Five Pennies for Dad

My dad gave me one dollar bill 'cause I'm his smartest son,
and I swapped it for two shiny quarters 'cause two is more than one!
And then I took the quarter and traded them to Lou for three dimes- I guess he don't know that three is more than two!
Just then, along came old blind Bates and just 'cause he can't see he gave me four nickels for my three dimes,
and four is more than three!
And I took the nickels to Hiram Coombs down at the seed-feed store,
and the fool gave me five pennies for them, and five is more than four! 

And then I went and showed my dad, and he got red in the cheeks

and closed his eyes and shook his head- too proud of me to speak

  ~Shel Silverstein 

I read that poem to my sons the other day before bed and they giggled and giggled and giggled! I can totally see my youngest doing this some day soon...

Another fabulous week, another fabulous challenge from CAS-ual Fridays! This week we are sponsored by the Kraft Outlet and are challenging you to create a clean and simple masculine card and use the color kraft! For additional challenge details, prize information, rules and really, really great inspiration from the Girl Fridays, check out the CAS-ual Fridays blog!

My card started with a kraft base that was ink distressed with a dark yellow and stamped with a bold sentiment. I then stamped off-centered a fern row which the leaves were then colored lightly with distress inks. After whittling down the back side of a twig, I adhered that to the card base and wrapped it all with some twine.

Supplies Used: 
Cardstock: (Kraft) PTI
Stamps: (Falling For You, You're the Man) Practicing Creativity Designs
Ink: (Wild Honey, Peeled Paint Distress Ink) Ranger, (Onyx Black) Versafine
Fibers: (Natural Burlap String) May Arts, (Yellow Bakers Twine) The Twinery
Other: Twig

#5

The Grab Bag Giveaway Winner from this post is #5, Chari M., as picked in random from the oldest. Why #5 I asked? About twenty reasons and five minutes later, the general consensus was that at age five he did a lot of fun "stuff" like  play and sleep in, you know, the important things in life...

This card came about by using the colors from Color Cue #16 and Funky Flowers from WPlus9. I added some rhinestones to the funky flowers and carried the colors down to some paper strips attached to the base of the card whereas the layer with the flowers and sentiment have been popped up with dimensionals.

Happily

Sigh.

It's been twelve years today. Twelve years ago today I first laid eyes on my then future husband. He was the best man in a wedding of my childhood friend. It went down like this at the reception:

:::   cue the corny macarena music  :::

Me: Oops, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bump into you.

Him: If you are sorry, you'll dance with me later.

Sigh.

I promise. I really didn't bump into him on purpose. I'm just a bad dancer.
We've had our ups, some downs and a major fall, but we are here together, and happy.

I've been following A Passion for Papertrey for a while and was delighted to see that I could play along in their WaCCCky Challenge. Four, yes four, colors plus a neutral. The mastermind behind this color combination is the talented Maureen. She pulled the colors out of a basket, brilliant idea if you ask me!

 

I was determined to play. Five colors? I hardly ever use five colors! Its a good thing today was a lazy day because my final design was probably my sixth or seventh attempt.

Supplies Used:

Cardstock: (Kraft) Papertrey Ink

Patterned Paper: Basic Grey
Stamps: (Botanical Silhouettes) Papertrey Ink
Ink: (Vintage Photo Distress) Ranger
Embellishments: (Chipboard Hearts) Heidi Grace
Tools: (Die) Papertrey Ink, (Scallop Punch) Fiskars

A Forgotton Note

The 2010-2011 school year might just be remembered by the oldest as the toughest in his short school history. New teacher to the first grade, homework became the enemy and try to focus was a bit of a difficult journey... He persevered and made the marks to go on to the second grade with a fresh start.

CAS-ual Fridays is Getting Edgy this week (we'd love to see a clean and simple creation with fun edge by using border dies, punches or tearing!) and our fabulous sponsor is Market Street Stamps! For all the challenge details, rules and prize information, along with some edgy Girl Friday samples, please visit the CAS-ual Fridays Blog.

I created my sentiment panel by first stamping the ginormously huge and really clever Vintage Notebook background stamp from Market Street Stamps onto white paper. I love the big image of the stamp because it also works equally fabulous in a small scale after cutting the paper down. So, after trimming the panel to size, I worked the edges with distressing and tearing, which was then adhered to a patterned paper background with foam dimensionals. A forgotten note, one might say, thanking a teacher for a job well done.

I really hope that you will play along this week, it is so much fun to see your clean and simple takes on these challenges!

Supplies Used: 
Cardstock: (White) Office Max
Patterned Paper: (Recollection Collection) Crate Paper
Stamps: (Vintage Notebook) Market Street Samps, (Teacher from Chatterbox) Practicing Creativity Designs, (Apple from My Silly Valentine) LawnFawn
Ink: (Broken China, Vintage Photo, Barn Door Distress) Ranger
Embellishments: (Rubon) SU, (Paperclip)

Rustic Friends

 

A bit of rustic. A bit of determination...that's about all I've go to say about this card, and that I didn't give up on it. Since I worked to hard to make it I decided to post it. Sometimes I like the cards I make, sometimes not so much. I might have to revisit this at a later date, when I'm not thinking so hard. Any suggestions would be welcome!

I started by stamping the woodgrain pattern in a mix of cream and brown inks onto a bright orange and earthy green panel and then added pops of the bright blue color. The layout is from a sketch by Skipping Stones Design and the colors are from the Embellish Magazine Color Trends Challenge with the twist to do some background stamping.

 

Ok, let's move on to what I really wanted to show you.

Here's a rustic friend that visited us this morning in our backyard. Isn't she beautiful? 

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: (Kraft) PTI, (Green, Orange) SU
Ink: (Vintage Cream) PTI, (Vintage Photo Distress) Ranger
Embellishments: (Twine) Divine Twine, (Rubon Sentiment) SU, (Ribbon and Rhinestones) Basic Grey
Tools: (Flower Dies) SU

You Did It

Funky. Modern. Bright. {Very bright}

I look at the get-ups my nieces wear and realize that fashion has come around, in my time. Wow. Nothing like bold neon colors, tied up t-shirts and tight tight pants to make you feel old... Nothing like meeting the oldest for the first time when she was still in diapers and has now graduated into high school to make you feel old.

It was fun to channel my young {er, very young?} years and pull out bold, bright colors and flashy patterns for this card based on this week's The Play Date Cafe combination. The layout is off of the current sketch at Skipping Stones Designs, which was also youthful and playful with its rotated panel. I decided that I needed a strong sentiment that didn't interfere greatly with the fun orange panel, so I die cut a piece of thick transparency and layered it with a sticker sentiment.  The tricky part was to figure out how to adhere this clear panel to the card...I figured I'd build up some drops of glossy accents (similar to foam squares) until they were hard and then adhere that with another drop of the glue to the card and it worked fine! I'm also going to enter this into the Papercrafts Gallery Idol First Round Auditions.

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there. Just had a nice chat with mine and the husband is out doing what he loves best...fishing.

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: (White) OfficeMax
Stamps: (Pumpkkin Seed Sentiments) Skipping Stones Designs
Ink: (Only Orange Pigment) SU
Embellishments: (Sticker Sentiment) SRM, (Ribbon) May Arts
Other: (Mr. Huey Mist) Studio Calico, (Thread)
Tools: (Die Cut) Wplus9

Seashells on the Seashore

I hope this little number will eventually make its way into a package for my little nephew. He's not too far from the beautiful seashells by the warm seashore. Crazy... Makes me realize how far away I am from him! My boys, on the other hand, dig up clam shells from the bottom of the lake after the water's been thawed and warm enough to dip their toes in!

A Day for Daisies offered up this cute image and it reminded me of my nephew. They also have a challenge to try a "new" technique. I've looked back and don't recall framing in a circle a non-altered, non-colored digital image-in fact, I don't use much circles at all! My intention was for the varying sized circles to represent bubbles.

Color Blocking

Pleating.

Ruffles.

Color blocking.

It's all there in the fashion world just waiting for us to capture it

and transform it into a paper piece of handmade goodness.

Kim Kesti explained the trend of Color Blocking best over at Moxie Fab World and CAS-ual Fridays decided to have a go at it too! The prize this week is offered up by Crop Stop. For all the challenge rules and details, fabulous color blocking inspiration from the Girl Fridays and prize details, please be sure to head on over to the CAS-ual Fridays blog!

My card, heavily influenced by fashionable frocks features a purple pleated band that is wrapped with string and off it hangs a sweet little tag of love. 

I can't WAIT to see what you come up with for this challenge!

P.S. Papercrafts Magazine is hosting their Gallery Idol Competition right now! Have you entered yet??

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: (Kraft) PTI, (Black Core in Purple and Black) Coordinations, (White) Georgia Pacific
Stamp: (Sentiment from Ever After) WPlus9
Ink: (Onyx Black) Versafine
Embellishments: (Foss), (Tag) PTI

Fern-ish

Clean. Crisp. Soothing.

I would love to decorate like this someday-when the boys have grown out of their bull in a china shop phase and I have time to dust. Oh wait, I don't think that will ever happen, not at my house and not with my boys...

I fell in love with this fern-ish picture found on Pinterest and decided on another go for Virginia's Stamp Your Hero Heart Out Challenge. (This time I followed the rules and used a Hero Arts Stamp!) I'm really drawn to the water smash background technique and you'll see it in a couple more of my cards, probably sooner than later.

I've extended my own Grab Bag Giveaway! Been super busy lately and haven't had the chance to gather things for the winner, so head over to this post if you haven't already and enter!

Canvas Tag Bag

They aren't pink. No friends named Dumbo. (Which is totally alright with me, I never really cared for that part of Dumbo anyway...) However, the elephants are on parade today for my entry in the Fabulous Frames Denami Blog Hop.

If you've arrived from the talented blog of Wendy, then you are right on track!

I pulled out Denami's sweet elephant stamp and paper pieced him in some coordinating colors to match the transparency frame that I spray painted a light bay blue. After adding a touch of May Arts ribbon and trim, I adhered them all to a canvas tag and then added a cool sand colored boutique button.

I think I've found out my favorite way to decorate a gift bag without worring about a mis-stamp or mess-up!

The next stop on the Hop is Amy. She is sure to wow you with her creation! Thank you for visiting! Here's a few more details about today's hop!
 
When: The blog hop starts on June 12 at 6 AM, PST. However, you have until June 13, 2011, 11:59 pm PST, to leave comments on all the blogs (to be eligible for a prize).
Why: To be inspired by beautiful creations featuring DeNami Design stamps and also the chance to win mini shopping sprees on the DeNami Design website!
Prizes: We are giving away THREE $20 gift certificates to our website! We'll be giving away one gift certificate to a random participant (DT members not eligible) and then we'll also be giving away TWO gift certificates to TWO people who comment along the hop!
 

The Rusty Old Truck

On weekend summer mornings (long ago) our dad would load my sisters and I into his truck and hit the road to the farm to check the bluebird house trail. The Rusty Old Truck...the kind where you are you look down can see the asphalt between the holes in the rust as he drives. The kind where the noise of the exhaust cannot even be drowned out by loud tunes on the radio. The kind that will forever hold memories dear to my heart because now I know that it was his truck, it lasted through the many harsh Wisconsin Winters and it was part of a ritual of time well spent with my dad that I could only wish for today.

My creativity has been a little lax lately-so the thought process for this card was a journey. I knew I wanted to try out my new stamps (thanks Amy!) to create a masculine card for The Paper Variety's For they Guys Challenge and also use the Skipping Stones Design Sketch. Thus began my search on Pinterest for inspiration, as recommended by the talented and super sweet Virginia, for her Stamp Your Heat Out Challenge, and I came across this photo.

A little girl in a rusty old truck. A flood of memories came back (see above) and I pulled out my supplies to recreate the rusty old truck bed.

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: (Very Vanilla) SU, (Gray)
Stamps: (Grunge) Skipping Stones Designs
Ink: (Wild Honey, Vintage Photo Distress) Ranger, (Buckaroo Blue Pigment) SU
Embellishments: (Staples) Tim Holtz, (Brown Burlap String) May Arts

Ode to Mother's Crock-pot

It's wrapped in avocado green ceramic. Swirls of dark brown decorate the edge. Countless dips and roasts have cooked in its rust porcelain interior. It's my mother's wedding gift crock-pot and it's still going strong. (I think I've been through two in just ten years...)

We have a fun challenge for you at CAS-ual Fridays! Reminisce in your childhood and come play some Tic-Tac-Toe with us! Use any line across, down or diagonal to choose the elements for your absolutely fabulous clean and simple design that I know you are going to create. We have a fabulous sponsor and CAS-ual Fridays Temp (aka: guest designer), Tami Mayberry, so please stop by the CAS-ual Fridays Blog for challenge rules, prize details and super inspiration from the Girl Fridays.

Yes, a crock-pot was the inspiration for this card! I was going through pictures of my last vacation and spotted the counter top full of goodies at my sister's house. There, sitting rather squat but proud, and full of yummy baked beans, was my mother's crock-pot. I noticed that a felt sticker from my stash matched the design on the crock pot. I adhered the sticker to woodgrain paneling (hah!) and wrapped the piece with some twine.

**Today I am also featured over at Noor's blog for Fascinating Fridays! What an honor to be recognized by my peers in this fabulous industry! Thanks Noor, and Tammy, for featuring me in your interview today.**

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: (Marigold Morning, Really Rust, Old Olive) SU
Ink: (Vintage Photo Distress) Ranger
Stamps: (Funky Flowers) WPlus9
Embellishments: (Felt Sticker) Queen & Co., (Twine)
Tools: (Woodgrain Embossing Folder) PTI

You're Absolutely Fabulous

You're absoluetly fabulous.

Yes, you, the wonderful people that come here and visit me.

The wonderful people that leave wonderful comments that brighten my day.

Yes, you.

You're absolutely fabulous.

I'd just like to take a teeny tiny quick moment to squeal here. I made the May Arts Design Team! Woo-hoo! I'm so excited and I'm so very thankful for everyone that left me a comment and for your support! Thank you!

Carrying on my excitement by participating in Moxie Fab World's I'm So Excited Challenge! This card was a bit out of my comfort zone but I *think* I like it. The background is a vintage pattern with lovely large typography. I layered on top of that a die cut dress form (thanks Lynn!), the sentiment panel, some May Arts Natural Burlap String and a button.

I was also inspired by the beautiful collage at Jay Gee's Nook Challenge.  Have you seen it? so beautiful!

Steppin' Into Summer

Steppin' into summer means showers every night for the boys who wash off the pounds of dirt loaded into their knees, countless loads of laundry so the popsicle drips do not stain, sidestepping live toads that somehow find new homes in brightly colored pails and lots and lots of watermelon as it finally cheap enough to buy...

TiffanyDoodles is celebrating the change of seasons by Steppin' Into Summer with the latest challenge. Read more about the new design team and challenge rules at the TiffanyDoodles blog!

Although not too original in its design, I tried to bring in some fun and "light" techniques. I printed the watermelon slice image and sentiment directly onto kraft cardstock and colored it in with a base of copics topped with colored pencils. The seeds were covered in enamel and the whole card base was spattered with glimmer mist and watered down distress inks.

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: (Kraft) PTI
Images: (Watermelon) TiffanyDoodles
Font: (Futura)
Ink: (Walnut Stain Distress) Ranger
Embellishments: (Enamel Accents) Ranger
Other: (Copics), (Colored Pencils) Prismacolor, (Glimmer Mist) Tattered Angels

Everything...& A Giveaway

To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn) / There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn) / And a time to every purpose, under Heaven / A time to be born, a time to die / A time to plant, a time to reap / A time to kill, a time to heal / A time to laugh, a time to weep / To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn) / There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn) / And a time to every purpose, under Heaven...
Words adapted from The Bible, book of Ecclesiastes, Music-Pete Seeger

Waltzingmouse Stamps has a CASE Competition and this month there were so many wonderful cards to choose from. Once again I find myself drawn to the simplistic beautify of Carley's cards. I really appreciated the details that she brought to her sentiment tag treatment, right down to the blinged mini clothespin. I stamped the small rose from Roses in Bloom with distress ink to create a custom background and inked the edges both in a vanilla and yellow ink.

And now to the giveaway I promised a while back...

Pick a category from the following choices:

- Embellishments

- Ribbon

- Stickers/Rub-Ons

- Stamps

- Patterned Paper

- A mix of the above in your favorite color
- Or, offer the grab bag up for a friend or organization in need (see this post here).

Please leave in your comment your choice and why and if your name is picked by random, a generous goody pack containing those treasures will be on its way to you! (Open to anyone, anywhere.) I appreciate all the support you've given me, your comments and your visits. I have to thank the super talented Natalie from Scrap Doctor for this Grab Bag Giveaway Idea.

I'll draw a winner in about a week or so.

Hush

Hush.

Hold your breath for as long as possible.

Pray that it rests for a bit longer.

Stare at its slightly transparent beauty.

Enjoy the world through its wings and you might find a new meaning in life.

This week at CAS-ual Fridays we are focusing on the superb clean and simple sketch provided by Girl Friday Laura. We've also got one spectacular sponsor too-The Craft's Meow! For more prize details (becuase you know it is going to be fabulous), challenge rules (because we want every entry to be considered) and fabulous inspiration (because my teammates are so talented!), please check out the CAS-ual Fridays blog!

 
Although misting can be intimidating, messy and maybe not considered clean and simple in most applications, I just love it. I started with some mist to create a sky like background for my transparent butterfly. The butterfly was stamped and embossed in black onto transparency paper. During the heat embossing process, the edges of the transparency curled slightly to create a really neat life-like dimensional effect. I simply adhered the butterfly to the misted background with glue dots and then added the floss and sticker sentiment.

I hope that you can find some time to play along this week at CAS-ual Fridays! I can't wait to see your creation.

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: (White) Office Max
Stamps: (Butterflies) Martha Stewart
Embellishments: (Sticker Sentiment) SRM Stickers, Floss
Other: (Glimmer Mist) Tattered Angels, (Black Embossong Powder) SU

*Beginning quote paraphrased from this post.

May Arts DT Call

Hiya.

Have you ever wanted something really really bad? I do.

The posts are up for the May Arts Design Team call and I would like to represent them soooo much! If you liked my Napkin Ring Tutorial, please stop by this post at the May Arts Blog and leave a comment.I'm not one to plead or beg, so I'm just asking if you like the photo tutorial that I did to please leave a comment over at May Arts for me! I sure would appreciate it!

Oh, and there is a chance for you to win some ribbon from May Arts too for just leaving a comment on any of your favorite projects! Check out the details here!

My blog buddies are the best. You really are.