Farm Fresh

Hello friends! This week's challenge at The Kraft Journal is "farm fresh" and I can't wait to see what you all come up with!

I created this trio of "farm fresh" tags using some farm-themed journaling cards adhering them to large shipping tags! Other goodies on these tags include paper tape, seam binding, baker's twine, a mini clothespin, chipboard bottle caps, hemp cord, vintage dictionary pages, and ruler ribbon, all available at The Kraft Outlet!

Link up by Sunday for a chance to be named one of our Top Three and one random participant will be eligible to win a voucher for the Kraft Outlet.

Thanks for visiting!

Wonderful Easter

This is my second post of the day. If you are looking for my reveal for the Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge, scroll down just a bit! Hello friends! I'm so glad you could join us today for our spring blog hop featuring Rubbernecker Stamps! We are so excited to show you some of the wonderful images you can use to complete your spring or Easter projects! In true hop fashion, leave comments along the way and you'll be eligible to win the stamp set of your choice! The winner will be announced on the Stampin' Sisterhood blog on Friday March 2! What a super prize!!
I know this card doesn't feature traditional Easter colors but I thought those bunnies would look adorable on kraft! I stamped the "Grand Bunny Bottoms" stamp in embossing ink onto some kraft cardstock and then embossed it with white embossing powder. I stamped the sentiment onto the bottom of the panel and added some white pom poms for the little tails. How cute is that row of lil' buns? :) I finished the card with some brown and white baker's twine.

Well, there's lots more to see so off you go! Join us again in March for our next hop and until then, please join us on the Stampin' Sisterhood blog for daily inspiration!

Bev Gerard
Charlene Driggs
Charlene Merrick
Ellen Taylor
Jacquie Peifer
Jen Charboneau
Jennifer Cuthbertson
Joan Ervin
Judy Rozema
Julia Aston
Juliana Swanson
Karen Hunsaker
Kecia Waters
Kittie Caracciolo
Rubbernecker Stamps Stampin’ Sisterhood

Supplies: Stamps (Rubbernecker), Cardstock - Lunch Bag Kraft (The Kraft Outlet), Chocolate Chip (SU!), Big and Bossy (Ranger), Embossing Powder (SU!), Baker's Twine (Country Clean), Puff Balls (Michael's), Corner Chomper

Love and Loss

Hello friends! If it is Saturday, it must be Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge day!! Woo hoo! Today I'm happy to share the final sketch I designed for this month - pretty clean and simple, I'd say! It has been so much fun seeing these sketches come to life with your beautiful creations and I can't wait to have a chance to draw up some more! Unfortunately, my mom needed a sympathy card for a dear friend's wife as her husband of nearly 70 years passed away last week. I found this wonderful sentiment from Irish Blessings and stamped it onto a label dressed up with a stamp from Labels 5! The DP and chipboard embellishments are from the Paper Heart collection - one of my favorites this early spring - and I finished the card with some crochet trim.

Link up by Friday for a chance to be chosen as one of our Top Mice and remember, one random participant will win the WMS set of their choice!

Supplies: Stamps - Irish Blessings, VV Labels 5 (WMS), Cardstock - Lovely Lavendar, Very Vanilla (SU!), DP/Chipboard Embellishments - Paper Heart Collection (Crate Paper), Ink - Lovely Lavendar, Basic Black (SU!), Tea Dye Duo (PTI), Crochet Trim (May Arts), foam squares

Paper Crafts Publications

Hello friends! Today I have two cards to share with you that you can find in the March/April issue of Paper Crafts Magazine! I had a lot of fun making these cards with those gorgeous MME papers and my new Pool Party and Island Indigo cardstock! I finished this card with some shabby ribbon and a label stamped with Waltzingmouse Stamps in coral with a coordinating coral cameo.
I made this card with the same paper pad but stamped a tag with some Verve stamps and finished the card with some brown, satin ribbon and another wonderful cameo. Now here's the tricky part - which section of the magazine are these in? You guessed it! The cameo section! :)

Thanks for stopping by today and I hope you have a wonderful day!

Supplies: Stamps - Very Vintage Labels 10, Fancy Phrases (WMS), Love Story (Verve), DP - Stella & Rose (MME), Cameos (Your Scrapbook Supply), Ribbon (Crafta, Kate's Paperie, Memriemare), Shipping Tag (Annabel Gray), Cardstock - Pool Party, Island Indigo (SU!), Ink - Cameo Coral, Basic Black, Chocolate Chip (SU!), Tea Dye Duo (PTI), Pearls (Hero Arts), Cuttlebug, Dies (Spellbinders)

Bingo

Hello friends! The theme for this week's Kraft Journal challenge is "fantastic finds" and I think this 5x7 blank journal's alterability is pretty fantastic! I found a large piece of ephemera with a bingo card theme that I covered the journal with and adhered it with paper tape. I garnished the journal with some hemp cord, bingo stickers, and a handmade felt flower.

I thought the journal needed a bookmark and coordinated one made from a shipping tag covered with a vintage dictionary page, bingo stickers, and some ruler ribbon. My mom's birthday is coming up in a couple of weeks and I think she'll love it! I definitely got my "gift of gab" both verbally and written from her and I know she can use a new journal!

Link up your projects showcasing your "fabulous find" by Sunday for your chance to be one of our Top Three and to win a voucher for the Kraft Outlet!

Supplies: Journal/Shipping Tag/Vintage Dictionary Pages (The Kraft Outlet), Large Bingo Card (7 Gypsies), Bingo Stickers (Tim Holtz), Felt/Flower Die (PTI), vintage button, Ink - Tea Dye Duo (PTI), Ribbon (Kate's Paperie)

Make a Wish

Hello friends! Today I have a card to share with you that I made for this week's Rubbernecker Stamps Sisterhood Sunday challenge! Check out this inspiration photo - what fun!! I have to admit I was stumped at first because I don't craft much in green and don't have many St. Patrick's Day stamps but I got creative in how I looked at my stamps and found a few that worked!


I thought for a minute and remembered I had some glittery green cardstock in my Christmas stash and thought I'd try to make a shamrock out of it like the cool shoes and pin from the photo. I think it turned out really fun! I finished the shamrock with a vintage button and some baker's twine.

I used a green card base and stamped the striped background onto a cream panel using a light tan ink. I just adore Rubbernecker's background stamps - they're a generous size and cover an entire A2 panel with room to spare! I cut and stamped a tag with the "make a wish" sentiment and adhered it to the card with some black brads.

Thanks for stopping by today and I can't wait to see what you come up with for this challenge!

Supplies: Stamps (RN), Cardstock - Garden Green, Very Vanilla (SU!), DP - Green Glitter (Martha Stewart), Ink - Crumb Cake, Garden Green (SU!), Tea Dye Duo (PTI), Tag Die (Spellbinders), Cuttlebug, foam squares, Baker's Twine (Divine Twine), Brads (SU!), vintage button

You Shine

Hello friends! Today is Saturday and it is time for another Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge! I have another sketch for you today and I can't wait to see what you create!!
I started off with some new Basic Gray papers and stamped one of the patterns from Pic Nic Patterns in gold to give it some oomph then stamped the stars from Sewing Box Hugs onto a coordinating patterned paper, cut them out and adhered to the card using foam tape. I finished the card with a ticket stamped with a sentiment and wrapped the panel in some gold twine.

Link up by Friday for a chance to be one of our Top Mice and one random participant will win the WMS set of their choice!

Supplies: Stamps - Sewing Box Hugs, PicNic Patterns (WMS), DP - Picadilly Collection (Basic Gray), Cardstock - Poppy Parade (SU!), Ink - Gold (Encore), Basic Black (SU!), Ticket (Tim Holtz), Twine (Crafta), foam squares

He is Risen

Hello friends! Today is blog party day at Waltzingmouse Stamps and I can't wait to check out all of the entries! If you want to play along, all you have to do is make a creation with a spring or Easter theme and link up to the Waltzingmouse blog! Head over there for the details...

I bought the Nestie Eggs set recently and have been really excited to use it! I found a piece of gorgeous pale purple/blue cardstock (I wish I knew where it came from/what color it was!!) and embossed the large egg with white embossing powder. I cut it with the coordinating dies and then tied a sheer ribbon around it and added some stick pins. It needed "something else" so I stamped the small sentiment egg in silver and used the small die to cut it out and layered it over the ribbon using some foam tape. I finished the card by stamping the sentiment in silver in the lower right corner.

Thanks for visiting and party on! :)

Supplies: Stamps - Nestie Eggs (WMS), Cardstock - Select White (PTI), ??, Ink - Big and Bossy (Ranger), Silver (Encore), Embossing Powder (SU!), Stick Pins (Jenni Bowlin), Ribbon (Crafta), foam tape, Cuttlebug, Dies (Spellbinders)

Ombre

Ombre or gradients are hot in the crafting world right now and today I have a tutorial to show you how to make your own ombre background paper that is featured at The Kraft Journal!
I chose a large background stamp and used Brown Kraft cardstock for the card base and Buff Ivory for the stamped panel.
I chose three colors of ink in a nice light to dark color range and stamped the background stamp, leaving it on my desk while I worked. Always start with the lightest color and work toward darker so your ink pads don't absorb darker colored ink where the stamping overlaps.You can see a little bit of the gradient on the background stamp in the photo below. If it takes you a while to ink up the stamp, just "huff" on it to wet the ink a bit before putting your panel down.Press the panel down on the stamp and rub your fingers over it to get a good impression. You know the "get inky" phrase? Well, you sure will with this technique! You can see where my fingers got inky on the edges and then made a mess while I pressed on the paper. No matter - it is the back and nobody will see it! :)
Here is a picture of the finished panel along with other supplies (mini clothespins, hang tags, and paper tape) I used to finish the card.Thanks for visiting today and I hope you have a chance to give this technique a try. Ombre is a fun and easy way to add wonderful color to any crafting project!

The Journey

Hello friends! Today I have a card to share with you that I made for the "Cool Tools/Cutting and Trimming" challenge at Moxie Fab World. I used a super postage stamp die and some fussy cutting on the birds to create this card.

I started by embossing a background panel and whitewashing it a bit with some craft ink. I then stamped and cut the label with the sentiment and overlayed the bird stamp. I stamped the birds again in two different colors of ink, cut them out, and adhered them to the card to give a gradient effect to the flock. A bit different for me but I had fun trying something new!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Supplies: Embossing Folder/Stamps (Tim Holtz), Word Strip - Boarding Pass Collection (October Afternoon), Cardstock - Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla (SU!), Kraft (The Kraft Outlet), Ink - Real Red, Poppy Parade, Chocolate Chip, Craft White (SU!), Tea Dye Duo (PTI), Die (Spellbinders), Cuttlebug, foam squares

Welcome Little One

Hello friends! Today I have a cute card that I made featuring stamps from Rubbernecker! I adore this baby bottle stamp and have been having a lot of fun making various projects with it! I think it lends itself perfectly to paper piecing and that is what I did for this card!

I started with the wonderful paper collection, Farmhouse, and stamped the bottle twice - once on a gray paper and once on a coordinating blue sheet and then pieced them together. I adhered the bottle onto another paper from the collection, stamped a tag with the little one text, and finished the card with some shabby gray ribbon and a vintage button.

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies: Stamps (RN), DP/Chipboard Border - Farmhouse Collection (October Afternoon), Tag Die (Spellbinders), Ink - Going Gray, Basic Black (SU!), Ribbon (MemrieMare), Twine (PTI), vintage button, foam squares

Together Always

Happy Saturday, friends!! Today I have a card to share with you based on the second sketch I designed for the Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge! It is so much fun to see my sketches come to life by all of you wonderful artists! Thank you for playing along!!
I started the card using some new papers I got from Glitz Design and I'm loving the peach with the kraft and browns lately! I took a shipping tag and stamped it with Musical Backgrounds and the notes from the same set and finished it with a sentiment from Fancy Phrases. Man, that is my go-to sentiment set - it is full of anything you'd need!

I finished the card with a strip of felt I cut with my pinking scissors, a piece of crochet trim, and some pearls!

As always, players have a chance to be crowned "Top Mouse" and one random participant will win the set of their choice! Thanks for visiting and I can't wait to see what you create!

Supplies: Stamps - Musical Backgrounds, Fancy Phrases (WMS), DP - French Kiss Collection (Glitz Design), Felt (PTI), Ticket (Tim Holtz), Crochet Trim (May Arts), Pearls (Martha Stewart), Cardstock (The Kraft Outlet), Ribbon (MemrieMare), Twine (PTI)

Heroes and Hearts

Hello friends! I've been awol from the blog for a bit lately due to a couple of things - 1.) I've been really busy with stuff after work lately and haven't had a chance to make very much and 2.) what I have found time to make outside of my regular DT posts has been for publication calls and have to keep them secret in case they are accepted! No doubt, I will have a few rejects to share in the near future! :) So, today instead of sharing some crafty goodness with you, I'm going to share some pics of another one of the things I love to do - volunteer! I work for a "big bank" that is very committed to serving our communities and I try to take part in several events a year with them in addition to other events I do with Chi Omega, USC, or on my own. Today was the annual Heroes and Hearts Luncheon benefitting SF General Hospital at AT&T Park! I have been volunteering for the hospital since Glen's motorcycle accident in 2009 and this year it moved from Union Square to the park - a definite perk for me, a lifelong Giants fan!
Before the luncheon, we had some time to wander around the field and it was a thrill to stand on the mound where "Big Time Timmy Jim" pitches and make a call to the bullpen from the Giants dugout (though I'm sure Bochy isn't ever this happy when he has to call the 'pen!)
This is the heart that my company sponsored and I got to meet the artist! She is so talented and her inspiration was catching for sure!
This is the tent filled with attendees - over 1,000 today! I teared up hearing all of the stories about how the trauma center handles patients and how many lives are saved there every day. It was an honor to participate today and I can't wait until next year!

Thanks for stopping by today and I hope to get something crafty for you tomorrow!

Bliss

Hello friends and welcome to another fun challenge at The Kraft Journal! This week, we're challenging you to make something with the theme "La-La-Luv You" and I made this Valentine for my husband!

I started with a base of brown kraft cardstock covered with some wonderful heart patterned paper, then layered the "bliss" tickets on the side and some fun ribbon on the bottom. I cut out the vintage Valentine image from a larger sheet and adhered it to a shipping tag tied with some seam binding and some hemp cord.

I can't wait to see what you all create for this challenge! Link up by Sunday for a chance to win a Kraft Outlet voucher!!

Supplies: Cardstock/Shipping Tag/Hemp Cord (The Kraft Outlet), Valentine (Alpha Stamps), DP - Paper Heart Collection (Crate Paper), Seam Binding (7 Gypsies), Ink - Tea Dye Duo (Papertrey Ink), Corner Chomper, Bliss Tags (Tim Holtz)

Thinking of You

Hello friends! Today I have a card to share with you that I made as part of this week's reveal for our Rubbernecker Sisterhood Sunday challenge. Here is the inspiration photo -
I used the pink and blue color scheme and knew I had the perfect stamp - this wonderful flourish tree! I took papers from the Glitz Vintage Blue and Pretty in Pink pads and layered them together, stamped and embossed the tree in white over the pink paper and added a few rhinestone embellishments. I finished the card with pink and blue twine and a sentiment tag.

I hope you have a chance to play along with us this week! Our winner will win a Rubbernecker stamp set of their choice!

Supplies: Stamps (Rubbernecker), DP (Glitz Design), Twine (May Arts), Rhinestones/Pearls (Hero Arts), Ink - Craft White, Night of Navy (SU!), Embossing Powder (SU!), Corner Chomper, Tag Die (Spellbinders), Cuttlebug, Cardstock - Select White (PTI)

With Love

Hello friends! It's Saturday and that means it is time for a new challenge at Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge!! And, I am happy to share that I'm the sketch designer for the month of February! I hope you'll like what I have in store for you and hope you can play along! Here's the first of four from me this month -
I started my card with two scalloped circles - one of some new Poppy Parade cardstock from Stampin' Up! and the second I created using one of the backgrounds from Gingham and Co using Poppy Parade ink on a white base. I stamped the hearts from Sewing Box Hugs onto some dp and pieced them together and added a little hand cut banner with a sentiment from Sweethearts. I finished the card with some white ribbon and some rhinestones.

Thanks for visiting and I hope you are inspired to play along! Three participants will be crowned Top Mouse and a random participant will win the stamp set of their choice! Woo hoo!! Oh, I hear there's a new release coming in February, too, so stay tuned for more WMS goodness!

Supplies: Stamps - Sweethearts, Sewing Box Hugs, Gingham & Co (WMS), DP - Paper Heart Collection (Crate Paper), Cardstock - Poppy Parade, Very Vanilla (SU!), Ink - Poppy Parade, Basic Black (SU!), Dies (Spellbinders), Cuttlebug, Foam Squares, Ribbon (May Arts), Rhinestones (Recollections)