Vintage Christmas

It sure is fun playing along with the Merry Monday Challenge so close to Christmas!  This week, Deanne challenged everyone to make a Christmas card with a bird on it.

I chose a Pink Persimmon stamp set called "Holiday Hello" and it features this adorable vintage girl and sweet sentiment.

I paper pieced her coat, mittens, and the flower on her hat.  The background is stamped with Impression Obsession's Cover a Card background in Canvas.  Over the top I stamped the Filagree Snowflake Background (one of my favorite stamps of all time!) from Peddler's Pack.

My bird?  A sparkling dove!

The mini plaid bow is cut with a die from Mama Elephant Creative Cuts dies that is included in the "Basic Set."

This challenge is such a fun way to start a Monday!  Thanks for stopping by!  :)

Cottage Sketch

An awesome sketch by Narelle Farrugia this week at Freshly Made Sketches!

Used this "Christmas House" image from Pink Persimmon, and a sweet sentiment from Love Lives Here Holiday from Papertrey Ink.  Background paper is from an Echo Park's "Christmas Reflections" pad from last year.  It's difficult to see, but added some Wink of Stella glitter pen on some of the snowy hills.

Another Christmas card done...I'm in the spirit now!

12 Kits of Occasions...with ME!

It's my turn to share a kit at the 12 Kits of Occasions Blog and I had so much fun planning it and then sending it out!   Kara made this amazing photo collage of it ( I put it on the "extra large" setting because it's such an awesome collage) and she even gave it a title! :)  All of the supplies you see are listed HERE.

As soon as I saw Echo Park's " 'Tis the Season" patterned paper collection with a chalkboard theme, I knew it was the 6x6 pad for me!  As I mentioned on the 12 Kits blog already, I used this sheet of paper from the pad to give me ideas for all of the elements to include in the kit such as stamped images, sentiments, and die cuts.

Oh that Scottie dog caught my eye!  So up first is this cute one from Pink Persimmon!

I thought he would look perfect jingling along in the snow in his rhinestone collar and houndstooth coat.  That is one of my favorite sentiments that I own!  It's a wood mount stamp from the former A Muse Artstamps :)

Then it was time to get chalky!  This is the new Chalk Background from Hero Arts with the charming 2011 Heirloom Ornaments from Waltzingmouse Stamps.

And now for the amazing sentiments!  These are new from A Muse Studio, a cling set called "It's a Wonderful Life," and they stamp so beautifully!  I added some "chalk" detail around the words with a white pencil.  This background stamp is so authentic...just a little white ink on dark cardstock and you get the perfect vintage chalkboard look.

Time for some tags!  This one uses another fave image of mine...the "Xmas Stocking" by Anna Wight for Whipper Snapper Designs.  It's hanging from a sweet, tiny new Memory Box die called "Festive Lights" and is paired with another sentiment from "It's a Wonderful Life."

Speaking of Memory Box, I fell in love with this gorgeous Deer Collage stamp from them while shopping at my fave little stamp store "One Little Spark" in Tuckerton, New Jersey this summer :)  It looks regal with the L'il Inkers Snowflake dies and a silver-embossed sentiment from Waltzingmouse Stamps' Festive Foliage set.

 I colored with the C1 and C3 Copic markers...and turned him into Rudolph!

Now for another great Memory Box find...this little tag cut with the Pocket Tag die!  Perfect to slip a little something in...we tried a gift card which didn't quite fit, but some dollar bills did :)!  I "Stickled" up my favorite candy cane from Waltzingmouse Stamps' Sewing Box-Christmas, and placed it on the outside pocket.  I actually cut 2 tags with the die and used patterned paper for the pocket flap (it's glued over the original black cardstock flap). The cute reinforcer piece is cut with a die included with the tag.

More mini tags, this one cut with Papertrey Ink's newest Tag Sale #8 die...

More pencil detailing on this sentiment from A Muse Studio's "It's a Wonderful Life."  The PTI Holly Jolly dies are sugar coated with Martha Stewart's clear coarse glitter.

Another fabulous Hero Arts Stamp, the Pen & Ink Christmas Tree paired with a sentiment from their new clear set "Banners and Messages."

I detailed this with white pencil but then coated over the top of that with a Sakura Stardust pen...very shimmery in the sunlight!

This next tag got away from me a little bit, hee!  It's very dotty!  

The tree is embossed with a Sizzix dot folder and then I colored each one with a chalk marker.

The little tag and heart are both made from wood veneer and then painted.  The heart is from Studio Calico and the tag is made by Ball Jars.  I used a beautiful new sentiment from Waltzingmouse Stamps new "Seasonal Flourish" sentiment set. 

Last but not least, another beloved retired wood mount stamp from A Muse Artstamps (also purchased at One Little Spark a few years ago)...Snow Gent (and his Starbucks cup, hee)! with a sentiment from "It's a Wonderful Life."  The tree and snowflakes in the background are from Papertrey Ink's "In the Meadow" stamp set.

So there you have it!  I think I am having kit letdown now!  Luckily, I have tons of inspiration from these ladies coming up and the stamp sets to try their ideas out!  All of the supplies for this month's kit are listed on the 12 Kits of Occasions blog HERE.  You can also find us on Facebook HERE and our Pinterest page HERE.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Karen Stein

Our Special Guest this month!

Amy Kolling

Cathy Weber

Christina Maclaren

Jessica Davis

Joyce Mehrberg

Kara Vrabel

Kim Heggins

Marybeth Lopez

Sharron Gregory

Renee Lynch

Tracey McNeeley

Top 10

I can't believe tomorrow is the day before 1-1-11!  How many mothers-to-be are going to be telling the doctors at 11:45 PM..."BUT I CAN WAIT 15 MORE MINUTES!", heeee!  Seriously, how cool would it be to have that date as your birthdate?

But I digress.  I decided to hop on the Top 10 bandwagon.  Lots of people on the PTI forum have been posting their top 10 favorite cards or projects that they made this year, so I came to my blog and started looking back, too.  It's really hard to "judge" your own work, but here are some cards and things that I had a great time making (and some of the stamps sets that I just LOVED playing with this year)!

Earth Angel & Pic-Nic Patterns, Waltzingmouse Stamps

You're A Jewel, Pink Persimmon

Round and Round & Background Basics: Tin Types, Papertrey Ink

Year of the Flower: Violets, Background Basics: Tin Types, Papertrey Ink

Sewing Box: Hugs, Waltzingmouse Stamps

Believe, Papertrey Ink

Midnight Feast, Sweetie Pouch template, Waltzingmouse Stamps
A Little Argyle, Papertrey Ink

Baby Button Bits, Background Basics: Retro, Papertrey Ink
Ticking Stripe Backgrounder, Cornish Heritage Farms

Wreath for All Seasons, Background Basics: Botanicals, Papertrey Ink

Friendship Jar Fall Fillers, Papertrey Ink

Midnight Feast, Waltzingmouse Stamps

Little Red Wagon, Vintage Greetings, Pink Persimmon
October Afternoon paper!

So there you have it!  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Festive Tree

Long time, no blog!  We've been away in New Jersey to see family for Thanksgiving and also so that I could attend my 20th High School Reunion!  I got me a new avatar after dressing up for the party on Saturday :)!

Today I thought I would share a card featuring Pink Persimmon's new stamp set
Merry Christmas Tree!  Used PTI's Pinefeather cardstock, stamped the tree in Versamark, and then embossed it in white.  The little red stitching is actually a stamp included in this set!  The big plaid ribbon and jingle bell are courtesy of JoAnn's (and some coupons, hee!), and more PTI cardstock in Fine Linen. 

Tomorrow is December 1st and the start of my favorite card-making time of the year!  Can't wait to dig into my Christmas stamp stash and see what I've been missing all these months!

New Christmas stamps at Pink Persimmon!

Two new stamp sets just released at Pink Persimmon!  They are designed by Cathe Holden and are just vintage loveliness! 

On this card, I used Holly & Mistletoe to make a frame for the Santa image from last year's Holly Wreath set.  Used more thin cherry real wood paper from Creative Imaginations along the bottom, some red twill and gingham ribbon, and a vintage gold button.  Stazon Jet Black ink worked perfectly for watercoloring Santa and stamping the sentiment from the set on the wood paper.  Look closely, and you will see that Santa's hat is even fuzzy (thanks to some white fun flock by Stampendous)!

Pink Persimmon also released some beautiful new ribbons and twill tapes (including a ruler print!) that can be seen HERE.

Keep your eye on Pink Persimmon's BLOG this week (and mine, too!) for more projects featuring Holly & Mistletoe and the other newly-released stamp set Merry Christmas Tree!

Pink Persimmon + Plaid Products = PERFECT

Today my project featuring Pink Persimmon stamps and PLAID Folk Art Paints is being featured at Pink Persimmon's blog!  Hop over HERE to see the photo tutorial showing you how to make this:

Don't forget to answer the "Question of the Day" at the end of the blog post at Pink Persimmon to be entered into the Plaid prize package giveaway for today!

Special thanks to my great-nephew Owen for appearing in my project :) !

PLAID and Pink Persimmon!

Next week beginning on Monday, September 6th, it is PLAID week at Pink Persimmon!  Not as in "plaid" prints and fabrics but as in awesome PLAID Products, which you can see featured on their blog, Paint me Plaid! 

Each day next week, a Pink Persimmon Creative Team Member will be featuring a project combining products from PLAID and Pink Persimmon stamps.  I've had a sneak peek at them all, and they are fabulous! 

Each day check Pink Persimmon's Blog for the full tutorial for each project.  Then, answer the "question of the day" at the end of the post to be entered into the PLAID prize giveaway...which includes an assortment of fabulous prizes ...for each day...for a total of 7 days!  That means 7 prize giveaways!  And you can enter all 7 times!! 

The feature begins on Monday, September 6th and extends through Sunday, September 12th.  Don't forget to come back and see my project on Friday, September 10th, and I'll tell you why I am MAD for PLAID!!

New Pink Persimmon Stamps...a sale...and prize giveaway info!

New stamps debuted this week at Pink Persimmon!  This card features an adorable pumpkin from the new set Vintage Pumpkins created by Peggy Jo Ackley.  I also used the Journaling Ticket image, and a sentiment from Sweet Greetings and decorative paper from Cloud Nine (with sparkly candy corn!)

The other set just released is the adorable Holiday Favors, also designed by Peggy Jo Ackley.  It perfectly coordinates with the new 2x2 Truffle Boxes which will soon be released in the store.  It features fun images of a Santa, clown, baby, and angel, as well as other fun decorations to add some fun to favor boxes of any kind. 

Speaking of Christmas, Pink Persimmon is having a sale on all of it's holiday stamp sets, including
 Little Christmas Cottage, Holly Wreath, and Santa's Sleigh.

Annnnnd....there is a Pink Persimmon prize giveaway being hosted by PaperCrafters Corner!
1.  First, visit Pink Persimmon and check out all of the stamp sets. 
2.  Then click on this link to go straight to PaperCrafters Corner, and write the name of your favorite Pink Persimmon stamp set in the comments section. 

You will be entered into the prize drawing to win the 2 newly released sets, Vintage Pumpkins and Holiday Favors!   Hurry, as the chance to enter ends on Saturday, September 5th at midnight EST!  Good luck!

Sweet Cupcake

Pink Persimmon stamps and October Afternoon papers seemed like a perfect pairing for some more Dare to Get Dirty Challenges at SCS!  I combined sewing, a winged thing, and a sketch by Dirty Dozen Alumni Amber Dawn!  Stamps are from Vintage Cupcake and the NEW Mini Banner Greetings set, which I hand-stitched at the top.  My sewing machine might break free from the box very soon as I finally have a pal of mine (Carol!) who is back in town this summer and ready to show me how to thread it up!

Precious!

 For today, a card featuring Pink Persimmon's AWESOME new set Baby Clothesline!  I stamped the images on watercolor paper, then colored then with a waterbrush and Martha Stewart's Watercolor markers (....well, they really aren't HERS, she just manufactures them :)  Then sentiment is from the equally cute new set Baby Greetings!

Pink Persimmon is releasing NEW stamps today!

It's release time at Pink Persimmon!  FOUR new stamp sets will be released today including the adorable baby sets Baby Clothesline and Baby Greetings!  These images were stamped on cardstock, and then added to one of Pink Persimmon's Tin-Tie Coffee Bags, also available at the store now!  The star image on this bag can be found in the set Little Cuties.

This card features another NEW set called Mini Banner Greetings along with the Flower Garden set.  There pretty much isn't anything hotter in the paper-crafting world  than banners right about now!

And yet another card featuring Baby Clothesline and one more new set "Mini Banner Alpha" used along the bottom to spell out "Sweet Dreams"...SO adorable!

There will be a giveaway at Pink Persimmon's Blog today!  Just visit and tell us the author and title of a "most inspiring book" in the comments section (art, craft, inspiration) so that you can be entered into the random drawing to win some new release goodies!  The post will stay open until midnight on Saturday, July 10th, and then a winner will be chosen on Sunday, July 11th! 

I don't read many craft books, as I tend to stick to magazines.  My fave book of all time, though,  is called "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls.  It is an inspiring memoir by a woman working for MSNBC detailing her rather eccentric, and sometimes harrowing, childhood.  It is SUCH a good read, you almost think that it is fiction.  I discovered it when I was pregnant with Claire.  I had something to keep me occupied for a few days while I stayed awake at night due to heartburn!

Be sure to visit the blogs of the rest of the Pink Persimmon Creative Team listed in the top right corner of my blog for some more wonderful inspiration!  Good luck!

Happy Mother's Day...to me!

Pink Persimmon sent us this awesome Bracket Album by KaiserCraft this month, and asked us to decorate it for someone special on Mother's Day or Father's Day.  I chose to celebrate...me! 

Let me explain. When I first got the project I thought "Oh dear." I felt the dreaded "twinge." My Dad died when I was 4 and my Mom died when I was 18, both from illness. They did have me as "older" parents but they were only in their 50's-60's which is young. Most people don't even know this about me, because I don't bring it up unless directly asked. Every year at school I would feel the "twinge" around Father's Day because of the projects. My teachers were always sympathetic and I joyfully would celebrate my 2 brothers-in-law, my uncles, etc...but I would get that twinge. So after my mother died, I carried on and celebrated my wonderful sisters (who are 17 and 24 years older than me!!), and now my wonderful mother-in-law...but still the twinge was there.

And THEN I became a mother...and the twinge is so tiny now that Mother's Day is one of the best days of the year for me! And so that is why I celebrated myself! It was so much fun to put this together! The only issue that came up was that there aren't that many pictures of the girls and me together because I am always the one behind the camera. (Jason took note of this, and said he will work on being the photographer here and there!)  

So here is my Mother's Day Album featuring Eva, Claire, and me!  I used beautiful papers from the "Fly a Kite" and "Thrift Shop" lines from October Afternoon.  I painted the edges of the frames with Tim Holtz Antique Linen Crackle Paint.  Listed below the pages are the stamp sets I used...

Cover:  Little Red Wagon, Vintage Greetings

The next 2 pages open up together, as my pages are bound at the top.

Eva and Claire when they were born!

Stamps: Banner Set (small), Journaling Ticket, Flower Garden

These 2 pages are for Eva! 

Ric Rac Circle, Flower Greetings

And the final pages are for Claire!

Dutch Journal Circle Stamp, Cute as a Button

In case you can't see the fine print, my note to Eva said "We laugh at the same things.  Your laughter must be what sunshine sounds like."  My note to Claire said, "When people say we look alike, it makes me shine inside."

The girls LOVED looking at this.  Eva even said, "Mommy you are so SWEET!" ( I know, blushing!!)  I told Darcy and Judi (the owners of Pink Persimmon) that a new scrapbooking bug just may have bitten me. 

It was my very first scrapbook, and such fun to make!

Don't forget to stop by Pink Persimmon's Blog to see the awesome album that Kristie made on Tuesday, and Samantha made on Wednesday! 

 

This one's for Speedy!

Last week I had the honor of hosting Mothermark's Teapot Tuesday Challenge at Splitcoaststampers!  Every Tuesday Mothermark, aka Cindy Motherway, chooses a teapot and tells an outlandish story inspired by it.  Then we are all to make a card inspired by her story...usually the teapot is the "theme" of the party, and lets us travel to spots all around the globe. 

For my party, we went to Florida to see the famous "Speedy the Cat".  That's Faith Hofrichter's cat....she is also known as "Markie's Mom" at Splitcoast. The party was in her honor as she has 100,000 posts!  My  party was entitled "A Tuesday TeaPOST for the one with the MOST!"  Faith always tells funny stories about her black cat Speedy.  So here is the teapot, my story, and my card:

Have you ever noticed that number under your avatar? The one that notes how many posts or comments that you have made? Some people are just starting out in the 100's, some people are in the middle of the road at 5,000, and some are even over 10,000 and get to change from a "Glitter Guru" to a name of their choice!

But THEN there is Faith (Markie's Mom). OH MY GOSH...GET the CAFFEINE! She is closing in on 100,000 posts/comments!!!!!!! That's a whole lotta love on Splitcoast! She WOWS us with her gorgeous cards, has her own new stamp company "Mark's Finest Papers," and the COMMENTS, oh the comments she leaves all of us! You know we ALL love when that smiley blonde pops up in our gallery. So today we are throwing a party for Faith...a Tuesday TeaPOST for the one with the MOST!

So here's the story:

Faith has this little black cat named Speedy. Speedy gets into alot of trouble, and has Faith calling for the Tylenol on a daily basis! He dumps her bins of scrap paper, fiddles with her ribbons, and waltzes across her ink pads! Well Faith has had ENOUGH! She thinks that Speedy needs to go on a little vacation. Faith saw an ad in the Florida Gazette that Kittie Caracciolo was hosting a little "Learn to Cause a Scene" watercoloring session nearby. PERFECT, she thought, because Speedy can DEFINITELY do that! Here comes the surprise...once Speedy is out of the house, we can all head to Faith's kitchen for a little relaxation and some TEA.

This ain't no LARK, MARK! (Mark is Faith's husband, who is desperately trying to book a flight out for him and for Markie, because the thought of all of the teapotters and their weekly antics in the kitchen is making him a tad nervous). There is one teeny problem. Speedy is slacking on the packin'! There he sits among a pile of freshly folded laundry. Faith has told him "like 100,000 times" to get going or he'll miss the bus!

So we need LOTS of ideas to get Speedy on the move! Bring your best ideas to the party...or maybe a few snacks to tempt him...or how about showing him all of the fun he will have making scenes with Kittie?! Maybe you could show us the scene at Faith's house as she waits for Speedy to get packin'!! How about tempting Speedy with the promise of a Florida Feline Lady Friend or participating in the annual Florida Gator Wrestling Contest which happens to start on Tuesday! Bwahahaha! But I must say, if you bring a skeery dog, then you'll have to come in the back door!

And here is my card.  It's called "Markie Saves the Day"...he loaded up Speedy's suitcase into his Little Red Wagon, and headed off to the bus station, leaving Speedy to chase after calling, "Markie wait for ME!"  (My Speedy is courtesy of Pink Persimmon's Little Cuties!)