Seek Joy

Let me say how much I've missed being here, blogging with all of you!  I have been SO very sick these last two weeks.  I have bronchitis, and treatment upon treatment didn't seem to cut it.  My doc put me on a steroid a couple of days ago, and at long last I feel able to breathe.  Sweet relief!  It was so bad that just taking a shower or sitting at the computer winded me and I had to lay down most of the time.  Yikes.

But here I am, ready to share a card with you.  I'm so glad.  :o)

I am playing in the Flourishes Timeless Tuesday challenge, where we are to CASE one of their DT members' creations.  I found THIS beauty by Cindy Haffner, and loved the color combo and touches of lace.  Cindy's card inspired me to bring out some chocolate and pink inks and stamp on an old book page.

I'm also playing at Shopping Our Stash.  The challenge:  "What Was I Thinking??"  I bought these stamps by Inkadinkado and Hampton Art at Michael's quite a while ago 'cause the prices were too good to pass up, but they have just sat, untouched until now.  

This page tore as I removed it from the book, but I like how it looks in the corner.  Looks like a little mouse nibbled on it.  ;o)

Thank you SO much for your visit and comment -- I relish each and every one!



Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Carpe Diem - Hampton Arts; Floral Damask - Inkadinkado
Paper: Very Vanilla, Crumb Cake - SU; book page; patterned paper - DCWV
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Pretty In Pink, Crumb Cake, Basic Gray - SU; Frayed Burlap Distress - Ranger
Fibers: crochet lace trim - Mark's Finest Papers
Other: Big Shot; Labels Four, Fleur de Lis Motifs dies - Spellbinders; Scallop Dot border punch - Martha Stewart; pearls

Play Date Cafe 142 - Twins!...and a goodbye

I am so excited about the card I made for the new Play Date Cafe challenge!

When I saw the color story, I immediately thought of babies.  Although I don't know anyone having twins, I deliver my cards to a boutique for sale, and surely there's a market for this kind of card.

The colors are Cobalt, Goldenrod and Peony.  (Love that photo of a blue garden gate on the color board!)

My blue is a bit off the shade featured, but I love how these baby clothes turned out.

A doily sun in the background....

Delicious Lemondrop Twinery twine clothesline...

...and paper-pieced baby clothes from the Inspired By Stamping set, Oh, Baby!

The Cup of the Week winner will get something fabulous from the PDCC Prize Vault.  :-)  Come link up your creation!


Sadly, this is my last post as a member of the Play Date Cafe Design Team.  Play Date Cafe was my very first design team, and I'm so grateful to Julie Ranae for giving me the opportunity when she signed me on as a Private Blend Designer in January 2011.  I've had the extreme pleasure of being part of a most unique, supportive, wonderful group of designing women, and I will miss them all!  There are other members leaving, too...and a whole bunch of AMAZING new talent being added.  I will still be playing there, because I do love the challenge, and can't wait to see what the whole team will do from week to week.  :-)


Thanks for joining me today.



Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Delicate Doilies II, Oh, Baby! - Inspired By Stamping
Paper: white - PTI; patterned papers - SU
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko; Summer Sun - SU
Fibers: Lemondrop twine - The Twinery
Other: Petal Pink, White Opal Liquid Pearls - Ranger

Whoo Hoo Wednesday - Garden Dirt...for Dessert!

This is my second post for today.  To see my Creative Inspirations Paints 

project (it's not a card, and it's cute!), please scroll down one post.

Hello!  It's "Whoo Hoo Wednesday" at Inspired By Stamping, and it's my turn to share a fun, unique project with you.

My kids have been asking for 'Dirt Pudding' for the longest time, and I thought it would be fun to decorate the 'pots' with some pretty flowers from a cute set called Daisies.  

To begin, you will need:

• Little dishes
• Wooden craft sticks
• Chocolate pudding
• Chocolate wafer cookies
• Floral stamp set (I've used Daisies)
• Memento Tuxedo Black ink
• Wild Wasabi (or any green) and Orchid Opulence dye inks
• Aleene's Tacky Glue (it's non-toxic)
• 1/2" circle punch
• Assorted Copic markers (I used  R20, R32, R35, V05, V09)
• White cardstock

1. Stamp flower on white cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black (this type of ink works very well with alcohol-based markers such as Copic).  Color in the centers of the petals with lightest pink.

2. Using next darkest shade of pink, outline each petal.  No need to color in the lines, because these get trimmed out.

3. Using a coral-red, outline one side of each petal.

4. With the pink shade from Step 2, blend lines of coral-red color with small, circular motions.

5. With a light orchid color, apply color to inner-most part of each petal.

6. With darkest orchid marker, flick strokes of color to inner edges of each petal.  Trim.

7. The Daisies set contains a polka-dotted flower center.  Stamp it in orchid ink and punch out.

8. Stamp green leaves and trim out.

9. Apply leaves, flower and flower center to wooden craft stick and let dry.  (I used a non-toxic glue since this will come in close contact with food, but I'm not so sure about those markers and dye ink!)

10. Prepare pudding and spoon into little dishes.  Crumble chocolate wafer cookies over top of pudding, and insert flower-on-a-stick.  Serve and enjoy!

Hope you enjoyed my project today!



Stamps:  Daisies - Inspired By Stamping
Paper: white - PTI
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko; Orchid Opulence, Wild Wasabi - SU
Other:  Copic markers (R20, R32, R35, V05, V09); Aleene's Tacky Glue; wooden sticks; pudding; chocolate wafer cookies

Barrettes Tutorial

Hello everyone!  My blog has been quiet, I know.  I had trouble breathing last week during a hot spell, and thought it was just the weather.  Turns out it's bronchitis, and I've been lying down most of the time.  I hate feeling like I can't breathe!  I'm anxious to get back to crafting and feeling better and visiting all of you.  (at least I'm getting in time with a good book, John Steinbeck's East of Eden - it's hard to put down)

Today, it's my turn to feature a project at Creative Inspirations Paints.  I made a set of barrettes for my 10 YO for practically no cost.  I used barrette bases, some Creative Inspirations Paints and silk flower bits, found on the floor of our local craft store (I looooove freebies!).  My daughter chose the paint colors she wanted and this girl loves her neon colors! (her mother, not so much ;)

The flower parts before painting and assembling:

A happy girl, modeling them for me --

These are the paints I used today:

What a gorgeous, shimmery rainbow line-up!  I do love these paints.  They're so easy to work with (and clean up), provide incredible color and shimmer, and come in SO many colors.  Already at affordable prices, there is going to be a SALE at their web store -- 10% off the whole month of August!  Time to stock up.  :-)

Thanks so much for joining me today!

Play Date Cafe 141 - One in a Million

Hi!  This week's Play Date Cafe palette includes FOUR colors:  Mint, Soft Yellow, Coral and Tulip.  At first, I thought, how am I going to do this?  After pulling out a Girls' Paperie Paper Girl kit, I had my answer!

The button, lacy die cut, and rectangle die cut are all from that kit.  The Sage Shadow base and embossed So Saffron piece I had on hand already.

DRS Designs is our sponsor this week, and they graciously allowed us to choose some stamps to showcase.  I chose the Star Wreath, and the sentiment called "One In A Million".  Thanks, DRS!

I used the wreath in two ways:  first as a border, stamped in Sage Shadow on the base, and second by cutting out individual stars.  I colored them and applied Crystal Effects glossy accents.

 One lucky Cup of the Week winner gets to shop at DRS Designs.  It could be YOU!

Thanks for dropping in today.  :-)



Dimensions: 5.25" x 4"
Stamps: Star Wreath, One In A Million - DRS Designs
Paper: Sage Shadow, So Saffron, Naturals cardstock - SU; white - PTI
Ink: Sage Shadow - SU; Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko
Fibers: Hug Snug seam binding - Zipper Stop; twine - Creative Impressions
Other: Crystal Effects, So Saffron marker - SU; pearl; button, die cuts - Girls' Paperie

Published!

Hello everyone!  It feels like a loooong time since I've been here.  Last week was a heavy-post week for me, with many projects to show.  Those were all scheduled in advance (thank heavens for that Blogger tool!), while behind the scenes I was busy with lots of other 'life' things.

First, let me show you a card of mine that is currently published in the July/August 2012 issue of Paper Crafts Magazine:

It never fails to make me happy, seeing one of my projects in a magazine.  :)

I used a set by Stampin' Up! called Homegrown for the sentiment label as well as the artichokes.  I LOVE this set.

What's been keeping me busy the last couple of weeks?  eBay, for one.  I put over 90 items up for auction, with most selling.  The majority of those items were SU stamp sets that I no longer use.  If you have ever put something for sale on eBay, you know how much time it takes to do the whole process (photograph, upload,  inspect each item carefully for the write-up, weigh and figure postage options - and if it sells - print out packing slips, calculate combined shipping if need be, print postage, package each item(s) and head to the post office).  Some of my auctions are ending in the next couple of days, so I anticipate more busy-ness!

I did a home decor project for my 14YO's bedroom, too.  Did you ever see THIS Martha Stewart project, for turning a picture frame into a customized bulletin board?  I took some black high-gloss spray paint, Homasote board (Home Depot will cut it to size for you), an old frame, and gorgeous lavender moire fabric (extra remnants from a friend who made her bridesmaids' dresses with it) for the project.  The frame is old, from my grandmother's home.  It had been spray-painted gold when it lived with her:

BEFORE

And the end result --

AFTER

It was a relatively quick project (waiting for paint to dry was the longest part), and gave my daughter's room a punch of sophistication and practicality.

Another thing I've been up to:  the attic.  We have a walk-up attic that needed insulation.  The company came and did it for us on Monday, but in the two days prior to that, we had to bring down nearly EVERY box that is stored up there.  All the boxes and various items are stacked around my (small) house, including in every bedroom, living and dining rooms, basement and even the front porch!  Yikes.  We are going through each box before putting it back, so we can give some things away.  Oh, and did I mention it's been 100 degrees here in New Jersey?  Yep.  The attic is even hotter, even though the windows are open.  There are more boxes to go through and put back, but for today I am taking it easy.  The humidity is quite high here, and I'm having trouble breathing (I've had asthma my whole life).  


I'm horribly behind in visiting blogs; please forgive me.  I'll get back in the groove soon!