A Birthday "Note"

I love to celebrate birthdays, and not just my own. I think it's a great time to reflect on the past and how far you've come each year. It's also a wonderful time to set new goals, establish new interests, and renew old friendships.

Here's a birthday card that is for a music-loving guy. 

Autumn Blessings

I hope you are enjoying your Thanksgiving Day in whatever manner you choose to observe it. Time with family, friends, pets, or even a peaceful day to yourself is the perfect opportunity to reflect on all that you are grateful to have in your life. For me, it's my wonderful family. We're close and crazy :) and holidays are a time of food, jokes, naps, and just hanging together.

Even though the weather felt like fall a couple of days ago and winter today, I have a yard FULL of leaves from my neighbor's oak tree. The colors were so inspiring and I was itching to use a stamp set that I bought last year and never opened.

I was thrilled by how the leaves turned out! And no, they're not real...

Merry, Merry, Merry Crafting!

It's that time of year!! The weather is chilly and snowy and brisk. It's the perfect time for apple cider and hot chocolate, some home cooked soups and stews, and time to spread cheer and be thankful for family and friends.

And why not hang out and do some cardmaking and scrapbooking :) I'm here to introduce a new class for the Christmas holiday. The projects will include:

1) A gift tag featuring a little paper piecing

Runway Inspired Challenge

In case you're unfamiliar with this blog, Runway Inspired Challege posts a fashion forward, eye-catching high fashion runway look each week for crafters to use as an inspiration. This week, the design was so bizarre that I had to try to tackle this challenge!

My Mummy for Halloween

Saturday, I had the pleasure of hosting my first cardmaking and scrapbooking class and it was AMAZING!! I was truly humbled and flattered by the crafters that came out to play. It was a successful and inspiring day. I want to thank you again Mommie, Kris, Danielle, Michael, Brooklynne, and Crystal!!

When I saw this week's sketch for CAS(E) this Sketch (#97), I was inspired to pull out this little mummy stamp that I picked up in the dollar clearance bin. He would be easy to fussy cut for this sketch.

Here's my submission for the challenge.

Let's Make Halloween Papercrafts

I'm so excited to share today's announcement with you...

I'm offering a class for Halloween cardmaking and scrapbooking!! ***squeal*** 

In this 2-hour class, we will make the cutesy Happy Halloween spider card from last week 

http://stolenglancesimages.blogspot.com/2014/09/the-only-spiders-i-like.html

His Virgo Birthday Card

The 6th sign in the zodiac...known to be picky and critical...and with a willingness to serve...enter the Virgo. 

A lovely co-worker (and one of my best customers) requested a Virgo-themed birthday card for her boyfriend that expressed her love. If I've said it once, I've said it a hundred times, masculine cards require some true brainstorming.

Thanks to Dylusions ink sprays, Tim Holtz Distress paints, and some inspiration from Kristina Werner (see below),

Awesome Alcohol Ink Coasters & A Recipe

I'm really excited to share these small, but impactful creations with you! If you have seen my recent posts, then you know I was hosting a baby shower for an absolutely wonderful couple and great friend. During my party planning brainstorm for party favors, I was hoping to accomplish a few things: 1- not break the bank getting favors for approximately 50 people, 2- give the guests an item they wouldn't immediately pitch in the trash (be honest, we've all been there), and 3- make it homemade.

Enter AWESOME ALCOHOL INK COASTERS! Here are some of the finished products.

Just a Lil Love

Happy Independence Day!!

I love kraft cardstock!! Did I say love? Yes, totally adore kraft...all shades of it. The brown provides a very natural neutral background on which to lay my creative smackdown :) Here is a simple card  on which I used little more than some StazOn cotton white ink, white embossing powder, and white gel pen. The Paper Smooches stamp set was perfect for this occasion to create my background.

HB2U (that's Happy Birthday to You)

I love when I get a special request for a card from a friend...and they have no idea what they really want...BUT will allow me to flex the left side of my brain and be creative.

As most crafters will note, cards for guys are especially challenging. Color schemes are different, the use of most cutesy animals are limited, and oh goodness, I have to restrain myself from dusting the card with my usual touches of sparkle and glitter :) With that in mind, I created this birthday card for a friend's brother who loves to spend time hiking in the woods.

Lazy Summer Day

I love the summer; the long sunny days, warm nights, cookouts, drinks on the patio, time with family and friends, vacations, and my birthday! And some very loved family and friends, some greatly appreciated troops, and a few random strangers will be on the receiving end of my shenanigans :)

I'm kicking off with a polaroid-inspired card just to say hi. I gravitated to this trend and made card after card of this style. I love how it becomes the focal point while leaving space to embellish. It's also a great challenge for me to create the entire "snapshot" of my picture in this little space.