TP mummies

I was explaining to my budds this a.m. that I planned on stopping by one of our local craft stores to pick up some white crepe paper to make some toilet paper mummies ... and they needed a visual when I explained what I was up to. Well, here it 'tis, folkes ... and I have Cindy Lou to thank for this cutie! These have Halloween treats inside for my boys, 'natch, and are easy peasy and cute, don't you agree?!

stamps: n/a; paper: white crepe paper, "spent" toilet paper rolls; ink: n/a; accessories: "googly" eyes

happy halloween!

This morning I got together with a few buddies for breakfast and then headed to an every other week make -'n- take at one of my LSSs, Karen's Creative Stamping. We made a couple 6x6" scrapbook pages and a couple greeting cards there, all autumnal. This was my fav card and we used a new-to-me stamp company's clear polymer stamp set - Darcie's Flourish Pumpkin (tho' it includes flourish swirls and flourish leaves too). Relatively inexpensively priced at $14.95 / 10-pc set, you can see more sets at their Web site and blog.

On a side note, we had about 300 small ones visit tonight. Our sub gets pretty busy, with carloads of children carpooled in. It started quiet during the first half hour but the crowds grew as it got darker outside, and we eventually had to close early as we ran out of candy! Our community sets aside 6-8 p.m. for trick-or-treating. How 'bout you and yours?

stamps: Darcie's Flourish Pumpkin; paper: unknown striped dp, orange and ivory card stocks; ink: Distress ink's in unknown brown, green and orange; accessories: organza orange ribbon

the more the merrier

I went to my scrapping club this weekend and here's my fav project, where we substituted this cute stamped card stock in place of the usual and customary Trident White sugar-free gum packaging (mine was wintergreen - LOVE it!). Cute, eh?! It MAY be held aside for a Christmas stocking stuffer for my eldest. Lately he's taken to asking me for a stick of bubblegum on almost a daily basis.

deets best guesses - all supplied in class ... stamps: SU's The More The Merrier; ink: StazOn Jet Black, SU's Bashful Blue, Basic Black, Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, Real Red markers; paper: SU's Bashful Blue, Real Red, Whisper White card stocks; accessories: SU's Iridescent Ice

happy b'day, Picasso

Not that it was intended, but this weekend I took my eldest to see the Toy Story / Toy Story 2 that was recently re-released in 3D ... and it was Picasso's birthday today (born on this day in 1881), so I HAD to share a picture from the film, right?! There were some parents with small children at our show who I imagine were seeing the show for the first time, based on their reactions from certain scenes. It was nice watching the movies on the large screens again.

The 3D effect was done really nicely and we were provided some pretty substantial 3D glasses before we entered the theater - sturdy plastic ones, not the flimsy cardboard types you usually get. Those Disney folkes know how to do it up right! We saved ours to use at home while watching other 3D movies we have ... and I wonder how many leave theirs behind in the collection boxes after the movie? I mean, the collection boxes said, "Please Recycle," and we ARE, actually, right?!

Hope you had a t'riffic weekend as well. I've been neglecting the card-making but will share some this week, to be sure!

Enjoy the little things,
for one day you may look back
and realize they were BIG.
- Robert Brault

ok, I'm addicted ...

Confession, they say, is good for the soul. I've an addictive personality, and have long ago conceded that I'm addicted to the Internet. It's apparent, 'cuz I now tend to glance at posts (via Google Reader, 'natch!) and when spotting a card I love, find I'm thinking to myself, "looks like Old Olive and Elegant Eggplant; hey, I like that combo!" ... and yep, sure 'nuff, in viewing Mercy's deets earlier this a.m., those were the colors used!

I used to talk "floss" with my stitching buds ... I recall spotting pictures or projects, and saying, "oh, don't you just love the 500 series greens?!" ... or the 220 pinks ... or ... the list goes on ...

OK, I feel the need to make a green and purple card. Catch ya later!

just 'cuz it's cool ...

blog candy alert

What's a lert, you ask?! grins ... Chrissy from Creating with Chrissy blog fame is celebrating 112K hits with blog candy - and pictured here is only SOME of the winnings! Stop by and share some love w Chrissy by Friday, October 23rd at midnight CST (SO glad she didn't say "by 12 a.m." ... I'm just sayin'!).

a strange coincidence

Just last week during a program on (methinks) the History Channel, there was a snippet about old diners and my DH and I spotted the former "Uncle Bob's" diner that had been located in Flint MI (tho' by picture only, no audio noting it as such).

A bit of history is in order (for a more detailed history, check out Gordon Young's post at the Flint Expatriates blog): Artists Jerry Berta and Madeline Kaczmarczyk purchased the long-since closed Flint MI diner in 1986 for a reported $2K and had it moved to Rockford MI where they restored it (to the tune of $50K) and converted it into a studio and gallery, renaming it, appropriately, the DINER store. They've since purchased (and then sold) other diners that I believe still operate AS diners and run a diner-related putt-putt, at the same location.

And yet another coincidence? I was just checking Facebook updates and happened upon a messsage from the kind folkes at Great Lakes Art Fair, and guess what?! ... OK, you can quit guessing! Jerry Berta is displaying his wares in Novi this weekend (Oct 16-18) at the Rock Financial Showplace. Now, the big question is, can I talk my DH into stopping by on our way to visit my family tomorrow?! Hey, it's kinda sorta on our way, if we take a different route than normal ...

had a ruff day?

I purchased an SU retired stamp set with a similar theme, but this cutie is from today's project at one of my LSSs, CAM, that I frequent. My eldest son and I stopped to get crafty after his dentist appt today. He was in a hurry to get outta there, so we didn't do our usual shopping. I usually let him have his pick of stickers after we stop by, but today while at the dentist I happened to mention to him that, if he was good thru the appointment, that I had a surprise for him out in the trunk of our car. Well, if there was ever an example of somebody who had "ants in his pants," that would've been Geoff today, LOL! He wanted to finish that craft and get to the car but is planning on giving his card to Mr. Nick, his teacher, on Monday!

limited deets today - ink: Color Box dark brown chalk, PC-generated sentiment; tools: pup and paws are popped up using dimensionals, and kudus to (oops! I forgot her name! is it Susan? Karen? sigh ...) the dedicated individual who cut out all the dogs - they came from an unknown sheet of DP - awesome cute, eh?!

Have a t'riffic day, folkes, and thanx for stopping!

birthday hugs & wishes

Birthday (cyber) hugs & wishes, that is ... are winging their way to my niece, whose birthday is today! Lisa shares my love for all things Disney, so I used a fall-ish Goofy for her! I'm amazed at how closely Dusty Durango matched Goofy's sweater, and the yellow is a spot on match for some of those leaves! Hope your day's a t'riffic one, sweetie!

stamps: SU's Branch Out, Heard from the Heart (inside sentiment), Hugs & Wishes; paper: SU's Chocolate Chip, Dusty Durango, Summer Sun, Whisper White card stocks; ink: Ranger's walnut stain distress ink; accessories: ek success' Mickey and Goofy in the leaves sticker collage

happy Halloween

When I first got the latest SU In Colors I wondered how well they'd match this Reminisce DP that I picked up last year. Pretty much a dead-on match for Crushed Curry and Dusty Durango, eh?! I had a half day vacation scheduled today and my DH and I were thinking of checking out the local movies, but our son ended up needing some extra time to work on a school project so I played with some sketches. This card's based on the CPS137 sketch.

stamps: Recollections' 115465; paper: Reminisce Verbal Creep, SU Crushed Curry and Dusty Durango, Paper Reflections' black card stocks; ink: StazOn Jet Black, SU Dusty Durango; accessories: Recollections' Halloween 3D candy corn stickers, Cuttlebug w Spiderweb embossing folder

celebrating w joanne

Joanne of Mainly Flowers blog fame's celebrating the safe return of the stampin safari by offering blog candy pictured at left, so stop on by before October 31st!

spooky? I don't think so!

This is my first time playing with the smooth operators from Stamping 411 - they offer Saturday sketches and this card's based on their SSC120 sketch ... the black pebbles (they were blue, I painted 'em black) were arranged differently 'cuz my spidey's so darn large, and the ribbon's missing 'cuz it's located in the bedroom where my DH is currently napping ... so imagine there's ribbon on the top right, okay? Great! Now, don't 'cha just love this flocked DP? I limited myself to one sheet last year and still had a little bit left ... almost hate to use it! Do you have hoarding tendencies? I sure have to fight 'em!


stamps: A Muse Artstamps' Spooky Night; paper: Making Memories' Flocked Spider DP, Paper Reflections' black and SU Very Vanilla card stocks; ink: Heidi Swapp's black acrylic paint, StazOn Jet Black ink; accessories: chipboard spider, Panacea mini discs and Westrim googly eyes

hippo birdie 2 ewe, Mark!

Autumn is a second spring, where every leaf's a flower. - Albert Camus

I like that sentiment! Altered from a class project, I'd made arrangements for a buddy of mine to pick up the materials (thanx, Pat!). This card's DP and card stock were already cut to fit, compliments of a LSS, Karen's Creative Stamping. I've been heading there every other Saturday for a make-'n-take where we make a pair of 6x6" scrapbook pages and 2 cards. I missed last weekend's class because my DH, eldest son, and I were participating on a Area XIII Special Olympics' Bowling for Champions team! I missed THIS weekend's noon - 2 p.m. make-'n-take at my OTHER LSS (just plain lucky, I guess, to have two shops locally) because I got too late a start so headed straight to an early afternoon appointment. All I needed for this card was assembly, then I added the acorn and leaves stamp and sentiments, inside and out. Easy peasy and heading in the mail to my b'rer Mark in hopes that it arrives in time for his birthday later in the week!

stamps: Recollections' 115465, The Paper Co's Autumn Harvest, Stamps by Judith's D02, D45, O29 (for the inside - a hippo, birdie, and sheep/ewe ... get it?!); paper: unknown (supplied by shop); ink: SU's Soft Suede

love leaves memories

I needed a sympathy card for a friend and had coincidentally ordered the Irish Blessings stamp set from Waltzing Mouse Stamps just a couple weeks ago, thinking of her. The stamps arrived this week so I pulled together a quick and simple card to share, based on a layout at the stamp's site. I'll make this a quick post today as I've 5 birthdays to celebrate this month. When it rains, it pours.

stamps: Waltzing Mouse Stamps' Irish Blessings; paper: SU's Old Olive, Soft Suede, Whisper White card stocks; ink: SU's Soft Suede, VersaMark, and PC-generated (for inside sentiment)

and the tie-breaker IS ...

Here's my other fav from yesterday's stamp camp led by the lovely and talented Angie. Now, I ask you, had you ever looked at the Pick a Petal stamp set and thought about making a face from it? Angie shared that this was a sample from SU's demo site. It must be a t'riffic resource - methinks this scarecrow's SO STINKIN' CUTE! Thanx for stopping by!

stamps: SU's Pick a Petal, Sanded BK (on my wish list); paper: SU's Basic Black, Kraft card stocks; ink: SU's Basic Black; Crushed Curry, Dusty Durango, Old Olive, Soft Suede; accessories: unknown raffia; tools: 1/2" circle punch

I love Thursdays

... especially 2nd Thursdays, 'cuz that's when Pat and I generally head to Angie's stamp camp. She holds a few each month, but last month I wasn't able to make any of the dates. I've two favorites this month - this elegant piece and tomorrow's cutsie post; with the tie I needed a tie-breaker and this was my DH's fav so it made tonight's upload. I love all things silhouette lately and the wider satin ribbons. Funny ... I never used to use ribbons but I love 'em lately!

stamps: SU's Pocket Silhouettes; paper: SU's Soft Suede and Whisper White card stocks; ink: SU's Soft Suede; accessories: SU's 5/8" Whisper White satin ribbon; tools: Cuttlebug's D'vine Swirls embossing folder

is it just me?

... or, when you see a stamped element on a card that's facing the outside of the card, do you cringe a little? For example, a card I just looked at had a small snowman on the right side of the card, but it was facing right ... I just wonder, did its maker give any thought to taking a pic of it and flipping the image around vertically before coloring the image? ... or putting it on the left side of the card so it looked toward the center of the card?

is it just me? I'm just askin'!

top 5 things about fall

Kerri Bradford of serendipity blog fame recently posted about her top five things about fall. I was up north with my local sibs, Mom, and niece over the autumn solstice, but thought it'd be a nice idea to share. I love the change of seasons ... tho' I'd appreciate shorter winters, LOL (wink!), I figure winters make me more appreciate spring, summer and fall!

My top 5 things about fall: 1) attending craft shows, 2) walking in fallen leaves, 3) pulling out my fav sweaters and sweatshirts, and 4) relaxing with a mug of hot spiced cider, while enjoying 5) a fire in the fireplace. ... so, what are YOU thankful for?

Celebrating WCMD

Don't you just love WCMD celebrations?! Cruising blogs this evening, I noticed that Christine of Creative Journey blog fame is offering blog candy - so stop in to visit her by day's end Sunday October 11th!

enabler (blog candy) alert

FYI, folkes - Suzanne's got candy, so head on over and check it out by Oct 8th (and thanx, Jan, for the "heads up!").

happy WCMD

So, how'd you celebrate World Card Making Day? Earlier today I went bowling with my DH and eldest son as a team in the Area XIII Special Olympics' Bowling For Champions program. I used to bowl on leagues with friends and my DH but that was many moons ago. Today I perfected the left gutter throw ... it was a sad sight! BUT the event's tee shirts were awesome, so that's all that matters! That, and my son had a t'riffic time!

Just before hitting the hay tonight I made this "welcome fall" card to celebrate autumn, which has arrived here in the Midwest. Tho' the trees in my yard are mainly maples, I couldn't find a maple leaf punch this evening so dug out this recent oak leaf find from the dollar stamp section at my local Mike's. This card's based on a couple challenges - the layout's based on the clean and simple FTL60 sketch challenge and the leaves are from Sharon Johnson's ssnotime106 leaves subject challenge. I stamped the leaves on the pretty indian summer DP, then cut them out and use glue dots to adhere them to the white background.

stamps: Recollections' 115465, studio g's series 20; paper: Basic Grey's indian summer DP, SU's soft suede, whisper white card stocks; ink: SU's soft suede; accessories: a muse artstamps' mini dot twinkle stickers

boo!

I'm loving the clean & simple blog sketch challenges. This card's based on their FTL61 sketch and I'd been looking forward to using some of this ribbon for a web-look card. The stamps are from the past spring's Mega Meet - some sei stamps I'd picked up along with a mini "boo" word book that I've yet to embellish! So much to do and so little time, y'know?! What do you think the chances are that the recipient of this card realize the mini spiders are the "o's" in the word "boo?"


stamps: sei's eerie alley; paper: SU's Whisper White and Paper Reflections' black card stocks; ink: StazOn's Jet Black; accessories: unknown webbish looking ribbon; tools: Cuttlebug with Nestabilities' standard petite circles and large classic inverted scalloped circles dies