Imagine.Make.Share.

Tuesday Throwdown's Got the Blues

2012-02-21T03:00:00.000-06:00

Winter Blues is our challenge this week at Tuesday Throwdown and My Grafico is our generous sponsor. Today's images are from their Wild Flowers set. It's also just right for the Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge this week. The flower and leaf images were printed and then cut out. A few petals are popped up with dimensional tape. The center of the flower is coated with Glossy Accents.

All of the papers are from a Provo Craft Super Slab. I love the deep blue with the slight sheen. The sentiment is a sticker from K&Company.

Hope you will play along at Tuesday Throwdown this week!

National Engineer's Week--Who Knew?

2012-02-20T14:37:00.001-06:00

Happy National Engineer's Week! My brother is an electrical engineer so my mom commissioned a card for him for the occasion and provided this quote for me to use on it. I realized after I made it that it actually comes closer to the OWH sketch challenge than does the one I made for said challenge.

I inked this with my favorite gold inkpad but also gave the whole thing a squirt or two of Smooch Spritz. The image is from Graphics Fairy--if you haven't explored her site full of fab freebies, you really should! The sentiment is popped on dimensional tape.

I've begun my Mother's Day pile for the Mother's Day Challenge now. For the first one I used yesterday's sketch challenge at OWH. It became a bit more of a jumping off point than an exact match. The light blue dragonfly is coated with Glossy Accents to add a little interest. I'll be making nine for the challenge with this blue-matted sentiment.

Scattering the Joy

2012-02-17T18:21:00.000-06:00

I have been so sick all week with a horrid cold. But today this Impression Obsession stamp just made me smile. I look forward to their challenges and this week it is a hi/hello card, which fortunately was very loosely defined and didn't require the use of the words hi/hello. I LOVE this Peacock (H10028) stamp. I believe the sentiment sticker is from K&Company.

Something about coloring the tiny details is very relaxing for me. It's surprising that I can pull it off using brush tips. Here are the colors I used.

Pining for Twining

2012-02-14T03:00:00.000-06:00

Our Tuesday Throwdown sponsor this week is Fred, She Said and our challenge is to use twine. I chose their "Emma the Skipper" image. The sentiments are part of the package. The image was colored with Prisma colored pencils and the edges inked with Color Box purple pigment ink.

The front is trimmed shorter than the back by about a 1/2" so that the scalloped edge is shown off nicely. A strip of deep purple is adhered to the inside back. This EK Success edge punch has small holes in it, through which twine was threaded. I punched two small holes just above Emma's hands and ran string through from the back. String is adhered to the rope outline using Glossy Accents. Then the panel was adhered to the yellow front with dimensional tape.

This image makes me think of my little granddaughter, who is still a tiny baby LOL. Hope you'll play along with the Tuesday Throwdown this week.

Sketch Challenge #108

2012-02-13T11:47:00.000-06:00

I think this week's sketch challenge from OWH might be a favorite. It is definitely versatile. I looked over at my trimmer and all the scraps that I've stirred up in the last few days were begging to be made into this card. I was wishing for some cream colored ribbon to unify the colors more but I still like how it turned out. The front panel is cut shorter than the back and there is a light pink strip on the inside back to help show off the scalloped edge.

Monkeying Around

2012-02-10T22:06:00.000-06:00

Just finished these two cards for challenges 6 and 8 of the OWH Virtual Card Making Party. One challenge is Sand and Sea (any theme but use the colors blue and tan). Check. The other is Jungle Animals (cards for kids). These monkeys are from the Cricut Create a Critter cartridge. And the vine is ribbon wrapped hemp cord adhered with Glossy Accents.

So far I have finished five of the challenges. Tomorrow is going to be really cold here, so I will be hibernating with my paper crafting supplies and enjoying the day.

Did you see this wonderful comment on our OWH Facebook wall? This is why I am an OWH crafter. *Happy Sigh*

I feel like most everyone posting on here are wonderful volunteers that are spending time creating these beautiful handmade cards, and I wanted to just stop in and say hi... I'm the wife of a NG soldier serving a 12 month tour in Afghanistan. I recently received a Valentine's package from him that included a handmade card from OWH.... Please know that the ONE card has made more of an impact on methan any other single item he's sent home since August.... What an incredible thing you all are doing... It was amazing to receive a handmade card from my husband that a stranger put so much time and effort in to. What a treat to receive a card I could hold in my hand with my husband's handwriting on it as opposed to something silly or heartfelt he could've sent from egreetings.com. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for taking the time to make these cards!!!!!!

Why sleep...?

2012-02-09T00:00:00.001-06:00

Why sleep when there is a party going on? The mind is whirring too fast to get to sleep tonight, so I thought I would tackle the OWH Virtual Card Making Party challenge for birthday cards. I'm enjoying the landlubbing fun we can have while our OWH friends are off cruising the seas. Thanks again to Paula for throwing this shindig.

Here's my card with a fun Dustin Pike digi with a stamped sentiment. The front is made from a hole I cut out of some recently made frames. The back is the same Nestabilities oval in white. I scored a line about .5" down across the top and adhered that portion to the front to form the card. This could so easily be adapted to an Easter egg card...

OWH Funky Fold Challenge

2012-02-07T22:42:00.000-06:00

Challenge number three in the OWH Virtual Card Making Party was a very tricky one. It's a new fold for me and required a few partial cuts. Since I only have guillotine trimmers I had to break out the x-acto knife. You can see the tutorial here. This card is going to my friend whose family enjoys going to historical dances. Very Little Women. First I'll distress the edges to give it a little more vintage appearance.

Be sure and check out the challenges while our gang are on the cruise. There are some great prizes and you have the weekend to complete as many as you wish. No pressure, just fun.

Tuesday Throwdown--Spreadin' the Love

2012-02-07T03:00:00.000-06:00

I had a blast with today's digi from our Tuesday Throwdown sponsor, Robyn's Fetish. The resulting card is just right for Stampin' Sisters in Christ's challenge to show a little love. The great thing about a digi stamp is that you can make it any size you want it to be. This cute primitive bear was printed at 10" long. The legs are scored at the top and fold up to go in the envelope.

The sentiment is from Mint Motif and the DP is from DCWV's Linen Closet and is attached with dimensional tape.

The bear's body was colored with Copics and then dabbed with colorless blender to get more of a well-loved-bear-fur texture. The legs were also printed on white stock so that I could get a more pure color on them, then they were adhered to the kraft legs.

Up close--the nose and heart have Glossy Accents. This bear had a heart transplant since I absentmindedly placed a roll of ribbon right on his wet heart. : / I didn't blend the second one well enough before glossing it over though. The bear's expression shows his dismay at my error.

Colors used:

Party Hardy!

2012-02-06T17:01:00.000-06:00

There's a Virtual Card Making Party going on! While our valiant Operation Write Home president and several of our peeps are out to sea on our first ever OWH cruise, we land lubbers are giving away the store *wink*. Here's my card for the first challenge. The challenge is to use hot pink, yellow and green. If Inlink will let me, I will keep editing this post with the rest of the party cards.

The second challenge of the Virtual Card Making Party is to make a nautical themed masculine card. Glossy Accents worked great to hold the heavy hemp. I clothes pinned each end for a few minutes while it set. Had to google knot tying. Again with the Mint Motif sentiments. I am in love with them.

OWH Sketch and ODBD Challenges

2012-02-05T20:32:00.002-06:00

A little ribbon goes a long way. This card is for both the OWH Sketch Challenge and the Our Daily Bread Designs/OWH monthly challenge. Our Easter deadline is February 15th so I wanted to get one last batch of Easter cards in my box before it goes tomorrow. I made nine of these or a variation of these.

The DPs are from Cosmo Cricket and DCWV. The tulle ribbon is from Hallmark and the pink is from Celebrate It. The bunny is retired Stampin' Up colored with Prisma colored pencils. The label is an EK Success punch edged in yellow chalk ink.

Operation Write Home CAS Blog Skip!

2012-02-04T02:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome to our Operation Write Home blog Skip! All 11 participating blogs are linked here. Even our instructor, Jennifer McGuire is playing along today!

I tried a lot of new techniques in the Online CAS class that all of us Skippers participated in. Masking was one of them. I masked the center of this one layer card with a sticky note and then stamped the card front with this terrific stamp (recently featured on Paper Crafts Connection blog) from Mint Motif.

The single layer card was probably the trickiest lesson of the whole two weeks for me, but with this simple geometric border stamp set I'm feeling empowered LOL. I colored the shapes with Copics, blending the shades from dark down to light on a diagonal. These could be done nicely in colored pencil as well. The butterfly wraps it all up with a touch of Glossy Accents on the wings.

One comment Jennifer made was, "For me, [CAS] is a card that doesn’t have a lot going on.' But rather a key element that takes the stage. And that key element can be a technique. But remember – you can step these technique ideas down or up depending on what YOU feel comfortable with!"

Now skip on over to Marianne's blog to see what she discovered in class!

Why not try some CAS cards for

our Mother's Day Challenge??

Simply Blingy

2012-02-03T18:50:00.002-06:00

This card is for the OWH Facebook challenge in conjunction with Go Red for Women day, and a second one for the Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge, which was to show your style. My previous post declared my love for simple cards. The jury is still out on the "Clean and" part of CAS, but I do like the simple part. I also super love bling and I think the two are not mutually exclusive, so here is another facet of my style--Simply Blingy.

Sketch Challenge Easter Card

2012-02-02T18:43:00.001-06:00

Our Operation Write Home deadline for Easter cards is coming right up on February 15! Both the sketch challenge and the Midweek Throwdown (use dies or punches) at OWH Stars and Stamps were just right for my favorite Easter themed stamp. I heat embossed it and mounted it on sheer ribbon.

Easter is my favorite holiday. For me it is the most meaningful since it is the celebration of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 in the Bible states it this way, "For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures." (NIV)

I'm also entering this into Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge this week to "show your style." I think my favorite style is simple. I'm drawn to contrast as well.

Pretty in Pink

2012-01-31T03:00:00.000-06:00

Our Tuesday Throwdown is sponsored by Dearie Dollies this week and our theme is "From the Heart." Dearie Dollies is a new find for me and they have darling digis for sure. I used Li'l Princess for this birthday card. the sentiment is computer generated and says, "Happy Birthday, Princess."

This little cutie is colored with Copics onto light pink Darice cardstock. Generally I get in a rut of using Copics on only Neenah Solar White, though I have on kraft as well. This is the first time I've tried it on a light weight pink and it was fun. I pieced the crown and star and the heart is a punch coated in Glossy Accents, but everything else in the image and its background is colored onto the pink. These are the colors I used. I love pinks and greens together!

The dark green saturated in such a way that it almost looks like suede though there is no different texture to the surface of the paper. I like that.

Hope you will play along with us this week!

Put Some Bling on It

2012-01-27T06:44:00.000-06:00

The Midweek Throwdown at OWH Stars and Stamps calls for a bit of bling without glitter. I've done three cards and one has "legal glitter." The overriding concern about glitter with OWH cards is that not even one speck fall off and cause a problem for our troops. That is why we are so careful about it.

Thee first two cards use sticky stars. The sentiment stamp is from Impression Obsession.

The card below uses DCWV paper from the Portabello stack, which is a favorite of mine. Should you want to get any glitter off of this you would need a jackhammer. Still, I always check the paper in the store, even DCWV, by rubbing it with my thumb. I've only found one DCWV stack that dropped a single glitter flake. I did not bring it home.

The ribbon is secured to the top of the card with ATG tape. I added a Fiskars punched bird on dimensional tape and coated it in Glossy Accents to get more sheen. Had I thought of it I could have coated random dots in this pattern with GA too.

So take this bit of advice from Beyonce, "if you like it then you shoulda put [some bling] on it."

Fun Frames

2012-01-24T23:00:00.001-06:00

I'm working on a fun project for my church youth group's Valentine dinner fundraiser. They will send each couple home with a souvenir photo in their pick of one of three frame designs. I enjoyed coming up with designs that could be easily duplicated.

The frame openings in each one were cut with the same Spellbinders Grand Calibur oval die. The finished frame size is 5.5"x8.25" with an opening for a 4"x6" print.The DP on each card was adhered before the openings were cut.

Frame 1--The roses were cut with Spellbinders Spiral Blossom 1 die. They're made using two sided paper from GCD Studios Cloisonne pack, sprayed with Perfect Pearl mist and adhered with glossy accents and paired with a touch of crocheted lace trim. The DP is from Recollections Portobello Road paper stack. It was also sprayed with perfect pearls (before it was cut or had anything on it). They have a nice sheen to them that the picture doesn't show well.

The sentiment is from Studio G. It is stamped with Ranger Archival ink in brown and the edges are inked in Color Box Bronze pigment ink. That's hubs and me in a pic from way back in the late 90s. At almost 29 years we are happily working on "forever." This one fits the Anything Goes Challenge blog's theme--"To the One I Love."

Frame 2 --Not everyone who goes to this event will necessarily be an official "couple," so I wanted to make one that could work for groups of friends as well. This paper is from DCWV's Lodge stack. The stamp is by Great Impressions and the ribbon was a gigantic freebie roll (!). My plot is to change the ribbon color based on the dominant clothing color in the picture. This paper can take on an ivory tint or more silvery, depending on what it is next to so I think it will adjust well with other ribbon colors.

Frame 3--Is for those who like simple and more natural things. This paper is also from the Lodge stack. The ribbon is Celebrate It Basics. This one is sentiment free to allow for more options. The knot in the ribbon is a separate shorter piece tied around the long piece. It cuts down on the bulk.

The first ones I tried were a finished size of 5"x7" with the thought that they could be used as mats in a larger frame if that was desired. However, that didn't give a very stable base so I don't recommend it.

Hope they like these!

Bugaboo Is Charming

2012-01-24T02:30:00.000-06:00

This week the Tuesday Throwdown is simply charming. Yep, charms are the theme and Bugaboo Stamps is our great sponsor. You know that since I have made well over a thousand cards for Operation Write Home, I would have to choose this adorable little soldier digi.

It's a great reminder that even though the mission has been completed in Iraq, there are still troops all over the world on our behalf that are not to be forgotten. I, myself, have two soldier sons--one back from Iraq, and one who will be off in support of Operation Enduring Freedom too soon for me.

The little cutie was colored with Copics and mounted on kraft. I found this charm at my local Wal-Mart in the jewelry aisle. It is a bit reminiscent of a dog tag. It's attached with narrow ribbon to the back of the brad and I anchored it with a glue dot at the bottom. The sentiment was done on my computer, punched with an EK Success label punch and also mounted on Kraft.

I hope you will make some cards this week and donate them to OWH for our deployed troops to send home to their loved ones.

OWH Sketch Challenge 105

2012-01-22T20:45:00.001-06:00

Sketch challenges are my favorites. Check out today's at OWH Stars and Stamps blog. Here's my challenge cards and a couple of variations of it. I made 10 of these tonight. The first one is for the sketch challenge.

I inked the medallion edges with yellow chalk ink to help it stand out a bit. The sentiment used on all of the cards is a digi from the great blog, Create with TLC. You'll find lots of great digis there, both free and available for purchase. The bird punch is from Fiskars.

The embossing folder is from Cuttlebug and the papers are from the Linen Closet matstack by DCWV. The blue gray is a little more blue than it shows in these pictures. The striped papers are a single strip from one sheet.

Oh What Fun It Is to CAS

2012-01-19T22:00:00.001-06:00

Today's CAS class techniques are fabulous! This is just one of them. Now I need to go play with some more. I love this class. This card uses Prisma colored pencil over Color Box Frost White pigment ink. Jennifer McGuire and team have great ideas for sure!

Nuetral is Nice, but Is It CAS?

2012-01-17T03:00:00.000-06:00

This might be right up there with my top cards made for the Tuesday Throwdown design team. Black and white can be so stunning.

Stitchy Bear Stamps is our sponsor this week and the challenge is "Stuck in Neutral." I think I'll get stuck there more often. This image is appropriately called "Oriental Beauty." She's fabulous to work with because she requires no coloring. I must apologize that I can't figure out what matstack this paper is from! It is so gorgeous! I thought it was DCWV All Dressed Up but can't confirm that since I don't have any more sheets like this. It is so perfect with this image and has a wonderful silver shine to it. I like how the DP pattern along with this digi suggests movement.

Since I am still in the middle of the online CAS class I am taking, I wonder if this is technically a CAS card or not. The following are characteristics of the style that Julie Ebersole, one of our very talented instructors, offered when I asked about a definition for CAS:

A use of white space
There might be a particular technique, but it’s usually not something super complicated
Minimal, but thoughtfully chosen embellishment(s)
Minimal layering

I think it probably doesn't have quite enough "white" space to be CAS (doesn't necessarily have to be white, but is an area for the eye to rest.)

It is definitely a simple card though. All I did was:

print out a digi and touch up printer flaws with Copic black 100
die cut and emboss it with Spellbinders label 18
adhere it to black stock and trim by hand, then adhere to DP and finally onto the base.
no embellishment at all.

What do you think? Is it CAS or not?

CAS Class Day 6

2012-01-16T20:58:00.000-06:00

Here's my homework for Day 6 of the online Clean & Simple card class I am taking. Today's topic was simple embellishments. I love the freshness of pink and green and think the deep blue is beautiful. I'll make this card again.

The first piece of ribbon is attached to the back of the button with dimensional tape since it wasn't flat on that side. The rest are attached with medium glue dots. The Corner Chomper is one of my favorite tools.

OWH Sketch Challenge 104 and Something New

2012-01-15T22:48:00.000-06:00

Today's scrap card qualifies for the OWH Sketch Challenge and the Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge. These are mostly scraps that caught my eye today. I wanted to cut windows in the copper colored paper and have the yellow show through, but it is way too thick for my punch. I layered it on a piece of corrugated cardboard that I had previously stitched and added the new element--the brown ribbon. It's a pretty simple card but one with lots of texture.

Insanely Cool Technique

2012-01-13T22:46:00.002-06:00

Day 5 of the CAS class I am taking and it is so worth it. Today we learned a super cool technique using heat embossing on water color paper, Distress Ink, and Perfect Pearls (I used the mist). I didn't have any Distress Ink colors that went well together so mine is only one color but it is so gorgeous. I wish you could see it in real life. I made four very quickly. I used a piece of Provo Craft Texture Copper paper as a mat. The perfect pearls gives it a beautiful shimmer. The class sample used the Tim Holtz distress tool all around and it looked great. I don't have a comparable tool so mine is the smooth version. You can see my pencil marks in these pics but they don't show on the real cards.

CAS Class Day 4

2012-01-12T20:20:00.002-06:00

I have two cards for you today. The first is our Day 4 assignment and involved using stamps in different ways. And the second was inspired by the first day of class. Both cards use dimensional tape.

The stars are stamped with my Star Spangled Banner background stamp. Then I colored the edges with Copics. The trim is a border sticker. The part that looks like an ink splotch on the border is just an annoying shadow.

This is a Copic colored stamp, but you could get the same effect with a bold designer cardstock. I stamped the sentiment and punched it then mounted it on the square. Then rounded the opposite corners on both the square and the card.This is just right for the OWH Midweek Throwdown this week since flowers are the theme. I also think this could make a great CAS Mother's Day card.

I'm enjoying the class and beginning to get more comfortable with the style.

CAS Class Day 3

2012-01-11T20:01:00.000-06:00

Here is my assignment for my online CAS class. Today was tone-on-tone. I like it so much better than the single layer card. I made it with a Marvy 2" star punch and a Cuttlebug embossing folder. It is simply stacked punch shapes. I used my Xyron to adhere them. I'll be doing this technique again.

The Hardest Card I Have Ever Made in My Whole Life

2012-01-10T21:39:00.003-06:00

Clean and Simple is not near as simple as it looks! Today's assignment from my online class about fried my bacon. A single layer card. Here we are at least eight tries later...

You'd better believe I was going to make this baby count for a card challenge, so before my last several attempts I checked up on one of my faves and made sure it fit. Stampin' Sisters in Christ called for a card for someone who needs a lift.

You might be able to see more of the sheen in this picture. The tree is Smooch spray and Prisma colored pencil and the trunk is Ancient Page chocolate ink. I just pressed the pad directly on the base. The mask was created using my cloud punch. After laying the clouds out I traced around them then cut the mask. This is the first time I've tried masking and only my second one layer card. I punched an oval in order to draw the stitching around the sentiment. I love this sentiment. I'm not sure if the set was Recollections or Hero Arts : / I love the little butterfly that came with the set.

I like what Peggy Sue said on the Stampin' Sisters blog, "But what you put into your mind and heart influences your outlook on life." Not only am I taking this two week class right now, but I am working on a couple of other major challenges. One is this 90-day Bible reading plan. That is not to read the Bible for 90 days, but to read the Bible IN 90 days--front to back. It's a challenge all right, but so far I have made it through day six and am keeping up. In six days I have read from Genesis 1 through Exodus 28. Whew!

It's a great exercise and one I think I will repeat every January, then go at a more leisurely pace for the rest of the year. It is amazing the things that stand out that never did before, even though I have read them over and over. My retention is better (oddly) and I think about what I read quite a lot during the day. The site has all kinds of reading plans.

I'm also enjoying this class, though I think I have discovered that CAS is not my style. It's good to stretch yourself and try new things. Who knows, maybe in 12 more days I'll be crazy about CAS...

"Baby, it's cold outside."

2012-01-10T02:00:00.000-06:00

Our theme at Tuesday Throwdown this week is "Baby, it's cold outside" and our sponsor is Catherine Pooler, Stampin' Up demonstrator. The funny thing is that here in central Missouri it is seriously not cold this year. I love it. If we can hold our breath for one more month we might miss a real winter all together. Just need a few hard freezes to keep the insects down this summer.

Still, I can appreciate a beautiful snow and I think this retired Stamping Up image is adorable. I wanted to play with white with this one. The falling snow is created with Viva Pearl Pen and the snow folk are shaded with Copics.

"Clean up, Clean up, Everybody everywhere..." --Barney

2012-01-09T19:57:00.003-06:00

LOL I couldn't keep that song out of my head as I prepared to post my Clean and Simple (CAS) card from the online class I am taking. Today was Day 1 and here is my card based on one of the sketches. A key in CAS seems to be open solid space, though you can mix prints.

Here's one I made the morning out of scraps on my desk. It took less than five minutes. While it is simple, I don't think it is clean and simple. I like them both, but I think I like the bottom one best. I think I love mixing papers. Interestingly, I think CAS can take longer to make, even though they look quite simple.

Great Sketch!

2012-01-08T23:01:00.001-06:00

The sketch from the OWH sketch challenge card is a keeper alright. The card I made also works for our ODBD monthly challenge since I used three patterned papers. Let's go free shipping!

The teal paper and butterflies are from DCWV Mariposa stack--I love that one. The other prints are from Cosmo Cricket's Togetherness mini deck. I adhered only one side of the butterflies. The stamp actually says "You're an amazing dad!" I just inked the part I wanted. The sentiment is mounted on chocolate brown stock.

I'm taking an online class beginning tomorrow for two weeks, so watch this space for lots of Clean and Simple (CAS) cards. Can't wait.

Impression Obsession Time!

2012-01-04T20:52:00.001-06:00

Woohoo! It's time for the new challenge at Impression Obsession. Their theme is a hearts and flowers valentine. Theirs is always the trickiest challenge I take part in since you can only use IO stamps. This time I pulled off the sentiment using my label maker. The sentiment gets in the hearts aspect. I used two IO Cover-a-Card stamps. These stamps are 5.75"x5.75" and insanely cool. There are loads to choose from. I also use their Mega Mount acrylic block with them (and all of my other background stamps.) Since I got C-A-C Clouds (CC091) for Christmas, this card also fits OWH Stars and Stamps Midweek Throwdown. The flower is fussy cut from C-A-C Tapestry (CC025).

The yellow flowers have Viva Pearl Pen centers. the zinnia petals each have a touch of Glossy Accents. The zinnia is cut out and mounted on chipboard for dimension. The image is colored with Copics. The clouds are stamped in pigment ink.

A Shiny New Year

2012-01-03T04:00:00.000-06:00

Tuesday Throwdown is wishing you a happy--and shiny--new year. Robyn's Fetish is our sponsor and shiny is our requirement. I've used Ballerina Babe for my shiny take on a birthday card. She is colored with Copics and Spica glitter pens. The glitter is sealed with Glossy Accents and her sequined ribbon skirt is attached with Glossy Accents. Her crown is decked out in Viva Pearl Pen and a crown jewel was pressed into the wet Pearl Pen to attach it. Finally, three dimensional heart stickers were added under the sentiment.

Here's a closer view of the shimmery elements.

Hope you'll join in on the challenge this week.

OWH Sketch Challenge 102

2012-01-01T22:06:00.000-06:00

Wow! Yesterday's impromptu blog hop had plenty of inspiration. I haven't used any of my Dustin Pike digis. in awhile but they were featured on a few posts so I colored up a bunny for today's OWH Sketch Challenge.

I'm getting a start on my Easter cards for Operation Write Home since they are due February 15. Got to have time to make it around the world and back, after all.

Top Ten of 2011

2011-12-31T01:30:00.000-06:00

Here we are at the end of another year. It's been a good one. One of the activities I most value is making cards for Operation Write Home. Today their blog challenge is to post our ten favorite cards personally made for OWH in this past year. Here are mine and what I liked about them:

Technique: Scoring. Inspired by a Paper Crafts blog post by Susan Opel.

Sentiment popped with dimensional tape.

Technique: inked embossing folder with brown. Embossed on kraft.

Sentiment is both stamped and computer generated.

This is one of my favorite folds.

This is a SINGLE HAND COLORED STAMP!! (Impression Obsession) I loved doing it.

This may have been one of the trickiest OWH sketch challenges for me.

But I love the end result with the variety of embossing.

Great soft papers.

This MelonHeadz digi was a delight to color.

This Cosmo Cricket Core Impressions paper made fun snow. Digi is MelJen's.

One of my fave OWH tutorials--The sunburst.

(And could we forget the pinwheel tutorial and all of the cards that resulted from it??)

Technique: Stitching and use of the OWH tutorial for taking the
bulk out of standard silk flowers. OWH sketch.

Next stop is NANCY K.

Have a fantastic new year!

Happy Blogoversary to Me (With a present for you!)

2011-12-27T03:00:00.000-06:00

Wow! It's my second blogoversary already! Followers make it fun, so I want to give you a little treat in return for your attention and kind comments along the way.

These are scans of Illustrated London News pages dated December 24, 1887. I've had the actual pages for several years and always thought they were cool. Now I think they would make great papers for vintage styled cards.

The first one would make a fun element on a get well card. The right hand column of the second one would go nicely on a Mother's Day card. My fave line, "Mother there is a book about tea which tells how to make tea and all about water boiling."

Enjoy! If you use these in a project please come back and comment with a link. I'd love to see what you do with them.

Heads Up--A Blogoversary Treat is Coming Soon

2011-12-25T14:37:00.001-06:00

My Blogoversary is in only two days, so watch this space!

Eek, I almost forgot about the Our Daily Bread Designs challenge at OWH Stars and Stamps! ODBD is offering TWO generous $25 gift certificates for prizes, so you'll want a chance at that! Just play before January 1 when the next challenge starts. But my fave part is that OBDB will sponsor shipping for one large box of cards to our deployed troops for every 25 cards linked to the challenge post, with a maximum of 2 boxes per month. So be sure to tell all your friends to come and enter the challenge too! Right now there are 30 cards linked. Hope you'll hop on board and help us earn that second box. The theme this time is all about sentiments. Here's my card. It's a very simple one with a great stamp.

Here's a quick card made from leftovers while Christmas Eve dinner was cooking yesterday and before the whole gang arrived. The bear is a Cricut leftover adhered to an extra Nestie circle. I always cut and emboss extra when the Cricut or the Grand Calibur are out. The paper is from my scrap bin. I love that plaid. I left off a bow so this could go to a young boy. It makes me think of a little logger.

Hubs and I wish you a beary merry Christmas!

Impression Obsessions Pink Challenge

2011-12-18T14:18:00.002-06:00

Here I am again, hoping that Random.org picks me to win the current Impression Obsessions challenge and score some fabby free stamps. Love their stuff. My collection is growing larger (and I have a pretty informed feeling that Christmas will bring me more tools to compete with...), but for a pink challenge I'm sticking with the beautiful Thinking of You (C4107) sentiment.

I'm really pleased with this project since it was made using a broken frame a friend gave to me thinking I might be able to make something with it. It was formerly home to some lovely seashells nestled in fibrous stuff. The seashells turned out to be plaster casts so I felt no loyalty toward them.

So this frame left the seashore and became a reminder for my husband and I to consider each other before ourselves. The idea reminded me of a cartoon from Good Housekeeping back in 1983 when we were married. The two characters were at a marriage counselor and both wore shirts proclaiming "I love me" on them. The counselor was saying, "I think I see the problem." I thought that was pretty good back then and framed it. All of us need reminders now and then.

The squares were each lined in paper from DCWV's Charming stack, which I love. The pink elements are hearts punched from DCWV's French Country stack. They are adhered in the center of each square with dimensional tape. I reattached the glass using Quick Grip glue. Then reattached the outer frame using Glossy Accents as glue. It smelled safer somehow.

The sentiment is stamped in Colorbox bronze pigment ink and tamped on Inkadinkadoo's gold inkpad. The Nestie oval diecut is laced with beautiful Hallmark ribbon. Then scored and attached to the front and bottom of frame using my ATG. Next I trimmed the extra paper off. The other corner of the frame also had a bit of a gap to cover so I wrapped the corner in a beautiful piece of vintage hanky. The final touch is a row of pearls using a Viva Pearl Pen (love that stuff).

OWH Blog Skip featuring the New Hero Arts/OWH Stamp Sets

2011-12-16T15:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the second stop in our celebratory blog skip! You should have arrived from OWH Stars and Stamps blog. If you missed it, be sure to go back and comment so you will have more chances to win the prize drawing!

OWH is giving away one of each of the brand new Hero Arts stamp sets done in partnership with Operation Write Home! Three winners will be picked from all comments on all the blogs in the skip - the more blogs you comment on, the more entries you have! Winners will be drawn Sunday night.

Here are three cards to inspire you. I couldn't stop playing with those clocks!!

Ooooh, sparkly... Love DCWV glitter papers. That glitter is going nowhere--it is set into the paper so well.

You can purchase the "All the Time Set" online here, but we encourage you to check your LSS first. It's a perfect set for cards for deployed troops to send home to their families or for anyone who is missed. What a perfect day for this skip too, as my own soldier son heads home on leave this weekend. We can't wait to see him!!

Stamps: Hero Arts!!
Papers are from DCWV Border Punch Strips Nuetrals, Portobello Road Stack and K&Company Life's Journey stack.
Inks are Versafine Tuxedo Black and Tim Holtz Antique Linen Distress Ink.
Card base stock is Neenah Solar White.
Punches used: EK Success (circle punch is 2.25" for the largest clock in the set.)
Embellishments: Spare Parts brads and Viva Liquid Pearl Pen (love that stuff!)
Tools: Crop-A-Dile (love that!), WeRMemory Keepers Heart Attack distressing tool, McGill 1/8" punch (Could not even do without this tool!), Tonic Guillotine paper cutters, ATG (use the last two ALL the time.), 3M dimensional tape.

Now skip on over to "She's Gone Digital" and see what the fabulous Jan Hunnicutt has cooked up for you!

Digi Image Gift Bag Tutorial

2011-12-13T05:00:00.000-06:00

My Grafico is our generous sponsor for today's Tuesday Throwdown. Our theme is something "For Someone Special." Tomorrow night is the Secret Sister Christmas party at my church and we have an ornament exchange. The ornaments are to be wrapped and a small flat gift bag is not always handy--unless you are a paper crafter, that is.

My Grafico also offers loads of templates and printables for boxes and party favors. Be sure to have a look. This one is my creation.

I chose Cardinal Flourish from My Grafico's great "Nature's Christmas Digital Stamp Set."

Place digi image landscape on an 8.5"x11" page with the bottom of the image at 4" from the top of the page.

                    Place the right corner at 4.5" across on the page.
                    The left margin should be .5" and the right should be at 5".
                    Print digi.

Trim paper to 5"x8.5".

Score vertically at .5" and 4.5".
Score horizontally at 4" and 4.5".

You can easily adjust the size--the thing to remember is that the flat part the will form the bottom and the side folds need to be the same. So, for example, if the bottom is an inch, the sides should also be an inch.

Color image.

Press entire piece onto gold metallic ink pad rubbing back of image gently.

Cut center tabs, fold toward inside and adhere.

Trim top edges with scallop border punch.

Ink top and bottom edge.
Adhere side flaps.

Adhere ribbon to inside side panels.
Wrap pretty little gift in tissue paper and pop it in.

Give to someone special! : )

Triple Whammy

2011-12-12T18:38:00.002-06:00

Today's card works perfectly with three challenge blogs.

For Fantabulous Cricut's Challenge Me Monday, I used the Create a Critter Cartridge and my favorite sheer ribbon. I need to use this cartridge to applique a cute outfit for my grandbaby. I think this bear is so cute.
Stampin' Sisters in Christ want everyone to have a happy birthday, so I used that sentiment and added a package.
The sketch came from OWH Stars and Stamps Sketch Challenge #99.

Celebrate the Season with Tuesday Throwdown and an ornament

2011-12-06T01:30:00.000-06:00

Tuesday Throwdown welcomes you to "Celebrate the Season" for our challenge this week. Robyn's Fetish was our sponsor for the week and I am using their beautiful "in the cold" image. The image is colored with Copics then cut with Spellbinders "large scalloped rectangle." The snow is accented with Viva Pearl Pen and then the whole card got a spray of Perfect Pearl Mist to intensify the snow a bit and give the print some shimmer. The DP is from DCWV's Charming stack.

The Christmas season has a lot going for it. My card celebrates the gratefulness aspect of the holidays. I'll be using these to thanks friends for gifts they've shared with me.

I also want to show you something I re-purposed as a Christmas ornament. I had access to a whole pile of gigantic round clip on earrings with a gold ball in the center of them. I knew I would never wear them but right away I could see an ornament in them just waiting to get out. I was going to cleverly remove part of the earring when my friend said, "Just clip them right to the tree." Easy enough.

The earring is between the two long golden ornaments. It has a gold ball in the center of it. when I put this small tree away fully decorated again this year, I can know that those won't come off!

A Drink and a Sketch

2011-12-05T20:15:00.001-06:00

I'm entering the Impression Obsession challenge--which is truly a challenge! Using Impression Obsession stamps show what you like to drink. Well, I am still building my IO collection, though it is getting better. Fortunately my latest order just came this afternoon!

In this card I am using their gorgeous "Thinking of You" (C4107) and "Cover a Card Canvas" (CC073). I love the CAC stamps! If the random number generator picks me for their great prize I will have to go out for a celebratory cup of coffee for sure!

A friend and I go out once a week for a coke or coffee. We sit and talk long enough for a daisy to grow in our drinks. This card is also for the OWH Stars and Stamps Sketch Challenge this week. I like how the canvas stamped on ivory stock makes me think of a bistro table cloth and the striped squares remind me of napkins. The image is a Cuttlebug embossing folder die cut with Spellbinders scalloped circle. Then it was colored with Copics. I colored on the debossed side of the image for easier control, though it is the embossed side of the Nestie shape.

Pardon me while I go brew a cup.

As Seen on Pinterest--As Made by Me

2011-11-29T20:04:00.001-06:00

Are you like me and in love with Pinterest.com? Good stuff on there, I have to say. I saw some really cut cards someone pinned from a post by Susan Opel at Paper Crafts Connection. I always like scrap cards and I really like the graphic CAS look of the diagonal layout card on that post. Repin. And, oh the shock of it, I followed through and actually made something I pinned! Take a look.

LOL I had to get the Hubs to help me mark the grid since I was setting it up on the diagonal directly one the card front. I kept getting rectangular diamonds instead of squares. But, super duh, in the end I cut the strip and mounted it anyway. I could have marked any strip with scored squares easily and then mounted it just as I did this one. No one would have been the wiser.

I think it would be cute to replace just one square with an element such as a heart or button. I'm so kicking myself for selling my square punches since "anyone can cut a square." True, but speed and punches go together!

I'll definitely be making these again. The bottom card strips are 1" but next time I'll do them at .75" so I can get five strips like the original.

Masculine Christmas Card and Kid Valentine

2011-11-29T06:37:00.000-06:00

The Tuesday Throwdown is sponsored by Dude Time Doodles this week, a great place to look for masculine digi images for your cards. Our Tues. challenge for you is a "Christmas card for man or boy." I chose the "Santi Beaches" image (available in a set or by itself) for some dear friends who moved back to Florida and never pass an opportunity to taunt us Midwesterners via Facebook. This image makes me think of him with his feet propped on his 17th floor balcony railing as he "works" overlooking the ocean. The sentiment is actually a quote from his Facebook page. I think he'll like it : )

My friends' front yard is created with ocean waves from the Paper Studio. The beach is two pieces of terrific Cosmo Cricket Core Impressions--normally perfect for sanding. This is actually the backside of the paper--perfect for sand dunes. I adhered the larger piece, which had been cut along the embossed line. Next I placed the fussy cut Santa, then attached the smaller strip of beach covering a little of the feet and chair bottom as if the chair was in sinking into the sand.

The image is colored with Copics. I was aiming more for "tourist gaudy" than beautiful blending on this one LOL. But now the orange flowers almost look like the red shorts. Can't go without a little Glossy Accents when there are glasses involved, so Santa's shades got their coating.

Hope you'll play along with Tuesday Throwdown!

I'm still working on my valentines for the Archway Cookie Challenge as well. Last night's effort was this one for the kiddos. They need to know their deployed mom or dad loves them and is thinking of them too.

Love Dustin Pike's adorable digi aliens! These are his "crater" and "saucer b" digis. He has loads and loads of fun digis available. The alien in the saucer has super cute antennae, but I had to leave them off this time.

Have some fun--make some cards.

Cookies at Midnight

2011-11-28T06:43:00.001-06:00

No, I didn't eat them. *sigh*. Instead, I made 10 more valentines for the Archway Cookie Challenge for Operation Write Home. The deadline to get them to my shipper is December 10th. Then our deployed troops will get that many more cookies from Archway. What's 10 cookies? Not much. But when hundreds of other card makers are also busily at it, the cookies add up quickly. Our goal is 5,000 cookies to go along with these boxes of cards. Then the sweetness will continue when the cards are written in and sent to their loved ones back home.

The first card is also my OWH Stars and Stamps sketch challenge card. The third card is for this week's Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge, which featured birds. These birds have a touch of Glossy Accents to highlight their hearts. All of the cards that have embossing or die cuts were done on the Grand Calibur. I like that you can do lots of multiples in few passes with it. The embossing folders are from both Cuttlebug and Sissex. All the dies are Spellbinders Nestabilities.

Masculine Valentine and Source for Scherrenschnitte Patterns

2011-11-21T22:47:00.001-06:00

I love photo inspiration challenges. This one is from Lawn Fawn. Here is the photo:

Terrific photo--and I needed to take it in the Valentine direction. My card picks up on the homespun feel with a DP that both picks up the grays from this photo and makes me think of vintage flour sack material that my great grandmother would have quilted or sewn into dresses and aprons. The wood grain element is taken from the bowl and table. There is a touch of apple red in the ribbon and gold from the leaves is the repeated with a "subliminal" print of the word forever behind the sentiment label, which uses Lawn Fawn's Jessie's ABCs. The inside of the card has a single image of that word in gold as well. The label is popped on dimensional tape.

For those with an interest in trying Scherrenschnitte (in this earlier post) here is an excellent pattern source that I have used often. There are plenty of easier ones to try than the one I pictured. She has lots and lots of great patterns. Here is another I made a few years ago from one of Alison's patterns. And a tip--I use both small very sharp scissors and an X-ACTO knife if needed for some teeny tiny areas.

Never be afraid to try new things.

Fantabulous Cricut Challenge

2011-11-21T16:14:00.001-06:00

Fantabulous Cricut's Challenge Me Monday has thrown down the gauntlet and they are wanting "thanks" cards.
The card I made is also perfect for:
Die Cut Dreams challange of "thanks with circles."
The Pink Elephant challenge of "giving thanks."

I used the ZooBalloo cartridge for this thanks card. The patterned papers are from Recollections Charming Stack and Graceful Stack. I'm so into purple lately, don't know why. I coated the center of the flower with Glossy Accents as a finishing touch.

My Very First Soldered Charm

2011-11-20T22:53:00.001-06:00

I've been wanting to make soldered charms and now I have! I can't tell you how tickled I am with it. It's a little lumpy but not bad for one who has never even picked up a soldering iron before.

DCWV's butterflies and flourishes from the Mariposa stack are just right for such things. I love how paper crafting skills and supplies have a broad variety of applications.

My son and You Tube showed me how. In the video she is using thicker plumbing solder but I used the kind meant for electronics. That's my boy right there. : )

It was pretty easy and I will definitely be making more! This one will start out on our Christmas tree, but I don't think I'll be packing it away when the tree comes down.

Love is in the Air

2011-11-20T17:29:00.001-06:00

It's that time. OWHers are busy at it with the Valentines cards already. After all, it takes time to go to the desert and back again. This time the benefits of making even one card are multiplied by two:

Archway cookies is back on board this Valentines season matching our sweets (cards) with their sweets (cookies) for our deployed heroes. The goal is to get 5,000 delicious cookies to our troops and 5,000 Valentines back to their loved ones at home.
Our Daily Bread Designs is not only offering card makers a $25 prize but also underwriting shipping for two boxes for our troops. Thanks ODBD!

I used OWH Stars & Stamps sketch challenge #96 for this card. Love this sketch!

I used Neenah Solar White for the label and papers from GCD's Cloisonne pack. The label was cut and embossed using Spellbinders Labels 18. The stamp is Studio G and the pigment ink is Colorbox Cranberry. For the three horizontal strips element I used my favorite Basic Narrows sheer ribbon from Celebrate It. They have so many pretty colors. The final touch is a brad-centered flower.

Hope you'll join in these challenges!

Impression Obsession Challenge

2011-11-15T22:47:00.001-06:00

Wow! Talk about a challenge! Impressions Obsession wants us to use no patterned paper! To make it trickier all stamps used must be IO. Only fair, when the prize is so nice (please, oh please pick me, Mr. Random.org!!). Fortunately I just happen to have some IO cover-a-card stamps. I think they are gorgeous, and their Mega Mount acrylic "rocker" I would have to call it, makes every brand of background stamp go on evenly.

I knew just which stamp to pick for this challenge--Cover-a-Card Tapestry (CC024). I colored it with Copics: R22, R21, R20 and R29. It is accented with a Viva Pearl Pen. The sentiment presented a problem as I have no IO sentiment stamps at present. But I found a tag in Colorbok's Flea Market punch out pad and bulked it up with a coat of glossy accents. The image is layered on black stock and finished with a piece of May Arts ribbon.

Funny, I found out about each of the products used on this card (except Colorbok) either through chat on the Operation Write Home Facebook wall or their OWH Stars & Stamps blog. Hopping places :). That is appropriate since most of my cards are donated through them to our deployed troops so that they have something besides the back of an MRE box to write home on. That is where this one is headed as well. Letters home keep military families strong! I'm glad to be part of such a worthwhile thing.

I am smitten with IO stamps.

Family Heirloom

2011-11-15T06:53:00.000-06:00

It's Tuesday Throwdown time and our sponsor this week is My Grafico. The digi I choose was from their Doodleflower collection. I had fun with both the image and the challenge. No card this week. I made a framed baby announcement of sorts for my sweet little grandbaby for Christmas. I wish you could see it in real life. I think it could become a family heirloom and would make a nice baby gift for anyone.

And another view...

I placed the digi in my Word program, sized it then copied it three more times. Next I reversed and flipped them to create a frame. It is colored with Copics (RV66, RV63, YG61, YG63 and YG67). Then it was fussy cut and trimmed in vintage tatted lace from a hanky. The challenge calls for circles and there were loads in the digi image, the base paper and in the tatted lace. Next I matted it on papers from DCWV's French Country Stack and Recollections Portabello Road stack. It was embellished with two dimensional heart stickers as well. The baby's details were printed from my computer onto Neenah Solar White and cut and embossed using Spellbinder's Labels 18.

Several years ago I did a lot of Scherenschnitte. In doing that I learned a few tricks for cutting without insanity. On these curvy flourishes I used my hole punch on the inside curves. Punch the holes first while the paper is solid. If you wait to try to punch until you have cut everything else then something will likely tear.

Below is my favorite of the Scherenschnitte I have done in the past. Now you can do similar things on a Cricut, but every shred of this one was hand cut. The Polish did a form of this called Wycinanki, in which they used sheep sheers (!) to cut intricate designs.

Baby's First Christmas Ornament

2011-11-14T10:48:00.000-06:00

The Stamps R Us Challenge Blog is just right for a bit of baby bling today. Their theme is "bling it on." I used some beautiful minty green paper from DCVW's Franch Country Stack to make a Baby's First Christmas ornament for my adorable granddaughter. Her mother loves Christmas decorations and is still building a collection. I think she will treasure this one.

I did the cross stitch portion of this some years ago. I don't know if I had anyone specific in mind for it at the time. The year on it was 1995! I picked out that date and stitched in 2011. Love the number one when it comes to needlework. It is so easy to cross stitch! Then I wrapped it onto a piece of recycled chip board and backed it with specialty paper. Next I cut two shapes with Spellbinders Label 18 from the beautiful DCVW paper and attached ribbon between the sandwiched pieces.

Baby needs a little bling, so I adhered gemstones front and back. The ones on front were circles that I trimmed to fit. The Bow Easy helped me make the perfect bow to finish off this ornament. I sewed it on rather than gluing it so this would last a long long time. This would also make a nice added touch to a baby gift no matter what time of the year a little one is born.

Bookmark and Altered Art

2011-11-08T21:40:00.000-06:00

The challenge at Fantabulous Cricut this week was to make something having to do with books. I put together this quick and easy bookmark for a friend. The purple scalloped shapes are from the Elegant Edges cartridge. I've made a habit of cutting extra shapes each time I have my Cricut or my Grand Calibur in action, then I have them handy for other projects. These were from my handy container. I particularly like the row of bling across the top of my bookmark. I also used EK Success punches for the shapes above and below the sentiment and the scalloped edge.

Speaking of books, I had lots of fun trying my first altered art piece this past weekend. I'm sure I haven't followed the rules of the craft, largely because I never found any. But I really enjoyed playing with the ingredients and Mod Podge. Altered art is a great way to apply all those card making skills and scraps with a different twist--certainly a more random one. I had to fight the urge to be symmetrical.

This is for my mom for Christmas--so she'd best not be peeking. I don't think she will see it here though. My mom is an artist, so I will include a few new charcoal pencils. A couple of my favorite things on it are copies of a penciled recipe (under the washers) and a blank counter check (had a recipe on back) that are from my grandmother's recipe box.

The thing that amuses me most is the sentence made from random words copied and cut out from old books. This one says, "Look for the silver lining. If you find yourself with a lot of odd bits leftover store it right in the carton." I know. It makes no sense. I like it. Then of course, I had to bling it up with pearls and gemstones. I painted Mod Podge right over them and they still kept their shine.

My Hubs contributed some washers. I dressed it up with the corner of a vintage hanky, which was translucent when it dried. It also is embellished with elements from a paper pad, several DPs and a ribbon spine with lace overlay.

When applying the Mod Podge, I used short strokes in random directions. That gave it a nice texture when it dried.

These are the steps I used.
Let each layer dry before doing the next one.

Paint on a layer of Mod Podge and apply DP in random orientation making sure to smooth out all air bubbles.Overlap the edge. Next time I alter one of these I will overlap the edge more than I did here.
Turn overlapping edges to inside of cover and secure with tape runner. Cover raw edges with border stickers.
I used three rubber stamps--a screen background one from Stampabilities, a house key and a row of houses--with Color Box pigment stamp pad in copper. I love that look.

I was stamping onto a dried layer of Mod Podge. If I didn't like what I got I just wiped it off with the hanky leftovers and it left a nice distressed look. Once I got it how I wanted I covered it with a coat of MP.

I thoroughly enjoyed making this altered journal and will do more for other people's gifts.

Stitchy and Sketchy

2011-11-07T21:30:00.000-06:00

The Tuesday Throwdown challenge this week is to use your fave color combo. Fun! Mine happens to be purple and green. I like their freshness and spunk. Speaking of spunk--I chose "fancyfree" from our sponsor, Stitchy Bear Digital Stamps. I used OWH Stars and Stamps sketch challenge to drive the design. I think this one would be great encouragement for a preteen who is looking for herself.

The DP is from DCWV's Lodge Stack and is actually a pine bough, but it was abstract enough and had a nice shine to it. Three strands of ribbon cross the front. I gathered six short strands, folded them in half and stapled them for the plumage (for lack of a better word). Then the digi was adhered on top with ATG tape over the ribbon and dimensional tape elsewhere. A girl needs a little bling so I added green and purple gemstones along with the sentiment. She is colored in Copics and her jewelry in Spica Glitter Pens that I coated with Glossy Accents to prevent any rub off or flaking but still allow for shine. (I took the photo before adding the GA.) I think she turned out fun.

Be you!

Now that is whatcha call deeply etched.

2011-11-02T21:37:00.001-05:00

I finally got in another Fantabulous Cricut Challenge woohoo! They called for anything bird related. And it coordinated nicely with the OWH Midweek Throwdown. Theirs was a photo inspiration challenge of a fabulously flourished tee shirt with a bird on it. It would be slightly appropriate for me to say I killed two birds with one stone. Only figuratively of course. Here's my creation. The birds in the nest are from the Wall Decor and More cartridge.

Often when I go to Michael's I head straight to the paper crafts section. I found out just what I was missing the other day when I strayed into the soap making aisle. Get a load of these seriously deeply etched red dubber stamps I found. They were in the soap section! There were eight in the package for only $4.99. Great buy.

A light coat of Alene's Tack-It-Over and Over and they are good to go.

Thanks Snow Much!

2011-11-01T04:00:00.000-05:00

Hope you are joining in on the Tuesday Throwdown. Today, thanks is the theme. There is a prize to be had as well. The winner of this challenge gets 5 digital stamps or 4 digital stamps and 1 digital paper set of his or her choice from our sponsor Robyn's Fetish Digital Stamps and More.

I did several variations of this since I like to load the base plate of my Grand Calibur with as many dies as it will hold at once. Robyn's Fetish provided the digis for the DT this week and I think "Carl the Snowman" is too cute. The sentiment was punched with an EK Success label punch then inked in silver.

The best part is the fabby Lawn Fawn alphabet stamps I got. This card used two of their stamp fonts Harold's ABCs and Sally's ABCs. Check out this video to say how cool these are. You can't go wrong in spacing them. There's also a great tip in the video for those long words that you don't have all the letters for. The sentiment is adhered with dimensional tape. The digi had heart buttons on Carl's belly, but I have lots of heart stickers and wanted to show them off here.

Time for you to show off a card. Hope you'll join in on the challenge this week!

Sketch and Sew

2011-10-30T16:33:00.000-05:00

I've been hankering to sew (thanks to finding this blog on Pinterest) and decided today's OWH Stars and Stamps sketch was perfect to break out my tiny, cute Janome Sew Mini. The thing weighs nothing and made sewing on paper fun.

There are lots of great tutorials under the "resources" tab at OWH S&S blog. I used this one for a nifty trick to take down the bulk in my silk flower. Now it gives the card a lot of dimension but it will flatten nicely in the envelope.

The center of the flower is a leopard print brad and the tag is edged in yellow chalk ink. It's attached on the base with adhesive but the end of it has a small piece of dimensional tape for depth. The garnet colored shape is cut with Spellbinders Large Scallop Rectangle.

I love these colors, and this week the Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge blog is featuring them so I'll join in over there too.

Well stick that on the fridge, would ya?

2011-10-29T16:50:00.000-05:00

My first thought every time I do something that I like is that it should be hung on the fridge. A little difficult to do when it is a blog header. I followed this super easy tutorial to create my new header in Photoshop Essentials. This after messing with my blog all day trying to get it how I wanted it. Turns out with the new dynamic view template I was unable to use the Inlinkz widget on other blogs. That will never do. So I am back to the simple template again. I like playing in blog challenges and taking part in blog hops.

Polka Dots

2011-10-28T19:25:00.002-05:00

The challenge at OWH Stars and Stamps is polka dots. Love polka dots! Just the mention of it makes me think of a story my mom tells me. It was picture day at school in about 1970. My mom had made me a sweet little dotted swiss dress. The dots never made it home though. In my nervousness over the event I had picked off virtually every dot from that work of art.

Dots and I fare better these days. Particularly these great orange dots from DCWV's Baby Girl stack. Love the fresh colors and prints in that one!

The sentiment was cut on the Cricut using the Paper Lace cartridge. It's embellished with May Arts ribbon. DeAnna Catron Goen posted a link to this great little tutorial on tying a flat knot. There is also fabulous bling and some touches of Glossy Accents. I like the contrasting colors.

Now to make about four more variations with my remaining pieces.

Primary Colors

2011-10-25T06:04:00.000-05:00

I'm going out on a limb and trying Blogger's new "dynamic" layout. It is kind of cool. you can select different views by using the tabs across the top. Flipcard will show you all of the photos ever posted on this blog. You can click on one to see the details. It's kind of cool and there will be customization tools coming soon. Hope you like it.

This week's Tuesday Throwdown calls for primary colors. Our sponsor, My Grafico, has a fabulous circus themes set that is just right for the primaries. The beauty of digis is that you can size them any way you wish. Go large for terrific themed room decor. I could see these on lampshades, framed pieces, window shades, banners...

I chose the cute seal and paper-pieced it.My edge punch had nicely spaced holes in it so I stitched them up with twine and finished the ends with buttons. The sentiment label takes on a ticket feel and is adhered on foam tape.

Masculine Cards

2011-10-24T13:03:00.000-05:00

Great sketch on the OWH Stars and Stamps sketch challenge this week, along with a plea for more Any Hero cards. So this week, before tackling the sketch I used my beautiful Stampers Best bald eagle again along with a great Star Spangled Banner Stamp by Stampington & Co. for a batch of hero cards.

This image is colored with Copics. I love coloring the eyes that icy blue and then coating the eyes and beak with Glossy Accents. I'm very excited to be taking a Copic Certification Class in November. Finally I will learn what I am doing LOL.

Next, I tackled the sketch challenge. I can almost smell Old Spice on these masculine cards.

I love DCWV's Lodge Stack. It is loaded with great masculine prints. The wood grain is gorgeous. The light green and light blue are from Colorbok and are textured. I used the smooth side up on the blue to get a nice stamped image.

So many of my fave challenge blogs are stuck in holiday mode--Halloween specifically--and our Operation Write Home timeline is already beyond Christmas. Hopefully there will be more general challenges out there soon.

Kid fun

2011-10-22T10:59:00.000-05:00

I been missing out on the Hambo Hoedown for several weeks now. Glad to get a minute to get in on the fun this week. The challenge is a sketch and I think "Caterpillar-digi" from Hambo Stamps is just right for the long rectangle.

Most of my cards are made for Operation Write Home for our deployed troops to send home to their loved ones. I think this is just right for one of their kiddos.

If you've got kids in your life you might want to invest in a colander and package of chenille stems. They make a great activity judging by this pic of my friends daughter modeling her creation.

They make great sculptures too, in the hands of budding Michaelangelos. Lots of fun on the cheap.

Shapely card

2011-10-18T06:00:00.004-05:00

Want to make shape cards but don't have Nestabilities or an electronic cutter? Start with a digi and enlarge it to fit the envelope you've chosen. I used this fabulous truck from Dustin Pike. He has a Halloween freebie posted today and the post below that is one of his fabulous sales.

Next color it up. This one was great fun to color. I gave the windshield and lights a touch of my fave Glossy Accents.

Next draw a light pencil line around it leaving a white "frame" and marking straight sides at the bottom of the image so that it will stand nicely. Cut out the digi on that line.

Because I used Copics and I didn't want the back to show, I traced the card again onto a black mat layer. Then, after it was mounted, I traced it again onto the white base stock and cut that out then scored that piece near the top and folded it on the score line.

Finally, I adhered the front and back above the score line. The sentiment was done on the computer, inked with antique linen distress ink and punched using Fiskars cloud punch. Some little boy is going to love this! Try one and join in on the Tuesday Throwdown this week.

Christmas 4.0

2011-10-17T19:22:00.000-05:00

The OWH Christmas card deadline is looming over head so my cards are packaged and ready to head to my shipper tomorrow. Today's batch was my last and I am on to general wintery card and Valentines. I won't do V-day specific cards, just lots of love you/miss you cards, which are always in high demand anyway. Here are today's. The first one qualifies for the OWH Sketch Challenge.

Are We Pear Yet?

2011-10-16T19:02:00.000-05:00

Not a card, but a can today. Or make that 43 cans. I spent 11 hours yesterday canning pears with my friend Ashley.

We started out with "Apple Peeler/Slicer/Corers" doohickeys, but both ended up preferring to leave the nutrient rich peels and use the speedier and less wasteful simple corer/slicer. That was some serious uppr body exercise.

Her is the fair pear queen herself posing with the tree as if she did anything to make it fruit.

It was loaded!

And so was my apron.

And Ashley's apron.

And kettles and crock pots!

And the canner was loaded repeatedly.

Ashley and I were so proud of our first batch that we called for her hubs to come and clap for us. Which he did. And take pictures. Which he did. Good man.

This was the first jar to sing with a "ping."

I have always though home canned goods were beautiful.

And they are.

43 jars later.

This is my half. We are so happy to report that the jam jelled!!

Star Spangled Hero Card

2011-10-13T22:45:00.000-05:00

The Midweek Throwdown on OWH Stars and Stamps calls for a masculine card. I employed a bit of ribbon on mine and used Stamper's Best fantastic bald eagle stamp. Red stars on the sentiment are a nice contrast to the white ones on the ribbon. The beak and eye have a coat of Glossy Accents. It was still wet when I took this photo, so it is not quite so glossy now. It's just right. The sentiment and the eagle are attached with dimensional tape.

This is going to be a hero card to thank one of our troops. If you haven't delved into card making for OWH yet, you might be interested in the cool new Cheerios box and their "Send Cheer" program. I say, "Way to go Cheerios!"

Christmas 3.0

2011-10-12T23:10:00.001-05:00

The OWH deadline is fast approaching and I am almost done with Christmas cards. I wish the mettalics photographed better. I am entering this first card in the ABC Christmas Challenge to use the unused. These felt snowflake stickers are last year's leftovers.

I think I like the snowmen...

...and the green swirlies the best.

Think Pink

2011-10-11T06:00:00.003-05:00

Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps is our great sponsor at Tuesday Throwdown this week. I really like their Cocoa and Cookie mouse character digis. Cookie is just right since today we're thinking pink for breast cancer awareness. I remember that when I was a kid hearing the word cancer meant the person had an automatic death sentence. I am so grateful for the strides that have been made in cancer research and treatment. This card is in honor of my friends who are breast cancer survivors--Edith, Judy, June...

I used the negative space from a recent Nesties cut out to frame Cookie and plenty of glitz and glam with shiny and sparkly papers. You can't see it in the picture but the lipstick and nail polish are coated in Glossy Accents for that dewy wet look. I can imagine this digi as a reminder card to a friend to remember those regular breast exams.

Did you remember?

Christmas 2.0

2011-10-08T19:59:00.000-05:00

Good thing the OWH Stars and Stamps Midweek Throwdown asked for Christmas cards. I still have lots of Christmas papers and the deadline to get them to OWH shippers is October 31. Here are a few more.

I really like how this one turned out. Very CAS. The only embellishment is Glossy Accents on all of the ornaments.

I did a lot of cards like these Santa cards with the sentiment strip. It's putting me in the holiday season mood!

Merry Christmas!

2011-10-05T19:31:00.000-05:00

I dug out all of my Christmas papers and determined to use them up. I love the designs. My first card is for the sketch challenge and all the rest are for the OWH Midweek Throwdown.

The ornaments in the card below each have a dot of Glossy Accents.

In the one below I used Spica Glitter pens but I cover the glitter with Glossy Accents to seal it in.

Mummy's the Word... And a Blog Candy Winner!! (Drawn from all followers so be sure to check.)

2011-10-04T03:00:00.004-05:00

It's that time of the year...candy corn, people actually buying plastic spiders instead of shooing the real ones away. Yep, Halloween is on the way at Tuesday Throwdown. This week's sponsor is Robyn's Fetish. I used their "Sally and her Pumpkin" digi for my DT card. (I added the Jack o'lantern features to the pumpkin.)

The digi is colored with Copics, as is the cloud which was punched from chipboard packaging. The cloud is adhered with dimensional tape. All of the papers are from GCD's Spooked pad, including the ones used as photo backdrops. All of the Halloween prints in that pad have great distressed solids on back so it has proven very versatile. I fussy cut one of the bats to spook it up a little more.

Here's another card inspired by fall and photographed on more papers from the Spooked pad.

Since most of mine are A2 sized and glitter free for Operation Write Home, and I am sending this to a friend, I enjoyed making it to fit a #10 envelope and using up some of last year's after-Halloween-sale glitter brads.

Now, just like Halloween, I made you wait for candy until the end. During our Operation Write Home World Cardmaking Day blog hop I had some blog candy available.

The winner was drawn from my followers and is *drum roll, please*:

Kathryn Belmonte

Kathryn, please message me your address so I can send your prize. You may e-mail it to imaginemakeshare(at)gmail(dot)com. Or message me on Facebook.

OWH World Cardmaking Day Blog Hop!!

2011-09-30T23:08:00.001-05:00

Welcome to the Operation Write Home bloghop! Merry Christmas!

It's a little early for but it's time to get lovely blank cards off to our deployed heroes so that they can deliver Christmas wishes to their loved ones. OWH is a great way to help keep our military families strong during those long deployments and as an Army mom I am sooo happy to be part of it!

I like the shiny side of Christmas a lot.

My card is embossed in Martha Stewart Dove embossing powder on metallic red paper then matted on teal metallic. Oooh shiny... I've had a lot of trouble embossing in the past but finally found a product that helps immensely--Top Boss Tinted Embossing Stamp Pad. Fabulous! There is also a very humble side of Christmas--that of the child born in the manger. I sanded the edges of the red and chose my sentiment to reflect that most important side. The sentiment is punched and adhered with dimensional tape. The card is then trimmed with classic red velvet ribbon.

Enjoy hopping and happy World Cardmaking Day! See the post below for a bit o'blog candy!

A Bit o' Blog Candy for World Cardmaking Day

2011-09-30T07:00:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow is World Cardmaking Day and we will be partying right here with the Operation Write Home blog hop. Here is a little prize package to get you ready. On Monday, October 3, I will pick a winner from all of my followers. Be sure to comeback tomorrow for the hop, it will be great fun!

A Circle of Blessings

2011-09-27T06:00:00.004-05:00

Today Tuesday Throwdown is "Thinking of you."

There is a large group of people I think of often--our deployed military and their families back at home. My card is for them. I am an Army mom and have been blessed to be an Operation Write Home card maker for about a year and a half now. Check it out. Why not join us? Here's a comment from one card recipient:

"A huge 'Thank You' from a military spouse who has been lucky enough to get 3 of your beautiful cards! Words can never tell you how much it means to us to get something in the mail from our loved one, let alone a precious handmade card! The dedication and caring put into each one is evident from the moment I open the envelope. Every single one will be kept and treasured for always!"--Marianne (posted on the OWH Facebook wall)

Providing cards for our deployed military to let their family members and loved ones know they're thinking of them is a rewarding circle of blessing. I am the first in that circle when (1) I get the enjoyment of creating, next (2) the deployed service member is encouraged because someone thought of him or her and cared enough to do something about it (3) Someone's day is made back at home because they heard from their husband/wife/boyfriend/dad/etc. (4) People around them are blessed because it is a happy day (5) Many post on our OWH Hero Blog or our Facebook wall and the blessing comes right back to me. Nice.

Here is what is going in my OWH box today. My card sports our sponsor, My Grafico's, digi "old bike."

Their fun image made me think of Cosmo Cricket's terrific "togetherness" stack. I like how the pinwheel strip gives the illusion of movement so close to the spokes. I set the image off center so not to hide all the great butterflies. Then added three rows of teal pearls to help balance it a bit and further suggest movement. The sentiment is stamped and the image shape cut with Nestabilities scalloped oval die, pounced on a silver ink pad then on a gold one. The elements were all matted with black for contrast. The card was edged in golden ink as well.

Mail from a deployed loved one is a treat and it is a treat for them to have something nice to write home on. I'm glad to be able to help keep our military families strong and craft something beautiful at the same time.

I hope you will become an OWH card maker too!

I'm a new grandma!!!

2011-09-24T11:25:00.001-05:00

Hey, everyone, I have a new grandbaby!!! She is absolutely precious! Alas, since this is a public blog, this all you will get to see of her sweetness.

The next day I got the news that I am diabetic. My other son said, "The baby is so sweet that you instantly became diabetic." LOL! Probably true. Meanwhile, I am in the middle of a big learning curve on the whole diabetes thing. To help me deal with that I have started a sister blog, Making Peace with Diabetes.

Here's one for the guys:
"Mom, can you sew this?" Last week's big crafty thing was to make my son a tree sling for deer hunting. I call it a treehugger. He told me what to sew and I did it. To assure the fit he had to swing in it while it was pinned, which meant all the pins were poking him right in the rear. When we took them out they were bent like fishhooks LOL. He never felt a thing though.

Looks like the new dad is packing a dirty diaper.

But no, it is a sling to keep him comfy for hours of bow hunting. It is concocted of tow straps and a harness, canvas, assorted clips and carabiners.

It went a lot better once we figured out my machine needle was bent.

While I was cropping my son's recognizable features out of these pics, I tripped over this lovely picture of cherry tomatoes my friend Anna took on my deck. Beautiful.

Cool Weather Cards

2011-09-20T06:00:00.004-05:00

Cool weather and cool cards--great blend for a fall Tuesday Throwdown. I thought this mouse digi from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps was adorable. The mouse is colored with Copics. The pumpkin is paper pieced and the edges are inked with Color Box moss green. Gourd-geous (LOL)! The sentiment was done with a Brother P-touch label maker, a most handy tool. The card is topped off with three buttons laced with narrow brown ribbon.

Papers:
Pumpkin = GCD's Spooked pack.
Leaf green = Colorbok textured solid stack.
Striped paper = K&Company Sleepy Tree Seasonal Paper Pad
Plaid = Basic Grey (and is backed with a beautiful floral)

Finally! Playing a few Birthday Bash Challenges

2011-09-19T20:10:00.000-05:00

I've been trying all month to participate in some of the great Operation Write Home birthday Bash challenges. It's been a crazy month though. But I finally got to play today--so for some I'm a day late and a dollar short, but they were still good inspiration. I'm playing in the:

May Arts challenge, which calls for a Christmas card with ribbon
Inspired Stamps miss you/love you challenge
Lisa Oliver's virtual card party celebrating nature challenge

Now, with no further ado--my cards.

And a special nod to the first party of the month from Impression Obsession. I would have had the time to play in that one, but instead I was shopping their catalog!!! Insanely great stuff there--and I bought a chunk of it. Both of the stamps I used are theirs. The birch woods stamp is a whopping 5"x5".

I also loved the concept of their mega acrylic rocker block. I have now tested it and it's a great product. The sentiment has been a favorite of mine for some time--on ribbon that really was too wide for cards. I was quite excited to find it on a stamp.

Sing Your Art Out--Blog Hop

2011-09-16T07:00:00.004-05:00

Welcome to "Sing Your Art Out" blog hop sponsored by Hambo Stamps! I love
Hambo blog hop themes! Last time it was movie titles and this time it is song titles. If you arrived here from Beverly's blog you are in the right place! If not, you might want to start back at the beginning at the Hambo blog to make sure you are eligible for the hopper prize!

Just a few months ago I tickled myself when I entered a card cleverly called "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" in Hambo's weekly challenge. This time I'm going with Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Freebird." I used Hambo Stamps Farm Chicken digi. It's no doubt a free-range chicken.

*snicker* This card is going to my daughter-in-law very soon when my very first grandchild is born.

I think this chicken can empathize : ). The egg was blotted in my favorite gold ink. The beak, feet and eyes are coated in Glossy Accents and the comb and egg are accented with it.

Thanks for stopping by. Be sure to hop over to Judy's blog for more musical card cleverness.

The Amazing Seven Pocket Card --Tutorial

2011-09-14T23:35:00.002-05:00

Fueled by a visit from a dear out-of-state friend, Anna--staying up late, shopping until we dropped (or at least I did--she is much younger), having friends over to make cards, etc.--we made an amazing birthday card for a special lady's 75th birthday. 75 years deserves spectacular, after all.

It reminds me of the old riddle "As I was going to St. Ives, I met a man with seven wives..." Only in this case it is seven pockets, with seven tags. We went with one for each decade of our friend's life. Both are embellished front and back with no holds barred. The only thing we did to give it a sense of unity was use base papers from one pad. Anna made three pockets, complete with personal messages to our friend and I made four pockets with messages to her.

Here's how we did it:

Cut Kraft paper 7" x 4.25" to form pockets. You can adjust the size to accommodate whatever you plan to put in the pockets. It is possible to form the pockets out of designer card stock only, but ours are craft with other DP layered over it. They are very sturdy. My brow is wrinkled because I am figuring it out as I go.

Next score lengthwise at 3/8". This will be the bottom. Score the top lengthwise at 1/2". Now score vertically at 2" and 5".

Then, at the bottom, cut up on the vertical lines just to the score line.

Then cut off the bottom as pictured below.

Now angle the front of the pocket by cutting off the sections of the two end pieces going from the vertical lines angled down to the scoreline at the edge. It may be easier for you to get this straight if you score it lightly.

Now fold the sides in on the score line, then the bottom up sealing with adhesive.

Use a small hole punch on both sides. You will need these to attach the pockets to each other.We did this here in the process because we were inventing as we went. You might want to put your DP on first. It works both ways. Be sure your tags, gift cards or other contents fit between the sides nicely.We used standard shipping tags.

Next we chose the papers we wanted for the base layers and put them in an order we liked.

Now go nuts. We embellished fronts and backs of both tags and pockets. But leave room on the backs to write personal notes.

Ahhh, that was fun! Then the next day we decided to attach the pockets with inexpensive jewelry jump rings.

Some had small clear beads and some were plain. It turned out to be a great solution.

Finally, we wrapped it cigar-band style.

This has to be one of the most fun cards I've made, and I think Anna would say that as well. We think it would be great for other occasions--four pockets spelling LOVE for valentines day, Christmas Advent calendars, gift card holders. The ways this can be adapted are endless.

Try it!

aLUREing Pearls

2011-09-13T03:53:00.001-05:00

Did you know it is possible to use pearls on a masculine card? True. I did it this week for the Tuesday Throwdown pearl challenge. Stitchy Bear Stamps kindly provided the design team with super images. Great images for masculine cards are hard to find so I chose "The Big One" even though it is a pearl challenge...just makes it more challenging. It brought to mind a friend whose husband makes hand tied lures for fly fishing and then I knew just what to do--aLUREing pearls. LOL.

The fisherman is colored with Copics and this Design Studio paper couldn't have been better. The lure is formed with a brad, jewelry wire and sparkly ribbon.

Now keep your eye on this spot, because this weekend my friend and I made an incredible birthday card with seven pockets and seven tags all joined together with jewelry jump rings. It turned out so cool that we can't wait to show you, but we don't want the birthday girl to see it yet. Here is a teaser...

Taking the long way

2011-09-08T21:36:00.000-05:00

This makes me smile. It is from my son's Facebook and is traveling to my pinterest page the long way, via my PC. Can't pin straight from Facebook : /

Ham, Three Ways

2011-09-08T06:47:00.000-05:00

No, this is not a foodie blog. It's my Hambo Hoedown challenge card(s). Hambo Stamps graciously gave us their "FLOWERS-Digi" to play with this week. The challenge was to use autumn colors. One I got going I couldn't stop myself and was up until 12:34 AM. I will pay for that for three days.

This was the first card I made. I paper pieced it and trimmed it in crochet lace.

Then I wanted more of the background paper to show. But of course the quote was too wide. So I matted it and place it on an angle. I might even do that on purpose in the future : ) You might not be able to see it without enlarging, but I pressed the center medallion onto my favorite gold ink pad as well.

Then I decided to make just o-n-e more before logic took over and I went to bed. I was trying to fit the flowers closer together when I came upon my tag punch. I like this card the best. I love the button on the left end flower. I like that the leaves are threatening to escape their tag boundaries, too. The twine is my husband's sidewalk find--"Can you use this on a card?" Sure, why not. Why knot?

Midweek Throwdown--Fall

2011-09-07T21:31:00.000-05:00

It feels like autumn this week in mid-Missouri and I am sooo glad! The OWH Midweek Throwdown makes it feel more so with their autumn theme for the week. Tonight, I was topping off my box to send to OWH Midwest shipper, Kris. So I dug through my leftover Circut cuts/stamped/digi box and pulled out some good elements to work with. Here is the batch, including the autumn themed Throwdown card in the center.

I've also reduced my stamps to 17.5" on one shelf. (I need to get more tape for my label maker.) Pretty pleased with that not-so-little project. To see how to convert wood block stamps to clings, check out my post from yesterday.

Converting rubber stamps to clings--tutorial

2011-09-06T21:45:00.002-05:00

Labor Day weekend was a busy one. Inspired by other card makers and tutorials, I spent three days converting all of my wood block stamps to clings for use on acrylic stamping blocks. There is much to be said for cling foam but OWH card maker, Cora Jean, inspired me to try Aleene's Tack it Over and Over with her Facebook posts on the topic. Guess what? It works! If you want to tackle this project there are a few inexpensive supplies you need:

Aleene's Tack It Over and Over glue (Michael's had it.)
Paintbrush
Storage of choice--I am using CD cases.

And other supplies that really help:

A Cricut pointed spatula
Elmer's Sticky Out (Wal-Mart craft aisle). This is NOT for your stamps, but for cleaning your hands afterward.
Straight pin with large head
Something to protect your surface and allow stamps to dry on (cutting board, craft mat)
Sharpie marker

Next: Pace yourself. It took me all of Labor Day Weekend to do 20 plastic containers of stamps.

Peel the stamp off of its foam backing. I found it much easier to do it this way rather than peeling foam and all off of the wood then trying to remove the backing. You can get the stamp started with the spatula. Try to get it off cleanly, then rub extra adhesive off with thumb. The stamps are sturdy and most can be pulled on pretty hard without any damage.Some of mine do still have old glue or a thin layer of foam that wouldn't come off. This is not perfection but it works just fine.

Before giving the wood block the heave-ho, take a minute to use the Sharpie marker and write the stamp brand on the back of the rubber stamp. It will show through the glue and if you ever are on a need to know basis--you will know.

Lay all of your peeled stamps smooth side up on your painting surface. Work left to right or in another order you can remember. As the glue began to dry sometimes it was difficult to tell what I had done and what I hadn't.

Next put a drop of glue on the stamp and spread it with your paintbrush, some people use a foam brush but I just used an artist's bristle brush. It was easier to control on all of my smaller stamps. This is where the straight pin comes in. You can gently hold your stamp with the pin and brush the glue away from it. It keeps down on all the glue you get on yourself.

Let dry for several hours.

Sort and place in storage. This is one reason I prefer Alene's over cling foam. I can store twice as many in each CD case. Cling foam fills the space allowing me to only put stamps on the front or the back of the case, but I have a layer of glue-backed stamps on both sides of every case.

I find that I can easily tell what the image stamps are without any key other than a name label such as "birthday" or "Fall." I've labeled the cases by categories and will store them alphabetically on a narrow peg rack above my desk.

Some some of the sentiments are a little more difficult to discern since they are backwards and small or fancy script. Rather than take up usable storage space I am going to put a library pocket on the back of the case and slip a folded card in it with stamped images of the contents.

So this is the difference in storage space.

I thought about doing this for quite awhile and just wasn't sure. I am very glad I did it.

There are lots of tutorials on YouTube for converting to cling foam. Turns out that Cora Jean has one on using Aleene's as well. Check it out here.

Tea Time @ Tuesday Throwdown

2011-09-06T07:04:00.000-05:00

Today's challenge at Tuesday Throwdown is a recipe challenge. It calls for:

3 patterned papers, 2 buttons, 1 ribbon.

The digi is by our sponsor, Robyn's Fetish. My papers are from DCWV's Linen matstack. It is a favorite. I fussy cut sections from the quilt print and overlapped them. Then popped the bottom edges of them with a tiny bit of dimensional tape. The cup and background are colored with Copic markers. And the roses and leaves are colored with Prisma colored pencils and baby oil.

A layer of Glossy Accents covers the teacup. Painting with a brush will leave brush marks so I painted horizontally following the curve of the cup. Then I added the sentiment tea bag style using a tag punch. I punched a hole in the cup and in the tag then ran the ribbon through it and secured it on the back. Then I used a little more dimensional tape on the left end of the tag. The edges of the tag are inked with a Copic marker. The edge is hand punched and stitched with a double layer of sewing thread. Both ends are secured with a dab of ATG tape. The buttons are threaded with the same thread and adhered on top of each end with glue dots.

Hope you'll participate in the Tuesday Throwdown this week. Robyn is offering a nice prize.

Hambo Hoedown--Dimension

2011-09-02T18:51:00.000-05:00

Well, I missed the last two weeks of the Hambo Hoedown, so I missed an adorable free alien digi. Gotta get back in the piggy groove. This week the challenge is dimension. The digi I used is Hambo Stamps' Football girl-digi. My dear friend just got back from a trip to the Polynesian Islands and Asia. She is a football FAN-atic! So this was a welcome-home-just-in-time-for-football card.

I added dimension to my card with foam tape under the sentiment and ref's whistle. The whistle has a bow made with jewelry twine. Glossy accents pops the whistle, cleats, bear's nose and parts of the helmet. I wish I had thought to add a second left arm and football over the original and pop the forearm and football with tape. I also like the visual dimension the DP adds.

Hoppy Birthday

2011-09-01T06:53:00.000-05:00

I really enjoy Fantabulous Cricut's Challenge Me Monday because it keeps me exploring what I can do with this cool machine. I can't wait to try cutting fabric, but would you believe I have to drive over 30 miles just to pick up fusible interfacing?! (And I don't really live very far out in the sticks!) This week's challenge called for the color yellow. This cute frog is from the Create a Critter cartridge.

He would make a very cute bib on a pair of toddler overalls don't you think? Or a sweet throw pillow for a child's room. I am now only three weeks away from meeting my first grandbaby, so I must pick up some interfacing and get good at cutting on fabric!

Tuesday Throwdown With an Attitude

2011-08-30T05:00:00.001-05:00

Digis with Attitude is our sponsor over at Tuesday Throwdown this week. Gina Giraffe (a freebie for you too!) was my pick for the play on words challenge. And it was a challenge for me to come up with a punny sentiment. I thought this would work for an overwhelmed co-worker with an added encouraging message inside. I colored this digi with Copics and added a tiger brad for a little zoo flair. Check out Greta Gobble at their site. She would make a fabulous Thanksgiving card.

Midweek Throwdown

2011-08-25T22:01:00.000-05:00

First--The News Flash! I am already booked for my first babysitting date with my granddaughter, and she is not even going to be born until the end of September! I am so looking forward to meeting her.

Now, back to the present. It's OWH Midweek Throwdown time. The challenge was to make an Any Hero Thanksgiving card. These differ from regular OWH cards in that they are to the deployed service person rather than for them to send home to loved ones.

Perfect time to use the Thanksgiving paper that are part of my K&Company stack. A little whimsical. The turkey body on some of the cards is formed by an orange felt button, tied with brown ribbon. I like the theme--it's a good reminder that there is always time to be thankful. I am thankful for our military troops (especially my sons) and their families.

Fantabulous Cricut Birthday

2011-08-23T19:18:00.000-05:00

The Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blog is wishing everyone a happy birthday this week. My Cricut cut came from the Storytime cartridge. I used some sparkly paper and half pearls to accent the sentiment. Since I was out of green I tried the others in a mostly monochromatic look. I used a Xyron 5" wide sticker maker to glue the lacy sentiment onto the label.

Tuesday Throwdown--Texture and Dimension

2011-08-23T06:00:00.001-05:00

The Tuesday Throwdown this week calls for texture and dimension. There are many ways to add both to a card and yet keep it flat enough to mail. Here are a few.

Thin buttons, tied with ribbon
Chipboard elements (clouds punched from leftover packaging)
Mixing of prints offers visual texture
Dimensional tape (love that stuff!)
Glossy Accents to highlight
Shading colored elements
Fussy Cutting images

Speaking of images, I love the charm and whimsy of this digi from My Grafico's Pretty Primative Digital Stamp Set. You will want to spend some time at that site, there are so many great digital images there. I love this one and this one and....

OWH Sketch Challenge 83 --2.0

2011-08-21T20:44:00.001-05:00

As I said in my previous post, I love sketch 83. I made the sample cards for OWH Stars and Stamps challenge blog post back in July, so I was surprised to see them today when the post went live. I had already forgotten about those two cards.

I also said this sketch is also perfect for a whole stack of cake stamps I colored last week and then couldn't figure out how to use. Nine more cards coming right up...

And here they are. The print paper is a little overwhelming on its own, so this is the perfect sketch for it. The little pink flowers are leftovers from hippos cut on the Cricut. The sentiment and circle are edged in gold ink.

OWH Sketch Challenge 83

2011-08-21T09:19:00.000-05:00

I love today's OWH Stars and Stamps sketch, and the fabulous stamp I am working with from Stampin' Up's Sale-A-Bration Happy Moments set. Even better, I won it as blog candy from Holley. Thanks, Holley!!

Inkadinkado's Silver Starlight ink almost gives the look of embossing on this black paper. My DP is from DCWV's Linen Closet stack.

It really is a versatile sketch. I created these using a Cricut label from elegant Edges and the big old buck is from the Cricut Wildlife cartridge.I love these fall papers. The smaller label is a square punch with opposite corners rounded.

This sketch is also perfect for a whole stack of cake stamps I colored last week and then couldn't figure out how to use. Nine more cards coming right up...

Sing Along

2011-08-17T06:29:00.000-05:00

Oh say can you sing? I can't but I can pull off the Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge to incorporate music into a card since I have this wonderful Star Spangled Banner stamp from Stampington & Company. It was an e-bay find. I also used a flag stamp from Stamper's Best. I love the shading in it and how it looks like it is waving. I chose the background paper from Cosmo Cricket's Togetherness mini deck because it made me think of fireworks, but took the card beyond red, white and blue. This will be a great card to thank our heroes on for my Operation Write Home box this month.

Tuesday Throwdown--Non Stamped Sentiment

2011-08-16T05:00:00.017-05:00

I'm tickled to be a new member of the Tuesday Throwdown design team. This will be fun!

The challenge this week is kind of tricky--a non-stamped sentiment. I got out the Cuttlebug and used a great embossing folder from Sissex. The top of the folder was inked to give depth to the sentiment. It was too perfect for this cute image from McMahon 5. The sentiment is popped on dimensional tape as well.

The digi stamp is colored with Copics and Spica glitter pens. There is a coating of Glossy Accents over the water and any trace of glitter pen, since my cards are mostly for Operation Write Home (no glitter--it endangers our troops). That sheen might show a little better in this picture.

Hope you will take part in the challenge too! You could win a $10 coupon from our great sponsor:

McMahon 5

OWH Sketch Challenge 82

2011-08-14T15:41:00.000-05:00

The OWH Sketch Challenge has nice big rectangles on it this week. That means I can use some of those larger elements from designer paper. This one is sure to brighten the recipients day.

Busy Saturday

2011-08-13T19:12:00.000-05:00

"Hedgehog-digi" by Hambo Stamps was the cutie provided for this week's challenge at Hambo Hoedown--a sketch. I really like that grays and purples with the touch of warm colors.

It's been a busy day. Took our soldier son to the airport to go back to his duty station. Then a baby shower for our oldest son's wife. Can't wait to meet my grandbaby--our first! Thought I would show you some crafty goodness from the shower.

These treats were made by my DIL's Aunt Maria. The fruit skewers were beautiful and easily pull out of the pineapple top to serve.

She also made this cute melon stroller.

Guests took home these bages of microwave popcorn. An idea found on the fabulous Internet.

Part of the beautiful handmade quilt she received.

I made this valance for my grandbaby's room. The lace showing is my own curtain, but I think it would look cool with lace peeking out.

I also made the baby's name for her wall using chipboard letters and paper her mom chose. The room has a jungle theme.

Now for some mindless TV watching with Hubs.

Got Picked!

2011-08-08T19:52:00.002-05:00

First my big news: Just heard I was chosen for the new design team at Tuesday Throwdown challenge blog. :)

Now, on to Challenge Me Monday at Fantabulous Cricut. Insects were the order of the day. My Create a Critter cartridge has really been getting a workout. This froggy sports a gossamer winged bug wrapped in his long ribbon tongue. Yum! But another one is teasing from behind. The DP is from DCWV's Grade School stack.

Last week I cut 48 animals (whew!) from that cartridge for my daughter-in-law's baby shower decorations. Her sister made these centerpieces. Attendees will write their parenting advice on the back of each animal. That is why the stripes on the zebra are gray. I had to keep the backs light enough to write on. I just used black scraps behind the faces before adhering them to the base layers.

Can't wait to meet my new granddaughter!! Won't be much longer.

OWH Sketch 81

2011-08-07T17:24:00.001-05:00

I love the shape the OWH Sketch Challenge called for today. I wanted to use a label punch, so my sentiment is not quite the size called for.My sentiments and embellishments are all leftover from previous projects. This great butterfly is from the DCWV Mariposa stack. The main papers are from K&Company's Best of Brenda Walton stack.

Next I used up several sunflowers I had previously colored and matted. I don't think you can really see it in this picture but the petals are highlighted with Glossy Accents. It gives them a nice shine and depth. I like the feel of the font with the sunflowers.

Next I turned to buttons and knots.

Sketches are a great jumping off point.

Tic-Tac-Toe with Hambo

2011-08-05T22:28:00.001-05:00

Hambo Stamps has an unusual challenge this week at the Hoedown. They had a tic-tac-toe board with different element written on it. We were to pick any three in a row that we wished to go with their very cute "Little Indian-digi." I chose Die cut, ribbon and buttons.

I found the sentiment quote online. This little Indian seemed in need of a fine stallion. The trusty steed was rubbed with antique linen distress ink and pounced on a gold ink pad. His feet were shod by tapping them on the black ink pad. His reigns are ribbon run through punched holes on either side of the hand. The horse's eyes are buttons--"the better to see you with my dears."

I'm saving this card for my dad's birthday. He's always liked Westerns and grew up in Oklahoma playing cowboys and Indians with a Native American friend.