Holy Confirmation Card

Hi, guys!  Hope you are having a great day!  I thought I would share a Holy Confirmation card I made for a friend at work to give.  It is the first one I have made this season.  I thought about using a cross, but then decided to use a dove, which signifies the Holy Spirit.  I found this dove in a Christmas set called "Madonna and Child" from Stampin' Up.  It is another use for a Christmas stamp.

Supplies:
Stamps: Stampin' Up
Paper: Stampin' Up
Misc.: Tim Holtz Embossing Folder,White Embossing Powder, Circle Punches, Square Punch, Silver Cord

I had fun making this card for this special occasion.  It was fun looking through my stamps to find a focal image that would be appropriate and different.

Hope you have a great day!   Hope you find a few moments in your day to do something you love!

Masculine Birthday Card Using Metal

Hi, guys!  Hope all is well.  I thought I would share a card I made for a friend whose son is turning 19. Austin is a great guy and I have had the privilege of watching him grow from a sweet boy to a fine young man.   I decided to use metal in this card and to emboss it with letter print, as I understand he is enjoying writing now.  I then sanded the metal to age it and really show the embossing.  The edges were distressed with a distress tool, and Picket Fence Distress stain was used around the edges.  If you haven't worked with this Ten Seconds Studio metal before, I would recommend it.  It comes in great colors and is so fun to use.

Supplies:
Paper: Gina K Designs, Ten Seconds Studio Metal Sheet
Ink: Black Shoot Distress Ink, Picket Fence Distress Stain
Misc: Spellbinders Label, Twine, Tim Holtz Safety Pins, Black Gems, Distress Tool, Cuttlebug Embossing Plate

I hope Austin had a fun-filled birthday!

Have a great day!  I hope you find a few moments in your day to do something you love!

My Stamp Room is Now Underway!

Hi, guys!  Hope you had a great Memorial Day weekend.  It was a nice one here as we got to spend time with family and friends and barbecue.  My husband and I also have begun work on my stamp room!  I have a spare bedroom that we decided to turn into the stamp room.  The last few weeks we have been emptying it out of furniture a bit at a time.  Last night my hubby started painting the ceiling and today he is painting the walls.  I will be sharing the process with you as we go.  I am excited.   I currently have a nice stamping area in the basement, but it is rather dark and the temperature in the summer is unbearable for me (too hot and humid!) and in the wintertime it is cold.  This way I will be on the main floor and have more room for storage as well.  I am looking forward to a trip to IKEA to get the furniture for the room.  I have been designing this room in my head for awhile.

Stage 1 - Before painting

Stage 2 - Painting underway

The room will be a light shade of pink with white trim and ceiling.  It will definitely be MY room as I am a pink kinda gal.


Have a great day!

May Design Team Submissions - French Inspired

Bonjour! (I couldn't resist!)  Hope you are having a great day.  I mentioned yesterday that I would share the last of my May submissions for The Ink Pad's design team.  These cards are French inspired. If you know me personally you know that I LOVE Paris!  I was lucky enough to get there once.  It was a trip I will always remember.  My husband will tell you I am a bit obsessed with my love of France and Paris, pointing out all the pictures, art and Eiffel Towers all around our home.   I hope to get there again someday.  In the meantime, I will create with it in mind!

This month I was given papers that had great French images, French scripts etc.  I thought it would be fun to make cards with a French feel.

The first card I am sharing had lovely French script on the paper and I thought it would be fun to use a dress form from Stampers Anonymous.  I used Alpha letters from Tim Holtz to write out Merci.  I was given great linen tape ribbon that I thought would go well with the dress form.

The second card also features lovely French paper.  When I saw it I knew I had to pull out the Sizzix/Hero Arts stamp and die cut set.  I used a Sakura glitter pen for the Eiffel Tower image. 

My husband wasn't surprised when I showed him these two cards as he said it was only a matter of time before I had an Eiffel Tower on one of them.  

Hope you enjoyed looking at my submissions. It was fun sharing them with you.

May Design Team Submissions - Birds of a Feather

Hi, guys!  Hope all is well.  Yesterday I shared two cards I made for the May submissions of The Ink Pad design team.  I thought I would share two more today. The first one I am sharing I used a wide ribbon that they gave me with a great image of a bird on it.  I decided to die cut a bird from it using my Vagabond machine.  The stamps are from Hero Arts and I white heat embossed the sentiment.  The fun paper is Bazzill and I was given Victorian Velvet Distress Stain so I thought it would be fun to color the paper with it.

The next card I am sharing also used a bird!  The stamp is from Inkadinkado and the fun paper is Bazzill again.  I decided to break out my new distress ink color Peacock Feathers.  I am really loving these new Spring colors.  The sentiment is from Hero Arts.   This month we were given great ribbons to work with and I thought it would be fun to make a bit of a ruffle out of it for this card.

I will be back tomorrow with the last two cards for May.  They are both French inspired.

Have a great day!

My May Submissions for The Ink Pad Design Team

Hi, guys!  Hope all is well.  I just finished my 6 cards for this month for The Ink Pad Design Team.  I thought I would share two of them with you today. The image cracked me up.  I know a lot of us feel like this woman sometimes.  So, I thought I would use her in two different ways.  This first one I thought I would have her reacting to all the bad news in the newspapers.  The vintage Bazzill papers are great.  The stories on them are so fun to read, too.  I would need a margarita after reading them!

The next one I thought I would use the ledger paper and distress it  and have her thinking about all the work she has to do (haven't we all been there?).

I hope you enjoyed them.  I will be sharing some more cards featuring other stamps tomorrow.  I am enjoying this opportunity as it is great using supplies you normally wouldn't grab necessarily and have fun using them.

Hope you find some time today to do something you love!

A 1st Birthday Card, Campfire Potatoes and Bourbon Glazed Pork Chops

Hi, guys!  Hope your weekend is going well.  The weather here is so beautiful this weekend.  We were able to spend time today having a barbecue and relaxing in our garden.  It was such a wonderful way to relax before work begins tomorrow!

By the subject of my post, you can see I want to share a few things with you today.  The first is another birthday card for my friend's daughter Victoria who is turning 1. You will remember I shared one I made for her parents last week.  After seeing that card at work on Friday, I had a request from another friend to make one for Victoria for her.   So I wanted it to be cute and fun but look different than the other one.  I think I was successful!

Supplies:
Stamps: Stampin' Up
Paper: Stampin' Up
Ink: Distress ink (can't keep my hands off that for some reason!), Memento Black, Copics
Misc.: Scalloped Marvy Punch

I was mentioning before the great day my husband and I had barbecuing in the garden.  I thought I would share a few pictures and recipes.   The first up is Campfire Potatoes.  These are so easy to make and are delicious!  I used to camp with my late husband and we would make these at each camping trip.  My young nephews had them for their first time when we took them camping.

You take a large cleaned potato, cut slits into the potato and stuff in thin slices of onion.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle on salt and pepper.  Wrap them in tin foil (I use two layers of foil).

Please directly on the coals of your grill.  Close grill and cook.  Depending on the size of your potatoes, they will take 1 hr to 1 hr and half. Turn them half way through cooking.   If you are at camp, you can do the same thing with a campfire.  Put the wrapped potatoes in the fire.  Make sure the fire is NOT blazing anymore.   This is what you will have when they are done.

I love these!  I love to make them while we are eating our dinner and I will have them for the next morning (fried up as home fries with eggs).

The other yummy thing I thought I would share with you was our main dish tonight.  It was Bourbon Glazed Pork Chops.  I adapted this from a recipe I found on www.allrecipes.com.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/pork-tenderloin-in-bourbon/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=pork%20tenderloin%20in%20bourbon&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page

The recipe called for pork tenderloin, but I used very thick boneless pork chops instead.  They were on sale and looked great.  They came out delicious.  I would highly recommend you give them a try.  We used Maker's Mark bourbon as it is what we have on hand here.

I know this isn't a cooking blog, but thought with the summer bbq season upon us, you may like to give these a try.

I will be sharing my submissions for the design team of The Inkpad NYC this week sometime.  I have been having a blast trying new stamps and other supplies.  I can't wait to share them with you.

Have a great week!  Until next time!

Look Who's Turning 1

Hi, guys!  Hope all is well.  I just finished making a birthday card for my friend's daughter who is turning 1.  She asked that the card be girly and sweet.  I thought this fit the bill.

Supplies:
Stamps: Crafty Secrets
Paper: Stampin' Up
Ink: Memento Black, Copics
Misc: Corner Rounder, Heart Gems, Computer Generated Name

I really enjoy using this Crafty Secrets stamp set.  It is fun creating different scenes each time you want to make a card.  There are a few boys and girls in the set, so you can vary the look.

Sure hope Victoria has a very happy 1st birthday!

Hope you have a great day, too!

My Apron is Here!

Hi, guys!  I am very happy today. Funny what makes me so happy sometimes.  I received the apron I ordered from Tim Holtz after attending his Creative Chemistry 101 class.  I thought it would be a fun keepsake and functional, too.  I am forever ruining my clothes with my ink pads and paints etc.  Why is it that the ink pads that fall on my lap are always the permanent ones?

I am currently working on a few more birthday cards that I hope to share with you on Friday.

Hope you have a great day!

Tim's May Tag - No Laundry Involved

Hi, guys!  Hope all is well!  I just finished my May Tag for the Tim Holtz 12 Tags of 2012.  This month we learned how to use UTEE and turn paper flowers into porcelain-looking ones.  It was my first time using my Melting Pot by Ranger.  It was a lot of fun.   We also utilized sewing patterns as backgrounds.  If you know me personally, you know I don't sew a lick.  My hubby gave me a couple from his late mother's collection.  I thought that was sweet and now I will think of her when I look at this tag.

I am enjoying making these monthly tags as I love learning new techniques.  I like to use what I have on hand, so my tag is not identical to Tim's, but that is part of the fun.  Tim used a wooden spool to put his flowers in like a vase.  I could see me losing a digit or two trying to sand down a wooden spool, so I turned my flowers into a corsage.

If you haven't tried making some of these tags yet, I would recommend you give one a try.  It is always a lot of fun and you will get......INKY!

Have a great day!

Skating By with Birthday Wishes

Hi, guys!  Hope your day is going well.  I thought I would share a card I made for a friend's granddaughter's 7th birthday.  Her only request was to have a girl with long brown hair like her granddaughter and have her name and age incorporated in it.  When she mentioned the long hair I knew I had to take out my Stampavie Suzi Blu stamp!  She is adorable, don't you think?  Perfect for a little girl's birthday.

Supplies:
Stamps: Stampavie Suzi Blu
Paper: Stampin' Up, DCWV Glitter paper
Ink: Memento Black ink, Copic Markers
Misc.: Prima Flowers, Stampin' Up Oval Punches, Ribbon

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you find some time in the day to do something you love.

Happy Mother's Day!

Hi, guys!  I hope you are having a great day.  I want to wish Happy Mother's Day to my mom and all the mothers out there.  Moms play such an important role in each of our lives and I hope your day is filled with love and happiness.

I thought I would share the card I made my mom (now that she has received it!).  I used one of my favorite stamps from Stampin' Up - Stipple Rose.  I colored the image with Copic Markers.

Supplies:
Stamps: Stampin' Up
Paper: Stampin' Up, Echo Park
Ink: Memento Black, Distress Ink
Misc.: Scallop Heart Punch

The weather here this weekend has been great.  My hubby and I spent yesterday afternoon planting an herb garden and planting tomatoes and pepper plants.  We are hoping to break out the barbeque tonight for the first time this season and we can't wait.

Hope you have a great day and enjoy the company of those special to you.

Until next time!

More Personalized Birthdays

Hi, guys!  Hope the day is treating you well.   I thought I would share two cards I made for a friend to give for birthday celebrations she has coming up.  She asked that both be personalized with the name of the recipient.  It seems that is always a hit because the person realizes that the card was ordered and made with them specifically in mind.

Supplies:

Stamps: Stampin' Up

Paper: Stampin' Up, Ranger Specialty Stamping Paper

Ink: Versafine Black, Distress Ink

Misc.: Clear Embossing Powder, Circle Punch

Supplies:

Stamps: Stampin' Up

Paper: Stampin' Up

Ink: Versamark, Memento Black

Misc.: Cooper Embossing Powder, Oval Punch, Cooper Cord

These were fun to make and my friend was happy with the way they turned out.  She is a person who loves browns and blacks and leopard print, so I tried to use them in each of these cards.

I hope the rest of your day is a good one and that you find a few moments to do something you love.

Hoppy Birthday, Mom!

Hi, guys!  Hope you are having a great day.  The weather here is a bit gloomy, but we sure needed the rain with our long dry spells.  I thought I would share a fun card I made for my friend Bert's mom's birthday.  He mentioned she loved frogs, so with that tidbit I knew what I needed to do.

Supplies:
Stamps: Stampin' Up
Paper: K& Company, Gina K (white layering weight)
Ink: Memento Black, Copic Markers
Misc.: Beads, Ribbon, Eyes

Sure hope she has a great day tomorrow and enjoys the card.  I know this stamp set always makes me smile when I pull him out.

Hope you have a great day!  Until next time!

Mother's Day - The Finale

Hi, guys!  Hope you are having a great day!  I promised to share the remainder of the Mother's Day cards I made.  The only one I am not sharing yet is the one I made for my mother as I know she is a viewer of my blog. (No sneak peaks for you, Mom!)

As you can see, I really don't like making the same card over and over.  I love to try and match the card to the personalities of those receiving it, or those who order it.  I hope they all will enjoy receiving these cards.    Since there are 8 cards here, I didn't bother listing all the supplies I used.  It would be too long of a list.  If you have any questions, please feel free to email me and I will get back to you.

Hope your day is a good one, and that you find a few moments to do something you love.

Holy Communion Cards and Potato Casserole

Hi, guys!  Hope you are having a great weekend.  I mentioned the other day that this weekend we would be celebrating my niece's First Holy Communion.  I thought I would share the card I made for her.

Stamps: Catholic Rubber Stamps




I made a few other cards for family and friends to give as well.

Stamps: Delta, Paper Angel

My sister made these adorable nugget favors.  She uses computer software to make these.  Everyone loved them.

When we have family functions I am asked to make potato casserole.  It is a great recipe.  If you travel the highways of the U.S. you probably have come across Cracker Barrel restaurants.  The recipe I use is one similar to the one that they make.  My young nephew emailed me to remind me to bring one to the Communion lunch. 

It is delicious and I recommend you give it a try sometime if you need to take a dish to someone.  I had to leave the party with my mom and a friend to attend my husband's show.  My sister was supposed to save some for us for when we returned and we came back to an empty dish!  I think that speaks well for this recipe.


Have a great night!   I will be back tomorrow with the final Mother's Day cards I made.

Mother's Day Cards - Part II

Hi, guys!  I thought I would share a few more Mother's Day Cards with you.  I listed the stamp companies under each card.  I made the first one for a friend's mom, and the other 3 I made for a friend to give to her family and friends.

Stamps: Hero Arts, Studio G

Stamps: Stampin' Up, Studio G

Sentiment inside: Time to relax!

Stamps: Stampin' Up, Studio G

Stamps: Papertrey Ink

This weekend is going to be a crazy busy one for me.  I have my niece's communion, and my husband's show tomorrow in the city.  I hope to be sharing the communion cards I made on Sunday (after my niece  receives them.)

Have a great weekend!

An Evening with Vince Gill (Swoon!)

Hi, guys!  Hope you are all having a great day.  I am home today on a vacation day.  I decided to schedule one because I knew I would be out very late last night, and I normally rise at 4:20 am.  This was not going to happen today.  My husband and I were lucky enough to see Vince Gill in concert last night!  He is my favorite singer and musician of all time.   If you are familiar with country music, then you know him well.  If you don't, he is an amazing country singer, guitar player and songwriter.  He is the one singer that can have me smiling one moment and openly weeping the next (poor hubby!).  His voice is so smooth and dreamy and nobody (sorry, Clapton fans) can play guitar like him.

This was my 4th time at one of Vince Gill's concerts and I sure hope to see him up this way again soon.  Until then, I will just listen to his music and wear my new concert t-shirt.

Mother's Day Cards - Part I

Hi, guys!  Mother's Day is almost upon us, so I thought I would start sharing some of the cards I have been making for this holiday.  I plan to share a bunch with you over the next few days, so I am going to post the pictures of the cards, but not the long supply lists for each.  If you have any questions about a card, just shoot me an email and I will get back to you.

This first card was made for a friend's daughter.  She loves tattoos and I thought this would be a great card for her.  I used my Distress Markers to watercolor the image.

The next two up are floral cards I made for some co-workers to give.

I hope you like them.  I have made 25 or so for this holiday, and have 7 more to complete this weekend.  I plan to put more up on Friday.

Have a great night!

A Hoot of a Card!

Hi, guys!  Today I thought I would share with you a card I made for a friend of mine.  He requested a card for someone who liked skulls and/or owls.   I mentioned that I liked to use metal for embossing and he was on board with me using it on his card.

Supplies:
Paper: Ranger Specialty Stamping paper, Gina K Designs Black
Ink: Versafine, Distress inks, Distress Stain Picket Fence, Distress Markers
Stamp: Tattered Angels
Misc.: Cuttlebug embossing folder, Ten Second Studio metal sheet, Tim Holtz pin, clear embossing powder, water brush

I used a sheet of metal from Ten Second Studios for the background.  If you haven't used it, it is great to work with.  I then embossed it and sanded it with my sanding block. I used my distressing tool and my distress inks, too.  I used my new distress markers by Ranger and love them.  I love watercoloring so these made it easy.   This was one distressed card by the time I was finished with it.  My friend was very happy when I gave it to him today.  Can't wait to hear what his friend thought of it!

Hope you have a great day!  Looking forward to sharing more with you tomorrow.

April 2012 Tim Holtz Tag

Hi, guys! I finally got my April Tag done.  I barely got it done before the clock turned to May.  I can't wait to see what Tim does for May!

I love stamping on the embossing folders and then embossing the tag.  I had fun inking with Distress Inks and using grungeboard shapes.

Hope you like it.   I have been very busy lately with Mother's Day and Communion Cards. I hope to share a bunch of them with you later this week.

Have a great day!  I hope you find some time in the day to do something you love.