A New Family Member

Well, we broke down. After all of our plans to wait until spring, a darling picture by text message does us in and after seeing this sweet little boy, we are now we are a family of 5!

Rocco (aka Killer) is a Shorkie. His mama is a Shih Tzu and his daddy is a Yorkshire Terrier. We got to see both parents, which was good. And Wendy from work has his sister too.

Now we will spend our days and nights, for a while at least, potty training and playing with the little ball of fur.

This is terrible!

I have so many things to share and no time to do it, but I am going to work really hard this week to make a dent. What have I been up to? Well, I did a Via de Cristo weekend last weekend, and even though this was my 7th or 8th team, it still sneaks up on me. I forget each year all the things I do to get ready for a weekend like that. I made bookmarks with the jumbo paperclips, cards (which I need to finish for the weekenders and get sent out), helped my mom with her bookmarks and cards, and prepared a 20+ minute talk on leadership of the church. There are always so many last minute details but the experience is so rewarding!

So what else have I been up to? Well, this week, I have had this obsession with finishing a design on my fingernails. It's been in my head for a few weeks, but it took several tries to get it right, which I finally accomplished this morning. I am happy with them now, webs and all! Too bad they will only last a few days! I am going to do Catera's this way for Halloween too, it's part of her costume.

One more before work...

then I have to go. I don't know why, but I like this little skull!!! This card started with a basic black base and I used a circle cutter to get a hole thru a double layer on the front of the card (so I could hide the strings). I used a piece of silver cord to attach the little spinning skull, which was embossed in white. I used the 1" circle punch to punch it out, and the a 1 1/4" circle punch for the red mat. The circle under the flower was just the left over rim of words, the matted on red and popped up with cut up dimensionals. It looked lonely, so I added a black polka dotted prima with a red brad!

Another Acetate Box...for Halloween

I don't think I have the patience to make 50 some of these for the kids classes for halloween, but I made one for a demo I did on Saturday morning. I used the Batty for You set and Sprinkles. Colors are Tangerine Tango, Kiwi Kiss and Elegant Eggplant. I used the scalloped border punch, the scalloped circle punch, the 1 " circle punch and the 1 1/4" circle punch. Oh, and a slip of Old Olive ribbon for the handle. Cute, ain't he?

Naughty Blogger...

I have been so busy with work and life and kids and stuff that I am waaaaay behind on the blogging. I am hopeful to find time tonight to get time to get caught up and I need to get back on the card making so I can finish up my cards for Via de Cristo in October!

This card is for today's color challenge, which was Chocolate Chip, Really Rust and Baja Breeze. This is my first Christmas card "officially" for the year (not counting the ones I made for my grandma.) This is also the first time that Season of Simple Grace has touched ink though I have had it for almost a month...sad! I stamped the images and then trimmed the, and the star and sentiments are stamped in white craft. There is a random speckle in Chocolate chip from the Itty Bitty Backgrounds set. And I added a piece of Baja Breeze striped ribbon.

SC194 Prayers & Missing Someone

I got two made for the sketch challenge this morning. I needed two cards anyways. The first one is for a man who I work with who's wife had an aneurysm. I just wanted to let him know that there are people who are praying for him. The second is a card for one of my former bible study students who is on his own now in the Twin Cities. I figured he might like some fun mail!
Card 1:
Stamps: Happiness Always, Twill, Sprinkles and a Close to My Heart set for the "pray"
Paper:Baja Breeze, Kiwi Kiss, Green Tea DS & Soft Sky
Inks:Baja Breeze, Kiwi Kiss, Soft Sky
Embellishments:Word Window Punch, Brad, Old Olive Twill Ribbon

Card 2:
Stamps: Moose You and Peaceful Wishes
Paper:Kraft, Always Artichoke, Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip & Riding Hood Red
Inks:Basic Brown & Always Artichoke
Embellishments:Chocolate Chip Twill Ribbon, Crafters Tool Kit

TLC186 Glitter Surprise

This was the Technique challenge this morning. I chose Bella Toile on Regal Rose and then added Kiwi Kiss. It makes kind of a watermelon color scheme. I used flight of the butterfly, the word window punch, a Rose brad and Kiwi Kiss Ribbon.

Beate's Weekend Sketch Challenge

I was going to be done for the day, but I saw this sketch, looked up and found a packet of pre-cut pieces from a workshop and decided I had to make this one. I only had to trim a little from the pieces. And I knew I had to do it when I saw it because I am a symmetrical girl and I often have troubles with off-set things. I started with a base of Old Olive (I can't seem to get away from it no matter how hard I try!). I brushed the edges of the cardstock with the ink pad. Then I stamped the floral on Cameo Coral in Whisper White craft. That just does such a beautiful job of toning things down a touch. I stamped the focal image in Old Olive and used a second generation stamp to make the lighter image. I tied on a piece of Olive twill (wish that stuff would have made the big catalog, it's wonderful!) and stamped my sentiment in Olive too.

WT183 Caring Fairy

The Ways to Use it Challenge this week was to use the White Gel Pen. Well, if you've seen any of my work, you know that wasn't hard, I love that pen! So I decided to see how many ways I could use it on one card. I used it to watercolor, I used it for faux stitching, and I used it for highlighting. The card base is Pixie Pink, which Chocolate, I sponged white on the edges of the kraft focal image. I used a piece of pink grosgrain for embellishment as well as a swirl I hand cut from Pink Passion. The heart trail is stamped on the pixie with the hearts from "A Happy Heart" and the sentiment is from Best Yet.

Another Bracelet

Here is another item for the bazaar. I made this one with real red and kiwi kiss on the rolled beads. Now I have to keep my daughter from stealing it from me. The stamp set I used (like it matters, you see very little) is Sweet Shapes.

Bazaar Projects...

I am the co-chair person for our churches bazaar committee and we are working on a bazaar to take place on November 8th. These are two of the projects I've been working on for the bazaar.

PEACE FRAME - I found these little frames and decided I'd like to fill them with some stamped images for Christmas. This one is done in Sahara Sand, Rose Red and Always Artichoke. I stamped Bella Toile in Sahara Sand on the background. Then I added letters (Headline Alpha) in coordinating colors. I added a length of Rose Red ribbon and some holly punchouts, accents with white gel pen.

SNOWMAN KISSES - This one is made from a package of Tic Tacs. I used Almost Amethyst, and Bashful Blue for colors and the circle punches to make the snowman. It's he fun? Inside there is a little poem. Email me or leave a comment and i can get you the poem.

Lots of Happy Hearts

I was inspired to make a series of cards with this new set from the mini catalog. The first is a card for an anniversary party my mom and dad went to. I started with Pacific Point for a base and added a piece of going gray embossed in silver (the stamp is the Floral background). I embossed the focal image in silver as well as the background of "sprinkles". I added some silver cording as well.

The next one is also using the floral background, stamped in white craft. I used markers to add the different colors to the focal image. I them matted it with one scalloped edge in Old Olive and more Confetti white. I added brads for embellishment.

This one is started on a Kiwi Kiss Base, with Barely Banana and Real Red. I used the ticket corner punch and brads as well as the Kiwi Kiss Satin ribbon for embellishment.

The last card I decided to used one of my new favorite colors, Basic Gray, for the base. I stamped the Twill background on it in Basic Gray. The heart image is embossed in silver on the basic gray paper, cut out and mounted on pretty in pink. The bingo is also embossed in silver and I popped up the cutouts on dimensionals. I added Pink gingham and grosgrain, as well as a little slip of silver cord.

In Remembrance...

Dale's cousin, Jason Zunker was killed in the line of duty in January. Today his mother and his wife are having a get-together in remembrance of his birthday. I made a card for each of this, just to kind of let them know that no one has forgotten Jason or what they are still dealing with. It has been really difficult for them, and I pray for peace and healing for them.
Each card started with a base of Basic Gray, which is a color I recently discovered that I really kind of like! I made one with Pirouette Pink and one with Cool Caribbean. I stamped using a marker (Old Olive) to just stamp the stems and leaves from Close as a Memory, then I added Primas with brads to make it more 3 dimensional. I added a strip of ribbon and some dots of white gel pen.

More Scandinavian Season...

I made a couple more of the cards for my grandma and now I am making some of them also for the Norwegian basket for the church bazaar.

The first one is shades of lavender because that is grandma's favorite color. I used Lovely Lilac craft, embossed with Iridescent Ice Ep on almost amethyst paper. I added a bit of silver cording and some silver eyelets, which are matted on 1/4" circles of lilac. I am including an extra photo that shows the sparkle on this card. I just love it! I hope she will also. I finally de-virginized my star! It was the first time I used the silly thing!

The next one is stamped on Night of Navy paper, with craft ink and silver EP. I added 3 silver brads and a strand of cording. The focal image is popped up on dimensionals. The snowflakes are stamped in white craft ink. The layer paper is Going Gray which I did not realize until last night is retired. :(

The last one is stamped with the Scandinavian wheel, Artichoke on Artichoke. The I embossed the tree in gold Ep and matted the tree in Riding Hood Red. I also added he gold brads on the Word Window punch out and a little bit of gold elastic cording too. The dots are gel pen.

Lots of goodies to share and ...

not much time to share them! I will have to get to the rest tonight, but I will share one card this morning. This is the sketch challenge at Splitcoast. I am really happy with the results and the colors! I started with a Baja Breeze cardstock base and added a strip of Olive, stamped with Twill in white craft. Then I stamped the focal image and matted on Artichoke. The scalloped circle punch is in Olive again and accented with the signo white gel pen. The little strips of paper are from the Green Tea DS papers. And the word Joy I stole from the Perfect Ending set, sans heart. And I added a little slip of Olive ribbon on the focal image also!

BIC22 Inspiration Challenge

Beate Johns is a wonderful stamper who shares her talent and inspiration with others freely. This morning, she shared this photo from Martha Stewart's collection for some inspiration.

I got a light, airy feel from it and this is what I came up with, inspired by the photo Beate shared. I started with Brocade Blue base, and stamped it in white craft with the Floral background stamp set. I then heat set it because I didn't want to emboss it, I wanted that soft chalky look. I stamped the flower from Bloomin' Beautiful in Black Stazon and colored it with Watercolor Wonder Crayons and added the white gel pen and used the aquapainter to soften that too. I then dry embossed the edges of the focal image with a straight edge and an embossing stylus. I added the dots with the basic black journaler, roughed up the edges of the white piece with my fingernail, and topped it off with a piece of the wide grosgrain in brocade blue.

Priceless Bracelet

I made this with a tutorial from this blog.

I stamped a piece of copy paper with Priceless in Kiwi Kiss, Basic Black and tempting turquoise and then made the beads with modge podge and a lot of patience. I am thinking about making them for the Fall Bazaar at church what do you think?

CC183 Gray Riding Hood Galore

This color combo was a struggle for me, I don't even own and going gray classic pad! I didn't know that either! But I managed to find a going gray craft pad and I have the neutrals set of watercolor crayons, so I could play along. I had to break the seal on a really old package of going gray paper! I chose Bloomin' Beautiful and Twill for the stamp sets. I watercolored from the lid of the pad and with the crayons to complete the look. The little swoosh under the "bloom" sentiment is crayon also. I added read red brads, close enough! The tag in punched from the key tag punch and then I stuck it back in because it was a smidge too big. It shaved off a "fingernail" looking thing and made the tag the perfect size. I used the white gel pen also.

No challenge card this morning...

my Lumiere paint I was going to use for the challenge was think and goopy and made a mess, guess I need a new bottle!

Last night I went to bed with an idea in my head and this morning I had to get up and get it on paper. I did this one with a masking technique to get the nice crisp sponge lines. I used Mellow Moss, Basic Black and Kraft. The stamp sets are Bella Toile, Pocket Silhouettes, EFP and Flores Suaves. I embellished with the word winodw punch, brads, the ticket corner punch and black and moss gingham ribbons.

This card I made with A Happy Heart and Sprinkles. I started with a Pink Pirouette base and added Kiwi Kiss and Baja Breeze. The circle tag and the heart on the circle tag are popped up with dimensionals to give it some volume and I used a piece of Baja Breeze ribbon and silver cording for accent. The dotted edge was done with a signo white gel pen. You can kind of see in the photo how I dry embossed the focal image to give it more focus. I used a straight edge and an embossing Stylus.

Scandinavian Season

I purchased this set so I could make a set of cards for my grandma. I had a hard time at first seeing much in it, but after my last card here with it, I think I am getting in my groove. I will post them in order of completion, so the last one, which is my favorite, is the last one I made.

I figured I had better do something with those mittens, so this is what came to mind. I chose Pacific Point and Baja Breeze. I used craft white ink as well as the Baja Breeze double stripe ribbon, the key tag punch (it never seems to get cleaned off my desk for long) and the scallop border punch with the 1/16" circle punch to add a lacey effect. The sentiment is from Best Yet, which is really growing on me!

This one started with Bravo Burgundy. I think I automatically reach for that burgundy because so much of the rose malling my grandparents made for me is in burgundy. I added a layer in craft and used a little scrap of that beautiful Green Tea DS paper. I added a word window punch with a piece of the sentiment from Best Yet and attached it with copper brads from the vintage set. The ribbon is Old Olive. I also used the Scandinavian wheel with the bravo.

The third one I am not so sure of, I chose a monochromatic color scheme from the color wheel trying to try something new. I used the scallop punch again, with the tab punch and some apricot brads. The colors are Pumpkin Pie and Apricot Appeal. I used a length of Pumpkin Pie ribbon.

This one is my favorite! The tree and the sentiment from Warm Words are embossed in white. The edges are sponged with the white craft to give it that softened snowy look. Then I added the artichoke and eggplant ribbons and the little swish of color with the aquapainter in eggplant. I used the ticket corner punch too. Let me know what you think about any or all of these. I am thinking of making a set of these cards to go in a Norwegian basket that our church is putting together for the Bazaar.