Beautiful Birthday Present and Ikat Photopolymer Stamp Set!

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  A Surprise In A Mailbox Can Make Your Day!!!!!!
I have been traveling a lot lately and it's been quite exhausting.  Changes in time zones, routines, locations - the idea of stillness is so attractive to me right now!  In the midst of all the tumult I was home for 2 days and a package arrived for me from England!  The minute I saw who it was from I knew that package was going to contain something special!  I opened the package and inside was a box that was decorated with papers and inside the box was this AMAZING card from my beautiful friend Helen!!!!!!  (You can check out Helen's blog here!!!!).  I fell in love with the gorgeous clay leaves and acorn!  They are colored so beautifully!!!!  This gorgeous card and the very special message inside provided me with stillness and love in the midst of all my craziness.  Thank you Helen!  You have shown me, yet again, that a surprise in a mailbox can really make someone's day!!!!!!

 

Check out this great new photopolymer stamp set!!!!!  It's called Eye-Catching Ikat (#134624, $13.95).  These designs will give an exotic fabric-like texture to your projects!  It's available starting today!  Click HERE to shop now!

Sunflower Creating Pretty Cards - Sketch Challenge #29

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room: The Floor Is For More Than Walking :)
As I am typing this, I am actually sitting on the wood floor in my craft room.  Yes, a part of the reason is because my craft room table is so covered my laptop didn't stand a chance of finding a spot.  And...my chair is being occupied by a bunch of boxes of rubber stamps.  But, part of the reason is actually that I enjoy sitting on the floor!  Chairs can definitely be overrated!  You can find me sitting on floors in airports, hotels, living rooms and convention centers.  My legs outstretched.  My back leaning against a wall...or couch...or in my case right now, a shelving unit.  I feel grounded on the floor (pardon the pun :).  I feel supported and, in a way, safe.  I also like the change in perspective (except for some of what I am seeing now...some scraps of paper...a few dust bunnies :)  Yes, the floor is for more than walking.  Give it a try.  Come have a seat :)
I made today's card for the Creating Pretty Cards - Sketch Challenge #29 over at Craft Project Central!  I combined a few of my favorite things - the Sunflower background stamp, Venetian Romance designer paper, seam binding ribbon, Smoky Slate card stock and an embossing folder!  Feel free to join in the Sketch Challenge!  If enough people participate, Craft Project Central will be giving away free month-long memberships to some lucky winners!!!!

Getting Ready For Santa Gift Set by Julie Beltramo

I love this Getting Ready for Santa Gift Set by Julie Beltramo!  This gift set will make anyone excited to get ready for Santa!  The Covered Notepad will help you keep track of who’s been naughty and who’s been nice.  Then, as Christmas draws near, you can give the Hot Cocoa Tote and Mini Muslin Bag of Gift Tags as a gift.  Or, why not make a few sets of it all as part of your holiday gift giving?
Want to subscribe to the November edition of Craft Project Central and get 10 wonderful tutorials (including the one for this project) for only $10?  Head on over to the Craft Project Central website HERE!

Punch Scraps and Gel Pen Flowers

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  You can't use up creativity.  The more you use it, the more you have. - Maya Angelou
I keep relearning that it's okay to create ugly art, bad art, unfinished art, art without a purpose other than to create.  Why?  Because you are at least tapping into your creativity and honoring it.  You are allowing the flow and not getting in its way with your judgements and concerns.  And, as Maya Angelou says, the more you use it, the more you have!  So release the flow...and see where it takes you!
For this card I once again turned to all the misfit punch shapes sitting on my craft room table.  They didn't have a home so I decided to create a special garden for them.  The punched shapes were sponged, layered and stamped and then placed on the card with some white gel pen stems and leaves.  Is it my best art?  My most special card?  An outstanding display of color and layout?  Who cares!!!!  What it is and what it is meant to be is me releasing the flow of my creativity.  And now, more of that creativity is on its way!!!!! :)

Journal Page

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Make Room To Create With What You've Got On Hand
I've been traveling quite a bit lately and when I travel I struggle with not being able to create.  I wish I could take my whole craft room with me, yet I know that is not realistic.  I also haven't quite figured out how to take along a small stash of supplies that I can turn to when the need to create overwhelms me on the road.  So on my most recent trip I decided to take along a small journal and some permanent markers to see if they could fulfill my need to create on the move.  One night, after eating dinner, the desire to create something - anything - struck.  I had no idea what I wanted to do, I just knew I wanted to create something.  So out came the journal and the black pens and out came this page.  Sometimes you just need to make room to create with what you've got on hand.  In this case, some paper and some black pens.  Yes, I will be taking them on the road again with me :)

O Holy Night Boxed Set by Kris McIntosh

This gorgeous O Holy Night Boxed Set by Kris McIntosh includes a beautiful set of Vintage style Christmas cards and Tags, and the matching box to keep them in!  If you would like to subscribe to the month of November over at Craft Project Central, you can receive step-by-step instructions for this wonderful project and 9 other projects in November!  10 projects for $10!  Head on over to Craft Project Central HERE!