Four Ways Friday #1

Today begins a new feature on my blog - Four Ways Fridays!  Every Friday I am going to show you how to use one stamp set to create 4 different looks/projects!  It can be very easy to buy the next new stamp set.  What seems to be more challenging is to think of new and interesting ways to use the stamp sets we already have.  Every Friday we will focus on a single stamp set - sometimes we'll go even further and just focus on one specific stamp in the stamp set.  The projects may include the use of embellishments, dies, texture, designer paper, and other accessories.  If there is a particular stamp set you would like to see featured on a future Four Ways Friday, please leave a comment to let me know.  I'll do my best to give it a try!

Today's Four Ways Friday focuses on the gratitude stamp from the Define Your Life stamp set.

This first project is incredibly simple!  I stamped the greeting with Basic Black in the center of a whisper white piece of card stock.  I used some of the Sweet Pea designer paper and punched 1/2" squares and cut out 2 larger rectangles.  The designer paper is popped up with dimensionals surrounding the greeting.  I layered the whisper white on taken with teal card stock and adhered everything to a so saffron card.  You can use designer paper to dress up any stamped image!

For this second project, I used my stamp-a-ma-jig to repeatedly stamp the greeting on the whisper white base card.  I did not stamp full strength, but rather stamped off twice before stamping onto the card stock.  The main greeting was stamped full strength and popped up on an Orchid Opulence piece of card stock.  I used the sweet pea felt for a cute embellishment.  Using your stamps to create fun backgrounds is always a great choice!

For this third project, I continued the same theme of the second project and used the stamp to create a background.  Then, I used my Flower Folds Die in the Big Shot to cut out a few flowers.  The flowers were then stamped with the greeting.  You can use this technique for die cuts, punches or paper piecing.  I sponged the edges of the flowers and layered them.  I used the greeting again with a build-a-brad for the center of the flower.  Finally, I used a marker to color the word "gratitude" on the stamp and then stamped onto whisper white card stock.  I cut out the greeting to create a flag.

Don't forget that your stamps can do more than just stamp on paper!  For this fourth project, I used black Staz-On ink and stamped the greeting onto wide twill ribbon.  I wrapped the ribbon around a die cut Box #2.  The circle stamping was created with a sponge dauber.  I used an everyday hole punch, combined with the 1/2" circle punch to create the black card stock circles, which I glued to the box.  The jumbo grommet adds a finishing touch.

I would love your comments on this new feature!  Please let me know what you think and what you'd like to see in the future on the next Four Ways Friday!

Something New

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Try A New Direction

Whether I'm jogging or crafting, sometimes it's fun to try a new direction - go somewhere I haven't gone before.  Today I prepared for a new direction for tomorrow.  I'm going to try to offer a new feature on my blog on Fridays...stop by tomorrow to check it out and let me know what you think!  I'd love to hear your reaction!  See you tomorrow!

It's Good To Be Back!

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Do Your Own Thing

Talk about a white-knuckle driving experience!  I flew home and right into a snowstorm last night!  I was so glad to be on the ground, that I wasn't even bothered by the hour that we spent on the tarmac waiting for a gate.  The drive home was nerve-wracking to say the least!  My little car is not fond of driving in snow.  The roads were snowy, icy, slushy...and there were cars and vans buzzing past me on the left.  My internal voice was, at times, berating me, "Can't you go any faster than that?!"  At other times the voice, which I chose to listen to, was much more supportive, "Just do your own thing, Michelle.  Go at your own pace."  I'm so glad I listened since I arrived home, white-knuckled, but safe and sound.  Sometimes you just need to do your own thing and go at your own pace :)

Today's card was FUN since I hadn't done a challenge on SCS in a little while.  I have to admit that part of it was my frustration with the SCS site and the load times - I still haven't learned my lessons around patience :)  This card was simply stamping with the Cheep Talk stamp set and adding a greeting from Short & Sweet.  I couldn't resist a bit of texture with the perfectly polka dots embossing folder.  I hope you like it!

Home At Last!

Thought you might enjoy an outdoor scene from this morning...isn't it supposed to be Spring???? :)  I am very grateful to have made it home safely last night.  I flew in from Houston and the Denver Airport was covered in snow.  They had to shut down departures for awhile and, as a result, we had to wait on the tarmac for just over an hour for a gate to open up for our plane to pull in.  Denver Ground and the United folks on my plane did a wonderful job of handling such a crazy weather experience.  I'll be heading into the craft room today - after a little cocoa and breakfast :)  Today looks like a great day to relax on the couch :)

Endorphins!

Today's Lesson From Far Away From The Craft Room:  Love Your Endorphins!!!!

I don't have a card/project to share today since I am far away from the craft room...but don't worry, I'll be back soon!  In the meantime, I will still share what I learn on the road.  I began "wogging" on March 6th and thank you for your encouragement!  I have been wogging ever since and I am loving those endorphins!  It is amazing how good a wog can make you feel - about yourself, your outlook on life...everything!  It truly is a natural high!  I have been enjoying making taking care of myself a priority.  What did you do today to release some endorphins?  Keep going!  You can do it!!!!