It's that time of year again - the 3rd Saturday of every September is Troy Fire Departments annual Clambake. So I try to every year - to create some things that can go into the Chinese Auction. This year I did glass etching. Due to technology and software, my ability to use it to my advantage and patience I think I got some great glass etching for the auction.

I used my cricut to cut these images into to vinyl. Because fire department related items are not on a normal 'cartridge' I used a program called Inkscape and SureCutsALot to cut these images.

I found a wolf and maltese cross made of flames so I etched that into the plate below:


Peeling the negative out of this image was time consuming but the outcome of the final product was great!!

Then I used the SCAL software again to cut the works EMS and Firefighter - I etched these onto the ornaments below. It is hard to see in the photo and it is suttle in real life as well. I took Pledge Future Shine floor wax pour it into the bulbs and then added fine glitter. I may add ribbon to these...we will see.

I found this maltese cross online and cut it with the SCAL program. The detail work was almost too big for these votive holders but had I cut them any smaller it would not have worked for these.

Lastly, I made some domino key chains. After sanding the smooth side of the domino and drilling holes I used alcohol based inks to lay color on the domino. Once dry I stamped random flames using StazOn black ink. Again once it was dry I covered it with a clear shiny glaze. Then I added the wire and keychain attachements.

I may have a few more keychains done before this weekend. I am glad I was able to get this stuff together for the FD. I hope that it helps with raising money!!

Happy Waiting

A friend of mine found out she was pregnant over the weekend - with a situation similar to mine she was told she wasn't but knew something wasn't right. I am glad now she knows :)

I love when I know the stamp I want and find the right piece of paper. Once that was decided (which only took seconds) the rest of the card fell into place. This is the card that I made her; I was very happy with the turn out.

I really like how I was able to paper piece the dress and purse together on this card. To give it some demention I did use my markers to shade the dress and purse along with the rest of the outfit.

I finally got my Nestibilities to work in the cuttlebug and I see myself using that A LOT!! It adds such a nice finishing touch. I am so happy to be back in studio - no more dust on my stamps!

Images: TAC How Swell, Words: SU Swell News Cardstock/Paper: barely banana, mellow moss, white, printed paper given to me in a Wish RAK Ink: Palette Noir, Charcoal Markers: Prismacolor Cinnamon toast and Green Tea Tria Pantone blender, Gray 1 489T and 475T Accessories: organza ribbon, pop dots, cuttlebug dot embossing folder, Nestibilities Rectangles, Martha Stewart lace punch, Prima Flower, Seed bead, Clearstar Jellyroll pen Techinques: layers, paper piecing, coloring

I have found my creativity!!
I am excitied about that. Madelyn and I re-organized the studio so that we can work in there. There is one more table I want to clear and re-organize so that Madelyn can have a place to work. She will be excited once I tell her that space is for her (then that gives me my area back too :) )
I have played with my Christmas stamps, polymer clay, sewing, flowersoft and I will post pictures soon. I have been slowly buying somethings that I would like to try and I can not wait to DIG in!!
Last night I played with decorating dominos - I know that is something thats old but its new to me so I can not wait to see the final project. I want to make some polymer clay embellishements since I have pulled the clay back out. I am also working on some simple clean christmas cards - this should be a great way for me to mass produce. The hardest part for me is to create a simple card. I also am finishing up some birthday cards that I started this summer - I made a bid stack of them because my girls go through so many!!
Recently I have bought some twinkling H20s, embossing folders, flowersoft, nestibilities and got some great deal at a local scrapbooking store - it was stuff a bag for $25 - that included stamps, embellishements, stickers, paints, fibers, papers etc.

More to come real soon!!

My first Betty Boop card!






















I was rather excited by last weeks challenges on SCS.

Here they are:
Monday: Try a New Technique TLC274 That Old Black Magic
Tuesday: Color Combination CC272 Real Bermuda Krafts
Wednesday: Sketch Callenge SC281
Thursday: Ways to Use it WT272 Paint
Friday: Free For All F4A14 Inspired by a Collection

Click here to see the challenge thread!

On this card I used the cuttlebug to create the circular background. Then I used the the SU white craft pad to ink the raised areas. I colored the interior of the circles with the aqua colored watercolor pencil then I went around the exterior of the circles with the red watercolor pencil. One of the challenges was to use paint so I pulled out my pearlex paints using a blue with the aqua watercolor pencil and using red and gold with the red watercolor pencil. I used the gold to bring out the gold in the dirt in the main photo and the gold on the Kraft colored cardstock.


I used Black cardstock for the main card and the embossed layer - the layer inbetween is White cardstock.

The two larger sections are layered opposite of each other in real red and bermuda bay. The Betty Boop image is coloring book image I found online. I shrunk it to fit the card. I colored this with Tria Pantone and Primsma color markers. Then I took the crayola True to Life colored pencils and used it over the background and then brough in the pearlex paint as well. The black dots are stickles.


Images: Betty Boop (coloring book)
Cardstock/Paper: black, red, Bermuda bay, Kraft, white
Ink: Palette Rouge, Tria and Prismacolor markers
Accessories: stickles, pop dots, creative memories cutting system, cuttlebug
Techinques: layers, sponging, watercolor pencil, painting

I got to stamp! I was rather happy with the turn out as well. I love the SCS challenges there are now more than one a day but for me making one card is a lot of work let alone 7-8 a week. So I decided to make a card using 5 challenge from the week of May 17th.



Click on the following links to see each challenge:
Monday: Try a New Technique TLC273 I've been framed
Tuesday: Color Combination CC271 Dusty Razzleberry Saffrons!
Wednesday: Sketch Callenge SC280
Thursday: Ways to Use it WT271 Pen and Black Ink
Friday: Free For All F4A13 Buttons and Bows

I thought this would be a pretty hard feet for me seeing that I have not stamped in a while. But by using these challenges I already had the layout and colors already picked for me. So then I added the other elements from the other challenges along with my selection of stamps to complete the card.

Once I went through my paper stash to see if I had colors comparable to the ones selected and then cutting the sizes needed for the layout I was done with the hard part. So I sat on my living room floor with my basket of parts, ink etc while watching American Idol and slowing pieced my card together. I just got too intersted into America Idol.

I sponged the edges of the cream frames. I also raised the frame on the 2x2 square as required for Monday's challenge. Each of the pieces of the card have been pierced. I found some matching buttons and hand stiched them to the ribbon before attaching to the cardstock. Then I took the TAC set called Flourish and stamped them on the saffron colored paper and did the zentangle technique to fill the open spaces with random patterns. Lastly, I I added the elements of ribbon and buttons and I was glad that even though this card geared more towards a manly card the buttons, bows and swirls did not take away from that.

Stamps: The Great Outdoors (inkadinkados); Flourishes (TAC)
Cardstock/Paper: burgandy, salmon, cream, beige, designer paper
Ink: Palette Burnt Umber, Tria Pantone Marker Black-10
Accessories: buttons, ribbon, pop dots
Techinques: layers, zentangle, sewing, piercing, framing, sponging

Hello to anyone out there that is still checking out my blog. It has been awhile since I have posted or even thought about it. I have not been posting to either of my blogs, stamping, scrapbooking, sewing - nothing for months. Between work, the kids, the house and all of the projects that seems to need done around the house the more enjoyable stuff that I like to do has taken a back burner. I have cut some squares for Madelyn's quilt and I have clean up the art room (seeing as it has been the 'catchall' room) so that I can start prepping to take things with me on vacation/weekend camping trips. I think once our camper is ready to camp in and our yardsale has happened - I may have some time to get back to ejoying my time....it will still happen at nap or bedtime for the babies as otherwise they are all hands in my projects :) One would think that the first yr of life with twins would be hard - I am thinking its year two! They are all over the place wether it is climbing, crawling, walking and even a fast almost run!

Again thank you if you are a follower and check in regularly - I appreciate it. I hope to again keep up with this blog and keep this promise to myself. My other blog - http://leonasdayzerochallenge.blogspot.com/ has a goal for me to post so many times to my blog in 1000 days. So - I really need to do this - for many reason....but mainly to keep up with things that I start and see it to the finish!! Come back soon! I hope to have something for you!

Wow! It's seems like it has been forever - but I have been stamping and enjoying it when I can. I have made some cards that I will show you today. Enjoy!


This is a quick little birthday card that I made fro Grace's friend. The little girl loves pink so I used as much as I could for her. I also used a CB embossing folder for the background.

This is a baby shower card that I made with the inside showing as well. I used Tria Pantone and Prismacolor markers. I am really starting to enjoy using these markers again. I hope to learn more coloring techniques so that I will have great coloring options.

This is Grace's Birthday card - I used the Tria Pantone and the prismacolor markers. This card is also built up in layers. I took a coloring book image, shrank it, make more copies so that I could layer the card. All the dwarfs beards are done with liquid applique.

This was Madelyns Birthday card - done the same was as Grace's. I love spending time on these - my girls enjoy getting them from me!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope to be here again real soon!