Kraft Cards

Hi Everyone!

When I am cutting out die cuts such as clouds and tags I always cut out lots of extras.  I have a stash of kraft tags and decided to use some of them.  As I told you in my last post I was intrigued by Jennifer McGuire's video about ghost stamping.  I decided to play around a little bit more with the technique, but instead of stamping directly onto a kraft card I stamped on the kraft tags.  I prefer the results to stamping directly onto a card. 

I used the "Petals & Stems" clear stamp set from Verve Stamps again.  I used a sentiment stamp from Lockhart Stamps. 

While I had my tags out I decided to create just one more card.  I used paper piecing on this one.  I like it better than the ghost stamping cards.



Have a nice night!
Carol

Thinking of You

Hi Everyone!

Earlier today I watched Jennifer McGuire's video  "Ghost Stamping on Kraft".  You can watch it at this link
http://www.jennifermcguireink.com/2013/02/video-ghost-stamping-on-kraft-giveaway.html 
I was intrigued by the technique and wanted to give it a try.  I don't have the ink pads that she used, but I do have the Color Box Frost White Pigment Stamp Pad that she mentioned and I have a variey of dye ink pads from Memento.  I like the stamp set that Jennifer used, but I don't have it so I decided to use the  "Petals & Stems" clear stamp set from Verve Stamps along with a tiny flower from Lawn Fawn's "Flutter By" clear stamp set, and a sentiment stamp from Hero Arts "Sending Smiles" clear stamp set.

If you are familiar with my blog you know that I tend to use patterned paper on most of my cards instead of stamping directly onto a blank card, but as I said earlier in this post I wanted to give ghost stamping a try.  I wasn't especially excited about my card when I first finished it, but then I added faux stitching around the edges and was much happier.  I added some jewels to the tiny blossoms I stamped.  You'll notice that my sentiment could be just a little lower on the left...but...it's okay for this first try.

 

 

I'm heading to bed early tonight.  One of the children at school has sneezed all over me too often lately and I need to fight off yet another cold.

 

Have a nice night!

Carol



Easter Card

Hi Everyone! 

Ten days ago my set of "Spring Has Sprung" clear stamps from The Alley Way Stamps arrived in the mail.  I bought that set because I loved the bunny and also thought the chick and the carrot were adorable.  I have already shared an Easter card and 2 baby cards that I made with the bunny on them.  Well, today I have another Easter card to share with you.

I found a piece of Easter egg patterned paper in my scrap box and decided it was too cute to just leave in the box.  It was clearly leftover from a 6" x 6" paper pad that I had a few years ago and was the perfect size for the card I had in mind. 

I stamped the bunny onto 2 of my favorite papers, fussy cut it and paper pieced it.  The sentiment is from Lawn Fawn.  The Easter egg buttons were in my stash. 

Have a great night!
Carol

St. Patrick's Day cards

Good Morning Everyone!

It's a rainy Sunday morning and the clock on my computer says it is 7:06 AM.  My body is running on school time as there is certainly no need for me to be up and working so early on a Sunday morning.  I may head back to bed after I write this blog post or maybe I'll stay up (I doubt it) and spend the day being productive. 

In yesterday's blog post I told you about my shopping trip.  Last night I cleaned "My Own Little Corner", put my new clear stamps in CD cases, and put my other purchases where they belong.  Then I played!  This hobby is just too much fun for words. 

I showed you the St. Patrick's Day pins that I found at JoAnn's yesterday.

I decided to use some of them last night.  I found a piece of paper in my new petite paper pack "Pink Lemonade" from Lawn Fawn that looked "Irish" to me.  I cut the first layering paper so that it measured 4" x 5.25".  I cut a piece of green ribbon from my stash and pinned one of the pins to it before I adhered the ribbon to the layering paper.   The leprechaun chickie stamp is from Denami Designs and the sentiment is from Memory Box.

The card is much prettier in person.  The light is horrible on this rainy gray morning. 

I cut most of my layering papers so that they measure 4" x 5.25" which always leaves me with a piece of paper that is 2" x 5.5" if I am using a 6" x 6" paper pad.  The new me is trying to use that piece on a second card instead of putting it aside.  So I used that leftover piece for my card last night along with another pin, a stamped sentiment that used a Memory Box stamp, and a Punch Bunch clover stamp. The sentiment is adhered to the card with foam tape. 

I added thin strips of yellow tag to the sides of the patterned paper to help the colors pop out. 

That's it for today.  My pillow is calling me!
Carol

Shopping Trip

Hi Everyone!

One week from tomorrow I will celebrate my 60th birthday.  Instead of dreading another milestone birthday I am actually excited about it.  I know that Marie, Robbie, Jeanne and I will celebrate the occasion with a yummy dinner and cupcakes that Marie will prepare.  I love watching Marie become more and more skilled and confident in the kitchen. 

I started the celebration today by hanging out with my friend Diane.  We went shopping at Ink About It in Westford and I bought myself some birthday presents.  Today you'll get to see what I bought and in future blog posts you'll see what I do with those purchases.  The pictures aren't my best because it's such a gray day here, but you'll still be able to see them.

The first items to go into my basket were some of Lawn Fawn's new products.  I am a huge fan of her 6" x 6" paper pads and bought one each of her newest ones.

I love the quality of Lawn Fawn's clear stamps and bought 2 of the new large sets and 2 of the new small sets.  I think that "Home Sweet Home" (the set in the upper left hand corner has countless possibilities) and the Easter set is adorable.

 

 

 

As you know in addition to cards I like to create home decor from time to time so today I bought a small 7 Gypsies shadow box.  I may decorate it for my kitchen or maybe for my Craft Corner.

 

 

I bought myself an Imperial Purple VersaFine ink pad.  I have become a huge fan of VersaFine ink pads because they dry quickly and bring out even the finest details on a stamped image.

 

 

 

I learned about Graphic 45's "French Country" release while I was reading blog posts from CHA and fell in love with it.  I want the 12" x 12" paper pad, but today I bought just the 6" x 6" one to use in my cardmaking.  I also bought one sheet of 12" x 12" sheet of "Deja Vu", but didn't photograph it. 

 

 

I like to have a variety of colors of blank cards in my stash.  My favorite brand is A2 cards from Memory Box.

 

 

I store my  blank cards in a photo box by color.  Good thing I only bought 2 packages today as the box is crammed full now.

 



 

When we finished shopping at Ink About It we stopped in JoAnn's.  I bought a few things for school,and found some St. Patrick's Day pins that will be perfect on the cards I am planning to make.

 



 

 

Diane made me a cute little wool owl that I already hung in the kitchen window.

 

 

 

 

He's hanging out with the owl Robbie gave me for Christmas.

 

 





 

Okay, now it's time to play!

 

Have a great night!

Carol

 

 

Think Spring!

Hi Everyone!

Anyone who knows me knows that I am not a fan of winter.  I'll admit that snow is pretty, but I'd be fine if I never saw another snowstorm.  Living in New England means I will most likely be seeing snow for a couple of more months.  That won't stop me from thinking about spring in my papercrafting or when I decorate my home.  Each day lately my home has become a little more decorated for Easter with a few St. Patrick's Day decorations mixed in to keep Marie happy. 

One of the stamps I purchased recently is "Think Spring" by Lockhart Stamps.  Once I had it of course I had to use it.  So here's my card.

It took 15 minutes or less to create and I am please with the results.  The flowers are a dimensional sticker.

Have a great weekend! 
Carol

Congratulations Beth and Jon

Hi Everyone!

Whew, I just made it!  In 40 minutes it will be midnight and this long day will have ended.  I have been busy creating activities for school, but I do have a card to share with you. 

Marie has been friends with Beth since kindergarten.  Both girls will turn 26 this year.  Beth recently became engaged to Jon who is one of the nicest guys I have ever met.  I made them this card to congratulate them, but haven't mailed it yet.  Beth, if you are reading this post I will be mailing the card tomorrow.

I used an Amuse Artstamp to create the love birds.  I stamped them with ColorBox black ink and embossed them with clear embossing powder.  I used watercolors to color them and added Glossy Accents to the hearts. 

The sentiment was created with a Lockhart stamp.  The patterned paper was in my stash and seemed perfect for this card.  The tag and the sentiment are attached to the card with foam tape which popped them off the card and helped create the look I wanted.

Congratulations Beth and Jon!  I am so excited and happy for both of you. 

Sleep well, everyone!
Carol

A Couple of Birthday Cards

Hi Everyone!

It's been a very busy day.  I almost didn't post today, but maybe someone would miss me, so here I am.  I have a couple of birthday cards to share with you.  Both of them are based on the same sketch, but because of the papers I used they look quite different. 

I used Lawn Fawn paper and Lockhart stamps to create the first card.

 

 

I found the tag in my stash and decided it would like nice on a card.  The tag and the layering paper are from Momenta.  I used a Lockhart stamp to create the sentiment. 

 

Have a nice night!

Carol



Happy Birthday George Washington

Hi Everyone!

Yesterday was George Washington's birthday and even though he really did not chop down the cherry tree, I did make a couple of cherry things to celebrate the day.  I used the Lockhart Perfect Cherries stamp to create the image on my card.

The patterned paper I used is from PaperTrey Ink.  I ran it through a Cuttlebug Argyle embossing folder.  I used colored pencils to color the stamped image and then added Glossy Accents to the cherries.  The sentiment was created with another Lockhart stamp. 

For dinner I  made Cherry Blintze Souffle.  This was the first time I used cherry blintzes for this recipe.  The first time I was served this yummy dish it was made with blueberry blintzes so for more than 25 years I've made it with blueberry blintzes, but not today!  I spotted Golden Cherry Blintzes in the freezer section of Stop &  Shop about a week ago and bought 2 packages for tonight's supper. 

A blintze is a crepe which is a thin pancake.  I prefer the "Golden" brand to all other brands.  The finished souffle doesn't look very exciting, but when you dig in and try it, I think you will love it.

 

 

Here's the recipe.

 

Melt one stick of margarine or butter in the bottom of a 9" x 13" glass pan.  Roll 2 packages of blintzes in the melted margarine.  Sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar. 

 

Mix 6 eggs, 16 ounces sour cream, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/3 cup orange juice, 2 Tablespoons lemon juice, one teaspoon vanilla, and a dash of salt together.  Pour this mixture over the blintzes.  Sprinkle generously with additional cinnamon sugar.  Bake at 350 for one hour. 

 

Serve it for breakfast.  Serve it for brunch or lunch.  Serve it for supper.  If you make it please let me know what you think of it.

 

Have a nice day!

Carol

 



Set of Cards

Hi Everyone!

About 4 years ago I purchased the Around Town Tote download from PaperTrey Ink.  The download has templates for a small and a large tote.  I love to keep a stash of both sizes.  The small tote is perfect as a gift card holder.  The large tote is perfect for a small gift or a set of cards. 

I use heavy 12" x 12" patterned paper to create the totes.  I cut the paper down so that it measures 8.5" x 11" and run it through my printer so that the template prints on the back side of the paper.  I cut just within the black lines so that the lines do not show when the tote is assembled.  I use the paper that was leftover after I cut it down to create a coordinating gift tag or mini card.  Sometimes I use it to create coordinating note cards.

I keep the totes simple.  I mostly choose papers that can be used for any occasions.  Sometimes I decorate the front of a tote at the last minute, but as I said mostly I keep them simple. 

Here's a large tote that I made yesterday.

It's made from sparkly and glittery paper from a Martha Stewart paper pad.  When you are scoring the folds, be sure to score gently.  Sometimes glittered paper cracks while you are scoring. 

I created 4 cards that coordinate with the tote and the button theme..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I tend to use the same 4 themes again and again for a card set.  I usually make a birthday card, a thank you card, a get well card, and an all occasion card.  I use the tote bag and set of 4 cards as a hostess  or birthday gift.  That's why I like to have a stash of them waiting for me.  It means I can just grab one and go. 

Having some friends over for a potluck luncheon today.  Need to make a pot of soup.

Have a great day. It's a sunny one here!  Sunny, but cold and windy.
Carol

The Alley Way Stamps Part 2

Hi Everyone!

I LOVE 3 day weekends.  I always take advantage of that extra day off and get so much done.  I made an ABC Names book and a Names Counting book for school today.  I worked on my lesson plans and did some papercrafting. 

I used my "Spring Is Sprung" stamps from The Alley Way Stamps to create a baby boy and a baby girl card. 

Here's the baby girl card.

As I told you yesterday as soon as I saw that bunny I knew I had to own it.  I paper pieced it, added Glossy Accents to the polka dotted pieces, and used White Enamel Accents on the feet.   The sentiment is from another set from The Alley Way Stamps called, "Priceless Joy".

Here's the baby boy card.

 

I paper pieced the chickie on this card.  I ran some white tag through an embossing folder and used that tag for the wings, beak, and feet.  The sentiment is also from "Spring Is Sprung".  The ribbon and buttons are from my stash.

 

My stash of gift bags and cards is growing by leaps and bounds.  I'll be back tomorrow to share more of them with you.

 

Enjoy what is left of today!

Carol

 



The Alley Way Stamps "Spring Has Sprung"

Hi Everyone!

A package was waiting for me when I came home from school yesterday.  It was a set of clear stamps called "Spring Has Sprung" from The Alley Way Stamps. 

Although I prefer wooden stamps there are a few companies that produce clear stamps that I love.  The Alley Way Stamps is one of those companies.  The quality of their stamps is outstanding, their images are adorable, and they ship quickly.  The owner and artist of the company, Alison, always takes the time to respond to all of the questions and comments I send to her. 

The images on this first card are from "Spring Has Sprung".  The word bubbles are from "Talk to Me", but the sentiments are from "Spring Has Sprung".  I addded Glossy Accents to one of the jelly beans, the carrot, and the chick's and bunny's noses.  I used foam tape to adhere the sentiments to the card.

The basket on this second card was created with a Martha Stewart punch.  All of the other pieces are from "Spring Has Sprung" with the exception of the word balloon which is from "Talk to Me".  I added Glossy Accents to the chick's beak, wings, and feet.  I used foam tape to adhere the sentiment to the card.

 



Enjoy your Saturday!

Carol

 

Thanks a Bunch

Hi Everyone!

Have you ever spent Valentine's Day in a preschool classroom?  Picture 18 children with 18 valentines each to deliver.  YIKES! 

We used tissue boxes to create mailboxes.  The children decorated their mailboxes with doilies, heart shaped buttons, valentine mini muffin wrappers, silk flower petals, punched out hearts, pompoms, foam heart stickers, and more.  We made them on Tuesday so they would be dry by Thursday.  (Preschoolers LOVE to use a lot of glue!)

We asked each parent to have their child sign the back of 18 valentines and put them in blank envelopes.  That way each child could deliver a valentine to each mailbox without having to read or match a name. 

Sounds easy enough and for most children it truly was an easy task.  But for others...well, they needed a little help.  Happily, one of the parents offered to help the children deliver their cards.  She stayed and helped until each and every valentine was in a mailbox. 

I gave her a hug and thanked her for the help.  When I got home I realized how truly grateful I was for her help and decided to make her a thank you card.

I used my Memento markers to color directly on a Hero Arts Newspaper Tulip wooden stamp.  Then I used a Tim Holtz mini mister to spritz the stamp.  I pressed the stamp onto some white tag.  The result as you can see is a watercolor look. 

The text was created with a Lockhart sentiment stamp. 

Have a wonderful day!
Carol

Happy Valentine's Day

Good Morning Everyone!

This is my second post for today.  Just wanted to say...

Saw this on Pinterest and had to make them for some of my co-workers.

Made from a package of Rolo candy and a Hershey's kiss!  How cute is that!

Have a Happy Valentine's Day!
Carol