Make a Difference

Probably my favorite Stampin’ Up! set ever, Natural Beauty, was my go to set this morning. I think it will be in my collection forever.  I’ll be sending this to some friends at church today. I’ll hope it brings a sense of comfort.

Beate’s sketch went together quickly today. That was probably out of necessity as it’s another crazy Friday. I’m anxious to check out Sharon, Mary Jo, Laurie, Jenn, Charmaine, Cambria and Beate to see what they’ve thrown together today.

I’m going to leave you with the details. The label was created by inking the actual label die with Pearlescent Brilliance ink before cutting and embossing. This gives you a ‘frame’ so to speak where the dry embossed edge is. The bird was colored with Copics and AirBrushed with Copic RV10. I have to run, so if you have any questions, please leave me a comment and I’ll be sure to answer you.

• Stamps: Aged Music Scrapblock (Cornish Heritage Farms) & Natural Beauty (Stampin’ Up!)
• Cardstock: Simply Smooth Vanilla (Prism), Close to Cocoa & Chocolate Chip (Stampin’ Up!) and Sultry (Basic Grey)
• Ink: Espresso Adirondack (Ranger)
• Accs: Label One & Large Rectangle Scalloped Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Copic Markers (E31, E33, RV10), Copic Airbrush System, ribbon (Beaux Regards)

While trying to get myself organized, I realize that I rarely never go back to all that patterned paper that I just had to save for the next season.  So, this morning I used the last of my Taylored Expressions Key Ingredients Kit for October to alter some mini Play-doh cans that I had bought at Sam’s Wholesale for the girls to take to school as a class party favor. I sliced my 6″ squares of patterned paper into 7/8″ strips, tacked around the canister and punched out a label that was printed on the computer and a coordinated circle to mat the label. I was able to do 60 of these little cans in about 45 minutes. Can you spy the one lone can that rolled away after wrapping and before labeling?

I’m proud of myself for using all of the paper in this kit because Taylor packs a ton of coordinated stuff in there. It’s too late for you to get the Halloween Kit, but the Christmas  Key Ingredient Kit with it’s beautiful paper and embellishments is in stock now. Mine should arrive today or tomorrow, and I hope I have just as much fun altering up fun stuff for Christmas as I have Halloween.

See you tomorrow!

It doesn’t take the most labor intensive recipe to win the heart of a friend or acquaintance, just a little effort to say, ‘I’m thinking of you!’ The newest special issue from Paper Crafts, Paper Crafts Gourmet serves up some wonderful recipes and cute presentation ideas sure to please any number of folks on your ‘I’m thinking of you’ list.

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I’ve been working on a special project, but I had to take a few minutes to work up a card with my new Curved Rectangle Nestabilities from Spellbinders. The thing I enjoy about the Nestabilities line is the ability to make a quick card with coordinating shaped accents. It’s just simple stamping, but with a little extra hhmph! to the finished project.  This finished, shaped card is about 5″ x 3.5″.

• Stamps: In the Meadow (Lizzie Anne) *edited*
• Cardstock: Blush Red Light, Suede Dark Brown & Cryogen White (Prism)
• Ink: Mountain Rose (Adirondack), Celery & Artichoke (Stampin’ Up!)
• Accs: Ribbon (May Arts), Dazzling Diamonds and Pretties Kit (both Stampin’ Up!)

See you tomorrow!

Here is a project that my mom and I teamed up on for the current November/December issue of Crafts & Things. Mom embroidered the designs on this tea towel set, and I finished them off with tags and wraps. The top right towel is wrapping a loaf of bread. It was so fun to work together on this. I hope we can do it again. Crafts and Things is full of great ideas with easy to follow step-by-step instructions. You can generally find it at your grocery store or Wal-Mart.

• Stamps: Heart Warmers - Kim Hughes Collection (Cornish Heritage Farms)
• Cardstock: Kraft and light blue/purple (Prism)
• Ink:  light dye based ink that will wash out after stitching and cleaning
• Accs: embroidery floss & ribbon (May Arts)

I was looking for a project on my camera tonight, and I found this card that I created several months ago. I don’t think I’ve ever shared it with you. I cannot find it in my archives, nor could I find an edited copy. It’s late, and I’m supposed to be up in 5 hours to face the day. So, I’ll be brief! (and apologies if you’ve seen this before!) Have a wonderful weekend!

• Stamps: Dove with branch & Storybook (Cornish Heritage Farms)
• Cardstock: Suede Dark Brown (Prism), K&Company patterened paper (came pre-scalloped!) & die-cut sentiment tag
• Ink: Watermelon & Espresso Adirondack (Ranger)
• Accs: Nestabilities (Spellbinders), flowers (Prima), pearls (Mark Richards)

Sorry I’m a few minutes late…no school today means a different morning routine.

I’m channeling Jenn today with my sketch card. That girl lets those hoarded rhinestones fly like nobodies business. This is a little Lockhart image, Potions and Spells,  that I paired up with paper from my Taylored Expressions *key ingredients* kit. It’s too late for you to pick up the Halloween *key ingredients* but she released Christmas last night…and the paper is beautiful. Since I’ve already ordered mine, I thought I’d pass it along. I’ll pass along links for Beate, Cambria, Charmaine, Jenn, Laurie and Sharon, too - I know that their creations this week will make you smile!

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Several weeks ago, Sharon mentioned that she was going to make her fabulous Pineapple Jam. I got to thinking about the raspberries that were wasting away on the vines and the peppers still in my garden. So that afternoon, I went out and picked my berries and peppers for Raspberry Pepper Jam and made it that night.  Here is the recipe that I used, and I just added 6 diced jalapeno peppers (seeds removed) to the cooking mixture. Now most folks would like this jam over a brick of cream cheese, and I’ll admit, that’s pretty good. But here’s my very favorite thing to do with Raspberry Jam (homemade or store-bought, with or without the peppers):

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LOL! If you’re traveling here via Sharon’s blog - I’m literally ‘in a jam’ and will finish up my post in just a few minutes. So, check back soon for a jammin’ good time and Copic Marker giveaway.

Here’s a picture from Silver Dollar City to tide you over. This is my crazy husband and my oldest DD. They are the thrill seekers! LOL We spent another 3 days in Branson, MO.  We love that place, so much that this was our 3rd trip there this year. This picture was from June, but it’s always the same story…how many roller coasters can these two ride? When you ask my littlest DD what her favorite part of the weekend was….it was pretending that grandma’s hair brush was a cell phone while she was sitting on a bench waiting for these two! Don’t you wish all kids were so easily entertained?

I’ve been leaving sentiments off of the front of my cards lately. That way I can have more to choose from in my stash when I need something specific. This Lockhart image, Pears, has always been on my ‘list’…you know the list of things you adore but never break down and buy?

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