A Day in the Fields

Yes, I knew when I started this blog that I was going to be the worst blogger ever.  I mean, what is the point of a blog if you are not going to keep it up and add content?  Right?  Well, as the school year is coming to a close, I am going to try my best at remedying that situation.
To start it off, again, I do not have a project to share, but instead some photos of a very HOT day we spent in Markham, VA picking strawberries.  If you are a local, there is a great pick your own orchard called Hartland Farms. You view their web site here. They have just about every seasonal fruit you can pick around here as well as corn, pumpkins and Christmas Trees.  It is also very convenient to some of Virgina wineries, and we try to hit one after every time we pick.

I just want to eat them!

Is this one ready?

It was HOT, as I said, but the staff was great and had coloring pages and stickers for the kids.  They also were very friendly and took the time to answer all of our questions about the planting and growing of strawberries.  The kids picked for a little while, then relaxed with some cool drinks and a snack while the Mommies finished up the work.  Jae-sun was a great help, too.  However I don't think anything he picked actually came home with us!  His face and hands were berried stained by the time we got back in the car for the drive home.

Saturday Sketch Challenge 198

It has been quite a busy week for me, so while my husband bathes the baby and my two older kids play, I am finally getting a chance to post my challenge card that I actually made on the day the sketch came out this week ~go figure~  Here is the sketch:

After posting this picture, I see that I miss interpreted the sketch, somewhat.  I know, how could I have done that, it IS pretty simple and straight forward.  Well, when I first saw it, I missed the big box that was to be the base layer!  Oh well, my bad.  Anyway, here is my interpretation:

I had decided that it was high time that I use some of the in colors that I had, and I had Concord Crush ink and paper on my craft table, as well as the build a blossom stamp set and punch, so that was where I started from.  First I cut my base layer 8.5" x 5.5" and scored it at 4.25".  Next I cut a piece of designer paper in the Poppy Parade at 5.25" x 4".  I punched one side with the scallop border punch, then sponged the edge with the Concord, and layered the other side of the print under the scalloped edge.  I ran that piece through the Elegant Lines embossing folder and then sanded the raised lines to bring out the white core.  Next I sponged over the white lines with the concord for a little extra color.  For the focal I double layered a flower from the build a blossom stamped in Concord, first over Pink Pirouette and next over the DSP.  Both layers are accented with Dazzling diamonds, and then Rhinestone basic jewels for the center.  I spotted a piece of vellum on my table, so I stamped it with one of the Frames from the sneak peek set from the upcoming Idea Book and Catalog.  Then I added the sentiment from the Always Elegant set that matches the folder and I got FREE during Sale-a-bration!
Here is a close up of the flower.

I just don't know about this card.  I  like the components, but I don't know how I feel about the color combo.  Sometimes you just gotta take risks!  Thanks for stopping by!

Strength and Hope

A few days ago I receieved my recent order from Stampin' Up! and yesterday I decided it was high time to get some of the new stuff out to play with.  One of the stamp sets that came is called Strength and Hope.  This is a very special set, not only for the artwork, but because Stampin' Up! is donating a portion of the proceedes from its purchase to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.  If you are interested in getting the Strength and Hope set, it will be in the upcoming Summer Mini Catalog that starts May 1, 2011.  

Someone very special to me is an Oncology RN, among other things, and does a lot of work with the American Cancer Society.  I decided that she needed to have a set of cards made with this stamp to use for various purposes with that group.  After playing around with different layouts and designs, this is what I came up with:

I started with a 8.5" x  5.5" based in Rose Red, scored and folded at 4.25".  Then I added a layer of Pink Pirouette cut at 5.25" x 4".  I randomly stamped the butterfly image in the same color to create a background.  Next, I centered the flourish image and stamped it with Pear Pizzazz.  I set that aside and stamped the flourish image again on Whisper White, coloring the red heart with my Rose Red marker.  I punched those out with the scallop circle punch, being careful to center the punch.  After I had 8 of those all stamped and punched, I took out a piece of vellum and stamped the Hope 'H', in Early Espresso, coloring the word, again with the marker. After repeating that 8 more times, I punched it out with my 1 3/8" circle punch.

Here is a close up of the H and ribbon.

To assemble I added a piece of Rose Red seam binding ribbon over the flourish on the pink, then the scallop punch out, being careful to match up the flourishes and popping that out with two dimensionals.  Finally I placed the circle punch out in the middle of the scallop so that the red heart was between the top of the H.  What do you think? 

A butterfly in the inside of the card on Whisper White adds that special touch!

I boxed them up and added the flower and bow to secure the box.  The flower was made with the Build a Blossom Stamp set and Punch, stamped in Pink Pirouette on Whisper White, then glittered with Dazzling Diamonds.

 I just know my special person will love this set!  Sorry if I ruined a surprise if you are reading this, but now you have something to look forward to in the mail!

Sneaky Treats

Hello!  I just wanted to share a recipe with you that I have been making for my kids, and day care kids, the past two weeks.  My kids are the worst breakfast eaters!  I have to beg borrow and steal to get them to the breakfast table and then nag them to eat.  A few weeks ago I started making Carnation instant breakfast for them so that if they dont finish in time for us to leave for school, they can take it with them and get a healthy breakfast in the car.  It has been working for the most part, but they were getting tired of the chocolate shakes.  Since the weather has started to turn warmer, I've decided to change up the recipe and the results have been great!  They now beg me for their morning milk shake and even manage to get some grains in there adding cereal or a mini bagel.  After I portion out the shakes, I take the left overs and freeze them in to popsicle molds for their after school snacks.  Yesterday I had enough to share with my daycare kids and they RAVED!!!!  Its a hit.  So, I wanted to share my recipe with you:

1 cup Skim Milk
1/2 cup plain Kefir (this is packed with good stuff, but high in fat, you can sub nonfat greek-style yogurt, but you'll miss out on the probiotics)
2 cups frozen strawberries
1 frozen banana cut into chunks
2 tbsp ground flax seeds (optional)
1 packet Vanilla Carnation instant breakfast

Add all the ingredients to a blender and, well, blend until combined.
That's it!  If your kids don't think this is sweet enough, you can add honey or blue agave for a little extra sweetness, but I think the banana gives it plenty!  This combination is loaded with protein, calcium, vitamin D, iron, B vitamins, fiber, minerals and just plain tastes great!  I make a version for myself omitting any extra sweeteners, carnation breakfast, and using the nonfat greet yogurt, 1/2 of the rest of the ingredients to get a thick, yummy smoothie that fills me up and satisfies me until lunch, all for about 200 calories. 

I'd love to know if you try this and what your family thinks!  Enjoy and have a great day!

A Beatiful Day at Burke Lake Park

Hi friends!  I have not posted in a while, so it is high time!  I do not have a project for you in this post (I have one to show and I will try to get that up later today).  Yesterday we had a great day here in VA!  It was a little windy, but the temperatures were up to 80 degrees and it was sunny!  Yes, the SUN!  The kids were off of school for a teacher work day and I didn't have any "extra" kids around, so Dave and I decided that we should meet at Burke Lake Park in Burke, VA for a picnic.

It is a bit of a drive for me, but was only about 10-15 minutes from his work.  So I packed a few essentials, loaded up the car, hit KFC for some quick, easy lunch, and we headed to the park.  We go through Clifton, VA to get there, one of my favorite communites.  I do love to drive through there, but not as much when I am the one at the wheel.  The roads are narrow and windy, which make it hard to look at all the great properties.  We made pretty good time, and I was only told 3-4 times about how starving the kids were and was only asked 2-3 times if were we were almost there yet.

The picnic area we like, next to the play equipment, was pretty crowded, but it was just before noon and I was able to lay claim to a nice picnic table in the sun.  (Ah, sun).  The starving kids from the car didn't want anything to do with eating, so we let them play for a bit while Dave, Jae-sun and I enjoyed some chicken, mac-n-cheese and green beans, yummmm.  We finally wrangled the older two to come and eat, then after had some fun all playing together on the jungle gym and in the woods.  I hope you enjoy these shots:

Dave and Jae

Noah and Jae-sun going down the tube slide

Natural Teeter-totter

Noah on his scooter

We all had a great time!  I was exhausted from this outing but so worth it!  On the way home, the kids and I stopped for our first soft-serve ice cream of the season.  Again, yummmmm!

Vintage Thank You

I've been busy again with more cards for challenge sketches.  I just love to play along with the challenges, they always give me inspiration and a jumping off point, so to speak, for making a card or a layout.  They are also a great way to build up your card box when you don't have an occasion to send a card now.  It seems that I always need a card when I have not time to make one!  On to the sketch!  Here it is:

I like this sketch for its easy adaptablilty.  It is really a "plug and play" kind of card!  The first thing I thought about when I saw it was what kind of paper or design do I want to put in the wide panel at the bottom?  I remembered the Vintage Springtime papers that I had from Stampin' Up! (from the Occations Mini, only available for a few more days!).  I used one of the blue florals and then pulled the rest of my colors from there.  Here are my basic layer dimentions:
Layer 1: 8 x 5 1/2", scored and folded in half at 4 1/4"
Layer 2: 4 1/8 x 5 3/8"
Layer 3: 4 1/8" x 2 1/2"

 

I cut Layer 2 from Very Vanilla and stamped it with the large hydrangea flower from the Because I Care stamp set in Marina Mist.  I "stamped off" three times to get a very faint image.  Next, I backed the third layer with two strips of the vanilla punched with the islet border punch.  The ribbon and bow are Crumb Cake 3/8" taffeta ribbon, and for the wrinkled effect on the bow, I pulled one of the strands from each tail and scrunched it up until I was satisfied with it's "scrunchy"ness.  Here's a close up:

 To finished it off, I added three of the large pearl jewels, a the sentiment stamped from the same set on vanilla, layered on a scallop circle punch and sponged all of the vanilla pieces with the Marina Mist.  I also included a vanilla panel inside with the hydrangea faintly stamped in the upper and lower corners as well.  How would you interpret this sketch?

 See the inside panel?  Adding a little surprise inside gives any card that something special.  Try it on your next project!  Thanks for stopping by!

the sweetest thing Sunday Sketch Challenge 110

Hi folks!  Well, its been quite a while since I posted, my apologies!  I have been consumed over the past few days with printer problems!  I purchased a wide format printer so that I could print 12x12 layouts at home for my digital and hybrid projects.  The first few pages came out great!  Wonderful color, borderless, nice weight paper.  I was very pleased.  However, I attempted to print a few pages last Friday, and everything I printed got "stuck" during the last inch of printing.  Long story short, after an hour on the phone "trouble shooting" with HP, they are sending me a new printer. 
In the mean time I did manage to make one card project for the sweetest thing Sunday Sketch Challenge.  I often visit this blog, but this is the first time I've "played along".  I was so frustrated and heartbroken looking at the ruined scrapbook pages, wasted time, wasted paper and wasted ink, on my scrap table, that I decided to use some of the "trash" for my card.  So I guess you could say this is sort of a hybrid project.  Here is the sketch:

It's a pretty simple sketch, three main layers, plus the base.  That is the way I kept my card, pretty simple.  Everything is Stampin' Up! except the patterned pieces.  That is what I cut out of my ruined page.  It comes from a Sweet Shoppe Designs Vintage set that I was able to snag free with purchase a few weeks ago.  I pulled all the colors out of this paper.  The base layer is Early Espresso cut 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" scored at 4 1/4".  Next is a 5 1/4" x 4 1/8" of  Rose Red that I ran through the Big Shot and embossed with the Tulips embossing folder. The Vintage layer is a 3 3/4" square.  Since that layer was already "distressed" from being pulled out of the printer, I also scruffed up the edges with my sanding blocks.  Next, I cut a small rectangle 2 1/4" by 2" of Very Vanilla and sponged the edge with Marina Mist.  This is one of my favorite blues!!  It is hard to see, but there is a stripe of it running through the vintage paper!

I stamped a bird from the Punch Potpourri hostess stamp set on the vanilla, and then again on a scrap to punch out and layer on top.  I sponged the wing with Marina Mist and then also sponged the leaf and branch with Certainly Celery and Early Espresso.  The bird has a tiny little pearl eye.  The sentiment is stamped from the Because I Care set, also a hostess set in the catalog, punched out with the small oval punch and the layered on a scalloped oval punch out in Marina Mist.  The small rectangle and the ovals are all raised up with dimensionals.  Pretty simple and quick.  The main layer could easily be replaced with Soft Suede or Crumb Cake for a masculine card.  I know this one wont be in my studio long!  Time to send it to someone special.  Thanks for stopping by! 

Digital Tuesday Challenge - Button up!

I think this is the first time I've played along with this particular challenge, but I needed some inspiration and found it while I was browsing one of my favorite blogs, Free Digital Stamps.  You will find a link to this blog on my side bar.  It is a great place to go for digi-freebies!  The theme of this challenge is "button up" and it requires that you use any buttons and anything digital.  Here is my card:

On an A2 card base in SU Crushed Curry, I stamped a bunch of buttons in the background in Rose Red craft ink, and then embossed them with clear embossing powder and my heat tool.   The sunbonnet girl on the bobbin with needle and thread (perfect for the Button theme!) is a digital stamp from my stash that I found on the Free Digital Stamps blog (link on right sidebar).  It is no longer free, but you can find it  here on Bugaboo Stamps for sale.  First I printed out two copies of this stamp.  I cut the scalloped rectangle using the Scalloped Square Clearz Die on the Big Shot, then I cut it again, placing the scalloped edge in the square to make it the dimensions of the rectangle I wanted, centering the girl.  For the second image, I cut out just the bonnet with my paper snips.  I colored her, and the extra bonnet, with my Copics.  I layered the extra bonnet over-top the first, popping it out with dimensionals to give it extra interest.  I used my ribbon punch and threaded the 1/4" grosgrain ribbon in Rose Red through the side of the rectangle to mimic the bonnet.  I sponged the edge of the rectangle with some more Rose Red.  Finally, I added a button from the button bouquet collection in pink with a mini glue dot, now she's all buttoned-up!  I like her!  Let me know what you think!

Toon Art Scrapbook page

Happy Wednesday!  I hope everyone's week has been going well so far and you are ready to get over the hump!  Here is a little something I did yesterday to help you out. 

My brother sent me the photos in black and white that he created using his iPhone, of all things!  Yep, there's an ap for that!  It is called Toon Paint and he says you can create them in black and white or colored.  I just love the very clownish way the black and white photos looked.  I knew I had to do something with them, so I designed a page that paired them with their photo originals. 
I designed this page using the My Digital Studio platform and tools, however, some of the components are from a few other sources.   I was able to load the "foreign" components and embellishments into MDS so that I could take advantage of its speed and ease of use, and was also able to manipulate them with the MDS tools, such as the punches.   I hope you enjoy it!

Unicorn redeux, again...Stamping 411 Sketch 195

Since yesterday's post of the redone Unicorn birthday card, I did decide to give it another go, again.  I just wasn't happy with either of yesterday's cards.   For inspiration today I decided to turn to the Sketch Challenge on one of my favorite blogs, Stamping 411.  It is a great no hassle place to view some great cards and also get tips and tutorials, even on the  most basic stamping techniques.  Anyway, here is there sketch for the week.  

 

It's got a LOT going on, and not one of my favorite sketches to date, but I was committed to make a card for it.  Honestly, it's been a while since I posted anything with them, so I was happy for the excuse!  Like I need one :)   Here is my card:

Like I said, it's got a LOT going on!  I used the same dimensions listed in the challenge post.  My base color is Orchid Opulence, a retired SU color, but still one of my favorites!  I combined it with a layer of Rich Razzelberry cut to 5-3/8 x 4-1/8, then the Whisper white layer of 5-1/4 x4.  I roller stamped the white with versamark and then embossed with Iridescent Ice powder (I love that stuff).  It gave it just enough glitz.  The smaller layers were also cut with the same dimensions as the challenge card.  I ran the larger of the two through the Elegant Lines embossing folder on the big shot and stamped the other piece of white with the little bitty stamps from the Pony Party set.  Here is a close up of the sentiment, which I moved to the other side.  It is stamped with Rich Razzelberry that I marker-ed on, then punched out with the Jewelry Punch.  They are tied to the wide grossgrain, also in Razzelberry, with the linen thread and twine.  

Finally, a close up of our magical horse, again stamped with the Tuxedo Black by Memento and colored with the same copic shades as the previous one.  I skipped all the dazzling diamonds this time (I know, can you believe it!)  I just thought that the other one was TOO blingy, if there is such a thing!

I enjoyed playing with this set, but I think it is back on the shelf for a while and off to something different for a while!  Too much of a good thing, well, you know the rest!  Thanks for reading!  Leave me a comment, especially if you are playing along with 411, I'd love to see what your interpretation of that sketch is!  Until next time...

A Birthday Card and a Haircut, too!

Megan had a birthday party to go to today for one of her friends.  Of coarse, I had to make a card for her.  I was really excited to make this card because I planned to use a stamp set that was new, never used, still unmounted, and perfect for a young girl.  After thinking about images on the set and what patterned papers I had available, I was ready to start putting it all together.  Well, as luck would have it, I got started late and fell behind.  I was able to finish the card in time, and had a few minutes left over to decorate the gift bag and tissue paper to match, however, I wasn't exactly thrilled with the finished product, nor did I have time to photograph it before it was time to leave for the party.  So, I decided to give it a second try. 

In the meantime, our almost 17th month old was in desperate need of a haircut.  So I gave him one.  That's an art form, right?  Here he is after the cut.  I think I did pretty well, if I do say so myself, but I am exhausted from the stress of the sudden movements and worrying that I am going to cut an ear off!

I stamped the horse image from the Pony Party stamp set with Tuxedo Black Memento ink and then colored it in with Copic markers C1, C3, C7, V6, R32, R11, RV29 (these colors match the SU Rich Razzelberry, Pink Pirouette, Pretty in Pink and Melon Mambo) and outlined it with W1 for some depth.  Here is a close up of the horse before I cut it out:

The base is Night of Navy with a layer of Bashful Blue.  I tried to create the appearance of the unicorn flying through the clouds with silver lining.  I used Staz-on Opaq Cloud White, with a scallop circle and scallop oval masks, tipped with Encore metallic silver.  Then I covered it all with clear embossing powder to give it some glimmer and dimension.  I think I fell a little short.  The "clouds" just look gray.  I am not totally satisfied with this attempt, either, but I'm done for the day!  I {may} try again tomorrow.  (I'll post a pick if I do!)  Anyway, for the background I used a wheel stamp inked with Versamark and the stamping around guide.  That is one of the things on my list of things I thought I would never need, but can't live without!  It makes using wheel stamps so much easier.  I added bling with Dazzling Diamonds and then again with two crystal brads.  Finally I spritzed the whole thing with some pearlized spray.  The sentiment is stamped in Black Staz-on on Whisper white, with  more versamarked wheel stamped in the background.

My seven year old daughter loves it.  I'd love to hear what you think!

Rags to Riches: an embroidery project!

I recently saw a few photos on one of my favorite sites for machine embroidery patterns.  It was of a denim jean skirt with a ribbon trimmed hem.  Now, one of my biggest pet peeves is that my daughter grows out of the length of her jeans way before she grows out of the waistline.  I thought to myself, "I can do that!"  So here is my attempt:

After I took out the seams, I embroidered a few designs on the front and the back of the skirt.  One thing I learned, my embroidery machine DOES NOT like stretch denim!  But I persevered and finished it.  I also learned that the ribbons need to go side by side to lay right, no overlapping!  Megan loved it, and I do, too!  I just can't help it, it's too stinkin' cute!  Tell me what you think!  Thanks for stopping by.

The second post! A project: digital scrapbook page

As promised, I am back to show you what I've been up to.  I have most recently been spending most of my time working with digital scrapbooking.  I was very hesitant to get involved with this style of scrapbooking for a few reasons.  First, I enjoy the process of manipulating paper and putting it all together, that I thought I would miss out on this aspect of scrapbooking by doing it on the computer.  However,  the biggest reason was that I was simply scared of my computer.  I thought it was going to be WAY too complicated for me to figure out.  However, when Stampin' Up! was having their Black Friday sale last year, their digital scrapbooking software was on sale for half off.  Even though I was hesitant, I just couldn't pass up that offer!  Well, I bought it, and it still sat on the shelf for weeks before I decided it was time to open and install it.  Even then, after I had it on my computer, I didn't use it.  One day, I just took a few deep breaths, and decided to watch a brief tutorial of an overview of the software.  That was all it took, I was hooked!   I am in love with digi-scrapping!  I can get so much done in a very little time, or spend hours on a page.  The best part is that I can work on a page for how ever long I have, then save my work and come back to it with out having to clean up a huge mess, or worry about which kid will get a hold of it and add their own special "touches", if you know what I mean!  I had virtually given up on scrap booking altogether because I don't have a space where I can leave a layout out until the pages is done.  Now I don't have to!  Love it!

Alright, enough yammerin'!  Here are some of the pages I have created:

These two pages were creating using a template that comes with the software and literally took me about 20 minutes start to finish! These cuties are Jae-sun, and some of his friends from our play group.

This one of my favorite pages!  I felt so accomplished when I had finished it.  The photos are pretty old, but great images, none the less.

Some more oldie but goodie photos, long overdue for a great lay out.  This is just a small sampling of what I was able to accomplish with this VERY user friendly software.  Let me know if you want to know how to get your own copy!  Thanks for stopping by!

The First Post (no pressre)

SO, after many words of encouragement from a few friends, I have decided to take the plunge and start a blog!  I can just hear my husband sighing in the background.  Something else for me to do in my "spare time" that I always complain about not having enough of.  Well, it is true that there need to be 27 hours in a day so I can accomplish what I would like, but I think it is time to start keeping track of all the crafty things that I am able to finish.  So, therefore, this is my first post in my first blog.  Don't expect greatness! At least not yet.

I am sorry that I don't have a new project to show you this post, but I promise to {try} to get something up here soon.  I intend to showcase all of my creative outlets on this blog.  There will be paper-crafting projects including cards, scrapbook pages and 3D projects.  I also enjoy needle crafts and sewing as well as the culinary arts.  You will see them all!  I hope you enjoy what you find and feel free comment, especially when something inspires you!