Life Doesn't Always Go According to Plans

Well, I've had to make some major changes in my plans.  This post will be really brief because I'm still really sick and just want to give an update to everyone.  My doctor told me this is really nasty stuff and could take up to 4-6 weeks to recover.  Yikes!  I had no idea, but my body feels it.  Please send prayers as I can use them.  For now, I've had to cancel all April classes and events.  It makes me so sad to even write this. 

Obviously, the Spring Open House Party is 'on hold' for now.  Please refer to my class schedule for further info.

On a good note, my faithful Toby Joe has not left my side.  He's even moved to my new sleeping arrangements --- me, sleeping sitting up in my recliner, to control the coughing as best as I can / Toby Joe, on the floor right beside me.  I moved his bed there, too.  When I'm at my worst, he seems to know it and just comes over and lays his head in my lap.  That's true love.

When I'm over this, I'll dust off my stamps and whip up some new creations to share with you.  Even though I can't stamp right now... you can.  Please do!

Going Global Card

Here's a sneak peek at the 3rd Make and Take for my Spring Open House Party.  This one is done using a Crumb Cake note card set.   I wanted to show off our new embossing folder --- World Traveler.  It's a great one.

I lightly sponged over the raised areas of the embossed piece to bring out the beautiful texture.  This larger stamp (Going Global) is great for the envelope and the inside of the card.

Adding the Linen Thread before attaching the heart focal piece just adds a lot of interest to the card.  Linen Thread is one of my favorite 'go to' embellishments.

Other sets that coordinate with this embossing folder:
Going Global
This set is in our Spring Occasions Catalog.
World Map
Traveler
The Open Sea
These sets are all in our Annual Catalog

If you live in the area, I hope you'll contact me to come join us for the party.  If I receive your RSVP before the end of the day today, I'll have a free gift awaiting you at the party. 

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or look on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration. 

Another Fun Sneak Peek Project ... for my Spring Open House Partry

I tried to come up with something a little different (besides my card projects) for another Make and Take project for my Spring Open House Party.  This was a really fun project.

This project starts out as a simple Kraft bag ... add some scoring ... and a little snipping... and you now have a special pocket to insert a card.

For those sending in their RSVP (by March 17) to attend my party, I will have a surprise to add to the pocket of their project!  I love surprises!

You can use this design idea to create a card for most any occasion.

What else could you add to your pocket?

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or look on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration. 

One Design...2 Ways, Part Two

Here's the second version of my note card.  This one shows off a tiny sliver of DSP along one edge of the card.  It's amazing how much this tiny piece can change a card.  My Spring Open House guests will choose between this card and the one in my previous post for one of their projects.  I wonder which one they'll choose.

I made sure to place my stamping over enough so that I had the proper space to add the DSP strip.

It has a third flower on the inside of the card, the same as the first design.

It's always fun to add an envelope liner to coordinate with your card.  I use these framelits so often that I probably shouldn't even put them away:)

So..... speckles or a DSP strip... which version do you like the best? 

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or look on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration. 

One Design...2 Ways, Part One

Here's a sneak peek at a card I designed for my Spring Open House Party.  I actually ended up making 2 versions of this card.  My Spring Party Open House guests will have to choose which one they'd like to make at the party.

Have you ever made a card, stepped back and looked at it, didn't like it and just set it aside.  I did that recently, then went back... fixed it and now I like it a lot! 

At first, I thought it was too plain.  Then, I added some tiny speckles and now I really do like it.  Sometimes, just a tiny change like this one is all you need to take a card from blah to beautiful.

Our new Blossom Bunch Punch is fun and easy to use.  I saved one of the 3 flowers to use on the inside of my card.  The flowers on the front of the card are completely covered with Wink of Stella.  For the inside flower, I just added my Wink of Stella to the center of the flower.

Come back soon for a second version of this card.  I think you'll like it, too.

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or look on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration. 

Happy Friday...

Happy Friday.  Some days, I don't have a new project to share with you because I have a lot of projects still 'in progress.'  This is one of those days.  Baby Joey and I seem to be passing this 'crud' thing back and forth.  He has the worst of it right now, but it's left me quite frazzled.  I'm going to try to work in my studio a bit this morning and then I'll have him for the afternoon.  I must say that he is the most amazing baby.  He tries to smile even when it's obvious how yucky he feels.  So... come on, Spring!  We need you!!! 

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or look on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration. 

Hoop Project Revisited

Today, I decided to revisit a favorite project because, with a touch of Spring in the air lately, it just speaks of Spring.  We'll be making this project Monday, March 14 at my Scraps and Prayers group.  The fee is $18. due to the materials required to make it.  Registration deadline is noon Saturday, March 19.   Let me know ASAP if you're planning to attend, so I can get your hoop ready for you.

I love how this turned out and can't wait for Spring to get here.  Yes, I get Spring fever quite early:)

You can hang this on the wall to display it or place it on a little easel for display.

Think about how pretty this would look as part of a little table-top Spring vignette.  This would also make a beautiful gift for a special someone! 

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or look on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration. 

Spring Banner Project

Once in a while, I depart from scrapbooking and card making and design a fun banner.  Spring is a great time for a project like this.  Right now, I'm longing for Spring, so it was a no brainer to come up with this project idea.  Out came my favorite framelits again!

This may be a class project idea for down the road.  I love how it turned out.

I added lots of 'blooms' to the banner and added a double layer of my banner shape, with the darker DSP showing just at the bottom of each piece.  I used both current and retired ribbons.  This is now hanging in my studio.

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or look on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration. 

Memories in the Making Project Life Specialty Card Collection

I hear from people all the time that they are trying to 'catch up' on their scrapbooking.  How about a fun way to speed up this process? 

It’s perfect for memory making, but it’s just as fantastic for card making! 

Click here to enjoy a video using these fun Project Life FREE cards from Sale-A-Bration.

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or look on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration. 

Bloomin' Hearts Thinlits Dies

When I first saw this new thinlit die, I couldn't wait to try it.  I'm still working with it on several projects, so you'll just have to come back later to see them.  In the meantime, click on the link below and enjoy a great video on using this fun new thinlit die.

Click here to enjoy a video using the Bloomin' Hearts Thinlits Dies.

I continue to play catch-up with work on my studio and for my blog.  I've been pretty sick and it takes a while to catch up on everything.  Thanks for your patience.  Come back soon and I'm sure you'll be glad you did.  I have lots to share with you!

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or look on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration. 

Using the Enjoy the Little Things Project Kit in A New Way

One of my customers sent me an email asking about the Enjoy the Little Things Project Kit.  She wanted to know if it would be of any use for scrapbooking.  This sent my brain into a bit of a creative buzz.  Why not use it for scrapbooking?!!!  I could see keeping the more dimensional flowers in a jar card for use on the display easel.  That still leaves you with 12 other cards... Could these become 12 layout inspirations?

Here's a look at the kit, found on Page 33 of our Spring Occasions Catalog.  It's a wonderful home decor project.

Click here to enjoy a video on making this project.

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or look on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration. 

Wildflower Fields Envelope Mini Album

Sometimes, when I have a bunch of gorgeous papers on hand, I feel like making an envelope mini album.  This one will be for my April Scraps and Prayers Group.  I think we'll have a great time making it.

The papers are so pretty that I tried to come up with a way to show off how beautifully they coordinated.

I used 2 shades of CS for the leaves.

It's decorated front and back and can actually hold a lot of photos or mementos. 

It has 6 envelopes and I cut CS pieces to fit into the openings of the envelopes on the front side of the album.  I used magnets to help hold it closed.

This was a great project and I love how it turned out.  This is one of those that fell into place and just evolved into a finished project.  The DSP designs constantly guide you.

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or look on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration. 

Enjoy the Little Things is a Great Project Kit!

If you follow my blog, you know I've mentioned in the past that, for the most part, I would prefer creating from scratch rather than using a kit.  However, I keep finding wonderful exceptions to that statement.  Another kit that I just made ... and LOVE ... is Enjoy the Little Things Project Kit.  We'll be making this at my April Saturday Stampers class!

You can display one of the 13 interchangeable display pieces at a time on the darling little easel that comes with the kit.

Sometimes, even when we love the idea of making something like this, we order it, set it aside when it arrives, and never get around to making it.  That won't happen if you sign up for my Spring Mini Retreat.  On Saturday, April 16, we'll get together from 11:00-4:00 (may finish early) and make it together.  You bring your own lunch and I'll provide a beverage and dessert.  Sounds like fun to me!

If you like the idea of attending my Spring Mini Retreat, please pay to register by April 3, so I can get your kit ordered in time.  I'll have it ready and waiting for you.

Here's a look at the kit, found on Page 33 of our Spring Occasions Catalog.  It's a wonderful home decor project.

Click here to enjoy a video on making this project.

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or look on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration.