A Random Act Of Kindness!!!!

Wow!  I had a surprise in my mail box today!!!!  Look at this gorgeous card that Judi sent me!  She is so talented and I feel so special to have received one of her creations!!!!  Thanks Judi!!!!  You can see more of Judi's beautiful work on her blog.  She has some blog candy that she is giving away this month, so be sure to pay her a visit!

Faux Designer Series Paper - Tart & Tangy

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Pass Along A Last Minute Invitation

Last night I cooked a big meal.  We realized, that if we didn't have company, we would be eating the same recipe for a week!  So, although it was already dinner time, we decided to give Michael's sister a call and invite her over for dinner.  I have to admit that I felt a bit guilty calling her so late to pass along the invite, but I ignored the guilt and called anyway.  I had to leave a message, but 30 minutes later she called back and said she and her boyfriend would be over!  I was so glad I had passed along the invitation - even though it was at the last minute.  We had a great time sitting and chatting.  So next time you want to pass along a last minute invite and are feeling a little guilty about it - swallow your pride and make the call - you'll be so glad you did!

Today's SCS challenge was to find inspiration from the Warm Biscuit Bedding Company.  I chose this fabric as my inspiration!  I stamped the background in barely banana with the Sanded background stamp and then used my markers to color the cherry stamp from tart & tangy and randomly stamped it all over the card stock.  The garden green card stock was punched with the eyelet border punch and then run through the crimper about 5 times to give it a lace feel.  I hope you like it!

A Thoughtful Day

Today's Lesson From My Home:  Find Your Moments Of Heaven Here On Earth

I went for my morning "wog" with Buddy this morning.  Our route takes us by a park near our house.  There is one corner of the park that sits up on a hill and from that vantage point you can see the snow-covered mountains in the distance.  As part of our morning ritual, we have begun to stop at that corner of the park and sit on the bench there and stare at the mountains in silence.  Today, I sat on the bench and Buddy sat down right in front of me (well, actually, right on my left foot) with his back pressing against my calf.  In that moment I felt I was experiencing a piece of Heaven here on earth.  Just thinking about it now makes me take in a deep breath...and exhale.  I want to be mindful of these moments, and try to look for them in my daily life.  Today I'm choosing to not head into the craft room.  Instead, I am heading back into the kitchen where my creating is about nourishing myself and my family tonight for dinner...baklava and vegetarian moussaka...the house smells divine!  Have a beautiful night!

Video: Dyed Sand Technique

Here is another technique I came up with...my creative mind has been very active these past few weeks! :)  Thought you'd enjoy this quick and easy technique that has a great WOW effect!  Enjoy!

Sneak Peek - Sweet Scoops!

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room: Support Someone Else's Art!

My friend Mario Rivoli is an incredible artist! He has been creating since he was 5 years old!  He is an amazing assemblage artist and I am always wowed by his creations! We went to lunch the other day, and when we picked him up at his house we were given a tour of some of his latest creations. I fell in love with this amazing beaded flower arrangement - just gorgeous.

So...I bought it!!!!! It felt so good to support someone else's creative spirit by purchasing their work. There are a lot of ways we can support someone else's art - by our purchases, our comments, our encouragement. Who can you support today?

Today's challenge on SCS was to incorporate something new. One of my new things is obvious - the new Sweet Scoops stamp set that will be out in the summer mini catalog! Isn't it yummy?! :) I also tried a new technique that came to me in yet another dream!!!! I was dreaming about sand, and, as I was waking up, my creative mind thought, "Hey, I wonder if you can dye white sand with classic ink?" Well, the answer is an absolute YES! It also dries right away so you can get instant gratification! I may put together a quick video today to demo the technique. I adhered the sand to the card using heat and stick powder. I hope you like it!

Sale-A-Bration Birthday

Just wanted to share this quick card that we made at a workshop this week.  We used the Happy Moments set from the Sale-A-Bration catalog.  The presents were stamped with Staz-On and then colored in using ink pads and an aqua painter.  Of course we had to add some dazzling diamonds :)  I got this Happy Moments stamp set for free since it is still Sale-A-Bration!!!!  Sale-A-Bration runs to the end of this month!  Don't miss this great opportunity to earn free, exclusive stamps, paper or punches when you make a $50 product purchase!  What are you waiting for?  Shop now! :)

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Follow Your Waking Dreams

Have you ever paid attention to what your internal voice is telling you upon awakening?  I listened very carefully yesterday morning when, upon awakening, I had a waking dream about heat embossing on fabric!  I had never thought of it before, and since I just started sewing last week, somehow the thought of embossing combined with the act of sewing in the middle of the night and I woke with the idea!!!  I love heat embossing on paper, so why not fabric?!  Listen to your waking dreams - you never know where they might take you!

Today's card uses my heat embossed fabric technique!  Scroll down to the next post to watch the how-to video.  I used the Charming stamp set and white craft  ink with gold embossing powder on my black fabric.  Before embossing the fabric, I ran it through the Big Shot with the Flower Folds die.  The flower was made with 4 of the smallest flowers cut from the die.  I also ran the black card stock through the Big Shot with the Finnial Press embossing folder.  I heat embossed the greeting in black on the brushed gold card stock.  I hope you like it!

Video: Heat Embossed Fabric

I woke up with a new technique in mind - heat embossed fabric!!!  Here's a video to show you how!  Let me know if you have any questions!  Enjoy!



Here is a package that I decorated with a combination heat embossed fabric and paper flower.  The possibilities are endless with this technique!

Judi's Blog Candy!

Judi is giving away more blog candy on March 25th!  Yeah!!!  Check out all the cool stuff she is giving away!

 Go check out her blog if you'd like to enter to win!

Quilted Furry Purse

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Take On A Challenge!

Late in the afternoon yesterday I decided it was time to head back to the sewing machine.  I knew I could have started small - maybe a pillow cover or something simple for sewing project #2...but what fun would that be!  Instead I chose to challenge myself!  I had seen the rag quilted purse that Angie Juda had made and I had even watched her video on how to make it (before I learned how to sew) and I was so inspired I thought - What the heck!  I am soooooo proud of myself I am going to burst!  I have to admit that choosing to use a bulky furry fabric was probably not the best choice for a first purse, but it didn't stop me :)  I can't wait to use my purse today!  How can you challenge yourself today?

Decor Elements Auto!

This Afternoon's Lesson From Outside The Craft Room:  Why Create Small When You Can Create Big!

I am the kind of person who believes a car is meant to get you from here to there.  I have had my car since 1998 and I intend to have it until it won't have me anymore :)  My car and I have been through a lot!  She was stolen twice (can you believe it?!), but both times she found me again.  Since the repairs from when she was last stolen, the clear coat has begun to peel away.  I guess the body shop can never do as good of a job as the manufacturer.  I have thought about repainting the car, but I've been told that the car is worth less than the paint job would be...so, I figured, why not make her beautiful in some other way!  Today I ventured outside with my Ginormous Flowers decor elements and began working on her makeover :)  This is what I've done so far - it is already making me smile :)  I'm debating whether or not to cover her entirely, or to just focus on her problem areas.  I figured I would stop for the afternoon and take another look at her tomorrow, once I've stepped away for a bit.  Why create small when you can create big! :)  I hope you like her!

Featured Stamper Inspiration

Today's Featured Stamper on SCS was Vera Schoeters.  What a lot of inspiration her stamping provides!  I chose this card for my inspiration.  I used the ideas of the Warhol technique and the square shapes and went from there!  I hope you like it!  Thanks for the inspiration Vera and congratulations!

Stamp Free Card

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Sometimes You've Gotta Just Get Through It

I don't know what was up with me yesterday.  I was in quite the cranky mood.  I can always use my default PMS excuse, but I think I was just experiencing a case of the blahs.  Nothing seemed to cheer me up - not a trip to our friend's store to visit the new puppy, not a trip to the fabric store to buy some supplies, not even horchata (have you tried this delicious rice, cinnamon and vanilla drink?  It's awesome!!!).  Sometimes you've just gotta get through it and recognize that at some point, like everything else, change will come.  I am here to attest to that!  Today is a new day and my crankiness has gone - yeah!  I've made it through!

Today's card has no stamping!  Blasphemy! :)  I used the Sending Love specialty designer series paper.  This stuff is gorgeous!  One side of each sheet has glitter on it!  Love it!  I also used the Big Shot to emboss the black panel with the finnial press embossing folder.  I used my daisies #2 die to die cut the black flower.  The pink flower was punched using the scallop circle punch.  Finally, I made the brad using our build-a-brads!  I love these too since you can use your 3/4" circle punch to punch out a piece of designer paper and then build your own brad to match your card!  The finishing touch was a piece of our luscious 5/8" black satin ribbon.  I hope you like it!  If you want to order any of the supplies used in today's card, stop by my on-line shopping site - open 24/7!