Pumpkin Cuteness

Edited to add: Bob Evans has it's annual Pumpkin Bread in stock now! Get thee there and say yum yum! Having Bob's Pumpkin Bread made me realize I had not titled this post. Funny how the mind works, yes?

This might be my favorite set of notebooks so far! At least it won the "most colorful" award! The little pumpkin stamp is from Papertrey's Vintage Picnic Baskets, one of my fav fav fav sets! Once I got that set out of the package, that baby was inked. Now my next latest fav fav fav Papertrey set is the Heart Borders and Corners. Yes, I know I'm one of the last people on the planet to own this sweet heart (get it?!) but since it is a sin to covet I thought it best to order it! I've paired it with the medium Marvey heart punch, and delicious pumpkin colored button.

When choosing paper patterns to mix on the same project, I like to be bold enough to see a definite difference in each paper which, believe it or not, makes it easier on the eye. When I "play it safe" and try to be subtle (not my best quality), then I usually end up having to add a thin solid paper strip for accent. Since this was a mass-making project, I went bold!

Back of notebooks ... I used a funky tree stamp from Michaels $1 bin (yay!) and stamped it as a background, using Groovy Guava SU ink which almost gives the effect of Versamark, only more definitive on Kraft Cardstock. I hope you enjoyed your weekend! And that your week ahead is simply the best!

It's Fall Y'all

Don't you love Fall?! Today is the most beautiful Fall day here in Indiana. In keeping with the Fall theme, I'm knocking out my next 10 mini notebooks for the ladies upcoming trip to Brown County. 25 done to date, 25 more to go!Gina K'w Whimsical Autumn stamp set is simply adorable. This little squirrel almost looks like he's prancing around in the snow ... but I LIKE dots so I'm USING dots! Isn't being queen of your own scrap room the bomb?

Unity Stamp Company's September Kit SO rocks! I stamped the pumpkin on DP and cut it out with fine tip scissors, adding very little copic coloring. A real time saver when working in mass! All of the papers on these two notebooks are from the Autumn Collection by Recollections available at Michaels. SO many cute papers that coordinate, just close your eyes and grab!

"Hey Pumpkin" was computer generated before cutting into strips. "Have a Nutty Day" was also computer generated, before punching with SU nested circle punches. Let's take a look at the inside of these cute little notebooks ...

And the back is just as cute as the front! Yes, more dots. But to my credit, the leaves on the Kraft back piece is a stamp from Michaels $1 bin - So Stinkin' Fall Cute! I stamped it in Chocolate Chip ink onto the Kraft cardstock, and colored a few leaves with copics to add some color. Sometimes those $1 finds are the best!

Complete with my signature stamp ... a gift from my sister who loves me like crazy! She's mine, you can't have her.

I hope you enjoy your Fall Y'all!

Stack of Stuff

We are celebrating Kevin's last week of physical therapy around here, and as long as I am in the journal-making mood, I put these two notebooks together for the physical therapy gals who come to the house every week to help Kevin's new knee settle in just right! That's about as nice as it gets ... because I canNOT take credit for this design! Check out this post for Mish's cutest ever stack of Vintage Picnic Baskets! I've been using the sentiments in this PTI set for all kinds of stuff, but this is the first time I've inked up the basket-a-roonies! LOVE THEM! Here's the scoop on my stacks: Scarlet and Blueberry Pie cardstock from Archivers, and a dash of Old Olive stamped with a very old Angel Company Squiggle stamp that I love! Of course, I used PTI's Polka Dot Basics (ah-hem, just get it) stamped in Chocolate Chip. Ya didn't think I could make anything withOUT polka dots lately, now did ya? I went through my scrap bin to choose patterns to stamp my picnic baskets, and then cut them out with fine tip scissors.

If you have an eye for detail (and I know you do!), this next shot shows how I "stitched" around the computer-generated sentiment --- because I just thought it needed it! :)

Here's the inside cover, with a matching piece of cardstock to coordinate.

And here they are bagged, tagged, and ready to go! I gotta stamp a whole STACK of these again. It is just too cute!

Happy Sunday!

Halloween is Almost Here (ssnotime104)

I decided to make a Halloween project out of some wonderful stamped images sent to me by Sweetie Pie Janine! And since she is on Sharon's design team, it was a perfect time to play along with this week's Halloween challenge! Some time ago, Sweetie Pie Janine sent me a goody box plumb full of happiness - it made me squeeel! I love her style, her work is inspiring, and her heart is bigger than a moon pie! Thanks, Janine, for making light work of this Halloween project! These line art images said "color me with copics, Kay". So I indulged - sigh. But I told them they must endure bright colors that make your eyes blink! And yet, they still agreed. Thus, welcome to my rendition of Halloween. I'm not big on spooky, so rather than traditional Halloween sentiments I chose a theme of "anything goes" and it was a blast!

Some images are over stamped with PTI Polka Dot Basics (ah-hem, just get it!) and other images I simply used my trusty technique of sponge daubing while still in die. These beautiful line art images stand alone, especially with these bright colors, so everything is grounded in basic black cardstock, on a Kraft base.

The "other" side of this cool black polka dot paper has bowling balls and pins on it! I don't expect to go bowling anytime soon, but you watch -- next week Mr. Stubborn with the newly replaced knee will want to try it! I'll just have to say "Nope, I already used that paper!" :)

Some cards have rounded corners, some have ticket corners, some are sideways, some are longways. I just went to town with no never mind! I always wanted to live in a purple house with an orange roof, don't you? Just look at the warm glow through the front doors! What a NICE neighborhood! It just needs a Harley parked along side the driveway ...

You will notice that some cards have a smaller piece of the "inside/out bowling paper" (i.e. black polka dot). In those instances, I stamped a black or purple cardstock with CHF Pretty Pattern Backgrounder using Fresh Snow Ink. I LOVE this gal and her pumpkins! Perhaps it's because I'm kinda short (and chunky), and a streak of jealousy might pass through my mind for a fleeting second?! Or maybe it's because I love pumpkin bread so much?!

The best for last! Jeepers Creepers, I'm smiling almost as big as this guy! Thanks, Sharon, for a fun challenge. Thanks, Janine, for contributing to a smashing fun set of cards!

You're A Tweet-Heart

I am loving this K&Company Paper by Carolyn Gavin, called Greenhouse. Get thee to Michaels! Today, I paired it with Kraft Cardstock for my notebooks. It's a-d-o-r-a-b-l-e with this clear Hero Arts set, Who Loves You from Archivers! The "stump" can hold about anything your sweet self can think to plop on it!
I chose this bird simply for the tweet sentiment! Once my images were stamped, colored with copics, and cut with spellbinders ... I left it in the die and used a sponge dauber to add a faint blue sky. Then I removed it from the die, and over stamped the entire image with PTI Polka Dot Basics (ah-hem, a stash staple, just get it!).
Can you spot the one all packaged up in a clear cellophane bag, with pen, and altered wooden clothespin clip? Be still my beating heart!
Did I mention how MUCH I enjoy mass-creations for my sweet soul?

Apple of My Eye

Today I am preparing for Fall! A friend, God love her sweetness, is hosting a women's bus trip to Brown County, Indiana for the Lady Shriners. Debbie herself is Indiana's First Shriner Lady, a divine appointment by virtue of being married to the Grand Poopaa (Potentate, for real). If you've never seen Brown County in the Fall ... well, you are missing some of God's best leaves, shopping, and food! Think "Shipshewana" times 10! Today's notebook project, and many more to come, will be included in their gift bags.
If you know Mish's fabulous blog, you know she's queen of notebook covers! They are SO fun to make. The apple basket is from Gina K's Whimsical Autumn stamp set, colored with copics and cut with a regular square Spellbinders Die. The sentiment was curved on a glass block before stamping onto old olive cardstock, the background is stamped with PTI polka dot basics (an absolute stash staple - just get it)!

A neat trick: BEFORE I removed the stamped apple basket out of my die, I used a Martha Stewart fine tip brown marker to outline my image. A nice and easy touch, that really sets its off. (see below) In keeping with the polka dot theme, I used a white Inkessentials pen to dot my punched embellishment before topping off with a shiny red button. Mass producing is my most-best-favoritest way to create! Gives "satisfaction for my soul" and makes me feel extra productive! My notebooks came from Walmart, and any office supply store will cut them in half for you. Ready, set, create!

I cover my notebooks using a 1/4" score line for the fold, but there is some variation between notebook brands so best to measure! The back cover is all one piece, which is attached separately after the scored, folded, cover has been adhered with the red sticky never come off adhesive tape. But I used regular adhesive for everything else. Stretch your cardstock and your adhesive = stretch your dollars = go online and shop!

Now we have a cute little shopping list notebook, with a matching inside! Paper is from K&Company, delicious paper I might add! (from Michaels) 5 down. 45 more to go!

I hope you have a chance to create this weekend! For me, the last month has been filled with Kevin's knee surgery, Kevin's brother's massive stroke (still not responding), Fall conference season at the law firm, state certification process in our family-owned business, and ... yes, I'm still smiling! Learning to turn chaos into calm! Praise Dee Lord!