Welcome to another Four Ways Friday! Today I decided to play with punches and show you four ways to use the Round Tab Punch.
This first card uses the round tab punch in a very traditional way. I punched a piece of Crumb Cake card stock using the round tab punch and then stamped the "happy halloween" greeting from the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set in Chocolate Chip ink. The tab was then adhered to the back of the Pumpkin Pie layer on this card.
Did you know that the round tab punch makes a great nose?! :) This box was inspired by a video by Amy Manhart (Thanks Amy!). You can view Amy's video HERE. I made the box with some slight differences, including color changes. You can also find some other wonderful Halloween characters online that use the round tab punch for a nose as well. I've seen a witch, Frankenstein, and a few others. What fun!
I used the poppin' pastels technique with the Medallion stamp to make this simple card. I have created a video to show you how. Here's the video:
You never know what you'll come up with when you spend time playing with your punches! :) I created this gumball machine after a friend showed me a gumball machine birthday invitation she had received. I thought...hmmm...gumball machine...I bet I can make one using punches! Here is the finished result! It is difficult to see, but I punched a piece of window sheet/transparency so that the gumball machine globe looks like glass.
There are so many things you can do with your round tab punch. You might enjoying watching this video by a woman named Catherine (I'm sorry I don't know her last name). Talk about a lot of ways to use a single punch! She does an amazing job of showing all the different things this wonderful punch can do! Thanks Catherine! And thank YOU for joining me for another Four Ways Friday! Have a wonderful weekend!
Today's Lesson From The Craft Room: Try Out Your Local Farmer's Market - There's Still Time!
I've been trying to eat local and eat organic more and more frequently. If you truly are what you eat, then I want to be as healthy as possible...with some chocolate thrown in :) We have a local farmer's market here every Wednesday and Saturday this time of year. It's fun to watch the different varieties of peaches that come in every week - each has their perfect peak time. Do you have a local farmer's market? Have you tried out consumer supported agriculture and bought a share of a farm's harvest? Maybe you've taken things to the very local level and have planted your own fruits and veggies in your own backyard or harvested the apples from a neighbor's tree (I did this the other day and made 2 yummy apple cakes!). To see if there is a CSA farm near you, you can always visit www.localharvest.org. As the bumper sticker says - Think Globally, Act Locally :)
Today's treat holder is a ton of fun to make and will be one of the items we make at my upcoming Halloween stamp-a-stack! I found this adorable version by Marie Shaugnessy here and decided to make my own with some revisions. (Thanks for the inspiration Marie!). I used the Top Note die in the Big Shot with Old Olive and Basic Black card stock. A little crystal effects on the gold buckles and the Real Red stripes on the stockings add a fun shine. The greeting is from Holiday Best (retired hostess set). I may just have to do a video on putting one of these adorable treat bags together! :) I hope you like it!
Today's Lesson From The Craft Room: Try A Massage :)
Massage seems to be one of those things that people either love or hate. I definitely fall on the love side when it is done well! When I used to live in Atlanta I was very consistent in getting massages - it was a great way to respect all the wonderful work my body does for me on a daily basis. Unfortunately, I did not keep up the habit when I moved to Denver. However, now I have found a great massage therapist and I am committed to treating my body with the respect that it deserves. Traveling, running, stress all take their toll on my muscles and it feels wonderful to spend some time focusing on releasing those toxins. If you haven't ever had a massage or haven't treated yourself to one in awhile, now might be a great time to give your body the respect it deserves. If you can't afford a massage by a massage therapist, find a friend or loved one you can swap massages with - your body will thank you for it!
Today's card was inspired by a video that Amy Manhart put together on how to make a pumpkin using the small oval punch, the ornament punch and the round tab punch. You can check out Amy's blog and the video here. (Thanks Amy!). I decided to make the pumpkin into a jack-o-lantern so I added eyes using the small star punch and a mouth using the oval punch. This will be one of the cards for my upcoming Halloween stamp-a-stack! Can't believe September is here!
Here's another photo from my Amsterdam trip. Amsterdam is filled with canals throughout the city and there are houseboats on the canals. What a neat way to live! I had to take a picture of this houseboat - I loved the color and loved that they created a lawn on the roof of the houseboat! The bicycle in the forefront of the picture is also so typical for Amsterdam. Everyone rides bikes there! By the central train station there was a bicycle parking structure that was 3 stories tall! What a great, environmentally friendly way to travel!
Today's Lesson From The Craft Room: Get Conscious About How You View Time
On my trip to Amsterdam, I became keenly aware of the difference between how I view time at home and how time was viewed in Amsterdam. Granted, that on my trip, I did not have my usual morning chores or constantly "plugged in" computer. However, I was very aware of time, particularly when it came to meals. In my experience, when I go to a restaurant in the States, it seems that "quick" is the mantra. How quickly can we get seated. How quickly is there a person to wait on us. How quickly do we get served. How quickly can they get us the check. It's as if the eating portion of the visit is just a necessity and something not really worth our expense of time.
In Amsterdam, the experience was entirely different. Whether a restaurant was crowded or full, it was as if we were given the space of time. Time to sit and contemplate the menu. Time to just chat prior to looking at the menu. Time to relax and ease into the ritual of eating prior to any food being served. Time to digest and relax after eating - no hurry to get us out the door or throw the bill at us. In fact, not a meal went by where we were given a check prior to asking for it. The message that sent to me was something like "you are welcome to relax and enjoy here for as long as you like. When you are ready, you just let us know." I'm sure it helps that the staff in restaurants is paid differently than here - tipping is not the norm in Amsterdam so restaurant staff do not rely on tips to make their wage sufficient. So there is no sense that the restaurant wants to turn the tables quickly. However, it seemed to go so far beyond that - just a different meaning given to time and a different appreciation of it. It is definitely time for me to examine how I view time. If I firmly believe in the quote above, which I believe I do, how can I encourage and support an unhurried sense of time in my life?
Today's Lesson From The Craft Room: Solid Ground Feels Good :)
I'm happy to report that I am safely back from Amsterdam :) (you may not have even realized I was gone since I scheduled posts for while I was away - ahh the amazing internet!). What a wonderful trip - a combination of work and play - an exploration of another place. I have to admit that after spending so many hours in the air, solid ground is a welcome change! This picture is from the Flower Market in Amsterdam - I hope the colors transport you! There is so much to process from the trip - a visit to the Van Gogh museum and the Anne Frank house. Walking through the Red Light district. Eating in restaurants - all of which were in no hurry to hand you a check and show you the door - just a different approach to time and pace. And so few cars - everyone on foot or on bicycle - a large city and yet so quiet since the sound of pedaling and feet are so much softer than engines and horns. I will try to share a few more photos, as well as stamping, with you this week. It's, as always, good to be home :)
