Faux Tooled Leather Class

Yes, I'm still around. I've just been very busy and haven't had any time for stamping. A four-day weekend was just the ticket!! I woke up this morning with a burst of inspiration to make this card using the faux tooled leather and faux burnt edges techniques. Love them both and they work so well together. I'm lovin' all the cute variations I've been seeing for easel cards and decided to incorporate one of them into this card, too. The whole thing folds down flat in a 4 1/4" square....love it!! I decided that the dad who gets this would love a masculine book mark to match, and so here it is...

It measures 4" x 1 1/2" and has a fold at the top. Hidden inside are a couple pieces of magnets saved from the advertisement that comes on the front of our local phone books each year. Every year I collect them from work and friends and I've found lots of ways to use them. Love being able to recycle those freebies that would normally end up in the trash!
I'll be teaching a class on how to make these two cuties at the LSS (Priceless Scrapbooks) in a couple of weeks. If your local, why don't you give them a call and sign up for the class? The link is in the far right sidebar. Here's a picture of the two pieces together.

I won't be absent as long this time. I actually got several cards made today besides this one. Unfortunately, two of them are sympathy cards for my dear friends, who are sisters, whose father passed away over the weekend.
Only two more short weeks and the summer vacation will begin....YAY!!!!

My princess....at last!!

I have wanted this particular Magnolia image for so long, and she is finally mine!!! She is one of my absolute favorite Maggies. She is colored with Prismacolor pencils and Gamsol. Added a little glitter gel pen to give her a touch of sparkle. Keeping it quick tonight as my pillow is already calling to me and it's only 8 PM! Thanks for stopping in!!

Kyli's Easter card

Wow! I got a new stamp set and inked it up the same day!!! I have been waiting to order this stamp of the month set from CTMH since the new catalog came out and I finally got it yesterday! As soon as I got it home, I started on this card for Kyli. I used some spring papers from Echo Park and card stock from the scrap box. All the little eggs are glittered up. Kyli is definitely Gramma's girl...she loves her glitter!!! The little flower/ribbon embellishment came off a boxed soap gift set that she and I unearthed a few weeks ago while I was cleaning in the bathroom. I told her we might use it on a card or something someday. I wonder if she will recognize it when she sees it?
My image is colored with Prismacolor pencils and Gamsol and a the border punch is from Martha Stewart. Just a few of the remaining details that I hadn't mentioned.
Now I'm off to work on a gorgeous spring day! No kids today, so it will probably go by very quickly!!

Button Trays

A few weeks ago, I saw a post on someone's blog in which a button design patterned paper was used to line the bottom of a tray. When I saw it, I immediately thought of the 30,000 or so buttons I have stashed in my room. I used many of the older buttons that belonged to my grandmother who removed them from every piece of clothing before it finally hit the rag bag. She NEVER through anything away until it had been used to the point of disintegration.
With my project in mind, I started looking for an inexpensive wooden tray in which to adhere my buttons. After attaching the buttons to the bottom of the tray with Diamond Glaze, I allowed them to dry completely. Then I poured a coat of casting resin over the whole thing so that the buttons were completely covered. I actually made two of these trays because I knew that if I liked the result, I would want one too. I will be taking one to my friend and co-worker who has a bit of a button fettish. I told her I was going to bring her some of my button collection on Thursday, she just doesn't know that they are attached to the tray. Here are a couple more shots of the trays.

Dee's Flip Book

It was time to make another baby flip book! My dear friend Sue, who is also the teacher in the neighboring classroom from mine, will be temporarily losing her para (aide) for the rest of the school year as she takes her maternity leave sometime in March or April. She is such wonderful help to Sue and often lends a helping hand to my needs as well. She is expecting a boy, so I dug out a stack of Debbie Mum papers that I purchased years ago but had never cut into. Here are a few more shots of this book's inner pages:

Other supplies used were Bazzill papers, ribbon, and buttons from Basic Gray.

Hubby's Birthday Cards

I never posted Kenny's birthday cards this year. The one I made for him didn't come out like I intended but he doesn't know that and probably wouldn't care either way....he rolls his eyes at some of my purchases, but I know he is one of my biggest fans!! So here is the card I made for him for his birthday back in the beginning of February.

I used an old favorite SU! set, Classic Convertibles, to make this. Other supplies are card stock from CTMH, Tim Holtz dsp, Nesties (Wonky), antique brad, ribbon, Cuttlebug embossing folder, sanding block and sponges. The words were already printed on the the ribbon when I purchased it.
My little junior crafter also made a card for her Bobo with the help of my DIL, Linda. Here is what she came up with...not bad for a three-year-old!!! You should see her crank a Big Shot to make dolls out of craft foam!!!

Off to see a live production of Charlotte's Web with Kyli and her aunt and cousin. I'm sooooo excited!!! Charlotte's Web is one of my childhood faves. I think I read the book about three times while I was in elementary school!! Crafting ahead this week as I am off for Spring Break!!! See you soon!!

Anna Griffin Medallion

I made this card with Anna Griffin papers. The scallops were cut with Nestabilities and the stamped images in the center are from Just Rite stamps. A little tedious and time-consuming, but worth it, I think. This is so shiny and shimmery in real life.