Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Happy Birthday Friend

I would like to take just a quick minute today to wish a friend Happy Birthday.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KERI

May all your birthday wishes comes true not only today but all the year through.

Big Hugs

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Suddenly Saturday

This has been an absolutely crazy week and it is "Suddenly Saturday"! Where did this week go? I just have so much to do that I don't think I will ever see the bottom on the bin. In fact I decided it was time to sit down and make a list so I could cross items off as I finished them. That way I can say I have this done and this done and this done. Instead of how I've been doing it and saying I have this to do and etc. I'm trying to surround myself with some more positive energy and looking at is as the glass being half full as opposed to half empty.

So amongst the blustery craziness and seemingly running circles as I came to this realization I decide to complete the 1 Make & Take I need to get to Stamp Express tomorrow. Then I took the rest of the time to make a card for fun. No Make & Take Sample, No Class Sample and no contest entry, just downright fun. Turns out I really do need to use it for a Birthday but I had fun making it and it helped the block and enable the inspiration and passion to fill me. That is what I needed it to do, so now we are inspired and ready to grab the list and accomplish one project after another next week. YEAH ME!!!

Oh, so I suppose you want to see this card, which I think turned out incredibly beauteous! I started with a piece of water color paper. I took the money (right you know me I had a 50% OFF Coupon) and I bought some of the really good stuff which really does work best for this technique. I got my protective plastic mat out that can withstand the hear gun. You know I can't remember those title of items either. I took out my Tim Holtz Distress Inks and tapped some yellow, blue and purple nest to each other on the plastic mat, added lots of water and laid the paper right on top of the mess! I told you it was fun. I picked it up very carefully and dried it with my heat gun. Now completely happy with the way the colors were yet I went back to the mess and laid the paper down in another direction and again heated it dry. Then it was time to move onto the next step. More Tim Holtz Distress Inks and a GlimmerMist screen worked very nicely. I used a square of rubbery sponge to apply a distressing ink to make the paper look vintage, right over the screen I went to make sure the colors I put on first shown through the image of the dove. Then more drying with the heat gun. You know I have absolutely NO Patience! After that I sprayed the entire sheet with GlimmerMist Clear Pearl. I left this sit to dry while I used my copic markers to color these precious vintage par fume atomizers and of so very carefully cut out. This being done and the page being dry I sprayed it with another coat of GlimmerMist, you know how I love that shimmer and the 2nd coat adds the real zing I want. Of course I had to dry this once again so I could begin putting the card together now. Somewhere between all this I had also sprayed a coffee filter with Glimmermist. I cut this into pieces so I could run it through on a sizzlit die. I ran 2 pieces of each flower so I could offset them and build them up to may more layers to the flower. Then I had to oh so carefully punch 1/16" circle in the center and inserted a mini crystal brad. Oh so pretty, just what I've been looking for and haven't been able to find. At last I was able to ever so carefully begin adhering all the layers of my card. Once I was Finally finished I Stamped Happy Birthday on the Front of the card and added a sentiment to the inside. I Know, I Know, So here we go presenting my very fun Happy Birthday Card.

After the card was completely together I put the finishing touches on the par fume atomizers with the spica at you Glitter Pens in blue, purple, and yellow and then I topped that off with some stardust stickles. And whaalaa the incredible card you see! Remember I really like your comments so let me know what you think.

So now one of my friends if you are kind enough to be a follower of my blog will know what their birthday card is going to look like this year. If you really like this card just let me know and I might give it to you for your birthday. In fact it was so much fun to make this car that everyone of my friends might just get one like this or similar for their birthday; like it or not!!!

Have a wonderful weekend and I will talk to you all again very soon.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Picture Problems Perfected

If you haven't seen my blog until very recently; you aren't aware of the picture problems I was having. It appears that my camera, which is only 3 years old, is outdated and my pictures are not coming out clear enoough to post to my blog. It will be some time before I can purchase a new and very good camera. So until then I must revert to scanning my cards so all future pictures posted are very clear!

I was able to go back and edit some of the photo I had previously posted but some I am unable to for obvious reason, I do not have the samples any longer! The projects I make each week for the Make & Takes at Stamp Express. Once I give the sample and instructions to Stamp Express and receive payment they become their property. This week I scanned the Make & Take before I took it in and I was able to post a clear picture here for all you to view.

To keep you all from having to scoll back and check out all my old posts; I'm re-publishing them right here. These cards are creted using TGF images. Please enjoy!






Monday, February 15, 2010

Valentine Card Pic As Promised


As promised Her is the Valentine's Card I made for my husband and I plan to use it to enter in the TFG FFF contest for and antiqued card. Hope you enjoy it. I took the wrong bag with me and ended up not having my normal distressing products and had to use GlimmerMist to distress this sheet music for the front of the card. Don't forget to thing of those names I'm not having much luck thinking up one so I sure could use you help and if I choose your name You get the free blog candy gift a gel pen set. Take care and I will post again soon. I will try to have lots of samples made to show you then!

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Happy Valentine's Day

Hello My Dear Friend's and Happy Valentine's Day to each of you! I hope you have a very beautiful day and if you don't have a special Valentine, do something extra special for yourself because you are loved!

I don't have the Valentine Card I made for my Husband Scanned yet, to share with you here today. I will get it scanned this evening or tomorrow. I used a print of vintage sheet music I found on-line, which I distressed to make it look old. Or should we say I did my best as I was working at the Stamp Express and forgot my case of Tim Hotz products so I had to distress using Glimmer Mist! The I added a small piece of ribbon, two button tied together and the 50's Love Anya Digi from TGF. I promise to get it on to share with you all tomorrow.


Today I have this week's Make & Take for Stamp Express to share with you. Jackie asked that we had a card with cherries on this week to celebrate President's Day! This is the card I came up with with those parameters. Please enjoy and if you can get into the Stamp Express be sure to make a copy of this "Cherry Pie Card" to take home with you.




As of yet we do NOT have a winner for the Club Name contest. I received several names that made it to the maybe list but thus far nothing has jumped out. Because Jackie's trip to the hospital lots of things need to be put on hold at the store. The good news is she is home from the hospital and getting back on her feet. We hope to see her back at the store soon! Needless to say I think it will be better to put off the start of our club until the last Friday Night in March. I'll check on the date and include that will all the details regarding the club on another post. You all still have until Friday night at 11:59 pm to submit you ideas for the Club name. I will make my choice for the name and next Sunday's Post will include Our Club name as well as all the details for the club.

Hopefully if this week goes well I will be able to update the pics here on the blog. I am able to get a much better pic if I scan the cards. So until I am able to get business moving along and am able to afford a good camera I will have to scan cards to be sure that they are better and that everyone can see the cards and how lovely they really do look. The clarity of my pics were too distorted for you to really be able to see all the beauty and detail in them, which I unfortunately did not realize until my friend told me about it. I will be replacing the pics of as many cards as possible. Unfortunately I will not be able to do this with all the cards.

Until next post be safe and happy!

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

SNOW - SNOW GO AWAY; PLEASE DON'T RETURN ANY DAY!

For those of you who do not live in central Pennsylvania and the Susquehanna Valley nay not have been hit with the extreme snow storms that have been hitting us here, Friday night into Saturday we got slammed with 2 feet of snow and now today we are again getting hit with yet another snow storm. This time they say we are suppose to get 12 to 18 inches. I am of the opinion that I sincerely hope the weather people cannot be correct 2 times in a row. OK so I am really crossing my fingers and hoping that they cannot be!

It took my husband 1 hour to get home from work this evening, which usually only takes 20-30 minutes any other day of the week. I was beginning to worry and then he walked through the door, thankfully! The snow started at 3:30 pm and when he got home at 6:00 pm, 2 1/2 hours later we already had 2 inches out there.

I have had a few comment regarding the Club name and input on what stamps to include. So far I have not chosen a name and I believe we will incorporating more than just TGF. The final decision will be made on February 20th and be announced here on February 21st. Beginning February 22nd you will be able to pick up fliers regarding the contest at the Stamp Express.

If you haven't entered your comment and thoughts regarding the club and your suggestion of a name please be sure to do so as soon as possible so you are in the running for the prize.

I have a few thoughts in mind that I like for the name by no means have made up my mind yet. Especially if someone would happen to send in the most awesome suggestion for a name.

I have also been considering a few ideas that I would also like to hear your input on. 1. What is your opinion of a trading card swap to share with each member of the club every visit. What is your opinion of a show & tell period that a new person can choose to host each meeting. I would also love to hear any opinion's that you have regarding the club. I want to create a club that will be Fun, Informative and allow each person to express their creativity in a open and friendly forum. I am so excited about the start of our NEW club and I look forward to seeing all of you there.

Monday, February 8, 2010

Working on Improving Picture Quality

Other than my even increasing list of projects to do I have to work on Improving the Quality of my Pictures. This of course must take priority because it affects my blog 100%. The better quality pictures I am able to produce the better the quality of pics you will be able to see. Sinice pic quality is TOP PRIORITY check this image out and let me know what you all think. Is this image better than the ones I've been placing on my blog???
This is a pic of the prize for the winner who pics the name I choose to use for my Club.

Yesterday I had something thrilling occurr! Jessica from The Greeting Farm contacted me to ask me is I would be able to Host Monday Mania on March 8th. She liked the Idea that I submitted as a Monday Mania idea and asked me if I still wanted to host and if that date would work for me. Oh YEAH. Like the date wouldn't work. I am so absolutely ecstatic to have this fabulous honor.

I am hoping that I've taken care of my picture clarity and I can move onto my may other projects. I did get one thing done today, I completed one Make & Take for Stamp Express. Speaking of Stamp Express, please remember Ken & Jackie in your prayers; Jackied went into the hosital on Friday with a blood clot in her lung and then while Ken was on his way to see Jackie at the hospital he was in an auto accident. He is fine thankfully, the car is drivable but it does need some work.

I went to Stamp Express this evening and covered the store for a couple of hours and weather permitting I will do so again tomorrow evening. I then have the rescheduled Sweet Treats Class on Friday and then again on Saturday I will be working at Stamp Expres so that Ken cam care for Jackie who will hopefully be home from the hospital at that point.

That's it for today. I will try a pic of a card tomorrow to see how that turns out but I wanted to get the prize pic on so you all start thinking real hard to give me some fantastic names. Rembember you will be part of that club to if you in fact do intend to participate, which I really hope you do.

Friday, February 5, 2010

NEW LOOK but still not a digi winner!

OK, so I did not win the random drawing for a digi from TGF. Again, NO worries. Just another one of those digi's that I will have to purchase as son as I get the money together!

I did work extremely hard for several hours today. In the attempt to get my stamping room re-organized, cleaned up and the creative energy flowing back though my special crafting space again. I need to finish going through things, clearing out the old and make room for the new. Thus the entire room needed to be re-organized so that the new things could be put in place and everything cleanly put away; a place for everything and everything in it's place. I will be so happy when I have the room finished. Especially since it is time once again to kick butt and get to creating the necessary project with deadlines completed.

My "Sweet Treats" class was postponed due to weather conditions. So that has been put off until next Friday. Which means I will have stop my creative process this week to get ready for that toward the end of this week now.

Needless to say I must finish the room this weekend which shouldn't be a problem since it looks like we will all be snowed in! I'd normally say Yeah but just not feeling it anymore, I am so ready for Spring! Anyway so I get the room completely cleaned and I'm ready to start bright and early Monday Morning on all the projects do indeed have deadlines. Hopefully I will be able to pull all the projects off quickly and have time to create some thing for myself and be able to get in on some of the many contests each week at TGF.

So to give you an idea of what I'm up to this coming week. I have approximately 4-6 Make and Take Projects completed for Stamp Express. I also need to get 2-3 samples completed for my Spring IRIS class on February 19th from 6pm to 8pm. In addition to these projects I need to pull my plans together for a club I've been trying to plan. At this time the name isn't definite but I leaning toward "Farm Frenzied Fridays" This club will beet on the last Friday of each month and will be limited to The Greeting Farm Stamps; including TGF, Club Anya & Friends and the Critter Crew.
I must also choose a date to start the club. I would like to start it the last Friday of February but due to advertising reasons I may have to put it off until the last Friday of March. Then the planning must move on to a Spring Time Crop. I have volunteered to Host a Scarp at Stamp Express. Of course this will be the 1st crop I have hosted so I have lots of information to gather for this one. But as I've planned and Hosted a variety of other events I'm sure I will be able to plan and pull off and completely successful and ultimately fun, fun, fun scrapping Event.

I just had a fabulous idea since I'm really not thrilled with the name of the club you all can make suggestions and the winner will receive a 12 pack of gel pens for stamping and scrapping. I will scann and up-load that pic tomorrow, hopefully

I originally wanted to call this club "The Greeting Farm Creative Specialist's".
I wanted the club to be completely involved around The Greeting Farm in either rubber or digi forms. I did indeed contact the owner of TGF and we cannot use TGF in our club name as it violates some rules or laws. Jackie suggested that maybe we could include TGF and stampavie and call it something like People to People. Again not completely happy with this name.

So in order to win the prize you will need to 1st) let me know if you feel the club should be restricted only to The Greeting Farm in both stamp and digital or if you think we should include The Greeting Farm both in stamp and digital, Stampavie and Elisabeth Bell designs both in rubber & digital. Then 2nd) Let me know your ideas for the club name. You do not have to become a member of our club in order to take part in the contest. We do of course hope if you are in our area that you will be a part of our club!

The contest will be open for comments until February 19th so if things go well we can plan and advertise though Stamp Express regarding the start date for the club. I will let the winner know ASAP, when I decide what the official name of the club will be. I will let everyone know in the Stamp Express Advertisement and here or my blog what stamps and digital images are going to be an acceptable part of the club. I am Looking forward to hearing lots and lots of comments from all of you. Your opinion's are very important to me and I by all means want to have a very successful club and I can only do that if I listen to your comments and act within those perimeter. I'm also looking forward to lots of you being involved in the club.

All details regarding the club will be disclosed here in my blog as soon as the details are confirmed. There will also be copies regarding the details of the club available at Stamp Express as soon the details are confirmed. We can discuss any questions you may have at the 1st meeting.

All participants MUST bring their own Bear Necessity Kit along with any projects you plan to work on to each and every class. A list of the Bear Essential will be released along with the information about the Club. It is important that each person have their own supplies; I cannot afford to supply these and Ken & Jackie are already allowing us to use their space and their supplies are OFF limits because this is a club and not a class.

WOW! It feels great to be running the contest as opposed to be trying to win a contest. Good Luck and I cannot wait to hear all the great suggestions and comments each of you all have to offer.

OK so another thing I really wanted to talk about was the new look of my BLOG. I worked on it all afternoon trying to breath as much of myself into it as I could at this time. Sometime down the road when I start designing my own stamps and digi's I will have to really get computer literate so I can really make my blog reflect myself and my personality. For now this is as good as it gets. I hope you like the changes I have made and look forward to hearing what you think about the changes I've made.

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Winners or Winners

Ok! So I didn't win the Elisabeth Bell Blob Candy Contest. She even added more prizes and picked a total of 1 Grand Prize Winner who received the entire Sweet Things Release from Belles 'N Whistles, a signed drawing and her newly released Digi. She then picked 4 Winners for the newly released Digi. Needless to say I was not one of those winners. If you went to the site to check this out you know that you had to answer a question. You had to answer the question correctly to be eligible for the drawing. The answer to the puzzle was there are 11 bees and 5 butterflies. I would say I was upset that I didn't win but it was so hard to count especially the bees with all the flowers and ll that I'm not sure I answered correctly. So I'll just have to go on-line to order it tonight from her blog when my husband gets home from bowling. The newly released digi "A Tasty Read" and you can order it directly from Elisabeth Bell's Blog if you too didn't win!

The next exciting contest is another random drawing with TGF. You had ti put your answer to their question in the comment section. Thankfully there was NO wrong answer there. YIPPEE!!! Although there wasn't an incorrect answer it was a tough one to answer. I think I ended up leaving 2 or 3 comments because I just could not make up my mind. The question was "what digi would you like to see rubberized"? Seems like a very easy question until you stop to think about it and all the great digi's they have. I think MerIan would be nice to go with the Lovely Mermaid Anya but then the more I thought about it I though it would be really cool if they rubberized all 4 of the season fairies and sold them in a set. At any rate they are to announce their winner tomorrow on FFF
and the winner will receive their choice of a FREE digi! How easy is that to leave a short comment of what you think to be entered into a drawing. I know exactly which digi I want if I win!

I didn't participate in TGF Monday Mania or Wild Card Wednesday this week. It's been a little crazy here. My Stamp room is completely torn apart and in disarray because I am trying to re-organize and hoping to to get rid of the negativity that seems to have settled around. I hope to get it all done and cleaned up tomorrow and be able to start 1st thing Monday morning full of creativity and eagerly ready to get lots of stamping projects accomplished.

Don't forget to check out TGF blog early next week. I received word that they hope to have the specially designed digi from Marie for Customer Appreciation on the site and ready to download.

Don't forget to share this blog with your friends. Updates are made frequently. As soon as I have 15 followers I will celebrate with my very 1st blog candy giveaway. So don't forget to sign up and follow along. As I get better acquainted with the blog and all I can do with it I promise it will get better and better. I can already see an amazing change since I've started my blog. As I learn how to I hope to add tutorials and etc. It is a fun and fascinating journey that I hope you will shared with me. http://extraordinarypaperembellishments.blogspot.com/

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Stamp Express Weekly Make & Takes

Just realized I completely forgot to publish my Make & Takes for last week and this week. Where is my head??? Hopefully with my husband finally getting a new job since his economic lay-off we will be on to bigger and better things and my memory will improve as my sanity returns (LOL)!!!

LAST WEEKS Make & Take at the Stamp Express


THIS WEEKS Make & Take at the Stamp Express


NEXT WEEKS Make & Take at the Stamp Express


Remember Valentine's Day is coming quickly upon us so make sure you stop by the Stamp Express to complete your Make & Take each week to be sure you have cards for Valentines Day and don't forget to sign up for the "Sweet Treats" Class to be sure that you have even more Valentine's Ready in time!

Totally Tempting Tuesday

So I'm really late at getting you the news on this one. Elixabeth Bell who designs for Belles 'n Whistles is having a contest on her own blog. The deadline to enter this contest is tomorrow at NOON CST. So don't delay and Visit her blog http://zhibit.org/elisabethbell/blog and scroll down to the 1/25/10 entry to read about her fabulous giveaways, then enter! There will be three winners. One lucky Grand Prize Winner will win the entire "Sweet Things" Released through Belles 'n Whistles, a autograph copy of one of her drawings, and her 2nd digi introduction (A Tasty Read). Those of you who are not familier with Elisabeth Bell will want to take the time to get familiar with her as well as the Belles 'n Whistles site which is one company thata carries her designs. She is a fantastic artist/illustrator and you will without a doubt want to be a winner! I know that I want to win, I did get two of stamps from the "Sweet Things" Collection. So If I am the grand winner I will then turn around and create my very 1st contest to give away these two stamps that I would then have two of. Her newest digi "A Tasty Read" is so very darling that if I do not win I will be ordering this digi.

Isn't she absolutely precious? And don't forget to check out her stamps at Belles 'n Whistles. Her stamps are made of red rubber on a cushion and are cling stamps. I love these type of stamps they are so much nicer than the polymer, they are easier to store and take up less room than wooden blocks.

If you haven't tried this style of stamp or the new dgi style of stamps, NOW is the time to do so. The Tasty Read (pictured above) digi is only $3 and no shipping so this is the perfect way to try a digi stamp because it is so affordable.

I'm hoping that you will all buy this digi if you don't win it and then be sure to send me a sample of the card you make with it. Also anxious to hear what you think of the Elisabeth Bell stamps. So send in samples and comments and lets share some of our loverly cards and other projects.

Monday, February 1, 2010

Manic Monday

I am so very glad this past week-end is over. It was a really lousy week-end here and I'm hoping this week will get better. Even if it is ever so slightly I will be grateful.

So as promised here are the pictures for the "Sweet Treats" Class this Friday, February 5th from 6pm to 8pm at Stamp Express. Hope to see you all there. Here is the entire group of 5 projects we will be completeing in this "Sweet Treats" class.

This image highlights my "Sweet Treats" rectangular box which contains Mini Convesation Hearts.

This picture highlights two of my "Sweet Treats" the 1st being a small box that holds 4 Hershey Mini Nugget Bars which have been covered with stamped labels and the 2nd is a bag of Mini Conversation Hearts with a Special Little Topper.

This image is highlighting my "Sweet Treat" using the Candy Favor Packages from Bo Bunny and I have filled mine with Valentine M&M's.

Finally my last "Sweet Treat" highlights my small square covered box. When you lift the cover you find a small clear window that reveals that my box is filled with Valentine M&M's.

Now tht you have seen how very "Sweet" my "Sweet Treats" are you will want to pick up the phone and call Stamp Express to sign up before the class is filled. We will not only have oodles and oodles of fun you will take these 5 completed precious candy filled "Sweet Treats" home with you. I told you any or all of them would be great for your kids class rooms, to share with co-workers, friends or family members (both small and large)!

So as I'm sure you are aware by now this is Februuary 1st and it is the Release Day of TGF's NEW Stamp & digi Images. They do indeed have some incredible ones and I'm sure if you love TGF as much as I do you will not want to miss out on their incredible release contests. They have been having a blog hop all day with many hidden prizes to be won. In addtion to the blog hop there is a contest that I cannot remember on the Club Anya & Friends Blog. There will then be a random drawing at the TGF blog from the comments left from those who have completed the blog hop and then left a comment that they completed the hop and one LUCKY, LUCKY winner will receive the entire February Release. Can you imagine the excitement being gernerated from all this incredible madness, Yes I'm sure the Farm is ROCKING today with all their loyal fams trying to win at least one item but keeping their fingers crossed that they will be the lucky winner of the entire release!!! Let me tell you; I am keeping my fingers, toes, legs arms and any other part of my body that can cross that I'm that incredibly lucky winner of the entire February Release! Oh how happy and excited I would be and of course I would be back tomorrow to tell you all how very excited I am and sharing pics of all the items I had won. Will find out tomorrow morning, more than likely together who all the winners are and who the lucky winner of the entire February Release was.

There are lots of cute new images. If you were participating in the TGF CHA Digi Relay before it was cancelled you may have gotten the MerIan, Prince Ian and Toby Cub which were released today still as digi's. If you keep track of the TGF and Anya & Friends Blogs then you have also seen some of the new sets that were debuting today. During the blog hop I fell completely in love with the "Sweet Tooth" set which had not been on my wish list but certainly is now! I did order today and I only added 3 of the NEW items to what I currently had in my cart.

I did order in the Amazing Duo, Soldier Ian and Chibi Punk Boy. If you remember back a week or so ago I made a sample using the Chibi Punk Girl so I though I should have the set! I am anxious to receive this order so I can make a special card for my son with the soldier Ian who is in the Marines. I also will find myself using this stamp frequently come July when my son is set to deploy again. That will be about 7-10 months of mom crying her eyes out all the time. Then of course I had to get the Amazing Duo because my son has always loved Super Hero's and I am sure my grandson who we currently have custody of will too.

May your blessings be many until we meet here again!