Make a Difference

I’m pretty sure someone will call fowl play with my sketch liberties today.  You can do that when you’ve been under the weather. You can do that when you haven’t really stamped in weeks… You can do that when you really want to make a card and your supposed to be tying bows on 27 Fall Party treats. You can do that…whenever you want.

I pulled out Kim Hughes’ On the Farm from CHF for today’s sketch.  Copic Makers, a few buttons and a Fiskars punch. Now it’s back to the 27 bows. Hope your weekend is full of treats and sweets. Hugs!

For ideas that more closely resemble today’s sketch, visit Beate, Cambria, Charmaine, Jenn, Laurie, Mary Jo and Sharon. They won’t let you down.

• Stamps: On the Farm - Cornish Heritage Farms 
• Cardstock: Chocolate and Real Red Prism, Farm Fresh - October Afternoon 
• Ink: Rich Cocoa Memento 
• Accs: Copic Markers, Fiskars punch, buttons 

Continuing with Christmas today on the JustRite Mega Font Blog Hop … I promised my mom a few weeks ago that I would make a few things for her to contribute to the annual craft bazaar that is coming up. I thought these little list pads would be cute for her to take.

Last year, I realized that I liked mixing my JustRite fonts (on sale thru 9/24) with fun stamp images and sentiments for one of a kind tags on Christmas gifts and packaging.

I loved this stamp image of these little children sneaking down the stairs with their candles, stockings in tow (CHF). I started with Poison Ivory cardstock, and using my JustRite 1 5/8″ round stamper and the Small Letter Set, I created a custom sentiment, ‘naughty or nice…check it twice‘, stamped in dark brown around the outside of my circle. Then I filled in the center with the candle image from Merry Little Christmas  in lighter, latte colored ink.  Over the top of that, I stamped Welcome Christmas Time (CHF) in Real Red ink. The ivory circle is punched with a 1 3/4″ circle punch and layered on the Marvy scalloped circle punch (super jumbo).

These list pads are made from 5″x8″ inch legal pads that I had cut in half at the local office supply. You can view the full tutorial on how to cover your own at Splitcoast.  The patterned paper is from the Merry Moments pack at Stampin’ Up!

I’m glad to have this project checked off of my Christmas list, but I think I’ll be making a few more lists in the next few days. They are too easy.

I’m sure you are enjoying all of the JustRite projects today. I love seeing how many different people use similar items to create totally unique projects. For sure,  I’m going to take a peek and take notes! You can see projects using many different JustRite fonts by visiting these fabulous bloggers:

Michelle Wooderson

Sankari Wegman

Heidi Blankenship

Eva Dobilas

Beate Johns

Sharon Harnist

Barbara Anders

Sharon Johnson

Deb Saaranen

Becca Feeken

Kazan Clark

Lauren Meader

Tammy Hershberger

Linda Beeson

Jenny Gropp

Tanis Giesbrecht

Jenn Balcer

Lisa Somerville

Karen Maldonado

Pamela Smerker

Karen Taylor

Latisha Yoast

Julie Overby

Mary Pfaff

I’m still determined to get a head start on Christmas this year.  So, I cut some snowflakes with Sizzix dies and vanilla cardstock then added Diamond Dust chunky glass glitter.

Vintage Christmas Sentiments from Cornish Heritage Farms and Joyeux Noel snowflakes fill the circular image panel, and Kaiser pearls (latte) made  the finish it easy. The patterned paper is Merry Moments from Stampin’ Up!

I’ll have another Christmas project tomorrow. Thanks for stopping by, and have a fabulous evening.

Labor Day always means ‘dove season’ around here, so I thought this sweet birdie was appropriate. And, I love getting a head start on my Christmas projects and cards.

I paired Joyeux Noel and  Vintage Christmas Expressions from Cornish Heritage Farms with die-cut Nested Birds from Spellbinders. I have used these birds over and over, and I love that the smallest bird body becomes wings with just a snip of the beak.  I assembled and glittered several of these sweet critters while I was watching the premier episode of GLEE this weekend. (I don’t watch too much tv, but I think I’m gonna like this show. You can see the director’s pilot by clicking the link, and the season premier is on FOX this Wednesday evening.)

Two of my favorite people just headed out to the dove fields. I’ll stay behind to scurry around the stamp room. Whatever it brings, I hope your Labor Day is filled with your favorite things.

•  Stamps: Joyeux Noel & Vintage Christmas Expressions - Cornish Heritage Farms 
• Cardstock: Suede Dark Brown Prism, Real Red Stampin’ Up! and Merry Moments patterned paper Stampin’ Up! 
• Ink: Rich Cocoa & Desert Sand Memento - Tsukineko 
• Accs: pearls - Kaiser, chocolate brads - Pink Hedgehog Paper Crafts, snowflake die - Sizzix, scallop edge punch - Stampin’ Up!, circle and petite scalloped circle die - Spellbinders 

Julia has been doing some beautiful stamp design work with the Rummage Bin line at CHF. I adore this Sweet Bee set, and I thought I’d make up a few Honey Do Lists for the girls’ teachers. I was really looking for a way to use some of my layered and buttoned flowers and a few bits of the new October Afternoon: Farm Fresh.

On Saturday afternoon, I took a jar of big creamy Prima flowers and layered them and sewed on buttons while I wanted a movie with the girls. My oldest always wants to know why I don’t ‘just watch tv’. Well, the truth is it’s hard for me to just sit still and not do ‘something‘.  So, I watched a cute movie, completed about 15 or so big ole button blossoms and had some wonderful quality time with my family.

I even finished the inside with October Afternoon’s Farm Fresh - South Forty and Farm House patterns (available late August) paired up with Core’dinations Cardstock from the Vintage Collection - Autumn color:

inside quote: that is shall never come again makes life so sweet ~ emily dickinson

This skinny notebooks came from my stash. Like many of you, I buy the little legal pads at an office supply store and have them cut them down the middle for me. The store will cut the whole stack at one time with a nice crisp cut. The covers dimensions are easy: 8″ tall by 5 5/8″ wide - score at 2 5/8″ and then flip and score at 2 5/8″ from the other side. That leaves you with a 3/8″ ditch for the width of the legal pad. I attach the notebooks to the covers with a sticky tape. They aren’t going anywhere.

Mmm, paper buttoned blossoms and a lesson in fractions - all in one day.  I know Mish makes these notebooks a lot and has included lots of tips and tricks over time to make the covers, so I won’t re-invent the wheel.

I did have a little ah-ha! moment while I was working on these last night. I originally stamped the Honey Do List four or five times on white cardstock with brown Memento ink and colored with Copics (YR21, YR23, YR24 and W1) and then realized that I should have used cream cardstock. Since I got an air compressor for my Copics, I’ve been much more liberal with the air brushing, and I thought I’d try to change the tint of the cardstock because ivory would look much nicer with my flower and my printed paper. Easy peasy:

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that it shall never come again is what makes life so sweet - emily dickinson

Weekend Sketch Challenge time. Jenn handed out a darling sketch last night. I was excited to actually stamp with…wait for it…more than one color of ink pad. Can you believe it? Espresso and Latte ink. I know - life on the wild side.

One of the things I miss about doing design team work is chatting regularly with my friend, Julia. She’s just as busy as ever, and I love what she’s been doing with the Rummage Bin line from CHF.  This set is the bees-knees.  The sentiment is one of several from the set Ornamental Beauties, also Rummage Bin.

More subtle  coloring and a little clear glaze accent on the bee bodies.

More beautiful samples if you stop by and see Beate, Charmaine, Jenn and sweet Sharon.

• Stamps: Sweet Bees, Ornamental Beauty and Ornamental Borders - Rummage Bin from Cornish Heritage Farms
• Cardstock: Vanilla Smooth, Suede Dark and Suede Light Brown - Prism
• Ink: Latte & Espresso Adirondack Dye - Ranger
• Accs: Bazzill paper flowers, stick pen - Fancy Pants, label punch - Stampin’ Up!, ribbon - May Arts, pearls - Mark Richards

Felt great to be able to stamp first thing this morning. Told you yesterday I’d be using Cutie Kim’s again this week. Great sketch by Roxie at Splitcoaststampers today.  Hope you find time to stamp.

I’m always volunteering my sweet hubby to BBQ for this function or that get-to-gether or this fundraiser. He’s so sweet and agreeable. The next time I over-commit him without his knowledge, I’ll pull this out and write a sweet note inside and beg for mercy.

• Stamps: Summer Trees by Kim Hughes - available 05/07/09 from CHF
• Cardstock: Baja Breeze & Real Red (Stampin’ Up!), Simply Smooth White (Prism), Spring Willow Light (Prism)
• Ink: Baja Breeze (Stampin’ Up!), Ladybug & Pear Tart Memento and Black
• Accessories:  BBQ paper (Adorn It), Oval & Scalloped Oval Punch (Stampin’ Up!), Ribbon Trim die-cut (Sizzix), sky brads (Pink Hedgehog Papercrafts)

Cutie Kim Hughes has a new stamp set release on Thursday this week. Summer Trees is her set for the month, and being married to a BBQ man, I think it’s darling. OK, honestly, have you ever laid eyes on a KH set that wasn’t darling? I’ll find lots of uses for this one in the coming months. 

I sat down last night and made 3 pretty quick cards with Summer Trees set and my Wild Raspberry K&Company stuff. Small prints perfect for paper piecing and larger prints for backgrounds. So yummy! I found the new collection at Archivers on Saturday, and LOVE the patterned paper. I got some glittered adhesive border strips (hearts here) and cool rhinestones, as well. I’m going to do my best to use it like crazy this week. I hit the sentiment with my clear Spica glitter pen, and it’s much easier to read the sentiment IRL. Don’t be afraid to stamp on your patterned paper.

I have lunch plans with a special friend who is passing thru my neck of the woods today. Very excited about that! Only wish we were going to have time to stamp and chat and giggle the night away like we would when we both lived in Wichita.

I’m also knee deep in PTO stuff this week, and it’s the countdown to year-end.  I can’t believe that summer is just peeking around the corner. I say bring it on! WELCOME SUMMER!

See you tomorrow!

Love me some good Kim Hughes rubber! Look at this little guy! I thought she was darling til Jenn reminded me he was a he. I said, how do you know? She’s like…dude! the beard. I need some sleep. LOL!

This is for Charmaine’s Weekend Sketch Challenge today. Check out the sketch and then grab some goods and play along.  You can see other great samples from my Girl Friday friends: Beate, Cambria, Jenn, Laurie, Mary Jo & Sharon.

• Stamps: Whimsical Wishes - (Cornish Heritage Farms)
  
• Cardstock: Teal - Frosted & Dark (Prism), White & Meg Paisley pattern paper (Making Memories)
  
• Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento) 
• Accs: Copics, Dazzling Diamonds, Ribbon, Flowers 

Here’s a quickie…based on Taylor’s Sketch. I love how easy it is to make a fast card with stamps from the Kim Hughes line. The sentiment and clover are from Sweet Spring. The textured cardstock is Core’dinations. Using 2 CHF Backgrounders: PinDot and Pretty Pattern, this card qualifies for the Friday Limited Supply Challenge (use stamps to make your own patterned paper) this week, too. How’s that for fast!

If you stopped by looking for a winner on the Friday Sketch, I’ll be posting Tuesday night at 10:00 p.m. central. Have a great day!