Artist Trading Cards Paper Dolls

 Playing around with some artist trading card ideas. 

These were made with Tim Holtz paper dolls, and ephemera. 

Background is pattern paper. 

Each one has a word piece. 

I think this one is my favorite. Love the little ballerina dancing

in front of the tall mushroom. 

Painting the living room walls today with primer. Can't wait

to have all this done! Remodel has been going on since the end of May! 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Stitched Butterfly Card from Kym

 I received this beautiful stitched card today from my friend Kym. 

Just love it!!!!! So elegant. 

Card is blank inside so I can use it how'd I'd like, but I don't think

I'll be sending this to anyone. Thanks Kym! 

I've been playing around with coffee dyed papers the last few days. 

Some are done with stencils, and others are done with a plastic lace doily tablecloth. 

I have to take advantage of summer to get all my paper dying done. Too hard to dry paper

inside during the winter months. Oh no....did I just say winter?!!!!!!

We started the remodel in the living room. Trim, flooring, pictures, wall hangings, outlet covers all

removed. Hubby taped around the ceiling and walls this morning. He is getting ready to paint

the ceiling. Want so bad for the remodel to be finished! 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Little Bee Clusters for Junk Journal

 Relaxing this morning, and make bee themed clusters. 

One of these days I might make a bee themed journal. Maybe

next summer. We have been so busy here! 

John came over yesterday to help move furniture out of the living room. 

Kitchen floor is finished, and now we have to continue it through the living room. 

I keep telling myself it will be wonderful when finished, but this

remodel of the main floor is three months in already, and I'm just tired of it all. 

Kitchen looks wonderful of course now it is full of living room furniture, and we

can barely open the fridge. I have to be happy that I have a beautiful counter, sink, and

my stove is in. At least I can cook again. Going out to eat really gets old. I'm craving

home cooking. 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Happy Mail from Kym

 I got happy mail yesterday from my good friend Kym. 

Take a look at these specimen cards. So pretty! 

Great job! Love them. 

She also make me two vintage tags. 

Just darling! Love the little girl with flowers in her hair. Too cute! 

and she made me two rolodex cards. Love the colors, and background

paper! Thanks Kym! 

Kitchen floor is in! So happy that it is finished. Today we are 

heading out to get the trim. Hoping we can move the fridge, stove, table, chairs and

hutch back. Will be wonderful to have a newly remodeled kitchen! 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Bee Butt Tags

 These were fun tags to make. I got them as a free printable download. 

Added some distress ink. 

Some of the honeycombs were colored then I added

diamond glaze over them. Did the 

same with the bee wings. 

This one was the from the first group I made. 

Not overly loving how they turned out. I added some 

gold foil over some of the honeycombs. Some of them

have the diamond glaze on them with diamond fine glitter

added over that. Lots of splatters. I think I went a bit overboard with it. 

Kitchen sink and backsplash done. Hubby was going to start the wood floor today, 

but it has been raining off and and on all morning. He won't be able

to take out the saw to do the trimming. Floor may have to wait for

another day. 

Stamping trails

Karen

Witch, and Bee Envelopes

 When I send out happy mail or swaps I've gotten into 

the habit of decorating the envelopes. Takes a bit longer,

but I think it really makes a great impression! I know my mail

carrier comments on my out going mail! 

On the corner of this envelope I used a spider web embossing folder.

 I know it may seem early for Halloween, but since I 

was sending out Halloween ephemera I thought it would be perfect for this. 

This is what the envelopes looked like before I colored in the witch

with prisma pencils. Hubby said the witch's hat needed to be black so

one thing led to another and just like that I was coloring the entire witch. LOL

I was also sending out some stamped bee images so of

course the outside had to match the inside. I used a Tim Hotlz stencil

to make the honeycomb. 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Circle Master Boards from Labels

 Well I'm still making, and seeing master boards everywhere!

These were made using circle labels that were attached to....

These bead cases that I purchased at Marc's last week. 

I needed some more organizers as I'm getting quite a collection of beads. 

Since the labels pulled off in one piece I used the sticky side to attach the pieces

of paper to them to create the little circle master boards. 

I won't be cutting them apart. I added a few bits and pieces 

to create  clusters. Before that I stitched a grid pattern over the circles. 

Now to fill up those bead cases! 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Blizzard Book

 Made this little book for a swap. The pattern

is called  blizzard book, named by the lady who

came up with the fold during a snow storm. 

For my cover I used some green canvas, and pattern paper. 

Found some old metal plates in my stash and used that with some

words. Dolls by Tim Holtz. 

The book is folded to allow pages to be inserted into them. 

I embossed the cream color pages in the book just along one edge. 

Didn't really decorate much on the pages. I added

one little rose to cover up a wrinkle that was in the paper pocket. 

Each page was glued down to the the folds. I could 

have just inserted the pages and called it good, but I didn't want them

falling out. 

There are three pockets in the book, with 5 pages in all. 

For each pocket I made little cards with tabs at the top. These

can be used for journaling. Just a little washi tape at the bottom

to dress them up. 

The back of the book matches the cover. 

Pretty happy with it. Might make a few more to send as happy mail 

Enjoyed having the kids over yesterday. It was John's 33rd birthday. Where does the time go?

Me and my little baby boy 33 years ago. I was 28. Ah to have those days

back again! 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Ladybug Mini Master Board

 I stopped in Marc's yesterday, and found a set of clear craft boxes. 

After peeling off the label in one piece I turned it over and 

added pieces of paper to sticky part of the label. 

This is the front of the label I took off. Check out that price tag!

Three really nice nested craft boxes for 3.99. I love Marc's! 

Here are the boxes. Thinking I may need to go back and pick up

another set of these. What was I thinking only buying one set? LOL

Okay back to the master board. After all the pieces of paper were

attached I did a little stamping. That red and white checked piece reminds

me of a picnic. I couldn't find my ant stamp (yes I do have one somewhere!), so

I used the little ladybug stamp instead. So cute! 

Used the crop-a-dile to add the red eyelets, and added some fiber. 

We had a storm roll in yesterday afternoon. High winds, and lots of rain. 

No damage. Lots of thunder! More of the same today.  

Hubby will be working on the backsplash. I'll be crafting! 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Pocket Decorated Coin Envelopes

 Made some decorated coin envelopes yesterday while 

the countertop was being installed. Hubby overlooked that process. 

It looks great. I will post pics, but hubby is now working on the backsplash. 

So when that is done and the sink is in I'll post a pic. 

The coin envelopes have a pocket on the front to 

hold little ephemera. 

I also made a journaling card to fit in the envelopes. 

I made three different sets. 

Pretty happy with these.

I got up this morning took a shower then did some running around. 

Had to stop at the post office to mail a package. Next stop

Hollo's to pick up two more paper packs. On to Marc's to get 

chicken to grill today. Last stop was Giant Eagle to get my blood pressure meds. 

Suppose to have thunder storms this afternoon. Won't be going out no more today. 

Stamping trails

Karen

Tassel Bookmark from Fan

 I bought a few fans at the Dollar Tree. 

After taking them apart I was able to use the frame work to

make these cute tassel bookmarks. 

The two ends pieces of the fan are thicker, and won't bend when you

take them in and out of a journal, or book. 

The other fan blades are really thin pieces so I had to glue two of them back

to back. I actually used Fabric-Tac to glue them together and it worked great. 

I also used goo-gone to clean the glue from the fan blades. 

At the top of the fan blade I added a large jump ring. 

To that I added a clip. Next step was to 

pick out some strips of ribbon, and fibers. 

These were threaded through the clip then folded over.

I used thread to wrap around the top to hold the tassel in place. 

Beads were also added to the ends of the thread. 

I was also able to find a fan that had white blades. 

Love this little elephant charm. 

This was a fun, and pretty simple project. If 

you make some just remember to have the tassel on the left side of the fan blade. 

If you don't then you the tassel won't be able to hang down the spine of a book. 

Stamping trails

Karen 

France Scrap Box

 Last Thursday I took a little trip to JoAnn's because they were having

a 4th of July sale. I had coupons, and they were giving 25% military discount.

Score! So I found this pretty large book box. It was on sale, and after the discount

it was pretty much free. 

I'm using it to hold all my paper scraps from junk journaling. 

Love the word France, and the tower on the cover. Fits really nicely with

my Paris themed craft room. 

Tomorrow we are getting in the countertop!!!!! I can't

wait. It has been taking forever to remodel the kitchen. After

the countertop goes in hubby can put in the new sink, and start the 

backsplash and new wood flooring. We were pretty much on hold as we

had to get the countertop in before anything else could be done. 

I'll be back with photos. 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Night of Surprises

 We went to the Brunswick firework show last night. 

Got a great surprise as Sarah, and Jason joined us. How fun!

After watching the fireworks explode I also got

to open up a surprise package from Maryjo. The box also

exploded with lovely crafty goodies that I can use for my junk journals, 

artist trading cards, and other craft projects. So many goodies. 

As I said so many goodies!!!! Lots of images, paper, ephemera, buttons, 

ribbon, lace, tabs, and much more! Big thanks Maryjo! 

Happy 4th! 

Stamping trails

Karen