FUN stuff today!

It's been a rough week at our house, with a miserable summertime virus making the rounds, so crafting and blogging have taken a back seat to sleeping and recovering. But we're all fine now, and getting back to our lives!

LOTS to share this week, so let's get started. Today is a sneak peek of the wonderful Crafty Secrets new releases. Ooohhhh, if you love vintage and Victorian, you should SEE the fabulous goodies coming up! Here are some things I've created.

I did this card with paper from the "Pastel Paper Pad" collection, matched with stamps from the quirky "Wonderland" stamp set. I paper pieced Miss Alice's dress, to meet the "Wee Memories" challenge) and used a little gold mirri cardstock to create the corner embellishments with Nesties. Hmmm, Alice looks a bit like she has an Alien "glow" around her...the crown? My photography? (lol)

For this birthday card, I used the same paper background, paired with one of my very favourite images from the new "Birds and Blossoms" paper scraps set, and a June calendar image from the double sided "Seasonal Calendar" set. Don't you just LOVE those wee birdie hats!? (lol) The current Theme Thursday challenge is to use something beautiful...I think these little hats qualify! I used a multi-coloured, multi layered organza grunge rose with a button as an embellishment (to meet the current Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge...buttons and blooms) . If you like the rose, read further down, you'll see how to create these little beauties.


Now this next card is a tremendous feat of accomplishment for me! I am spatially challenged, and experience great difficulty doing anything even remotely 3-d. But my online stamping friend Kerry has a challenge on her blog, so I decided this would make a lovely birthday card and gift for a dear friend of mine, and would allow me to combine a fun project with my new Crafty Secrets goodies. Kerry's challenge is to create a card with a box attached. She provided a great little template, but that didn't quite work for me, because I needed to use measurements to fit the "Birthday Wishes" panel at the bottom of the card. It was really easy to amend the dimensions of Kerry's template, and even though this little project took me ages to finish (lol), I'm tickled pink with how it turned out. I'm posting card views of the outside, the inside, and a side view so you can see the dimension. I love the sentiment on the image. It's tiny print, it says "Let us grow old like beautiful lace, cherished and treasured and cared for with grace." I used the new "Sew Nice" double sided creative scraps sheet, and stamps from the Flourishes and "Garden Girls" sets, with lots of gold and glitter and crystals. Now Kerry created her box template to fit tea light candles...great idea 'eh...and she has it posted on her blog, so if you'd like to do one, it's all there for you. I'm using my little box to hold a handmade necklace and earrings set. THANKS Kerry, this was a FUN challenge to do! I'm entering this card (with its square central image) in the current Wednesday Stamper challenge...it's hip to be square.





All the Crafty Secrets designers have fabulous new release eye candy for you today...I hope you can take the time to stop by to see all their crafty beauties!

· Vicki Chrisman
· Pam Hooten
· Heidi Blankenship
· Marisa Grosson
· Linda Duke
Michele Kovak
· Melissa Phillips
· Flo from France

Okay, on to more artsy fun! It's my turn to do a tutorial for the Cuttlebug Challenge Blog, and I've taken a spin about ruffles this weekend! Organza grunge ruffled flowers, to be precise.

I know these are all over the web now; this is just my version.

To get started, I picked out three delightful colours of organza...aren't these delicious!?

Then I cut a wee scrap of cardstock with one of the old Cuttlebug flowers dies, scanned it, enlarged it, and printed it to 4" square to use as a template to cut my floral shapes.

Folding your fabric in four layers, one colour at a time, pin and cut. You don't need to be precise at all, because the next steps will fix any errors in cutting...or at least make it look like the errors really don't matter at all (lol)

Cut till you have a nice stack, as you'll need four to five layers per flower.

Now here's the fun part! Light a candle, and start gently waving your organza over the flame. Be careful! Don't go too close!

The fabric melts quickly, and will reward you with the most delightful grungy edges!

Now all you need to do is to stack the layers one atop the other, stitch them together, add a brad or a button or a ribbon, and voila! Grunge flowers!

Now all you need to do is decide how you'll use them! There are all sorts of possibilities...here are two, just to get you started...a very simple card, and a gift wrapped box.

If you decide to play a little, we'd love to see what you create over at the Cuttlebug Challenge Blog!

Scraps and Friendship...

Today, Impression Obsession designers are featuring cards on the theme of friendship...one of my very favourite cards to create. The challenge is actually to create a card for our best friend...and send it! Well, I have several "bests," and can't just choose one, so I've created several cards like these, and am sending them out this weekend. For these "scrap cards," I've used some of the fabulous new Cover-a-Card background stamps: Greenery, Flourishes and Music. These stamps are HUGE, measuring 5.75" square. They make designing stamped backgrounds SO much FUN! I've also incorporated several challenges when I created my cards: over at Charisma Cards, they want to see "3-d" (see my little Martha Stewart popped-up butterflies), the Practical Scrappers gals want to see patterned papers, Creative Inspirations want to see punches or diecuts, Play Date Cafe has a photo inspiration challenge using these colours, the Wee Memories designers are looking for the colour pink with a sprinkling of embellishments, and challenge # 19 over at "Pile it On" also has a photo inspirational piece, using pinks and creams, and Moxie Fab World has another grid card for inspiration.. Have to say, I LOVE participating in challenges, and over at Pile it On, they encourage us to incorporate as many challenges as we can on one piece...one of my favourite things to do!

I stamped and gold embossed on different papers: patterned digital rose/script composites created by Kathy, available at her Etsy antique images shop here, some old K & Co scraps, and papers I'd previously prepared with Adirondack Cranberry and Lettuce distress inks. I also used several Impression Obsession sentiment stamps: "Smile"and "Thinking of You" are from the CL 43 Anytime Sentiments set, "Sing" is masked from one of the stamps from the Birds of a Feather set, "Wishing You a Day" is from the CL 39 Birthday Wishes set. These are all bits from previous projects...such a fun way to use scraps!

Please do take a few minutes to look at the other designers' creations today; you're guaranteed to find the most delightful inspiration on their blogs! You can find them all listed in my right sidebar. Don't forget that you can enter these challenges too, using your Impression Obsession stamps. Just visit the IO blog for the details; there's a $25 gift certificate for yummy Impression Impression stamps for the winner!

Thanks for taking the time to stop by today. I'm so grateful when you leave a few words.

I'm looking forward to an afternoon filled with paper crafting and nibbling goodies with a group of friends today. I wish YOU you a creative day, filled with things that make you happy.

OH! Also, do come back some time this weekend for a wee surprise!

Note cards

A young friend is travelling to Guatemala this summer to do volunteer work with orphaned children, and I'm creating cards and jewelry for a fund raising auction, the proceeds of which will be used to purchase diapers for babies. While I'm creating, I'm constantly reminded of how lucky we are, how blessed we are, to live where we do, and how gratifying it is to be able to contribute in some small way like this. These cards will be part of several sets for her auction. I've used flowers from my Nova Scotia gardens, and a beautiful lilac from Godelieve's Belgium gardens. These fit the current Cuttlebug challenge (use photos); the Papertake Weekly challenge (say it with flowers); the Wee Memories challenge (use pink and embellishments).

Today is also "word art Wednesday" at my little space on the 'net, so here's a sentiment for your cards if you're interested, as well as a sample of how I used it. I paired it with a white embossed Hero Arts stamp on some watercolour paper I'd previously inked with Adirondack Inks (Lettuce and Stream). If you'd like the sentiment, just left click on it to make it bigger, then right click to save it to your computer. If you ever actually use this, I'd love to see what you do! Thank you so much again, for stopping by. As always, I wish you a creative day doing whatever makes you happy!

Challenges again!

So today I was browsing all my favourite challenges, knowing I wanted to play a little, wondering what I wanted to do next. Once I saw the Created by Hand challenge...use the letter "X..."I was stumped. Then I visited June's Art Freebie site, and saw this precious wee image, and knew right away how I could use the "X!" I saved the image, then added the text labels in Photoshop. I printed it, distressed it, mounted it on an inked text background (to meet the Gingersnap Creations challenge...use a book page as a background...this one is one of my husband's old...very VERY old...university textbooks...ssshhh!). I used two Hero Arts stamps, embossing with gold and silver and edging the pink panel with Krylon 18Kt Gold Metallic Ink (to meet the Secret Crafters challenge, to use metal). To meet the Papertake Weekly challenge (say it with flowers), I used a paper flower, and to meet the Alphabet Challenge, I used chocolate and cream. The Wee Memories challenge is to use pink and embellishments, and the Pile it On challenge is to use pink and cream. So I managed to meet eight challenges with my happy room play today...what fun!

Thanks for stopping by today, sure do love it when you do! Watch later this week...blog candy coming, open to regular readers/followers...because I just LOVE it when you visit!

I wish you a happy, creative day, doing whatever you like best!

Ever have "one of those days..."

Today was mine! I hit the ground running as soon as I was out of bed this morning, and didn't stop till late tonight...BUSY day! I volunteer with the local sick children's hospital, and today was my day; then I had to get the tires changed on my car; then I had a bank appointment; then my son took me to dinner...GO GO GO!! Wonderful day all 'round, but I sure will sleep well tonight!

So, these are my excuses for having posted my goodies late today. I couldn't play till this evening! Playing in my "happy room" is THE way to unwind. Definitely!

So...this boys' set was designed for the current Cuttlebug Blog Challenge, where the theme is for kids at heart, and for Wednesday Stamper, where the theme is party. There are some really FABULOUS things posted at both challenges today!! Over at the Cuttlebug challenge, just to sweeten the pot, if you leave a comments on each blog post featured there, and on this post, you have a chance to win a Gypsy...pretty good prize 'eh!? :) I created these for a special little boy in my life, whose 9th birthday is coming soon. I Cuttlebug embossed plumber's foil and used it as a belly band, and as trim for each of the coupon envelopes in the booklet. The "B" on the birthday card is a little bit of word art with "Birthday Boy" placed vertically beside the "B." It fits perfectly with one of the smaller Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels One. If you like using word art, I'm posting this one further down. You can click on it to make it larger, then right click on the large image and save it to your computer. There are other word art goodies posted today too...because it's my regular "Word Art Wednesday" freebies day.

So, on to other things! I did this card for the Sisterhood challenge, which is to create something funny. I combined this Hanna stamp with a Quietfire Design stamped sentiment. Must say, I had a little FUN with this!

The Fab and Funky challenge is to use metal somewhere. So here's my Asian themed card with metal coins and a thermal embossed stamped image from All Night Media, the Asian symbol for love. Isn't this a beautiful cut-out!? It was designed by Mary over at Mamaw's Legacy. It's really intricate, but it cuts like a hot knife through butter! I just LOVE her cutting files, and have become an avid collector and a big fan! If you're lucky enough to own an electronic cutter, toddle on over to see her delightful collection. She's a very talented and creative designer...and she has some very generous freebies too!

So, that's it for the challenges today. I'll leave this post with a little word art. I hope you might find it useful for some of your own creations. They each print to approximately 1.8" high.

Thanks so much for visiting today. I SO appreciate you taking the time to leave a few words! I wish you a wonderfully creative day, doing whatever makes you happy.

The colour purple

The current Created by Hand challenge is the colour purple.

I did this one with this stamp from Quietfire Design and a diecut frame designed by Mary over at Mamaw's Legacy. (If you're fortunate enough to have an electronic cutter, you really ought to see Mary's files...they're just wonderful, and she even has some freebies for you!)

Here's another card with purples, with some 3-d pansies and a Hero Arts stamp, for the Papertake Weekly challenge, which is shiny and sparkly. I found the vase somewhere on the 'net and coated the pansies with paper glaze for shine.

Thanks for taking the time to stop by today. I so appreciate your visits and your comments. Have a lovely crafty day!

Friendship

This is a thank you card for a dear old friend I'm travelling to visit next weekend.

I created it to meet these challenges: Secret Crafters (use three embellishments, two papers, and one image), Sunday Stamper (use some gold on your creation), and Practical Scrappers (use a sticker). I hope the distress colours work for the Around the World challenge too.

The vintage women and the lace stamp are Hero Arts. I stamped the women with Versafine black over a distressed inked-and-spritzed background. The background music stamp is Judikins, stamped with Ancient Page black on kraft cardstock, then I stamped and embossed the lace doily. I computer generated the sentiment, and made it into a sticker with the Xyron.

THANK you for taking the time to stop by today!

Flowers...

Any day without playing in a challenge is a day without sunshine! I created this card to meet the Wee Memories challenge, which is to use writing...any kind of writing...on your card, the Secret Crafter challenge, and the Lots to Do challenge, both of which are friendship, Theme Thursday's challenge, which is vintage, and Play Date Cafe, with such a wonderful colour scheme.

This beautiful peony is a digital image from the incredibly talented Kathy at Vintage Catnip. I printed it twice, in different sizes, distressed the edges, overstamped foliage (all Hero Arts stamps, some in green chalk ink, some gold embossed), and stamped the sentiment (also Hero Arts) on vellum. I'm just tickled pink with the way this turned out.

It's a lovely Friday here, coolish (but just the way I like it!). We have company coming for dinner, then we're all going dancing! Wishing you a happy, creative weekend, doing whatever you love best...

Designers' Challenge

The current Impression Obsession designers' challenge is to use stamps in an "out of the box" way. I'm not sure if I've met the challenge well, but here's my card anyway. ;) I decided to go with "simple" for a change; I used chalk ink with two Cover-a-Card stamps, the dotted one and this tapestry patterned stamp, and this vertical Happy Birthday stamp (it's on sale right now!). I punched ovals from the stamped image, curled them, edged them with Krylon 18 Kt Gold Leafing Ink, and made a flower out of them.

Hope you can take some time to browse through the other designers' blogs to see some paper crafting goodness! The links are on my sidebar.

***Would you like to see your card featured on the Impression Obsession blog? Email your challenge cards using Impression Obsession images to our Shirley. Every week, cards will be selected to showcase on the Impression Obsession blog!!! You have until midnight this Saturday to enter your card. A random winner will be selected from the submissions to receive a $25 Impression Obsession gift certificate! You can find all the information you need right here.

The Theme Thursday challenge right now is vintage. Here's a card I did with a distress inked background, Art Journey stamp, and a Hero Arts sentiment stamp. I used a grunge flourish as an embellishment. The challenge over at Wee Memories is writing...any kind of writing. The current Pile it On challenge is to use boyish colours.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

"Word Art Wednesday" and lots to share today!

Well, first of all, in my insomniac lifestyle, I was baking at four am today. Here's a picture of the YUMMY oat cakes I made, dipped in Laura Secord dark chocolate. Ooohhh, they're SO GOOD! I'll include the recipe at the end of this post.

So, I have some challenges done too! This next one is for the current Cuttlebug Challenge, which is Mother's Day. I chose to do a "thank you" Mother's Day card, and used this delightful Art Journey stamp with a Stampin' Up sentiment, then I created a little gift holder with a paper rose, using my very favourite Cuttlebug embossing folder, Textured Textiles. If you like the paper rose, I posted a little tutorial earlier, right here. This set also fits for the current Theme Thursday challenge, which is black and white, and Wednesday Stamper, which is to use flowers.

For this next card, I used the same Art Journey stamp, and a Hero Arts border/frame stamp. I did this one to meet several challenges: Moxie Fab World's Tuesday Trigger (fabulous colour combination), Crazy Amigo (birthday), Secret Crafters (friendship), and the Pick Three challenge for the month of May. I think this is such a happy, celebratory image, and can see using it a LOT! I stamped the HA frame first, white-embossed it, then dragged it through Adirondack cranberry and lettuce inks that I'd pounced on a craft sheet and spritzed with water. Then I dried it with my heat gun, and stamped and black embossed the woman.

This third card was created to meet these challenges: Created by Hand (read all about it) , Gingersnap Creations (read). I used a lovely quotation stamp from the talented Suzanne over at Quietfire Design, and created a ruffled flower from old book pages.

I've decided to do a little giveaway every Wednesday too, for those who might be interested. I often use computer generated sentiments on my cards, and usually create these to fit certain dies or punches. So many people have e-mailed me asking about these, so I'll be making some available, and will use each one on a card so you can see what they're like. This particular sentiment was created to fit the largest of the Spellbinders Labels Five tag dies. You can simply click on it to make it larger, then right click and save it to your own files. Once you print it, it will fit perfectly with that diecut. I hope you might find it useful for your own creations. If you ever use it, I'd be tickled pink if you'd leave me a link to what you've done!

Now, here's my Oat Cake cookies recipe for you. I promise you won't be disappointed with these!

Deborah’s Oat Cakes

½ tsp baking soda, dissolved together in ½ cup boiled water. Let cool.
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup white and 1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups bran flakes, crushed
¾ cup sugar (I use half sugar and half Splenda)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup shortening

Mix together flour, baking powder, salt, bran flakes, rolled oats and sugar (or sugar/Splenda mixture). Cut in shortening. Add cooled water and soda mixture. Roll thin and cut with cookie cutters. Bake at 375 for 15-18 mts, till well browned. (Browning gives them a much better flavour than if you take them out of the oven while they’re still light) Dip in melted chocolate if you’re so inclined! These yummies taste BEST when frozen and eaten right out of the freezer. ;)

Thanks so much for visiting today. I wish you a happy, creative week!

Crafty Secrets Blog Hop

Happy National Scrapbooking Day! Today is the culmination of a week of celebration with Crafty Secrets. Sandy has been SOOOO generous, offering FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS worth of fabulous vintage product to lucky readers. Several designers will reveal the winners of their $50 giveaways today, and several others will post NEW $50 giveaways. ALL designers will post delightful vintage projects today too, so be sure to visit everyone for some splendiferous eye candy!

Flo

Heidi

Julie

Linda

Marisa

Melissa

Michele K.

Michelle V.

Pam

Vicki

I have to tell you, being the technological dinosaur that I am, it took me longer to do this random draw thingie than it took to complete this post! (lol) I envy all you young'uns who can do these things so quickly! Without further ado, here's the result:

So, please send me an e-mail asap (my e-mail is on my side bar) with your name and postal address, and soon you can go shopping! If I don't hear from you within forty-eight hours, a new winner will be drawn.

The designers' challenge this month is to create with a photo, and the current Lots to Do challenge is to make art with faces. The One Powerful Hour challenge is spring...hmmm...wonder if my paper flowers qualify. Cute Card Thursday's challenge is "make your own." The Creatilicious challenge is to use both flowers and wings. This project includes a photo of my Mum from 1924, when she was nearly two years old. Such a serious expression on that little face!

I hope you can see it okay. Although I photographed it outside, it isn't as clear as I'd hoped. Please click on it if you'd like to see it larger. I started with a pretty panel of lace I found at an after-Christmas sale several years ago. I bought all they had (lol)!



Here are a couple of close-ups of some of the elements. There's a tutorial for the paper rose here (they're really easy to make!):

Thee little stars are from the Best Buds vintage postcard kit, which is one of my absolute favourites of the Crafty Secrets line! I glittered the edges and added some beads for weight so they'd hang nicely.


I used a couple of pieces from the Fairy Enchanting sticker sheet:


Finally, here's a pic of a little lace posie...also very simple to do! Just gather your lace with a straight running stitch, then whipstitch together:

Thanks SO MUCH for visiting again today, and don't forget to visit all the other Crafty Secrets designers for glorious vintage eye candy! OH! And you ought to stop by Sandy's blog too...she's announcing a FABULOUS new guest designer sometime today, for the month of May!! I've been a long time admirer of her work, and she's listed in my list of "delectably lurkable blogs" on my sidebar.

I wish you a happy, creative weekend, spent doing whatever you love to do. Since I was up and crafting till 5 am today, I'm enjoying a "jammie day" with little to do other than enjoying whatever it is!