I Love to Read!

I really do! I read a LOT. I usually have an upstairs book and a downstairs book. It seems if I'm not creating, I'm reading. I love bookmarks. A friend asked for a simple gift for a new teacher and I remembered Regina, from The Cutting Cafe, sent a fabulous school file, All About School. It has 38 great images! I especially like the bingo cards...so cute! I printed the READ bingo card onto kraft paper. The I love to read circle along with the apple image made a pretty focus.
I added several vintage buttons.
The red one at the top is one of my favorites and I love how the big one on the ribbon tail looks hanging out of the book.

I think I need to make myself one of these!

I'd like to take a moment to thank City Crafter for choosing my Halloween star card as one of the spotlight cards for last week's challenge. City Crafter is a fun challenge blog. I've really enjoyed participating. THANK YOU!

Let it Snow!

Hi, everyone! Is it a great weekend for you? I've been crazy busy trying to get things ready for my show/party scheduled for September 19th. That date is coming up fast! The challenge at The Shabby Tea Room this week is metal. One of the things on the list is metallic embossing powder which I used on the snowflakes on the background. The other metal on this card is the two bells.
I think this snowman is the cutest! I cut him using the Cricut cartridge Snow Friends. Then I ran him through my Cuttlebug in the dotted swiss embossing folder. The postcard (from Collage Press) is also embossed using the snowflake folder. The snowflakes are a Martha Stewart punch.
Let it snow! Can you tell I'm ready for cooler weather?

I See Stars!

That's the challenge at City Crafter Challenge Blog this week. I'd had this darling little girl out for a few days along with that yummy orange stripe ribbon (May Arts), but hadn't quite decided what to do with her. When I saw the challenge, I knew immediately I was going to put her on a star shaped card. The stamps are from Papertrey Ink and the twine is Martha Stewart. The black polka dotted paper is from My Minds Eye. I have to say I absolutely love the ribbon! It's got a great feel and lays so nicely. I cut the stars with my Cricut (Plantin Schoolbook Cartridge) and sewed them together on the left side point. The finishing touch is the button tucked in to one of the folds of the ribbon.
I am soooo ready for fall! We've had just a touch this week - with way cooler temperatures. Just lovely!

Thank you City Crafter for naming my entry for Isn't She Lovely one of the spotlight cards for last week's challenge!

Shabby Chic Christmas

I know, Christmas already! But, I have to get started early and have lots of special orders to fill. I saw the challenge at The Shabby Tea Room. The inspiration photo is shabby chic with roses and a muted pink robe. I love this Dutch postcard. She is just darling in her muted pink.
The greeting at the bottom translated actually says, "Happy New Year." The pretty scroll is an older stamp by Rhonna Farrer. I added the French stamp at the top on the vintage ledger paper.
Just topped her off with some of my crinkle ribbon, a glittered star, a little tag with an ornament stamp (Inkadinkado) and a wonderful vintage button.

Also, I'm sending out a BIG THANK YOU to Kirsty for naming me in her top ten blogs. Wow, I'm so excited! Hope everybody has had a great weekend!

Isn't She Lovely

That's the challenge at City Crafter. The project must include a girl or lady of some kind. I thought of this little girl because she is so cute and I love the expression on her face as she opens the door and sees the pretty Christmas tree (and perhaps packages underneath?).
The background papers are My Minds Eye. None of them are marketed as a Christmas collection, but I really like how they look behind her. The little girl, along with the door, are on popdots, which add great depth to this card. Added a little bit of sparkle to show off the light from the hall. Thanks for stopping by!

Fall Banner

I found these chipboard leaves at Michaels awhile back. I knew immediately I wanted to make a banner with them. I thought about putting old ledger paper on them...but decided to do something a little different instead. Regina, from The Cutting Cafe, sent new files awhile ago: Jot It Down - it's got great journaling spots and cards and Journaling for the Holidays. I enlarged the images I wanted ( I also used the library card) and then traced my leaf on top of them.

I really like how it turned out. I stamped a background in yellow and orange (stamps from Papertrey Ink).
Added calendar circles from The Cutting Cafe's 2011 calendar set,
a few autumn sayings from Inkadinkado,
and some vintage image pumpkin seed packets and that large butterfly. The letters were cut out using my cricut (Plantin Schoolbook) and glittered with Martha Stewart's Fire Opal.
The pretty ribbon on the ends is from Michaels and the pumpkins are last year's find from Hobby Lobby. It's amazing all the files I incorporated from The Cutting Cafe. Digital stamps are so very versatile! They are hard to beat!

Cute, with Ladybug

Hope you've had a great weekend! I had a request for a cute card with a ladybug. I think this fits the bill! The papers are from My Little Shoebox. I've had the paper for quite sometime. I had almost forgotten about it. I buy paper when I see it, but time is an issue, so...paper often sits around until I can get to it.
The frame is from Tattered Angels (sprayed with Mint Choc Chip Chalkboard Glimmer Mist, then glittered) and the ladybug is Martha Stewart. Thanks for dropping by!