03.23.11

 Hello everyone... long time no blog, hey?  It's good to be back!

Today I've got a card for this week's Make it Monday challenge from Papertrey Ink.  The challenge was to color with copics on non-neutral cardstock, which is my favorite way to color with copics.  My crafting time is seriously limited and I want to make the most of it so sitting down to spend an hour coloring isn't feasible, but adding shading here and there is.

This card was made for my cousin's birthday.  She's one of my best friends and like a sister to me, we grew up down the street from each other, got into plenty of trouble and have countless childhood memories to make us laugh.  Love that girl :)

The rose, from year of flowers:roses, was stamped in smokey shadow ink on sweet blush cardstock.  Background basics:sheet music was stamped in sweet blush over it.  Then I shaded with my copics and cut it out.  It doesn't show up very well in the picture but I used a sakura glitter pen to trace the rose outline, it's so seriously gorgeous in real life.

This bookmark was another part of her b-day gift.   Since I gave her a book, she had to have an accompanying bookmark, right?

Well that's all I've got for today, thanks for stopping by!

PTI anniversary tags no.6

Whew, I've never posted 6 times in a week, much less 6 times in a day!

Here's the last one, but it is, by far, my favorite!  I seriously heart this adorable image from Melissa Bickford.

It's colored with copics and layered on a limitless layers 1 3/4" circle, a labels 1 nestie, and mat stack 5.  Finished off with a couple buttons and some ribbon.  Seriously, L.O.V.E.

Thanks for stopping by!

PTI anniversary tags no.3

It's been so great for me to get back in the scraproom for a while and actually have some mojo, yey!  :)

This card uses the tag image created by Heather Nicholls.

You might notice that my colors are completely wrong...  I didn't change them, that's just how awful my printer is.  It just looked more like lavender moon than melon berry so I went with it.

The bkg is stamped with turning a new leaf in versamark.  Dies used are Mat stack 1 and limitless layers 1 3/4"

PTI anniversary tags no.2

I'm back with my second entry using the tags from Papertrey Ink.

This is Maile Belles image.  Can't wait to see Maile's stamp sets, I heart her style and can not wait to see what she'll do with stamps!!

This card uses a bunch of dies (limitless layers, doule ended banner and banner borders) and the numbers impression plate

PTI anniversary tags no.1

Hello, I've got a couple posts for you today featuring the free downloadable tags from Nichole of Papertrey Ink.  Here's the first one, this image is from Alli Miles. 

I also used the mat stack 3 collection and big and bold wishes for the sentiment.

Thanks for stopping by!



11.3.2010

Wow, it seems as though the world has been spinning faster than ever.  There just aren't enough hours in the day, are there?

Oh well, busy is good, keeps me out of trouble ::wink::

Today I've got a thankful card to share.  I think I'll give this one to my in-laws.  Truthfully, I'd be lost without them!

I used the leaf prints stamps and dies and a sentiment from 2009 autumn tags.  So glad I decided to get leaf prints!  I was on the fence about it, but it's great for fall and masculine projects and the matching dies are amazing!!

Well onto the to-do list, thanks so much for stopping by!

10.19.10

Today's card was made for a friend of the family who retired after 37 years of working in the local mine.  37 years!!

This card features leaf prints form PTI and I was looking all over for a retirement sentiment when I remembered Practicing Creativity's Chatterbox.  Love that sentiment set, there's a lot of different sentiments you don't find frequently.  The size was perfect to fit on this tag with my leaf.  I rock and rolled the leaf with orange zest and terra cotta tile and the background is stamped with terracotta tile on orange zest CS.  The tag and ribbon are the beautiful fine linen, I'm more and more in love with this color each time I use it!!

I've also got my very first knock off wood project to share with you today.  It's a bookshelf adapted from this amazing wall bookshelf.

The original sat on the floor, but because of that radiator, mine had to be wall mounted.  What I love best about this bookshelf is how the books face outward.  My kids always had a tough time getting the books put in library style so they would sit on the floor in a sort of stack until I picked them up.  This way they can put them away so easily!!  As you busy Mom's know, anything they can do themselves is always less work for us!  I also simplified the tops and cut them rounded off, because this was my very first wood project ever and I wasn't quite sure how I'd do with a jig-saw.

This was seriously so easy and fun to build and it cost $27.72 including screws!!

and because I have two rowdy boys....

 you can see that before I could even photograph it they did this.

Which is the entire reason I didn't want to pay big bucks for a bookshelf  :)

Thanks for stopping by!

10.13.10

Hello Everyone!

Sorry to leave the blog unattended for so long.  I feel guilty not stopping in, but you know how it is, life just gets busy!  So what have I been up to? 

Well I got distracted by

  

Knock Off Wood

Which got me into building furniture!!  So far I've built this Kids elementary table and these storage chairs, then a variation of this book shelf.  I used this farmhouse table plan to make a workbench for my husband, and I'm working on a dining room table using that plan too but I adjusted it to be wider.  Just yesterday I built these totally fun Truss shelves.  Using my own plan I also made a side table for the living room and am working on a bench for the dining room table. 

So, yeah, I got a little obsessed!  Haven't taken any pictures of them yet, but if you'd like to see anything just let me know.

Besides that, the wood for our wood boiler so we've been cutting and hauling that like it's going out of style!  There's been no crafty time for this girly, but I've got a couple more cards from Practicing Creativity.

This one uses the tree and sentiment from Retro Christmas and the presents from The Whole Cycle.  Fun isn't it?!

Here's a tag using hte deer and striped tree from Retro Christmas and happy birthday sentiments from you're the man.

Here's a clean lined masculine card featuring the striped tree from Retro Christmas and sentiments from Chatterbox.

Thanks for stopping by!

10.3.10

 Got another peek for you from Practicing Creativity!!  Today the DT gals and I are featuring spray ink in our projects. 

Using an oval nestability I cut and embossed some white cardstock.  While it was still in the die I sprayed some glimmer mist to create my background.

The background is stamped with versamark and this sweet little tree was just begging for some bling.

Make sure you check out all the DT gals blogs for some more peeks!

Courtney

Karen

Dana

Paulina

and my fellow guest DT members

Heather Pulvirenti

Christina Maclaren

See you tomorrow for one more peek before the release!

Thanks for stopping by!!

10.2.10

Sooo I can finally tell you all... I'm guest designing at Practicing Creativity this month!!!  I'm a huge fan or Courtney Bakers and I LOVE, love, LOVE their stamps.  I am thrilled beyond belief and honored that she'd have me!

Today I'm sneak peeking one of the new October release sets, Retro Christmas.  It's amazing, you're going to fall head over heels for this one, I know I did!!

The ornaments are heat embossed with some gliter and bling thrown in for good measure  ::wink::

Here are a couple close-up shots.

Make sure you check out all the DT gals blogs too, they're amazing!

Courtney

Karen

Dana

Paulina

and my fellow guest designers

Heather Pulvirenti

Christina Maclaren

Happy World Cardmaking Day!!  I'm hoping to have a little fun time in the studio today, hope you can too!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you'll come back tomorrow, I'll have more sneak peeks from Practicing Creativity!

10.1.10

Today's card, another from the archives features a bunch of papertrey.  Sentiments from big and bold wishes, leaves from turning a new leaf, scallop border, twine and buttons

Stop by tomorrow, I've got some exciting news to share!

9.29.10

Today's card is one from the archives, I made it quite a while back, not sure why it never got posted because I really like it.  Loving the gradient color scheme.  The background is text style 1, trees from through the trees and the sentiment is from big and bold wishes.

See how I repeated the colors in the buttons?  just a fun little touch.

Not sure if I've mentioned it before but I am very passionate about photography, and I've got some fun news on that front.  This week I've got TWO photoshoots scheduled, and they're not even for my own kids!  haha :)  Some day I hope to have a full time photography business.  What do you want to be when you grow up?

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:

Cardstock:  Dark chocoalte, kraft, vintage cream, lemon tart, summer sunrise, orange zest, terracotta tile

Stamps: Through the trees, text style 1, big and bold wishes

Ink:  dark chocolate

Other: twine, buttons (lemon tart, summer sunrise, orange zest, terracotta tile)

9.28.2010

Hello!  Happy Tuesday, we're that much closer to Friday right?  ha!  I've got plans to visit my son's 1st grade class to take some photos for the first installment of our school scrapbook.  Yey, it's so much fun!!  Don't have to be there for a couple hours so in about 5 minutes I will have a quiet house.  BLISS!!

Today I've got a card featuring my favorite set from WPlus9, hooked on you.  I wanted to keep this one super CAS.  The fish was stamped on some Echo Park patterned paper, cut out and colored the spots with a copic marker.  I also stamped his eye on white and cut that out.  I cut a 1 3/4" circle for him to peek out of and punched the waves on the top with a fiskars border punch.  Stamped the sentiment in black and the bubbles with versamark.

Thanks for stopping by!  Stay tuned, I've got some pretty exciting things coming up!!

Supplies:

Stamps:  Hooked on you WPlus9

Cardstock:  White, Hawaiian Shores

Patterned Paper:  Echo Park

Ink:  Palette Noir, Versamark

Other: 1 3/4" circle punch, Wave punch Fiskars, copic marker

halloween wishes

Hello everybody!  Happy Monday, hope you had a super weekend.  Ours was great, full of good times and great people.  We've all been battling head colds, seems we always are this time of year.

The card I have for you today is a Halloween card using Damask designs and Halloween tags.

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies (all PTI):

Cardstock:  Vintage Cream, Orange Zest, Dark Chocolate, Kraft, Plum Pudding

Ink:  Orange Zest, Plum Pudding, Dark Chocolate

Stamps:  2009 Halloween Tags, Damask Designs

Other:  Large Scallop Border, 1 3/4" circle punch (Ek Success), Twine, Orange Zest Button

you're the man

Today I've got a masculine card for you featuring Practicing Creativity's You're the man and PTI's It's Official.  The bolts in the background are heat embossed on simply chartreuse cardstock.  I stamped the ruler on kraft cardstock and stamped some woodgrain in dark chocolate over it.  I stamped the sentiment, also from you're the man, on a fillable frames #4 die. 

I really like the simplicity of this one.

Now I've got to run, there's a full 3 hours of quiet until my boys gets home from pre-school.  Got to check some things off the to-do list and enjoy the peace and quiet! :)

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a fantastic day!!

welcome baby

Today's card is a sweet little baby card.  This one features the tin types impression plate and a sentiment from PTI's round and round anniversary set.  The moon was cut using my circle punch.  Other dies are the clouds and mat stack1 from PTI.  I sponged some hawaiian shores around the edges of a spring rain mat for the sky.

Now that I'm looking at this photo it really does not do this card justice.  In person this card is one of my all time favorites, it's subtle and sweet and I just love it to pieces!!

Tonight I've got a date to see Nanny McFee with my boys and my in-laws, should be good times.  Talk at you all later.  Thanks for stopping by!

26.2

Yesterday was an important day for me.  Yesterday I did somethings that not too long ago I would have considered unattainable.  Yesterday I ran a full marathon!  That's 26.2 miles people!

When I first started running I couldn't run 1/10 of a mile without stopping to catch my breath.  I was so seriously out of shape it was pathetic.  So I would run a little farther the next time and eventually I could run a 5K (3.2 miles), which to me was pretty great.  Then I decided I was going to run farther, so I did.  I've been training for a while, but I didn't want to start something I couldn't finish so I waited until I felt ready.

The Marathon was held in Marquette, Michigan.  Wow it's a gorgeous course, the weather however, was not gorgeous.  It was cold and rainy with 20-30 MPH winds.  Luckily, much of the course has trees and buildings to block the wind.

My whole family was there through the cold and rain to support me.  They helped me immensely.  Here is the best part:

My Son, Dylan, wanted to run with me for a little while.  Right before he ran with me I wasn't sure I could keep going, but he helped me through.

Here I am crossing the finish line with a time of 5 hours 15 seconds.

Now I wasn't the fastest, by far.  But that's not at all what it was about for me.  I wanted to prove to myself that I can go above and beyond anything I ever thought possible and guess what?  I did!

A huge thank you to my family for supporting me through it all:  My amazing husband and both of my boys, My Sister, My Dad, My Mom who was sick, My in-laws whom I adore.  Thank you again.

Now if you made it through that I have a pretty card to show you.  It's for Courtney Baker's sketch challenge over at Practicing Creativity.

I chose Courtney's sketch, which looks like this:

and this is my card. 

This one uses a bunch of different sets from PCD.  Sentiment is from the whole cycle, clouds are from you're dandy and the balloons are from look up.  I love the subtle vintage feel of this one, it's so different from what I've been doing lately.  It needed some glitter on the balloons and clouds so that's exactly what it got, hehe.

Oh and I FINALLY jumped on the Nestability bandwagon, and now I know what I waited so long...  They're fantastic and now I want to buy them all!!!  yikes my wallet hurts already!

I sure do appreciate you stopping by, especially if you made it through all of my ramblings today!

Supplies:

Stamps:  Look Up, The Whole Cycle, and You're Dandy (PCD)

Papers:  Vintage Cream CS (PTI), Patterned  Papers (October Afternoon)

Ink:  Noir (Palette), Aqua Mist, Simply Chartreuse, Dark Chocolate (PTI)

Other:  Buttons (PTI), Twine (PTI), Labels 1 die (Spellbinders), Ripe Avocado Grosgrain ribbon (PTI), Glitter (Prisma)

On your wedding day

Hello!  The card I've got for you today showcases a gorgeous prima flower.  I loved these flowers so much that I didn't even want to use them!  Yes, I have hoarding tendencies.  Anyways, besides the flower this card uses the tin types impression plate, turning a new leaf, a sentiment from YOF: roses, the eyelet border die and some october afternoon papers and label.

In other news, this saturday I will be running my first marathon!!  I'm seriously nervous so if you could send me some good vibes, I'd appreciate it.  Wish me luck!

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:

Cardstock: Kraft, Vintage Cream (Papertrey Ink)

Stamps:  YOF: roses, turning a new leaf (PTI)

Ink:  Simply Chartreuse (PTI), Noir (Palette)

Other:  Eyelet border die, Tin Types Impression plate (PTI), Flower (Prima), Label and patterned paper (October Afternoon), Pen (sharpie)

Praying for you

Today's card features some colored delightful dahlias and some spotlighting.  I'd never tried this technique, but I love how it turned out.

I wouldn't have added the ribbon to the left side of the focal point, but right as I was finishing up I smudged maker and there was no way that I colored it all for nothing, so an "opportunity for embellishment" was born. haha.

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies all PTI unless noted

Cardstocks:  Kraft, White and Black

Ink: Palette Noir

Other:  Scarlet Jewel twill and Copic markers (the ones that coordinate with Scarlet Jewel)

Dot spot birthday

Today's card is a bright and fun birthday card Featuring dot spot and a sentiemnt from Birthday Bash Sentiments.

I'm so completely addicted to this Label 4 die!  Seriously, I LOVE this thing!!!

Stamped a couple dot spots off the edges.  If I did this again I'd switch out the red for a lighter color, it's a bit hard to see the sentiment, but whatever, live and learn.  Right?!   I kept the colors gender neutral so the card could be used for either sex.

Supplies all PTI:

Cardstock:  black, white, Simply Chartreuse

Ink:  Palette Noir, Pure Poppy, Ripe Avocado, Hawaiian Shores

Stamps: Dot Spot, Birthday Bash Sentiments

Other:  Linen and Canvas Impression Plate, Hawaiian Shores Grosgrain ribbon