Scraps

Click here for image credit

 

We haven't had a good scrap card in a long time.  And after a weekend of playing and making things with all the scraps on my craft counters, this find was a little inspiring.  I really love the way she cut some off at the edges and popped others up for dimension.

 

Here's another in a different color scheme. . .

 

 

Birthday Traditions

I don't know about you but I'm really looking forward to seeing you guys tonight, singing "Happy Birthday" to Mona and indulging in an Iron Horse cheeseburger!  Aren't birthdays a wonderful thing? - - - even when they're not yours!

Here's a card that I made for my Dad's birthday last month.  I tried a new technique I saw on Pinterest.  I used the Lovely As A Tree stamp set and a bunch of miscellaneous birthday sentiment stamps that I found in my stash.  I really liked how it turned out.  I may have to give it a try with some softer girly colors.

See ya' tonight.

Heart Grows Fonder

"What would not I give to wander

Where my old companions dwell?

Absence makes the heart grow fonder:

Isle of Beauty, fare thee well!"

~Thomas Haynes Bayly

After a very LONG work week of Operation Freshmen Recovery (only time will tell how many we were able to recover), I selfishly declared Saturday "My Day" and visited the place where my "old companions dwell" . . . .my "Isle of Crafitng"!

What a wonderful day it was.  I made quite a few things as I was cleaning up all the scraps, tools, stamps and papers laying all over the counters.  I'll be posting pictures of those throughout the next week or so. 

But to get things started, here's a card I made for my Mom and Dad's anniversary last November.  It uses the Everyday Enchantment DSP and the I {Heart} Hearts stamp set.  I loved how it turned out.  I'm not sure Dad probably gave it a 2nd thought but the peach and coral colors are 2 of my Mom's favorites. Without a sentiment on the front this card could also easily be a nice Valentines or Thinking of You card.

Speaking of Mom. . . .She's back home now and the family has a good plan for the week as she trys to figure out what she can and can't do around the house.  Hopefully with time and continued PT she'll be back to good later this year.

Have a good Monday!  Looking forward to our Birthday Celebration at the Iron Horse tomorrow.  I saw Staci Thursday at the shop and told her we wouldn't be there.  Boy! Memory Lane was hopping with customers and activity - Yeah! for them.  Guess I didn't realize Tuesday card group is now so big that they've spilled over to Thursdays.  Can't wait until I retire so I can join the fun! 

Repeats

I was in a hurry yesterday and lacking a little creativity for a design for the family card.  So I went back out and browsed Gal Pals in hopes of finding something I could repeat.  Found this one from way back.  Used a holiday paper pack I picked up a few months ago.  Just love that blue and red combo - reminds me of those SEI papers from a couple of years ago.

Hope everyone had a good weekend and that the week ahead will be smooth sailing!

Digital Paper

Ooops - I had a bad link in this post from earlier this morning.  Here's the corrected link.  You'll need to scroll down to the bottom of the current post to see the free download offer.

Here's one of those free digital paper kits I was telling you about last night.  Click here for the page to download. 

Had a good time at the shop last night.  So good seeing Dawn, huh?

Have a good one today.

Things to Share

 

http://creativepassionclasses.com/learn-copics-with-michelle-houghton/

Last week at the shop I was telling Val about an online class site I stumbled on which had a free Copic coloring class.  It's a series of 11 e-mails (2 a week it seems) that steps you through the Copic basics from the numbering scheme, to picking out your starter set, to the basic coloring and shading.  So I just thought I'd share the web link in case you're interested.  I can also share the 11 PDF files once I get them all.

And I wanted to make sure you saw the message from Paper Wishes about the free e-book they are offering for metal stencils.  It has a bunch of card ideas and embedded "how to" videos.  Kind of a cool marketing technique.

 

Click here for the link to the e-book

 

See you later today at the Holiday Party at 4:00 or the shop at 5:00 (ish)

 

Carpe Diem

Card Credit

After we bought our Memory Box dies last week, I rushed home to Google around and see what people were doing with them.  Oh My Gosh!  the cards on the Pinterest board are just over the top!!!

You've just got to take a little time today on your lunch break and surf around there a little.

Cricut man even made one with my new snow globe die and matching stamp.  Here's a cute sample of what it looks like from another blog. . .

Card Credit

 

I'll get his mounted on a card and post it soon.  He's decided the Cuttlebug machine is pretty cool.  While he had it out I had him smash 50 bottle caps for the 3 additional Countdown to Christmas frames I'm making this year.  He's now decided the Cuttlebug needs to be renamed to Allan's Smashing Machine :-).  He thinks more guys might be interested in playing with paper if the toys had cool names!

Hope you had a good weekend.  Happy Monday

Sweet View

Wanted to post this sweet little card that someone from Tuesday card group made last week.  How adorable, huh?!  Can't remember what brand the die is but it's one they have at Memory Lane.  I may just have to put that on my wish list for Santa :-)

I hope everyone's week ended on a high note and that there's a good weekend planned ahead.

See ya' back here next week.

Time to Get Ready

 

Well, now that Thanksgiving is behind us and most of the leftovers are gone, it's time to start thinking about Christmas projects.

 

Here's a cute, cute, project that Tuesday card group made last week.  They are gift card holders that used this Hot of the Press template.  Debbie said they are getting more in for the shop.  Can't wait!  Count me in for one, Deb :-)

 

They look pretty easy to do.  See how Frosty's hat lifts up to reveal the slot for the gift card?  And the cuff of the mitten moves in a similar way.  Apparently there's also a Christmas tree shape and the top of the tree lifts up.

 

Too cute!

Thanksgiving Mini Album

 

Remember the little mini album I was working on last week?  Here's how it turned out.  Had to use my last little wobbly turkey :-)  Although I have to fess up about a big creative deviation I had to take.

 

Originally I wanted it to be a hostess gift for my neighbor who invited us for dinner Thanksgiving Day.  I thought it would be cool to have everyone at dinner write a note of Thanks to her and document what they were grateful for.  Kind of a nice keepsake - even though I know the guys would have just rolled their eyes.  I guess they should be thankful they were spared from having to do that as I messed up the construction of the album. 

 

Even though Debbie told me not to adhere the ribbon on both covers, I did it anyway - not out of stubbornness mind you, but just because I wasn't paying attention.  And lo and behold, she was right - the accordion folded part of the album didn't unfold.  Dang it!

 

But I saved it by adhering the back / open part of of the folded pages together and then cutting on the front folds.  That turned it into a conventional little book which Cricut Man and I will use to preserve some Thanksgiving pictures and thoughts for this year.

 

Gotta love those Creative Deviations, huh?!

Cupcake Diva - A BIG Hit!!

Just wanted to put a plug in for my new best friend - Maygan a.k.a the Cupcake Diva.  Her gourmet pumpkin spice cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese frosting were the BIG hit of the Thanksgiving holiday.  Everyone ABSOLUTELY Loved, Loved, Loved them!  Thanks Maygan.  Can't wait until Christmas and the Triple Chocolate Chunk cupcakes.

See everyone at the shop tonight!

Gobble, Gobble

Well I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving holiday.  I don't know about you but I'm stuffed!  We had a full turkey dinner with our friends Colleen and Diane on Wednesday night - a tradition we started back in the 90's since none of us had family in town.  And then another full turkey dinner on Thursday with our neighbor family - a tradition we started after Stephen passed.  And then if that wasn't enough, we had another full turkey dinner on Friday night so Allan could show off his cooking talent.  And boy! is that Cricut Man talented!!!  It so delish!  I think I've lost my position as head chef for the holiday dinner. I'm not sure that's a bad thing ;-)

Here's the next in line of the holiday wobbly owl cards.  I liked how this one turned out MUCH better than the silly one I did for Halloween.  And something cool I wanted to point out on this one. . . .the back feathers - the ones punched with the scallop punch - used an old coffee sleeve.  The puckered craft color paper was just perfect and added a little texture. 

So next up for the owl cards is Christmas, then New Year's and finally Valentines.  Once those are done it will be a full year of holiday owls.  I have to tell you it's been pretty fun.

I'll leave you with another turkey project - and one that's much cuter than mine.  Here's Mona's quirkey turkey placecards.  She was inspired by this post on Tim Holtz's blog.  Didn't they turn out cute?  Can't wait to hear about how everyone in her family liked them.

Griz Themed

A month or so ago I *finally* got around to using my Tim Holtz medallion die and made these cute little embellishments for a Griz themed card.  It sure does make quick work of things and those Griz stickers they sell at the Bookstore fit perfectly for the center.  I used a bear paw stamp I picked up at Memory Lane and Versamark ink to make a background paper.  And I found some decorative scissors from way, way back that made a decorative border that kind of reminded me of teeth.  I thought it turned out pretty cute.  I have a few more embellishments which I'll be using for toppers on some paper candy boxes I'm making for some folks at work. 

See ya at the shop tonight.

Quick and Easy

I know most of my Gal Pals have seen this card at the shop but I wanted to get it posted on the blog for use later on.  With all the coordinated paper packs I've been picking up here and there, this is a great card sketch to keep on hand for those last minute cards you might need.  I actually got the sketch from the Clean and Simple web site - one of my favorite sites for easy-peasy ideas.  I've got the dimensions for the patterned pieces somewhere on my craft counter - which is kind of a mess right now :-( but will edit this post as soon as I find them.  I've also made a bunch of different versions of this card and will post them too.  Working on the one for Christmas now.

Hope you all have a good weekend.  We'll be at the Brawl of the Wild Griz-Cat game on Saturday.  It ought to be a good one.

See ya' back here next week.

One Layer Part 2

This is another one layer card - similar to this one I did several months ago.  Well I guess it's not technically a one layer card because I matted the stamped image before adhering it to the card base, but you get the jist.  I love the color combination but I do want to try it in some other colors too.  I used a couple of the excess stamp sets Val passed along.  Thanks! one more time Val!!!  Loved the butterfly set - it's a keeper for sure!

I made this card for the family but the more I look at it the more it seems like a sympathy card to me.  Unfortunately I've needed a few of those lately so I've been looking for more good designs.  Please pass them along if you find any during your browsing.

I'll leave you today with another quote from the back of the digital CardMaker magazine archives I browsed through last week.

CardMaker

I recently remembered that our subscription to CardMaker magazine now includes access to the digital version of the magazine and digital versions to all of the archives.  So I took a little enteretainment with me for the long plane ride to Jacksonville last week.  I downloaded 3 Nov/Dec issues from the early years.  I found several really cute card ideas - some quick and simple like this one and others that show off a specific technique I want to try.

The other thing that was kind of cool was looking through the 2 pages of quotes they have at end of each issue.  I found several that were really meaningful to me.  They will be going in my quote journal for safekeeping.  Here's one that really seemed to resonate for me right now.

Another distressed wood

Remember the Father's Day card I posted last week?  Well here's another using the same technique and sketch. The technique really reminded me of weathered wood in a seaside cottage.  The image is another digital download from Stampin' Up - "By the Seashore".  Instead of the brads I did something a little different as this card was a family newsletter card and I try to keep those flat.  I took my mini-hole punch and punched tiny circles and then glossed them up using Crystal Effects.  I really like how that turned out.  May have to do more of that.

Hope you enjoyed the long weekend.  See ya' tonight.

Another Summer Silhouettes

Finishing up the week with another card I made for the family from the Summer Silhouettes stamp set.  Used the Pear Pizazz patterned paper and ink and Poppy Parade for the flower tops and paper borders.  Now that we're fully into the fall and holiday season I think I'll have to put this one away for awhile.  But I'm sure it will be back next Spring.

Hope you all have a good weekend.  I'll be travelling back from Jacksonville on Sunday.  See ya' at the shop on Tuesday.

Red and Green

Got a little early head start on the red and green with this card I CASE'd from Me, My Stamps and I - a blog I haven't surfed in quite awhile.  I forgot how clean and simple her card designs are.  Even though it's red and green it's definitely not a Christmas card but rather this week's family card.  Love the vibrancy of the 2 colors together (Gumball Green and Raspberry Ripple - 2 of the 2012-14 In Colors).  The stamp set has been one of my favorites - Summer Silhouettes.  The sentiment is from Happy Greetings.   And the embossing folder is the paisley one from Val's excess stash - Thanks Val!

Father's Day

I couldn't find where I posted this card I made for all my father's this year - my Dad, Hippy Bob and Ernest (Allan's father).  I loved how it turned out!  I used this technique I saw on the Gina K blog where you score every half inch and then rub an inkpad over the raised surface until it looks like barn wood.  I downloaded a digital stamp set (Countryside) from Stampin' Up and did just minimal colored pencil work on it.  With the brads and twine it just seemed perfect for a Father's Day card.  I'm not sure how I'll top this next year.  Glad I got some prep time :-)