Almost end of the year!

Hello! The end of the year is upon us and I am definitively  ready to start a new adventurest crafting year! I have been doing a lot of blog hopping the past few weeks and you are going to start seeing me using different mediums,  folds and more than just cards. Plus, I joined a new design team which I will reveal on New Years Day!

 One of my favorite sites is  Stamp TV with Gina K. for she has a video for lots of fantastic techniques you would like to learn! Her stamps lines are so versatile and they stamp gorgeously on all kinds of paper and what I like the best is they come already pre-cut on cling cushion that you can use on acrylic stamping blocks.  She has her own line of paper. The Pure Luxury 120lb Heavy Base Weight Card Stock is great to use for the base of your cards or projects. It is thick but bends without the paper becoming jagged and tearing along the edge.

 I purchased the Natures Greetings Card Kit which has your paper, brads, ribbon and a DVD on how to make six different cards using various techniques.  It was so nice just following directions instead of trying to come up with ideas and you learn at the same time!! Hours of blissful fun and this is one of the cards I created with it.

TIP OF THE DAY:  How the butterflies were created by following Gina K's DVD. I stamped the butterfly several times on cranberry card stock with VersaMark watermark stamp pad and embossed it with black embossing powder. Using a small paint brush, I colored the butterflies with Clorox bleach and heat set it.  Isn't that a cool effect!!  Easy as 1-2-3!  Look at the different shades I got and it was a "no thinker!" You have to be very careful not to let the bleach reach outside of the embossed lines. Yeppers, I learned that on my own!  The design paper is included in the kit!

Happy New Years and my wish is you have a new year filled with peace, love, joy, and esp. good health!

Dont forget to check out The Outlawz Challenges with all of their awesome sponsors and wonderful prizes!

Challenges:

• 4 Crafty Chicks: use something new 
• Aud Sentiments: Anything goes
• Charisma Cardz Challenge: Anything goes
• Little Miss Muffet: Anything goes
• The Outlawz Twisted Thursdays: Anything goes except alcohol markers ....well, you can use a tad of them!
• Flutter By Wednesday: Open but must include: Butterfly, angels or something with wings....decides bugs!!

Six more wake-up days!

Happy Monday everyone! Six more wake up days and it's Christmas!!! Two of our grandchildren were here visiting for 3 days and we had so much fun. Nothing like a four and six year old to take you back to the magic of of Christmas!  Abbie said "How many more wake-ups until Christmas Grandma?" I replied "6"  Her eyes got real big as she grabbed her brother "Andew only 6 more wake-up days!!" Their excitement is so contagious and wonderful to be around! We took them to see Happy Feet 2 on Saturday and would you believe I got out of bed at 8AM to go to the theater!?!  The movie started at 9:55 AM and we wanted to go to the mall and tell  Santa what we wanted for Christmas and look at all the decorations! It was an awesome day from start to finish!

Today I did a marathon Christmas shopping!! I literally didn't have one present bought and so I got up early and headed for the malls and was back home by 6 PM! When I got home, I hurried up and took my make-up off and put my PJ's on so when hubby walked in the door it looked like I didn't budge all day! Hehehe Wait until he see's what he got for Christmas!! It put me back a little bit but he is so worth every single penny and then some! He will think I bought it for me and it really is for him! I will just borrow it:)

My cards today were made with an image from the Christmas Rose Digi Set at Fred She Said! I bought this candle last year and love the clean and simple cards I can make with it! My idea for my card today  came from visiting Tina Gilliland's blog! Tina used the partial embossing video by Gina K on Stamp TV which you can watch here!

Thank you for visiting with me today!

Santa's Hat - Mo's Digital Pencil

Happy Hump Day!! The week is almost over and I am finally starting to catch up a little bit! I have made over 20 cards so far this week and have about 15 more to go, but I am getting there! I didn't even photograph over half of them or you would be looking at Christmas cards until next Christmas and I am getting to the point I am ready to move on to other celebrations!

I had to share this card with you for I am so happy with the way it turned out and I might just have to keep this one! I used the cutest image from Mo's Digital Pencil! Oh my gosh I love the angelic face she created with the wishful look "Are you coming?" I love, love her images! Last night I bought one of her elf's swinging on a Christmas ball and I can't wait to color it!

I sewed gold thread with what I call my Snowflake stitch around the border and in it is so shimmery! All my thread was given to me by my mom who used to be quite the seamstress! I was looking at the various colors  when I spotted spools of silver and gold thread and guess how much they were in the 80's? Originally they were 45 cents each but had a sticker over top of the original 10/1.00!! Gasp!! Today I have no doubt they would be $7.00. Unreal!!

The tree is by Jolee's from last years stash.  Paper: 6 x 6 Lost and Found Christmas paper pad by My Minds Eye.  I cut the rug out with Nestability Scallop Oval  and embossed it with a Craft's Too Scroll Works embossing  folder to give it a little texture. DecoArt Glamour Dust which is a iridescent superfine glitter and sparkles big time!  Copics: R39, R37, R35, YG99. YG95 YG93, YG91!

Don't forget to stop by SCACD for all of your crafting needs!

Susana has been adding new products again!

• Couture Embossing Folders 
• Cuttlebug Embossing Folders
• Your's Truly paper from EP
• Smooch Glitz

Merry Christmas!

 Challenges 

• Colour Q: Red, green, white, rose.
• Craft Room Die cuts or punches
• Crazy Amigo: Embossing
• Creative Crafts: Sewing Faux or stitch
• Party Time Tuesday: Christmas Red and Green
• Riley and Company: Holiday Theme

Doggie treat bags for Simba and Bailey!!

Happy Sunday everyone! Eeeks this weekend went fast and I am still where I was last Sunday making Christmas cards for customers and hoping to have them all done by Wednesday!! Yesterday, I took time out to go to my local craft store,  Photo Scraps in Eldersburg, MD. I never realized how fortuante I was to have a huge privately owned craft store so close to me for it is less than 4 miles. I have been taking several of their awesome classes and have met woman who have traveled more than 2 hours to attend because  there was nothing closer to their homes.  Amazing! Today Lisa Halstead had these adorable Christmas doggie  and kitty treat bags, which I had to make!  I brought one home, not put together to show you how easy they are to do!  

This is the supplies you will need to complete this project.

Plus: Cuttlebug,  Nestability 1.75 inch scallop oval, 1 1/4 circle punch, score tape or tape of your choice, Christmas stamps or digi's, border punch, clear small baggie, small dog bones or kitty treats. 

• Cut (green) card stock 9" x 3", Red 2 3/4" x 3 1/4" and green pattern  3" x 2 1/2". 
• Score the 9" x 3" at 4" and 5"
• Punch a 1.25 inch hole in the of the 4" x 3" section on the green card stock. Center your red and green pattern paper  on the 4" x 3 " section of the green card stock and punch a 1.25 inch hole in each. It is much easier to punch one hole at a time. 
• Red pattern paper cut to 3 x 2 inch and score at one inch. Using any border punch cut a border on the 3" side of paper. 

Cut a 1.75 inch scallop circle using white paper. 

Using your 1.25 circle punch cut out the center of the scallop circle. 

Layer your circle punch paper together and 

adhere to the 4 x 3 inch section on the green card stock. 

Your bag should now look like this when folded on the score lines. 

Place the small dog bones or kitty treats in a small baggie and 

staple onto the inside top of the 5" x 3" green card stock.  

Fold your red pattern paper at the score line and attach it over the top of your green folded card stock. 

Decorate the front with anything you like. The word woof was printed by a stamp at the store but, you could do this yourself using word on your computer.  Cut around the word to give it a white outline.  Make a small tag and punch small hole at the end of it. Place twine or ribbon through the hole and tie into a bow. 

Sounds difficult but it is really easy to make and treat bags can easily be made for anyone and filled with red candy hearts for Valentines day! Lots of possibilities!

SCACD has so many new products including paper pads, 

embossing folders and lots more!! Check it out and 

wish yourself a very Merry Christmas!!

Challenges Entered: 

• Anya and friends: anything goes
• Christmas Inspiration: Christmas/Folds
• Come and Get It: Red, Green and your choice
• Dream Valley Christmas: Christmas
• Ginger Loft: Christmas or Winter
• Paper Sundaes: Anything Christmas
• Sparkles Forum: One you love!! My doggies!
• Challenge Up Your Life: packaging or box - GDT call

I believe!! Yes, I do! Suzanne Dean's Online Copic Classes!

Hello Happy Crafters! I love, love this card I made today for it is the spirit of children who make the season!! Do you still have children at home? I'll tell ya Christmas isn't the same without them!  We are never home on Christmas for we travel to where the grandchildren are! This year we don't have to go far for my daughter, Amy moved back to Maryland and is only 2 hours away! The rest of them live in PA, Las Vegas and Orlando and it makes it very hard not to see each one on Christmas morning. Amy has the two youngest grandchildren who are Abbie 6 and Andrew 4 and they get wide eye and so excited every time they talk about Santa. What is even more special is they know Christmas is really about the birth of Christ.  We always sing happy birthday and it puts the entire day into respective! I love watching their eyes when they see what's under the tree for they dance with excitement and yes glee!!

My card is made with Mo's Digital Pencil. image.   A lot of my customers are multicultural and I struggle sometimes to find the right images for their cards and why I love Mo's Digital Pencil! Mo does a lot of her images in multicultural hair and eye shapes and so if your looking for that special card Mo will probably have an image to suit your needs!!

Do you color with Copics?  Do you want to learn different techniques and ways of coloring- like a rusty vehicle, ethnic hair coloring, animal prints or how about hot pink?!! You can learn all of these techniques and more with Suzanne Dean, Color Me Creative Classroom Copic Class 5!!  With my image today I used one of Suzanne's techniques and I love it! My image didn't have any hair lines and I used the technique Suzanne teaches in  "Ethnic Hair" and was super please with it! If you do not know how to color with Copic, Distress Inks or Prisma Pencils and want to learn how...easy peasy head on over to CMC for online classroom lessons!  

Some day I will get my pictures taken in sunlight so you can see all the sparkle and shine they have!

Suzanne shows a little more of a highlight/ gap between the front and back of the hair rows and it does look better her way but I am still happy with the way it turned out for my first time!!  

• Copics: Hair: E49, E29, E25, E35, E31, E50. Skin: E25, 23, E13, E11. Green: G29, G28, G24, G21. Red: R29, R27, R24, R22. Blue Strips: B16, B14, B12. 
• Ribbon: was a gift. 
• Stickles "Diamond"
• My edging is actually gold adhesive strips but they look silver in the photo

New goodies at SCACD where you will find all of your crafting needs!

• Gorgeous new Kaisercraft 6x6 paper pads-HERE
• New Gorjuss Girl Stamps- HERE
• Fun Flower Grab Bags- HERE
• Very cool Wood Flourishes- HERE
• Awesome new Memory Box Dies- HERE

Do you like to do challenges with fabulous prizes? Freebies, tutorials and a very friendly community of crafters? It's all at The Outlawz!!  Some of the wide site prizes are Oozak. com $50.00 Gift certificate; SCACD $25.00 Gift Certificate, Paper Temptress: A special goodie bad with over $20.00 of paper, Gilli Stamps; awesome goodie bag.....come on and play with us! 


Tip of the Day:  How to attache fine detail dies to your paper. I started buying very thin dies from Memory Box and Cherry Lynn Designs  and some of them are very thin and it's a PIA to try and glue down from top to bottom.  After my card is created I place the die cut in place and spray lightly with Goosebumps Clear Texture Spray:  Goosebumps texture spray adds unique speckled texture with the press of a spray button and it glues your die cut into place!! I love it!!

Challenges:

• Art Impressions Stamps: Try something new
• Aud Sentiment Challenge Blog: Holiday Sentiment
• Colour Create Challenge: Red, White and Green
• Crafty Ribbon Challenge: Traditional Christmas Colors
• Cute Card Thursday: Anything goes
• Paper Crafting Journey: Christmas Creation
• ABC Christmas Challenge: anything goes

Letter to Santa

Happy Monday everyone!!  First I want to give a great big shout out to those that follow me and take the time to leave such loving comments.  You have no idea what a moral boost you give me with each one I read. Even the ones that say "I would have done this differently" for I will try it and sometimes I think "Hey I like that better that way!"  so thank you very much!

Did you have a great weekend? Ours was okay with lots of yard work.  Hubby cleaned up the rest of the leaves outside and I more or less did nothing!! LOL Seriously the only thing I did was work on some cards for customers and that list is getting bigger!! I need to make 38 more Christmas cards and if I don't speed up my rate I will be making them for 2012 orders! The Christmas cards I send out from us are store bought!! Every single year I promise myself I will do ours all year long and they'll be done. Well!! January comes and goes and February seems to early  to be working on Christmas cards and before I know it I am out buying them!  Terrible isn't it!

My card today is using this sweet "Letter For Santa"  image from Elisabeth Bell's Digi's.  I didn't have the right color of Christmas paper to match the rich blue coloring of her snow suit and of course my mojo decided to abandon me big time.  So I found solid blue paper that matched the coloring and drew white snow flakes with a Sharpie marker and added a few 3 D snow flakes! My version of clean and simple!!

 Do you like how big the snow flakes are surrounding the image!?! I thought ok let me use my Pearl pen and sprinkle glitter on top...what was I thinking!!! Now I have these globs of snowflakes but you know what!?! I decided to post it anyway!  In person it's really pretty and the snow flakes sparkle big time!

Copics: Hat and coat: B29, B26, B24, B21. Red: R29, R24, R21. Mail box: C7, C5, C3, C01, C00 Wood: E44, E43, E37, E50. Bird: B16, B12. Mouse: E34, E31.
Martha Stewart Flocking Powder,

SHOUT OUT FOR SCACD  new products alert!! Yummy more Memory Box Dies and they are to die for! New paper pads, Jorgus girl and whole slew of stamps. Also did you see the new stocking stuffers by Elisabeth Bell for SCACD...ah you need to leave now and go see all of the new things she collected.

Challanges

• Bells and Whistles: Must have an EB stamp and sparkly.
• Through The Craftroom Door: 3 embellishments

SCACD release of Elisabeth Bell Odds and Ends Collections!

Happy Friday everyone! Welcome to the  SCACD's  release of the Elisabeth Bell  Odds and Ends blog hop!   8 adorable images and so cute to color and decorate! Each image can be used in multiple ways including Christmas, Happy Birthday,  Let's Party anything you want and they are wonderful stocking stuffers for your crafty friends or even for yourself! LOL

I have the pleasure of showcasing "Sharing Is Best" from the "Ends set!"  Isn't she as cute as can be! I love her face to pieces and you know I am a HUGE dog lover!! Look at my photo's on the right side bar! Sharing Is Best is sharing her yummy cookies with her brand new Christmas puppy!

Copics: Hair: E55, E53, E51, E50. Skin: E21, E00, E000, R20. Dress: BG02, BG01, BG000. R85, R83. RV10. Dog: E44, E43, E40. Apron: W00, W01
Spellbinders Die: Fleur De Lis Rectangles
Leaf Punch: Martha Stewart
Flowers: Wild Orchards Crafts.


The Design Team blog hop is filled with gorgeous creations from these two wonderful sets by Elisabeth Bell! You should have arrived here from the awesome creator  Dianne and after here hop onto the very talented Lorraine's blog!   If you need to start at the beginning you can start at the store blog : Follow Your Heart!  Have a great time!


Challenges entered:

• 
  

SCACD Elisabeth Bell Sneak Peek!

Happy Wednesday everyone!! How are you doing and did you survive all the sales in the stores and online? I only bought one thing and it was for me and it was a Crop-A-Dile Eyelet and Punch Kit from JoAnn's for $20.99 and free shipping!!

Guess what today is? Elisabeth Bell for SCACD Stocking Stuffers release with two sets of stamps. The Odd Sampler and The End Sampler! They are cuties and you are going to say "I want that one and that one and that one!"  LOL  My sneak peek is with "Acuppa"  from the Odd Sampler Set isn't she adorable and a classic EB image! When I saw this image I knew exactly what I was going to make with her! One of my customers loves to give cards to anyone and everyone and this is my little thank you to her. I placed an envelope of hot cocoa in the box with a thank you note on the inside of the card.

BLOG CANDY at SCACD BLOG! Two free sets will be given to the lucky winners!  Hurry to see what you need to do to win....hint it's very simple to enter!

This is the first box I have made and I was inspired by Catherine! Catherine is one of my favorite blogs to visit for she is always creating something beautifully different and her cards are so adorable! The boxes she created are gorgeous using this template!  It's a  free template from My Time Made Easy and it really was easy peasy to use!

Paper: I cut one inch strips from KaiserCraft "Christmas Carnival Collection" and sewed them together. My inspiration came from Gina K at StampTV.
Border die:  "Frostyville" by Memory Box
Flowers: Sugar Bloom/ turquoise, Roses by Wild Orchids Crafts
Martha Steward leaf punch
Copics: Turquoise BG32, BG15, BG11, BG10. Bow: R85, R83, R81, RV10 - I just noticed it looks blotchy in the picture but it isn't!
Nestability Oval and Scallop Ovals

You can see another awesome sneak peek at my DT sistah Anki! ! You won't want to miss her's for she is one creative lady! 


Challenges: 

• Bearly-Mine Challenge: All things you love - die cuts, flowers, borders, EB images
• Creative Craft Challenge: Free for all!
• Scrap Creations: Christmas
• Party Time Tuesday: Anything goes
• Make It Monday: Anything goes

Happy Holidays

It's the weekend and we are having a beautiful  Indian summer for it was 72 today and I was loving it! Did you go shopping on Black Friday? Me, I stayed home in my pj's all day reading "Bonnie" by Iris Johansen.  If you love mysteries I highly recommend her books!

Since it is the beginning of the season I thought I would color Santa for my card today! This stamp is "Our Family" by Giordano and you can purchase it at Oozak. If you want to see a large selection of Christmas stamps, House Mouse, Some Odd Girl, Craft Lounge, Tim  Holtz and  fantastic prices on inks, Copics, 6 x 6 paper pads and much more visit Oozak!

Supplies

• Copic R89, R39, R37, R34, Skin: E11, E00, E000, R20, R21, Boots: C7, C5, C3, Dog: E44, E42, E40. 
• Memento Summer Sky was sponged around Santa
• Flower soft white for fur on hat and coat. 

Have you joined The Outlawz yet?

 If you haven't you are missing out on 8 wonderful challenges, including free digi's. 

It's not too late to enter for the awesome gifts from our sponsors: 

Oozak.Com

$50.00 Gift Certificate!!

SCACD

$25.00 Gift Certificate

Gilli Stamps

Gilli Goodie Bag

 Paper Temptress
$20.00 Special Collection
for The Outlawz!

Anita Be Stampin

$25.00 Gift Certificate

 Come join us!!


As I was making my rounds to the different challenges I was super excited to see I won the top 3 at 4 Crafty Chicks! Such an honor and thank you!

*Sale, Sale, Sale at SCACD*

Flower Grab Bag Mixed flowers $19.50 value for $11.50

New 6 x 6 Paper Pads: 15% Off

Embossing Folders: 25% 0ff

Tonertex Foils and Glitter: 25% Off

Select Spellbinders: 15% Off

Epiphany Craft Tools:15% Off

Select Flower Soft: 15% off

Challenges Entered:

• The Outlawz Copic Challenge: Anything goes
• 2 Sisters: Festive Holiday
• Crazy for Challenges: Snow
• Hiding In My Craft Room: Mix it up Holiday
  
• Sweet Stampin: Stamp/ punch or die
• Totally Paper Craft: Christmas
• 4 Crafty Chicks: Snow

It's almost Christmas time!

Happy weekend everyone! Can you believe Thanksgiving is only four days away? Saturday my hubby asked me if I wanted him to take off Friday for a four day weekend. Oh no you mean Thanksgiving is this week!?!  I am so not ready for this! Needless to say off to the grocery store we went to buy the turkey!! When you don't work you lose track of the days...at least I do!

Do you use digital image? One of my favorite places to shop for digi's is over at  Phindy's Place. Two weeks ago I won Phindy's challenge and received a five dollar gift certificate...wahooo!!   Cosy Cottage is the image I chose and it was hard to pick for I wanted them all! This is the card I created with it! The windows look a  tad orange yellow in the photo but are a soft glow in person!

Paper: Little Yellow Bicycle
Copics: House and drive-way.  E44, E43, E42, E41, E40, C5, BV25. Windows: YR21, YR30 Y11. Tree's: YG 63, YG61 G40. Red: R39, E35, R32

White/ fine  Crystal Snow by Steampendous to the roof, snowman and ground.

Sewed around the card and sprayed it with clear Goosebumps! I love this spray for it doesn't change the copic ink and leaves a shimmering texture sheen!

TIP OF THE DAY:  Did you know you do not have a tight seal on your marker if it has any kind of build up around the closure? After coloring -  I would spend countless hours cleaning my caps for they would be full of gunk. Now I clean them in a few minutes and this is how I do it!

You will need: 

Isopropyl Alcohol: I buy either 70 or  91% and the cheapest brand

Jar with lid

Paper Towel

My reds get ugly fast 

Pour some alcohol into your jar

Add your dirty caps 

Place the lid on the jar and shake vigorously for about 30 seconds. Depends on how dirty they are.

Remove and dry on paper towel... That's it! 

No rubbing or q-tips to get down inside the cap - I use the q-tip to only dry it.   The Ink all comes off with the shaking!

Don't throw your alcohol away it is still good! 

I added brown, green and blues to the jar and you can see they are clean too!

I dip my marker into a clean jar of solution for nano second. Squeeze it gently with a paper towel - this removes all the dried particles that might make it tacky when coloring. This happens with your darkest colors. Remember only gently squeeze and quickly.  If done quickly and gently it will not affect your tip or colors. 

Challenges:

• Phindy's Challenge Blog: Christmas Card
• Dream Valley Challenge: Sewing 
• One Stitch At A Time: Anything goes
• Pan Pastel: Frosty and Bright:
• Sparkles Forum: Vintage Christmas
• One Stop Craft: Blue
• So Artful: Sewing
• Christmas Stampin