And the WINNER is...

"stacy said...
Hey no fair you have new stamps! LOL I really love what you did with this set!! It's growing on me :)"

Congratulations, Stacy!! Just email me your info, and I'll try to get that sent out this week!!


I've been prepping for the craft fair that is coming up on Saturday, and I thought I'd share a quick & easy project with you.






I picked these 2009 planners at Michael's for $1 (I think). They have frosted plastic covers with shapes die-cut from the front.

I picked a couple of circles and there was one with a crown. The crown didn't work for me, so I covered it with a large brown scallop circle... worked like a charm. The ones with the circles worked perfectly so that the medallion I created shows through.








Stamps: All Occasion Circles, Go Abroad, Forever Family, Bold Flourishes, Playful Bet, Interactive (coming in December!!), and Office Organizer (retired)

Paper: Winchester, Mimi, and Penelope SWIC's & Cardstocks

Ink: VersaMark, French Lilac, Noir, Burnt Umber, & Chartreuse Palettes








What do you think?

Blog candy pics and a little stocking...

Lookie what you could be receiving in the mail!! Yummy. There is a ton of stuff here... I like to give away a little of everything :)


Don't forget that you have to post a comment on a PREVIOUS POST HERE to be eligible. I've also decided to enter all of my STALKERS a second time if they left me a comment (love my peeps!).


Here's a run down: cute little Christmas gift box & Halloweenie tag (made by me!), a TAC limited edition stamp set, 'thank you' stamp (TAC), small 'happy' stamp set (TAC), ribbon ribbon ribbon, large & small shipping tags, a couple of merchandise tags, metal rim tag, four blank coasters, three self-adhesive mini vellum envies (great for scrap pages!), two martini poker chips, three mini popsicle sticks, four large sequin flowers, bag o' faux dew drops, and a ton of old school photo corners in white, black, and kraft!

YUMMY! And here is the deal-i-o... please create something using a bit of this stuff and post it or send me a picture! I have yet to see any projects from the last two candy giveaways, and I really love to see what other people come up with when they get a new stash!

I'll be drawing tomorrow morning. Good luck!

Here's another little wooden stocking ornament I finished in a flash using TAC's Reece Soar With It Collection, some misc. ribbon & a cute red button. I know there is no stamping, but it's still pretty cute!

What do you think?

Thanksgiving and some sappiness...

Ahhhh... quiet. Silence is good. I love getting together with family and all, but all the commotion tends to give me a headache and tuckers me out!! Hope everyone's Thanksgiving was wonderful. Mine was pretty good, except Poot had to go to his mom's while I went my grandpa's. We used to have his mom and brother come out, but for the last couple of years she has wanted to cook the meal and have the boys over (which is totally understandable!). My family is loud and bustling with babies (OMG... they are all soooooooo freakin' adorable... makes me want one!). Grandpa's girlfriend was able to attend this year, so she is probably worn out from trying to keep names straight, and which kid belongs to which mom, etc. She is so nice and pretty, and suits grandpa perfectly... I'm so happy he found someone after grandma passed.

Disclaimer: if you don't want to read any sappy stuff, just stop now.

The hall bathroom at grandpa's was grandma's bathroom... I remember seeing her perfume bottle (Youth Dew from Estee Lauder) and face cream on the vanity. It still feels like grandma in there, even though her personal stuff isn't on the counter anymore. The seashells are still in the basket, a piece of coral on the counter, another shell holds the bar of handsoap, the birdie framed picture still on the wall...

Another thing. I've never sat in grandma's living room chair after she passed. My mom and sisters haven't either... funny, huh? Everyone would cram themselves into the sectional sofa and sprawl on the floor, but we left grandma's chair empty. The only people that tend to sit there are boyfriends or girlfriends of 'younger set' who didn't know grandma. See, grandma had a whole routine. She spent most of the day in at the kitchen table doing crosswords or playing solitare... man, you wouldn't believe how many decks of cards she went through! But in the evening after dinner, she fixed her an Old Charter and water and sat in the chair to watch tv. Usually a show like Matlock or Murder She Wrote. :) Sometimes she would sit in the chair in the afternoon if she was working on a quilt or afaghan (when her eyes & fingers worked better). She always had to have an ottoman... none of that recliner business either... had to be an ottoman. This way she could still swivel around or rock a bit if she felt like it.

It's funny what you remember when family gets together, isn't it? The chair is one of the first things you see when you come in the front door. There's a burgundy and blue ginham quilted wall piece that hangs above the sofa grandma had made years ago. The basket that held her sewing stuff that used to be by her chair in the corner isn't there anymore, but I remember.

She was always well mannered and had a smile on her face. She joked and had fun, and I loved to watch her and grandpa dance. I also remember what a fiesty little thing she was... yep... I recall hearing grandma drop the f-bomb a couple of times! OMG... you wouldn't believe how many people she would shock with that one! It just made me giggle... silly grandma.

Grandma passed a few days after Thanksgiving four years ago, and it's always tough around this time of year, so I just wanted to jot down a couple of thoughts of her tonight. 'Night grandma... miss you... love you.

What a Smartie :)

Don't forget to post a comment on the PREVIOUS POST for a chance at some blog candy!!

Why am I such a procrastinator? I'll have a booth set up at the Edgerton PTO Holiday Mart on December 6th, and I am sooooooooooo NOT ready. I've got a ton of stuff to do and no time to do it. So, with that being said, I'm going to post and run!!

Who DOESN'T have leftover Halloween candy every year? Yeah, exactly. I had this bag o' Smarties (well not the WHOLE bag) left and wanted to figure out something to do with them. Voila... my:

Winter Cheer Mini-Pocket Pouch

Stamps: Ready Set Snow, Ornamental Snowflakes, Tag Tidbits

Paper: Toodle Loo cardstock, white UltraSmooth cardstock

Ink: VersaMark, Reflection Blue & Iris Palettes

Other: Stardust Stickles, photo turn & brad, misc. ribbon, foam tape, sewing machine, Giga Scallop Square Punch

Fun, huh?! It looks like I have a scallop rectangle, no? NO! The white ribbon is not just a bit of loveliness... I punched two squares, glued them together and wrapped the ribbon around to hide the overlap. Genius... me thinks! :) Ok, maybe not genius, but it IS another way to extend your square punch versatility! I'm sure I'm not the first to figure this one out either, so if you've got some examples, share the link!!

I know this little pouch doesn't hold much, but it does hold the small Smarties packs, and it would be great with three little tags in the pockets w/ a little index photo (ya' know, from the small proof sheets at Walgreens) and a bit of journaling. Or maybe go the whole blessings route for Thanksgiving.

I've had my Janome Mini sewing machine for awhile and hadn't used it! I've still got to play with the tension since it is totally different sewing on paper rather than fabric.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Early birdie & BLOG CANDY!!!

Please see blog candy info at the end of this post!!

Well, evidently I have completely skipped Fall and headed directly into Winter cards. LOOK at this CA-YOOT birdie :) This is a sneak peek from one of TAC's special sets available in December!! I know the card is ultra simple, but I really wanted the focus on the image.

I played with my Copic markers for this one. And don't you love all of the shimmer with the Stickles?!

Early Peace Bird card supplies:
Stamps: Early Bird, Ornamental Snowflakes, Tag Tidbits
Paper: Lilly Anna & Toodle Loo cardstocks, PTI white cardstock
Ink: Noir & Burnt Umber Palettes, VersaMark
Other: Transcendence Embossing Powder, Stardust Stickles, Copic markers, Mini-round Tab Punch, misc. ribbon, stapler, foam tape

I stamped the snowflakes in VM directly onto the card base and then heat embossed. The white panel is popped up on dimensionals.

Wait until you see the other images in this set! They are so cute! Another set that will be released next month is called Interact. I've been wanting a set like this forever! It's PERFECT for all of the interactive cards, mini-albums, and scrapbook pages everyone is doing... Can't wait to use it!

So, what do you think about the little birdie?

Ok, now for the BLOG CANDY! Since I blew by my 10,000th hit, I shall be putting together a little 'care package' of sorts! And what perfect timing with the winter holiday coming up?! Who doesn't like presents?! :) I don't know what it will be comprised of yet, but just know that it will be some stamping/papercrafting yumminess. :)

Just leave a comment on this post and you will be entered in the drawing!! I'll draw a name on next Sunday, Nov. 30th... this gives you plenty of time to enter (and tell your friends!!). in fact, if you post a link to this post on your blog, let me know and I'll enter your name twice!!

** Edited to add ** go HERE for some REALLY yummy blog candy that includes Copic markers!! Debbie's stuff is just beautiful, so you should lurk for awhile :)

a little blog award [insert beauty queen wave here]

My friend & fellow Angel, Bridgett, has given me a Kreativ Blogger Award! How sweet is she?! She always has something nice to say, and her blog is full of creativity, so go check it out! Thanks, Bridgett!

Here are the rules for this blog award: list 6 things you value, 6 things you don't, and 6 receivers. So, here we go:

SIX THINGS I VALUE

1. Family... yep, I know, it's a given! I love my family, as quirky and messed up as some members are, but that is what makes life interesting, right?

2. Friendship... this is another gimme, but it's true, yeah? My friends, even as crazy as some may be (you know who you are!), are a big part of me and I think they make me a better person.

3. Independence... this is two fold. One, is regarding the country we live in... freedom to do almost anything you could dream. And Two, deals with my own personality & relationships... an independence of spirit, so-to-speak. Example: Poot and I have a very loving marriage, but we are both independent thinkers and do-ers... we don't have to be attached at the hip, we don't have to like exactly the same things, and we respect eachother's opinions [ even if he is wrong! :) ].

4. Creativity... not just in art or 'craftiness'. But in everything... work, play, problem solving. I may be a lot of things, but I am NOT boring :)

5. Intelligence... in a broad sense of the term :). I'm using this as a blanket term... everything from technology & ingenuity, to common sense. I'm thankful I'm not a braniac, and I'm thankful I'm not an idiot :)

6. Mother Earth... no, I'm not granola or anything. It's just that we wouldn't be here without the Earth sustaining us... gotta give her props!

SIX THINGS I DO NOT VALUE

1. Cruelty... this has a large range. I'm talking everything from kids belittling and picking on other kids in school, to horrendous crimes against humans & animals. I just don't get it.

2. Not using common courtesy... please and thank you. Let's show a little R-E-S-P-E-C-T, people(you know you want to sing it... thank you Aretha!).

3. 'All about me' people... it's a big world people, and some need to realize that it doesn't revolve around them! :)

4. My dogs shedding... I love my two babies like you wouldn't believe, but I wish they could keep more hair on them than I collect on my pants. :)

5. Housework & laundry... yes, I'll stand by my old addage: I want to be a kept woman.

6. Real creepie-crawlies... I may LOVE Halloween and all of the fake spiders and what-not, but the real thing kinda grosses me out.

SIX PEEPS

[it's hard to just pick six!]

1. Julie (paperjewels)

2. Joan (paperlicious)

3. Kemi (kssdesigns)

4. Seleise (amethystcat)

5. Stacy (stacyspapercrafts)

6. Debra (minuetsmuse)

Another TAC Blog Hop!!!

Melisa Waldorf, a fellow Angel, has organized another Blog Hop! She wanted to show off several ways to use a specific TAC stamp set... so, be sure and check out all of these other links of even more Angels, showcasing TAC's Love Doodles and Forever stamp sets:

Jen's 1st

Jen's 2nd

KellyRae

Rita's 1st

Rita's 2nd

Rita's 3rd

and here are mine:

Barb's 1st

Barb's 2nd

Barb's 3rd

Goin' Uptown...

I created this little pop-up album a weekend or so ago, and thought I'd share it tonight.


I received the instructions from a wonderful fellow Angel, Sally Pondel... she made it VERY easy to figure out! Sally doesn't have a stamping blog, but she has one for her sports photography HERE... great photos!

So, here it is... The Uptown Girl Pop-Up Album

Stamps: 'Drama Queen' was part of a limited edition set (nla)

Paper: Uptown Girl (Wing It Collection), black and white basic cardstocks

Ink: Noir Palette

Other: pink rhinestone (unknown), Bazzill Bitty Blossoms, WeR large pink eyelet, pewter brad, misc. pink ribbon




I kept this very clean & plain (weird for me, I know)... if you want it to close without ickying anything up, you need to limit the lumpy-bumpy embellishments!




I think this would be a pretty good seller at a craft fair, don't you think so? This is the 4x4 size, but you could easily make it 6x6, 3x3, or whatever!


What do you think?

A little winter sumpin' sumpin', & a little self-realization...

Another quick post tonight, because I have GOT to get my hiney in gear and create something for my Winger assignment... good grief. So, in light of the fact that I have NOTHING NEW AT ALL to show you, here are a couple of very simple Christmas cards I did last year.

Stamps: Goodness of God, Tag Tidbits
Paper: Genevieve (a TAC Fly With It Collection), Bazzill Monochromatic Violets
Ink: Violette & Noir Palettes
Other: black snaps

I LOVE this paper pack. In fact, I find it extremely hard to cut into it :) How sick is that? I buy this stuff because it is so pretty and I know I can do something great with it, and what happens...

[everyone, all together now...]

I hoard it.
I save it.
I put it in a safe storage container so it won't get crumpled or bent up.

I bring it out to show my peeps how pretty it is.

Does any of this sound familiar, people??!

Yes... it's a true sickness. Kind of like all of the friggin' ribbon I seem to buy...

[I still maintain that it finds me and jumps into my shopping basket all by itself and I don't even realize I bought it until I get home] ... yeah, rrrriiiiiiiiiiigggggggggght {que Dr. Evil on Austin Powers}
Wow... uhhh... I think I'm going to log off now.


What do you think?

[insert heavy sigh here]

I have been in such a funk lately... is it the weather? Is it my job? WTH? I'm not feeling very creative and I just want to stay in bed...

Here are a couple of wooden ornaments I FINALLY finished... there's nothing to them, but it took forever, I swear!

The mittens hold a photo, and the stocking could be personalized with a name or year.

Stamps: Christmas Fun (holly on the mittens)

Paper: Reece SWIC and Merry Wishes SWIC (retired)

Ink: Burnt Umber Palette, Java ink spray

Other: Yes! glue, sanding block, Copic markers (holly), misc. beaded trim & ribbon, TAC flower punch, hydra sponge

What do you think?

Holy cow! I just noticed I have over 10,000 hits!! Keep your eye out for a blog candy post sometime soon!!

Winter quickie...

Real quick post tonight... I'm pretty tuckered out :) ...

My fellow AngelHood1 sis, Angela, had this awesome card on her blog, and I just had to CASE it! My Hostess Club ladies loved the card, too, so a big huge THANK YOU ANGELA!!!

Stamps: Ornamental Snowflakes, Trendy Greetings
Paper: TAC's basic navy cardstock, misc. grey cardstock
Ink: VersaMark, VersaMagic Night Sky
Other: misc. ribbon, navy embossing powder, hydra sponge

I varied the technique just a bit... using the reverse masking technique, I stamped some of the snowflakes in VersaMark, then sponged with Night Sky & blended to get the orb-like look. Then stamped a few more snowflakes with Night Sky. Stamped large snowflake in VersaMark and heat embossed a navy powder. Applied a little ribbon and stamped sentiment... boom... done.

This would make a great card for mailing purposes since it is so flat... no buttons or brads to hang up those precious postal machines!!

What do you think?

OMG... Barb's in the kitchen... almost cooking... gasp!

Hello, hello [que music from the movie Party Girl, and Parker Posey sashaying across the room] ... I don't know what just made me think of that, but there ya' go.

Awhile back, when I showed a little hang tag, several people emailed me for my seasoned olive oil recipe. So, without further ado, let us enter Chez Barb (Seleise, did I spell that right?).

Disclaimer #1: please don't laugh at the horrible blue faux marble laminate countertops... they were here when we bought the house, and we just haven't had the cash to replace them!!

Disclaimer #2: typically I don't measure anything, so tonight I tried to for you! I usually just keep adding herbs until it 'looks right' [yeah, whatever THAT is] and move on!

Disclaimer #3: I am not a chef, nor do I pretend to be one :) ... I just make what I like. This is a VERY HEAVILY SEASONED oil. You could probably use the same amount of oil and cut the herbs in half and it would STILL be yummy! The herbs settle at the bottom of the container, so shake well prior to each use.

Disclaimer #4: the photos are not very good, but it is a winter evening and the lighting sucks, so I'm sorry they're not pretty.


Barb Foster's Seasoned Olive Oil:
2 tbs. granulated garlic
1½ tbs. Italian blend seasoning
1 tbs. chives
1 tsp. ground rosemary
1 tsp. dill weed
1 tsp. Cajun blend seasoning
¼ tsp. orange peel
½ tsp. sea salt
4 cups extra light tasting olive oil
containers of your choice

You'll notice that I cheat by using some pre-blended herbs. I love these blends and it cuts down on space in the cupboard. I don't have a specific brand I use, just as long as the label says 'Italian blend' and 'Cajun blend'. I place all of the herbs and spices in my mortar and grind away.

[grind the Italian blend first since it is very woody... and even then you won't get a fine powder, but it releases a fantastic aroma]

I picked up these inexpensive glass containers at Wal-mart and sanitized them. I divided the herb mixture among them and filled the containers about half way with oil.

[ I couldn't find my funnel, so I improvised by using a tip from the Pampered Chef Easy Accent Decorator... worked like a charm :) ]

I then vigorously shake the container to mix everything well. I finish pouring in the rest of the oil, give 'em another couple of shakes, and VOILA...

Barb's Seasoned Olive Oil. This oil is great for dipping bread and makes a GREAT Pasta Toss when paired with some shredded Parmesan cheese (yummy).

Here is a shot with the tag, but for my holiday gift-giving, I'm going to do a much snazzier label and tag with more of a wintery feel.


So, what do you think?

Tis the Season...

Time to gear up for Christmas card craziness! Last year, I did pretty well at making a few here and there so that I was not madly scrambling at the last minute to finish. This year... ummm... not so much. ;) I'm sure I'll have quite a few left over from the Edgerton PTO holiday vendor faire... cards just don't go over well there.

Anyhoo, to start getting in the mood, I thought I'd share one of the cards we'll be doing in my Hostess Club this week. I will apologize now for the yucky pictures... I've GOT to get me a light tent or something, because the true color just doesn't show up in these photos.

Tis the Season Tab Card supplies:

Stamps: Holiday Magic, Joy of Christmas (holly image), Snowy Swirls
Paper: TAC's dark green cardstock, misc. cream cardstock
Ink: L'Amore Red, Jardin Moss, & Haystack Palettes
Other: Coluzzle Nested Circle, 3/4" circle punch, misc. ribbon from JoAnn's, foam tape, hydra sponge

Very simple, but it has a bit of a homespun scrappy feel to it, I think.

What do you think?

I know, I know... where the heck have I been... again?!

... I have been very busy creating! I was working on submissions for the next TAC catalogue and the deadline was Monday, so all of it is IN THE MAIL! Too bad I can't show you any of it until the end of January, though.

[I told you I was a tease :)]

Well, Kim Sears is such a sweetie... she sent me a blank 'JOY' mini-album that she had bound with the BIA! She used her Cricut & Design Studio software to cut all of the pages & a thin layer of chipboard and glued them all together. She sent along some extra pieces of cardstock and a little more of the Merry Wishes paper for me to complete it. I did! Yep, me, Miss Procrastination, finished it. Evidently I got a wild hair last night when I got home from work and I went through all of my little embellishments picking out the pink & green ones, including several spools of ribbon to boot.

[yeah, try 7 rolls of ribbon... yep, I know... 'freak']

So I had all of this pink & green beautimousness spread out all over my table and just started going to town! I sponged all of the edges of the book and the mats & tags I created with Jardin Moss Palette ink. I'm telling you... sponging makes a difference!! I used Black StazOn to stamp the 'Christmas' sentiment (current GWP stamp) on a little pink plastic tile... I then covered it in VersaMark & sprinkled a pearlized clear embossing powder over it and heated it. Add a little pink bling & some organza ribbon, and voila... title.

Look at all of the ribbon... yummy.

I kept the back of the 'J' and the front of the 'O' pages pretty simple for the addition of photos, except for all of the lovliness on the lower right corner of the 'O'!! Is it not fantabulous?! So girly.

I had to add more on the back of the 'O'... loving these buttons!

The front of the 'Y' has a paper pocket w/ a pull-out 'card' and a couple of tags. I'm visualizing a photo on the front of the card w/ journaling on the back... LOVE the pearly-pink paper clip. I finished the page off with a trio of lace flowers.

I LOVE the back of the 'Y'. I used a Fantastix to shade the letter to form the rest of the 'Y', punched a couple of scallop circles & added a button center, and then used the outline of a 'u' sticker affixed to cardstock.

Tied a little ribbon around the 'u', added a pearly-green clip with a little snowflake-stamped tag. The 'i treasure' sentiment has a touch of Candy Cane Stickles along with the Ornamental Snowflakes stamped in Toile Pink & Belle Rose Palette ink.

The inside back cover is fun, too. I glued a length of beaded trim at the bottom, added another cluster of buttons at the top left, along w/ a few large sequins. Left a large mat for a photo, and added a journaling block. Finished it off with a little white heart stamped with 'love'.

Thanks so much, Kim! I couldn't have created this without you!!

What do you think?!!