Hooray! It's Monday

I know, most people hate Mondays.  I look forward to the start of what will hopefully be a better week.  This is the beginning of my start as a volunteer at school.  BOOK FAIR WEEK!  Hooray!  I love book fair.  This year I am determined to get ALL the Diary of a Wimpy Kid.  My son loves these books and we would have to wait forever from the library since there are like 24 requests for them.

This is also the start of "The Popcorn Lady"....ME!  I'm trying to be optimistic about it, but honestly, I don't have things ready.  I've got the week and may take a little trip to town with my husband to get supplies.  It seems like forever since we have shared a day together...alone.

I hope your week starts off well too!

I have a few cards to share.  This first one was my original idea for my friend's card sets.  

It uses this week's Card Patterns Sketch.  It also celebrates birthdays.  Stamp Something is Celebrating Something.

I decided after making it that I should probably go a little more elegant and so I made this using the same colors.

This card uses one of my favorite sets from Verve, "Thankful Accents."  I used Crystal Stickles around the circles.  I also made a grid pattern on both cards using my Martha Stewart Scoring Board.  I got mine from Michaels using a coupon and what a deal.  This scoring system is great because it has a groove every 1/8".  This can be a bit tricky.  My TIP:  Take a Sharpie and color the score line every inch.  Use a different color to mark every half inch.  This really helps to ensure you are lining things up correctly.  The only thing I don't like about this board is the bone folder/scoring tool that comes with it.  OUCH!  It comes to a sharp edge all the way around.  I'm sure this is great for folding the score lines you have made, but it hurts my finger when I score.  I use an embossing tool instead.  So much more comfortable. 

 I'm entering this into the Paper Sundaes Challenge because I have had that dotted ribbon forever and this is the first time I've used it.  Yeah me!

That's All FOLKS!  Be back here tomorrow for an interesting and FUN A Crafty Place Challenge.

See you then!

What's In It?
Stamps: Cling by Memory Box, MCS Birthday Numbers
Ink: Versafine Black,Kiwi Kiss
Paper: Kiwi Kiss, White, prism blue
Other: Black EP, turquoise glitter, dimensionals, ribbon, scoring board, corner rounder, sponge, paper piercer, Pebbles glitter dots 


Stamps: Thankful Accents (verve)
Ink: colorbox aqua, green, kiwi kiss
Paper: Kiwi Kiss, white
Other: ribbon, dimensionals, stickles, circle punch, scoring board, corner rounder

Tim Meets The Girl's

The Girl's Paperie Paper that is:)  This paper is so beautiful.  I love how all the patterns have this beautiful, elegant touch with a bit of distressing.  Shabby Chic it is!

This is my take on using my new Tim Holtz stamp set and turning it into something a bit feminine.  Typically, Tim is all grunged up.  I like to take something and use it in a different way.  So this is my version of Stamper's Anonymous stamps and their feminine side.  This set is called Shabby French.  I've never used any TH stamps and it was kind of fun.

The sad thing is that I don't get to keep this card.  It isn't even going to anyone that is special to me.  Nope...it's a bit sad, really.  I will hand this over to my new Design Team Leader at Simply Scrapbooks.  Yep!  I made the DT over there.  Simply Scrapbooks is my "local" scrapbook store.  My friend  would disagree that it is local because it's about 40 minutes away.  However, there is no other "true" scrapbook store that is as close.  To me, it is local.  I have been very busy creating for them.  That is why there has been a lack of posting since I got back from camping.  Five projects due in one week...eeks! 

Speaking of camping, I discovered that taking a vacation is actually good for my stamping "career."  On both of my trips I was able to check my email once or twice and discovered that I had been asked to be on several new Design Teams.  I am really excited about them all.  I'm going to be a bit busy though.  I will let you know more about the other 2 later this week.

Back to my card.  I used some worn lipstick distress stickles for the first time.  I kind of like that stuff.  I was afraid of it for some reason.  I used  copics to color my stamp and then misted with the colorless blender.  This gives a very watercolored appearance.  I wanted those tiny flowers to pop a bit more and that's where I put the distress stickles.  I also sprayed my paper with Perfect Pearls and water to give the paper some shimmer.  I'm not even sure you can see it in the close up, but it's really pretty.  The butterflies were sprayed too!  That flower up on the left is more sewing pattern scraps from my daughter's 4H project and I created my own tag using Labels Eleven Nestabilities.

Speaking of that, BOTH my kids get to go to State with their 4H projects.  I'm so proud of them!  They both asked me though if they would get more money for doing it.  Amazing, huh?  Well, not really.  The 4H adviser
read them a story about a girl who bought a house with her 4H money.  I'm pretty sure THAT isn't going to happen here.  It'd be nice if we could just get back all we've spent on the supplies to make the projects.  I'm pretty sure that isn't going to happen either.  You never know though....

I made this card with The Shabby Tea Room Challenge in mind.  It's a recipe this week.  One ribbon, Two buttons, Three die cuts or punches. My flower is made with the large scalloped circle die, Labels Eleven for the tag and an EK success border punch were used.

This is also for the Stamp Something Flowery Challenge.  I'm all about flowers.

I also love some of the challenges they have going on at the Moxie Fab World right now.  This is for the Card Style Shabby Chic and Vintage Challenge.  Go check it out.  It's fun!

Have a great day peeps!  It feels so good to be back to creating.  See you tomorrow!






What's In It?
Stamps: Shabby French Stamper's Anonymous
Ink: Antique Linen, Vintage Photo
Paper: The Girl's Paperie, white base
Other: mini mister, perfect pearls, copics, seam binding, kioshi buttons, labels eleven and big scalloped circle nestie, sewing machine, worn lipstick stickles, sewing pattern paper, twine, foam tape

Birdie Wishes

Happy Thursday!  I've got a card to share today that uses quite a few challenges.  This is one of those cards the took a different direction than I had planned.  I worked for hours on this.  It's one of those cards that I may never give away.  I love the end result, but I had to walk away from it yesterday.  NOTHING was working the way I wanted.  I think that is what I have to do a lot when I am creating.  Just walk away.  Take a breather.  Then come back refreshed.   Voila!  It all falls in place.  I so envy those that can just whip up a card.  Presto...just like that and it is awesome.  Not me.  I'm like that turtle from yesterday.  SLOW.   I think that crafting is the only area in my life where I am a bit anal.

This card using several of the things sitting in my reject pile.  I think that is my last, rejected, embossed bird:)  The heart is from Basic Grey Cappella collection.  The adhesive on the back of those things is awful!  It's like slime.  I removed it and adhered it with my glue gun.  That crinkled ribbon is my own.  I really hope to have that up for sale when I get back from vacation.  I think I may take the Etsy "plunge."    One thing that I have to note because I know you can't tell from the picture is that side panel. It is card stock that is wrapped in Tulle.  I love tulle lately.  This card is full of texture and layers.  So unlike anything I've been doing lately.

So here are the challenges that inspired this card:

Caardvaarks-  July Birthday Challenge
Allsorts- Love/Heart
Stamp Something- Recipe~ 1 image, 1 DP, 1 ribbon ( I technically only have one stamped image)
The Sweetest Thing Sketch
Just For Fun Color Challenge- Cream, Brown, Light Blue
Moxie Fab- Let's Do Vintage and Shabby  (my favorite!)


I should have one more post before I leave for camping.  See you tomorrow!

What's In It?
Stamps: Always, Wishful Elegance (verve)
Ink: Choc Chip Craft, Vintage Photo Distress
Paper: Cream, Pink Paislee Cupid, Prism blue
Other: MS lace punch, BG Cappella Heart, brown EP, dimensionals, crinkle ribbon, button, tulle, Sizzix die frame

A Little Help, A Little Info, A Little Crafting

I can't believe how long it's been since I last posted.  I have one more vacation and then life will resume to normal I think.  I do have a few cards to share with you today.  First though, I would like to ask a favor.  My friend, Priscilla, contacted me last week asking me to spread the word about a project she is working on.  She is hosting a drive to collect scrapbook supplies/stamps for a woman who lost everything to a tornado a few weeks ago.  Near Toledo, Ohio, several families were devastated to lose their homes to a tornado that came through in the night.  One family was killed.  Priscilla is someone that I tried to raise money for about a year ago. You can read about that HERE.  She has already organized a very successful garage sale to raise money to help pay for household items for these families.

This is part of her email to me:

I'm sure you heard that on June 5th/6th we had horrible tornadoes here nearby.  We actually didn't get any damage from the storm at our house but it hit hard in my hometown and completely destroyed many homes, leaving many with absolutely nothing!  So, I was asked to organize a fundraiser and of course, I was honored and jumped at the opportunity!  I decided to have a huge garage and bake sale and asked for people to donate their unwanted items so we could sell them at the sale.  We had over 100 families donate and made a little over $5500.  It was amazing!  Now, we have been contacting the families who were affected by the storms and asking them to compile a wish list of items that they need right now, as well as items they don't think their insurance is going to cover.  It's so awesome to be able to help, even if in just a small way.  (I'm thrilled to be able to "Pay It Forward" and do something for someone else like you did for me!)

The reason I am telling you all of this is because I wanted to ask for your help!  During my conversations with many of the families it was brought to my attention that one mother had a huge scrapbooking and stamping room dedicated and full of nothing but supplies...she was one of the families who lost everything.  Scrapbooking and stamping are close to my heart and I just couldn't walk away with that information and do nothing...so what I decided to do is contact everyone I know in the scrappin' and stampin' world and ask for help!  I am asking for people to donate any scrappin' or stampin' items that they have just laying around not being used or stamp sets that have been used are retired or have made their way to the bottom of the collection...only to be forgotten about.  Having said all that...would you be interested in helping me collect items to give to this mom?  Her name is Jackie and she has three young children.  Two girls, 4th and 6th grade and one boy age 4.  My goal is to deliver five huge boxes full of cardstock, stamps, adhesives, ribbons, brads, flowers, etc...to her and hopefully help put a smile on her face for the first time in a month.  Not only did she and her family lose everything they own but across the street her in-laws lost their home and everything they own too...in fact, her in-laws are still in the hospital.

I would also love to have help spreading the word!  Any help you can spare would be greatly appreciated! 

She included photos of the area in her email.

 

So what do you say?  Do you have supplies just laying around?  I know I do.  I would love it if you could help out with this Scrapbook drive.  You can either email me ( nikkischmaltz@gmail.com ) or Priscilla
( misscill@yahoo.com ) for the address on where you can send your supplies.

If you live by me I would be happy to take the things to Toledo for you.  Just email me.  Thanks!

 One more thing.....  I recently started another blog that has simple, quick recipes.  I did this for all the busy moms out there who need ideas for surviving football or any other season.  Thought I would share that link for you.  www.vvplanb.blogspot.com  PLAN B.  Thanks to those of you who have submitted recipes.   They will eventually be showing up.  I just thought you may want to pop over for a quick look.  I will be adding recipes each day or so.

Now on to the cards:

 This card is for several challenges.   The Color Throwdown is having a big celebration for their 100th Color Combo.  The colors:  Baja Breeze, Celery, Regal Rose and Red.  This card looks way better IRL.  I also used the Stamptacular Sunday Sketch this week.

This is another card I made for our neighbor boy.  He has been feeding our turtles while we are away.  This is no small task.  They eat a LOT for 2 babies.  He has to come over twice a day to keep them full.  I love this digi image from The DigiStamp Boutique.  I used one of Practicing Creativity's sketches this week.  I'm also entering this into the Hip To Be Square Crazy Challenge.  At Stamp Something they have a recipe challenge: 1 image, 1 DP and 1 ribbon.  I definitely thing this qualifies for the Let's Do Fun and Cute Challenge over at Moxie Fab.  Don't you just want to pinch those cheeks on the turtle?  Ours are not this cute.  The inside of the card says, " You Turtley ROCK!"  I'm also entering this into today's TCP 118 challenge to use twine. 

Gotta go.  Sorry for no details.  Time is not on my side.  I should be back to regular posting after next week.  I think I will have one more card before I leave.

We are finishing up those darn 4 H projects tonight and tomorrow is "SHOW TIME."  Wish us luck!

Finally Back and Creating...a little.

Howdy!  I'm  back from vacation and finally had a chance to get a little creative.  We had such a fabulous trip!  To  be honest I wasn't as excited about going to Gettysburg as I was about just GOING.  I'm not much into history.  It's not my "thing."  I have to say though that I LOVED it.  I think history class would be so much more exciting if you could have a sense of what it was really all about. What it sounded like, felt like, LOOKED like.   At least for me.  I'm so glad that my husband planned this trip.  It was so beautiful and emotional.  Funny thing....Hershey, PA ended up being the least favorite part of the trip.  Who would have thought, huh?  We did indulge in the MOST divine cookie I have ever eaten.

Chocolate and Peanut Butter!  There is nothing better for me:)  

It took all 4 of us to eat this because it was so big and rich.

Speaking of eating, if you ever are near Ortanna, PA you MUST go eat at this fabulous restaurant.  

It is called Hickory Bridge Farm and it's very close to Gettysburg.  Wow!  The food was so amazing!  It's all home cooked and the ambiance of the place is the perfect touch.  I will tell you it is a bit pricey, but you will leave feeling very full and happy.  When I say full, I mean FULL!

In fact you may look like this....

Just warning you:)  They also have an old fashioned candy counter and a barn full of antiques to check out.  

This place was one of my most favorite parts of our trip. Really, GO to this place.  It is so worth it.

Ok, I guess you came here for a card, right!?  Well, you're in luck.  I have TWO!

My nephew and niece are coming to spend next week with us and it will be the only time I see my niece before her birthday.  So I made her this using a slightly altered version of the SFYTT this week.  I am also entering this into TPE challenge to use Pink and Black.  I do have to point out that my coloring of this image isn't so great.  I got some Prism card stock for Copics and I guess that Bazzill has bought them out or something.  Anyways, it's NOT the same and I find blending to be very difficult.  So, I'm still searching for the Copic  friendly card stock that works for me.  I think I'm going to try PTI.  Anyone have any suggestions?

Because I wasn't overly thrilled with this card I had to make another one with that lovely "Strawberry Jam" paper from Fly A Kite Collection.  Dots!  I love dots!

This card started out using a Twisted Sketch.  Um... it became a bit altered.  I rearranged this thing in so many ways and then realized that I needed that black panel to be crooked.  That was it!  My life is in such chaos lately that perfectly straight and defined was just too much for my brain to grasp.  Chaotic and crazy?  Now, THAT  I'm in touch with. ( As I type this there are 4 kids running around screaming...need I say more?)

Speaking of crazy.  What do you think of the "flower?"  That was just me playing around with crepe paper, ribbon and a glue gun.  I kind of like that wonky thing.  I literally just crumpled and glued, glued and crumpled.  There is no rhyme or reason to it.  Oh, how I love the freedom of crafting:D.

This is also for TPE challenge and Allsorts Embossing Challenge.  At Stamp Something we are to do something vintage and add flowers.  This is a bit vintage, I think. I'm also entering this into the Pile It On Challenge. Do something fancy, cool or extravagant on the top of your card.  I'm thinking that wonky flower may qualify.  I also think I need to try that paper that the challenge is talking about.  One last challenge to enter...the CCEE challenge is a summer card with flowers.

That's it for me today.  I hope to have something else this week, but I honestly won't be posting much in July, I'm afraid.  The next 3 weeks are FULL of a family activities.  I will be back in full force in August.  I have a few exciting announcements that I will share soon.

In the meantime, I hope you are all having a great summer!  I also apologize for not visiting your blogs like I would like.  Summer...it's so busy.  Goes to fast and too slow.  Remembering the sound of silence...ahhh!





What's In It:
Stamps: Jolinne  Birthday Balloon MFT
Ink: black memento
Paper: Strawberry Jam, berry sorbet, black, white 
Other: rub on, berry sorbet satin ribbon, oval punch, horizontal punch, nesties, copics, sewing machine

Stamps: Verve Plain Jane and All About You, Hearts and Hugs by HA, Elegant Flourishes by Clear Dollar Stamps
Ink:  Versafine Black, antique linen, PTI cream
Paper: Strawberry Jam, black textured, vellum
Other: crepe paper, tattered angels postcards, satin ribbon, black pearl, EK success border punch, Copic R22

Making Lemonade Out Of Lemons

Happy Saturday everyone!  I do have a few cards today, but I've got to say that my creativity is struggling this last week.  I literally sat at my craft table for 2 hours yesterday and didn't produce a darn thing.  I have so much on my mind that creativity has been pushed aside I guess.  We are prepping to leave for vacation on Monday and I'm trying to squeeze in a bunch of stuff before go.  I think my card making mind has already left for Gettysburg:)

I did manage a few cards this morning though. (Scroll down to bypass the chit chat:)

First, can I just tell you about my week?  I can laugh about it now, but man has it been rough.

1.Last Sat. we had an impromptu cookout with our friends.  As we were sitting around the outdoor table and chairs chatting, my chair literally fell apart with me IN it?  Me talking away and then WHAM...on the ground.

2.Next day at the 4H meeting the kids planted flowers at the church and I stood around innocently watching and....got stung by a bee.

3.  My very old dog has peed on the carpet FOUR times this week.  She does not tickle.  She pees a LAKE.
Which is the reason I still have orange carpet from the 70's.  She is about 14 now so I try not to get too angry....TRY is the key word.

4. Made Strawberry Jam yesterday while watching 3 boys play in the backyard and 3 kids play in the front yard after spending the morning shopping with kids in tow.  Accidentally read the directions wrong and put the berries and sugar together first.  Do you know what this makes?????  Strawberry syrup  not jam.  I did have one batch turn out.  What do you do with Strawberry Syrup???  Serve it with Ice Cream, Pound Cake, Bananas and Whip Cream for a Strawberry Split Parfait.  Totally made that up:D  I think it sounds good though.

5. Spent Sunday night up with my son.  He had a bellyache.  He ate too much junk food at the 4H meeting.  This is the THIRD time this has happened.  I no longer have sympathy:( grrrrr.  Ended up oversleeping and missed my son's tutoring.  I NEVER oversleep.

6.  Son woke me up in the middle of the night Wednesday to say that he was sleepwalking and opened the front door.  Whether or not this is actually true, I'm not sure.  He does sleep walk so I am a bit nervous now about him actually walking out the door while we sleep.  I think we may need to install a chain....on the front door of course!  Not on him...lol.  Well, not yet at least.

7.Watched the movie Gettysburg with the family (ok, I fell asleep, but the rest of the family watched it)  My hubby wanted the kids to know a little bit about Gettysburg before we go.  My son went up to bed and proceeded to CRY because he was so upset.  Failed parenting????  I ended up sleeping in his twin size bed with him to calm him down.  We're not getting a lot of sleep around here.


8. Dyed my eyebrows and now I look like Groucho Marx.  It's ok...a few days of hibernation is good:)

I know what you are thinking..."Why does she keep dyeing things?" ( See Hair Story Here and Here) I'm a slow learner.  What can I say.  I don't like having ghost brows.  I was really picked on as a child for my hair color.  That kind of trauma stays with you forever.  Which leads me to my last story of the long post.


 My son played his last week of baseball.  On Tuesday,  he asked me why one of the boys gets teary eyed when he strikes out.  I explained that some people are just really sensitive.  I cry at everything anymore so who am I to say.  D then talked to me about himself and his batting and how he has been using 2 other boys' bats.  He said, "Yeah, sometimes I use "so and so's "bat and sometimes I use BLANK'S bat (the boy who tears up)....The FREAK."  I was so appalled that he would call that boy a "freak."  I tore right into him and told him that was awful and mean and he better never say that again.  He was like, "What!  That's what it's called Mom.  His bat is called, "The FREAK."  It says so right on it. Don't you ever look??"

Ummmm....Oh!
Failed parenting again.  This is one of those moments where you realize that you just stink.  Yet, you are so happy to think that your child is not as awful as you just thought he was.  Happy that he is a good kid and disgusted that you thought we was THAT rotten.   ( Heavy sigh)

And so.... that has been my week.  I can not WAIT for vacation.  I'm so looking forward to spending time with my family alone.   I may have changed my mind by next week.  However, I'm choosing to look on the bright side of life.  Do you know that song?  It's a bit "catchy."  If you hear it you will sing it all day.  It's a great way to be.  As my kids' principle always says, "Make it a great day, or not, the choice is yours."  So I'm going to focus on making lemonade out of lemons or Strawberry Split Parfait out of failed strawberry jam, as the case may be.  Regardless, I won't be around next week on the old blog.  Hopefully, when I return my Mojo will be here waiting:)

This is for several challenges:
A Crafty Little Place: One for the boys
Stamptacular Sunday Challenge: A tribute to fathers

Crazy 4 Challenges- Paper Flowers
SCSColor Challenge- yellow, red, green
EBTKS- Sketch
Stamp Something Summer

Blue Birthday Butterfly

Good Morning Peeps!  It's been forever, I know.  I have been so busy around here trying to keep the kids entertained.  I have to say that this summer it has been rough.  They have reached the age where they don't want to do things with each other much.  Yesterday we had a fabulous day of picking strawberries and cleaning them.  I made some strawberry shortcake and tonight we will be making jam.  I swear that in the summer I could live on Strawberry Shortcake and watermelon.  I know I will be gaining a few pounds by the time I have had my fill of it.  Our scale broke last week.  I weighed in at 97 pounds.  HA HA!  I'm thinking I may not replace it for awhile.  I'd like to live in that fantasy for a bit:)  Especially since we leave for vacation next week.  We are eating out a LOT and visiting Chocolate World in Hershey, PA.  Can you say HEAVEN:)  Ok enough yapping!

I haven't felt much like creating this week, but this morning I needed to make a card. I also realized that I still haven't made any Father's Day cards.  I'm so behind.  I made this card for the Playdate Cafe Challenge and last week's Ways to Use It over at Splitcoast.  It also falls into this week's WTUI 275.  That's a bonus:)  I also used my twisted version of Mercy's Sketch.   I get to enter one more card into the Stamp Something Happy Challenge too! 

Now for family I have a few pictures to share of what we have been up to lately.

Making Homemade Ice Cream.

Towards the end of mixing for 15 minutes you start to get a little crazy/angry waiting for it to freeze:)

A tiny glimpse of them playing together and having fun:)

Working on 4H projects.  Chandler sewed this purse.  Nope!  It isn't even the project she needs to make.  Did you know that doing a 4H project is REALLY time consuming?  Not to mention that if you sew you could spend $40+  to make an elastic waist childrens' skirt????  No wonder no one sews anymore.  I could buy FOUR skirts for that price.  She is having fun learning a new trade though.

The NEW version of catching lightning bugs~  in a plastic bag not a glass jar...LOL

Today we are saying goodbye to our nice breezy day and HELLO to humidity.  Hope you are getting some good weather.  I should be back once more with a few other cards.

See you then!

:( deleted my name again:(

What's In It?

Stamps: Great Friend, Elegant Sentiments

Ink: Versafine black, Aegan blue

Paper: TPS black and white, black, white

Other: Wrinkle Ribbon, MM brad, Glitter, glue pen, rhinestones, dimensionals, Nestabilities Labels and Oval

a big bold HEY!

Did I get your attention...lol??  I can't believe how much I have been able to do some crafting in the mornings.  My kids are enjoying just hanging out relaxing when they get up.  We had a fun day yesterday and a pool party later in the day today.  Wish me luck this weekend since I have agreed to a four boy sleepover in the pop up this weekend.  I think I must have been preoccupied when I agreed to that.  So, I've resorted to "Paper Therapy" beforehand.  Hopefully, that will provide me with lots of patience by Sunday:)

I've found a few websites lately that have helped me with summer crafts for the kids and for keeping the challenge blogs organized.  I've found some really fun challenges through The Daily Dare.  My first card uses a sketch from Twisted Sketches.  This site has sketch challenges for scrapbooking and cards.  The problem is that I didn't use any yellow.  Oops.  It was still a really fun sketch.  I used the colors from The Playdate Cafe and I think this is still a CAS card so I'm entering it into the CAS~tastic Wednesday challenge to use buttons.

I have another card that also using The Playdate Cafe colors.  I think this is one of my favorite color combos.

I made this card using a very special image.  You can read about this super sweet digital HERE.  I just LOVE it!  I decided to pair this image with a NEW challenge issued by Claudia and Company.   Lori Boyd is the creator of this and other stamps available through Claudia and Co. I used the sketch with a bit of altering.  I made this card for a little girl that I read about HERE.  I love that I can use an image I bought for a sick child and make a card to send to another sick child.  I hope you will check out both of these links.  The challenge at Stamp Something is HAPPY Something.  I think BOTH my cards are happy.

Feeling blessed that both my kids are healthy today...( even though they are running around screaming and driving me a bit nuts:)







What's In It?
Stamps: PTI Retro Backgrounds
Ink: versamark
Paper: scraps of rasp fizz, soft sky, white, Kraft
Other: crinkle ribbon, tulle, PTI buttons, swiss dots EF, twine, sewing machine

Stamps: Macie digital, PTI Up and Away sentiments
Ink: versafine black,
Paper: soft sky, kraft, white, rose red
Other: oval nestabilities, copics, EK Success border punch, PTI buttons, twine, scalloped scissors, PTI impression plate

Combining Elegance and Comfort

I gotta say that I love the card I'm sharing today.  I never thought I would make a card, look at it and think, "Hey, this is totally ME!"  But I have.... 

I think this card completely represents my style and personality.  I love pretty things (who doesn't?), but I am all about comfort.  Being comfortable, having a comfortable home and hopefully making people feel comfortable around me.  I'm a "jeans" sort of gal who loves a bit of elegance thrown in the mix.  I have a passion for many things (red.)  I like to have fun ( polka dots are fun.)  My life is filled with wonkiness (ric rac.) I'm pretty touchy feely (fuzzy paper and embossing.)  And like the sentiment on the bottom, you can add some glitz on the outside of me, but inside I'm still comfortably worn and imperfect in so many ways.

I made this card with the Moxie Fab Fun with Fabric Challenge and over at FlourishesTimeless Tuesday #68 they have a challenge to make your own flower. I used the CPS sketch as my inspiration (with a slight alteration.) Stamp Something is to use 2 of something.  I used 2 colors....provided cream does not count....if it does then I used two papers:) Lastly, this is for the Pile It On challenge~ out of the box.  I think my card is pretty out of the box in all the elements.  After my analogy of the card and my personality you may just consider me "out of my mind."  Hopefully. that will count too:)

I will have more details on how I made this card Saturday.  It will be featured on my Guest Designer spot over at A Little Crafty Place( the Die Cuts R Us Design Team Blog.)

Hope you will stop back then for all the details on this card and a few more.

Happy Thursday!  Mine is FULL of kid stuff~ lunch on the bleachers, a play at school, ortho appts, a play again!  I'll be hopping for sure!

Happy Earth Day!

I have a few projects to share today in celebration of Earth Day.  Each year it is my goal to be more aware of how I affect the world I live in.  I am huge into recycling, but know that I still have a long way to go in changing some of my habits to better our world.  As my daughter always says, " Every little bit counts."  I love that my kids are so interested in caring for their world. Each year we take our wagon and go clean the wooded path that we walk through on the way home from school.  Each year it makes me angry at how much litter there is in the beautiful section of nature.  It makes my kids angry too.  It's a good angry.  I know that they will always think about keeping their world clean.  At least I hope they will.

My favorite part of Spring is the beautiful look and smell of the lilac bush by my driveway.  Oh is there any sweeter smell???  I think not...well, maybe chocolate.  But other than that, I think not.  I saved a vinegar bottle specifically so that I could try the technique that Beate did HERE.  ( Go to the bottom of the post for the video)

I used Enamel Etch, embossing powder and the dot from the Stephanie Bernard Back 2 Basics set to create a fun, polka dotted vase.  Here is close up.  Hopefully you can see my irregular dots.

This didn't turn out as well as I would have liked, but it still looks pretty and my house smells wonderful. Make sure if you try this that you really add the etching enamel heavily.



I have one more project using several recycled items.

My flower and the "trim" along the bottom are made from a pair of jeans that my daughter outgrew and used to paint her room with.  She keeps accidentally pulling them out of her drawer to wear.  Not anymore.......:)
I used my Spellbinder's die to create a jean flower much like yesterday's post.  The smaller cherry paper is actually the front of the paper packaging.  I cut it out to layer on this card.  While my coupon isn't really recycled, it's from a Valentine's card pack. Love using off season stuff.  Cherries are nature at it's best, aren't they?  Yum!

We won't be having cherries, but we are having our first taste of Strawberry Shortcake tonight accompanying a great big GREEN salad with our deer steaks.  It's going to be "Good Eats" tonight.

I'm entering this into a few challenges this week.

Die Cuts R Us- Earth Embellishment
The Pink Elephant Sketch
Stamp Something~ Layers
Sweet Stampin Challenge~ In Stitches
Your Next Stamp 14 ~ Faux or Real Stitches


I really hope to have a few more Recycled Projects to share in the next week. Don't forget to stop in tomorrow for the BIG release for PaperWorks Co.  There will be prizes galore.  Don't miss it!