Free Spirit

I'm back, recovered, unpacked and organized again from my 15 hour crop on Saturday. Whew! I had a lot of fun and I hope everyone there did. I know some people got a lot done. I worked on a couple of cards, a small baby brag book and some outline stamps to color in when needed.

This is a card I made with the 2007 August stamp of the month, Free Spirit and Promise of Spring. When I first received Free Spirit, I didn't like it, but it has grown on me. I like the different rings that have words and sayings on them. I can see using the rings around pictures in my scrapbooks. Promise of Spring was a stamp set only available in January 2007. I hope this comes out in a future catalog. It is a very pretty flower stamp set.

I started with a 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 piece Key Lime cardstock and stamped the flourish from Free Spirit on it. Then I added Precious Paisleys pattern paper to the bottom. I stamped the big flower on White Daisy cardstock in Bubblegum ink and the center in Sunflower. I stamped the largest circle from Free Spirit in Sunflower around the big flower. The large circle reads, "While an original is always hard to find, it is easy to recognize. ONE OF A KIND. ORIGINAL. PRICELESS. UNIQUE. ONE OF A KIND. ORIGINAL." I am so glad the stamps are acrylic, because I could see exactly where I need to stamp the circle.

I finished off the card with Key Lime bigger brads and Sunflower and Bubblegum organdy ribbon.

Elaine asked, "What is your best tip?"

I have two of them.

For scrapbooking, I have learned that I don't have to include every picture of an event on a layout. If the picture does not tell something different about the story, I don't include it. I used to want to include every cute picture of my boys. I just had to face it, they are all cute...LOL! Now, I pick the ones that make the layout special.

For card making, I try to use layers. Layers, Layers, Layers! I learned this from the bloggers that I have under my Inspiration section on my sidebar. In addition, this helps me use up all the scraps I seem to accumulate. I think they multiply in the box. When I put a layer on my cards, I use my background stamps to make it different or some type of technique, i.e. piercing, faux stitching. I learned this from others too! There are so many talented paper crafters to get ideas from on a daily basis.

By the way, I haven't heard from the Blog Candy winner, Shannon K yet. If I don't hear from her by the end of this week, I will have the computer select another random number.

Happy Monday!

I'm Ready!

I spent all day getting ready for my crop tomorrow and I'm done! YEAH! I should get to bed early tonight, but don't see that happening. Since I spent all day organizing and packing for my crop, I didn't get anything new made. I thought I would answer some questions that were asked from my blog candy post. In addition, I got tagged again...this time from Ana, who is the creative owner of Ink A Stamp listed under my Inspiration blogs. What a great site!

Cheryl KVD asked, "What craft item have you bought that wasn't worth the money?" I would have to say EK Success Cutter Bee Paper Piecers. I know other people like these, but I just can't seem to get them to work correctly. It is probably user error, but I quit practicing and gave them to my oldest son to play with. I can't get all the holes pierced consistently and that bugs (no pun intended) me. LOL!






Denise asked, "What is the best gadget you have recently acquired?" Oooo, I love my Corner Adorner concave punch. I like to use it when I make cards, i.e. SWEET, and Bit Again - Happy Birthday. I think this is a must have in your tool bag.

Tagged again:

1) My favorite candy is licorice.

2) My first car was a Monte Carlo.

3) I am trying to get my nieces and nephews to move to Omaha, NE after college, so my sister and her husband move here too.

4) My favorite color is Burnt Orange.

5) It took me 7 years to graduate from college, because I changed my major from Education to Business when I was a senior and I paid my own way. I graduated debt free by working at Hy-Vee and Mutual of Omaha.

6) I quit going to Penney's, Sears, etc. and take pictures of my family with my new Canon 20D.

7) I love to eat out!

I will have email and blog withdrawal all day tomorrow, since I will be gone from 7:30 a.m. Saturday morning to 1 a.m. Sunday morning cropping....YEAH! I hope to get some things done, but since I am hosting it I might not. I love helping other people with this awesome hobby.

Happy Stamping!

Typewriter Thanks

I'm back! I took a day off to celebrate Independence Day! We did the normal 4th of July things...swimming, eating, fireworks and more swimming. Whew! It was a hot and FUN day.

I was playing around with the CTMH 2007 June stamp of the month, Typewriter Keys, and came up with this THANKS card. I wasn't sure if I would like this stamp set and I really do. The letters stamp easily and I punched them out with a 3/4 inch circle punch and matted them on Colonial White cardstock that I punch from a 1 inch circle punch. This is the first time I used faux stitching on the stems. This set comes with stems for the flowers, but I felt like using a technique I see often on cards and have never tried. I like it for a nice stitched look and I didn't have to sew. YEAH!

All products are CTMH unless otherwise noted.

Stamp sets: Typewriter Keys, Delight In Everything

Paper: Garden Green, Cranberry, Let's Get Together - Level 2, Colonial White, Buttercup

Ink: Garden Green, Cranberry, Buttercup

Ribbon: Garden Green Ribbon Rounds, Cranberry organdy

Marcia Mattos asked, "What are your favorite colors?" I would have to say Autumn colors. I love them all...Autumn Terracotta, Olive, Plum, Navy, Burgundy and Chocolate. Autumn is my favorite season too. Good question!

I wanted to let you know that I am planning and organizing for a 15 hour crop on Saturday, so you might not hear from me much over the next couple of days. I should have some things to show you once I get back in my normal routine.

Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY STAMPING!

Inspiration

Ejones asked, "Where do you get your inspiration for your creations?". EVERYWHERE! I am an idea book fanatic. I use my coupons at Hobby Lobby and Michael's to buy great books that I pour over them for hours. In addition, I have many magazines, but my favorites are PaperCrafts and Stamp It! BUT I get most of my inspiration from other Bloggers. I get daily emails from blog sites that I subscribe to, and they are listed on my sidebar under INSPIRATION. All of these ladies are an inspiration to me and have helped me become a better paper crafter. Check out their sites and see why.

INSPIRE!

Happy 4th of July!

I wanted to wish all of you a Happy Fourth of July! I tried to make a card for Independence Day, but I got sidetracked shopping with my sister at scrapbook stores and getting ready for the holiday. I will try to finish the card I started over the next few days, but I am getting ready for a crop this weekend too!

Have a safe and happy stamping holiday!

Technique Tuesday - Ink Distressing

And the winner is.....................Shannon K. I used random number generator website to get a number and you will not be able to to believe what number it picked. The number 24. My sister is a witness, so I didn't just pick that number. If you read my I've been tagged post, you will read that 24 is my favorite number, so that is ironic. Shannon please email me at stampfest@cox.net with your address and I will get the blog candy mailed to you as soon as possible. I want to thank all of you for participating and asking questions. I am going to have fun answering all of them. I am thinking the next milestone I want to hit to give away more blog candy is 5000.

Well, it is Technique Tuesday and I chose to showcase ink distressing. It is an easy one, but one I use often. I rarely leave a piece of White Daisy paper alone without distressing it with ink some way.

This is a 6 x 6 page completed by a CMTH consultant who didn't sign her page, so I can't give her credit.

Ink Distressing

Taking your ink pad in one hand, and your paper in the other, lightly rub the ink pad in a downward motion against the page. Make sure that you hold the ink pad at a 45 degree angle to the page. Use as much ink or as little as you want to create the distressed look that you like. In addition, you can use a dauber or sponge to ink the edges of your paper for the same effect.

These are two cards I made within the last year using the ink distressing technique.

Stamp set: Little Angel

Ink: Crystal Blue

Paper: Precious Paisley, Heavenly Blue, Colonial White

Embellishments: Heavenly Blue sassy strands and large spiral, Baby Pink brads






Stamp sets: Fall

Paper: Grey Flannel, Hollyhock, Baby Pink

Ink: Grey Flannel, Hollyhock

Embellishments: Pewter brad, Silver organdy ribbon


Shannon K asked what is your favorite technique? Well, lately it has been paper distressing. I seem to distress the edges or the entire paper on most of the projects I have created over the last few weeks. One of the techniques I want to learn and I think I would use a lot if I did learn is water coloring. I see this done on other consultants projects and love it! I have been researching the best tools for this technique and am going to purchase something soon to practice and create. If anyone has any suggestions on the best medium for water coloring, please let me know in the comments section. In addition, tell me why you like the supplies the best.

Next time you stamp try ink distressing!

Happy Stamping!

CHERISH

Today is the day, I randomly draw a name to win the blog candy shown below in a past posting. If you haven't entered to win yet, please see the post named BLOG CANDY and ask me a question in the comment section. That is all it takes to enter the drawing. I will let you know on Tuesday' s post who won.

JoAnn asked what is your all-time favorite CTMH stamp set? Wow! That is tough to answer. There are so many that I like for different reasons. There are so many categories to choose from that I really had to look through my stamp sets and decide which one I would never get rid of. Well, I decided on Cherish. Yes, it is a flower stamp set. It is a rose that I can two step stamp and each time I use it or see it used, it is just beautiful. Below are three cards (not my design) I made in different colors with Cherish and I love each one. This may change over time, but I know I could not let this stamp set go for now. Click the pictures below to enlarge.

Cardstock: Cranberry, Black, White Daisy

Ink: Cranberry, Barn Red, Garden Green

Embellishments: Black brads









Cardstock: Cocoa, Bamboo, White Daisy, Hollyhock

Ink: Hollyhock, Blush, Garden Green

Embellishments: Hollyhock brads








Cardstock: Black, White Daisy, Petal, Amethyst

Ink: Amethyst, Petal, Garden Green, White Daisy

Embellishments: Black brads







Another question!

Jodene asked...Since you sell CTMH I was wondering how does one in the states receive a catalog? Well, there are different ways to get one. I give my stamp club members free catalogs as long as they are a stamp club member. Otherwise, you can purchase all current catalogs for $3.95 each plus shipping by contacting me.

I love all your questions and thanks for your nice comments.

Happy Stamping!

For You

YEAH...my blog has reached 1000, so I will draw a winner on Monday, July 2nd. I want to give those who don't check their emails every day or surf the net to enter the drawing. It happens to be my oldest nephew, Nic's, birthday too! So we will celebrate by giving away goodies on that day. I have been reading your questions and they are good. I will start answering them at the bottom of my posts. If you haven't posted a comment and want to win blog candy see the posting below.

Here is a card that I created a few days ago and just couldn't share it until I got the ribbon correct. This was my third attempt and I am finally satisfied with it. I have had this stamp set for awhile and this is the first time I used it. This is a card for firsts, because this is the first time I used my empressor guide and tool for a card I created. That is how I made the sanded lines on the Clover Meadow cardstock. I have used this before on my scrapbook layouts and like the look, so I tried it as a frame. I think it looks pretty good!

Stamp sets: Elegant Floral, Romantic Backgrounds, Sweet Occasions

Ink: Clover Meadow, Blush, Hollyhock

Paper: White Daisy, Clover Meadow, Hollyhock

Embellishments: Brads, American Crafts polka dots ribbon, CTMH Clover Meadow gingham ribbon, Clover Meadow baby pin

Beth asked: How do I find time to do it all? Well, I am at stay at home mom, so that helps! My scraproom is combined with our family room, so every time the family sits down to watch tv, I sit down at my scrap table and work on something. I am able to leave my on-going projects out, so I don't have to spend time getting my supplies out each time I work. Every free moment I have I try to continue a project I am working on to post. If I don't finish a project to post, I pull something from my archives and post a layout or card. I do try to stamp every day. I didn't do this until I read other stamper's blogs and they make time every day. I thought...I can do that! I think I have gotten faster the more I stamp. I am constantly thinking of stamping. I create cards in my head while driving my car, before I fall asleep and unfortunately even at church. I am working on not daydreaming about scrapping there. LOL! I guess I would have to say I am obsessed and addicted to this great hobby that I started four years ago.

Pattyjo: I wish I could have reached you before July 1st, because the opportunity to earn Kindred Spirits for free is over. It is a promotion that Close To My Heart ran in June. If you held a gathering and the sales were $350 or more, you would automatically get the stamp set free. Sorry!

BLOG CANDY

Well, it is good timing that my blog is working, since my blog is almost at 1000 hits. Above is the blog candy I will give away once it hits 1000. In order for you to be entered into the drawing, you just need to ask me a question. That's right! Just ask me any question in the comments under this blog and I will randomly draw a number for someone to win the goodies. The lucky winner will receive ribbons in different lengths from various companies , green buttons from Button Ups, vellum flower stickers from sticko, butterfly stickers from jolee's boutique and slide frames from COLOROASIS. I will answer the questions when I publish future posts.

Thanks for stopping by and good luck!