Victorian ATCs

 

Some Victorian ATCs for my swap club.  The little children are all from a sheet of scrap that I had purchased years ago.  The background papers are from Webster's Pages and 7Gypsies.  We're bracing for a "major" winter storm to come through central North Carolina ("major" for us.... barely a sneeze for all you far northern folks)... but they tell us we are likely to lose power.  So..... if you don't see any new posts from me for a few days, that's why!!  Hopefully I'll get some time to craft in the daylight hours. :)  For all of you who have already experienced this storm sweeping the country - stay warm!! :)

Another Vintage Chintz Peek

A sweet little shabby chic Valentine using Cornish Heritage Farms' new backgrounder, Vintage Chintz, which will be released Friday.  I stamped the backgrounder in green for the background, and in pale pink behind the sentiment, which is from the Love Scrapblock.  I inked up only the word "sweet" using a Memento marker.  The frame is from Tattered Angels, painted in Ranger's Tattered Rose Crackle paint and adorned with some vintage mother of pearl buttons.  To make the little flower-and-bow embellishment, I first slipped the wired ends of three Prima flowers through the holes in a vintage button, like so:

 

Then, I took a scrap of pink ribbon, folded it to look like a bow (you don't actually have to tie it... creates too much bulk), and secured it behind the button by twisting the flower wires around it:

 

 After that, I twisted the wire around a length of pink CHF tulle ribbon, then snipped off the excess wire:

I then wrapped the tulle around the chintz-stamped panel, adhered it to an ivory card base, and sewed around all of the sides to keep it nice and secure.  I finished it off by distressing the edges of the green panel to shabby it up.

Hope you're having a great week!  I'm off to make some Victorian ATCs for my club tomorrow night.

Some Big Thank Yous

I got to have some fun playing with new goodies today.  The sweet image and sentiment used above are from Serendipity Stamps, our sponsor of the month over at Gingersnap Creations.  This set is a cling set called Three Dresses, and I just loved it the moment I saw it.  So I'm sending out a big "thank you" to Mary at Serendipity for setting us all up with some fabulous sets!!  You can get your hands on some, too, 'cuz there's Serendipity blog candy to be had at Gingersnap Creations.  Just head on over and check out this month's challenges - "Time," "Embossing Powder," and "Metallics," and some Serendipity goodness could be yours!

For this card, I stamped the dresses image on three different patterned papers - all with tiny patterns to them - and then shaded them with Copics.  I cut them out and popped them up on the image that I had stamped on plain white cardstock and shaded with Memento dye ink.  I added some coordinating cardstocks for the background, cut a large rose from a 12-inch border strip from the same collection, then added a fabric brad to set off the sentiment.  All of the products used in this card are from the new Melody Ross Homespun Chic collection from GCD Studios, which I won as a fabulous blog candy from Julie's Open Window.  This was a blog candy to beat all candies, I tell ya, and I want to express my huge appreciation once again to Julie Murray for this wonderful prize.  Take a look below at what I got:

 

Wowzers!  See what I mean?  It will take me 10 years to use this all up, LOL!!  And I'm NOT, repeat NOT, going to hoard it!  Seriously.  Really.  Not.

A Cornish Heritage Farms Sneak Peek and Some Enabling

Happy Saturday, everyone!  I've got a little sneak peek of a new backgrounder from Cornish Heritage Farms called Vintage Chintz, which will be released next Friday, January 29.  This one has a small, delicate damask pattern that won't overwhelm whatever you put on top of it, so we all had lots of fun with it.  For my card, I stamped it on the new Simply Linen natural cardstock, and it came out wonderfully textured and looking like fabric.  I combined it with a little faux-vintage "ephemera" - actually stamped with images from the Botanical Bliss (poppy, script, and sentiment) and Haute Couture (the frame and 505) sets from the ATC All Things Considered line, and the Vintage Text Scrapblock.

So how about a little "enablement"??  This weekend only, January 23rd and 24th,  ALL RUBBER at Cornish Heritage Farms is 15% off!!!!  This excludes only the Stamp of the Month, which of course is already on sale.  So if you've had your eye on any of their fabulous stamps..... there's nuthin' like a SALE!!  Have fun :)

Tag Tuesday Tag Doll Challenge

Here's my entry for Kard Krazy's Tag Tuesday challenge, which for this week was to make a Tag Doll.  I don't have a lot of stamps that have large enough faces for a tag, so I decided to make a Botanical Contessa fantasy lady.  The base tag is a 7 Gypsies tag that I distressed with Ranger's Shabby Shutters and Peeled Paint inks, and the head and arms are from Stampington's Blooming Contessa and Botanical Countess, respectively.  I added some flower die cuts from Anna Griffin that I have been hoarding since my daughter was born (she's 10!), some Prima flowers, some Webster's pages ribbon.  The leaf stamps are from Close to My Heart.  The whole thing is colored with Copics. This was so fun, I just couldn't stop.... laundry is piling up.  Gotta go!  Have fun looking at all of the inspiring tags linked up in THIS post.

Baby Bingo

A little baby bingo card today.  Just having some fun playing with some gorgeous Jenni Bowlin mini papers and mini bingo cards - just love those bingo cards!  The sentiment is from the Vintage Baby Expressions set from Cornish Heritage Farms, AND I used some of the Vintage Findings from those little Making Memories packets.  Not gonna hoard 'em, nope, not me. ;)

Another papercrafting resolution I have is to sit down one day with nothing but my box of scraps, and make, at the very least, tags (totally possible with my Christmas stuff), and maybe even cards (hmmmm... will be hard to resist cutting into new stuff).  But seriously, if I'm going to obsessively save every teensy weensy piece of patterned paper....  I should USE them.  Got some deadlines, though, so will have to wait a bit.  I'll let ya know when I've gotten around to this one.  Sayin' it here, to keep me honest, LOL!

Have a great weekend!

Snips and Scraps

One of my crafting resolutions is to stop hoarding.  Hoo, boy, this is gonna be hard, but I'm starting with my ribbon (I'm doing pretty well with my paper).  I usually cannot bear to cut into gorgeous ribbons and trims... oh, it just kills me.  Then one day I'll find some pretty stuff stashed way back in a drawer, and think... what good does it do me there???  So here's a fun little card using small pieces of ribbon (4 1/4 inches to be exact... I'm starting slowly) and some buttons from my ever-growing stash.  I was thinking "birthday" when I made this, but was sure not to be that specific, so I can use it for any other special occasion (like maybe graduating from 5th grade :)).  The sentiments are all from Cornish Heritage Farms' Classic Essential Expressions. It's got a little of everything, and so is a good all-purpose set to have on hand.  The rest of the supplies and a few instructions are listed below.  Have a great Friday!

Cardstock: White Papertrey Ink
Rubber Stamps: Classic Essential Expressions, Mona Lisa Moments line, Cornish Heritage Farms
Dye ink: Tuxedo Black, Memento by Tsukineko
Fibers: Orange chenille ric rac, broad stripe, blue stars - “Jack” from Animal Crackers Trims line by Making Memories; Blue pompom trim from Webster’s Pages; Blue floral from Samantha line by Crate Paper ribbon; Orange twill Obscure line from Basic Grey
Buttons: Favorite Findings, Papertrey Ink, vintage

Cut card base from white cardstock. Cut several pieces of coordinating ribbons and trims slightly longer than the width of the card. Arrange on the white card front to determine placement, but do not adhere. Mark placement of trims on card base, and set aside. Stamp various related sentiments in black ink down the right-hand side of the card, between the markings. Adhere ribbons at markings between the sentiments using tacky tape (the kind backed in red/pink film), and trim edges. Adhere coordinating buttons onto the trims at various intervals down left-hand side of card.

Happy Birthday, Louise! Tag Tuesday Challenge

Happy Birthday, Louise!  This week's challenge at Tag Tuesday is to make a celebratory tag for the Kard Krazy lady herself!  It's Louise's birthday (yesterday, actually), and she has challenged us to make a birthday tag.... what FUN!  I went all girly for this one, using Stampington's Party Hat stamp from the Fanciful Whimseys Portrait Gallerie collection, a little Martha Stewart white gold glitter, some golden scrap from Paper Artsy, and some ruffled crepe paper.  Be sure to visit Kard Krazy for lots of inspiration, and maybe play along .... it's a party!

Release Day for Purrfect Friends - A Kitty Set from Cornish Heritage Farms

Today Cornish Heritage Farms releases a new cat lover's stamp set called Purrfect Friends.  I had so much fun with this one, since my constant crafting companion is my 18-year-old fluffy tortoise shell kitty!  I think the image above is perfect for any little person's celebration.  I colored the image with Copics, added some soft and sweet papers and vintage trims, and distressed every piece.  The flower centers are regular white pearls that I colored with Copics (another reason I'm so addicted to my Copics....).

The next piece I made started out as a card, but ended up as a little hanging for my scrap room.  It looked so much like my own kitty, I decided to keep it for myself. :)  I used the paw print that comes with the set to embellish the polka-dotted patterned paper I used in the background.  I used Copics again for this image.  For more samples, check out the CHF Creative Blog and the Gallery at CHF.

I'll leave you with a picture of my model... the one I used when determining the coloring for my last image.  She can usually be found sitting behind me in my chair as I work.  Very warm and snuggley, I tell ya! :)

A Stamping Treat for Cat Lovers

Here's a little sneak peek at a new set of cat images releasing tomorrow from Cornish Heritage Farms.  For this card, I chose three of the images, stamped them in black, then punched out inchie squares.  This is such a quick and easy way to use detailed images without having to color them.  I then just added a little cheery patterned paper, stapled on some ric rac, and added a sentiment with a button accent (the "Purr" is a stamp, the "thanks" translation was just written in).  I'll have a few more samples from this line tomorrow.  Hope your week is getting off to a great start!

Tag Tuesday Dots and Stripes Challenge

*Sigh*  Well, this tag never really came together the way I envisioned it, no matter what I tried!  It's my take on the polka dots and stripes challenge this week at Tag Tuesday.  I used dots and stripes in the patterned paper, but also tried for a dots theme with my images... perhaps where I went astray, LOL!! The Eiffel Tower stamp is from Cornish Heritage Farms, and that fabulous little lady image was in a pack of yummies nestled in a Christmas card from Sharon of Gingersnap Creations fame. (Thanks, Shar!)  Perhaps I'll do better next week.

Hope you're all having a great weekend! We've already had three hockey events this weekend, and my buns are freezin!  I know, TMI!  But my little guy got to skate out during the two intermissions of the Carolina Hurricanes/Colorado Avalanche game last night, so the house is happy.  Stay warm :)

Sympathy Expressions

Hello!  Today Cornish Heritage Farms is releasing its new sentiment set, Sympathy Expressions.  Lots of beautiful sentiments.... right at those times when it's most difficult to know what to say.  This card uses one of the sentiments, along with a little dove (there are two dove stamps - one flying in each direction).  I stamped the sentiment and dove with Memento ink, then cut them out with my Nestabilities Petite Ovals die.  The main image on the card is the Trees Backgrounder, stamped on Cosmo Cricket's Storytime "Chicken Little" paper... it's beautiful creamy clouds in a pale blue sky.  I bought a bunch of it, otherwise I'd hoard it, LOL!  It's kinda old, so I apologize if the link above isn't working anymore.  Anyway, a little Martha Stewart ribbon finishes this card off.

One more sympathy card using the Sympathy Expressions set.... this one with a more masculine feel.  I used The Pines stamp as the image to anchor the sentiment.  Papers are from My Mind's Eye.

It's "TIME" for a Challenge at Gingersnap Creations!

...literally, the challenge theme starting today at Gingersnap Creations is "Time."  For my take on the challenge, I focused on appreciating each moment in time as it passes.... rather than "wishing my life away" looking towards something in the future.  This beautiful sentiment is from Serendipity Stamps, along with the gorgeous violets image.  I stamped them on watercolor paper and colored the image with Memento markers.  I decided to go clean and simple with this one... it just seemed to want to be that way. :)  Makes it easier to mail, too, LOL!!  If you'd like to participate in the challenge or just want some inspiration, head on over to the Gingersnap Creations blog... there are lots of samples, and lots of "time" to participate! 

CASE a CAS at Gingersnap Creations

There are so many fun challenges going on over at Gingersnap Creations.  Today I decided to play along with the Once in a Blue Moon challenge, which is to CASE (copy and share everything) a CAS (clean and simple) card designed by Ali.  Are ya with me? So, the cards I chose to CASE were these CAS Cards with Ephemera.  I loved this post because it shows how vintage doesn't have to be fussy.  For my ephemera, I chose an ink pen nib. I have a lovely vintage box with about 80 of them, and it seemed a good choice to pair with this sentiment from the On the Desk set by Cornish Heritage Farms.  I attached the nib with some waxed twine from 7 Gypsies, and there ya have it - clean and simple vintage.  Thanks for the inspiration, Ali!

If you'd like to play along, you can see all of Ali's CAS posts by going to the Gingersnap Creations blog, then scrolling waaaaaay down (yep, keep going), until you see a list of "Tags" listed alphabetically on the left hand side. Click "clean and simple" and all of the inspirational posts for the Blue Moon Challenge should appear.

Have fun, and be sure to link up your work at Gingersnap so we can all be inspired!

Sympathy Cards - A CHF Sneak Peek

Sympathy cards are so difficult... I always feel that whatever I write is so inadequate.  Cornish Heritage Farms will be releasing a new set from Mona Lisa Moments, called Sympathy Expressions, on Friday.  It has some wonderful sentiments and phrases for making these oh-so-difficult cards.  For the card above I used one of my favorites... it focuses on the wonderful memories left behind, which is really one of the only comforts at times like these.  I used CHF's Freesia stamp as an anchor to the sentiment, and surrounded everything with a patterned paper from Basic Grey's Wisteria line.  I also did a little coloring with some Memento markers. That's it... keeping it simple.

Hope your 2010 is kicking off to a great start! It's time for me to do the cleaning, the grocery shopping for kids' lunches,... might have to use that $10 A.C. Moore Crafts certificate that's burning a whole in my purse, too. :)

Snowball Fight!

er.... I mean, "Snowball Fun."  That's the name of the new stamp of the month for January from Cornish Heritage Farms.  I kept it monochromatic for this one... a little bit of blue and white coloring on the image, then sprayed it with Pearl, Moonlight (blue), and Tiger Lily (orangey copper) Glimmer Mists.  That paper in the background is flocked snowflakes on top of a shimmery blue by Heidi Grace Designs (it was hard not to hoard that one, I tell ya!).  Next I'm gonna try this scene with my Copics (of course) - can't resist.  I think this image would also be fun for a winter birthday or a little cheer-up card.

Hope your New Year's weekend is lazy, relaxed, and crafty!

Happy New Year!

It's a brand new year, stretching out and waiting for us to craft! :)  If you are in need of inspiration, check out Gingersnap Creation's Reasons to Stamp for January.  Lots of ideas to get your creative juices flowing.  My card is for National Skating Month, since my entire family loves to skate (either figure or hocky, which pretty much divides along gender lines!).  I used a bunch of items gathered together from my very messy scrap table!

Here's another card for January, in honor of Universal Letter Writing Week, January 8th-14th.  If one of your resolutions is to keep in touch with old friends, you can kick it off this week (a perfect follow-up to Christmas cards).

I used Cornish Heritage Farms' On the Desk set for this one, plus some embellies from Making Memories Vintage Findings.

Hope your New Year is starting out beautifully!