A stamped card - from a beginner

It's Thursday. I love Thursdays. They are ALMOST Fridays and Friday is my free day - well usually it is the doctor and dentist and all that kind of stuff day but at least there are two adults doing it all.

Today I am going to share another card. I love making cards. Have you noticed? The reason is that I can try out new techniques and products without a lot of waste. I am not a waster. I like to use things to pieces. So last week I bought some Stampin' Up ink. I have been collecting some stamps - since they have been on clearance - and needed some ink. I have tried out a couple of brands - distress ink, Stazon ink, Stampabilities ink and Stampin' Up. It is strange to me how different inks are but I am just entering this world so I am learning as I go.

There are tons of YouTube videos on stamping so I am trying to learn a little each day - during naps - if I don't have to use that time to work out (which I have been doing great at since I started managing my time).

To make this card I used a tree stamp set by Hero Arts. I got it 50% of at Michael's. I love their blog! They have good videos too. I need to get my hands on a heat gun to try resist embossing! You can find the how-to video here.

I stamped the same tree with perfect plum and certainly celery onto drawing paper. They aren't perfect stamps but I am learning so it is okay. I used my new ATG gun - yeah- to tape the paper onto the card. I used my Signo uni-ball white pen to do the stitching and added a vellum sticker thing I got off HSN a LONG time ago. You got to use those things when you see an opportunity.

I learned a lot. I guess real stampers use a rule and set pencil lines where they want the base of their stamp to be so everything lines up. -note to self-

Happy Thanksgiving

There is SO much to be thankful for! I thought instead of sharing a project with you today I would share this poem that really touched my heart. It reminds us to thake joy in the beauty of the earth, our lives and a new day. I hope it touches you like it did me.

The Best Day of My Life

Today, when I awoke, I suddenly realized that this is the best day of my life, ever! There were times when I wondered if I would make it to today; but I did! And because I did I'm going to celebrate!

Today, I'm going to celebrate what an unbelievable life I have had so far:the accomplishments, the many blessings, and, yes, even the hardships because they have served to make me stronger. I will go through this day with my head held high, and a happy heart. I will marvel at God's seemingly simple gifts: the morning dew, the sun, the clouds, the trees, the flowers, the birds. Today, none of these miraculous creations will escape my notice.

Today, I will share my excitement for life with other people. I'll make someone smile. I'll go out of my way to perform an unexpected act of kindness for someone I don't even know.

Today, I'll give a sincere compliment to someone who seems down. I'll tell a child how special he is, and I'll tell someone I love just how deeply I care for them and how much they means to me.

Today is the day I quit worrying about what I don't have and start being grateful for all the wonderful things God has already given me. I'll remember that to worry is just a waste of time because my faith in God and his Divine Plan ensures everything will be just fine.

And tonight, before I go to bed, I'll go outside and raise my eyes to the heavens. I will stand in awe at the beauty of the stars and the moon, and I will praise God for these magnificent treasures.

As the day ends and I lay my head down on my pillow, I will thank the Almighty for the best day of my life.

And I will sleep the sleep of a contented child, excited with expectation because I know tomorrow is going to be the best day of my life, ever!

By Gregory M. Lousig-Nont, Ph.D

more magnets and hopeful projects

OK, so I admit, this past week was a busy one at work. I didn't get much time to really think about awesome crafts, much less go through with them.

The one small thing I did was making some more magnets. I didn't want that to be the focus of my post so I had hoped to complete something else as well...but....hey these are still cool.

I posted about bubble magnets a while ago. Recently my roommate hung up a big magnet board in our kitchen. However, we haven't used it and wouldn't have many magnets to use anyways. So I wanted to make some that could be decorative and useful.

I picked out a bunch of fake flowers at the dollar store. I'm hoping to also use these to make some cool hair accessories. But they are basically the same as regular magnets, except you put the flowers between the colored paper and the magnet. Ta-da! Quick and easy.

So in hoping I get to some more projects soon, here are some of the hopeful projects that have been inspiring me. And yes, some are quite random.

P.S. Any inspiration and ideas would be awesome, and I'd love to try anything out.

Every since I became a major fan of Hungry Girl, the Laughing Cow Light cheese has become a staple in my fridge. (seriously check out that link) And the stuff comes in the cute, round containers that always have me itching to get crafty with. I just can't throw them away because I personally want to recycle them and keep using them. They are too small for cd's but might be perfect for gifting bubble magnets, holding coasters, or something else. We shall see.


I ventured away from my normal breakfast cereal when this large box of Honey Nut Cheerios was on sale. I'm definitely going to have to try Ritz's tips for a magazine organizer; this box seems sturdy.


Even a couple of weeks before Halloween, Roberts Crafts had all their Halloween stuff 50 percent off. I picked up a couple of the containers and signs. I hope to make a sort of welcome sign for my apartment and possibly decorate the others as Thanksgiving or Christmas stuff. These things are only Halloweenish if you choose to decorate it as such. So it was a great deal getting each item for maybe 50 cents.

I've been holding on to this one for several months now. You might not be able to tell, but it's a big, thick frame-esqe of a box about an inch deep. There is a flannel board with a stand on the back that fits inside. I found this at Savers and knew some project was screaming out at me....I just haven't figured out what yet.

These are some mirrors that fell out of some frames I decorated years ago. I don't want to throw them away because I want to do something cool with them. Oh I also have the glass center from the frame I used to make my earring hanger. (Look close in the pic and you'll see a pile of my craft stuff...oh fun, it's time to organize.)

I got this cardboard Christmas tree at D.I. for a dollar. And yes, there are about 4 smaller stacked trees inside. This was quite the deal as just one of these can cost close to $10. This project is screaming mod podge to me, but I might have to play around with options.

Color Inspiration

Yesterday I was cleaning up my house, or at least TRYING to when I noticed the beautiful colors thrown together on my cabinet. I would have never thought to pair those colors together but they looked great. I took some more pictures of color inspiration around my house.
What a fun activity?