Inspired by ...

I am finally getting caught up on my blurfing! Haven't been able to keep up with it during the last few weeks. I found this card on Laurie Schmidlin's blog Just Give Me Stamps today and just had to play around with it. This is the result:



I got this sentiment stamp at a stamping bud's shop in Estes Park and I really love both the message and the font. One card is Basic Gray with a new HA background stamp embossed on the card base. The borders were created using a CB edge bolder that was then trimmed. The dp and buttons are from su and the sentiment was cut out with a nestie. The second card base is Sage Shadow with the Basic Gray panel punched with one of my new deep cut MS punches. DP, buttons and die cut are just like the other card.

Well it's back to work today - but hey - it's Friday! Thanks for visiting and I hope you all have a Happy Halloween. I'm looking forward to hopefully seeing the grandkids!

~chris

A Proud member of The Lime Light
Come visit us and see what we've been up to.
Design Team Member - Kaboodle Doodles
If you have any questions about techniques or materials used in the work displayed on this blog, feel free to use the email link on the left and I will gladly answer your questions.

Pals Paper Arts "In the Pink" Challenge

Well I wanted to try sewing on my cards and there was this great challenge over at PPA to make pink cards to celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Here's my card and a second card as well - no stitching on the second one though.


Thanks for visiting. I'm trying to take advantage of the snow day and get some things done and so far, so good!

~chris

A Proud member of The Lime Light
Come visit us and see what we've been up to.
Design Team Member - Kaboodle Doodles
If you have any questions about techniques or materials used in the work displayed on this blog, feel free to use the email link on the left and I will gladly answer your questions.

Today's gratuitous snow shot!

DH took this on his way out the door to go to work. Luckily, I have another SNOW DAY today! I hope to put it to good use!


I have been wanting to try paper piecing for a long time. Don't know why I haven't up till now, but I received a wonderful package from Tracy (thanks Tracy) and it contained a cute Hannah set that looked to be a good candidate. I'm thinking she would look better as a blond though. Here's my card:

Thanks for visiting today. Hopefully, I will have more goodies to show you later! The other thing I've been wanting to try is sewing on my cards (got the cute Janome mini over a year ago and it sits unused .... sad but true), so maybe today would be a good day for that!

~chris

A Proud member of The Lime Light
Come visit us and see what we've been up to.
Design Team Member - Kaboodle Doodles
If you have any questions about techniques or materials used in the work displayed on this blog, feel free to use the email link on the left and I will gladly answer your questions.

Snug as a Bug!

Take a look at the view from my front door this afternoon:

Yikes! DH put a 12" ruler on the railing and it is not visible. So glad we both decided to stay home. Our power went out about 12:30 last night and did not come back on till about 7 this morning. So grateful for those brave power guys out there getting things fixed!

I managed to uncover my desk and make some cards too! Here they are:


Mix of pre-colored graphics from pcCrafters with computer generated sentiments and one with a stamped and colored image (the owl). I used one of my new MS deep cut punches that I picked up when I was in NJ too! I'm starting to feel like the mojo is coming back and hopefully it will stay around for awhile as I have an incredibly busy November ahead of me - at least 5 stamping events to plan and get ready for. The best kind of busy!

Well, going to head to bed and finish watching the baseball game. Tomorrow may end up being another snow day - we'll have to see how it looks in the morning. Thanks so much for hanging in there with me through this bit of a drought I've been in! I can't tell you how much I appreciate each and every one of you.

~chris

A Proud member of The Lime Light
Come visit us and see what we've been up to.
Design Team Member - Kaboodle Doodles
If you have any questions about techniques or materials used in the work displayed on this blog, feel free to use the email link on the left and I will gladly answer your questions.

Home at last!

I finally made it home last night. Got myself unpacked and a good night's sleep in preparation for what I knew would be a busy day today, and I wasn't wrong. Am still struggling to find that missing mojo, but I think it's somewhere nearby - I can almost see it! I'm working on my Lime Light project which is to make cards for Gilda's Club and I hope to have those to show you tomorrow!

There is a major winter storm headed our way tonight and tomorrow. DH is saying I might have to work from home tomorrow, but we'll see what it looks like in the morning.

Thanks for visiting and for your patience as I try to get my groove back!

~chris

A Proud member of The Lime Light
Come visit us and see what we've been up to.
Design Team Member - Kaboodle Doodles
If you have any questions about techniques or materials used in the work displayed on this blog, feel free to use the email link on the left and I will gladly answer your questions.

Alive and Kicking - Just not creating!

I miss my studio and my toys. I brought some stuff with me but I am seriously uninspired at the moment. We'll see what tomorrow brings. Weather is fine and it is really nice just hanging with my family. Get to go to AC Moore tomorrow!

Thanks for hanging in there with me through this little creative drought.

~chris

A Proud member of The Lime Light
Come visit us and see what we've been up to.
Design Team Member - Kaboodle Doodles
If you have any questions about techniques or materials used in the work displayed on this blog, feel free to use the email link on the left and I will gladly answer your questions.

At last ... some cards!

Been playing with digital images (since they travel so very well). Picked these cuties up from Pink Cat.


I colored them with a combination of pencils/oms and markers. Hadn't tried combining them before and I really like the brightness and flexibility the give you. Will be doing more of that!

Tomorrow will be the launch of a new challenge at Kaboodle Doodles. Our theme this round is "spooky" in honor of the upcoming Halloween holiday.

I also made several more pair of earrings, but cannot get a decent photo for anything. I'll try again tomorrow when it's daylight and we'll see.

Thanks for visiting!

~chris

A Proud member of The Lime Light
Come visit us and see what we've been up to.
Design Team Member - Kaboodle Doodles
If you have any questions about techniques or materials used in the work displayed on this blog, feel free to use the email link on the left and I will gladly answer your questions.

Not a card, but ....

My favorite bead store is here in DC and I managed to get there before the weather turned nasty. Here's what I made so far from my score:

Christmas is coming!

Thanks for visiting!

~chris

A Proud member of The Lime Light
Come visit us and see what we've been up to.
Design Team Member - Kaboodle Doodles
If you have any questions about techniques or materials used in the work displayed on this blog, feel free to use the email link on the left and I will gladly answer your questions.

Splitcoast Sketch Challenge

I think that my mojo is packed in a box we haven't gotten to yet! I am feeling really mojo-less this week. Too much going on I guess. I did manage to make a card for this week's sketch challenge using papers and stickers from the Christmas Jingle kit.


Hope to unpack my mojo tomorrow maybe!

Thanks for visiting.

~chris

A Proud member of The Lime Light
Come visit us and see what we've been up to.
Design Team Member - Kaboodle Doodles
If you have any questions about techniques or materials used in the work displayed on this blog, feel free to use the email link on the left and I will gladly answer your questions.

I am still here

I have not fallen off the face of the earth, just much more to do and much, much more tired than I expected to be. I hate moving! We are almost all moved - still have the big copier/printer/scanner to get over here and situated and the packing boxes are slowly but surely getting emptied out and things put away. I'm getting all the computers and printers connected and set up and we actually have more than one phone out of the box today!

I'd like it much better if the sun was out, but it is raining and cold - yuck - thought I left all that back in Colorado! I did make it up to the bead store before the weather turned awful and hopefully one of these nights I'll have enough energy left when I get back to the hotel to actually make something!

Thanks for hanging in there with me!

~chris

A Proud member of The Lime Light
Come visit us and see what we've been up to.
Design Team Member - Kaboodle Doodles
If you have any questions about techniques or materials used in the work displayed on this blog, feel free to use the email link on the left and I will gladly answer your questions.

Greetings from Washington, DC

Well the last few days have been pretty hectic. I am in DC now and I brought some toys to play with, just too tired tonight to do much. I'll be back though with some of my own "limited supply" challenge creations!

Thanks for visiting!

~chris

A Proud member of The Lime Light
Come visit us and see what we've been up to.
Design Team Member - Kaboodle Doodles
If you have any questions about techniques or materials used in the work displayed on this blog, feel free to use the email link on the left and I will gladly answer your questions.

Mini Treat Basket - October Make & Take Project

WARNING - LONG POST WITH LOTS OF PICTURES


I saw these adorable mini treat baskets on Angie Juda's blog (Chic n' Scratch) and just had to try them for this month's downline make and take project. Angie has a wonderful video tutorial on how to make these that you can find HERE, but if you are like me you find it helpful to have step-by-step instructions (with pictures) to help you out when you are first learning how to construct a 3d project like this one. The pdf file of these instructions is on the right side in the handy tools section, or you can click HERE to access it as well.

Step 1 - die cut basket pieces using the Baskets and Blooms die:

Step 2 - Remove the side tabs from the basket pieces:

Step 3 - Score the sides and bottom as shown:

I physically drew a line on my cutter at the 3/4" mark to help me do the scoring on this project.

Step 4 - Clip and cut your pieces as shown:

Step 5 - Apply sticky tape. I don't recommend using snail adhesive for this, but glue sticks or Tombow white glue might work as well as the sticky tape:


Step 6 - Adhere bottom tabs as close as possible to the bottom edge. This is really important to correctly shape the basket:


Step 7 - Align top and side edges. Your bottom edge will not match exactly:



Decorate, stuff with goodies and give away to your friends and family!

Paper used in this project is Real Red, Old Olive and Whisper White. Ink is Real Red and Old Olive. Stamps are from the Holiday Punch level 2 hostess set and they were layered on die cuts made using the movers and shapers dies. A little ribbon and some fun glitzy stuffing has these all ready for some treats. I think that chocolates will probably be in order here!

Thanks for visiting today. I hope this little tutorial was helpful.

~chris

A Proud member of The Lime Light
Come visit us and see what we've been up to.
Design Team Member - Kaboodle Doodles
If you have any questions about techniques or materials used in the work displayed on this blog, feel free to use the email link on the left and I will gladly answer your questions.

Another shameless grandma moment!

I got this in an email today from our son:

"After many hours of work Justice's tattoo is finally finished."

Of course, it helps that he has such great subject matter to work with! Most of the photos that you see here of the twins and the baby were taken by him. He has a great eye for catching just the right moment!

I'll have this month's make and take project to share with you later today along with a pdf tutorial. I loved this project!

Thanks for visiting!

~chris


A Proud member of The Lime Light
Come visit us and see what we've been up to.
Design Team Member - Kaboodle Doodles
If you have any questions about techniques or materials used in the work displayed on this blog, feel free to use the email link on the left and I will gladly answer your questions.

Mojo Monday #107

I really love sketch challenges and this week's Mojo Monday Sketch was a great one! Here's my card:

Card base is Pumpkin Pie, panels are BG Indian Summer layered on More Mustard. Strip is copper metallic edge punched with an EK Success punch and a bargain bin seasonal ribbon layered on top. Image panel is Always Artichoke with the pumpkin from Fall Whimsy embossed with copper ep and colored with pencils and OMS and cut with nesties. Bling is some more of that from last month that I found in the jewelry department! I had lots of fun with this card.

I'm hobbling around again - my big floor loom just jumped out in front of me yesterday morning and crashed into my baby toe! Made me totally scare the poor cats near to death. I limped around at work and when I finally got home and took off my shoes and socks - oh my - I didn't know skin could turn those kinds of colors! Don't have time to let it slow me down too much though as I will be in DC next week and needing to walk! R.I.C.E. is the order of the day for the next few days I think! Warning - beware seemingly stationary objects in your craft studio - they could jump out and get you when you least expect it!

Thanks for visiting today!

~chris

A Proud member of The Lime Light
Come visit us and see what we've been up to.
Design Team Member - Kaboodle Doodles
If you have any questions about techniques or materials used in the work displayed on this blog, feel free to use the email link on the left and I will gladly answer your questions.

New Kaboodle Doodle Challenge

It's time for a new Kaboodle Doodle challenge. This time it's a sketch challenge (courtesy of yours truly):

Here's my card:

Another Millie - I just love that girl! Please be sure to stop by the Kaboodle Doodle blog and check out all the other dt member's cards - they're terrific!

Thanks for visiting.

~chris

A Proud member of The Lime Light
Come visit us and see what we've been up to.
Design Team Member - Kaboodle Doodles
If you have any questions about techniques or materials used in the work displayed on this blog, feel free to use the email link on the left and I will gladly answer your questions.

Playing with my new nestie and she's home again!

I got this new nestie and had not done anything with it till I saw a card using it and just had to break it out and give it a try.


Images are from Fall Whimsy (one of my favorite fall sets) and the sentiment is from Teeny Tiny Wishes. Card stock is Kiwi Kiss and the medallion is Tangerine Tango with the pumpkin stamped on Naturals Ivory and colored with pencils and OMS.

Well, Belmira is home for the winter (unless we find a new home for her).

Thanks for visiting today. Come back tomorrow to see my card for the new Kaboodle Doodle challenge.

~chris

A Proud member of The Lime Light
Come visit us and see what we've been up to.
Design Team Member - Kaboodle Doodles
If you have any questions about techniques or materials used in the work displayed on this blog, feel free to use the email link on the left and I will gladly answer your questions.

Another BG card

I love this paper pack from Basic Grey - Marrakech. Great fall colors!

Used my new leaves die and some embossing folders too! Card base is Ripe Avocado, leaves are Old Olive, More Mustard and Really Rust. Sentiment is from the Curvy Verses set.

Pulling the boat tomorrow if the weather holds up. Can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to having another boat in the yard! At least the new one is in someone else's yard for the winter! It does give me something to tell folks to look for when they come to call though!

Thanks for visiting.

~chris

A Proud member of The Lime Light
Come visit us and see what we've been up to.
Design Team Member - Kaboodle Doodles
If you have any questions about techniques or materials used in the work displayed on this blog, feel free to use the email link on the left and I will gladly answer your questions.

Color Throwdown and Mercy's Sketch

I combined challenges in this card - this week's Color Throwdown #62 and Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge #41:

I'm not real sure how I feel about this one, but there it is.

Thanks for visiting!

~chris

A Proud member of The Lime Light
Come visit us and see what we've been up to.
Design Team Member - Kaboodle Doodles
If you have any questions about techniques or materials used in the work displayed on this blog, feel free to use the email link on the left and I will gladly answer your questions.