It only LOOKS complicated!!!

I'm especially lovin' one of the cards we're making in my stamp clubs next week. This card only looks complicated to make; it's really quite easy, once you have the measurements. I love the new birthday stuff that Stampin' Up came out with in the new Occasions catalog . . . this designer paper is so much fun, and the little "pop out" embellishments look great on balloons!

Tim Holtz' "Twelve Tags of 2016"

I started 2015 doing the "Twelve Tags" monthly challenges from Tim Holtz ... .but only made it through the month of April! This year I'm vowing to do better! This is a fun "challenge" to do, and there are always many, many participants, so it's fun to see what everyone creates. Here's my tag for January! I  used an old Stampin' Up set called "Clockworks" for my stamping. The black tag has some "chalkboard" effect, from smeared white ink and the clock is embossed in white and popped up with dimensionals. I used a Tim Holtz stencil and some Ranger "Texture Paste" then let it dry and spritzed and sponged it with some green and brown inks. The metal saying at the bottom is attached with some wonderful green silk ribbon from Hanna Silks, which I also used  at the top to hand the tag.

You can see Tim's challenge sample and all the submissions at his web site. www.timholtz.com

Happy Hugging Day!!

Yes, today is "National Hugging Day"! Thought I'd show you a couple of Valentines I made with an adorable "Big Hugs" die . . . don't you love it? I often sign messages with "hugs", so thought this was the perfect die for me! Enjoy your day . . .and do your part!!!

Mojo Monday Challenge

I did have a little time this last weekend to "just play", so decided to make a card for the "Mojo Monday" challenge. I haven't entered an online challenge for a long time, and I loved the template for Mojo this week.(mojomonday.blogspot.com) And, of course, since I had Valentine supplies strewn all over my stamping desk, I decided to make another Valentine! This one is made with Graphic 45 papers and the beautiful Stampin' Up heart die. The card is 5" x 7" size, so I'd have room to put everything I wanted onto it, and still have some nice space. Topped off with rhinestone "gems"! I like it . . .how about you?

Hearts Galore!!

Yes, we're well into the Valentine season, as crafters, especially. Seems we hardly get done with Christmas, and we're on to Valentines! There are so many wonderful papers, stamps, dies, and embellishments out there in the crafting world, for making sweet Valentine cards. Both of these cards feature a wonderful, frilly new heart die from Stampin' Up and we made both cards in my January stamp clubs last week. I especially love the new "pink glimmer paper", also from Stampin' Up . . .but I carried the glitter around on me for several hours! I love the juxtaposition of the "blingy" glitter heart and the brown "barnwood" background . .. very fun!

Wow . . . it's been more than a month since I posted here! I've been a VERY busy girl! Hope your holidays were blessed, as were mine. Some nice "quiet time" at home, as well as some festivities. Have also been doing a TON of stamping, including digging out the stamp room from the holidays.
I will be posting here regularly, now, so I look forward to hearing from some of you who kindly follow my blog!

Today I'm posting the photos of the Graphic 45 Valentine cards we'll be doing at my first workshop at "It's All About the Scrapbook" in Dixon. I hope many of you will join us for some Graphic 45 "lusciousness" at 2:00 p.m. on February 6th (Saturday). We'll be using the papers "Mon Amour" and making two frilly and feminine Valentines and one more masculine card - can't forget the guys! Please call the shop to register for the workshop. (707-676-5252) They can answer any questions you may have, or you can contact me. If there are some who want to attend from Sacramento, it's an easy ( only 45 minutes from my house in Roseville!) carpool drive straight west on Interstate 80. I have room for a couple people to ride with me, if you'd like. I plan to go early, and have a yummy lunch at "Solano Baking Company" before the workshop. (it's at the same exit off the Freeway . .. Pitt School Road).

Here's what we'll be making! Hope to see you there!