My Sarah Kay Lantern -

Yesterday it was my turn to post on the Stampavie DT Blog - I just had to share it here too you know!

Hello – today I have a project to show you that has NO paper involved. While shopping last week, I found this inexpensive lantern on a sale rack… for some reason filling the glass windows with Sarah Kay’s popped in to my little head. And I love how it came out in real life. (Things in my head do not always come to life as I see them)

Now how did I do this? I love Letraset’s Safmat Self-Adhesive Printing Film! Have you see this stuff before? Totally cool – a transparent film that is ink jet printable! I colored 4 Sarah Kay images, scanned them into my computer, resized to the same sizes as the pieces of glass in the lantern, printed and stuck them to the glass… that is it!! Super Simple and a totally personalized Lantern. Now I must say here… I am not planning on lighting up the candle inside “in real life”. I think I am actually going to hang this lantern in the window of my craft room and just let the light glow through. I did light the candle for the photos.. and it is gorgeous, but I have a fear of lit candles in my house. A cat and three dogs, and the word fire comes to mind. So I will let the sun do my lighting. But here are more photos with the glow of the candle.

On these two sides I used Precious Moments and Isabelle with Puppy Coco.

The front and other side are Juliet in the field of Nasturtiums and First Kiss.

Here is the lantern with all the lights off….

Lately I have been looking at my stamps in a different light… pun intended.. LOL  – Our favorite images do not always have to be the same size on the same papers. We can do all sorts of things with them – Do  you use your stamps in different ways? Let us know!

Hugs and!

Me and My Space - Unmounted Stamps Storage REVISTED

Hi - I went through all the comments from a couple of weeks ago to see what you want to see me show off an talk about with my "Me and My Space". Seems like many have asked about Unmounted Stamp Storage. I have showed my storage before HERE But let me review it, and go into more detail.

I use these plastic boxes called Card Keepers - I believe they are Iris brand. I got them at Office Depot. Now... sadly they have gotten nearly impossible to find. But any box that you love will work - this system is made to work around the storage you like, whether plastic or paper boxes. Even those really cute inexpensive photo storage boxes would work really well. These boxes work for me, they stack, and they hold a TON of stamps. This is 6 of my 12 boxes that I have stamps in. YEP... 12... I know I have a million stamps. I store them by brand -  depending on brand... I get more detailed. Stampavie I do by artist, Magnolia.. is a mess. Just as I get them one in front of the other, they need to be better organized. Brands I have a lot of like Alota Rubber Stamps, they are by subject matter - holidays and such. I have 4 boxes of Alota, so going through those to find a stamp would be crazy if they weren't somewhat sorted. Love those Alota stamps :0) Then companies that I don't have a whole box for, they are sorted by brand with in the box by company name.

 Here you can see I label the sides of the boxes for what is in them.

 These boxes are wonderful because they come with plastic dividers, but if your box doesn't dividers are easy to make. And honestly... these are not so pretty. LOL

 So this one box is my Stampavie 2008-2009 stamps. Each artist in their divided slot. Now how do I put the stamps within these slots?

I created laminated pieces that fit perfectly into the boxes. Now I used cheap card stock, left overs from years ago of scrapbooking. After I measured to find the perfect size, I went out and looked at laminating machines. Yes, there are more than one of these machines. And after looking at the office supply stores, and then at the craft stores. I went with the Purple Cow Laminator from Hobby Lobby. For a few reasons. ONE - it was only 69.99... 50% off so I got it for $35.00 - TWO - it is a super easy to use laminator. Not a million buttons. Plug in, heats up light goes green when ready to go. I got my first Lamination sheets from Hobby Lobby as well - again 50% - but my last I got a big box of them at an office store while on sale. They all work. If you don't need many Hobby Lobby is cheap when they are on sale, if you need a bunch - go for the larger boxes of them.

Oh and you can also see... I love my stamps, they are used, and many are stained - but they keep on working. They are durable!!

I love this system for my clear and unmounted rubber stamps.  Here is the inside of one of my Magnolia boxes, you can see this system works great with EZ mounted rubber as well as the clear stamps.

OH... and here is another little hint. I love to mask my stamps when creating scenes. But if I am going to take the time to create the mask... I am going to save it!

So I take all my masks and I keep them in the top of the box, makes for fast work next time I want to create a scene!

My personal item for the week... I thought I would share a special piece that sits on one of the wall shelves above my desk.

When I met Hubby... he worked with his father, as a wood carver. They did amazing birds - from antique decoys to realistic bird carvings. This bird is one of the last that his father made.

Hubby had to get out of the "work" to get a job that paid our bills. That was nearly 25 years ago... many bills ago and a lot less animals to work with. He does amazing work, but with his list of "have to do's" he doesn't have any time to do fun work. any spare time is spent fishing you know :0) - I hope one day he will pick it back up and go back to his art. This one is special to both of us though, I loved it as soon as I saw it in his fathers work area.... it had to come home with me and be a part of my creative space.

Have a wonderful day!
HUGS and -

Spoon Full of Sugar - Get Well Soon -

Darn scheduling.... this was suppose to come on Tuesday... and it went live Monday afternoon... oh well... enjoy it early....

This week at Spoon Full of Sugar the challenge is to Get Well Soon. And I thought of one stamp I love and haven't inked up in forever.

I totally adore Stampavie's  Helz Cuppleditches, Ruffles Get well Soon image. I would love to find a big soft chair with roses like that! LOL ... I matched up the image with more of my hoarded papers - I decided I have to start using more of my favorite papers or I will have no room for more new favorite papers! So I pulled out my Girls Paperie papers... roses were perfect!

The Ruffles was colored with my Copics - then I cut pieces of paper, and inked the edges. I had a tester die cut from MFT decorative Duo dies - hated to waste a perfect die cut! Some flowers and Martha Stewart Frond punches and I think it is a pretty cute - Get Well Card!

Make sure to visit A Spoon Full of Sugar Challenge and see all the Get Well Cards then join us for a chance at a great prize again this week.

Oh and just to report.. The wedding was beautiful, and outside fairy tale wedding. And then on Sunday we went to the movies to see Pirates of the Caribbean - Was a fun time with friends movies and a late lunch. The move was Good... not great, will never touch the original - but we all do love Jack!

Have a wonderful day - see you tomorrow for Me and my Space :0)
HUGS and -

Dust It Off Sunday Neighbor's Wedding Card

Happy Sunday! I thought today I would show you the Wedding Card I made for our good friends and neighbor who married last night. Now I am scheduling this card, and haven't actually attended the wedding yet... so I'll report how gorgeous it is during the week :0)

Now I didn't dust anything off for this card, well maybe the pattern paper, as this is one of my gorgeous Websters Pages paper that I have hoarded and didn't want to cut into. But this was a special card. 

 My image is a digital from Mo's Digital Pencil, called Married. I TOTALLY fell in love with this image as soon as I saw it, this image is perfect for the new bride and groom. Very fun! I colored with my Copics - and then highlighted the dress with smooches.

The die cut word Forever and the together stamp is from Papertrey Ink - Great new set! Love those die cut words! Hope they add more words in the future. hint hint.....

I did the inside too... heck I cut into the paper why not use more of it right?

Why is it when I am making a "special" card like this I totally stress? I worked on this one all week. Then at the last minute just flew with it, and got it done. LOL Guess pressure is just how to get me to get things done sometimes huh?

Hope you have a wonderful Sunday! I think we are meeting up with my buddy Tracey and her hubby for a movie and late lunch! Haven't done that in forever... hope the movie is good! We are leaning towards seeing Pirates of the Caribbean -

HUGS and -

Animal Crackers - Goats and Puppies Oh My....

 It has been a couple of weeks of blessings, and heartbreak. Libbies puppies are starting to actually look like puppies, eyes are starting to open and the are beginning to raise up. Lucy's twins are bouncing EVERYWHERE. Fric and Frac are just too fun - Annie had her babies as well! She had triplets, they were all gorgeous and healthy - We named them Bo, Luke and Daisey Duke.

 Above is a photo of Daisy and Bo just after they were born. They are almost totally black. Bo is Totally black other than his little white toupee. Daisy is 98% white just a few white dots on one side. Luke, a buckskin looked just like his mom, and was totally the most outgoing and friendly. ....... was - on their 2nd day of life Luke found a way, we still have not figured out how, he found a way out of the pen, and with the heat of 103 degrees... he had a heat stroke. He survived for another day, I tried everything I could to save him, but he had gotten too hot, and died. I am so tired of loosing babies. These goats are just so darn fragile when they are newborns and with this heat. So now Annie's triplets are just two. They are doing wonderful, and seem to have that same adventuring nature, they are trying to run with the other kids, but Annie is MUCH more protective than first time Mom Lucy - Annie keeps her kids close.

 Here is Bo.... Cute little black baby isn't he?

 I did catch Daisy playing on that HUGE box... it is about 5 inches tall.. LOL Fric and Frac decided they wanted to play on it, there is a second box about 5 feet away. But no they wanted this box. Daisy is the only little girl out of these 4 kids. And I think she is going to end up in charge. They didn't that box even if they are a week older than she is.

Anyone up for a bowl of Fric and Frac?? How darn cute are these guys - They love to sleep in things, especially things that are not meant to sleep in.

Belle - is really turning into a gorgeous little goat. She still has those melt your heart ice blue eyes - I am so glad she didn't loose them. I tried to get a photo of her brother Denim... that dude is too funny. Never still and totally nuts! LOL I'll keep working on him.

 Miss Jill - my girl. A bit of a morning nap here, on the roof of the new section of their barn. She is obnoxiously friendly, and that is how I want my babies to be. But as I am finding there are just some that are not ever going to totally tame down. Jill follows us around and wanders between your legs while walking. She is an oops pregnant girl. So she is going to have a baby in the near future. I just hope she does well, and her baby is healthy. If he/she looks anything like her that will be a bonus.

Ok... puppies now...

Only one photo of them this week. But watch out.. Cuz they are coming into that stage where they are going to be adorable to photo!! Sweetie.. the larger white faced puppy, she is the first to open her eyes and is already pushing herself up and looking around. Precious.. the smaller darker one, is a little behind her sister. Another week or so and things will be totally different in our house - no longer worms in a kennel... real puppies!  They will move into their puppy corral in my craft room this next week -

And how about a SCARE! This is what I found earlier in the week in the goat barn with Fric and Frac about 11 pm... YES I totally FREAKED!!! And ran inside to get Hubby!

This is a RATTLE SNAKE - a very scary thing for us here, he had 6 rattles  - and was about 3.5 feet long. Was... Hubby took the rattles and head off. Rattles he saves .. ewwww... and head came off just to make sure he was dead. LOL We were very lucky he hadn't struck the baby goats, and we killed it before he did. It is so hot and dry here, we are on snake watch 24/7 -

Well hope you enjoyed today's Animal Crackers - didn't get any really good Donkey photos this week, and had so many goat and such that it filled up quick. So I'll work on new photos of donkeys for next week.

Today is the neighbors wedding - Should be a wonderful evening farm wedding, love country weddings! Hope you have a great Saturday!


HUGS and -

Just Magnolias and Hanglars - Butterflies!!

Thank you for all the wonderful comments on my post yesterday - I still can't believe a year has past.

Today is Just Manolias and Hanglars day and the challenge this week is Butterflies! And I think my card is a little over the top with Butterflies. More of the "Attach of the Butterflies" LOL But I do love butterflies!

I colored one of my new Hanglar images, I thought she was too cute for a butterfly card. Colored with Copics - then stamped the grass with a Rubber Stamp Tapestry stump. Then die cut with an oval, matted with a coordinating pattern paper,  I used Prima papers, yes.. because they had that gorgeous butterfly pattern :0) I layered the patterns, then I punched out of the three more solid papers a EK Success Butterfly Jumbo punch - the blue for the actual band of butterflies, then I took the red/orange paper and put the butterflies into the blue punch. And the yellow flowers into it as well. Love putting all the pieces back together.

Then for my larger butterflies I stamped two butterflies with Papertrey Inks Butterfly dreams set. They have a matching die.. love that! I die cut extra blue butterflies and put them under as "shadows" Then topped it off with stickles! Butterflies do need bling right? I also added stickles to the Hanglar's wings as well. The sentiment is from Papertrey Inks set -

Make sure to pop over to Just Magnolias and Hanglars Challenge for a great chance at a prize!

Lots going on today - Rehearsal Dinner tonight for the neighbor. She is getting married tomorrow - hope the weather holds, and it isn't too hot! I still have to finish up their card... been working on it all week, and just haven't got it right yet...

See you tomorrow for Animal Crackers.
HUGS and-

One Year Ago Today - I had an accident

It has been a year today. A year of change, a year of being blessed, a year of learning so much about myself and those around me. My life now is pretty much back to "normal" - I do just about everything I did before - No getting out of chores around the farm, no special treatment. And that is all ok with me.

If you had asked a year and a day ago if I was a strong person. I probably would have said nope, I am a big baby. And yes, when I have a spinter, or a sunburn, or a scratch I whine about it and drive Hubby nuts. But actually what I have learned about myself is that I can handle more than I ever thought. More than I could have imagined.

I lost my right eye. After two major surgeries it is gone. Bungee tie down straps are BAD. And now I live a life with a prosthetic eye. That most can't even tell isn't real. That helps with adjusting. But it is cold when it is cold outside. It is dry and hard to blink when I am hot or in windy areas. And well... we won't even go into when I have a cold or allergies. Lets just say it isn't pretty. But I feel very blessed that I have it. And that my life has returned to same old same old.

There are many to thank for my strength. My getting through the past year with good spirits and not crying through the entire process. My faith in God that he was going to get me through. And the total 100% support from Hubby. He was there by my side, from surgeries to being my nurse. He was my rock. Still is. Then I have an amazing family. MIL, Mom, Sister, SIL and even my BIL working day after day so Hubby could stay home with me. And then my best buddy Tracey visiting me and keeping me laughing. A special thank you to my neighbor Mical, the Dr. that came home at that very moment she was my angel who saved me and drove me a million miles an hour to the ER (that was a scary ride in her one ton farm truck), and had all the appropriate Drs. waiting for me. And a big thank you to those Drs. as well. Then all of you - I was touched beyond words on the support I got from all of my Internet Friends. The emails, the cards and the art done to help support me. I can never express the joy this all brought to my and Hubby each day.

Ok, so I only have one eye. Things could have been worse. I am blessed that I was able to survive and get through it as I did. I am a stronger person now. I know that I can conquer more than I ever imagined before. I know that I have amazing family and friends, and I know that getting through my slap in the eye with that bungee cord will not slow me down in the things that I want to do in life. Well... maybe a little slower on stairs and driving at night... but other than that nothing will stand in my way!

Thank you again - for all of you support and prayers. You were a big reason I came through and returned back to my love of crafting.

Me and My Space - I found some goodies! New and Old!

Today I thought I might show you a couple of new goodies I found this last week - Old and New.

The new first - I went into Micheal's last week and had my blinders on, just going in to get the one item I "needed" and then back out. LOL Famous last words right? I did get the one item, and then a couple of things I am planning to use for up coming DT work.. and a new Martha Stewart Punch... and then all of these!!!

Did I need all of these sentiment stamps???? NO! But seriously - how cute are they! They were all in their dollar stamp section, and guess what.. I had my little 20% off your entire purchase coupon! So I got them for 80 cents each! We always can use more sentiment stamps right? We have to have more sentiments for all the new images we need too! LOL I really do think these are cute, love the mixed fonts. I may have gone overboard, there are no duplicates - but I think I still may need to go through them and share! LOL

But then I HAVE to show you the old item I found!!!!!!!! I am sooooo excited about what I found! We were in an antique mall and I came across this adorable little metal drawer box. Do you know what it is?

It is not real big - 6 inches tall - 6 inches wide and 8 inches deep. Reminds me of an old filing cabinet. But do you know what it is???

Now it is cute ... but here is the TOTAL bonus when I peeked in the bottom drawer!!!!!

 OH my... Yep it is a watch repair box. This one drawer is full of TONS of vintage watch faces! All Shapes and sizes! I was so excited. Hubby thought I was nuts. Then once I bought it and had it in the car and was showing him all the stuff inside, I think he was impressed too.

The top three drawers are FULL of all kinds of watch parts. Springs, winders gears... you name it! Most of these are still in their original little envelopes.

So the parts are fabulous, but I even Love the little envelopes! Total win win purchase! AndI think it was pretty cheap! I paid $35.00 for it, and was over the moon! Heck I paid $1.50 for one watch face in a shop not long ago.... Now I have more faces than I know what to do with!!!

Hey... maybe I can share a few of these too??? HMM... I am thinking I am going start my next Blog Candy stack - so look for that coming up ok?

HUGS and -

Spoon Full of Sugar - Ribbons and Bows

Spoon Full of Sugar - Ribbons and Bows

Hi - Tuesday and Spoon Full of Sugar Day. I am not sure about this card - I look at it once and like it and the next minute I am not to sure.... I think it is probably because I did not do any coloring. (Insert shock face here!!!) Nope no coloring of any kind. So... let me know what do you think?

Again - different for me, but I think I like it. LOL Think I do. I use the new Tim Holtz Glassine paper. This waxy paper is just so cool. And I love the look of it. I read where you can stamp on it and then quickly heat set it on the wax to set it into the paper. Sounded cool - so I tried it. I stamped the new Stampavie Penny Johnson's Garden Shelf image on the paper with Papertrey Ink Vanilla ink . Then for just a few seconds I heat set it and the wax got shiny - and the ink sort of melted into the paper. Then it dried and it is like the wax is over the ink! Really cool! I was so happy with how it came out my trial piece needed a card. Now if holding the image off by itself it does look like a cream color stamp. But when I put it on the gorgeous GCD papers with the blue and brown colors it took a blue tint to it.

Then I sewed all they layers together, and for some reason it felt like it needed LOTS of pearls. So I added them... LOL

Now I didn't forget that this was the Spoon Full of Sugar Challege - to add at least one ribbon and one bow. So I found a satin brown ribbon, and ran it across as a band, then tied a simple bow for one side. I think brown satin ribbon - is just my total favorite, looks so pretty!


Make sure to pop over to Spoon Full of Sugar and join us for some Ribbons and Bows ok?  Me... today I am working on a few DT projects. Been on this wild kick of trying new things lately. Whether that is good or not I don't know, but it is fun to try new products and techniques, even if they don't always turn out my best stuff ever. It is all about having fun and playing right?

Have a wonderful Tuesday - HUGS and

Dust It Off Sunday - Karen's Doodles - Peekaboo Boy

Today I dusted off one of my digital images... I just adore this little guy from Karen's Doodles! Peekaboo Boy! I think it is that cute little round bum in those striped shorts :0) Or maybe those gorgeous big eyes.

I colored with my Copics, and then did just a little shading with pencils. Just adorable image, don't you think?

For my card I had to use a piece of paper from the DCWV Denim stack. Love this paper, looks so real! And for some reason I always pair up denim with red - I cut the image in a circle and then cut a Nesties lacey circle. A band of ruffled red and white checked lace across the bottom with a double row of pearls.  - it still needed a bit more - so out came the pearl flourish! Love those! It is sort of like instant gratification.. LOL

My sentiment is a favorite - from Stampabilities. Fun and too perfect for this image! Was a pretty quick card - and love how it came out that image is just too adorable! Did I say that already???? LOL

Well... busy day today. I hope that everyone has a wonderful Father's Day here in the US - Hug your Dad... I miss mine so much, I can't believe it has been 11 years nearly since we lost him. Love YOU Dad...

HUGS and -

Copics Used : BG0000, B34, E000, E00, E21, D57, G99, R27, R47, YG03, W1, W3, N2

Animal Crackers - More Black and White Babies!!!

 We have baby Goats!!! And they are not Annies... nope she is still as wide as the barn door! Lucy surprised us Thursday Morning with TWINS! These two are almost identical! Two gorgeous little boys - with those stunning blue eyes ;0) We have named them Fric and Frac - LOL

 This is Frac....

And this is Fric.....

 Or is it the other way around... oh well they are adorable! - And being Lucy's kids we are hoping that they are going to be super friendly like she is!

Time to do some Donkey shearing! We hired a young girl to help out this year. Not that we don't just love doing it ourselves you know... But she does such an amazing job, and Hubby is really busy with building his barn - Standard Girl Juliet is up first!

 And she was SOOOO good! A first shearing you never know if they are going to be calm or crazy. But Juliet was a doll and was just perfect!

 Of course she is looking a lot like a Deer out there now! Oh MYYYY We are so not use to those long legs with all the minis! LOL She feels so much better now though!

 Yes.. Felipe you and Jorge are next! They stood and watched as Juliet got her hair cut... knowing that something was coming their way... and they were right! LOL We don't do everyone, most of the slick off on their own or with a little help with some brushing. But some of those babies, that baby fur is just too thick. So off it goes!

This is the view of Libbie lately. She is getting much better about leaving them and eating and going outside, but never for more than 5 minutes or so - Such a good Momma!

 Yes, there are two puppies there with Libbie... they just really bury themselves under all that fur. 

How about some gorgeous puppy photos? They don't look like they have changed a lot  - but they are growing fast, and getting adorable round tummys - How is this for an adorable face?

 Puppy One - We have been calling her Precious - (Man I need my nails done! good thing I have an appointment today! Love that Shellac polish, but you can't let it go to long or they look really bad! )

Puppy two - she is the biggest eater, and talker between the two! First couple of nights I did not get a wink a sleep! She talks while eating, talks while moving around, talks when she can't find Mom, talks when she is happy she found Mom. LOL Sleeping she is quiet. But she is getting better...

 

They are really sooooo adorable! So adorable we are questioning getting Autie and Libbie fixed... I know... total suckers! We just love these puppies, and Libbie is such an amazing Mom. We are still talking though.... 

 

Now... I need to tell you about the most sad thing that did happen this week. I have been really upset over it, know I need to tell all of you that are such close followers of Animal Crackers. We lost Rosie this week. She died Sunday - suddenly. She hadn't even been acting sick or down at all. Saturday night we played with her and did our ritual hugging and loving - Sunday morning she was down and couldn't get up. A couple of hours later she was gone. Hubby and both were crushed, but we know that it was her time, she fought years longer than she should have - We will miss her terribly - already do. We love her, and always will - she was our Rosie Girl.  

HUGS and -