Today's Lesson From Much Too Far Away From The Craft Room: Wake Up And Smile!

Today I am starting my day with a big smile! It is not because I'm about to work all day. It is because I have awoken to another day. And, I have to admit, because I fly closer to home tomorrow - the return journey will begin...although there will be one more stop along the way. No matter what your reason, today, wake up and smile! It will set the entire mood for your day!

This card set is another set that I made for a friend to give as a gift. In the upper right-hand corner you will see the "folder" that holds all of the cards and then all of the other cards and matching envelopes fit neatly inside. I love the color combination of black, pink and white - it's fun and elegant at the same time! Enjoy....and don't forget to wake up and smile :)

Today's Lesson From Much Too Far Away From The Craft Room: There Is So Much To Learn!

As I travel and meet people from all around the world, I am once again amazed by how much there is to learn from one another! On the weekend I was having a discussion with a man from France about the expression "you're welcome" and how this did not seem to make logical sense to him since "welcome" means "hello." I had never even considered this! Today a group of women were talking about German culture and the value that the German culture has traditionally placed on women being at home to raise the children and how school is only in the morning for children. I also learned how incredibly expensive child care is in Germany because traditionally, this was not a service that was used a lot so there were few babysitters and they are quite expensive. I realize that I would never have heard about any of this if I wasn't curious and if I never left my own home. I am grateful for the opportunity to learn about how life is seen and lived by people from different places than my own. If you get a chance to talk with someone from another culture or another place, I encourage you to talk to them about their view of life and the world and to share your own. There is so much to learn from one another!

I made this simple card awhile back. I used a number of different thank you stamps and stamped them on whisper white card stock. I also stamped them on sahara sand and then tore the edge and added a ribbon. The greeting was made with oval punches. Thanks for looking!

Today's Lesson From Much Too Far Away From The Craft Room: Take A Walk In Nature

Today was a long day and an enjoyable one. I woke to the sound of birds singing...quite loudly...and since I don't have a clock in my room I had no idea what time it was. I knew it was morning of some kind :) Work went well and after the workshop I decided to take a walk around the property. There is a path that winds around a golf course - it was empty and a bit cloudy and chilly outside and it felt incredibly invigorating! The highlight were quite a number of bunny rabbits chasing each other wildly around the golf course! I had never seen such a thing! They didn't like seeing me, but I thoroughly enjoyed watching them!!!! It seems like no matter what is going on in my day, taking the time to take a walk in nature really grounds me. It opens my mind and my lungs and makes me take in what is truly beautiful...I highly recommend it!

This card set was made a few months ago. All of the leaves and flowers and birds make me think about being outdoors. The upper right-hand corner is the card holder for the set. The other cards fit neatly into the holder and it makes a wonderful gift! When I get home I will try to take some inside photos of this type of holder so you can see how it's made. Enjoy...and go take a walk in nature :)

Today's Lesson From Much Too Far Away From the Craft Room: Grow At Your Own Pace

This photo was taken last year, around this same time of year - as snow started to give way to Spring and all sorts of green started to push up through the dirt in the back yard. I'm on the road - in England - right now and am intrigued by the seasons and how London is experiencing the first signs of Spring as much as Denver is right now. Everything is starting to get green - there's an excitement in the air as plants come out of their resting places and start to grow. And so it is with us - a gradual growth process. It's funny how we use the expression "she is really green" when we are describing someone who is new at what they do - fresh, inexperienced. If anything, being green says something different to me. It says that we are willing to take a chance. To come out of that comfortable dark place in the ground and say, "I'm here!" We are saying that we are open to growth and learning.

I am also amazed at how some plants seem to appear overnight and others take their time, showing themselves, little by little. As it is with us, in different parts of our lives. We grow at different paces in different areas at different times in our lives. And so it is with what we create. Some things come to us quickly - others take shape more slowly. However it happens, let yourself grow at your own pace. A book I was reading described a tale of a farmer standing over the young shoots of his crop, trying to yank them up further out of the ground - trying to force them to grow. Of course, this was not successful. The plants were going to grow at their own pace. And trying to hurry them was not going to help them or the farmer.

Today, allow yourself to grow at your own pace. Recognize there is a perfect rhythm to your growth and it will all happen when it is meant to.

This is a little note card I made last year. Since I'm on the road, I thought I'd share some cards that had not yet made it to the blog. Hope you like it :) I crimped the corner using the crimper and added a felt fusion flower. Have you figured out that you can buy inexpensive felt sheets (they don't have to be the stiff felt either) at the craft store and run them through your Big Shot too? When I get home I'll share some of my new felt creations with you :)

Today's Lesson from Much Too Far Away from the Craft Room: Play With Some Crayons!!!

My posts for the next week or so are going to be lessons from much too far away from the Craft Room since I am on a work trip. I will share with you some thoughts from the road...and maybe some art that I have stored on my computer.

I ate dinner tonight at O'Hare Airport at the Macaroni Grill. They have the butcher paper on the table and a few crayons to play with. I took full advantage :) I may be out of the craft room, but the craft room is not out of me!!! :) The photo is of my drawing - taken with the little camera on my cell phone. Technology never ceases to amaze me.

So if you find yourself out of your craft room, don't worry - the craft room is still inside of you...you just need to find some crayons or the closest creative tool around :)

Today's Lesson from the Craft Room: Let the Well Replenish

I was supposed to leave on a trip today, but Mother Nature had other plans in mind for me. This is the view out my window earlier today. The amount of white in backyard just increased as the day went on. One might think that today was a perfect day to stay inside and head into the craft room to create. Yet I found myself without the urge to create. Instead my inner well seemed to just want to rest and replenish itself. Maybe it was the peaceful snowfall, or the contemplation of leaving on a trip...whatever reason, I chose to respect my need to rest and replenish. So today I share with you a picture of peace and hope that it provides you a moment to stop and rest and replenish.

Today's Lesson from the Craft Room: Something Simple Can Say So Much!

Most of the people I work with on a day-to-day basis do not sit beside me. They are located in Boston, MA and we do most of our communicating by email. I had to send a FedEx package with some documents to the Boston office the other day and I thought it provided me a wonderful opportunity to create a card and send a heartfelt thanks to everyone who is working so hard on this particular project. I put the card together very quickly (since I had to run out to get the package to FedEx on time). It was simple...but the emails I received once the card arrived in Boston were amazing! Something simple can really say so much and make someone's day!

This journal is a birthday present for my sister-in-law. I used micro beads on the monogram (they are hard to see since they are so tiny). I hope she likes it!!!

Today's Lesson from the Craft Room: Challenge Yourself To Finish What You Started

Believe it or not, this card started about 12 hours ago! No, it didn't take me 12 hours to make, I just kept getting distracted by work, errands, chores...It got to a point where I thought I would never get myself back into the craft room to finish what I started. So I challenged myself. I told myself that after the dog was walked and the dishes put away, I needed to get myself back into the craft room to finish what I started. Here's the result (along with a healthy dose of a feeling of accomplishment - something you can't see in the picture :)

I ran the whisper white through a cb embossing folder. The letters were made by running some designer series paper (Urban Garden) through the Big Shot with my billboard alphabet die. I really like this color combo (pretty in pink, baja breeze, and kiwi kiss)!

So the next time you find yourself starting something and walking away, challenge yourself to finish what you started. You may be surprised by both the result and the wonderful feeling you get when you complete something!

Thought I would share another book I made today by using the following ingredients: felt, Big Shot (and dies), computer greeting, CuttleBug embossing folder, punches, bind-it-all. I made this one bold and bright since it's such a beautiful Spring day here in Denver! :)

Today's Lesson from the Craft Room: Try Some New Ingredients!

Michael and I went to a soft-service ice cream place awhile ago. I had grown quite fond of caramel mixed with Heath bar (yummy) and was trying to decide if I should go for the same ol' same ol' or try something new. So, Michael went first and he said, "I'll have caramel, Heath and banana." WHAT??!!! screamed the voice inside my head. BANANA with Heath and caramel??!!! How GROSS! Well, that little voice was SOOOO wrong! Caramel, Heath and Banana is AMAZING!!! (If you're thinking it sounds gross, I encourage you to try it...I think you'll be surprised! I was!).

So, as I sat in my craft room pondering today's project (a birthday gift for my niece) I decided to mix up some new ingredients. To run some felt through my Big Shot and to play around with fonts on my computer and to combine my new love for the bind-it-all....and vioila!!!! A bright pink and black diary was born :) If you haven't tried running felt (stiff or regular) or fun foam through your Big Shot, give it a try - it adds a lot of dimension and fun to projects! A whole new horizon for crafting recipes has just been opened for me!!!!! Yummmy!!!!!

I'm busy in the craft room tonight! I decided to make cards for the rest of the birthdays coming up in March. This cupcake was made by using the scallop circle punch for the top and cutting a brown piece of paper and running it through the crimper for the bottom. The candle is a thin piece of white card stock that I ran through the crimper as well. The flame is a tiny piece of summer sun card stock. I took out the Stickles to make the candle and frosting glittery :) Enjoy!

I'm playing with my Man's Best Friend stamp set...this set makes me smile :)

For the top card I ran kraft card stock through the Big Shot with a texturz impressions plate and then rubbed my Close to Cocoa ink pad over the raised impression.

The bottom card is just plain old stamping :) Sometimes it's fun to go back to the basics.

Today's Lesson from the Craft Room: Celebrate Love!!!!

I made this card today for my aunt and uncle. They are celebrating their wedding anniversary this week. I used the new Manahttan Flower texture impressions folder (pretty, isn't it?).

Today I am struck by how important it is to take some time out of our day-to-day to celebrate love! I am surrounding by love - the love of Michael, my family, my friends, my 4-legged house mates...I even think the birds and the squirrels in the backyard love us for all the peanuts, seeds and water we put out back :) Sometimes it can be easy to forget to celebrate all the love that we have - so today, take a minute to CELEBRATE (and if you want to put on a party hat and bake a cake for the occasion, go right ahead!!!!) :)

Last Night's Lesson from the Craft Room: Give It A Second Chance!

The first time I tried out the Stampin' Up! texture plates I have to admit that I wasn't really a fan. It could have been that I was used to the cb embossing folders. Or maybe it was because we didn't have the silicone pad and were improvising. However, last night I gave them a second chance and now I'm a HUGE fan!!!! My friend came over last night and we were trying them out (she just purchased them and decided to bring them with her last night so we could play). A new world opened up to me when she said, "I wonder what it would look like if we put ink over it." And that's when I fell in love :)

I ran kraft card stock through the Big Shot with the large dot texturz plate and then used close to cocoa ink. It made me think of luggage and travel...so this journey diary was born :)

So the next time you think you don't like something, be open to giving it a second chance...you never know what might happen!

Today's Lesson from the Craft Room: When You Feel Overwhelmed and Like You Don't Want To Do Anything, Take Some Action

ok - I admit it - today's lesson sounds a little "down." And I will also admit that for some reason today I've been feeling a bit "down." Might be partly because I didn't spend any time creating. I think all this negativity in the news and about the economy has also impacted me today in a funky way. One of these days maybe I'll learn not to let the turkeys get me down!

So I was sitting here, just me and my funk tonight, and decided I would take some action and still do a post even though I'd really like to just get in bed and pull the covers over my head and wait for tomorrow. I'll do that in a little bit...but first, here's the post :)

This is a card that I submitted for a contest - for which I did not receive the call that said "You won!" I love the card and am hoping to make another one to actually send to my mom for mother's day (since I sent the original in for the contest). Hope you like it! I feel like it's a winner :) (Thanks for listening...I'm feeling better already :)

I had to share this picture with you. My beautiful white cat has decided that her favorite thing to do is to roll around in the dirt in the waiting-to-be-planted vegetable garden. There's nothing like watching a perfectly white, pristine cat decide that rolling in dirt is her favorite past time. She is now a gray cat and loving every minute of it :) Maybe we all need to play in the dirt a bit :)

Today's Lesson from the Craft Room: We're fools whether we dance or not, so we might as well dance!

This is the second frame I've made with this quote. My friend Caitlin, who is an AMAZING dancer, saw the first and her reaction to it made me realize I needed to make a second one and give it to her as a gift :) I LOVE this quote! Hope you like it too :)

I warned you...I'm addicted to my bind-it-all :) These mini books were made from 4 x 4 coasters that were cut down on one end and then filled with approximately 30 sheets of 3.5 x 3.5 card stock. They are so cute and easy to make!!!! I have a feeling you will be seeing more of these :)

Just a little Easter card that makes me smile and think of Spring :) I made this card about a month ago, but have decided it is time for it to come out of the craft room and onto the blog :) Think Spring!!!!

Today's Lesson from the Craft Room: Eat Your Dessert Before Your Dinner!

I woke up this morning and decided to change my routine a bit. I usually begin with walking the dog and then sit down to work and I find myself anxious to end the work day so I can finally do what I really want to do...which is to create. Today I decided to start my day a bit different. I walked the dog this morning and rather than hunker down and get to work, I decided to go into the craft room and start my day by creating. I know as a kid, I always wished I could eat dessert before dinner. And now as an adult, I let myself start my day with my dessert :) And no, I don't think I spoiled my appetite :)

For today's "going green" challenge on SCS, I cut the dictionary definition from an old dictionary (reduce, reuse, recycle) and sponged with sahara sand. The flower image is stamped with always artichoke on always artichoke card stock. The greeting is popped up on dimensionals.

Hope you like it!

OK, I admit it...I'm addicted to my bind-it-all! It sat on a shelf for months when I bought it and I finally decided to give it a try and now I'm crazy about it! I think these little books will make wonderful gifts - for myself and others :) If you have no idea what a bind-it-all is, you can check it out at www.binditall.com. They have a video you can watch to learn how the machine works. I have only made these small books so far...but the possibilities seem endless!!!!

(I was asked what paper I use on the inside for the pages. On these small books I use either unruled 3x5 index cards or ruled 3x5 index cards. I try to get the ones that are at least 30% recycled material. You can find them at your local office supply store. I can fit half a package - about 50 cards - in each of these small journals).

Today's Lesson from the Craft Room: Look at Things in a New Way

When I printed out today's sketch challenge, I flipped it horizontally and immediately saw an envelope! It's amazing how you can look at something in a new way and see something totally different. Sometimes we can shift our perspective by ourselves. Sometimes it takes someone else to come along and share a different perspective - a different way of seeing things - and then new worlds open up to us. It's as if we are seeing things that were always there, but were invisible to us!

I stamped the calendar with Staz-On on a piece of clear plastic (which is actually the packaging from a cb folder that I had purchased a few months ago...I knew it would come it handy!). I figure that once I decide who this birthday card is going to I can "check" the appropriate date boxes on the card.

Today, I hope we all see familiar things in new ways!

Today's Lesson from the Craft Room: Find Inspiration and Comfort in the Words of Others

Above my computer there is a quote that reads Alas for those who cannot sing, but die with all their music in them. Michael has a quote above his computer that says "In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's mind there are few. -Shunryu Suzuki. For both of us, these quotes provide comfort, guidance and inspiration whenever we take the time to read the words and think about what they mean to us. It continues to amaze me how a sequence of shapes and lines - letters and words - can be so powerful - can move us to inspired action or to tears.

So today I created a space to capture some of my favorite words and quotes. I often jot them down onto small pieces of paper, the back of an index card, or mark them with a piece of torn paper in a book - often they get lost or misplaced. Now I have a place to collect them - to refer back to them and appreciate them.

What's your favorite quote? I'd love to hear what words inspire you...I have a feeling they might find their way into my new place for safekeeping :)

Today's Lesson from the Craft Room: Focus On What You Have To Be Grateful For

I'm not sure when the habit started, but at some point in my life I decided to keep a journal every night. A simple journal where I would right down at least 6 things that I was grateful for that day. I have not always been consistent with the habit. I do find, however, that when I do take the time before I go to sleep to remember what I have to be grateful for, it puts me in a place where I am happy, content, and peaceful.

My last journal began as spiral bound index cards - the kind you find at any office supply store - and you look and wonder why the spiral binding made such simple index cards so expensive! I am on my few final "pages" and decided to save myself a trip to the office store and walk, instead, into the craft room. I have to admit that I had bought a bind-it-all machine quite a number of months ago and I had never taken it out of the box...until today! Now it is staying out of its box because I am thrilled with the ease of putting together my new gratitude journal and feel this project will make a very special gift for many people in my life (who I am very grateful for!).

So tonight, before you drift off to sleep, take a few minutes to reflect on your day and focus on all of those things you have to be grateful for. It may surprise you how long your list actually is.

Today's Lesson from the Craft Room: Listen to the Still, Small Voice Inside of You

Today's challenge on SCS was to visit Spunky Sprout (www.spunkysprout.com) for inspiration. I am always a bit excited by inspiration challenges as I never know what is going to inspire me. As I click and scroll through pages on the site, I am listening for my still, small voice to say "That's it! That's the one!" And I am always a bit amazed by what get's chosen. Sometimes it's something that feels familiar and comforting. Sometimes it's something that I would never have guessed I would have been drawn to! Never a dull moment with that little voice :)

Today my inspiration came from this rug: www.spunkysprout.com/glamourgirl.html. I created the image on the card using paper piecing and drew the facial features freehand. The SU! greeting from Sweet Little Sentiments seemed incredibly on target - I really was impressed, amazed and inspired by the rug! Hope you like the card! And don't forget to listen to that still, small voice :)

Today's Lesson from the Craft Room: Run a rope from the back door to the barn.

Today I began reading a book called A Hidden Wholeness: The Journey Toward an Undivided Life by Parker J. Palmer. In the prelude he shares a story about a time when farmers on the Great Plains, at the first sign of a blizzard, would run a rope from the back door out to the barn. Everyone at that time knew stories of people who had wandered off and been frozen to death, having lost sight of home in a whiteout while still in their own backyards.

This story touched me today as I thought about the act of creating art as a way to run a rope from the backyard to the barn. Any act of creative expression is a way to find our way in the blizzards that appear in our daily lives - the swirls of responsibilities, unexpected occurrences, and the maelstrom of negative news that tries to attach to us when we turn on the radio or the tv. Through it all, our ability to create art keeps us whole, grounded, and able to find our way home.

Today my wish for you is to run your rope from your back door to the barn and trust that it will always lead you home.

(ps after writing this entry I went to stamp my name stamp on the back of the yellow card and messed up...so I cut the front of the card and just made it into a panel on a blue card and I ended up liking it better :) I love it when an "oops" turns itself into a "wow!")

Today's Lesson from the Craft Room: Do What Inspires You!

The last two mornings I have woken up with visions of a little dog album running through my head. I did not have time...or should I say I did not make time...to create yesterday so the impulse was even stronger today. A little voice in my braining was saying "Oh, but you should do the challenge on SCS before you do anything else" and I decided to put my foot down (figuratively speaking of course...not sure how I would put my foot down in my brain...oops I'm letting you into my thoughts a bit too much right now...where was I?). Anyway, I decided that there was nothing I "should" do, but rather I could do what inspired me - the little dog album running through my head. So off I went into the craft room this evening and my vision came to life! Hope you like it! I used chipboard to make the front and back covers of the album and card stock and designer paper for the inside. Now I can't wait to fill it with pictures of my best friend (who happens to be 4-legged and lying behind me right now, waiting for his evening walk to the park!).

So if you find yourself telling yourself what you "should" do...put your foot down...and do what inspires you!

I was feeling punchy tonight and needed to make a quick card for my cousin's birthday. This one was super easy and I love the modern graphic look. I ran brocade blue (LOVE this color) through a cb embossing folder. Also used my circle punches (yes, I really was feeling punchy!) to create the black circles on the front of the card. The birthday greeting came from Stampin' Up! - it's from a set called Four Square. I used square punches to punch both the greeting and the black square behind it. It's amazing how quickly you can whip up a card when you're feeling punchy!

Today's Lesson from the Craft Room: Think Outside the Box!

Today's technique challenge was to make a crimped envelope pocket card. My mind decided to think outside the box and rather than create a square/rectangular card, the minute my mind thought about the look of crimped paper it thought CUPCAKE!!! (yes, my mind tends to think of cupcakes a bit anyway, so the thought could have just been randomly running through my mind and I'm just trying to tie the thought to the crimped paper...I admit it :)

The idea of a big cupcake also made me think of the SU Simple Birthday Thanks stamp. So, I made my own template for the cupcake top (which I'm happy to share with you if you email me or leave a comment on this post) and cut it out of 2 sheets of card stock (this card is a mirror image on the back). I sponged the top with green galore. I created a "stencil" with my 1 1/4" and 1/2" circle punches and used them to put dots on the bottom of the cupcake. I used the 1/2" circle punch and horizontal slot punch for sprinkles. The inside card is simple - just green galore on the bottom with a whisper white layer and a small stamp of the cupcake from the short & sweet set. The cherry was punched from a 1 1/4" circle punch and then "modified" a bit. I cut the stem freehand.

So next time you find yourself in a box remember to think outside of it (who knows, you might get a cupcake :)

Just a quick update to today's post...I decided to take my own lesson from the craft room to heart - to try, try again...so, I went ahead and submitted some photos of a few of my cards to a magazine. It was scary (not sure why it's scary, but for some reason it is) and now I get to play the waiting game. (No, I'm not a big fan of the waiting game...hmmm, that might be tonight's lesson from the craft room...patience :) This was my first time submitting anything to a magazine so if at first I don't succeed, I'll try, try again! Hey, if I can do it, so can you...What are you waiting for? :)

Today's Lessons from the Craft Room: If at first you don't succeed, try, try again AND Bring your dreams to life!!!!

Today I woke up having dreamed about a card concept. It's funny how ideas come to you in the place between being asleep and being awake - the place where your mind is open and not critical. So, of course, I had to run into the craft room (after walking the dog and doing morning chores) and try to bring the dream vision to life. And I LOVE what came to life in front of my eyes! (I now am deciding what to do with the creation. I think I'd like to submit it for some type of contest so I'm going to hold off posting it here...I will keep you posted though).

What I can share is a card I submitted for Stampin' Up's monthly contest. I was sad that it didn't win a prize, however my cousin emailed me today to tell me it was on the Stampin' Up! website in the Stamper's Showcase so I got excited all over again! I can share this card with you since it is no longer "in the running." Hope you like it.

So today my two lessons live alongside one another. Bring your dreams to life AND, if at first you don't succeed, try try again...I'm bound to win one of these contest if I just keep trying!!!!! :)

Hi! I'm bananas for you!!!! My mom created me today - she was leafing through a Crafts 'N Things magazine and saw a pillow with a sock monkey on it and she got all excited and ran like a crazy woman into the craft room to try to put me together. I'm so glad she did!

Once she put me together with punches and a bit of paper piecing for my hat (she made my fringe by cutting a strip of card stock and then making little cuts into the strip...then she sprayed it lightly with water and scrunched, scrunched, scrunched it), she couldn't find an appropriate greeting for my card so she carried me (again, running like a crazy woman) into the office to get on the computer and make a greeting. I suggested she type "let's monkey around," but she said that that would limit who she could send the card to :)

Hope you like me as much as I like me :) And don't forget, I'm bananas for YOU!!!!!

Today's Lesson to the Craft Room: Stick with it!

Yesterday I decided I needed to start reorganizing the craft room...of course the hallway now looks like it has been struck by a tornado! Yes, I'm still working on it and am making slow and steady progress. So today's card is my congratulations for when I'm done! :) (which will hopefully be in the very near future!)

I was inspired by the utensil holder/bucket here http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/fo...d=123579265 3.

I scored 3 lines on the bottom of the card. I punched the stars from glossy card stock. The greeting is also stamped on glossy card stock with Staz-On ink. Whatever it is you are doing today, stick with it. If you do, congratulations are definitely in order!!!!!

Today I tried a new technique! I had never frayed ribbon before and once I frayed it I decided it might look very cool to cut up the frayed ribbon and glue it down to a piece of card stock. It makes the paper look handmade! I was really pleased with the finished product.

I used mono adhesive to coat the card stock and then applied the cut pieces of frayed ribbon. I used was paper to push the ribbon down into the glue (which will save you from getting incredibly sticky fingers if you decide to give this a try!). Let me know if you try it and how you like it!!!!

Today's Lesson from the Craft Room: All You Have is All You Need

Today was a great day to be reminded of the lesson that all I have is all I need. The challenge on SCS was to be frugal - to use something we already had to create a card. I used the acetate box from one of my Sizzix dies and ran it through the Big Shot with the Circle Die and made acetate circles. I stamped them with white craft ink and then made the same circles out of card stock and attached them to the acetate with brads.

I also cut out 3x3 and a 3.5x3.5 squares of card stock and used those to dry emboss the "frame" on the card. I paper pierced around the frame.

I hope to always be reminded of this lesson since I seem to forget it sometimes (particularly when it comes to art supplies!). All I have is really all I need.

Today's Lesson from the Craft Room: Follow Your Own Rhythm!

Today I really noticed how my energy ebbs and flows throughout the day. At times I am focused and energized. At other times, distracted and dragging. So I tried something a bit new today. I worked when I was energized and did household chores when I felt I was dragging and here I am at 9 p.m. feeling like I accomplished a lot by following my own rhythm - rather than letting the time on the clock rule my day.

The color challenge on SCS today was also energizing! What great colors (summer sun, kiwi kiss and pumpkin pie)! I stamped the polka dot punch stamp in white craft ink on the summer sun paper. I also used white embossing powder for the heart image (also from the Polka Dot Punch stamp set). The "heart to heart" panel is attached using dimensionals so I could "tuck" the larger yellow panel underneath. Hope you like it!

Tonight's Lesson from the Craft Room speaks for itself...CREATE!!!! I made this sign using the clear flower Big Shot die and the Naturally Serif alphabet dies along with some of the free designer series paper from Sale-a-bration. I've included a photo with some up close detail since it was hard to get a great photo of the entire banner (need to work on my photography skills).

Today's Lesson from the Craft Room: Take a break!

Today's challenge on SCS was a lot of fun! We had to make a card by stamping with rubber bands wrapped around a stamp block...a ton of fun...as long as you don't snap yourself with the rubber bands (yes, I did it twice...ouch!).

I started the morning with a 7 a.m. conference call and by lunch time I was sooooo ready for a break. I thought...where better to take a break than the craft room?! So off I went to tackle the challenge and I had a ton of fun!!!! Sometimes you just need to take a little break from whatever you are doing...it can change everything :)

I used my sizzix clear flower die for the large blush blossom flower and sponged the edges with blush blossom ink. I punched ovals from sahara sand and then sprayed them with a little water and "crunched" them and then sponged the edges with sahara sand ink. The background was made by wrapping rubber bands around a block and inking it up with versamark and then embossing the image with clear embossing powder once it was stamped. Hope you enjoy...and thanks for taking a break with me :)

Today's Lesson from the Craft Room: Lose yourself in what you love!!!!

I am back home and I was sooooo happy to have some time today to lose myself in what I love!!!! Hello craft room!!!! Today the Virtual Stamp Night started at SCS - we are having folks over for dinner, so I could only do 2 of the challenges...but I'm planning on trying to catch up tomorrow. The first challenge was "Sketch a Little Love" - we were given a sketch and the only parameter was to stamp what you love...no surprise that my dog made it onto that card! The second challenge was a color challenge - I chose the combination of chocolate chip, apricot appeal and cameo coral. I was also soooo happy to unpack my SU! boxes and use some of my new stamp sets.

So, if you get a moment today - or any day - try to lose yourself in what you love!!!!

Today's Lesson from the Road: There's no place like home!!!

Today I'm on the road in Ohio and look at the picture Michael emailed me!!!!! When is the next flight???? OK, so maybe I went a little crazy on this last order...but I'm sure I'll make lots of cool stuff to share with you :) I'll be headed home tomorrow and I have to say that there's no place like home! Can't wait to start creating for you!!! :)

Today's Lesson from the Craft Room: Express Who You Are!

I have to travel today, so I decided to share a favorite card with you. I created this card for my amazing Aunt Marsha. She is an artist and a dancer and an incredible positive influence in my life. When she received the card from me she emailed me to let me know how special the card was to her and that she was putting it in her purse to carry it with her every day.

So, on this day that I have to travel, I offer you this quote from Martha Graham - to carry with you everyday. There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening, that is translated through you into action and because there is only one of you in all time this expression is unique.

Have a wonderful day and express who you are - you are truly unique!

Today's Lesson from the Craft Room: Laugh Out Loud!!!!

So I have to admit that I can't even look at this little guy without laughing out loud! I had sooooo much fun putting him together for today's round box challenge on SCS! For some reason, the minute I saw the box shape, Humpty Dumpty came to mind. I paper pieced him together after sponging and "bricking" the box (I made the brick lines with an SU marker)...laughing all the way :) Hope he makes you smile and laugh out loud!!!!

Today's Lesson from the Craft Room: Color Your World :)

Today's challenge on SCS was a featured stamper challenge. The featured stamper was Julie M Lacey and the inspiration card I chose had a cupcake and a beautiful ribbon and greeting. The challenge requires you to change at least 2 things about the card. I changed the image, the color, the greeting, the layering and the ribbon.

As I was playing with this card I thought about quite a few color combinations and it never ceases to amaze me how color can set a mood or create a feeling. This card in red or purple or yellow would create a totally different mood than the green and bright blue - hopefully this combo makes you feel cheerful and bright!!!! Enjoy...and then go color your world! :)