This is the card I created for The Greeting Farms April 26th Monday Mania. This Monday Mania was a color challenge using khaki, sand, olive. I used TGF Hope & Grace set along with these colors to create my card. And since the stitching is so in I used my trust old sewing machine to zig-zag stitch around all the top paper layers to add some texture and detail since the paper has not other designs.

Yeah, Tomorrow is the day for the May NEW release with The Greeting Farm. I am so excited to see all the NEW stamps and digi's that are being released this month!!! We only got a few sneak peaks and I don't know about you but I'm totally excited about what I've seen and completely beside myself wanting to see what the other releases are for tomorrow and also hope to win something delightful in their blog hop!

Well since there is nothing I can do but wait I guess I will go create something new, maybe something for this weeks Farm Fresh Friday challenge. Until later be happy and create something extraordinary!

Well here I am at it again!

Well here I am at it again; what is that you ask. Trying out for another design team that's what. I have been madly creating cards this week 10 specifically for the DT Call and I'm just not completely thrilled with the results I'm coming up with. I think all the rejections in the past are causing me some creativity blockage. I know that this is the way these things go but it is hard when you want something so bad and cannot seem to achieve that goal. I know when the right place for me is open that I will win the call, but the rejection is hard on you all the same.

I did take a short break this week and created something purely for my own pleasure. I've been thinking about this Christmas tag since Michelle and I were creating tags this past Sunday. I only knew what colors I would be using to color the tag. Then low and behold I found these great little stamps in me drawers and the rest of the supplies on my shelves. It truly is wonderful when a plan comes together so beautifully! And I do mean beautifully, look at how gorgeous this Christmas or Winter Tag turned out.

I think I have decided which samples I will be sending off for the Design Call; after the weekend I will show you some of the cards that didn't make my cut for the DT call. When I find out if I win the call or not I will of course let you all know and share the items that did make my final cut to send. I can tell you at this point it looks like I'm sending an 8"x 8" scrap book page, a card and a tag. Then I'm hoping they will check out my blog here to see all the wonderful thing I can and do make. Yes we are only to send in 3 items; that is what made it soooo hard to decide. I wish they had said 5 card because then another make of the lemon & tequila card I showed months ago. I used a different glitter this time and the supposed salt looks better on this one. So I'll show the new one after the weekend.

The DT call end on Tuesday so I'm sure a decision will be made promptly as they want the NEW DT to begin their duties in June 2010. I'm going to keep my finger and toes (well if I could cross them) and hope that I win. This company has such a wide range and variety of great stamps to work with.

Mellow Monday

Today is rather dreary & rainy day so we are just sitting inside today, staying warm and dry. Not to much to do on this rainy miserable day gut to sit indoors.

Yesterday I got to go down to my friend, Michelle's house and we created some tag. Which is what I have to show you today. Distressed Tags or distressed anything is my favorite style right now. We had such a good time. It was so good to get away and spend time playing with a friend just playing.

So here are the lovely tags I made and hers were very similar as we were working together and learning some new techniques. I hope you enjoy viewing the pics of the tags as much as I had making them.

SE Make & Take for week of April 25th

Almost forgot to post this weeks make and take for Stamp Express. If this month went by as quickly for you as it did me you are as not thinking about Mother's Day being here, well it is!

This weeks is the 1st of 2 Make and Takes for Mother's day or if you prefer Thinking of You. I know not having my own mother this year I would be grateful to have that choice so the card is the same but you get to choose between the two computer generated phrases: "Happy Mother's Day" or "Thinking Of You".

What an Extraordinary Week.

TGF Farm Fresh Friday Contest Entry

This week on The Greeting Farm's Farm Fresh Friday Contest the Theme is "Going Green". I just finished my card this afternoon and uploaded it for the contest. Yeah!

I started my project with the bag I got when I purchased designed paper from the Stamp Express last night. Then I used Su Sage Shadow for my Green as it matched the Green in the bag closest out of all the papers that I have. And as we all know I do have paper issues. For crying out load I kept the bag for designer paper, now that is issues! LOL

The Flutter Anya of course has color other than green; I didn't want the entire card to be "Green" just going green! Now that I'm looking at it I wish I would have put some a pearl or gem in the middle of the bow. So I'm just hoping everyone likes my card as much as I do and that maybe I will win the contest this week, if I'm lucky!

Getting By With a Little Help From Our Friends...

I also wanted to share this card with you that I made and sent out to Jackie this past week. All of you who are SE customers know Jackie and the recent medical problems she continues to recovering from. She seemed to need a bit of encouragement So I made and sent her this darling list card. The stamp is Belles 'N Whistles and then with my calligraphy marker I wrote my own sentiment and of course the title for this post!

Congratulations Stacey!

Today I'd like to take the time to wish my dear daughter-in-Law Congratulations. Even after getting married this past October after turning 18 when my son was home on leave and they had gotten married, then moving the whole way to So Cali she stayed in school and has Graduated from High School.

She has finished school and is has finalized all her paperwork but must wait until her class graduates to receive her diploma. She really pushed herself to get her assignments done early so she would have school completed before Chuck's pre-deployment leave this May.

We are all so happy and proud of her. So without further chatter from me here is the card I made to send her. This cute and chubby little Bunnie is like a paper stuffy, just not quite so fluffy and it is from stampavie.

Holy Smokes It's Friday Already! Well Almost

I have no idea where this week went to. I just cannot believe it is Friday already! And the list is still just as long as it was at the beginning of the week even though I've crossed dozens of item off. I really need to stop adding more is the problem.

So yes I have been busy all week but then those of you who have or can remember the days of a 3 1/2 year old know just how hectic a week can be! Not easy and still there is work to be done in spite of it all. Thank goodness I have a truly fab hubby who watches the little munchkin in the evenings so I can sneak out with the gals or to my craft room!

This week I got over to Stamp Express on Tuesday evening. I took 6 weeks worth of Make & Takes in so all you pretties will have something fabulous to work on when you stop in there to shop. They are going to keep getting hotter as we move into the Summer months so be sure to get in there each week, you do not want to miss anything you know!

In addition to dropping the Make & Takes off I also met Michelle and Brenda in there and we sat out in the market area and did a little class of sorts. We played with the alcohol inks and made lovely backgrounds and then our simulation of Agates. We all had lots of fun and I was so glad to be out and among the adult community!

I've been frantically working on scissor baubles, and gadget/trash bags and such for the Crop Event in Lewisberry on May 22nd. Anxiously awaiting this Event as I am finally (or hopefully) will be ready to introduce Stamp Works as a Home Workshop Business and additionally offering Classes, Stamp Camps, Birthday Parties as well as Day and Weekend Events. So excited and hoping all goes well with the introduction. Wish me luck!

On Wednesday Evening I also managed to sneak away too; this time to my stamping room! Yeah, I got to play!!! I created the 3 gorgeous items shown here. The top Book marker is for a friend who live part of the year here and part of the year in Montana. The next card I created for a dear friend whom found out some difficult news recently and I just wanted her to know that she is in my thoughts and prayers and then finally the Picking Blackberries is for the Fresh Fruit Wild Card Wednesday Contest with TGF! Maybe I'll win this time!. Wish me Luck!

Since I'm not sure when I'll be back on to post again I will bid thee happy stamping until we shall meet her on the blog again.

Stamp your Hearts our my Pretties!

Book of Book Markers

So this is my little Book of Markers, Book Markers that is! I use to make these a lot several years ago. I decided that it was time to make a new sample using you guessed is "TGF" digi's and here is what I came up with! Hope you enjoy these and get some inspiration to make some of your own little Book of Markers or something equally amazing and awesome this weeks.

Nothing but Blue Skies.....

Well it must have been raining when she started out useing this umbrella or she is just using it as a parasole. Which ever the case it is a darling image available through Belles 'N Whistles and the artist is Elisabeth Bell. Love her work! I made this card for a friend who is getting ready to begin chemo. Inside I wrote "May your day be full of blue skies" etc. Living with Fibromyalgia, I undrestand pain but I cannot even fathom what she must be going through with this. All me and her friends can do is make and send her card, try to encourage and keep her spirits up and pray for her. I hope you enjoy this incredible card I made to send to her for my 1st round!

TGF Wild Card Wednesday - April 12th

So today is Wild card Wednesday over at The Greeting Farm. Since I had a few extra minutes and a brief moment of inspiration or maybe corniness. They gave us the picture of the room for inspiration. I found the entire room to be inspirational rather than a particular item that was inspirational! So maybe it really wasn't inspiration, maybe it was me just being a little smart butt; however, I found some humor in it. And after today, any humor is good! Then wouldn't you know I had a typo so I tried to fix it and it stands out like a sore thumb of course. But here it is anyway for all to see in it's glory, mess-up and smugness. But at least I got a card done this week and that is saying something around here someday!!!

Hugs to All!

Please Vote for our TGF Challenge This Week!

So as you can see this week my 8"x8" Scrapbook page was chosen to represent out team this week in TGF Team Challenge. So PLEASE make sure you all go there this week and Vote for our Team "The Farm Fresh Fairies" and this is what you will be voting for, cute little Gabriel at 2 years old!

The direct link to this image to vote is http://tgfllc.com/galleria/showphoto.php?photo=13520 If you haven't voted for our team yet, you will have to sign up in the galleria before voting. But you all love me so just do it and vote, PLEASE. I really, really want to win that grand prize and I promise that we will be get together and play so I can share the fantastic Role Call set!

Make & Take this week at Stamp Expess

This is the Make & Take card for this week over at Stamp Express . By request this will be the last card with Vintage Elements for some time. Because of the popularity of the Vintage look, I had been using a lot of the vintage look in recent Make & Takes. More than likely will not see any more Vintage Make & Takes with the exception of the Patriotic Holidays then at least one for each of the Fall & Winter. I will try to keep the Vintage Make & Takes to one for Halloween, one for Thanksgiving and I will try to keep it to only one for Christmas. That one will be hard because there are some really fabulous Vintage items out there to use for Christmas Cards!!! Until Later have an Extraordinary Time and Create, Create, Create!!!

Special Samples to Share

I recently applied for yet another design team position. Sadly I was turned down for this position this time. They did however, ask to keep my application to "hopefully" call me in the future as a guest designer. Of course I said "YES". How exciting would that be to play with great new stamps for an entire month for a design team. If you can't get the big gig take the little one, right!

So I want to share with all of you, by friends, the samples I sent in as my samples with my application. Please enjoy these lovely samples and hopefully they will inspire you to get crafty and be creative today!

I did take this as a sign to that it is time for me to go ahead with my plans for re-opening my own business; "Stamp Works". It has been a long time but I've already started to take the first of the many, many little steps I need to do to get to the end result.

I will needless to say be carrying The Greeting Farm Stamps, YEAH! Flourishes Stamps and that is all I have lined up at this time.

It will be some time before I get to actually hold that 1st in-home workshop, stamp camp, class, day or weekend event but I am started and on my way.

Happy Birthday To Me!

Well today I turned another year older this year I feel like I've aged about 5 years. It's been a crazy year to say the least. Many losses that drove me into depression, and then lots of new friendships formed that helped pull me out of the engulfing sadness. It took great strength and courage to get through this year and I'm hoping the next year will be an easier and much happier year.



Lots of thoughts, hopes and dreams in my mind at this time. I hope to make some of those come true for me this year. It is time that I make something good things happen for and in mine and my families life. I hope to re-open Stamp Works; as a home workshop business (again) and possibly as an on-line business. I'd love to open a small shop in my home but at the very least I do have a training and classroom area to use. I'm very anxious to see what will happen in the coming months. I've taken the 1st steps but it is a very slow moving process and many, many step to see fruition.

My Card for TGF Royal Battle Challenge #2

Now that the votes are in and our teams card is submitted to TGF; I can now show you a photo of the easel card I creadted for this this TGF Royal Battle Challende #2!

TGF Royal Battle Challenge #2

We did indeed make it through round #1 of TGF Royal Battle; and we made it through with flying colors!!! YEAH & thank you all for all you many and kind comments, for as we told you last time each comment is indeed ONE Vote!
This is our card to be entered into TGF Royal Battle #2. This challenge was an easel card and our team member Ann's card was chosen for this challenge. Love those marshmallows!

You can use this link to go directly to our card to vote-VOTE-VOTE! Remember that each comment (good comment) is a vote!

http://www.thegreetingfarm.com/galleria/showphoto.php?photo=13324

THANK YOU so much for every comment-vote you left for our to help up WIN challenge #1 we do indeed greatly appreciate each and every comment-vote. We only have 3 more challenges left and hopefully we will win the Grand Prize. If you left a comment to vote for any of cards; please leave a comment here too and we will gladly send each of you a thank you dare for helping us out and helping us to WIN and make it as far as we make it in TGF's Royal Battle Challenge.

This Weeks Make & Take at Stamp Express

This week at Stamp Express you will be making a lovely Tea Bag Card for this weeks Make & Take. This is basically the one that is at the shop with the exception that I added a Post-It Note to the left side to write your message on. Much like the copy of the 1st one shown here. You will have your choice of different designer papers so every one's card is going to look slightly different this week, how exciting is this. Hope you enjoy making this card this week. Oh, and the tea bags are NOT being provided, you will need to add that at home before mailing it off to a sweet and dear friend. The 1st copy is one I re-made to send to one of SE patron who will not be able to make it in this week because she must go have surgery and I told her I'd send her one of the cards. The 2nd copy is the copy that is is the store and more accurately depicts what you will be making.

Happy Easter to All

Hope you all will have or have had a very Happy and Wonderful Easter Holiday. With out chattering away I will get on with what you all want to see! The incredible Easter Card I have created for some very special people in my life.
The above card I created for my husband. He doesn't really care if he gets a card or anything else or not so I get the chance to try thing I want on his cards. So since I absolutely love the vintage look, I've been waiting to try something new in the way of distressing. I worked perfectly I must say! The image was printed on regular old copy paper. I crumpled it and then un-crumpled it. Lay it in a shallow pan and pour just enough strong "tea" (no sugar, please) over it to cover the paper. The paper will pick up the color very quickly and then you will pour off the tea. Put the entire pan with the paper still in it into a toaster over and bake on the lowest setting until dry. Be very careful not to burn! And walla you have instant ages paper photo!

This cute and YES Fuzzy card is for my Son (Grandson). After making the card I broke out my new MS kit. You rub on the little adhesive animals or other objects then peal off the plastic and place the fuzzy paper over the adhesive, rub again with a Popsicle stick and just like that Walla you have super easy, no fuss, no mess fuzzy, flocked images! I loved the mess free part of this!

Finally this card I made for my Father. And there really is nothing to say, it is what it is. No fuss and no muss here!!!

Super Spectacular Saturday

I'm hoping for a Super Spectacular Saturday! I'm allowed to hope right? Yesterday Morning was Fantastic but last Evening was Frantic and anything but Fabulous. Anyway 2 of the card that I made yesterday happened to be Birthday Cards. So I decided you might as well see them and NO they are not for me; I did NOT make myself a Birthday Card.

My Brother's Birthday is 2 day after mine on the 8th of this month. Above is the card I made for him and of course I wrote something ever so quaky inside!!! And since they have Ducks!

Then my Father's Birthday is on the 28th of this month. Since it is unlikely I'll see him between Easter and his Birthday I though I should have his card and gifts ready to take along on Sunday as well.

Easter falls on the 1 year anniversary of my Mother's death. Through that experience I've learned you never know what the next moment may bring let alone the next day. So I'd much rather give him the card and gift early and then if I do see him on his Birthday just wish him a Happy Birthday that day!

Hope all you all enjoy these cards and will check in on Sunday to see the 3 Easter Cards I have to show. One of the cards is for my My Hubby, My Son (Grandson) and My Father. I didn't get a card made and in the mail in time for my Son in California but his package will be on the way soon and that is more important to him. I hopefully will get to talk to him on Easter or Even better a video call!

I will also post late tomorrow in the late afternoon, after Stamp Express has closed. Want to make sure you get a preview of what the Make & Take is for the coming week at Stamp Express.

I have 3 classes coming up this month at Stamp express. I will try to post those pics as well. Ooops, I better get those taken!

On the 6th 6-8 pm I have a Rubber Stamp Tapestry Class: this class will include making 3 cards using the Butterfly Flowers RST Set and other some extra RST stamps. Also we will be using Nestabilities

On the 13th 6-8 pm I have a Glimmer Mist Class: this class will include 2 coordinating 8"x8" scrapbook designer pages and 3 Embellishments.

On the 20th 6-8 pm I have a Purses and Bags class: this class will include 2 purses and 1 gift bag. We will be using dies, embellishments, ribbons and etc to create these Awesome Projects.

All these Fabulous & Fantastic Classes are at the Stamp Express. You will need to call them or stop by to register and pay for your class. All the classes are $20.

Fantastic and Frantic Friday !

This card is dedicate to all you lovely ladies who had a "Frantic Friday" and need to go home; sit down, kick those feet up and have a great drink (shaken NOT stirred)For those ladies who had a "Fantastic Friday" I can say that my morning was also Fantastic! My hubby took the little fellow to get his hair cut then they went to the grocery store and the apothecary before coming home. What "Fantastic Fabulous Fun Friday"! In that time I was able to get 3 entire card completed from sheer idea to finish project!!! How often does that happen when you have a toddler in the house. I can tell you; not often!!! Anyway; I will show you those cards Sunday in my Easter Post.

Do not fret I do have other samples to share today! Here are some samples that I made Monday when I went to play stamps at my Friends house! We had such fun and she had read about this new technique that she wanted us to try so by all means try it we had to. Playing with new thing or in a new way are so much fun!!!

So lets chat about what we did and check out the great samples I came home with. Michelle and I had such fun and it had been so long since we had gotten together to play that it was sheer bliss, to say the least now on to what you are here for.

So the first thing we did was cut a piece of white card stock and a piece of tissue paper. We laid down the card stock and then the tissue on top of that (I recommend laying the shinny layer of the tissue paper up to begin). Spray (both layers together-tissue on top of the card stock) with Glimmer Mist. We started with "Sea Glass" in the center, then "Sherbet" around that and finally "Chocolate or Coffee" around the very edges. Then you will need to smooth out the tissue (every so very gently). Using a heat gun dry first the tissue paper and then the card stock papers (being very careful not to burn or char the tissue paper). When both papers are dry you have two fantastic designer papers to use to create two fancy dancy cards for two very special people in your life!

As promised these are the two samples I made with each piece of my hand made designer papers! Both cards are using a Stampin' Up Hostess Set. If you fall in love with this set you only have a 3 month left to get it so call your Stampin' Up Demonstrator or if you don't have one call mine, she is a super wonderful person and my very special friend that showed me this very fun and beautiful technique. So now that I'm done bragging about my friend and Stampin' Up Demonstrator; her name is Michelle Hileman and her number is (717) 932-2800. And remember you only have until the end of June to get this incredibly gorgeous Hostess Set.

I love in fell in love with this set and Michelle is such an incredibly wonderful friend that she gave me a set for my Birthday! I was so excited and so happy and so thankful and so lucky to have such a dear, sweet, wonderful Friend. Again Thank you sooo very much for all the wonderful things you gave me for my Birthday Michelle your are truly a very great friend!

My Birthday isn't even until Tuesday the 6th and I've already gotten my gift from Michelle which was so much more than that lovely stamp set and I got my gift from my hubby. He bought me my choice of a dozen copic markers. "Yeah ME"! I may not get anything else but I think I made out pretty well anyways.

Tastefully, Tempting Thursday

Well I've been doing lots more creating lately than I've been able to for a while now. Thankfully!
So due to that I have lots more images scanned into my computer, just waiting for me to share it with you all. Hmmm... much thoughtful contemplation... trying to figure out which of my creations to share today. How about we choose our QuicKuts. I have loved these little dies and have been using them for some time. But when when they started coming out with larger dies and longer border style ones they obviously won me over in no time as well. So without further dilly-dallying here are two of my favorite samples.
I made both of these samples last summer when I was considering applying for a position as an ambassador with QuicKutz. Since thing obviously change and sometimes quickly, let just say that is no longer in the plans but I still love QuicKutz.

This book mark is my absolute favorite. It has loads of QuicKutz dies on it and one small tiny picture of our "Sweet Baby Cakes" from September 2008 when he was 2 years old. The dies encompass everything that he loved at the time: legos, crayons, construction vehicles, bubbles and balloons.

Now how many of of you want to run out and find you some QuicKutz or dig them out from that back drawer and start using them again. It is true that some little impressions can go a very long way and they are great for those little "Love Notes" as well!

Until Next time be safe, be healthy and be creative!