lunch time cards 5-31-11

This is my second week of having the office at home. Other than the short compute (from upstairs to down), I found another great advantage...


LUNCH TIME cards. I'm committed to using up some old ribbon and scraps on my table and here is what I came up with. Okay, I had to dig into my scrap bags to finish them, but I still used scraps! Another roll of ribbon used :)

I like this ribbon and all but I'm tired of carrying it around and NOT using it. So, I've decided to use it up and thus I won't tote it from crop to crop (okay, I don't really do that many crops, but it sounds very dramatic).

This gives me a little break (since I'm working until 5 or later now) and I've gotten started on my next OWH box. I've got a box ready to ship tomorrow...my contribution to the second MILLION cards.

Stay crafty, my friends...you might just change a life. Thanks for stopping by, Susan

Card today

I got several cards made today but only one that felt I had to take a picture of. I am still on a mission to use up my ribbon and scraps and I really, really like this.



I've got a box ready to send to OWH - I had to make to cards to have 200 to send. I also got a few any hero cards done.

I wish we had another day off ... but work won't wait.

Thanks for stopping by...keep your heart open and let your creativity change someone. Susan

Happy Memorial Day

"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But the U.S. ARMED FORCES doesn't have that problem." ... Ronald Reagan

Thank you to all our service men and women you are currently serving or have served in the past. Thank to all our military families - ALL GAVE SOME AND SOME GAVE ALL.

We will never forget.

Great Bloghop

Head over to the OWH blog hop. There are over 130 blogs participating and you will see some pretty, cool, great, awesome cards. Just click on the picture above to get started.

Challenges 5-28-11

Good morning friends. I'm so glad the weekend (3-days) is here! It's been a long week. We've moved into our new office (my home) and it's been a stressful. But we are getting there.

Got to spend time on cards this week. This first one is for a challenge at Shopping Our Stash. Use old ribbon or a large stash of ribbon or use ribbon in a new way. This first card uses a large stash of Stampin Up ribbon to make a flower using a new techniques (Gluber). If you haven't seen the Glubers, find them. They are large glue dots to make these gorgeous ribbon (or fabric) flowers.


I wanted to use up my paper from the card above so I I made this version. This is using an old ribbon from stash.

This card is for the Play Date Challenge. Use black and white with a splash of green. I was a friend's scrapping and she had this bamboo paper (I didn't bring any black paper!).


Used up the last of my green ribbon above - my goal is to use up some of my older ribbon before I'm allowed to buy new (although I did just get about 8 rolls of Stampin Up ribbon that was on sale :)

This card was designed to use the star ribbon but I think the rest of it came out cute.


We (Pati and I) went to several LSSs yesterday - out of 5 we visited, 3 are closing (one will reopen under new ownership). Was going to go with Pati to another LSS closing but the phone guy is here to finish up my office lines - ugg, would rather have been shopping.

I have a little scrap-budget money left from yesterday. Oh well, plenty of on-line stores I can visit :) Or maybe I should save it for when I've finished Shopping Our Stash challenge and need to replenish...naw, that's no fun.

Have an awesome weekend and take time to remember those who have fallen in service for our country. If you see a military person or veteran, be sure to let them know you appreciate their service and dedication to our country. Serving in the military is a sacrifice - whether at war or at peace.

God bless our military men and women and their families. God bless America.

Challenges

Today I finished a few cards from yesterday (can you believe I actually ran out of time after 12 hours!).

This first card is for the Moxie Fab Tuesday Trigger challenge.


It looks cuter in person :( but still not one of my favorites.


This next card is for the The Play Date Cafe challenge. Don't you just want to live here? I'd love to go through these trunks :)




This is one of my all-time favorite cards. I love the border stamp (thanks Pati for getting it first and making me fall in love with it). Thanks for taking a look. Susan

Using Up Ribbon Cards 5-21-11

Yesterday (Saturday) was my all-day scrapping at church with a great group of ladies. My goal was to use up some older ribbon I've been hoarding (don't know why, but I never go to it when I'm looking for ribbon). I love when I can take 12 hours and work on scrapping.

This is my favorite of the day. Love the border stamp on the sides. There's something about pink and green that look so pretty together.




I also brought only scraps of solid cardstock - so I was very limited in what I had on hand.


...and I forgot my ATG glue gun - how do you forget your glue?? Thanks to my husband and son...they brought it over on their way to a golf outing.


I love the coredinations paper!




Thanks for stopping by. Keep your heart open so you can change a life with your creativity. Susan

Challenge cards 5-15

Here are a couple of challenges that I finished today. I'm skipping the Christmas challenges this week because I'm busy moving my office and just won't get to them, but I knew I had to something for me this weekend :)

This is the OperationWriteHome.org sketch #69 challenge:


The cardstock is from Flower Factory - I bought two pieces (strips are on the back of the dots) and some ribbon (see below) for $3. I really did try to find something else while I was there!


This card is for the Playdate Cafe Challenge. I love these colors together...although I don't think I would have tried them without the challenge :) Oh, this is the "grape" ribbon I got at Flower Factory. It's really called Aubergine but it looks like grape jelly to me.

This card was inspired by ExpressionsOfACraftaholic.



And last but not least there's this card that I started with. I wanted to use my new paper from Flower Factory. The brads are from Stampin Up - they were on sale ($1.50 for 16 - couldn't pass them up).

Okay, gotta get back to cleaning the carpet for the new office and other stuff. Hoping to get most of it done this week before the actual move on Friday...I have a scrapdate at church on Saturday with some awesome ladies that I don't want to miss.

Shopping Our Stash Weekly challenge

There's a new site over at Shopping Our Stash Weekly challenge that I'm anxious to get involved in. You are challenged to use stuff in your stash - no going out and buying something new. I like this because I'm trying to put myself on a scrap diet :P



But then my sister calls and invites me to Flower Factory! But I only spent $3 - 2 pieces of cardstock and 2 spools of ribbon. And then there's the ribbon I just got on sale from Stampin Up...stop, stop finding those great deals. I need use my stuff.

Anyway, the first challenge, which really isn't a challenge, is to show your stash/scrap room. So here is what it looks like today. I know, it needs cleaned up. But I'm not in that mood so it stays a mess. I keep trying to use the stuff on my table before reaching for other supplies, but alas, I always seem to need something that I haven't got out!





Hop on over and take a look and get ready for some great challenges. I'll see you there (assuming I dig myself from under this mess!). Thanks for stopping by. Susan

Tuesday Trigger Challenge

This is such a pretty skirt and it is the Tuesday Trigger from Moxie Fab World



Here is my take on it. This card was inspired from an OWH card maker.


This card was made from the scraps.


Thanks for stopping by. Keep your heart open - you might change someone's life. Susan

National Scrapbooking Day 2011

What are you doing for National Scrapboooking Day? I've been in my room all morning creating cards (most to catch up on some challenges). My husband asked that I make his mom a mother's day card so I used the leftovers from hers to make one for my sister-in-law - we always have dinner together on Mother's Day.

This card was inspired by the Stampin Up Idea Book (10/11)


This card was inspired by She Who Must Stamp


This card was inspired by Stampin with Di. It is for a challenge on OWH - create cards for the soldiers to send home to their wives letting them know they appreciate them.

I haven't kept up with the Christmas Card challenges but I've got two down. This one is for Hazel's challenge - we were to use a photo of stockings for inspiration. This is my first attempt with Flower Soft - I think it looks so cool.


This card is for the Jingle Belles' challenge - vintage. I thought Santa looked vintage.


Here is the Tuesday Trigger from Moxie Fab world. Love polka dots!


Love this DP - it was given to me in pieces but I had enough to make a few cards.


This card was made for the Play Date Cafe challenge. I think this might work for the Paper Variety challenge to use ink. This card was inspired by Paper Crafts Connection.


I might get back in the scraproom later - I missed one challenge site! My hubby was supposed to golf this afternoon but he got called to work at 6:30 this morning - can't believe it but I got up then too and started my day. I don't get up at 6:30 during the week :)

Enjoy your day and call your mom tomorrow if you can! Thanks for stopping by, Susan

Creativity

Who inspired your creativity?
My Mother was my first inspiration.

This is one of my favorite pictures of her (high school).

Mom used a small bedroom that she shared with my little brother for her sewing room. I remember many a day passing the doorway in the middle of the hall and seeing her working. I wish I had a picture of her sitting there. The wall next to her had shelves stacked with fabric of every hue and design.

This is a picture of our annual family line-up for Easter. I'm the third from the front in the yellow dress.
I loved that dress (I think I still have it in a trunk in the basement). Yellow is my favorite color and I remember putting the cap sleeves on my head before Mom sewed them to the dress! I'm sure the other dresses were made by her too - maybe even her own :)

I still hug my Raggedy Ann when I need a best friend (and my sisters aren't around) that she made me. My sister called her ape-arms because her arms were so long...or maybe it was she was jealous that Mom made her for me :)


Mom eventually got into all kinds of crafts including knitting, bead banners, decoupage, plastic canvas, jewelry making...she had magazines for every craft around! Her husband built her a whole room (almost doubling the size of their house) to accommodate her supplies and give her plenty of room to work!


My Grandmother and Great Aunt Margaret on my Dad's side were crocheters. Aunt Margaret was very patient teaching me to crochet. I made so many granny squares that turned into afghans :)


So growing up I had a lot of inspiration. I did some sewing but I'm not very detailed so my hems were always...let's say, interesting (but rarely straight). Here's a picture of a dress I made one year. Oh yes, my handsome husband and son...don't you love those glasses (we affectionately call them the bug eyes) :P


I learned to cross stitch in my early twenties and had 2 or 3 projects going at any one time.


Then I got interested in general crafts. I even rented space in a craft store and did craft shows for awhile. I eventually got inspired to scrapbook - my early pages are not very good. I now spend most my time making cards. But crocheting is still something I enjoy doing. I'm working on little crocheted flowers to put on my cards!

Who inspired you? And...who are you inspiring?


Happy Mother's Day ... This is the third year my Mom isn't with me and it still stings - especially during May - Mother's Day, her birthday, and the month she died. But God is good ... all the time and He is my comforter.

New Challenge Site

I've found another great challenge blog (thanks to The Crooked Stamper).

SOS or Shopping Our Stash is a weekly challenge blog for inspiration and motivation to use our stash of craft supplies.

C'mon and join us. I know I need to use up my supplies before I buy some new stuff.