Shopping Our Stash #144

Hello, friends!  Time for another fun challenge at Shopping Our Stash!  This week we want you to use your oldest tree stamp.  Easy right?  I have to admit when I found out what our challenge was I couldn't immediately think of a tree stamp in my collection but I thought to myself there must surely be one in there somewhere….or not!  I finally stumbled upon one in a tiny set from the dollar section at Joanns that I had purchased for my daughter a few years back and she put in my stamp collection.  If you are familiar with my cards you know I use mostly images of sweet little children….not trees.  Thank goodness for that small set of stamps!

The tree stamp is very small so I decided to make a gift tag.  I used a Spellbinders die to cut the tag shape from solid CS and a scrap of DP.  Then I cut the same shape from cream and stamped my tree on there.  I added some buttons from my stash and there ya go!  Not one of my usual creations but I had limited supplies!  And now I have two gift tags for Christmas!

There you have it.  My post is short and sweet because, after all, what more can I really say about these simple tags?  I hope you have better luck in your stash and won't you share with us what you make this week?

I think that's about it.  Thanks for taking a peek!

Blessings & Hugs,

Michelle

Shopping Our Stash #91

Hello friends!  It's Tuesday so that means another challenge at Shopping Our Stash.  This week we want to see tags.  You can either make a tag or include a tag on your project.

I decided to make a tag to put on my card and I made a vellum pocket to put it in.  I inked and sewed all my layers including the edges of the vellum.  The seam binding, lace and ric rac are all vintage from my stash.  The gold cord at the top of the tag is actually from my stitching stash.  It's all curly because it was on a spool.  Since it's metallic I didn't want to iron it...it'll straighten out someday I think  ;)  The flower is from Prima.  I don't remember when I bought the package and I had only used 2 of them.  I think the colors match pretty well.

 Here's the tag out of the pocket.  I used a new (for me) MS border punch that I have been wanting for a long time.

My daughter asked me months a go to use this image to make her a bookmark.  She has already claimed this card as her own!

 The inside shows off the great DP and the writing panel follows the sketch from the front.

 I really had a fun time with this card.  I hope you will dig into your stash and play along this week!

I think that's about it.  Thanks for taking a peek!

Blessings & Hugs,

Michelle

Pink & White Ballerina

Hello friends!  I'm back with a card to play along with the new challenge at Mo's Challenge Blog.  This week the challenge is to make a card that is not a square....time to step out of my comfort zone!  I have  a new set of punches I want to play with but I didn't break them out for this one.  Maybe next time!

I picked several challenges I try to join regularly and I'm pretty happy with what I came up with.

I chose one of my favorites called lil ballerina.  I think this one is so sweet.  She makes me smile when I look at her.  I colored her with my Prismacolor pencils and added white glitter to her tutu.

 OK....first, this picture makes it look like this is a square....but it's not!  I promise!  It's a rectangle. honest!  And I turned it into a tag.  So, that's not a square right?  I added tiny rhinestones to the image and larger bumpy bling on the mat.  I used some very old lace from my stash (not vintage, just stuff I've had way too long), some pink ribbon, seam binding, buttons from my stash and some twine (which is combined with the lace in the hole at the top of the tag).

This great design paper is from a new MME stack I bought called Laundry Line.

I am entering my card in the following challenges:

Mo's Challenge Blog - Don't Be a Square

Cupcake Craft Challenges - Doilies, Lace & Twine

Top Tip Tuesday - Tag, You're It

Papertake Weekly - Buttons & Bling

City Crafter Challenge Blog - All That Glitters

Creative Inspirations - Anything

Divas by Design - Fancy Fold

Digi Tuesday - Pink & White

I think that's about it.  Thanks for taking a peek!

Blessings & Hugs,

Michelle

"Be Still" Ornament

Happy Saturday friends!  I hope life is lovely where ever you are!

Today I have (in my opinion) a lovely ornament/tag using a a digi stamp from Daydream Designs.  I chose a verse from the set Dream Team Scripture Set 2.  Diane asked each of us on her team to send her our favorite scripture and she designed beautiful digital sets with them.

This is a fairly simple piece but I think it turned out rather lovely.  I used some dies from Amazing Paper Grace for the top and bottom of the tag.  The DP was a scrap in my stash that I simply love.  It's hard to tell but it is quite sparkly.  I used green seam binding for the hanger and bow and added green pearls to the die cuts.  The flowers are from my stash (from Wild Orchid).

The scripture set from Diane has several verses to choose from.  I'm sure you could find something for your next project!

I think that's about it.  Thanks for taking a peek!

Blessings & Hugs,

Michelle

You're An Angel

Morning friends!  Time for another project using a cute image from The Digi Garden.

 I used this sweet little angel and colored her with my Prismacolor pencils.

 I matted her twice and put her on a simple kraft tag.  I used a MS punch for the bottom and inked all the edges.  I used a wide piece of lace from my stash and even used another lace for the top of the tag.

Here you can see the angel is actually on a small card.  I left the inside blank so you can add your own message.

There are so many cute images at The Digi Garden, I'm sure you'll find something to play with!

I think that's about it.  Thanks for taking a peek!

Blessings & Hugs,

Michelle

Shopping Our Stash #79 - Odds & Ends

Hello, hello!  It's Tuesday!  Time to dig into your stash and join us for a fun new challenge over at Shopping Our Stash!  This week we want to see you use your odds and ends.  You know, that one button left on the card or the last 6" of ribbon, your last 2 pearls, anything like that!!  Clear out that stash!

This week I used another fun image from iralamija on etsy called New Yuletide Tags.  These images are wonderful, I am having so much fun playing with them!

 I used the sketch over at CLP Challenge Blog again.  I love the sketches, they are always so pretty!  The DP is from MME.  I have used it several times and when I was at Hobby Lobby the other day I picked up a couple more sheets.  It truly is one of my favorites!  OK  my odds and ends?  That deep red seam binding?  Didn't know I had it.  It was in one of my sewing boxes and I found it when I was putting away my new stash.  Those 2 pieces were all that were left on the card.  The dark pink, pink, white and tan roses were the last of their kind.  The vintage lace was also the last bit.  Those 3 jingle bells were the last small ones I had so I figured they needed to stay together!  That trim on the gingham panel is new.  It jumped in my cart at Hobby Lobby the other day!

Here's the inside.  I used a MS border punch for the gingham strip on the left.  And I used the same sketch for the writing panel.

So, there you have it.  Won't you dig into your stash and join us this week??

I am entering my card in the following challenges:

CLP Challenge Blog - Sketch
Crafty Boots - Anything Goes

Hooked on Craft - Christmas no red/green
Love to Create - Non-Traditional Holiday Colors
Crafty Bloggers - Christmas Anything Goes
Tuesday Throwdown - Lots of Layers
Tuesday Alchemy - Anything Goes
Through the Craft Room Door - Always Anything Goes
Sweet Stamps - Cold & Snowy

I think that's about it.  Thanks for taking a peek!

Blessings & Hugs,

Michelle

Stampin' Sisters in Christ #164

Good morning dear friends.  It's Sunday so that means its time for another challenge over at Stampin' Sisters in Christ.

This week our lovely hostess is Helen.  She chose Psalm 147:3 for our challenge this week:

"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."

What image do you have of God?

Distant?  Friendly?  Out-of-reach?  Loving?

All too often we give God human-like qualities.  We think He is cruel, or stand-offish.  We think He doesn't care about our every day lives.  But if we are faithful to be in the Word, all of it, not just select portions, we get a more accurate picture of who God is.  When God sent Elijah into the wilderness He also sent the ravens to bring him food.  He didn't abandon him.  When people came in faith to Jesus for healing, He healed them.  He cared about them and He cares about us.  He cares about all of us.  Every single part of our lives.  Luke tells us every hair on our heads are numbered.  How intimate is that?  I personally have seen many many times how God is concerned about all the details of my life.  Not just the big ones, but little ones like when our cow was having trouble delivering.  We had no idea what we were doing and every time we started to panic I stopped my husband and we prayed.  God answered each of those prayers with lightning speed.  (Not that He always does that, but a laboring cow doesn't have days or weeks to wait for an answer right??)  (Quite honestly I have no idea why that example popped into my brain, but I'm just going with it.  God must have a reason....)  God heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.  He cares about our hearts, our feelings, our emotions.  He cares about our wounds (physical, mental or spiritual) and He binds them up.  He doesn't laugh at us.  He doesn't ignore us.  He doesn't pour salt on our wounds.  He loves us.  He cares for us.

  Thinking about our Heavenly Physician, Helen would like to see us use something "broken and put back together" on our cards this week.  

I have to admit I have used the "illusion" of something broken and put back together (I'll explain).  I used a great tag from Iralamija.  The set is New Yuletide Tags.  There are 12 images and I had a hard time choosing which one I would use first.  But I did choose!!

Here is the adorable image I chose to work with.  I cut out the tag and added some seam binding to the top.  I also glued some lace to the bottom.

Here's  my card.  I used my favorite paper from MME.  I only had a scrap left (need to get to Hobby Lobby for more!) so the inside is not done as it usually is.  I used the sketch at CLP Challenge Blog.  I added pearls at the top along with a small piece of lace (from my scrap jar).  It's hard to see but for the one layer in the sketch I actually used cheesecloth.  

I added a tree die cut from Memory Box.  The pink flowers were from Joanns.  They were by-the-yard.  I added the pearls to their centers.  The pompom trim is also from Joanns.  Behind the flowers I added a small strip of pink tulle that I gathered slightly.

 OK here is my "illusion" of something broken.  I used Distress Crackle Paint from Tim Holtz in clear.  After it dried thoroughly I rubbed walnut stain ink over the top to darken the cracks.  This looks so vintage, I really love how it turned out. 

Our sponsor this week is Clear Dollar Stamps.  They are offering one randomly drawn winner a $15 gift certificate to their store.  I hope you break something and put it back together for us this week! 

I am entering my card in the following challenges:

CLP Challenge Blog - Sketch
My Time to Craft - Vintage
Crafty Calendar - Wrap Up Warm for Winter
Totally Gorjuss - Pastel Christmas
Alphabet Challenge Blog - T is for Tag
Brown Sugar Challenge Blog - Bingo (flowers, pink, ribbon)
Christmas Stampin' All Year Long - Anything Goes
Crafts for Eternity - Tags
Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
Fussy and Fancy - Pearls and Flowers
Inspire Me Fridays - Anything Goes

I think that's about it.  Thanks for taking a peek!

Blessings & Hugs,

Michelle

Shopping Our Stash #76

Hello friends!  It's Tuesday so that means its time for another challenge over at Shopping Our Stash.

This time around we want to see you use "Your Best Deal".  That means we want you to create something using one of you best bargain/had to have it - it was on sale! purchases (be sure to tell us what it is).

I have a great story to tell you about my best deal, but first let me show you what I made.

 I bought some images from iralamija shop over on etsy.  This one is called Shabby Christmas Tags.  The other images are just as beautiful and I can't wait to use them!  I made a tall skinny card this time.  My son was amazed that it wasn't a "normal" card!  lol  I triple matted the card and stamped some swirls along the edges.

 Here's a close up of the image.  I inked the edges of the tag and added a few pearls.

Here's the small embellishment I put together with my best deal.  See those gold berries?  And the jingle bells?  Get a comfy seat, here goes!  About 8 years ago, in February, my children and I were in Michaels looking around.  I came around a corner and an entire aisle was filled with Christmas florals all on clearance.  A couple of employees were loading up those huge black rolling carts they have.  They had a sign that caught my eye.  Fill a shopping basket for $1.....$1....$1?????  Um, excuse me miss??  $1?  That's right.  $1.  Soooooooo.....I can put 4 of these potted poinsettias in a basket for $1?  Yes ma'am, and actually if you part the flowers you can put 2 more in between.  ......2 more?  Yup.  Whatever you can fit in that basket you can get for $1.  oooookkkkk, well, there are these stems of poinsettias and berries....can I get another basket?  Oh, you don't need another basket.  Just tuck them in around the pots.  .....just tuck them in?  Yup!!  Load it up!  (Remember, it's February.  They want to get Christmas stuff out of there!)  all right.  My basket is really full.  May I fill another one??  Of course!  Fill as many as you want!  4 baskets piled in a shopping cart later, we walk out of Michaels with 8 large bags of Christmas florals for $4.  $4!  We had so much fun getting them in the house.  When my husband came home the living room was filled with Michaels' bags.  At the time we were living on a shoestring.  My only spending money was what my mom made for me when she took my crafts to work to sell to her coworkers.  I took everything out of the bags and added up the regular price on everything.  It came to almost $800!  NO LIE!!  There were some of the single stem flowers with glitter that were $7.99 each.  I had dozens of those!  I can't even remember everything anymore.  My house was decorated with poinsettias in every color for the next few Christmases!  Most of the flowers have moved on to other projects (my son has 6 pots next to his fireplace at Christmas.) but I still have a few small things left.  These gold berries and the jingles bells were part of the Mother-load I took home that day!  Oh, and speaking of my husband.....His eyes bout popped out of his head when he saw those bags.  He says he never really thought I was lying, but he just couldn't figure out the true story.  He was waiting for a receipt to "show up" eventually.  And of course, it never did!  I paid cash, $4, for my treasure!!  It was AMAZING!  I've never found such a sweet deal again, but I never will forget that one!

So, end of long story!  I hope you decide to play along with us this week.  I can't wait to hear your story!

That's about it.  Thanks for taking a peek!

Blessings & Hugs,

Michelle

Stampin' Sisters in Christ #

Good morning dear friends.  I hope you have a blessed day today.

It's Sunday so that means it's time for another challenge at Stampin' Sisters in Christ.  The very sweet and lovely, Sandie, is our hostess this week.  She chose our verse and challenge.

Sandie chose Ecclesiastes 3:1-8.  I'm sure you are familiar with this portion of scripture.  The author speaks how there is a time for everything under heaven.  Sandie would like to see us use a clock on our projects or use black and white to illustrate the vast differences in the scriptures.  As I was contemplating the verses and our challenge (and wandering around the paper-crafting section at Joanns)  I discovered a great stamp set from Tim Holtz.  The two sentiments in the set really spoke to my heart (and it had a clock face) so I simply had to bring it home with me.

With the possibility of being redundant I began thinking about my life since January 3, 2012.  God knew I would be in an accident.  He knew my injuries.  He knew how He would heal me.  And I know it was His will for me to grow in Him through all this.  There was a purpose for what happened and it is my responsibility to figure out what that purpose was/is.

I have decided that I AM NOT a victim.  I WILL BE in control.  I WILL take charge of my life.  The accident WILL NOT be the reason for any negative thoughts in my life.  God chose to heal me when the doctors said there was nothing they could do.  God gave me the strength to get out of bed everyday when I didn't want to.  God gave me 2 young boys who still need their mom.  God pushed me out the door to start running with my daughter so I could get in shape.  God has put many desires and dreams in my heart.  Dreams and desires that have been there a long time.  I have 3 extra children who need the love I can give them.  I WILL succeed.  I WILL be strong.  And I WILL love with all the love God has put in my heart.  I WILL go back to Brazil and share the gospel on the Amazon.  And I WILL live my life sold out for Jesus everyday.  There is a time for every purpose under heaven.  It is TIME (again) to stand up and proclaim what Jesus has done for me.

This was, obviously, all about me.  These were the things that filled my mind as I though about these verses and our challenge.  So, I made something for me.

Like I said, I picked a new stamp set from Tim Holtz, Life's Possibilities.  The sentiment I used for the front is so inspiring.  It's what I want to remind myself when I get discouraged.  God has a plan and a purpose for me.  I can choose to be defeated or not.  If I keep my eyes looking up and not on my circumstances I can do more, I can reach for more, I can be more.

I sort of used both of Sandies challenge ideas.  My colors are shades of black and white  ;)  I used a clock face paper and the clock face stamp to stamp the black paper in black.  I stapled a piece of vintage twill tape to the top.   I plan to use this in my Bible, the only book I read everyday, for inspiration and encouragement.

I used the other sentiment from the set on the back.  

The lovely people at Inspired Stamps are our sponsors this week.  They are offering a $15 gift card to one randomly chosen winner this week.

I think that's about it.  Be sure to stop by every one's blog this week and see what they have created for you.  Thanks for taking a peek!

Blessings & Hugs,

Michelle

Shopping Our Stash #72

Hello again!  It's Tuesday so that means another great challenge over at Shopping Our Stash.  This time around we have Bingo for you!  So that means you get to pick from some really great choices and kind of make this your own challenge!  Carla has the Bingo card over at SOS so you can pop over there for all the details.

You may remember last week I made a tag for the challenge over at The Funkie Junkie.  I decided to do the same thing this week.  Linda over there has amazing inspiration for us!  From her tag I chose red, snowflakes and metallic.

 For Bingo at SOS I used Kraft, ribbon and a sentiment to make a Bingo.  From my stash I used the eyelet at the top and bottom and the narrow lace on the red seam binding.  The eyelets and lace were in my small canning jar of lace scraps.  That's where I keep the pieces that are less than 6".  No lie.....all 3 of those pieces fit almost exactly on this tag!!  The pointed eyelet just had a 1/2 point I trimmed off.  The eyelet at the top only had the corners trimmed off and the lace?  Fit EXACTLY!!  How sweet is that?  They were meant for this tag and THAT is why I don't throw anything away!!  And also why I am on this amazing team!  ;)  

 I used the same angel stamp from last week but she is stamped in Tim Holtz Walnut Stain this time.  For my sentiment I selected the next verse in Luke 2.  Here you can see my metallic.  I used gold Stickles around the image.

 I used my Memory Box Snowflake Die.  I inked it and added pearls to the centers again.

I used the feathers and stick pins like last time.  The beads on the pins are also from my stash.

I am entering my tag in the following challenges:

CLP - Sketch (I hope you can see it.  I truly did use it.)

The Funkie Junkie - Tag #2

I think that's about it.  Go see what my lovely teamies did this week then dive into your stash and join us!  Thanks for taking a peek!

Blessings & Hugs,

Michelle 

SOS #71

Hello sweet friends!

It's Tuesday so that means it's time for another challenge over at Shopping Our Stash.  This week we want you to Go Green!  Not with envy *wink, wink* the other green!  We would like to see you recycle something and use it on your project!  (You could also use the color green and make that your main color.  Or you could do both....I happen to know someone on our team did just that and it looks great!!)  Make sure you tell us in your post what you recycled k?

Now, I recycle stuff all the time.  Drives my family nuts sometimes!  ;)  hehe  But this challenge threw me for a loop!  I just have to remember that I do this because I love it.  And I need to follow my heart.  So, the idea I was tossing around for the last 2 weeks got thrown right out the window (not literally) and I followed my heart!  And I love where it lead me!

A few weeks ago I found a new blog (not sure how but I'm so glad I did!).  The Funkie Junkie (a.k.a. Linda) is an amazing artist!  Her work is so inspirational!  Love it!!  She has a challenge going on right now until December 17th at midnight.  It is called The Funkie Junkie 12 Tags of Christmas.  WOW!  I decided I really wanted to play along and I am just now getting started.  You can go to her blog and get all the details.  Here is what I did with her inspiration.

I made my tag the same size as hers (4x8).  I love the cream and the gold from her tag so that's what I went with.  However, instead of a manilla tag I used Grungeboard from Tim Holtz.  This stuff feels amazing!!  I have never used it before but I really like it.  I trimmed the corners for the tag shape.  Then I painted the tag with a metallic gold acrylic paint.  I used a crackle medium and painted over that with light buttermilk.  I stamped the flourishes with Tim Holtz walnut stain.  (as I look at my picture I realize you can barely see the flourishes....they are there, on the left side.  Honest!)  The cheesecloth is my recycled item (finally!  I know, I hear ya!).  It was in my kitchen drawer for years.  I rescued it and gave it new life!  ;)  On top of the cheesecloth I used some strips of vellum from my stash (I hate throwing good stuff away!).  I wove the strips and zig zagged the edges to hold it together.  Then I ran it through a snowflake embossing folder and dry brushed that with the walnut ink.  I punched the verse with my Spellbinders Labels 4 die.  And there's those feathers again.  I do love those!  Right now I am planning on making a series of these for the challenges.  As I go along I will decide what sort of hanger I want to add.  My sitting room is decorated gold and brown for Christmas and I am working on a way to display these.  I'll keep you posted on how that works out ;)

 From there I stamped a sweet angel from Inkadinkadoo with versa mark.  I embossed her with gold.  

 Here's my verse.  You can see the embossing on the vellum here.

The snowflake embellishment was die cut on a shimmery cream card stock from DCWVand I added to pearls to the middle of the biggest snowflakes.  I brushed that with walnut ink also.  

I will be entering my tag in the challenge over at:

The Funkie Junkie 12 Tags of Christmas - Tag 1

I guess that's about it.  Be sure to check out what what the other ladies from SOS have for you.  You will not be disappointed!  Thanks for taking a peek!

Blessings & Hugs,

Michelle