The Beginning Of Valentine Card Season

I was so excited to begin

making Valentine cards last night that I made two. My desk is an absolute mess, covered with pink and red goodies. Here's a little peek...

As you can see on my

computer, I stopped writing this to take the photo. I'm resting my arms on die cuts to type! I pull out everything I can think of to use except the flowers. Those come out when I get the basic card design done. Without a doubt, Valentines are my favorite cards to create.

The only new product I've

bought this year for my Valentines is the My Mind's Eye Heirloom 6" x 6" paper pad along with the ephemera pack and alpha & word stickers. They seem to go with all my older odds and ends from previous years like the MME Love Me collection I used here.

The ribbon was a small

scrap in my trims box, just the perfect size to tie around the bottom. These pink metal flowers were a close-out item purchased at Michaels two years ago. The flowers are Prima (old also) and the beaded spray was bought from an Etsy shop at least two years ago. The gorgeous gem in the center of the heart is the last one I have in that size of the Swarovski crystals I had from our mail order craft supplies business before we retired (ah... good memories). I sponged Frayed Burlap Distress Ink on all the paper edges.

I'm linking up at:

Make It Monday - Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by!

Linda

The Last Of My Five Thank You Cards And Something Fabulous From The Penmaker

I've been a little under the

weather and not able to post until today. So sorry for my absence. I have this last of my five thank cards (begun here) to show you. I just love this part of the Glitz paper background that has this bit of shading.

Now something new from

the Penmaker...

These two are bolt

action bullet pens... the top one is black ash and the mini is a amboyna burl.

This is a knights armor in gemstone.

Also a knights armor in gemstone.

Aero pen component set in a Brooks artisan blank.

One more tidbit...

My daughter-in-law's brother

lives in South Africa. This little guy was running around his bathroom this morning... ugh!!!! Have you ever seen a spider this big?

Have a wonderful Sunday, friends!

Thanks for stopping by!

Linda

Thank You Card Number Four Plus A Major Bargain

The fourth thank you

card begun here in this post using an amazing imagine from the Graphics Fairy.

My life seems to be busier

than normal for January, so I haven't gotten too much accomplished as far as creating goes. I have another signature nearly done in my Scrappin in the Smokies mini album that I should post this week.

The Penmaker and I took

a quick trip over to Pittsburgh last night to pick up a couple of things at Ikea for our kitchen redo. On the way back we swung into Joanns. I had gotten an interesting coupon from them via e-mail that I thought looked to good to pass up. As it turned out, it definitely was. The coupon read $5 off your purchase of $5 including sale items. Now I've had numerous coupons from craft stores that didn't live up to the promises they made, so I was skeptical about this one. I went straight to the aisle with the papers and low and behold... the 69¢ cardstock was on sale for 5 sheets for a $1.00. I counted out 25 of those beauties in the most gorgeous shades of blues, reds and pinks. Now for the big test... the Penmaker said to the sales person "will this coupon work on this paper" to which he replied, "I'll ring it up and see"... which he did, and announced, "you don't owe me anything!" He handed me the bag containing my treasures, and the Penmaker and I headed for the car grinning from ear to ear.  

The register receipt reads... Total Savings $17.25. I just might keep it as a reminder.

Life is good! 

Thanks for stopping by!

Linda

Scrappin In The Smokies Back Flip Mini Album

 I've been taking my

time with this back flip mini album by Laura Denison, so I decided to post the first signature that I have finished. Who knows when I'll get the entire thing completed. This one has been a lot of work, but oh so fun! Plus, I'm remembering every detail of that vacation in the process.

I'm using the Engraver

collection by Prima on this... both 12" x 12" and 6" x 6" papers. These fabulous die cuts are from my favorite scrap shop, Your Scrapbook Super Store in Sevierville, TN (the bear is flocked paper). The flowers are Prima Serenity, the canvas leaves are also by Prima, and the foliage was cut with a Spellbinder's Foliage die and a Martha Stewart Oak Leaf punch. The metal corners are Idea-ology.

Inside front cover... another

YSSS die cut and Petaloo teastained flowers and leaves.

The back flip mini has

six signatures in three styles. This first one starts out with a page with a flap...

that flips back to

expose a pocket with a photo mat. Now this page flips down...

and I have another

pocket at the top with a photo mat and a photo mat at the bottom ( I have to say this is the worst possible photo of me, but other than that I love it of us and had to include it). Fold this all back and....

I have this...

then that top section opens into a tri-fold...

The middle part is a pocket

holding a double sided photo mat... the bottom pocket is for odds and ends I wanted to save plus a journaling tag...

it folds back and I have 

another place for addresses and journaling.

All of those pages now

flip to the left and I have a pocket and a photo mat. LOVE that Petaloo flower from Petaloo's Botanicas. 

Can't wait until their new 

spring colors of that collection are released.

The pocket contains a

double sided photo mat.

It's hard to see, but the

bow on the burlap string is fastened with a tiny safety pin by Spare Parts from Hobby Lobby.

Backside of the last page.

I used my Scallop Corner Chomper to make the tab, and the trees were cut with Alterations Mini Pine Tree die.

You can see here the five

additional signatures that need to be decorated.

Would love to know what

you think of my back flip mini so far.

I'm linking up at:

Make It Monday - Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by!

Linda

A Thank You Card And More CHA Sneak Peeks

This is number three

of the five thank you cards I created. This post here will give you the details.

I'm linking up at:
Make It Monday - Anything Goes

I have found a few more

posts of new product that will be debuted at CHA.

I'm not sure if I will

continue this, or quite with this post. There are so many new items coming out I could go on for another week. Guess I'll just play it by ear, and if I see some thing really great I'll pass it along to you. If not, than this will be the final post on the peeks.

Click on the links for more info.

Graphic 45

Good ol' Sports Collection

The link I gave the other day didn't include these papers.

Graphic 45
Good ol' Sports Collection

Graphic 45
Botanical Tea Collection

Sizzix 
25 New Tim Holtz Alterations

Melissa Frances
The Sweet Life

Pink Paislee
Hello Sunshine Collection

Basic Grey
Mon Ami Collection

7 Gypsies
Serengeti Collection

Glitz
Carpe Diem Collection

Authentique
Smitten Collection

Authentique
Wishes Collection

May Arts
New Ribbon/Trims Collection

Hero Arts
New... 12 Daubers, 6 Stencils, 8 Ink Pads, 3 Cube Pads, Neon Sprays, 5 Fancy Dies, Stamps

Thanks for stopping by!
Linda