Thoughtful Thursday 11/26/15

Happy Thanksgiving!!

I'm glad to say some stores have decided to wait until tomorrow to start with Christmas sales.  They are taking the time to enjoy Thanksgiving, rather than bypassing it. To me, it's important to think about what we're thankful for.

Have a wonderful day, month, and year!

Lola Artbooking Happy Birthday

This older card - just a year- is a good one.  If you use Design Studio or Craft Room, you can save your template and then use any paper to cut it out again.

Artbooking was the Cricut Collection used here.  The solid stars are from the center of the streaked stars.  The colored/patterned paper on the bottom is Lola background paper.  The total background is simple Black cardstock.  The "celebrate" and the stars are specialty cardstock that came with Lola.

"Celebrate" is a Cricut cut that has been raised with 3D foam.  Everything else is mounted directly on top of each other.  The card is finished off with Clear Sparkles.  You could use a different stamp instead of "happy birthday" too.  A cupcake, candles, "good job", balloons... just to name a few suggestive alternatives.  :)

Fun, fun!

Thoughtful Thursday 11/19/15

With Thanksgiving around the corner, I thought this an appropriate quote to share.

We must want change to happen before it can happen, and we must be open to the change that will happen. Change isn't always easy... but good usually comes from it.

Open, Open, Open...

Do you remember that commercial?  I believe the woman was standing outside a Marshall's [correction: it was Mervyn's - thanks Bethany!] store, waiting for it to open.

I'm ready for my bulbs to start growing, and I'm not being very patient about it.  It's a good thing I don't have a choice!  Why am I being impatient?

When Belle passed away in July, my neighbor touched me by giving me some Snowbell bulbs to plant in her honor.  The instructions said to wait until November to plant them.  I waited, very nicely, I might add, until the second week of November!  Now that I planted them, I want them to grow - NOW.

Today I told myself that I wouldn't check on them again until the 29th.  I hope I can last that long. I hope to see a change - a hint of growth.  I know they won't be in bloom or anything...

Belle was a beautifully sweet dog, and I'm ready to smile whenever I see the plant.  I still think about my baby everyday.  I know she barked a lot, but she was always by the door when I got home.  It's uncanny to me how much I still miss her presence...

Anyway, Amanda gave me a wonderful gift when she delivered the bulbs to me.  I will think of her and her thoughtfulness along with Belle, whenever I see the plant and flowers.  Thank you, Amanda!   Hugs.

Now, if the bulbs would just open...

Changing the Stamp Set but Keeping the Paper

I've shown you the overall picture of this updated workshop from September 2015, but let me show you a side by side look at the cards.

Similarly to my last post, you can also change the stamp sets out and keep the paper the same.  It's just another way paper and stamps are versatile!

Not much can be added to the pictures.  The stamp sets I used are in the first post which you can find by clicking on "updated workshop" in the first sentence.  To me, the cards look very different, but the papers are the same!

Small circles are Flaxen, large flower is Glacier and Cricut cut.  Modified A Cut Above (and rotated 90 degrees on pg 49) of Wishes.

The leaves were stamped with Ponderosa on Sweet Leaf paper.  The horizontal and vertical lines were made from the stem in the stamp set.  The flower and leaves are Cricut cuts.  From Wishes - Gallery (rotated) pg 119.

With this one, the leaves are tone on tone - Sweet Leaf stamped on Sweet Leaf.  The "Happy" banner is a Cricut cut that was trimmed to only have the banner on one side.  You could tuck it under the flower if you'd prefer.  From Make it From Your Heart Volume #1 - Pattern #20.

The flowers are masked for the leaves.  I stamped the back side of the stamp to fill in the outline!  The Butterflies are part of the Finding the Words stamp set.  Expanded Midpoint (pg 77) from Wishes.




This last picture is after I dolled up the cards with accessories.  Even a little can make an impact.  : )

Kaleidoscope Workshop on the Go Cards Gets a Makeover!

I know I've told you this in the past, and now I'm going to show you another example.  What am I babbling about?!  Using stamp sets and ideas again with different paper.  If you think/thought Kaleidoscope is too feminine, turn the Kaleidoscope Card Workshop on the Go (G1101) into a more masculine set of cards.  The stamp set that comes with the kit is a great birthday stamp set.  Go ahead and make the cards as the kit calls for.  Then cut another set with another paper packet.  I used Urban (X7204B) for my second set.

I used colors that coordinate with Urban paper - Sapphire, Saffron, Peacock, Slate, and Champagne.  The accessories I used were the Silver Shimmer Trim (Z1799) and Enamel & Glitter Duos Blue Dots (Z3122). Everything else I followed the instructions within the Kaleidoscope Workshop on the Go (WOTG).

Here are the Urban cards followed by the side by side cards from that kit:

Please don't forget to mask the bottom 1" like the instructions say to do for this card!!  If not, you'll have balloon strings hanging lower than the shimmer trim and it will look odd.  Trust me, I remembered the hard way!  Now I have scrap paper.

Okay, I lied about following everything within the WOTG.  Instead of making a banner for this card, I just used our Corner Rounder (Z1912) for the focal paper.

One trick I learned with this card, for placement, was to stamp "Party Time" first.  Then I stamped the candle and worked my way down.  That way my saying was centered on my focal paper.


If you want to make the Kaleidoscope card a little more masculine (which in my opinion, this card can be given to a male), you could use Gypsy ink in place of the Pixie and then use Grey Enamel Gems (Z3089) or Silver Assortment Sequins (Z2013) in place of the Pink Enamel Gems (comes with the kit).



So when you are looking through the Annual Inspirations Idea Book or either of Seasonal Expressions, look at the stamp set.  If you like the set, buy it!  The stamp sets can last a really long time (or until you fall in love with another one), and can be used with lots of different paper.  : )

Thoughtful "Thursday" on Wednesday 11/11/15

Armistice - the end of hostilities in World War I - came at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918.  Armistice Day, as it was known then, was celebrated in 1919.  It became a legal holiday in 1938, and in 1954 was renamed to Veterans Day.

There are 21 MILLION veterans whom we can thank for our freedom (unfortunately we can't thank the millions who are no longer with us, but  I think of them too)!  I cannot thank enough of them to make a dent in how thankful I am.  Sometimes it's too overwhelming a thought for me.  I say it in my head if it doesn't make it out of my mouth to every veteran I see.  I am truly thankful for all of you.

Not only the men and women who have put his/her life on the line, near the line, or supported the line, but also to the families of the servicemen.  The families whose wife/mother/daughter/aunt/grandmother/husband/father/son/uncle/grandfather have served.  Those who have been gone.  I can't imagine the struggles and joys the single parent/spouse went through while their loved on was deployed.  The sacrifices everyone has made for the rest of us to be safe.

THANK YOU!!!!

November 2015 Constant Campaign

If you are a scrapbooker, or want to become one, this month is a GREAT time to start.

Experience the beautiful Simply Fundamental Scrapbooking workshop—available only during November! This workshop has been created using all the items featured in our campaign exclusive My Legacy™ album bundles, available during November for $71.80 each! Along with the album style and design of your choice, each bundle includes

• One Paper Fundamentals Enchantment pack
• One Fundamental stickers Enchantment pack
• One Peacock Fundamental assortment, and
• Three sheets of White Daisy cardstock
• Qualify to receive a value pack of side load or top load Memory Protectors™ FREE—a savings of $19.95

You will then be set to turn these beautiful products into fabulous layouts using the new Simply Fundamental Scrapbooking workshop featuring FIVE layouts you can make using all the supplies in your bundle.

Ready to see the layouts?!

How simply elegant and easy are these layouts?  Of course you are also going to the have the patterns for these five layouts to replicate with any paper and stickers or stamps.
For what you get, the price is fantastic! Only $71.80 for everything?!  Still can't handle the price?  Ask for it as a gift.  Receiving/giving one of these bundles makes a great gift because it gives back too!  Add more pages to the album by rotating the layout pages.  It's amazing how many combinations you can make with the cutting guide you'll get with this workshop bundle.  Just have it ordered by November 30, 2015 or sooner.  Once they're gone, the deal is gone.

One More Fallen Leaves Example

By changing the colors, your card can look very different, even when the same stamp set is being used.  Take this card as an example.  The Poppy ink and background color takes on a truer fall feeling than this card as Fern is the focal, and even this card with Saffron accents.

The rolling technique was used with Saffron and Poppy ink.  Ink the leaf with Saffron ink, then roll the stamp's edges in Poppy ink, inking just the outside of the image.  Then stamp the image on the paper.  Make sure you stamp off the image before returning it to Saffron for another image so that the Poppy doesn't "stain" your Saffron ink pad.

Don't worry if it does, just grab a tissue and wipe the Poppy ink off of the Saffron inkpad.








Sapphire and Fern ink round out the colors used for this card.  The saying is highlighted by mounting it with 3D Foam Tape and the Gold Sequins.






I could continue making these cards in different color combinations, but I have other projects to get to.  Hopefully you see the versatility of your stamp sets, and that you can use them over and over - never getting bored by making the "same" thing again and again.  : )

Thoughtful Thursday 11/5/15

Unfortunately bad things happen to good people.  Monday, a high school acquaintance passed away after fighting brain cancer for the past 20 years.  She was only 46.  Johanna never gave up on the fight, and was always positive, sharing with friends her battles and triumphs.

Thank you, Johanna, for making a difference in many people's lives by showing us how to fight and why it's important to fight.  Not everyone is able to win the battle.  There is now a large void where her smile used to be.  Thankfully she is not really gone because of the memories that remain.  After some time we'll be able to smile again, too, once the hurt subsides.

Johanna was her own person throughout.  She will be missed.

Fallen Leaves Stamp set with Saffron

How about the saying in another color?!  I made a few other tweaks to the card too.

I added some second generation Saffron leaves so that the saying would make more sense (to answer the question, "Why did she add another color?  That Saffron doen't show up anywhere else!").  The base background paper is from Sangria Paper Packet (X7199B).  Just like the other day's card, the leaves are layered on Black cardstock.  Here the Saffron saying is mounted with 3D Foam Tape and the Fern Thick Twine (Z3093) anchors the saying.  So that the ribbon doesn't move, I used a few drops of Liquid Glass to position the twine.

Happy fall!  Now if the weather would get with the program!  I'm tired of 90 degrees days.  I'll be happy if the temperature stays in the 70s.  - I know, those darn Californians!!