Lenny da Vinci

Kreativ Blogger Award

2009-08-14T22:45:00.005-05:00

A while back, I was delighted to receive a Kreativ Blogger Award from the very talented Maria over at Silk Art From Brazil. At the time I was a bit overwhelmed with things unrelated to this blog, and didn't write here about how honored I was to be recognized by Maria, so for the delay, I sincerely apologize. And folks, if you have ever seen Maria's work, then you know that this really is an honor, for Maria creates some of the loveliest hand-painted silk scarves and jewelry you will every see.

Not only can you see some of Maria's work on her blog, but you'll also find all of her collections on her beautiful website, here. And you won't want to miss her Etsy shop, where you can purchase her designs at very affordable prices. Get on over there now and feast your eyes, then buy something!

The Kreativ Blogger Award is traditionally passed on by the recipient to another creative blogger. Choosing someone will be the hard part, for I have a long list of bloggers that I admire. I'll do that soon,though.

And thank you, Maria, for choosing me. It means so much coming from you!

Jacob's Ladder Book

2009-08-10T17:58:00.010-05:00

The Jacob's Ladder book is a perfect example of a project that appears to be difficult, but in fact is very easy to construct. I won't give instructions here, because there's a great tutorial over at making-mini-scrapbooks.com. Don't be afraid to change the size of your book or add additional pages. I used the same paper on both the inside and outside of my book, so you won't be able to tell from my photo how it works, but if you've ever played with one of these, you know how much fun they can be.

This book is on its way to someone who appreciates the unusual. I'm afraid I'm long overdue on sending her a birthday package. I hope she enjoys it!

Tiny Pincushion

2009-07-14T11:50:00.001-05:00

Surprised to finally see a new post? For several weeks I've been preparing for a move, then packing, moving, and unpacking until I can no longer bear the sight or the smell of a cardboard box. I've also been sick the entire time, so my energy level is pretty low right now. But the crafting must go on, so I'm glad I've been saving up this little project for when I need something quick, easy and oh-so-cute.

I've seen tiny pincushions in several places, but Jess over at How About Orange has provided a great tutorial that will have you cranking out these babies in no time. And in honor of Jess, I made mine orange!

For my pincushion, I used a screw-off cap from one of those new-fangled re-closeable beer cans. I found it on the ground at the Shrimp Festival a few months ago, and immediately pictured it as a pincushion bottom. It's just over 1-1/2 inches in diameter and 1/2 inch deep. The finished pincushion is approximately 1-1/2 inches high.

Happy Anniversary

2009-06-16T07:00:00.001-05:00

A card I made for my Aunt Dottie and Uncle Jerry, who celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary today. Paper from My Mind's Eye, and cardstock, ribbon, and gold cord from Stampin' Up!. Starfish charm - unknown source.

Deep Dish Brownies

2009-06-12T13:56:00.006-05:00

I took some baking ingredients with me to Mama's yesterday, and Tara kindly baked everything up for me, as I'm still trying to recover from whatever has been dragging me down for over 3 weeks now (I still haven't seen much improvement after that very expensive injection I had yesterday). Not that you have to twist Tara's arm to get her to bake. She wants her own Food Network show some day, with an emphasis on desserts, and I'm confident that she'll reach that goal.

Pictured here is a Hershey's Deep Dish Brownie, which you can find over on the Hershey's website. This is now my go-to recipe for brownies. If baked in an 8x8 pan, it bakes up nice and thick, and has a rich, dense center. It's not crispy, and not really chewy, and has just the right amount of moisture in the middle to keep it from being too cake-like. We added some chopped semi-sweet chocolate to the batter, and this may be what added that extra bit of moisture. In any case, they're delicious, and Tara baked an extra batch in a 9 x 13 pan to take on a road-trip today. Maybe she'll comment here to let us know how they compare as a thinner brownie.

Remembering Daddy

2009-05-27T21:58:00.012-05:00

I've usually tried to avoid getting too personal here, because my original plan for this blog was to share crafting ideas, to show you what I'm making, and to provide the occasional tutorial. But in recent months I've been absent more often than not, for a variety of reasons, and I thought it only fair that I share a few of those reasons with readers who visit here frequently. After all, it's usually the personal side of my life that drives the creative side.

Two weeks ago today, Daddy lost his short battle with leukemia, after many years of health issues and chronic pain. It is astounding how a family illness can paralyze you. And now that his suffering is over and we are celebrating his life, as he requested that we do, I'm still having some serious concentration issues. Add to the mix a poorly thought-out relocation eight months ago (although I'm glad we were here for Daddy's last months), a physically demanding part-time job with bizarre hours, the decision to go to graduate school, trying to choose the right school and program, and studying for the GRE, I simply haven't had any time and energy left.

But, some of those things are behind me now, and although I expect to be relocating again this summer (I'll tell you all about that later!), I'll once again be showing you my projects and will eventually send some more tutorials your way. You'll have to bear with me for a bit, because most of my things are packed and I'll be working with a limited assortment of supplies. And I won't promise to post every day, but I will try to share something with you at least 2 or 3 times a week. After my mojo is back, maybe I'll be able to increase that.

For now, I'll leave you with one of Daddy's favorite photos, above. I didn't even know he had it until after his death. It was taken on a tour of Longhorn Caverns in Burnet, Texas, in the late sixties. The eyeglasses on some of the people give away the age of this shot. If you want to know which little tourist is me, go over to my flickr account and view the notes on the photo.

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T10:52:00.003-05:00

5-Minute Gift Box from Recycled Product Packaging

2009-04-22T21:36:00.006-05:00

I will occasionally save product packaging to be used in craft projects, if it looks like it has the potential to be pretty without a huge effort. I've been hanging on to this silver box forever, waiting for inspiration to strike, and today it did, in the form of copper-toned metallic cardstock scraps. I've had a stash of these scraps for a few years, left over from a stamp camp I co-hosted a while back, and I realized that I like them much better when placed next to silver metallic. For this box, I simply embossed the copper cardstock with my Cuttlebug, cut some pieces just large enough to cover the text on the box, and glued them in place. A white sheer ribbon completes the look. Just be careful when dry-embossing metallic cardstock, because the surface has a tendency to crack.

Used Stampin' Up! Stamps For Sale

2009-04-16T14:23:00.014-05:00

I am in the midst of a spring cleaning marathon, and have decided to sell part of my huge collection of Stampin' Up! stamps. I currently have 35 stamp sets and 16 Stampin' Around wheels for sale. I'm fairly sure that most (if not all) of these sets have been retired, and some of them may be hard to find nowadays. Almost all of these have been very gently used, and some not used at all. A couple of them have light staining on the rubber from using black ink, but are still in very good condition. I am very picky about my stuff! All stamps are center mounted on the wood block, unless I've specified that they are unmounted, and they come in the plastic boxes that they were purchased in.

If you're not sure what these sets look like, samples of most of them can be found in the Stampin' Up! gallery at Splitcoaststampers. If you can't find a set there, just let me know and I'll scan the set and send you a jpg file via email.

If you'd like to purchase any of these, email me (cheryl at lennydavinci.com - remember to substitute the @ symbol for "at") and I'll send you a Paypal invoice that includes postage. I'll need to have the package weighed at the post office before I can send you an accurate invoice.

I would also be willing to discount these prices for bulk purchases. Email me and we'll talk.

I would love to see all of these go to good stamping homes! Please make all inquiries via email instead of through a comment.

$5 SETS

Ornamentals (2000) – set of 4
God Bless America Special Edition (2001) – single stamp, unmounted
Little Shapes (2000) – set of 4
Stipple Butterfly (2000) – single stamp

$8 SETS

Let It Snow (1997) – set of 6
All Occasions (2002) – set of 8
Letters from Friends (2000) – set of 9
Fly Fishing (2002) – set of 6 SOLD
Flutterbys (1999) – set of 10
Little Numbers (2002) – set of 12 (10 digits and 2 symbols)
Calm Seas (2002) – set of 6 SOLD
Great Groupings (1999) – set of 3 (never used)
Autumn (2000) – set of 5
Snow Family Wishes (1998) – set of 8
I Love Stampin’ Up! – unmounted, 2002 Convention Special Edition
Perfect Plaids (1995) – set of 4
Winter Play (2001) – set of 6 (never used)
Baby Announcements (2000) – set of 12
Sweet Herbs (1999) – set of 6 SOLD
Basket of Blossoms (1998) – set of 7
Vintage Postcard (2001) – set of 9 SOLD
Victorian Lace background stamp (1997) SOLD
Antique Cracking background stamp (1998) SOLD
Checkerboard background stamp (1998)
Old World Map background stamp (1998 SOLD

$10 SETS

Alphabet Attitude Lower (1997)– set of 28 (26 lower case letters and 2 punctuation)
Outline Alphabet Lower (1998) – set of 28 (26 lower case letters and 2 punctuation)
Little Letters (2001) – set of 28 (26 lower case letters and 2 punctuation)
Garden Pleasures (2002) – set of 12 SOLD
Feathered Hope (1998) – set of 9 SOLD
Brushstroke Alphabet Upper and Lower (2001) - both upper and lower case on same set of blocks
A Lifetime of Happiness (2002) – set of 7 (never used)
Watercolor Minis (2001) – set of 12
Fish Frolics (1997) – set of 13
Handpainted Petites (1999) – set of 20

$2.50 each -Stampin’ Around Wheels

~~Dots and Daisies~~ - SOLD
Bold Baroque
Mittens
Dragonfly
Blizzard
Paw Tracks
Butterfly
Beautiful Blossoms
Snowman Fun
~~Pine Bough~~ - SOLD
Tulip
Bold Christmas Trees
Happy Birthday
Star Spangled (2 available)
Makin’ Music

Ten Minute Headband

2009-03-28T22:15:00.003-05:00

So many tutorials come with the promise of easy and fast, and sometimes they're neither. But this Ten Minute Headband from Blue Bird Studio couldn't be easier, and you really can complete it in ten minutes, if not less. I love Heather's simple construction technique, which includes absolutely no tube-turning and utilizes an elastic hair band instead of regular sewing elastic. So clever! I made this headband for my niece, but will be making a few for myself as soon as my hair grows out a bit.

Scrabble Tile Pendants

2009-03-27T10:34:00.005-05:00

Aren't these cute? I've long admired the scrabble tile pendants I've seen in many Etsy shops. When I discovered directions on Annie Howes Keepsakes, and suddenly found myself armed with a supply of tiles, I thought I'd give them a shot. They're a bit more time-consuming than I expected (mostly due to drying time), but still very easy to make. Although I wanted the durability of epoxy resin, my local Hobby Lobby was out of it, so I used Crystal Effects instead. I initially tried brushing the Crystal Effects onto the tile, but the brush marks were too prominent, so I simply squeezed it directly onto the tiles with the applicator tip. This resulted in a finish that looks much like resin. The tiles pictured here are a gift for someone special.

If you'd like to try making these, head on over to Annie's blog for a great tutorial.

How-To: Covered Button Bobby Pins

2009-02-15T18:49:00.006-06:00

This is a quick and easy variation on the covered button hair elastic I showed you a few months ago. All you need for each one is a covered button, a bobby pin with a circular pad, and some E-6000 glue. I used size 24 buttons, which are 5/8" in diameter, and both the bobby pins and the glue are available in most craft stores.

Refer to the covered button hair elastic tutorial for photos and directions on how to cover a button. Before you assemble the pieces, be sure to remove the loop from the button back with a pair of pliers, and discard it where children and pets can't find it. Then simply attach the pad to the back of your covered button with a dab of E-6000 glue. Let the glue dry completely before using your new bobby pin.

And the winner is ...

2009-02-15T10:39:00.003-06:00

Thanks to everyone who participated in my giveaway! It was fun to read your comments, and I'm sure you all enjoyed visiting the 911 participating blogs. To choose a winner, I used the random number generator at random.org. The winning comment was #145, from stampgram. Stampgram is a blogger herself, so go on over and visit her at Stampgram's Studio.

New Embellished Fabric Pins in My Etsy Shop

2009-01-22T21:49:00.003-06:00

Just in time for Valentine's Day, I've added some embellished fabric pins with heart charms to my Etsy shop. If you'd like to make one yourself, go to this tutorial. Or, try to win one in my One World One Heart giveaway!

One World One Heart Giveaway!

2009-01-19T09:00:00.002-06:00

It's time again for the annual One World One Heart Giveaway, and this is an event that you absolutely don't want to miss. Do you like to visit creative blogs? And do you like to win beautiful things? Then go to the OWOH blog for a list of participating bloggers, and enter to your heart's content! You'll want to visit the site often, because the giveaways won't end until February 12th, and new participants will be added frequently. Each blogger will have her/his own rules for entering, but in most cases all you have to do is leave a comment on their giveaway post.

On this blog, I'll be giving away one of my embellished fabric pins. This pin is made from 2 shades of hand-dyed cotton (dyed by me in one of my dyeing binges), rayon thread, Plumetes decorative cord, and a gold-tone metal bead. It measures approximately 2" x 1-5/8". Depending on how many entries I have, I may an additional prize, but it will be my decision which winner gets which prize.

You don't need your own blog to enter my giveaway, but you do need a valid email address so I can contact you if you win. Here are the rules:

1. Leave a comment on this post, and this post only. Comments on other posts will not count.

2. Be sure there's a way for me to contact you if you win.

3. The deadline for entering is midnight Central Time on February 12th.

That's it! The winner (or winners) will be chosen with a random number generator on February 13th and will be notified that day.

In case you don't win, I'll probably have some more pins in my Etsy shop in the next few days.

I'm also having a giveaway, with 2 winners, at my Bayou Bags blog, so remember to go over there and enter as well.

Good luck!

Tip: Blade and Needle Disposal for Crafters

2009-01-10T12:14:00.006-06:00

If you go through as many x-acto blades as I do, then you have probably thought about how you can best dispose of them. A blade is one of those items that I never throw directly into the trash. I don't think they're safe for me or anyone else who may be handling the bag at some point, and I'm not aware of a recycling source for this sort of thing. I used to collect used or broken blades in a film canister for eventual disposal, but I don't buy film anymore. However, medicine bottles work even better.

Of course, I had to turn this "medicine-bottle-turned-blade-receptacle" into a craft table accessory. I tried to remove the label from the bottle, but with very little success, so I just covered it with a strip of scrapbooking paper, using gel medium as my glue and as a topcoat to protect the paper.

This also works well for disposing of broken sewing machine needles, and many medicine bottles have child-proof caps, which is a nice feature for those of you with small children.

Paper Beads

2009-01-05T21:08:00.007-06:00

I've occasionally considered making paper beads, but it was one of those projects that I kept moving down the list, then I would quickly lose interest. But yesterday I saw a tutorial on Natasha's blog, and I knew that I had to drop everything else immediately and make some now. I don't think I'm finished with the beads pictured above, because I'd like them to be shinier like Natasha's, but I wanted to go ahead and show them to you.

Natasha goes into a lot of detail on how to experiment with your beads using things like paint, pigments, and UTEE. At this point, mine are simply rolled and sealed with ModPodge.

Here they are in progress:

Every Day Is the Best Day of the Year

2009-01-02T22:05:00.004-06:00

I never make New Year's resolutions, but this year I've decided to make an "attitude resolution". Ralph Waldo Emerson sums it up perfectly: "Write it on your heart that every day is the best day of the year." Good words to live by, I think. After an especially tough year (um, make that 2 years), I think a more positive attitude certainly can't hurt.

For this small card (2-3/4" x 4-1/2"), I heat-embossed the text with Versamark ink and silver detail embossing powder, and layered it on plum then silver metallic cardstock. Next is a patterned cardstock layered over mauve. Finally, I finished the card with a beige ribbon.

Happy New Year!

Holiday Traditions

2008-12-22T16:13:00.004-06:00

Our family has been making these chocolate-covered coconut balls every Christmas for longer than I can remember. I'm not sure where Mama got the recipe, but we've enjoyed them so much that they have become a holiday tradition, and now my nieces look forward to this as much as my brothers and I always have. Pie-making, on Christmas Eve Day, is also something you can count on, and over the years, Mama has calculated her pie-filling recipes and cooking times down to an exact science. In addition to pumpkin and cherry, we will be feasting on the best homemade chocolate, lemon, and coconut pies around. I'd be happy to skip the feast and go straight to the coconut pie. Just give me a whole pie and a fork, please!

How-To: Birthday Gift Tag

2008-12-21T17:00:00.001-06:00

On behalf of all of us who were almost born on Christmas Day, I'd like to say how much we all appreciate our birthday gifts, especially since we know you're so busy this time of year, not to mention broke. But (and that's a tiny little but), we love our gifts even more when the package doesn't look like a Christmas present. Maybe it's because we don't get a festive birthday break mid-year, or maybe it's because most December babies feel a little cheated in the birthday party department. In any case, take my word for it -- we really love, love, love it when that birthday gift isn't wrapped in red or green or holiday foil. (OK, I'm done whining, really!)

And think about it. Aren't you a little tired of holiday-themed projects and crafts? But if you still need to work on Christmas items, this tag can easily be adapted to any occasion.

First, stamp a greeting on a small piece of cardstock. Size is totally flexible, depending on what stamp(s) you're using. Layer that piece on a slightly larger piece of contrasting cardstock. Then, layer that onto a slightly wider piece that has some extra length for folding over.

Next, I used my scallop scissors to make a fancy edge. See that pencil line near the scallops? That's how I manage to cut a nice, straight decorative edge. The pencil line won't show once the tag is folded.

Score a fold line using a ruler and bone folder, and fold your decorative edge over the end of your stamped image. If you want, you can hold it in place with adhesive, but it's not absolutely necessary because now you'll add an eyelet.

Now punch a tiny hole and attach an eyelet, then add a pretty ribbon or two. You can tie your tag around a gift bag, or attach it to a wrapped gift.

How-To: Treat Bag Topper

2008-12-20T17:00:00.000-06:00

A bag topper is one of the easiest ways to dress up a holiday treat or stocking stuffer. For the 4" x 6" cellophane bag pictured here, I cut a 4" x 4" square, folded it in half, and attached my stamped image to the front with mono-adhesive. I then punched 2 holes and tied everything together with a ribbon. Just be sure you insert the bag into your folded topper before punching the holes.

How-To: Holiday Treat Box

2008-12-19T16:42:00.010-06:00

This is a simple treat box that can be cut, decorated, and constructed in no time flat. The box pictured here measures 3" wide by 2" deep by 2-1/4" high. It easily holds 3 cookies in a cellophane bag. At this size, you can make 2 boxes out of a single sheet of cardstock, plus scraps for the greeting.

First, refer to the image below for cutting and scoring instructions.

Next, decorate the outside of your box. Don't worry about getting good coverage on the bottom flaps, since they won't really show.

Fold the box together. The small side flap tucks to the inside, as do the smaller 2 bottom flaps. Glue or use double-sided tape to secure.

Stamp a greeting on a scrap of cardstock and attach to the front of your box.

Fill the box with a cellophane bag of treats, tied with a ribbon.

How-To: Takeout Box Gift Package

2008-12-17T21:45:00.009-06:00

I wish I could tell you where I got the template for this little takeout box, but it has been so long since I used it, that I simply can't remember. However, a quick search of the web should result in several free patterns. I just happened to come across a few of these today, already cut out, in a folder, probably left over from a workshop. You can find something similar at Mirkwood Designs, and there are many free templates at By Donovan, although I didn't see a takout box there. Boxes are also available at craft stores, but it's easier to make your own than to take one apart to decorate it. This box measures approximately 2-1/2" tall.

My first step was to stamp a snowflake design all over the flat cardstock.

Next, I used a bone folder and a ruler to score all the fold lines, and carefully folded the box. Once you score all the fold lines, it will be pretty obvious how the box should be folded.

Then I used a long-reach punch to punch 1/8" holes in the sides, through which I inserted a tiny brad. The brads should hold everything in place, so there's really no need to use tape or glue. If you have a Crop-a-Dile (which, sadly, I don't!), you can easily punch holes through all three layers at once, or you could even use eyelets here, and maybe add a wire handle through the eyelets.

To finish off your box, fill it with treats or a gift, and tie it with a ribbon.

Holiday Gift Gala Super Sale at Artella

2008-12-12T18:22:00.005-06:00

Over at Artella they're having a Holiday Gift Gala Super Sale, where everyone can save 55% on up to 5 eProducts, PLUS get their choice of 4 Creative Gift Packs free.

This is their biggest sale event of the year, so you won't want to miss it.

Artella has lots of great collage kits, backgrounds, and image sheets that are perfect for your collage work and other crafting.

How To Add A One-Hole Bow To Your Greeting Card

2008-12-09T21:59:00.010-06:00

The one-hole bow has been around for a while, but just in case you've never made one, I've provided some directions below. What I like about this bow-making method is that the bow is always straight when it's finished. I typically end up with bows that are slanted to one side, but not with this technique.

First, punch a hole where you want the bow to be. I used a 1/4" hole-punch for my 1/4" grosgrain ribbon.

Next, place your ribbon on top of the cardstock. Be sure you cut a longer piece of ribbon than usual, because it will be wrapping completely around your cardstock before being tied into a bow.

Wrap the ribbon around to the back of the cardstock, then thread both ends through the hole from back to front. Pull one end out below the ribbon, and one end out above it.

Now tie a bow and you're done. I've attached this small element to a card, but this technique is also very effective when used directly on a full-size card, especially if you use a dramatic or fancy ribbon.

Internet Withdrawal

2008-12-06T13:53:00.002-06:00

Unfortunately my internet service is down, and will apparently remain that way for the next few days. It appears that the appointment I made for a guaranteed service call wasn't really guaranteed. So for now all I can really do is make quick posts and check my email at the public library. I hope to be back by Monday night with some new things for you. It is amazing how dependent I have become on the internet, and how disruptive this is, but maybe I'll be able to catch up on some crafting.

Cupcakes Take The Cake Blogiversary

2008-11-25T20:14:00.005-06:00

If you are lucky enough to live in the New York City area, be sure to mark December 4th on your calendar and head on over to the Cupcakes Take The Cake blogiversary celebration. Allison, Nichelle, and Rachel will be serving up free cupcakes and lots of great raffle prizes. Sadly, I won't be able to jet up for the party, but maybe Amanda can attend and report back to me. And if you can't make it either, be sure to visit the Cupcakes Take The Cake blog for recipes, cupcake photos, bakery reviews, and more.

Recycling: Using Paint Chips On Your Cards

2008-11-21T11:06:00.008-06:00

I've repainted a lot of rooms over the years, and I always end up with a stack of these paint chips when the project is over. If it's a color I actually used, I'll file it away in case I need to buy more for touchups, but I really don't need to hang on to the others. Instead of throwing them in the trash, I've been using them on cards and other projects. They come in handy when you don't have cardstock in the colors you need. I especially like the ones with the little window openings, because they make nice frames for small designs.

Here are some quick instructions on one way I recycle paint chips into greeting card components.

1. Trim the paint chip to the size you need.
2. Glue on a ribbon to cover the text at the bottom. You can cut the text off if you don't want to use ribbon.
3. Hmm, that red ribbon is a bit plain, so I'll add a gold ribbon on top of that.
4. Heat emboss a small design onto a scrap of cardstock, and glue that to the back of the paint chip so that it shows through the window. I embossed a snowflake with Versamark ink and gold embossing powder.
5. Dry emboss a background on the Cuttlebug, or use plain or printed paper.
6. Attach to a folded card, and you're done.

For more stamped projects with snowflakes, go over to Wednesday Stamper this week, where the current challenge is Snowflake Kisses.

How-To: Moo Card Gift Tag with Liquid Applique

2008-11-16T19:46:00.009-06:00

I've already mentioned that I'm trying to use up some of the supplies I already have, and while rooting around in my cabinet I came across an unopened tube of Liquid Applique. I've had this for years, along with a pink tube (also unopened). I probably never used them because once I had them, I really couldn't come up with anything I'd want to use them for. But since the current challenge at make a moo or two is to try something new, I thought I'd give this stuff a go, and I made the little moo-sized gift tag pictured above.

Liquid Applique is really so easy I probably don't need to give you directions here, but since it might be helpful to see before and after photos, just in case you've never used it, here's a brief tutorial.

For my moo card, I first stamped some snow people onto white card stock. That tube of Liquid Applique in the photo below doesn't appear to be white, but I remembered buying white, so I went ahead and tried it anyway.

Next, I simply added the tiniest bit of Liquid Applique to the snowflakes and along the bottoms of the snow people.

Here's what it looks like (below) when it's still wet. Now, the package says you can heat set it right away to puff it up, or for best results you can let it dry overnight before heating it. I decided to let it dry overnight so I could move on to some other things.

The next day, I heated it with my heat embossing tool until it was puffy. You don't want to do this too long, because I've heard that it will scorch. I was pleased to see the Liquid Applique become much whiter after drying and heating.

To complete my gift tag, I added some color with Prismacolor pencils, and put some color into the background with a blender pen and blue ink. If you intend to do much coloring with pencils, you might want to do that before you add Liquid Applique, because it's hard to color around lumpy stuff.

To complete the tag/moo card, I trimmed the piece down and glued it to red card stock, then added a tiny eyelet and a silver cord, as pictured in the photo at the top of this blog post.

Tutorial - Embellished Fabric Pin

2008-11-14T13:34:00.010-06:00

In the coming weeks I'll be offering up a few tutorials for quick and easy projects, including some gift ideas, cards, and maybe some packaging. I'll also be trying to use supplies I already have, and will be recycling or repurposing some items that would ordinarily go in the trash. Check back often to see what I've been up to.

Today we'll make this little fabric pin that I've embellished with Eyelash cord and a fish bead. You really don't need the Eyelash, but it does add some nice texture and interest, so if you have some, go ahead and use it. You can substitute another cord if you have something interesting, or you can skip it altogether.

For this project you'll need some scraps of fabric, scraps of quilt batting, contrasting thread, a pretty bead or charm, and a sew-on pinback. Wonder-Under is optional, but helpful when you're working in this size.

My finished pin measures 1-5/8" by 2-1/8", so I will describe my project based on that size. You will need to adjust the measurements based on the bead or charm you're using.

Most of the steps are illustrated below, and the remaining steps I think are self-explanatory. Directions follow the photos.

1. First, if you have Wonder-Under, fuse it to the wrong side of your fabric scraps following the manufacturer's instructions, and remove the paper backing. I like to use it because it helps hold the layers of my project together while I'm sewing, and it gives some body to my pin.

2. Cut a 1-1/2" x 1" piece of one fabric, 2 pieces of a contrasting background fabric approximately 2-1/4" x 2-1/2", and 1 piece of batting approximately 2-1/4" x 2-1/2".

3. Fuse the small piece of fabric to one of the background pieces, then fuse that to your batting. Don't worry if your batting is sticking out or if your background looks too large. You'll be trimming this to a smaller size in just a few minutes.

4. Cut a 6" (approximately) piece of Eyelash and fold it in half. Set your machine for zigzag, and stitch around the edges of your smaller piece of fabric,feeding the Eyelash along the edge as you go and zigzagging the Eyelash in place. Don't worry about which direction the little eyelashes go, but do be sure to catch the main cord under your stitching. Trim off any excess length of Eyelash. This is already looking cute, isn't it?

5. Sew your charm or bead on at this point, using a sturdy thread and knotting it securely on the back of the batting.

6. Now fuse your remaining background piece to the back of your work. You probably won't be able to press this flat because your bead is on the other side, but that's OK. Really all you need to do is tack it in place. Be careful not to melt your bead if it's plastic.

7. Now you can trim the entire piece down to the size you want. This will get rid of any stray bits of batting or background that are sticking out, and will tidy everything up.

8. Zigzag around the outside edge to secure all the layers.

9. Handstitch your pin back securely to the back of your fabric, being careful not to stitch through to the front.

That's all there is to it! You can change this up in a variety of ways, such as adding a ribbon loop to make a tree ornament, leaving off the pin back and stitching your work to a larger project, attaching the pin to a gift package -- or whatever else your imagination suggests.

National Vanilla Cupcake Day

2008-11-10T13:47:00.006-06:00

Today is National Vanilla Cupcake Day. Aren't you glad to know that? In celebration, I made French Vanilla cupcakes (Duncan Hines instead of from scratch), and topped them with MaryKaye's Caramel Frosting (from the CakeCentral website). This is a cooked frosting, and it develops a crust very quickly, so I recommend adding a little bit more milk during the final mixing. Next time, I think I'll make it just thin enough to pour, and let it spread by itself.

December 15th is National Lemon Cupcake Day. I think I'll take a pass on that one. The only lemon dessert that appeals to me around the holidays is my Mama's lemon pie.

Another Cupcake Holiday Tomorrow

2008-11-09T16:45:00.003-06:00

Just a heads up for all you bakers and cupcake-lovers out there that tomorrow is National Vanilla Cupcake Day. I'll be making cupcakes to celebrate, not that I need an excuse to bake cake. I wanted to make them today, but last night I made my weekly batch of sandwich rolls, as well as some Peanut Butter Dog Treats, and I didn't want to heat up the house two days in a row. It's still warm here, and my kitchen gets outrageously hot when I use the oven. Jasmine and Harley loved the treats, which require only four ingredients and were a snap to make. I got the recipe from Katy at sugarlaws, who got it from Brown Eyed Baker. I don't have a bone-shaped cookie cutter, so I just cut them into bars, because my mutts usually aren't picky about presentation. I don't think they noticed.

Tutorial - Covered Button Hair Elastic

2008-11-02T20:57:00.007-06:00

This has to be one of the easiest but most effective craft projects I've ever done. I make a variety of things with covered buttons, and the hair elastic is probably my favorite, although I can't wear these because my hair is short. There are probably dozens of different tutorials for them on the internet, but I thought I'd share with you how I make them.

(For the directions below, the corresponding photos go clockwise from top left in each set.)

1. First, gather your supplies. You will need a covered button shell and back, a pusher and holder assembly aid, a small piece of fabric, and a plain hair elastic (not pictured here). I like to use Maxant brand buttons. You can purchase a kit that includes the assembly aid, and refill packages without the assembly aid are available. I'm using size 24 buttons.

2. Using the template that corresponds to your button size (provided on the package), cut a circle of your fabric and center it over the assembly holder. Place the button shell on top of the fabric.

3. Push the button shell down into the assembly holder as far as it will go.

4. Fold the edges of the fabric down into the button shell.

5. Place the button back on top of the shell, with the loop pointing up.

6. Place the plastic pusher over the button back.

7. Press the pusher down all the way to attach the back to the shell.

8. Your button should look like the one at bottom right, above.

9. Press on the bottom of the holder until the button pops out. Now isn't that like magic? A covered button!

10. Thread your hair elastic into the button loop.

11. Loop one end of the elastic over the button loop and through the other end of the elastic.

12. Pull tight, and you're done! It's that easy!

These are so much fun to make, and they are great little stocking stuffers for Christmas. They look especially cute when you group 2 or 3 of them on a ponytail.

Beachcombing

2008-11-02T09:53:00.003-06:00

Yesterday, instead of sewing, crafting, blogging, or working on the dozens of other things I need to get done, D & I went to the beach. Although the water is a bit too cold for swimming, the weather here is still nice enough for sitting and walking on the beach, and for doing some beachcombing. I never manage to find any large unbroken shells among the thousands of tiny, complete seashells, but I did find a few little pieces of interesting stuff, which I picked up just for design inspiration.

In spite of my leisurely day, I managed to photograph a tutorial for covered button hair elastics, and will write up those directions and get them posted this evening. Check back tonight for instructions on this very quick and easy craft.

Twinchies - Pink Ribbon

2008-10-26T21:28:00.003-05:00

Over at Small World of Inchies & Twinchies, the current theme, Pink Ribbon, reminds us that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

I haven't sewn on paper in a while, and since I had my machine out for a busy sewing day (first a wristlet key fob tutorial for my other blog, then bedroom curtains out of a bed sheet from the back of the linen closet!), I thought it was time to zigzag some cardstock layers together. I had forgotten how much I love this type of sewing.

For this twinchie, I first stamped onto textured cardstock, stitched that to gray cardstock, then attached those layers to a stamped background. After adding a tiny stamped "Hope" tag, I finished everything off with a pink ribbon.

Wildflowers and Butterflies

2008-10-22T21:35:00.002-05:00

I've been trying to change up my cardmaking style just a little bit, and have been experimenting with color combinations I wouldn't ordinarily try. I saw a similar red, green, and teal combo on the Stampin' Up! website, and was surprised at how much it appealed to me. Although the bottom of this card appears to be a different color, it's actually the same cardstock as on the top. The bottom is heat embossed with winter white, and the top is SU!'s Old Olive ink on Mellow Moss cardstock. The letters were embossed as well, then punched out with a 1/2" circle punch.

Leaf Card

2008-10-21T13:09:00.003-05:00

All too often I find myself cutting full sheets of paper to make a card, while my collection of scraps grows ever larger. So occasionally I try to pull all my materials from scraps only. That's how this little card was born. It measures only 3-3/4" x 3-3/4", and is constructed from pieces that were tossed aside from other projects.

I organize all my cardstock in hanging file folders, sorted by color, which makes it easier to keep track of all the tiny pieces I save. Rarely does anything go in the trash, because it all has a use eventually. My patterned paper isn't quite as organized -- it's all in the sturdy box-with-a-handle that D's MacBook was packed in.

Thinking of You Card

2008-10-19T20:15:00.000-05:00

For a friend going through a tough time.

Supplies: cardstock, ink, and stamp from Stampin' Up!; Cuttlebug Divine Swirls embossing folder; metallic gold cord.

National Chocolate Cupcake Day

2008-10-18T11:48:00.008-05:00

Today is National Chocolate Cupcake Day, and it was impossible for me to let this occasion go by without baking chocolate cupcakes. As always, I used the "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake recipe from Hersheys. I usually make a 9"x13" cake from this recipe, and this is actually the first time I've used it for cupcakes. There aren't any baking directions for the mini-cupcakes (about 1" across) pictured here, so I baked them for 9 minutes and they turned out just fine. For the frosting I used the "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Frosting that follows the cake recipe. This frosting is very soft and creamy, so I usually don't do anything decorative with it. However, I couldn't possibly photograph my cupcakes without something fancy on them, so I pulled out the decorating tips and got busy.

Today also happens to be our 5th wedding anniversary. And our friends, Dottie and Joe, are celebrating their 22nd (wow!) anniversary today. My brother is down from Georgia for a visit as well, so I'd say it's a pretty good day. It's just too bad Dottie can't be here to share these cupcakes with us!

Tagged!

2008-10-17T21:01:00.000-05:00

I was tagged by Amanda to reveal 6 random things about myself. I don't think I'm terribly interesting, but I'll play along anyway.

1. I have an insatiable sweet tooth. I would rather have dessert than any other part of a meal (except maybe bread), and I use any excuse I can come up with to bake cookies and cakes. It is absolutely astounding that I'm not big.

2. I think maybe I'm a cat whisperer. No, really! Although I'm extremely allergic to cats, they do love me, and when I walk through my yard there's usually a trail of kitties right behind me. They tell me lengthy stories. And they hang on my every word. Great conversation, for sure!

3. I am one of the most stubborn people you will ever meet. I hate to give up. It's not my fault -- I inherited this from multiple family members.

4. I have the ability to tune out almost anything (including D's high-volume trumpet-playing) - my mind will travel far, far away and I'll be completely oblivious to everything that's going on around me. This isn't my fault either - I inherited the gift from Daddy.

5. I have extremely vivid dreams, and I usually remember them because they're so bizarre. I'm afraid to know what this says about me.

6. I take at least one photograph every day, but I'm so picky that I delete a lot of them.

I don't have many blogging friends, so I'll have to think about who I'll pass this tag along to.

And speaking of my sweet tooth, I thought you'd all like to know that tomorrow is National Chocolate Cupcake Day.

Handbag Greeting Card

2008-10-17T15:28:00.004-05:00

If you've ever visited my other blog, then you know I love handbags. So when I found Angie Kennedy Juda's video tutorial for this handbag card, of course I had to make it. Angie uses four different punches in her demonstration to very quickly construct her card, but since I don't have any large punches I used my Coluzzle to cut my circles. This added a little bit of time to the project, but it was still very easy. I don't have any rhinestone brads, so I substituted a regular mini-brad. So cute!

Gift Packaging - Brown & Blue

2008-10-12T18:33:00.003-05:00

I've mentioned before that I enjoy making my own gift packaging, although I'm not sure the recipients really appreciate or even pay that much attention to the package. Still, I like to do it, especially if the gift is tiny. The package pictured here is nice for things like jewelry or cash, but I think it's most commonly used for treats, such as Hershey's Kisses and other individually wrapped candies.

This particular package is called a sour cream container, after the little pouches of sour cream that you frequently see in restaurants. You can find a well-illustrated tutorial at Splitcoaststampers.

The creative prompt over at Wednesday Stamper this week is brown combo, so I chose a blue and brown color palette for this item, with a single stamped flower for the tag.

Moo Cards - Clocks

2008-10-08T21:39:00.004-05:00

The current challenge at Make a Moo or Two is clocks. For my moo cards, I laser-printed a clock onto scrapbook paper, added some stamped images, and completed the project with text printed onto cardstock, and some tiny pieces of mulberry paper. Very quick and easy!

Fall Blooms

2008-10-05T20:36:00.008-05:00

Plumbago

Hibiscus

Mexican Petunia

Passion Flower

I'm still working on setting up my work space after the move, so I haven't had a chance to sew, stamp, paint, or otherwise put much of my creative energy to good use. I did, however, find some time today to take a few photos of what's currently blooming in my backyard, and I'm sharing them here with you for some color inspiration.

Today we also managed to plant some lettuce and broccoli, and are hoping that the mild fall and winter here will be kind to our cool-weather crops. We're planning some extreme container gardening for the spring, in the hopes of not only reducing our food bill, but eating better stuff as well.

I should have most of my supplies put away by tomorrow, and will soon have a few things to show you. I see moo cards and some projects with gel medium in my immediate future...

Sweet Home Alabama!

2008-09-23T21:10:00.005-05:00

Photo courtesy of Alabama Bureau of Tourism and Travel.

After two ill-fated moves in the past year, in only four days we'll be moving back to the Alabama Gulf Coast. South Alabama is a land of mosquitoes, hurricanes, spectacular thunderstorms, and unspeakable heat, and I love it all! This time we'll be less than 10 miles from Gulf Shores -- close enough to enjoy the beach often, but far enough away to avoid storm surge from a major hurricane. I'm looking forward to seeing pelicans again, and eating fresh seafood, and walking on hot sand, and simply experiencing the lifestyle that comes with living in a coastal area.

Now you know why I've been absent from this blog. My 3-week visit to Mobile was not only for visiting family, but for the purpose of finding a rental property as well. The past couple of weeks have been devoted to packing and organizing the move.

With all my supplies packed, I won't be able to make cards or any other art until at least the middle of next week. At that time, I hope to catch up on a few of the challenge sites, and will also begin planning holiday cards.

Thanks for sticking with me -- see you in a few days!

Paisley Thank You Card

2008-09-10T15:20:00.000-05:00

I'm just back from my trip to Alabama, and am trying to get back into the blogging groove. I've got tons of ideas, but I'm still tired from the drive yesterday, and my motivation is a bit low. I made this card before the trip, and just never got around to posting it here. Scrapbook paper by NRN Designs, stamp and cardstock from Stampin' Up!

Summer Card

2008-08-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

Now that summer is nearly over and school has already started, I'm finally getting around to making a summer-themed card. This blank greeting card was a snap to make, with wavy-edged scissors from Fiskars, Pool Words scrapbook paper from the Paper Studio, grosgrain ribbon, and a stamp, ink, and cardstock from Stampin' Up!.

Hugs and Kisses Stamped Card

2008-08-25T09:30:00.000-05:00

I keep pulling out those 2-step stamp sets lately. I usually just "stamp off" once for step 1, then follow up with the same ink color full-strength for step 2, but I've realized that the result can sometimes be boring. So this time, I used a contrasting color for step 2, and I think it's a lot more interesting. I finished everything off with a scrap of mulberry paper and some grosgrain ribbon. All stamps, ink, and cardstock from Stampin' Up!.

Gone South

2008-08-22T08:03:00.001-05:00

I'm in Alabama now, visiting family, but I've set a few posts on auto-schedule for next week so you'll have something to look at here. Beyond that, there may be a brief dry spell, but I'll be back soon, so please stick with me! I'll try to pop in periodically while I'm gone, since my nieces are well-supplied and I may be able to complete a card or two.

Moo Cards - Wheels

2008-08-19T21:44:00.004-05:00

"Wheels" is the topic this week over at Make a Moo or Two. I haven't participated in a challenge in a while, but I've been saving up a sheet of scrapbook paper that features cute vintage illustrations, and I thought the two images above would be perfect for this creative prompt. Have I told you how much I love to make moo cards? They're the perfect size for using up scraps of paper, they're quick and easy, and they're fun to collect and trade. They can also be attached to handmade greeting cards if you think you actually need to use them for something!

Easy Pincushion

2008-08-13T15:35:00.005-05:00

I love those simple projects that can be completed in 30 minutes or less, and this pincushion from Heather Bailey falls into that category. Go over to Heather's beautiful website to get a free pdf pattern with easy-to-follow instructions. I made one small change, and that was to bring both ends of the ribbon out on the same side (not sure how I managed to do that, it just happened, so I ran with it!), and I threaded the ribbon through the button so I wouldn't have to sew the button on. Too bad I didn't have any fancy hatpins to dress up my photo!

Artist Trading Cards - Turquoise

2008-08-05T13:51:00.004-05:00

Turquoise is the theme over at Think Monday-Think ATC this week, and that's a pretty good thing, because turquoise is my favorite color right now. And that's why I made two artist trading cards last night. I pulled out several paper choices, and couldn't make up my mind, so I just made both. And you know what? I didn't even bring out the rubber stamps!

On the left, I simply cut some elements out of one sheet of scrapbook paper, layered them onto the alphabet paper, and attached that to solid turquoise cardstock. I then punched a 1/4" hole and tied on a charm with a bit of grosgrain ribbon.

For the atc on the right, I used some petals I had cut out from a free sheet of collage elements, and some scraps of printed paper. The stem and the piece of green at the bottom are tiny scraps of fabric I had left over from a bag I made the night before (See, there's something to be said for not cleaning up after yourself right away!). Everything is decoupaged onto a piece of canvas I had painted a while back with acrylic paint.

Tonight I'll probably work on a square pincushion from a free Heather Bailey pattern download. I'll try to post photos in the next few days.

How-To: Boxes from Recycled Greeting Cards

2008-07-26T21:25:00.017-05:00

I promised months ago to post a tutorial on how to recycle greeting cards into tiny boxes, and finally managed to photograph one tonight while I was making it.

Before we get started, I have a couple of tips for box-making success. First, try to use a ruler that measures in sixteenths of an inch. You'll be able to measure more accurately. I don't have one, but I've made enough of these that I can estimate 1/16" fairly easily. Second, look for greeting cards that have a matte finish. For the box pictured here, I used a card with a glossy finish, and you can see cracks in the surface where I made the creases. A matte finish is less likely to do this, and will result in sharper edges and less cracking.

OK, first select a card and determine the largest size square you can cut from the front. You can go smaller than that if you like, but for your first box it's easiest to work as large as possible.

Next, on the reverse of your card front, draw your square, then place your ruler from corner to corner and draw an X in the center. This will mark the exact center of the square. On the back of the card (the blank area or the space where the greeting is), draw a square that is 3/16" smaller than your previous square. Mark the center.

Cut out the squares with scissors or a rotary cutter.

Beginning with the square you cut for the box top, fold all four corners to the center X and crease the folds.

Fold each straight edge toward the center, crease, and unfold.

Note the crease lines in the photo at left. It's important to complete all the folding steps above so that you make the correct cuts in the following step.

Using sharp scissors, cut from point A to point B. You'll be cutting through 2 layers of cardstock. Then cut from point C to point D. Repeat these cuts on the OPPOSITE edge of your folded card. IMPORTANT: You're only cutting on 2 sides, NOT 4.

Fold out the 2 sides you cut, as pictured at left.

Fold up sides 1 and 2 so that they're vertical.

Fold sides 3 and 4 over to hold sides 1 and 2 in place. If the little pointed sides don't stay down by themselves, glue them in place.

Repeat all steps for the box bottom. The top and bottom may fit very tightly together, depending on how carefully you cut and measured, or on your folding technique. Take this into account for your next box, and cut the box bottom smaller or larger accordingly. Be warned, these are addictive!

How-To: Fabric Gift Card Pouch

2008-07-20T17:06:00.012-05:00

I sometimes feel like a gift card is a little bit impersonal, but so many people like to receive them, and they're so much easier to send long-distance, so I end up buying quite a few of them. Last night I was getting ready to put one in a card and send it off, when I came up with an idea to personalize it a little bit. The gift card pouch pictured here took only minutes to make, and I didn't have to buy any new materials for it.

I always have bits of fabric on hand that I've applied Wonder-Under to, just in case I want to do a project like this, so I was able to pull from that supply for my gift card pouch. In addition to the fused pieces, which are used for the outside, the lining, and the decorations, I used scraps of quilt batting (in this case, Warm & Natural).

First, cut 4 rectangles of my background fabric and 2 of batting, each sized 3-3/4" x 2-3/4". Set 2 of the fabric rectangles aside to be used for the lining. Fuse each of the other pieces of fabric to a piece of batting.

Cut your embellishments out of a contrasting fabric that already has Wonder-Under applied to the reverse side. In my case, I used a circle template to mark and cut circles in several sizes. Place those contrasting pieces onto your previously fused fabric/batting pieces and iron in place.

Using a decorative thread (I used Madeira rayon), embellish the surfaces as desired. Decide which embellished rectangle you want for the front of your pouch, and cut one end off at an angle. You could create a fancier edge, but I was trying to keep it simple. Zigzag that edge with decorative thread. This will be the top edge of the pouch front. If you want the edge to be completely smooth, you can use a satin stitch (a slightly rough edge doesn't bother me, so I just used a narrow zigzag).

Now fuse the 2 remaining fabric rectangles to the backs of your other pieces, completely covering the batting. You now have lined front and back pieces. Place one on top of the other, lining sides together, and zigzag or satin-stitch around the 4 raw edges. You're done!

In addition to the gift card, I was able to tuck a few other small goodies into my pouch. The next one I make will be about 1/4" bigger in both directions so I can use it for artist trading cards. The pouch pictured here almost worked for that purpose, but it was just a little too tight.

Artist Trading Cards - Wednesday Stamper/Two Tone

2008-07-17T18:00:00.000-05:00

Now that I'm working 8 hours a day, I'm fiercely protective of my free time, and I don't always use that time efficiently because I'm spending too much of it deciding what I want to do. Tonight, I want to make ATCs, but I also want to finish a book I'm reading so I can stock up at the library again before the weekend. So I challenged myself to stamp something quick and easy, so that I'll have time left over for reading. The current topic at Wednesday Stamper is Two-Tone, and that helped me narrow down my color choices, which really did save time. For the second ATC, I used mostly scraps (have I mentioned that I never throw out even the smallest bits of leftover paper?). Now, I'm off to finish my book. Maybe I'll get done in time to do some more stamping!

Artist Trading Card - Games

2008-07-15T21:51:00.004-05:00

I haven't posted an artist trading card in a while, so I thought I'd play along this week at Think Monday - Think ATC, where the current challenge is games. I honestly don't know why I have pieces of a child's jigsaw puzzle in my house (since all my children are of the 4-legged, furry variety), but somehow they've made their way into my stash of stuff and are therefore fair game for artwork. For this ATC, I roughly edged one puzzle piece with a Krylon leafing pen, and glued a crossword to another piece. The background paper is "Guy's Life" from American Traditional Designs. As always, the folks participating at TMTA have produced some fabulous ATCs, so head on over there and take a look.

Moo Card - Birds

2008-07-13T18:24:00.004-05:00

If you love moo cards, you should head on over to Make a Moo or Two, where you can find loads of inspiration in dozens of styles. This week, the challenge topic there is birds. On the moo card pictured here, I've heat embossed a tiny bird in winter white, and simply layered her over some stamped flowers and swirls in cheerful summer colors. As I nearly always do, I've added a bit of knotted ribbon.

Moo Cards - Black and White

2008-07-06T19:09:00.002-05:00

Finally, I had time to make some moo cards! I love to work small, and the moo card is probably my favorite format for little pieces of art. The nice thing about moos is that they can stand alone, or can be added to a greeting card or other piece of art. The cards pictured here are for Make a Moo or Two, where the challenge this week is black and white. Here, I've simply done some very basic stamping with black ink on white cardstock, then framed it all up on black cardstock. All stamps and cardstock are from Stampin' Up!.

Christmas in June

2008-06-29T19:30:00.004-05:00

The current challenge at Daring Cardmakers is Christmas in June. Not really a tough one for me, because I could make Christmas cards all year long and never get sick of them. I'm still trying to stick with quick, simple cards, and this one was very fast and easy. This time, I thought I'd depart from traditional holiday colors, so I used only black, blue, and white, plus a touch of gold in the ribbon. The background is embossed with the Cuttlebug, and the ornament is stamped with a 2-step stamp. Stamps, cardstock, and ink from Stampin' Up!.

Quick Cards - Daring Cardmakers

2008-06-24T20:04:00.003-05:00

The challenge over at Daring Cardmakers this week is Quick Cards - cards with a theme of our own choosing, but that take 30 minutes or less to make. Most of my cards are made quickly, so for me this was mainly a matter of deciding which one to show you today. For the card pictured here, I used a 3-stamp set for the basket, and since it's a fairly loosely designed image, there was no need to spend time lining everything up perfectly. For the background I repeatedly stamped a vine across the cardstock - simple! The ribbon is threaded through two 1/4" holes. This card came together in only 5-10 minutes. All stamps, ink, and cardstock are from Stampin' Up!.

Twinchies

2008-06-18T19:37:00.002-05:00

Today's challenge at Wednesday Stamper is to use a "twinchie" format for our stamped project. A twinchie is a 2x2 inch square piece of artwork, and I was completely unaware of the term until today. I'm note sure how I missed the boat on twinchies, but here are my first two. I think I'll probably like this size a lot better than inchies. Stamps and ink are from Stampin' Up!.

ATC - Hands

2008-06-16T22:40:00.004-05:00

Today's challenge at Think Monday Think ATC is hands. Although these garden gloves aren't hands in the strictest sense of the word, I thought they would probably count. For this ATC I used a French script background stamp, followed that with stamped chicken wire, and completed the stamping with bits and pieces from 3 other stamp sets. I then finished everything off with a bit of grosgrain ribbon, tied in a knot. All stamps, ink, and cardstock are from Stampin' Up!.

Heat Embossed Card

2008-06-11T06:37:00.002-05:00

Heat embossing continues to be a favorite technique of mine, and my heat gun, embossing powders, and Versamark pad are always on my work table, ready to go. I prefer Versamark over traditional embossing inks, because it seems thicker and stickier, and stays wet long enough to cover a large area before adding the powder. On this card, I like the subtle design of the background, as well as that little bit of texture created by the embossing. And since our family has lots of special occasions in June, someone will be getting this in the mail shortly!

Moo Card - Cats

2008-06-10T05:30:00.000-05:00

Cats are the current theme at Make a Moo or Two. Here, I've stamped my cat with black ink, then colored him with Prismacolor pencils. I added a few fish to the background (what cat doesn't like fish?), corrugated some red cardstock for extra pop, and finished everything off with a silver cord. Now I'm wondering how long that little bird is going to last! Stamps, ink, and cardstock from Stampin' Up!.

"Thank You" Card with Eyelets

2008-06-09T07:00:00.001-05:00

The current challenge at Wednesday Stamper is to use eyelets in our stamped work. For this card, I stamped both the background and the greeting, then added eyelets for threading the ribbon. Since eyelets are one of my favorite embellishments, I added some more at the bottom of the greeting just for fun. All stamps, ink, and cardstock from Stampin' Up!.

Daring Cardmakers - Quoted by......

2008-06-08T18:14:00.004-05:00

At Daring Cardmakers this week, Jane has dared us to use a quote on our cards. The quote that I've included here is from Ralph Waldo Emerson:

"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day of the year."

Good advice, I think! All stamps, ink, and cardstock from Stampin' Up!.

Purple and Orange - Inspire Me Thursday

2008-06-03T22:19:00.005-05:00

The current challenge at Inspire Me Thursday is purple and orange. No orange here, but this is one of my favorite botanical photos, mainly because of the purple edges on the leaves (a little hard to see at this resolution). I think coneflowers are at their best in this stage of their development - so many interesting textures!

Stamped Pink and Black Birthday Card, Plus an Update

2008-06-02T20:29:00.007-05:00

It took me 2 weeks after the move to Arkansas to get internet access. Why is this always so hard? But now I'm back online and thrilled to be getting email and internet again without waiting for a computer at the public library.

Recent weeks have gone very quickly for me, but a lot has happened and I feel like my luck is finally changing, in a very positive direction. Today I started my new job in Little Rock, and I think that's going to be a good thing. Also, I learned a couple of days ago that a dispute I had with a major health insurance provider has been settled in my favor. My advice to everyone -- if you are dealing with an insurance company that repeatedly refuses a claim that most certainly was covered under your policy, do not hesitate to take the matter to the Office of Insurance in your state (at least, here in the US). It is their job to protect you.

While I was without internet access, I spent some time making simple cards. Pictured here is the only one I've scanned to date, but I'll try to get the others posted over the next several days. I've been itching to make a pink and black card (one of my favorite color combos), and this 2-step "gift package" stamp seemed a logical choice. This wasn't made for anyone in particular, but will go into my card box, to be used at a later date. All stamps, ink, and cardstock from Stampin' Up!.

Inchies

2008-05-21T15:09:00.000-05:00

A while back I won this beautiful inchies box in a blog giveaway, and have finally made my first inchies, so maybe now I can begin to fill up my little box. If you're not familiar with inchies, they are simply 1 inch x 1 inch pieces of art, using whatever technique you like. For mine, I brayered orange ink onto glossy white cardstock, stamped some images with black ink, then followed that with some heat embossed images using Versamark ink and detail gold embossing powder. Unfortunately, the embossing doesn't appear to be metallic in this photo.

Pelican Card

2008-05-17T16:38:00.000-05:00

This card was recently made to satisfy a request for a fast and simple birthday card. It needed to go in the mail immediately, so I quickly attached the pelican to a stamped background and a bit of scrapbooking paper from Provo Craft. It needed a little something extra, so I added the cord as an accent.

Stamped Frame

2008-05-15T14:39:00.000-05:00

Another easy stamping project is a photo frame. This frame was made from 4 layers of heavy chipboard, which were glued together with PVA glue. The front piece of chipboard will need a slightly smaller center hole, in order to hold your photo in place. The frame was then painted with gold Lumiere paint. Next, I stamped my images on a piece of vanilla cardstock and colored them with Radiant Pearls paints. After everything was dry, I applied a crackle medium, let it dry, then lightly sponged a light brown ink into the cracks. Finally, I cut the cardstock to fit the frame and attached it with more PVA glue. I've used a thin acrylic sheet to protect the photo.

The crackle medium I used was a 2-step kit that didn't require layers of paint either under or over the medium. I've been unable to find another kit, but Ranger makes a 1-step crackle accents product that can be used over stamped images and will produce results similar to mine. You can get it online at Texas Art Supply.

Baby Card

2008-05-13T15:16:00.000-05:00

I've been on a heat embossing kick lately, and as part of my "really simple card" series, I used that technique on this baby card. The flowers and the word "baby" were stamped with Versamark and embossed with winter white powder. I then attached eyelets to the greeting and threaded them with a pale yellow ribbon. I don't know anyone who is expecting a baby, but I guess it doesn't hurt to have an appropriate card handy!

Stamped Silk Scarf

2008-05-12T14:32:00.000-05:00

Those of us who love to rubber stamp are often so caught up in making cards that we forget to try other stamped projects. Stamping on fabric is fun and easy if you have the right products for the job. Here, I've used black Versacraft ink to stamp on a silk scarf from Dharma Trading. Just remember to pre-wash your fabric to remove sizing, unless you purchase PFD fabric (Prepared for Dyeing), which doesn't have sizing. You'll also need to heat set the ink.

Happy Mother's Day!

2008-05-11T07:50:00.001-05:00

Today is Mother's Day here in the US. Best wishes to all the mom's everywhere, both here and abroad!

Stamped Pillow Box

2008-05-09T15:34:00.000-05:00

These little pillow boxes are available at most craft stores, and are a great choice for party favors or as jewelry gift boxes. They are pre-scored for easy folding, but you do have to be careful when folding the curved edges. Before assembling, I stamped this one with flowers and leaves and spattered it with ink from a couple of brush markers. After folding, I tied it with sheer pink ribbon and gold cord. The tirckiest part is keeping everything together while adding the contents!

Blogger Problems?

2008-05-08T18:02:00.002-05:00

Blogger seems to be having trouble displaying photos today, so if you can't see any of my images, I apologize. It appears to be a problem on every blogspot I've visited this evening. Hopefully they'll have this fixed soon.

Gel Transfer on Formica Chip

2008-05-07T15:00:00.000-05:00

Golden Gel Medium is one of my favorite products. I most frequently use it for image transfers. For the project pictured here, I transferred a free image from Dover Publications onto a formica sample from the local home improvement store. I then applied metal leaf (another favorite product), and finished the tag with several pieces of decorative cord.

Inspiration from Nature

2008-05-05T19:55:00.009-05:00

I'm always inspired by nature this time of year, and usually can't get enough of my camera. I'm completely infatuated with all the new growth that is popping out everywhere, but I also love to see what was left behind last season. I have no idea what that is in the top photo, but I've been watching a number of these in the yard all winter, sitting atop stalks that are taller than me, and thinking what great photos they would make. I'm glad there were still a few left when I finally brought out the camera. The bottom photo is from a low branch of a pine tree in my back yard. I guess this is an "out with the old, in with new" sort of photo set.

And speaking of in with the new, we will be relocating one more time, in less than 2 weeks. Making a living here in Southern Illinois has been a tough road, so we are moving to Little Rock, where I have a job waiting for me and Dan has some good potential opportunities. I'm extremely excited about the new job. I'm going to be-- wait for it! -- a technical writer/blogger. I keep hearing the question, "People get paid to do that?" Well, yes, they do! And I'm so looking forward to it!

I've set up a bunch of automatic posts for the next two weeks (love that new Blogger feature!), so I'll be auto-publishing at least every couple of days, although I may not be available to quickly respond to comments for that period, or to comment on all of your wonderful blogs.

I'll be back "in the flesh" as soon as we get to Little Rock. Creative wishes to everyone!

Gift Packaging

2008-05-04T15:26:00.005-05:00

I enjoy making my own gift packaging, but rarely do it because items like the one pictured here are hard to ship, and also because I reserve the effort for those that I know will truly appreciate it. Since most of those people live several hours away from me, they don't often get gifts that are packaged like this. For this little basket box, I used a purchased die-cut box made from glossy cardstock, and stamped the flowers with Versamark ink, then brayered a lavender ink over that. The flowers aren't sharply visible, but this technique resulted in a slightly aged, subtle pattern. I completed it with pink tissue paper, sheer white ribbon, and a leaf charm attached with gold cord.

Stripes - Wednesday Stamper

2008-05-03T21:02:00.004-05:00

The current theme at Wednesday Stamper is stripes. For this card, I used a forgotten but recently rediscovered sheet of blue and white striped scrapbooking paper, and heat embossed the flowers with Versamark ink and Winter White embossing powder. I've been challenging myself to limit my color choices, so this may be the first in a series of very simple cards.

Moo Cards - Girls

2008-04-30T19:35:00.004-05:00

After returning from 4 days on the road, I'm finally getting around to some artwork. I find it difficult to unpack and get settled back into my routine, even after a short trip like this one. There's always laundry, picking the dogs up from "doggy camp", reassuring the cats that it's not necessary to be angry with us for leaving, and catching up on things like email and other business.

I love making moo cards, so I didn't want to miss this week's Make a Moo or Two challenge, which is Girls. Above, I've used a combination of rubber stamping and things I've cut from inkjet-printed images.

Go Shopping!

2008-04-28T20:30:00.001-05:00

While I'm away, check out these beautiful shops at Etsy:

Paper Moon Designs - fabulous jewelry, and she's from Southern Illinois too!

Sushipot Art Objects - cool art by an artist from my hometown of Mobile, AL

Snitterdog - paintings and mixed media from Savannah, GA.

See you in a few days!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2008-04-26T20:00:00.000-05:00

(Since I figured out how to schedule and auto-publish posts in Blogger Draft, I thought I'd auto-publish a couple of things while I'm away to see how it works.)

Everyone knows how much I love to bake. Yesterday I made a chocolate cake, but I've also made chocolate chip cookies twice in the last 10 days. I've been using the recipe for Outrageous Chocolate Chip Cookies from AllRecipes.com. I didn't think I would like a chocolate chip cookie with oatmeal and peanut butter, but you don't even notice the oatmeal, and I think the peanut butter flavor is subtle. Dan loves them, so this might now be my "go-to" cookie recipe.

Photo is courtesy of Mike Froese on stock.xchng.

On the Road Again!

2008-04-25T20:06:00.005-05:00

I'll be away for the next 4 or 5 days, so I won't be participating in any of the usual challenges, or posting any cards or photography. I'd love to make some art tonight, but unfortunately I have to prepare for my trip.

While I'm gone, go feast your eyes on some beautiful art at FishStikks photostream on Flickr, some great button jewelry on tigerlilly's photostream, and some beautiful "garbage art" by dumpsterdiversanonymous.

Enjoy!

Blog Giveaway at Stempelchaotin

2008-04-23T13:13:00.003-05:00

I love all kinds of paper. I also love blog giveaways, so I have two great reasons to enter Sandy's "blog candy" giveaway. Up for grabs are two prizes - a huge stack of assorted patterned paper pieces, and another big chunk of cardstock scraps. To enter, all you have to do is post a link to the giveaway on your blog, then go over to Sandy's blog and leave a comment so she knows you've entered. If you've never visited Sandy's blog before, you should go there immediately and take a look, even if you're not entering her contest. She is a gifted and prolific artist, and I think you'll enjoy her site. She is on my list of daily reads.

Reduce Reuse Recycle

2008-04-22T12:10:00.006-05:00

I've been saving this orange polka dot magazine ad for months, not really knowing what to do with it, but knowing that inspiration would come to me eventually. When I discovered a used cd in my pile of magazine tearouts, I thought it might make a good base for my polka dots. So I chopped up my ad, added some black strips cut from another magazine page, and here you have... well, a cd with orange spots. This might become a cover for a round book.

Visit my other blog to see how I've started repurposing old clothing.

Stripes - Theme Thursday

2008-04-21T14:56:00.003-05:00

Over at Theme Thursday, the current prompt is stripes. For the 5-1/2" x 5-1/2" piece above, I used a portion of Seurat's painting, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte; a free floral image from Dover; and a striped background paper of unknown origin. Thanks for looking!

Hot and Spicy - Daring Cardmakers

2008-04-20T22:09:00.003-05:00

Friday's challenge at Daring Cardmakers is hot & spicy. I chose to interpret the prompt with spicy colors. Above, stamps are from a very old Stampin' Up! set. Background paper is from K & Company.

Vintage Moo Cards

2008-04-19T10:30:00.005-05:00

The prompt this week at Make a Moo or Two is vintage. For the moo cards pictured above, I simply chopped up a bunch of Dover images and layered them onto cardstock. It's nearly impossible for me to make anything without ribbon, so of course I had to use it on two of my cards.

Dover Publications is a great way to collect free images, and many of them are suitable for cards and collage work. You can sign up for their free weekly downloads here.

Butterflies - Daring Cardmakers

2008-04-13T14:03:00.006-05:00

The current challenge at Daring Cardmakers is butterflies. Here, I've used a 2-step stamp for the butterfly. A stamp positioner, like the stamp-a-ma-jig, makes using a 2-step stamp so easy and accurate. I recently rediscovered my stamp-a-ma-jig after finding the transparent sheet that comes with it, which had become lost in my last move. I had forgotten how a 2-step stamp adds just the right amount of complexity and additional color to an otherwise simple design.

Wednesday Stamper - Trees

2008-04-06T19:46:00.005-05:00

The current theme at Wednesday Stamper is trees. I cheated a bit -- not exactly trees here, but I did use branches. The girl is a stamp from a retired Stampin' Up! set, and I've been using her a lot lately after several years of not knowing what to do with her. This is a tiny greeting card, measuring only 2-3/4 inches wide by 4-1/4 inches high.

Daring Cardmakers - Shrink to Fit

2008-04-06T11:30:00.004-05:00

It's been a while since I participated in a creative challenge, but I managed to get a few cards made last night. Here's my card for Daring Cardmakers, where this week's challenge, set by Kathy, is as follows:

"You are allowed to cover no more than a 5x5cms area of your card with paper or embellishment - the rest of the card must be left plain. How you use those valuable cms is up to you. So you may choose to split up those cms to use around your card, or use them in a block or a line. It might help to cut a few 5x5cm squares then cut those up to work out good ways of using your allotment. Making your whole card a miniscule 5x5cms is NOT an option!! Lets have no cheating (I know what you lot are like.....),but because I'm feeling generous, I'm going to let you add a SIMPLE greeting as extra to your 5x5 allowance! :-)"

This was a tough challenge for me, as I'm still itching to do something to that yellow background, but sometimes simplicity is a good thing.

Spring Moo Cards

2008-03-23T18:39:00.004-05:00

Cold. Again. As we walked the dogs this morning, ice began falling from the sky. The sleet bouncing off their backs didn't phase Jasmine or Harley, but for me, gloves and jackets are getting a bit old. The only sign that it was spring, and Easter Sunday, was the trail of spilled jelly beans in the park.

So, I welcomed the spring theme for the make a moo or two challenge. Lately I've been inspired by pink - it cheers me up and gives me hope that spring really is here!

Quilt Guild, and A Great Mail Day!

2008-03-21T19:37:00.008-05:00

Today I attended a mid-day meeting for a quilt guild I'm thinking about joining. The speaker was a lady with a collection of vintage aprons, and I left the meeting quite excited about some plans I had already made to sew a couple of hip and flirty aprons.

Then, I arrived home to find a package from Scotland waiting for me. Yes! The earrings I won in Susie's blog giveaway over at Creative Rainbows! When I opened the package, I was thrilled to find not two, but three beautiful pairs of Susie's handmade earrings, as well as some fabulous cards and a delightful bookmark. Take a look!

This photo just doesn't do justice to Susie's work. The "Thanks" card has a clever metallic border that you can't really see here, and the bookmark is laminated, so I can actually use it. And I read a lot, so I do use bookmarks!

My heart is always warmed by the generosity of my blogging friends, and it was so kind of Susie to also send along a couple of things I had been admiring on her blog, plus even more goodies. Thank you, Susie, for brightening my day!

Where Have I Been, and What Am I Making?

2008-03-20T20:15:00.009-05:00

At last, after 3 days without phone or internet service, I'm finally back online. It seems that the 10+ inches of rain we had here on Tuesday took its toll on Verizon's cables. I get most of my news online, so I was surprised to see today's newspaper and learn of all the terrible flooding in this area.

Tuesday was also the 83rd anniversary of the tornado that destroyed about 40% of Murphysboro in 1925. I walked to the library today, where some photos of the tornado's aftermath were on display, and was startled to find a photo of my house, without a roof, without all the east-facing walls, and without any exterior walls on the upstairs corner room I currently use as an office, sewing room, and craft room.

It's amazing how much you can get done when you're not on the internet! Here's what I've been making for the past 3 days, when I haven't been working on web pages and logos:

ATCs - Triptych

2008-03-05T16:16:00.004-06:00

Monday's challenge at Think Monday-Think ATC is to use a triptych format. Above, I've used stamps, ink, and cardstock from Stampin' Up!, and tied each ATC with a silver cord. Considering my abundant use of SU! products, you've probably figured out by now that I used to be a demonstrator! Most of the stamps in my collection are retired now, even the ones I've never used, and I still have a huge stash of their cardstock, although I'm starting to get low on my favorite colors.

Blog Giveaway at The Apronista

2008-03-04T15:39:00.004-06:00

I'm not quite sure how it happened, but I've become hooked on aprons lately. It's probably because I realized how stylish one can be while in the kitchen. Or maybe it's because I found this very hip blog, The Apronista. This week, they're having a great giveaway, with a prize from the Marie-Madeline shop at Etsy. So head on over to this post and leave a comment for a chance to win!

Moo Cards - Favorite Color

2008-03-02T15:22:00.006-06:00

The theme this week at Make a Moo or Two is your favorite color. Today, my favorite colors are green and purple, but that might change tomorrow, or tonight, or maybe even in a few minutes, although green will probably still be on the list. There aren't really any colors I don't enjoy, so my favorite usually depends on my mood, or is perhaps influenced by something I've just seen.

DCM - I Am Woman

2008-03-02T15:10:00.006-06:00

The current challenge at Daring Cardmakers is to make a card that includes a feminine image, without using Tildas, Sugar Nellies, or Bellas. Not a problem here, because I don't own any of these stamps (not because I don't want them, I just don't have them!). For this card, I've used a retired Stampin' Up! stamp, SU! ink and cardstock, and a bit of silver metallic paper, which unfortunately doesn't look silver here.

Now, let me see where I might be able to get a couple of Bellas......

Stars, Mini Composition Books, & Blog Giveaways

2008-03-01T11:16:00.010-06:00

The theme this week at Wednesday Stamper is stars. Ha, I thought, I have lots of stamp sets with stars. This will be easy. Wrong! It seems that I gave all those sets to Erin and Tara before I moved. However, I did have one star remaining in my collection, so I was able to complete the card I had in mind. I had my heart set on making those little embossed star charms. All stamps and supplies are from Stampin' Up!.

I recently had the pleasure of winning this wonderful little inchies box (below) from Nikki Wheeler, who was a participant in the One World-One Heart event. It's even more beautiful in person! Thanks, Nikki! I'm now busy making some inchies to fill it up.

Speaking of blog giveaways, be sure to visit Susie at Creative Rainbows for a chance to win one of two great prizes. I have my eye on those little owl earrings!

And here's a mini composition book I decorated a few days ago. These little books are so easy to embellish. I simply covered this one with paint samples from the local home improvement store, used a Krylon gold leafing pen along the edges, and tied it with a wired ribbon and a bead.