Clutter...Away!!!!

This is the hallway outside the craft room...full of clutter!  I've been working on the craft room for days and these boxes and piles have been living in the hallway for a week now!  Hopefully I'll make some more progress today - I'm ready to have the hallway back!  You can see the sun shining through on the floor halfway down the hall - that's the doorway to the craft room on the right there...when I'm done I'll take a photo so you can see my clean, organized space!!!!

Season of Friendship - Inspiration Challenge

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Stop Trying To Be Clever And Allow Yourself To Just Be

I know that sometimes when I go to post a card or a lesson from the craft room, I wonder what you all will think.  Will it be good enough?  Will it be clever enough?  Will you think I have talent?  And yes, I do care what you think.  Sometimes, though, caring what others think gets in my way - I freeze - I can't think of the next lesson from the craft room or I'm afraid to post my card - especially if it's experimental.  What I continue to learn is that I really need to stop "trying" and just allow myself to be.  I won't always be clever or gifted or talented - but what I will be, is me :)

Today's card was inspired by this painting http://www.poshtots.com/Decor/Wall-Art-by-Theme/Popular-Artwork-for-Girls/Silhouetted-Bird-on-Blue-Hand-Painted-Canvas/23/1446/1344/17881/PoshProductDetail.aspx.  I made the bird using punches (I cheated a bit on the legs since I took the scissors out after I punched from the word window punch).  I sponged the bird with chocolate chip and popped him up on dimensionals to give him some dimension.  The tree, flowers, leaves and greeting were all heat embossed.  Hope you like it!

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Be Still

On my walk with Buddy this morning I was so aware of how peaceful and quiet it was in the neighborhood.  This is one thing I am so grateful for on Christmas - the neighborhood seems to slow down.  There are very few cars on the road.  You can almost hear the silence of the mountains :)  I wonder how we can create this feeling more often in our lives - those moments when we can just be still and breathe...

Today's limited supply challenge on SCS was to make a card from wrapping that was on a gift you received from the holidays.  I love the recycle theme!  This card was made from the silver wrapping and burgundy tissue paper that were a part of a gift I received last night.  I seem to be addicted to my Daisies die, so I used it again to make these layered flowers.  I hope you like it!

Medallion Wishes 2

I decided to make a 2nd version of the Medallion Wishes card.  This is for a friend's birthday - she LOVES purple!  I used the same supplies as the first card and then stepped things up with a little dazzling diamonds, liquid pearls and the stamp-a-ma-jig to piece together the greeting.  Hope you like it!  Happy holidays!!!!

Medallion Wishes

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Some Days Are Play Days!

We woke up to a ton of snow this morning - a winter wonderland!  Buddy was so excited for his walk!  We went to a favorite park and saw Abby, a Golden Retriever, we met yesterday.  Yesterday Buddy wasn't interested in playing with Abby, but today was a whole different story!  They ran after one another - bounding around in the snow!  It was adorable!!!!  Some days are just play days!  Today is one of them :)  Hope you have a fun play day today!

Today's card has so much dimension in person - it was hard to capture in the photo.  I used the Medallion background stamp for this background challenge.  I stamped the image on the card and used the spritzer tool to age things a bit.  I then stamped the image over and over on a piece of kraft cs and ran that through the Big Shot with the Daisy #2 die.  I layered 6 daisies on top of each other and used a build-a-brad for the middle.  The daisies are popped up on dimensionals.  I used the curly label die and punch for the greeting and popped that up too!  Hope you like it!!!!

Faux Suede

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Nest
 
noun:  a person's snug or secluded retreat or shelter.  verb:  use or build a nest.

It's snowing here in Colorado today and my desire to nest is as strong as ever.  I have been on a week-long cleaning journey in the craft room - trying to create my nest - that place that feels secluded - the place that can be my creative shelter.  It sounds quite romantic, doesn't it?  I have to admit that most of my nest is storage for all my nesting material :)  But getting it organized and put away in a way that makes me feel comforted, rather than crazed, is an important priority for me right now.  How is your nesting instinct?  What makes you feel comforted and calm?

Today's sketch challenge called out to me for simplicity.  I went with a monotone look and pulled out the hole punch to make random holes as decorative accents.  I used the bone folder to break down the fibers in both the circle and one of the rectangular pieces.  When you break the paper fibers down enough, you can peel the paper layers apart to reveal a faux suede look.  I added the large grommet to the faux suede flower and topped everything off with one of my favorite stamps of all time!  Hope you like it!

Valentine's Card #1

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  It Doesn't Have To Feel Like Groundhog Day!

I admit to having gotten into a bit of a routine - wake up, shower, check the computer, walk the dog...seems I could do it in my sleep - and sometimes it does feel like I'm sleeping - or like it's Groundhog Day (very funny movie by the way)!  It doesn't have to be like that though.  Sometimes all it takes is switching things up a bit - head out to run some errands at a time when you don't normally go.  Switch chores with someone else in the house just to try something new.  Or maybe even give yourself a day off :)  Enjoy!

Today's card is for the clean and simple and color challenges on SCS - simple to make.  The only added step was to apply crystal effects to the hearts.  Hope you like it!

House of Peace

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Consider Living More For Today Than For Some Day

I had to smile when today's challenge was about building a house...granted it is a birdhouse, but it makes me think of all the house cleaning I've been doing lately.  Oh to be a bird with such a little space to keep clean :)  I've been spending most of my time cleaning in the craft room and I realize that I save a lot of things for "some day."  For instance, I'd better save this big plastic bottle because "some day" it may come in handy for a project.  Oh, and this cardboard packing material, and those beat up plastic containers, and don't forget those wrappers from those candies...and so on, and so on, and so on...until eventually I am surrounded by piles of things for "some day" and unable to live comfortably in a clean space today.  So I've been purging a lot - trying to live more for today than for some day.  It has been an emotional purging for me since I seem to have a hard time letting go.  I have to admit though - every time I remove things from the craft room and deposit them in the trash I feel a bit lighter and a bit more at peace :)   So today's birdhouse is my house of peace - this is hopefully what I will end up with when I finish my purging - a peaceful, clean space where I can cozy up and create :)  Wish me luck!

The roof of the birdhouse was cut from silver tooling foil and then scalloped and embossed.  I used a sewing pin to attach the die cut bird and ribbon.  The flowers were punched and then embellished with silver liquid pearls.  Hope you like it and I hope you enjoy today!