September 2013 Tim Holtz Tag (Layered Stencils)

Hi, guys! Hope all is well!  Today was a very INKY and fun day as it was the day I worked on my monthly Tim Holtz of 2013 tag.  For September Tim worked with layering his stencils with various Distress Inks, Distress Stains and other mediums.

You will see that I applied some Wendy Vecchi Embossing Paste on my tag using Tim's Splatter Stencil.  I just love the texture and raised look it gave the tag.

Applying more inks and stains to various stencils by Tim.  It was a very fun process.

I decided to turn my tag into a Halloween tag, and added one of Tim's rub-ons onto one of his enamel tags as an accent.  The ribbon was stained and stenciled as Tim demonstrated as well. That was very fun!

Can't wait to see what Tim will come up with for his October tag!  I really enjoy making them and putting my own spin on it.   If you want to learn some fun techniques, or just have fun creating something, why not join in next month?

Until next time!

Thanksgiving Blessings

Hi, guys! Today I am sharing a pair of Thanksgiving cards I made for my friend Christine to give to her in-laws and her mother.  This first one is for her in-laws.  You may recall my post from WOYWW where I showed this panel being made with lots of fun Distress Stains.  Ranger Gold embossing powder was then used on the stamped images.  This is an old Stampin' Up set that is one of my all-time favorites for this time of year.

My Tonic Distressing tool (Tim Holtz) got a lot of use around the edges, and then they were inked with Gathered Twigs Distress Ink.  Watercolor paper was used for the panel as I just love how vibrant the stains look when applied to it.  You can get a lot of play with the stains and water and not worry about the paper pilling or warping too much.

For Christine's mom, I used the adorable image of this pilgrim mouse by Inky Antics.  Various leaf buttons were added for some fun and dimension.  Christine calls her mother "mama" and wanted that incorporated on the front of the card.  Inside the card I used Honeycomb paper in orange so when she opens it, she will find a 3-D pumpkin.  

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, and so you can expect a lot more Thanksgiving cards to be shared here.  Just love the togetherness this holiday fosters.   Now, if only retail stores will keep in mind the true spirit of this holiday and stay closed at least long enough for everyone to have the chance to dine together.  We have relatives who have missed dinner these past few years due to retail stores having to be open early that day, and it makes me so very sad.  I am all for shopping, and love Black Friday sales, but FRIDAY is the key for me.  Okay, off my soap box!   You know I must feel strongly about this as I am not much of a ranter on my blog!

I am entering these into the following challenges:
http://arandomthursdaychallenge.blogspot.ca/2013/09/art-16-anything-goes.html
http://www.wordartwednesday.blogspot.com/2013/09/challenge-99-anything-goes.html

Have a great day!  Off to get my fingers INKY!

WOYWW #225 - Lots Of Supplies

Hi, guys!  Hope all is well!  Today is Wednesday, so you know what that means!  I am sharing what is on my work desk with you!   Thank you to Julia for this desk-hopping fun!  If you haven't hopped along with us, I highly recommend you join in!

Today you will see that there are no projects underway, but rather some crafting goodies that arrived today and waiting to be used.  First up is my October Simon Says Stamp card kit.  It looks fun and perfect to start working on some Thanksgiving cards.

The next bundle on my desk is for the Chemistry 102 class being given in October by Tim Holtz.  His Chemistry 101 class was amazing, and I learned a ton, and had so much fun.  So, I am registered for Chemistry 102, and when I saw the supply list,  I was happy as I had everything except for these few odds and ends.   I can't wait!!

Lots of fun stuff calling my name! Hope to visit with a lot of you today, and then I will break out my goodies and get my fingers INKY!

Until next time!

Housewarming (Modern/Funky House)

Hi, guys!  Hope all is well! Today I am sharing a fun housewarming card I made for a family.  I decided to use my Hero Arts house stamp as well as their "Polaroid" frame stamp.  Not sure what they called it as I was given this stamp a while ago.  Who doesn't take pictures of their home when they first get it, right?  It is a fun way to share in the excitement of what a new home brings.

I decided to use ivory card stock for the image and kept the colors toned down as the card is for both males and females.  I paper pieced the door and the chimney to add some fun and color.  It is hard to see in this photo, but the black background is embossed with polka dots to match the house.

I am entering this card in the following challenge: www.wordartwednesday.blogspot.com

Thank you for stopping by today!

Until next time!

Happy Birthday, Mama (Giving Tree)

Hi, guys! Hope all is well!  For today's card, I am sharing a birthday card I made for my friend Christine's mother.  She mentioned a lot of wonderful qualities her mom possessed and one of the notes mentioned how giving she was.  She said she was really a "giving tree," so I knew what I wanted to do for her.  I used this great tree image by Hero Arts for the focal image.

The stamps for both the sun and grass are by Claudine Hellmuth.  I just love her fun, artsy, and quirky style.  I feel they went great with the fun and funky tree. Red gemstone hearts were added to the inside of the tree.

I am submitting this card to the following challenge: http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com

Wishing Christine's mother a blessed birthday!

Until next time!

Cards Abound This Week!

Hi, guys! Hope all is well! Sorry for the lack of posts lately, but with work and card orders, I have been swamped.  Over the next week or so, I will be sharing a lot of cards.  I have a friend Christine who always orders a bunch of personalized cards from me and who is going out on leave to have a baby soon.  She gave me a list of all the cards she will be needing for various occasions and holidays while she is out and I have to get them done before next Friday!  So far I have completed 8 out of 13, so you know what I will be working on this weekend!

I thought I would start by sharing two thank you cards she asked to be made.  The first one is for her in-laws for taking care of her daughter for a few weeks while her husband went back to work.  I decided to use the LARGE thank you stamp from Papertrey Ink.  The focal point is embossed with Zing embossing powder and I like how it pops against the patterned paper.

The next card up was made for Christine's brotther as a thank you for her daughter's dance classes.  Chris mentioned that her daughter's class all wears blue outfits and tutus.  I used a sheet of Nutcracker paper by Graphic 45 as I thought it was perfect.  The little ballerina stamp is by Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous.  Love that little stamp!   I decided the cute sentiment by Dear Lizzie was perfect. Distress Ink in Faded Jeans was used to add color to the edges of the images and the patterned paper.

This week I am entering these two card in the challenge at: http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com  These will be my first submissions there.  Very excited to join in the fun!

Thanks for stopping by today!  Hope you find some time in your day to do something you love!

Until next time!



WOYWW#224 - A Distressed Mess

Hi, guys! Today is Wednesday, so I am sharing what is on my work desk with you!  Thank you to Julia for the desk hopping fun!  Today you will see I had a lot of Distress Inks on my desk as I was busy making Thanksgiving cards for a co-worker to give.

This is one messy desk!  After using Distress Inks, Distress Markers and embossing powders, my hands looked extremely INKY!

I look forward to visiting with a bunch of you today and seeing what you are up to!  If you haven't taken part in WOYWW, I would suggest you give it a try.  Lots of crafty fun and so many nice people to get to know!

Until next time!

Girlie Birthday Card For A Six Year Old

Hi, guys! Hope all is well! Today I am sharing a birthday card I made for a little girl who was turning 6.  I was asked to use an image with long brown hair and was emailed a picture to use as inspiration.  I decided to use a Suzi Blu stamp to portray the birthday girl.  Distress paint was used to color the Tim Holtz Alpha Number.  Distress ink was used on a doily to add some fun and more texture and color.

K & Company paper was used for the background paper and a computer generated name was added in a Spellbinder label die.

My co-worker told me her granddaughter loved the card, and it always makes me very happy to  hear the feedback.

Hope you have a great day!  Until next time!

Orange Sorbet, Anyone?

Hi, guys! Hope all is well on your end! A quick post to share some new fun I had with my Vitamix blender today! (Reminder:  I have no affiliation with Vitamix; I just love the blender.) I decided to try and make orange sorbet in it.  My hubby was very skeptical that it would work, but I only needed 3 ingredients: 2 oranges, ice cubes and 2 tablespoons of sugar.  What fun this was, and how very fast!

This turned out delicious and it made enough for me to have some the next day.  What I really like is I can control my sugar now, and know what is in my treat.  Besides, I am guaranteed some fresh fruit, too, so that is always a plus!

I am sitting here now thinking about what flavor I will try next time.  I am thinking strawberry/lime!

Until next time!  Off to get my fingers inky!

Distress Stain Cards (Sympathy & Thank You)

Hi, guys! Hope all is well!  Today I thought I would share a pair of cards I made using my Distress Stains.  I made two similar backgrounds and used the same stamp set by Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous.  The paper I used is watercolor paper as I find it works great with stains as they are a wet medium.

After they dried, I used the lighter (softer) background to turn into a sympathy card for a friend who lost his mom.  I think nature themes work very well for sympathy cards.

I then used the second panel to make a thank you card for a friend who hosted us for this Labor Day weekend.  Barbara is someone who ALWAYS makes me laugh and smile.  I used the brighter background and went with a more whimsical way to display the sentiment. The sentiment I used is from Paper Smooches.

Isn't it great that you can create two cards easily using the same backgrounds and stamps but change them a bit for two special people in your life?  I know when I take out my stains, or paints, it is very rare that I only make one card.  It saves me time and cleanup and I enjoy stretching my imagination.

Until next time!

WOYWW #223 - New Supplies & Dietitian Birthday Card

Hi, guys! It is Wednesday, and as that camel on the TV commercial is fond of saying "It's Hump Day!" Since it is Wednesday, I am sharing what is on my work desk with you.  Thank you to Julia for this desk-hopping fun! I can't believe how fast this week flew by!

Today you will see lots of fun goodies on my desk.  I picked up the new Wendy Vecchi colors of Archival Ink and boy, do they look pretty!  You will also spot the new collection of Tim Holtz stencils! I can't wait to break them open and get my fingers messy.  I also picked up a couple of Balzer Bits stencils to try.  Julie's full-size stencils are great, so I am sure I will love these, too!

I also was asked to design a birthday card for a friend's daughter-in-law who is a dietitian.  I decided to lay out a bunch of my food stamps into a heart pattern and cut them out with large heart die cuts.  It was fun trying to figure out what foods would look good and how to arrange them.

This is the completed card.   When making this card, I discovered I had a lot of food-related stamps!  I guess I shouldn't be surprised since I love to cook and love to eat!

Hope your day is a great one!  I look forward to seeing what everyone else is working on.  If you haven't joined in this desk-hopping fun, I would suggest you give it a try.  There are lots of crafty friends waiting to be made!

Until next time!

I Made My Own Peanut Butter!

Hi, guys! How are things? All is fine on my end.  I splurged on a toy for me, and it isn't stamping or craft related! I purchased a Vitamix mixer after seeing a demo on QVC.  I thought it would help make getting my fruits and veggies a lot more palatable. (I'm not a big fan.) Well, it came this week and I have been making smoothies and enjoying them A LOT!  But I have also been making pesto with the basil from my garden and it was so delicious! Done in 30 seconds. I used it on some chicken ravioli for supper and froze some for later.

I decided to try and make my own peanut butter.  Well, it was so easy and the only ingredient was peanuts. I think it took around 40 seconds, and then I had warm peanut butter!   My hubby was very skeptical when I said I was getting this machine, but he has been enjoying the treats, too.

Just thought I would share my excitement with you! I have no affiliation with Vitamix, but thought if you are ever in the market for a blender, you may want to know how great this machine is.  Tomorrow I plan to try and make hot soup in it.

Off to get my fingers INKY!

Until next time!!

I Thank My Lucky Stars For You

Hi, guys!  Today's card came about after I had a spray ink mishap! I was trying to use my Dylusions Spray inks on one of my stencils, but it bled underneath the stencils (too much ink!).  I loved the colors and HATE to waste anything.  So I decided to punch stars out of the papers, and loved how they looked.  I embossed the card with the Cuttlebug Star embossing folder and placed some of the punched stars in the centers of the embossed ones.

I thought the sentiment by Hero Arts is perfect for this card.  I used Jelly Roll pens to color the stars on the sentiment. This is a clean and simple-looking card and I enjoyed turning my mishap into a fun card! 

How do you save your bloopers?

Until next time!

Martha Stewart Never Fails Me!

Hi, guys! Hope all is well!  This weekend was one filled with friends, and barbecues.  With that comes lots of food.  My husband and I were invited to a barbecue on Sunday and I was asked to bring appetizers.  I thought about what I should bring and settled on two tasty appetizers from Martha Stewart's site.  You may not know this about me, but I have been a big fan of hers for decades and my mom would even call me "Martha" when I would be cooking or baking (or molding my butter into shapes. Yes, I have done that!).

I thought I would share these very simple tasty appetizers with you so you can have them at the ready should you need something yummy to make!

The first one is Bacon-Wrapped Potatoes.  These guys are so easy and so delicious.

I made Martha's Lemon Aioli to dip these yummy treats in.  Not a drop was wasted. Note: I only used 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.  It was perfect and not too tart for people who are not necessarily lemon fans.


The next appetizer I made were Sausage Cheddar Balls.  I made Martha's as so many of the other recipes I have have too much flour or biscuit mix in them.  Martha's was perfect and not boxed.

I warn you, these things are addicting.  My hubby had to take them out of my reach so that I would stop munching on them.

Usually I am sharing my crafts, but I like to think that sharing my other hobbies (cooking, baking, or even gardening) will give you a glimpse into what makes me ... well, ME!

Hope you give these snacks a try sometime!

Off to get my fingers INKY!

Until next time!

WOYWW #222- Bundle of Joy (House Mouse Baby Card)

Hi, guys! Hope everyone is having a great day! Since it is Wednesday, I am sharing what is on my work desk with you!  Thank you to Julia for all the desk-hopping fun!

You will see that I am working on a baby card for a co-worker's baby shower.  She is having a baby boy, and I went with this adorable House Mouse image.

I had out a lot of dies trying to figure out what would work the best to frame this cute little guy.

Lots of papers to choose from, and lots of blue buttons to sort through.

I thought I would include a picture of the finished card so you could see how it turned out. Cute, right?

Looking forward to visiting a lot of desks today, and seeing what everyone is working on!  I highly recommend you join in the desk-snooping fun!  Just pay a visit to the Stamping-Ground for all the details!

Until next time!