50th Anniversary Pocket Card & Some Vacation Memories

Hi friends! As promised, I'm back from our respite in the south. Thankfully, the Penturner's Gathering came when it did for we really needed some time away to recoup. We headed down to Virginia last week, then took in the Mid-Atlantic Penturner's Gathering on the weekend. This years was fantastic and The Penmaker and I even won some great door prizes. That alone was worth the trip. From there we went across North Carolina to Gatlinburg, TN. While we usually rent a cabin or condo, for something different (and due to the suddenness of the trip) we stayed at an inn we have enjoyed in the past (lots of good memories on this journey). I had a wonderful time at Your Scrapbook Superstore in Pigeon Forge and for a treat, we saw Captain America: Civil War in the new theatre (reclining seats).

Now back to business... a 50th anniversary card made with papers from the Kaisercraft Provincial collection.

I use a bunch of dies on this card... from Spellbinders - Classic Circles, Scalloped Circles, 

Alterations - Mini Hearts, Vintage Market Alphabet,  Ornate Frame #2.

I bought the gold paper at Hobby Lobby and the small scalloped circle was cut from a gold metallic burlap tag my DIL gave me for Mother's Day.

The flowers and leaves are by Petaloo, 

the lace trim came from Pat Catans,

and the gold metal butterfly is from Lindy's Stamp Gang.

Thanks for stopping by!

Sad Days

I'm sorry to have been MIA for a few days. I'm dropping in today with a brief explanation and a sneak peek of what I'm working on. 

First of all, we have had three deaths of family members and friends in the past week and a half. It's a bit overwhelming, so I will probably take a little time off from blogging... not a long absence just a little rest. The Penmaker and I will be going to the Mid-Atlantic Penturners Gathering in Richmond, so we will extend that outing and do some vacationing... maybe even a side-trip to Gatlinburg. Who knows! It's possible.

Second, my sneak peek is part of a special order I'm creating which is a series of anniversary cards. I've also done some cards for a conference and some sympathy cards that I'll post when I return.

In the meanwhile, have a wonderful weekend, and...

Thanks for stopping by!

A Successful Mid-Atlantic Penturners Gathering, A Huge Haul And Sad Goodbyes

The Penturner and I

are back from our stay at the Massanutten Resort condo we have been privileged to use for the last few years by the generosity of some dear friends. What made it extra special this year, was the fact that the Mid-Atlantic Penturners Gathering at Woodcraft was that same week. We were able to take the short drive down to Richmond and get in on the sessions and fellowship with my husband's penturner buddies.

I sat up a small display of

a few of my pen layouts and pocket cards. I had some very nice comments and was much encouraged by them. The pocket cards are just perfect for inserting a pen for gift giving.

On our way, we made

a "slight" detour to stop at Scrapdoodles in Fredericksburg. I was devastated when earlier in the year I heard that they would be going out of business. I had no idea at the time that I would be able to get back there before they closed. You can imagine how happy I was when the Penmaker said we would swing by that way and run in for one last shopping spree. Oh wow, did we shop. He kept encouraging me to buy and I obeyed. Everything that week was at half price. I picked up several Tim Holtz stamps sets, Pink Pasilee Hope Chest papers, Idea-ology cabinet card frames, Claudine Hellmuth black gesso, Golden light molding paste, alpha stickers and on and on. I just hated walking out of there for the last time, but I must say the bags full of supplies made the bitter pill easier to swallow.

After leaving Fredericksburg,

we decided to run over to Hanover Courthouse and have lunch at a cute little place called Houndstooth Cafe that we use to go to when we had our Civil War book business. They were closed when we got there. Another hungry expectant patron pulled up at the same time, a local, who said it was rather hit and miss on the hours. Judging by the condition, we probably will not be able to enjoy this great little place again. We pulled away remembering happier past experiences at the little cafe. Another sad goodbye.

All in all, we had a

fantastic trip, and as soon as I can get creating again, I'll have something to show you, hopefully made with some of my new goodies!

Thanks for stopping by!

Linda

Happy Mother's Day Pocket Card

This week the Penmaker

and I will be attending the Mid-Atlantic Penturners Gathering in Richmond, Virginia. He asked me to set up a display of some of my paper projects that coincide with his pens. Then he asked me to make a Mother's Day pocket card to go along with the masculine one I created for the Bigfoot Conference. His wish is my command. 

I made this one with Prima's 

Stationer's Desk collection. The flowers are from I Am Roses and the foliage was cut with the Alterations Spring Greenery die I bought just a short time ago. It's really been getting a workout... I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this die!!! 

I know I showed this

before, but honestly, if you just take a little extra time and do some shading with a Ranger craft nib and sponge some ink on the edges as well, they look amazing. I like to take my tweezers then and shape the leaves before gluing them to the project.

The pen will be in a black

velvet pouch, but the color of this beauty matched the card so well, I thought I'd photograph it without one. 

The paper clip and tag are 

both  from the SD collection. The feather and ink bottle were cut with the Alterations Writing Desk die.

Thanks for stopping by!

Linda

Remembering The Adventure

In May, the Penmaker

and I ventured to Virginia to attend the Mid-Atlantic Penturners Gathering in Richmond. It turned out to be quite the event, a real adventure for us... 

and inspired me to create this layout for my husband...

You probably recognize

the Prima Engraver collection here, but if you zoom in, you'll see a sheet from the Printery as well, used as my base. Under it is a 12x12 piece of black chipboard for stability. I distressed all the edges and sponged on Walnut Stain Distress Ink.

After putting on the

base papers, I  laid down molding paste... tinted with raw umber acrylic paint... using the Prima Sunrise Sunset checkerboard mask. I pulled out Tattered Leather Glimmer Mist and sprayed on a layer with the Crafters Workshop Numerals stencil.

I fussy cut several

 elements from the collection. Here I topped the clock with an Idea-ology gear, a Prima Junkyard Finding and wound around some May Arts natural burlap string. A Prima wood border piece is tucked underneath. 

More fussy cut pieces,

an arrow sticker from the collection sheet, and Idea-ology's hinge clip, chain and a muse token.

Idea-ology pen nibs.

An Engraver brad

as a flower center, Idea-ology Chit Chat sticker words and Martha Stewart punched oak leaves. I dry brushed some of the flowers (Engraver) and papers with gesso for a shabbier look.

I made the tab using

my We R Memory Keepers Cloud/Scallop Corner Chomper. The alphas are Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type.

In this grouping of

flowers, is one of the Engraver wood buttons, tied with burlap string and sitting inside one of our son's bottle caps from his soda he saves for me. There is also an Idea-ology memo pin and a Prima Say It In Crystals black gem used as a flower center.

 I'm linking up at:

Make It Monday - Anything Goes

Have a great weekend!

Thanks for stopping by!

Linda

Handmade Crinoline Flowers

I must admit, dear friends,

that I'm pretty much obsessed with putting a lot of flowers on my projects. When I saw Ros post the details about the Papercraft Star challenge, I thought that it would be a grand use for my crinoline flowers I made during that fabric frenzy at the beginning of the week.

I used the Alterations

Tattered Pinecone die to cut the crinoline, rolled them, added a dab of glue to the base, and when they were dry, gave them a light spray with Marshmallow Glimmer Mist and Lindy's Clam Bake Beige Starburst. I added a pearl from my stash to the center of each.

The card itself, is

a base of Recollections kraft cardstock. I've used this quite a bit lately because of it's sturdiness. The mats are of textured white cardstock and the designer papers are from the DCWV Timeless Type 8x8 inch stack and KaiserCraft 6.5 inch Timeless pad.

The Paris journaling 

card is from the 7 Gypsies Lille collection. I used two of them, fussy cutting the Eiffel Tower from the second and popping it up with 3-D adhesive foam on top of the first. The lace is some I bought at Surplus City in Maryland the other day while traveling home from the Mid-Atlantic Penturner's Gathering in Richmond, VA. It doesn't show up here, but there is a hint of sparkle down the center. The bottle cap was left on my desk after my son finished his cola... a perfect addition with an October Afternoon Farmhouse Tin Pin in the center.

All the fussy cut

pieces are from the Timeless Type stack. The pearls on my banner are from Queen & Company. The Distress Ink is Black Soot. The other flowers are from I Am Roses, except for the tiny pink ones that I had purchased from an Etsy shop some time ago. The oak leaves and the border were made with Martha Stewart punches. The fern was cut with a Spellbinder's Foliage die.

I'm linking up at:

Make It Monday - Anything Goes

Papercraft Star - Handmade Flowers

Thanks for stopping by!

Linda

Happy And Safe At Home

Hi, sweet friends!

The Penmaker and I got back home last evening, safe and happy. I mean that sincerely, as we were listening to the radio on our way, and praying for the dear folk in Oklahoma. My heart goes out to those who no longer have a home to go back to, or worse, their loved ones. We are so very blessed in that everything was as we left it when we pulled into the driveway.

The penturners gathering

was much more than I anticipated. It was great fun, along with being a marvelous learning experience for us. In some ways, it was reminiscent of the Civil War seminars where I sold my books, when I had my business... only pens. 

See that big smile!

I had one too, because as we pulled into the parking area, I noticed a Michaels two doors down.

Here are a few pictures of us someone took when I was unaware.

It's funny, but

I always thought I smiled a lot. I can see now, I really need to improve on that skill.

Our second day

consisted of classes and of course, shopped for more pen supplies.

I think men love 

shopping for their supplies as much as we women do.

All in all, a very

pleasant experience, very worthwhile, and I will certainly go again when the Penmaker plans another trip.

We took that side

trip to Fredericksburg, and visited Scrapdoodles again. Unfortunately, I had bought so much the first time there, I didn't find anything else new I wanted, so I just restocked the papers and eyelets I had used last week. I had I fun time talking with the two ladies that were working that day, and got to show them some of my projects that I had taken along. I LOVE that store... wish it was closer.

We also swung

by Surplus City (see posts here, here and here). It was two years ago that we had visited that store and I really was anxious to return for more lace. This is what I bought along with the papers from Scrapdoodles...

I know there are

a lot of photos here, but I feel very animated and gabby today (probably from the amount of coffee we consumed the last few days).

I'm glad to be back

in my studio today to create and I'm so very happy to have you to talk with... I love you guys! You're the best... can't wait to visit you and see what you've been up to!

Thanks for stopping by!

Linda