Butterfly Tag

It only took three days to make my project this time!! I had a couple of new butterfly dies I was wanting to play with and this is what I came up with. While sorting through my dsp, I came across some papers in shades of pinks and grays and even though those papers did not end up on my tag, they were definitely the inspiration for it. The butterfly dies are by Cherry Lynn Designs. The rest is an assortment of items from the scrap pile and neglected embellishments.
 The dark gray flower was made using the newest flower punch from SU! I punched a couple of the flowers and then ran them through the paper crimper a couple of times and them wadded them up. I then opened them and separated the layers and stacked them up, securing them with a big pink blingy brad from Hobby Lobby. I used graphite Glimmer Mist on the flower to give it some shimmer.
 The papers for the tag are all torn, inked, and dry embossed. The ribbons and fibers are all from the scrap jar. I even managed to use some of my hoarded Hodgepodge Hardware!
I'm rather pleased with how this turned out and hope you like it, too!

Zentangle Gift Box

I found this gift box to hold a bottle of wine or some other spirits on a clearance table at the LSS. It was solid white with just the black ribbon closure. I immediately thought it would make a great Zentangle project so I bought it and amazingly, the tangling got done within just a couple of weeks. But that's where the forward progress ended for a while. It took forever to get out the can of clear sealer and spray it. Then it took several more days to add the paper, ribbon and tag. I bought the box over Christmas break and finally completing this project on Spring break!
The paper at the bottom is by Queen and Co. and the pleated ribbon is SU!

I received the die to make the flower from a dear friend as an early birthday present. It's by Memory Box. They make some of the prettiest dies...so intricate and elegant!
Now, what to use it for? I decided to stamp the tag for a birthday gift. I wanted to take a photo of the box opened up, but I didn't want to leave it empty for the photo. Hubby and I don't drink (alcohol definitely comes under the heading of processed foods) so I found the only appropriate bottle I had in the house...a bottle of cane syrup from the a friend of the farm!! (Hubby's not off the processed foods)

Well, that's three incomplete projects that have been put to bed for me over Spring break so far. The other two are sets of cards I had started using Northwoods stamps. Both sets still needed the finishing touches of coloring and glitter added to them and I got that done yesterday. Today, I'm off to find the floor of my stamp room and maybe even the table!! Wish me luck!!

Glitter Cards

I received a card with the coolest fold and the giver of the card was kind enough to share the directions with me. It turned out to be much simpler than it looked and I decided to use the fold to create a card for an upcoming glitter class I will be teaching at the LSS. I am doing two cards using the same stickers and nearly the same colors of glitter...it's all about learning the technique. Here is the second card using a double Z fold.

Here is a shot of the two cards together.

Sketch Swap Card

I participated in a swap based on a sketch and in the process of reorganizing my paper, I came across some papers by Reminisce that had a chicken/cooking theme that I had been hoarding. I decided to use them and a neglected Sizzix die on my card. This card only took about a week and a half to complete. I got most of it done but just wasn't loving it, so I walked away. I went back and looked at it several times but I just wasn't feeling it, so I walked away...again....and again. I had promised to mail it out this morning, so I knew that last night was my last chance to complete it. I got all the elements adhered to the card except for the sentiment, which I finally added this morning. I'm gonna have to call this one complete. I think it would make a cute invitation for a cook out or casual dinner and I hope the recipient likes it. She is a master card-maker, so the standard is pretty high.
As for the rest of the day, I'll be taking part in a class at the LSS where we will be making 6 super-glittered cards using Northwoods stamps. The images are all different birds. I couldn't decide which images I wanted, so if I take the class, I get to make all the cards without having to buy all the stamps! By the time I'm done today, I'm sure I will have at least one image that stands out from the rest and has to come home with me!!!

Zentangle Shrink Art

After teaching a class at the LSS, I hung around for a while with my friend who works there and played with some kid stuff. I had taken along some pens and an assortment of shrink plastic and this is what I came up with.....Zentangle on shrink plastic! I'm sure it's not an original idea, but sure had fun experimenting with different colors of plastic, spellbinder shapes, and inks. I'm thinking these would be cute on a necklace, charm bracelet, or key chain. The possibilities seem endless for this technique, so I am sure I will working with this some more. My friend Bonnie, who works at the store, does amazing things with her Zentangle (and anything else she works with), so I also want to show you my favorite piece that she did. It is my favorite piece of the day!

The photo does not do this beautiful pendant justice! The little red blings were done by coloring clear rhinestones with a Copic marker. Gorgeous!!!

Laurie B. .....don't look!

I made this card for my friend, Laurie. It's for a swap we participated in that we were to use die cuts of some sort on our card. I have been seeing the old Sizzix daisy used quite a bit lately and was completely inspired to use it on my card. Also dug out some neglected SU! papers. I had put off posting this card as I wanted to give it to Laurie before I put it out to cyberspace, but I haven't seen her lately. Hence, the warning in the title. She usually reads my blog, so I wanted to head her off in case she decided to pop in. Laurie, if you saw it anyway I will give it to you the next time I see you...hopefully Friday!!

Sharing....

Those of you who stop in regularly probably know that this sweet pooch is my beloved friend and fur baby, Ice. It has been pretty sad around here for the past couple of days because I came home from work on Thursday afternoon to find that my sweet girl had died rather suddenly and completely unexpectedly while we were at work. She did have occasional seizures and it looks like this may be what happened to her but we will never know for sure. I have to say that the whole ordeal has been easier to bear because I have the most wonderful friends a girl could ask for! At work, in my stamping circle, in cyberspace...ya'll are the best!!! One of the most touching things I had happen was receiving the card below that was made by my dear friend, Bonnie. She had a bunch of the girls from the LSS sign it and had it ready when I arrived Friday afternoon to prep for my class on Sunday. She had also made a sweet little acrylic photo tag using the same picture.

We are missing Ice terribly right now and I am sure there will be another dog in our lives very soon. When the right situation happens, we will know it and I'm sure we will have no choice in the matter as our fur babies have always chosen us, not the other way around. For now, we are trying to carry on and get back to normal, especially for the sake of my granddaughter, Kyli who I worry will be very upset over losing Ice. They had gotten to be quite the pair! Today she was practicing using my Scor Buddy while I was finishing the prep work for the Sunday class. (I didn't have a very productive evening last night)

I was amazed at how well she handles this tool at only four years old!!
Well, thanks for stopping and "listening" to my ramblings. Looking forward to more cheerful posts in the future!