Monday, May 30, 2011

June Virtual Class - Note Card Box

This is the Virtual Class for June.  This class includes all the supplies needed to complete this project, along with an instructional sheet (PDF) that has color photos, a supplies list, and shipping & handling.
 completed note box with cards inside:

When you purchase the class, you will receive the instructional PDF, so you can re-create this note card box using any pattern paper you have.  Need a personal, inexpensive gift for your kid's teachers, co-workers, new neighbors?  This is the perfect gift!  Make as many matching cards as you would like!  This note card box holds typical A2 size cards (5 1/2" x 4 1/4") and envelopes!  When you order please specify the desired initial, and the desired color: tangerine tango, or wild wasabi.
wild wasabi and tangerine tango:
This virtual class comes with all the supplies to make two cards; one with each saying and different size flowers as shown above.  Two envelopes are also included.  Just select which color you would like, and your class kit will arrive with all the supplies, including the note card box!  This virtual class is $7.00, that includes shipping and handling.  If you live in the Albuquerque/Edgewood/Rio Rancho area, and would like to pick-up your kit, please subtract $1.00 for shipping.  Also, please pay thru PayPal, as that seems to be the easiest, even if you are picking-up a class kit.  If you have any questions, please contact me @ bachnucmed@excite.com
I got the instructions and inspiration for this project from Lisa Stenz.  She is a CTMH consultant.

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Designer's Challenge

My usual Saturday mornings I am surfing the web for some fun, creative, and not too to challenging challenges.  And I hit the jack pot!  Those super creative girls @ Color Combos Galore have a new Inspiration Board #194 this week.  You see, my wedding anniversary is today, and I could not come up with a card for my husband to save my life.  And then, I saw this:


I know what you're thinking, 'these are girl colors with flowers for the inspiration'.  But, take another look.  These colors can easily be for a masculine card.  And the challenge is to use numbers.  Think Tim Holtz.  Now do you see it?  

So, here is my card:


and a close-up of the clear card stock & calendar:

I started with a matt piece I ran thru the Big Shot using an embossing folder, so the card wouldn't look so flat.  I used Daffodil Delight, Wild Wasabi, Sahara Sand, and Pure Poppy card stocks, classic inks, and embellishments, all of which are from Stampin' Up!.  I printed the calendar from Crafty Secrets blog (its a free download).   I matted it onto a scrap piece of pattern black paper.  That piece is layered onto a piece I cut with a 'spiral notebook page' die from PTI.  The # '29' and 'frame' (Vintage Labels) were stamped in Whisper White craft ink onto clear card stock, and heat embossed with glacier white detail EP.  The only flower I did not make was the center yellow flower.  The rest I made with dies and punches.  I used the leaf portion of the 2-step bird punch to create leaves.  The ribbon is a retired ribbon from Stampin' Up!, I think its 3 yrs old.  I made the banner with a Stampin' Up! die and a recent retired stamp set, 'Something to Celebrate'.  I sponged everything with matching classic inks.  Some pieces received a heavier hand in sponging then others.
Thank you for looking.  My wonderful husband and I have been married 12 years.  I know that doesn't sound long, but we are happy!

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Beautiful Baby

Happy Saturday!  Yahoo, the weekend arrived!   Well, I am the hostess again, over @ Our Creative Corner challenge blog!  I have to admit, I really do enjoy being the hostess.  
Anyways, I have another challenge for you: creative a baby-themed paper craft.  There are a few requirements for your entry to be considered as one of our top talents.  Your paper craft item (card, 3-D, scrapbook page, etc) must include: kraft card stock, at least one button, and some trim.  Trim can be lace, ribbon, crochet trim, etc.  Doesn't that sound easy?  Well, if you need a little inspiration, head on over to the challenge blog: Our Creative Corner and see what the design team has come up with.  These are super talented ladies, and their paper crafts are just sooo beautiful, and couldn't be more different!  So, I'm sure a creative spark will ignite!


Here is my card:

close-up of the tag:

close-up of the star:


Lately I have been on a scrap kick.  And this entry is no different.  I found some wonderful teal blue-ish scrap pieces of paper in my scrap-stash that coordinated really well together.  I think the floral one is fancy pants,  and the other piece is bo bunny.  I had a scrap piece of the kraft polka dot DSP, so I used my lace trim punch to help give it some pizzazz.  The blue-ish saddle stitch ribbon is Anna Griffon, and is easily 6 years old.  To make the star, I used my die to cut a light weight piece of chip board, a 2-way glue pen, and some super fine reflections glitter.  I added some faux half-pearls to two of the buttons, and adhered them to my card with glue dots.  The tag is the only thing I stamped.  I have this little clear stamp set and it fit perfectly to my tiny tag.  I made a multi-loop bow with some kraft seam binding, and tied a button to the center with some linen thread.  I used a vintage trinket safety pin to attach the tag to the button.  The 'Tender Bubbles' advertisement is actually a sticker I purchased a few years back.  I adhered it to a scrap piece of kraft card stock, and used my white paint to distress the edges.  and viola!  So, if you have some time on your hands this holiday weekend, and you get a chance to craft, you should join us! 
Please, have a safe and super fun weekend!  
(this card will be for sale on my Etsy shop following the close of our challenge.)

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Merry & Bright #25


No, don't adjust your screen!  That's right.  You are looking at a Christmas card in May.  I have found this wonderful challenge blog; Christmas Card Challenges where you enter a Christmas card for each challenge through out the year, so by Christmas time, you have all your Christmas cards made!  What a novel idea!  The crafty ladies over @ Creative Sketches have a layout challenge this week with a twist: holiday.  So, I combined the two.  I thought that was pretty efficient of me!
So, I hope you all have time to play today in these challenges!  I'd love to see what you create!

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Thank You


As I have said before, my last card club classes, for this session, were this past weekend.  I had a two mother/daughter duos in my Saturday card club.  And Lynn & Skylar had made me this Thank You card!  They wanted to thank me for teaching them so many techniques.  And, if you look closely, they also included a Starbucks gift card.  Yes, I'm a Starbucks junkie.  I stop by every morning after my exercise class to get my caffeine fix on my way to work.  So, the gift card is super appreciated and very usable!
My new card clubs start in July, and I have a few seats still available.  If you are interested, please contact me @ sharon_wheet@yahoo.com  so I can get some info to you.  I have made a club rules sheet, along with a few notes.  If you would like to join LD (long distance) that's very do-able.  The only difference is you will need to pay a $5 shipping and handling fee each month we meet.
Thanks for looking and have a wonderful day!

Monday, May 23, 2011

Congrats Friend

Well, I have certainly made my paper-crafting dollar stretch today!  I made a card for a dear friend, and it qualifies to be entered into not one, not two, but THREE challenges!  Yahoo!
I met this super lady thru a friend, while paper crafting.  Her name is Dorian.  She is the kindest person you could know.  Anyways, she has this boyfriend that she has been with, for a awhile.  And on Sunday, he asked her to marry him!  How exciting is that?  Well, since she is such a wonderful person I HAD to make her a wonderful card!  But lately my mojo has needed a little push to get going.  So, I went to the internet to find to inspiration.  And I did!

Mona, over @ Cupcake's Creations had a delightful color challenge, #29: light plum, plum, and kraft  (and their inspiration board has a wedding theme!).  The folks over @ Card Patterns has a super user-friendly sketch challenge this week, #116.  And the creative folks over @ {Lawn}scaping have a polka-dot challenge, #10.  Ok, now I have my focus.  Lets create!  
And so I did.  Here is my card: 




the sponsers:

Ok, so about the card.  I used Crumb Cake card stock as the base.  I had two purple scraps from a paper that is easily 6/+ yrs old, and so I don't know the name of the paper or company.  So, I added those to the card.  I cut one scrap with my largest scallop circle die and then cut it in half to the create the half-moon top and bottom.  I had just enough scrap crochet trim to wrap around the bottom third of the card.  I used Crumb Cake and Crumb Cake DSP to create the fancy shaped piece in the center.  I trimmed off the border of the polka dot piece and added some dimensional foam tape to 'lift' it off the solid piece.  I found this wonderful purple texture scrap and cut a butterfly out of it.  I sponged the edges, spritz with some home-made shimmer paint and added some gold ink to the edges.  I had two purple paper daisys that I stacked for the floral center.  I added some different beads from my 'jar o' beads' to a corsage stick pin.  I put a glue dot just under the last bead and tied some thin sheer ribbon around the pin and put it behind the paper daisy.  For the cameo, this was the fun part.  I made it!  Isn't it the greatest!  I bought some polymer clay from one of the big box craft stores, and a mold from MoldMuse.  (Its a virtual shop on Etsy).  Molded the clay and baked it.  Used my handy-dandy glue gun to attach it to the paper daisy and viola!  For my sentiment, I stamped 'Congratulations' in Perfect Plum classic ink onto a scrap of Very Vanilla cardstock and cut out the banner shape.  I edged that piece with some gold ink, as well.  I added three faux half-pearls to the bottom of the greeting, just to give it a little 'class'.
So, my card is now off to the mail box, to be sent to my dear friend Dorian.  I hope she likes it.  And I hope you enjoyed getting a sneak peak!  I encourage you to stop by the different challenge blogs and post your creation.  You never know, you could have an honorable mention, or be in the top three picks,  or be the winner! You'll be amazed how big your smile becomes when you see your card and name posted!  Happy paper-crafting!

Sunday, May 22, 2011

a little something

So, yesterday was my last Saturday Card Club class for this session.  I take off the month of June for Card Club.  Its a super busy time of the year for alot of folks.  (Which is one of the reasons I take off December, too.)  Anyways, I wanted the last class to be wonderfully creative!  
I needed a little inspiration to help me come up with something wonderful!  So, I went on over to Color Combos Galore to see what they have posted for inspiration!  And to see what wonderfully pretty colors they used!  Here is their current Inspiration Board:


(I substituted River Rock, Whisper White, Pink Pirouette, and Basic Black.)

So, now that I had a color scheme, I went right to work with my technique!  I taught the faux mother of pearl technique on one card, and a delightful pleated flower tutorial for the other card.  
And here is the card that used the inspiration board and faux mother of pearl technique:


All supplies used are current Stampin' Up!  Let me know what you think!  And I hope everyone is having a super fun weekend!

My new card clubs start-up again in July!  Join me for either the 2nd Saturday of the month, or the third Sunday of the month!  If you join a club long distance (LD), all club kits are mailed the week of club, so you should have your supplies on the day we meet!  All LD club kits come with a supplies list, directions with color photos in a pdf, and all unique supplies.  (Adhesive and scissors are considered 'common' supplies.)  To join, I just need a commitment of 9 months: July - November 2011 and February - May 2012.  Also, select a month to be hostess, so you can benefit from the orders of the other club members, too!  You will need to place a $20 monthly order we meet, and you can pay thru PayPal.  If you are LD, please include a $5 shipping and handling fee for your club kit.  Your monthly club order will be mailed directly to you!  What could be easier!  You can build your supplies of Stampin' Up! products on a budget! And, have a reason to craft with the wonderfully superior Stampin' Up! supplies each month!  

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Frame It!

Good Morning!  It's Saturday, and that means it's time for another challenge over @ Our Creative Corner!  Linda, from the funkie junkie, is our hostess again this week.  For those of you who have not visited her blog, she does shabby chic to an incredibly inspiring level.  So, for this week, our challenge is to create a frame and pop it off your card/project.  What a clever challenge!  So, won't you play along?



And, here is my card.  It was a lot of fun to create.  I used four pattern papers.  Three of which came out of the same package of DSP from Stampin' Up!  Brocade Background DSP.  The other pattern paper came out of my scrap folder.  But, I think they work nicely together.  And yes, I stamped on the pattern papers to help give them some focal interest and to 'finish' the look.  This card has alot going on! There's crochet trim, seam binding, a metal brad, linen thread, half pearls, a flower, a butter fly, a tag, some sponging and of course! a FRAME!
The non-Stampin' Up! items used to create this card are: the clear stamps to 'decorate' the pattern paper, the pattern paper used for the butterfly, the pearls, and the flower.  Everything else is Stampin' Up!
Thank you for looking!  I hope I have inspired you to create something and enter our Frame It challenge over @ Our Creative Corner.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Collage Stamping and a Sketch

Good Morning!  The wonderfully talented ladies over @ Creative Sketches have a new challenge this week!  There is a sketch, but also a technique!  The technique is called collage stamping.  That's where you create something while layering stamped images.  Pretty straight forward, and fun!  So, if you want something challenging, please play along! 
Here is my card:



I used First Edition DSP on my first layer and stamped the flourish from Friends 24-7 on it.  The second layer is a scrap piece of Very Vanilla cardstock.  I first stamped the en francais in versa mark and heat embossed with clear embossing powder.  Sponged on some Old Olive classic ink, and stamped the flourish from Elements of Style in the same ink.  Rubbed the 'paper' with a Kleenex to remove the standing ink on the embossed areas (emboss resist).  The lilacs are an OLD retired stamp set (2006).   I added some crochet trim with a few tags and a butterfly!  Viola!
Thank you for looking, and I hope you play along with us!

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

'Line-Frame' Cards

I learned a technique called, 'Line-Frame'.  When I first saw it, I fell in love with it!  'Line-Frame' gives a CAS (Clean and Simple) card a 'finished' look.  I am teaching a class tomorrow on this technique, at the East Mountain Library from 5p-6:30p, in Tijeras, New Mexico.
 
 the object and sentiment brake the 'line-frame'.


masking, makes the 'line-frame' the focal point

I kept the color schemes similar so the focus would be on the technique and not necessarily the card.  Make sense?  CAS cards are quick and easy to create, and less expensive to mail!  But can still have a polished look!
Thanks for looking!  My husband is working on my Etsy shop again tonight! Yahoo!  I've already downloaded my 'wall paper' and my husband is working on my shop banner.  So stay tuned!

Sunday, May 15, 2011

One Fold and Three Techniques

I have two card clubs.  A Saturday card club, and a Sunday card club.  My card clubs run from July-Nov and February-May.  We take off in December and January due to the weather, holidays, schools out, and folks are already too busy to ad one more thing.  So, we meet a total 9 times in our 'year'.
For this clubs' cards, I wanted something new and creative!  So, I was searching the internet and I found a great technique @ Stamping 411:  Faux Mother of Pearl.  So, I went over to SplitCoastStampers to see what they had on the technique and to look at their gallery.   I was looking for some creative inspiration, and found a wonderful layout @ Stamping 411 Sketch 203. I knew that I wanted to teach this technique, and this is the card we made:

On the Grow stamp set


So, now onto the second card.  The ladies in Sundays' club, love a challenge.  So, I saw this fabulous fold on SplitCoastStampers: Side-Step Card.  On their home page, they also have a tutorial (from May11th) on how to create paper buttons.  I thought this would be fun. One of the things I really enjoy doing, is making my own embellishments, so everything is matchy-match.  And, I don't want to spend good money on paper crafting that I can easily make myself.  This second card has alot going on; a fancy fold, paper piecing, and making our own paper buttons!  And this is the card we made:

 Chic Boutique, Puns from the Past, & With All My Heart stamp sets

Thank you for looking.  If you are interested in joining one of my new card clubs please contact me, we start again in July. If you are outside the area, I can mail your kit to you, along with the kit instructions, supplies list, and materials.  Each club member selects which month they want to be the hostess, and must place a minimum club order of $20 each month we meet: July-November 2011 and February-May 2012.  Have a great week!


Saturday, May 14, 2011

Au Natural, with a twist!

Well, it's Saturday, and that means another creative challenge from the gals @ Our Creative Corner!  Linda, is our hostess this month, and she has a super challenge this week!  Use your light neutrals (ivory, cream, light grey, beige, etc.) for the main colors in your project.  Use dark neutrals (black, chocolate, dark grey, etc.) as your accents.  The twist part, is you must also use a button and some lace. How fun is that?  So, without further ado, here is my entry:

Ok, so here are the deets:  I used all Stampin' Up! supplies, minus the template and the two pearls.  Pretty cool, huh?  For all those who know me, know that I don't smoke.  But, doesn't a cigarette box, make the cutest 'holder'?  I know!  So, before we get too involved with the all the particulars. . .   Do you know what you can fit inside a cigarette box?  Well, this one, you can fit business cards, ATC's, chap stick and a few small goodies (band-ades, ointment), a gift card, and more 'stuff'.  So, how cute would it be to swap ATC's carried in your cute little altered cigarette box?  Or hold all your 'crafty' business cards in?
Ok, onto the box.  I printed the template onto Very Vanilla cardstock.  I found the template @ Just Something I made  you will need to locate her Wednesday April 29th 2009 post.  It has a free download. (put in 'Cigarette box' into the search box at the top, and you'll find it quick and easy.)  My printer doesn't accept cardstock, or at least good quality cardstock.  So, I take my template and cardstock to my local Kinkos and print there.  (It's only 9 cents a copy.)

I didn't want to stamp directly onto the template, so I made 'panels' out of scraps of Very Vanilla cardstock.  I did a collage stamp on each panel and then adhered them to the box.  Pretty simple.  I used three different stamp sets.  Charming, Clearly For You, and Vintage Labels (retired).  I used Going Grey (retired), Sahara Sand, River Rock, and Crumb Cake classic inks.  I used a scrap pieces of First Edition DSP and tore little pieces, sponged and adhered to the panels.  To make my flowers, I used the Square Lattice embossing folder to give the Soft Suede cardstock some texture, and then used the small die Flower Fusion.  I used the left over scrap pieces of the Soft Suede cardstock and the Beautiful Wings die to create the butterflies.  I sewed the pearls onto the flowers with Linen Thread and an upholstery needle.  I had some left over length of the Linen Thread, so I made little loops behind the flowers.  I added a scrap piece of Chantilly Crochet Trim to the cigarette box.  To keep the box closed, I sewd 2 flower shaped buttons from the Neutrals collection with the Linen Thread, and strung some Early Espresso Bakers Twine around the buttons.  To keep the text straight when I stamped it, I did use a Stamp-a-ma-jig.  The rest, I eye-balled.
Thank you for looking, and I hope we see a creation of your over @ Our Creative Corner Challenge blog.  And if you have a moment, please stop by Linda's blog The Funkie Junkie.  She is super talented, and always has some eye candy!
Have a great weekend!  And let me know what you'd put into a 'cigarette box'!

Friday, May 13, 2011

Blogger Down

This is just a quick note, to let you know that if you are looking for something and can't find it, Blogger is down.  Blogger was down for a good portion of yesterday, and there seems to still be some hiccups.  This lapse in service has affected alot of people on both sides of the blog.  When Blogger is down, you can't post photos.  You can't add comments to posts.  Your comments that may have gotten posted, and now gone.  And some posts are missing.
Thank you for your continued support, and please bear with me, as we work through this lapse in service.

Thursday, May 12, 2011

CS32C & SSS107

Good Morning All!  I'm glad you stopped by to see the latest addition to my blog.  This card was a labor of love, so to speak.  I am on the design team for Creative Sketches.  And this is our color challenge week.  However, I didn't think I'd ever put these colors together:  Peach Parfait, Wild Wasabi, Marina Mist, and Rich Razzleberry.  But look!  I'm loving it!  I went by The Sweet Stop to see what sketch they had this week, and when I emerged from my craft room, this is the card I had in my hand!  All the products used are from Stampin' Up!, and I think I used alot of different stuff!
We have a super talented group of ladies over @ Creative Sketches and they always have something for everyone!  These colors look pretty intimidating at first, but it allows you to stretch your creative comfort zone.   Head over to The Sweet Stop sketch challenge blog, and see what their wonderfully talented design team has come up with!  Very inspirational!  They always have some very user-friendly sketches to work with. 
Card Recipe:
Stamp Sets: In a Word, Occasional Quotes, Friends 24-7
Paper:  First Edition DSP, Brights Collection DSP, Subtles Collection DSP, Presto DSP, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, and Peach Parfait
Ink:  Peach Parfait-classic ink, Crumb Cake-marker
Dies: Top Note, Birds & Blooms, and Square Lattice Embossing Folder
Punch: Scallop Trim Border Punch, Large Oval, Scallop Oval, and 1 1/4" Square
Misc: Pearl Jewels
So the card was pretty straight forward to assemble.  I punched out three squares of each paper I wanted to use.  On the Presto DSP, I sponged Peach Parfait classic ink on it - emboss resist.  I used a glue stick to put the squares on a scrap piece of cardstock.  And then ran it thru the Big Shot with the Top Note die.  I wanted to give this piece a 'fabric' look, so I ran it thru the Square Lattice embossing folder.  Unfortunately it took away some of the detail on the different DSP, but the texture is wonderful! I used the big shot and the Birds & Blooms die to create the flowers.  I also sponged the flowers with the Peach Parfait classic ink.  To make my tag, I stamped the 'So Sorry' in Peach Parfait classic ink, then I used a Crumb Cake marker and 'colored' the 'I'm' and stamped it just above the 'So Sorry'.  Punched the tag out with the Large Oval Punch.  I used dimensionals on the back of my  tag to help give it some presence and lift off the card.  I inked the flourish from Friends 24-7 in Peach Parfait classic ink, and stamped on my scrap piece of First Edition DSP.  I made Peach Parfait the anchoring color, and the other three colors as accents.  Thank you for looking!  And I hope you play along in our Color Challenge over @ Creative Sketches.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Hope & Strength

My downline group, 'Hoot's Got Stamps?' meets the second Wednesday of each month.  I give the latest news from Stampin' Up!, we do a little stamping, and we get to visit with each other.  We usually meet at a coffee shop, so space is limited, and we basically have no access to an electrical outlet.  So, the cards we make must be done with no electricity, and did I mention we meet at a coffee shop.  So, we have no table space.  I usually come up with a great card that can be made at any workshop, must be demonstrate-able, oh, and can be completed in 10 minutes or less.  We all have super busy lives, so we only meet for an hour.  That way, its do-able for everyone.
So, here is the card we are making at our meeting tomorrow.  We are using the Strength & Hope stamp set, two classic inks (Rich Razzleberry and Pretty in Pink) and the cardstock is from the neutrals collection.  I got the colors from using the Color Coach.  What a handy tool.  There is some paper piercing, to add some interest to the card.  The butterfly was stamped on vellum cardstock and fussy cut.  I wrapped some linen thread around the butterfly body and tied a knot.  Attached the butterfly with a few glue dots, and Viola!

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Happy Mother's Day! to everyone who celebrates


 Happy Mother's Day!  I know what you're going to say, 'this isn't the typical girlie colors for a Mother's Day card.'  And you'd be right.  I made this card for my lovely daughter.  She joined our group almost 5 years ago, with the birth of her first child and my first grandchild.  Haley.  She was a beautiful baby, and she continues to grow into a beautiful, caring, loving child.  Anyways, her mom, my daughter, never loved pink.  In fact, she was always a tom-boy.   She always had a love for blues, and non-girly things.  So, I set-out to make her a Mother's Day card that suited her.  I can make a girly MD card.  Easy-peasy.  I have an infinity to pink and girly.  But, that's not my daughter.  
I found a color challenge on the web that called for us to use Royal Blue, Sky Blue, and Lavender.  Crate.  Not typical girl colors - perfect!  And the ladies over @ Just Us GirlS   have a wonderfully creative sketch #83.  So, I combined the two to make this card for my daughter.
P.S. I didn't submit my card to the Crate blog, because it doesn't qualify.  I don't own any Crate papers. :(  But, I loved their color challenge.  Please take a look at their site.  And participate if you can!  Oh, don't forget to submit your entry to the Just Us Girls challenge blog, like I did!  I just realized that my entry wasn't submitted to their blog.  Oh my!

Saturday, May 7, 2011

More than one post today, please scroll down to see all of 'todays'

Color & Design Challenge Combo
I wanted to 'play' today in some different challenges.  I feel that I haven't really created much; I've been busy with other things in my life.  I don't like that.  I need time to sit and create, and 'play' in my craft room.  And so, I am about to change that.  So, what better way than to combine two challenges!  You know, 'get more bang for your buck'! So, the creative folks over @ Mojo Monday have a wonderful layout challenge this week: #189.  The innovative and super talented folks over @ Diva Coffee Break Designs have a super color challenge this week: #226.  So, without further ado, here is my card:


Ok, so if you have been to the Mojo Monday site, you know that I don't have any ribbon or twine.  And you would be right.  I didn't like the look on my card, so I added some butterflies in place of the 'string'.  The flower is hand-made.  I used two different dies and one punch.  I edged each petal in So Saffron classic ink to help give it some dimension and define each petal.  The two pattern papers are scraps.  Literally.  Other than the pattern papers, all supplies are from Stampin' Up!
Thank you for looking.  Your comments sure do make my day!

The Wonder of Weaving @ OCC

Jen, from Our Change of Art, is our hostess this week @ Our Creative Corner challenge blog.  Jen, has challenged us, to add some type of weaving to our card/project.  I tell ya, these girls are super creative! and they challenge me every week.  So, here is what I came up with:


I wanted to use some 'different' colors this time.  Alot of folks are using pinks, and yellows, and bright colors.  I guess everyone is pretty tired of the snow and cold weather.  Anyways, I chose a neutral color palette.  The black and cream pattern paper is a scrap, but I think its a paper studio piece, from one of those big box craft stores.  The rest of the supplies are from Stampin' Up!
Stamp set:  Water Color Trio
Cardstock: Basic Black, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, and Old Olive. and First Edition DSP.
Classic Ink: Basic Black, Marina Mist, and Old Olive
Tools: leaves die, beautiful wings die, top note die,  2 step bird punch, scallop circle punch, and the 1 1/4" circle punch.
I used a shaped die to cut-out the 'window', which was placed crooked on purpose (but now you can't see).  I then punched out some leaves, and put them into the weaved lattice I made with strips of Very Vanilla card stock.  I punched my flowers out with the scallop circle punch and circle punch, and rolled the flowers.  I sponged the tips of the 'petals' with Old Olive classic ink.  I was going to use a pink color, but then I changed my mind, and decided to go with the green.  I added some half pearl jewels to the center of the flowers.   I used a stylus to create the 'vein' in the leaves. (those didn't photograph very well.)  I sponged some Marina Mist classic ink on the wings of the butterflies to give them definition.   Here is a close-up of my weaved card stock pieces:


Well, thank you for looking!  And if you have a few free moments this weekend, you should play along with our new challenge over at Our Creative Corner challenge blog.  We would love to see what you made!  And don't forget to stop by Jen's wonderfully creative blog Our Change of Art.  You'll be glad that you did!

Friday, May 6, 2011

More Bunco Prizes

So, last night was Bunco.  And it was my turn to be hostess.  My theme isn't original or very clever, but the ladies know what it is before they come out-no surprise!  'Home-made, Hand-made'.  The food is all home-made.  (So, its from scratch.)  No pre-made stuff.  This is an absolutely wonderful group of ladies, so they DO deserve the very best.  The prizes are all hand-made, and almost always a paper craft item, or an altered item.  So, its not a surprise, but it is well received.  
So, as promised, here are a few more photos: 
(each set matches in theme, color, embellishments, paper, etc.)

A stationary set: holder, 4 blank cards, & a mother's day card


paper tote: cardstock tote bag, 4 blank cards and a Mother's Day card


Frame Insert: photo frame, insert, 4 blank cards, & a Mother's Day card

As you can tell, each set is unique and different.  This group of ladies have different tastes, different styles, and are unique themselves!  The evening was a blast, and it was very nice to make everything for them.
Share your thoughts with me.  And, for a complete list of products used for any item posted, please email me separately.  As with all paper crafters, sometimes we hoard our supplies, so some items may not be found or produced any longer.
Hope everyone's week is going great! and don't forget to come back tomorrow for my post with the gals @ Our Creative Corner challenge!  It's a new week, so there's a new challenge!  See ya then!

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Bunco Prizes

Yes, I play Bunco!  And each year, I have a turn at hosting.  My 'prizes' are known, in that, I make all the 'prizes'.  They are generally some form of paper crafting item.  I also do some altering pieces as well.  Each 'prize' comes with a set (4) blank A2 cards, that match the 'prize' in color and scheme.
So, as promised, here are some of the 'prizes' I have made:

Altered mini bird house & cards

Stamped candle & cards


It's a clear CD case that holds a notepad and pen & cards

I have used products from every paper crafting company out there.  I am very partial to Stampin' Up! products, so those are the most used.  And as an added bonus, I have also made matching Mother's Day cards for each 'prize'. 
Thank you for looking, and there is more!  I made a total of 11 'prizes' and this is only 3!

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Snow Day

May 1st, and this is the weather.  We live in the Sandia Mountains of New Mexico.  And yes, this picture was taken today, May 1st 2011 @ 6pm, off my back deck. It started snowing before noon, and just stopped.  Can you believe it?  Ugh.  


I hope all of you have had a wonderful weekend.  Mine was pretty busy.  But, then again, what's new? Right?  Anyways, yesterday (Saturday) I spend the afternoon celebrating a dear friends 45th birthday.  It was a surprise party, and yes, she was surprised.  And then the evening was spent with some close friends sharing dinner and great company.  And then today. . .  I don't know if it's the weather, or a crowded schedule, but I am lazy today.  I'm still in my comfies, and dinner was served on paper plates. 
Well, my turn to host Bunco is this coming Thursday.  So, if you haven't seen last years Bunco gifts, you are in for a surprise.  If you have seen last years Bunco gifts, you are in for a surprise!  I will most likely post some of the gifts this week before Bunco.  So, please stay tuned!  Happy Weekend!