Whirlpool of Imagination

Fun Friday Challenge - Get Stripping

I couldn't help myself with the post title! Good morning all. Yes, it is Friday (woohoo as Conor would say) so that means another FUN FRIDAY CHALLENGE. Your challenge today is to use those strips of paper you have hanging around to make a card. The strips need to be NO wider than 1 1/2'' and they obviously can be smaller than that too.

I use a lot of 12 x 12 paper for backgrounds so I have tons of 1 1/2" strips hanging around. I can't seem to get myself to throw them out so I need to use them. Please show me some ideas on what you do with strips of paper.

This little card came together quickly. The stamp is from TAC and was colored with a prismacolor marker. Add some strips of paper and there ya go, a cute little holiday design. So make something with your strips and link back to this post. I REALLY want to see some ideas!! Okay, I'm off to work on the Advent Calendar. I decided on stamps for the title, now just have to decide on the numbers. Later!

Pink Snowman

Wow - it's Thursday already! This week I have spent a lot of time on repetitive designs, orders as well as my own Christmas cards. It's been a challenge to step out of that and come up with something new. I have been itching to do something with pink snowflakes. I bounced around a few different ideas & stamp images, but finally came up with the following card.

I started with this cute little snowman image made by Sugarloaf. I think I spent all of $1. on this guy last year at AC Moore. Actually, with all that pink, I guess it's a snowGIRL! She even has a little Swarovski bling on her cap because I girl needs her sparkle.

The background is a snowflake embossing folder, run through my cuttlebug and then dry brushed with a mixture of two pinks to get just the right shade. This was a quick and easy design perfect for those winter cards that you may need.

I'm working sporadically on my advent calendar - what?? You ask - it's not done yet?? Of course not. It is only Nov. 29th yet, you now. I've still got PLENTY of time. Actually, it is going well but now I need to decide on which stamps to use for the title and numbers. I figure the kids don't need to know about it until its totally finished (and if we have to make up a day of two, ahhhhh well!). Have a wonderful evening!

Trio of Trees

Morning all! I was planning on blogging last night but then I laid down to "rest my eyes". My eyes rested alright - I was out like a light! I guess all that shopping on Black Friday wore me out. So here I am, bright and early this morning.

I have been trying to use leftover strips of this patterned paper - and finally something came to me.

The trees and sentiment stamps are from Lizzie Anne Designs. They were stamped with chalk ink and I added little crystals to the top for stars. Besides the stamping and a quick bit of cuttlebugging, these came together pretty quickly.

Today we put up our Christmas tree. The kids are looking forward to it and I've already started decorating the house. Love this time of year! Have a great day.

Shopping Diva Anyone?

I'm back. I've got to admit, the deals were not so great this year. I got out there at 5am and as usual, the lines outside were crazy. I found some stuff (and the Disney store was by far the best for deals) but I did get a lot of walking in so I'll view it as exercise if nothing else! And of course I made my way to the scrapbook store for a quick shopping spree.

Here's my card for this week's challenge. I love this shopper from Rubber Romance. These diva stamps are fantastic. I get them unmounted and they are great quality, good deep cuts on the rubber.

She's colored with prismacolor pencils and baby oil and her hat has a bit of sparkle with a sakura gelly roll pen.

So did you do any shopping today? Get anything good?

The Fun (almost) Friday Challenge

Happy Thanksgiving to all! I am sitting here stuffed but see that's because I'm getting my energy ready for, yes, BLACK FRIDAY! I will be on the road by 4:45am and rarin' to go. So I'm going to post the Fun Friday Challenge a little early. You can think of me surrounded by crowds while you're stamping. In honor of this great shopping day, the theme for this Fun Friday Challenge is SHOPPING. I did up a cute card today but never got a picture. I'll be back tomorrow after buying all my loot to post my creation. Your challenge is to make something with a shopping theme to it. Then link back here in the messages so I can see what you did. And if you'll be shopping like me tomorrow, may the lines be short and the deals plenty!! Night.

Crabby Christmas

SO yesterday was fun.....Conor got some medicine in him so he was feeling frisky but had to stay in for one more day. Who knew a 4 year old could talk THAT much????

I had planned on posting this last night but went to sleep instead.

  Now, this look cuter with more sparkle before I dropped it upside down when the stickles hadn't dried yet!! So imagine more sparkle!

This cute little crab is from a plate of stamps I got from Inkspirations. She's colored with prismacolor pencils, sakura gelly pen and stickles. I had this cute pepperminty ribbon that I was dying to use so here ya go.

Well, Conor is back to school today so I'm hoping for some crafting time today. Have a great day!

Keeping Track of the Date

My poor little guy woke up in the middle of the night screaming his ear hurt. We were at the doctors first thing this morning and yep....Conor's got an ear infection. So studio time was nonexistent today. I never got around to showing the calendar coaster magnets I made for the fair so that's what you're getting tonight.

I did a group buy for coasters over at Splitcoast so I have boatloads of these.

I also have a pile of calendars that I bought from Annette over at Stamp on This so I thought I'd make some magnet calendars. You certainly can also print some off on the computer and make your own version of calendar.

 

These are 4x4 coasters so I used paper that size - perfect for 12x12 paper, no waste involved. I know some people use Modge Podge to adhere but I have to be the worst Mod Podge user ever so I used my red line tape instead.

I can't remember where I bought the magnets but they are good and strong. I used E6000 to adhere the magnet although given the way that stuff stinks, I need to find something else. The good thing is once the glue dries, you don't get the smell anymore. Or at least I don't when I smell these.

The papers I used are mainly from the same pack of DCWV patterned paper that I've used for all my projects this season. I am certainly getting my money's worth! This calendar also has a few Swarovski crystals for a bit of sparkle.

Funny note: I have a wood front to my refrigerator so I can't use magnets on it. These are actually pictured on my washing machine, the only magnet friendly surface I could find!

I'm calling it a night. A lousy nights sleep has got me tired so I'm off to bed. Night!

Flowers to Enjoy

Mo decided to give me a little break this afternoon and take the kids for a few hours (isn't he sweet?). I've been playing around in the studio a bit, although most of what I've done are extras of what you've already seen. I do have a new card although I'm not too sure about this one. I can't put my finger on it, but it's only so-so for me. Now on that stupendous, enthusiastic build-up.......

The flowers are from Stampin Up and the sentiment is from TAC. The pomegranate block is actually reinker and alcohol on glossy cardstock. There's obvoiusly not much else to say about it - it's pretty straightforward.

It's a quick one today. I'm off to make some dinner.

Fun Friday Challenge - Giving Thanks

Good morning all! I'm tapping into the holidays for this week's FUN FRIDAY CHALLENGE. Your theme is Giving Thanks. I challenge you to make Thanksgiving cards and gifts this week.

This poor little bella had yet to see ink so today was her day. If you don't know the bellas, they can be found at Stamping Bella. I'm sure Em has some really cute sentiments to go with her but since I don't have any, I pulled out my Letter T set from CTMH for the words. Both sentiments are stamped with Colorbox Chalk Ink (burnt sienna). The "together" is a circle stamp so no, I didn't have to keep repeating it!

Bella is colored with prismacolor pencils and blended with baby oil. I didn't get the colors as bright in the picture as they are in real life but you can see the sparkles I added to her chef's hat with a sakura gelly roll pen. Cooking is so much more fun when you can sparkle!

There is a part two to this challenge. As Thanksgiving approaches, I like to think about what I'm thankful for. List 5 things you are thankful for today.

I am thankful for:

1) My wonderful husband - even with all my little quirks, he's is the most loving, caring man and I'm thankful every day for his presence in my life.

2) Meg and Conor - they try my patience but life would be so boring without their light and joy. And the holidays seen through a child's eyes are the best thing in the world.

3) My wonderful support from family and friends - yesterday, my van died. Even though he was sick, my brother took his afternoon to help ferry me and the kids around when we needed it. Its a blessing to know when you pick up the phone and ask for help, it will be there for you.

4) My freedom - there are so many places in the world where I wouldn't be free to do what makes me happy. I'm so grateful I am in a place that allows me to be me. And in addition, I am so grateful for all those men and women who sacrifice much in their lives so I can be free. Thank you.

5) Living in New England - you will hear me complain about the cold and snow and there are times when I would love to live in a more temperate area. But the changing of the seasons is an incredible thing to experience and the magic of nature makes me thankful to be alive.

Your challenge is to create something for Thanksgiving and tell us what you are thankful for. Link back here so I can see your amazing creations. Have a great day!

The Middle Name Tag

I think I've caught the stuffy nose/coughing bug going around on the stamping blogs. In between chicken broth and green tea, I thought I'd do this quick tag. I was tagged by Stacy to use the letters in my middle name to describe things about myself.

A - Always on time. I am fanatical about being on time for things, usually resulting in me being early.  This drives my dh crazy when we go to parties and such. He usually tries to restrain me so we leave our house at such a time that we're not ALWAYS the first ones there!

N - New shoes are something that makes me happy. Before kids, I had a ton of shoes. With both children my foot size went up a whole size. So now I'm 5'3" and a size 9 shoe! I don't go crazy with my shoe buying anymore but I can appreciate a good pair with the best of them.

N - Newport is one of my favorite places to visit. Every year dh and I go for a couple of days, just the two of us. I miss Meg and Conor the whole time but the downtime and relaxation do wonders for us both so we really enjoy our time just the two of us.

Phew - good thing my middle name is short; I had trouble coming up with answers. Does anyone have the same middle name as me? If so, you're tagged - I want to see what you come up with!