Treasured Trash

HAppY EaRth Day Crafters!!!
I am so passionate about recycling and living green that I had to post something to share today. I'm sure most crafters do the same and keep boxes and containers that would be easily be re-purposed and use them at a later date. Here's a look at some things I've done...


I have a serious stockpile of wasbi pea tins and have used them to make a variety of things. I've done "goody bags" for my daughters party and given treats in them during the holidays. The photo below shows a couple I've kept for myself. I have tips & ideas I want to try someday in one and alphabet embellishments in the other!

Have a look at this...

This is where we keep all the art stuff for my crafty chickens. The girls love to draw and color and paint...and you guessed it stamp! ;) Anyway, check out the tub of crayons, do you recognize it? It had a clear plastic lid when it was bought. My oldest daughter made it into a pretty nifty valentine box one year. She covered it with paper and cut a slot in the lid. Then added pretty stickers. I imagine we tossed (I mean recycled) the lid after it became the home for the multiplying crayons!!! Still not sure what it used to be?

Hope you have a GREAT day ladies, and I challenge you to save something from the trash and reuse it!

It's All About the GIRLS

At my house this is pretty much a true statement 24/7. But in this instance I'm actually referring to my monthly workshop...Ladies Night! Our technique this month is water coloring, and I've cooked up two different cards water colored in two different ways.

The first one is a Mother's Day card that I began by stamping the background with bleach. You never know what color your card stock will be when bleached. Pacific Point becomes Gable Green, so with these two colors to build on, I decided Pirouette Pink and Baja Breeze would be a nice compliment.
This is a more classic approach to water coloring. I chose a line art image I could color (the flower) and I stamped it using Gable Green Craft and heat embossed it with Clear EP. That sealed the ink so I could watercolor without worry! ;) Once it was colored and trimmed out I added a Rhinestone brad. So simple!

Stampin' Supplies:
PAPER - Pacific Point, Baja Breeze, Gable Green, Pink Pirouette, Whisper White
INK - Gabe Green Craft, Pacific Point Classic, Baja Breeze Classic
STAMPS - All Holidays, Doodle This OTHER - Circle Scissor, Paper Crimper, Fire Square Brad, 1" Double Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon (Baja Breeze), Aqua Painter, stapler

For the Second card I used Watercolor Paper and my Watercolor Pencils. A completely different take on water coloring...and I'm excited about using this technique to do sunsets! I basically scribbled on the Watercolor Paper leaving some white space and then "painted" over the scribbles with my Aqua Painter. I heated it a little to make sure it was dry before I stamped the images over it, and I really LOVE how this card came out!!!


Stampin' Supplies:
PAPER - Orchid Opulence, Elegant Eggplant, Patterns Pack II (Regal Rose), Watercolor Paper
INK - StazOn
STAMPS - Great Friend
OTHER - Watercolor Pencils, 1-3/4" Circle Punch, 1/4" White Grosgrain Ribbon

Ladies Night * April 23, 2009 * 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Showing my Gratitude

I had a birthday a few weeks ago and my sweet sweet husband threw me a party! It was a surprise party too!!! We were meeting friends at a local restaurant and SURPRISE there were a LOT more friends seated in the back! That was all too exciting and I loved every minute of it!
My best friend Maureen was my hubby Gabe's accomplice and she had the tables decked out with rose petals, flower arrangements, and balloons! Another friend of mine, Liz, made me a custom cake. It was totally darling!!!
I am soo overdue sending them a thank you so I spent a few minutes today thinking about colors I could do a thank you card with. I actually decided to choose a color I rarely use and go from there. So trying to think "outside the box" I came up with the color combo Green Galore, More Mustard, Summer Sun, and Tempting Turquoise. I'm ready for Summer, can you tell?
The stamped image was done by inking the image with More Mustard and then using my Chocolate Chip marker to color the sentiment "thank you" before stamping it on Summer Sun card stock. I like how it stands out a little more this way. I also added a second layer of card stock by punching the Summer Sun piece and taping it to a scrap of More Mustard then trimming it out with my scissors.


Stampin' Supplies:
PAPER - Pink Flamingo Designer Series, Green Galore, More Mustard, Summer Sun
INK - More Mustard Craft, Chocolate Chip Marker
STAMPS - Cute & Curly
OTHER - Curly Label Punch, 1/4" Tempting Turquoise Grosgrain Ribbon

Floral Fantasy

I just got the Designer Series Paper featured in the new mini catalog, Walk in the Park...LOVE IT!!! I only used two sheets to complete a layout with today's sketch (SBSC185 on SCS). The horizontal strip of yellow is the reverse side of the gray piece down the left side. This whole package is DELICIOUS!!! And don't you LOVE that giant eyelet in the center of the flower!? That's from the Designer Hardware collection, six to a package. This one is called Soho!

Stampin' Supplies:

Stamps: Lovely Letters, Font of You, Pick A Petal

Paper: Walk in the Park DSP, Rose Red, Whisper White

Ink: Rose Red

Accessories: Grosgrain Ribbon, Scallop Oval Punch, Small Oval Punch, Scallop Edge Punch, Soho Desiger Hardware, Distress Tool

Techniques: Distressing, Machine Stitching

Here's my sketch:

I was Framed

Isn't it cute? This is the altered frame sample for my workshop this weekend.
I've done a few others using one sheet of patterned paper, trimming the middle out and sanding it all. This one was easier since I painted the frame first and did a patchwork pattern on the front...no extra trimming required, no "whoops, I guess I'll go with the distressed look!" LOL

To finish the look I wanted I stamped the grass image overlapping two papers, then tied some hemp around the frame. The butterflies were stamped on Vanilla card stock that was backed with coordinating patterned paper, trimmed out and glued on with ModPodge. I creased them and only placed the glue in the center so they'd be 3 dimensional.

Stampin Supplies:
Stamps
• Inspired by Nature
(111656; set of 4; $23.95)
• Flight of the Butterfly
(111564; set of 10; $31.95)

Paper
• Bella Bleu Designer Series Paper

Ink
• Creamy Caramel Craft Stampin’ Pad
• Not Quite Navy Craft Stampin' Pad

Stampin’ Up! Accessories
• Natural Hemp

Just For FUN!

WOW, it's already April, and what is today!?!?!? It's April Fools Day!!!! So I decided it was mandatory that I post some funnies for you all! :)

Check out these quotes I've seen on t-shirts:

I love collecting scrapbook supplies

I scrapbook, therefore I am

creative,

obsessed,

broke!

The only time cooking and cleaning come before scrapbooking is in the dictionary (this is my FAV!)

I'll admit I'm ADDICTED if you'll pose for another photo

Friends don't let Friends crop alone

You think this is a mess? You should see my scrapbook room!

Be nice to me, or I'll crop you out!

To scrap or not to scrap - there really is no question.

Life is Simple Eat. Sleep. Scrapbook.

Will trade husband for scrapbook supplies

Frankly my dear, I don't give a scrap.

Hope you all have a GREAT day today! I'll be adding a more "creative" post soon.

{HUGS}