Creativity With Stamps

Give Thanks Wreath

Sorry for my lack of presence as of late here in blog land.  I have been involved in a few craft fairs, and my last one wil be this Thursday so I am actually looking forward to a change of pace...actually, the pace will change a lot since I have decided to not teach any local classes for the year of 2012. 

My kids are at an age where they like to be involved in quite a few activities so that they will be able to decide what to focus on when they are older and will have more homework.  My church calling also requires me to put in 4 hours a week most of the time and that is a lot for a full-time mom and Stampin'Up demonstrator.

My family and home and church calling have not been getting the best of me and I really would like to focus on them well so I have not choice but to take something off my plate.

I will still do workshops and create a few pdf/video tutorials.  I will also be able to finish off some creative projects so the blog land will not suffer.

Here is a wreath I finished this past Saturady and since Big Picture Classes have so graciously asked me to be one of their guest bloggers and do a project featuring ideas picked on Pinterest, I decided to make this project for their post.  Pinterest blows my mind with all the creative ideas and it helped me a lot in making this wreath. 

You can view a more descriptive post on the Big Picture blog HERE

So here are the supplies used for making this wreath:

Burlap (tan & cream), Muslin fabric, embroidery floss and leaf from my backyard (to make the leaf), Spice Cake Designer Fabric, Broadsheet Alphabet Stamp Set, Early Espresso Craft Ink, Sweet Stitches Designer Fabric, Dark Brown wool felt, styrofoam eggs, Sizzix #2 Circle Die, Sizzix Tasteful Trim die, Victoria Lace Trim, Twine, Dazzling Details

P.S.  Stay tuned for some holiday projects I made for the craft fairs!!!

 

Stylish Award & Spring Craft Fair

Sorry I have been missing for a week now but I had the kids home for 9 straight days due to winter break and I have also been getting ready for a couple of craft fairs...the first one is on March 19th so I am super busy crafting.  Here's one of the projects I am making for this fair.

On another topic, one of my most favorite artists and Stampin'Up demonstrators is Jamie Pierson.  She just blew me away when she sent me an e-mail telling me she nominated my blog with the "Stylish blog award".  It is such an honor to have one of my inspirational artists to tell me she likes my blog and my art as well.

 

When you receive this award you are to pay it forward and follow these rules:

1) Thank the person who gave the award and link it back to their blog.

2) Share 8 things about myself.

3) Pass this award to 8 other individuals that I have recently discovered.

4) Leave a comment so that they can pass along the recognition!

Ok, so here are a few random things about myself right now:

1.  I secretly want to go and live with Jamie Pierson in her gorgeous farm and learn all there is to know about having a farm and raising cows, and chickens, and horses and sheep...after that we would just stamp as storm!!!

2. I avoid medicine like the plague.  I will try to bear the pain as much as I can when I have headaches and PMS until I can not function before I reach out for a Tylenol (extra strength).

3.  I worked in the Corporate world for 7 years before quitting and getting my massage therapy license in New York.  I am looking forward to the day hubby tells me we are to stay put so that I can renew my license and practice massage therapy again (alongside my Stampin'Up business).

4. Parenting is one of my most challenging and rewarding jobs I have and will ever have.  (it's also the most tiring and the most fun job)

5.  I have too many interests and hobbies that I can not possibly master in one lifetime.  But my #1 wish is to see as much of the world as possible before I leave this earth.

6. I cry more easily than anyone I know.  If I see someone cry, even if it's someone I don't know, I start to cry myself.  I can not bear to see anyone sad.

7.  Love to cook but hate to clean. I have always been a messy (and lazy) person by nature and I work very hard everyday to go against that part of my nature.  It has gotten waaaaay better over the years.  (I made my poor mom miserable as a teenager because of this...sorry mom, will try to make up for it...promise!!!)

8.  I really have a hard time with Politics.  Don't like them, don't want to know about them and don't want to create them.

Here's the final step for this award...8 people I have recently discovered that have made my life a little brighter:

1. Kimberly Van Diepen (a creative stamper and a Stampin'Up demonstrator who always blows me away with her cards and stamped goodies...and not only is she talented but she is super super nice!!!)

2.  Jessica Jones (this woman can inspire me any day...did you see one of her latest post showcasing little origami mushrooms?  Too cute!!!)

3.  Ann Wood (love all her little magical hanging vintage boats.  One day I will buy one from her...like, when I am retired so I can afford one).

4. Brandi Wiggins-Cote'  (super creative, fun and talented Stampin'Up demonstrator;  her stuff always makes me smile!!!)

5.  Mrs. Jo-Ann Pullen-Louiseize (her work screams elegance and romance!!!)

6.  Marika Lemay  (my most favorite French Stampin'Up demonstrator.  I can stare at her work all day long!)

7.  Jessica Okui (be still my heart...chalkboard name tags and origami bows!!!)

8.  Bakerella  (this woman always makes me want something sweet...it's a good thing I have kids so I have an excuse to make so many little sugar treats)

I am going to work on my monthly newsletter tonight and tomorrow for my customers and after that I am going to keep on creating for the upcoming craft fairs.  I many not be able to blog as often as I have been until the end of this month....

Happy Halloween!!!

So...I totally skipped this holiday as far as creating anything Halloween based this year...not sure why, but I am focusing more on Thanksgiving and on being grateful.

Anyhoo...here are a couple of pics I took this week...a pair of wild turkeys at my hubby's work parking lot and another pair of wild turkeys dressed up as a girl Frankenstein and some sort of Star Wars character.

 

Make sure you come back tomorrow for a little something I made this weekend.

Autumn - My 2nd Favorite Season

 

Just wanted to give you guys a peek of what my driveway looks like today...it's a good thing I like yellow!!!

I have to admit that the Northeast is very picturesque during this season and I have been wearing short sleeve shirts for the past three days...it's 75 degrees right now and our windows are open.

Tomorrow, I will post photos of a layout I finished this morning...here's the picture that I will be scrapbooking:

Make sure you stop by tomorrow for the finished layout...

Freecycle ROCKS!!!

If you have not subscribed to a freecycle yahoo group yet, you really are missing out on some valuable treasure.  Tons of people in the world have many things that no longer serves their purpose and have decided to donate them to anyone who may have a use for it through local freecycle groups.

I have obtained a couple of stand-up lights, a tv and this year...a vintage typewriter with extra ribbon and type fonts (all of this for free).  Here is my beloved vintage typewriter that I have been using in my layout journaling:

 

 

God - Kids - school - Marriage (and not always in that order)

Well, I would say that this post title is quite different from my usual blog post titles...It's because I have been immersed with "LIFE" at every corner.  I have been dedicating a lot of my time to my family and my church lately. Don't get me wrong, I have had plenty of time to create as well in my studio but instead of spending hours on the computer and updating, editing, writing, etc...I have taken that time to do other things in my life right now.  Oh, and I have again taken up reading books (it has been years since I had done that).

Here's the book I am currently reading (It's a really good one):

Kids are back in school now!!! They actually started on August 31st this year, isn't that insane???!!!! Who starts school in August?  Needless to say, I had to get them all ready early this year and even though I bought them their 1st day of school outfit thinking of the fall season, that day was really hot and humid so they just wore one of their summer outfits.  Here is their picture of the 1st day of school:

 

These little ones are growing super fast and this year they want to do it all and are doing it all...ballet, soccer, voice lessons and piano...wowzers!!!

A Winter Olympic Funny

I just took a break from packing this morning and found this video that literally almost made me fall off my chair...it's just too hilarious!!!

Happy New Year 2010!!!

Hello All,

Just wanted to do a quick post and say Happy New Year 2010!!! I hope it's a wonderful year for everyone and full of events to help you all learn and progress. 

Did you miss me?  I have been missing posting all my creations lately...unfortunately my beloved Mac has been at the doctor twice over this holiday and it's at the computer hospital until next week which means I am not able to post any of my pics of my projects.

Thankfully, my hubby has been kind enough to loan me one of his computers but it's a pc and I can not transfer any of my photos or files into it.  It also has no photoshop...yikes!!!

I am however, able to receive, read and send e-mails and write these lame posts...creative writing is not my forte.

Stampin'Up has started Sale-A-Bration early this year.  I will be writing a post with all the details soon.

Lots of Hugs to all of my blog readers!!!

Give a Goat for Christmas - Always In The Season

Interesting post title right?  Well, this is not a paper-crafting post but I needed to share this video which has one of my most favorite songs (from one of my favorite bands) for the Christmas Holiday...at the end of the song, there is a really nice message about giving a goat for the holidays.  Enjoy and Happy Holidays!!!

Surprised Kitty

I just saw this video and had to share...tooooooo cute!!

Wood Christmas Tags

I have decided to break into my wood sheets that I bought a while ago.  I came up with these two tags:

I covered the entire naked wood tags with Champagne Shimmer Paint and it completely changed the color of the tags not to mention it gave them a really gorgous sparkle.

Supplies for Reindeer Tag:

Dasher Stamp

Winter Post Stamp Set

Champagne Shimmer Paint (both on the entire tag and on the antlers)

Very Vanilla and Ruby Red Cardstock

Sahara Sand, Ruby Red Classic Ink

Vintage Brads, Pewter Jumbo Eyelet, Sleigh Bells Ribbon (from Holiday Mini Catalog)

Supplies for Snowflake Tag:

Kind Thoughts Brocade Stencil (small)

Texture Crackle from DecoArt

Dazzling Diamonds, Jumbo Pewter Eyelet, Bashful Blue Taffetta Ribbon, Twill Tape, Circle Ice Rhinestone Brad, Snowflake Sets #2 Sizzlits (pack of 4 snowflakes), white signo gel pen

New Hostess Sets

I have taken some time to play around with some new goodies from the new 2009-2010 Idea Book & Catalog.
The hostess sets in this catalog are fantastic and I decided to make a few projects with the Level 1 "Holiday Best" which I think it's perfect for making a variety of things.

I used the Big Shot for the polka dotted background (Texturz Plates - Backgrounds 1) and the little leaves (Sizzlits - LIttle Leaves).  I also used some of the new ribbons from the "Masterpiece" Ribbon Originals kit.  The button is from the new "Playground" button package.

I used the pillow box Bigz die to make this cute box.  Used my beloved silver metallic cardstock and embossed it the brocade stamp image in winter white EP.  I also used the new 1 1/4" black striped grosgrain ribbon (I cut it in half and used the other half for another project that I will show another day).  I think the frayed ribbon look is pretty appropriate for the halloween theme.

This is a Christmas tag I created with some of the new "In Colors"...specifically "Crushed Curry" and "Bermuda Bay".  The base of the card has the new "French Filigree" stamped on it with the matching color giving it a tone-on-tone effect. 

I have been having fun making a shabby chic or vintage look using my markers with the Color Spritzer Tool and using my ink and sponges...getting pretty messy in my craft room lately.

I'll be posting a scrapbook layout on Monday using the last stamp in this stamp set.  In the meantime, have a great weekend!!!

A Valentine's Day Gift Wrap

Do you know what I love so much about all my Stampin'Up goodies?  That I can use them at the last moment to create a quick gift wrap when I don't really feel like going out to get something and when I have very little time.

I had made a nice desk calendar for my hubby and found myself having to wrap it at the last minute.  I got a grocery paper bag and cut it up to size and then started decorating.  This is what I came up with.  Love those chipboard pieces and their versatility.