Mary Jo's Lunchtime Sketch

Hello to all my blogging friends, I hope this post finds you all well and happy!

I couldn't sleep after we got back from the hospital tonight, so I checked around for some inspiration. I found a cute sketch over at Mary Jo's  http://technostamper.blogspot.com blog.
Here is her Sketch.

This is what I came up with. This one I will give it to my Mom, I think it will make her smile.

I made the little flowers by pulling the center threads forward and pushing the ribbon back while I pulled.
Here is a picture of the inside.
Hope you like it .

Please continue to Pray for my Mom she is really uncomfortable! It's going to be a long haul for her to get ride of the Staff Infection in her New Shoulder!

I better get some sleep now because it is another trip to the hospital tomorrow.

It is your turn to create something fun!

Sketch Frenzy Friday Early!

Hello my Blogging Friends, I hope this post finds you well and happy!

Sorry to have to post my card  early! My Mom has to have Emergency Surgery tonight again on her shoulder. Seems she has a "Deep Infection" and they have to go in and take out some of the parts they just put in and dig around a bit! YIKES!!!
She is 86 years old and I feel really bad for her to have to go through this again!!! I will keep you all posted.

This weeks sketch is from Tammy Fite. I thought it was a darling sketch and had fun with it.

I received an RAK from a friend Susie Wicker (Hi Susie) and cased her little pouch idea. You know me and interactive cards lololol.

This is what I came up with.

 The next picture shows the pull out card in the center.

Isn't this the cutest darn idea. Some day I will do a little tutorial on it. Ya, ya, ya I know I owe you all so many tutorials already. Only if I typed faster  I could whip them out for ya lolololo.

Here is the inside that I stamped up a bit!

The next stop on our Mini Blog Hop is to go and visit Robbie Rubala. http://inkedx2.blogspot.com/
I love her work and am always excited to see what she comes up with.
We would love to see what you created by using this sketch. Please post it at our site http://www.sketchfrenzyfriday.blogspot.com/ 

Have a great weekend everyone. If you could please put in a little prayer for my Mom that would be great too!
Now it is your turn to go and create something fun.

White on White Case

Hello my blogging friends, I hope this post finds you all well and happy.


I have noticed quite a few White on White cards lately and thought I would give it a go! I'm here to tell you this was harder than it looked for me. I sooo wanted to add some sponging around the edges it give it definition and add another color to make the card pop, so I thought! I just had to stop myself and leave it be.

This card is not my original design! I think I Cased it from Sharon Field. But if it is yours please let me know so I can give you credit Ok! I needed to make a Wedding card for a friend and I remembered this one caught my eye. However, I did not save the e-mail I saw it on my bad! The original was a true work of art that is for sure.

Here is the inside as the bride used hot pink in her colors;

Hope you enjoyed the card . Now it is your turn to go and create something fun.

Hungry for a Taco

Hello to all my blogging friends. I hope this post finds you all well and happy!

I was thinking about what to make for dinner yesterday and came up with Mexican Food.
So, I made Tacos for dinner and for fun. I made this taco for fun and I took a bite out of it too, but my real ones tasted soooo much better hahahaha.

Here is what I came up with. I was just playing around but I think it came out really cute. My DH laughed when  I showed him his dinner he thought it looked really good, but he is my greatest supporter.

Maybe next time I will soften the left side a bit more! Here is the inside;

Now a close up;

I drew a taco shell free hand by using a bowl from the kitchen on regular white card stock. Once the template was cut  I folded a piece of More Mustard CS the size of a regular 5 1/2 x 4 1/4  standard card, I then turned it upside down so the fold is on the bottom. You have to do this so the stuff doesn't fall out of your taco....Next, I ran a piece of Early Espresso CS (used for the meat) through the Big Shot with the Lattice Embossing Folder then cut that piece into cubes to look like cut steak hahaha. I tore a few scraps of Old Olive CS to make the lettuce.  I used a 1" circle punch  on Real Red CS  for the tomatoes, then I cut those circles in half. I used Daffodil Delight for the Cheese and ran that piece of card stock (CS) through the Big Shot using the Polka Dot Embossing Folder to give the cheese some texture. Next I used some spritz on the shell to make it look like a real corn tortilla and sponged around the edges for definition. It was fun to make this taco and I think it came out really cute.

I had to add these extra photos below, as it amazes to me that I get any work done with all these animals around me all the time lololol . Jeff calls it a Dogstacle Course  not an Obstacle Course when we have to maneuver around them because sometimes they just don't move  (Smile).

Now it is your turn go create something fun!

It's Sketch Frenzy Friday Time!

Hello to all my blogging friends. I hope this post finds you all well and happy!

Yep you got it right, it's Sketch Frenzy Friday time! I really love SFF because it gives me a chance to really have to sit my busy butt down and create something fun. Thank You SFF Design Team for the inspiration!
We have  added a new member to our Design Team and I would like to give Sharon Wheet a WARM WELCOME.  Please give  Sharon  http://www.inkwooddesigns.com/ some love  when you drop by her blog.

Today's sketch was given to us by Tammy Baldwin. This sketch really had me thinking. Here it is:

and this is what I came up with:

I turned it and made a tent card instead of a standard card.
I also added a little surprise on the card. That Marina Mist  piece on the front pops up and displays a secret message inside.

I like to make interactive cards and this sketch just spoke to me and said make me move lololol. (No cards don't really talk to me I just thought that... hahaha) I think the movement on a card gives your receiver that little extra something to interact with your card as well.

I stamped the inside and sponged the edges to add a little extra ooh aah effect.

Let me know what you think about this card I could sure use  some loving hint, hint, hint!

Supplies used:
Marina Mist, Crumb Cake & Early Espresso Card Stock
Cherry Cobbler & Night of Navy Classic Ink
Versa Mark and Basic Black Embossing Powder
Bakers Twine in Early Espresso
Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border and a Night of Navy Brad

Your next stop on our Blog Hop is to visit Robbie Rubala's blog http://inkedx2.blogspot.com/
She always has something amazing to show us.
If you would like to create a card from this sketch please upload it to our webpage so we can all enjoy it. We would love to see it!
http://www.sketchfrenzyfriday.blogspot.com/

That's all for me. I still have some heavy stamping to do and get it in the mail.
Now it is your turn to go and create something fun!

Our New Address

Hello my blogging friends. I hope this post finds you all well and happy!

I mentioned we moved last month. I made this little card for a swap group I am in so they would know where to send my monthly cards to. It happened to be a make what you wish month so this card was perfect for it! I had to use some other stamp sets to accomplish what I needed to do (forgive me).
I made two sets of cards one in Melon Mambo and the next one in Pumpkin Pie. Let me know what you think!

I even did the inside with out address change info.

Have a great day and I hope it is not too hot for you where ever you are.

Now it is your turn to go and create something fun.

What a Weekend!

Hello my Blogging Friends. I hope this post finds you all well and happy!

Ever have one of those weekends that it was Non-Stop! Well this was one of those! Stamping what's that???? Yard Work and more Yard Work!I really have to show you the before and after pictures so you can see what I mean!

 The Boys want to go for a ride!

 That was the before pictures, we had just moved in and boy was it a mess.
Now the following pictures shows we are finally getting some place.

What's with those boxes you say? We read a gardening journal that the boxes do two important things. First, once laied out on the ground it cuts down on weeds ! That's all that is in that backyard, I have been weeding for weeks? Notice we are getting some grass to come back too(Smile). Second, once the boxes start to decompose they act like a natural mulch. Once the boxes start to relax a bit we will put a layer of redwood chips and mulch over the boxes to make it look more becoming.     You will see the boxes under the plants in the next photo.

Our plan is to put some sort of fencing up to block the neighbors yard. They are really nice people but, I do not like their mess against the fence? We thought about reed or cloth, we haven't decided yet.

Saturday we got the paver's laid out the car port put up and started to fill the island with. plants.

Sunday we hooked up the Fountain finished the island and the BBQ area.

Here is Jeff considering the next move. The Boys are at the ready just in case they are needed lolol! I did not show you pictures of a project from a few weeks ago ... We stained the rattan porch furniture. It was really faded you can see from the first picture in this post.I was really happy with how that project turned out. It's a great color.

Once we got the Fountain up and had the water running it started to feel like home.

Next was to get the BBQ area set up and to get all the plants situated. We even have some grapes on the grapevines again this year.  I had to cut a lot of the branches off the fence to be able to move them to this house. All the plants seem to really like this new house. We will see though, we still have two more months of Summer left they are the hottest too. I am just so happy that the grass is really growing!I have been watering and weeding like crazy. We haven't seen the water bill yet lololol.
Finally, we get to relax! The BBQ is heating up and we are all just plane tuckered out and enjoying the shade and the rest.

It took us all weekend to get this yard in some sort of a usable fashion.
My daughter came over to visit she spent the night and we are going to watch  a few of the Harry Potter movies to get up to speed then, next week we will go and see the final movie. More on that later!

I really do have to get some stamping done this week I have several projects due ASAP! I will have to get to those two remaining tutorials next week!
Now it is your turn to go and create something fun!

Sketch Frenzy Friday Blog Hop

Hello my blogging friends. I hope this post finds you all well and happy!

Yes it is Sketch Frenzy Friday already! This week flew by so quickly I could barely keep up with it.
Sharon Fiend is the creator of this weeks Sketch and it is a really good one. I am so sad to see Sharon leave our Design Team, but she has great new adventures ahead of her. I wish her the best of luck in her new endeavors and much success in the future. You will be missed Sharon!

 And this is what I came up with:

I really like doing Sketch Challenges because you get to take the basic sketch and do with it as you like. The stamp set comes with one little flower. The inspiration came to me as a hydrangea flower so I had to add a bunch of those little flowers together. How do you think I did?
I even did a little something to the inside of the card. I really like the rich color of the Concord Crush!

Here are the supplies I used for this card.
Stamp Sets were Just Because and a new Hostess set called Faith in Nature. I really like both of these stamp sets. I used one of the New In Colors Concord Crush for the base of the card. Inks used were Perfect Plum and Rich Razzleberry & Elegant Eggplant. Additional card stock Whisper White, Old Olive, Accessories Polka Dot and the Framed Tulip Impression Folders. Organza Ribbon for the Bow. Basic Rhinestones for a bit of Glitz
.
I used the Masking Technique that Sharon Demonstrated last week on her card to get the hydrangea effect. Great Minds Think  alike Sharon. I made my card last week too.
Thanks for the tutorial link Sharon. Please visit  Beate Johns from Split Coast Stampers http://splitcoaststampers.com/    She has a great video on Masking. It took me years to get it right and I still have to work on it very hard every time I attempt it lolol. I hope you like my card, It was a Work of Love that's for sure.

Please take a moment and give this sketch a try. We would love to see your creation on our homepage
http://www.sketchfrenzyfriday.blogspot.com/

Now you are off to Robbie Rubula's beautiful creation http://inkedx2.blogspot.com/
Have a great weekend everyone. Now it is your turn to go and create something fun.

Fancy Desk Set

Hello to all my blogging friends. I hope this post finds you all well and happy!

I am telling you time is just slipping by since the move. I am busy every day and I just can't seem to get to my blog as I would like to.

I promised you direction on my Fancy Desk items. I can do a couple today and then I will do the rest this weekend.

Supplies :
Cherry Cobbler & Old Olive card Stock
Jolly Holiday DSP (retired)
Cherry Cobbler & Old Olive Classic Ink and Markers
Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding 12-13 inches. Cut it in half.
Decorative Lable Punch
Four Frames and Just Believe Stamp Sets
Tacky Tape
Stampin Dimensionals
Scallop Border Trim Punch
Here we go, first the Note Book Cover and the Pen

The Pen is the easy part. I used a mini Gel Pen that I bought  last X-mas for a $1.00 at the M store. I picked up several 4 packs. I try to buy the Pens that totally come apart by unscrewing them. As you can see in the following picture. They are by far the easiest to work with.

 
There is a little string behind the clear part of the Pen because it kept rolling off the desk (this old house slants lololol). Measure with a piece of string how wide the Ink tube is and cut your piece of DSP a little bigger so once it un- rolls in the clear tube the ink part will not show. Then roll it lengthwise so the Pen and the DSP will slip into the clear tube easily. The piece of DSP  I used was much smaller then displayed in the photo BTW! You may have to use a pin or something pointy and thin to push the DSP into the tube . Be gentail you do not want to damage the DSP in doing so. Screw it all back together and there you have it a designer Pen. It makes a cute little gift by it's self.

That was the easy part!

Now for the Note Book:
When I do a big project like this I really try to write down all the paper dimensions especially if I am going to write up directions. As you can tell I totally procrastinate in doing this! (I just told on my self!) But I am getting better at it!
REMEMBER- Each Note Book or Composition Book is a different size so these measurements may very from the  Note Book you have purchased!

 The outside cover piece was cut at 5 1/2" x 8". I give my self a 1/2" extra on each side lengthwise and 3/4" extra  width wise to allow for folds and careyover as you can see in the picture above.
I scored at 3/4 , 3 6/8, 4 and 7 2/8 width wise then at 1/2 and 5' lengthwise.
The only thing I did that helped me to fold up the extra pieces was to remove the center piece and cut the small sides in a V shaped. Cut at the top and bottom of the center score lines like the picture below, It seemed to help me fold the flaps down easier.

Now prefold all the scored edges and add your Tacky Tape

Now for the Jacket Piece
Cut a piece of DSP at 3 3/8 x 4 3/8.  Use the Scallop Border Trip Punch on one end only!
Add an additinal piece of Cherry Cobbler CS that also has only one side punched to the inside of the punched DSP adhear with tape.

score the center of the DSP VERY CAREFULLY as it is thinner than regular CS
at 1 3/4 & 2". Add your stick tape to the inside like the picture below

 I wanted to add something special to the inside of the Note Book. I cut 2 pieces of DSP 3 x 4 1/8 one for the inside and one for the back jacket of the Note Book.Then I cut a piece of regular Typing Paper at 3 3/4 x 4 1/8 and stamped it with Just Believe colored it in Cherry Cobbler and Old Olive. I made a score line at 1/2 and slipped this piece under the inside jacket piece along with 1/2 of the Seam Binding and taped it down. I used Tacky Tape to secure both pieces to the Note Book remember to add the remaining half of the Seam Binding to the back Jacket so you can tie the book together.

The final step was to add the greeting. I punched 2 pieces of CS (Old Olive and Cherry Cobbler) with the Decorative Label Punch.  I cut the Cherry Cobbler piece in half lengthwise and attached it to the back of the Old Olive piece to make it appear as a background piece. (see picture) Stamp one of the  Four Frames  stamps and friends on to the Old Olive cut out punches (Stamp before you punch it is easier to line up) and used Stampin Dimensionals to make it pop up. That's it. Hope you like the tutorial.

Tomorrow is Sketch Frenzy Friday (I love Fridays) So I will continue on with the Calendar and the Candy Jar later this weekend. (In less Honey has a bunch of Yard Work he wants us to tackel lolol).

Have a great day and go and create something fun for yourself!

I Finished the Craft Room!

Hello my blogging friends. I hope this post finds you all well and happy!

Yes, it is true! The Craft Room is finally finished. This weekend I built 2 more bookshelves (Wal-Mart $25.00 ea.), and they are really easy to put up. Read the directions very carefully and identify all the parts and pieces. I move slow and they only took me 45 minute each. Then I unpacked all the remaining Boxes of Books all 13 of them and loaded the shelves. Sunday night Jeff and I started to build the extra center shelves so we could attach the bookshelves together. (Remember CA is Earthquake Country). I really wanted a third shelf, but we were +-3 inches too short. So I settled with having easy access to my Hope Chest instead.

I dug out all my old family pictures( More Boxes emptied) made some more flower and silk pant arrangements. Then there was a big open space behind the TV I didn't like, so I cut some extra material I had and whipped up a drapery real quick then made a matching runner for the Hope Chest so it doesn't get all scratched up. I really like how it turned out I hope you do too.

These are the before pictures after Jeff moved all the boxes off the Hope Chest and against the wall. Pictures I never showed before.

Shelves built, boxes emptied!

Bob Cat inspecting my work and the boys keeping me company. Look at Bear he was smiling at me!
Now for the finished product!

That is all the time I have left for this post. Now I have to start on last weekends Blog Hop project directions for you.
My Blog Candy winner for the little Pen and Note Pad went to lucky # 31 Elaine Wright. Thank you all for leaving me such nice comments and words of encouragement!

Now it is your turn to go and create something fun!