Trio Punch Flower Gift Card

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  I Still Like To Be Validated
There is a bookstore not far from where I live.  There is a parking garage where the store is located and, if you take your parking ticket in the store with you, they will validate the parking for you so you can park for free.  When I was there awhile back and walked up to the register and asked to be validated, the person at the register said, "You are a beautiful human being!" and then stamped my parking ticket!  Talk about validation!!!!!  Although I have tried to convince myself that other people's opinions don't matter at all, I realize that I'm a bit full of it!  It still feels good to be validated - here on the blog - or when I receive evaluations after I've conducted a training session (something that I do quite frequently as part of my work life).  I guess Maslow was right when he said that as human beings we all have a need for recognition - to be acknowledged for our contribution.  It truly does feel good!  Thank you to those of you that leave comments for me (Lorraine and Doris I really appreciate your words - they make me feel AWESOME!!!).  I really appreciate your validation!!!!!
Today's card was one that I put together quickly to leave on Michael's pillow before heading out on my last work trip.  I took a 3" x 6" piece of River Rock card stock and folded it in half.  I then adhered a little rectangle of Whisper White card stock with glue.  The greeting from Teeny Tiny Wishes was stamped in Basic Black ink with the help of the stamp-a-ma-jig.  I then punched three little flowers using the flower punch from the trio punch out of Basic Black card stock.  I adhered them to the card and then placed a self-adhesive rhinestone jewel in the center of each flower!  I hope you like it

Check out the new HOLIDAY MINI CATALOG!!!  You can click on the picture in the upper right-hand corner of my blog to see inside the catalog for our new products & ideas!  Enjoy!!!!

Every Little Bit Hello Card

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Do We All Feel Inside Like We Are A Fake And That Someone Is Going To Figure That Out?

I had dinner with a beautiful friend tonight and somewhere along the way in our conversation we began to talk about how there are times in our lives when we feel like we are fakes and that someone is going to discover our masquerade and realize that we are just us after all.  I was actually relieved to hear that I'm not the only one who walks around this planet concerned that somehow I will be found out - that people will realize I really don't know what I'm talking about - that underneath it all I am still that little geek who went through my younger years feeling pretty small and irrelevant and somehow a part of that has stuck with me.  So rather than wait to see if you figure out that I'm just a fake and that underneath it all I am a sensitive little girl with a squishy underbelly wanting to be loved, let me just tell you - I am.  I cry when I am sad.  I hurt when I see others hurting (or when I watch Hallmark commercials!).  I want to protect those that I love and the underdogs.  I pick up worms that find their way into puddles in the rain and sidewalks in the sun.  I have curly hair most days and straighten my hair when I travel for work - it is part of the "costume" I wear.  I get tired after conducting training courses and rejuvenate best by being in a quiet space or watching the birds in the backyard - away from electronic devices and mechanical noise.  I worry about my stomach (more affectionately known as my "pooch") and find it easy to criticize myself when I look in the mirror.  I get scared that when I am conducting a training session everyone will just stand up and walk out on me.  So there you have it.  Now that you know, you can decide whether to visit with me again.  I hope you will :)
Today's card was simple - just like me :)  I punched a hole into the front of the Rich Razzleberry card stock using the 1 1/2" circle punch.  I then punched a hole in a piece of River Rock card stock and then punched again with the scallop circle punch to make the "frame" for the hole.  I adhered it with glue.  Next I stamped the "hello" from Pennant Parade using the stamp-a-ma-jig and basic black ink.  The cat from Every Little Bit was stamped onto a piece of Whisper White card stock, punched out with the 1 3/4" circle punch, adhered to the inside of the card, and then colored in with markers.  Finally, I covered the cat with Crystal Effects for a bit of shine.  I hope you like it!!!!

Circle Circus Birthday Greetings

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Surround Yourself With Supportive Voices

When we decide to make changes in our lives - to pursue that which we feel is best for us - we need to surround ourselves with those voices that are supportive of us, as opposed to those that will try to throw up obstacles or fears.  Sometimes we can't find a friend or relative who can be that support.  Don't you worry!  There are plenty of supportive voices out there - you just need to find them!  You can find those voices in books, from on-line friends, from songs - if you look for the supportive voices you will find them and they will speak to your heart.  And don't forget, you are your own best support system!!!! :)
Today's card began with stamping the image from Circle Circus onto the River Rock card base using VersaMark ink.  I then crumpled a piece of Early Espresso card stock, tore a couple of the edges, and sewed it to the card with my sewing machine and gold metallic thread.  I punched a decorative label out of Naturals Ivory card stock and stamped the same background image using River Rock ink at 1/2 strength.  I sponged the edges with Early Espresso ink.  I then adhered the greeting from On Your Birthday which I stamped in Early Espresso onto Naturals Ivory card stock, punched out with the modern label punch and then sponged with Early Espresso ink.  Next I adhered a very small piece of seam binding ribbon and added an antique brad on top of it.  This entire piece was then adhered to the card front using dimensionals.  I hope you like it!

Circle Circus Thinking Of You Card

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Learn What Centers You

This past weekend I seemed to be totally out of whack.  I had somehow gotten myself into a funk and felt like I was totally out of sorts.  Physically I felt exhausted and mentally my internal voice was filled with all kinds of negative yuckiness (that's a technical term :)  I realized I was very much off center and had to figure out what would center me.  I turned to a few of the things that I can rely on to bring me back to a state of calm - walking Buddy, stamping in the craft room, sitting outside and watching the birds.  I know that any and all of these activities have the power to help me find myself again.  Do you know what centers you?  Keep that list in your journal or in the forefront of your mind.  If you don't know what centers you, consider when you feel the most calm.  Where are you?  Who is around you?  What are you doing or not doing?  If you know what centers you, you have the power to bring yourself back to a safe space when your life tries to turn you upside down.
Today's card was all about simplicity.  I stamped the image from Circle Circus in a variety of ink colors:  Perfect Plum, Early Espresso, Rich Razzleberry, and River Rock.  I then added a touch of dazzling diamonds to the circles.  The greeting from Sincere Salutations was stamped with Basic Black ink using the stamp-a-ma-jig.  I hope you like it!

Look Where I Was Today!!!!

The USA Pro Cycling Challenge was happening in Denver today!  It was the final stage of the race - Stage 6.  The stage began in Golden, Colorado and came right into Denver!  We biked down to watch the action first hand and we found a perfect spot on a corner that was part of a lap that the racers rode 6 times!!!!!  This was the last pass around and Levi Leipheimer, the ultimate winner of the overall race, came by and I snapped this lucky picture!!!!  Yeah Levi!!!!!  It was amazing to watch these racers - they truly ride like a swarm of bees!  So close together and moving as one!  I hope they come back next year!!!!

Four Ways Friday #59 - Dot, Dot, Dot

This week's Four Ways Friday is all about the Dot, Dot, Dot stamp!  I combined the stamp with a few other stamp sets to give you some ideas for how versatile the Dot, Dot, Dot stamp is!

The Dot, Dot, Dot stamp serves as a great background stamp for your cards!  Here I stamped the dots using River Rock ink.  I stamped the greeting from Vintage Vogue in Chocolate Chip ink with the help of my stamp-a-ma-jig.  I then used a rock & roll technique to stamp the flowers from Vintage Vogue onto scraps of Whisper White card stock.  I cut the flowers out and then adhered them to the card front using either glue or dimensionals.  Adding the buttons to the flower centers with glue dots was the final touch!

Don't forget that you don't have to stamp the entire dotted image!  Here I used sticky notes as masks to mask off a rectangular area in the middle of the card and then stamped over the masked area with the Dot, Dot, Dot stamp and Tempting Turquoise ink.  I stamped the greeting from Short & Sweet with Basic Black ink and then added the cut out dog from Friends Fur-ever (one of my favorite stamp sets!).  The Melon Mambo punched heart was the final addition - adhered with glue.

I created this tag using the Dot, Dot, Dot stamp in a couple of ways...can you see them?  Here I die cut the tag from Very Vanilla card stock using the Two Tags die.  I then stamped the front flap of the tag with the dot stamp and Crumb Cake ink.  I stamped the back of the tag with Crumb Cake ink at 1/2 strength.  The greeting is a combination of stamps from Define Your Life and Upsy Daisy.  I used the modern label punch to punch out the word "birthday" and sponged the edges with Early Espresso ink.  Crystal Effects was used to adhere the champagne glass glitter to the greeting.  Can you see where else I used the Dot, Dot, Dot stamp?  I took a piece of Very Vanilla seam binding and stamped the seam binding (front and back) with the Dot, Dot, Dot stamp and Crumb Cake ink!  I love dressing up ribbon/seam binding this way!  I tied the ribbon with a small piece of linen thread.  The cut out bird from Friends 24-7 peeks out from the inside of the tag :)

Don't be afraid to stamp the same image over and over on top of itself!  Here I kept stamping the Dot, Dot, Dot stamp, using different ink colors, onto a piece of Whisper White card stock.  I then punched out the card stock using the ornament punch.  It's hard to see, but I added a whole bunch of dazzling diamonds with 2-way glue to make the ornament sparkle!  I sponged the edges of the ornament with Tempting Turquoise and then tied a small piece of gold elastic to the top of the ornament.  A piece of grosgrain ribbon acts as the ornament hanger and was glued to the Very Vanilla panel before adding the ornament with dimensionals.  I sponged the edges with Old Olive ink and then adhered the panel to a Real Red panel.  The large eyelet was added using the crop-a-dile.  I finished off the tag with red satin ribbon.
I hope you've enjoyed this week's Four Ways Friday!  I hope you have a very creative and peaceful weekend and for those of you who live in the United States and are in the path of Hurricane Irene, I wish you a very safe weekend as well!

Short & Sweet Best Wishes Card

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  How Easily Is Our Attention Diverted?

I remember that as a child I had the ability to sit and play or read for hours.  I remember coloring those geometric patterns in my Altair Design coloring books for long periods at a time (did you color in those coloring books?).  Today, the ability to approach things with that type of focus is what I crave.  It seems that the slightest thought or distraction can totally set me off in a new direction - I might be reading and then I see a reference to another book or author and I am immediately up and out of my chair, headed for the computer, to go and look up the reference.  Or I will start to tell a story to a friend as we walk toward the park and their attention will be grabbed by a person up the street and we will never come back to my story.  So I'm sensing I'm not the only one suffering from this condition - I won't call it attention deficit disorder - although the name seems to fit.  Where has our ability to provide our undivided attention to our tasks or to others gone?  I miss it.  I feel more scattered these days - like I am a bouncing ball who never comes to a state of rest.  I appreciate the craft room as one of those places where, if I am protective and vigilant, I can allow myself to remain in a state of focused attention.  (It's so funny - as I was typing my last sentence, my attention was just taken away by the finish of Stage 2 of the US Pro Cycling Challenge on tv and Willow meowing at the top of her lungs :)  A reminder that I still have some work to do on focusing my attention :)
Today's card began with a Melon Mambo card base that I ran through the Big Shot with the Tulip Frame embossing folder.  I then stamped the floral image from Tiny Tags at half strength using Chocolate Chip ink.  I then took a piece of Confetti card stock and scored it in half and then 3/4" from one end.  I tore the end of the scored 3/4" piece and used a piece of twine to hold this little "pocket" together.  I stamped the pocket with the floral image from Tiny Tags using River Rock ink and then stamped the other decorative image using Melon Mambo.  An adhesive pearl adds a bit of elegance.  Finally, I created a small River Rock insert for the "pocket" and stamped the top with a greeting from Short & Sweet with Chocolate Chip ink.  The pocket was then adhered to the front of the card using dimensionals.  I hope you like it!

Vegging Out

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Sometimes You Just Need To Veg Out!

I think Willow has it right :)  She climbed into this oak barrel where we grow tomatoes and decided it was the perfect place to take a nap!  I am following her lead today and I am going to veg out as well (although not in the oak barrel...not enough room for the two of us!) :)  I will be back tomorrow.  Hope you have a great day...maybe you'll get a chance to veg out too :)

Retired Stamp Set Note Cards

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Sometimes We Fret About Things For More Time Than It Actually Takes Us To Do Those Things

I'm guilty!  Sometimes I get myself so worked up about my "to-do" lists - all the things I need to get done by a certain day.  I think if I counted all of the minutes I worry about getting those things done, they would far surpass the amount of time the tasks actually take to get done.  So why am I bothering to allow myself to worry about them?!  Case in point.  On Friday I had a list of things I needed to get done by Monday and I had anticipated working on them all weekend.  I think I had started worrying about the list beginning on about Wednesday of last week!  So, what happened?  On Saturday I decided to take a 2 1/2 hour hike rather than sit and do work (yeah!).  In my mind I began to realize that the work would likely, in reality, not take me much time.  And then on Sunday I ended up on a 4-hour biking adventure to a gorgeous park!  And here I sit (I am writing this on Sunday night) and guess what?  I was able to get the tasks done in about 2 hours of focused time!  I am so glad that I decided to stop all the fretting and do those things I really wanted to do.  I know I still need to work on minimizing the fretting - at least I'm headed in the right direction!
Today's cards were made using a retired stamp set from a number of years back.  I LOVE the quotes!  I stamped the images with Jet Black Staz-On and then colored the images in with colored pencils.  I added a dash of Crystal Effects and a bit of dazzling diamonds for some added texture and bling.  I really like the simplicity of these cards since the quotes are truly the focal point.  These are headed to a family member as a birthday gift.  I hope she likes them! :)

Friends 24-7 Scrap Card

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room: You Can Miss Beauty So Easily

I was out of town for a few days last week.  The drive to the airport turned out to be a learning experience for me.  I was driven to the airport and rode in the back seat of the car.  Once I was inside the airport I realized that I hadn't even looked up while I was in the backseat and so I totally missed one of the favorite things I enjoy about the drive to the airport - the amazing vista of the mountains to my left.  I couldn't believe I hadn't even caught a glimpse of the mountains!  Usually it is the one thing I anticipate on the drive!  I was fortunate when it turned out that the gate for my flight was at the end of a terminal.  And there, at the end of the terminal was a full wall of windows looking out onto those gorgeous mountains!  This time I got lucky.  What it made me realize is that you can miss beauty so easily if you don't pick your head up and look around you.  I know this is true when I walk with my head down on the sidewalk.  Now I know it is true when I am traveling in the backseat of a car.  From here on out I'm going to do all I can to keep my eyes open and take in the beauty around me!!!!
Today's little 3x3 card is a card that I put together using scraps on the craft table!  This is becoming one of my favorite things to do since I usually end up with a piece that I would never have created if I had set out with intent!  I used bits and pieces from die cuts and a cut out of the bird from Friends 24-7.  The greeting is from Elements of Style.  Life truly is a matter of moments - moments that we will miss if we don't open our eyes!

Four Ways Friday #58 - Sincere Salutations (& Video!!!!)

For this week's Four Ways Friday I decided to use the Sincere Salutations stamp set in four simple ways!  For each of these cards, I only used the Sincere Salutations stamps and no other stamp sets!  I have to admit that this is one of my favorite stamp sets and I use it again and again and again!

This first card is so simple to make!  Here is a video to show you how to use your punches and die cuts as stencils to create this card:

Talk about simple!  For this second card I die cut a piece of chipboard using the Serif Essentials dies and then coated the letter with Crystal Effects and silver glass glitter!  I stamped the greeting with the stamp-a-ma-jig and Basic Black ink and then adhered the letter with glue.  So simple and quite dazzling!

I love the look you get when you repeatedly stamp a greeting!  Here I stamped the "get well soon" greeting three times using the stamp-a-ma-jig.  First I stamped it in Regal Rose, then Melon Mambo, and finally Rich Razzleberry.  I then punched flowers from card stock of those same three colors using the Boho Blossoms punch and the Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack.  I adhered them to the card with a mix of glue and dimensionals, just to create some dimension on the card.  Finally, I added some rhinestones and pearls.

This final card is all about repeat stamping as well!  Here I began by stamping the "holiday greetings" stamp onto a scrap of Whisper White card stock using Cherry Cobbler ink.  I then went back and stamped over it using the same stamp and Always Artichoke ink.  I then cut out the two triangles and sponged the edges with Always Artichoke ink to create the trees.  The trunks are just rectangles cut from Soft Suede card stock.  I then sponged the edges of the trunks with Soft Suede ink.  The trunks were adhered to the Very Vanilla card panel with glue and then the greeting was stamped on the card, with the help of the stamp-a-ma-jig, using Cherry Cobbler ink.  I then adhered the larger tree to the card with dimensionals and the smaller one with glue.  The final touch was to add some rhinestone brads (with glue dots) as ornaments on the larger tree before adhering the panel to an Always Artichoke card base with glue.
I hope you've enjoyed this week's Four Ways Friday!  I hope you have an amazingly peaceful and creative weekend!!!!!  Enjoy!!!!!

Notably Ornate Birthday Card

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  No Matter How Pretty The Flowers Are Somewhere Else; The Flowers Are Always Prettiest In Your Own Backyard :)

Michael went on a business trip and when he got home I asked him to help me come up with a lesson from the craft room for today.  Today's lesson is what he shared :)  There were flowers outside of the small house where he stayed on his trip and he would sit and watch them in the late afternoons.  He loved watching the small bees and bugs flying around; watching all the colors change in the light.  And yet, the flowers that grow here, in his own back yard, feel special in a different way.  I wonder if these flowers reflect back to him the love he has shared with them.  That somehow they know what care he has provided to them and that shows in the way they bloom and radiate in the back yard.  When you pour your love into something - when you help something grow - it truly does become the prettiest thing around! :)
Today's card began with a desire to bring the kitchen into the craft room!  I hadn't played with salt in my art work in a long time and this card provided the perfect opportunity!  I began with a piece of glossy white card stock and sprayed it with Perfect Plum ink (that I had mixed with water in a little spray bottle) and So Saffron ink and then sprinkled the piece with two different kinds of salt (finely ground and coarse) and then let it dry.  Once it dried, I brushed off the salt and then stamped the piece with black Staz-On and images from the Notably Ornate stamp set.  I then sponged the edges with Perfect Plum and Basic Black ink.  Next I punched a decorative label from Perfect Plum card stock and sponged the edges with Basic Black ink.  I then stamped the greeting from On Your Birthday with Basic Black ink on Very Vanilla card stock, punched it out with the modern label punch and sponged the edges with Basic Black ink.  The greeting was adhered to the decorative label with glue and then the piece was adhered to the salted and stamped panel.  I then poked the antique brad through the layers before adhering the entire panel to the Very Vanilla card with dimensionals.  I hope you like it!

En Francais & Tiny Tags Thank You

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Exercise Is Self Love!

One of the sites I like to visit frequently is Louise Hay's site.  I visit to look at her daily affirmation and the other day her affirmation was "Exercise is self love!"  It was the perfect affirmation for me to see since lately I have been road biking and it is making me feel soooooo good emotionally!  It really does feel like I am loving and appreciating myself every time I go out on the bike for a ride.  I know that I sometimes fall into a rut and begin to think of exercise as a chore and a bore.  How nice to put a different spin on it and recognize that every time I do something active I am expressing my love for myself :)  How 'bout showing yourself a little self love, in the form of exercise, today!
Today's card was inspired by some odds & ends that were sitting on the craft table staring up at me :)  I began with a Crumb Cake card base and then stamped a piece of Very Vanilla card stock with the En Francais background stamp and some Sahara Sand ink.  Next came tearing a small strip of Sahara Sand card stock and adding it to the bottom of the Very Vanilla panel.  I punched out a decorative label punch from Naturals Ivory card stock, cut it in half, and then sponged the edges with Rich Razzleberry ink.  The piece was then adhered to the panel with glue.  A small piece of Victoria lace was adhered to the label with a glue dot.  I then used a piece of twine to attach a small tag that was stamped with a greeting from Tiny Tags and the punched with the jewelry tag punch.  The Rich Razzleberry button was the added with glue dots and the entire panel was adhered to a Rich Razzleberry panel before being adhered down to the card base.  It is fun to see what you can do with the scraps that stare up at you from your craft table :)

Medallion Stamp & Gesso Card

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Work Through The Resistance!

Resistance is such an interesting emotion!  It seems to come up for me quite a bit in the craft room, especially when I find myself not liking the creation that is unfolding in front of me.  I begin to resist finishing the project and I just want to begin another one.  That moment is a big decision point for me - do I abandon and give up on what I am doing and just begin something new (or walk out of the craft room)?  Or, do I forge forward and work through the resistance and see what unfolds?  I believe it takes strength to be willing to forge forward - to face the demon that is staring you in the face and let that demon know that you won't be dissuaded.  I know it's just a card, but if I can face that demon in the craft room and get through it, maybe I will learn that in other parts of my life the demon can be slayed as well!
I wish I could deconstruct the process I went through while making this card, but I honestly went through so many steps I don't even remember what I did!  The part I do remember though is that when I was ready to walk away I thought to myself, "gesso!"  Gesso is a wonderful art medium that can be used to cover surfaces, while allowing the layers beneath it to show through (depending on how thick you apply the gesso).  You can also use a toothpick or other pointed surface to scribe designs into the gesso and the gesso also gives the surface "tooth" so that you can paint or stamp on top of it.  I began with a plain piece of watercolor paper for the background and applied ink and gesso in different layers (that's as specific as I can be about the process since it was a all a bit of trial and error as I went along...not to mention fighting the demon that wanted me to abandon this background all together!).  The Medallion background stamp was inked with Melon Mambo ink and stamped at half strength onto Very Vanilla card stock.  I then cut it out and sponged the edges with black ink.  The greeting is from Bring On The Cake and was stamped with Basic Black ink onto a strip of watercolor paper.  I hope you like it!

Emboss Resist Inspired By Nature Card & Video!!!!

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  You Have So Much More In You Than You Think You Do!!!

If you had told me that this past weekend I would go for a 38-mile bike ride, I would have told you you were crazy!!!!  I would have to eat those words since yes, I did it!!!!!!  As I have begun to enjoy bike riding what I am learning the most about myself is that I underestimate me.  I think I am weaker or less athletic than I actually am and I am learning to stop underestimate myself.  It has taken this new sport to make me feel so proud and to begin to develop a different kind of confidence in my abilities and it feels GOOD!!!!!  I am also very grateful for the synchronicity that led me to run into my neighbor on the bike trail just over a week ago because she has become a wonderful biking buddy!  That is also something new for me.  I have always been a bit of a loner when it comes to exercising and I am actually enjoying riding with someone who is supportive and encouraging and inspirational!  I believe that each of us has so much more inside of us than we give ourselves credit for.  Sometimes it just takes a new sport/activity to give us insight into our potential!
Today's card uses an emboss resist technique with the Inspired By Nature stamp set.  Here is a video to show you how I made it!  Enjoy!!!!

Four Ways Friday #57 - Make A Monster!

This week's Four Ways Friday is all about the adorable Make a Monster stamp set!  This set is a ton of fun.  It also lends itself well for stamping with children and creating coloring books for kids to color.  I hope you enjoy the following four cards!

This first 6"x 3" card is so simple to make!  I stamped the monsters using different eyes and mouths and then punched them out with a 1 1/2" circle punch.  I glued them to black circles punched with a 1 3/4" circle punch.  The greetings are from the On Your Birthday stamp set.  Of course, you could color the monsters if you wanted, or give the card to a child to color for their birthday :)  I really liked the black & white look.

It doesn't take long to be overcome by the urge to color these adorable monsters!  Here I simply stamped the monster using Staz-on onto a Whisper White card base.  I colored in the monster using markers and then stamped the greeting from Bring On The Cake using the stamp-a-ma-jig.  Finally, I took some crystal effects and added it to the monster's eyes and teeth and the word "cake."

Remember that you can use your monster parts in non-traditional ways!  Here I used the monster "hair" stamp to create grass!  I stamped the image multiple times using Wild Wasabi ink and then sponged over it with Certainly Celery ink.  I then sponged the background with So Saffron ink and stamped the dot stamp at half-strength using More Mustard ink.  The monster was stamped onto a piece of Whisper White card stock with Staz-on.  I then colored in the monster with a Bashful Blue marker and cut it out.  I added crystal effects to the monster eyes.  The greeting is from the Pennant Parade stamp set and was stamped with Staz-on with the stamp-a-ma-jig.  I mounted the panel onto a Perfect Plum card base that I had stamped with Basic Gray ink and the Wonderfully Worn background stamp.

This card began with a black card base.  The eyes were stamped with Versamark and the heat embossed with white embossing powder.  The word bubble was drawn freehand with black marker and then cut out.  I used the Calendar Alphabet & Numbers stamp set to stamp the letters.  The bubble is popped up on the card front using dimensionals.  Of course, this card makes no sense until you get to see the inside! :)

It makes me smile even as I'm typing this :)  I stamped the different monsters with black Staz-on and then colored them in with markers.  A few of them were then covered with dazzling diamonds by using a 2-way glue pen.  The message was stamped with the Calendar Alphabet & Numbers stamp set (the exclamation points were hand drawn).
I hope you've enjoyed this week's Four Ways Friday!  May you have a relaxing, inspiring and creative weekend!!!!!

Paper Pieced Sailboat Birthday Card

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  If You Are Passionate About It, Do It!

I was following the news on Diana Nyad's swim from Cuba to Florida with rapt attention!  When I saw that she had been swimming for over 20 hours I was amazed!  Here was a woman, 61 years old, following her passion...without a shark cage!  I was sad for her when I learned that she had to abandon her swim after 29 hours - suffering from shoulder issues, asthma and nausea.  I know how much she would have loved to have made it to Florida.  Regardless of whether she reached her destination, her journey - her process - is an incredibly inspiring one!  To go after that which you are passionate about.  To put your whole self - body, mind and spirit - into pursuing your passion...now that takes courage!  Although she did not reach the shores of Florida under her own power, she definitely found her way to the shores of my soul!  Thank you Diana Nyad for showing us what it means to do that which you are passionate about!!!!!!
Today's card may look slightly familiar :)  Do you see the direct-to-paper background from yesterday's card?  I had one left over and decided it needed to be made into a card :)  The card was also inspired by a retired stamp set called Nursery Necessities.  I never owned the stamp set, but the image of the sailboat from the catalog has always stuck with me.  It was from this imagination that I began to build this paper-pieced boat by cutting pieces of Crumb Cake and Not Quite Navy card stock.  I popped them up onto the background using dimensionals after sponging all the pieces and the background panel with Chocolate Chip ink.  I then mounted the panel on a piece of Whisper White card stock and sponged the edges as well.  The greeting from Sincere Salutations was stamped using the stamp-a-ma-jig and Chocolate Chip ink.  I then added the brad from the antique brad set before mounting the panel, using dimensionals, on a Crumb Cake card base.  The brad reminds me of a compass and it seemed perfect for this card!  I hope you like it!

Direct-To-Paper Technique Baby Card & Video!!!!!

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  A Whole World Of Possibilities Await You!!!!

Why do I love being in the craft room?  The list is a long one, but I would have to say that one of my favorite reasons is that a whole world of possibilities await me every time I walk into the room!  Oh that I could look at my entire life with this same zest and excitement!  I passed a woman walking an adorable Golden Retriever puppy this morning and the puppy got so excited!  The woman turned to me and, trying to sound like her puppy speaking, she said, "Oh!  The world is just so exciting!"  I replied, "Oh that we could all walk around the world with that feeling!"  So that will be my challenge for myself - to continue to push myself to see every moment as presenting me with a whole world of possibilities!  Each moment holds that potential - the excitement of experiencing something new or experiencing something familiar in a new way!  Wish me luck :)
Today's card came out of the world of possibilities that were waiting for me in the craft room today!  Here is a video to show you how I made it!  Enjoy!

Pennant Parade Pocket Birthday Card & Video!!!!!

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  You Are Safe And Secure In This Very Moment!

If you are reading this post right now, that says to me that you are safe and secure in this very moment.  And this very moment is what matters!  I can get very caught up in fear - particularly when it comes to my safety.  I don't like to watch scary movies because I don't want to put those images in my head.  The reality, however, is that I do a fine job all on my own putting those terrible images into my head!  I can especially drive myself crazy if I happen to be home alone at night.  I can keep myself awake just imagining all the bad things that might happen!  I'm sure it doesn't help that I have a tendency to have the tv on in the craft room and it always seems to be tuned in to an episode of Law & Order or NCIS - both shows about crime and craziness.  So now I try to repeat the mantra, "you are safe and secure in this very moment."  This reminds me that I have a choice - I can let the fear take over or I can recognize that the images only exist in my mind and the reality is that I am perfectly safe in the moment.  Whether I am in a hotel room, home alone one evening, or on a plane what matters is that I release the fears and live in this very moment.  I am safe and secure right now :)
Today's card is a fun and easy card to make and it is a nice change from a traditional folded card.  Here is a video to show you how it's done!  Enjoy!!!!

Groovy Penguins - Every Little Bit Card

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Watch For Moments Of Serendipity!

I am a firm believer that life works in mysterious way.  That somehow, beneath the chaos that appears to be our lives there is a deeper sense of order that is sending us signs if we take notice.  If you have ever experienced "coincidence," these are the moments I'm talking about.  I don't believe they are coincidences at all - that these moments have deep meaning for us.  I had one of these "serendipitous" moments this weekend.  I decided to go out for a bike ride and headed out the door intending to head east on the bike trail.  Before I made it out of my neighborhood I ran into one of my neighbors who commented that on the weekend she tends to not head east toward downtown since the trail gets really crowded.  She made a suggestion that I head west, toward the reservoir, instead.  So, when I arrived at the trail, I turned west.  I haven't been riding a lot and it was a hot day so after riding for awhile I stopped my bike and thought about turning around.  It was at that EXACT moment that a bike passed me on the left and I looked up and it was another one of my neighbors!  I called out her name and she stopped her bike and we talked and decided to continue riding together.  My ride ended up being 3 times as long as I thought it would be...and 3 times as long as I ever thought I was capable of.  So what is the meaning in this moment of serendipity?  I feel it has everything to do about moving forward when we are tempted to "turn around" so that we can discover our strengths- how capable we really are!  When I create, I can sometimes get discouraged - I can get the urge to "turn around."  Not gonna happen!  I'm going to keep moving forward - trusting in my creative strength! :)
Today's card began with the word "groovy" which I stamped using the Calendar Alphabet & Numbers stamp set and Old Olive ink.  I had originally stamped the word thinking I would use it for one of last week's cards, but I decided I didn't like how it came together.  So, I didn't "turn around," I found something else that I liked with the word :)  Here I stamped the penguin from Every Little Bit with Staz-On onto a Whisper White card base.  I then colored in the feet and beaks with Tangerine Tango marker.  Finally I added a strip of Melon Mambo pom-pom trim.  I hope you like it! :)

Four Ways Friday #56 - Loads Of Love!

Today's Four Ways Friday uses an oldie, but goodie...the Loads of Love stamp set!  I decided to try to use the set simply vs. using the images with loads of layers or embellishments.  I hope you like this simple Four Ways :)

For this first card, I simply stamped the truck onto a Whisper White card base using Jet Black Staz-On.  I then stamped the greeting from Short & Sweet, using Rose Red ink and the stamp-a-ma-jig to keep things lined up!  The next step was the stamp the heart image onto a scrap of Whisper White card stock with Staz-On and then cut it out.  I colored in the hearts using Rose Red, Pink Pirouette and Pretty In Pink markers.  I also stamped the heart images and cut out one heart and colored it with Rose Red marker.  Lastly, I added dazzling diamonds and some crystal effects to the hearts and then adhered them to the truck using glue.

The floral image inspired me to make a flower pot!  Here I stamped the floral image with Jet Black Staz-On on a scrap of Whisper White card stock.  I then colored in the flowers and leaves with markers and added some dazzling diamonds with 2-way glue to give them a bit of sparkle!  I used More Mustard card stock to paper piece a flower pot and adhered it together with glue.  A rectangle of Soft Suede card stock was cut out and the edges sponged with Soft Suede ink.  I then used the paper piercing tool to paper pierce the edges of the rectangle.  The greeting from Teeny Tiny Wishes was stamped with Staz-On using the stamp-a-ma-jig.  The flower pot was the adhered to the panel using dimensionals.  The panel was then adhered to a Whisper White card base and finally a piece of Pretty In Pink taffeta ribbon was knotted around the card.

Card number three is all about stamping on designer series paper.  Here I stamped the truck image onto a piece of retired designer series paper and then cut the image out, removing the window with a hobby blade.  I also stamped the image onto a piece of Whisper White card stock and a piece of Brushed Silver card stock and cut those both out as well (well, actually, I just cut out the brushed silver bumper and hubcaps :)  I then glued all of the pieces down onto the Whisper White card stock truck.  The words "enjoy" and "the" came fro a stamp in the Sweet Season stamp set.  They were stamped onto scraps of Whisper White card stock and cut out.  The letters for "ride" are from the Calendar Alphabet & Numbers stamp set.  They were stamped with Old Olive ink and then punched out with the circle punch from the punch trio set.  I then used my 1/2" circle punch to punch out pieces of Melon Mambo card stock.  The circles were adhered together and then adhered to the card using glue.

The final card also required stamping onto designer series paper (Brights Pattern Stack - Old Olive).  I cut out the part of the truck that I wanted to be striped.  I then stamped the truck onto a Very Vanilla card base using Staz-On.  The designer paper was adhered to the card base with glue.  I used colored pencil to fill in the bumpers, tires and hubcaps.  The woman from Loads of Love Accessories was stamped and colored in using markers.  I then used the stamp-a-ma-jig to line up the greeting and stamped it using Staz-On.  Finally, I stamped the floral image multiple times onto Whisper White card stock, cut them out and colored them with markers.  A dash of Old Olive super nova glitter was added prior to adhered the flowers to the card base.
I hope you've enjoyed this week's Four Ways Friday!  It was fun to use an old favorite and try to keep the cards simple!  I hope you have a wonderfully creative weekend with a bit of relaxation as well!

On Your Birthday Cupcake Card

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Why is "no" such a difficult word for me?

I seem to struggle with the ability to say "no."  Why is that?  What is my fear?  Disappointing someone?  And what if I do?  In the craft room I have a habit of not saying no - allowing myself to say "yes" to whatever inspiration comes along and I love the freedom of saying "yes" when I create.  However, when I'm not in the craft room - when I am out in the wide wide world, sometimes "yes" can create roadblocks and obstacles to living the life I aspire to live.  So I'm going to give "no" some more practice - allowing myself to set boundaries - all in the interest of ensuring I am taking care of myself and my creative spirit.
Today's card is a simple one - a one stamp wonder :)  I stamped the greeting from On Your Birthday using Staz-on Jet Black ink and the stamp-a-ma-jig.  I then used the paper piercing tool to create a line of holes beside the greeting.  The cupcake was created using a portion of a punched scallop circle.  I coated it with glue and then sprinkled on some faux frosting made from styrofoam (you can see the video for how to make the frosting HERE).  The cupcake wrapper is just a piece of daffodil delight card stock that I cut out and ran through the crimping tool.  The candle was paper pieced and I added a dash of dazzling diamonds to the candle.  The cupcake was then adhered to the Whisper White card base using dimensionals.  I hope you like it! :)

Fabulous Phrases Celebrate Card

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  It's Instinct!

It's not often that I will walk with Buddy off leash since I am always concerned that he will see a squirrel or fox and take off running after it - paying no never-mind to any traffic that might be in the way.  Although we don't live in a terribly busy neighborhood, there are enough cars to give me pause.  Sometimes though, if it's super early in the morning and a day when people are sleeping in, I will remove the leash and give him the freedom to walk without restraint.  He normally is an incredibly well-trained listener...but there are some things that seem to interfere with his ability to focus on my voice...and one of those things caught his attention on his most recent off-leash time.  There, just feet in front of him, was a bunny rabbit and it was just too much for him to resist.  So although I was giving him the command to stay, he just couldn't help himself and off he went after that bunny!  The bunny's instinct kicked in too and he went bounding away from Buddy!  The bunny was faster than Buddy and was able to slip through a fence by some trees so Buddy came back to me - although he did keep looking around to see if the bunny might venture out again even as I gave him the "bad dog" talk :)  Yes, I put Buddy back on his leash - not willing to risk the possibility that another bunny would cross his path!  Buddy's reaction to those bunnies is instinct and I realize that my reaction to creating is just the same - there is nothing that can stop me!  No matter what the possible barrier - time, place, finances - I will find a way to follow my instinct and create!  It is who I am and I will always honor that part of me :)
Today's card was a clean-up of my craft table!  I adhered scraps of dictionary pages and a scrap of paper fabric using glue and a bit of machine stitching.  I distressed the edges of the Sahara Sand panel with my fingernail and then sponged the edges with Rich Razzleberry ink.  I then used the spritzer tool to spritz some Rich Razzleberry ink on the panel.  The greeting from Fabulous Phrases was stamped with Rich Razzleberry and then punched out with the decorative label punch.  I then sponged and cut the label and adhered it to the card with glue.  I then used the scallop circle punch to punch a piece of Rich Razzleberry card stock.  I broke down the fibers using my bone folder and separated the card stock once it started to curl.  The two layers of scallop circle were adhered to one another with glue and attached to the card.  I then took a subtles designer button and threaded it with a piece of white crochet thread that I had sponged with Rich Razzleberry ink and adhered it to the center of the flower with mini glue dots.  I hope you like it!

Fifth Avenue Floral Birthday Card

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself, then be crowded on a velvet cushion. -Henry David Thoreau

I smiled when I read this Thoreau quote :)  I imagined myself sitting on a pumpkin in the backyard, watching the birds and the bees zipping around.  So much contentment.  No velvet cushion or crowd of people could come close to providing the sense of comfort I feel when I am in nature.  The same could be true of the feeling of absolute belonging I feel when I sit in the craft room, surrounded by random odds, ends, bits and pieces all bursting with potential - to be transformed through the act of creation.  I love that I don't have to turn my back on nature to be in the craft room - my window looks right out into the garden, inspiring me every time I look up and take notice.  I breathe deeply in this room and in the backyard.  I also love that I can connect with you, here, without needing to travel through crowds and congestion.  Sitting on a pumpkin works just fine for me :)
Today's card began with a piece of Tempting Turquoise card stock.  I stamped the floral image from Fifth Avenue floral using Tempting Turquoise ink onto the card base.  I then stamped the same image onto Whisper White card stock using Jet Black Staz-On ink and cut it out.  Next, I stamped the image multiple times onto a piece of white tissue paper using the Staz-On.  I then cut and tore the images out and glued them on top of the Whisper White cut out - creating multiple layers.  A dab of Crystal Effects was placed in the center of the flower and some random beads were sprinkled on.  I adhered the flower to the card base with glue after using the stamp-a-ma-jig to stamp the greeting from On Your Birthday using basic black ink.  I hope you like it!

Baroque Motifs Thank You Card

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Sometimes My Creative "Mojo" Likes To Play Hide And Seek!

Do you ever have those days when you try to create and nothing seems to come out well?  I had one of those afternoons on Sunday.  I'm not sure what it was - me, the heat, maybe a misalignment of the planets.  Whatever it was, I just couldn't get my mojo to come out and play!  Rather, whatever I created seemed to be in need of a lot of help!  Some days are just like that.  I did, for a moment, think, "What if my creative mojo doesn't return?!"  But then I reassured myself that it will be back - maybe tomorrow, or the next day...but it will be back.  In the meantime, I will keep creating...just to entice it out of hiding :)
This card is so simple to make and looks really elegant in person!  I stamped this card at my friend Meg's house when we got together a few weeks ago.  We stamped the image from Baroque Motifs in Sahara Sand on Whisper White card stock.  The "family" greeting is from a retired stamp set and the "thank you" is from Tiny Tags.  We used the jewelry tag punch to punch out the "thank you" and then attached it to a knot of Whisper White satin ribbon with a piece of twine.  The card front was then attached to a black card base and we added some adhesive rhinestones for a bit of bling!  I hope you like it!

Four Ways Friday #55 - With All My Heart

This week's Four Ways Friday uses the With All My Heart stamp set.  This is one of those stamp sets that seems to sit on the shelf for me, so I figured it was about time to pull it down and see what I could whip up!

I began simply.  Here I used Night Of Navy ink and stamped it at full and half strength onto Whisper White card stock.  I then punched out the images using the 1 1/4" circle punch.  The circles were then adhered to the 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" card base using dimensionals.  Finally, some rhinestones were added to the centers of the circles.

I was sneaky with this card!  Can you see what I did?  I took a piece of Regal Rose card stock and randomly stamped the larger floral image from the stamp set over and over again, overlapping, using Melon Mambo ink.  I then used my heart punch to punch out the stamped card stock (pretty tricky, huh?!) :)  The small 3 x 3 card was run through the Big Shot with the Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder.  The greeting was stamped in Rich Razzleberry and then cut out as a banner.  The Daffodil Delight circle and the heart were adhered with dimensionals and the banner with glue.

I don't know about you, but I can get stuck in color ruts - using the same old favorites again and again.  To get myself out of that rut, I closed my eyes and reached into my card stock scrap box and pulled out two colors:  Old Olive and Tempting Turquoise.  You've gotta love the gift of chance!  I stamped the Old Olive panel with the larger image in Tempting Turquoise ink.  Then I stamped the smaller images onto Whisper White using Tempting Turquoise and Old Olive and cut the larger ones out and punched out the small ones.  The 3/8" twill ribbon was stamped with Tempting Turquoise ink as well.  I then used my Boho Blossoms punch to punch some flowers in Tempting Turquoise and Old Olive as well.  The flowers were added to the card with dimensionals and glue.  The final touch was a dash of dazzling diamonds on the background.

I love using images to create backgrounds and this small image was great for that purpose!  I stamped the image at 1/3 strength using Cherry Cobbler and Early Espresso on Sahara Sand card stock.  I then spritzed the card with the color spritzer tool and my Early Espresso marker and sponged all of the edges with Early Espresso.  I did a touch of machine stitching around the edges with gold metallic thread.  I then stamped the larger floral image at 1/3 strength on a scrap of Sahara Sand card stock.  I spritzed it as well.  I then stamped the "friend" stamp after coloring it with both the Cherry Cobbler and Early Espresso markers.  The piece was punched out with the decorative label punch and then sponged with Early Espresso ink.  I layered this piece on top of a piece of Early Espresso card stock that I had torn and then sewn to the card.  On top of that was a piece of Cherry Cobbler seam binding that I gathered using sticky strip before placing the label on top with dimensionals.  Finally, I added an antique brad with glue dots, after cutting off the prongs with my Craft & Rubber scissors.
I hope you've enjoyed this week's Four Ways Friday and I hope it inspires you to dust off a stamp set that you have a tendency not to use!  I hope you have a peaceful and wonderfully creative weekend!!!!

Vintage Vogue & Curly Cute Congrats Card

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Scale Back

Wow - talk about a lesson I need to keep relearning!  It can be so easy to add to the piles of stuff - craft stuff, house stuff, pet stuff.  The same can be true with cards.  I can get into a space where I feel like I need to keep adding and adding and adding - layers, embellishments, interest, bling...the list is endless.  So sometimes it is great to just scale back - in life and in your art.  To look at what you can do more simply.  This card is a result of that thought (although you might notice a few rhinestones and a bit of dazzling diamonds...I couldn't help myself!).
I stamped the Vintage Vogue floral line stamp in Chocolate Chip ink onto Naturals Ivory card stock using the stamp-a-ma-jig.  I then used the stamp-a-ma-jig again to center the greeting from Curly Cute over the floral line image. The single flower came next.  I then added just a touch of sparkle with a few rhinestones and a dash of dazzling diamonds.  I know I will continue on my quest to scale back...hopefully this card gets me one step closer!

Fifth Avenue Floral Card

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Study Something Up Close
We compost and, as a result, we often have little plants that sprout up in the garden that we didn't intentionally plant.  Somehow, in some miraculous way, the seeds from the different things we compost will survive the winter and some will take hold in the soil and grow.  We have been anxiously watching a green stalk grow up in the strawberry bed and had been wondering what in the heck it was!  Sometimes, we will satisfy our curiosity by not disturbing these renegade plants.  Rather, we will wait patiently to see what they are.  Well, look what popped open the other day in our strawberry bed...

What an amazing surprise!!!!!  We think it is some type of sunflower - just not the huge variety...and we have no earthly idea where the seed came from!  It's possible it was from a composted bouquet of flowers at some time during the winter.  It has been an adventure studying it up close - from the time it was just a green sprout in the ground.  It is changing every day - and we are changing each day with it!
Today's card is perfect for this flower - since it will live for awhile in our backyard and then, when it dies, it will find it's way back into the compost pile.  While, this flower will only live once (although we hope some of his seeds will find their way back into the garden next season, he has definitely done living right! :)  The card was made using the Fifth Avenue Floral stamp set.  I stamped the flower using Jet Black Staz-On onto Naturals Ivory card stock.  I then colored in the sections with two different colors of colored pencil.  I then glittered the lighter pink sections using dazzling diamonds.  The darker sections were enhanced with Crystal Effects.  I hope you like it :)

Artistic Etchings & With All My Heart Journal

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  You Don't Have To Reinvent The Wheel

Every time I sit down at the craft table I see the blank card, canvas, project staring back at me.  Sometimes I feel the pressure to be brilliant, brand new, inventive - to create something somehow that has never been done before.  What I am finding, is that sometimes it's nice to reinvent what you have already made - to build upon it or change it - to make it into something new.  This journal was my way of not reinventing the wheel.  I looked at a journal I had made in the past - one that I really liked from a design standpoint - and I decided to remake one using a similar layout, but different stamps and colors.
For this journal I used the Artistic Etchings stamp set for the design elements and the sentiment from With All Your Heart.  I used a combination of Bravo Burgundy and Soft Suede ink and card stock, with some striped Early Espresso ribbon thrown in.  I also did some sewing with metallic gold thread.  Here is how things look on the inside:

I added some beads and a few self-adhesive rhinestones for a bit of bling...and then I mailed the journal off to a very special person :)  Remember, you don't have to reinvent the wheel.  Using pieces that you've created as a launching point for a new project may take you in the exact right direction!

Eraser Stamping Birthday Card & Video!!!!

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Go For A Bike Ride!!!!

Did you watch the Tour de France????  Had you asked me that question about 6 years ago I would likely have responded, "The what?!?!"  That all changed about 6 years ago when I happened upon the channel that was broadcasting the bike race and I got hooked!  I'm not sure what it was that drew me in - maybe how the group of bikers (the peloton) moved together like a swarm of bees.  Or maybe it was just all that lycra?  Either way, it captivated me and I have watched every year since!  It is almost impossible to watch the stages of the Tour de France without getting totally motivated to get on a bike and ride!  No, you don't have to go out and buy all the fancy gear or the $12,000 Trek Madone bike (can you imagine?!).  Just dust off whatever bike is leaning up against the wall in your garage and take it for a spin!  It made me feel like a kid again, minus the banana seat and the tassels hanging from the handlebars :)  I am looking forward to taking more journeys on my bike and feeling the wind in my face!  How 'bout you?
Today's card was inspired by the need to make a quick birthday card.  I looked through my stamps and the tree stamp from Season of Friendship called out to me...as did a pencil eraser :)  Pencil erasers are a great addition to your stamp collection!  Here is a video to show you how I made this card - Enjoy!!!