Four Seasons Frame

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Take A Deep Breath And Tell Yourself You Are Amazing!

I am learning a lot about myself as I transition into my new life as an independent contractor.  One thing I'm learning - that I'll share with you - is that I have a strong need for external validation.  I keep searching outside myself for praise and affirmation.  I want to continue to remind myself that what is outside of us we cannot control - we cannot control whether others will like us, or like what we do.  What we can control is what we feel and what we tell ourselves.  We can control how we feel about ourselves and what we do.  So today I am turning my search for validation inside - and, if I do say so myself - I am Amazing :)

Today's project is for my November gift-giving class.  We will be making a frame using the Season of Friendship stamp set.  All supplies are included.  I can't wait to hang this project in my house!!!!  Hope you like it!

Fall Flair Thank You

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room: Never Miss A Good Chance To Shut Up :)

Today's Lesson comes from a great little book called Don't Squat With Yer Spurs On!: A Cowboy's Guide To Life by Texas Bix Bender. I love this little lesson - one that I wish I could observe more often. It seems that much of what I say on a daily basis could really go unsaid - I could conserve my energy and my words and only speak when it really mattered. I think it would be embarrassing to record everything we say in a day and play it back and listen to it. What would we think? Today I am going to explore the power of silence and recognize that my words are powerful and can be reserved for moments that really require that power. How about you?

Today's card was inspired by the scene outside my window :) Lots of falling leaves here in Colorado! I did a little gold embossing and cut out and popped up a few of the leaves. Hope you like it!

Circle Circus - Birthday Celebrations

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  If It's Important To You, Make It A Priority

It seems my to-do lists are never-ending...and yet, those things that are really important to me don't seem to make it onto the to-do list...or even into my day.  Today I am committed to changing that.  If something is important to me it will now be a priority and I will do it today!!!!  What is important to you?

I had fun with Circle Circus today - I love these fun bubbles!  I colored some of the bubbles in with Melon Mambo and then coated them with Crystal Effects.  I know just the person who will be receiving this card!  Hope you like it!

Halloween Treat Container Video

Hope you enjoy this latest video!  I uploaded it in widescreen so a bit of the video is getting cut off...I'll see what I can do about that to fix it.  In the meantime, feel free to watch it here or on my YouTube Channel at www.youtube.com/mwecksler.

Halloween Treat Video Coming Soon!

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  The More You Do It, The Easier It Gets!!!!

Today's video came together much more quickly than the first few!  I am finally making progress on my learning curve and I am so happy to report that I had zero frustration with making this video - yeah!!!!  It can be so easy in these days where we have come to expect instant gratification to expect ourselves to be experts in a snap!  I heard a story on NPR last year about the number of snowboarding accidents being incredibly high and the reason for the high numbers was that people thought they could just jump on a snowboard and go down the mountain!  So today's lesson is patience - after all, the more you do it, the easier it gets!  Hope you enjoy the video - I will post it here tomorrow, once it has a chance to upload to YouTube!

Stamped Candle Video

Hi Stampers!  Here is my next video in the Something Else series.  In this video you will learn how to decorate a pillar candle!  These make great gifts.  Enjoy!!!

Step Away For A Moment

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Sometimes You Need to Step Away and Take a Break

I've been working on my next video today and I have to say that I have reached my limit just now...it's time to take a break, step away, and come back again when I'm not frustrated.  I'm just so anxious to get the next video posted!!!!  Hopefully it will be by tonight...it just depends how long of a break I need to adjust my frustrato-meter :)  Hope you are all having a wonderful day!!!!!

Halloween Treat Container

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Take Baby Steps

I sometimes wish I had a teleporter that could "beam me" from here to there in a nanosecond!  Then I realize that teleporting would take away the journey - the slow growth that happens by taking baby steps - one at a time - allowing things to happen as they will.  So tonight I will go to bed reminding myself that by taking baby steps I will move forward in my own time - and that's just perfect! :)

Aren't these treat containers cute????  My cousin made a bunch of them as a thank you for a charity event and I couldn't resist the urge to give it a try!  Inside I put a mini candy bar - it fit perfectly!  You will need designer paper or thin card stock, sticky strip and a crimper.  You can embellish any way you like (I like the look of the eyelet, elastic cord and punched tag).  Hope you like them! :)

Giving Thanks Stamp-a-Stack 2

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Cleaning...Even A Little...Clears Space In Your Mind

I have been feeling really scattered lately.  I'm not sure why.  I have some theories...jetlag, fear of the future, a long to-do list, utter exhaustion.  It could be any of the above or none of them.  What I do know is that I decided to sweep the hard wood floors and that little bit of cleaning cleared space in my mind and calmed me down.  Believe me, I'm not Betty Crocker and I don't wake up in the morning joyous for the opportunity to clean.  And yet, I still get a huge sense of relief and clarity when the space around me is a bit cleaner and a bit less covered in cat hair, dog hair, Michelle hair, and tiny pieces of card stock :)  What little bit of your surroundings could you clean?

These are the final 2 cards for this week's Giving Thanks Stamp-a-Stack.  It seems I have to create 10 cards to be able to choose 5 that I like!  I am quite pleased with this set and hope those who attend will like them too!  I'm considering doing a "by mail" option for the stamp-a-stack.  If this is something you might be interested in, please leave a comment below or email me.  I would love to hear your thoughts/ideas!

Giving Thanks Stamp-a-Stack

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Laugh Until You Almost Pee :)

Sorry for the crudeness of today's lesson - I just couldn't capture the nature of my laughter today without using the explicit reference :)  Today I used oovoo for the first time.  It is a free video chatting application that you can get at www.oovoo.com.  I have to say it was a riot!  I spoke to one of my friends and we discovered that the little downward arrow on top of the video chat image allows you to apply all different types of effects to the video of you speaking.  If you have a chance, I highly recommend you do a video chat with one of your friends and choose the "pinch" effect and see how hard you can laugh!!!!  I dare you to laugh until you almost pee :)  It was the highlight of my day and I truly believe laughter is the best medicine!

Today's cards are for my Giving Thanks Stamp-a-Stack this week.  I used fall colors, inspired by the changing leaves outside and the briskness in the air!  The card on the right (the tree) was inspired by a card by Andrea Walford, another SU demonstrator (thanks Andrea!)  I used a few different stamp sets (Season of Friendship, Upsy Daisy, and One of a Kind) and some brads.  The left hand card is faux stitched and uses The More the Merrier and Thank You Kindly sets.  Hope you like them!  Now go and do some laughing :)

Greetings Earthling

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  There Is A Feeling Of Calm That Comes With Focus

I am sooooo happy to be back in the craft room after my trip to London!  The flights home were long and filled with creative anticipation :)  Today I took Buddy on his morning walk and I was once again struck by my Zen dog :)  He has the ability to sit at the base of a tree, motionless, and watch and wait for the squirrels.  It is such an intense and pure focus.  Sometimes I will walk across the park and sit under a tree and look back at the place where he remains sitting, motionless.  I wish for moments of such intense focus and calm - and those moments are the ones that seem to come in the craft room.  I think that is why I crave spending time in that special room.  Although it can look like chaos, I know that when I am in the act of creating, I am in touch with a feeling of calm and focus that is unlike any other.  Where do you find your focus and your calm?

This card is one of the cards we will be making during my upcoming Giving Thanks Stamp-a-Stack.  These robots are so cute (from SU's Greetings Earthling stamp set)!  The robot was stamped with Staz-On and colored in with markers.  Crystal Effects was applied over the entire robot to give him that special shine.  The designer paper is from the Holiday Lounge collection (I love the futuristic/modern look of this holiday paper!).  Hope you like it!  I plan on being back in the craft room tomorrow and will be sharing more of the stamp-a-stack cards!

My Digital Studio - Second Card!

I should be sleeping...but instead I'm playing with My Digital Studio!  Here is my second card!  This time I added ribbon and stitching.  I'm still trying to figure things out, but at this pace, I'll be making more sophisticated digital projects in no time!  This program is working great for me while I'm on the road.  Since I can't be in the craft room, this program allows me to take the craft room with me...even to London!  Hope you like it!

My Digital Studio - First Card!

This is the first card I have made using SU's new My Digital Studio!  So far I'm having a lot of fun with this digital paper crafting solution!  You can order it beginning tomorrow, October 1st.  Not only can you play around with designing cards, pages and other digital creations, you can also send your creations to be professionally printed!  Hope you like my first attempt - if I can do it, so can you!

Thoughts From London

Today's Lesson From London:  Appreciate The Kindnesses That Are Extended To You

I just arrived in London and had a wonderful driver pick me up at the airport and bring me to the hotel where I am staying in Ripley, Surrey.  I hadn't changed money in Denver or Chicago...or at Heathrow and the driver was kind enough to take me to a bank so that I could change money before bringing me to the hotel.  On the way he gave me a small tour of the area.  I am so appreciative of these kindnesses.  I am always a bit tentative whenever I arrive in another country (although I have been to London a number of times so I feel quite comfortable here).  It is such a relief and an unexpected pleasure to encounter kindness and humor and assistance.  I wonder if he knows how much his gestures of kindness meant to me?  I hope so!

Color In Colorado

I wanted to share some of the beautiful color we saw on a drive into the mountains last week.  Colorado is such a beautiful place this time of year!!!!

White Gel Pen Details

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Life Isn't About Making A Living, It Is About Making A Difference

Today's lesson is one that I often struggle with.  It seems that life's expenses and needs and wants set my course for making a living...when what I really want to be doing is making a difference.  I don't know if I have quite defined the difference I want to make.  I used to think it was about bringing peace to the world in some way, which is why I pursued a career in mediation and conflict resolution.  Now I feel that part of the difference I want to make is in helping people explore their own creativity.  If we recognize that each of us is born a creative being, and if we can exercise that creativity, who knows what we can accomplish!  What is the difference you want to make in the world?  What steps are you taking to make that difference?

Today's card was inspired by the skirt I wore yesterday :)  It is black and gray and has embroidered flowers on it.  I used my white gel pen to create the "stitching" accents.  Hope you like it!

Thoughts From The Road

I'm in Maryland right now and I am soooo missing the craft room!  I have to say that being away from the craft room is like walking through a desert - it feels dry and uncomfortable to me.  When I am away from the craft room I CRAVE art!  I notice art on walls and talk to people about their crafting interests.  I'm not sure what I miss more, the act of creating itself or the sense of peace and the feeling of being in the exact right place when I'm in the craft room.  I am looking forward to receiving My Digital Studio from Stampin' Up! when I get home so that I can load it onto my computer and enjoy the act of creation when I am away from the craft room and unable to take a stash of supplies with me.  Once I start playing with the software, I'll share some of my creations!  Wishing you peace and the feeling of being in the exact right place :)  I'll return home on Saturday night...and you know exactly where I'll be heading!!!! :)

URGR8

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room: Sometimes It's Nice To Stay Close To Home

I had a few appointments scheduled for today - nothing urgent. After my morning walk with Buddy I was just feeling like it was a good day to stay close to home. I'm not sure where the feeling came from - I just knew to trust it. So now I am breathing deeply and enjoying the craft room and recognizing that sometimes it's just nice to stay close to home :) Hope you have some peaceful home time today too!

When I saw that today's SCS challenge was to use numbers in some way, I immediately starting thinking about license plates that try to spell out words with numbers...and here's what I came up with! The numbers were all die-cut. I die cut the u and r out of card stock and the G, R and 8 out of both chipboard and card stock. The letters were all sponged with their respective colors and I sponged the G and R with black for some added dimension. The background was run through the Big Shot with a texturz plate. I died the very vanilla ribbon by running it across the rich razzleberry ink pad while pressing it tightly against the pad by holding it in place with a sponge (since I didn't want razzleberry fingers :). The ribbon was attached with a clip. I hope you like it!

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room: Just When You Think The Day Is Over A Surprise Greets You At The Door!

We were walking through the backyard gate after taking Buddy for his evening walk and Buddy took off toward the patio. We quickly followed and there, on top of the garden wall where the grapevine grows, was the cutest masked bandit we had ever seen! Foxes and birds are common visitors to the backyard...but there, staring back at us, was the cutest raccoon! Just when you think it's time to let the day slip into night and head to bed, life greets you at the door with a surprise!!!! :) I hope pleasant surprises greet you at the door tonight and every night!

This card was made for the sketch challenge on SCS. I seem to be in a clean and simple stamping mode. I don't think this card needs any explanation - I just hope you like it!!!

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room: Seize Today's Outstanding Possibilities!

I walked Buddy this morning and I was acutely aware of all of the STOP signs we passed. I decided that while life is about stopping to take a breath and appreciate what is around you, it is also about seizing (S) the (T) outstanding (O) possibilities (P) that every day brings. Today, when you stop at a STOP sign - ask yourself what possibility you can seize today! :) This card came together very quickly. This seems to be a new favorite size for me - the finished size is 6.5" x 3.25". The Fifth Avenue Floral image was stamped in Versamark and then embossed with white embossing powder. A little dazzling diamonds was added to the flower centers to give them a little sparkle. Hope you like it!!!!