And by tomorrow I mean today.....

Okay okay okay- I know I said tomorrow last post but do I have to mention again I am pokey? LOL!
I made this scrapbook page with some of the papers sent in Rita's wonderful RAK. It is for hubby Joe's first published e book "Beneath My Garden of Eden". I loved the contrast of the stripes and the background paper (which by the way has awesome phrases on it!). The flourish and letters are cardboard covered in pages from an old dictionary, then inked and in the case of the flourish, painted, crackled and inked some more.  I tried to set off the book cover with the blue photo mounts so it did not get too lost in the design - the photo print is poor as I printed it at home on my printer- I must get organized and get some photos printed so I can do more pages!

Watch tomorrow (ha ha) to see if I finish the page for Joe's second published e book - it is all laid out but needs to be fine tuned and stuck together....wonder how long that will take me.....

a pause, a re-direction, and a RAK -

September 2012 - I am determined I am going to get back to crafting and reading blogs (have you missed me?) - so here I am! I am trying to recreate my reading list and adding new as I discover them. I have missed seeing all the great products and inspiration you bring to me. I have not crafted in over 6 months- but I am determined to get my mojo back and be creative every day - even if it's for a few minutes!
I may not share it all but I will be here creating - scrapbook pages, cards, jewelry, quilts and sewn items, mixed media and several big home projects. It will feel good to have dirty hands again with dye and  ink.
Please do not think I have been sitting around doing nothing for the past year and a half- I have been way too busy - I just never seem to have enough time (I know I am pokey but that is for another day...). Right now my days are a bit freer, my mind a bit clearer (not the right word but you get the idea), and my energy level a tad bit higher - let's see if I can use the time to get some projects done!

So what is the perfect way to start this new journey? It came in the form of a RAK from Rita Barakat and her Let's Embellish blog.  And it came on my birthday!  Somebody was giving my a huge hint that I am on the right path- LOL!
Now it has taken me a couple of weeks to get this together (I had a huge project  - then needed to put my house back together after ignoring it for a bit!). So my photograph of all she sent may be missing some items as I have already played with it, used it and drooled over it...... But look at all these goodies---- if this was not enough to inspire me nothing would!

Wow! 
 What a bushel of kindness this is - I know my photography skills are lacking but you simply can not believe how much was in this stuffed full priority box! And check out the fab card and star she sent. I could not get it to photograph but they are so beautiful- they are on acrylic and have this wonderful texture added to them and are shiny and sparkly and so drool worthy!

Thank you Rita!







So what have I created..... I guess you have to come back and see....I will be posting a scrapbook page tomorrow...

Joe is ....... PUBLISHED!!!!

 The hubster has published a short novel/ book on Amazon's kindle! It is available for your Kindle for  $0.99 or for free if you have Amazon Prime.

To read about it...go here..... Beneath My Garden of Eden.....

Way to go Joe!!!

A Sentimental Journey with May Arts Ribbon

 A sentimental journey....May Arts Ribbon's February challenge conjurers ups such sweet images and emotions. May Arts sent four ribbons and you had to use all four on your project.  My journey began the moment I laid eyes on the ribbon selection- I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it- I wanted to create an old fashion lingerie envelope. I knew I probably wouldn't be tucking it into my dresser just yet though so I wanted to make it yummy enough to sit out for the month of February! The idea at first was to use plain fabric to make the envie but as I was looking through my stash I came across this wonderful vintage linen from my Mother in law. I am not sure if it is one she or her mom had made but I suspect it is. (A lesson learned late- ask all your questions now before it is too late- there are so many questions we wish we knew the answers to!) I hand sewed a plain fabric onto the front to make a pocket so not to destroy the linen piece. The linen simply flips over to form the flap. I made a heart pin to attach on the front but it can be removed and used as a piece of jewelry. The front is decorated with all four ribbons as well as some vintage buttons and a cute gold floral pin that just so happened to be laying around out on the cutting table while I was working on this project (like it was meant to be!). I made a card  using all four ribbons as well, this time using  Stampin' up doily stamp.

So here is my Valentine sentimental journey, inside I will tuck away a picture of my mother-in-law, a note about the linen, and maybe some small treasures. Oh, and the Valentine part, the heart of course but also my mother in law's birthday was Feb 14th.

 Thank you May Arts Ribbon.....

I should have posted this one on Superbowl Sunday....

This card was for my oldest son's birthday back in July of last year. His birthday fell on the day our local village celebrates the 4th with fireworks so I made him this fireworks and beer card. The beer can is cut from wrapping paper that I picked up in a garage sale- I just knew it would be perfect for some male cards! I simply cut out the can, layered it on some card stock and cut that out and the focal piece was created....easy breezy....

Stay tuned, my younger son's birthday was a week later and yes, he too, received a beer card.......

Time for a Warm Mug of Cocoa......

Based on the sketch for CPS 252 this card was created using a wonderful Inky Antics stamp, Marshmallow Friends by Tammy DeYoung. I received this stamp set, along with two others, from Jackie at Inky Antics. Not only did she send me these sets but she introduced me to a new family favorite game, Pictionary! Thank you Jackie!

I am also using this card for the January challenge at Papercrafts Connection- there is nothing like being last minute...

And on the subject of thank yous,  I won this pack of Authentique paper and twine from suburbNgypsy. The two sided paper is beautiful! I have not yet made anything from it (bad me!) but I need to get the thank you out. Please check out the suburbNgypsy blog- she makes amazing creations!

This could be a first for me...

The OWH Stars and Stamps blog posted sketch #105 this morning and I made the card already today! Usually I never even get the sketch done....good intentions but time is one thing I definitely do not have good management of!
Off to work on some other projects......

A Huge Thank You to Scrap-Mart

This December I was one of the grand prize winners st Scrap-Mart and I won this wonderful
Spellbinders package. I could barely contain my excitement- what an amazing group of dies! And look- some exclusive Scrap-mart ones! These are extra special!!!! I can not say enough.... but I will say this Scrap-Mart Rocks!!!!!
So go on over and check out their site- they carry amazing products (at super prices!). Tell them debb sent you!
Now excuse me, I need to go die cut something.....
debb

Twirling Chicks

 

Twirling chicks....yes, seriously, they twirl...this is a spinner card. An experiment of sorts, if I made it again I think it would be more effective with just one twirling or maybe one twirling and two stabilized on the bottom as stoppers....  Can you tell I just think and babble to myself as I write...lol...

I won a gift certificate to DeNami Design and selected these chick stamps along with a couple of others- (and as long as I was ordering... I might as well buy a couple right?). I really loved the way the chicks are tumbling and thought why not try a spinner card- and why not try a circular one - I am sure it has been done before and I probably should have searched for some instructions but that is not me...I just like to make it up as I go...lol... 

 

And one more shout out to Copic Markers- I won this one from their ten days of giveaways. Woo hoo....love my copics!!!!

Fashionably Late... in many ways....

Always behind....or fashionably late...yep that's me! I could not help the play on words on this cards as it serves double duty... I might use it as a belated birthday card...or it may go on a scrapbook page that befits the theme...but it also refers to all the bloggy thank yous I need to post about, beginning with this one! I won this stamp set over at Lisa Pace's Antiquated Collection facebook page and am sending a big thank you out to Lisa and Pink Persimmon for sending it to me!
Go on- check out the links- the stamps are amazing!