Four Ways Friday #24 - Always

Thanks for stopping by for this week's Four Ways Friday!  This week I'm using the Always stamp set.

This first card uses the small stamps in the Always stamp set.  I stamped them in various colors (Old Olive, Tangerine Tango, Pacific Point, and Rich Razzleberry) and punched them out using my 1/2" circle punch.  They are all popped up on dimensionals onto a crumpled up piece of Rich Razzleberry cards stock.  I ran a piece of Tangerine Tango through the Big Shot with the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder.  The greeting is from the hostess set Afterthoughts.  I colored the stamp using Rich Razzleberry and Pacific Point markers and punched it out using the extra-large decorative label punch.  (Finished card size is 4 1/4" x 4 1/4").

For this second card, I focused on using the heart image from the stamp set.  I stamped it in Cherry Cobbler ink onto Very Vanilla card stock.  A few rhinestone gems and some dazzling diamonds give the heart some sparkle.  I stamped the branch image in Soft Suede ink onto Very Vanilla card stock and punched it out with the heart to heart punch.  A small heart of Pear Pizzazz was also added and I coated this small heart with Crystal Effects.  I sponged and spritzed to give the panel some added interest.  The greeting was stamped in Basic Black and then again in Cherry Cobbler so that I could cut out the word "everything" and pop it up on dimensionals.  A tiny library clip, a bit of linen thread and some 1/4" Old Olive grosgrain ribbon add some more interest.  The background card was stamped with the heart image at 1/3 strength using Crumb Cake ink.

I love the look of monochrome cards!  For this simple card, I stamped the branch image at 1/3 strength onto Crumb Cake card stock using Early Espresso ink.  I also sponged and spritzed (I can't seem to stop myself!).  The bird was stamped with full-strength Early Espresso ink.  The greeting used the letters "VERY" from the "EVERYTHING" stamp - I just used my Early Espresso marker to color the letters that I wanted.  The "thankful" is from the Thankful for You stamp set (retired).  I punched the piece using the Designer Label punch and sponged the edges with Early Espresso and Basic Black.  Don't you just love that antique brad?!  I added it with a piece of Early Espresso card stock that I punched using the Modern Label punch.

This last 3x3 card began with the Very Vintage wheel rolled in Marina Mist ink onto Marina Mist card stock.  The bird was stamped in VersaMark and then embossed with silver embossing powder.  The greeting was stamped with Marina Mist ink onto Very Vanilla card stock and punched out with the Modern Label punch.  A corduroy button and some rhinestone jewels finish the look!  Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope to see you again next week for another Four Ways Friday!!!!!

Four Ways Friday coming a bit later on Friday :)

Thanks for stopping by!  I just got home from a trip and I'm pooped!  I thought I would have energy to complete this week's Four Ways Friday tonight, but my body is telling me it's time for sleep :)  So, I will be back a bit later on Friday to post Four Ways Friday - please stop back by! :)

Music Notes Wheel Mini Card

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Live For Today

Today's card was made from my feeling of living in "the funk."  I have decided that one way to try to combat the funk (yes, I view it as the enemy that needs to be slain!) is to live for today - live in the moment - and do what I can from moment to moment to bring myself closer to where I want to be.  I don't have to tackle everything all at once.  I can chip away, little by little, at the marble that is my life and eventually I will expose the sculpture that is patiently waiting to appear.

This Music Notes wheel is such a simple way to create a gorgeous background.  I wish you could see this card in person - it is so sparkly since I sprayed it with a mixture of alcohol and champagne shimmer mist paint.  The greeting is one part of a stamp in the Sense of Time stamp set.  The image with the greeting is from the Artistic Etchings stamp set - stamped in Basic Black at 1/2 strength.  I am loving these Antique Brads.  I cut the prongs off of this brad and attached it to the card using a mini glue dot.  I hope you like it!

Lots of Tags Love Note

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Sometimes You've Gotta Let The Funk Happen...

There are times when the mess in my craft room becomes overwhelming.  And then that feeling of being overwhelmed seems to creep into other aspects of my life and I get to a point where I feel so overwhelmed that inaction seems the only option.  I call these times - "the funk!"  I seem to be finding myself in one right now - feeling like I want to clean up and clean out the closets, the craft room, my office, the garage, the laundry room...you get the picture!  It becomes all or nothing and I seem to choose nothing because all feels like a gargantuan undertaking.  So here I sit in my funk - wanting so much to take some action - yet feeling paralyzed.  Do you have any advice for how to move forward?  I find that going into the craft room - no matter how messy - gives me a moment of solace as I scrape aside everything to uncover a tiny piece of table where creating can happen.  Yet I do dream of an uncluttered space and hope that it will come soon!  Sometimes I guess you've just gotta let the funk happen...and hope it leads to action.  I'm waiting :)

I like to make little love notes to leave around the house when I travel.  For this one I took out some fun new supplies - the Lots of Tags sizzlits and the new glass glitter (isn't it gorgeous?!).  I die cut the tag and then stamped the Bella Toile background stamp onto the Very Vanilla tag at 1/2 strength with Cherry Cobbler ink.  The edges were sponged with Early Espresso and the greeting stamped with both Early Espresso and Cherry Cobbler with the Fundamental Phrases stamp set.  The Cherry Cobbler card stock was run through the Big Shot with the Petals-a-Plenty embossing folder.  I added a touch of Early Espresso ribbon and some basic pearls.  I hope you like it!

Extreme Elements Halloween

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Notice When Your Prayers Have Been Answered

I realize that it is very easy for me to pray to the Universe for help or healing.  When a friend's dog went missing the other day, I asked the Universe to keep him safe and to bring him home.  It's fair to say that a day doesn't pass without my looking up into the sky and asking for something.  What I sometimes fail to do, though, is to stop and take notice when my prayers have been answered.  Today I paused and realized the dog was home safely and that a friend was able to come home after being away for far too long.  I need to be as open to giving thanks for the answered prayers as I am to continuing to ask for assistance.  I need to notice when miracles are occurring...and I know they are occurring every day - if I will just stop to take notice.  Maybe I would notice more if I could quiet all of my asking for a moment and look and listen at all that has been answered.

Today's card is a variation of a card I did a little while ago.  I decided to change the color palette a bit and also changed the greeting.  I love how easy it is to make a great background using the Extreme Elements stamp set!  I have a feeling you'll be seeing a lot more of this set in the weeks to come :)

Owl Punch Bitty Bat Box!

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Sometimes You Can Go Farther Than You Think!

Wow!  What a day I had on Sunday!  First a 20-mile run!  Then a Halloween Stamp-a-Stack!  Then dinner out with friends!  Bedtime anyone?! :)  Had you asked me Saturday if I would have made it through Sunday in one piece, you would have found me very doubtful!  I wasn't feeling great and was considering skipping my run.  I was also prepping like a wild woman for the stamp-a-stack!  And now, here I sit, after making it through and I am truly amazed.  Sometimes you really can go farther than you think!  You just need to make the decision to begin!

This was one of the projects for the Halloween stamp-a-stack!  Isn't he adorable?!  The bat was made with the 2-step owl punch and 2 ovals that were punched on one side with the 1" circle punch.  The numbers are from the Timeless Type alphabet and the month from the Full Calendar stamp set.  I hope you like it....he is filled with candy after all :)