RAK's needed! Please!

I have a very important request for all my readers! I am requesting RAK (Random Act of Kindness) cards for a sweet dear little girl named Mikayla Frazier. She is 5 years old and is undergoing 70 chemo treatments for a brain tumor. Yes...I did say 70 treatments! She has had a bumpy road and she and her family could use some encouragement. You can check out her caringbridge site at: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/mikaylafrazier

Thank you so much for taking the time to send a card to this family! Their address is:

The Frazier Family
1505 Edgewood Dr.
Kendallville, IN 46755

Lovely Christmas Cards!

I just wanted to share some of the handmade Christmas cards I have received in the mail. They are great! Thanks!

I'm not sure how to type the text next to the picture, so....here is the credit roll! Lisa Stuckey stamped the red Merry card, Valerie Strycker made the Christmas Blessing card, Jill Floyd made the purple snowflake card, Tracey Ihrie made the Season of Joy card, Nikki Holt made the snowflake card, and Krystal Gresock made the blue penguin card.

Thank you so much for these cards! I know how much work it takes to make them and I appreciate it! I didn't get mine done this year... at least not yet! Thanks for looking! :)

Teacher Gifts

Hi Everyone! I just wanted to share what I made for teacher gifts this year. The are monthly calendars that are held in a slim jewel CD case. I can't get all the months in the case at once so I put them in a plastic bag. They were pretty easy to make. I bought the calendar template from http://kwernerdesign.com/blog/stuff-to-buy/. I love her simple, clean designs. It is snowing like crazy here! What a nice day to bake cookies and work on Christmas cards! Have a great day!

It's Cold!

I can't believe that it is December! Where does time go? Hope you all have a great weekend! Thank you for visiting my blog.

Here is the recipe:

Stamps: Cold Play

Ink: Basic Black, Real Red, Pumpkin Pie, Handsome Hunter

Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black, Real Red

Accesories: Dazzling Diamonds, Pop Dots, Black Gossgrain Ribbon

Happiest of Holidays

I'm glad to be back posting a little bit on my blog! I had a Christmas card class this week and this was one of the cards we made. This is one of my favorite retired SU sets. I just got this 5/8" wide gossgrain ribbon and wanted to make my card look like a present. Hope everyone is having fun preparing for the holidays! Thank you for looking at my blog!

Here is the recipe:

Stamps: Happiest of Holidays

Ink: Always Artichoke, Purely Pomegranate

Paper: Always Artichoke, Purely Pomegranate

Accessories: Certainly Celery 5/8" ribbon, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter

Turkey Talk

I know that Thanksgiving is past...but I wanted to share the cutest card that my sister-in-law received for Thanksgiving. It was made by Tina DeWitt. He's a little worn from sitting in my kitchen a week waiting for his picture to be taken, but what a cute turkey!!!!! I've seen paper twilling...but not like this! Great card Tina!!!

Giving Thanks

I would like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! Thank you for checking out my blog! I haven't had much time to stamp lately and I am looking forward to having some time to add some new goodies to my blog.

Snowflakes!

I've said this before....I wish there was a better way to photograph glitter! This card is so much prettier in person! I really love cards with snowflakes on them. I can't believe this week is Thanksgiving already too! I have so much to be thankful for!

Here is the recipe:

Stamps: The Snowflake Spot

Ink: Night of Navy

Paper: Night of Navy, Bordering Blue

Accessories: Dazzling Diamonds, 2-way glue

Snowman Domino Pins

This last week at my group meeting we played with dominoes. I haven't really stamped on them before so it was more like "what not to do when stamping with dominoes"! In all the dominoes I sanded them first and then colored them all with watercolor pencils and an aqua painter.

In the first picture I covered the domino with crystal effects. The color really faded once the crystal effects were on. Mine is old, so I don't know if that is why is dried a little discolored too. The domino didn't look white anymore.

In the second picture I didn't use crystal effects I just sprayed the domino to seal it with a matte spray. Of course I sprayed too close and the image smeared a bit (I do that EVERY time!)

The last picture I like the best (besides the air bubbles). I covered it with Arlene's clear tacky glue and let it dry.

It was fun to see what worked best. Leave me a comment and let me know what you use on your dominoes! Thanks! Have a great weekend! :)

Bud Basic Birthday

My husband's Grandma had her 84th birthday this week and this was the card we gave her. I'm ready to start thinking about Spring flowers now that Halloween is over! I did a little thinking about the holiday season today to try to reduce all the stress that happens that time of year. I'm going to enjoy the holidays this year because I'm going to be more prepared! (At least I keep telling myself that!) I wish I could capture the glitter better with my camera...does anyone have any suggestions?

Have a great rest of the weekend!

Here is the recipe:

Stamps: Hugs and Wishes, Bud Basics

Paper: Pretty in Pink, Chocolate Chip

Ink: Pretty in Pink, Chocolate Chip

Square Simply Said

Have you ever made the same mistake three times while making a project? For some reason I have my red ink pad super juicy and it was taking forever for the red to dry on this card. Three times in a row I smeared it as I worked on the card. You would think I would be more patient. I let it go (which is not easy for me) and used the third smeared sample. This is an easy little square card. Thanks for looking at my blog and have a wonderful fall weekend! Here is the recipe:

Stamps: Simply Said, Hugs and Wishes

Ink: Real Red, Basic Black

Paper: Real Red, Basic Black, Whisper White

Accessories: Hodgepodge Hardware, Black Gingham Ribbon

Sweet, Sweet Charmaine

Check out this RAK! This is the first one I have ever received from a blogging friend. Thanks so much Charmaine! You HAVE to check out this talented gals website: http://www.oodabugalley.blogspot.com/.

She is a super busy gal...not only is she on design teams, she is expecting her 3rd bambino soon!

Thank you for being so sweet Charmaine!

Card Swap!

I just wanted to share the great cards I received in our card swap with some of my friends at the retreat! I hope you can see them all okay. Thanks to Jen, Rachel, Patty, and Chris for the cards! They all look great!

Warmest Wishes

This time of year just doesn't last long enough for me! Maybe that is why it is so precious, because it is so short. If I was to do this card again, I'd probably stamp "Warm Wishes" in a darker color. Oh well! Thank you for looking at my blog today! Here is the recipe:

Stamps: With Gratitude

Paper: Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, Whisper White

Ink: hmm...it is an old Kaleidoscope pad...can't remember the name...sorry!

Accessories: Paper piercer, Linen thread

Feelin' like a Bella day

I just adore these little Bella gals. I found this scrapbook paper and thought it would be the perfect background for this card. I'm sorry that at the moment I can't remember the manufacturer of this paper. What am I going to do when SU discontinues my favorite new color Blue Bayou? Anyway, until then, I will use it as much as I can! I tried to 'ground' Bella by adding a blue floor. She just looked like she was floating before I did that. Hope everyone has a relaxing weekend. Thank you for looking at my blog!

Here is the recipe:

Stamps: Cosomobella

Ink: Basic Black, Regal Rose, Blue Bayou, Blush Blossom, Close to Cocoa, Old Olive, Bashful Blue

Paper: Old Olive, Blue Bayou, Regal rose

Accessories: Aqua Painter

My Own Color Challenge

This past weekend I visited a scrapbook store and I saw a line of products by American Craft that used the colors soft sky, black, and sand. I loved the color combo! So I went back to the retreat and tried to make a card using those colors. Here is the finished project! It seems like I'm running out of time to use "Garden Whimsey". It feels like a spring/summer stamp to me. Thank you for looking at my blog. I hope you all have a great day!

Here is the recipe:
Stamps: Garden Whimsey
Paper: Soft Sky, Basic Black, Whisper White, Sand
Ink: Soft Sky, Basic Black, Soft Sky
Accessories: Black Gingham Ribbon

It's a Block Party

This weekend I had my bi-annual retreat with all my scrapbooking and stamping friends. I was able to get so much done! I can't wait to share it with you online. This is a card that I made for a charity auction for our local hospice. I am so into monochromatic right now. The simpler, the better for me! Thanks to my friend Jen for letting me borrow this stamp from "Block Party"! Also, thank you to all my friends who come to my retreat each year. We had about 35 ladies scrappin' all weekend. I love the time that I'm able to spend with these ladies and love looking at all their work! Thanks for checking out my blog. Here is the recipe:

Stamps: Block party, snow flurries

Ink: Purely Pomegranate

Paper: Purely Pom, Basic Black, Whisper White

Accessories: Double Stitched Purely Pom Ribbon, Foam Dots

Buggy Booglie Eyes

I just adore this little set. How can Halloween just be about 2 weeks away? Hope everyone in blogging land is doing well today. Thanks for looking!

Here is the recipe:

Stamp: Booglie Eyes, Flexible Phrases

Ink: Basic Black

Paper: WW, BB, Only Orange

Accessories: Wiggly Eyes from Walmart

I'm Back...Featured Sunday Stamper

Here is my entry for the Featured Stamper Challenge on www.splitcoaststampers.com. Check out StamperTammy's gallery here. On the website I forgot to list the changes I had made...oops! This is the first time I've done this challenge. Click here to see Tammy's card that I cased.

I'm getting ready this week for my weekend scrapbook/stamping retreat that I host two times a year. I really look forward to this weekend. A group of 6 ladies has grown to about 50 in the last 8 years. One of the best things about this hobby is making new friends. I have met so many women whose paths I may not have crossed with if it weren't for paper crafting. Here is the recipe to this card:

Stamps: Garden Whimsey

Ink: Wild Wasabi

Paper: Cutie Pie DP, So Saffron, Wild Wasabi

Accessories: Purely Pomegranate Double Stitched Ribbon

Thanks for looking!!!

Bad Blogger

Hi Everyone! I've been a BAD blogger this week! I'll be back tomorrow. Heading to Michigan State today for the IU vs. MSU game. Go IU!!!!!

Think Pink!

When I first saw this little stamp set online, I knew I just HAD to order it. Do you ever feel that way about stamps? You just HAVE to have them? Anyway, I don't own very many acrylic stamps. I did like that they are going to be very easy to store and easy to take on and off the acrylic block. One thing I didn't like is how dirty they looked after I used them! I know....I know....rubber stains too. Another nice thing about this stamp set is that they are giving a portion of sales this month to cancer causes - BONUS! You can find this little stamp set and many other eye pleasing sets at http://www.mftstamps.com/home/homepage.html. I can't believe I am typing this...but...I'm enjoying coloring a little bit more than I used to. Anyone who truly knows me knows I DO NOT LIKE TO COLOR! Anyway, thanks for looking at my blog. I hope you all had a good weekend!

Here is the recipe:

Stamps: Think Pink by My Favorite Things

Ink: I used the aqua painter and picked up ink from Taken with Teal, Soft Sky, Regal Rose, Blush Blossom, Chocolate Chip, Perfect Pink

Paper: Basic Grey Scrapbook Paper, Regal Rose

Accessories: Flirty Ribbon from SU (Retired), Foam Dots

Another Touch of Nature

While I had my Touch of Nature set out I decided to make one more card. I love the 3-D looks of cards when images are cut out. I'm not usually patient enough to color or cut out images, but these butterflies were really easy to cut out. This was a really easy card to make. I stamped the butterflies in Mellow Moss on Mellow Moss paper and then stamped them on WW and cut them out. Easy peasy.

Thank you so much for visiting my blog. I may not have many updates this weekend as we have our big Apple Festival in town and I'll be eating my way from one end to the other! :)

Here is the card recipe:

Stamps: Touch of Nature

Ink: Mellow Moss, Basic black

Paper: Mellow Moss, Basic Black, Whisper White

Accessories: Glue Dot for Butterflies

Something Simple

A few years ago I remember receiving a card that was similar to this this layout during a sell-a-bration swap. I can't remember the stamp set or the stamper. The card has stuck in my mind because I like the contrast of the white on the craft paper with the black border. It is a rainy day here in Indiana...so....I hope wherever you are reading this that it is sunny! Thanks for looking at my blog! Here is the recipe:

Stamps: Touch of Nature

Ink: Basic Black

Paper: Kraft, Whisper White, Basic Black

Accessories: None

I'm "HAPPY" about this card!

I sat down last night to make some cards. My goal was to keep things clean and simple. Goal met! This card makes me "Happy" for a couple of reasons:

1. It was super simple to make.

2. It uses my favorite new "in" colors from SU.

3. It used two stamps sets that haven't seen the light of day in a long, long, long time.

4. My Aunts retirement card is now done!

Thanks for looking at my blog! Here is the recipe:

Stamps: Seeing Spots, Happy Everything

Ink: Blue Bayou

Paper: Sahara Sand, Blue Bayou, Soft Sky

Accessories: Blue Bayou Double Stitched Ribbon

Booglie Eyes and More Booglie Eyes!

Last night I went over to a friends house and I had such a fun time making these cards! I going to put them into the club orders this month. My initial goal was to make cards each month...I'm modifying that to every other! LOL. I couldn't find any of my SU Halloween paper anywhere...so I had to stop at the local scrapbook store and pick up some. Thanks for looking!

Season of Joy

Fall is coming early here! This is my favorite time of year. This is the time of year I finally use my rich regal colors and earth elements. I'm trying to hang on to the spring/summer colors for as long as I can! I working on some cards for a silent auction for our local home health and hospice. I'm going to do a basket of all kinds of different Christmas cards.

Happy Thursday! Thanks for looking at my blog! Here is the recipe:

Stamps: Season of Joy

Paper: Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery

Ink: Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery

Accessories: Ribbon

Hope Is...

From personal experience, I know that it means a lot to get cards throughout your entire cancer treatments. I want to stock up on some cards for a friend going through treatment. I'm really into my neglected stamp sets right now. Even ones that are no longer available that I still hung onto. I hand wrote "ALWAYS" under the believe. I really never noticed the two holes in my stamp - do you see them in the ribbon? Oh well...probably none other like mine! Thanks for looking at my blog!

Here is the recipe:

Stamps: Hope Is...

Paper: Sahara Sand, Real Red, WW, BB

Ink: Real Red

Ribbon: Red, Black Gingham

Guestbook

I added a guestbook to my site. If you have time, please sign it! Thanks! :) Julie

Little Coaster Notebook

At the Midwest Scrapbook Convention my friends and I found ourselves buying the Bind-It All System. What a fun little machine! I was amazed at all the different things you can bind. I have a scrapbook retreat in October so I challenged us to make a project by then using our new tool. This is contribution to the challenge. Several months ago I bought coasters off Ebay to do something with them...well this is my something. I added pages to the coasters to make a little book to keep by my computer so I can remember the million passwords we need from site to site. Thanks for looking!

Stamp Set: Doodle This

Ink: Black Staz-On, Perfect Plum, Mellow Moss, So Saffron

Accessories: Bind-It All, Dazzling Diamonds (of course!), Aqua Painter and Sponge

Inspiration Challenge for SCS (IC94)

I'm home alone until 4 p.m today....no husband....no children....hmm.....laundry can wait! Time to stamp! I need to stamp! Here is my take on the Splitcoaststampers Inspiration Challenge. I was so happy to dig up this SU Fairy Nice set. I don't keep a lot of retired sets, but I have held on to this one. It was nice to get it out and inked up! Have a great weekend and thank you so much for looking at my blog!

Here is the recipe:

Stamps: Fairy Nice

Ink: Basic Black, Lovely Lilac, Lavender Lace, Sage Shadow, Bashful Blue, Blush Blossom, Pretty in Pink, Going Grey

Paper: Lavender Lace, Sage Shadow

Accessories: Organdy Ribbon, Dazzling Diamonds

Wednesday Sketch Challenge from SCS

Here is my sample for the Wednesday Sketch Challenge on SCS (SC142). The great thing about sketches is that you don't have to think hard at all! My daughter is a preschool and my son is at school...hey...I'm liking this! Stamp time!!! Have a good day everyone and thanks for taking a look at my blog! Here is the recipe:

Stamps: Season of Joy

Ink and Paper: Always Artichoke, Bravo Burgundy, Designer Series Paper Holiday Thyme (Retired).

Accessories: Pewter Brads, Ticket Punch, Foam Dots

Wahoo!

LOL....I just added the "Stamping Top 50" to my website...I have a little work to do. I'm in the top 659!!!! Thank you very much for looking at my blog! Maybe someday I'll make the Top 500! That is my goal!!! :) Julie

Another Bella!

I just absolutely adore these Stamping Bella images! They have made this "I hate to color gal" into someone who doesn't mind it so much. This card is cased from Amy Rysavy. Check out her blog Prairie Paper and Ink. This card opens a little differently. The fold is at the bottom and the tab at the top is holding it shut.

This Bella is named "Causabella". One of my Mom's friends is going through cancer treatments and I wanted to let her know I was thinking of her.

Thanks for looking! Here is the recipe:

Stamps: Causabella by Stamping Bella

Paper: Close to Cocoa, Pretty in Pink

Accessories: Aqua Painters, Prima Flowers, Brads, Slit Punch

Ink: BB, Pretty in Pink, Close to Cocoa, Bravo Burgandy

Here is my card sample for the Weekend Sketch Challenge 19 from Beate's website. Check out her site by clicking here. I think the sketch challenges are fun and easy because someone else does most of the thinking for you! I am going to give this card to my coworker. Her daughter moved across the country for college and she is missing her. This is actually the first time I used my "Flirty" ribbon that was retired by SU earlier this year. Thanks for looking! Here is the recipe to my card:

Stamps: True Friend, Many Sayings Hostess Set

Ink: Chocolate Chip

Paper: Designer Paper, Chocolate Chip

Accessories: Markers, Scallop Punch, Flirty Ribbon

Splitcoaststampers Challenge

This is the first time I've participated in the inspiration challenge. The inspiration chosen for this project was the lovely dishes shown from Pier 1. I had to DIG to find some Taken with Teal paper! I finally found some in a 12x12 assorted pack I had stashed away. I thought it would be fun to use my SU tool that had the cutter on it that rolls. Being the GREAT demo I am, I can't remember exactly what it is called at this second! I added the stitching because I thought it needed just a little something else. Do any of you have those stamps you just can't seem to stamp straight no matter how hard you try or no matter how many times you practice? Well...the word "Congratulations" does that too me every single time! This was a fun challenge. I think I will do it again sometime! Thank you for looking at my blog! Here is the recipe:

Stamp: Hugs and Wishes

Ink: Basic Black

Paper: Basic Black, Whisper White, Taken with Teal, Old Olive

Glitter makes everything look better!

It is a known fact that tan cellulite looks better than white cellulite (mine mostly stays the latter). It is the same with stamping...some things just look better with glitter!

Of course this card just shimmers in person because of the entire flowers are covered with glitter. This is a really easy peasy wow card for workshops. It's easy for new stampers to make. It sells the glitter every time!

Thanks for looking!

Stamps: Looks like Spring, It's Your Birthday

Ink: Soft Sky, Blue Bayou

Paper: Soft Sky, Blue Bayou

Accessories: 2-way glue pen, Dazzling Diamonds, Foam Dots, Sponge

Neglected Stamps...

Do you ever think that a lot of your stamps feel neglected? I'm sure most of mine do, especially since the new catalog arrived in July! Tonight I decided to work with a set that I hadn't cracked open for a very long time. I was feeling the pumpkin pie...or maybe just hungry for some! Here is the recipe for my card. Thanks for looking!

Stamps Set: Heartfelt Thanks, Itty Bitty Backgrounds

Ink: Apricot Appeal, Pumpkin Pie

Accessories: Hodgepodge Hardware, Gingham Ribbon, Apricot Appeal Marker, Old Olive Marker, Pumpkin Pie Marker

I love BELLA!

I just got back from the Midwest Scrapbooking Convention and I have some time to play with some of my new stamps. I just love Bellas! Check out http://www.stampingbella.com/ for some of the cutest stamps ever! I have very few unmounted stamps and wasn't sure how to use the images with my acrylic blocks. The rubber is relatively thick and I didn't think I needed to add foam behind them. So....following the suggestion of a friend I used Aleene's Tacky Glue and glued it to my acrylic block. It worked! It peeled off easily. So here it is...my first Bella card! Here's the recipe - thanks for looking!

Stamps: SU Happy Birthday, Stamping Bella "Cakeabella"
Ink: Basic Black
Paper: SU Ruby Red, So Saffron, River rock and scrapbook paper by Cosmo Cricket
Accessories: Aqua Painter with Chocolate Chip, River Rock, So Saffron, Bashful Blue, Ruby Red, Marvy Uchida Scallop Punch, Prima Flower with Pewter Brad