My First Quilted Flower!

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  When You Want To Learn Something, The Perfect Teacher Will Appear!

I am sooooo excited!!!!  Yesterday, my friend Pam came over and gave me my first real lesson on my sewing machine!!!!  About a year ago I had tried the machine for the first time by following the instruction manual - I was able to pleat a piece of paper and then I put the cover back on the machine and hadn't tried it since.  I had been wanting to learn for awhile, but hadn't made much effort to find a teacher...and lo and behold, my teacher found me!  Pam was amazingly patient - she walked me through how to maintain the machine, how to thread the machine, how to thread a bobbin (I think that's what you call it) and then how to sew a straight line.  By the end of our lesson yesterday I had sewed around the first 2 layers of this flower!!!!  Today I went back to the machine and finished it off!

The flower was so easy to make...and I can say that since that was my first sewing project!  You do have to have some patience though - since the petals are curved.  Angie Juda has a great video explaining how to make the actual flowers using your Big Shot machine and a few dies.  I followed those directions for a bit and then went another direction.  I decided to put a corduroy button brad in the center.  I also did something different on the back.  At Leadership we were able to watch a demostration by Jill Olsen and she told us how she places a piece of felt on the back of her flowers so that she can use them for multiple purposes - slide them on barrettes or headbands, put a hair clip through them.  She even puts a safety pin on the front of her apron and then uses the hair clip, through the felt piece, to temporarily attach the flowers to her apron!  What a great idea!  So, I sewed a piece of black felt on the back like this:

I hope you like my first flower...although I'm sure no one can love it as much as I do :)  Let me know if you have any questions!

Lucky Leprechaun!

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Take A Minute To Pause And Sit

My dog is the best meditator I have ever seen.  He can sit in the park and stare off into the distance for hours!  It is the epitomy of Zen!  Today I took a cue from him and decided to sit down on the park bench during our morning walk.  From that vantage point I could see the tops of the snow covered mountains.  We sat for awhile, Buddy and I, and just breathed in the scenery.  It brought me calm and peace and a wonderful way to start my day.

These "strips" are for the women at the bank.  I've decided to try to do a new "strip" for them each month so that they can wrap them around the candy dishes that sit on their desks.  This little leprechaun is a mix of a number of punch leprechauns that I discovered while searching the net.  If you haven't checked out Ellen Kemper's blog, you need to do so - she is a master with punch art...and quite funny too! :)  Part of my inspiration came from her adorable leprechaun!  Thanks Ellen!

Acetate Effects #4

Tonight's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Fall In Love With A Puppy!

Our friends adopted a new puppy from the shelter on Sunday and today we met her for the first time...What can I say?  I'm in love! :)  There's something about puppies that just puts a smile on my face and a whole lot of love in my heart!  Puppy therapy is the best!

Tonight's card is for tomorrow's sketch challenge on SCS - it was posted early so I got to play before heading off to bed!  It uses my new Acetate Effects technique!  (You can see the video HERE).  I stamped the butterfly image on a whisper white panel and adhered it behind the acetate.  I crimped all of the background panels.  I hope you like it!

Acetate Effects #3

I am having a lot of fun with this new technique, acetate effects, that I created today!  Here is the card I made from one of the panels that you will see in the Acetate Effects video!  You can watch the video on my blog or on my YouTube channel!  Hope you like it!

Video: Acetate Effects

Here's my new video on Acetate Effects!  Let me know what you think!  I would love to see what you create using this technique!  Have fun!

Acetate Effects #2

Here's another card using my Acetate Effects technique!  The acetate effects is on top of the pocket silhouette image.  Hope you like it!

New Technique - Acetate Effects

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room: Dream It...Then Do It!

I woke up this morning having had a series of dreams. I won't bore you with the ones about dropping grapefruits and dog walking (yes, bizarre), but the one that was very vivid was putting together some supplies in the craft room that I hadn't ever put together before.  So, when it came to making today's color challenge card on SCS, I decided to try my new technique!  It's not something I have seen anywhere else - although in the craft world I have a feeling someone has done it before - but it involves a combination of ink, crystal effects, acetate and lots of mushing! Next time you have a dream worth pursuing, don't just dream it, do it!

I am really enjoying the light and texture created by this new technique I dreamed of! I can already see more experimenting going on in the craft room...and maybe a video on its way! I hope you like it!!!!

Faux Nesties/Die Cuts

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Habits Are Die Hard!

All of those old Bruce Willis Die Hard movies were fun to watch and part of the fun was that no matter what came at Bruce he kept on going!  I'm in the process of trying to change some habits - habits that I feel aren't assisting me in my creative journey.  One of the things I'm trying to change is how I start my day.  Rather than jump on line and look at the devastation that has taken place in the world over night, I am trying to sit down and write in my journal.  I will get going pretty well for a few days and then, oops, there comes that old habit again!  Today I triumphed - my journal came first...we'll hope for the best tomorrow!

Today's card is for 2 challenges on SCS; the clean and simple challenge - to make a square card, and the new technique challenge - to make faux nesties.  I used my modern label punch to create the "nesties" feel.  I cut out squares of card stock and then placed the punch half-way into the square and punched all 4 sides.  I also used the end of the punch to punch the corners of the confetti card stock.  I hope you like it!

stamps: Elements of Style (coming soon in the Summer mini catalog)
card stock:  Bravo Burgundy, Confetti
ink:  bravo burgundy
accessories:  modern label punch, 1 1/4" and 1 1/2" circle punches, dimensionals

Versamark and Soot

Tonight I decided to try something new!  I had been wanting to try stamping with glossy paper and soot from a candle...and here are the results!  I was pretty pleased since it was my first time...not sure what I was more pleased with...the fact that I like how the card came out, or the fact that I managed to not light anything on fire while I was trying this technique!!!!  I think a video may be in order...as soon as I get all this black soot off my fingers and the craft table!

Four Square Birthday

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Don't Be So Straight!

I had a stamp-a-stack at my house today and one of the cards that we were doing was this one (although we were making it in blue instead of chocolate chip):

 

 The larger photo is what one of the 12-year-old attendees created when she stamped the dot, dot, dot stamp and saw that it was a bit crooked.  I LOVE what she did!!!!  I immediately took a picture and recognized that allowing yourself to not be so straight can yield beautiful results!  (I'm not suggesting we all be a little crooked...just not so straight :)  I hope you like it!

Quilled Flamingo

Today's Lesson From My Make-Shift Craft Room (aka my mom's couch):  Listen To The Sounds Of The Wind And The Rain

It was windy and rainy last night and the windows were cracked open.  I am always awed by the power and majesty of Mother Nature.  From the inside, the sounds were comforting - at times invigorating.  From the outside, I image it was a bit nerve wracking!  Listening to the sounds of nature seems to create a rhythm within me.  It's like my heart starts beating in tune with nature - much like my fingers will start tapping to the beat of music.  Sometimes we need a bit of nature to get ourselves back in tune.

Today's flamingo was a tiny bit more challenging than yesterday's frog :)  I will keep working on my quilling skills...they seem to still be in their infancy :)  At least I've got room to grow :)  Hopefully this little guy will also find his way onto a card...any thoughts on what the sentiment should be????

Quilled Frog

Today's Lesson From A Make-Shift Craft Room:  Grow Where You're Planted

I'm visiting my mom right now and, as always, I seem to whither a bit when I am away from my craft room and the tools for creativity are not at my beck and call.  So, I did what any creative person would do, I went to find some tools to create!!!!  A quick trip to the craft store landed me a Klutz book entitled Twirled Paper that came complete with a book and the tools necessary to make some quilled animals!  yeah!  Sometimes you just need to grow where you're planted...even if you'll be transplanted again soon :)

This little quilled frog came together quite quickly - even though I hadn't quilled for awhile.  Once he finds his way back to the craft room, you and I both know he's going to end up on a card!  I hope you like him :)  Now wherever you are....go and grow! :)

Quick and Simple

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Use The Time That You Have

I didn't think I'd have time to do a card this morning, but I decided rather than fret about the time that I didn't have I should use the time that I did have...which was about 5 minutes!

So here is my 5 minute card!  Popped the heart up on a dimensional - that was the most technical part :)  I hope you like it!

Featured Stamper JovialJudi

The featured stamper on SCS today was my wonderful friend Judi!!!!!  Yeah!!!!!  We were to find inspiration in her amazing work.  I chose this card for my inspiration!  Feel free to check out Judi's amazing talent on her blog - I know you'll be glad you did!

Round Tab Punch Purse

The idea for this card came from a swap I received at least a year ago from Betty Saccocia (thanks Betty!).  I used the sneak peek set, Elements of Style, for stamping the background.  The purse is 1/2 of the round tab punch, which I then coated in tombo mono multi adhesive and chunky silver glitter.  The handle was made from the small oval and oval punches.  I hope you like it!  This one is going to my cousin for her birthday on March 1st!

Monogrammed Stationery

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Create Something For Someone You Love!

I'll be visiting my mom soon and decided I didn't want to go empty-handed.  I've made her a few gifts and this monogrammed stationery is one of them.  It is a wonderful feeling to be able to make something for someone you love!  These cards were quick and easy.  I stamped the "E" from the Lovely Letters stamp set in Always Artichoke.  The Always Artichoke card stock was run through the Big Shot in the Finnial Press embossing folder.  I hope you like it...and I hope my mom does too!

Video: Styrofoam Frosting

Learn how to make this great, economical "frosting" for your cards and paper crafting projects!  Let me know if you have any questions!  Thanks to Holly Young for this wonderful idea!  You can visit her blog here!

Paper Piecing - Lark Inspiration

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Make It Up As You Go Along

I made spinach lasagna for dinner last night.  It's not like me to go "off recipe," but I thought a little spinach might be nice...and maybe some extra cheese...ooh, and throw some additional sauce on top just for the heck of it!  I was very pleased when it came out of the oven and turned out great!  Sometimes we need to make it up as we go along.  Sometimes we will love the result, sometimes we won't, but at least we'll have fun doing it!

Today's inspiration came from this tea towel from Lark.  I paper pieced the tree and then used white embossing powder for the leaves, stars and the grass.  Those adorable owls are from the Love Bandits set - I colored the stamp with a ballet blue marker so that I could hand draw the eyes so they could be looking at each other :)  I hope you like it!

Eyelet Paper Lace

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Sometimes What You Don't Want, Is Exactly What You Need!

I woke up to snow this morning.  I was comfy in the house and was having those cranky "I don't want to go outside and walk the dog in the cold" kind of thoughts.  So I dawdled as much as possible until I finally put on my boots, hat, coat, gloves, ski pants...all the appropriate layers, and out we went.  As the walk went on, I began to feel calm, peaceful...dare I say, "joyous?!"  This walk was just what I needed to start my day off on the right foot (no pun intended) :)  Sometimes what you don't want, is exactly what you need!

Today's limited supply challenge on SCS was to use ribbon and borders.  I broke out the eyelet border punch and punched a piece of very vanilla card stock and then ran that through the crimper about 1 million times...okay, maybe not a million, but a bunch :)  I used a piece of cottage wall designer paper and then cut a small slit on the spine of the card so that I could thread through my satin ribbon.  I hope you like it!

stamps:  Sincere Salutations
card stock:  Very Vanilla, Old Olive, Rich Razzleberry, Cottage Wall designer series paper
ink:  rich razzleberry
accessories:  eyelet border punch, crimper, very vanilla satin 5/8" ribbon

Clean and Simple Congratulations

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Things Happen In Their Own Time

In my post on Tuesday I mentioned that I had a heavy heart.  One of the reasons was a high school friend was losing his father yesterday (although I still believe that you can't really lose someone once you have found them - they will always be in your heart).  His family had made the difficult decision to remove their dad from his ventilator.  The amazing thing, however, is that their dad decided not to wait for them!  They had scheduled the removal of the ventilator at 1:30 p.m., but at 10 a.m. they received a call that their dad wasn't waiting for them.  The family arrived at the hospital between 10:30 and 10:50 and at 10:55 a.m. my friend's father passed.  Things happen in their own time - and sometimes it is quite clear the blessing that brings.

Today's card came together super fast!  The challenge on SCS was to use the color orange.  I used this design for a birthday card and thought it would make a cute congrats card too!  I stamped the dotted background in half-strength pumpkin pie.  The greeting was stamped in full strength pumpkin pie and then I stamped it a second time with ballet blue so that I could cut out the star and pop it up on dimensionals.  Hope you like it!

stamps:  Dot, Dot, Dot; Four Square
card stock:  Whisper White, Apricot Appeal, Ballet Blue
ink:  pumpkin pie, ballet blue
accessories:  1 1/4" square punch, dimensionals