holiday decor...

gotta admit...as much as i enjoy decorating for the holidays...i have never really made any of my own holiday decorations (not counting home made ornaments when i was much younger)...so i was initially stumped when i saw the Moxie Fab Decor to Make the Season Bright challenge...i had NO idea what i was going to try and create...so...it was time to wander about the local stores and see what might catch my eye...thankfully it was at the first store...found this cutie patootie mini wooden tiki-bar at AC Moore...best thing...it was 5.99!  WOOHOO cute AND cheap! here is the before shot:

so, once i got it home (after a run by michaels...where inspiration struck again in the form of mini-christmas deco items) i dug out the paint brushes, the paint...many adhesives (thank goodness for Fabri-Tac)...and well...here it is:

had lots of fun with this...i will say it was incredibly difficult to paint some parts...but only because i'm kind of a messy painter...need lots o'space to work with!  Enjoy!

Supplies:  wooden tiki - plaid; paint - Apple Barrel - English Lace, Kelly Green, Red Apple, Black, Caramel Candy; Distress crackle paint - walnut stain, picket fence; christmas lights - jolee's; snowmen, wreaths - celebrate it by michaels; ribbon - unknown

pretty pretty flowers...

ok...not the greatest title of a blog post ever...but oh well...IT'S FRIDAY!  WOOOOHOOOO!  In addition to it being the most wonderful day of the week (except for Thursday...when you have Friday off!) it's also time for a new Fashionista Friday challenge at the Shoe!  This week's challenge is Fashionista Friday #48...use FLOWERS!  SWEET!  Who couldn't use a few more flowers in their life????  Anywho...here is my creation:

Enjoy!  Looking forward to getting crafty this weekend...and don't forget...next weekend is World Cardmaking Day!  There will be a special prize up on the Shoe blog for next week's challenge!

Supplies: paper - basic grey capella; american crafts cardstock; stamps - verve; copics: rv83, 85, 89, g82, 85; spica - mint, lilac, black; pearls and ribbon unknown

have a holly jolly...holiday tag!

ahhh...red and green and thoughts of christmas trees...and 93 degrees outside...ok, i get it...i'm a little "early" on my holidays!  heehee!  hopefully i don't burn out before the fabulous winter holidays arrive!  so...had a LOT of fun creating today's project...i've been following the fab folks at Moxie Fab World and I'm loving this Holiday Cards and more challenge that they are running!  Totally has me in the mood for December!  This tag is for the All Wrapped Up Challenge.  So there I was...create a gift bag or tag or box or gift wrap....with the holiday theme...but then was visiting Splitcoast and their try a new technique is tags...hmmm...oh wait...lookie what we have here...Simon Says Stamp and Show has a new challenge up...this one is Show Your Grunge...and VOILA!  like the proverbial light bulb...I just so happen to have the seasonal Tim Holtz grungeboard!  (love those lightbulb moments!) and well...here's what came of it all!

ahhh...dreaming of cooler weather here!  one can wish and dream right?  Enjoy!  Oh...just in case it's clear as MUD up above how I got my inspiration...here it is, hopefully a little more clearly:

Moxie Fab: All Wrapped Up (you seriously need to check out their holiday challenges!  get your winter mojo going!)
Splitcoast Stampers: New Technique - Tag (TLC291)
Simon Says Stamp and Show: Show Your Grunge (gotta love the grunge!!!!)


Supplies: Distress Inks - Walnut Stain, Antique Linen, Barn Door, Fired Brick, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss, Faded Jeans, Vintage Photo, CTMH - Colonial White, Ranger archival - Jet Black; Stamps - background: Studio 490, flourish: Tim Holtz, sentiment: Verve, polka dots: Stampabilities; grungeboard - seasonal grunge from idea-ology; embossing powder - American Crafts Zing: silver, Stampn'stuff: White; Adirondack Paint Dabbers - Silver, Gold, Black; bling - Prima; Ranger Perfect Medium; ribbon - unknown; Distress Stickles - Peeled Paint

tis the season!

well...not quite yet...my household does not begin seasonal decorating until October 1...but we are getting closer...and before you know it...it will be Christmas time again!  (where has the year gone???).  Anyways...created this card for two challenges...the first...and primary inspiration being the Jolly Holiday Greetings Challenge in the Moxie Fab World!  I love Christmas!  So excited to see major Christmas-sy challenges and inspiration all over the place!  (ahem...one exception...it really is wayyyy too early for Christmas decorations to be out on the shelves in stores...gotta get to Thanksgiving before I can even THINK of Christmas doo-dads for the house!  but I digress...).  Anyways...they have a bunch of fab Holiday inspired challenges going on right now...so drop over to Moxie Fab World and check those out.  The other inspiration came from the gorgeous sketch happening over at Friday Sketchers!  I have a very hard time working without a sketch of some kind...if only to point me in the right direction!  And the sketch they have going on this week is absolutely dee-lish (Sketch #120)!  Enough chatter!  Here we go (please excuse the slightly dark photo, having lighting issues this evening):

(EDITED MONDAY 9/20) Here is another pic of my card...the above pic shows a much better view of the tree and liquid pearls...but I wasn't happy so much with the lighting and shadows...here is the pic i took today in natural light:

Have had a lovely lovely weekend (minus some football grumblings I may have...can't complain too much...at least one of my teams won this weekend! HOOK EM HORNS!) Feeling like I got the ole batteries charged again...so back to work tomorrow...woohoo!  Have fun!

Supplies:  Paper - Basic Grey; Cardstock - Bazzil; Stamps - Verve; Ink - CTMH: Chocolate, Olive, New England Ivy, Ranger Distress Ink - Antique Linen; Liquid Pearls - White Opal; Spellbinders - Lacey Circles and Scalloped Circles; Pearls and lace - unknown

Let it Snow!

but not today!  LOL!  created this LO using one of the fab sketches over at Simply Scrapping for the Sketchy Saturday group.  Great sketches to play with over there!  Took the picture in February of this year when we got a completely random snow storm!  South Carolina + snow = chaos!  it was gorgeous though! and thankfully it was gone the next day...i'm not much for the white cold stuff!

lots to do today...not really...ready for some LONGHORN FOOTBALL..but that will have to wait until tonight!  Maybe I should consider getting crafty!

Supplies: Paper - Basic Grey and My Mind's Eye; Cardstock - Bazzil; distress ink - antique linen, walnut stain, tumbled glass; adirondack pigment ink in snow cap; title - thickers from american crafts; bling by Prima; snowflakes - cricut; idea-ology - game spinner, gear, journal tag, mini paper clip; gem - heidi swapp; distress stickles - rock candy; distress crackle paint - rock candy

STAMP-tabulous STAMP-tember Hop!

hullo lovelies!  hope you are as lucky as i and having a fantastic weekend!  this post is for the Simon Says Stamp-tember Holiday Fun challenge!  Whew...these folks really make you work for it!  But it's a lot of fun getting to hop along the DT trail and see all of their fabulous creations!  For all the deets...start at Simon Says Stamp and Show...and eventually you will end up at Simon Says Stamp Challenge Blog...

here is my entry:

now all i need to finish it is some wire so that i can hang it in the house during the holidays!  enjoy!  off to have some family fun movie time...and then tonight...hubby and i get to watch the True Blood Season Finale...WOOOHOOO!

supplies:  grungeboard book (one page used here); distress inks: fired brick, barn door, stormy sky, black soot, forest moss, peeled paint, brushed corduroy; stamps - all Studio 490 from Stampers Anonymous; ink - ranger archival in black and olive, adirondack lights in snow cap; paper - kraft; maya road kraft journal tag; distress stickles - rock candy and fired brick; tattered angels glimmer mist in marshmallow; flowers by prima; diamond dust and glossy accents; ribbon unknown

gotta love the layers...

Created this for Simon Says Stamp and Show...been LOVING their challenges!  Forces me to stretch my creative wings a tad!  this challenge was to show layers...and let me tell you...i'm pretty sure EVERYTHING in this little mini-book is layered...ink...stamps...grunge...chipboard...paint...layer upon layer!  had a blast making it!  that's it for me today...we replaced flooring in the house (well in part of the house) over the weekend...so I'm sore...tired...and well...ready for bed!   have fun!

cover:

page 1-2

back page 2 - 3

back page 3 - 4

back page 4 - 5

back page 4 close up

i forgot to photo the back of page 5...some simple stamping is all.

supplies: distress ink - tumbled glass, bundled sage, rusty hinge, brushed corduroy, wild honey, barn door, shabby shutters, faded jeans, peeled paint; ranger archival - black and olive; stazon timber brown;  stamps - Studio 490; grungepaper and grungepaper; chipboard album, alphabet, hangers, scrolls all by maya road; adirondack paint dabber in black, copper, gold; idea-ology game spinners, gears, muse tokens, swivel clasp, memo pin; making memories alphabet sticker; heidi swapp bling flowers; queen&co pearl; distress stickles in black soot, rock candy and broken china, black diamond stickles; maya road kraft tag; random jewelry by blue moon beads; rock candy distress crackle paint

pastel dream...

Happy Friday lovelies!  Hope all is well with you!  Quick post (working on a crafty project...hate to step away from it for even a second!)...had to post about this week's Fashionista Friday challenge (FF#46) over at the Shoe!  Another yummy color challenge!  I had fun with this one...using some ideas from Wendy Vecchi's blog...I hit my grunge and chipboard with some white pigment ink then inked over it (once dry of course!) with some scrumptious distress ink colors...gave me a fab, chalky, pastel-ly finished project!  Here goes:

Enjoy!  And be sure to drop by the Shoe and play along with us!

Supplies: Distress ink - broken china, rusty hinge, brushed sage; stamps - Studio 490 from Stampers Anonymous, script from Stampabilities; chipboard - Maya Road; key - idea-ology; adirondack paint dabbers in juniper and silver; ink - Ranger Archival Black, STAZON Timber Brown