Happy Halloween!

Hope everyone enjoyed Halloween. We had 120 of the little treaters show up at our door tonight. We went through 5 large bags of candy. WHEW!!! The kids were so cute.

Sarah is finished with Halloweekends now. She will still be in Sandusky till the end of this week. At her other job a Halloween express.

Can you believe that October is over? The holidays are just around the corner, and I'm not ready!!!!!!

Recently my yahoogroup hosted a "Shaped" swap. The card shown here was made by Judy. Such a great card!!! the little cat has a magnet on the back of it and there is also a magnet on the top of the card to hold it in place. You can remove it to use as a fridge magnet. Little pumpkin at the bottom was made with a hole punch.



I got "New RUBBER" My Bella order came in. I got Veggiebella, Flowahbella, Billbootabella, and Kittycattabella. Can't wait to play with these! Hopefully I'll have some extra time this weekend to play.

Happy stamping!!!!

Flaky Friends

Okay who doesn't like this stamp set? It's been ages since I stamped with it, but still love it!!! This was a sketch challenge posted on my yahoo group (thanks Debby). Had fun playing with it. Gotta run. It's late and I have to get up earlier tomorrow morning. I'll catch up with you more tomorrow.

Angel Light Box

Made one more! Really love this one!!! Used two retired stamps, Musical Score background, and Heavenly Heralds. Stamped the image with Jet Black StazOn on cardstock weight vellum. Turned it over and used, Marigold Morning, Chocolate Chip, Real Red, Always Artichoke, and Whisper White ink with an aqua painter to color in. The plastic box is one I got from a local craft store. Had dear hubby again drill a hole in the back to allow the light string cord to fit though. (Sometimes hubbys come in handy)White cardstock was cut to fit into the box. I had to figure out where to score it to make it fit. To finish it off I took silk flowers and ribbon and added to the top.

I'm teaching a customer service class at my job this week. The theme is "Call of the Mummy" anyway I had Sarah pick me up a mummy costume at Halloween Express where she is also working. I'm going to have one of the employees from another dept dress up in the costume and walk around the class. I had Sarah try it on. This picture is called......"Walk like an Egyptian"

Okay Sarah is watching me and rolling her eyes. She says "mom put up some better pics of me"......and I will soon as I get them cropped.


Happy Stamping!!!!

SNOW!

Okay I've been meaning to try this technique that was shown at the past convention. Icicles. Take crystal effects and randomly draw a continuous line that looks like icicles on wax paper. Sprinkle with dazzling diamonds and let dry. Peel off from the wax paper when dry then use on your card. I used mini glue dots to attach the "icicles" to the bottom of the SNOW panel.






I also bought a package of prong fasteners at Staples. After I folded the base Not Quite Navy card stock, I scored it a 1/2 from the side. This makes the card open like a door. Other items used: Stamps Punch Pals, Flannel Paid background, Always Artichoke, and Shimmery White cardstock.

Happy Stamping!!!

WAY BUSY!

Sorry I haven't posted, but this weekend is just so busy. Went to see mom yesterday. Spent most of the day cleaning the house. I have a Home Interior party this afternoon at one, and from all the stamping I've been doing the house was just a mess. (Sorry Sarah I couldn't get out to the parade but it was so much fun to talk to you when you were in the lead car! Mom's proud of you)

Went back to see my mom again early yesterday evening. She was crying in the morning when I went to see her. Took me and hour to get her calmed down. She was better when I saw her the second time. I talked to one of the aide's and she just didn't know what was wrong she had been crying since she woke up. Her leg is swelling again looks bad.

Well I'm off to make Connie's famous 7 can soup. What? You never heard of such a thing? It's so yummy!!!

3 cans minestrone soup. (I use the healthier kind by Progresso)
2 cans chili beans
2 can stewed tomatoes (I use the no salt added type)
1 pound very lean hamburger or turkey (that is if hubby doesn't see the wrapper and know that it's turkey and not "real" meat) MEN
Frito's
Shredded Cheddar cheese

Brown the meat ( I season with galic, and pepper) add the cooked meat to a stock pot with all the cans listed above. Simmer for about an hour. When serving you can top each bowl with cheese and Frito's

Enjoy! I'll get back to stamping later today. I have another "Light Box Decor" to share with you but it's not finished yet.

Snowman Ornament

Okay who could resist this cute little snowy guy?

Had fun making him. I used a tin container with a clear lid. Four Seasons designer paper on the inside first. Then cut the snow from Whisper White. Sponged the edges with Bashful blue then added just a little glitter. These pieces were layered inside the ornament using pop dots. Snowman was colored, cut out and then also added between the layers using pop dots again. I used the Cropadile to punch a hole in the lid, then used blue ribbon and tied the knot on the inside. Bow was added as a separate piece. To finish it off I cut a strip from the designer paper and ran it around the outside of the bottom part of the lid. To keep the lid attached I used red line tape to the inside lid to seal it.



I took a close up of the picture so you can see the detail.

Happy stamping!!!

Drac is in the house!

Thanks Kat for the fun Halloween card! The scan doesn't do it justice but I couldn't get a good shot of Dracula's face. The camera was adding a shine on his face. Did you color this in with twinkling H2O's. Inquiring minds! Thanks!!!!

Pencil Box

Okay enough of spooky spiders!! Moving on to pencil boxes. I found these paper mache boxes at the local craft store for .50 cents. I had to do something with them right? I used gold accent paint and painted the outside. Then just added the ribbon and stamped images. Colors used: Bravo Burgundy, Sage Shadow, Apricot Appeal, Pumpkin Pie, and Jet Black StazOn.



My job held a health fair yesterday, and then had health sessions today. Had my blood pressure checked 110/78 that was pretty darn good! Also had sugar, and cholesterol screening. I'm still within normal but would be happier if my cholesterol was a bit lower. Today I attended a session on managing blood pressure. The only thing new I picked up from it was info on the DASH diet. Anyone ever hear of it? It's been proven that the diet (which limits sodium) will reduce blood pressure. I think I'll get on their website later tonight and check it out.

Happy Stamping!!!

Witchy Hat

Here goes the spider again!!!! Me and Dawn are on the same wavelength with the spiders lately! LOL This time I made a witches hat. Made a triangle pattern for the hat. Stamped it with web and VersaMark ink then embossed with clear. Also cut a smaller triangle from orange cardstock for inside card. It was also stamped with the web and embossed. Added some fibers to hold the little "web" this was a 1.00 stamp that I got from Michael's last year. The bottom of the card scored two times, folded up at the top score then folded down from the bottom score. This makes the hat rim, then I added the orange and black ribbon. Too cute!!!!! Now just because I'm stamping with spider stamps doesn't mean I like the real ones!!!!

You can view all of Dawn's cute little spiders at this site http://dawnsstampingthoughts.typepad.com/

Didn't Start Out Like This

Did you ever start out with something in mind but along the way it changed directions,and before you know it WHAM! You have made something different than what you thought you were making?

Case in point this card. I started out doing Cottoned Color (technique junkies newsletter April 07 edition), but got side swiped. I followed the technique then added more swipes with my paint brush and gold pearl ex. Then I had the brilliant idea to emboss the piece with clear embossing powder, and if that wasn't enough (WHEW)I ran the completed background piece though the Cuttlebug. The leaf was inked with Sage Shadow and Bravo Burgundy craft ink then embossed with clear embossing powder. Base was stamped with Canvas BG using Handsome Hunter ink. These are not my usual colors to work with, but I'm happy with the results.

Happy Stamping. Now what will she think of tomorrow?

Glittered Poof Ball

You know those wonderful net bath balls you can get to lather up body wash? Well did you ever think of using them for something else? I did! I call this Glittered Poof Ball technique.

You will need Black cardstock, White Craft ink, Net Bath Ball (clean unused), holographic highlights embossing powder (SU), and heat tool.

Tap the poof ball in white craft ink, pounce on the black cardstock. Repeat two times before inking again. Continue till you have the coverage you want.
Sprinkle the cardstock with embossing powder, tap off excess, heat emboss. That is all there is to it! Makes some great backgrounds. (click on the image for a larger picture. You'll be able to see the pattern that the poof ball makes)

Did you notice that there are words in the web? I thought it was pretty clever to hand write words in the web. (Just like the spider in Charlotte's web, one of my favorite books when I was young)I used a white gel pen to hand wright the words.

Happy Stamping!!!

Sleep Tight.....Don't Let the Bed Bugs Bite

Ever wonder about where some sayings come from? I figured this one out today.

It was such a great day to get outside, enjoy the fall colors and get some exercise. Hubby and me went to visit Hale Farm and Village. Great little place (well really quite large). Johathan Hale and his wife Sarah settled in the Western Reserve back in 1810. The last surviving heir to the farm willed it to the Western Reserve in 1957 so now it is a museum. One of the things we saw was the original log cabin that the Hale's lived in. Sleep tight comes from the beds having rope to hold the straw mattress. After someone got into the bed another person would take a key (made out of wood you can see it on the bed) and tighten the ropes to give more support. Bed bugs bite comes from the mattress being made out of straw and really having bugs in it. Say it with me.....YUCK! So glad I'm living in this time!



Skip enjoyed watching the blacksmiths. The one facing in the picture is the apprentice. The one working in with the fire is teaching him how to be a blacksmith. Was it ever hot! Lots of heat coming from the building.

I enjoyed the weaving, and candle houses. I even got to try weaving!





Of course I also had to get some hand spun and dyed fibers from the gift store. These are awesome. They use flowers, leaves, bark, roots, onion skins, black walnuts, dandelions, madder root, indigo, goldenrod, and a bug called cochineal to dye the wool.



Okay that's enough for today. I do have some more pictures and stories to share but I'll do that tomorrow.

Light Box Decor

The plastic box storage box I found at a local craft store. I had hubby drill a hole in the back for the cord of the light string to go through. You can however use the plastic box frames if you can't find the storage box or do not have a way to drill the hole. The box frames (I checked) do have a hole in the back already, and come in 5 x 7 and 8 x 10. The string of lights I found in the wedding section of the craft store so they are not tree lights, they are meant to be used in decorations. I think the wattage in the lights are a bit less so you won't have to worry about the cardstock going up in flames if you leave them on to long. Now at my store the cost to make these are 2.49 for the box and 1.47 for the lights. So for me this is really an inexpensive project to make. Remember when the name frames were all the rage? Well this project is similar to those but you have the added lights. I know my friends are going to love this project. Hope you will be able to adapt it to use. Oh before I forget the cardstock is only glued in one place to secure to the inside box lid....it's by the top left star. I put glue dots there because I knew I could cover them up by adding the star to the outside lid with pop dots.

One More Pocket Card/Sweetest Day

These are fun and can be habit forming. Although.....come to think of it everything stamping related is habit forming for me. Of course it may be less money if I had another vise, but I'm sure it wouldn't be as fun




Again....I really love the Punch Pals set. Lots of ways to use this set with many of Stampin'Up! punches.

I was trying to post this yesterday but Blogspot was having problems with uploading pictures. Yesterday was Sweetest Day. I believe the holiday is mostly just local to OH.

Herbert Birch Kingston, a Cleveland, Ohio philanthropist and candy company employee started Sweetest Day. He wanted to bring happiness to orphans, shut-ins and under-privileged. His intent was to show these people that they were not forgotten. In 1922, he started this holiday by giving candy and small gifts. He often used movie stars to distribute the gifts.

The popularity of this holiday quickly spread. Today, is celebrated with loved ones and friends. However, we encourage you to follow the intent of the original holiday, and find ways to give candy and small gifts to those in need.

So yesterday.....I wheeled mom around in her chair and greeted as many of the residents that we could just to say hi. It's sad that many of them have no one talking to them other than the little contact they get with the staff each day. I see other visitor's walk right pass them in the halls and do not respond to them when they say something. Many of the residents have Alzheimer's and don't know where they are only I think they know they are lonely if that makes any sense.

LOL now.....I just went and looked at the date of this post and it's showing Saturday.....time must be off.....it's Sunday. Now I'm really confused! And anymore it takes so little to confuse me. Okay I need my coffee and breakfast.

Frap Bottle

Okay never to soon for Christmas projects...Right? I had a left over frap bottle in my drawer so decided to do a project with it. Stamp set is Festive Favorites. Just love this set! I had dear hubby last year cut the large wood block into three pieces so I could mount the larger stamp on three blocks. I thought it would be easier to work with that way.



I made the "stripes" by using watercolor crayons. Ruby Red and Creamy Caramel. First I cut the strip from natural white cardstock. Then every 1/2 inch I drew a straight line with Ruby Red crayon. Next I used the Creamy Caramel crayon and drew a straight line in between the red lines. Grabbed my handy dandy aqua painter and went over each line just to soften them up. TA DA! It made a great looking background paper to wrap around the bottle.

TGIF!! That means no work and more stamping time to me!

Tried Something new

I was in the mood this evening to try something new. The technique is called emerging colors.



First I stamped the Fannel Background stamp on whisper white cardstock using More Mustard ink. Next step ink up pumpkins (Carved in Candlelit) with VersaMark then stamped over the fannel image, embossed the images with clear embossing powder. For the pumpkins in the back row I had to cut some masks then stamped and embossed those the same way. After all the embossing was finshed I brayered over the entire piece with Buckaroo Blue ink. After that all I had to do was wipe off the ink from the embossed images to let the fannel background show through. I tore off the upper part of the cardstock around the images. Didn't like the way it looked. Sort of flat looking. Layered on Old Olive and Buckaroo Blue. The base card was also stamped with the flannel Background. I love this stamp!! I really need to use it more. I have so many stamps it's hard to use them all. I know some of my stamps are really feeling unloveed and un-inked!!!

Happy stamping!!!

Go Tribe!

Indians won again last night! YAY. They are playing again tonight. Now I normally don't keep up with baseball, but it's hard not to since the hometown guys are doing great this year.





Not much time to stamp this evening. Been trying to get the house put back together. What a mess. I long for the days when the kids were young and I was a stay at home mom. My house was so much cleaner then. Working full time really takes out the desire to clean everyday! Doesn't help when you have three other adults living in the house and two of them still think mom is there to pick up after them. I left a piece of paper on the steps once just to see how long it would take someone to pick it up. Well that paper stayed there for two weeks and didn't move an inch. I found the cat one day playing with it. At least it was moved off the steps. LOL

The card was was made using a standard A2 size cardstock base (Really Rust) cut off 1 inch on the front. Top layer is white glossy that was stamped with VersaMark and then gone over with a brayer inked with Pumpkin Patch spectrum pad. Inside card was layered with So Saffron cardstock.

Till tomorrow. Happy Stamping!! (hope your house is cleaner than mine)

Vintage Karen

Okay now don't laugh.....I can hear you! Yes I hear the little giggles. I made this card for my friend years ago. Like 2000 or 2001. I had just started stamping and didn't know much. The stamps I used were foam stamps I found at the craft store for a 1.00 and check out all the deco scissors I used! I don't think I've touched a decorative pair of scissors for at least the past two years.



Lets compare my work now shall we. Stamp set Thankful Thoughts. Coloring done with aqua painter and classic dye ink: Chocolate Chip, More Mustard, Purely Pomegranate, Wild Wasabi, and Really Rust. I think I have somewhat improved...don't you think? LOL

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Winner of the RAK for posting a comment on the "I Love Frankie" is Lisa. Congrats! I'll be making you a card and sending it soon.

Punch Pals

So happy I bought this set. So much fun to play with it. The envelope is a standard size sealed, then punched on each side with the large tag punch. Makes a cute little holder for smaller items. For the cello bag I cut the cardstock to fit the width of the bag and cut it long enough to be able to fold it over the top of the cello bag and also score and fold it over the bottom of the bag.

This set is wonderful because you can use many of the punches with it.

Gotta run.....promised two little old ladies I'd bring them chili today.

Doctor's Visit, Football game, Ribbon, Lunchbox

Went to see the doctor on Thursday for my 6 month check up. Good results my blood pressure was 110/80. My doctor was happy about that. Of course now he wants me to workout more, and get some more tests done. Why are doctor's never happy?

Speaking of working out more.....hubby talked me into walking to Brunswick High school last night to watch their last game against arch rivals Strongsville High. We won! YAY! I think my legs are still cold! It went down into the 40's while we were at the game. While the local high school football team won...the Cleveland Indians lost to Boston. Oh well. Still cheering for them!

The ribbon is more that I found at Pat Catan's for 1.00 So glad I have that store! I'll be using it all, but looking forward to making some "snowy" cards with the silver and blue ribbon.





Cardholder lunch box was made by Connie and Lisa. I think I got this as a gift from them last year. I wanted to show it off. Love the black and the pink ribbon!
Hoping to get some time this weekend to stamp more. Right now I need to get out of my jammies and into something warmer so I can go visit my mom. Everyone have a great weekend!!

I LOVE FRANKIE!

Now isn't he just the cutest!!! Love Frankie. Wish SU didn't retire this guy. Best Fiends was my favorite Halloween set last year. Thinking back on the movies......Boris was the best scary actor! Really enjoy his films. Remember Young Frankenstein? That was the very first movie I ever saw at the drive in. WOW! I'm really showing my age now!

If you have time....why don't you drop a comment and share your favorite all time scary movie. I'll pull a random winner this coming Monday and I'll send the winner a RAK.

Spooky Pics of my daugther

Beware.........don't look if you don't want to be scared!!!! OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO



Told you not to look! Now don't blame me if you have nightmares tonight!This is Sarah's Queen of the Dead get up for Cedar Point. Okay now to her daytime face get up.



Just love her as the princess with the Peanut characters. They have a daytime show for the kids that's not so scary, then they do a second show in the evening for the older bunch. I wonder if she is related to Dr. Jekyll, or maybe Mr. Hyde? Sarah does change from good to evil seemingly overnight! LOL Love ya honey!

Double Pocket

Okay these are fun! Been seeing lots of cards made using this design that I had to try one for myself. Just love it! So many possible designs. If you want to learn more go to www.patstamps.com Instructions can be found on the Technique Junkies newsletter.

Finally relief from all the heat. It's cooling off, and will be more like fall. Of course I know come December I'll be wishing for warmer weather! Isn't that the way it always is?

I must say I'm enjoying all the peace around my house in the evenings. With Sarah still at the Point (Cedar), son John, and hubby working second shift I have plenty of time to myself when I get home from work. I don't have to make dinner, and can do my workout alone!!! It's so NICE!!!

Think I'm going to go raid the fridge and watch a movie. Ahhhhh the good life!

Happy Stampin!

Folder Card

I did have lots of time yesterday afternoon to just stamp. Still very hot in OH so it was nice to just be in the stamp room. I finished up on some obscure holiday cards. Can't tell you which ones, since the gals I swap with are loyal readers! I can share this file folder card I made. Stamp is one that a friend got me for Halloween. Love the broom! Designer paper is last years from a mini catalog from SU. Since I was to lazy to plug in the sewing machine, the faux stitches on the front are just random lines made with a black marker.
Want to make your own file folder card? Check out Beate's tutorial http://beate.blogs.splitcoaststampers.com/2007/09/28/file-folder-card-tutorial/#more-1632

Need to get ready for work. Sigh.....no stamping for me till later this evening.
Happy Monday!

Hot Here so I made a Snowman!

It's really hot here! It was 86 yesterday and will be that again today. Did I forget to say humid? HUMID!!! Feels like the middle of July. No wonder my pumpkins melted (see previous post) According the news temps are suppose to drop to 60 by Wednesday. Now that's my kind of weather. I need fall temps! Anyway......I made this snowman to keep my cool about the heat (hope he doesn't melt) Background is made using Cuttlebug embossing folder. Technique is called Cuttlebug Smoosh, created by Nancie Wood. You can find out about this at www.patstamps.com

Brought Cold Play out of moth balls (not really just haven't used this set in for a long time)also brought out Blue Frost spectrum pad which I also haven't used since forever! It's fun to bring out things that have been stashed away.

I do plan to stamp more today. First I had to find my desk this morning. I spent some time going though old swaps. Cleaning out making room for new stuff. Going to remake some of the card fronts into full size cards. I'll give these to my mom in law Kate as a Christmas gift. I've been doing this for several years now. She likes to receive them. "LIGHT BLUB" Discoved that I have about 100 Christmas card fronts from swaps I've been in over the years. So guess what........I'm not making Christmas cards this year. Going to make them into full size cards and send them out. I know my storage bins will breath a sigh of relief at loosing some weight.

Have a happy Stamping Day!!

Flat Jack O' Lanterns....and a RAK

If these pumpkins could talk they might say........put me in the fridge 'QUICK' LOL
Connie sent me Halloween goodies. Love the stamp by the way. Really cool broom! The pumpkins had just a little to much heat and when I opened the package they were flat as buttons. Into the fridge they went, then into me! YUM Thanks Connie!

RAK (random act of kindness)was sent to me from Kelly Swienton. You can check out her blog here http://www.kellyswienton.blogspot.com/
The colors are wonderful on this card Kelly! Great layout. The word stamp fits on the key tag perfect. After seeing the jumbo eyelet on this card now I have to have them! Putting them on my next order. Thanks Kelly!

Faux White Gel Pen Again

I really love this technique. Very simple to do,and really makes vellum pop! Stamp vellum using Jet Black StazOn. Let dry, turn piece over on foam pad. (use the one from the crafter's tool kit or a mouse pad). Take a stylus and add lines wherever you want some highlights. Still working from the back add color using markers if desired. If you do choose to add the color try not to color in on top of the lines you made with the stylus.I added a layer underneath the tag using Bording Blue. Great way to adhere the vellum to the cardstock: use mini glue dots on the vellum that was colored, it won't show through to the front. Also use the "dots" anywhere that has cardstock on top. I got the top corner of the vellum adhered under the Snow Blossom punch. This punch makes a great star!

Loving the Holiday Mini Holy Triptych set (sorry Kat)just have to make more samples!

I'm taking half a vacation day today. Need to prep for a workshop I have this evening. Looking forward to get some stamping done:)

Everyone have a great day. TGIF!

It's Fall!

I wanted to share what I received in the mail yesterday. I was in a Fall Bottle swap and received these awesome goodies from Carol. Love the bottle jacket she made for the two little bottle. So many great things, and the cards! All of them are just great. The Barbie doll was just a special gift to receive. My brother Tony always gave me a Barbie doll for my birthday. Since he passed away in February I missed not getting a Barbie. Thanks so much Carol for thinking about me.

Sketch Challenge

Thanks Debby for posting this sketch challenge to my yahoo group. Had fun playing with it last night. I altered it just a bit by cutting the side front of the card a bit more to allow the word stamp on the mustard cardstock. I also added the star off center so it's sort of like a "tent card" now. Star is attached using hemp and clip. Image was stamped on cardstock weight velum with Jet Black StazOn ink. Then colored in on the back using markers. Working from the back again I went over some of the lines with a stylus to give it the appearance of white gel pen.





Thanks Debby for adding this to my yahoo group.


Are you a SU demo? Want to join my group? We focus on just Stamp Camps send me an email clar42ie@aol.com

One more card I made last night using this sketch. This one uses Apple Cider designer paper,and Thankful Thoughts stamp set.