It's a feeling ...

It's a feeling I get whenever I see vintage cream cardstock, and pink & green girlfriend papers, and polka dot stamps, and french script stamps, and sheet music stamps, and lace scallops, and antique linen ink on everything, tied with fluffy bows and soft flowers and glittery sheen. It's just the most wonderful feeling! These paper flowers are SO much more beautifuller (is that a word?) in person! Three sized scalloped punches, crumpled in a ball and held together with a brad, covering with a button & pearl. I am in laaave with these! I stickled the edges with crystal stickles to make 'em say wow!
This set of cards is going to my kitty cat friend (if I can bear to part with them - they are so stinkin' adorable and I want to stare at them first for a few days :)! Karen & I lunch together often, and we do cat talk .... making sense of our four-legged friends! The kitties were a set of four small cuttlebug embossing folders.

We are going out to dinner with 6 couples this evening, to ring in the New Year! As God would have it, the group has had long standing plans to drive to a well-known smorgesborg an hour away (the point being to be real hungry and real happy to eat a 10 course meal). All this -- and I am having my gallbladder removed next week! :) Do you think I'll get my $18 worth?! I'm planning on it! The bible says to approach the Throne boldly. So what if me and food do not get along well. I'm feeling frisky .... here I come Mac/Cheese!

Happy New Year! God's best blessing to you in 2010!

Polka Dot Vintage Christmas

How about a little "hip" vintage? You know the song "Just a Little Bit Country .... Just a Little Bit o' Rock-n-Roll!" Well ..... how about "Just a Little Bit Vintage ... and a Little Bit o'Hip!" These two darlings are Pocket Cards that have been customized for the girls who work in Kevin's office. The base card pocket is made from Kraft cardstock, cut in half lengthwise, then scored at 6 1/2 inches. I used PTI's polka dot basics to stamp the background - one of my all time favorite go-to stamp sets! I also used a sheet music stamp (source unknown) on vintage cream cardstock, but you could use actual aged sheet music if available.

The notecard with the personalized sentiment is computer generated, but after I cut it to fit the pocket and rounded the corners, then I ran it through my sizzix to emboss it. I like the way it turned out!

Now for the BEST and most FUNNEST (is that a word?) part of this card -- besides the cute vintage postage stamps which were on a 12x12 piece of DP that I cut out -- is this WAAAY cute and fun crumpled paper flower that I ADORE! Stinkin' adorable!

My favorite tutorial for these scrunched paper flowers is found here (the girl is a HOOT) -- but there are many many many examples on the internet if you google it! I sprayed mine with Gold Glimmer Mist before crumpling which not only added some yummy glimmer glow, it also made it easier to crumple and then the flower dried stiff since it had some ink on it. SO SO SO SO fun to make!

Lastly, I added some bling and a satin-edged olive green ribbon. Only 7 more days till Christmas! My wrapping is not done - I'm SO grateful for the invention of gift bags! Have a great day!

Gift Ensemble

I had the most thankful Thanksgiving - ever! We were blessed to enjoy some extended travel time amidst the holiday. I love treasured time with my family! Re-entry is tough, but I'm back in my craft room. Today's post is a gift ensemble, inspired by Michael's dollar bin! I started by stamping an ornamental filigree design onto diamond patterned paper. The medallions shown in the first two pictures did not ultimately go on these cards, but you get the idea!

Then I simply embellished a notebook and magnets from the dollar bin, and then I made a set of cards and a bookmark to match. I love how this gift set turned out! It was easy and really makes a impression. Most of the vanilla cardstock is embossed with a cuttlebug folder, then I lightly sprayed it with Iridescent Gold glimmer mist (LOVE that stuff!). It adds a hint of sparkle and really makes your project pop!

This picture shows the card design ... the medallion "hangs" off the edge of the card front, so much of the inside card is exposed. Doesn't the scallop edge on the inside look pretty!? You can see the medallions that I ultimately ended up using ... because they match the paper I stamped. I'll use the others in a future project!

The above picture shows the Prayer Journal (computer generated), but it also shows the embossed and glimmer misted vanilla cardstock. The below picture shows the matching bookmark in detail. Since it is to be used in the Prayer Journal, I chose three sentiments that I thought might be inspirational. The bookmark is a bit oversized so it matches the length of the notebook Prayer Journal.

I SO love Michael's dollar bin. I SO love black, vanilla, and pink. I SO love lacy beautiful vintage feeling projects. I SO hope you enjoyed this project! Have a beautiful day!

Glittered Stockings

I found a little time to start my Christmas cards today! Yay for Kay! These are very simple and easy to mass-produce. My new PTI Stocking Prints set was begging to be inked. I can think a million thinks about the many ways to use this set, but today my goal was simple and easy!

First off, some time ago when my sister was cleaning out her stash (shouldn't we all do that once in a while?!), she gave me a pack of cream colored cards and envelopes. Simple and easy! Nice big size too! Next, I chose a glittery Christmas designer paper from My Minds Eye Signature Christmas. It was already glittered and aged and its beautiful! Once again, simple and easy!

After stamping the stocking in chocolate chip ink and cutting out with a fine-tip pair of scissors, I added a chocolate chip scallop border (Martha Stewart wide scallop) and a bow. Sentiment is also from the Stocking Print stamp set -- such pretty handwriting! I added a few crystal gems and wa-la -- simple and easy Christmas cards! Oh -- and one more thing ... that's a picture of my sister & I in the teeny tiny little picture frame on the shelf in the first picture. She's the best! She's going to cook our Thanksgiving dinner! I'm so thankful! I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving. I have SO much to be thankful for. Make a joyful noise to the Lord!

Vintage Journals

Happy is the heart that is busy making journals for the Women's Christmas Tea! (See prior post) Here we have a table full of lovlies for my guests. I learned some tips and tricks this time around ... Rub-on's do their thing better with my fingernail than with a popsicle stick! I must have broken a dozen popsicle sticks before I learned the secret! (yes, I'm blond) Another thing I learned is how much fun it is to mix and match various flowers and chipboards, laced with glitter and stickles!

The vintage feel of old sheet music is a winner! If you don't have a music sheet type of stamp, get thee to your local scrapbook store. It just warms up everything -- paper, chipboard, flowers!

Look at that lovely new K&Company paper mache' flower?! Drool. And another thing is ... A girl can never under-estimate the power of her ribbon stash.

I used PTI's new Take Note stamp set for most of the tags, and the rectangle in the center is stamped first, then hand-stitched with a brown fine tip pen, and then cut with decorative scissors. Lots of subtle backgrounds here, so the glitter and bling would really stand out. I'm planning to put these into simple glassine bags, they are just so pretty all by themselves!

The inside looks stinkin' adorable, all dolled up with clever stamps from Take Note. I am quickly falling in love with that set! Have a great weekend!

With Grace Journal

This homespun journal was created because I'm feeling a little bit shabby chic and Victorian all at once. My thoughts are filled with preparations to host a table for the Christmas Women's Tea - it will be beautiful! Lace tablecloth, candles, sparkling white dishes with a different tea cup and saucer for each place setting. And of course, a glittery, sparkly, scrap-booky gift for each precious lady!

Cardstock is PTI Sweet Blush, stamped with PTI's Polka Dot Basics on the bottom third, journaling lines in the center third, and french script on the top third -- all tone on tone so it's very soft. Everything - absolutely everything - is inked with Fresh Snow and/or Antique Linen. I added some rub-on's in the corners. The chipboard flourish was first inked with Fresh Snow, then glittered with crystal stickles. I also glittered many of the lines in the flourish stamps here and there, and then added some pearl embellies and white satin ribbon.

I tried a new way to cover my notebooks, by using one full sheet scored at the binding (rather than making it an exact fit and then covering the back separately). I found this to be a snap and I love the way it leaves a generous border around the notebook, enough to thread a ribbon closure. There is something about Victorian and nostalgia that I just love!

The inside was easy to doll up, using a vintage rose stamp from Stampin Up. And yes, I really did stamp each and every page in the notebook. It speaks love, the kind of love you feel when you dip lace in tea, and when you bake homemade Cinnamon rolls, and listen to Bing Crosby sing White Christmas. Do you feel the love?

Notes from home is from PTI's Vintage Picnic Sentiments. This little list can hold about any thoughts you can think! Grocery lists, sweet nothings for your family, an address, a Christmas or birthday list. Do you do shabby chic? I can't wait to do more!

Owl-ways In My Heart

I had a little Unity Fun today (okay -- a LOT) with the October KOM! How caaauuute is this owl?! He's a rock-star! I used some fun paper by GCB Studio called Chic BeBe (I found it at Michaels), which is an eclectic mix of double-sided yummy papers. This piece already had the cute scalopped edge, so I made good use of it!

With a teeny tiny bit of copic coloring, and smattering of sponging around the background of this little guy, I thought he was good to go! I embellished the eyes with pink shiny flat metal stickers, they came on a card much like tiny crystal embellishments do. I think I'll name him Moe. He just looks like a Moe!

The squiggles on the chocolate brown card stock at the bottom of the card, this is an old TAC stamp that I wouldn't take a million bucks for! I used PTI Snow Ink. Moe is always gonna be in my heart, I just know it. Ya wanna know sumpthin tricksy? All this started because I bought this really darn cute shoulder bag that looks like something out of the 70s, and has an applique owl on it, looks much like Moe here! I'm sending it to my nice neice who is away at college, so I needed a card to go with it. But hey -- you know me. Why make one Moe when you can have a bundle of Moe's?! AND *yes there's more* I stamped a gazillion more Moe's onto white tissue paper before packing her shoulder bag. Ahhh-More Moe! LOL

I turned some Moe's sideways on the card, and other Moe's vertical - just to be Moe Different. The fabulous green glitter chipboard hearts are by K&Company, and I embellished some of the hearts with the metal stickers (those things really ROCK). Hellow, my name is Moe!

Knit Purl ... Knit Purl

Ohhh, how pretty is Karen's Lockhart's Knit Purl Basket Stamp! Me, myself, and I do not knit, crochet, or even sew ... but I know plenty of people who have those talents and this set is for one such lady. Some time ago, Carol made a lap blanket for a friend who found herself unexpectedly in the hospital, fighting an infection that threatened to take her life. Carol then asked her Sunday School class to pray over the lap blanket before taking it to the hospital. It was a beautiful thought and the gift meant a lot to the recipient. So ....

before you knew it, many ladies were making many lap blankets with many many balls of yarn! And sent them to many people who were very sick with cancer, tumors, infections, surgeries, etc. But never a lap blanket gets sent without first having 20-30 people each hold an edge and cover that person and the lap blanket in prayer. Such a simple idea. Such a big impact.

I feel so privileged to know Carol. And I wanted her to know. Enjoy!

Get Comfy, Get Rest, Feel Better

With all the flu and flu-like symptoms running rampant on planet earth right now, I thought it would behoove my card stash to have some of those kinds of cards at the ready. So I pulled out Karen Lockhart's bathrobe stamp and found some comforting paper that looked like a bathrobe that I would want to wear! Designer paper is more good stuff from K&Company's Wild Raspberry collection. I enjoyed using this new wide scallop Martha Stewart punch, and I added dots on the scallop edge with a white Ink-essentials pen. Too cute! Matches the dots around the heart from PTI Borders & Corners/Hearts set.

Sentiment is also from Karen Lockhart. So is the a-d-o-r-a-b-l-e kleenex box on the envelope. A girl can't have enough Karen Lockhart stash! Bottom of card is stamped with a Denami Design Filigree Stamp - what a neat company! Check 'em out.

Inside of card is finished with a strip of matching designer paper layered over brown cardstock, and sentiment is from PTI's Vintage Picnic Sentiments. If you are sick, let me know.

Thanks for stopping by!

Always In My Heart

I'll have you know we are finally at the last of the last of the notebooks! YAY! I did not procrastinate on doing 50 notebooks at all - no no no! It was fun to do 5 or 10 at a time and then sit back and marvel with satisfaction at the basket full of love! Moral of the story is this: If you are ever asked to do 50 notebooks for a group of Shriner's Ladies, say yeah! Fitting that the last bunch says "Always In My Heart" as that's how I feel about dear friend Debbie, who asked me (a year ago!) to do this project! (Emphasis on dear!)

First, I stamped a Unity Company heart with stem from the September KOM (NOT the store kit - there really are two separate and distinct kits each month). Then I stamped it again onto DP and punched out a heart using the EK Success Medium Heart Punch which coordinates perfectly with PTI's Heart Borders & Corners set. Capeesh? Topped off with a button!

If I know anything about our blogging world, it's that you all can do some serious Woo-Hoo's when a project of any size is done! Since I also have a pretty good idea of how many of you are out there, I absolutely cannot resist gathering our hearts to offer a collective Woo-Hoo for each other's freindships, encouragements, and accomplishments. Not just crafts -- our lives are busy! We all have things on our plate that we are called to do for our friends and families and co-workers and yes, even strangers! But know this -- there is NO SUCH THING as serving in obscurity. It MATTERS. God sees you doing "the thing" day in and day out. And if it's a really crazy day, one spends as many evening hours as needed. To all of you who keep doing "the thing", you're always in my heart!

Just Bee-Cuz

Ever want to do something, just bee-cuz? Then the ladies who receive these notebooks will now have a place to write it down just in case they want to do it just bee-cuz!

I suppose the cutest part of these notebooks are the red polka dots on the blue cardstock, mixed with the colorful papers! Oh, no I'm sorry! I was mistaken. It's the bee, an old Angel Company set that warrants a nod for being too cute!

Oh, no I'm sorry! It's the matching inside cover and the adorable flower punch that stays near my right hand at all times. How is it that the littlest things make us card-makers the happiest?!

I have beans cooking & cornbread baking, along with a fresh apple cake made from apples we recently got from the orchard. Just bee-cuz. Have a super duper day, just bee-cuz!

Happy Funky Fall

This morning, I realized the air conditioning was still on! It's only 43 degrees and looks like it could rain for 40 days and 40 nights! But alas, I LOVE Fall. It's when I become a better me! I DIG sweaters and scarves!This girl is beginning to grow weary of notebooks (it's about time!) so I'm into doing easy peasy here ... as I hit the home stretch toward 50 of them! The sentiment and funky tree is from Unity's Setpember Store Kit, and all I did was stamp it with chocolate chip ink onto some funky K&Company paper and add a few crystals here and there.

The paisley embellishment is from a 12x12 strip of funky scrapbook page dividers by K&Company. I cut them apart and had instant funk for each tree. I think it gives a wind-swept look to the already windy tree!

Inside and back of notebooks - on SU Night of Navy cardstock, stamped with more Unity swirls using PTI Fresh Snow ink. Let the winds blow!

Coffee & Friends

More notebooks! Popular little things arn't they? Today's notebook cover is a paper-pierced coffee cup from Unity's September KOM. I don't even drink coffee (Diet Coke-aholic) but these turned out so cute it makes me want to try a sip!

After trimming with fine-tip scissors, I added some shading with a Cool Gray copic marker and that - my friends - was that! I stamped the image onto the cocoa brown designer paper to get the top of the "coffee cup steam" and then used it as a guide to adhere my cut out design. I really love the saying too!

Inside of notebooks. Hip Hop colors aren't they! Once again, paper from the Wild Raspberry collection by K&Company. Ya think I like it cuz of the name? Kay? Get it? LOL Naw - I just like it cuz I'm a paper hog! Us Wild Hogs have to stick together!

Back of notebooks, personalized after random versamark stamping. What's your perfect blend?