Frame It Up!

Do you ever get some great stamps and think "these images are too cute to not frame"! I've been finding more then great stamp storage at my sales here lately! I have gotten some great frames! So now that I sort of told you without telling you what my projects were, let me show you! Here are my latest projects that I finished up this week;

With all the time girls can spend in a bathroom getting "ready" I thought I should put up something that would help remind Breanna where "beauty" really comes from! I used an old SU stamp set that I embossed in silver on the mat, added blue flowers to match the background paper (which is also the bathroom wall color) and printed her picture off in black and white! The words were printed off from my computer, not a stamp!



This is for friend who's having her first baby - I guess you can tell it's a boy! LOL! She knows I stamp and "stuff" so I thought I'd make her something to go with the real gift! I used my Cuttlebug, Nestabilities and also colored it with my colored pencils but no gamsol this time! I learned how to use a blender pencil at my local stamp store! Lorinda, the owner of "The Color Wheel" in Beavercreek, is a sweetheart to give me her time to show me a few tricks! You know I soaked them up like a sponge! LOL!



In case you're wondering about the image, I'm not sure where it came from! I got some stamped images from my friend and it was perfect for this gift! The letter "a" is from SU though and I simply covered it with glue stick and paper! Easy peasy!



I hope you like it and I hope my friend likes it too!

Until next time....

30 Days and Counting.......

It's official one more time! I will be running my third USAF Marathon next month, September 19th! The countdown is 30 days! YIKES! This year will be a little different than last year in the fact that both my daughters will be there AND so will Logan! YEAH Logan! Here's my plan for finishing this year, I plan to stop at the end just before the finish line to grab Logan and carry him across the finish line with me! I thought that would be fun, well sort of LOL! Someday that will be his show and tell story! LOL! Hopefully it will all go as planned! LOL! I'll also be doing a 5k the night before, walking, with my Dad (who did it last year) Breanna, Jessica and Logan too! I submitted the story as a "human interest" story to the Marathon magazine too! We'll see if they pick it up! I mean, how many families, 4 generations worth, will be walking the USAF 5K ya know?! I'll keep ya posted!
Wish me luck and pray for my endurance! This year It's been a battle to train but I'm going to do it! LOL! I'm a stubborn person! LOL!

Until next time....

Punch Storage

You know what I hate about moving?! NO?! Well, let me tell ya! LOL! I hate "knowing" I have something and not being able to find it! Worse yet, finding only part of it! UGH! I love having everything organized, crafts are my exception yet they are still organized - somewhat! One of the hardest things to organize is craft punches! Yes, you can buy things off the Internet but, that's money I can spend on more punches though! I had found the PERFECT storage at Ikea (LOVE that place!). It was a wooden shoe rack, slotted, and cost only $4! Can't beat that now could I?! So, we move and part of it is MIA! ! My stubborn side says don't buy one you'll find yours but, you don't find it AND the store no longer carries them! UGH! So, what's a girl to do when it's killing her that she NEEDS to organize her stuff?! She goes yard saling! Yep, you always find good stuff yard saling right?! I do! This past weekend I was out looking for things to make my grandson's stay more comfortable for him and his Mom like a baby bed, toys etc...I don't have that stuff anymore! So, what do I find?! Hello awesome new punch storage! Take a look below to see my awesome find!



This is apparently a stand made for Longaberger baskets (I have some of those!) but when I saw the rails, perfect for larger punches AND the wooden pieces, perfect for my Big Shot and my smaller punches, I knew it was PERFECT! It also matches my decor! How cool is that?! What's even cooler is I got some great punches while I was out! LOL! I also found everything I needed for Logan's visit! Now that is a great way to spend a Saturday morning...on top of a great 7 mile run too! Call me a happy stamper! LOL! Oh and it only cost me $10! Woo hoo!

True Love......

Yep, it's true! I adore my husband! LOL! For years we've always written each other little notes and tried to hide them in fun spots as little surprises. We sort of dropped off for a bit but, lately, it's started again! I like it and so does he! LOL! Our daughter has done it too for a long time ... go ahead gag...! LOL! You're not the first! LOL! Anyway, I decided it was time to make him a card. I gave him a store bought one not too long ago but it had music in it and was "perfect"! He told me he likes my cards better! What a sweetie! Here's a picture of what I made for him;



I actually did no stamping here! I was creative with paper and punches! I used paper from my new stack of paper from DCWV "All About Boys" or something like that! When I saw it had that "Superman" paper I was all over it! I have called him my "Superman" for years. The man is amazing with the stuff he can do. This past weekend on his 20 mile run (I know...nuts!) he logged his best mile at just over 5 mins! YIKES! Yes, 5 mins! So not happening with little Lois Lane here...!LOL! I used PTI Kraft paper, DCWV paper, SU star punches, Cuttlebug letters and my Dyson Label Maker for the words! I wanted them to stand out, and I was being lazy! LOL!
The result - he LOVED it and has it on display in our room next to his side of the bed!

I hope you like it too !!

Until next time....

Logan Loves His Bella

Okay, when the Grandchildren come this cute you just can't resist! Check out the video of Logan telling me what he wants for Christmas! Funny thing....none of it sounds like DVD's or sweaters from Old Navy....HUH! LOL! Enjoy! I sure did, I mean DO!

Logan's chatting about his Christmas list here!

Thanks for pacifying me!! Now, do I get him EVERYTHING?! LOL!

Until next time....

Frightfully Good!

I admit it.....I'm a hoarder! I can't throw go stuff out! Well, this time it was the container for the meat my husband, likes to have with his breakfast sometimes, otherwise known as "Spam"! Hey, small, no label, cute and gold....I knew I could do something with it eventually! Eventually came the other day when I wanted to make a "Boo" gift for my neighbor! You know the "BOO" game people play at Halloween, leave a gift and a tag to say you were "BOO-ed"! Here's what I created with that can;




Close up of the green eyed skeletons my husband likes!


I used plain white paper and evenly stamped my favorite Halloween stamp from The Rubber Cafe again, You Shake My Bones, to create the designer paper of sorts, random ribbons to floof it up some too! The label on the front is made by gluing scrap papers together and running it through my Cuttlebug with the Oval Nestabilities, layer of scraps from around the container, a cute Happy Halloween that you can get one of your own here and "voila"! Instant gift! Total cost?! Around $3! That includes the candy! LOL! I've already been asked if the candy can be raided too! LOL! I bet you can't guess by who...Breanna! LOL! No surprise there I'm sure!
Well, I'm curious now to see what you all come up with! If you recycle something to make a new gift share the link! I'd love to see your inspiration too!

Until next time....

A "Different" Inspiration

Have you ever just been going around doing your daily routine, not really thinking just "doing stuff", and have an idea or inspiration just "grab you"? I do, colors, shapes things just pop into my head sometimes! Yes, if you really want to know I do live in my own world sometimes but, hey, it's a happy place! LOL! The inspiration for this card came from my oldest daughter. She chose to get a quite interesting tattoo in a quite interesting spot...a girl skeleton head on her inside forearm. I wasn't very happy about it but, well, she's over 21 so it's not up to me to be happy or not right?! What I was happy about was when I realized the other day, thinking about my favorite new Halloween stamp from "The Rubber Cafe" and it "clicked"! HEY! I can use that tattoo of Jessica's to make a neat new card! YES....and the rest is history! LOL! Take a look at what it inspired;

Full view


Close up of the skeletons, what do you think of that background? I cheated...he he he!


SO , yeah, confession time here! I hand drew the bow, coloring it in with colored pencils but here's the neat part! I wanted a different background on the pink (New SU Raspberry "In-Color") so I used one of those mesh bags that you get "stuff" in sometimes. I balled it up, patted it onto my SU Basic Black ink and just patted it all over to get a rough look! Talk about cheap and fun! You can stamp with just about anything! I roughed up the edges with my scissors too! I used one of my new Martha Stewart punches for that cute white edged piece, scrap ribbon and random bling that I had that just so happened to match! Now the important stuff right?! Where'd I get that totally cool stamp?! That really cool saying too?! Lets not forget the pretty Stickle covered hearts too! Well how about over at The Rubber Cafe?! Yep! That's where I got them! The skeleton is part of the new Halloween series and is called "You Shake My Bones", the hearts are actually this Lori Renn stamp "I Adore You". I simply stamped it twice, cut the hearts out and covered them with stickles! The words are ones I thought worked with the stamps for this card and I used the "Just Rite" stamps to stamp them on using white craft ink! So it's a different Halloween card with a different source of inspiration too! Tattoo artists are really awesome with their work! So if you know someone who got married or engaged around Halloween, wouldn't something like this be a great congratulations card?!

Enjoy!

Until next time....

Life Is Better With You!

Awe...isn't that what every woman wants to hear from her honey?! I know I enjoy hearing it from mine....I'll wait while you recover from choking and gagging....better?! Now, seriously it's so sweet to know when someone loves you SO much right?! Lately my DH has really been showing his affectionate side and I've been loving every minute of it! So when I got these TOTALLY ADORABLE stamps from The Rubber Cafe, I totally "felt it" and knew they were perfect to make a super cute card! These little guys are called "Stella and Angus" and don't they look like they're SO in love with each other?! Sweethearts! Well here's my first project with them;



I chose to color these with my colored pencils and gamsol. I am SO in love with that technique! I was able to achieve the same level of softness in the paper I used which, by the way, was a scrap on my table so I apologize for not knowing the maker! The shape around the turtles is cut using my Cuttlebug and my nesties. I had to add some bling too so there are Stickles in the centers of all the colored in flowers and the smaller Prima flowers. I am a big fan of pearls, both my girls have pearl birthstones! I used little half pearls from Bella (gotta love the name right?!) for the center of the big flowers. That fun ric rac...I'm pretty good at scavenging in store sale bins and was lucky to find this at JoAnn fabrics for 99cents! I love a good deal!!!
Here's some great news about Stella and Angus too....there's more in the series! Interested?! Well head on over to Melissa's store, The Rubber Cafe, and check them out! They're a little on the big side so be sure to grab a set of her "Rock-a-Blocks" too! I know they're on my next order too! I'm always looking for great blocks for my stamps too and think these will be a perfect fit!

I hope you liked my turtles!!

Until next time....

BOO....!

Did I scare you?! He he he! I'm totally excited about some new Halloween stamps I got in the mail from The Rubber Cafe! I LOVE Halloween and I LOVED making Halloween costumes for my kids! I just love making costumes for anyone! The best part of Halloween, besides decorating, is the trick or treaters! I just love to fill those little pumpkins! The kids are SO excited and happy to be showing off their little outfits! Just adorable...but I'm getting off track here so let me tell you about my fun new stamps! I got quite a few to share with you but, if, and I say IF I had to choose a favorite it would be VERY hard to do but....I LOVE this skeleton stamp! Isn't it just a great stamp?! I've used it for a few projects, so far, let me show you the pictures and I'll give you some details on it!





Oooh green eyed skeletons......scary...LOL!!


The first card uses;
PaperTrey Ink Kraft cardstock
The Paper Place orange cardstock
Recollections plain black and run through the cuttlebug using an embossing folder
Ribbon from JoAnn Fabric's 99cent rack
Rhinestones from Target $1 spot
Skeleton stamp
Happy Halloween stamp
Spiderweb stamp
Black ink
orange ink
white ink
Green glitter glue

The second and third cards use;
Recollections plain black cardstock
The Paper Place orange cardstock
Papertrey Ink Kraft cardstock
Bright green scraps
Rhinestones from Target $1 spot
White ink (looks beige on kraft cardstock though)
Black ink
Orange ink
Green glitter glue

I have other "skeleton" projects that I'm working on to share later! I need candy corn to finish them but, get this, I see Christmas in a lot of stores but NOBODY has candy corn! LOL! What is the world coming to?! LOL! When I ate sugar and candy I could eat a whole bag of that stuff! It's gooooooood! LOL! So now, I hope, if you get the skeleton stamp for yourself you give me a link here so I can see what you did with it! I must have a trillion ideas........!

Enjoy!

Until next time...