Vendor Fair Cards Round 3

Cards made from Grace paper pack
Cards made from Life Delights paper pack

Cards made from Perfect Day paper pack

I have been a busy bee again...another day of cardmaking puts me at a total of 60 cards, and 30 scrap pack card kits to sell at my vendor fair Tuesday night! Whew!

Vendor Fair Cards Round 2

Cards made from Veranda paper pack
Cards make from Notebook paper pack

Cards made from Free Spirit paper pack

These are the next round of cards I've created for Tuesday night's vendor fair in Burnt Hills, NY. I've once again used exclusively Close to My Heart papers, inks, stamps, and this time the only exception are some of the embellishments. I created the flowers for the Notebook set from my Cuttlebug with Tim Holtz die and vintage papers, and used CTMH ink and brads to give them color and dimension and to add centers. The flowers on the Veranda set are similar to ones Close To My Heart sells, but I ran out of CTMH and used Prima instead.

Glass Pendants Created for Galway Craft Fair

Here is a sample of some of the trinkets I will have up for sale at Saturday May 8th Galway craft fair. I'm so excited! I've been a busy bee. The pendants in the top picture are 1" glass tiles. The bottom picture are approx. 2" circle pebble pendants. I will include a ball chain necklace with each purchase and purchase of a decorated paper mache trinket/jewelry box or small organza draw string bag for gift giving is optional.

My New Toy(s)...

Tattered Florals Die cut outs from vintage book pages, yearbook pages, and sheet music
Leaves die cut outs from sticky backed felt and sheets of cork

Tattered florals die cut outs from sticky backed felt (note the circles are not part of the die, but I cut them out of the excess sticker felt to use for polka dots or flower centers)

As I believe I mentioned in a previous post, I recently purchased the Cuttlebug with embossing folder set from HSN. When I discovered that it was compatible with Sizzix dies, I was so excited because I love the new Alterations line from Tim Holtz. I have never really done much with die cuts or been very interested in die-cutting machines before, but so far I'm having a ton of fun. I only have 3 dies, but here are a few examples of the materials I've been cutting with today. I can't wait to make greeting cards decorated with my very own handmade embellishments!

Wait! Are those really MY boys?!

More and more often lately I have been noticing Casper, my cat, following around Brinkley, my dog. Every time Brinkley is let outside, Casper faithfully waits for him on the inside of the door to come back in. And he seems ever more curious about Brinkley's toys, food, etc. They have lived together since we brought Brinkley home two summers ago, and while Gracie, my female cat, still seems to loathe the dog for his very existence, I dare say Casper is giving in to his big bro and now strives to be his little buddy. Imagine my surprise when I got out of bed this morning and found them laying together on Brinkley's new bed on my way to the bathroom. I was thrilled to have my camera close enough at hand to snap these photos before Brinkley got up and stretched. I'm not sure how Brinkley feels about having to share his bed, but its pretty darn cute anyhow. Gotta love my boys!

Gardening is a way of showing that you believe in tomorrow

I never considered myself a gardener, until yesterday morning when I pulled out from my driveway and saw that the tulip bulbs I planted last Spring have finally started to bloom along my front sidewalk. Last year, after Easter, we had pots and pots of them that we were supposed to throw away at CVS after they died and couldn't be sold. It made me sad to see all those bulbs go in the dumpster. So even though I'd never planted anything before, and didn't much enjoy digging up worms, I made a home for all those cast away flower bulbs along my front sidewalk. I didn't know how deep to plant them, or if it was too late in the season, or how far apart they needed to go or anything. I just painstakingly spaded out one hole after another and placed those bulbs in the ground with the blind faith that this Spring, something might bloom and I'd be rewarded for my efforts with a burst of color. While I've looked around the neighborhood at all the lush tulips and daffodils that have long ago started to bloom, while all I had were leaves...I began to wonder...and then I saw buds of color, and then yesterday whole flowers! How exciting to have created life where there was none! To have added yellows and oranges and reds where there was only green before! Can I call myself a gardener now, perhaps not. But I am happy that I planted a seed and had the chance to watch it grow. Happy Spring!

Round 1 of Vendor Fair Cards

Serendipity Promo Paper
More To Adore Paper

Floral Tapestry Paper

Emporium Paper

Other than my new Cuttlebug Embossing folders that I used to add texture to each background paper in the cards, I used exclusively CTMH paper, inks, stamps, and embellishments to create these cards that I will have up for sale and my first vendor fair May 4th. I still have alot of work ahead of me but I think these came out great. Two sittings over two nights, about 7 hours of work. Whew! Now let's hope I can sell them! Click photos to enlarge and see details.

Good Fortune Times 2

Jeff and I got chinese food the other night and there were four fortune cookies in our take out bag. I think they are always my favorite part, and imagine my delight and surprise to have both of my fortunes not only say the same thing, but also be such a nice message "You are original and creative." I'm hoping shoppers will think so too at my upcoming vendor/craft fair endeavors. I have a vendor fair in Burnt Hills on Tues. May 4th from 5:30-8 at Site Solutions across from Gil's Garage on Route 50. And on Sat. May 8th I'm doing my first craft show at the Galway Fire House on Route 147 from 10-4pm. I'm so excited. I have a ton of creating to do in between school assignments the next few weeks. Luckily my semester is almost over! :o)

April Swaps for In My Vintage Room

Storybook LFB front
Storybook LFB back

Glasses/Sunglasses ATCs

Happy Birthday Ginger!

Here are the handmade items that I created for Ginger's birthday on Monday to go with her gift full of bought goodies and trinkets for crafting. I can post this because we already celebrated on Thursday with a shopping trip and lunch at Panera Bread. We've been friends for years, since we met at Memory Lane before it closed and sat together for every bus trip to scrapbook stores and Expos. It's been fun getting to know such a talented and creative person and I hope she has the best birthday ever!

Carrot Oatmeal Muffin Recipe LFB

Front
detail

back

This is the LFB that I made for Elise's first monthly recipe LFB exchange in the In My Vintage Room Yahoo Group. She set this first month's theme to breads/muffins. I found this recipe online and it sounds delicious, though I've never made it before. I'm not much of a cooker or baker...she is, so I know she'll love this one. I only wish she still lived here so when she makes it I can try it! The 3x5 recipe cards slide out of a pocket I created in the back.

More Greeting Cards

Making Memories paper, alpha stickers, and jewels
Close To My Heart stamps & pattern paper

Close To My Heart Stamps and patterned paper

I took advantage of a rare and brief few hours of free time before class this afternoon to create another half dozen cards (I made 2 of each design). I had so much fun with my itunes playing this season's American Idol downloads and replicating designs from my current Paper Crafts magazine with my twist and my supplies.

Stamp Camp Card Exchange #1

I was invited to attend a monthly Stamp Camp/class this past Thursday and I went in spite of being sick. It's easier to do something you want to do when you feel icky than it is to sit at home and be miserable. Tissues, Sudafed, and tool bag in hand, and armed with my GPS, I went to someone's house I didn't even know, to hang out with people I had never even met before. I have to say, I had a blast, and it always amazes me how welcoming, generous, and wonderful crafters truly are. Where else can you walk into a room of strangers and feel like you've made instant friends?! These ladies are so talented and friendly, and we made two greeting cards using Stampin' Up supplies. They do a monthly Greeting Card swap which I was unprepared to participate in, but they were kind enough to let me take a few home with me anyhow and they were all lovely! I came home inspired and refreshed (though still very sick), and I finally got to sit down last night after finishing my paper to make some cards for next month's exchange.

I created fourteen Owl Thank You's using CTMH paper, ink, and liquid glass, a Studio G owl stamp, K & Co. diecuts, yellow ric-rac, and Offray ribbon flowers. I hope the girls will enjoy them, and it will feel good to contribute to their creative circle! I can't wait to visit with them again!

Happy Easter!

Here is the Easter card that I made for my grandma, with a close of up shot of the rain detail that I made look "wet" with CTMH's liquid glass. I was disappointed to only have time to make just THREE Easter cards this year. One for Jeff, this one for my grandma, and my parents/Elise/other grandma all got lumped together since it went to the same place. Things have been so hectic for me...with school, subbing, work at CVS, being sick, having a sick cat, school work...the hour drive to EVERYTHING...so I've been pretty down. But SPRING is finally here and I'm at least enjoying the sunshine and have decided not to take summer classes so I have some down time to recover mentally.