Lovely Autumn...

Yay! I have pretty much returned to the land of the living! And just in time, too, because I wanted to get my card in for the challenge at Simon Says Stamp. Using the sketch from Creative Inspirations, I made this autumnal card, complete with machine stitching for Simon's Challenge.

I ended up cutting the image out after I stamped and colored it because I wanted a more weathered background... those curls are no easy task to cutterbee around! But I like how she turned out :)

Ingredients
Papers: BasicGrey, Fancy Pants, BoBunny
Image: Whiff of Joy
Elements: buttons, thread, and crocheted lace
Colored pencils and distress ink

Pixie Cottage News!

I am so excited to announce that I am a DT for Pixie Cottage! Pixie Cottage is the home to a brand new line of stamps from some very talented artists and illustrators. Michelle is the proprietress of this fabulous new venture. I should be getting my DT kit soon, but until then, if you want to see some truly lovely cards made with these darling stamps, check out Jan's blog - her work is to die for!

Congratulations to the other DT members!
Andrea
Pam
Tara
Katie
Renata
Risa
Tammy
Anne
Peggy

Ugh. With a side of Ugh.

I wish I had some fun card to share today, but I have been crippled with the most hideous cold/flu for the last few days and just want to lay on the couch and cease to exist. I hate not checking in here - hopefully this plague shall pass, and I can get back to the land of the living for real. Hope all of my friends in BlogLand are well!

oooky spooky...

I just love playing with Halloween papers and stamps! This is one of my new favorites - a simple little stamp but with a creepy vintage flair to it. Using my teastained tags, I altered these with paper, ink, punches, stamping... I think these would be cute on a Halloween tree, or tied to a little witchy gift :) I must be on a tag kick - loving the patina from coffee and tea on these little tags! I have these and more listed in my Etsy shop. Halloween is fast approaching! Better get your Boo on!

It is Sunday evening, and the kids are quietly playing... so I am stealing a moment to myself! I picked up this little cheesy Pirate Costume Kit, and Johnny is having a blast pretending to find treasure. He is wearing the eye patch, the hook hand thing, and growling "Arrrr!" at me each time I look at him. He cracks me up. Mikey is rearranging all of my wood mounted stamps. Apparently he thinks they belong with his dinosaurs next to my sewing machine...

So what have you got cooking tonight? I have a hankering (yes, I actually said hankering ) to make some Holiday Planners... I try to be organized, and tell myself if I have a pretty organizer, I will be more organized... Plus it gives me an excuse to play with paper. Then I want to list some goodies on eBay tonight, do some blog hopping... I had the boys home twice this week with wee coughs, and as a result I haven't had as much time to make the rounds like I like to :)

Hey, did you notice my new banner? I got it from Shabby Blogs (if you haven't been, you need to - her banners and backgrounds and buttons are darling and FREE!) and tinkered with some backgrounds I had from Shabby Miss Jen (whose designs are darling and very reasonably priced)... I felt the need for a more "autumnal look."

Ok, must go. I need to make sure Johnny doesn't decide that Mikey needs to walk the plank.

Enter... if you dare!

I have been meaning to post these little cuties for the last two days! I created these haunted houses, three sizes and three colors :) I plan to use the two bigger houses on layouts, and the littlest one is perfect for a card! I have them listed on Etsy right now, so if you feel the need for a haunted house, come on over to trick or treat...

Not too shabby... chic :)

I have been doing the cards so much lately, that I feel like I have neglected my scrapbooking! After making the teapot card and playing with fabulous Graphic 45 papers, I decided to make a layout. I decided to go more shabby and chic, more like the layouts in my personal albums. I love black and white/off-white, and the shot of pink adds a touch of "Sex in the City" for me :)

One of my favorite little touches are tiny tags. Perfect for adding a name or a date, they are the just-right-bit-of-color near the photo mats...

My button obsession carries over, too, since the brads I used are tiny little button brads :)

This layout has no paper piecing, but instead lets the papers work their magic. Lots of distressing, lots of layering, and shabby edges galore! I am listing it on Sunday night on Ebay.

Ingredients
Papers: Graphic45, Cosmo Cricket, MyMindsEye, Bazzill Cardstock
Embellishments: Chipboard letters, little paper tags, brads
Techniques: Painting, inking, distressing

Memory...

My new favorite embellishments are the altered cards I have made using vintage photos. Made to look like playing cards, I really like the look of them on my handmade cards. Stamp Something challenged crafters to use their favorite embellies, and so this card has a nostalgic "memory" card on it :) I used the sketch from Flourishes, and used some of my favorite pink and green papers for the challenge at Cute Card Thursday.



Ingredients
Papers: MyMindsEye, Graphic 45
Embellishments: my altered playing card, teastained muslin
Ranger distress ink
Fiskars punch

100th post! Let's have some tea and chat...

Last night when I was posting my latest card, I realized that my next post would be 100.

Holy Smokes.

Hard to believe that about two years ago, I had no idea what blogs even were, let alone start my own :) I look back at my first post and I think I realize why blogging is so... fun and good. As a scrapbooker, I realize how much blogging is like scrapping. The posts are like the journaling, and a good scrapbook (and blog) should have journaling. A story, some meaning. It doesn't have to be earth shattering, but it should be engaging to someone, even if it's just engaging to the author. But the fabulous thing about blogging is that there are others out there who find what you write and share is engaging too, they "get" you on some level, and that's pretty neat.

To me, this Land of Blog has become like a big ole kitchen, where my sisters (you! yes, you) and I have come to sit for a spell. We gather, we gossip, we share. I wrote about this sisterhood and how even though I don't like the glitz of technology, prefer the patina of yesterday... I love the magic created by the sisters I have met on here. I have gone from posting once or twice a month to once or twice a day. In the kitchen we have our tea, and this card was inspired by the challenge at Moxie Fab :)

Like a good scrapbook, blogging does more than just share words. Pictures. Lots and lots of pictures. Of our family, friends, our art. Crafters who create beautiful pieces of art with pieces of paper and ink, artists who can find the best stories in a park bench, divine and saucy characters who bake cupcakes and make me laugh, dreamers and magic makers who inspire me... the list goes on and on. I follow dozens and dozens of blogs, and you all make me smile...

So here is a card for you (yes, you!) who take the time to sit for a spell with me, read my ramblings, and share some time with me. Thank you :)

Ingredients
Papers: Graphic 45, MyMindsEye
Gratitude :)
Ranger ink

Boo!

Well, it is Sunday night, and it is time to start thinking about Monday. Lunches to pack, socks to find.... I have the hardest time finding matching socks for the boys. And thinking about Monday, I almost forgot to post my card for the Monday Mojo Challenge! I used one of my new digistamps I purchased from Mo Manning at her online store. Her artwork is absolutely amazing! I almost hate to color the images, they are so perfect as it :) This card uses Monday Mojo sketch 103. I really loved this sketch! I like groups of threes, and this sketch has such nice balance...

Ok, well off to make sure backpacks are where they ought to be, find those pesky socks, and pray I have two juice boxes...

Ingredients
Papers: MyMindsEye, Making Memories, Cosmo Cricket, Bazzill
Image:"Boo" from Mo Manning at Soft Pencil Too
Embellishments:
Colorbox ink and colored pencils

Ribbons and trees and houses, oh MY!

With the fall season approaching, the trees will soon change. I love the colors of fall! Even though Michigan weather can be, um, not my favorite (I don't like extreme temperatures either way - I am a 70s kind of gal), I do adore the autumn here and the fabulous colors! The nights are cooler, the air is crisp, and if the darn mosquitoes would just die already, I would be outside more to enjoy outdoor life. I swear, those bloody thirsty buggers are out in the freaking daytime, now. Seriously. Is it just me, or are the mosquitoes worse than ever before in the documented history of mankind? Ugh..

But back to trees.

I have a few more of my little trees left made with lovely green papers, and have listed them on Etsy. I love putting these on my cards and scrapbook pages. I also have a few little houses left, too! I think today I am going to make some fallish trees, more reds mixed in with the greens and such and make some spooky houses... I can't wait to dig through my stash and find some great papers! I had some nice emails asking about my teastained ruler ribbon, and finally got around to listing it in my Etsy store... take a peek! Don't forget - mention my blog when you order and you get FREE Shipping!

Ok, off to the studio, Buffy, and a fresh cup of coffee. I have about 1.5 hours until the munchkin butts get home, then I am back in MamaMode :)

Snap out of it!

I swear I say this and look at my husband with this face... a lot. Poor hubby...

I do love this stamp. I just adore all of my Mary Engelbreit stamps ! I have had these for at least 10 years, if not longer. Mary never goes out of style... I made this card using the sketch for the challenge at Sketch Saturday, and because I think this image is way too funny, it is perfect for Stamptacular Saturday's challenge :) When using a ME stamp, I almost always decide to use red polka dot paper, and using some blue and white, this colorful card is just right for Cupcake Craft Challenges too! I like to make the inside pretty too, even if it is just layering the coordinating papers.

I love trying to add as many challenges as I can into a card - it is fun to see how they can all come together. Being the nerd that I am, I have this little "spreadsheet" I create to keep track of challenges... Please tell me I am not the only one who does this? Am I that obsessed and nerdy? Fact is, I get so excited each morning, checking out the challenges of the day, printing off the sketches, making notes which color combos would look good with each sketch... And actually, after this post, I am taking my Thursday list down to my messy studio and going to watch Buffy, drink coffee, and make some cards! I think I might do some altered stuff too... I have these paper mache houses I have been dreaming about...

Ingredients
Paper: Basic Grey, BoBunny
Image: Mary Engelbreit
Embellishments: Button
Ranger ink and colored pencils

Hey Santa...

Now that I have finally updated my stamp collection :), I was having a hard time with the challenge at Stamp Something. How could I choose a favorite stamp? Looking at my new pretties, my old pretties, I finally chose the one that was the inkiest, and most used and loved, in my collection. My favorite stamps are my vintage Santa stamps, and this one is one of my all time favorites!






I made this card following the sketch on Card Patterns. I loved this sketch! I am a fan of "quilt blocking" on my scrapbook pages, and this card was right up my alley. My image size, and the size squares I wanted to use made me decide to make a huge 7x7 card. It is ginormous, but I think it has some real "ooohhhh" to it.



Ingredients
Paper:Basic Grey, Making Memories, BoBunny, Crate Paper
Image: Inkadinkado
Embellishment: Ribbon
Ranger ink and colored pencils

The Bus... and a card...

So Mikey got up at about 4:30 am this morning. At 5am I gave up hopes of getting him back in bed. He does this every once in a while - gets up at some unholy hour and is full of energy, acting silly and giggles his head off. Luckily when he does this he is happy at least. Me? Not so much. But as I said, I threw in the towel, made some coffee, and gave him more tickles to make him laugh harder.

Today was the first "real" day of school with the bus and everything. The bus was scheduled to come at 7am. I know. Seriously? 7am. I guess getting up early was better than late - usually Johnny is my early bird, and Mikey has to be peeled from his bed. Today Johnny had to be cajoled while Mikey was downstairs watching Blue's Clues, all dressed for school, and eating his pancakes. Go figure. Twins, I tell ya... just when you think you have them figured out, they surprise you.

Everything went swimmingly until we got outside. I had the brilliant idea of waiting outdoors, since it would be sooo much fun playing I spy while we wait for the bus. Right? Sounds like a fab plan if you asked me. I took some pictures (it was still kind of dark) and we sat on the porch. Then I noticed the mosquitoes swirling. Menacingly.

I decide I Spy has lost its charm since we were all losing pints of blood to thirsty bugs, say "Let's go inside!" Mikey takes off for the road, I run after him, Johnny runs after me, falls flat on his face on the sidewalk and screams and cries "I'm hurt! I'm hurt!" I look back, his chin and teeth are bloody, I am dragging Mikey back by his backpack, and snatch Johnny up. By the time I got them in the house we were all pretty much sobbing.

Johnny seemed fine after I cleaned him up and kissed his face, hands, knees, and belly (his belly was fine - I think he just thought it would feel left out), I scrawled a note to teacher explaining his face, (thankfully I took those pictures early, though- his chin and lip looked not so perfect), and chased Mikey around the house to make him put his socks, shoes, and sweatshirt back on... And Johnny decided that he wanted to stay home, and that the bus was "a bad idea."

How was your morning? :)

Now that they are safely on the bus (which was late by the way - but seeing how our morning went, I can understand) I am..... alone. In a quiet house. I may watch some Buffy the Vampire Slayer later, but for now - I am enjoying the silence.

I am planning to make some cards today, maybe a few scrapbook pages, and need to post some newer creations. This card used the fab sketch on Friday Sketchers. Nice and simple, clean and balanced this sketch - I like it! I used some of my favorite winter papers - some fun, non-traditional colors. The stamp is one of my newest acquisitions from Simon Says Stamp. Designed by Rachelle Anne Miller, this stamp is too cute! I love her whimsical style. Her images are fun to color :)

Ingredients
Papers: MyMindsEye, Creative Imaginations and BoBunny
Stamp: Inkadinkado and "Lily and Milo Holding Hands" by Stampavie
Distress Ink and colored pencils

Back to School...

Well, my munchkins had their first day of school today. It was a "Parent/Child" day, so no bus and I got to sit in a teeny little chair and play trucks :) Tomorrow is the "real" day with the big yellow bus and the whole kaboodle. Johnny didn't want to go at first, but once we were there and he saw all the cool puppets and circle area, he didn't want to leave. Yay school! Mikey is a seasoned pro at school - he has the same room he had last year, and was right at home :)

I thought it fitting that today's card was a school theme for Cute Card Thursday, and I am excited because the card is also part of the first challenge at Crazy 4 Challenges! I just adore these papers from Basic Grey. I don't have many pieces left, so I am not sure what I will do next fall! I need to find more...

I had already done little trees, a schoolhouse, and decided for this card to make a little shelf of books. I paper-pieced the books. Printing the titles on in teeny font, then folding and cutting, distressing, then adding the "pages" with little cuts to look like real books. I used my most favorite ribbon, the teastained ruler ribbon. I plan on having some of this cute ribbon in my Etsy store soon, so if you like it, better check it out! Perfect for card-making and scrapbooking.

Ingredients
Paper: Basic Grey, Crate paper
Stamp: Studio G ("Back to School")
Embellishments: Little red brad, ribbon, chipboard circle
Ink: Ranger distress ink

Like my Figure?

I am so pleased to be featured in an Etsy treasury! Look at the pretties that are keeping my altered dress form collage company :) I have more of these little dress form collages to list... so much to do, so little time...

Be sure to check out some of the other pretties in this treasury. There are these darling cupcake soaps that look soooo delicious!

Smile...

Ah, Monday... the last day of summer, this. The kiddos start school tomorrow, and the hubby has this week off. While this may interfere with my first week of "alone" time without the kiddos :), I plan on putting him to good use :) Since the first day of school is a "parent/child" day, and I can't split myself in two for the twins (how I wish I could some days...) Dad gets to go to school too! I will probably go in Johnny's classroom, and Dad will go with Mikey. Then on Wednesday I want to try to squeeze in an eye appointment (I need new contacts since Johnny washed my last pair down the sink and wearing my glasses makes me claustrophobic) and on Thursday I have a meeting for being a substitute teacher (I need to make some money to buy some more craft supplies)... all these appointments! I planned to spend the first week of "back to school" drinking fancy coffee and watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 5 while I crafted. Oh well, there is always next week.

Unless I am subbing.

But have no fear! I have something to remind me to smile - it is this cutie little card I made with the Sketch Saturday sketch. I used some of my favorite papers, and of course one of my favorite color combs- pink and green. I almost always make the inside cute too - I used my favorite Fiskars punch for some detail and texture on the inside too :)

Ingredients
Papers: Graphic 45, MyMindsEye
Image: Sugar Nellie Stamp
Embellishments: Brad, chipboard tag
Tools: Fiskars punch
Distress ink and colored pencils

Playing in the Sugar Bowl... and loving it!

I have been playing with the fabulous stamps from Sugar Nellie, and let me tell you - so fun! And I forgot to mention - my order from FunkyKits was so quick! Even coming overseas it was quick (I am seriously impressed with how quick it was), with very reasonable postage! I will definitely be ordering again :)

Now that I have my lovely stamps, I decided to try my hand at the Sugarbowl challenge. The sketch was awesome, with lots of layers. In addition to using the sketch, I had to use buttons. Those of you who read my blog know this in no way was a problem; I have a button obsession lately :)

This stamp, "Little Star", is from the Gorguss Girls set, from the fantastic artist Suzanne Woolcott. She also sells her art on Etsy (and other venues) and I had actually first noticed her lovely art on Etsy. I was so delighted to find her images available as stamps :)

I had such fun making this card, and I can't wait to try my other stamps :)

Ingredients
Papers: MyMindsEye, pink dottie velvet paper :) that had no label
Image: Little Star (Sugar Nellie)
Embellishments: Buttons, fabric (for tie)
Ink (ranger) and colored pencils