banner of love

I was watching Heidi Swapp's video this morning. She was showing some of her favorites from CHA. I was inspired by all the banners that decorated so many of the booths and I got working! I made this Valentine "Love" banner with a bunch of patterned papers, chipboard letters, glitter, glass beads, rhinestones and ribbon. I have it hanging in the opening between my kitchen and living room. I really like it!

A few close-ups...I apologize some are a little fuzzy...

Well...the day is panning out quieter than I anticipated but I'm liking it. Recovering from being sick earlier this week. Taking it easy. Now that I have my appetite back I want to make the brownies I was craving before I got sick! And I hope to do some more crafty stuff later.

Happy Saturday!

looking up

So a mere few hours after my last entry "Happy Sunday" I came down with the stomach flu. Yuck. Took a few days off and started to get better...and then Cary got it. So was up all night with him. Not pretty. So since yesterday I've been disinfecting this apartment and cleaning up any evidence.

Anyhow. On a positive note. It is friday. And while I was sick my Christmas Lily bloomed. So pretty. I am really hoping to do some scrapping this weekend. I haven't done any in weeks!

Happy Friday. TGIF.

happy sunday

Bella's Mittens

Finished my sister's birthday present at the last minute! She asked me to make a pair of these after seeing mine. She never asks me for something specific so I was excited to make them. She'll be getting these today hot off the needles (well finished last night...with my over-organized personality... that is late!). This has been a busy week with the semester starting and all kinds of mixed up things. But they are finished and I can't wait to give them to her today.

Also posting a few cards I made earlier this week. Haven't had a chance to make more this weekend. These are more for the stash I'll set at the spring craft fair. Here they are....

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Thinking of You: This was a fun card to make. Used two different Basic Grey papers and cut out some of the patterns to create strips. The Nook & Pantry line has a fun sheet of patterned paper "cookbook" and I used that a lot on this card.

Supplies: Patterned paper (Basic Grey: Nook & Pantry and Sugar Rush lines), Pearl brad (Making Memories), Paper flower (Making Memories), "Thinking of You" clear stamp (unknown), brown ink (Archiver's Ink), pink chalk ink (colorbox).

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(((Hug))): This next card came  together pretty quick. I have a set of rub-ons with text shorthand phrases that I hadn't figured out what I wanted to do with. Also used a variety of shape clear stamps I have in a set. Randomly stamped those in a line.

Supplies: (((hug))) rub-on (Imaginisce - Txt4U Rub-ons), assorted clear stamp shapes (unknown), brown and blue chalk ink (Colorbox), diamond glitter (Stickles).

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"Here Comes the Bride": This card is a little more ornate than I usually do. I started with the great Damask stamp I got a few weeks ago from Great Impressions. Added several paper flowers, rhinestones and a sentiment. I love the black and white Damask patterns I have seen on so many things lately, furniture, clothes, etc.

Supplies: Damask Stamp (Great Impressions), assorted paper flowers (Making Memories), rhinestones (unknown), "Here Comes the Bride" Sticker (K & Co.), black ink (Archivers).

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"Miss You": I cut a regular sized card down a little to make a smaller, square card. Used a new Hero Arts stamp and a misc sentiment stamp. Got my colored pencils out and some glitter. I like how this one came out!

Supplies: Flower stamp (Hero Arts), patterned paper (Basic Grey), "Miss You" clear stamp (unknown), scalloped square punch (EK Success), white gel pen (Ranger), Brown ink (Archivers), colored pencils (Prismacolor), glitter (misc.).

*****

I don't know how much time I'll have today for scrapping or cardmaking. We have to go pick up a coffee table some friends are giving us and then lunch for my sister's birthday. Maybe when I get home? We'll see. I have another busy week coming up and it's the first full work week in awhile so we'll see how it goes....one day at a time!

Happy Sunday!

voting

I voted here in Massachusetts...now anxiously awaiting the results. I don't think I have ever been this anxious about seeing a voting outcome?

We'll see how it all works out...

snow day

"Serenity-Courage-Wisdom": stamp (PSX), patterned paper -(Basic Grey, Porcelein), white chalk ink (Colorbox), white embossing powder, misc ribbon buttons.

"Happy Anniversary": chandelier stamp (Great Impressions), Damask background stamp (Great Impressions) used lightly on edge of patterned paper, sentiment (Hero Arts), misc patterned paper, ribbon, jewels, corner rounder, black ink (Archivers).

I love snow days. Ask most New Englanders and they will not agree. But I do. Maybe around late February I'm tired of the snow...but right now...I love it. Cary and I are both home today which is nice. Just a lazy day. Yesterday I went out for awhile and went to Trader Joes, browsed Pier One, bought a pair of slip on Bearpaw's (I live in my tan ones) and picked up a few things at Michaels. So today is a home day.

Bella's Mittens

Have some projects I'm working on. I finished one of the mittens for my sister's birthday. I need to cast on and work on the 2nd one today. Her birthday is next Sunday. The race is on. I also worked on my Entrelac scarf since my mom and I have our 2nd class on Thursday. Need to look like I worked on it a little bit! I also did a gauge swatch for my knit-a-long sweater so I can start that when I finish my sister's mittens.

I finished the two cards I posted above today. I am stocking up for a fundraising craft fair I'm doing in March. I hope to do a little at a time. Later today I want to bust open my January Cocoa Daisy kit and work on a few pages so I can finish up my 2009 albums...I have two. Yesterday I bought myself an American Crafts 12x12 D-Ring album for my 2010 album. I don't really scrap chronologically or stress myself out by feeling like I need to scrap everything. And I long ago resolved myself to the fact I'll never be "caught up." And I'm really ok with that. I don't want this to be a stressful thing. It is supposed to be fun. I also got a smaller 8x8 album to scrap smaller moments or thoughts throughout the year.

Well I'm off to start mitten #2.
I think!

Happy snow-day Monday!

today

2006 - a Vermont farm

This has been a busy busy work week. At both jobs. Therefore there have been no updates, photos, cardmaking or scrapping done! I hate that. One of my New Year's Intentions was to do some art everday. I Guess I did...I took 5 minutes at work a few days and did some process art to sort out my thoughts re: the therapy work day. I did some knitting at my parent's when I went over for my Dad's birthday. I did a little knitting later in the week to get going on my sister's birthday present. But not enough.

So I decided to start off the post with a favorite picture from a few years ago. A family trip to Vermont and a tour of a farm. I don't remember the name unfortunately. But it was so green and so pretty. Currently, here in Massachusetts it has been so cold and grey. This weekend the sun has been bright and the air warm (high 40's is warm here!) for the first time in awhile and I'm loving having it stream in the window on these few days off from the hectic work week. It makes me think about Spring...which reminds me of pictures like that!

Yesterday was fun. Baked some cookies and prepared some food for a get-together last night at my Aunt's house. She was showing pictures of  recent trip to China. She was visiting my cousin who is there teaching English. Amazing photos. I would love to see more of this world. Today I am laying low. We might be getting some snow tonight so I don't think I'll head to the knitting circle tonight. But I do want to make a trip to Trader Joe's and pick up a few things for the week...then I'll work on my sister's knitted birthday mittens. Her birthday is next Sunday and I am no where near ready!

Happy Sunday!

project red

Dream in Color Classy hand-dyed yarn in Lipstick Lava

Seems all my projects this weekend involve red. Not a color I usually choose first. But I'm liking it! The yarn above is beautiful....Lipstick lava. I bought it sight unseen - I had seen a similar version of it but it is a hand dyed so there was no telling what it would be like. I love it. It is for a Chic Knits knit-a-long at my LYS where I will be working on the Mondo Cable Cardi. This week I have to do a guage swatch after I buy the correct size needle...the knit-a-long starts Tuesday but I will be celebrating my Dad's birthday so will have a good reason for  late start!

I also worked on some Valentine's this week. I have not made any for years...except I usually make one for my guy each year. While on vacation I bought some patterned papers from Little Yellow Bicycle and Basic Grey and some Hero Arts stamps and finally got a chance to play around with them this weekend. I also used a bunch of other Valentin-y stuff I had in my stash...

At my LSS I bought a pack of Hero Arts cards and envelopes...they are great! I usually buy cards and envelopes in bulk from Clear bags...they are a great company and I am loyal to them. But I did enjoy using the colored cardstock of Hero Arts cards and I like the fact that the insides are white so they are easy to write messages on. And the envelopes are cute...the flap has a flourish shape to it. Nice detail.

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"Be My Valentine" - This one is for my guy...I had fun working on it and it was the first one I made. I used an idea from Kristina Werner to make a "banner" using cardstock and pop dots to make it looks as though it is waving...

Supplies: Hero Arts Card & Envelope,2 Hearts cut out of Patterned paper (Little Yellow Bicycle - Sweet Love), background patterned paper (Basic Grey - Sugar Rush), XOXO and "Be My Valentine" clear stamps (Hero Arts), Checked Heart stamp(Impression Obsession), pink cardstock,Basic Grey rhinestone, red chalk

ink, clear embossing powder, Sepia Archival ink, pop dots.

*****

"Your Friendship" - This one I made for a friend of mine I have had since high school. Recently she decided to go back to a professional program to make a very brave career change. She is working all the time and interning so we never get to see each other. I miss her and wanted to make her this! I don't usually make Valentine's for friends (at least not since grade school!) but was thinking of her...I kept it very simple with stamps and white embossing powders...

Supplies: Card & Envelope (Hero Arts),Owl stamp (Basic Grey), "Your Friendship..." clear stamp (Hero Arts), Heart clear stamp in background (Hero Arts), Versamark watermark ink, white embossing powder, edge punch (EK Success).

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"Happy Valentine's Day" - I think this one will be for my parents. The patterned paper is fun. The hearts have a silver foil effect that you can't really see in this picture. I played around with clear embossing powder and a heart stamp I have had for awhile. I bought it on sale awhile back and like how it came out. When I finished it I thought it was missing something so I added the flourish in a pink chalk in...

Supplies: Card & Envelope (Hero Arts), Patterned paper (Little Yellow Bicycle - Sweet Love), "Happy Valentine's Day (Hero Arts), small heart stamp (Hero Arts), Large heart stamp (Heidi Swapp), flourish stamp (unknown source), Versamark watermark ink, clear embossing ink, black Archivers ink, pink cardstock, pink chalk.

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"Polka Dot Valentine" - I'm not sure who will get this card. I played around with white embossing powder and one of my favorite new-to-me stamps - the Hero Arts polka dot background stamp. I also used the Heidi Swapp heart stamp again with clear embossing powder but this time did it on pink cardstock and cut it out. Layered some cardstock and patterned papers along the center...

Supplies: Polka dot background stamp (Hero Arts), Large Heart stamp (Heidi Swapp), "Happy Valentine's Day clear stamp (Hero Arts), strip of Patterned paper (Basic Grey- Sugar Rush), Versamark watermark ink, clear embossing powder, white embossing powder, red chalk ink, edge punch (EK Success), pink cardstock.

*****

Unfinished - This last one is a work in progress. I was experimenting. With one of my recent Cocoa Daisy kits of the month I got this beautiful ornate frame clear stamp. I have been trying it out with various inks and effects recently. This time I wanted to try white embossing powder on the red card. I love it! But am not sure what else I will do with it yet...

*****

Today I also took a class at my LSS - Great Impressions. Had so much fun! Made 6 cards...some I like better than others but mainly I liked getting out of the apartment, being around others who share my hobby and learning a few new techniques. Of course I left my LSS with more "stuff!" I really have to work to sticking to a budget from here on forward. I have not been doing well with that.

But as part of the class we got to take home the background stamp we used a Damask Background

...and I bought another stamp we used at a 25% off discount...a chandelier stamp.

I will take photos and post tomorrow!

Well I'm hoping to do some knitting and relaxing. Tomorrow I have off but have to print out my syllabii and stuff for classes that start on Friday! Bring on Spring semester...

Happy Sunday!

card by me - card by my guy

Finished another card for the Card a Day Challenge over at 2Peas....It is for my Dad's birthday coming up next week. It was fun to make! The challenge was:

1/5 - "Happy Bird Day" - Inspiration: Bird, a square card, and/or sentiment in a circle using 2 different fonts

Last time I combined a few different parts of challenges from different days. This time I used quite a bit from the challenge for today.

Here's how I did it:

1. Cut out and layered the papers (green cardstock and pattered paper by Basic Grey - Eskimo Kisses).
2. Stamped the branch & leaves (from Hero Arts "Sweet Owls") onto the cream cardstock rectangle with black Staze-on.  
3. On a scrap piece of cream cardstock, I stamped the owl (from Hero Arts "Sweet Owls") twice and the cupcake and candle (from Basic Grey) once with the same ink. 
4. Cut out just the eyes of one owl, flipped them and glued them down onto the other owl. The goal was to be able to draw in the black parts of the eyes myself so they were looking up at the cupcake.
5. Cut out the cupcake and layered owl and attached them, one on each branch and then colored and painted them with watercolor pencils and glimmering watercolors. 
6. Punched a circle out of white cardstock and hand wrote "Happy Birthday" in black pen.
7. Stamped "Dad" in the center with green ink (Studio G alphas).
8. Attached the circle sentiment using dimensional adhesive.
9. Used a distressor on the edges of the patterned paper, inked the edges of the green and cream layers and attached the layers to the khaki Paper Source card.

It was a fun card to make! I had wanted to use those new owl stamps on a birthday card for dad so it kind of worked out that today's challenge incorporated birds.

Cary also has been asking me to photograph the card he made me for Christmas. It has become a tradition. He "kicks me out" of the room where my art desk is and he uses my supplies to make me my card. I love them. This year's really impressed me! Clever and simple in getting it's point across. I really love it!

Here's how he said he created it:

1. Handcut and layer cream cardstock to create the illusion of the desert sand dunes.
2. Hand draw stick figure "wise men" and used metallic pens to indicate the "gifts."
3. Use a silver sharpie to indicate the stars.
4. Place all layers onto a dark green card.

I LOVE IT! It's a keeper....

and so is he!

Happy Tuesday!

gratitudes and other thoughts

Today I am grateful for:

• time playing Super Mario Bros on Wii with Cary last night! Lots of laughing and so fun!
• the sun coming in my window.
• enough money to buy a coffee at my favorite coffee shop today.
• two more days of vacation.
• feeling good physically.
• this restful vacation at home.
• snow.
• pine scented candles.
• tea.
• brownies I made last night.
• a paycheck.

I mentioned the above piece of china in yesterday's post. It was given to me by my uncle for Christmas. It isn't actually a "heirloom" in the traditional sense, but it will be treated as one. I love it.

Today and tomorrow are my last days of vacation. This has truly been an overall good one. It has been awhile since I had a good stay-cation. And this has been. Lots of time at home organizing, making art, scrapbooking at my LSS, knitting, time with Cary and family, Wii, just a fun break from reality.

As I get ready to go back to work and in a few weeks start back at the college, I am still percolating about my 5 Intentions for the New Year. My mini book is on hold until I can order a few more supplies this weekend. I think I have them narrowed down the most important things I want in my life this next year. I am finding that narrowing down the list is making me really think about things. I like it.

Today I am on a budget. So I'm thinking of taking a walk and looking at the ocean and the snow and then going to my favorite coffee shop and browsing in the used bookstore. Then I need to do some laundry and stuff around the apartment.

Before I sign off...here's a funny picture....the pile of snow that accumulated on our balcony. It looks like a lot...we are on the 2nd floor and the complex is on a hill. But actually underneath all that snow...is our dead Christmas tree!

Happy Monday!

thank you's and birthdays

On account of the snow...I have been in this apartment for 48 hours and I need to get out! We are off to the movies shortly. The snow did force me to do some cardmaking however. I decided to follow a challenge on two peas Cardmakers/Card-A-Day 2010 Challenge. I roughly followed a few prompts from a few of the challenges for Week #1 to make two cards.

A Happy Birthday for my sister who turns 24 in a few weeks....

On the Birthday card I used: round blue card from Paper Source (with a chocolate brown square envelope). Hero Arts dog stamp and sentiment "If you obey all the rules you miss all the fun" (Life is Not Perfect clear stamp set) and "Happy Birthday" from Hero Arts set (All occasions sentiments clear stamp set). Stamped and embossed with white powder the background of the blue card using a distressed polka dot clear stamp (unsure of source). Added sheer blue polka dot ribbon. Cut out "2" and "4" from a sheet of Creative Cafe Lucky Chocolate Numbers Die-cut paper. Stamped the dog on white cardstock and cut out a circle. Adhered with a pop dot. Colored in the collar with orange sharpie. At the very end I went over the sentiment with brown pen to make it stand out a little more. The ink came out a little faded...

*****

And a Thank You for my Uncle and Aunt for an incredibly wonderful Christmas gift they gave me....

On the Thank You I used: Hero Arts stamp (Row of Houses), balloon cut out of patterned paper (Websters’ Pages Postcards from Paris Tres Magique), grid patterned paper in background (unsure of source), Hero Arts "Thank you very much" (all occassion messages clear stamp set), used a variety of chalk inks. Card and envelope from paper source. I stamped the houses with different inks several times. Cut some of them out and layered them on top of a solid brown row of the stamped houses using dimensional adhesive squares. Also added dimensional adhesive to the back of the balloon. Heat embossed the "Thank you very much" sentiment.

It is a long, confusing story but we do not have any family heirlooms from my mom's family. This uncle is my mom's brother. So for Christmas he found (on EBay I'm assuming) one heart shaped piece of china of the same pattern my Nana had.. As soon as I opened it I teared up. I knew what it was. A family heirloom. It means so much to me. I have it sitting on my art desk. If I think of it I'll take a photo and post it tomorrow. My mom also recieved a piece of china with the pattern. As a young adult she always hoped she would inherit that china set. She didn't. But now we have some pieces that mean an awful lot to us.

Well..I'm off to the movies! Then later I hope to do some more work on a mini album I'm doing with my intentions for 2010. I got all inspired to distress the pages and just let go and create after watching this Heidi Swapp video last night. I don't have glimmer mists, but I used my Tim Holtz distress inks instead. Had so much fun. Need to pick up a few supplies at Michael's after the movie so I can finish it up.

Happy Sunday!

cabin fever

Finished up my kitchen calendar project yesterday. Used my 7 Gypsies Artist's Printer tray and a Maya Road calendar pieces..and lots of stamps, stickers, cutouts, pop dots, etc. Had fun with it. Worked on each month separately and related the themes to what is going on in our life during that month...holidays, birthdays, anniversary, etc.

Here's a closeup...

It was nice staying in on New Year's Eve and Day but now I'm on day 2 of being home and I have major cabin fever. We are having a 2 day long snowstorm here in Massachusetts. Grrr. I was going to have friends over to scrap but now no-one can make it because of the weather. And Cary worked a 12-14 hour shift yesterday and today. So I'm home alone and going stir crazy! You would think with all these scrapbook and cardmaking supplies, internet, Wii, books to read....I wouldn't be bored. But I need some human contact!

Oh well. My focus for 2010 is ENJOY. So that is what I will try and do. I will leave you with another project I finished last night....a blue cable edged beret....

Happy Snow Day!

bunch of layouts

Happy New Year everyone! We had a quite night at home, ate Chinese food and watched movies. Today I "killed Christmas" as we put it in my family...aka took down the tree and decorations. That tree was a fire waiting to happen it was so dry because this apartment is like a desert. Anyhow...here are some layouts I worked on at the crop this past Wednesday. I got so much done! I wish I could go every week but it's just too hard when I'm working. Some of these layouts aren't quite finished..some need journaling or a few touches. But for the most part they are complete. I also started one other layout I hope to finish today.
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2009 In Review: The first layout is a 2-pager 2009 In Review. It still needs a title and journaling. But I like how the pictures ended up arranged. I used a few different journaling tags and some fun alphas. It still needs a lot to be complete.

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Dress Up: This layout is from the October Girl's Night out. I used some paper from a few Cocoa Daisy kits. The journaling metal files I have had forever and didn't know how I wanted to use. There are 4 tabbed files inside the black/white metal "case." I haven't journaled on them yet but they seemed to fit the layout. In general this was a very simple layout. But fun with it's bright colors to go with the Halloween costume theme. I decided not to go with a traditional Halloween themed page.

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Skating: This layout was very fun for me. I used some patterned paper and matching tags I bought a year or so ago. I knew I wanted to use it for a winter page. I cut out one of the snowflakes on the paper for a jumbo embellishment. I liked that the colors were all cool but relatively non-traditional snow colors. The pictures are of a friend and her daughter learning to skate. The picture of the skates is me. I figure skated for 10+ years as a kid and so it has an important place in my heart. And I hadn't been in so long. The little girl's mom was a close friend of mine in high school who I recently reunited with...she was a hockey lover/player. Her daughter is a natural skater!

Skating closeup: This was the tag quote I based the layout around...and I used a skate embellishment that I have had forever and love the realistic details. It looks just like my Harlick's when they were new.

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Thanksgiving in a farmhouse: The pictures came out reddish and dark. But I tried to work with them. They kind of fit the feel of the house we stayed in. Big old farmhouse in Maine. Cary's sister's and brother-in-laws house. It was my first Thanksgiving away from my family and it was actually really nice. She has four large dogs, lots of antiques and loves to knit. So we had fun. I didn't take any pictures of Thanksgiving dinner so I focused on the "weekend" instead. For example pizza making the day after Thanksgiving.

*****

2009 One Little Word: I decided to do a layout reviewing my focus on my '09 one little word "simplify" and transition the journaling into my '10 one little word "enjoy." This page was a nice way to focus on how I achieved the goals of that word and what I want for myself in the New Year.

Well I'm off to try and make a few birthday cards and a Thank You note. Anxious to use my new stamps!
Have a Happy New Year Day!