4th of July themed Master Board and Tags

 Early this morning at 3 am I was wide awake. 

Made this 5x7 master board with red, white, and blue pattern papers. 

The flower is a stamp from Tim Holtz wild flowers. 

The master board was cut into three tags. 

Decorated them with Tim Holtz paper dolls, and some other embellishments. 

I think they turned out pretty cute! 

Going to be a long day!!!!!! Hoping it will not be as hot as the past 

few days. Yesterday afternoon we went to the mall to walk as it was just too

hot outside. There were several stores that were closed with signs that

said closed due to short staff. There are plenty of jobs right now in the service industry

if people are willing to work. Restaurants have 200 dollar signing bonuses. No reason

for people to be drawing unemployment. Get back to work!!!!! 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Happy Father's Day Tag, ATC, and matching Envelope

 In honor of Father's day I made something a bit different.

I took a business size envelope sealed it then cut off a bit of one short end. 

Then I took out some ephemera pieces, and a Tim Holtz male paper doll. 

Everything is just layered, and collaged. 

Used hemp and wrapped it around to close. The closure is a metal gear. 

So the feel of this piece is steampunk. 

This artist trading card has a boy Tim Holtz doll sitting

on a chair. 

And I made this tag. Both pieces are going in the 

decorated envelope with additional Tim Holtz dolls, and

blank tags. Will be sent to a swap partner. 

The kids are coming over today to celebrate Father's day with their dad. 

Since we are still without a kitchen due to the remodel Sarah is bringing over lunch for

us. She is such a sweet girl! 

Happy first day of Summer. The summer solstice is here. 

And Happy Birthday wishes to my friend Kat. Hope you have a great day! 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Peep ATC

 Happy Easter to all my "peeps" out there! 

This is a artist trading card. 

Used some different dies, ink, and stamps to

create it. 

Love that little basket. Was in a set of two that I ordered 

from cozyscrapbook. 

So busy yesterday. Cleaning up the house, and prepping

for dinner. Kids, and their spouses are coming over for dinner. 

Doing non traditional this year. They wanted lasagna. Since we

couldn't celebrate Easter last year it was very hard to tell them no. 

I love lasagna too! 

Stamping trails

Karen 

March Journal for Kathleen

 While going through my junk journal posts I see that I

didn't share the March journal that I made for the swap with Kathleen. 

Here is the cover. Lots of green, and gold. This one

is held closed with the help of gold elastic cord. 

Love the buttons I added to this. 

Inside cover, and first page. 

Side pocket with some gold leaf trim that I got at Hobby Lobby. 

Next page is mixed media. Used different shades of oxide ink. 

I added this store bought greeting card. Just rounded the corners. 

Pretty little Miss makes a great little tuck spot. 

This is a little book that attaches with a binder clip. 

Here it is open.

Luck of the Irish pocket.

Center of the journal. 

This is a sheet of Graphic 45 pattern paper. 

Gold doily, green yo-yo. Under that is several sheets

of parchment paper for additional journaling space. The

tab at the side allows the pages to be lifted. 

I used  two tabs for the paper. 

another little tuck spot. This is the inside of that greeting card I added. 

Belly band that holds a little notebook. 

And the last page. I added a little pocket with mini notebook, and writing paper. 

Kathleen loved this one. 

I'll be posting the rest of the years journals soon as I just sent her

box with the last four so I'll be able to post them after she sees them. 

We started in September last year and made one journal for each month. 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Decorated Glassine Bunny Bag

 I was recently in a bunny swap. Players were

to decorate a bag, and then fill it bunnies. Well

bunnies do multiply so my bag was pretty stuffed by 

the time I was finished. 

I decorated a glassine bag with a book page from Watership Down. 

I found it at the library sale, and got it for .50 cents. 

Added some silk flowers, glitter centers, and grass along the bottom. 

Used a die for the grass. 

The bag I got at Hollo's. They are selling them for .10 cents each. What a deal! 

Size of the bag 9 3/4 x 12, so it is a pretty large bag to fill. 

Made this 5 x7 envelope then decorated it with this cute little bunny. 

Also found at the library book sale. 

Pocket made with a book page. 

Made some bunny die cuts and embossed with a folder. 

Some of the other stuff I put in the bag I've already

have been posting on the blog. 

Not going to post every thing here, but my partner

has already received the bunny bag, and loved it. 

I have to say I enjoy swaps like this one. 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Pocket Tissue dressed up with a Bunny Sleeve

 I found these little double packs of pocket tissues at Marc's last week. 

Only .49 cents for a pack of two! 

For that price they were coming home with me. 

Just knew I could do something crafty to spruce them up. 

And here is what I did. Made a little

belly band with some dark green fabric paper. 

Added a bit of cheese cloth, then the bunny on top of that. 

Next I used some small paper flowers. 

I didn't like that the paper flowers were flat, so I used just a bit of water to get them damp, 

and used a stylus to round them. I also added a pearl to each center. 

Here is a view with the bunny sleeve removed. 

I think they are so cute!!! 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Easter Themed Mixed Media Journal Page

 Easter themed mixed media page I made. 

Started out with just folding over a piece of stationary paper. 

To the page I added torn book pages. 

Next I added some color using distress oxide inks. 

Then a little stenciling, stamping, and at the bottom 

I added some paper napkins. The grass along the bottom of the

eggs and bunny are from a die. 

The top of the page is actually a pocket that I added a tag to. 

More stenciling, and matching napkin on the tag. 

Added a tab at the top so it can be removed from the pocket. 

Stamping trials

Karen 

Mini Jelly Bean Slide Shakers

 So earlier last week I found a very large box

of craft supplies that I had packed away for the move into my new Crafting

Chateau (almost two years ago now!)

Here is a view of that very large box I found. 

Anyway....I found a set of three jelly bean pattern slides. 

Wasn't sure what to do with them, but figured they had

been hiding out in that box way too long! 

Decided to turn them into little shakers. Cute, cute, cute! 

Also in that box I found four sets of mini Easter themed clear stamps. 

Perfect to use for the inside of those slides. 

I'm sure to be making more things from that "found" box of goodies! 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Bunny Shrink Plastic Charm and Pencil

 I broke out the shrink plastic this week. 

Can't remember the last time I played with this stuff. 

Forgot how much I liked working with it! 

The bunny stamp was gifted to me by my friend, and this was the first time I inked it.

The plastic has to be lightly sanded in a crosshatch fashion. 

The bunny stamp was inked with jet black Stazon ink, then

the image was colored with prisma pencils. Used a small

hole punch in the bunny ear, so I could use the finished piece

as a charm. 

I used a metal eye screw on the side of the pencil.

After shrinking the bunny with a heat tool I threaded

it with some beads onto a bulb pen then attached to the pencil. 

So cute! 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Valentines from Friends

 Last week I received this beautiful Valentine's day card from my friend Kym. 

Love the stitching work, and the little clowns. So sweet! 

Inside view. More stitching, and clown images. 

Don't think I've seen her stitch a greeting on the inside before. 

Cool! 

Also last week I received some cards from the Happy Mail Ladies FB group. 

Always wonderful to see a mailbox full of happiness not bills, and junk mail! 

Although lately I'm finding myself saving some of that junk mail to 

use in my junk journals. It's a mad, mad world! LOL

Yesterday was a hard day. My brother Tony has been gone for

14 years now. Miss him all the time. Was so touched that both of

my kids contacted me yesterday to see how I was doing, and to 

talk about Tony. So sweet that they have many good memories of him. 

Krafty trails

Karen 

Retro Valentine Cards with Matching Bag

 Made some retro Valentines. These are for a swap I joined. 

The world was made using a die by Tim Holtz. 

Stars were made with a punch using gold glitter paper. 

The image is from a sheet of pattern paper I pick up at Hollo's paper store 

last year. 

I'm second guessing myself about this one. 

A little unconventional because I used black glitter bat

washi tape. Was thinking it went with the what the girl was saying

Batty about you. 

I added the little hearts thinking it would tie it back to Valentine's day

and the batgirl is holding a heart. What do you think? 

We were also required to make a decorated bag to hold the two cards. 

I continued using the retro theme on the white bag. 

Added some lace hearts, and pearls. The bag was first covered

with the same paper I used on the Batty card. I also

cut a piece to adhere to the inside bag. 

I'm very happy with how this little project came together. 

Hoping my swap partner loves it. 

John and Emily came over yesterday, and I made everyone brunch. 

John requested salmon patties with a ham, and cheese omelette. 

Emily wanted chocolate chip pancakes. We also had fresh fruit, 

orange juice, and coffee. We had a great visit. Good to see them again. 

Since they both got the virus in the middle of December we kept our distance, and

didn't see them over the holidays. Which was really hard on me. 

Thankfully they both recovered, and are back to work.  

Krafty trails

Karen 

Kitty Love Valentine Card

 Made my first Valentine card for the season. 

My friend Betty gave me the kitty love die for Christmas. 

She also gave me a Valentine themed paper pad for my birthday.

They go great together! 

Thanks Betty! 

Not much going on today. Just a lazy day hanging out

in my craft room. 

Looks like it is going to snow any minute now. 

Planning to make a large pot of soup. Need something

warm and comforting on a day like this. 

Krafty trails

Karen 

Haunted House Napkin Card

 I got to do some crafting with my friend Betty on Thursday. 

Made this cute Halloween card. The haunted house was made using a paper

napkin. Got a pack of them at Marc's for .50 cents. 

Larger pumpkin in the lower left made with one of Betty's stamps. 

Happy Halloween is washi tape. 

Back of the house is a piece of Tim Holtz Halloween wallpaper. 

The kids are coming over tomorrow, so I'm making meatballs today

to put in the spaghetti we are having for dinner tomorrow. 

It has been so beautiful these past few days. I don't want September to end! 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Paris City of Lights on my Library File

Paris the city of lights. 

Since the craft room has a Paris theme I needed some lights! 

I put up a strings of white lights on top of the library file. 

Makes the stamping chateau so inviting at night when I'm crafting. 

Little closer view of everything on top of the file. I 

have two glass containers full of single wood mount stamps. 

I also have a green glass basket full of them. 

Lots of little old family photos. Love black, and white pics. 

A new addition just in time for the 4th pinwheels!

Made from double sided pattern paper, brad center, and a straw for

the holder. Used a bit of sparkle white trim at the top of the straw. 

The only thing I could find to put them in was a jelly jar. It works. 

I got up at 6 this morning, and was out walking at 7. So nice

to walk early. It was 63 degrees out, and comfortable. Going up to the 

mid 80's today so I don't want to be walking in that! 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Napkin 4th of July Card

I was inspired by a fellow crafter on the Let's Make Cards FB

group. I used a paper napkin on a white card base. 

After the glue stick I used to adhere the napkin to the panel dried

I ran it through my die machine using Tim Holtz star embossing folder. 

I love the look! 

So July is here. Hubby, and me are both bummed out that there will be

no fireworks this time. We both love the shows, and we normally 

watch the ones in Brunswick on the 3rd, then drive to Strongsville on 

the 4th to watch their show. Going to be a different kind of summer this year. 

Well lets face it the world may never be the same. 

Putting on a brave face, and smiling with the sunlight that is

streaming through my craft room window. 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Little Lady Liberty ATC

While I was playing with the cricut air 2 machine yesterday I 

had the machine draw this adorable little lady liberty. 

She is just to cute!!!! 

Colored her in with shades of green Prisma pencils. 

Added some red stripes in the background, and defined them with a black marker. 

Added little star rhinestones to the centers of the blue stars, and added a blue border. 

Went to Tuesday Morning yesterday after me, and hubby finished our morning walk. 

A lot of the craft section was empty. Not use to seeing that! They had arrows

all over the floor so you could only walk one direction down the aisles. 

I found a few little craft things, and one larger one. Share those in another post. 

I also got 5 packs of printed napkins that I'll be using for junk journal projects. There 

are so many pretty printed napkins! The ones I picked up were in the clearance dept. 

Can't wait to create! 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Easter Bunny Pocket Letter Punch Art

I know Easter is long over, but I wanted to share this

pocket letter I made for my friend Kathleen. 

I couldn't show it off earlier as I didn't get her Easter swap mailed out till last week. 

Didn't want to post a photo till she got to see it. 

This letter was pretty easy to make. Just used paper from an Easter pack by Echo Park. 

The bunny at the lower right was made with different punches. 

Here is a closer view. Used small white pom-poms for the muzzle. 

I thought he was super cute! 

Stamping trails

Karen