Pop Up Step Card

Will I ever learn.

After watching Anne's video here, I decided to try making one of her pop up step cards. What possesses me to try these things? Anne obviously has skills way beyond mine, as she seems to pump out one fabulous creation after another with, what seems like, little effort. I'll tell you straight up... this was the most difficult card I've ever put together! Now that it's finished though... I just have to try another. After all... practice makes perfect, right? So the next one just has to be easier.

Anne's card was so

beautiful, I used the same papers... Graphic 45's Place In Time. Isn't it funny how that two woman, making the same style card with the same papers can come up with two totally different looking creations.

I used  black textured

cardstock for my base... just love the black edges showing around the patterned paper.

To my inside,

I added pearl trim and lace from Hobby Lobby.

 I left a space

for a message here in the center... haha, not to sure how I'll get my hand in there to write though.

I'm linking up at:

Make It Monday - Anything Goes

Paper Playtime - More Than One Fold

Simon Says Stamp - April Showers and/or Spring Flowers

Thanks for stopping by!

Linda

Happy Anniversary Forever

Our daughter Sarah
and her husband celebrated their anniversary this past week, and I did a special card for them.

This is that beautiful
KraiserCraft 75 Cents collection again. I'm loving the 6.5 pad so much, I've now ordered the 12x12's.

I did some double
stamping on one of the die-cut pieces from the Collectables package and popped it up on top of another of the die-cuts. This package is just loaded with goodies, and I want to use them all. The butterflies and scalloped border are also from that group.

The white flowers and
leaves are from I Am Roses. The gold ones are from my stash... I believe originally from an Etsy shop. The heart locket is a Prima Vintage Trinket. The French Lace doily is from my stash.

The metal corner piece
is by Momenta. I also used Jet Black Archival and Vintage Photo Distress inks.

I'm linking up at:
Crafting For All Seasons - Floral Delight
Little Scrap Pieces - May Flowers
Simon Says Stamp - April Showers and/or Spring Flowers
Sugar Creek Hollow - Stamp It
The Cupcake Craftroom - Summer Blooms
Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes

Have a wonderful Sunday, friends.

Thanks for stopping by!
Linda

Sweetness Journal

Last evening we had 

a terrific thunder storm. Dark clouds rolled and boiled, buckets of rain fell... and we lost power (a bloggers nightmare). 

I didn't get any photos 

taken yesterday due to the overcast skies, but I do have photos of a journal I haven't shown you yet. I made this with a couple of sheets of the Pink Paislee Sweetness collection from one of the old Pixie Dust Paperie kits I've been holding on to. I was keeping it back, not because I love this paper... but the reverse. One side of the sheets are the most beautiful florals, and the backsides I don't like at all. So here's what I did to kind of hide some those parts I'm not fond of...

I used this print for

my cover. I thought it was so pretty, I didn't want to cover it with embellishments.

Now when you open

it the trouble starts. See that bright yellow print on the warm brown background?... that's what I could do without. It's just not me... not my style, that's all. So I covered it up with a pocket, tags, and a Prima flower.

This page had another

backside print I didn't like, so I covered it with a full page pocket and tucked in a tag. I used the Alterations Mini Butterflies dies to make some adornments, added another Prima flower, and a Crate Paper sentiment (also from an old PDP kit - Kirsty, have you any idea how much I loved those!)

Now this backside

I could live with, so I didn't cover much of it. Actually I really like it... probably because it's blue, which is my favorite color. I just put on a square of the gorgeous floral image, tucked in tag, and again, Prima flowers.

Here you can see

the pink backside that I covered with another pocket, tags, Prima flowers, Authentique Diction sentiments, and American Crafts lace. The large rose at the bottom right was fussy cut and forms another pocket with tags inside.

Last page with a

fold-out journaling tag, Crate Paper sentiment, Prima flowers and Say It in Crystals, more AC lace. I also used a Martha Stewart Doily Lace punch, Walnut Stain Distress Ink, wrinkled pink seam binding, and wide eyelets from Memory Keepers.

I'm linking up at:

Make It Monday - Anything Goes

Simon Says Stamp - April Showers and/or Spring Flowers

Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes

I hope your week

is going well for you. You've all been a blessing to me in leaving such kind comments... thank you so very much! Love you guys!

Thanks for stopping by!

Linda

75 Cents Easel Card

No this isn't

a sale price. This new collection from Kaiser Craft is called 75 Cents, and I bought it because I thought it would coordinate well with Prima's Engraver, which is at the top of my list right now. Here I used it as a solo, and did an easel card...

With it sitting here

on my desk, I'm realizing it has an extremely large number of layers. No wonder it took me so long to make. While I'm creating something I'm having fun with, I don't usually notice how much is going into it until it's completed.

The base is Recollections 

kraft cardstock. I also used some in white and black... everything else is 75 Cents.

The flowers are

from I Am Roses, cheesecloth and black lace from my stash, the pearls are by Queen & Co.

Dies: 

Alterations - Vintage Cabinet Card, Vintage Cabinet Card Mini, Brackets

Die-namics - Layered Label

Spellbinders - Floral Doily Motifs, Classic Ovals

The other die cuts are 75 Cents Collectables by Kaiser Craft. 

Inks: 

Jet Black Archival, Antique Linen and Walnut Stain Distress

I'm linking up at:
Crafting by Designs - Anything Goes with a Twist

Sentimental Sundays - Shaped Cards
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by!

Linda

Rejoice... It's Spring Or Is It?

As I'm writing this,

snow plows are cleaning up the three inches of snow we got during the night. It was gorgeous when we first got up at five thirty, but now there appears to be an icy rain falling with dull, grey skies... not so pretty any more.

To brighten my day,

I thought I'd create something springy. I pulled out some random 6x6 papers leftover from a CupCards To Go kit, a sheet of Recollections kraft cardstock and a pre-made white 4x5.5 card base. 

The first green layer is 

embossed with the Cuttlebug folder that came with my machine... such cute, petite flowers. A little machine stitching, some stamping on a pennant layer, a ton of 3-D foam squares, a Prima Shabby Chic bird trinket and Momenta metal corners.

These papers really aren't

my style, and the farther I went with this card, the more I disliked it. I was actually thinking of throwing this one into my Ikea wire mesh waste basket, but held off for the sake of thrift... and the thought that if you (sometimes) work long enough with a project it will turn out alright in the end. I grabbed two boxes of I Am Roses flowers in desperation.

Now my world seemed

to brighten once more... what is it about flowers that just seem to put things in place for me? I can't answer that... I just know it does!

Happy place!!!

I hope you all have a grand day!

I'm linking up at:

Make It Monday - Anything Goes

Sentimental Sundays - Stitching

Simon Says Stamp - Easter/Spring

Thanks for stopping by!

Linda

Simply... Love

Here is another scrap 

Valentine card I have to share with you today. This one's quite simple...

Again the paper

I used is from the My Mind's Eye Blush collection. I still don't know why I had cut up so much of this paper last year and then didn't use it. It's so gorgeous. These oval die cuts were in my box of scraps as well. Sure makes for easy assembling. 

The Love piece is

from a MME Love Me Accessary Sheet that (happy me) is still half full. (I'm wondering if I even made any V cards last year or did I just over buy?) The blossoms are from I Am Roses and the ribbon is by Celebrate It from Michaels. Pink TPC Studio rhinestones, paper heart doily from my stash.

I'm linking up at:

Fab 'n' Funky - Valentines/Hearts

Make It Monday - Anything Goes

Simon Says Stamp - Have A Heart

Thanks for stopping by!

Linda

Sweet

Here's another scrap 

Valentine card I created this week. As I posted the other day, I've made several cards using up the scraps in my Valentine's Day supplies box.

I believe this paper

was part of a sheet of Pink Paislee's Love Letters. It had to be providential that the scrap had this bit with Sweet printed on it. The next line actually says something about "Used as a food and laxative", so I covered most of that up with a heart and blossoms... haha!

This lace is vintage

from my stash that I topped with pearl trim. The hearts are cut from Alterations Mini Hearts... the left one is covered with a scrap of paper doily. The rest of the doily is tucked in at the top along with a scrap cut from Alterations Distressed Doily. Both hearts and the doily scrap were misted with Cotton Candy Pink Starburst Spray from Lindy's Stamp Gang.

These other paper 

scraps were from Glitz Pretty in Pink 6x6 pad. All the papers were sponged with Vintage Photo Distress Ink. The metal corner piece is by Momenta. The tiny flower is from a package of petals I got on closeout from our local shop when they went out of business (SOB!). It's topped with a TPC Studio pink rhinestone.

I'm linking up at -

Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp - Have A Heart

Top Tip Tuesday - Let Me Call You Sweetheart

Unique Crafters - Lace and Fabric

Thanks for stopping by!

Linda

Grayden's Journey

It's Back To School time.

For some of us it means that the only difference is a quieter neighborhood and fewer people in the stores during the day. For some... a total change in routine. I've really enjoyed reading the blogs of some of you who are going through this change, as it brings back memories of my own struggles of those days. I can remember standing at the window waving to my kids as they drove off down the road toward new adventures in learning. The house always felt so empty and I longed for that van to roll back up to our driveway. Later after I started the book business and had to be on the road, we thought it best to home school. That kicked my life into a whole other gear... what a wild ride that was, but probably the best years of my life with my children. Times I'd never trade for anything!

Well, now my oldest 

daughter is walking in my footsteps, or at times, kneeprints. Home schooling is not an easy task, and I pray earnestly for her to have strength and endurance. 

Carrie asked me the other

day if I'd give her a hand in preparing Grayden's notebook for the school year. YES... I jumped at the chance, and here is the layout that will be slipped into the vinyl cover sleeve...

She had purchased

this map paper and I completely forgot to look to see where it was made. The other papers are all from the Graphic 45 Communique collection pad.

Grayden's was cut

out with my Alterations Vintage Market die.

The silhouette is by

Jenni Bowlin, the ruler from 7 Gypsies and the metal gears, flower and fastener from Idea-ology.

The word Journey is 

Graphic 45 Staples alpha stickers and the car was cut with Alterations Mini Old Jalopy and Arrow Set.

I hope your school

day memories are pleasant ones... and for some of you, now is the time to make happy ones that will last a life time.

I'm entering Grayden's Journey in these challenges...
Anything But A Card - Anything Goes

Simon Says Stamp! - Anything Goes

Sugar Creek Hollow - Vintage School Days

Tuesday Throwdown - Back To Books

Thanks for stopping by!

Hugs!

Linda

Simon Says...

ANYTHING GOES!

The Simon Says challenge this week is my favorite theme... Anything Goes!

 The card I started out to

make and what I ended up with are two entirely different designs. Does that ever happen to you? I chose the ivory cardstock and the October Afternoon Sidewalks collection yellow papers, but from that point it all changed. I did some machine stitching, and it started acting up again. (I keep saying this, but I really have to buy a new one!) My Graphic 45 Domestic Goddess image didn't fit quite right and the color of my seam binding bow was clashing... oh goodness... now what. 

 

I then cut two other smaller 

images from the same Graphic 45 sheet and chose a OA Journal Card and a Miscellany piece both from the Farmhouse collection. I sponged everything with Antique Linen Distress Ink then ran my paper distresser over the edges. I was still not happy. I added a yellow Baker's Twine tied button to the corner. Still too bland!

Got out two boxes of 

florals and started playing around... these are all from I Am Roses except for the tiny yellow Recollections rose that I de-greened. The ferns are cut with Spellbinder's Foliage set. It really needed just a bit more, so I glued on this OA Farmhouse Tin Pin. Ahhhh finally... I'm satisfied! 

Now it get this entered.

Thanks for the visit!

Hugs!

Linda

C Is For Cycle

The weather just can't make

up its mind... is it fall or not! Yesterday was glorious and sunny... today... ugh! It didn't stop the Penmaker from a round of golf with our son, though. At least they took me to Starbuck's first before deserting me for the links. Ah... there's nothing like a cup of hot Pike Place to soothe the hurt! Ha Ha!

There is a challenge at

Scrapbookers Anonymous called A to Z and this month is the letter "C". This is mine...

"C" is for Cycle...

and for it I've used MME Lost & Found Two - Rosy "Ordinary" Adventure Paper and light green cardstock. The Distress Ink is Antique Linen.

The rosette was cut from

Basic Grey's Oxford "Sorority". My birthday sentiment was stamped from an old Scrappy Cat's set with black Archival Ink onto a scrap and fussy cut. That's it... pretty simple!

I'm entering this in these challenges:

Scrapbookers Anonymous - "C" Challenge

Simon Says Stamp Challenge - Anything Goes

Hope you'll join in the fun!

Thanks for stopping by!

Trifold Window Card

I just love to watch You Tube

crafting videos. I subscribe to several, but one of my favorites is The Night Owl Scrapper. After watching her tutorial on making a trifold window card, I just had to try it with the new Authentique Glowing "Diffused" DP and Petite Type Square Alphas.

I teamed these up with a 

sheet of green cardstock and cut them both using Spellbinder's Labels One. I distressed with Vintage Photo Distress Ink. The florals are all from I Am Roses and the brads are Teresa Collins Christmas Home.

The sentiment is on dies

cut from Spellbinder's Scalloped Ovals Large and Classic Ovals Large popped up with 3-D foam adhesive squares.

The inside window is left flanked

with a TPC Studio Autumn Harvest stamp in black Archival Ink that I fussy cut and glittered up with Stickles Shabby Shutters.

A very fun project that I'll try 

to tackle again. This was easy, but for me a bit time consuming with this first one. I'm entering it in the following challenges:

Authentique - October Color Challenge
Paper Sundaes - Halloween or Fall

Simon Says Stamp - Halloween/Goth
Sentimental Sundays - Fancy Folds

Thanks for the visit today!

Home And Heart

Today I made another quick 

and simple card, this time using My Mind's Eye Lost & Found Two "Blush" 6x6 Designer Paper Pad. The great thing about these papers are that they are double sided.

The card base is white

cardstock. The pink seam binding is from the Prairie Bird Boutique Etsy Shop.

I Am Roses - flowers; 

Hobby Lobby - pearl trim; Teresa Collins - Timeless Trims Lace.

Distress Ink - Antique Linen;

Authentique - Uncommon Collection Diction Stickers. 

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

City Crafter Challenge - Sandi Says

Simon Says Stamp Challenge - Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by to see me!

Thinking Of You

Have you tried Authentique Papers? 

The texture is so amazing... substantial, somewhat like watercolor paper. This is the first card I've created with it, and I am impressed. Great quality!

This is the Journey Collection:

Promenade (front & back) and Explore (back).

All I can say is... 

I want the rest of the collection.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Authentique Challenge - Sketch

Tuesday Throwdown - Thinking of You

Simon Says Stamp Challenge - Anything Goes 

Have a pleasant Sunday... and thanks for visiting!