A Partridge in a Pear Tree

It is TRULY the Christmas season - and many of you know that by the white all around you and others by the ioncredible amount of rain and wind that you are getting. Wherever you are - I wish you a Peaceful Holiday Season.
After moving across the country, and then settling into our new home in Alabama, I just haven't done ANY crafting as I have wanted to get everything all in it's place so it will be easy to find things when I do set about to craft. I think my Christmas cards will be a bit on the late side this year! :)
However, I am working on some other projects at the moment and have thought about THIS project since it was challenged on the Elizabeth Bell Challenge Blog

I LOVE her images and wondered how I was going to use Eden's 2nd Christmas (used on last month's project) for the candle. That image is a digital and it is a wee bit hard to pass tissue paper through the printer - SO, I used this image - which I have not used very much, but it is PERFECT for this time of year.
Now, putting an image on a candle is something I have NEVER even tried, but a friend of mine told me how to do it and it is QUITE easy that I think I might just do a few more of these in the future. Basically, you stamp your image on tissue paper and then color it. You can use markers, but I used my colored pencils and think that the image is just as bright as if I had used markers. Besides, I have MANY colors of pencils and not so many markers!! Then I tore the image out from the tissue paper - you want to do this for the feathered edges you get. I stamped the sentiment on a separate piece of tissue and tore it in the same way as the image. Then I placed the images on my candle - which is vanilla scented - in case you might be wondering! :) I then took a piece of wax paper and completely covered the image with it. I got out my heat gun and began heating in the same way you would do if you were embossing something. You can watch the image 'melt' into the candle - much the same as watching embossing powder go glossy. Once you have done the whole image - let it cool just a bit and then peel away the wax paper. Your image has become part of the candle and it is so AWESOME looking! I have left some room at the bottom of my candle for ribbon, or a candle ring.
I hope you have enjoyed seeing my project - which I have completed JUST in time to get it into the EB challenge for the month.

Happy Holidays
~Paula~

Busy - non-crafting!

As many of you now know - we moved out of California and bought a house in Alabama - just south of Birminghan. It is a beautiful home, however, I have been so busy with unpacking boxes and settling things in that I haven't had time to craft. I have had alot of people ask me for pictures, so I have uploaded a few of them here for you to take a peek. These pictures were taken prior to us moving in, so it has a very uncluttered (think 'unlived in') look to it - but believe me, it is getting well lived in now!
So, come along on a tour of the downstairs! When you first arrive at my home - you might get the feel of stateliness - I did when I first saw the pictures, and well - it DOES look that way in real life. It is considered a 1 1/2 story house - I understand what they mean, the upstairs is not a full upstairs - there are rooms to the left and rooms to the right, but the space in between is all open. There is a bridge that connects the two sides of the upstairs - but we aren't there yet - we have barely come in the front door. We are going to walk straight ahead and off to your right you will pass the guest bathroom (or should I call it a powder room??) I must tell you, I do NOT like the color and intend on changing that fairly soon. Paint is cheap!! :) If you need to stop in there before we continue on our tour, we will wait. :) Now, continuing on into the livingroom you will see the beautiful fireplace. It is a gas lit fireplace with a fake log. We are talking about eventually replacing the box and putting in one with a blower, that way the heat that is generated - and believe me, it DOES generate alot of heat - will blow out into the air and gas is SO much cheaper than electricity for heating. I have already decorated the mantel with my Christmas village and my snowmen stocking hangars. I also have a clock above the mantel that has snowmen on it and it plays a Christmas song every hour. I found it in a little shop southeast of us. Now, if you turn to the right, you will see a doorway that takes you into the masterbedroom suite. This picture was taken after they repainted. There was a leak in the bathroom, so they fixed that and then had to replace the carpet in the walk-in closet and repaint. I was able to select the carpet, flooring and paint color, so I went with this light lavendar for the walls and a darker for the drop down part of the tray ceiling. I didn't think the bedroom was that large when it was empty, but now that it has our furniture in it - well - it is quite spacious. I won't show you the masterbath or closet because there isn't anything real special about them - just a counter with two sinks, a tub and shower. The closet is a walk in, with wire hanging shelves on all four sides. It is quite full now with all my crafting stuff! So, back out of the room and across the livingroom to the kitchen. I LOVE my kitchen. It is not too large and not too small, just perfect. There is a 'eat-in' portion - which is actually not IN the kitchen itself but just to the north of the counter. It is a spacious area and I have placed my Precious Moments display cases there - the figurines are still not out of the boxes - maybe later this week. We took the white refrigerator out of the kitchen and replaced it with our black one. The stove is black, so it fits well with the white and black color scheme.I have already had the pleasure of cooking several wonderful meals in my new kitchen and even serving guests.Now, continuing through the kitchen - wafing with wonderful homemade scents of yummy stuff, we come to the formal diningroom. Now, until this past weekend, the table was not set up in the formal diningroom. Now it is not only set up, but it is also set for a formal dinner. We have enjoyed one meal in there already with our friends James and Lisa - who put up with us for a month at their house while we were waiting to close on our house.If you walk out of the formal diningroom, you will see that we are back in the entry way and if you turn and look back toward the livingroom, you will see the staircase to take you to the upstairs. I have garland and ribbon to decorate the banister rail - which is 16 steps from the entryway to to the top - and then the railing across overlooking both the livingroom on one side and the entry way on the other.
So, there you have it, a tour of the downstairs of my lovely new home. It still doesn't feel real to me - but I am sure it will become more so as time goes on.

Thanks for stopping by today - I hope to have some other items of a crafting sense to share with you later in the week. I REALLY need to get my Christmas cards started!!
Have a beautiful day wherever you are.
~Paula~

A little Snowmen

I LOVE snowmen! I have quite a few snowmen stamps - but this is one of my Sugar Nellie stamps. This week on the All things Sugar Nellie forum on Paper Craft Planet the challenge was to make a 'step' card. Well, here is another kind of card I have never done. There are several types out there and I really wanted to make a different style, but couldn't find the directions on how to do it. Of course, I didn't really look that hard. I had a raging headache this morning and just did something simple. I hope you like my snowman.
Thanks for visiting my little spa on this blustery sort of day. I have not been out since I took my husband to work - but planning on going out shortly so we can do the final walk through on our house.

~Paula~

A Change of Vintage!

This past week was a Vintage Week over at the 365 Card Blog and I had so much fun making vintage cards all week long. Creating beautiful vintage cards has helped pass the time while waiting for closing on our house - which will happen tomorrow!
Anyway, I want to show you the last card that I made for the week long challenge. For my last card, I decided to change my DP and use my Deck The Halls DP as I LOVE this paper and think it gives that vintage feel just as well as the Vintage Rose DP I have been using on my other vintage cards. The Vintage week started with a blog hop. We were to hop to each DT members blog and see what item they were contributing to a recipe. The first day there were five blogs to visit and the rest of the week we hopped to one blog a day getting the rest of the items to make up our recipe and then on Saturday we were to put all those items together on a card. The first two items were paper piercing and stitching (real or faux). Since all my stuff is still on a moving truck, I chose to use faux stitching. I 'stitched' two lines around two sides of my card. For the paper piercing, I pierced all around the edge of my die cut oval. Using a die cut was another one of the items on the recipe from the first day's hop. We also were told to use a button and I just happened to have this 'vintage' looking button in my items I brought with me. I was more than happy to use one of my deck the hall buttons, but this one worked out nicely I think. The last item we were given on the first day was the size of the card, which was to be a 5 x 5 card. Then we had to wait until the next day and each day after that to find out the other items required for the card. By the end of the week, we had added a hatpin, a stamped image I chose to use a new just rite stamp and colored it just a bit with silver and gold smooch. Another item on the recipe was distressing. I distressed the edges of my DP and the matting and then edged all with Early Espresso. A dimensional sticker was another requirement, but since I didn't have any, I made my own by popping my oval mat off my card and then popped the stamped image off of that. The last item was lace. How can you NOT have lace on a vintage card? I really like the way this card turned out and may even consider making a few more similar to it for Christmas cards to send. Yeah - I haven't done that yet!!
I hope you have enjoyed viewing my vintage cards this week. Later today I hope to have a couple more cards to share with you - so come back when you get a chance and visit for awhile.

The teapot is on!
~Paula~

Vintage with Lace

Old Lace - yellowed with age - so old fahioned. Right now, I am picturing in my mind a lady of the old days with a BIG hat on her head with a PUFFY sleeved dress - and decked out and ready for tea! Hmmm - that DOES sound yummy - and it WAS!! Yesterday, my husband and I went down to a tea room and had high tea. It was LOVELY. We used to take tea often when we lived in Washington state and talked of doing that while in California. Now - only in Alabama a few weeks and we have had our first spot of tea at a tea room. I am sorry - just reminiscing about old fashioned things - which is what the Vintage Blog tour over on the 365 Card Blog has done to me this week. As I anticipate moving into the home we are purchasing and the way in which I will decorate - it is hard not to think Vintage. I love old fashioned - pretty things. I really like this card - adding a bit of lace - which was the challenge for Day 271 in addition to making it vintage. It was fun to add the different layers and the floral spray - which I haven't done to much of this week with my cards.
I hope you have enjoyed the cards that I have shared with you today - I will have the final card ready soon - but there are SO many elements to add to the card - however, if you want to know what all to include on your card - you will have to check out the blog and the DT hop from the week. You REALLY don't want to miss it - and you still have time to win some fabulous prizes from my friend Gloria, who is the sponsor for the week.

Thanks for stopping by - do check back soon for my final Vintage Card.

~Paula~

Vintage Christmas

What images pop into your head when you hear those words - Vintage Christmas? Hmm, I think of old fashioned pictures of children skating on the ice. Old photos of old fashioned Santa's. Aged items basically - which is what I mentioned in my last post - Vintage is a feel of aged, antique items. As the 365 Card Blog Vintage Week continues - Day 270 brought us Vintage plus a dimensional sticker. I just happened to have these old fashioned - looking - stickers that I had purchased JUST before our move for another project. In fact, that project was for Operation Write Home and the Joann's Creativity for a Cause - they made it into the top 3 Finalists - so be sure and vote for them! Anyway, back to my card - I made it quite simple adding just a bit of lace and the ribbon and then the sticker.
I have one more card to show you from the week - and then on to the BIG FINAL card - so stick around for just a little longer.

~Paula~

More Vintage!

Day 269 continues the Vintage Week at the 365 Card Blog sponsored by my friend Gloria. Vintage is such a varied technique - it really can be anything you want - you just have to make it look aged - and what better way to make something look aged than by distressing it?? That was the challenge on Wednesday - Vintage plus distressing. My choice of paper was easy - as I am using my Vintage Rose DP for these challenges, however, I just didn't know WHAT I wanted to do with this challenge. It is easy to distress the paper and add a bit of ranger ink. I decided to use my LARGE flower - I ordered these awhile back from Wild Orchid Craft and hadn't had an opportunity to use them. I tried spraying with my Silver Foil smooch - but I don't think it comes out silver - it is more of a black and made SUCH a mess. I added some gold and called it good.
Thanks for checking back to see what else I did today - but wait - I will have more - so hang around.

~Paula~

It's A VINTAGE Week . . .

. . .over at the 365 card blog and my friend (she truly IS my friend - not just an internet friend, but a real live friend - that now lives thousands of miles away on the West Coast!) Gloria is the sponsor for this week. She is not only on the 365 Card Blog DT but also on the coveted Graphic 45 DT - so she has TONS of Graphic 45 goodies that she has shared with her teamies and now wants to share with a few bloggers. Gloria LOVES doing vintage cards - so that was the theme this week - and I am just getting caught up on all the challenges for the week. On Day 268 the theme was VINTAGE plus a stamp. Well, in my limited supply of stamping items, because my stuff is still 'on the truck', I have this 'vintage' looking tea stamp set. PERFECT for this challenge! I used my Vintage Rose DP on this card again - it is so 'vintage' looking - I think anyway - what do you think?
Well I have some other cards to show you - so stick around, or come on back in a little while when I have uploaded them here.

~Paula~

Vintage Easel Card

Yesterday was Day 266 on the 365 Card Blog and the challenge was a Sketch to launch the start of the Vintage Week. My good friend Gloria gifted the members of the DT with her excess Graphic 45 DT stash. Now, I don't have any Graphic 45 papers, but I was able to find this vintage rose paper amongst my limited stash. I had some Core'dnations cardstock that worked nicely with the vintage rose - so I cut the nesties scallop circle out of the core'dnations and then sanded it to bring the blue color forward. I then glued this piece of one of the vintage rose papers on top of it. I decided to make the card an easel card and added the sentiment to the inside of the card. I know it is hard to see the sentiment from this picture.
I am looking forward to more of the challenges that will be posted each day this week on the blog. Each DT member will be added an element to use on a card that will be revealed on Saturday -so stick around here to see how I create the card, but come back each day to see what other challenges are going on.
As always, I appreciate your comments and you stopping by to ready my musings and see my creations.
~Paula~

Double Challenge

This week has started off quite busy in the land of blog. I participated in the bloghop over at Sweet Stampin Challenge Blog over the weekend. It is their birthday and they had a fantastic bloghop with all the DT members giving away some yummy candy.I just discovered this blog through my internet friend Lorraine - who happens to be on the DT.One of the rules of the hop was creating a card using the sketch provided. What a FUN sketch, full of lot's of angles. I had fun creating my card. So, the double challenge is that I am also entering this card in the 365 Card Blog Challenge for Day 267 Which was to make a Vintage card and use a stickpin!! WELL - I love the vintage look, but don't feel that I create it that well. With limited supplies right now - since our possesions and most of my stamping supplies are still on the moving truck - I only have a few packages of paper at my disposal - however, one of them is called Vintage Rose - so I found it fitting for this challenge. Now the stickpin was a different story. I didn't have any, so went in search of some. I was only able to come up with a corsage pin, but I guess that will do. Since it is Vintage Week all week long at the 365 Card Blog, I have decided to use this paper pack to create my cards. So, come back each day to see my take on the challenge for each day.
~Paula~

A NEW Gift Project!

Several months ago, when I discovered Sugar Nellies, I also discovered Elizabeth Bell images. At that time, some of her images were sold through Funky Kits and I ordered some. Since then, I have discovered that she has MANY more darling images. Recently she launched a NEW CHALLENGE blog and I KNEW I just had to get in on the ground floor on this one. I LOVE her images and find coloring them with my prisma color pencils to be so relaxing.
Anyway, her first challenge was posted on October 25th - JUST before we had to pack up and move. I was able to purchase a few digital images and get them printed on my whisper white and very vanilla cardstock before I had to pack away all my crafting tools and the printer. Sinced then, I have been thinking about the project and FINALLY got a chance to play yesterday - and finished up this very fun project this afternoon.
I chose to do a box as I seldom do those and have done totes in the past. I used this ADORABLE image called Eden's 2nd Christmas. I only used part of the image for the box top, but the full image is really quite adorable. Since this IS a Christmas image - the delightful innocence of a child as they discover the wonders of Christmas - I chose to use the new Cherry Cobbler and Always Artichoke cardstock for my base and box top. The new Designer paper in the holiday mini catalog goes along quite nicely with these colors. I chose to use a variety of patterns from this same package. For the edge of my box I used a punch that would go nicely with the scallop edge of the circle.I used Early Espresso satin ribbon on the edge of the box top - gluing it down so it stays in place. I also added a few of the flowers from Wild Orchid Craft to the top of the box. Then, inside my little box I have 4 little 3 x 3 cards. Of course, this isn't enough to fill the box, and should I decide to give this as a gift, I will add several more cards to make a nice little gift. Each of the cards has a different sketch design. I just looked through the various different sketch blogs that I like to visit to find something that would work for a mini card like this. I had considered putting the image that is on the box top on each card, however, since I only printed a few of the designs before I moved, I didn't have enough to do that. So, I decided to keep the scallop circle theme going and added the pearls for a nice touch to each of the cards. I only had a couple sentiments that fit inside the circle - 'thinking of you' and 'thank you' - so used those switching the colors to give two of each. I had considered just making them 'thank you' cards, but decided I wanted a variety and here again, with more little cards, I could add more sentiments (If they fit inside the circle).

So, that is my project for the first Elzabeth Bell Challenge - and just in time. I am looking forward to seeing what the next challenge is going to be - of course, by the time that one is posted, I will be looking at unpacking the moving truck as we hope to close on the house we are buying on the 30th.

Thanks for stopping by and reading through my ramblings - hope you have a glorious day wherever you are!
~Paula~

Christmas Image with a twist!

I had to miss the last Sugar Bowl challenge because I was in the thick of moving. However, I decided I was NOT going to miss this one - even if I am pushing the deadline hugely!! One of my internet friends on another forum reminded me that the deadline for the challenge was TODAY! And it is GMT - which translated means Scotland Time - so if you look at my clocks - you will see, I am nearly there.
So, on to my card - I already had this sweet Sugar Nellie stamped out and cut to size (more or less), but I decided I wanted to use purples rather than the traditional greens and reds. So, I started out with no particular theme in mind - but as I was working on it, I was thinking of my friend Lisa (we are staying with them right now) and her mom. Her mom has been out of sorts lately and I decided that I would make this card to cheer her up. I don't believe she has seen any of my cards yet - Lisa was going to show her one when she was visiting the other day, but I don't think she ever did. So, with that theme in mind - I set about to finish the card - trying to keep within the theme of the challenge - using ribbon and bows.

I have another project to show you - so stick around for a little bit.

~Paula~

Making gifts!

It has been awhile since I posted - but that is simply because I packed up my house in California and moved clear across the country to Alabama!! We are staying with friends temporarily while we wait to close on the house we are buying. So, while I wait, I am starting to make some gifts for Christmas. Of course, I have gotten a little help from my online forums and inspiration from my friends across the miles. This week on the 'All Things Sugar Nellie' Forum at Paper Craft Planet the challenge was to make a tealight candle Card. WELLLLLL - I had never done one of those before, much less even seen one. There aren't that many examples of this out there either and the one that I did find had the dimensions and score lines in centimeters!! I needed inches!! So, my good friend PEP, over in Wales (no less) sent me dimensions in inches. I sat down and measured out and it worked perfectly!! I will probably adjust just a tad to make a taller card, or a slightly wider card (if using 12 x 12 cardstock) but this one worked out nicely. I used my sweet snowman from Funky Kits that I have had for awhile. He is getting used alot it seems. I will be ordering more of these beautiful images just as soon as we get moved into the new house - sooner than later I am hoping! Anyway, I used my prisma color pencils - just love working with these pencils - though I did find a local store in my new community that sells Copics - it IS a temptation!! Just one, or two, or three - or . . . Perhaps I will get a job there and then I can get a discount!! :) I actually did apply! Anyway, back to the card. I used a retired SU designer paper. This paper is really quite versatile - it is a wintery paper, with snowflakes on some, but I have used it throughout the year on a variety of projects. This card allowed me to use three tealights - and will make a wonderful gift for friends. On the inside, I used another piece of designer paper from the same package. I added the sentiment from one of the new Christmas sets in the Stampin' Up holiday mini catalog. I am really pleased with the way this turned out and plan to make several more to give away - they make great gifts for friends, co-workers, teachers, etc.
Thanks for stopping by the spa today - I will be adding more projects in the coming days - my friend set up a 'sanity space' here at their house for me. :)

~Paula~

Make a card - and Envelope to Match

Do you ever stamp a card and then make a matching envelope? I seldom do that, but always like when it turns out. I really LOVE this new Fall set from Stampin' Up! It lends itself so well to doing a collage style. With Fall upon us, you can choose so many colors to mix and match. I think the only thing missing on this card is maybe a button or sparkle or something on the bow. This challenge was posted yesterday on the 365 card blog and when I saw it I immediately thought of this stamp set. So, I dug out all my stuff once again and had fun laying down the colors in the leaves. As I stamped the card, I did the envelope too. I really think that stamping matching envelopes and even doing the inside of a card is something I want to do more of in the future. It doesn't have to be fancy - sometimes just a single image or a strip of cardstock or patterned paper is all it takes to really dress up a card.
Well, that is it for today. I may attempt to do the sketch challenge for today at the 365 Card blog - it is a simple one - but thinking that I need to pack up alot more stuff than I had intended on taking on the road with me. I will probably end up with my baggie full of Sugar Nellie and Magnolia Images and my colored pencils and be happy to color my way across the states! The countdown has started - yesterday was my last day at the spa - and Tuesday the moving truck will be here.
Thanks for stopping by - I hope you have enjoyed your visit and I will be back very soon.

~Paula~

Palm Trees?

Yeah, while Fall is all around us - Pam over at 365 Cards decided to throw out this challenge. It was for Day 234 and we were to Imagine Palm Trees. Well, I had to think on this one a bit - knowing I didn't have any palm tree stamps (if I do, they are all packed up) or any paper that would fit the idea. I even thought about doing a TALL card - with leaves on it at the top - but I decided against that and went with this card. This card is SO unlike me - it sort of takes me back to the days of scrapbooking with stickers! Oh my!!! I wanted to do a 'beach-y' kind of card because here in San Diego there are palm trees at the beach - and we are leaving all that in a couple of days - so this card was sort of a remembrance of all that. I had even thought about getting out my pictures of the palm trees and creating a digital card - not sure if we can do that or not - but I decided against that too.I think digital takes way longer than a regular card.

Thanks for stopping by - I have one more card to post - so you might want to stick around.

~Paula~

Friday Five

Pam over at the 365 card blog really keeps us going with the challenges she posts everyday. Yesterday we had the 333, today we have the fabulous five (or Friday Five)!! Only five elements on your card! I started out with the base (not part of the five) - then layered with my first mat, then a red mat, then my patterned paper. I added the ribbon and the 3-D embellishment for my last two items. I like the way this card turned out. It is simple - but I am only working with limited supplies due to the Joann's Craft for a Cause Contest. I haven't decided yet what card I will enter - you can only enter one item. Perhaps when I think I am done making the cards, I will put them all out there for a vote and see what you all think.

Thanks for stopping by - now I am going to see if I can find a palm tree to use for the challenge from Wednesday (I know, I am going one step forward, two steps back!!) - that one has me stumped. May just have to do leaves!

~Paula~

Three Three Three

Well, I didn't think I was going to get any time to craft these last few days of packing. But after spending nearly all day trying to finish up some last minute packing, I decided to sit down and make a few simple cards. I am still doing the challenges on the 365 card blog - and the challenge for Thursday was to pick three patterned papers, three colors and three embellishments. Now, my cards are quite simple and there is a reason - besides the fact that we are moving in just a couple of days - I am going to enter one of my cards in the Joann's Craft for a Cause. My cause is Operation Write Home and I send cards so they can be sent to the troops. So, the catch was that you had to buy all your supplies from Joann's. I didn't want to get alot - and since there is a push to do Christmas Cards and get them sent by the end of this week, I decided to choose some items that I could put together some Christmas cards rather quickly. So, for my card I chose these three patterned papers, my three colors are red, gold and green and my three embellishments are the ribbon behind the Christmas tree, the angel with the horn and the tree itself. All my elements are from K&Company and the Christmas tree is a 3-D sticker that came in a package with several other stickers.
Simple, but it fits the challenge - and I am sure someone out there will be happy to receive this card from their deployed loved one!

Thanks for stopping by,
~Paula~

Last Post for awhile

As you might have read in my posts over the last several days - I am moving actoss the country in another week. I have been packing up the house and it is coming down to the final few items to get packed up. I have a box of crafting stuff to keep me happy until we get settled - but I have to put it away for now and concentrate on finishing the house. If there is time when everything is ready to load on the truck - then I might make a card or two - but until that time, I must say so long for awhile.

~Paula~

CAS White Space!

I like simple cards. Sometimes they can be really elegant the more simple they are. These cards are not as easy as they appear - oh, the final card might be - but the thought that goes into making them CAS is not simple. When I saw the challenge for today on the 365 Card Blog I thought - hmm, that should be easy enough - especially as my craft supplies are dwindling down as I get them packed away. We were to follow a certain idea in making our card. Just two spots and only in those areas were we to embellish - no other area was to have embellishments, stamping, patterned paper, etc. So, lots of white space. I actually like the way this turned out - I might have used dry embossing on the base - but the rules prohibited that. I hope you like my card and I would encourage you to create one - it is really not that difficult - leaving all that white space! I must say that the picture doesn't really give it that elegance - it really is pretty in real life. :)

~Paula~

Day 232 - BUTTONS

When I saw my friend Gloria's card on the 365 Card Challenge blog yesterday and it said to use 15 buttons - I thought to myself - I am so glad I haven't packed up the button box yet. I had packed away all the buttons I generally use in my crafting - but not the button box. So, I looked through it today - sorting and finding all kinds of crafting treasures among which I found these adorable tiny buttons. I just happened to have the exact number of buttons that we were to use - 15!! I have had this cute little Lily of the Valley image that another friend stamped for me. Isn't she just adorable? I decided that I didn't want to take away from the image by adding alot of other embellishments - so I just kept it simple. I hope you like her.
I have a couple more items to share with you - so stick around.

~Paula~

Sketch for Christmas

I had a chance today to do a few of the challenges from the 365 Card Blog that have been posted over the last couple of days.
This first one was the sketch challenge. Quite a simple sketch and I chose to use the Stampin' Up Holiday paper - 'Deck the Halls' for my background. I looped this bow - I wanted something a little different and it was probably the hardest part of this card. While going through my old button box - an antique from my great grandmother - I found these buttons. I doubt they are as old as the box - but I thought they looked cool with the vanilla ribbon. I used pearls under the sentiment just for an added touch. After making this card - I had to go pack a few more boxes. My goal was to pack a couple boxes, make a card - then back to packing - rewarding myself with a bit of crafting indulgence. It worked - I got more packed and caught up on the challenges - which I will be posting shortly so stay awhile and have a look around while I am busy uploading my cards.


~Paula~

Embossing

I like embossing - as long as it is dry embossing! When it comes to heat embossing - it is not one of my go to techniques. It is messy, and you can't always see if the embossing powder has been sufficiently heated. However, today on the 365 Card Blog the challenge is to pull out a technique that you don't often do - or don't like to do. When I first saw the challenge I immediately thought of heat embossing - but had already packed away my tools for doing this. Well, a discount coupon for my LSS gave me reason enough to go pick up a small jar of embossing powder - besides - mine is SO old I don't know that it would even do what it is supposed too. My heat gun hadn't quite been packed away yet - so I pulled it out and created this Fall card.
I embossed the leaves on the base mat and then stamped a few extra colors in just plain dye ink. I matted with the new Crushed Concord cardstock - which is a beautiful rich color.
I hope you have enjoyed my very simple card.I appreciate all your lovely comments as well.

~Paula~

Triple Challenges

I haven't had as much time to create as I have wanted too - but this morning, I took some time to complete a card for a few challenges. The first challenge was for the 365 Card Blog. Yesterday's challenge was to use specific shapes on your card in a BIG way - A Circle and a Diamond. Well, I had to think about this one for a bit. I knew I hadn't packed away my clear stamps and this diamond pattern is from a clear set. So, I thought on it some more and finally came up with this design. The next challenge that I am doing this card for is the 7 Kids College Fund Challenge #6 Which is to use layers and flowers. I started out by layering the red pattern DP on my card base. Then I cut my large nesties scallop circle and taped that down. I then cut a smaller nesties scallop and then ran it through with one of my CB folders. I popped this off the first circle. I stamped the scroll diamond and fussy cut it and popped it off the circle and finally I stamped the smaller diamond and cut this out and popped it off the previous diamond. I really liked the way it looked and was going to leave it like that, but then decided to add the flower arrangement. Part of the challenge is always to use an image that 7 Kids carries - so I added this ADORABLE Magnolia Angel. I got her in my Fall kit that I got recently and she was just the finishing touch to this card (I think anyway).I colored her with my prisma color pencils - but used Gold Lame on her wand and wings.
I am also entering this card in the ABC Challenge The challenge this week is the letter F - for FLOWERS! There is a fabuloous prize to be had on that blog.
Anyway, I hope you have enjoyed my card. It was fun to do and actually went together quite easily.

~Paula~

Snowmen come from . . .

I LOVE snowmen - my husband and I collect snowmen and every holiday season we look for new snowmen to decorate with. I can't wait to start looking for snowmen - especially when we get to our new home. In the meantime, I have created this card using one of my Sugar Nellie images. The challenge for week 25 on the Paper Craft Planet All Things Sugar Nellie (wow that is a mouthful) forum is to use Snowflakes, anyhow, anyway. I also chose to combine this challenge with the one for Day 228 on the 365 Card Blog The challenge there is to use two specific techniques: Sanding and Sponging. So, I looked through my CB folders and found the snowflake one and embossed the black Core'dination paper. The back of the paper is a pretty light blue. I SANDED the paper to bring the blue to the surface. I then SPONGED the sanded embossed snowflakes just slightly. I colored my snowman with Prisma Color pencils and then cut him using one my nestibilities die. I sponged around the edges of this and then matted it. I pulled out a few of these wonderful snowflakes that I had cut on my big shot and sponged a bit, My sentiment has some snowflakes sponged in the background. All in all the card went together VERY quickly and it is another one to add to my stash of cards to send to the troops.
Thanks for stopping by to take a peek at my Winter-y snowman.
~Paula~

Better than a sketch?

Is there anything better than a sketch? Well, there is if you like RECIPES!! I DO like recipes too - and with cardmaking - they are almost as good as my espresso cheesecake! So, today on the 365 Card Blog there is a recipe:

1 tag (as the card base)
2 pieces of ribbon
green
1 piece of patterned paper
2 stamps
This is all you can include on your card.

Seems easy enough, right? Except that I have a really hard time making tags. I do have one thought - is the 'green' supposed to be the ribbon color? The tag color? Just what is supposed to be GREEN? Anyway, I have friends that love making tags and they do a beautiful job with them - they even add them to their cards - but when I have made tags - they just look so plain and unexciting! But, since it is the wee hours of the morning and I am wide awake, I decided to have a go of it. Now, the recipe itself is quite simple and since you "can't" add anything else to the card - it has to be simple, right? Oh, I am sure I could add alot more to it - flowers, rhinestones or pearls, but that isn't allowed - and I am probably even pushing it with the cutout around my sentiment. :) I started with a white tag that I had cut out on my cricut awhile ago - I have another project that I am planning to do - one of these days - anyway - I had a couple pieces of ribbon - strays - that worked perfectly for the requirement of two green ribbons. Oh, I could have fancied that up a bit by tying a bow with one of the ribbons, or adding a bow to the ribbon at the bottom - but I had to have something at the top in the tag hole - so this is what I did. I love this DP from last years SU catalog - and still have quite a bit, so a small piece was not going to break me. But then, what stamps to use??? Hmmm - not a hard decision as there aren't many that are available to me at the moment. This is an OLD set that somehow I missed when I was packing my stamps a couple days ago - and I thought it fit perfectly. I think the tag is decent - but I might try making a few more later in the morning when I have slept on it. I think I want to do something with leaves - maybe like a collage. Well, you will just have to come back later and see if I do that one.

Thanks for stopping by - now I think I need to try and get some sleep - it is going on 2:00 in the morning!!!

~Paula~

Gold, Leaves and Ribbon!

When you think of those three words, what comes to mind? When I think of those together I think CHRISTMAS!! I am having much fun putting together Christmas cards - especially since I rescued this set from the packed boxes! I just couldn't let it get packed away yet! So, when I saw the challenge over on the 365 card blog for today I got out the bells in this set since I hadn't used them quite yet. Then I went in search of a sketch - to make things a bit easier (I DO still have lot's of packing to do) and found a wonderful one over at 2 Sketches 4 You
As many of you know - I like clean and simple (cas) cards and this sketch just lends itself so well to that concept. I have colored the image with my Prismacolor Pencils without any sansodor. I just lightly colored and liked the way the colors worked. I used only the four colors - PC 1030; PC911 for the holly leaf and berries. I used PC950 Metallic Gold for the bells and couldn't decide what color to make the ribbon, and decided that PC949 Metallic Silver would be a nice touch. I used a bit of Gold Lame smooch for the dots on the bells and then sprayed the whole image with Gold Glow smooch. I had fun using one of my newest nestibilities and then matting with the circle scallop. I used the gold lame smooch around the edges of the outer circle. I love using these wonderful flowers from Wild Orchid Craft and finally was able to do a red flower spray. I have touched the edges of the blossoms with more of the gold lame smooch and added the vanilla ribbon as my final touch. I really like the way this card turned out and it really looks so much better in real life.

Thanks for stopping by my Paper Spa today - now I have to run off to the eye doctor and then back home to pack more boxes.

~Paula~

Christmas is Coming - MAKE CARDS!!

Yesterday was a puttering sort of day. It was my day off from the Spa, so I played a bit in the Paper Spa - making cards for a couple of challenges and working on one for the 365 Card Blog Challenge for yesterday as well. I didn't finish the card until this morning - but the stitching was done yesterday. Did I say STITCHING??? Yeah - that was the challenge for yesterday - to use stitching on your card - and not just any kind of stitching - but a particular stitch - BLANKET stitching. A stitch often used to reinforce the edge of thick materials.

It is really quite a simple stitch and I had considered hauling out my sewing machine and doing it that way, however, it was just easy to pierce my paper all along the edge and then grab some of my embroidery thread and stitch away. Thankfully I hadn't packed THAT away yet! :) When I first saw the challenge for Day 225, I wasn't sure what I was going to choose as my image - but then decided that a Christmas card was needed (for the troops - the deadline is the end of the month to get the cards to the shippers at OWH). So I pulled out one of my favorite new sets and stamped this beautiful image. I started coloring with my pencils - and didn't like the way the small flower on the left was turning out - especially when I finished the other flowers and liked them so much better. So, I stamped another image - colored that one flower and then cut it out and popped it off the one that I didn't like.
I am not sure if you can see the layers real well from the photograph. It is only subtly popped off the original image. In real life it is pretty cool. I have these VERY tiny pop squares that I got at a LSS. The store sells these sheets of images that you layer and layer and layer - so the image becomes real 3D - it is kind of neat and one of these days I will pull out the sheets that I bought and make one to share here. Anyway, back to my card - I used my favorite DP this season to mat my card base and then I was able to find some more small pieces of the Early Espresso. I really like this color - it is so rich and beautiful and it goes so nicely with the Cherry Cobbler - another of my favorite new colors.I had considered using ribbon - tied in a bow - on my card, but it just didn't seem to fit anywhere, so I settled for these pearls from Wild Orchid Crafts.

Thanks for stopping by to take a peek at my card for YESTERDAY'S challenge - now on to see what they are challenging me to do today and wondering whether it is something I can easily do - you know, with all my stuff getting packed away. :)

Enjoy your day - wherever you are in the world.

~Paula~

Layers and Layers and Layers

I love playing in the Sugar Bowl! I love the Sugar Nellie images that you can purchase from Funky Kits - a small little company in Scotland. Each Fortnight (I think that means every other week by US standards) they have a sketch challenge. As you know from my last post - I LOVE Sketch challenges. Well, let me tell you - the challenge this time around was certainly a challenge - take a look at this sketch -

Many of my internet friends that also enjoy using the Sugar Nellies took one look (or maybe two or three) and weren't sure they were going to do this one. But, if you take a closer look - you will see it is just layers, layers and more layers! Guess what? I am beginning to LOVE layering many many layers.
Now, the theme for the challenge was autumn - however, when I looked through my dwindling stash (remember, I am packing things up getting ready for a move) I didn't see anything that shouted at me AUTUMN! But, I DID find this WONDERFUL paper from Dream Street Papers called Art Nouveau. There are several in the collection - Ornamental, Clever, Muse, Avant Garde and Inspiration. I used all but Inspiration. They are all two-sided, so I had many choices of coordinating colors. I did discover that Early Espresso Cardstock is nearly a match for the dark brown in this DP, HOWEVER, I discovered that I was completely out of it!! I did find a few pieces that I was able to use, but for the most part, I had to improvise with other colors for my matting. So, once I decided that it wasn't going to be a 'traditional Autumn card, I set about to place my layers - and then when that was all finalized, I had to choose my image. For this challenge, it had to be a Sugar Nellie, so I had to look through my small collection to see what I had that I could use. I found this sweet Sugar Nellie fit just fine. So, I pulled out my colored pencils and set about to color her - to coordinate with the papers (of course!!) Then I looked through my very small stash of sentiments - this one I rescued from the packing boxes and it was a brand new set that I had not even mounted on the wood yet - so I did that and then stamped the sentiment - trying to bring the AUTUMN into my card in one way or another! :) While sorting through stuff and packing things, I came across a little baggie of stuff that I was giving away and found this tiny tube of diamond glaze. I have never used the stuff before and decided I would try it out, so I put a dab on her shoes and then added a bit to the flowers in my flower spray. A spritz of Vanilla Smooch and this card is done. Now, for the base of the card, I just took a piece of 8 1/2 x 11 cardstock and folded it in half. I think this is probably the largest card I have ever made, but with so many layers, it had to be this big. Inside the card I placed a piece of very vanilla cardstock to give the backside of the card a little more stability since there are so many layers on the front.

I hope you have enjoyed taking a peek at my many layers card - it was quite a fun one to do and honestly, it isn't that difficult - so choose some papers, and layer away.
Thanks for stopping by the spa this morning - I will be in and out of the spa throughout the day, so stop by later to see what other projects I am creating.

~Paula~