Four Ways Friday #35 - 4 Ways To Say "I Love You"

For this week's Four Ways Friday I have decided to share with you 4 ways to say "I Love You!"  I'll be back next week with four ways to use a particular product :)  I hope you enjoy!

For this first card I used my letterpress plate to deboss the background.  I sponged the edges with Chocolate Chip ink.  The decorative label was also sponged and stamped with 2 of the stamps from the Artistic Etchings stamp set.  I added a small love tag using the Tiny Tags stamp set and tag punch.  Can you see the tiny pearl jewel?  It adds the perfect romantic touch!

You can use your Bingo Card stamp to make an adorable card for Valentine's Day or just to say "I love you!"  Here I stamped the image using Early Espresso ink and added some more stamped images from the Tiny Tags stamp set.  The "love" hearts are from the I Heart Hearts stamp set and are popped up with dimensionals.  Inside the card there's more fun...

Inside the card I created a holder for this adorable bookmark.  The "things i love" stamp is from the Things I Love stamp set.  I used the Two Tags die to make the bookmark and the "U" is from the Lovely Letters alphabet.  I used the dotted line jumbo wheel to make the lines on the bookmark.  Here you can write all of the things you love about the person you give the card to!

This little treat holder is a great way to say "I love you!"  I adhered two matchbox die cuts together to form this little dresser and then used the scalloped squares die for a top and bottom.  I can't wait to fill this with cinnamon hearts and those little hearts with all the sayings!  Here is a close-up of the top.  I used the Cheep Talk stamp set for the bird and the greeting is from Teeny Tiny Wishes.

 Last but not least is this simple candy cone!  Inside is a small cello bag with chocolates and a couple of lollipops!  To make this cone you only need a 6"x6" sheet of designer paper.  I think I have some more videos to make!!!

I hope you've enjoyed these 4 ways to say "I love you!"  Have a wonderful weekend!!!!!  Don't forget...it's Sale-a-bration!!!!!  For every $50 in merchandise that you purchase, you earn a FREE Sale-a-bration item!!!!!!  You can view the Sale-a-bration catalog at the top of my blog (right-hand column) or CLICK HERE to shop now!!!!

Eastern Blooms Thank You

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  A Little Exercise Can Turn Your Mood Around!
For whatever reason I was feeling a little punky yesterday.  Not really in a physical way, but in an emotional way.  I'm not sure what was behind the mood.  What I did know is that I did not want to go to the gym for my scheduled appointment with the trainer.  But, since the appointment was scheduled, I got in the car (albeit a few minutes late) and made my way to the gym.  I think I frowned the whole way through the workout, but even with my frowning, I did the workout and, being on the other side of the workout, I can honestly say my mood changed.  I just started feeling better.  Sometimes a little exercise can really turn your mood around!  I think I may even do my 40-10 tonight - I have challenged myself to do 40 crunches and 10 push ups (even if they are on my knees) everyday.  What to join the challenge?
This is a quick and easy 4x4 card that I made to accompany a gift.  I love how much texture the petals aplenty embossing folder gives to a card!   I stamped one of the flowers from Eastern Blooms repeatedly with Baja Breeze ink, both on the scallop circle I punched out of Whisper White card stock and on some scrap Whisper White card stock.  I cut out the ones on the scrap paper and then added a dash of dazzling diamonds in the center.  I popped them up on dimensionals after adding the Short & Sweet greeting to the scallop circle.  I hope you like it!  Now go and give me 40-10!!! :)

Animal Stories Baby Card

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Do the clothes really make the woman?

I just watched another episode of What Not To Wear...do you watch that show?  I am usually smiling by the end, watching these women come into their new style and finding their inner beauty at the same time as discovering how beautiful they can look on the outside.  And then I look down at myself.  A typical day consists of jeans, a t-shirt of some sort covered by a very large fleece overshirt or jacket.  And the hair?  Well, most of the time in some type of put-it-up-quick bun.  Not the picture of fashion or style...unless you're into "schlep" as a fashion statement! :)  I wonder why I dress this way.  Is it because when I am home I am usually not seeing anyone other than my family and the neighbors?  Is it because I find myself in the craft room and nice clothes and the craft room don't mix?  Or is it something deeper than that?  What am I really saying with the clothes that I'm wearing?  I know comfort is important and yet I wonder if comfort can also look good.  I guess I'll just need to do some pondering on this...I'll let you know if I find an answer (and yes, feel free to nominate me for What Not To Wear - I am in need of Stacey and Clinton!).  In the meantime we can both imagine that I am in a gown (not my nightgown) while typing this post, with beautiful diamond earrings and my hair coiffed by whoever does Sandra Bullock's hair :)  Got the picture?
This card was quick and easy - an accompaniment to a baby gift.  How easy to just stamp the whale from Animal Stories and add a greeting from Teeny Tiny Wishes.  A few punches and the background Baja Breeze card stock run through the Big Shot with the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder.  And finally, a touch of dazzling diamonds on the spots on the back of the whale.  I hope you like it!

Fun & Fast Notes Birthday Card

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Adopt A Niece :)
I have a lifelong friend who has a little girl who just turned 9.  She calls me Aunt Michelle :)  She sent me the cutest letter the other day...you'll learn quite quickly that she knows I love to stamp!  Her letter had a very specific request - to make her a card with a cake that had 9 candles and blue and pink icing and that said, "Happy B'day Amanda" on it!  Good thing for me the Fun & Fast Notes cake had 9 candles!!!! :)  I hope she's okay with it saying "Happy Birthday Amanda" :)  I used some stickles for the icing, although you can easily color the icing in with your markers and then use crystal effects and dazzling diamonds for a similar effect.  I'm really happy Amanda adopted this Aunt :)
Don't forget, Sale-A-Bration starts today!!!!!  For every $50 you purchase you get a Sale-A-Bration item for free!!!!!!  This is in addition to any regular hostess benefits you receive for your order.  Now is a great time to stock up on essentials and buy some new items :)  Click on the Sale-A-Bration icon in the right hand column to learn more!  Sale-A-Bration runs from today until March 31, 2011!!!!  Yeah!!!!!

Canvas Art

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Pay Tribute
I don't even know where to begin with today's post, but I'm hoping that if I just begin that the words will come.  There was a man, named Charlie, who was always at the park.  I would call him the Pied Piper of the park because he would come to the park with his 2 dogs, and sometimes his 2 young boys as well, and he always had a pocket full of treats!  Buddy, our dog, would invariably end up sitting at Charlie's feet, waiting for a special treat :)  Well, I hadn't seen Charlie in awhile and that seemed strange.  And when Buddy and I walked by his house one day we saw a "for sale" sign.  It seemed strange to me that Charlie wouldn't have mentioned the house sale to us and so I continued on my walk with a question mark in my mind.  Well, I asked other people in the park if they had seen him and his dogs and I keep getting the same response - yes people knew him, had said "hi" to him, let their dogs play with his, but no one seemed to know what had happened.  Fast forward a few months - I know, it's pretty sad that months can go by and you leave the question mark in your mind.  Well, at the end of last week I found out what I wish I hadn't.  One person spoke to another and they said that they had heard Charlie had committed suicide.  It is even difficult for me to type those words - I wonder if they will ever not feel shocking and life-changing.  I was in total disbelief so I got home and looked up the address of the house and then looked up property records and then compared that with obituaries and, I am so sorry to say, I found and read Charlie's obituary.
I still don't know how to manage the feelings and the sorrow.  I cried.  I still cry.  I wondered if there was anything I could have done differently to have helped him with his pain - pain I had no idea he even had.  I guess you really never know when people are in pain - especially when you are "park friends."  But Charlie is missed and I hope he is looking down and seeing that he has touched so many people and that we miss him.
I didn't know a better way to manage my feelings than to sit down in the craft room (it took me 3 days to actually sit down with intention) and pay tribute to Charlie.  What came out was this piece of art - it is mounted on a small canvas frame and, I believe, it was exactly what I needed to do.  If you have read this far, thank you for learning about Charlie - if you would have known him, he would have made you smile.  Please know that we never know the depth of someone's pain - all we can do is try not to add to it in our daily encounters.  Charlie, may you be at peace - Amen.