Savanna Sunrise

This card is all about the tree!  I have used this Stampscapes Spooky Branch many times when creating Halloween cards, but wanted to show you how nice it can look in another setting.  Notice how the tree is lighter on one side to give the illusion of light.

What I like about this card is that it doesn't depict a certain season.  Is it a spring day after a hard winter's frost?  Perhaps a chance of renewal ...

Thank you for taking the time to visit me today!

Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Stampscapes Spooky Branch, Maple Trio, Boulders with Lichen Sm., Flock Large, Tall Grass, A Stamp in The Hand Co. Mountains

Paper:  Desert Storm, Chocolate Chip, Shimmery White
Ink:  Going Gray, Basic Gray, Old Olive, Garden Green, StazOn Stone Gray, ColorBox Frost White, Sky - Blushing Bride, Pretty in Pink, Adirondack Raspberry, Adirondack Wild Plum, Adirondack Currant, Adirondack Eggplant; Ground - Barely Banana, Apricot Appeal, More Mustard, Really Rust, Cajun Craze, Distressed Brushed Corduroy, Distressed Walnut Stain, Bravo Burgundy, Early Espresso; Grass - StazOn Timber Brown
Accessories:  Inkssentials Opaque White Gel Pen 
Techniques:  Sponging, Masking, Post-It Notes, Cotton Swabs

Botanical Nature Walk

I just adore this new Nature Walk stamp set.  These sketch-like images will fit in perfectly with my scenic stamping.  The bird and bee specimens are both mesmerizing and well as the beautiful vintage flora stamp.

I started by tearing both sheets of Botanical Gazette Designer Paper and watercolor paper using my tearing tool.  The bird was stamped in StazOn Stone Gray onto watercolor paper then used an Aqua Painter and markers to color it.  I cut it out with my hobby blade.

Next, I inked up the flora stamp with Old Olive and Rich Razzleberry markers and randomly stamped the images onto my watercolor paper.  The bees were stamped in Crumb Cake then colored with a blender pen in Crumb Cake and Barely Banana.

For a distressed look I sponged both torn papers with Distressed Vintage Photo & Walnut Stain.  I used my edge distresser on the piece of Old Olive before mounting everything.

Before creating a pretty little bow with my ric rac ribbon, I sponged the main panel with Distressed Antique Linen. 

Happy Stamping!

A close up of the bird and flowers.

Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Nature Walk 

Paper:  Desert Storm, Old Olive, Botanical Gazette Designer Paper, Watercolor
Ink:  Bird - StazOn Stone Gray colored with Aqua Painter in Close to Cocoa, Soft Suede, Really Rust, & Going Gray; Flowers - Old Olive & Rich Razzleberry Markers; Bees - Crumb Cake & Barely Banana; Sponging - Distressed Antique Linen, Distressed Vintage Photo & Distressed Walnut Stain
Accessories:  American Crafts Ric Rac Ribbon, Bow-Easy, Tearing Tool, Edge Distresser, Aqua Painter, Blender Pen
Techniques:  Sponging, Watercoloring

Vintage En Francais

While going through my craft closet the other day I came across this monarch butterfly punch.  I hadn’t used it in a while and thought it would go perfect on this vintage card.  This was an easy one to create since the only stamping is the En Francais background.

Now I am off to search for a Paris stamp I have somehow misplaced.

Card Recipe:

Stamps:  En Francais

Paper:  Memory Box Soiree Metallic Chocolate, Blushing Bride, Shimmery White, Vellum
Ink:  Close to Cocoa, Brilliance Pearlescent Beige, Brilliance Pearlescent Chocolate
Accessories:  Martha Stewart Monarch Butterfly Punch, Craft Concepts Budding Vine Embossing Folder, Tim Holtz On the Edge Brackets Die, Prima Fairytale Baby Pink Roses, Poinsettia Pink Shimmerz Paint
Techniques:  Sponging

2011 Valentine Just for You

Happy Valentine's Day!

I would like to wish everyone a Happy Valentine's Day!  For those of you who may be single Valentine's Day is about more than just candy and flowers - it's about celebrating relationships.  So if you don't have a special someone in your life then celebrate with a friend.  Whatever you do today just make it a special day.

Love is an essential ingredient in the recipe of life.  Remember, "Love is not love till you give it away."

This is the card I will be giving to my husband as he holds the key to my heart.

Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Baroque Motifs, Well Scripted, Holiday Best (Inside)

Paper:  Solar White Linen, Hot Off The Press Mottled Red Designer Paper, Basic Black, Whisper White
Ink:  VersaMark with Gold EP, Basic Black, Cherry Cobbler
Accessories:  1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon in Basic Black, Craft Essentials Metal Heart & Key Charms, Gold Cording, Best Occasions Black Metal Dots, Spellbinders Classic Heart #2, Classic Scalloped Heart #2, Large Long Rectangles #3, Large Long Scalloped Rectangles 
Techniques:  Embossing

ODBD Challenge Award

I recently entered a mini book in the Our Daily Bread Designs "Wing it" Anniversary Challenge.  I am pleased to announce my mini book was chosen as one of the Shining the Light spotlight projects for this challenge!  Thank you everyone at ODBD!

Here is the mini book I submitted.

For more information about this project, please go to this post.  Thank you!

2011 Waltz Music Valentine

If you have been following my blog you will notice this Valentine's Day card is similar to another layout I recently did.  I swapped out the Amazing Grace Hymn for this vintage Waltz Music image by The Graphic's Fairy.  I used the flourish from the Baroque Motifs set for the background.

Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Baroque Motifs, The Graphic's Fairy

Paper:  Natural White Linen, Close to Cocoa, Blushing Bride, Very Vanilla
Ink:  Close to Cocoa, ColorBox Chalk Creamy Brown, Distressed Antique Linen
Accessories:  Kaiser Pearls in Chocolate, Grand 12" Classic Lace Border, Embosslits Scalloped Heart of Hearts
Techniques:  Sponging

Sing to the Lord Mini Book

Isn't this mini book/album just adorable?  The bird and blossoms are from the Sing to the Lord set by Our Daily Bread Designs.  I stamped them on watercolor paper and used my aqua painter to color them.  They are popped up on Spellbinders Label One dies.

I am also entering this mini book/album in the ODBDSLC31 "Wing it" Anniversary Challenge.

A close up of the bird and flowers.



Mini Book Recipe:

Stamps:  Our Daily Bread Designs Sing to the Lord

Paper:  Cream Mat Board, Fancy Pants Rose Damask Designer Paper, Mellow Moss, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla, Watercolor
Ink:  Bird - StazOn Stone Gray, Close to Cocoa, Soft Suede, Going Gray, Really Rust, More Mustard; Flowers - Pretty in Pink & Regal Rose
Accessories:  Ribbon Originals Beachfront Ribbon, Basic Grey Opaline Pearls in Blush, Kaiser Pearls in Chocolate, Star Dust Stickles, Nesties Labels One, Sizzix Fanciful Die, Sizzix Flowers, Branches & Leaves Set, 7 gypsies Small Chocolate Binder Rings
Techniques:  Sponging

Hero Arts Love Birds

I created this card by stamping the image in StazOn Black on Shimmery White paper then masked off each section and sponged Cherry Cobbler, Pretty in Pink and Brilliance Pearlescent Beige & Chocolate.  I added Diamond Stickles to the lace edge and two black brads to mimic a tag.

The eyelet border punch was used on the piece of Chocolate Chip and I ran the Sahara Sand paper through my Big Shot with the Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder.

Just think of all the possibilities and color combinations you can use.  This can also be a pretty anniversary card.  Quick and easy!

Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Hero Arts CardArt Love Birds

Paper:  Natural White Linen, Sahara Sand, Chocolate Chip, Shimmery White
Ink:  StazOn Black, Cherry Cobbler, Pretty in Pink, Brilliance Pearlescent Beige & Chocolate
Accessories:  Diamond Stickles, Black Brads, Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder, Eyelet Border Punch
Techniques:  Sponging

"Liebster Love" Blog Award

About a week ago I received the “Liebster Love Blog Award” from Shaz at Silverwolf Cards.  Thank you Shaz for your thoughtfulness and for choosing me!

The rules for receiving this award:

1. Thank and link back to the person who awarded you this.
2. Post the “Love Blog” image on your blog.
3. Pass the award to 3-5 others.

Once again it is extremely difficult to pick only a few blogs.  There is so much inspiration out there and each of you deserve this award.  The blogs and ladies I have selected are:

Morgan - Stamp Cravings
Paige - She Who Must Stamp
Gloria - Gloria's Legacy Stamping

"The Wisdom in Hot Chocolate"

A friend recently sent me this and I thought I would share it with all of you.  I know every once in a while I need a reality check!

“The Wisdom in Hot Chocolate”

A group of graduates, well established in their careers, were discussing their lives at a class reunion.  They decided to go visit their old university professor, now retired, who was always an inspiration to them.  During their visit, the conversation turned to complaints about stress in their work, lives and relationships.  Offering his guests hot chocolate, the professor went into the kitchen and returned with a large pot of hot chocolate and an assortment of cups.  Some cups were porcelain, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite.  He invited each to help themselves to the hot chocolate.  When they all had a cup of hot chocolate in hand, the professor shared his thoughts.  Notice that all the nice looking; expensive cups were taken, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones.

While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress.  The cup that you are drinking from adds nothing to the quality of the hot chocolate.  In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink.  What each of you really wanted was hot chocolate.  You did not want the cup ... but you consciously went for the best cups.  And soon, you began to eye one another’s cups.  Now friends, please consider this ...

“Life is the hot chocolate ... your job, money and position in society are the cups.”  They are just tools to hold and contain life.  The cup you have does not define, nor does it change, the quality of life you are living.  Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the hot chocolate God has provided us.

Always remember this ... God brews the hot chocolate, He does not choose the cup.  The happiest people don’t have the best of everything.  They just make the best of everything that they have!

Live simply ...
Love generously ...
Care deeply ...
Speak kindly ...

Leave the rest to God ... and remember the richest person is not the one who has the most, but the one who needs the least.

Enjoy your hot chocolate!