Today Is A Good Day

Hello, Crafty Peeps

This project began life as an entry into the Kraft Challenge Journal Challenge, but then I realized their theme is "Thankful" and my card does fit the challenge.  So, I had to change direction.  I ended up using pearls again because I needed to use the loose pearls that I "lost" while working on other projects.  Sometimes it is fun just to make a card because I want to.  This is one of those times!

Hugs,

Chana

The Prima Flower was a nice find in my stash.  I don't know about anyone else, but I have a little happy dance that I do when I find the "perfect" embellishment or paper in my stash!

This wonderful cut a part came from Graphic 45's Typography Collection

The Back Story

Card Stock: Recollections Kraft CS and Recollections Black CS

Designer Paper and Cut A Part: Graphic 45 "Typography"

Embossing Folder: Craft Concepts "In Stitches"

Stamp: Bo Bunny Stamps - "Love Letters" Clear Stamp

Punch: Fiskars Squeeze Punch - Postage Stamp

Pearls: Want2Scrap Adhesive Back Mini Pearls

Misc.: Fiber Ribbon; Prima Flower

Challenges Entered:

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
Deep Ocean Challenge - Favorite Color Combination
Party Time Tuesdays - Anything Goes

Through The Craft Room Door - Always Anything Goes
Tip Top Tuesday - Be Krafty (use Kraft CS or make something using Kraft CS)

You Are So Cool!

Hello, Crafty Peeples!

Welcome to another challenge at Shopping Our Stash.  We are the challenge blog that suggests you can have Retail Therapy in your Studio/Craft Room every single day of every week.

Yes, we promote discovery.  Go ahead and admit that your DH is perfectly justified when he says:

"What, more stuff?  I bet you have stuff you have never used, probably don't even know what you have in that room.  Honestly, I wish you would go back to buying shoes!"

I bet you can guess how I came up with that quote!

So, here we are giving you another chance to Shop Your Stash.  Then, you can wear those really cool shoes you bought two weeks ago.  He won't be any the wiser! :D)

Since Thanksgiving is nearly here,  this will be a two week challenge and  pretty simple:  

CREATE A WINTER CARD.  

See, easy peasy. Simply use the scraps from the 10,000 Christmas Cards you've made!

Here's Mine.  Very CAS

I don't do much CAS, but I had fun with this one. 

 I was inspired by a fabulous design of my friend Carla Suto of Carla's Stamping Spot

The Ribbon I used for the bow is almost three years old!  The green paper is left over from a school project I did with my grandson.  All of the white Neenah CS are pieces that were left over from other projects.  For all my Shopping Our Stash projects, I try to use items that are at least six months old.

Happy Turkey Day!  Happy Chanukah!

THE BACK STORY

Image: Unity Stamp - Itty Bitty Stamps - Bernie

Sentiments: Unity, Itty Bitty Stamps: Simple Snowman Joy (Feel The Joy)

 Penguin Coolness (Holiday Wishes)

Card Stock: Neenah Solar White, Linen 80#

Embossing Folders: The Paper Studio - A2 Scalloped Dots 

Couture Creations - 5"x7" Dreamscapes Collection: Swiss Dots

Ribbon: Trim A Home Holiday Ribbon and Offray 1/8" Metallic Wired Ribbon

Misc:  Scor-Tape, 3D Foam Squares, Scotch 3/4" Dblsided Foam Tape

Stickles (Silver and Green) Liquid Pearls

CHALLENGES ENTERED:

Use It Tuesday - Anything Goes (should use items from your stash)
City Crafter Challenge - Snow White (project components should be mostly white)
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
Party Time Tuesdays - Anything Goes
Oldie But A Goodie Challenge - Ribbon and Lace (must use items 6 months old or older)

Through The Craft Room Door - Always Anything Goes
Try It On Tuesday - White on White

Growing - You Make Me Smile

Hello, Crafty Peeps!

This week is Anything Goes Week at The Outlawz Greetings Challenge.  

One of our sponsors this month is I Brake For Stamps and I have used one of their images for this project.  IBS has over 3,000 digital images, including an exclusive line of Rick St. Dennis Images .

I chose this adorable image for it's versatility.  It will be easy to place a chair or step stool image beneath the image a build an entire scene.  The idea here was to address growth.  

I have been marveling, lately, at how quickly my grandchildren have grown.  My youngest GRAND will be one year old next month.  Seems only yesterday I received the call from my happy, groggy, and slightly disoriented son! 

I don't know why this photographs as green, it is actually the same shade as the dp on the front, but my flowers and leaves photographed weird, too!

The Back Story

Image:  I Brake For Stamps: Child Reaching

Cardstock: Neenah Classic Crest Baronial Ivory,  80# Smooth

Designer Papers: Graphic 45 - Lil Darlings,  My Mind's Eye - Meadow

Stash:  Prima Lace, Buttons, Prima Mini Clothes Pin, Ribbon, Heart Trinket

Challenges Entered:

Come and Get It Challenge - Anything Goes (twist) Use a Digital Stamp

The Outlawz - Alcohol Markers Challenge - Create A card for a Child -  Must sign in to play
Sunday Stamps - Color Challenge (Lime, Grey and Turquoise)

Key Chain Mini Album

BEFORE

Hello, Crafty Peeples!

BEFORE

This week, over at Shopping Our Stash, we would like for you to use product packaging to create your project!  This is my third Key Chain Mini Album.  They make such wonderful gifts and at this time of the year it would be an amazing stocking stuffer.

BEFORE

AFTER

 The closer here was a collar on a basketball trophy!  Magnets keep it closed.

 My husband dismantled some old trophies the kids earned back in High School.  He was about to toss them and then decided to ask me if I wanted to add them to my hoard! (LOL)  I said no, then immediately changed my mind and grabbed them from his hand.  I wanted something unique to create visual interest on the front of this design.  It works!

The internal tags were created using various Graphic 45 papers.

This second project is strictly utilitarian.  I needed storage for my TH Distress Inks collection.  I am working on a Laura Denison (Follow the Paper Trail ) project that will hold some of my ink pads,  but until I complete it, I need something on my desk to hold the pads I'm using when working on a design.

DH laughed at my lack of neatness here.  I tried to center them all but I just couldn't and it doesn't matter, because they are coming off.  I only had a black on clear cartridge, so I could not remove the white backing.  I have ordered black on white background and the paper will be 1/4 inches instead of 1/2 inch and that will make everything easier to center.  Right now, It works. and looks nice on my drafting table!

THE BACK STORY

Key Chain Tag Mini

Orbitz Gum Box

Designer Paper:  G45 -  Steampunk Spells

Lost and Found Two -  Breeze

Pearl: Want2Scrap

Closer: Old Trophy Collar

Seam Binding: Wright's Iron on Hem Tape

Distress Pad Tower

Wrigley's Gum Box

Designer Paper:  Stash

DI - Vintage Photo

Here is a picture of a Key Chain Mini I made Last year!

Thanks for stopping by!  Hope to see you in the challenge at Shopping Our Stash!

Hugz,

Chana

Challenges entered:

All Sorts Challenge: Make A Gift

Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps - Anything Goes (SIR to Win)

Less is More - Use Designer Paper in A CAS Way

Sugar Creek Hollow - Tags or Boxes

Challenges For Everybody - Anything Goes

Come and Get It Challenge - Christmas Gifts

Glitter n Sparkle Challenge - Tag It

Hobby Cutz Challenge - Color Challenge

More Thanks

Hello, Crafty Peeples!

The ladies over at Shopping Our Stash, are challenging you to create a project using items already on your table!  If your table looks like mine, there is probably enough stuff lying around to create five or six projects.  When I read the assignment and looked on my table, what was there were pieces of the project I started the week before.  So here, in all it's glory, is the project I was going to create for last week's Thankful Challenge at Shopping Our Stash.  Remember we are a JFF (Just For Fun) Challenge, but it is an excellent way to reduce your hoard!

I am crafting on a budget these days, so I try to be conservative in the use of my adhesive pearls.  But this embossing simply cried out for a little "bling."  I've used this as a layer before and I really forgot how much work is involved in placing all these pearls.  I purchased the white ribbon back in 2000 when my husband and I opened our Graphics Business.  I used it on wedding invitations, but I still have ton of yardage left.  It is the perfect companion to this embossing folder.  The little aqua accents are positive remnants from a decorative punch!  They have been in a container on my table for about 2 years.

This is the INSIDE of the card above!

Hugz,
Chana

I received this stamp set in the mail the day I started this project.  I knew immediately that I wanted to use it and how I wanted to use it.  I was pleased with the outcome.  The trinket was on my rolling table in a little box in which I keep odds and ends.  I have had this about 3 years.  I used to date everything and  keep my supplies in its original packaging, but packages take up lots of space, so now I unpack most things and store them, but I store by year.

My stamping is not so good here, but it was the last of my cream colored, scallop topped tags, so I went with it!  I am sure my stamping "muse" will forgive me! :D)

Thanks for stopping by!  Hope to see you all over at Shopping Our Stash!

ALERT THE MEDIA!!

My Challenge Blog, 613 Avenue Create, has started a Facebook Page where we share creations and tutorials.  Hope you will stop by and become a fan!

www.facebook.com/avenue613

BACK STORY

Card Stock:  Neenah Solar White Linen and Cards & Pockets - Tuscany (discontinued)

Designer Papers: G45 Secret Garden and G45 Steam Punk Spells

Rubber Stamps: Vintage Seed Packet Clear Stamp Set 

Misc: mini envelopes, trinkets, TH Paper String, Tag, Momento Rich Cocoa Ink, Prima Flower

Challenges Entered:
Creative Card Crew - Pearls
Scrap- Creations - Give Thanks
Party Time Tuesdays - Use Twine or Hemp
Sweet Stamps Blog - Thank You
Tuesday Throw Down - Gratitude
Use It Tuesday - Stick it! (use sticky stuff):I used: Adhesive Backed Pearls, Foam tape, Scor-tape
Through The Craft Room Door - Always Anything Goes
Catered Crop - Thanks Kindly
Challenges for Everybody - Always Anything Goes

Winter Snow - The Outlawz Greeting Challenge

Hello, Crafty Peeps,

If it's Monday, then it must be The Outlawz Greetings Challenge!  This week we are featuring a new sponsor, Oak Pond Creations and the team is excited to work with her wonderful creations.

One of our designers became ill, so I decided to create a project using the image she was supposed to use.  I had fun designing this and I hope you like it.

I do believe I got a little carried away with the silver rub and buff, so my blades are a little big!

  How's that for an oxymoron?  This OPC image is adorable.

  I printed it on vellum and then colored the backside of the image with TH Distress Ink.  

For the cuffs and puff balls, I used TH Picket Fence Distress Stain. 

The blades were colored with Rub 'n Buff Silver Leaf.

I discovered this wonderful paper in my hoard of "never opened" 6x6 pads!  I do not exaggerate when I say I have hundreds and most of them have never been touched.  This one is A Prima Pad.

I love that Prima gives you lots of sheets (48- 3 single sided sheets of 16 different designs.)

 Also, during my "trolling," I discovered this wonderful bling border and I thought it would be the perfect "Icy" component of my Wintry design!  I used Liquid Pearls to amplify some of the snow!

Initially, I was going to use this paper on the front, but it really works so much better here!

THE BACK STORY

Card Stock:  Bazill Basics 

Designer Papers: Prima Marketing " North Country" Collection

Bling: Want2Scrap

Image: Oak Pond Creations

Sentiment: Unity Stamp Company!

Flower: Prima Marketing

Dies: Spellbinders Ovals

Challenges Entered:

Anonymous Stamps - Anything Goes (Monthly Challenge)

Artistic Inspirations - Anything Goes - Use a Sentiment

Card Mania Challenges - Anything Goes

C is for Challenge - Winter is Coming
Creative Creations Challenge - Sparkle and Shine
Love To Scrap - Anything Goes
Make It Monday - Always Anything Goes
Paper Playtime - Sparkle
Sparkle N Sprinkle -Anything Goes with Glitter, Embossing or Flocking
Through The Purple Haze - Winter Scene + Optional animals or people in the scene
Cards and More - Baby It's Cold Outside (my sentiment is the stamped element)
Deep Ocean Challenge - Winter
Through The Craft Room Door

Holiday Thanks - 613 Avenue Create

Hi, Crafty Peeps!
We have a fun challenge for you this week over at 613 Avenue Create!  The Optional Twist to Our Anything Goes Challenge is to create a Holiday Thanks You Card or Hostess Gift.  Our sponsor this week is:

I noticed that Chalkboard Papers seem to be all the rage in the paper crafting world these days.  Tim Holtz has a line and several other big brand name companies.  I finally broke down an ordered a few elements of Prima's Optimist  paper collection.  Scrapbook.com had great prices.

This was one of those projects that started out great in my head, but felt flat on my drafting table.  

The Theme was "Take Time to Note The Small Wonders in Life." I covered my note holder with vintage clocks themed paper. Sadly, the embellishments that seemed perfect in my head, did not work.

 I decided to use the chalk paper on the front and interior of the holder.

I used one of those cute Prima Wood Embellishments as the base for my sentiment.  I cut the word Succeed from one of the Optimist sheets.  A couple of foam dimensions added depth.  I used chalk to scribble the word Notes! When my new 6x6 pad comes in, I will remove the chalk paper and cut a piece that covers the entire front of the holder.

Inside is a nice post it pad and a place marker pad.  There is also a chalkboard at the top.

Of course, people don't normally walk around with chalk in their pocket.  Unless, of course, they are 

paper crafters!

We also launched our 613 Avenue Create Facebook Page this week!  I would love it if you would stop by and like us!

Thanks for stopping by!

Hugz,

Chana

Challenges Entered:
Challenges 4 Everybody - Anything Goes
Eclectic Ellapu - Anything But A Card
Scribble & Scrap - Always Anything Goes

Give Thanks - Shopping Our Stash Challenge #126

Hello, Crafty Peeps!  

Here we are again giving you an opportunity to use some of those wonderful items that you have been hoard..  saving for a special challenge just like this one!  I know I am reducing my stash, well at least it is accumulating in a new box labeled "Shopping My Stash Stuff I Should Use!"  Okay, at least I'm trying.  But one thing I won't do is buy anything to use for my SOS projects...that would just be so wrong! :D)  Isn't it wonderful that all the orange and brown and black and green stuff you brought for October 31st themed cards will work just fine for Thanksgiving!  The Actual Theme of the Shopping Our Stash Challenge is "THANKFUL."

 I created the center layer by using various Tim Holtz Distress stains to color a piece of unbleached Muslin.  You can find the tutorial HERE.  I used Warm & Natural Needled Cotton Batting for my backing.  The "Safforn" Jute Ribbon is a recent acquisition, but was so perfect for this project that I just HAD TO USE IT!

    I stamped a large postcard image on the muslin and then mounted a smaller paper post card on top!

I used TH DI to color the flowers.  I spent a good forty-five minutes digging through my decorative brads  I must buy more; they come in so handy!   The Give Thanks Sentiment is from a archival cut out sheet that was sent from a vendor over 3 years ago.  And, although this is not a steampunk design, The G45 Steampunk Spells Paper matched my CS too pefectly to pass up!

In case you have not noticed, I am a huge fan of Tammy Tutterow.  I made these flowers using a tutorial she posted a couple of weeks ago.  The tutorial was for making leaves using the TH Leaf Die and Stamp.  I figured it would be a neat way to make a flower as well, so I gave it a try.  What do you think?  You can see Tammy's Tutorial HERE

I had fun using these Spellbinders' Dies for the first time.  I have chosen to use this type card base because it is so versatile and it forces me to do something with the insides of my cards!

I know I post a lot of pictures, but, HEY, I don't post ALL the pictures I FORCE my hubby to take!

THE BACK STORY

Card Stock: Bazzill Textured Butterscotch and Neenah Red Pepper (Linen)

Designer Paper: Graphic 45 Steampunk Spells

Postcard Cut Out: G45 Olde Curiosity Shoppe

Post Card Stamp: Unity Stamp Co. "Provencial Collection" Carte Postale

Jute Ribbon: Offray (Purchased at Blitsy)

Lace: Create with Carolace

Metal finding: Fabrscraps

Brads:  Bo Bunny (various collections)

Flowers: Petaloo Color Me Crazy (120 Piece Value Pack)

Inks: TH DI: Vintage Photo, Tea Dye, Ripe Persimmon, Fired Brick

Inks: TH DS: Spiced Marmalade, Broken China, Picket Fence, Squeezed Lemon

Tumbled Glass, Bundled Sage, Tea Dye, Iced Spruce

Misc: Magnets, Fabric Fusion, Scor-tape, Xyron Mega Runner vellum

Challenges Entered:

7 Kids Challenge Blog - Anything Goes

Crafting for All Seasons - Autumn Colors

Crafting By Design - Anything Goes

Frilly and Funkie -Thanksgiving

Crafty Creations - Autumn Colors

Lady Anne's Stamp Challenge - Anything Goes (Last Challenge)
Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes

ColourQ - Color Challenge

Inkspirational Challenge- Photo Inkspiration Wreath

Perfect Sentiments Challenge - Sketch

V's Sweet Ideas - Color Challenge

Write Your Story!

Hello, Crafty Peeples! 

 The Monday Greetings Challenge at the Outlawz this week is to create a bookmark!   I was delighted, when I checked the team thread, and saw that my teammates had elevated the lowly bookmark by coming up with some really nice, creative and very different bookmark designs. For my part, I wanted to try making a fabric bookmark.  So here goes!   Oh, Yeah, We have 3 Fabulous Sponsors this month!

MY LITTLE CONCEPT BOOKMARK

I considered this more of a concept design as opposed to a useable bookmark.  I thought the thickness (around 1/8") would be a problem.  But surprisingly, it isn't and the bookmark works very well. I've found that I love it for use in my craft magazines.  

 I cut a strip of lightweight chipboard 1 1/2" x 5 3/4" and glued batting to both sides.  I wrapped my material and glued down the edges and then covered the back with a coordinating piece of card stock. The metal brads at the bottom were added before the card stock backing was applied.  The other metal embellishment was attached with fabric fusion.  Surprisingly, the batting is soft so that when the bookmark is placed inside a book, it works just fine, one thing for sure, you always know where you left off in your reading!  

I have had this material for almost two years now.  I picked it up at Hancock Fabrics.  Since I did not want to glue a sentiment to the tag, I used a few of my  G45 "Typography" stamps  on the fabric before it was attached to the batting!  I inked the edges with TH "Vintage Photo" DI and then added a small key to my ribbon.  I used an eyelet to cover the hole punched for the ribbon. 

Thanks for stopping by!  Hugz,  Chana

The Back Story 

Fabric:  Design By The Piece Singles

Batting: Warm and Natural Needled Cotton Batting

Stamps: Graphic 45 "Typography"

Word Sticks and Key:  Tim Holtz Ideology

Inks: Momento "Rich Cocoa" and Tim Holtz "Vintage Photo"

Misc.  Fabric Fusion, Ribbon Eyelets

Tim Holtz Screwhead Brads

Challenges Entered:
Craft My Life All Craft Challenges - Anything But A Card (November/December)
Card Mania - Anything Goes
Craftin Desert Diva's - Anything Goes
Make It Mondays - Always Anything Goes
Scrapbook Stamp Society - Anything Goes