My "love" for Barb . . . and apologies

On the 5th of every month, the blogging group I'm in (if they don't kick me out) celebrates and honors one of its members.  For the month of April it is Barb.  Please check out her beautiful blog and creations, here.

This is my card to honor Barb.  She has a real knack for choosing beautiful, bright, happy colors.  I love the layouts she uses for her creations.  They are simply gorgeous!!

This was the source for my inspiration:

Good Luck Turtle from her March 12th post.  As you can see my personal spin, a fairy.  I do love creatures of fantasy.  

You can also see, I'm 2 days late (and many $$ short).  I'm so sorry for my tardiness.  Life has truly gotten away from me.  Hopefully with the arrival of spring and longer days I will be better.  

Have a wonderful day and thanks for looking!!

My "love" for Carolina

This month the Crafty Gals Blog Group is celebrating Carolina.  She has a very bright and cheerful style and often sews on her beautiful cards (I love that!).   Checkout her wonderful creations, here.   I couldn't unearth my sewing machine (or the table where I work to put the sewing machine upon) so I stamped the stitches (with an A*muse Studio boarder stamp).  The paper was from my "scrap" pile and the image came from a friend.   The image is colored with watercolor pencils.  The bling and flowers are also from my stash.

Here is my inspiration from Carolina (here):

Also in true Carolina Style, I rotated her layout and made my card horizontal instead of vertical.  Thanks for looking!!

Trying Something New

Have you heard of Paint Fusion?  It's One-Stroke Brush Painting meets Rubber Stamping.  Sheena Douglas developed this technique.  I was very interested when it came to the US (via Crafter's Companion, here), but decided, I don't need to take on another medium.  Well one day someone on SplitCoast was selling her Pain Fusion Supplies.  It was a sign!!!  That was probably at least 6 months ago.  Yesterday I played for the first time, not so bad.  This card will go to my Aunt Ruth for her birthday.  Thanks for looking!

Stamps:  Paint Fusion-Rose

Ink:  Recollections Dye-Black

Paper:  Canson Bristol, Recollections Card Stock

Misc:  Arcyrlic Paint, Sparkle Spray Mist

My "love" for Jeanette

This month Crafty Gals Blog Group is showing our "love" for Jeanette Cloyd's work.  Here is my love. . .

Stamps:  {ippity} by Unity 

Paper:  Recollections Card Stock, Page from a rescued Hymnal

Ink:  Recollections Dye Ink 

Misc: Rhinestones

Yes, the background paper is from an actual Hymnal.  I found it in the recycling bin at school one day (with many others).  I used to teach in Catholic schools, I'm sure a priest said a blessing before they were tossed.  They were "well loved;" you could tell by the broken spines and covers hanging on by a thread.  I rescued one to use on my projects.  

Here is my inspiration from Jeanette's blog, see all of her beautiful creations, here.

Mine doesn't even come close to her elegant work (see her original post, here).

In true honor of Jeanette I even finished the inside:

Jeanette, THANK YOU for the INSPIRATION!

Mixed Media Challenge

Stamps:  Recollections Garden Gnome

Paper:  Amuse Studio Cherry, K & Co. pattern w/ Gesso painted over

Ink:  Versa Mark and Black Embossing Powder

Other:  Inktense Pencils, Amuse Studio le pouf

After following Creative JumpStart 2013 (and learning a lot), I was so excited to find out SplitCoastStampers is starting a Mixed Media Challenge on Fridays, learn more here.  This week's challenge, Yin Yang, use a matte medium (Gesso) and a shiny medium (embossing poweder) on your project.  I'm going to give this card to a friend who is moving in to her first apartment.

I decided to keep an Art Journal for this challenge too:

Stamps:  Recollections-Moths

Paper: K & Co. w/ Gesso painted over

Ink:  Versa Mark with Black Embossing Powder, Recollections Black Dye Ink

Other:  Stencil with Tattered Angels spray ink

Thanks for looking!

Been Busy

 I'm in a card and tag swap over at SCS.  I'm in the window card group and the dressform tag group (obviously).  

The lighthouse stamp - Stampendous

 the dressform (French Manor) and window (from a Christmas cartridge, can't remember the name) were cut with the Cricut, 

the tags on top of the dressform - Tim Holtz 

script background - Hero Arts stamp.  

I went to visit friends at the school where I taught last year.  One of my friends is having a birthday, so I made her a few cards:

 I made her a set of six, these are the duplicates I made.  I forgot to take a picture of the others before I wrapped them.

Sock Monkey Stamp - Stampin' Up

Birthday Wishes - {ippity} by Unity

St. Patrick's Day card - Made with a kit from a swap

Steampunk Owl - Hero Arts

Corner and Clock - Theresa Collins

Thanks for looking!!

Very Girlie!!

 I bought one of those Balsa Wood Boxes at Michael's (the ones in the $1.50 bin).  I decided to cover it in paper and it was perfect for 24 crayons.  The most amazing thing, I didn't cut one new sheet of cardstock/paper, I found this in my scrap bin.  :)

I'm in LOVE with FRENCH ROMANCE (at least this week).  So I made this album I used stashed chipboard (backs of desk calendars), Webster's Pages paper, SU paper and stamps, the ring binder is from My Craft Channel, lace scraps, scrap fabric, and an old brooch.

The inside pages are from Webster's Pages.  I folded a pocket with a scrap piece of paper from a previous project.  Thanks for looking!!