Celebrate Today In A Magnificent Rustic, Shabby-licious Way!

I've been a bit cranky of late, because I haven't had as much crafty time as I would like. Too busy with the not so fun chores of everyday life, I guess. So I had to quietly sneak in a few therapeutic and very precious moments to make a card, with the sole purpose of getting a wee crafty hit to see me through my seemingly hectic days.  I created this card inspired form the colors of the current CR84FN Color Challenge showcasing Light Pink, Tan, and Cream coupled with the gorgeous photo inspiration from The Shabby Tea Room.  Just what I needed to kick start a short, nurturing but much appreciated crafting session.  Ahhh!

My card ended up being a melange of shabby and rather rustic textures, textiles and tones.   I just aged, stamped, trussed, threaded, stained, clipped and snipped to my crafty heart's content.  Bliss.

Now back to the grindstone for me.  Thanks for stopping by.  Here's to more joyous times in our crafty havens!  

You've Got To Bloom Where You Are Planted.

Lord knows, I am all about making the most of whatever hand of cards I am dealt and trying my very best to metaphorically bloom where I am planted.  So much so, in fact, that with all the lemons life's given me, I most certainly now have honed a kick butt recipe for a mean batch of lemonade. When I first came across this sentiment from Papertrey Ink some time ago, I wondered what it would best be used for?  But now, I see it as the perfect sentiment for making the most of any situation and striving to be your best despite the odds perceived before you.  I could be reading more into it than is meant (more than likely), but to me, it's a great reminder to stand tall, take a deep breath or three, summon my best and Go For It!

So with this mantra ever in mind, I decided to take a little stroll over to The Shabby Tea Room and see what's doing over there, as it's been a terribly long time since I've participated in their challenges. This week's inspiration photo of a gorgeously laid table setting complete with crisp white embroidered linen and the prettiest roses and lisianthus  delightfully placed just so, called this sentiment to the fore.  The challenge was to create a project inspired by the image while using the colours Pink, Green and White and lace.  You and I both know that I cannot do proper "white" in all it's pristine glory to save my soul, but I did create using the typical Jen's Jacked-Up version of white in it's more aged, stained form. When it came to using pink and green, I squealed with glee as I adore this combination tremendously.  And the flowers...Oh Happy Day! 

Another of my many loves (yes, I have eyes for more than just roses) are vintage table linens.  I have quite a collection, certainly more than I have tables or opportunities to ever use them, but...  I do admire a beautifully laid table and should the occasion arise, I'll be ready.  *wink*  The circular scalloped shape of my card is a nod to the lovely place setting pictured specifically as the other elements of my card more loosely follow on from the other aspects in the inspiration photo.

Many thanks for stopping by and for allowing me to share with you just another of my many musings.  I appreciate your visit so.  Here's to a beautiful, bloom-filled day!   

Baby Boy Blue.

I always delight in making baby cards and revelling in the joy of a new birth.  There is something about  a new life that always reminds me how very blessed I am on so many levels.  The funny or rather quirky "me-like" aspect of this current paper crafting creation is that I actually don't have a current birth to celebrate, but felt like a little fanciful yet jubilant hit that only a new baby can bring.

This card was born out of the current CR84FN Color Challenge showcasing Light Blue, Yellow and Green.  I also wanted to take the opportunity to submit once again for the current call for DTs for this esteemed challenge.  I think that my last two submissions are all that are required, but I thought, why not...just to be sure to be sure that they know what a keen bean I am.  Overkill perhaps.

This card afforded me the opportunity to use the cutest Onesie die from Papertrey Ink.  This is such a fun die that can be used to make Onesie shaped cards or can be utilised as I have done as a Onesie shaped focal embellishment.   The Onesie was cut from a sheet of the sweetest 6x6 paper pack from Crate Paper called Little Boy Blue.  I highly recommend this pack if you are after delight after delight when it comes to delectable patterned paper 100% suited to wee boy bairn.  After cutting out the die and staining the edges, I glued a few snippets of the softest pale blue vintage lace I could find in my stash.  The die cut ovals with Waltzingmouse Stamps' "Wee Little Baby" sentiment is also from Papertrey Ink and is part of their Limitless Layers Oval set which is also a handy little set to have in one's stamping arsenal.

Lastly, I wanted to mention the cool knit textured background stamp from Impression Obsession that I stamped with Sky Blue ink from Memento.  It is one of those nifty, photorealistic, red-rubber Cover-A-Card stamps that I am so fond of.  I have a few dozen of them and would not want to be without them. Ever. 100% worth a look-see.

Thank you so much for popping by.  I enjoy each of your visits so.  Here's to a delightful day filled with the heavenly fragrance or thoughts thereof a new baby.  What joy!

Celebrate With Primitive Pizza!...Or Maybe Not.

Perhaps an oddly named post, but perfect for an oddly made card.  This is my second offering put up for consideration for CR84FN Color Challenge's DT call on now.  I have participated in many, many CR84FN Color Challenges before, that's for sure, but I think this might well be the first time I have ever attempted a card with a pennant that freakishly resembles a slice of primitive patterned pizza. Oh well, let's hope they don't think this too outlandish an offering for consideration, but like most other "out there" creations that I make, it's me down to the ground.  100% quirky and ever so slightly mad.  The colors this time around are Denim, Tan, and Brown. 

This card was made from a compilation of crafting goodies from Hero Arts (the denim colored diamond shaped background), Waltzingmouse Stamps (the pennant stamp), and Papertrey Ink (the sentiment).  The die cut flower is a little mock up made using all of the dies in the Tim Holtz Alterations die called Tattered Florals.  Lastly, the pennant and the sentiment label are all from the same Spellbinders' Lacey Banners set.  After spritzing (or rather sogging) the card base (PTI's Fine Linen C/S) within an inch of it's life with Glimmer Mists in both Coffee Shop and Denim, I nibbled at all of the corners with my pink/mauve handled Corner Chomper's Cloud side.  Ta da!  Well that's this offer done.

Thank you ever so much for stopping by.  Here's to a glorious day for us all!     

Just A Note With Roses.

I am really a sucker for all things roses as any semi-regular visitor to my wee blog would have gleaned. So it never took any amount of arm twisting for me to use a rose crafting item or three.  This card is my attempt to use my mists and sprays in a more controlled fashion as is currently being taught in the now running Online Card Classes called Kick Start.  The day's theme was all about organizing your ideas, but I am hopelessly disorganized and it would seem attention deficit disordered as well when it comes to following along patiently.  Yes, I was mesmerised by the pretty pictures and just got stuck into creating in my trademark will-nilly fashion.  Incorrigible, I know.  The lesson was also around water coloring with sprays and mists from an embossed watercolour paper base.  You, will have no doubt guessed that all I heard was blah, blah, blah, blah, blah from having looked at my card.  (No slight intended to those who skillfully and lovingly prepared this top notch lesson, by the way) Needless to say I didn't follow instruction one and have ended up with this card.  I know it will never be a poster child for the lesson, but it was devilishly fun going rogue and free-styling a bit. Let's be honest, that's me down to the ground though, isn't it?  Never follows the instructions and wonders why I end up with a sparkly dog's breakfast?  LOL  That's okay, I'm happy to be one of the black sheep of the papercrafting world. Hehe.

Thanks so much for visiting and allowing me to share with you just a little bit of the quasi-controlled chaos that's in this crafty, addled brain of mine. Here's to an inspired and joyous day for us all!

Wishing You Peace.

...And wishing a bit for me too, while I'm at it.  Talk about crazy days!  Life has been totally cramping my style as of late. So busy, busy, busy with chores, family, work and other nefarious, pain in the butt people that things have been beyond chaotic and I could sure use an injection of peace and serenity.  So really, this card is meant for anyone that can relate with myself included in that.

I wanted to throw this card into the ring for this fortnight's CR84FN Color Challenge showcasing Lavender, Peach, and Neutral.  This and the following challenge are also an opportunity for any DT-wannabees to let the current team know of your desire to sign on for the next 6 month term. I know that "me and my rather unorthodox style" have probably got a snowflake's chance... of being on a DT (any DT, really), but I am feeling game at this very moment in time and might as well strike while the iron's hot and try my luck.  *Gulp*

So, before I wake up to myself and realize what I have done, I am going to quickly post this and race over to CR84FN and link up this card declaring my intentions to be in the running for their DT. *Gulps again*  Thanks for stopping by and here's to an inspired and rather peaceful day for us all.  Hugs.


Edited to add:  Today is the sad anniversary of 9/11.  Lest we forget. RIP

Celebrate Today And Every Day.

Still gently working towards gaining some semblance of crafting mojo.  Not really winning, but kind of enjoying the process.  This is an attempt at a one layered card.  I did have fun quietly building the landscape with some subtle background stamping first done with a favorite Hero Arts Woodblock stamp called Old Letter Writing.  I lightly tissued off sections of the distress inked rubber stamp which led to the rather worn and faded background text layer.  After that, I built up my garden scene with stamps from across a few Papertrey Ink sets using a selection of Memento inks. At the time of writing this, I was having a massive brain fade and cannot recall the exact names of the sets used, and more to the fact, I felt too lazy to go and look.  Forgive me.  I am sure though, that being the doyens of craft that you all are, you'll recognise the exact set employed, straight away.  The bird and its little wafty trail are from Papertrey Ink's Happy Trails set I recall. The uneven scalloped card bottom was made by using one of Tim Holtz's On The Edge Alterations Dies called, just simply, Scallops.  As per my custom, I stained the edges of the card, stuck on several Copic colored rhinestones and...Tada! That's my one layer card done.

Thanks so much for stopping by.  Here's to a day full of dazzling sunshine and flowers for us all!