Coaster Saturday!

Tile Coasters:
These are really simple and inexpensive to make! I bought this tile at Lowes... home depot didn't have a nice selection. Each tile ran $0.38. So it's really cheap! Steps are as follows:

Materials:
1. Unglazed Tile (you can buy them 4"x4" at most home improvement stores
2. Sticky-backed Felt/Cork for the bottom corners so they don't scratch fruniture. I found mine @ target in the flooring section. I'm sure Lowes has them too... I just didn't look.
3. Stamps
4. Ink (staz on works best. I used Pigment/Chalk ink, too... BUT when I did, I had to use a few extra coats of the fixative)
5. Spray Fixative/Varnish.

How-To:
1. Select a tile, stamp, and ink to use.
2. Stamp the tile.
3. Let ink on the tile dry.
4. Once dry, go to a well venelated area (outside is fine) and spray on the fixative/varnish.
5. Wait for varnish to dry. Lightly rub your fingers over the surface... if the ink appears on your fingers, spray another coat of fixative.
6. Once fully dry, flip over and attach sticky backed felt/cork to each corner.
7. Sit drink on top.

**NOTE** Given the nature of most unglazed tile, there will be chips and divets in the surface/edge. If the tile is not packed, be sure to pick the smoothest ones... if they are packed, it's okay-- They aren't that terrible. Just be sure to note where your are placing your stamp in relation to the chips and divets.

**SECOND NOTE** Being that these are handmade items, do NOT immerse them in water. Lightly wipe them clean with a damp cloth... or else you will risk ruining them.

Be Merry!

Here is another bracket frame card... a simple christmas theme...

You always make me smile.

I love bracket framed cards. So I've been making a few. Here is one. The dog was done with paper piecing. Inspired by a dog that I saw on a patterned sheet of paper... Stamps are studio g and martha stewart.

Be Merry

If I really wanted this card to work right-- I would have made the triangle a hooked pocket... That way, when they open it, there will be room for a gift card or what have you. I need to tweak this.

Deck the halls

I like the lines with the solid-ish stamped bulb.

Let it Snow!

This was so fun to make. I know I said that for the last one... but this is just cute.

Scrap Paper Tree

This is so easy! Just strips of scrap paper!

Cupcake boxes, less the cupcakes!

From Summer

No time to write, really... just uploading a few pictures. I am experimenting with cupcake boxes for my sister. She bakes and wants something nice to present her delicious cupcakes in. I am so excited to help! This box was simply to test dimensions I planned out... I didn't want to make an error with the prototype paper my sister bought! This one is for four cupcakes. Tomorrow I am going to make one for six... after I make that prototype of a prototype... I'll make the real prototypes! I choose to live my life in a confusing manner... it fuels my creativity!

Alternate view:

From Summer

Wall Goodies

Thomas needed something cute. So I made him these for his wall. I spelled out his name-- The far away "full" view of the entire piece washes out the detail, so I took a photo up close. Foam board + designer paper + silhouette cut outs = FUN and easy project!

It's a little early for the holiday spirit...

Hmmm... so, culturally speaking, summer is officially over... but according to the calendar, we technically have until the 21st. Oh well. I guess it's time to start on making those holiday cards. I made four today-- all the same. I like the simplicity of this. The only stamp I used was the sentiment, "Winter Wishes." Other than that, it's just designer paper and plain ol' colored stock... I think damask prints speak volumes so I thought I would incorporate a little of that onto the card. :) Fun. Four down-- a million more to go! Not to mention the fun of Halloween... lots to do with that... and fall in general. Well, That's all for now.

Owl always love you

Lately, I have been feeling plain and unembellished-- hence the relatively plain and unembellished card taking shape of an owl. I really haven't had much time to make cards as of late. Well, that might be a bit of a lie. My free time has been spent doing two things:
1) I reactivated my membership to lynda.com in order to brush up on my web design skills. I know... I know... web design was part of my college education, but toward the tail end of my run there, I did the minimum about of work required to get an A. I say "to get an A" instead of "to pass the class" because you could literally do absolutely nothing or have your five year old do your final project and you would still pass with flying colors. Needless to say, I remember very little of the more advanced material that was taught, and, because I desire to succeed (and pretty much make more money) in my career, this skill is crucial.
2) I have been reading. I've been yearning a good book for months now... something that doesn't involve political philosophy or vampires. I came to the conclusion that a good book will not jump in front of me. Unfortunately, I have to do research-- and this research involves stumbling through all 250 plus or minus pages of each book in order to find that out. I'm getting it down to a book a week. Last week I read Wigfield: A can do town that just may not... it's an offbeat, collaborative comedy by Amy Sedaris, Stephen Colbert and some other man named Paul... I'm pretty sure his last name began with an S and had a collection of h, l, and o's in it... perhaps even an F or two. I thought it would have been worth something because Amy Sedaris took part in authoring it... Sadly, I was wrong. Turns out her brother David is a much better author.
The week prior to that, I read Money Changes Everything. This one is really insightful. It's a collection of 22 essays by prominent authors from all backgrounds: wealthy, moderate, poor... and different cultures (asian, indian, good ol' american.) It goes through how money affects everything about us. This was a good read.
Today, I started reading my first mystery novel: Clubbed to Death by Elaine Viets. At first, I wasn't too captured... but remaining diligent with my research, I was determined to carry on. That was this morning. I just put the book down half an hour ago filled with curiosity. I hope it doesn't disappoint. Now... I have to get to sleep.

No card YET! But just a note...

So... remember that ziggy piggy card I posted a few weeks ago? Well, I finally sold it. Hooray! That's my third sale!

I've figured out how to just blog without uploading! Hooray!! Anywho, I am well aware that Halloween is a ways away... but it's never to early to start making cards for any holiday! I say that, but I haven't even started on Christmas!!! I should, because I'm going to need tons of cards!!! I went to Michael's and A.C. Moore yesterday... Michael's has some holiday stuff out, but not a whole lot. A.C. Moore had virtually nothing... but I did find a load of Christmas Paper on clearance for ten bucks.. and a bunch of new-ish studio G stamps (which I used to make these cards) so I was very pleased.
Okay-- so I've been pretty busy and haven't had time to squeeze out any cards for the past few weeks. But I finally found time yesterday during Thomas's nap... which I was surprised that he actually took one, but that's another story. His nap was too short, so these cards were quick and easy.

LSC231-- Boston Terrier!

So... I made a card with a boston terrier on it. Really liked the pet idea that I saw on the "hand to paper" blog by regina easter. So I drew up a boston and cut it out with my xyron wishblade. This is also for LSC231... it was to make a die cut the focal point of your card and not to use a stamp except as the sentiment. Done, Done, and Done. :) This was tons of fun!

From Summer

close up of doggie.

From Summer

Paper Quilling--

I tried it once and successfully made two hearts for a valentines day card... but I wasn't that successful because I would avoid it like superman avoids kryptonite. Nonetheless--- SCS had a Technique Challenge that used quilling... I participated and I actually like the end results.

From Summer

You know, the more and more I participate in these challenges, the more I learn about cardmaking and the more I am able to stretch myself further in my creative abilities. Yay!

Sneaky snake-- err... lizard.

I bought some "all boy" paper the other day-- because I didn't have any. Now that I have it, I realized that I have few masculine stamps. But it's okay-- I will make due with what I have for now. The lizard stamp is by Inkadoo... and the ink is color box pigment.... paper: my minds eye.

From Summer

Happily Ever After

I love metallic stock. I haven't really used it up until now. I love experimenting with new things! One thing about metallic stock is that it doesn't photograph very well... it's too darn reflective! On top of that, I used glitter embossing powder on the dress and ring. Oh well. Everything looks better in real life.

I made this card for SCS sketch challenge this week... too bad I don't know anyone getting married soon. I'm sure it'll come in handy one of these days.

From Summer

Rock-a-bye Baby...

Made a card tonight-- i swear it's a nightly routine! :)

From Summer

I picked a cucumber from my garden today... it was the size of a large pickle. I am so excited because tons are growing! Same with the squash. My carrots went retarded on me because I planted them way too close to one another. They were short and stubby and grew into one another. Don't get me wrong, they are delicious... but they look silly. We had to dig them out because the leaves started wilting. I doubt they were going to grow much larger given the close proximity to one another. Banana peppers are doing well... I'm excited for those to be pick-able.

Hooray for gardens!

I'm a stranger here myself.

I love robots, spaceships, and aliens. So when I saw this set of stamps, I fell in love! I decided to use my paper crimper with this one-- I haven't used it in a while.... made the texture of the moon. I wish I could have let the sentiment stand out more, but I felt that if I put it anywhere else, it would look busy.

One thing I noticed when I made this is that I need silver ink and grey ink.

From Summer

Oooh ziggy piggy.

Well good evening. This weekend was crazy! Yesterday we took the long awaited bike ride to Mount Vernon-- only to stop at 4 miles away from it to turn around and head back home. Errg! I fell twice on the journey and have two nasty scrapes and a couple bruises to prove it! Isaias laughs at my lack of balance. Oh well. I've always been a klutz!


Piggy bank card-- Holds a dollar bill (folded). I love the tail! I used glue to make and keep the curls! The brad holds the tail on-- almost like eeyore!

From Summer

And another one-- I'm not to keen on the stitching. I think I need a thinner sewing machine needle. :( Either way-- it's clean and simple.

From Summer

I'm back!

With a new card, too! I bought this set of stamps before I went away on vacation this past week. Stamps are by Hampton Art. Haven't really done a crooked card before so I thought I'd give it a go. Enjoy!

From Summer

Monogram Notecard Gift set

After I picked my mom up, we went over to AC Moore and bought a few stamps... of those-- I finally decided to pick up some of the monogram sets that Studio G puts out. I couldn't find all the initials that I wanted... maybe next time.

So I decided that our project for the evening would be to make monogram note card sets. I finished mine-- my mom is still stumbling through hers. It looks nice and I like what she's doing with it. She just has creative blocks on occasion.

Onto the finished product:

From Summer

Paper: die cuts with a view, Cougar 80# natural cover, Classic Crest A7 envelopes and some other stock paper I had.
Ink: Color Box pigment
Stamps: Studio G & Inkadoo

I put I love you because, well, she's my sister and I do love her and we got into a fight when I was taking her home the other day so I ended up feeling awful. (Turns out, she did, too and made me brownies! We're fine now.)

So--- the card below was for the CAS22 challenge over at splitcoaststampers.com... I haven't experimented much with layering papers-- and I need to do it more!!! I like doing it, however, I have so much paper that I am always second guessing myself as to which I should use with this card or if I should save it for another. UGH! I hate being a paper addict.

From Summer

Anywho-- I am super excited because tomorrow is technicly my friday. I am taking off the real Friday and all of next week. My mom is coming into town on Friday and will stay with me through Saturday or Sunday morning... I told her we would be making jillions of cards! Of course we will probably run to Michaels or AC Moore to make my bi-weekly stamp purchase. Then my dad is coming down and we are going over to stay with my grandfather in west virginia for the week. Oh what fun! Anyway-- the sooner I get to sleep the sooner everything will come!

Black sheep, black sheep, have you any wool?

This weekend's bicycle ride didn't happen. We planned against it because the weather said that is was suppose to rain all day Sunday... and in DC on 4th of July weekend-- bad idea, anyway. Fourth of July was a blast. Thomas was frightened by the fireworks at first, but then he enjoyed himself. He played with sparklers and shouted out the colors of the fireworks... tons of fun. Perhaps I'll make a scrapbook page out of it... *sense the sarcasm... i do not scrapbook*

From Summer

Stamp is Studio G. Sentiment Handwritten. Paper is Classic Crest (white) and Bazzil (black). Ink is color box pigment (black) and colored with prisma color pencils and white out (for texture on white sheep.)

Let's go fly a kite!

This past weekend, Isaias, Thomas any I went on a family bicycle ride around D.C. Before I go any further, let me explain to you that I have lived in the DC area for a number of years and I have exhausted the memorials, museums, and the like. However-- this is the first time that I have bicycled around D.C. We started on the Mt Vernon Bike trail at Truman Memorial Island and rode down to the Regan airport where we took a short break. We watched the airplanes land and take off... and I'll tell you what, that is some real fun! It's like going to a mini-air show... except with commercial airliners. Thomas loved it. We found a bridge that crossed the Potomac and took it into D.C. We rode around and stopped and various memorials. I felt silly because I was in athletic pants and a bummy t-shirt (i was cycling, for cryin' out loud) and all the tourists were dressed much nicer on a count of wanting to look nice for family photos. :) Anywho-- we got lost trying to find our way back but it was okay. I had a blast!!! This weekend, we are going to ride the entire Mt. Vernon trail, 18 miles to Mt. Vernon and 18 miles back... if it doesn't rain, that is. Now-- thanks for reading that mumbo jumbo. Onto the cards!!! This isn't really stamped, except for the brief sentiment. Most of it is just cut paper, brads, and glue. I chose "Enjoy Today" because kits are so carefree... just how we should be. I like it. Also-- I like these slim cards better than the regular sized cards. They are better for simple things... and I like simple!

From Summer

Almost here!!!

I love the fireworks of fourth of July. I love lighting sparklers and waving them in the air to make a lighted path that spells my name. I loved it when I was younger and I still love it. I especially enjoy how my son reacts... Oh... and I also love when my little sister gets hit smack-dab in the middle of the forehead with a bottle rocket. (Long story-- it happened last year.)

From Summer

I found out about cardsforheros.org. It is a program where you make greeting/birthday/holiday cards and send them out to the military so that the soldiers overseas are able to send something home to their family. I think it is great! I am going to participate by sending some of my cards over. Go over to www.cardsforheros.org and check it out.

Three cards.

Oh hello there, didn't hear you come in!

So I don't have colored ribbon. I bought a few rolls of the skinny white ribbon because they were on sale for a quarter each. I do not use ribbon in my cards because, well, picking the exact color, size, etc., is just overwhelming. HOWEVER... I dyed my thin white ribbon for this card. I did stamp "You're Sweet" on the card after I uploaded this photo-- It completes this. But I was too lazy to take another photo of it.

From Summer

Another Card:

From Summer

Enjoy your day!

From Summer

So this is all I've done this week-- not much, I know. I have been lacking inspiration.

Rainy days and... what? The sun is out now?!?!

So today started out incredibly atrocious. It was wet, windy, and ugly. Thomas hasn't been feeling good and Isaias was bumming around watching T.V. so I decided to take some time for myself and head to A.C. Moore. I do not go there often, in fact, I think the last time I was there was before Christmas last year. But I am a collector, if you will, of the Studio G stamps by hampton art. I call myself a collecter because I have only used about 40% of the studio g stamps I have... but they do come in handy often! I have heard that A.C. Moore has a lot more Studio G stamps than michaels. Anywho, I went online and printed out a 50% off coupon and went on my merry way.

I bought these:

From Summer

I spent a total of $7.39 with the coupon. The colored pencils are actually old, but new in a sense that I haven't opened them in two and half years! I bought a large set of stamps from Hampton Arts and three sets of stamps from studio G. I didn't want to go all out because I really want to only buy what I will use. I think I am going to try to use each stamp once, now because I have so darn many! JUSTIFICATION FOR PURCHASE: I like the little squares--they are excellent for patterns, I bought the one with the two circles that say "Hi" and "Hello" because they had little stem/branch/flower things that I have been looking for. Then I bought the the birdies and flowers because, well, I love birds. As for the large set of clear stamps, I have been looking for tree/branches/leaves and this fulfills my need and it even has owls and birds! (except now, I want the branch I saw at Angela's happy stamper, but this will come later.)

This is what I made with them:

From Summer

...yeah yeah, I stamped hello crooked... it's okay.

Father's Day

So, yesterday, my son (Thomas) and I made Isaias a father's day card but I will not post a picture because there is always a chance he might stumble across this. He will have to wait until father's day.

HOWEVER-- I had to make a card for my father-- I hardly see him. In fact, it's been four years since I last saw him. Lucky for me, he is coming down here to NoVA to visit in July. We won't be staying in NoVA... we are going with him to West Virginia to stay with my grandfather for the week. Back to business-- my father lives in Caribou, Maine, which is why I don't see him often. Unfortunately, I waited until last minute to pop a card together. I do not know what he likes (keep in mind, I don't see him often and when we do talk to each other, it's a lot of catch up that we play so there is little to no conversation on hobbies and what we do in our spare time. It is more or less conversations about how thomas is doing, how is work, ect.) So I decided the golf theme is appropriate. Most gentleman enjoy a nice round of eighteen holes, so I think I am safe.

I am not safe, however, with the time frame from now until fathers day. Mail typically takes a week to get up there. I was thinking UPS next day sat. delivery from work, but then that would be naughty of me. I will figure out a way to get it to him. If not, then I will simply explain that I was unwillingly procrastinating. I think he will forgive me.

From Summer