Here's what I've been doing...

Yup, I've been busy - even though you can't see it.  I've been creating Christmas cards...  and just yesterday I was told I need to make more.  I was wanting to move on, finish with Christmas but I guess I'm not.

No blah blah blah today ~ let's get right to it shall we.

I just love the SU! stamp Dasher but I'm trying to be thrify and I took a look thru my stamps and I found this one, I know it's not the Dasher stamp but it's close.  It is from Great Impressions.  I know that I list a lot of stamps from them but when we lived in CA our local stamp store always had their stamp of the month and being the good little shopper I (was) am I had to purchase it.

The base card is Riding Hood Red that I layered with grey c/s and Christmas Cocoa DP.  I stamped the snowflakes from Great Impressions also in silver Encore ink on white cs and layered that on to some grey c/s.  I stamped the reindeer image in Going Grey ink, punched it out with my Marvy Giga oval punch and sponged some grey ink around the edges before adhering it to a piece of Riding Hood Red.  I cut out the red panel with my small scallop oval nestie, paper pierced it and sponged some Encore ink around the edge before I layered that on to the card with pop dots.  I added a length of ribbon and adhered the sentiment panel.  On the inside I used grey and white c/s with a piece of the scrap DP and stamped the sentiment from an old D.O.T.S. set in Real Red ink and I was complete.

I will be back later with some more cards if you like.  Have a great Sunday!

I wish I was there...

Oh how I wish I was here.  Here in the cabin on the card that I made.  Wouldn't that be nice?  Gentle falling snow outside, a nice warm fire and a comfy quilt with a good book to read....  I'm clicking my heels and nothing is happening...

Ok Joani, wake up!  I must be dreaming again.

I don't know what it is about cabins but I just love them.  I've always had a dream of having a cabin in the woods.  That's one of the reason's I bought this stamp years ago.  The date on it is 1998 - I've had it forever. 

This is a simple card that I made for Christmas.  I stamped the image from Great Impressions and colored it in with my pencils and gamsol.  The base card is Chocolate Chip that I layered with DP from Hot Off The Press, Garden Green and Creamy Caramel.  I just layered the image on the card then used some stickles here and there to give it a little sparkle and I was done.

This is all I've got for you today.  I'm getting ready to pack things up for tomorrow to set up at the bazaar.  If you happen to be in the Paris Kentucky area Betty and I will be at the Fairgrounds Friday and Saturday peddling our goods and we'd love to see you!

Have a super great day!

Giving Thanks

Happy Friday everyone!  I hope that today finds you well.  As I sit here typing this it is rainy and gloomy outside.  It's been so nice the past few days.  I've been outside a lot with the puppy the past few days and it's been very nice.  Just yesterday I was sitting out back on the deck watching her, reading my book and it was nice to look up and see all the different colors on the trees and bushes.  The lady bugs flying thru the air all around me and the nice breeze.  It was a truly wonderful fall day.  Now there is today, ugh.  Rainy, gloomy.  It's a great night for soup!!

Enough of that ~ wanna see a card?

Now this card looked a whole lot better in my head.  I had plans for it, but it just did not come out like I expected.  That's been happening a lot lately.

I stamped the image from Great Impressions and colored it in with my pencils and gamsol then cut it out with my CB and Large Label nestie and adhered it on to a piece of rust cs that I punched out with my Small Scallop Rectangle nestie.  The base card is Close to Cocoa that I added a piece of ivory cs that I ran thru the CB with my Autumn Type folder.  I also took my sponge and added some Ruby Red ink to the word 'thankfulness' at the top of the ivory panel.  Before I adhered the image panel to the card I added the leaf brad in the top corner - I wanted to cover up the back of the brad, I don't like to see things on the inside of my cards.  Once that was all adhered I added the sentiment from Paper Impressions (very old) that I stamped with my Big & Juicy Foliage stamp pad and I was complete.

Like I said, not what I had wanted but it's what I got.

I hope to be back tomorrow to show you some more.  With it being rainy outside I think that Dixie will not want to be out all day and play.  Have a great afternoon!!

Happy Happy Monday!

Happy Monday everybody! I hope that the weekend went well for you. This weekend started off busy busy for me. I took Danielle prom dress shopping! Ugh. I'm supposed to love shopping with my daughter. Isn't that something that Mother's look forward to? Well, not me. I can only hope that in the years to come I will learn to love it. Oh, don't get me wrong ~ my favorite past time is shopping. But with a 16 year old, um - no. She is so picky. We were not that picky were we? Really, were we?

We started out at this one store on Main Street. We were in there for 2 hours!! There was another lady who had her daughter in there too. She said this is the 2nd week of trying to find a prom dress and this was her last stop. Oh, someone who knew my pain.... Of course there was nothing in there and we went to another store. Ahhhh, yes!! We found it. Thank goodness, I was about to lose it! I will post a picture of Danielle when prom rolls around.

I do want to remind you all of the blog candy that I have going on. There is still 3 spaces left. You can read the full post here....

So, are you ready for something?
Remember last week when I showed you a picture of this?

Well, being in a pinch I needed a "pad" to be able to use my Nesties to emboss. So I was told about this rubber mat that Lowe's might have in the plumbing section. I searched the store and did not find anything, but I did find this. It's a rubberized shelf liner. I thought we'll what the heck. Worse case I can use it for it's intended purpose, on a shelf.

To use it I just cut my nestie image like you would normally. Working from the bottom up it's the "A" plate, "C" plate then "B" plate.


Once you've cut out your image you will remove the "C" plate. So the nestie image is cutting side up on the "A" plate.
You will then take your piece of "foam", which I cut at 5 1/2" by 12" and fold it in 1/2. So now you have (from the bottom up) your "A" plate, your nestie and paper (cutting side up), your foam piece and 3 sheets of cardstock as a shim.
I tried it with 2 pieces of cardstock and it did not impress as well, so yes, 3 sheets are needed. Then place your TWO "B" plates on top of that. If you notice I then take the entire sandwich and place it just under the lip of the machine and push. I push just a bit to where the handle moves just slightly.
I then roll it thru the machine, first forward
then backward. It does not hurt to roll it back towards you. And it gives it another press to help it make the impression.

Then once you are done here is the end result.

I'm always looking for ways to use one thing or another. And when you run it thru the machine to emboss the foam does not cut from the die being face up. I think that this roll will last me forever!!

Ok ~ now are you ready for a card?

I'm working on Easter cards right now. I've got a few to get together to take over to the Peddler's Mall. Here's one I made this weekend.

This image is from Great Impressions. I stamped the image and colored it with my pencils and gamsol. The base card is Purely Pomegranate layered with Soft Sky and DP from Reminisce. I sponged Purely Pomegranate ink around the image and layered that on to Soft Sky and Purely Pomegranate. Before I adhered the layered I made the bow for the left side of the card. Once the bow and image was in place I stamped the sentiment "happy easter" from my Bunny Hugs set in Purely Pomegranate ink and cut the oval and the scallop oval out with my nesties. I then added some black dots around the oval before I adhered it to the card with pop dots.

Sorry for the long post today. My fingers were just rambling on and on and on..... I've got more for you tomorrow!!!

Here's to wishing you a great day!
Hugs,

Joani

Happy Monday!

Good Morning! I hope that today finds you well. It's the start of a new week. I see outside it is bright and shinny - and COLD. I'm not sure but I think that the temp was 30 this morning. Really not too cold, but cold considering we were just in the 70's last week!!

This weekend was the start of hunting season, so we know what hubby was doing! Yes, he did go hunting - and yes we have the dehydrator running as I type. The house smells good. He's off for a couple of weeks so I'm not sure how much I will get done. We've only been married 3 years, so we still like to spend time together Ü

So you want to see what I've been up to? This weekend I made a few more Fall cards and some place card tags. I thought that they might sell at the Peddler's Mall so why not try.

I'm sure that you've seen this image before. I've used this for many cards over the years, it's one of my favorites!! The stamp is from Great Impressions and the sentiment is from Print Works. I stamped the image and colored it with my watercolor crayons. I then sponged Really Rust around the panel and layered that on to a piece of Creamy Caramel. The base card is Chocolate Chip and I layered that with a piece of Really Rust and a piece of DP from Daisy D's. The sentiment was stamped in Chocolate Chip on to a scrap of Creamy Caramel and layered on to a piece of Really Rust, then I adhered it to the card with pop dots. I really like that DP, I think that it makes the whole card. Don't you?

This card started one way and ended up off to the edge of my table. Have you ever started a card, put the first layers down and then ended up with something that just did not work? I was so frazzled. Well, the next day I thought that there was something that had to be done with it. So I picked it up and the first thought that came to mind was "Happy Fall Ya'll". Well I stamped out the images, colored them with my watercolors and it worked out ok, I think.

The base card is Chocolate Chip. I covered it with some DP that once again is not marked on the back so I don't know who it's from - and Creamy Caramel. The image panel I sponged with Really Rust and layered on to a piece of Really Rust. All in all, I think it turned out ok.

Now ~ I want to show you the place cards that I made for the Peddler's Mall.

I think that they turned out nice. I used one of the SU! Top Note Die cuts in Chocolate Chip. I just folded it in the middle. I added the sentiment with Versamark and tied a length of ribbon to it. I then punched out a piece of Really Rust with my Mega Scallop punch and added a piece of white cs that I cut with my coluzzle and sponged Really Rust on to. I added the brads to each side and a small acorn stamp and I was done. I think that they turned out cute!

I'm off for now! I've got to go post my challenge over on Paper Wings. Stop by there sometime and see all the great work that the fellow TAC angels have made with the great products from The Angel Company!!

Have a great (and warm) day!
Hugs,
Joani

I told you I'd be back - and a sketch

Good morning everybody. I told you I'd be back ~ and I have a sketch for you!

I created a little yesterday and I thought that I'd start doing some sketches. I did just a couple a while back - but I think that I may start to do them weekly. Or at least try to do them weekly. I do have a book full that I've made up, I just never seem to use them. Go figure.


So, here we go.



If you've been around my blog for any length of time you may of seen this one already. I thought that I'd just start from the beginning of my book. This is the sketch. Now for what I made with it.

I still have to work on some Thanksgiving cards, but I thought that this would be good for a Christmas card. I just love snowmen - and these little guy's are no exception!

The stamps I used are from Great Impressions and Ann-ticipations. The base card is Bashful Blue and I used Pacific Point (love that color!!) and Ballet Blue. The DP is from that Walmart stack I bought last year. I used my Mega Scallop Circle punch and my SU! scallop circle punch. I colored the snowman in with pencils and if you look close you can see that I put fun flock on his hat and I used ultra fine glitter on the snow. The big scallop circle I used my white gel pen and made the dots. And the sentiment is stamped in Brilliant Blue.

I'm still working on the site I was talking about. I think that I may be almost finished with it. You know it takes a lot of time to work up a site. It's not something that you can just push a button and say "poof! It's done". But that is taking a lot of my time, so soon - fingers crossed - I will be back at my craft table!!

If you'd like I'd love for you to try out my sketch. Leave me a comment and I will stop by your blog and take a peek!

I will be having a blog candy coming up really soon. My blog-aversary is in the next couple of weeks and I hope you all enter!

Have a great day!
Hugs,
Joani

I did it again!

Yuppers, I made another organizer. This one I made with the traditional Christmas colors or red & green. I made this for my SIL and she's more traditional than I am. I used a paper pack of DP that I purchased last year at Walmart. It has a name on it of Imagine That. It was a great buy for textured double sided cs so I had to get it.

To make this I used a piece of thin cardboard that my hubby brought home. I cut it to the size of 16" x 16". I then scored it at 8" from the top to fold up the flap to make the inside pocket. I turned the sheet 1/4 turn and scored it every 4" to make the folds. I then decorated each "compartment" with a different paper on the inside and outside to keep it festive. All the paper that I used was from that one paper pack ~ it sure made it easy!

For the inserts I went to a site called Organized Christmas. It is a site you will have to check out for sure, there is more than just Christmas there. So many lists and such ~ I could spend all day hunting around there!! But for the lists for this planner you can print them out here. The tabs that are on the planner pages came from some Heidi Grace die cut pages that I have.

I used stamps from all different companies. Great Impressions, Darcies, D.O.T.S., Ann-ticipations and All Night Media. I used whatever I thought that she might like. You cant tell too much by the picture unless you click on it, but I used some glitter on the snowman & mittens and I used some fun flock on the hat for Santa. I'm still debating if I should use stickles on his beard to give it some "umph".

I think that this is the last one that I will make for a while. They are a little time consuming. Oh, they are fun ~ but I'm not getting anything else done doing these. I hope you enjoyed them ~ and I hope that they spark a little holiday spirit in you.

If I don't pop in - have a great weekend!
Hugs,

Joani

Good Morning!

Good morning everyone! I hope that today finds you well. It is a cool, crisp fall morning here. It is actually a little nippy out. I'm thinking a great sweatshirt kind of day! I just love fall!!


I have not finished my project that I was working on yesterday, but I did make a couple of cards that I can show you. As you know there is a lady that my husband works with that lets me put some of my creations at her booth at the Peddler's Mall. Well, I thought that I'd make some Christmas cards for her as a 'thank you' for allowing me to use space in her booth.

I'm kinda a non traditional Christmas color person. Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas! But since the stores commercialize it so by putting items out months before they should I get kind of tired of red and green. That's why you'll see lots of other colors from me for the holiday season.

The image stamp is from Great Impressions. The cs colors are Soft Sky (I loaded up on this before it was gone), dark linen blue and silver. I stamped the image with my black ink and colored it in with pens and pencils. I also used my sakura gel pen. The background snowflakes were stamped with my metallic silver pad. I just layered the image on to the different cs and that was all. The sentiment is from Hero Arts.

Once again the image is from Great Impressions. I've had these stamps quite some time. I purchased them from the local stamp store in California that I used to frequent (oh how I miss that place!!!). They would have these stamp of the month stamps, and of course I had to always be there to purchase them!!

The colors are the same. I stamped the image and colored it in with my pencils and gamsol. Once I colored the image I sponged Brilliant Blue ink around the panel. The background paper is from a paper pack I purchased last year at Walmart. I layered the dark linen blue and Soft Sky paper. I also had some paper that was run thru the cuttlebug in the Soft Sky color that I attached to the card. For the sentiment I stamped the word 'happy' in silver metallic on a piece of Soft Sky that I punched with my tab and attached that under the image panel.

I really hope that she likes the cards that I made for her. It's just a small gesture to thank her for her kindness.

Well ~ I must be off. I've got to finish the project that I started working on yesterday with Betty and Mom. I will show you pictures tomorrow for sure!

Have a great fall day!
Hugs,
Joani

It's almost the weekend!

Yup, it's almost the weekend! And I'm excited it's finally Thursday. I've been waiting and waiting for today to come. Why? Because the season of CSI finally starts!! I love all the CSI shows, and this one is my favorite. Bad news though that Grissom is leaving this season. How?! He's the biggest part of the show!! I'm not sure how it will be without him, especially since they've got Laurence Fishburne taking his place. Well, we can only hope that he comes back....

I've got a couple of things to show you today. I've been in my craft room working away. I hope that you like them.

The base card is Basic Black that I layered with Pumpkin Pie and some DP that I bought a long time ago that does not have any maker on it. I stamped the images from Best Fiends and Web Wishes and colored them in with pencils. I used my Sakura gel pen on the web as you can see it's sparkly! I also added a length of orange ribbon.

I added a piece of Pumpkin Pie layered on to Basic Black to the card with the sentiment before I added the image panel.

I sponged around the image panel with black ink, layered it on to Basic Black cs and attached it to the card with pop dots.

Here's a fall card that I made for a swap that I am in. I was a little behind on getting these out. Actually when I sign up for a swap I do the cards right away so they are ready. This time I slacked a little, but they are still in the mail be deadline time.

The base card is Really Rust. I layered it with Chocolate Chip and some DP that I punched the corners with my corner punch from All Night Media. But before I added that to the card I laid down a piece of gold ribbon to tie. The image is from Great Impressions that I've had for years. I stamped it and colored it with my pencils and gamsol. I sponged Chocolate Chip ink around the image and layered it on to a piece of Chocolate Chip and a piece of Gold cs. I added the sentiment Autumn from Ann-ticipations that I stamped on Really Rust with Chocolate Chip ink. I layered that on to Chocolate Chip and Gold cs and attached it to the card with pop dots. I added some stickles to just parts of the image for just a little "pop".

I made this next card for a friend of mine, Betty last week. I did not want to post it because she did not have it yet. Our "play date" was cancelled and she did not come over. But she stopped by this week and I gave it to her so now I can post it. She was Member of the Month on my MSN site and I wanted to give her a card to make her feel a little special.

The base card is Chocolate Chip. I layered it with Bliss Blue (yes, I still have a pack of it), Chocolate Chip and some DP from Paper Trey Ink that Betty gave me Ü

I stamped the image from On the Move and colored it with my pencils. I sponged Chocolate Chip ink around that panel and layered that with Bliss Blue and Chocolate Chip paper. The sentiment in the corner I stamped in Chocolate Chip and layered on to the scraps. I'm happy to say that she liked it!

Well - that's enough for today. I do have a couple more things to show you but they will have to wait til tomorrow.

Have a great day!
Hugs, Joani

Oh So Sweet!!!

What do you think of when you think of Valentines Day? No, G-Rated silly!!

I think of flowers, chocolate and lots & lots of smooches! Well, I thought "hmm, why don't I make a card like that!" So came this card.

The base card is Purely Pomegranate (I'm so going to stock up on that color before it is gone!!).

I then layered a peice of Pretty in Pink that I sponged Pink Passion ink around, then a peice of Close to Cocoa. The Close to Cocoa I stamped with my Autumn Leaves swirls set with Close to Cocoa ink. For the images - the flowers are from Great Impressions, the lips, from Whipper Snapper and the chocolate is from SU! Oh So Sweet set (an oldie but goodie!) I layered with Pretty in Pink, and burgundy cs that I got years ago at a show, I think it is from The Paper Palette. Just a plug for The Paper Palette --> they have the best tape EVER! It is the only tape that I have used for YEARS, and probably the only I will ever use... Ok, enough of that ~ back to the card.

I colored all the images with my SU! markers. Are you not proud of me, or what??? I did not use any pencils!! I put on my big girl panties and did it, just like Nike!! I used Pretty in Pink. Pink Passion, Green Galore, Close to Cocoa and Real Red.

The lips and the chocolate are punched out with my 1 1/4" and 1 3/8" square punches. For the last layer I just cut carefully on my cutter. I then put some stickles on the "flowers" and that was it.

Leave me a comment and tell me if ya like it!!

For Gabby's Challenge-My Blue Christmas

Once again I am plugging my girl Gabby's blog, Confessions of a Stamper. She is having a blog candy challenge (which I hope to have soon???-depending on all of you). She is just asking that you follow her guidelines.

I must appologize, but my sorting of paper is in a transition right now. I do know that the CS is SU! however, most of the colors are just in drawers not sorted. But otherwise, here is the recipie:

SU! Bashful Blue and Chocolate Chip.

Paper Salon polka dots & Walmart Chunky stack BG paper.

Ornaments by Great Impressions, stamped in black and colored with pencils and Gamsol.

Christmas Greetings by Hero Arts.

1 3/8" 1 1/4" 1" Circle punches.

34 guage wire.

I hope you enjoy!! Thanks for looking