Four Ways Friday #61 - Batty For You (And Halloween!)

This week's Four Ways Friday has Halloween on it's mind :)  Join me as I share four ways to use the Batty For You stamp set!

It's easy to think that the images in Batty For You are only for punching out with the 1 1/2" circle punch.  Well sure, you can do that - as I did here with Frankenstein...but you can also stamp like crazy to make adorable background papers!  Here I stamped the different images on a Whisper White card base using Peach Parfait, Pear Pizazz, Concord Crush and Basic Black ink.  I added a strip of Concord Crush card stock, an extra large Pear Pizazz oval, a 1 3/4" basic black circle punch, and a modern label punched Full Calendar stamped image.  The letters are from the Timeless Type Alphabet sizzlits.  The "happy" is from one of the stamps in the On Your Birthday stamp set.

These stamps have great images to cut out and add onto cards!  Here I die cut the letters for "BOO" using the Serif Essentials dies and Basic Black, Pear Pizazz, and Perfect Plum card stock.  I then ran the letters through the Big Shot with the Square Lattice embossing folder.  The letters were then adhered to the Whisper White card stock base using a combination of glue and dimensionals.  I stamped the cat image by coloring the image on the stamp with Basic Black marker and then stamping onto Whisper White card stock.  I then cut out the cat and added it to the card with a dimensional.  So simple...although it makes a big statement :)  Hope I didn't scare you :)

If you enjoy using your paper snips, then this is the card for you! :)  The finished card is 5"x6".  I stamped the Bingo background using Early Espresso ink on a Crumb Cake card base.  I then stamped the Batty For You images with different colored inks and cut them all out.  Most of the images were popped up on the card front with dimensionals.  I added a piece of 1 1/4" striped grosgrain ribbon and tied it off with a bit of linen thread.  I then layered a decorative label punch of Always Artichoke, a designer label punch of Concord Crush and one of the cut out images.  The greeting is from Teeny Tiny Wishes - stamped with Concord Crush, cut in half and then sponged with Early Espresso ink.

Paper quilling seems to be all the rage these days so I decided to incorporate quilling into this spider card!  I stamped the spider multiple times using Basic Black ink on a Pear Pizazz card base.  I then cut very thin strips of Basic Black card stock and curled two main bodies for the spiders.  I then curled legs and adhered them to the main bodies using glue.  Some googley eyes were added to the spooky spiders and then I added a rub-on greeting to finish the card.
I hope you've enjoyed this week's Four Ways Friday - hard to believe I'm starting to think about Halloween!  I hope you have a wonderfully creative and peaceful weekend!!!!

Island Floral Flower Card

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Focus On What You Can Do, Not On What You Can't!

To say my mom is an active person is an understatement!  She spends about 3 hours at the gym, 5 days a week!  Her normal routine involves the treadmill, swimming and the recumbent bike.  A few months ago she began experiencing knee pain and it was impacting her ability to be as active as she was accustomed.  She went to the doctor and learned that she had a pretty bad medial meniscus tear and surgery was being recommended.  She was not happy about the news, but instead of focusing on what she wasn't able to do, she took the doctor's advice, scheduled the surgery (with a bit of reluctance) and focused on what she could do.  Swimming and the recumbent bike were still doable and not objectionable to the doctor, so do them she did!  I am happy to say that she had her surgery yesterday and is beginning her road to recovery.  My sense is that because she is in such great shape, she will have a swift recovery.  That treadmill better watch out!  Thank you mom for teaching me to focus on what I can do, not on what I can't!
Today's card was an opportunity to play with die cuts, punches and sewing :)  I die cut two of the flowers from the Island Floral Bigz die using Very Vanilla card stock.  I then sponged the larger flower with a mixture of Daffodil Delight, Melon Mambo and Rich Razzleberry ink.  I crinkled the flower a little.  The smaller flower was sprayed/sponged with some Melon Mambo ink and then I used glue to attach a multitude of sequins that I had in the craft room.  A button was then added to the center after threading it with a touch of hemp twine.  I attached it using Crystal Effects.  I then die cut a flower using the Daisies #2 die and River Rock card stock.  I cut the flower every 3 petals which gave me four 3-petal pieces and one 4-petal piece.  I then adhered the sequin center to the large flower using dimensionals and then used glue to insert the flower pieces.  I curled the petals for some dimension.  Before adhering the flower to the River Rock card base I sewed a stem and the petals using gold metallic thread in the sewing machine.  The petals were cut from the 5-Petal Flower punch and Old Olive card stock.  Finally, I adhered the flower using glue.  I felt this card didn't need a greeting - the flower speaks for itself :)  I hope you like it!

Tiny Teacup Tea Bag Card

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Your Progress Will Become Apparent To You!

I went to the gym yesterday and, as always, I decided to warm up a bit on the recumbent bicycle.  I hadn't been to the gym in waaaaayyyyy too long, so my expectations weren't very high regarding what my body would be able to do.  And yet, when I got on that bike, I found that my usual level of 2 was way too easy, so I pushed it up to level 7 to warm up.  It felt great!  What I realize is that the time I've been spending on my bike has really been helping me make progress both on a muscular and cardiovascular level!  I was pretty surprised since the only exercise I had been doing lately was going on bike rides and taking Buddy for walks.  It's amazing how progress can sneak up on you and show itself when you least expect it!  My weight workout went well too - my stamina was a lot better than I imagined it would be!  I'm actually looking forward to my next trip to the gym...and yes, I'm going to make that happen this week!  So whatever exercise you are doing, keep doing it!  It's making a difference whether you're aware of it or not!
Today's card was inspired by a handmade book by Alisa Golden, shared in her book Making Handmade Books.  I saw her book and thought that it would be fun to make a tea bag shaped card to hold a tea bag gift!  I began with a piece of Confetti card stock and cut it to 4 1/4" x 11".  I then scored it in the center and folded it in half.  I cut off 1" from one of the ends and I scored the other end at 1" to create an inside "pocket" for the tea bag.  Here is what the inside looks like:

You can fit 2 tea bags in the card.  I secured the bottom flap with a bit of glue on the ends.  For the outside I stamped the tiny teacup repeatedly using Cherry Cobbler ink onto Very Vanilla card stock.  I backed it with a piece of Cherry Cobbler card stock before adhered it to the card.  The greeting is from Bring On The Cake, stamped with Cherry Cobbler ink and then punched out with the 1 1/4" circle punch and backed with a 1 1/2" Cherry Cobbler circle.  I adhered the greeting to the card with dimensionals.  Next, I made a small slit in the top of the card and ran a piece of Early Espresso ribbon through the slit.  I secured one end of the ribbon with glue on the inside of the card.  Finally, I created a tea tag with a small piece of Very Vanilla card stock that I scored in half and then made a small slit on top for the ribbon.  I stapled the top of the tea tag and then stamped "tea time" using the Calendar Alphabet & Numbers stamp set and Cherry Cobbler ink.  I hope you like it! :)

Box #2 Hanukkah Gift Box

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Some Days It Is Perfectly Clear; Other Days Quite Hazy

When I walk Buddy in the morning we usually pass by a number of places where we can get clear views of the mountains.  Yesterday, the mountains were crystal clear and I could see for miles.  On other days, I may find myself wondering where the mountains have gone since the air is hazy or the clouds have covered them and they are nowhere to be seen.  I realize that my life can feel like these mountains sometimes.  Some days my life and my purpose are perfectly clear to me - I am headed in exactly the right direction for myself.  On other days, things are really hazy - I wonder if I am doing the right thing or if I am just lost and floundering.  What I need to remember is that on those hazy days there is one thing that I can sure of - things will become crystal clear again if I am just patient.  Those mountains never really disappear - they are still there - just waiting for the right conditions to show themselves again.
Today's project is a box I made quite awhile ago to submit to a magazine with the hope of getting it published.  This box didn't get accepted, however another project I made did...I'll share that with you once it gets published!  This box was made using the Box #2 die and Brushed Silver card stock.  I heat embossed the flourish from the Season of Joy stamp set using silver embossing powder.  I added a few adhesive rhinestone jewels for some bling.  The Star of David was made by paper piecing 2 triangles and I added the dime since the dreidel game during Hanukkah is often played using coins.  I created the greeting on the computer and printed it onto Whisper White card stock.  The handle was attached with brads and then I added paper chain links to the handle with glue and gave them some rhinestone bling!  I hope you like it!

Friends 24-7 Scrap Card

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Ride Your Own Ride

I have been road biking quite a bit lately...and getting quite addicted to it!  I just love the feel of the wind in my face and the ability to cover more ground than when I was running.  It just feels "free!"  I have gone riding a number of times with friends/loved ones and I find myself getting all stressed at times - with those darn negative messages running through my head:  "Why can't you keep up with them?," "Why are you so slow?," "Go faster!  Pedal stronger!," "What would Lance Armstrong say?!"  These negative nellies inside my head leave me alone when I am riding alone.  It is just when I am riding with someone else, or if I try to follow someone I don't know who is in front of me on the bike path and moving fast, that I begin to give myself a hard time.  The one mantra I have begun telling myself when I become aware of these messages is "Ride Your Own Ride."  I am riding for myself - for the joy it makes me feel - for the exercise it is giving my body - for the pure freedom.  I just need a reminder so I don't fall prey to that lovely critic who likes to hang out in my head and wait for the perfect moment to pounce!  Ride your own ride - whatever it is that you are doing.  Do it for yourself - because it brings you joy - no matter what is going on around you.
Today's card is another one of my favorite card making rituals - to use scraps that I keep in a container - leftovers from cards I have made - pieces that I thought I was going to use and then chose not to.  For today's card I reached into that container and played with arranging the different pieces.  It was like putting a puzzle together!  I didn't do any stamping - just arranging and crumpling and I'm really pleased with the result.  The pieces are a piece of Naturals Ivory card stock stamped with the bird from Friends 24-7 in basic black ink; a large scallop circle punched from Sahara Sand card stock; a modern label punched from designer series paper; a tiny tag punched with the jewelry tag after having stamped a greeting from Tiny Tags onto Crumb Cake card stock with Chocolate Chip ink and adding a piece of linen thread; and finally a small piece of Very Vanilla seam binding that I frayed a bit after cutting an edge off of the ribbon.  I hope you like it!  Now go ride your own ride!  I'm going to :)