12.24.2012

"Grater" tag/bows


So last summer came across two of these very cool vintage graters at a yard sale... then kept looking for more... these were tied to the handles of food gift bags.


and the last of them went next door Saturday so, they are safe to flash the mug shots now...


I really love these ones with the huge holes. 


Making Memories magnetic alphabet stamp set, Ranger distress stains on shipping tags, Joann's wired ribbons, some chocolate hemp string. not hard. I hope people smiled when the seen them. Tim delivered this batch of gifts. 

12.19.2012

HYCCT gift Prize #1


Last October when the hope you can cling to challenges were on going those card challenge had sponsors from stamp companies and craft companies and such. and they offered up gift packages of what they wanted to donate I guess. ( not really sure how it works) but, one thing I know is that I have been gifted with two different ones. the first one to arrive is from Taylored Expressions. they have given me these 3 stamp sets. is that the coolest thing or what? Thank you Taylor! ( I have not had a chance to ink them up yet) on last Saturday we went shopping and bought a small flat tv to hang on the wall of the FROG ( finished room over the garage) and this is where my stamps live ( and the guys hobbies too) so, Sunday when I finished my last VSN challenge I started moving furniture and I did that all day long. so, that is what we are doing for us for Christmas this year is making that space more of a family hobby room and putting the TV where I used to have my paper rack. and I think this is going to be a really nice thing for all of us when its done. 

12.17.2012

VSN Comfy Cozy Main 2012


This was done for Patty's sketch challenge. This is 6" square in real life. ended up using an Grand circles die trying to get the scale to look right just eyeballing the sketch. Thanks for this challenge Patty!


This tag was done for Dina's Cool colors challenge. The printed papers are from Basic Grey's nordic holiday line and they looked close to me for the colors ( minus the purple so, added the purple heart button and some lace for that) the snowflakes were die cut sometime last year, the blue fabric button is vintage. thanks for this challenge Dina ( you pushed me way out of my comfort zone with these colors) 


This was done for Brenda's Quilt challenge. I have had this Gina K image colored and cut out for a while now on the table and decided it would be faster to use it even though the colors are not really "Christmas-y" and most of what's on the table is... I think it works. the sentiment fades a little into that lace but, I think the random machine stitching along the plain paper helps a little. Thanks for this challenge Brenda! 


well... I did mention I have a stock pile of these tree's die cut on the table yes? from a FS card I did a while back. :) so... here is another one with some stickles added randomly to one of the sets of scraps. ( for baubles) the plaid papers are from the scrap bin as is the embossed scrap. the sentiment ( I think is a dollar bin one but, not sure this was previously stamped) thanks for this challenge Lee!


This was done for Val's use fabric challenge, and those yo-yo's are fabric... I tend to use what ever is in front of me for VSN challenges so... this tree is one that was die cut a few Featured Stamper cards ago. ( I cut a bunch of scraps trying to decide on colors and have a little stack of these trees on the table now) the sentiments from Unity. thanks for this challenge Val!


this was done for Cat's red/fire challenge... I had these snowflakes die cut previously and on the table so... ( as was the round tag ) the button is vintage and I have been hoarding it. thanks for this challenge Cat!


This was done for Tammie's photo inspiration challenge, when I first glanced at it the dog popped for me. So I hit print and when I got the print-out it printed for me kinda coppery colored. so this is mostly a color combo for that photo. It's A-6 in real life. (done with scraps and an Pre colored pre diecut image) thanks for this challenge Tammie! 


This was done for Sabrina's Everygreens & Pinecones challenge. (my pine cone die is hiding) so I added the brown sheer ribbon to the heat embossed ( snow covered) everygreens image for a bit of color. the shipping tag had been previously stained with distress inks. Thanks for looking & thanks for this challenge Sabrina!


This was done for KelliJo's shaped cookie challenge. I had received this Karen Foster stamp from and Christmas Exchange gift from MommaPatti a very long time ago and to tell you the truth the older my eyes get the more intimidating the tiny images are getting to color. but, I did try this one and stayed mostly in the lines.. lol 
The card base was done with an grand labels size and the sentiment tag was pre stamped & die cut. thanks for this challenge KJ! 


This was done for Alison's sleigh ride challenge. and this uses an pre-colored wish rak image I received years ago. ( so I don't remember who sent it sorry!) I have a request out in wish rak to see if anyone recognizes the stamps MFG info also. This is A-6 in real life. Thanks for this challenge Alison!


This Penny Black skating dog was an Wish Rak Image (a long time ago and I no longer remember who sent it sorry!) this was die cut with an spellbinders lacy die and the sentiment was prestamped & die cut. Thanks for this challenge Lynn!


I think the most comforting foods are either the ones someone else cooks for you or that you share with your family. I hemmed and hawed so much of this challenge. ( it was a real one for me.. I have food stamps, but. not the ones I wanted. they probably do not even make those things as stamps... these are the kinds of days that make me wish I could draw and all the stamp mfg very happy that I am collecting stamps instead. lol. this is heat embossed on the GKD kraft I did warp it I'm going to stick in between some books in a few to get it to relax again.This is 4 1/2" square in real life. Thanks for this Challenge Lydia!


This was done for Patty's double folds challenge. The Viva Las Vegas image was pre-colored and die cut ( which saved me on the time limit because, fancy folds are not my thing... (which is also why the edges were distressed because, when I was done folding it was a little off... so trying to hurry I put it in the paper trimmer and whacked off the bottom corner...so, out came the scissors and everything got scruffed) lol thanks for this challenge Patty!


This was done for my challenge using the bottle of bailey's as a color combo... the lace is vintage, the ribbon is generic, the printed paper is from Basic Grey. This is 6" in real life. thanks for looking.


This was done for Lisa's sweater challenge. So trying to hurry I spent most of the time allotment hunting for red, grey and black papers. Chose the mulberry and the burlap string for fuzzy-ness since my favorite sweaters are. spied the black deer on the sweater and knew I had this die. the sentiment and its mat were previously stamped and die cut. This is 6" in real life the base is a duplex Neenah which decided to crack when it was folded so out came the scissors to ruff up the rest of the edges. thanks for this challenge Lisa.


I don't normally do the kid's challenge but, this one was co-hosted by a special girl so. here is mine. her challenge was to use felt. Thanks for this challenge miss Sarah, I hope you like it. this is 5" square in real life. 

12.13.2012

Redwing Stoneware Surprise


a very long time ago we had one of these bowls, picked it on one of those trips to MN way before James was born... and Tim broke it this last year holding on to the rim trying to put it into an over head cabinet without using a foot stool and he's been kicking himself ever since. Oh, he's hunted for it online and anytime we go to a thing with arts and crafts that had a potter at it ( it was usually an older woman) and she would say the guys who threw that bowl would have massive arms and a much bigger kiln than she did... so, its just been one of those things. someday we would get another one. Tim used that bowl for salsa because, you could get 4 batches into it. 


Someday arrived this week in the form of an unexpected gift from an online friend who managed to amaze me. mostly because, she was not in MN for a vacation but, rather a funeral and found time to go down to the pottery and hunt for this bowl for me and get it shipped off in between doing family things...
The most amazing part of it of all is I have yet to meet her in person. I've only chatted with her online. I know these are not the best shots. It's mostly dark when I get home at this time of the year and I left early today trying to catch just enough light to get a shot or two in. ( It's grey with blue trim) 

12.11.2012

Martini things


M'bellish made an request for "martini" glass images on birthday cards a while back and of course I do not own any so, some of my friends sent me these to try. the kitty was from Janice. the gals below are all from Leigh Anne. I have not had time to take them into the store to see if they like them or not yet. 




12.10.2012

Christmas Tags


sentiments from Unity Stamps


Penny Black Sentiment


River city rubber works sentiment


these are a free printable I had come across last year some time on Pinterest will look later to edit for the links. 


tree is taylored expressions die cut and the sentiments from My Favorite Things


ditto above 


Penny Black sentiment with basic grey pp.

Sizzix diecut snow with SU sentiment

FS305 Bird Key

I Chose this card in Diana's gallery and changed the Sanded backgrounds layers to printed papers and switched out the button for an watch part charm. I would guess the colors are a little different also. This is 5 1/2" square in real life. thanks for looking and I hope you enjoy your week!

12.07.2012

Souped up store bought tags


So the last time I picked up ice made a pit stop at craft warehouse... and they had these "tags" that in the package looked like gift sacks for 12 of them for $1.44 and I grabbed 3 packages thinking what a great deal. ( Im rolling my eyes) they are not gift sacks... the were ( scroll down) flat paper with holes punched with some plastic feeling twine through the holes ( on one side only) and most were bent...
So, I considered running them through the sewing machine to make them pockets and discarded the idea. and ended up cutting the plastic string off and running them through the embossing folders. adding some chocolate hemp string and some spellbinders diecut poinsettias with pearls to the red ones and 


Some martha stewart Holly punchie leaves with red-ish vintage buttons to the green ones.
the cream paper pulls out to write a name or a note on them. 


what you could see when it was in the package... If you do something like this I did find it easier to put the cream paper back into the embossed folded paper before I tied the hemp string around it. 

12.06.2012

FS304 or the year of the tree continued...


So, I seen these tree dies ( taylored expressions) recently and had to have them... knew they would be smaller than any of my current tree dies and loved the layered look to them seeing their dt use them on tags.  and then I found this card in Sharri's gallery and thought oooh you could do this...



So I made lots of changes and my version has less layers I did machine stitch a lot of the panels though so visually maybe that counts. the lace and button are vintage and this is 6" square in real life. 

6 minutes

well, Its now been a week without Stormy dog and the grief is still coming in waves... this High Hopes cow and bale were colored with pencils and cut out years ago... and yet this card took over 4 hours to make on sunday. Its 6" square in real life.