Big news!

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

I'm finally allowed to post this on my blog!  My card, below, was published in the current Paper Crafts Stamp It! Cards Vol. 8.  Available in stores, as of today!  This is a first for me, so I'm VERY excited!  Can you tell???

This the photo that I submitted to the magazine, way back in early February.  It looks a little dark, but the pic in the magazine looks much better!

This is the cover of the magazine. Just in case you want to rush right out and buy a copy...lol!

I just had to pop up a quick post to share the news with you!  You can click on the link I included, at the beginning of this post, to visit the magazines website.  If you're a paper crafter, there is a lot that will interest you on the site...believe me :)

Stampin' mojo? No go...

Sunday, June 26, 2011
Well.  I sat down to stamp today; it was the first chance I've had all weekend.  I sat there staring at a CARDS magazine, trying to get some inspiration to jump into my brain.  Uh...no jumping.  Then I had a idea to use my a gold shimmer spray on a card panel, over a stencil.  Yea, I liked that idea!  No.  Apparently, if you don't use it for a few months, the pigment dries in the sprayhead.  No gold...no go.  More staring.  I.  Give.  Up.

SO.  I decided to share a few more flower pics with you.   The sun was shining bright today.  The sky a gorgeous blue.  A light breeze.  One of those perfect summer days that we don't get enough of...IMHO anyway.  So, after hanging the freshly washed sheets on the line this morning, I wandered with my camera.  A couple of these shots are of the same plants that you saw in my last post.  But...more blooms now!  I love my flowers, I love nature.  Hence, the name of my blog!  I bet you'd already figured that out, huh?  Okay, enough rambling :)

Not quite fully opened.

I was so glad to catch this one before it fully opened.  It makes for an interesting shot.

These are the asiatic lilies again, but in the dappled early am light.

Black eyed susans and hostas.

Love the bi-color bloom.  Not sure where this came from, since I haven't seen this before???

A "young" coneflower bloom..

Daises

Impatients

Coneflower -  more blooms than in my previous post.

Hopefully, I'll have a card to show you next time.  Thanks so much for taking a look!  I love visitors :o)

Blooms in our flower gardens

Thursday, June 23, 2011
Hi!  Just a short post to share a few photos I've taken within the past week.  All of these blooms are in our flower gardens, around the house.  I love watching my flowers grow and bloom...and I love photographing them, especially closeups.  I even tried to capture a pic of a bee on the Spirea blooms...but, he wouldn't stay in one place long enough :)

Roses

Spirea

Pink Coneflower (I love these!)

Asiatic lilies - I wish I knew what variety.

And then, this pic from Tuesday evening.  I was so worried about the ominous looking clouds, that I didn't even notice this...until my husband pointed it out to me!

A double rainbow, as a severe thunderstorm passed to the East.

Thanks for stopping by to take a look!

Hello Friend - 2 challenges

Sunday, June 19, 2011
It's another busy weekend, but I just had to make some time to create a card.  I recently ordered several of PTI's Think Big Favorites. I love the fonts and the size of these sentiments.  This is my first stamp purchase from PTI...my first order was the Parisian Doily die (love it!).  Anyway, I've been itching to use one of these stamps!

This card is going into 2 challenges.

Lily Pad Cards - Memory Box presents Lucy's Lovely Lines

The Color Throwndown #146

I wanted to create a card with a "summer-y" feel.  And I thought the Throwdown colors were perfect for that.  And of course...I love Lucy Abram's sketches, over at the Lily Pad.  So...here is what I created:

To see a larger version on a photo, just click on the photo.

I stamped my flowers onto patterned paper, then cut them out.  It's time consuming but, it's something I enjoy doing.  I popped up just the center flower on dimensional adhesive.  I did some stitching on my card stock to create my flower stems and also around the white panel, then did more stamping and cutting for the leaves.  I added some stickles to the center of each flower, just to add a little "pop".

Thanks for stopping in!

Supplies:

Stamps: the flower from Fifth Avenue Floral (SU), the sentiment is from Thinking Big Favorites #3 (PTI), the leaf from Sage Advice (SU)

Card stock: daffodil delight, tangerine tango, kiwi kiss, whisper white (SU)

Ink: basic black (SU), versafine onyx black (Tsukineko)

Other: scattered straw Stickles (Ranger), dimensional adhesive, threads, sewing machine

just for you - 2 challenges

Saturday, June 11, 2011
Today's card is going into 2 challenges:

The Play Date Cafe #85

Lily Pad Cards - May Arts presents a ribbon challenge

My card ~

Just a short post tonight.  It's another busy weekend!

I pulled out my Sizzix texture plates this evening.  I haven't used them in a long time.  I'd forgotten what a soft, subtle effect they add to a card.  I added 3 loops of ribbon under the edge of my focal panel.  This card came together quickly (I know...I was shocked!).  And, I'm pleased with the results.
Thanks so much for stopping in!

Supplies:

card stock: confetti cream, not quite navy (SU)

ink: rose red, night of navy, always artichoke (SU)

stamps: just believe (SU)

other: labels four spellbinders die, flourish texture plate (SU by Sizzix), cream ribbon (Michaels), foam dots

Just a note - JUGS Challenge #87

This is another stamp set that has been waiting to see ink :)
I had so much fun playing with this Hero Arts set.  And, this card came together easily...and quickly.   I know.  Hard to believe, isn't it?   In case you don't know, I usually spend quite a bit of time on each card.  I hope I'm not the only one.  Am I?

This card is going into the following challenge:

Just Us Girls #87 Sketch Challenge

My card:

I stamped the typewriter onto barely banana card stock, then cut it out.  I stamped again onto vanilla card stock and cut out just the "paper" portion of the stamped image.  After stamping the sentiment onto this piece, I used scor-tape at the bottom of the typewriter and dimensionals at the top to attach it.  I wanted to give the upper portion a "lift".  I also curled the paper around a pencil before attaching it, so that it curled just a bit.
I stamped just the "hello" part of the same stamp onto very vanilla seam binding.  It's sort of a reverse of what the old typewriter ribbons looked like, as they were used.  I know...I'm really showing my age now, huh? lol
The old ribbons were black, but as they were used you could see the imprint of the letters that had been typed.  You see what I mean?  Hmmm.  Well.  Never mind.  I know, I know...it was before your time.

Of course, I HAD to add an embellishment (I love embellies).  So, I thought this mini library clip fit the theme just fine.  For the other to round pieces of the sketch, I sponged on some barely banana ink to the DSP, on each side of the main image.

Oh...I almost forgot.  I added a dot of Glossy Accents to each of the typewriter keys.  Can you see the shine?  I couldn't resist.  You know, embellishing again.

If you want to see a larger version of any of the pics, just click on it.
Thanks for stopping by to take a look.  I hope you'll leave a comment!

Supplies:

Card stock: barely banana, pacific point (SU)

DSP: first edition (SU)

Ink: basic black, pacific point, barely banana

Stamps: my type (Hero Arts)

Other: very vanilla seam binding (SU), glossy accents (Ranger), mini library clip (SU)

Thank you SEW much - 3 challenges

Sunday, June 5, 2011
This stamp set has been on my craft table for 2 weeks now.  And, this is the first time it's seen ink.  What have I been waiting for?  This set is "sew" cute...and "sew" much fun to play with - yes, pun intended :)
Three challenges came along this weekend, that fit together perfectly for the card I wanted to make.  Take a look.

The Paper Players challenge #50 - Kind Thanks
 *Edit - This card won the Headliner spot at the Paper Players Challenge!

CR84FN 31 Color Challenge

The I'm Sew Excited! Challenge - at Cath's Moxie Fab World blog
In Cath's words "It is about including the icons associated with sewing into your projects."

My card ~

This card actually started with the crumb cake seam binding.  That's not where I usually begin.  But...this stamp set includes a "ruler" stamp.  And, I wondered if I could stamp the ruler onto my seam binding.  Something I haven't tried before.  It fit perfectly.  Success!
The dress form is part of the same stamp set.  I wrapped a piece of pink tulle around it and tied it around the waist with baker's twine.  The sentiment was created in MS Word.  The font is Papyrus.

Thanks "sew" much for stopping in.  Sorry.  Couldn't help myself.  Well, I could have...but it was fun.

Supplies:

Card stock: crumb cake, blushing bride, pear pizzazz (Stampin' Up!)

Ink: early espresso (SU)

DSP: in color patterns pack (SU)

Stamps: sew suite (SU)

Other: crumb cake seam binding (SU), baker's twine (RRR), button brad (spare parts from the Paper Studio), pearls (Recollections), pink tulle and thread from my stash.

*** AND A NOTE ***
Cath Edvalson posted THIS on her Moxie Fab World blog on June 5th.  It touched me so much, that I wanted to include a link to it.  It's titled Simple Gifts.  If you're a paper crafter and/or blogger I hope you'll click through and read her post.