Wahoooooooooooo....It's been a FUN day....

I have had THE best day with paper!!!! It started early about 6:30 a.m. as my kitty decided it was time for me to get up....arggghhhhhhhh...LOL.....so I get up fix me some coffee and off to my ART Haven as hubby was at work.......I was thrilled to know everything I created today was for swaps which due dates had not yet arrived!!! :)

So, this first ATC is for a swap in my group ARTHaven Creations & Friendships there is no theme for this swap....just whatever your passion drives you towards......I got to use my new color laser printer and printed this graphic in black and white and then colored with watercolor pencils....It was SO fun doing this because now my ink from the printer doesn't run!!! Yippie!!!! I cut an extra butterfly out and after coloring with watercolor pencils I then hit with some of my PearlEx misters.....has a slight shimmer to the butterfly..... kissed the edges of the image layer with Tim Holtz's Distress Ink Lipstick.......I also made the fuzzy centers of the flowers with chopped up yarn into itty bittsy pieces...works like flocking and no cost!!! I threaded some ribbon through the bottom left area and then added a piece of lace at the top left and three gold dots.......I layered that onto a lime green layer and lined that onto some more of the watercolor paper....I also printed the image onto watercolor paper....I am loving this paper and will be getting more to have on hand....


This next ATC is for a group I belong to on Yahoo Crafty Card Creators.....the theme for this was open as well.....I decided I would pick some papers first then design an ATC around that....so first I selected the mustard color paint sample which is the very back layer...just cut it down to 2 1/2 x 3 1/2......I then founds some orgami paper I liked the colors of and selected some of my crayon paper I had made last year some time.....I roughed the edges of the crayon paper a bit with a distressing tool I have from Stampin Up........and wipped the edges with some mustard colored chalk ink......I took some scrap of the paint sample and punched with my hole punch 3 little dots....I adhered some purple rhinestones to them and then used a raised foam dot to adhere to the ATC....I took more of the paint sample piece and stamped with some Stazon purple in the word "passion" and then tore the edges and wiped with some distress ink in a couple of colors.....Then I used some of the grunge elements I have of Tim Holtz...the fourish I covered with distress ink and then distress embossing powder and embossed...used my little Xyron to adhere adhesive to the back and mounted on the ATC..........A simple affect but I do like the way it turned out....


This next card is for a "White Challenge" That Jennie is having on her blog.....Bloomin' Paper You can use some color but 75% of the card has to be white......I used a cut file that Paulo Guimaraes shared with me......BEAUTIFUL cut file....I'm not quite sure I'm totally happy with the way this card turned out...I indeed LOVE the cut file he created....but not happy that my paper puckered a bit.......but I have turned my version in for the "White Challenge"......


Ok....Now this last card I did today.....It is by FAR my most favorite card!!! I'm tickled with the way the entire card turned out......on the yellow layer with the swirley's and butterflies I created this design with the use of a square in Inkscape and the cut file from Deb Carfield....she creates some AMAZING cut files...her email addy is dcarfield@bwtelcom.net so you can send her an email and she if she is willing to share her files....I unioned them with the square to give a bit of a different look then she created....then next the top layer is some vellum that I ran through my sizzix with the dot embossing sleeve and the hit the edges with some Distress Ink in purple and wiped lightly over the entire card......The flowers are a cut file I received entitled Gerber Daisy's.....due to the fact I did not create the Gerber Daisy's and butterflies and swirls I can not share these files....I apologize....BUT....I can share with you the link of the person's blog I got it from....http://www.paperscissorsinc.com/2009/02/gerbera-daisys.html I printed the flower layers off in Watercolor paper then I colored them with my Tim Holtz Distress Inks.....then spritzed with some pearl ex spritzers to give the layers a shimmer....on the yellow layers I used a swirly rubberstamp to give a pattern on that layer.....I used a tool and curled the edges on all the layers to give the flower some dimension....I used foam dots in between each layer of the flowers to give it dimension.....on the very top I placed a bit of stickles then used some of my purple rhinestones in the center.......

Then I used my laser printer and printed of the butterflies.....I did them in mirror image as well...glued together so you see the front and the back as the same......and then cut them out with scissors...I printed them out onto vellum......I used wire and made each of the butterflies atennas used some glue on the bodies and used some glitter...adhered the butterfiles to the card with foam dots....Oh yeah, I also used some silk leaves under the flowers.....I liked the card front on to the yellow card base and love love love how it turned out........


I decided since this card had so much depth to it I wanted to make a box for it.....but I wanted you to still be able to see the card front...so I decided...."hey why not cut the center out of the box"....so that's just what I did and used acetate on the inside to make a "window" for the box front....I also used my laser color printer to print a design onto the cardstock before I cut the box top with my cricut.....the bottom base I did not decorate I left it just solid yellow......




I CAN share this box template I created with you and hope some of you can find a use for it......I am thrilled with how the box turned out...and it absolutely sets the card off!!!!! You know the routine on downloading the file....I do not want to take any kudos away from anyone who created the other files I used in conjunction with the creation of the files and cards so I am not sharing those files with you.....I'm sorry and do hope you understand.......

Download: HERE

Okie Dokie...that catches you up on all I've been working on today!!! I as always want to THANK YOU ALL for stopping by to visit with me....it truly truly means more than you know!!!! I hope you all have a VERY blessed Sunday and please come by to visit again...until then....

I'm still here...

Hey Everyone....seems like forever since I've done a post let alone create anything.....I have been trying to catch up on literally thousands of emails and was about to go crazy....LOL.....I FINALLY got to play with paper the other night and had such fun.....I created this cutout and cut it with my cricut the other night....the flower frame rectangle I had received from someone and I added the Thank You to it and cut it out......I thought it was an oooops at first on my part because it cut out seperate from the card I cut but then I decided to coat it with versamark and clear embossing powder.....when I embossed it...it gave it a bit of a leather look which I really like!!!!



The background paper behind the cutout is some of my crayon paper I had make several months back.......the bottom of the card I used one of my embossing sleeves but I didn't want it all over the card and the card front was bigger than the embossing sleeve AND wouldn't go through my sizzix as it was too wide so I decided to just do the bottom portion and use my craft hammer to make the embossing and it turned out perfect......I then punched a ribbon hole and weaved my ribbon into it......Whola!!! Here's my card!!!

Last night I yet AGAIN tweeked my ART Studio a bit and will have to take new pictures of that but tonight I am playing with paper....I've got several swaps I must get busy working on and several cards I need to get make and mailed...I want to, THANK YOU, as always for stopping by to visit with me......Please come again.....Until then....

It's Already Sunday....

I can't believe how fast this weekend has gone by!!!! I FINALLY took some time for me last night to play in my ART Studio.....I so wanted to create something other than a card last night, though I do have several swaps I must work on soon......But, I decided I wanted to create another Collage.....I started with an 8x10 blank white canvas......Here's what I came up with...

As you all know I LOVE flowers and love to give things a 3D look.....Well my Collage was no different.....I spent ALOT of time on these flowers on this piece of ART.....I have layers upon layers and I must say I am very happy with the way they turned out!!!

Close up on the Phrase I chose for this creation.....I used Distress Ink, Emossing Ink and Distress Ink Embossing Powder on the phrase as well as on the side pieces of the phrase piece...I used a sizzix die to cut out the latch pieces out of white cardstock stippled with distress ink, coated with distress embossing ink and covered with distress embossing powder...made it look like rusted metal doesn't it?....Kinda feels that way too....

The leaves on my creation are made from my crayon papers....once I punched them out I then have a stamp with veins on it so I used some brown stazon ink to put the veins on each of the leaves..worked out rather well....I took some bronze colored wire to create a vine affect.

I love the look of the window cards I've done in the past so I decided I wanted to add one to my creation.....I created the room view in which you see through the window and I love how cozy the room looks.....

The other corner of leaves....

I took an angle shot of the entire piece to show you all the dimension of the piece....the background I covered with gesso, once dried I covered with some Memories Mister once dried I covered the entire piece with stucco.....that was fun fun fun!!! Once dried I put a layer of wood stain on....then stenciled on the vines.....carried the stenciling onto my window and shudders.....

I really tried to force myself out of my normal zone on this piece....I would not allow myself to browse through anything.....just sat and thought and came up with ideas!! I am totally thrilled how this piece came out.....I am going to place it in my store.....It would make a beautiful wall hanging or stand in a base......

Ok, now you know what I've been working on all day.....I've been rather quite online and this is the reason why......I was totally in a zone and it felt good!!!

I did take some time away from my ART Studio and made some hummis and pita chips for hubby and I to have for lunch.....Oh my goodness it was YUM-O!!!! As Rachel Ray would say!! It's actually because of her cooking show the other day that made me want some....It's the first time I've made it and I WILL be making again......And good for you too....well, except for the fried pita bread!!! LOL

Ok, I hope you 've all had a Super Sunday....I again want to THANK YOU for coming to visit with me....thanks for looking at my creation!!! I hope you will come back again soon!!!! Have a blessed remainder of the evening and Monday!!! Until next time....

Well I finished....

The third of the 3 cards I had an order for.....This was a re-make of an ATC I had made a couple of weeks ago....I added a few different elements to make the card work.....like the ribbon and an extra layer with a layer of black behind the passion collage I made.....On the back layer of black on the base of the card I used some of my pearl ex mist I made in the Russet color.....I do like the shimmer it gave that layer.....I am very happy with the way it turned out......I did a layer the color of the matching envie I made for the inside with a birthday poem...which is what the person who ordered the card wanted it for.....It was surely challenging creating larger versions of the ATC's I had already created...but it was so fun to get my mind to work it!!!

Well, that's it for me tonight...I did get caught up on emails...and next is to finish another sold order I have then I need to post some images to a group I belong too.....BUT, first my CSI season premiere is getting ready to begin in about 15 minutes and I gotta see it!!! Thanks so much for stopping by again.....I hope you all have a very blessed evening.....until next time....

Happy Thursday....

To you all......One more day til Friday!!! :) Well...most of this week I've been working on 2 sold orders have......one of the orders are for remakes of items I've previously created....one of them being the Halloween Card I made.....I did a remake of it and changed a few things....I traced the spider webs with a 3D gel pen this gave the webs a texture and a bit of a sheen....allows it to pop on the card a bit.....I also added a happy birthday embellishment because it is being used as a birthday card!!! How fun is that.......of course I also made a coordinating envie....I'm happy with the way it turned out.

The next card I made was a re-make of an ATC I made a couple weeks ago.....I changed it up by adding 2 more aperatures to the layout and again used my crayon papers on the iris folding, trimmed each leave with a gold pen....I cut larger leaves to accomodate the size of the card with some of my crayon paper and stamped with Stazon Black the word Fall! layed them out on the page the way I wanted them to look and stuck each leaf to the next with a glue dot before I punched the holes in the leaves....then I took some copper wire and weaved through each leaf and gave it a swirly look then attached with glue dots to the card.....I trimed the top layer with a gold pen.....also added more die cut leaves at the bottom......the back two layers I stippled the edges with 2 colors of distress ink, made a matching envie too....I really like the look of them......

I still will need to put the personalized messages in them...which I will do this evening......I as well, for this order, have one more card that is from a previous ATC I had made......I'll share that one once I get it completed...hopefully tonight!

I gotta say I've so enjoyed the challenge to do this.....It's fun to see something go from one format into another and the effect you receive!! I LOVE ART!!!!

I guess that's about it for me today......I hope you all have a SUPER day and I again want to Thank You for stopping by to visit with me!!!! Until next time.......

Good Morning Everyone......I feel like I've been in the dark ages!!! We had the wonderful winds from Hurricane Ike roll through Robards, KY yesterday and knocked out our power from about 10:00 a.m. til 8:15 p.m. last night......I felt like my arms had been cut off!!! I can so feel for the poor souls that were so much more impacted then my slight inconvenience.......I was never so excited as to see my reach to the world come back on last night!!! :)


However I DID have a very productive Saturday....I had much fun playing with paper and wanted to share with you all what I created!!!! I had several swaps I'm signed up for in a yahoo group I belong to.....as I needed to get these completed so I could create some ART for my store I had to get busy.....Just thought I would share with you what I created!!!!


First is a "Folded Pocket Card" Swap with Tags......I created my own 2 sided paper and printed...using the paper also in my tags.....as well as the matching flowers...also incorporated some of my crayon papers in the leaves...also used rubber stamps and gold metallic pen and ribbons! I'm sharing the tags as well as the holder....


The next item I want to share with you is for an "Anything Goes" Swap.....I decided to make a Post-It Holder.....I'm wanting to make some of these for my store and I thought I would try out my idea on this swap.....Again I printed my background papers I wanted to use so I could have them compliment each other......Using yet again some of my crayon papers in the leaves....I cut a bunch of grapes from the image sheet covered with versamark and embossed with clear embossing powder.....I glued the inside and outside designs together...of which I had printed onto cardstock to give the holder some substance....I used velcro fasteners to close.....You can also noticed that I embossed with my sizzix the front flap and the top item on the holder.....trimed each layer with my gold pen...This worked out rather nicely and I will be making more....

The next these was "Tag" swap......You know how I LOVE IF....so I used my sissiz with a flower die cut the aperature from the design I had printed......then I did my IF technique with some decorative papers I printed.....cut the paper to the desired size and trimed the top to give it a tag shape...I layered it over cardboard and then backed with the same paper......added ribbon with a charm at the bottom, the embellishments at the top and complimentary ribbon.....I love the effect.....I also included a close up of the IF for you to see!!!






The last creation I made was for a "Halloween - Purple, Orange & Green" swap.....The base of the card is black, then I layered with a green background design I printed, then with a purple designed paper, then orange that I added a web graphic to each of the 4 corners.....I trimmed each of the layers with a gold pen....the image is a fun graphic that I printed and ran through my sizzix to emboss and trimmed with gold pen, layered over a piece of black cardstock and OF COURSE added some of my crayon leaves.....I layered 3 different colors of ribbon on each other and put the ribbon under the image layer.....I love the look of the card and think it looks very fun!!! I also made a matching envie to accompany the card!!


So, now that I've gotten to share with you I feel much better!!! I missed my connection to the world!! LOL


I also completed an order I had for 2 cards and 2 book thongs.....so I was a busy bee...I will defiantely be in my ART Studio when I get home from work today......and I'm excited to say I've received an order for 5 cards and a book thong!! Yippie for me!!! So a creating I go!!!


I can't tell you how much I truly appreciate you stopping by to visit with me!!! I pray each and everyone of you have an amazingly blessed day!!! Be safe and I'll visit with you later!!! Until next time!!!!

IT'S FRIDAY!!! Yippie!!!!

Good Morning everyone......BOY did I have fun playing with paper last night!!!! I've decided I need to get my butt in gear this weekend and work on Christmas cards for my store.....but...first, I have several swaps I need to get complete to free up my time.....So I decided when I got from work yesterday to do just that and only that...LOL, I even forgot to eat dinner... :) So anyway...here's my first ATC I came up with yesterday...It's for the ATC_World group I belong to and the challenge was "Black & Orange".......I printed a black & orange checkerboard pattern for the very back layer...then printed the black two tone floral print on transparency and layered over the bottom layer......I also printed a black design as well as some orange designed papers...I used my sizzix dies to cut the corner pieces....my flower punches to make the flower and also some of my crayon papers...
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then I took some scrap orange scrapbook paper and cut it into lengths took 3 rubber stamps and made a design to fill the paper and stamped the work Passion in the middle...tore the edges stippled Stazon black ink around the border........Didn't it turn out pretty!!! Not bad for black and orange and it's NOT a pumpkin!!! :)


Ok...my next swap for the ATC_World group was "Tag, You're It", the challenge was to make an ATC sized tag or your interpretation....just some where on it had to be a tag.....So, I took some library cards and cut them down to the required size 2 1/2" x 3 1/2"....used one of my favorite rubber stamps I have and stamped the library card...cut the angles on the top...stippled 3 different colored inks on the card, the I put a strip of lace on....I remember using the technique of rubber stamping stickers and laying them out on the card so I decided to do that with a butterfly rubber stamp....colored with colored pencils, then stippled with 3 different inks....transfered to my ATC...I added some corner embellishments and flower accent and fibers to the top!!

I love the look, cause to me it's soft and elegant!!! Isn't it pretty!


Ok....the last swap I worked on for the night was also for ATC_World and it was called "Indian Summer"...Hummmmm, what to do here I thought.......didn't take me long to think of how I am LOVING leaves at the moment and felt that would make for a perfect medium.....SO, I found a bacground image I felt said Fall and printed it on to photo paper....used one of my die cuts and cut out the leaf pattern.....then I used MY crayon papers to do the iris folding.....I just LOVE LOVE LOVE the look of Iris Folding...it looks so intricate!!! before I did the IF on the back I edged the leaf with a gold Marvy pen.....Ok, then I took some more of my crayon paper and punched some leaves....large and small.....


With the large leaves I used some letter rubber stamps and stamped out the work FALL and punched a hole in the top of each leaf and took some copper wire, twirled the edges and ran through the leaves...gives it a nice effect don't you think.....


Lastly I edged the ACT with my gold Marvy pen and whoala!!! Complete....Simple but very impactful don't you think!!!!


I gotta say I had just the BEST time making a mess with paper in my ART Studio and am looking forward to doing more of it tonight!!! I must go to the grocery at some point this weekend, then I have SEVERAL swaps for the Paper Follies group I belong to......ONCE those are completed then I need to gear towards Christmas!!! It's going to be here before we know it!!!


Ok, guess that about does it for me this morning!!! I pray Ike leaves you wonderful people in the south safe and unharmed!!! As usual, I want to THANK YOU for stopping by to visit with me.....have a wonderful Friday and a blessed weekend!!! Until next time!!! ;)

It's SO addicting...

I just can't make one!!! LOL....I'm signed up for an ATC Background swap with ATC_World with Yahoo and I decided to create some of my crayon papers for a background......I only needed 6 ATC size pieces but I couldn't help myself!! I kept creating and creating until I had come up with 6 different designs!!! Aren't they YUMMY!!!! So now I have extras to play with!!!!

Just thought I would share the pretties with you too!!! Thanks for stopping by....till next time...have a blessed evening!!!

Happy Saturday....

I hope you are all enjoying your long weekend!! It's been very nice so far for me....After taking my youngest to Nashville (actually met in Hopkinsville for the trade off) my hubby and I ate at one of our favorite Mexican restaurants for dinner....Very good as usual....We made it back home about 8:00 p.m. and I came directly into my ART Studio to play!!! I had fun reworking the Christmas card I was working on and added some crayon paper corners to the card as well as creating an accompanying envelope with a strip of my crayon paper on it and the words stamped on it with Versa Ink....turned out very nicely!!! I like this look better, the card looks more complete......finally layed my head on the pillow around midnight......









Then this morning when I got up I had the below listed design on my mind......I used cardstock layered over with aluminum foil...then used my sizzix and an embossing sleeve to emboss the aluminum.....This turned out SO nicely!!! The rest of the card came together quite well too....The flower is a combination of the twall paper, pearlized paper, faux flower petal, alchol paper, crayon leaves and a brad.....I think it adds the perfect touch to the card......





I also had to make a matching envelope....I LOVE to have my envelopes match my card....I just think it makes it complete!!!





I've completed my grocery shopping today and it's amazing how just a few craft items happened to hop into my cart!!! It's like I can't control them!!! LOL





Now I get to play for the remainder of the evening.....what to do what to do!!!


So, I've been playing and playing all evening.......I have created the below card using a coffee filter, crayon paper, pearlized paper, cardstock RS' of course and some Pearl Ex Mist I made up today......It turned out cool....First is a picture of the card and the accompanying envelope....second picture is a close up so you can see how awesome the Pearl Ex Mist shows a shimmer on the coffee filter!! I LOVE this effect!!!





Now I also must share this.....I was wanting an envelope that would accent the card.....so I decided to take a copy of one of my crayon sheets I had made......duplicate flip, duplicate flip and continued that til I covered the entire 11x17 area on my page (I did this all digitally) then I printed it out!!! OMG....It's GORGEOUS!!! Take a look at the envelope and then below is the whole sheet I created!!! I am SO proud of this and will be DEFINATELY making more of these!!!!




I am surely keeping the people in the south in my prayers as this terrible hurricane makes its path....I have a VERY dear sweet friend that is preparing to evacuate her home for safer area.....just waiting on the word for her postman hubby to be able to leave......They were hit with Faye just a few weeks ago and also Katrina 3 years ago!! I commend her cause I know I couldn't handle what she does......I just pray they and everyone is safe!!!!



Thank you for stopping by...I hope you come and visit me again soon!!! Until then, I pray you all have a very blessed and safe evening!!!

It's FRIDAY!!!

Yippie, I'm excited....aren't you!!! It's been a busy week for me......I am SO proud to say I sold the crocheted purse I shared with you all earlier in the week....I made a closure for it and it looked very nice when I mailed it out......It's winging it's way to it's recipient!! I've gotten addicted to making crayon papers and just love love love them!! Well I had a friend who asked me if I had any diecuts of leaves cause they would made wonderful Fall leaves.....I didn't...until Yesterday!! I raked in some goodies at Michaels with the 40% coupon of fyour ENTIRE purchase!! I was doing the happy dance out to my car after I got my treasures!!

They admitted Michael's had done a misprint but they are definately honoring the coupons......they last until August 30th....they did have to key each item separately but hey, who cares when you get 40% off, right!!

ANYWAY.....back to my story.....I found these awesome leave dies and just had to have them...so I made up some crayon paper this morning and had to give them a whirl!!! See whatcha think...


I've also been wanting to make up some Christmas card sets for my store......So I came up with this design first...will be doing different ones...but like the look of this one.....it's the only one I've done so far....BUT, I have an ENTIRE weekend to play!!! I will also be making accompanying envelopes to compliment the card and stamp a phrase on the inside...


I took a close up of it so you can see the glitter of snow on the roof tops!!



Today it's one more day of work.....But I don't mind...I have an awesome family company I work for....I got to do the happy dance yesterday there too.....They purchased me (for work) 2 17" wide screen monitors so I could have double the work space for all the programs I have to use at one time....makes it SO nice.....and fun to do my work...and I get to surf the net when I want!!!

Tonight my youngest goes to Nashville for the weekend...but we get him back Sunday so we can have a total lazy day on Monday!!! Yippie for me!!! :) This has been a wonderful week and I've so enjoyed sharing it with you all.....I pray you all have a VERY safe and fun Holiday weekend.....OMG, Can you believe it's time for FALL!!! I'm SO ready....I just LOVE Fall colors and cozying up in the house with my lazy clothes, house shoes, coffee and ART Studio!!!! Sounds like a dream to me!!

Please be sure to come visit with me again...until then, everyone have a VERY blessed day!!

Good Morning Everyone....

I hope your week has started off well......Already Tuesday before a 3 day weekend!!! Yippie...and extra day to play in my ART Studio all day!! I always love the sound of that....didn't get to post over the weekend.....as I had a house full of people...My oldest, Billy, came and spent the night with us Saturday....and Dylan had his best friend over as well...lots of laughs and good times for sure!

Sunday we had to take Billy back home and deliver Dylan's best friend to his home then pick up Dylan's girlfriend, who came and spent the day with us.....we also had a birthday party to go to....of which I've posted a card I made for the birthday person below......

BUT, I DID get time to play in my ART Studio....I love love love playing with crayons!! I made the two sets of crayon papers and have placed them in my store...aren't they pretty!! I just love the marbelized affect.

Then I made up some aluminum die cuts and some of them I embossed to put in my store as well...here are a few of them that I did....I also made up some puzzle pieces, fleur de le's, ovals, square embossed accents, minature crosses, minitaure postage shaped and I'm sure there's something else I'm forgetting...but anyway you get the idea....



Then as I said earlier, we had a birthday party to go to on Sunday....it was for a boy...he loves horses...so I came up with this card......I love how it turned out and will probably make another for my store......I also made a matching envie which is displayed in the background!

Then, Lastly I finished a project I had been working on for a while....A crocheted purse! I just LOVE to crochet...to me it is so relaxing.......I had started this then took it all apart and started over cause I didn't like the effect of some other fibers I had placed in it before...this I like better...I added some yoyo's to the front with some nailhead brads.......I believe I too will be placing this in my store..though I must get a better picture of it as it is actually a bit more brown then what shows up here!!


So as you can see I did have some fun playing this past weekend......I've got so many ideas spinning around in my head....I must just sit down and put it on paper so I don't forget anything....I hope you enjoyed visiting with me this morning and I hope you come back soon.....Never know what I'll come up with next!! Until then, have a blessed day!!! Thanks again!