What's On Your Desk

Hello,

Have you ever played along with Stamping Ground - What's on your workdesk? This is a first for me. I apologize ahead of time...it's a bit of a mess. I was going to de-clutter before posting the photo, but how true would that have been. So, here's what I'm working on and as my friend, Carolyn would say....it is what it is....

I'm trying to work on Easter cards for my March class. I'm also trying to put together a Valentine for my honey....(I think since I told him I gave him the same card 2 years in a row, he might remember last year's card)...so, this year I'm trying to come up with something very different and I'm using a little scare crow girl...Or at least I'm trying to. If it works out...I'll share it. If not...he may get the same card again this year.... :-0

Tonight is Karen's card class at Paradise Scrapbook Boutique....so you know where I'll be!

Off I go for now....Later!

Paper Piecing - C.R.A.F.T. Challenge 35

Before I start, I want to tell you where the decorative paper came from. My youngest son, Dan, spent time in Japan teaching English. While there he bought me papers that were made in the area where he taught. I've treasured these papers for years, and never had the heart to cut into any of them. Last night, as I was falling asleep, these papers came to mind and it dawned on me that to honor a gift I should share the gift, and by doing so, I was honoring the giver of that gift. So today, I share Dan's gift to me with you. And now as Paul Harvey would say, "The rest of the story".

Today's card is for Week 35 - Paper Piecing Challenge at C.R.A.F.T Challenge. I know, when I think of paper piecing, I think of animal or human objects that are cut in layers and placed on top of one another. I am planning on that type of card later today. This too is paper piecing. and usually it's one type I stay far away from. But with the help of my Scor-Pal. This card was pretty darn easy. I scored a piece to accomodate 1 1/4 squares. Then I just had to place the squares inside the scored area. I then mounted that piece to another piece of patterned paper and attached the entire piece to a 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 piece of card stock. I used a gold pen to outline the card and cut a flower using one of my BossKut dies. I like!

We had two days of sunshine and today it is again raining. A really good reason to go back to my craft room to play. Enjoy your weekend.

Mary

Snowflakes - PPA27 Challenge

Good morning All....Today's challenge at Pals Paper Arts is Snowflakes. My inspiration came from an email chat with Jan, an internet friend. We both like white on white.


Today is sunny in California, but snow is still in our winter future. For this challenge I used, ribbon from my stash, white 110 pound card stock, and Cuttlebug snowflake embossing folder. I then added cuts from my Spellbinder Build A Snowflake die and topped the snowflake with a clear Dew Drop. This is a quick and easy card. I LOVE white on white.


Off to Weight Watchers I go, followed by fun with Carolyn and tonight....a class at Paradise Scrapbook Boutique. It will be fun seeing what Karen came up with for this class and to find out all about CHA.

Mojo Monday 123 - Round Card

Whew.....this was a fun challenge and I'm glad I played. So, here's the Mojo Monday Challenge 123 link: Here. We had two choices. I chose round. For this card I used Steel Toe Mary Jane Collection - Chintsy from Prima Marketing. I love, love, love that card stock. I purchased it from Paradise Scrapbook Boutique. Another one of my favorite places. I guess I should call this, my favorite places and things. Are you ready for another? GinaK Designs is where the sentiment came from. It is a stamp from Nina Brackett. The card was cut using my Spellbinder large scallop circle and large circle. I don't know what I did before Spellbinder dies! The buttons were from Stampin Up. I love being able to make buttons from scraps of card stock and the finished card stays flat so my local post office doesn't charge an arm and a leg to mail. So, there you have it....my favorites creating a fun card. I think I might adhere this card to a 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 base. It'll be fun to have a place for two messages and one will be sort of a secret....

Off I go for now. Happy Monday and I wish you a wonderful week!

Create 4 Fun and Christmas Graphics

This card might appear to be a bit unusual. One of my many goals for 2010 is to color all of my many rubber stamps. Today I picked one that I've had in my collection for years, however it's never been used...until today. Before I forget, the stamp is: R079 Sam and Sammy by Stampendous. It's an oldie from 1998. After I color them, I scan them and catalog them, storing the digital image to a computer file. I also keep the original colored image in a scrapbook of sorts. Sooooo now on to the rest of the story.

After I finished the above tasks, I was reading blogs and found The Create 4 Fun Challenge. Here I used the stamp to create my card. Normally I think of scarecrows as an image for Fall or Halloween. I thought this couple would be perfect for Valentines Day or just an I love you kind of day. They are kind of cute.....Don't you agree?

Another one of my goals for 2010 was to recycle my Christmas Cards into usable graphics. Today I did it....Using my Spellbinder dies I cut and embossed the graphics from the cards. I'm hoping to use many of them on my Christmas Cards for 2010, or on gift tags. I was surprised as I cut each of them. The graphics look perfect and I can't wait to start using them. there just might be a Christmas card in my near future!

It feels great to have another one of my goals accomplished....I think my next task will be to organize my enormous stash of paper and card stock. But for now.....I'm wishing you a wonderful week and happy crafting.

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge - Week 34 Colour Challenge - Red

I really like this card. Who could not like red! This is a card I made for Karen, the owner of Paradise Scrapbook Boutique. I posted it in Octobert of 2009. When I saw this week's challenge....thought it would be perfect. Check out the other cards here

Have a great weekend. It appears all day Sunday will be football games....I think I'll be having an enjoyable Sunday in my craft room....

Mary

It's Still Raining and PPA26 Anything But A Card

It's been raining here since Saturday. I'm not complaining....we need the rain. We have gotten somewhere between 14 and 16 inches of rain since the beginning of this set of storms. At least we have rain. Not too far up the hill is snow and lots of it.

Yesterday I spent the day in my craft room organizing my toys. While there, I was looking at projects I've made throughout the past months. I sat down to spend several minutes enjoying an album I made a few months back. Today on Pals Paper Arts the challenge is "Anything But A Card". So, here is the project I made in October. I posted it back then, and I'm so happy with how the album turned out, I'm revisiting it today. If you want to know more about this album, you can check my blog page for October 25th. I checked my card stock stash and I think I have all but one of the patterns. I think later today, I'll be back in my "toy room" making another album. I should finish the project I started yesterday....but hey, I can always organize tomorrow...Right? For a better look at the album pages, left click inside the photo.

I'm off. It's Weight Watcher day today. I don't think I've lost, and in truth, I think I gained this week....but "It is what it is"...right Carolyn, Patti and Mary Jane! (My buddies from WW) Update: I'm home and guess what..... I lost .8 pounds. Not a record, but a definite move in the right direction.

I'm hoping that today brings more organization to my craft room, but hey....I am easily distracted by shiny objects! Another Update: Today didn't bring playing in my toy room. Today brought me back to the auto mechanic. My car decided to spit and sputter. It did it yesterday and we went to see the car doctor. Of course, while there the ole girl behaved. Today she was good for me, but decided to spit and sputter for my husband. I do hope there is something Mark can do to make her all better.

Wishing everyone a wonderful day. I think tomorrow I'll play all day!
Mary