Friday Folds: Mixed Medley Gift Bag

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Send A Little Something To Show Your Appreciation
I really enjoying sending my customers a special little something when they place an order from me.  It is an expression of my appreciation.  Sometimes it is a hand-stamped card.  Sometimes it is a little gift.  I had someone place a first order with me about 2 weeks ago.  She had attended my Halloween stamp-a-stack and decided she wanted to create some of the projects on her own at home.  I knew she might enjoy some additional embellishments for the candy bags she was creating, so I did a bit of punching and stamping and sent this little bag along to her in a card.  The bag was so simple to decorate with the Labels Collection framelit and one simple fold :)  I just folded the label in half and it fit perfectly across this small zip-lock bag.  I then decorated the bag topper with a few simple punches and the image from Mixed Medley.  I hope she likes it :)  What can you send to someone to show your appreciation? :)  Wishing you a creative, peaceful and love-filled weekend!!!!!

No Peeking Jolly Christmas Card

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Stop And Look Up
I was walking Buddy the other day and heard a strange noise coming from the sky.  I looked up and, at first, didn't see anything.  But then, as I was staring at the blue sky, I caught a glint of something and then it all came into view.  It was a flock of birds - maybe 40 of them - flying in circles, way up high.  At first I wondered if they were geese, but the noise they were making and the formations they were creating were not like anything I had ever seen or heard.  I'm still not sure what type of birds they were - so high up.  They made amazing patterns in the sky - sometimes dark, sometimes light - depending on how the light was hitting them.  I felt like they were putting on a performance - a formation, then circling around, then another formation.  Sometimes they looked like one giant bird flying; next like an abstract piece of art - just beautiful.  If I looked down and then looked back up, it would take awhile to see them again - somehow disappearing into the blue of the sky.  We stood there and watched the show for a few minutes and then continued on our walk.  Funny to think what I would have missed if I hadn't stopped and looked up...
Today's card is going to be one of my Holiday Stamp-a-Stack cards :)  I think the No Peeking stamp set is just adorable!  Here I began with a piece of Pool Party designer series paper and added torn Whisper White card stock for snow (I adhered some dazzling diamonds to the torn edges so they would sparkle!).  The greeting was stamped with the help of the stamp-a-ma-jig.  Next I stamped the trees and snowman onto Whisper White card stock and cut them out with my paper snips.  They were adhered to the card and then a final touch of some Cherry Cobbler dazzling details and a few adhesive rhinestones was added for some sparkle.

Out On A Whim Wednesday: Punch Art Altered CD

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Create New Habits
For a few weeks now I have weened myself off of my old internet habits.  I am embarrassed to confess that I was checking news and social media sites WAY TOO OFTEN in a single day.  It was a lot of wasted time and yet I was having the toughest time breaking myself of the habit (which is saying something since I can be an incredibly disciplined person when something is important to me).  I am happy to report that over the past few weeks I have made great strides in breaking these bad habits I had fallen into.  I am not checking on-line news or visiting social media sites (if I know it is a friend/family member's b'day, I will sometimes allow myself to jump on-line to send the a quick b'day greeting).  I don't miss any of it - not the moments spent reading depressing news.  Not the time looking at photos of the latest celebrity.  I haven't even missed the time spent blog hopping because I found that by the time I was done hopping I was too exhausted to create!  So I'm on a mission to continue creating new habits for myself.  Habits that will support me in being in touch with myself, what is important to me and what will feed my soul.  I wish the same for you!
Today's Out On A Whim Wednesday project is an altered CD that I had created as a submission for a magazine (sorry to say it did not get accepted...but I still love it! :)  I covered the CD with designer series paper and then used the crop-a-dile to punch a hole in the top.  I made the clouds with my scallop circle punch and sponged the edges.  The letters were stamped and circle punched and then layered onto larger circle punches.  The words are from the Fabulous Phrases stamp set.  The cow was made with a series of oval punches, the boho blossoms punch and the retired word window punch.  I added some adhesive rhinestones for stars and a large circle punch for the yellow moon.  I think this altered CD would make a very sweet baby gift :)  I hope you like it!

Two Ways Tuesday: Simply Scored Diagonal Plate Embossing

For this weeks Two Ways Tuesday I decided to play a bit with the Diagonal Plate for the Simply Scored Tool.  I decided to use it to do a bit of dry embossing and it is amazing the different effects you can achieve!  For this first card I scored on the diagonal every inch.  At the intersection of each of the lines I placed a dot of Silver Dazzling Details.  I heat embossed the sentiment from Loving Thoughts using silver embossing powder.  The sentiment was cut into a banner and layered on top of a Brushed Silver labels die cut along with some punched hearts.  A knot of organza ribbon finishes the card.

For this second card I decided to create a smaller background piece by scoring the lines much closer together.  I believe I scored every 1/8" on this piece of Very Vanilla card stock.  I love the textural look this gives the card.  The lamb is from Storybook Friends and I paired it with some branches punched with the 2-step bird punch.  The sentiment is from Petite Pairs and I layered it onto a 1 1/4" scallop circle punch (I'm really loving this new punch!).  Finally, I knotted a piece of Summer Starfruit stitched satin ribbon.

I hope you've enjoyed this week's Two Ways Tuesday!  I hope you are inspired to try some diagonal scoring on your cards and paper craft projects!

Summer Silhouettes Thinking of You Card

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Let The Tears Flow
I'm not going to say it feels "good."  "Good" just doesn't feel like the proper word.  What I do know is that holding back the tears, when what you really want to do is cry, is incredibly difficult.  I have been crying many tears this past week.  All needed tears.  Somehow they seem to be able to express what I am still not quite able to put into words.  Some days there are fewer tears than others.  I've heard it said that the Inuit people have over 40 words for "snow."  These words describe different types of snow.  And so it is with my tears.  They are different types.  Sometimes sobbing, flooding, painful tears.  Sometimes soft, wet, simple tears.  Just because some days there are fewer tears that belies their intensity.  What I am learning is that I just need to let the tears flow.  Allow them to come and to go - like the tides.  They are doing what they need to do.
Today's card is a simple one - made with the Summer Silhouettes stamp set and a greeting from Thoughts and Prayers.  I stamped the same leaf image 3 times: once with Wisteria Wonder and then twice with Pool Party - first at full strength and then at half strength.  I have been enjoying clean and simple cards lately.  Something about the white space feels soothing.  I hope you like it!