Boxed in -- in the Laundry Room

Today while in the laundry room between loads, I decided to try a little box project from Andrea Walford. You can find it here -- thanks to my being directed there by Sue's Stamping Stuff. Four hours later, my laundry isn't done and my studio is a mess. But I have had so much fun putting these little boxes together. From Andrea's basic pattern, I've added a box lining and a little tab to help open the box for that one lucious piece of chocolate I'm putting inside for my friends. My idea is that I buy a big box of chocolates and give them out one at a time in these little boxes -- and maybe there will still be some chocolate left in the big box for ME! (Andrea's instructions use 5x7 cardstock so that the box will hold two truffles -- these are made with 4x7)

But the funniest part of this project is when I made a list of the supplies and tools I used.
Are you ready?
Michael's $1 stamp "Sent With Love", "Dream" (unknown), "Heart Flourish" - Hero Arts,
"Love" from Costco, Inkums Pocket Stamp sets, The path..." and "Friend" - Stampendous
Pantone Tria marker, Prismacolor Markers, DCWV cardstock, Tim Holtz Faded Jeans, Memories Crimson Red and Midnight Blue, Xyron sticker maker, carpet tape, Art Institute Glitter, McGill 1/1/6 deckle square punch, 1/8 ' hole punch, Emagination Fern punch, Sizzix butterfly, border strip, ribbon and ribbon rose from stash,
foam heart stickers - Michaels, foam mounts, ScorPal,
Stickles and Diamond Glaze.

Did you count? Ah, no wonder my studio is a mess with all these things pulled out on the worktable! Last load of wash in the machine and I'm back to my big box of chocolate. -- I'll clean my studio "later."

Love is in the Air

On Sunday, a Stamping' Sisters in Christ Challenge design team member Randi (go visit her blog -- she is such an inspiration) wrote in her challenge this week: "We are just a week away from Valentine's Day and I have been busy making cards for friends and family, as I know you are, too. Thinking about all the love that is in the air I was drawn to the scripture that shows us how God views the earthly love between a man and a woman." Her Scripture choice: Mark 10: 7-9 "7. 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, 8. and the two will become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one. 9. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." (NASB) Her challenge: one creation incorporating two kinds of the same items - such as 2 different colors of cardstock, 2 different pieces of patterned paper, etc. A major task but here is my "Love is in the Air" as a 5x7 step ladder card -- template from Penny Wessenauer.Two different poodles, flowers, hearts, cardstocks, cuttlebug embossing folders, ink pads, and two different "Eiffel's" -- if you count the shadow -- all to become "one" love.


I am also sharing this with the Rainbow Lady's Challenge for "Seasons" -- I choose Spring!
Now you have the whole kit and "poodle". LOL Thanks for visiting -- gotta go make another one of these for my DGD which will say "I love you an Eiffel lot!"

Stuff I used: Sizzix dies, Memories Ink pads, Art Institute Glitter, Black Sharpie, Cuttlebug Embossing folders, dimensional dots, gems from stash, Emagination edgers, Michael's $1 stamp (my souvenire from Nashville).

You & Me

What a great prize to be had at Mo's Digital Challenge blog. One lucky person will receive a Mo's Digital image for participating in this week's challenge. Go on over and take a look at the beautiful DT creations and join in. The challenge is "wood" or "would you?" Would you guess which I have portrayed? There is a wooden sign hanging atop the wreathe in testament of love -- so there is wood and "would you be mine." I appreciate so much having this Mo freebie to layer and tole. The wreathe has been "roughed" up a bit by slicing it with a craft knife and adding bits of raffia which also binds the wreathe together.

The "love birds" have been colored my favorite color (blue) with prismacolor pencils and OMS. You & Me? -- Your comments mean a lot to me!

Other stuff: You & Me (unknown), MS Border Punch (brand new!!) Prismacolor markers,
Ink pads: Tim Holz faded jeans, Memories Port Red, Brilliance pearlescent orange
Ribbon frm stash, Diamond Glaze, dimensionals, and a brad

Here is My Heart

Here is my Heart to express my Love in a Valentine to my DH. I have always been especially in love with vintage greeting cards -- so it was easy for me to take on the challenge over at Peggy Loves Vintage blog spot. Peggy offers this delightful vintage heart image for her challenge. Another challenge blogspot where I like to play is C.R.A.F.T. -- and this week's challenge is Love/Valentine. For my heart, I used the image to frame a Hampton Arts stamp by resizing the image and printing four copies. From these, I created four layers by removing more of the details with each layer --the last layer is just the gold frame. The layers were embossed and joined together with glue/ dimensionals.

Other Stuff I used: Hampton Arts Stamp; Marvy heart punch, Fiskars border punch, Diamond Glaze, Art Institute Glitter,
machine stitching (with and without thread) and a ribbon rose for detailing.

And there you have "my heart".

Cookies!

Got your attention? Stamping Sister's in Christ offer this week's scripture for contemplation: Matthew 18:4 "Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." And, for the challenge: make a card or project with an image of a child or childlike things on it (such as toys or a saying about children), but not a baby card. This week's prize is three ever so darling images from Mo's Digitals -- so how could I not join in the fun? The image I used for my shopping pad was a Mo's freebie to show how adorable these images are (colored with prismacolor pencils and OMS)! I didn't fancy this project up with a lot of embellies because Louis and Bronte are all about eating cookies and not frills. The notepad holder is a great creation by Nichole Heady at www.papertreyink.com -- you can find it here. I changed the dimensions and used 12X12 DCWV card stock to accommodate the size of my notepad. Visit Stampin' Sisters in Christ Blogspot for inspiration and not just in card making!

I gotta go finish my grocery list -- but as you can see "cookies" are at the top of my list!

Count Your Blessings

For the C.R.A.F.T challenge asking for creations using paper piecing, these little sheep were delighted to oblige by sporting new coats of paper piecing. Super easy and a delight to make. Sizzlets lamb die, cardstock layers ending with a daisy print background and handwritten edging "...count your blessings instead of sheep."

Don't forget to count your blessings and name them one by one!

Skylar Flies Again!

Skylar flies again! -- While I am vacationing away from my studio here's something from archives. No worry, I'll be back soon and visiting everyone who passes by here. Thanks for all your visits and comments.

As for Me...

Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge is to make a project about the home to reference "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15. Additional challenges for me were to use a mix of pattern paper, sewing, and stamping on patterns after reading an article by one of my favorite designers Julia Stainton. Julia's great article is over at Ellen Hutson's. This oversized easel card (8 1/2 x 5 1/2) has as the "stopper" a cuttlebug textured throw rug which would not be complete without a little kitty and a ball of yarn. I have been fussing with this project for several days and while rummaging around in my studio I was delighted to discover a stamp I didn't know I had: Joshua 24:15 in the frame. Ta Dah! -- I was then inspired! So I cast aside all the ribbons and embellies I had been working with in favor of making just a comfortable little home spot. Some of the details: the pillows and kitty are on dimensionals, the frame has diamond glaze for the glass in the frame, and the sofa doiley is touched with glitter. Speaking of inspiration, I encourage you to visit the challenge spot to view all the creativity from the design team members -- Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge. And, speaking of kitties, when I went outside to photograph this card -- look who was on the roof supervising:

Stamps: Hero Arts, G-rated, Darcie, Stampendous, Background (stripes) unknown
Art Institute Glitter, Diamond Glaze, Cuttlebug Embossing Folder
watercolor pencils, prismacolor markers
Lots of fussing around time

Thanks so much for stopping by, please let me know what you think.

Awarded Stampin' Sisters in Christ Shining Star!

Pear - fect Sense

To me, it makes pear-fect sense to recycle and what could be a more beautiful recycle material than commercial (not handmade -- no never!) greeting cards. After the Holidays run those cards through your shredder to create a new life for all that color, gold and sparklies. I made the background with haphazard stamping (maker unknown) and ran it through a corrugator. You can see a previous post a couple of cards down for more information. I will add this to a challenge post for the rainbow lady -- and since I am aka, "theneon" (short for the neon rainbow) I couldn't resist her recycle challenge. Go visit the rainbow lady here.

Make it a Royal

Card Trick No. 9 - Another Royal Flush to wish a friend a Royal Birthday. A Cuttlebug embossed background sets off the Royal Flush playing cards -- a queen cut out from another card reigns supreme and shows where her heart is. The cards are lightly sponged with Memories Red Barn.; fern leaf punch - Emaginations; little green flowers, stash, and "Make it a Royal" is by my hand. Hope you receive the Royal treatment today.

See other card tricks under titles: King for a Day, Drama Queen, Gogh have great Birthday, A Perfect Pair, Lucky Draw, Queen of Diamonds, Queen for a Day, High Handed

Cuppa

I love recycling -- and here's one of my favorites for this time of year when it is time to put away all that Christmas stuff. Don't discard those beautiful "commercial" greeting cards when you can make a beautiful cuppa like this! Please note that this project is NOT intended for handmades! Run the cards through a shredder (gasp) for uniform strips. Remove the liner from one side of a piece of carpet tape and apply the strips in a pleasing pattern. When you have a piece large enough, remove the other liner to expose the second adhesive side and apply to a piece of card stock -- and then cut out a cup shape. The steam is random cuts from cardstock and the Embossing Arts flower has crystal laquer and was applied with a pop dot. This is a great project for traveling -- very few supplies are needed -- just a baggie of shredded cards, scissors and carpet tape. I had many an entertaining evening in my hotel room when I was working out of town with just these few items. Come on back -- there are more ideas to share!

Hope for the New Year

Stampin' Sisters in Christ's challenge is to make a New Year's card inspired by Psalm 25:4-5 "Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior and my hope is in you all day long." This Judi-Kins stamp has been a favorite of mine for a very long time though I've never inked it -- so I was glad it offered an opportunity to start the new year right. My New Year's resolution is to let no stamp go uninked! The design team over at SSCC has done their awesome best for this challenge -- go take a look. And while you are surfing around -- please visit the Cupcake Craft Challenge to see some great work there for the challenge "A Time for Celebration" where I've also submitted this card. And, while I was surfing around myself, I found another New Year's card challenge at the Lily of the Valley Challenge Blog -- go see! Happy New Year everyone! Oh, and by the way, my son has approved this design. LOL

Stuff I used: Stamps - Judi-kins, Inkadinkado, River City Rubber Works, Cuttlebug folders, gems, Art Institute Glitter