Birthday Book

I came up with the idea of creating a Birthday Book to go along with the month templates I found. (I'm not sure who created them). I cut a couple of pieces of chipboard for the front & back covers. I used Heidi Grace "A Bird's Tale" pattern papers to cover the chipboard. I used the Sizzlets "Girls are Weird" alphabet for the title, added a flower and ribbons and attached some binder rings and the book was finished.

I thought that something like this would be perfect for my mother to keep track of all the family & her friends birthday's in. With all her grandchildren and great grandchildren, keeping up with birthday's is a job in itself.

I really enjoyed making this and hope that she likes it. Now I'm going to have to make one for myself too!

Altered Family Canvas

Recently while blog hopping I came across an altered canvas that inspired me. The altered canvas that I saw was turned into a Countdown Calendar for Valentine’s Day. Seeing this canvas inspired me to create one but instead of a Valentine’s Day Canvas, I decided to do one but to change it to a Family Collage.

I used scraps of Basic Grey from another project that I’ve recently completed and punched them out using my 1 ¾” square punch. After punching out all the squares, I lined them up and modge podged them to the canvas. Once this was dry, I added photos of my family members that I punched out using my 1 3/8” square punch. The title was done with my Big Kick using my sizzlets alphabet – Limelight. After that it was just a matter of adding embellishments to finish it off.

I love how it turned out. This was a pretty easy project that came together pretty quickly. (For privacy reasons I've blackened out some of the faces of family members).

Just for Fun Valentine’s Cards

I thought I’d post a couple of Valentine’s Day cards that I made before finishing the Fiskateer CHA Online Crop challenges (I have 2 more challenges that I want to finish today before posting). These two cards I created before the crop and hadn’t had a chance to upload them.

This first card was a pretty quick. I used a background that I had download a few years ago that was created by Sherry G (I think). I’ve had this and other backgrounds stored on my hard drive forever that I’d forgotten about and just came across them a few days ago. After printing off the background, I added the little dog with a rose image that I stamped & colored using Prismacolor pencils. I mounted this on a scalloped circle (Marvy punch) and used dimensionals to pop it up. I never really noticed until I had completed the card but the last verse on the background says “Love is a beautiful red rose given for no apparent reason”. What a perfect saying for this card.

Dog with Rose stamp from the Penny Black “Critter Party” acrylic stamp set. (14 stamps on this set). I bought mine from http://www.scrappingreatdeals.com

This second card took a little longer. I made the “flower” using the Cloud 9 “Be Loved” paper pack that I won in the New Years Challenge on the Fiskateer site. The background papers are also Cloud 9 “Be Loved”. I used the Fiskars Threading Waters border punch, the Fiskars “Mint Condition” squeeze punch and the stem I cut by hand. I also used Stampin Up Riding Hood Red cardstock. I like how this one turned out too but it would definitely have to be a card that I hand delivered.

Thanks for looking!!!

Wednesday CHA Winter Fiska Crop Challenges – Evening Challenges

Back again to show off the remaining challenges that I completed from the Wednesday Fiskateer Winter Fiska Crop. It's hard to believe that 2 days (Saturday & Wednesday)of participating in an online crop has turned into 6 days of crafting. Having extended deadlines this time around has allowed me to complete most of the challenges. If you've never participated in a Fiskateer online crop I'd highly recommend it. If your not already a Fiskateer, you can go here http://www.fiskateers.com/ to join or to find out more about the Fiskateers.

Wednesday 6 pm CHA Winter Crop 09 Challenge {Weather Safty}
I am just a few minutes early but Casey #1111, Nifty Fifty asked me to help her out because of inclimate weather in our area she is without power.....So I am here to save the hour...... Enjoy and I will be back at 10:00 pm to pick a random winner.

With all the inclimate weather safty is a big issue for all of us, so the challenge for this hour is this......

List 5 items that you should have on hand incase of bad weather...
List 3 things you should NOT do in bad weather..........and then
List 1 pet peeve you see people do in bad weather that drives you crazy

This was another easy challenge. To have a chance to win a great RAK, all we had to do was follow the instructions on the post.

Wednesday 7 pm CHA Winter Fisk-a-Crop Challenge (Oops, I missed it)
For this challenge, leave a comment sharing a story about a mistake that you made on a craft project and what you did to cover it up or fix it. I will draw a random winner tomorrow.

This was another easy challenge. To have a chance to win a great RAK, all we had to do was follow the instructions on the post.

Wednesday 8 pm CHA Winter Fisk-a-Crop Challenge {Bling it on!}For the 8:00 hour I challenge you to create with bling and the more, the better. This can be the self adhesive bling, stickles, glitter, whatever you want that has a blingy result. You have until the end of the the day tomorrow (Thursday).

For this challenge I used Cloud 9 "Be Love" DP, Stampin Up "Love You Much" stamp set, the new Stampin Up Heart to Heart punch, Martha Stewart "Doily Lace border", punch, Stampin Up "Pretty in Pink" grosgrain ribbon to finish off. I also added glitter to the word LOVE and rhinestones to the flower center and along the peeks of the MS punch.

Wednesday 9pm CHA Winter Challenge {TIME}
Here's the challenge: Do a layout featuring anything to do with TIME...and have TIME in your title.....Your deadline (see, time related !!) is Saturday night, the last day of January at 10pm eastern/7pm Pacific !.....That should give everyone enough....TIME !

Wednesday 10 pm CHA Winter Fisk-a-Crop Challenge (Vacation!)Enough snow and sleet and freezing rain already! I am ready for a vacation. To enter this challenge, leave a comment with your ideal or favorite vacation spot. I will draw a random winner tomorrow.

This was another easy challenge. To have a chance to win a great RAK, all we had to do was follow the instructions on the post.

Wednesday, 11pm CHA W Fiskateer Crop (Spreading the Love)My challenge is for you to leave some Fiskateer ‘Love’ in the gallery that is now loaded with some fantastic inspiration! I would like you to find 9 people’s galleries who you have never commented on and leave them a comment about a recent project. It doesn’t necessarily have to be one that was completed this weekend. Then, choose one lead fiskateer and pm them to tell them why you think they are doing a fantastic job being one of our great fearless leaders here on the Fiskateer board! Please comment back here to let me know you have completed the challenge by Thursday noon.

This was another easy challenge. To have a chance to win a great RAK, all we had to do was follow the instructions on the post.

Wednesday 12 Midnight CHA Winter Fisk-a-Crop Challenge {Pumpkin at Midnight}
Well, this is officially the last challenge of the crop, and as the clock strikes midnight, your carriage will turn back into a pumpkin...For this challenge, I want you to go back and finish some of those fall/Halloween LO's that are waiting to be done. If you happen to be one of those people that is all caught up, make a LO with the number "12" in it. LO's only this time. Deadline is Saturday, Jan. 31 at 12 midnight CST.

I finally completed this challenge on Friday a day aheaad of the extended deadline. I can't believe that I've been going 7 days straight on challenges for the 2 day CHA Winter Crop. For this challenge I decided to go with using the number 12 as the subject of my layout. I have 12 wonderful Great Nephews & Great Nieces who I created this layout about. I really thought that I'd struggle with this one but once I found the right patterned paper I was amazed at how quickly this layout came together. I also got to use my Martha Stewart "Star" border punch for the first time. I picked it up before Christmas at Walmart for 25% off.

Wednesday CHA Winter Fiska Crop – Afternoon Challenges

What a fun way to spend a cold, snowy winter day. I am so enjoying all these fun challenges. Fortunately a lot of the challenges have extended deadlines. I love having the extended deadlines as I've been able to complete more of the challenges by finishing up some of them on Thursday too.

Wednesday 1pm CHA Winter 2009 Fisk-a-Crop {Background Check}
Create a background for a layout using stamps and punches...and then use it for a layout. You have until Thursday night at midnight EST.

For the background check challenge, I used a Stampin Up (Buggies & Booties retired) stamp to create the stork border, the scrolls in the upper corners (Doodle This), the two journaling blocks (Bundled in Love)and the Sweet One stamp is also a Stampin Up stamp (SAB So Many Scallops - retired). I also used 2 punches - the Martha Stewart "Doily Lace" border punch and the Stampin Up Scalloped Circle punch.The baby in the photo is my adorable Great Niece Jaden.

Wednesday 2 p.m. CHA Winter 2009 Fisk-a-Crop {Second Time Around}This is your opportunity to do a challenge that has already been completed, like Linda's Home Sweet Home challenge or Lisa's Alter It challenge.

OR do you have a challenge that you just love and want to do again, but is still open? For example, Hisaho's Night Owl challenge or Amy's Thinking Clear challenge! To give everyone a chance to participate, a winner will not be chosen until Monday morning! (February 2, 2009)

I'm so glad that one of the challenges allowed us a second chance to do something we missed or repeat a challenge. I really wanted to do the "Home" challenge that I missed earlier. I've always struggled with creating what I call "scrappy" cards. I started out creating stamped cards and it's difficult for me to use just pattern papers to create a card. I used Heidi Grace papers & stamp to create this card and love how it turned out.

Wednesday 3p.m. CHA Winter 2009 Fisk-a-Crop {Let Us Know What You Think RAK}
We are already half way through our 2nd crop day! And they are just ending at CHA in Anaheim! So, we want to know if you are having fun! And what you would like to see for future online crops!Please share the good and the bad! Are there too many challenges? Not enough? Deadlines too long? Deadlines too short? Let us know what you think and be entered into a random RAK.

This was another one of those easy challenges where all you need to do is follow the instructions for a chance to win a great RAK.

Wednesday 4 PM CHA Winter Fiska-Crop {Non-traditional Valentine's Day}
My challenge for you is to create a valentine's card with NON-TRADITIONAL colors. That means no pink and red! You have until 11 am CST Tomorrow (Thursday) to complete this challenge.

This challenge was difficult for me as with it being a Valentine's Card, I automatically wanted to use red or pink on it. The pattern papers are from Stampin Up (Level 1 Hostess), the stamps used Stampin Up "Love You Much", Night of Navy Cardstock & Ribbon and the Martha Stewart "Doily Lace" border punch.

Wednesday 5pm CHA Winter Crop 09 Challenge {Simple Scrapbooks Tribute}I am going to miss Simple Scrapbooks SO much! I decided to design my challenge around one of my favorite Simple publications, Scrapbook Shortcuts with Quizzes and Questions. I've chosen one of the quizzes and you can do a layout with ALL the questions, SOME of the questions, or even just ONE like I did in my example that was posted in the Gallery earlier today.

Here are the "Hopes and Dreams Quiz" questions:

1. My current occupation is
2. My dream job is:
3. If I could live anywhere in the world it would be:
4. If I could be someone famous, it would be:
5. The best birthday gift I could receive would be:
6. If I had a million dollars, the first thing I'd buy would be:
7. When I was a teenager, I thought that at my age I'd be:
8. The goals I am currently working on are:
9. When I am 80, I hope I am doing this:
10. The person I'd like to be more like is:

Post your link back here on this thread by 5pm Central time tomorrow evening (Thursday 1/29).

For this challenge I chose to do my layout on question 10 - The person I'd like to be more like....I chose my mother who is an amazing woman.

I'll be back soon with Wednesday's CHA Winter Fiska Crop's Evening challenges. TFS!

Wednesday CHA Winter Fiska Crop - Morning Challenges

Wednesday 8 am CHA Winter Fisk-a-Crop Challenge (Snowflakes!)
For this challenge create a paper craft item (scrapbook page, card, altered item) with a snow theme or snowflakes. Upload to the gallery before Midnight tonight.

For this challenge I used one of my Stampin Up stamps. I added glitter to the word snow and colored in the snowman. I then mounted it on Night of Navy Cardstock and mounted it on the Snowflake Cuttlebug Embossing Folder.
Wednesday 9 am CHA Winter Fisk-a-Crop Challenge (Use Your Scraps)
For this challenge, use the scraps that are on your workspace right now and complete a card. The only exception is that you can add a sentiment, but everything else has to be out already. Upload to the gallery and leave a comment here before midnight.

For this card I just took some of the left over papers that I had on my desk to make this card. I love this Heidi Grace Baby line and you can make so many different cards with just this one sheet of paper.

Wednesday, 10 am CHA Fiska-Crop "It's a Small World" Challenge
This is a Three part Challenge. You have until 8:00 am Thursday morning.

1. Go to "It's a Small Word" Lyrics and Music! You must sing the song out loud!
2. Come back to the message board make FIVE new friends (add to your Profile) adding your personal message.
3. Lastly, choose FIVE (different from above) Fiskateers to send encouraging words.

This challenge didn't require you to create anything and to have a chance to win you just had to follow the instructions.

Wednesday 11 am CHA Winter 2009 Fisk-a-Crop {Superbowl Challenge}
For this challenge, create any sports related craft item (scrapbook page, card, altered item). What, you don't like sports or have anything to do with sports? I bet some of you are champion TV watchers or snackers! ***coughcoughlikemecoughcough*** Deadline for the challenge is midnight Thursday CST.

It's funny how as soon as I saw this challenge I immediately thought of how Online Crops should be a "sport"...the "Scrap Bowl". lol

Wednesday 12 noon CHA Winter 2009 Fisk-a-Crop {Fisk-a-Reporter RAK}
Just share with me the most interesting bit of news that you have heard about the going on's at CHA. It doesn't have to be Fiskars related...it can be about anything!

This challenge didn't require you to create anything and to have a chance to win you just had to follow the instructions.

I'll be back soon with Wednesday's CHA Winter Fiska Crop's afternoon challenges. TFS!

Kelly Jo’s Challenge for the Fiskateer Online Crop

Kelly Jo challenged us to “Dig into your stash and find some of that delicious product that you have been hoarding and USE IT!” We had to create a new scrapbook page or 2 cards before the end of the crop on Wednesday, January 28th.


These are the two cards that I created for the challenge. I used some of my Heidi Grace baby papers that I've been hoarding. I swear I heard the paper cry when I cut it...or maybe it was me. lol

I'm Exhausted

I’ve spent the last 5 days creating cards and layouts for the Fiskateer Online Crop. I’ve really enjoyed the 2 days of cropping both with extended deadlines that allow me to complete more of these challenges. Today I completed 2 cards and 2 layouts for the Wednesday challenges. I still have a couple more challenges that I’d like to complete before the deadlines on Saturday.

Fiskateer Virtual CHA Online Crop – Evening Challenges

Talk about a full day of fun & challenges on the Fiskateer Message Board!

Sunday 6PM CHA Winter Fiska-Crop Challenge {Get it done!}Here is another challenge for you. Dig into your unfinished projects pile and complete as much projects as you can till the end of the CHA. Post here by end of Wednesday and tell us what projects did you finish.

With all the challenges going on, I didn't have time to work on any unfinished projects. lol

Sunday, 7 PM CHA Winter 2009 Fisk-a-Crop {Sweet!}For this challenge, create a new papercraft item (scrapbook page, card, altered item) with cupcakes. Deadline midnight.

For this challenge I decided to do a card using my new Stampin Up Cupcake stamp. I purchased this stamp back in the fall and decided that this was the perfect stamp for this challenge.

Sunday 8pm CHA Winter 2009 Fisk-a-Crop {Spring is in the Air}Your 2 part challenge is to create a layout for SPRING....OR EASTER BUT....WITHOUT photos ! For this challenge you had to create a layout for AT LEAST one photo.....That's part one....The deadline for Part One is Tuesday night at 10pm EST/7pm PST where I will chose a random winner !

To be eligible for Part Two, you must enter Part One !

Part Two deadline is April 18th at 9pm EST/6pm PST.....Where you will have placed your NEWLY TAKEN SPRING PHOTO on your submitted layout.

Sunday 9pm CHA Winter 2009 Fisk-a-Crop {Thinking Clear}
So my challenge is simple: make a layout using some type of clear element. It doesn't matter to me, but it has to be a layout, it has to include something clear, and it has to be a new page created for this challenge. You have until Wednesday at noon to upload your page.


Sunday 10PM CHA Winter Fiska-Crop {Show and Tell}
What I want you to do in this challenge is to post in the gallery your favorite project from the last month and add the link here.

Unfortunately, because of the time zones...by the time this challenge was posted, I was in bed sleeping. lol

Sunday 11pm CHA Winter 2009 Fisk-a-Crop {Sketch}
This challenge is simple: make a layout using the sketch provided.

This is the layout that I did based on the sketch we were given.

Sunday 12 Midnight CHA Winter Fiska-Crop Challenge {Night Owl}
To be entered to win Kelly Jo's prize, your "night owl" challenge is to make a NEW project (card, LO, or altered item) with an OWL on it. They were big last year, so I'm thinking many of you have something--paper, stamps, rubons, etc. with owls--that need to be used. If you don't have any, make a project with the word "night" in it instead.

This was the card that I created for this challenge.

Not all of these challenges were due on Sunday as some had some extended deadlines allowing us to complete them on Tuesday and Wednesday. I really enjoyed having the extended deadlines as it gave me more time to work on the challenges.

Fiskateer Virtual CHA Online Crop – Afternoon Challenges

Here's the afternoon challenges from Sunday's Fiskateer Virtual CHA Online Crop. I forgot to mention earlier that the Lead Fiskateers (Kelly Jo, Rebecca, Cheryl, Angela & Wendy Jo) had chosen numerous hostesses to help with the challenges for the online crop. They did an amazing job coming up with creative challenges to keep us busy. Thanks to all the Leads & hostesses for your hard work & awesome challenges.

Sunday, 1 PM CHA Winter 2009 Fisk-a-Crop {What punch do You want?}
There are a lot of Great challenges going on (Thank YOU, Fisk-a-Hostesses!) so I just going to do a random draw give-a-way for some Scallop punches. To enter, pick one scallop punch design that you would like to win (seal of approval, cameo appearance, square-a-licious, my funny valentine).

Challenges like this one didn't require you to complete anything. Just by leaving a comment on the post, you have a chance to win an awesome prize.

Sunday, 2 P.M. CHA Winter 2009 Fiska-Crop {Look Ma! No Glue!}
I think the most interesting challenge I ever took part in was one of Legend May's from a year or 2 ago. The challenge was to do a layout w/o adhesive. You can use items like ribbon, brads, eyelets to adhere photos and other items on your page. You just can't use any type of adhesive. No glue, no tape runners.

This was a tough challenge. I remember the struggles I had before during one of May's challenges trying to figure out how to attach everything without adhesives. For this challenge I used a picture of my adorable great niece who loved to stick that toy on her forehead during her bath. I matted the photo on yellow cardstock and held it in place by using a EK Success corner punch. This was attached to the background using brads. The title was stamped using Karen Foster Snap Stamps and also attached with brads as well as the flowers. So I met the challenge & no glue or adhesives were used on this layout.

Sunday 3PM CHA Winter 2009 Fisk-a-crop (Black and white Challenge)For your 3:00 challenge I thought it would be fun to do a black and white challenge. You will have until noon central time tomorrow (Mon) to complete a layout using black and white papers and embellishments. You are allowed to use one color embellishment or on accent color but the majority of your layout should be black and white. You may use either black and white or color pictures.

For this challenge I decided to do a circle layout for another project that I've been working on for sometime now and have yet to complete. Oh well...someday it'll get finished.


Sunday, 4 PM CHA Winter 2009 Fisk-a-Crop {Fisk-a-Pride}
I love the Kimberly Poloson Cabana Blooms line because of the Fiskateer colors...orange and green! Would you like some Cabana Blooms? Leave a comment here and share what being a Fiskateer means to You.

Here's another easy one...we just had to post a comment for a chance to win.

Sunday, 5 PM. CHA Winter 2009 Fiska-Crop {Let's do some organizing}
Here is another challenge for you - let's do some organizing and free some space for the yummy goodies that are coming from CHA! Find something that needs to be organized, snap a picture, organize it and snap another picture. Post both pictures in the gallery before 11PM central time and post a comment in this thread. If your craft space is already organized.... find something else in your home. Be creative! :)

Hard to believe that I was still able to create with a desk that looked like this. How embarassing but this was my desk on Sunday.
Well after a quick clean up and some organizing, my desk was once again clutter free and ready to continue with the evenings challenges.

This seems like the perfect place to end the afternoons challenges. I'll be back with the evenings challenges later. TFL!

Yesterday's Fiskateer Virtual CHA Online Crop - Morning Challenges

On Sunday I took part in the Fiskateer Virtual CHA Online Crop. I love participating in these Fiskateer online crops and haven’t missed one since joining the Fiskateers in late April 2007. I really enjoy all the challenges and find that these motivate me to think “outside the box” and do things that I probably wouldn’t do otherwise. Yesterday’s online crop was awesome and there were so many great challenges. Since there is also another Fiskateer Online Crop on Wednesday, January 28th several of the challenges don’t have to be completed until then. Hopefully today I’ll be able to catch up on the challenges that I missed and get them done before Wednesday’s Online Crop.

These are the challenges along with the pictures of the items that I completed:

Sunday, 8am CHA Winter 2009 Fiska Crop {All About the Flair} Challenge and RAK
Make anything paper, sewing, melt art, jewelry, pins, totes, even t-shirts,...anything you want to make that shows our pride at being Fiskateers that love their tools. If you do not have a Fiskars tool use what you do have. You can use your computer to make a badge, blinkie or whatever the imagination brings to you.

Sunday 9AM CHA Winter 2009 Fisk-a-Crop {The Joy of Giving}
My Challenge to you requires you to create a project to give away. So.....get busy creating a project and decide who you will give it to. This can be a wall hanging, a layout to be framed, a mini book, an altered item....just something that you craft with your scraping stash. The more fiskars tools used, the better, but this is just about crafting and giving. I am looking for a new project just created today for this challenge.

For this challenge I decided to create a mini album out of toilet paper rolls. I used 4 toilet paper rolls to make this adorable mini album which will be given away as a gift.


Sunday 10am CHA Winter 2009 Fisk-a Crop {Altered item challenge}
Those of you who know me and what I love to do, know that I am all about the altered items! So it won't be any surprise to you that my challenge today is about altered items. Stick with me, this isn't going to be hard!

So here is the challenge:

1. Search around your house for an item to alter. It can be anything from a recipe box you want to recover to bookend, a lamp, a frame, or a paper towel or toilet paper roll you want to alter into something fun! Anything goes here, so have a blast!
2. Use whatever papers and embellishment you would like! Be creative! Really stretch your imagination!
3. I would like to see you use one Fiskars tool in a creative way on your item. If you don't have a Fiskars tool see if you can create an element to your altered item that looks just like something you would have created with a Fiskars tool!

For this challenge I decided to take one of the DVD tins that I bought last year and alter one of them. I also created a mini album to go inside of it. I used the Cloud 9 "Be Loved" papers and embellishments that I received in the RAK from Rebecca. I love the way that this turned out and since most projects I end up giving away...this one is for me.




Sunday 11am CHA Winter 2009 Fiska-Crop Challenge {Home Sweet Home}
Create a layout, altered piece or a card that reflects the theme of "home".

This challenge I haven't gotten around to completing yet. Although the challenge is closed, I still plan on doing it.

Sunday, Noon CHA Winter 2009 Fisk-a-Crop {Join Me in the Chatroom}
Are you all working hard? There are some awesome challenges, but I think we deserve a break, don't You?

One of the downfalls of doing online crops and having your computer on a different floor than your scraproom is that you miss out on challenges like this one. I was so busy upstairs working away on the morning challenges that by the time I came downstairs to check in on the computer, I had missed this one. lol

Stay tuned for the afternoon challenges. TFS!

Fiskateer Virtual CHA Online Crop

This is posted on the Fiskateer Calendar: "Join all your Fiskateer friends for a fast-moving day of cropping, challenges and a LOT of prizes. We’re celebrating Fiskars introducing their new Spring and Summer lines at the Craft and Hobby Association in Anaheim. We’ll have reports from the show and many other surprises right her at Fiskateers.com! Sunday, January 25th and Wednesday, January 28th."

Come on over and join the fun! See ya on the Fiskateer Message Board!!! www.fiskateers.com/community/

Still in the Twilight Zone - The Final Book

On Wednesday I decided that I had better make a quick trip to Walmart to see if they had the last book in the Twilight series Breaking Dawn. I had about 100 pages left to read in Eclipse and I knew that as soon as I finished the last line in that book that I’d start going through withdrawal. I was thrilled to find a new shipment of books and that they had “Breaking Dawn”.

These books could have easily been turned into two books. There were 629 pages in Eclipse and Breaking Dawn has 754 pages in it. I definitely didn’t waste anytime finishing Eclipse and by Wednesday night I had already started reading Breaking Dawn.

I am currently on page 667 and will probaby have this last book finished tonight. I don’t know what I’ll do when I finish this series. Stephanie Meyer is an amazing author and has definitely created a series that has kept me hooked. I am so going to miss these characters that have occupied so much of my time this month.

If you haven’t read these books, I’d highly recommend them.

Happy Mail Day!!

This has been a busy week for me. On Monday I received an amazing RAK from Lead Fiskateer Rebecca for participating in the New Years Challenge on the Fiskateer Message Board. She had us make 10 Christmas Cards for 2009 and post a picture of our cards in the gallery. Well, instead of picking one winner…..we were all winners. She sent everyone who participated in the challenge some goodies to start our Valentine’s Day Cards.

I was totally floored when I saw all the goodies that she sent to me. Awesome Cloud 9 “Be Loved” papers and embellishments. Immediately I’ve been inspired to create some Valentine’s projects. Stay tuned to see what I’ve created with this amazing RAK from Rebecca.

Thanks Rebecca for the amazing RAK and the inspiration to create.

Twilight Series Two Down....Two to Go

I must admit I'm hooked. I finished reading Twilight and immediately went on a search to find New Moon. With 40 pages left to read of New Moon last Thursday, I went out looking for the remaining two books in this awesome series. Unfortunately I was only able to find Eclipse in our local Walmart. I had planned to buy Eclipse and Breaking Dawn (the last book) so that I'd have them here and ready to read.

I finished reading New Moon on Friday morning and without skipping a beat, I picked up Eclipse and started reading it. I'm now halfway through it and will have to take a trip into Walmart in the next day or so to try and find Breaking Dawn.
If you haven't already read these books I'd highly recommend them.

I'm having a hard time putting down these books to spend some time crafting. I do have a few projects that I've been working on and hope to get pictures taken so that I can post them soon.

What are you reading this week?

Valentine’s Day Cards

Today I was in the mood for making some Valentine’s cards. Although I really don’t do Valentine’s Day, I enjoy making Valentine’s Cards.

This first card is a case of a card that I found on SCS. I stamped the heart from "A Happy Heart" using Stampin Up Chocolate Chip Craft ink and then embossed the heart with clear embossing powder. I cut it out leaving a bit of a border of pink. I used my SU Dots background stamp and stamped the pink piroutte cardstock using white craft ink. (I used my heat gun to speed up the drying time.) The heart was mounted on a piece of white cardstock and then mounted on a Spellbinder Embossed background using the square dies. I punched two holes in the side where I tied brown grosgrain ribbon and Pretty in Pink Grosgrain ribbon (I didn’t have Choc Chip Grosgrain or Pink Piroutte Grosgrain ribbon). I used dimensionals to pop up this layer.

The second card started out to be a case but somewhere down the creative cycle that changed. I used the Stampin Up set “A Happy Heart”. The x’s and heart’s stamp was stamped twice, once in chocolate chip and then in real red. I cut the hearts out by hand and used my ½” circle punch for the center heart. The hearts were popped up on dimensionals. This I mounted on Chocolate Chip cardstock. I used my Stampin Up Scalloped Border punch to punch a border on the edge of the card. Added a red grosgrain ribbon and the sentiment was stamped in real red too!

Thanks for looking!

All Shook Up….

Ok, so it’s a lame title. But in some ways it’s true. I have been struggling and I do mean struggling with the Stampsmith photostamps that I have. Don’t get me wrong, they are gorgeous images and I have seen numerous cards made using these images. I know it’s not the stamps but the stamper…I’m using glossy cardstock, I’ve tried using Versafine ink as well as using Tim Holtz Distress inks and am not happy with the results. My BF also uses Versafine ink on her photostamp images & they turn out beautifully. I have read on another blog where this girl uses Ancient Page inks on her photostamps. Unfortunately, I don't have any Ancient Page ink pads to try. It could be that my Versafine ink pad is too wet (it’s pretty new) and that’s why I’m not getting a good image with it.

So far I’ve mastered Elvis and am happy with the results. It’s a smaller stamp and what I’ve done seems to work with it yet the larger images I struggle with. I guess it’s just a matter of practice and patience.

Here’s a couple of cards that I made with the Elvis stamp, Allegro Cuttlebug Embossing Folder and Basic Grey papers.

Thanks for looking!

I Found It!

Yesterday I decided to go into the next town and do some grocery shopping as I was getting a little low on fresh fruits and veggies. While I was there I stopped in at Walmart with hopes to find “New Moon” the second book in the Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer. Unfortunately they had all the other books but didn’t have New Moon. After leaving there I headed over to Zeller’s as I had an item from Christmas to return & I was thrilled to find a soft cover copy of New Moon. I thoroughly enjoyed Twilight and can’t wait to start reading New Moon. It's a huge book & there are 653 pages in it.

Since I just finished reading a James Patterson novel today, I can now start reading New Moon.

While I was in Zellers looking through a pile of books that were marked down, I came across this Nancy Drew Journal. It looks like a soft cover copy of the book and even has the first page and last page of the book in it. The remaining pages are lined and also have inked pictures on many of the pages. I’ve decided to use this as one of my journals for the Stories in Hand journaling I am doing. I will probably use this journal for the parts of my life that I want to journal about. I looked around hoping to find more but it seemed to be the last one. The thing I like about this journal is that sitting on a shelf it looks like an ordinary book unless they read closely on the spine where it does say Nancy Drew Journal. Anyways, I love it and it fits right in with my “collectibles”.

Thanks for looking.

More Punch Creations

Another day, more punch creations. This Punch Art is definitely addicting. It’s so much fun trying to which punches to use to create various characters. I’m also quickly filling up the pages in my “Punch Book” with all these cute creations.

Once again I wish that I could take credit for these adorable creations but I can't. I cased the adorable Santa and the Bat from Heather Summers. I had to come up with something different to make Santa’s mittens & boots as I don’t yet have the new heart punch that Heather used. The Sesame Street characters were cased from SCS.






I think I’ll try adding my Sesame St. punch outs to create some birthday cards for my little great nieces & great nephews.

Thanks for looking!

Hooked on Punches

Anyone that knows me knows that I am totally addicted to punches. I love pulling out my punches and trying to create new “out of the box” ideas with them. Yesterday was one of those days. With the bad weather and freezing rain it was the perfect day to spend creating.

I am trying to put together a “Punch Techniques” book for myself. My intentions are to put a sample of each punch creation along with the punches used in my book. This book is just for my own personal use and will make it much easier for me to recreate some of these creations again & again.

So yesterday I pulled out all the punches and started creating. I wish I could take credit for these creations but I can’t. I’m a huge blog surfing fan and love finding new Punch Art ideas and trying to recreate them. Most of these ideas came from some links that I found on SCS. (I thought that I had saved the link but at the moment I can’t find it or the original authors name.)

Most of the time I find that there are no directions or list of punches used in creating these punched art pieces. So the fun part for me is trying to recreate them. Some times it takes me several tries before I'm happy with the finished piece. But then that's half the fun of Punch Art.

The first four punch creations are of people: a ballerina, ballplayer, cheerleader & a mermaid. I love how they turned out.




From there I moved onto animals: a dog, fish, lion and an owl.




(All of these punched creations were made with Stampin Up punches. )

This morning I hope to work on some more punch creations for my Punch Book as well as creating a cover for my book. Stay tuned for more. Thanks for looking!