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 

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 

Vintage Tatting Thread from Grandma Alice

A long time ago my friend Connie decorated this very large jar for my

birthday, and filled it with ribbon. 

I've long since used all the ribbon, but still wanted to keep the nice jar. 

My mom had given me a box full of thread that my grandmother Alice

use to tat with. There were even some tatting tools with the thread. 

Since I have the new stamping chateau/sewing room I decided

to display the thread in the jar. 

There are a few of Alice's projects on top of the heap of thread. I'll take

photos, and post those at a later date. 

Now I crocheted a lot of doilies in my day using crochet thread, but

it does not compare to how thin the tatting thread is that was used. Don't

think that is a craft I could ever master. My hat is off to my grandma Alice! 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Oui

Okay now I may be carrying the Paris theme of my craft space 

with empty yogurt glasses a bit to far. LOL

I have been meaning to try this oui brand of yogurt. Since

it was on sale at Marc's last week I gave it a whirl, and I like it! Nice

and fluffy. Tastes smooth, and silky. 

Really like that the containers are glass. Great to store things in. 

On the side view you can see that I've filled these with

strings of pearls. 

Wasn't sure how to pronounce the yogurt's name. I always thought

it was pronounced WE in French. Here is a video I found on You Tube. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEYT0QcI-9Q

Not pronounced the way I thought. 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Stamping Chateau Update

Hubby finished installing the shelves above my desk. 

So thrilled with it! 

Top row filled with more of my many Barbie dolls. 

On the lower shelve I have plenty of room to display my craft

projects, and things that my friends have given me. 

Closer view of my sewing nook. 

The clock has the word Paris under the twelve. 

Goes really well next to the curtains. 

Below that is a frame that holds a photo of the inside of Notre Dame.

This photos shows a better view of both shelves. They extend almost

as long as the wall. 

I love the ribbon rack that hubby added to the center lower shelve. 

I'm also happy about the cup hooks that were added. More space

for me to display things on. 

So now I'm calling the room finished. It is so nice in here I never

want to go to any other room in the house! 

Special thanks to all my friends who have contributed to my room. I'm 

sure they can see there gifts, and artwork displayed. 

Kathy, Kathleen, Lisa, Connie, Betty, Tony, Cheryl, Sarah, Jason, Joel, John, and Emily. 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Paris Themed Note Cards from the Chateau

Now that my "stamping Chateau" is all up, and running

I wanted to make some note cards that I can send out with my swaps. 

The pattern paper I found at Catan's. It has a Paris theme which

is perfect! 

These cards are great for Mailable Monday as they have

little layering, and no bulky embellishments. 

Just very clean, simple, and I think elegant. 

Only made 12, but of course with the amount of swapping I do

I'm going to have to make some more! 

Stamping trails

Karen 

The Swipe, and New Box for my Chateau

Betty came over to stamp with me on Tuesday. She surprised me

with this lovely Paris themed box for my new stamping room.

Thanks Betty. Love it! Going to use it to store completed greeting cards. 

These are cards I made that day. Don't know what the technique is called, but

I call it "the swipe". You first ink up a bold image stamp like normal. Then

before stamping on the cardstock you take a swipe with the ink pad on the inked

stamp. Gives it a different look when stamped on the card. Cool texture. 

Happy Summer Solstice, and happy birthday to my friend Kathy. Hope you 

have a wonderful day. 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Stamping Chateau Part 4

A room with a view. Now that is what I was wishing for! 

My old room though I loved it, and did a lot of crafting there

didn't have a window, so for 25 years I've been looking at peg board. 

This is the window of the Stamping Chateau. What a big difference!

I'm finding myself looking out the window often! That is

our neighbors house across the street. So pretty! Everything

is so green now, well how could it not be as we have been getting lots of rain!

Can't wait till winter so I can watch the snow fall while I'm crafting. Won't that be cozy! 

Here is the display that I made to hold some of the swaps I receive. 

Had hubby drill some holes in a wooden hanger. Next I tied some

jute, and used mini clothes pins to hold up the art. 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Photos of the Stamping Chateau Part 3

So what happened to the closet door? 

You may be asking yourself this question while looking at this photo. 

Well there is a simple answer. Hubby couldn't get the door back on. 

The new carpet we had ordered has a double pad as I wanted the carpet thick, and

wonderful to walk on. The louver closet door never really worked right 

ever since we have lived in this house ( 25 years now!) So as 

the Queen of Hearts said "off with her head"....the door in my case. 

I wasn't sure that I was going to be happy without a door. Lets face it

when the doors are gone you kinda have to keep the area clean or

it just looks like mess cat lives in the house. I will say

that it is easy to get into the area when I want something. So lets

just say I have a love/hate thing going on with the closet. 

Thanks to my hubby I have nice large shelves. He even painted the

support beams with the Blue Lagoon spray paint I selected. I was

going to paint the metal louver door with that. What a wonderful pop of color that

would have been! 

I found the I love Paris bags at Marc's the other day. 

I thought they were perfect to keep some ribbon, and misc things

in. Nice way to make the bottom of the closet look tidy. 

Since the top shelve is really to high for me to reach I filled

it with some of the many Barbie dolls I have in the collection. 

Those dolls are 5 rows deep if you can believe that! 

I also have some nice Paris themed boxes that I have been collecting. 

They look really good on the shelves. 

and of course there are handmade things on display. The

K on the left was made by my friend Kym. The doll photo album

was made by my friend Kathleen, and I made the France themed clipboard. 

and just L@@K! at all those rubber stamps! 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Photos of the Stamping Chateau Part 2

Back with more photos of the stamping chateau. 

My library files found a home next to the closet. Found

the Paris artwork at Pat Catan's 

The Eiffel tower glass container was a great find at Marc's for

only .99 cents I filled it with some loose wooden block stamps. 

I think it works really well. I was going to put a candle in the glass, but

then decided it made better sense to fill with stamps. 

Inside view of some of the baskets that are sitting on the 

rolling carts. 

These two are holding some more loose stamps. 

The desk is already in use as you can see. I have another

rolling workstation next to it. That cart is holding the

die cutting machines. 

Hubby will be making me a few more shelves to go over my desk. 

I need a place to display some things. 

On the other side of the desk will be my sewing area. Waiting for John to

come over on Sunday to help me with that. 

Back with more photos tomorrow. 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Photos of the Stamping Chateau Part 1

I'm all moved in to the new Stamping Chateau! 

So glad the move is over! 

Big thanks to my family for making it all happen! 

There are still a few little things that need to get organized, and

a few more little shelves to be added, but I'm so happy with it! 

This is the back wall of the room. All my rolling carts fit under the Barbie 

display shelves. Love the baskets on top of the carts! Got them for a good

price at Pat Catan's. 

The filing cabinet I went back and forth on. Wasn't sure I really

wanted one, but as it turns out it holds all my 8 x 11 cardstock and my punches. 

Second drawer holding the cardstock in hanging files. 

Top drawer has the punches. I was really worried about where I was

going to store these as they use to hang in two plastic shoe holders on the wall

in the old room. Since I didn't want to do that in the new room they found a home in the

filing cabinet. 

The bottom two drawers are holding my fabric. 

I'll be back tomorrow to share some more photos of the new "chateau"! 

Stamping trails

Karen