Finally Fall!

Featuring Bountiful Wreath from The Greetery
I hate to see the leaves start to fall but when the crisp air arrives, I welcome that!   I wanted to make a card using new fall products to get in that frame of mind!  I ordered the die from The Greetery and forgot to order the stamp!!  I realized it while I was at a crop, ordered it on Friday and it was in my warm little hands on Monday!!!  Great turnaround when you're in the mood to create! 

I started with The Greetery's Bountiful Wreath stamp and die.  It comes in a wonderful package.  I didn't figure out how wonderful until I was finished but lesson learned.  I used some of Gina K's inks.  The stamps are SO EASY and labeled for seamless layering!  I used an old Jennifer McGuire trick when doing the word dies ... I cut it, placed it back in the negative and THEN stamped it!  Perfectly lined up! 

Here's the finished product ... put it on a peice of kraft paper, popped it up and put the sentiment inside the wreath.

So ... for the lesson I learned I learned a little late for this one but will use for the next one ...the stamp set came with a clear plastic template to use when using a stamp positioner.  Line the stamp up with the image on the acetate and  you will get the perfect layer every time.  It also came with a color copy of each individual layer and where they can be layered.  This definitely cuts down on layered perfection anxiety!



 


















I hope you make a fall memory today!

 

I’ve been making my way thru the Level 1  classes of Altenew’s Academy.  Today’s class was Easy Die Cutting Techniques.   I’ve found myself using my little Cuttlenug more and more so this class was definitely a help!  I used the Golden Garden stamp set and simply stamped the leaf bunch three times.  I die cut them. Sometimes it’s difficult when thin stems are involved but these were so easy and turned out great!   

I used some pattern paper from Kaisercraft’s succulent collection.   I smooshed some ink on a cube and flicked it on some white paper.  I don’t use the flick often enough.  It’s a great way to add coordinating color and fill some white space.

 After diecutting the bottom edge to create a little interest, I tied the three bunches together with a scrap piece of twine and added some enamel dots.

Thanks for checking me out!  I hope you make a memory today!

Calling all unused backgrounds ... there's still hope!

I'm still perfecting my card-making work flow.  Sometimes I make a background and it sits, and sits, and sits, until it is called to duty and I find a good use for it.  That's what happened with this background.  I actually made it about 3 months ago in a class and filed it away.  I have been practicing my layering techniques so I pulled out Paper Trey Ink's Grans Garden set.  I love this set!  I used some Altenew inks and wahlah!  A card is born!

I TOTALLY did not see the little boogie in the lower right corner until after I took the pic.  Blame it on the chocolate!  I used my sand eraser and it's good as new!  The background is blended with Tim's Distress Oxides of course. 




I hope you make a memory today!

All About Layering

The Altenew All About Layering class was full of useful tips and tricks.  I used what I learned in the class to create these sweet, clean and simple cards using the indoor garden stamp set.  Some were just two layers and other were three.  I used a few nontraditional colors to keep it fun!

I hope you make a memory today!

What's on my desk today ...

I got this Taylored Expressions set on sale a few weeks ago and finally got around to using it ... although I could probably say that about most of my stamps!!  They all will have their day, that's my plan!  I love the scene sets that have multiple seasons and multiple reasons.  So much fun to mix and match.  I'm not ready to say goodbye to summer yet but, it's been a weird one but I am looking forward to the change into fall.

Because Taylored Expressions uses the red rubber for their stamps, scenes like these could be hard to line up.  I used my Misti tool and stamped the flower image on a piece of clear plastic film first and lined it up that way.  Seemed to work well this time!  I colored the image with colored pencils.

Shopping List:

I hope you make a memory today!

Altenew Layering Class

I created this card for the Altenew Academy Layering class.  I love using the layering technique!  I am still perfecting it but this Roses stamp made it easy!  Using Altenew's coordinating ink colors are made for this technique! I used a stencil to create the blended background. 





I hope you make a memory today!

Oh my I have been away from the blogging world for so long!  Can't believe I started this so long ago!  So much has happened since then - personally, professionally and with technology!  I didn't delete any past posts, although some are pretty sketchy, because it's fun to look back and see how far we've come!  It's all part of the process!
I resurrected this blog because I am participating in classes and challenges that require blog posting.  It is definitely outside of my comfort zone but that's what forward progress is!  By posting and sharing, I'm hoping to connect with the world wide crafting web on a level that inspires creativity and a little patience as I learn and grow.  
Memories Made Here is the name of the retreats I organize where scrappers and crafters get together to record old memories and make new ones ... oh the stories we could tell!  The almost-instant gratification of card making has become my passion lately but who knows what will show up on this blog! 





I hope you make a memory today!

Pintrest Pass or Fail

Hello, my name is Karen and I am addicted to Pinterest.  Addicted I tell ya!  I can't get enough of that stuff.  It is the new facebook, maybe just because I still don't understand or know how to operate facebook.
After 24 boards and 775 pins, it was time for me to use it for what it's meant to be, I think.  Yes, friends, it was actually time for me to create something I pinned.  I know, pick your jaw up off the floor.  I have been such a slug lately.  I don't do anything.  Then when I do, I forget to take a picture of it to share!  Okay, back to the pinnings ... Here's what I tried ...

First up ... beignets from Forgiving Martha's blog

Her picture ...

Don't they look yummy?  I had to try them ... and her recipe was so easy!  I even had all the ingredients!

Here's mine ...

Not as lite and fluffly looking.  I made a few big ones and guess what?  They were the only ones that actually cooked in the middle!  Yup, the ones in the top pix that look like they have a cream filling, it's dough!  They didn't cook!  Bummer!  In the trash they went, not after opening every one to taste test a few cooked ones!  They were yummy!

Still in the kitchen, I tried pumpkin cupcakes from How Sweet It Is.  Since we've been living on the lite side lately the recipe seemed perfect.

Here's the example ....

Beautiful, right?  Here's mine ...

yeah!  I did it!!!  It worked!  

I did a few other decor items that I will share in another post.  I'm still enjoying my success with the pumpkin cuppies!  

See you soon!  Happy Pinning!!!

Organized Scrapper = Productive Scrapper

I worked on my scrap room over Christmas break and I'm liking how things are situated.  Haven't done too much in there yet but I enjoy thinking about it much more.  I did come across and article on how to how to organize letters and embellishments.  Awesome ideas!




Great way to make things portable for crops!

Finally Organized!

Here's the trick I learned about organizing ... just thinking about doesn't really count.  After a month of appointments, I really need to get myself together.  I have done it and it looks pretty too!  If that isn't motivation to organize, why bother!!  And it was so simple I could have actually done it during all the time I was 'thinking' about.  The curse that comes with living with my calculating husband.
Here's what I did.  I just grabbed a three ring binder.  I purchased the printable schedule from The Project Girl...



I was able to add our weekly schedule and some notes.  I only printed thru June, when school finishes.  Gotta save the trees!
Then, on the other side, I printed the eat sheet.  Totally free. I did print 52 of these, way optimistic!



Now all I have to do is find some great recipes!

I got myself organized on the inside in January, now it's time to organize everything else!!

Welcome February

Well, not totally sucked but I'm glad it's over!  Here's the short version for ya!  

*went to the dermatologist (6 times) only to find out I have an allergy to the stuff in neosporin, formaldehyde, and nickel ... so basically, I can't wear nail polish or jewelry and if I do I can't use neosporin for the breakout.  Glad I found out before I tried the new neo for eczema!  Some of the eye wipes I was prescribed a few months ago had the neo stuff in, yeah!  That's why my eyes swelled shut like squirrel prepping for a long winter!

*went to the fam doc for a slight pain in my side and she found nice little fat ball under my ribs, just like my dog!   Great!  Nothing to do about it!

*got a ct just in case for my gut and they just found 'some liquid' where they pinned my ovaries.  Yeah!  Good news, they are the same size as the last ct, no need to fear!

*went to a new gyno, paperwork mess up about the results.  More fun!

I think that's it!  I blew the annual rx budget  in one month!  Oh yeah, almost forgot.  The derm gave me a prescription on the 10th and I'm still waiting for it to be filled, thanks Walmart!  

I ended the month celebrating my anniversary (19 years) and buying a new piece of furniture to complete my dining room!  I'll post pix soon!

Happy New Year/Month!!  

Welcome 2012, I'm okay with that

It has been over six weeks since my last post.  Sorry, didn't mean to sound like Tom Hanks in Castaway.  But the year has come to an end and rather quickly.  I felt like I went from making Halloween costumes to taking down the holiday decor.  It went too fast for me.  I don't want that to happen again.  I picked up a few more hours at Michaels so I'll blame it on 'work'.  Didn't get any of the projects finished, no handmade gifts this year ... although I had visions early on they just didn't seem to work out.  Even managed a real good ol fashioned cry on New Years Eve.  Just me, by myself, thanks to a really stupid song I won't mention or it will start again.
The holidays weren't all bah-humbuggy.  Took a day trip to NYC for my birthday which was awesome.  Had all the kids spend the night Christmas which I love.  Started a new holiday tradition with family friends.  Joined the Pandora club thanks to Santa.  Celebrated a balmy 40 degree New Year's Eve in Gettysburg.
Holiday school break was short for Ange.  Just a week but we made the best of it.  Went to the mall one day, to Williamsport, PA to see the in laws, she had two sleep overs (me & the hub watched three movies!  Couldn't believe it!  Felt good).
It's time though.  Out with the old and in with the new though.   I have been suffering from bloggers guilt the past few weeks.  If you are an avid subscriber and receive tons of updates in your inbox daily, like me, it is easy to get caught up in what every one else is doing.   What they are making and accomplishing while I sit and click.  Well I came to the realization that I will never have a stack of pallets to make a table from.  My husband isn't going to wake up one morning and say 'okay, let's knock down that wall'.  I'm not going to have a tablescape every day, I'm lucky if we have dinner every day.  And as far as scrapbooking goes, you guessed it .... my room will never be straight unless I gut it and I will probably never be caught up.  I know I won't take a picture every day because (a) my camera isn't charged or (2) I don't know where it is!  These are all nice thoughts and I wave my apron at all the ladies that can accomplish them.  However yesterday was a de-Christmas-fy day and today I had trouble getting off my duff.  Do you really want me to post a picture of that?  Wasn't pretty, trust me! (having a wonderful eczema flare up so seriously, not pretty)
So, what are some expectations (not resolutions) I have more myself this year?  I need to be on task to accomplish what I need to get done to feel good about myself for my family.  As wives and moms, we are the foundations of our families.  If we crack, the whole building is unstable.  I'm tired of feeling unstable.  We are going make some healthy eating choices, some fun living decisions and shape up this ship.  Whew!  Feels good to get it in black and white!
I hope you and your families had an enjoyable holiday!  I appreciate you hanging in there!  When you check out my updates, I hope you are motivated to accomplish something for yourselves, even if it's a feeling that it's okay to take the day to yourself.  You may never earn any vacation leave but you can take a little personal time!
  Let me know what you do keep your sanity so I can incorporate it into my plans!  Send me some pix of things you accomplished.  I am going to be ready this year, 2012 is going to be awesome!

Black Friday Shopping List

I've been gearing up for BF since November 27th of last year!!!  LOVE IT!!!  Mostly because I get to spend 15 straight hours with my bff but I also love the rush of a good bargain!  I've been getting emails for the past month ... here's a scrapper's recap of some good deals ... let me know if you hear of any too!

Walmart ad ... starting at 10 p.m. Thursday & all day Friday

Michaels ...

And Saturday ... Isis containers!!!!

Joanns ... not impressed but love the 9.99 tote for paper ...

haven't seen anything from Hobby Lobby or AC Moore yet ... for all other ads to satisfy your shopping urge, check out Black Friday

Arg....

Made this cute little ditty for Ange's friend who was having a pirate birthday party.  Easy peasy cuts!  Used the Birthday Bash cart - fav!!!  I actually cut the card out which I usually don't do.  I used some Tim Holtz distressed pattern paper - love that stuff!  Starts out kraft color but has a lot distress images on it, kinda like clear embossed.  Add as much or little color as you want - makes it look realy mappy!!

Acorn Masterpiece

I know my hub loved these but in the back of his little mind I heard him saying 'she's got too much time on her hands!'
Might have to make these again for Thanksgiving!

I used the new air bubble kisses and they are YUMMY!  I used caramel frosting to attach the mini nilla wafers.  They were awesomely tastely!

Command Strips Redeemed

Ok, so you've been reading about my frustration with 3M Command strips for a while now.  I have to say they have redeemed themselves!  I was so disappointed when my genius idea for a photo wall could not come to fruition.  I received my packed of new velcro strips from 3M and they are looking mah-va-lous!  They've been up for about a month now and haven't fallen AT ALL!

It isn't the original arrangement but it will work for a few weeks until I come up with something for the holidays!! 

One note:  the regular strips that come with the hooks would not hold the plates so I had to attach two of the velcro strips and they work perfectly!

Glo-much fun!

For the longest time Ange was planning on being a vampire for Halloween.  Even bought the fangs.  I don't know if it was a Twilight revival or what.  I didn't love the idea but long gone are the days of dressing her in jumpers and tights so I choose my battles.  They all turn at some point and she changed her mind at the last minute, like the day before Halloween!  I knew after seeing all the dance competitions on tv over the summer the rage was going to be lighted Halloween costumes.  That's the new plan 'she' thought of!  She wore black sweats (since there was still snow on the ground) and I attached glow sticks all over.  I'm not going to tell you how I did it because half way down the street I was reattaching and picking up her pieces so it wasn't the best method.  I found a glow ball at the dollar store and she wore that over her head.  The whole costume was less than $5!  When people asked she said she was a stick figure.  She got rave reviews and lots of extra candy ...

This picture was taken in my laundry because it was so dark.  The ones outside didn't turn out so great because of the street lights but this gives the idea.  Yes, we had to 'glow' and decorate her treat bag too!

One house was uber creativeand painted their snow balls orange with a face and put candles in them.  If we only had snow every Halloween ... not wishing for that one!

Happy Halloween!!

My 'spirit' is ghostly.  Meaning it's invisible.  Meaning it doesn't exist!  The spook has not spoken to me yet ... I was focused on getting Ange ready for her weekend away that didn't happen, my upcoming crop, and let's see, what other excuses do I have?  Oh yeah, they changed the date and didn't tell me?  No, that won't work.  I literally have two huge honkin tubs of Halloween decor and didn't even crack them open this year.   

I had to run some errands when I realized I needed to make it fun for Ange.  I gave myself until 2/230 to clean out my basement.  I was starting to get into crop mode and needed to find supplies that were stowed downstairs. 

Long story short, quick fix decorating ... I made a fun tablescape for her.  I knew she wanted tacos, our traditional Halloween meal.  Oh, and did I mention we didn't have her costume together yet?  If you're pits are sweating, you can relate to how I was feeling.  

spider web table cloth, blood red plates, sugar rimmed glasses, blood dripping candles; I cut  u one of those netty gauzy things and put on the chairs ..

one of those 'gowing' hands.  We have had this hand for like 15 years!  I put it in a zippy bag one year and it survived!  Looks great with a lettuce garnish

love the little s & p shakers!

It was fun.  Ange appreciated it!  One holiday down .. two more to go!

Brilliant Day

Ever have one of those days where you wake up telling yourself you are going to do something brilliant today?  I mean really brilliant, not locking your keys in your car brilliant.  I often have those thoughts but that's about as far as it gets!  But not today!  Waking up to a regular day, lots on my list of to-dos, not thinking I was going to be brilliant, but I was.  (getting a muscle cramp from patting myself on the back, I'll stop now) ...
To-do list for today was tidy master closet.  Well, there has been a thorn in my closet for just about as long has I've had the closet and I couldn't figure out what to do with it except look at it in disgust as it gets out of control.
I'm talking about the wrapping paper/gift bag tubs.  Okay, so you use some,  you get some.  Just stick the bag in there.  Buy them on clearance, stick them in there.  Get some more, cram 'em in there.  Just close the door and it will go away.  Not today folks.
Here is what I pulled out of the closet ...

I love the tote, it's long enough for the rolls and has two cute little bins on top for smaller stuff.  It's too tall for under the bed and I have to use my whole wing span to get it out of the closet, usually resulting in scraped knuckles and a few moans and curses. 

Well, what I came up with was briliant, BRILLIANT I tell ya!  I know somewhere, some blogger already came up with this idea but I'm claiming credit today.  

On top of all the wrapping paper, gift bags and tissue paper, I also hoard ribbon.  Hello, my name is Karen and I am addicted to ribbon.  There is a Offray ribbon outlet about an hour away so that's where I go when I need a fix.  

What I came up with was a solution for the paper and the ribbon.  The gift bags just needed to be organized, nothing exciting but looks great and forgot to take a picture.  I used three tension spring curtain rods in the tub, put my spools of ribbon on them and whhhhaaaa laaaa!!!  Problem solved!  I got the ribbon out of the two trash bags and one drawer and into the tote (and some back into the drawer, but neater) ...

before ....

Glorious after ...

The small bins still fit on top of the spools of ribbon which I used to hold supplies like tape, scissors and those pesky rolls of curling ribbon that start in the middle of the spool.  

Can I be done now!  Felt good to scratch that one!

Birthday Card

I am in the process of rethinking my scrap room, yet again!  That is a never ending issue!  I would love to get a wireless printer but that's not in the budget right now but I don't have a surface to put my laptop next to my printer and use it comfortably ... anyway ... I get stifled sometimes and have to just create something!  I pushed everything off my desk, kinda like they do in the movies when some one is going to make out on the desk, and just made a card.  Not as romantic as the make out scene but just as passionate ... yes, yes, stick it there, no, the other angle, twist it, that's right, right on top, yeah baby ... and scene ...

boy I really rummage thru the scraps for this one.  I am determined to start using more of them!  I used an icon from the Crafty Secrets scrap sheets, some of Time's ink for around the edges, Stampin Up punch for the torn page effect,  and some buttons for that vintage cuteness!