A delightful Monday

Yes it is indeed! Glorious weather really can effect one's mood for the day. Here in Virginia is it sunny and in the 60's. A perfect Spring day. Even better, I can wear flip flops! Yeah! Today was also a creative day because I got a card kit from Kelly's Keep In Touch. She makes these amazing kits with lots of papers, ribbons, buttons, die cuts, stickers, rub-on's,embellies, and blank cards in unique shapes. This kit she made for me has Scribble Scrabble paper which I am now a huge fan of. Such bright and cheery patterns and in the color red! My favorite. :-) Thanks Kelly for hooking me up with this incredible kit! She will make a custom kit for you too. Check it out! Well worth it!

And of course, Monday's always mean there are new challenges so let's get to it!

First is my 2S4Y which is Kazan's #23. I missed Laura's sketch last week and was a little bummed because I have only missed once before while on vacation. I promised myself that I was going to do this week's right away to nip it in the bud so to speak. Everything I used on the card is from the kit I mentioned above except the cream card stock scallop, paint, and ink. I used the box the kit came in to make the circle.

Next is Card Patterns' #7 sketch. I looked at it on Saturday and thought, this is going to take some creativity from me because my traditional style is for paper strips to fit from side to side. After I made the first card, I had an idea that the bracket die cut and the transparency flower would look nice layered. The green and yellow polka dot paper is the cutest! I used the left over red polka dot paper to make the longest element and the rest just came together quickly. These are my favorite type of cards because once you complete them, you have the feeling of accomplishment and relief!

And if you are reading this, thank you! I was wondering if it's difficult to set up an ETSY store? I see people selling their work on ETSY but wondered about the process? My card stash is plentiful. I recently donated 50 of my cards to Pay It Forward to raise money for Autism. Yet, I still have many and yes I keep making them! So, I am curious if it is worth while to set up a store on ETSY and see if anyone is interested in buying my cards. If you have any advice, I would truly appreciate it. Thank you again for coming by and hope you have a wonderful day!

Two for One

I combined two challenges to make this card. I used Card Patterns #7 sketch and Use It's challenge by Heidi Van Laar which was use eyelets, something older than a year, and polka dots.







Supplies:
Melissa Frances patterned floral paper and sticker
Making Memories polka dot
Bazzill sage cardstock
Inkadinkado bird stamp
Stampin Up ink
I Kandee white eyelets
Jo Ann's pink tulle
Decorator's choice flower
Fiskar's threading water border and circle punch


Thank you for stopping by! Happy Thursday!

Yeah it's Thursday!

The week has gone by fast for me. I am not sure when I lost track of time, but thinking it must of started on Tuesday when I became engrossed in a book. This happens to me when I find a great book to read. The book I read was a guide to help parents connect with children that have Aspberger's. It was incredibly insightful and I appreciated the references. I decided to instill a new regime in my reading habits. I am trying to balance out the fiction and non fiction reads by alternating between the two. I love going to the library and finding new books. I feel like a kid in a candy store when I walk out with my stack of books!I get so excited while the clerk is checking me out. It feels like I just got the best deal of my life. It's free after all! Does it get any better than this?
Today is Thursday which means I am going to the library so I want to share a coupled of cards I made quickly.

I used some older papers mixed with a few new in an effort to use what I have. I wanted to make some bright and cheery cards for spring and Pink Pasilee's papers were a perfect choice for this.

The second challenge at Use It was chosen by Danni this week. Her example is gorgeous!

Here is Danni's challenge:

•use spring colors on your card

•use 4 flowers (I hand cut the flower stem out with the flowers and then cut two additional flowers to give dimension to)

•use a tag ( I cut a label from the journal sheet)







Supplies: Pink Paislee Spring Fling, Office Lingo, and Sweet Cakes papers,Stickles,Cosmo cricket rub-on, Ranger Distress Old Photo ink, foam mounting tape

My last card for today is for Kazan's sketch on 2S4Y.

I rotated her sketch 90 degrees to the left.


Supplies: Pink Paislee Sweet Cakes papers and aplha stickers, Martha Stewart yellow ribbon, Kaiser Craft green rhinestones, DMC floss, and orange button from supply

Thank you for visiting! Now it's off to the library for me.

SNR Blog o Log

Hello and so happy you stopped to check out my project for the Scrapbook News and Review Blog o Log I am excited I was able to participate in this event and thank you Anne for making this happen!


The focus is on Spring, which I can't wait to experience. A time of renewal for me. Warmer weather brightens my mood and inspires me to be more active. The project below was inspired by a blue bird that frequented my front porch last Summer. Yes, he made a mess all over but he was a beautiful site. I would watch him from the window and he was extremely regal with his head held high while perched on the rail. He would sit for ten minutes sometimes on "guard". It became a ritual for me to look for him throughout the day. when the cold weather started to set in, he moved on sadly. So I am hoping he will be back this Spring. Kinda an ode to the bluebird I guess.







Bird House
Supplies:
Michael's wood bird house
Me and My Big Ideas 12 x 12 paper
Apple Barrel warm white paint
Pink Paislee red glitter
Tattered Angels khaki glimmer mist
Jo-Ann's pearl strand
Wright's red satin ribbon
Melissa Frances door lock
Silk flower, blue bird, key and paper shreds form craft supply
Coffee and nail file to distress
Tombow adhesive
Paint brush
1. Paint house with paint.
2. Cover house with paper when paint dries.
3. Distress with coffee and nail file. *Paint coffee on for a subtle aged effect.
4. Add glitter to scallop edge, sides, and back of house.
5. After glitter dries, add paper shreds for nest and blue bird in opening.
6. Center and glue door lock above opening.
7. Tie ribbon on and apply flower to center.
8. Wrap pearl strand around flower and attach key with floss.

Card:
Supplies:
DCWV red card stock
Me and my Big Ideas pattern paper
American Crafts chipboard butterfly
Kaiser Craft flowers
Heidi Grace stick pins
Stampin Up Close to Cocoa ink
Apple Barrel warm white paint
7 Gypsies "friends" stamp
Staz-on black ink
Jo-Ann's red tulle
Button from craft supply
cardboard-recycled
Nail file for distressing

1. Make standard card size from red card stock.
2. Cut pattern paper half inch smaller and mat on top. Distress with nail file.
3. Paint strip of cardboard lightly.
4. When paint dries, tie red tulle around and attach to lower right side of card.
5. Stamp "friends" on butterfly with Staz-on ink.
6. Ink edges of butterfly and card.
7. Attach butterfly as shown. Add two stick pins for antennas.
8. Layer two flowers and add button to center. Ink edges of flower and glue to tulle as shown.


Thank you for coming by and hope you are inspired to make a bird house of your own.

Let's Get Jazzy stamp

Sheila is the owner of Let's Get Jazzy and she recently celebrated her new blog with a free stamp to visitors. I was one of the fortunate ones to receive the "Celebrate" stamp and wanted to share what I made using it.
The first is a card I made:

Supplies: Making Memories 5th Avenue papers, Let's Get Jazzy "Celebrate" stamp, Fiskar's threading water punch, lime button, Wright's black satin ribbon, Kaiser Craft black and pearl adhesives, DMC floss for stitches, and Stampin Up Basic Black ink.

Next is a mini album I made:



Here is a look inside the book:


Supplies: Maya Road cupcake chipboard album,Let's Get Jazzy "Celebrate Stamp, Bazzill card stock, Reminisce papers and stickers, Marvy circle punch, and Stampin Up Close to Cocoa ink

Sheila has a wonderful variety of stamps. Many styles and sentiment. Best of all are her prices! She has a free shipping offer when you buy 3 stamps and also a bracket stamp on sale for a $1 until the end of March. The stamps are high quality and leave a clean image. I was really pleased with the ease of attaching it to a block as well. It really stuck and did not move while inking it up. :-)
I have my eye on the "Keys to my Heart" stamp set. I can envision using them repeatedly. ♥

Use it

Rae created a great blog entitled, "Use It." I like that her idea is based on using supplies you currently have. :-) Seems to be a kick I am on lately to use my older papers, stamps, and embellishments.
For this challenge, Rae asked that you:
♦Dig through your stash and use one of your FAVORITE papers♦
I used a favorite of mine, Scenic Route
♦use something (anything) that you have NEVER used before♦
I have never used the TAC St. Patty's Day stamp or the Hunter Green ink from SU
♦use some ribbon♦
This is some ribbon I got two years ago from a swap for Flavia and have never used til' now.
♦use a button♦
Yellow button from stash

Thirteen for Tuesday but only 3 challenges for me

You know what I am talking about if you are an AI fan.
It's been a slow start to the week for me. I have been busy putting out fires so to speak and now I am baking some Black Forest brownies with DD to comfort those stress inducers. :-) What could be better? Besides, today my DD said,"you rock Mom for sharpening my pencils but even more because you saved me from that daycare/school back in 1st grade." A short term experiment that has apparently haunted her the last 8 years. FYI, she went to live with her father for the summer but one of the conditions was she had to go to a daycare while he was at work. She hated it. Fortunately, being a teacher, I had the summers off (wait I still do!) and she decided the terms of staying with him were not worth it. I can remember getting that phone call early in the morning from her father saying, "hey this isn't going to work, can you come get J?" I was in the car within five minutes speeding to the 'burg to get her. She stayed with me that summer, now referred to as "The Summer of Just Us Girls." Ah. Sigh. A wonderful memory for me. We shared some great times; going to the pool, playing outside, having picnics on the deck (less bugs), and chasing our high strung dog. God bless his curly little tail:-)
Okay, that was a rant. A little recollecting if you will. I do this for you J in the hopes that one day you can share with your 3 (she said she wants three)children. ;-) Love you girly to pieces and everyday we find/create a new memory. Sometimes it may not be the best memory but if it includes you then I am thankful. Thank you for showing me how to be more patient and teaching me that it's more enlightening to try and fit the square in the circle. ;-) Muah to you! Autism does not have us down.

Okay, on to cards. A couple challenges, 2S4Y, Caardvarks and Card Patterns.
This past weekend really inspired me to use some older paper lines so these cards are all using Sass Lass paper from last year.

Caardvarks current challenge is to make a card with a little critter. Some really cute critter cards are on display at their site. Everything from turtles to bugs! This is an Imaginsce stamp, from the Twitterpated line. I had to "snag em" as the series states, because he reminds me of Todd from Disney's Fox and Hound. I used Card Patterns #5 sketch. There are spectacular examples of this sketch on their blog. Clink the link and check them out. You won't be disappointed.

Fun weekend with lots of projects!

We had the crop at The Shaker Box and it was a success! Thanks to Linda for offering so many fun challenges and incredible prizes. Even if you missed the crop, the gallery has all the incredible work created so get on over there and check it out! The DT offered lots of challenges and prizes as well. I love the ladies there and they are always so supportive! I had a blast and it was great to meet some new friends.
I had a paper bag tutorial/challenge for the crop. I made three different cards using paper bags that included a lift the flap, gift card holder, and tri-fold. I showed a sneak peek earlier this week. This is the tri-fold card.








I decided to use my stash for TSB's crop. I am addicted to paper and find myself wanting all the new lines I see. However, I made a pledge to utilize what I have this year. This weekend's crop made a good dent, but need to keep using them up.
:-)
The first card is based on a sketch by Allison Cope uses Making Memories 5th Avenue collection.




This card is from a So Sketchy sketch and uses MAMBI papers, Glimmer Mist, and lots distressing.



The last card is for Jill's recycle challenge and uses Basic Grey papers.


Thank you for visiting!

Kim's got some candy she wants to share

Over at Paper in the works, Kim is celebrating her 100,000 hits and wants to offer a huge prize to one lucky winner. Go check it out!

Come and join us at The Shakerbox Crop this weekend

The Shaker Box is having a crop to celebrate it's new beginning. Come on over and sign in on Friday to find out about a chance to be a Guest Designer with a kit from the site. The crop will be 3 days of non stop challenges, fun, and great prizes! It all starts at 6 PM EST Friday. Allison Cope of So Sketchy has designed a special sketch just for this event. I'll be there and hope you will too!


I am doing a tutorial on paper bag cards Friday night and will be offering a RAK for one random winner that participates.

Here's a sneak peek:



Finally I want to share my card for 2S4Y this week. I tried to keep it simple. Cosmo Cricket Fleurista papers, CKU silk flowers, and heart rhinestone was from supply. Thank you for coming by! Hope you have a great day!

March begins with

snow for us here in Northern VA! It was delightful to see, but the temperature is in the teens and the wind is fierce so I am ready for warmer weather.

365 Card's Monday challenge was to use a max of 2 embellishments on a card. I managed to keep mine within guidelines. Amazing since I am an embellishment over loader. I tend to keep adding and adding to my cards till they are too heavy or too bumpy for practical mailing purposes. I can't remember the last time I made and mailed a card that did not require special packaging and extra postage.
Until now...


Next is a card I made for Let's Scrap using a sketch from Pagemaps Dec. 2008.


We are hosting a crop March 10-11th. Be sure to come by for lots of challenges and prizes! It will be a cupcake theme.

Also, I wanted to share a couple of things I made for Emilie's Mini St. Patty's Day swap and another friend. I altered a few shamrocks, well... you can see for yourself.

Love the little wood shapes you can buy and paint yourself. A fun and quick way to decorate for a holiday. I painted the first one with Making Memories green paint and then did a drag over with white paint. I distressed with Ranger old photo ink and then added a a page for the first one from a book. The rub-on's are Royal. A few rhinestones and shamrock silk flowers to embellish.


This is a picture frame I am sending to Emilie. I painted and inked it as mentioned above.