The Yellows of March

Beware of the yellows of March!!!  Yellow keeps coming back to haunt me.  I do believe that the powers that be are determined to make me appreciate some yellow.  I will admit, I am trying hard to quit being a yellow hater.  I used yellow on much of the samples 3here.  I was trying to experiment with things and use my new stamps too.   I have 2 different cards here.  One that uses the Brono stamp by Stampin UP!  and one that uses stamps by Technique Tuesday.

The Brono stamp features a font called Bleeding Cowboy that happens to be one of my favorites on my computer and I use it often. The inks used are Chocolate Chip by Stampin UP! and Walnut Stain Distress ink.   It is a simple card  that did not take a lot of time.  I basically wanted to try out  that new stamp.  I am very pleased with this stamp and believe that it will serve me well. 

The second card took more work as I first inked the entire card base using Distress inks in walnut stain, mustard seed, iced spruce and spiced marmalade.  I then dripped water onto the surface and let that dry. 

Then I used strip of patterned paper  that were left over from another project.  I punched a circle near the top and stamped a star (by Stampin UP!) on the inside of the card.  The 3/4 circle above the punch is a technique tile by TT and it is inked in mustard seed.

Grugeboard serves are the base for my sentiment.  The edges are inked in mustard seed and the font is by TT.  I watercolored yellow inside the letters.

The rectangle at the bottom is also TT as well as the very cool stamp.  I colored the inside with yellow watercolor paint, a gray watercolor pencil and a brown sharpie.

The last card features another stamp set that I just bought, So Very by Stampin UP!!  This one features vintage photo, tea dye and old paper distress inks.  These inks make up the background of the sorry part and mustard seed "paints" the card base.  All the patterned papers are from my scrapbin, I am trying so hard to get rid of the stuff in there. 

The water droplets on sorry are just that....water.  I love the way water reacts with  the distress inks.  That is my favorite part about them.  

Relax and Thanks a latte

This time of year I am thinking about Spring Break and dreaming of all the places that I could go.  Of course, I am dreaming of palm tree type surroundings, and possibly a theme park where one would find a magical wand toted by a young wizard; or maybe a land of enchantment with a mouse.  However, this card was as close as I could get...a balmy palm tree on a card.  It was fun to use these new stamps by Stampin UP! (well they are new to me, and they were never used.  I bought them at a yard sale for $5).  

 I have used Stampin UP! ink in Chocolate Chip and Close to my Heart ink in Clover Meadow as well as Walnut Stain Distress ink.  The florish stamps are from Technique Tuesday and all the papers are from my scrapbin.  The brads are by Paper Studio.  All the edges are trimmed in Iced Spruce Distress ink. 

For my this Spring Break dream card I used this weeks CR84FN colors of yellow, kraft and gray.  I am not usually a fan of yellow, but I have to say that I have been pleased with the yellow cards I have made lately.  This one just makes me calm, the next one is the one that I love.....

I love coffee, lattes, cappuccinos,hot teas, and the like and this card was inspired by my new Keurig machine.  The stamps from the letters are from the $1 bin at the Dollar Tree.  I watch Morning Joe and I love his coffee stain on his logo, I have been looking for a stamp of a coffee stain for quite some time and finally found one in a Close to my Heart catalog.  It is sooooo cute!!!! The heart stamp is from Inkadinkadoo.  The card base is inked in walnut stain distress ink, spritzed with water, then with Java walnut spray ink.  Coffee stain is stamped in Chocolate Chip by Stampin UP!.  All edges are trimmed in Iced Spruce Distress ink.  The cup is my own creation.  I look forward to sending this card to one of my coffee friends.

Liberty Tag

This tag is a collection of JUNK that I have had lying around.  Some old Graphic 45 papers (that I love but had not found that perfect project), some remnants of tissue paper from a gift, a 1776 coin from the History Channel, a green ribbon from a notebook that I took apart, left over grunge board, a rosette I made when I was practicing, leftover kraft cardboard (tag base), Tinkertoys rectangle (Graphic 45), and a washer I found in a tool box.

I used Tim Holtz distress inks to color the kraft cardboard first (Dusty Concord and Mustard Seed).  On top of that I using Distress embossing ink and Vintage Photo Distress powders with a Hero Arts script font stamp.  I also used a houndstooth stamp  by Technique Tuesday (words Playing and Laughing also by TT) and a postmark stamp by inkadinkadoo.  I painted a layer of Antique Linen crackle paint and inked that with Walnut Stain Distress ink.  Once all that dried I began my layering.  The stopwatch was created with a stamp by Delta which I embossed with midnight black by stamp n stuff embossing ink.  Once that set up I used Distress inks in Walnut Stain, Mustard Seed, Dusty Concord, Broken China, Seedless Preserves, and Spiced Marmalade to color the background of the glossy cardstock. 

A lady in a rainbow of color

I wanted to play with some glossy cardstock that I picked up at Archiver's (for .79 per sheet).  I got out one of my new stamps (that I purchased for $1.00 at the Trace Creek Crop yard sale) by inkadinkadoo and stamped it in Ranger Archival black ink.  I allowed some time for that to dry then I got out my ink pads.  I used Tim Holtz Distress inks in Chipped Sapphire, Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade, Broken China, Dusty Concord, Festive Berries, Peeled Paint, Seedless Preserves, Fired Brick, Faded Jeans, Worn Lipstick, Iced Spruce, Evergreen Boughs and Spun Sugar.  

I gave the inks a few seconds  to dry then I sprayed water into my hands and dropped onto the image.  This give it the water look.  While some of the drops where wet I lifted the image up and shook it.  This made the water run down the tag creating that neat faded colors line down the front of the image.  I love the water spots!  Especially the ones on her face. 

The card itself was inked with Peeled Paint.  That is one of my favorite Distress ink colors an so versatile.  This was a surprise part. I was not sure if this would work or not, so I just had to give it a try.  I took a Tim Holtz fragment and inked it with cranberry alcohol ink.  When that dried I took a small Stampin UP!  flower stamp and stamped (using Ranger Archival black ink) onto of the alcohol ink.  I love the way it turned out.  It was a perfect little addition to the corner.  

All stamps featured on this card are from Stampin UP!

Buttons are from Making Memories (with exception of the pink one that is from a shirt that I had purchased)

The pearls are from a kids craft kit

The thread is DMC in 315 gray and 666 red

This card's sentiments state how I feel:  BLESSED!!!

Trace Creek Crop Gratitudes

A day that I look forward to every year. I get therapy for my mind and a beautiful message for my soul.

This crop is organized perfectly. Jill Rogers who is in charge said God made her for this. And she is so right. God has blessed us in so many ways by giving her the means and know how to control all of us crazy scrappy ladies. On top of that He always puts in her heart the exact words that I need to hear. It's always like the message is directed to me and me only. Someone at the crop said the same thing yesterday so I know that God puts just the right topic in Jill. I am do grateful for this.

I am also grateful to those that donate their time and talents in preparing the foods and making sure I have enough to eat. It is wonderful to share the day with so many good cooks and those who forgo scrapping to ensure I put on a few pounds. I am grateful to you all.

I am happy that the Goughs's devote their time to check us in and make sure we sign up for prizes. For them giving me a kind word every time I pass their table and always smiling. They also make our lovely name tags! I am grateful to them.

There's Cassie Johnson who was willing and able to stay up late to sign me up for the crop. Without her none of it would have been possible. Bless Cassie for taking care of me. She even sit next to me all day. That is love. For her I am grateful.

For the people who sit up the tables, for the church who allows us to invade their space and use their lovely sanctuary. I am grateful for you.

Then there's the ladies who put items in the yard sale. Without you I would never be able to afford all those stampin up stamps I have bought over the years. I am so grateful you girls want to purge your stash. That you let things go for such wonderful prices. I look forward to the yard sale and I am grateful for it.

To the vendors that encourage me to spend money and run me up a tab. I love that you are there and that you are kind and patient with me. I am grateful for you.

Yes I am even grateful for my fellow scrapper. I have never met one I didn't like. This year we met two more lovely ladies who were very talented. I am grateful for them sharing my table.

And my mom. I finally got her to go to an event with me. I had a lovely day with her. We ate, worked and talked. Oh yeah we shopped too. I am grateful to her for spending her day with me.

I can think of nothing at the TCC that is not super. Bless you and hope to see you in the fall.

Missed art

Mirabella designs

My first pullwork

I took a photo of my children and then cross stitched it.  This took me over a year!

For many years, I have been what you might say as an expert cross stitch person.  Once I even worked for a designed doing her mock up designs for the cover art of the packaging.  Back in 2010, I realized my hands simply cannot take the stress of holding the hoop anymore.  They ache and ache from the pressure.  One day, I am going to buy a loom that I can stitch at in my seat, but in the meantime I am going to think back to the days when I was a mad stitching machine.

Blackwork checker board I made for Hannah.  This is my own design.

blackwork sampler, 100% my design

My first beadwork

Families Ties sampler, the first sampler I ever searched and searched the internet for. 

My second piece ever, and the first where I changed almost ever single thread color and thread types.  This one features a lot of the DMC flower thread.  She is soooo me!

Really 2 pictures, but I put them together into one.  Pinky and Blue Boy

my first blackwork sampler

Blackwork lady, I love her.  Wish I had designed her

St Peter's in Russia, this was so fun to do. I painted the Aida cloth with clouds first then stitched ontop.  It is full of silver threads that shine on the wall.  Beautiful.  One of my favorites. 

Building blocks of life

I have been working on this set of blocks for months. They have been my project in between projects.  I have to say that I am tickled with the way that they turned out.  The large letters and steampunkish pictures.  What little baby would not want these?  Without a doubt, they are the most original building blocks ever made!!!  I actually started making them when a friend of mine announced she was having a baby, and very soon I will get to gift them to her.  I hope she is as happy with them as I am.  

Products used:

Tim Holtz distressed inks in peeled paint, broken china, chipped sapphire, fired brick, festive berries, frayed burlap, tea dye, old paper, faded jeans, iced spruce, evergreen bough, worn lipstick, spun sugar, dusty concord and black soot.

Large letters from Technique Tuesday: Williamsburg

other stamps from: Inkadinkadoo, Hampton Arts, Graphic 45, 7 Gypsies, and Stampin Up!

misting sprays by Michelle's Musings in Silver Springs, Chocolate Bar Brown, Barbados Blue and Minty Green

Water

TONS of mod podge

Aleene's clear tacky glue

Prismacolor watercolor pencils

Prang watercolor paints

Every child needs a set of blocks.  Blocks can do so many things in a child's mind. Hope my blocks serve this baby well.  Happy building, baby!