Inspired by a sugar cone...

Hello Journey friends,

I'm still on cloud nine about winning a Make-Live-Share visit with Richard Garay and am not sure when I'll land back on Earth, but I thought I'd head to my stamping room tonight and play around! It is FRIDAY and that means a FUN night for me!!! I have been thinking about the project I would do for Rose's Journey Coach challenge this week "Inspired By" and on the way home from school today, I had a vision...

I saw a sugar cone and some mint chocolate chip ice cream.  Maybe it was because I was hungry or maybe it was because I was happy it was FRIDAY.  I'm not sure, but all the while I was driving home, I was thinking about how I would recreate it in paper because after all, it'd be too drippy if I used the real thing.  So my mind went wandering and planning...How could I make paper look ice-creamy?

So this evening, I headed to my stamp room and started playing.  I pulled out my Spellbinders Grand Circle Dies and diecut the 5 1/2 inch circle into some Oatmeal Cookie cardstock.  After that, I cut the circle in half and started making some score lines with my score board.  When the score lines were all done, I distressed the scores with Oatmeal Cookie ink then I glued up the little cone.  When that was done, I decided my cone would have to contain some goodies.  I couldn't send an empty container of deliciousness off to someone special!  So I ran downstairs and got my container of malted milk balls. They'd be perfect to place inside!  MMMM after eating a few, I determined I could place 5 of those babies inside the cone and tie it off nicely!

I created four little "swooshy" cuts of Butter Cream cardstock then distressed those with OC ink. After that, I used my Copics (YR00, G40, BG0000) to add some swirly marks and some dots just to give it a little more whimsy.  I glued those "swooshy" parts to the inside edge of the "cone" and punched holes in the tips.  That allowed me to thread some Natural Journey Twine and add a cherry colored button on top!  Before tying it off, I dropped in some of the candy and secured the "swooshy parts" with the twine.

Next was stamping the little card panel that would rest under the cone.  I cut an A2 sized piece of Orange Creamsicle cardstock and stamped it with the Ink Splat image (with Orange Creamsicle ink). Then I selected some fun sentiments from the Little Big Greetings set to stamp along the edge using Black Licorice and Kiwi Slice ink.

Everyone seems to love sprinkles so I took some of my leftover scraps and cut a few sprinkles out.  I tossed a few of them inside the cone and let the extras just hang out on the table.  :)

Now I have a goofy little ice cream treat to mail off to someone special.  Fat Free, Calorie Free (well, maybe not the milk balls) and OH SO YUMMY!  Will it be you???

BIG news!!! BIG!!!

Teaching today and I feel a vibration in my pocket...and another vibration, and another.  All afternoon my pocket was buzzing...What the heck was going on?  I couldn't check my phone in the middle of my lesson on erosion or when my students were working on identifying angles, rays and segments.  BUT WHAT THE HECK WAS GOING ON?

After school was over, I had ONE MORE hour of teaching after school Math and then I would be able to look at my phone.  It was one hour of TORTURE.  LOL...

Well, I found out what all the BUZZ was about!!!  Here's what was going on while I was busy working, slaving and teaching away:

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=407899619392791&set=vb.264637043719050&type=2&theater
Here's Richard's Make-Live share from this week:

Make a Wish

Richard has already visited one fellow Coach in California!  Here's her interview after her event:

Barbara's Make-Live-Share Event

My friend/upline Christine (in Minnesota) will be hosting Richard Garay in a week or so and I can't wait to see pictures of her amazing event!  

I can't WAIT to share more details about my AMAZING event!  Stay tuned!!!

a little note...

Hello stamping friends,

I decided to create some personalized stationery that I could use to include with cards I send out to friends and family.  I like to hand write personalized letters and thought it would be fun to have a "pad" of paper handy for this purpose.  It'll be a nice opportunity to work on my penmanship too!  ;)

I really like how it turned out and will be printing up quite a few "pads" to keep on hand.  I think it'll be fun to make different varieties too.

Faithbooking...

Hello stamping friends,

I was inspired to create this little Faithbook journal when I received this lovely book from one of my students before we headed off for Spring Break.  I so appreciate when my students think of me with hand-picked treasures and am blessed to know that in a crazy sensitive world we live in today, they felt comfortable and safe sending this treasure to me.  I've read several of the prayers, love the selections, and have found it comforting to read...even in the car.  The chocolates are yummy too!!!

I wanted to create a little book where I could compile my most favorite and inspirational scriptures and while I was making it, I thought of friends that might also enjoy one of these little faithbooks to fill with their heart blessings.

Here are a few of my favorites from the book.  They will be included in my faithbook:

Sooo...here is the first of my series of faithbook journals.  This was placed in the mail today and will be heading to someone special.  I hope she shares the pages she creates inside...and in the weeks to come, I hope to share my pages too...

Blessings!

I colored the stamped image with Copics (R32, 42, 81; E93; B000; G82; YG25) colored pencils and shimmer chalks.  It's a bit sparkly, but not too much.

 I took a photo to show that the pages inside are plenty...Many spaces to create fabulous and inspirational pieces.

Antique Gold Rub-N-Buff adorns the cover.  Perfect for the golden blessings that will be created from the heart.

All tied up with a pretty button bow...and the sentiment is a reminder, to keep faith in your heart...

Butterfly Dreams...

Hello journey friends.

I spent some time in my stamping room last night creating my card for the sketch challenge I'm hosting at www.creativebloomsjourney.blogspot.com.  Each month there is a sketch and a color challenge.  It takes some time to get the colors in the mail (I order the papers and the inks each month to match the color challenge) so while I wait for those, I work on projects using the sketch.  It also helps pass the time as I wait patiently for the Kit of the Month!

Speaking of the Kit of the Month, I noticed that the colors I selected for the color challenge will work perfectly for that set!  WOO!!!  I'm excited about that!!!

So let's get on with the show...Here's the sketch:

And here's my card:

I love triptych cards!  The main images come from the Gifted Wings stamp set.  They were stamped onto Buttercream cardstock with a retired brown ink.  I also used the Newsprint background (stamped on Oatmeal Cookie Cardstock with Oatmeal Cookie ink) and the little stripes from the Banner Party set. To color the butterfly, I used some chalk pastels with a Q-Tip.  I finished the image off by using Copics to create dimension and added color.  

Looking closely at the edges of the panels, you'll notice I added some Antique Gold Rub-n-Buff.  I love that stuff!  A little goes a long way and when it's rubbed on the edge of the paper it creates a beautiful shine in the light. I added some sparkle too...Just because I LOVE sparkle.  :)

Here you can see the way I layered my three panels.  The middle panel was glued directly to the center of the card front panel.  The two side panels were popped up using foam dots.  I also distressed those edges with Rub-n-Buff.  

I applied taupe seam binding to the card front, then attached it to a Deep Lilac A2 card base I glued the sentiment circle to the top of the bow to complete the card.

Smile BIG!

Hello journey friends,

I'm joining the stamping community today in helping build awareness and understanding of the daily life, struggles, joys and journey of those affected with/by Autism.  Today is World Autism Awareness Day and we're having a HOP.  You can join the hop by checking it out on Tenia's blog post HERE!  To learn more about Autism, Please visit Autism Speaks.

I did a little doodling to the stamped image BRIGHT DAY, added some curls (Inspired by Theo's totally perfect curls), music notes ( :) Tenia) and some puzzle pieces on the balloon.  The sentiment is PERFECT...don't you think???

#LIUB #AutismAwareness

Hello Sunshine!

Yipee!! It's April and that means a brand spankin' new Kit of the Month "Hello Sunshine!" from Fun Stampers Journey. As I wait for my kit to appear magically in my mailbox, I sit drooling and dreaming about the fun creations I'll make with this FUN set of images!

These adorable colorable images will work well as designs on my cookies too so just you wait and see...I've got BIG plans for this fabulous set!  :)

Want to join the Kit Club?  Each kit comes complete with supplies to make the four cards above. You'll also receive the full stamp set and inspirational sheets that guide you step-by-step in replicating these adorable cards.  If you're like me and don't really follow directions, mix it up a bit and create your own amazing projects!  When you subscribe to the club, you are making a six month commitment.  Each stamp set is exclusive and when the month is over, the set will not be posted in the catalog for three months.  It's like a sneak-peek...and YOU keep the secret!

Head over to my shop (enter Rep #401) and sign up today!  SHOP NOW!