A Fun Giveaway at a Fun Craft Site

Want to win a pack of Viva Pearl Pens, I know I do... LOL... the entry can be found at the Favecrafts website and if you haven't been there, make sure you have loads of time to get lost in all that site offers.  It is a GREAT website to inspire you and to help you step by step with brand new projects in just about any craft you want to try!!!  My fav is Eco-Heidi and her incredible recycled projects but there is something (or 4 or 5 somethings) for everyone!!  It is a site you can get lost in.  Have fun there and let me know what you think!!!

Simon Says Stamp and Show and More

I failed to mention in my post about Terry's card that I was entering it into the Simon Says Stamp and Show challenge.  Alas, it is too late for that one I think but believe me, I won't be forgetting to do that anymore...  and as I think of it, I forgot to mention I also entered it in Hels Sunday Stamper challenge on her blog.   There are so many challenge sites anymore and I rarely have the time to participate but it is always great fun when I can...  Though I said I entered at Grungy Monday I didn't link to it so go have fun on Linda's blog too.  Now, go check out each of their latest challenges.  They know how to keep you busy!!!

YAY!!! Terry got her Thank You card

I am so glad Terry got her thank you card and enjoyed it.  Now, I can share it with the rest of the world... LOL...  it will be submitted to the Grungy Monday challenge, at the very least, but Terry mentioned some others it would work for.   Here it is, using 2 Tim techniques:

That Terry is such a sweetie!!!

MOSAS 29

I finally completed my last OSA MOSAS 29 project.  I chose to make a box with a drawer and then I filled the drawer with some goodies for the recipients.  Here are the very poor quality photos of the boxes:

I just realized that at the bottom you can sort of see the drawer.  So, I took another photo (of just one box) with the drawer open somewhat, with the goodies wrapped inside:

OK, that's it.  I am on to a new project!!!

I WON SOMETHING!!!

That from someone who hardly ever wins anything... LOL... I follow Terry's Work in Progress blog.  She has become a cyber friend, especially after helping me get my blog started but also because we are in several online groups together.  WELL...  I was totally blessed to win 1 of her 2 prize give aways for her 1-year blogaversary!!!!  AND IT CAME TODAY!!!!  What a stash!!!  Just oodles of wonderful goodies to play with!! BUT the greatest thing I received from Terry was a beautiful tag she had made for Grungy Monday!!  I loved it when I saw it online (as I do most of Terry's work!!!) but let me tell you, it doesn't hold a candle to it's real life beauty!!!  Here it is:

I just love it!!!  Aren't I lucky????  I am so thrilled.  THANK YOU SO MUCH TERRY!!!

After the Climb

I realized after the fact that without the race name (St.Louis Fight For Air Climb) and my bib number (76) you would not be able to see me at that last step.  Now, if you still want to see me, just click the link on that post and add the above information... OR, here I am with my daughter and her partner after we had caught our breath and after we had gone down the 40 flights, in the elevator of course.  I still look pretty raw but then, some of that is just ole me...  here ya go:

It's Been A While Cuz I Was Busy Climbing Stairs!

I have been busy.  I don't think I have been so proud of myself in years as I was last Saturday when I climbed 40 flights of stairs for the American Lung Association, in the Fight For Air Climb!!!  It took a while.  My daughter and her partner climbed with me and we did it on my schedule, finishing in 23 minutes.  To see me abject joy of having completed it, just click HERE.  That's my daughter behind me...It was definitely difficult but definitely worth it.  Anyone want to join me next year????

I have been creating just a little.  Below are 2 things I completed, both for my OSA Yahoo group.  The first is my March MOSAS swap.  I found the tutorial on Splitcoast Stampers and used a technique called the dryer sheet technique.  I simply stamped and colored an image and ran it through my Xyron (with the sticky side covering the image). I then placed a USED dryer sheet over the image and brayered it down to the sticky stuff. It gives a lovely muted touch to the stamped image.  I then added some Dazzling Diamonds very sparingly and brayered those down.  Unfortunately the image is a bit blurry.  I apologize but I tried over and over to work with it to no avail.  Here it is:

There was a card I wanted to send to another OSA member, so I used this week's card layout/sketch (#114):  It is very simple but I like how it turned out.  

I think I am all caught up now!!!  I appreciate all comments and thank you for them!!!

From The Frugal Crafter A Great Giveaway!!!

Hi, I just enjoyed two videos by Lindsay, the Frugal Crafter, about coloring with Promarkers and Trias (both are alcohol ink pens), from a company called Letraset, and the really nifty thing is that she is giving away a set of Promarkers if you leave a comment on her blog.  Just click here or on the Frugal Crafter link above and enjoy the videos and leave Lindsay some sweetness for your chance to win!!!

MOSAS 29 for February

The Oriental Stamp Art yahoo group I belong to has a 3-month swap I joined and here is my first swap.  I took bamboo tiles and covered them with washi paper and layers of decoupage, stamped on the back (not shown) and strung a beaded trim on the bottom and created a chain.  I then made an envelope to place the pendants, also from some beautiful handmade paper I just happened to pick up at Michael's years ago.  Here's the photo.

BTW, MOSAS stands for Multiple Oriental Stamp Art Swaps and this round is the 29th one.

Happy Valentine's Day

In celebration of this special holiday, I made a unique card gift.  It is the bonus technique from the latest Technique Junkies Newsletter.  It is called a goodie box and was created by the very creative Hetty Sanders!!  I just love the whole idea of it.  I used Tim Holtz designer cardstock and score tape to put it all together.  Unfortunately, the photos make it look a bit more distressed than it looks IRL.  I also used a trinket pin for the tag.  I think it's cute. Thanks Hetty and of course, thanks Pat for publishing such an incredible newsletter every other month!!!

Now, I am off to fill the box with candy... the candy box is opposite the tag and pocket.  In the above photo I opened the lid on top of the box.  The whole box is firmly attached to the card!!

Latest Compendium of Curiosities Challenge!!!

So, I made it in time!!  I used Tim's bird and cage die to create this wall hanging. I also used one of his stamps and some rhinestones.  The background is handmade paper (it's really so beautiful)... The title is ...know why the caged bird sings... deliberately, because if you don't then you really need to read Maya Angelou's incredible autobiographical poem, "I know why the caged bird sings."  It will take your breath away, and in some very small measure I guess I hope my version will as well...

I do apologize for the poor quality of my image.  My cell phone just doesn't have a zoom, why not???

WOW, WOW, WOW!!!

I want to thank those who vote on Gingersnap Creations for once again choosing a piece I created as a winner in the coffee filter challenge!!!  Thank you so much!!!  It is so gratifying to get comments from those who take the time to view my work and it is the cherry on the top to get recognized for it.  So, I am absolutely joyful to state that I am now a 3-time Ginger Gem!!!  I hope my daughter loves the card as much as you all did... LOL... and I know it will be a surprise because she never checks my blog... LOL...

Carole's Beautiful Easel Card

My friend Carole sent me an email with a card she had made.  I thought it was gorgeous and perfect for the Simon Says Stamp and Show blog challenge to use embossing.  I told her that she should enter her beautiful card and she tried to.  One small problem, she doesn't have a blog (soon to be remedied).  So, a friend is someone who helps you out of a jam... I am her friend and here is her card:

There is a slight glare off that incredible paper, but I think you can still tell how really pretty it is.  Now, I am off to enter it into the challenge for her!!!

Nate's Birthday

My grandson is about to turn 13 and he is definitely a star to me... LOL... hence the card!!!!  I took white cardstock and used denim blue Glimmer Mist with just a little burnt red.  I then used Tim Holtz's gear masks on the same cardstock and sprayed over the masks with coffee shop Glimmer Mist.  For the star I used a Sizzix die and for the basketball star circle I used a punch on designer paper by Moxie.  The ribbon is from Really Reasonable Ribbon.  Thanks for looking...

Ella's Valentine's Card

Red Lead Paperworks provided the wonderful inspiration for my Great Niece's V-day card.  They are a local store with incredible goodies, including their own stamps, and they offer it all online.  Just click the link and check out the shabby chic nature of their art and art supplies!!!  You won't be disappointed.  Well they published an adorable idea for buttons.  They wired their buttons together but I decided to just glue them with Glossy Accents.  The fun part is that some of those buttons were my mom's, Ella's Great Grandmother.  I thought it would be fun to send the card and then Ella and Eden (her mom, my niece) could try to guess which buttons are which.  I have a key to which are which to share with them once they have tried to figure it out.  Anyway the card is simple but very sweet I think. The buttons are from various sources including my mom's button tin (a Louis Sherry candy tin).  The paper is from Daisy D's and the tags on the inside were made from my Sizzix die.  The floss is from The Angel Company.  enjoy...

A BEAUTIFUL RAK I RECEIVED

I have mentioned my participation in OSA, a yahoo group devoted to stamp art of an Oriental nature.  I have been blessed to be sent many gorgeous RAKs from members of this group but I want to share a very special one all the way from Australia.  It is from Adrienne, and  I just love it and unfortunately, it was lost for a while (before I got to acknowledge it on OSA) so I wanted to share it on my blog also.  Isn't it beautiful?

Gingersnap Creations and Bella Creations Challenges

I made a card that fit two challenges.  For Gingersnap Creations, I used a coffee filter (the cone type) for the flower on the card and those sweet tickets on the front are from the "Voila Ink!" group on Bella Creations.  I used a CB embossing folder and made the bow with my Bow Easy.  When I look at the photo of my card, it looks like there are way too many different shades of purple on it, but IRL it looks beautiful!!  Here it is:

Try That Technique

Here is my foray into Cling Pearls a Technique Junkies technique from way back (Oct.2007?).  It is this week's challenge.  I love my frog.  He's from I Brake for Stamps and my background grasses stamp is from Stampin Up.  It is hard to see the shimmer in the frog but he is really a beauty IRL.  I used green, yellow, and shimmering copper Pearl-Ex and just love how he turned out.  I kept the card really simple so he would stand out!!! Thanks for looking...

Compendium of Curiosities # 28

Here is my take on this week's challenge from Studio L3.  I am so glad I love wild plum alcohol ink because I now have it all over my hands and my kitchen floor... I can't decide whether to go ahead and clean up the floor or simply spill the rest of it to color my floor in wild plum!!!  LOL... here are my entries.  The first sample is a 2x2 memory glass pendant for my friend Carole who gave me the stamp that I used for it... those colors are so beautiful together...  The second sample is a collection pendant I call "uptown soul" the papers used are from Tim's Lost and Found paper pack and the butterfly is one of his stamps done with a resist technique.  Thanks for looking...

Not This Time

Thanks to Beth Shelly, and Nancy for their words of support!!  I really appreciate it but I didn't make the team this time. It was fun to try though and I look forward to the "Hambo Hoedown" challenge site kickoff and congratulating those that did make the design team!!! Now I am off to send the bunnies card to Junior who loves getting cards from me and maybe, like Nancy, work on a Gingersnap Creations challenge.  Thanks again for your support and happy crafting!!!!

Well I Got Brave...

I decided to apply to be on Hambo Stamps design team.  I have no idea if I made the team, but I sure had fun playing with the digital images they sent for me to use, and they are generous enough to say I could post them.  So, here they are.  Far and away my fav is the first one, "Hoppy Spring".  Those bunny cuties inspired me to make the sliding pop-up card that was this past week's SCS inkling.  I LOVE how it turned out.  I used watercolor paints and had a great time!!!

Isn't that image the cutest???

For the second image, I was very close to my deadline for applying, so the result is a bit more conventional.  The little guy is wee Henry and he is just so cute.  This card looks much better IRL ...

Whether I make the team or not, I feel pretty good for having given it a try!!!  Have an awesome weekend everyone and stay warm!!!

A Sweet Tutorial from Sunflowers and Dragonflies

If you haven't visited Beth Norman's site, you really ought to.  She is definitely the Tutorial Queen and when I visited last night, I found the Faux Porcelain technique and here it is:  Thanks Beth!  The stamp is from Club Scrap and the embossing folder was a gift from my BFF.  It is a beauty...  You know I love your comments...

I am a Ginger Gem Again!!!

I am so thrilled to have once again been named a Ginger Gem for the Gingersnap Creations Polar Animals challenge.  It is especially sweet, as I had the image of what I wanted to do in my head and almost missed the challenge (I thought it was over).  When I realized I had less than 24 hours to enter my vision, I got to work (it just happened to be about 11:00 p.m.) and I created almost exactly what my mind's eye saw.  Thanks for the honor Gingersnaps!!!  You can see my entry in an earlier post!!!

OSA Challenge #105

Here is today's new OSA weekly layout challenge.  It is the year of the rabbit so I decided to honor that.  The floral papers are washi paper, as is the purple, larger squares.  I also used one of the Oriental embossing folders.  Thanks for looking...

Junior's School Photo

Here's my cutie!!!  Junior (Lance Eric) is my youngest grandchild and I just adore him.  Here is his first real school photo.  I had found the paper and didn't realize initially that it was high school album paper, I was just thrilled to find "Junior" paper... LOL... it turned out to be perfect for a little frame (Sizzix die) for his photo... Thanks for looking:

I am hoping to flatten out those small wrinkles by putting the whole thing under a heavy book... Isn't he adorable!!!!

Gingersnap Challenge - Polar Animals

I barely made it in time for this challenge.  I knew I wanted to do it because I love this penguin stamp...  it is from I Brake For Stamps and I love the detail of it.  The background one from Gina K. called baby wipe background.  I made the sentiment on my computer... enjoy....

A "Lovely" Card

I am on a roll here with this design style.  Here are two more, the first one with pink and chocolate (hard to tell, I know) and one with pink and black:                  

OK, break time and on to other styles!~  Thanks for looking...

Another OWH "Scraps" Card

This morning I watched Dawn Griffiith's video and was inspired to make a similar card using my scraps of course.  I really am looking for something simple enough that I can make tons of them but alas, I am one who can make any seemingly easy project difficult!!!  LOL... well here is my take on her adorable card!!  I love it's simplicity in that you use essentially one piece of cardstock.  I will keep working on this card because I just love the idea of it.  In my card, the patterned paper (smaller circles) is some of the oldest I own.  Seriously, it is from my very first days of cardmaking/rubber stamping... talk about hoarding!!!  Ok, here it is:

What I love about this card is that though it is only one piece of cardstock, it can still stand up.  I just like that it is a little bit different than a standard card.  I am off now to try to simplify my process, to make it, as Dawn would say, easy-peasy!!!  While you are at her studio, check out some of her other videos.  She has some great tutorials and she has a great laugh!!!

Operation Write Home Challenge

Hi Everyone, Hope you new year is a going just as you planned!!!

Operation Write Home challenged us to use only our scraps to make cards.  I thought that was a great idea and I had the perfect stamp to do that with...it's a Gina K. stamp perfect for paper piecing.  This is what it looks like stamped...

Then I set about choosing just the right scrap colors to create a pleasing composition... so far, so good.  Next I started cutting each section.  Unfortunately, I used the stamp itself as the guide for the pieces (as I think about it, how the heck did I even do that????) Anyway, I cut all 10 pieces before I realized that the shaped pieces were all backwards!!  Are we having fun yet???  Not only did the cutting take hours, but then, I had to start all over using the stamped image as the guide.  LOL... gee, I don't think this is what OWH had in mind for making multiple cards...  I do like my finished project, which looks better IRL, cuz, every little imperfection shows up on the scan and not so much on the actual card... anyway, I am glad I completed it and even though afterward I wondered why I didn't just cut squares and rectangles and overlap them, I am also happy that I chose to do it just the way I did.  I might try this card again because I love the idea of it, even if mine is less than perfect.   Here it is:

Have a wonderful crafty day everyone!!!

Happy New Year!!!

I hope everyone's holiday season was/is as special as you had hoped it would be!!!  I know for me, anytime at least some of our family is together it is very special!!!  My big wish is that we all can be together for one big holiday!!

So, once again I have been a bit MIA, but here is my first card of 2011... it is for my daughter-in-law's mom.  The sketch is from OSA, an oriental stamping art yahoo group I belong to and the sketch was done by Lindsay Weirich , who has an awesome blog and great digital images and templates.  I used washi papers for the floral paper and the pale violet background paper.  I used a Spellbinders label, turned at an angle, for the sentiment, which is a Club Scrap stamp.  I like how it turned out and I hope you do too...

OOPS, I forgot to add that even though on the scan the ribbon looks black, it is actually a very dark purple.  OK, I'm done.  Enjoy the day...