Peek

It's a bit hard to see, but this card is actually shaped like a door.  How fun is that! I found it on the Silhouette store.  99¢ well spent.  It went just perfect with a Door County Rubber Stamp I had of a girl peeking through the door with her teddy.  Then I found the "I knew you'd look" sentiment from River City Rubber works.  I love it when a plan comes together :-)

 

I made a few versions of the card.  One (this one) I used flowersoft on the wreath.  Another I embossed and sanded.  Both were pretty, I love the realism of the flowersoft, but if I were doing masses for Christmas, I would probably emboss and sand.  Much faster

 

 

Here's a close up of the image.  I love the sepia tone, with just a pop of red for her hair ribbon.

 

 Here's the same image used as the whole front of the card.  It reminds me a lot of Maurice Sendak 's art for some reason.

Secret Garden Chunky ATC

Ever made a chunky ATC?  This was my first try.  You just take a 2x4 and slice it up and it makes a block just the same size as an ATC, only 3 D.  Or in my case you ask Michelle LaRue from Pine Needle Hill Co., the block making/altering expert if she and her charming husband would make up a batch for you. 

I am slightly obsessed with the Secret Garden.  It's my favorite book ever.  And movie.  Gosh that is a pretty movie.  I think it helps me survive February.  Spring is so close, and yet daffodils are so far away.

So here's my little Secret Garden...

Flowersoft blooms and ivy grows on the top while Mary's hair (a stamp from Door County Rubber Stamps) blows in the wind off of the moors.  I fussy cut her and layered her on top of a beautiful script and floral stamp from B Line Design that just happened to be a quote from the Secret Garden :-)  I got that tiny darling nest off of Etsy, on inspection I don't think it would be too hard to make if you were feeling clever.

 Jenni Bowlin mini bingo card on the back

Turn the knob hidden in the ivy to enter a magical, secret world.

Every secret garden needs a secret key (Tim Holtz)

Retirement Layout

A girl can dream, right?  Ok, I'm nowhere close to retirement.  And even if I were retired....I'd be doing the exact same thing as I'm doing now. On the other hand, being free to take off for someplace hammock friendly- sounds pretty darn good right now, don't you think?

 

 I added a little gecko stamped in green ink and highlighted with glossy accents to give the paper an even more tropical feel.  And you need one of these guys around to eat the mosquitoes while you are lounging in your hammock.  Plus a sentiment stamp with a tidy little To Do list, because just because you are retired, doesn't mean you don't have to do stuff.  Like relax.  That's important, can't forget that.

Stamps by Door County Rubber Stamps, paper by Websters Pages, title stickers by SRM

Winter Miracle

 Two projects, but the same materials and images.  I think if I were doing this again I might paper piece the angel's cloak, since it was a bit challenging coloring in such a large area with copics.  Door County Kid stamps often work wonderfully for paper piecing.  So much fun.  Like paper dolls.

 The first project is actually a wooden block made especially for me when I need a block to hold a photo by sweet Michelle LaRue of Pine Needle Hill.  I've become a bit addicted to the larger size of these as a focal point when making a set.  Or you know, just making a single pretty block to perch around that won't get hurt if little people (or klutzy me) knock it off the display.

wooden block (snowy church is a stamp by Northwoods Stamps)

And here's the card I made from the same concept.  I did paper piece the snow on this one.  Love the texty-ness of this paper snow.  And now texty-ness is a real word.  For sure.

card with texty-ness snow

You can find the stamp here: Door County Rubber Stamps or if you are in my neck of the woods here: Backroads Plum Crazy.  Papers are from October Afternoon's Silent Night, and the Snowflake Frame is a Spellbinders die.

Beribboned Basket

I think this stamp is just the sweetest image in the whole wide world.  I might be a bit biased, living in Iowa.  And in a Dairy Barn.  But I think it just makes lovely springtime cards, especially when colored with the pale, pale Copics.

You can learn how to make the pretty ribbon weave basket here:

Basket Tutorial 

voila! The stamp and the finished basket.

 I will warn you it is a slightly epic undertaking, but it can be done :-) By the fourth panel you will be a pro.

a little bit closer detail

Just so fresh and darling.  I can almost pretend spring is here with apple blossoms, newborn calves and fluffy chicks.  And no howling blizzards and double digit negative temperatures (boo)  oh well, being stuck inside allows plenty of time for weaving ribbon panels, lol!


You can find the stamp here: Door County Rubber Stamps or if you happen to be in my neck of the woods here: Backroads Plum Crazy

Fall Magic WCMD 2011

Happy Monday, everyone!  It is a beautiful fall day, the leaves have changed, the mums are blooming, and the scarecrow is the next thing on my to do list :-)

It is the perfect day to announce the winner of this Fall Magic Box Kit!

Drumroll please.....

The winner is Pamela Young!  Your name literally fell in my lap during the drawing, lol.  Please e-mail me at donya at backroadsplumcrazy.com with your contact information by October 17th, 2011.

I taught this as a class this time last year at Door County Rubber Stamps in Egg Harbor.  We had so much fun!  Everybody made such beautiful boxes.  I think the most popular part was making the paper rose and coloring it with Twinkle H2Os.

Here are the instructions for everyone who wants to try this at home:   Fall Magic Box

Well I hunted and hunted for the diagram I had made for folding the sturdy little origami box that makes up the heart of this project to no avail.  But hurrah! Splitcoast Stampers are the best :-) they had a step by step list of how to make it.  

Just go here: 

http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/origami_box/

Supply List Details:

• Stamps are all available at Backroads Plum Crazy or directly from Door County Rubber Stamps
• I used decorative paper from Cosmo Cricket Flueriste Paper (Vineyard & Dew Drops) & Cosmo Cricket Flueriste Cardstock Stickers on the inside of each notecard
• I used the Marvy Embossing Oak Leaf Punch and the McGill Designer Series punches to make the foilage out of vellum.  Since then Spellbinders has come out with some really excellent foilage dies that I would highly recommend.
• I stamped my main image, cut it out with Spellbinders Nested Maple Leaves (S4-228), colored the girl and branches with Copics, then created sky and leaves with a blending tool and distress ink.
• Brown Vine & the Antique Gold Silk Ribbon are from May Arts and are to die for.  Swoon.

That's all for today folks!  If you have trouble with any of the steps or questions, don't hesitate to shoot me an e-mail. Have fun and thanks for visiting!

World Cardmaking Day 2011

Yay! It's World Cardmaking Day! Time for some swag! I'm on the road this weekend, so no card making for me, bummer! I was up until the wee hours making these card kits. Leave a comment for your chance to win a kit and the stamp I used on the top of the box!!!

each kit contains materials to make a beautiful one sheet wonder gift box and a handful of 4x4 notecards. Everything you need is included (well, except glue)

Tune in Monday morning and I'll post the winners names plus instructions for making your own!

Harvest Glow

It is another rainy Monday, but the leaves are starting to change, and I have a bushel of honeycrisp apples and a gallon of apple cider.  Things to be thankful for.  I think I'll go heat a cup of that cider while I tell you about this pretty thing. 

It's hard to see in the cloudy gray light, but the card base is a deep plum.  The rest paper is from the Harvest Glow collection by Reminisce.  I love Reminisce because #1 they are from Iowa, like me, and are therefore super cool, and #2 Reminisce is eclectic.  They have more than one style in their bag of tricks so you never, ever say Oh, yep, that again.  #3 and final is that they made Harvest Glow.  People just about fall over when they see this one in person at Backroads Plum Crazy. It is so beautiful!!! Now there's pretty paper and beautiful paper, this is the latter.  It glows (hence it's name) and is just lovely, classic, and warm like apple pie.  Ach, just impossible to describe so you better just go look here at Reminisce's site. Or better yet, go buy some.  Because it's better in real life, believe me. 

The stamp is of course, my favorite Door County Stamp.  I used Memento Cocoa Brown to stamp her so the lines wouldn't be so prominent after I colored her in with copics.  I think if I make more of them for card club, I'll try it in Potters Clay so she just looks painted.

To make the frame cut and emboss Spellbinders Classic Frame, but leave it in the die.  Stencil Aged Mahogany distress ink through the openings in the die, then pop it out and go over the whole frame with Vintage Photo.  Looks like the Classic Frame must be discontinued since I don't find it on the Spellbinder site.  Pity, it's very useful.  Hope you have one already :-)

Supplies used:
Memento Cocoa Brown Ink
Copic Markers
Kaisercraft mint flowers
Door County Stamp- Blowin' in the wind
Spellbinder Classic Frame Die S5 012
Glitz Teeny Letters
Reminsice Harvest: Harvest Plaid (just one sheet front and back)


Mmm, warm spiced cider and crunchy maple leaves.  Hello fall!

Magic of Oz

I grew up in Kansas.  It wasn't black and white.  Sometimes it felt pretty sepia toned, especially when I was in high school.  I have to say I'm glad to be living in full technicolor now.  I think that Iowa (where I live now) might still be stuck in an episode of Green Acres. That isn't all bad, what with quirky characters and the occasional adorable pig.  But sometimes, just sometimes, it's time to run away to Oz.

Handily, I ust got the new Graphic 45 Magic of Oz paper.  Sometimes you need one of everything.  Especially Graphic 45 anything.  In which case you might need two of everything :-)

I made me some home decor.  I think Dorothy is your happy medium of happiness and good wholesome Midwesterness.  And then like little good and bad angels on each shoulder, you've got your witches.

Glinda makes my teeth hurt. But you have to give her points for character.  Not just everyone can carry off a crown that big.  Takes serious Personality (with a capital P)

The Wicked Witch rocks.  Everybody loves a bad ass :-) and the flying monkeys.  That's just genius.

And of course you must have fabulous shoes.  Must.

Supplies Used:

Graphic 45 Magic of Oz Collection-

• Parcel Post
• Goblin Gazette
• The Magic of Oz

Door County Rubber Stamps-

• Trick or Treat Witch
• Trick or Treat Fairy

Misc.-

• 8x10 Oval Mat
• Tim Holtz Rosette Die
• Ruby Stickles
• Vintage Photo Distress Ink 

Workdesk Wednesday

Here's what my table looks like today and most days :-)  This is actually the second table I'd made a fine mess of.  I'll be doing an uber ten second tidy before card club tomorrow for sure!

I'm working on a banner for Door County Rubber Stamps, where all these little girl stamps are from.  Oscar in Door County is a few weeks behind me here in northern Iowa, seasonally so I thought she could use a Happy colorful Spring banner.  I need it, too.  I clued in about 7:00 when my fingers started getting really cold that the furnace had been out for about 2 hours.  Brrrr!  I must have gotten a little wrapped up in my project if I didn't notice a 10 degree temperature drop.

 

My iPad playing an old Live With Prima show while I work.  If you haven't watched these, go, do, they are so amazing.  So much technique it makes me a bit giddy with inspiration when I watch.

  

Panel 1 was pretty much together already, I just added some flowers today.

 This is my favorite one so far.

 I had planned to use these flowers on another project, but they fell on this one and I kinda loved them and glued them down, so I'll be needing another package.  Darn! (hehehe)

 Put it all together and whaddaya got?  HAPPY!

I'm planning a little kite flier for the last panel and am toying with the idea of some stripy paper ruffles and lace along the bottoms... It's so hard to stop embellishing!

And here we have what I had really meant to work on today- Baby themed cards for Card Club tomorrow night.  Don't they look great? lol.  I guess I know what I'll be doing tomorrow if I can tear myself away from that darn banner!

Love Notes

My first fling with Cricut Design Studio.  Oo la la, the romance, it has begun!

  

1. Weld the shadow from LOVE from Home Accents with the square from George.  
2. Add a few wings from Indie Art to a Door County Girl to turn her into a sweet little cupid.
3. Dangle the smallest scallop heart from a string.

Made with Love

The challenge is use only cardstock and the papers from a Basic Grey paper pack I've had in my stash for about a year.  A friend of mine was also feeling uninspired by the Scallop Heart Nesties she had bought, so to make things interesting, use this set of dies on every. single. one.   Turned out limiting your supplies is a great way to get inspired.

I stamped the my little baker twice.  Once on the oval and then on a scrap so I could cut her out and layer her over everything with foam dots, making it look like her little kitty is behind her skirt.  Ah, I love dimension.  Speaking of dimension, if you haven't used liquid pearls may I highly recommend them to you.  The red makes great little holly berries, or in this case, cherries and the other colors have a ton of uses too (perhaps a line of ivory pearl buttons marching down the back of a Victorian girl's gown, which you can see larger if you click on the image below).  I don't empathize with this stamp, nope.  Have you checked out Joy the Baker today?  Or the Cupcake Bakeshop?  Stamping and complex carbohydrates, there really is no better combo in my book.  Plus the occasional adorable cat trying to trip you and make off with the goodies.



Card number 11:

Supplies:
Door County Rubber Stamps Holiday Baking
Inkadinkado Sentiment
Ranger Ivory & Red Liquid Pearls


May Arts Burgandy Silk Ribbon
Copic Markers
Kaisercraft Pink Rhinestone, Rhinestone Strips
Basic Grey Bittersweet Paper Pack


Spellbinders Classic Ovals, Scallop Ovals, Classic Hearts & Scallop Hearts

Hay

The challenge is use only cardstock and the papers from a Basic Grey paper pack I've had in my stash for about a year.  A friend of mine was also feeling uninspired by the Scallop Heart Nesties she had bought, so to make things interesting, use this set of dies on every. single. one.   Turned out limiting your supplies is a great way to get inspired.

Here's one for all my rural homies especially the ones who've ever bottle fed a calf.  There are few things sweeter than those big brown baby cow eyes peering up at you.  Except for maybe if those big brown calf eyes are peering at you out of George Clooney's face ;-)
This pun is courtesy of River City Rubberworks, makers of probably some of the funniest sentiment stamps ever.

Card number 6:
Supplies:
Basic Grey Bittersweet Paper Pack
May Arts Two Tone Ribbon
American Crafts Thickers
Door County Rubber Stamps Best Pals
Spellbinders Doodle Parts, Classic Ovals, Classic Hearts & Scallop Hearts
Kaisercraft 12" Pink Rhinestone Strips