Today's challenge was to find inspiration from a Lang Calendar. This is the link to the calendar that inspired me: http://www.lang.com/product/1001174

Today I worked with lots of tiny pieces - tiny hearts, tiny stars, tiny wand handles :) It's amazing how much fun there is in the details! Today's lesson from the craft room: Find pleasure in the little things...(even if they require tweezers :)

I sponged the background after masking a circle in the middle. Also sponged the edges of the white moon with Summer Sun ink. I did my best attempt at sewing a little tutu skirt out of ribbon and made the crown from a boho blossom punch flower.

Enjoy and don't forget to find pleasure in the little things!

I'm calling today's card Salt and Pepper...not because it's black and white, but because it was literally inspired by salt and pepper! I was on a United flight - a bit sad since I was flying away from home - and when my meal arrived the salt and pepper came in the CUTEST little folder with a satchet of salt and pepper inside. Of course my mind starting imagining what it would look like card-size and....here it is!!! Today's Lesson from the Craft Room: Inspiration is EVERYWHERE!!!!

The card is a 5x5 folder and the greetings are stamped on the white card that you pull out of the envelope. This card is 2 sided - both sides have windows and look very similar, except on the opposite side the greeting says "So Glad We're Friends." I'm going to have a lot of fun playing around with this new card design!

So when you're feeling like ideas aren't coming to you, don't despair! Open your eyes...Inspiration is everywhere!

Today's challenge on Splitcoast (WT202) was to take some plain patterned paper and give it some pizazz! I used SU! Urban Garden paper and added dots with my versamark marker and then embossed the dots with silver embossing powder. The 2 silver hearts are actually old brass findings that I coated with Versamark and then embossed with silver embossing powder.

Today's lesson from the craft room - Don't give up! This card started out with just the patterned paper, the large heart, the greeting and the ribbon and it just looked like it needed more. So I kept playing and playing and playing until the card said "You found me!" So don't give up! You never know what's awaiting you, right around the corner!

I have 2 lessons that came out of the craft room today. The first is to just go with it! I walked in there not knowing what I was going to do and I spied a piece of paper I had made about 2 years ago with acrylic paint and a texturizing comb and I just went with it! It became the inspiration for today's card. The second lesson came out of just going with it...I came away from the project not knowing how I felt about it - wanting to be critical of it. And that's where lesson number 2 came in - no need to judge. I went with it and for that I am grateful for I know that going with it will lead me to new and exciting places - some I won't want to visit again, and others I will want to keep traveling to. Hope today you go with it without a need to judge!

I was away for the weekend so I was very excited to get home and get into the craft room! And what an amazing day! Today was the inauguration of Barak Obama - a testament to what can happen when you dream a little dream. It seemed fitting to do today's color challenge in honor of MLK Day and Barak Obama's big day. I used a couple of Sizzix dies and my boho blossoms punch. Dream a Little Dream, everyday...

Today I was feeling very meditative - I have even started listening to some affirmations on my iPod when I walk the dog in the morning. I keep the sound very low, but even at such a low volume the soothing affirmations help me to relax as I put one foot in front of the other. So, it's no wonder that when I went to www.kuler.adobe.com to find a color combination to complete today's challenge, I was totally drawn to a combo called "Zen and Tea!" Too funny :) (and yes, I did have some Wintermint tea to go with my mood today). The site is a wonderful site for color inspiration!

This card uses SU!'s Pocket Silhouette stamp set (one of my favorites), a punch wheel and a touch of "bling" (dazzling diamonds glitter and a few half pearls). Hope the card inspires a moment of calm in your day!

I was really excited about making today's card! This was sketch challenge #211 on Split Coast - other than a line drawing for a card layout, you make up everything else on your own. I immediately had the thought to try to die cut some copper foil and it worked! Yeah! Funny how some days everything just flows, while other days it feels like you're trudging through mud (or thick slush if you walked down the sidewalk in Denver today!).

May you have many days of flow and fewer days of mud trudging! :)

argh - not a great challenge day for me today. Decided to take a lunch break and try today's challenge #201 on Split Coast and here's what I came up with. I keep trying to remind myself that it is about the process, not the product, but I'm not feeling too peachy about either the process or the product today!

I tried a new technique - something that was floating around in my head - to dry emboss and then rub Versamark ink on the raised surfaces and then emboss the raised surfaces with embossing powder - it worked! Maybe this process will show up again in another card and it will allow me to reflect on how pivotal today's card was in my growth :)

Happy Tuesday!

Today I tried a new technique challenge and made my first origami box with a cover! Yeah! The fun part was envisioning how to decorate it and for some reason this project brought me right back to my elementary school days when I used to make dioramas!!!!!

I had a ton of fun using my Bugs & Kisses stamp set and adding rocks and paper grass and glitter...I could make a diorama every day :) Now if I could figure out how to make that a financially lucrative profession, that would be great! Not sure dioramas are in great demand...although the nature museums seem to love making them life size...hmmmm....

Woke up to unexpected snow this morning - it was soooo beautiful and so peaceful. Nothing like a day of snow and dioramas - today was a real winner!!!!!

Yesterday I decided to do an online challenge at Split Coast. The challenge was to find a card made by another person and you had to change at least 2 things on the card when making your own. The top card was made by jaydekay and the bottom is my version of her card. I changed the color scheme, paper, and ribbon. I also did not have the cupcake image she used, so I made my own by drawing on paper and piecing it together. They say imitation is the greatest form of flattery - thanks jaydekay for the inspiration!

The image on the right is a Tenugui calendar from Japan. It inspired me to create the card on the left. It amazes me how something new can come into being based on the inspiration of something that already exists. I am grateful to the person who created the calendar design - the inspiration is priceless!

The card was created by paper piecing. It is hard to see in the photo, but each of the flower petals are individual - they are actually petals I cut from a flower punch that I have - great shortcut! The leaves are a Sizzix die (still loving my Sizzix Big Shot!).

The message is one to remember everyday - everyday, it's time to bloom!!!! :)

I try to check Louise Hay's website (www.louisehay.com/affirmations) everyday for her daily affirmation. Today's affirmation resonated so much with me I wrote it down on a piece of paper and I'm carrying it with me. Hopefully I will make a small plaque today that will display the affirmation - if so, I'll be sure to post it!

The affirmation is: No matter how others behave, I keep peace in my heart.

Hope your heart is filled with peace today!

(card: Always stamp set by SU!, white embossing, designer series paper by SU!)

My cat is sitting on the desk beside the keyboard as I'm typing - hmmm - she just walked away - maybe she doesn't like me writing about her :)

Today I realized what so many artists struggle with daily. Yesterday I really LOVED the card that I made so the pressure felt really intense today - to try to come up with something as good or better than what I did yesterday. I don't feel like I achieved that. And that is what it means to be an artist. To show up to the "canvas" - whatever your canvas is - everyday and create. To let the process happen. I know that what I created yesterday and what I created today will lead me to what I will create tomorrow. It is all a process and every piece I create will move me forward to the next one.

So today I am grateful that I showed up to the canvas once again. That I created something that would not have existed if I hadn't shown up. That I moved myself forward in my process. My wish is that tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow I have the courage to keep showing up! I wish the same for you :)

This card has a lot of meaning for me today. I was upset about a conversation I had with my mom and, when I was able to look at the conversation in a different way, it made me realize how blessed I am to have a wonderful mother who is always supportive of me and always willing to demonstrate kindness to me. I am grateful to be in a position to demonstrate kindness back to her and I called her back to let her know that. This card was created in between the two phone calls today and I believe the inspiration came from that change in my perspective. Enjoy!

The card was made using Versamark and white embossing powder (stamp set: Always by SU!). I also used my cuttlebug swiss dot embossing folder for one of the black panels and paper pierced the borders of all of the layers.

I'm just full of creating tonight! This card was inspired by a color challenge - using pumpkin pie, brilliant blue and garden green - not colors I would normally put together. These challenges are teaching me to go outside my comfort zone and play with combinations that wouldn't naturally occur to me. I love the feeling of stretching myself and moving into uncharted waters. Yes - there are a lot of life lessons that weave themselves into creating a simple card :)

This card combines the idea of stained glass with the technique of using sticky strip tape and glitter! I love it when you can combine 2 random things - when inspiration comes from 2 totally different places - and they come together to create something new! You never know what will happen :) Hope you enjoy it!

Ok, I admit it...I debated for quite some time about whether to purchase the Sizzix Big Shot machine and now I'm hooked!!!! This little purse was made with an XL Sizzix die. The bird is a Stampin' Up! exclusive die as are some of the flowers. I am crazy about my Big Shot!!!!! The 4 little cards and matching envelopes fit neatly into the little purse to make a great gift! Might have to whip up a few purses for Valentine's Day! :) (and yes, that it a crazy big cat post in the background...the cat loves the view out the window from the middle perch :)

I've already started thinking about Valentine's Day and this little gift bag seems perfect for sharing candy with someone you admire! Made with the SU! Top Note Bigz Die, it's a snap to put together! Can't wait to buy the candy to put in it :)

Keeping it simple - that's what this card is about. Stamp a white piece of card stock and then cut it into three equal parts and adhere to a colored card stock card base. In life and in cards, keeping it simple can create great results!

It's Time to Bloom! This card seems quite fitting for the beginning of 2009. The background was made by stamping the Posy background stamp with VersaMark and then using Heat & Stick powder to attach Dazzling Diamonds glitter - LOTS of it!!!! Today, although it is January and Winter, remember, it's time to bloom!!!!