This card was for the Doubledog dare challenge on Splitcoast. We had to give a lesson in manners and include a bee somewhere on the card...all inspired by Romper Room and Mr. Do Bee! Remember those Romper Stompers?! I do!!!!! :) My lesson is to say thank you when someone gives you something. Hope you like it!

I played around last night with my alcohol inks. I took a plain white button and applied alcohol inks...and kept applying with blender and copper mixative...until i got a result that I liked. Now I'm looking around the house at every non-porous surface thinking "wow! I could alcohol ink that!" Hopefully I won't start inking the house windows! :)

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room: Privacy Please :)

I read the entry for the day in Sarah Ban Breathnach's book Simple Abundance. In the entry she talks about how being "privacy deprived" can lead to feeling sad, depressed and burned out. She talks about the importance of taking private "time-outs" to replenish our spirits. I don't know about you, but I think I have suffered from "pd." In my job I am around so many people when I travel - people in airports and hotels and training rooms...it's no wonder I want to go and hide in a dark closet when I get home! So today, and everyday, give yourself a personal, private "time out." We all need time to replenish our souls.

Today's challenge on Splitcoast was to include something with an engine in our card...trains have engines! I used the designer label punch to punch out these train cars and then trimmed the tops off. The wheels are 1/2" circle punches with a dot of stickles in the middle. I sponged around the train cars with pumpkin pie ink. I made a faux bow...since my bow-tying skills still need a lot of work :) I paper-pieced and popped up the animals and gave them a little bling with stickles :) Hope you like it!

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room: A Scattered Space Leads To A Scattered Brain...or vice versa!

It's amazing I can even think in this office! I'm not sure which comes first, the scattered space or the scattered brain, but somehow I have ended up with both in my office and in my craft room! It's a mess! So I find myself just wanting to sit outside - away from the mess. Maybe the combination of the out-of-control scattered mind and the crazy scattered space will be just the kick in the pants I need to finally sort and organize...I'll keep you posted!

Today's challenge to use a charm had me digging through my old jewelry supplies. When I saw this sun I knew it was the one to build upon for today's card. I used butterscotch alcohol ink to color the silver charm and then stamped the flower after using 3 markers to color it in. The more mustard paper was crumpled up and then flattened for that wonderful distressed look. The Dymo labels were added as the greeting. Finally I put some crystal effects on the flower to give it a little extra shine. Now I just need to wait for a cloudy day so I can give this card to my special someone :)

A card made with love for my beautiful and amazing aunt and uncle! I used mat board that my aunt gave me after my last visit with her at her frame shop. The stamped images are pocket silhouettes. I sponged the kraft card stock layer with always artichoke ink and sponged the perfect plum card with perfect plum ink. May this card inspire you, even if just one tenth the amount that my aunt inspires me!!!!

Another quick card to send to my nieces at camp...don't worry, I made 2 since there are 2 of them :)

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room: Smile and Slow Down :)

I woke up early this morning since I was facilitating a webinar on negotiation from the comfort of my office - no webcam so I was able to wear my comfy clothes :) Whenever I do a webinar I post little notes to myself around the computer that say things like "Smile" and "Slow Down." Today I realized that those reminders aren't just good when I'm doing webinars, but they are also great when I am going about my day-to-day life. Maybe I need to start carrying a little bulletin board around with me wherever I go so that I can cover it in notes that remind me to smile, slow down, and appreciate every moment?

Today's sketch challenge was a ton of fun and, of course, I had to pull out my new alcohol inks! It's amazing what you can do with a few colors...I had no idea I'd be able to create orange so well with butterscotch and perfect plum! I applied the alcohol inks to glossy white paper and then stamped the More the Merrier stamp, with black Staz-On onto the inked cardstock. I cut out the pumpkins and raised them up on dimensionals and used my 1 1/4" square punch for the squares. I ran the kraft card stock through the big shot with the distressed texturz plate. Hope you like it! I know it's not November yet, but after being in the store yesterday and seeing X-mas decorations out already, I figured I was okay making a Turkey Day card :)

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room: A New Supply or A New Technique Might Be Just What You Need For New Inspiration!

Today I rewarded myself with a trip to Hobby Lobby (yes, I deserved it!) and purchased alcohol inks - something I had been wanting for awhile. They really inspired me and when I saw today's color challenge I put the new inks to good use!

I pounced, blended and pounced again with the alcohol inks on glossy paper. Then I ran that paper through the bigz butterfly die. I put 2 smaller pieces of pretty in pink card stock through the top note die to create the "sides" of the card. I stamped the background with an image from Kindred Spirits. I then took some white organza ribbon and ran it across the really rust ink pad and poof - some really rust ribbon appeared :)

Hope you like the card - I had a really fun time with the new products and this whacky color combo!

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room: Give Your Brain A Rest :)

Some days I try really hard to think up a meaningful lesson from the craft room and today I found myself thinking really hard, but nothing was coming...ahh, there's the lesson - give your brain a rest :) Sometimes not thinking and just enjoying is exactly the lesson we need :)

I had fun with this new technique challenge...even if it required ironing :) I also threw in another fun fabric technique and embossed the center piece of die cut velvet with one of the Circle Circus stamps. Hope you like it!