Birds

Hi there and welcome!  This week is for the birds!  Our Saturday Paper a la Mode Challenge over at The Outlawz is to make a project that uses a bird or birds.  I made a card with some Ippity by Unity stamps, some pretty papers, and a lovely soft ribbon and pin.  Nothing fancy, but I like how it turned out - soft and romantic.

I'm posting this early because Elaine needed to post the challenge early - she's not located here in the U.S. like me, so it's much later in her day than it is here.  We are fortunate at The Outlawz to have so many international friends - the internet really makes the world a lot smaller!

I hope that you had a lovely and blessed Thanksgiving if you are here in the U.S. or somewhere else that celebrates (when I lived in Germany for several years, most of my German friends celebrated Thanksgiving regularly because they had picked up the custom from all the Americans living there). 

I wish you a blessed Christmas season filled with joy and wonder at the gift of Christ!  Thanks for stopping by!

Thankful!

Well, it's that time of year that causes those of us in the United States in particular to reflect on all that which we have to be thankful for.  I can say that I am truly overflowing with blessings.  I may not be rich in the monetary sense, but I am indeed rich in love and family and friends!  God has been and continues to be overflowing with grace, love, and support, and for that I am eternally grateful!  I am also thankful for my two children, of who I am so proud - those two are amazing young people!  I am thankful that I have a nice home and material things, but when you consider that it can all be washed away by a storm in an instant, it helps you realize what is really important in life!  I am thankful that I have been spared such tragedy, and my heart and prayers go out for those who are suffering at this time of year!

Our Saturday Paper a la Mode Challenge this week over at The Outlawz is to be Thankful - create a project that expresses your thankfulness, and let us know what it is you are thankful for.  I had so many beautiful projects in my head that I wanted to create, but just couldn't find the time to get to them, so I opted for a card this week to share with everybody.  This card uses a digi from A Day for Daisies that I colored with my Prismacolor pencils.  I love the effect of the glitter on the tape strips - even prettier in person!

 Thank you for stopping by to visit this week!  I am truly thankful for all my dear online crafty friends, and I send you love and hugs!

Ornaments or Gift Tags

Hi, and thanks for stopping by to visit!  My challenge this week for The Outlawz Saturday Paper a la Mode Challenge was to make a gift project.  I found a tutorial online for salt dough ornaments/gift tags that have designs stamped into them, so decided to give it a try.

The recipe calls for:
2 cups of flour
1 cup of salt
1 cup of water

Mix everything together well, roll out to 1/4 inch thick.  Ink a stamp of  your choice and press it into the dough (not too hard though), then use a cookie cutter to cut out the design in the shape of your choice.

Then bake in a 200 degree oven for 6 hours (it helps to have an oven that has a timer on it!).

May I say that's all easier said than done!  It took me a little practice and reworking the dough so that after I cut out the design the dough would lift up easily and the shape wouldn't get warped.  It also took a little trial and error to get the ink colors right and the pressure on the stamps just right. 

Overall, I think these 4 turned out really nice - I think they are prettier in person because you can get the full effect of the background done in diamond and stardust stickles that really didn't show up in the photos.

It was getting dark and I took them outside to photograph by hanging them on one of my rosebushes.  The wind was blowing like crazy and I had a challenge getting them not to sway and twist in the wind, but hopefully you enjoy these photographs and give this technique a try.

After the stamped shapes baked and cooled, I lightly sanded the edges (a rough nail file like used for acrylic nails works great for this).  Then I added stickles and some gems for a little extra oomph.

Thanks for stopping by to visit!  Much love and hugs to you!

Use What You Don't

Hi there and welcome!  I had a bright idea this week to make 3 cards using the same paper and basic sketch design,  but with different embellishments and things.  Plus, I had to incorporate some things into each card that I have in my stash but have either never used or haven't used in a long time.

This week's Saturday Paper a la Mode Challenge over at The Outlawz is to "Use What You Don't", so with making 3 different projects, I got to use lots of what I don't!

This first photo shows all 3 cards together, being inspected by Baby.  She doesn't hang around a lot while I'm crafting - she leaves that to the other two cats, Boo Kitty and KitKat - but for some reason she always wants to come inspect the finished product.  I guess she's the Quality Control Cat - I should change her name to QC!

I used a single sheet of paper from Basic Grey's new Paper Cottage line, and the label stickers on the flowery card and the frog card are new.  Everything else I have had for at least one year, some for many years, except for the pink round lace that I got about 5 months ago at a scrapbook store in the Baltimore area.

Now for some individual photos that show more details.

This first card, the one with the bird on it (Baby's favorite), uses some Tim Holtz stamps that I have had for years (and this is the first time I used them).  It also has some gold stickles on the flowers that I have had for probably 5 years that has never been used.  The label banner is made using an Ippity stamp that I have had for several years, but this one I actually use quite often, as well as the letter stickers that I use a lot.

This second card with the flowers uses two different laces, lots of flowers and gems, and some florist leaves that I have had for ages, as well as the "just because" stamp that I have had for a long time.

This cute frog and the background crown stamp were both given to me as a gift several years ago, but this is the first time I have used them.  I colored the frog with Copics and put some Stickles on his crown.  I have had the pink lace and the gems for ages.

I hope you've enjoyed my foray into "what's old is new again" - I know I had a great time pulling out stuff and playing with it.  Frankly, I would never need another new thing ever again except maybe for some cardstock if I just used the stuff that I don't!

Don't forget to leave Baby some leave - I know she'll appreciate it!  Thanks for stopping by!  Big hugs!

Embossing We Will Go!

Hi there and Happy Saturday (or whatever day you are reading this on)!  I hope life is being very kind and generous to you!

This week's Saturday Paper a la Mode Challenge over at The Outlawz is to emboss the background for a project - you can use dry or wet embossing.

I chose to dry emboss using an embossing folder I got several years ago and have never used until this project.  It's a nostalgic Christmas scene, almost like the old Currier & Ives prints (hopefully you're not too young to know what that is).  When I was young I used to look through the Sears and JCPenney catalogs and dream of someday having a set of Currier & Ives dinnerware for the Holidays.  I haven't thought of that in years!  Oh well, maybe something I need to check the antique shops for.

I added a tag that I backed with some black cardstock (I think every card needs a tough of black), added a snowflake with a felt flower on top, some baker's twine and a pretty buttons.  The color of the cardstock is almost a distressed color, and I sanded lightly across the embossed parts to highlight them a bit more, than around the very edges.  I put some pretty paper behind it, which is just peeking around the edges.  It was actually very pretty without the snowflake/flower combo, but it's just not me to go too CAS. 

Okay, now on to my children.  As I have mentioned, my son is a freshman at Virginia Tech where he is a member of the Corps of Cadets.  Michelle (my daughter) and I went down to visit him this past weekend and attend the football game.  The cadets all wear their dress uniforms to the games, and WOW!!!, what a sight that is!  I just can't describe the emotions I felt seeing my baby all dressed up like this the first time - it was a sight to behold for sure!  This is him and Michelle:

Yes, I am a proud mom!  Thanks for stopping by!  Big hugs!

Welcome!

Welcome!  That's our theme this week over at The Outlawz Saturday Paper a la Mode Challenge.  In honor of the beginning of Autumn here in the United States, my personal favorite season, we are welcoming things.  You can welcome fall along with me, or you can welcome a new baby, a new neighbor, or whatever strikes your fancy.

I decided to make a wall hanging for my front entryway/foyer.  I used a 12 x 12 blank canvas and a sheet of Webster's Pages new fall line to make the base for the project.  Then I made the "Welcome" banner using a die set that I bought several years ago from Pink Cat Studios, which I attached with some baker's twine and cute skeleton brads.  Then I added some additional lettering and stickers that I've managed to stash away over the years.  Very simple, very quick, but I think it's going to be a big hit with the family and visitors.

Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you join us in our challenge over at The Outlawz!  I am getting ready to head out the door for a 4 hour drive to Virginia Tech to visit my freshman son and see the football game tomorrow.  I haven't seen him in a few weeks, and originally wasn't going to visit until next month, but just needed to go see my baby boy!  I'm sure I'll have lots of pictures to share when I get back!

Love and hugs to you!

Okay, it's Ms. Procrastinator here - again - procrastinating as usual.  This week's Saturday Paper a la Mode Challenge over at The Outlawz is to make a project that deals with "time flies" - there is a lovely Latin phrase for that, but of course I can't remember it right now. 

I made a scrapbook page about my son who just started his freshman year in college at Virginia Tech.  This is a photo of him in kindergarten and one taken on the day he checked into Virginia Tech.  He is in the Corps of Cadets there, which is similar to being at one of the U.S. military academies, but it is incorporated into a civilian university.  Actually, Virginia Tech was all military until the early 60s, when they started having "regular" students.

And then I have this funny photo to share with you, also of my son and his fellow cadets.  This past Saturday (the day I was originally supposed to post this), all 400+ new cadets traveled to the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Virginia for a tour.  The memorial is privately funded, and the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets is the largest sponsor of the memorial.  These kids wake up early every morning, have physical training, go to classes all day, have 4 mandatory hours of study each evening, and get to bed at 11 pm.  They are TIRED, as evidenced by this photo of one of the busloads on the trip back:

That's the top of Chris's head closest to the camera.  He is surviving and doing well at VT, and says he is enjoying himself.  His goal is to become a U.S. Army officer (like I was), so add him to your prayer lists please - these kids need all the help they can get.

Thank you for stopping by!  Love and hugs!