a try. I chose her "Quilted Books" card to case.

I picked up this Sizzix Westminster 1-1/2" Hexagons die at the last scrapbook convention I was at and never really did much with it. Now I know what to do with it! It made doing this card really fast!

I used scraps of DP I had from the Basic Grey "Capella" 6x6 paper pack and stacked them onto the die (it was 6 different designs) all at once and ran them through. I glued them randomly down onto some copy paper, then cut it down to a 4x5-1/4" panel for my card. I added texture to it with an EF (click on the pic for close-up).

I stamped the pitcher from "Studio Sketches" onto vanilla CS and lightly highlighted it with Copics. Distressed the card base and the image with THoltz Vintage Paper ink, then assembled the card using Tracy's sketch.

Super fast with the help of the Sizzix die and Tracy's awesome design! Congrats and thanks to Tracy!!
TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Monochromatic Birthday

2011-01-11T00:01:00.001-06:00

Hi Everyone,

Here's a card I just finished up for a Frantic Stamper post. Sometime this month (I never know when) it will be posted on the Frantic Blog, so meanwhile, I thought I'd share it here before I forget!

I used an Adirondak White Acrylic Paint dauber to achieve a white background on half of the Crumb Cake CS. I heat dried the paint and then stamped the Penny Black image called "Letters and Flowers" over it. Layered it onto Espresso and White CS and tied it off with Silk ribbon. I added a sentiment by Inkadinkadoo, dotted the scalloped oval with a white gel pen, attached it and finally, I just added a couple of stick pins.

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Cards for All Occassions!

2011-01-10T22:13:00.002-06:00

Hi All,

Had one of those itches today that just had to be scratched, and poof! Out came 4 new cards. Actually one I started yesterday for a challenge, then I needed to make a belated birthday card, and so while I was at it, I made a couple more for some other challenges. Why not.. ya? So here's what I got:

For the inaugural Do You Stack Up Challenge - Buttons
and Stamp Fairy - Layers and Buttons

Cosmo Cricut papers, die cuts. SU Crumb Cake CS, "Favorite Peeps by A Muse stamps

For the Crafty Cardmakers - Use red and a die cut (almost the same as above card):

Cosmo Cricut papers, die cuts. SU Crumb Cake CS, "Favorite Peeps by A Muse stamps

My belated Birthday card (are you seeing the sketch pattern here!) for the Paper Sundaes - Circles challenge:

Basic Grey "Max and Whiskers" papers and die cuts, SU Crumb Cake CS, sentiment by Stamp La Jolla

And finally, the card I started this weekend and finished tonight for the Flourishes Colors of Love Challenge. I had to wait for the Crystal Effects to dry before photographing so that's why it took two days.


Variety of pinks, red, white CS, "Large Spring Tea Kettles" by Whipper Snapper, mini red tin roses by Making Memories, Crystal Effects, mini half-back pearls by Recollections

Thanks for checking out my blog today!! I really truly am so glad you stopped by!

Woodware Challenge -- Hearts!

2011-01-10T00:01:00.022-06:00

This week's Woodware USA Challenge is "Hearts". I could have used a heart stamp but I decided to keep playing with my "Jewel Garden" set that I had out, and that I just happen to "love" (!!), so I ended up making this card.

I created a heart mask from copy paper with scissors, free-form. You remember, from grade school, you fold the paper in half, cut out a half heart...

Then you open it up and you have a whole - heart shaped - hole!

Next I taped a 4-1/2" x 3-1/2" piece of white card stock over the hole.

I stippled PTI Berry Sorbet Hybrid Ink around the entire edge of the heart shape. (Could also use a sponge, but I tend to favor a brush.)

Once I was happy with my stippling, I stamped several of the images from the Jewel Garden set over the stippled heart area with black ink, but I didn't completely cover it.

This is what it looked like when I lifted the mask off. Then I proceeded to color in the image with copics. Next I stamped the "With Love" sentiment from the WWUSA Set "Jane's Script" in the center of the heart.

Finally, I used added a little bit of sparkle using my Sakura Quckie Glue pen and Crystal Glitter from Stampendous. (Sorry this photo doesn't capture it so well, but it's sparkly, I promise!)

I matted the finished image onto Black, Pale Plum, and Rich Razzleberry cardstock. I rescued a MS Hearts Border panel that I had discarded and added it to the layering. Finally, I embellished it with some Primas that the sweetheart queen Piali sent me and added some half back pearls in between the hearts around the border

Come join the Challenge!! Create a card using "Hearts" and post it over on the WWUSA Blog for all of us to see!! At the end of the month, all the entries are pooled and someone will win a Woodware USA set. If you use WWUSA stamps in your project, your name will be entered into the drawing twice for your card!

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Inspiration Challenge!

2011-01-07T22:00:00.003-06:00

Hello Friends!

I'm filling in for Stephanie as host of the IC over on SCS. Hope you'll get a chance to play along! The inspiration web store is "Stephen Joseph Gifts". Just browse the store and if an item inspires you, either the design, colors, theme, etc., to make a card, then by all means, give it a go!! It's always fun to see what kind of cards those store items turn into!

I chose this little quilted purse as my inspiration piece. I liked the colors and the basic layout design of the purse so that's how I set out to create my card.

Very simple design; a punched flower border with some rhinestones from HL and my favorite Woodware USA stamp set called "Get Well Soon", stamped onto white CS, colored in with Copics, then fussy cut the image out and adhered it to the green panel. The sentiment was stamped last and it is also a WWUSA stamp from the "Mixed Greetings" set.

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Pressed Hearts

2011-01-07T11:47:00.000-06:00

Hi everyone!

Made this for a couple of challenges over on SCS today: Use Twine; and Use Pink, Purple, and hearts on your card.

I started with a 4-1/4" square mauve CS panel and created a window in it using a square Nesti. Next I punched hearts and leaves from CS scraps and glued them randomly onto my square around the window. I ran the whole thing through my Big Shot using the Square Lattice EF from SU! to press in the hearts and leaves.

To make the black border inside the window, I cut a 3x3" square of black CS, and used the next smaller sized square Nesti to cut out a window in the black square. I Adhered that to the back of frame.

Next I selected my image from Inkadinkadoo's "Animal Hearts" set, stamped it in Versafine Onyx black ink and colored it with Copics. I Layered the colored image onto the back side of my window frame.

Finally, I cut a 4-1/2" square panel and adhered it onto the back to create the bottom layer. I wrapped pink Waxy Flax twine around the bottom and sewed a button onto one of the hearts with more twine.

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Woodware Challenge -- Something New!

2011-01-03T00:01:00.007-06:00

Hello Friends!

I won't keep you long today! The theme for the Woodware USA Challenge this week is "Something New".

Create a card using "something new" (was Santa good to you this year??) and post it over on the WWUSA Blog for all of us to see!! At the end of the month, all the entries are pooled and someone will win a Woodware USA set. If you use WWUSA stamps, your name will be entered into the drawing twice for your card!

I used two of the images from "Jewel Garden" to create the flourish and colored it in with Copics to match my Love Elsie paper. The brown felt ribbon is SU!

The "new" on this card is the sentiment I used; it's from a new set I just received called "Tulips" and the orange border is a new Tim Holtz die -- "Brackets".

This card is also being linked to the following challenges:

Pile it On: Brand Spankin New
Mark's Finest Papers: Something New
Paper Sundaes: Something New
Craft Your Passion: Anything Goes
Creative Inspirations: Something New
Card Makin' Mamas: Anything Goes
Really Reasonable Ribbon: Something New + Ribbon

Have a blessed New Year! I'm so glad you stopped by!

Woodware Challenge - Smile, Anything Goes!

2010-12-27T00:01:00.000-06:00

Are you as happy as I am to not be making Christmas cards anymore!!? Well now I'm working on a few Thank You cards so I made one for this week's Woodware Challenge: Anything Goes! Yay!!

I used the "Mixed Greetings" set from Woodware for my card. The goofy smiley face and the sentiment are both part of the same set. This is definitely a must-have "basics" if you're wondering which Woodware set to start with! I use it all the time, it's unique and fun because of the variety of sentiment styles in it. There are also several images (like the smiley face) to enhance your sentiment included in the set too. Very cool and a great value!

The Woodware Challenge for December is almost over!! Join us over on the Woodware Blog and link your card there. You could win a free Woodware USA set! If you actually use a Woodware stamp on your creation, you'll get a second entry in the drawing! While you're there, check out all the great samples the DT has come up with this week!!

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!