Farm Antique Show

I can't believe that tomorrow is Oct. 1st.  Whew, where has this year gone?  As most of you know, National Card Making Day is also quickly approaching, October 5th.  But, before we get to all of that...I wanted to share a little indulgence with you:  The Marburger Farm Antique Show, which opens tomorrow!  If you are like me, you have never heard of this event.  So, grab a cup of coffee, a cold beverage, pull up a chair, and get comfy.  

I originally heard about the Marburger Farm Antique Show, while reading my first copy of Where Women Create.  I picked up this magazine, because I wanted to read about talented, creative, successful, crafty women, who have turned their passion into a thriving business.  The whole thought, of making a living crafting, creating, and designing home-made gifts sounds delightful.  I am smart enough to know, that I can't make 'Nuclear Medicine' money, crafting.  But, to make a steady paycheck doing what I love, what I have a passion for, is rather intoxicating.

I degress.  Ok, so there is a european-style flea market held every fall and spring in Round Top, Texas. Sounds interesting.  Sounds fun, adventurous, and a true treasure hunt!  

here is their guide:

This outdoor Texas antique show features more than 350 dealers from all over the United States of America.  The farm antique show, sits on a 43-acre field, and that houses 9 tents, and 12 historic buildings.  Alot of space, alot of stuff to see, touch, feel, buy!  This show also claims that it is 'an extraordinary place to shop of a variety of antiques', which translates to an opportunity to explore and discover treasures of all sorts and sizes!

When I first read about this show, I wanted to call up some wonderfully sweet girlfriends, and organize a road trip!  But, we all have busy lives, so I didn't even tempt them.  I tried to recruit my daughter, but this isn't her sorta thing.  I did a bit more digging, and they have a spring show, too.  So, I am making travel plans to go to Round Top, Texas in April.  I really want to go, to browse the tents/buildings of vintage treasures that long for a new home, a little care, and some TLC.

So, this spring, I will gather a few girlfriends who can appreciate this type of flea market, and travel to Round Top, Texas.  We will need to catch a flight to Houston, and then driving across a brilliantly decorated Texan landscape covered with bluebonnets, making our journey beautiful and memorable.  To shop 'booths' of  antiques, vintage dealers, artisan exhibits, that include American, French, English, Continental, modern, industrial, architectural, fine art, jewelry, silver, western, garden, textiles, Texan crafts, and so much more!

Shabby Vintage Halloween

Good Morning!  A super quick post, I am running late for an appointment.  Anyways, I have made a paper craft kit for Halloween, that will be for sale in my Etsy shop, later today, for $12.00.

But, I wanted to give you a quick look.  I created two Halloween themed cards, and a goodie bag embellishment.  The two cards are my typical shabby style and cottage chic style cards.  One is more feminine than the other, but both are pretty.  The goodie bag embellishment is more retro.

For those who know me, I have an infinity for florals and polka dot pattern papers.  My favorite color is pink, and a soft aqua blue {smile}.
In this kit, I will include all card stock, pattern paper, and instruction sheet.  

For the cards:  You will need to cut your own flag ends.  I will cut all scallop pieces.  You will have to do your own distressing.  I will stamp the raven image in classic ink.  The girl pumpkin image is heat embossed, so you will need to do your own coloring.  All ribbon is pre-cut, however, you will need to tie your own bows.  

For the goodie bag embellishment:  The clothes pin will arrive glittered with black glitter.  I will also include the glassine bag.   The image you receive will vary, as this image is not the only one available on the pattern paper.  However, in each kit, two images are provided.

Not provided:  adhesive, foam tape, and the stamped sentiments: 'happy halloween' and 'boo!'.  However, I will provide you with cardstock, so you may stamp your own.  

Kindness in Blue

Whew.  This week was hectic!  I have been crafting up a storm.  I have a few holiday craft fairs coming up, and need to build my stock.  This time of year, finds me a bit overwhelmed.  It seems like I never have enough time to get stuff made.  That darn  'j-o-b' takes me away from home, and out of my craft room {frown}.  (just kidding.)  I am grateful to have work.  I just need to figure out a way to get an extra hour out of my day, to get an extra paper craft done.

I took a break from making holiday themed paper crafts, and created a card that seems like a complete opposite of Christmas.

The lovely and talented Robbie, over @ Sketch Frenzy Friday has a creative sketch for you to work with this week. 

here is what I did:

I have to admit, that I did get my inspiration from a Pottery Barn Baby catalog.  I know how crazy, huh?  But, they have some beautiful pages.  Their pages are filled with a clean, elegant, modern look.  I wanted to add bits of grey.  This color is showing up everywhere!

The card base is pool party cardstock.  I added a matt with slate cardstock under the dry embossed white cardstock.  The white panel looked to 'flat', so I jazzed it up a bit with some polka dot dry embossing.

I cut a piece of pool party dsp with the top note die.  I added a strip of pool party seam binding, and tucked in a decorative scallop trim border using some silver glimmer paper.  I wanted to add some sparkle. 

For my blossoms, I heat embossed silver embossing powder onto shimmer white cardstock.  I color washed the blossoms with pool party re inker and my aqua painter.  I fussy cut the blossom, and adhered them to the top note piece.  

For my sentiment flag banner, I stamped my sentiment in slate classic ink onto white card stock.  Then matted the sentiment piece with pool party cardstock.  I adhered the sentiment banner to the card front, then stapled it to the card front, to give it some visual interest.  

Instead of a photo corner, as in the sketch, I added some butterflies.  I finally added some pearl jewels to the center of each blossoms, and for the butterfly bodies.

I hope you get a chance to play along with us @ SFF.  We would love to see what you create with Robbie's sketch {smile}.

Pumpkin Latte #56

I am a huge fan of starbucks.  So much so, that I am a re-occuring Gold card member.  Each 'year' I purchase more than enough coffees to keep my card.  And this time of year, their famous Pumpkin Spice drinks are available.  These drinks were what was on my mind, when I saw this weeks color challenge over @ Nacho Average Challenge.  I don't do very well with color challenges.  I find the whole process a bit frustrating.  And I'll add, this was not my first attempt with these colors (smile).

here is what I created:

For those who are familiar with my work, this card is pretty clean and simple for me.  In that, there aren't layers, machine stitching, buttons, and various different little trinkets (smile). 

The card base is early espresso cardstock.  For the matt, I layered a piece of cajun craze card stock, and a scrap piece of pool party dsp.   I wrapped some early espresso bakers twine around this matt and tied it in a simple bow.

I stamped a text leaf in cajun craze classic ink, onto very vanilla cardstock.  I don't own the dies to cut out the leaves, so I used my scissors and fussy cut the leaf by hand.  I stamped the coffee cup in early espresso onto very vanilla cardstock, and fussy cut that out too.  I stamped the cup onto pool party dsp and cut out the cuff.  I stamped a button in cajun craze onto very vanilla and used my 1" circle punch to get the shape.  I layered the button onto the coffee cuff, and layered the coffee cup onto the leaf.  

I stamped my sentiment in early espresso classic ink, onto pool party cardstock.  I matted the sentiment banner onto a scrap piece of cajun craze cardstock.  I stapled the sentiment banner to the lower corner of the card.

I hope we have inspired you, and given you alot of creative ideas to help get you started in participating in our color challenge this week @ NAC.

what's in a name . . .

Branding, cont.

Yahoo! my large custom stamp arrived yesterday, and I just couldn't wait to stamp something.  So, I stamped the receipt that came with the stamp.  (I know, what a dork.)

Ok, so before you say anything, I didn't 'test' the stamp, or ensure the stamp was completely inked before I stamped.  So, please excuse the 'worn' look at the top left corner of the stamp.  My excitement was hard to control.

I took this photo with the ink pad in the shot to help show scale.  I am super happy with the end result.  I purchased this stamp to stamp bags with, to 'brand' my 'shop'.  I just love how the stamp turned out.  Did you notice the handle on the block? and the front plate, so you know the orientation before you stamp?  Great details!

I purchased this custom stamp from an Etsy shop save the date.

Here is how I started.  I first decided what I wanted, and what I truly did not want.  I wanted a simple border.  I wanted three lines.  I wanted the top line to have my 'motto'.  The second line to have my 'name'.  The last line to have my web address.  I knew that I wanted a vintage typewriter font and a elegantly-rustic font.  I didn't want any images, or shapes.  Basically, I am using this stamp to stamp shop bags.  So I needed something 'easy', simple, but custom.  I decided on a size.  I had a minimum size in mind, and a max, and then just went from there.

By figuring out what you do and don't want, it will help narrow done the zillions of choices.  Ok.  Now, search for custom stamps.  There are a zillion different companies.  Some create on large, and I mean LARGE scales, and some do small scale production.  I didn't have a preference, I just wanted something specific.  I love the attention to detail from small shops, but appreciate the turn around time for large businesses.

I started by looking through different shops @ fonts, layouts, and designs.   Once, I found the elements I wanted, I emailed the shop (save the date), let them know that I was looking for.  They emailed me back promptly.  I sent them my $, they sent me my first 'draft'.  I did  request a small change.  They did just that.  and after my approval, my stamp went right to production.  I received my stamp in the mail, and in a protective, padded envelope, and I LOVE MY STAMP!  I can't wait to start stamping my bags!

I used a different company for my custom papercraft stamp, post found here.  I love this stamp, too.  They came from different manufacturers, but both are great!

Thanks for stopping by! and I hope this helps you decide on creating your own custom stamp!

Black Bird

Happy Friday.  As I write this, I am working on 'cleaning-up' my blog.  To me, it looks a bit cluttered, overwhelming, and a bit disorganized.  Or, Maybe, I'm just feeling a need to get things cleaned up {smile}.  Either way, please stay tuned for a more stream lined look.

Now, back to the real reason you may have stopped by... a new creation!  The ladies that I design with over @ Sketch Frenzy Friday, create some of the most creative and lovely sketches.  If you have not played along wit us before, I encourage you to do so.  These sketches are so versatile and fun!  Take this week's sketch:

So, this week, we have a wonderfully pretty sketch to work with.  I always start by 'taking the sketch apart', so to speak.  The main panel has a pattern on it, a bit of sewing above and below the ribbon, and a cluster of shapes for the sentiment.  

here is what I created:

Before we start with the card, I do have to admit, I am not a big Halloween card maker.  If you have visited my blog recently, you probably notice that's about all I have made : black and orange cards, or cards with 'happy halloween' on them.  I know that it is the season to start crafting this celebration, and well, I didn't want to be left out.  

My favorite color is pink.  I know, I really use pink.  But, I am a sucker for that soft, cuddly shade of innocence and femininity.  I also love the contrast between pink and brown, or black for this card.  I used just a smiggin of pattern paper.  I used the houndstooth pattern from Modern Medley DSP for my lollie. 

I used one of my all time favorite background stamps Ex Libris.  I inked the stamp with crumb cake classic ink, and then did the 'finger tap' technique, to get a 'worn/weathered' look.  I inked my background builder text stamp with basic black classic ink, and randomly stamped on the card stock.  I used my distressing tool, to rough up the edges and adhered this panel to a piece of pink pirouette card stock.  I did a simple border with my sewing machine.  I machine sewn the ribbon onto the card front next, leaving me a piece to make my bow.

I inked the 'label' stamp from Everything Eleanor in soft suede classic ink, and fussy cut it out.  I sponged all the edges with crumb cake classic ink, to help camouflage any mis cuts.

I made a 'lollie' out of some pattern paper.  I punched a 1 3/8" circle from champagne glimmer paper.  I stamped the bird in basic black classic ink, onto the text pattern paper, and I used my 1 1/4" circle punch.

For my sentiment, I simply stamped 'happy halloween' from the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set.  I stamped the sentiment onto a scrap piece of very vanilla cardstock, and used scissors to trim around the words.  I sponged the edges with crumb cake classic ink.

I added two pearl jewels to the 'label' piece, to help add a feminine touch.  But, as I look at my card, to me, there seems to be something 'missing'.  Or maybe it is just me.  I sometimes add alot of stuff to my cards.  If you don't know, I am not a fan of 'white space' either {smile}.  Wow, I kinda have some issues, huh? {smile}.

I hope we have inspired you, and you get a chance to sit down with your craft supplies, and create something beautiful, something 'you', and join us this week @ SFF!