The RETIRED LIST IS OUT!

I'm excited to share the RETIRING List with you today!  WOO HOO...There are only a few items in my personal inventory that are on the list and that makes me very happy!  Some of the items I plan on purchasing during this Up, Up & Away event include:  

Footprint, Junk Food, Christmas Tags, Summer Minis, Tattered Minis, Lacy Trim, Floral Notes, Flower Stitch, Happy Sails, Nautical View

So what's on YOUR list???

This event runs from April 1 (My birthday) until May 31.  All items listed are available while supplies last!  Get 'em before they're gone!!!

Easter Blessing Basket...

Hello journey friends!

Today I'm sharing my Make-Live-Share project.  I created a little woven basket (and some chocolate treats) for my neighbors.  Since it's Spring Break and I'm home babysitting my sister's dog, I decided it was a good time to make some treats and projects to decorate and to share.  What a great way to enjoy my days off from school! YeeHaw!

For this project I cut one sheet of 81/2 x 11 Oatmeal Cookie cardstock into 1/2 inch strips. After the strips were cut, I distressed them with Oatmeal Cookie ink.  I had a couple wider strips that I kept to use for the handle.  I also cut a medium sized rectangle from the Journey Rectangles dies and distressed that too.  This would act as the base of the basket.

I scored each strip of paper about 1/4 inch from the bottom so I could glue it to the rectangular base. I wove the strips of paper and glued the top edge to secure them.  I then stamped the Stitched Borders stamp onto Orange Creamsicle cardstock using Orange Creamsicle ink.  Cutting the stamped edge out and applying it to the upper edge of the basket was next.

The final steps included attaching a handle with some golden brads, adding some cut grass (lemon grass and kiwi) and two fresh packets of yummy "bunny bark" that I whipped together this morning. YUM!  

I did videotape most of the process of making this basket.  It was a bit time consuming to make, but I was in my crafty zone and lost all sense of time...I'll be editing the video soon and if all goes well, I'll post the video here so you can see how it went.

I'll be back in a few days another fun project to share.  Until then, keep on stampin'!  :)

Yummy And Delish! I can't wait!!!

Well stamping friends, the Yummy and Delicious Tour had it's first event this weekend in Phoenix Arizona and BOY OH BOY are we in for some amazing, stampy fun!  If you love attending scrapbook Expos, doing classes, make and takes, visiting, giggling, staying up all night crafting and having fun with like-minded friends, consider purchasing your ticket to a TREAT of an event!  You'll be sure to enjoy it!  This event is open to any and all who love stamping, learning new things and to those who want to feel the spirit of crafty LOVE all around them.  

I'll be attending the Virginia Beach Yummy and Delish tour in August and I invite you, my friends to join me in the fun!  If you plan on attending, make sure to join the Facebook group to get the inside scoop and for planned shares/trades/gatherings with friends.

Please let me know if you'll be there! I'll be wearing some VERY appropriate items so you will be able to pick me out of the crowd!  :)

And thanks to my fellow Coaches who attended the inaugural event in Phoenix this weekend, I am able to share some YUMMY pictures!!!

Richard and Gabby (and camera-man extraordinaire, Dustin) demoing a yummy creation! Photo by Rose Curtis

Look at all that learning going on!  Yummy creations coming right up!  Photo from FSJ Facebook

Crafty goodness...Focus, Focus, Focus!  Look at all those goodies!!!  Photo by FSJ Facebook

Did someone say Bundles, Bundles, Bundles of brand spankin' new sweet treats?  Photo by Jill Walker

Oh, and here are some pins that I'll be adding to my pin collection:

Paradise revisited...

Last summer I rented a house on Anna Maria Island (Holmes Beach), FL and spent two relaxing weeks vacationing there with no schedule, no plans, nothing but visions of sand and peace...And that was exactly what it was.

I invited my mom, and my little niece Katie along for the adventure and we had so much fun hanging out by the pool.  (I was even able to bring my pooches along!)

I'm revisiting that vacation by going through photos that I printed and had not done anything with.  I decided to take one of my favorites and complete a scrapbook layout.  If you know me, you know I don't scrapbook.  I prefer the almost-instant gratification of card-making---and sending!  On rare occasions, I create a scrapbook page that I will place in a frame as that is how I prefer to see pages displayed.  I think in my lifetime, I've created no more than five pages.  LOL...Anyway, I love embellishing and playing with paper, so this was my opportunity to play and THAT I DID!  It'll work for this weeks challenge-to create a scrapbook layout!  WOO!  Thanks Rose, for encouraging me to step out of my box.

So here's my page. I used many FSJ products to create this layout.

The Flower and palm fronds were created to mimic the scenery in the photo.  I tend to do that when I'm scrapbooking for some reason.  The palm fronds were hand cut and scored with my Journey Crease Tool.  I love that tool!  So sturdy and creates some crisp score lines!  I created the flowers from the Spring Blooms and the Spring Blooms Minis.  I created the tag freehand, and stamped the "Please Note" and "Wish You Were Here" on it using the Wish in a Bottle set (I cut my sentiment out of the big bottle in that set so it would be more versatile.) 

I'm sure you will notice that I added some distressing to the flowers.  That was achieved by using Butter Cream ink and Sweet Berry ink.  

 The Pink panel was stamped with Sweet Berry ink and the image in the Elegant Borders.

 Here's a closer peek at the tag.  I even added a timestamp in Sweet Berry ink.

I have a few more special photos that will accompany this page.  I hope to have them finished before my Spring Break is over!   

Supplies Used:  

Wish in a Bottle (Not yet available)

Elegant Borders

Spring Blooms 

Spring Bloom Minis

Ink:  Coffee Bean (retired), Sweet Berry, Butter Cream

Paper:  Watermelon Fusion, Lemon Grass, Butter Cream, Lemon Drop

Twine-Natural

Sparkle Drops

Foam Squares

Glaze

Sparkle Dust

Non FSJ product:  Kraft cardstock, Black Micron pen.

See you soon!

Only a few days left...

Only a few days left to submit your cards/projects inspired by this month's COLOR and/or sketch challenge at CREATIVE BLOOMS JOURNEY

I've been trying to use the WAY OUT THERE color combo (What was I thinking?) and I came up with a design that I think works...WITH the kit of the month!  WOO HOO double points, right?!?

Anyway, here it is:

So, it's a little bottle of wish sparkles.  Uncork that baby, make a wish and sprinkle it all over you...It's sure to make your wish come true!  

I stamped the lavender panel with the Potion Shelf background stamp (I bought this background set specifically to coordinate with the Wish in a Bottle set) using Lavender Fusion ink.  I then distressed the paper a bit with Butter Cream ink and Lavender Fusion ink so it would soften up a bit.  

After that panel was done, I stamped the Stitched Borders stamp using Orange Creamsicle ink.  To align the stamped images, I stamped one strip on the edge of Butter Cream cardstock and then aligned my Lavender Fusion strip against the stitching.  Then I drew a light pencil line above the top of the other side.  That allowed me to stamp the perfect distance away from the other image...and created the border for my panel.  When finished, I assembled the panel onto Kiwi Slice cardstock and sewed black straight stitches along the edges for an added touch.  

The bottle was stamped with Black Licorice ink and "sprinkled" with Copic dots (RV11; FBG2; B0000, 000; V04, 06; YR68; E21, 31, 33, 35, 87 and Copic Multiliner .35).  Then I added a bit of Crystal Stickles dots to finish the effect.  I tied the bottle tag (Stamped with the Wish sentiment from Bezel Block) onto the bottle with some black thread and popped it up on the stamped panel with a pop dot.  

So come on friends, don't be shy...Use those crazy colors and post a link to your creation HERE. You just might win a fabulous FSJ prize package especially selected for you!  

Here's an inspiration sheet I created for this card.  Enjoy!  

Butterfly dreams...

Hello Journey friends,

Today I'm dreaming...Dreaming of Seminar in June, Dreaming of Yummy and Delicious Tour in August...I can't wait for these events to come, and dream of the fun that I'll have reacquainting myself with my fellow T.A.C friends and new friends on this new JOURNEY...  Since they're both a bit of time away, I thought I would bring some dreams to life in my stamping room...with a little help of treasured memories AND my new stamps.  :)

I created the butterfly jar as soon as my set arrived several weeks ago but after distressing and aging it up, I couldn't decide on how I wanted to incorporate it onto a card.  It sat on my Copic shelf for several days just calling my name and I think subtly telling me to bring it to life.  

I decided to have the butterfly jar and the sentiment take center stage, framed on a natural colored backdrop of elegant pennants.  The Elegant Borders stamp worked perfectly to blend the stitched frame with the card base and gave some added texture to some otherwise flat cardstock.

I tried to take a photo to capture the subtle shine that is created on the butterfly jar.  Distressing the image after glazed, creates a somewhat muted-less intense shine.  Perfectly suited for the feel I wanted to capture in this card.  The sparkle... Well, I added sparkles to the butterflies before adding the glaze.  This allows the illusion of the butterfly in the jar to continue.  The sparkle is captured, just as the butterfly on the inside.  The butterfly on the lid sparkles and shines outside of the jar and you can FEEL it too.  

Products used on this card:

SS-0040 Gifted Wings
SS-0032 Elegant Borders
DI-0041 Journey Rectangles
IP-0041 Black Licorice Ink
IP-0011 Oatmeal Cookie Ink (Stamping and distressing)
Sponge Dauber
CS-0023 Oatmeal Cookie Cardstock
CS-0040 Whip Cream Cardstock
Unknown Mfg. Peachy cardstock
Copic Markers- E00, 33, 87; G00, BG010; YG41, V09, 20; BV00, 13, 20
Green Ribbon from my stash
AC-0004 Black Licorice Journey Twine
AC-0024 Journey Pearls

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue...

Hello Journey Friends!

For my Make-Live-Share project this week I headed to the scrap pile!  As a hobby quilter and crafter, I can't seem to toss any worn/damaged clothes.  Jeans, shirts and pants that are filled with holes head to my scrap pile.  Today, I pulled a pair of jeans (with lots of fraying on the hem) off the pile and started snipping away.  I had a vision of my completed project in my mind...and it was time to bring it to life!

So, my color palate sprung from the March Color Challenge I'm hosting at Creative Blooms Journey Challenges.  I dyed some cream seam binding Kiwi Slice, Orange Creamsicle and Lavender Fusion. The cream also matched perfectly to the final color Butter Cream.  After the seam binding dried, I formed a few blooms that would be able to be sewn onto the bag flap.  Adding a few seed beads and sequins added the finishing touch to the flowers.

And look!!!  Even my Little Mr. Mason wanted to join me in creating this project!  Such a little stinker.  :)

If you look closely at the Spring Blooms flower diecuts, you'll see that they are full of Journey Sparkle Dust.  I cut the flowers from New Day printed paper on some double sticky paper that acts as an all-over adhesive for the Sparkle Dust.  It also helps make the paper more fabric-like.  Now, the paper will not rip or tear when handled.  WIN WIN! It may be difficult to tell, but I stamped the top flap with the Elegant Borders stamps (using Butter Cream ink).  It's a faint addition, but ages the top flap quite a bit.

In the front corner of the bag, I sewed a Wooden Accent button and a sparkly flower to balance it out.

To finish the bag off, I added additional sequins/beads and some cream ribbon for a handle.  I'm going to fill this bag with lotion, powder, and a bottle of perfume and will give it as a wedding gift to a friend..It's the perfect little bag and presentation!  Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue!

And not to forget the back of the bag, I continued the trail of green seam binding and added another sparkly flower and seam binding flower.  

Wish in a Bottle Card 4 PLUS...

Hey friends,

I'm back to share the final card for the March Kit of the Month.  I decided to change it up a bit so I could use some of the black and white paper that I love so much!  I also had some scraps left over and decided to use them up so they wouldn't head into the abyss of paper scraps on my workspace.

So here it is...I trimmed down the color stripe so that it could become a square panel. I also threaded white sewing thread through all the stitching.

 I used my Micron Black pen and incorporated a little doodled heart (colored with a Copic)that I drew with the sentiment.  Adding a little abalone shell button finished the card off.

 I just LOVE how the Black and White paper looks with these colors.  So fun and fabulous!

Because of all the trimming I did on the layered panel, I was left with some perfect little rectangle leftovers (orange, cool pool, buttercream and b/w paper).  I decided to play around a bit longer and make an additonal "leftovers" card.

It was actually quite easy to pull the pieces together.  Since I loved the color combo already, I knew pretty much any layout would do well.  I decided to diecut the colored cardstock using the DI-0013 Flower Party die set.  There's a little orange button hiding in there too.  Can you see it?  I got that button (and a billion others) at a Scrapbook Expo several years ago so it's about time to use them.

So now I have an extra card to send out to a friend.  WOO HOO!!!

Make-Live-Share

Hello stamping friends.  As you may know, I'm an elementary school teacher by day and a crafter by night/weekend.  I make cards and crafty things for friends, family, coworkers and my students.  This month, we had lots of snow days that prevented us from going to school.  Almost a whole week out of school and it wasn't even Spring Break.  Well, needless to say, the Dr. Seuss festivities we had planned for the week were out the window, or so I thought.

This Monday, I have a full day planning meeting where I'll get together with teachers on my team and on other teams so we can plan and collaborate.  I decided I'd put together some little Dr. Seuss treats to have out on the work table as we slave away (ha ha).

So it all started with the iconic Seuss hat.  I created red and white stripes using some FSJ cardstock, then added the "Sweet Treats" sentiment from the Little BIG Greetings (SS-0052).

When that was done, I filled some tiny glass jars that I found in the Target Dollar Spot with candy fishes, gumballs and candy sticks.  Oh, you know...One fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish as Seuss wrote.  

Aren't they the cutest little jars?  I scooped them ALL up because I knew they were PERFECT for this project...and inexpensive giveaways too!!!

And see those little composition books, They'll be featured here soon...They worked well as a prop-for now.  

Now for flavors...  GUESS the flavors of all four fish...If you do, I'll send you a special treat!  

Red:  Yummy!

Yellow: Yummy!

Green: Yummy!

Blue: Yummy!

And HERE WE ARE....(Ugghhh-I'm in the red on the lower left.)

In our fancy-schmancy new library...Fabulously painted by Mural, Mural On The Wall.  

Wish in a Bottle Card 3...

Hello friends, I'm back to share another kit card with you.  This is card #3.  I took some creative liberties with the design a bit but used everything they provided in the card making package.  I added a bit of distressing and background stamping (with Oatmeal Cookie ink) to the papers by using the netting stamp in the SS-0008 Background Basics set.

I also added some additional sand lines/dots using my Black Micron pen.

Adding a bit of machine stitching didn't do much to the piece as it pretty much got covered up by all the layering.  Oh well, it's there and that makes me happy.  I also added some staples and some black seam binding.  I love staples on my non-girly cards!  

If you're interested in beginning your Kit of The Month 6 month journey, here's a link to go shopping:

March Kit of the Month

I'll be back tomorrow to share my rendition of the final card in the kit (And a "use up the extra scraps" card too!)  See you soon!

Wish in a Bottle...Part 2

I took a bit more liberty with this card in the kit.  I literally cut the "Please Note" section out of the bottle stamp (Now I have two stamps instead of one!) and added some graph paper.  I turned the card layout around and added a little bottle label using some extra oatmeal paper stapled to the bottle.  The card base was stamped with the Postage stamp die and Oatmeal Cookie ink.  Crumpling the papers up again...Yes, I like that effect.  I also used a bit of some white ink to "milk" the bottle.  

 I added a little white pen to give some highlights here and there and also used a black Micron pen to create some stitches on the "label".

So...That's card 2 of 4 in the kit.  I'll be back tomorrow to show you how I tweaked card 3... Remember, after these cards are done, I'll be back with some of my own projects using this set.  I'll include inspiration pages that you can use if you wish.  See you soon!  

Wish in a Bottle...Part 1

I got my kit!  I got my kit!!!

I tore that envelope apart and got started playing with the newest set "Wish in a Bottle".  I diverged a bit from the original design, but the layout design and materials from the kit were unchanged.  I did add a few elements too.

I incorporated a little shaker action to the card by using some sand in a little treat bag.  I also heated up the glossy accents on the bottle to give it a bit more of a "aged in the water" effect.  Adding a little abalone shell button finished it off.  

I did create a little inspiration/tutorial page for my binder but because this card is not that different than the original created by Richard, I don't think it's appropriate for me to share it.  After I create my kit cards, I'll be out of supplies and will have to use my own imagination.  LOL...So watch for my tutorials/inspiration pages later in the month!