TKJ 8

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The Kraft Journal's challenge this week is "cute as a button."

Sew, ending up with a card about sewing, well, maybe it is a teeny bit expected {ok, trite}, but oh how I did dither over this.

I toyed with all the ideas the night before, spent 3 hours looking at it, seriously. I wish I had taken pictures. After about 5 hours I had picked out the black paper. Oh, and had printed out the button paper. Spent four hours this morning discarding this and that, and another hour finally putting it together. Whew. I think I had about 15 variations of this card.

Betsy McCall was one joy of my childhood. She had her own page in McCall's magazine each month, along with a little, and I do mean little, story. I always assumed she and the magazine were an outgrowth of McCall's dress patterns. Every so often they would throw in a boy instead (what little girl ever wanted THAT!) which was great disappointment, and the artists would change occasionally too. Oddly, it seems to me that McCalls did NOT use this as a sales tactic - I sort of remember trying to find the patterns for the cute outfits she had, but they were just artistic license, and not for sale.

Little Bag - Kraft Outlet

Kraft Cardstock - Recollections

Black & White DP - Jenni Bowlin
Flowered DP - K & Co
Button backing and measuring tape (frame) - Tim Holtz cd
Scissors & spool - K & Co
Buttons - stash, and My Favorite Things
Lettering - Cosmo Cricket
McCalls pattern & Betsy McCall - internet images, random sites

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Papercraft Star 34

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Nothing you can eat that is pink is good for you. Well, ok, pink grapefruit.

Papercraft Star is finishing up the month of Copic and My Favorite Things as sponsors. What a fun combination, huh !!

We have extended the participation time until Sunday at 9 PM Eastern - and the voting until Tuesday at 6 AM. This gives us a little more time, and some consideration for those amongst us who are currently worker bees.

The flower here is one created from loose petals, and sprayed with Glimmer Mist.

If you haven't yet played over at Papercraft Star, now is the time - we have some great prizes left to award from Copic, and you won't be winning if you aren't participating !! And, while you are there, stop in and say hey at the message board too !!!

Supplies:
Sentiment - My Favorite Things
Other:
Paper - Bo Bunny
Dotted border - Bazzill
Other borders - Cassie's Creations Etsy Shop
Flower - Recollections
Tattered Angels - glimmer mist
Brads - My Mind's Eye
White pen - Gelly Roll

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CCCB 45

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City Crafter Challenge this week is looking for a "nothing to it" kind of card. I always love doing a card with bare requirements, they sure make you stretch, don't they !!

My first daffodils popped on Monday, and I guess tonight we are expecting 4 - 8 inches of snow, what is that all about anyway.... We live in a valley, and have seen the snow in the hills on either side of us for about a week or ten days now. Frankly, that is where I prefer to see it !! Kind of a shame with my tulips up and the blossoms on the trees already showing.

It will paralyze us for the morning rush, but probably gone by noon.

Cardstock - American Crafts
Paper & clock - The House across the Bay Etsy shop
Ribbon - Stash
That is all it took to make it !!

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TKJ 7

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Well, I let my first year blogaversary pass without mention, no blog candy, no nuttin'...

But I do want to say thank you to all my readers, my Papercraft Star team, and my favorite blog challenges, both the Kraft Journal and City Crafter... When I think that just one short year ago I knew nothing about all this, and hadn't met any of you yet, wow !!!

Today's Kraft Journal challenge was a little different, the theme is BLING ! Now Kraft and Bling may seem like they don't connect at first thought, but I am hoping I brought it off.

I used a Sizzix texture fade for the circled hearts, cut out a random pattern, tapped some white ink on it lightly, and added some stickles around the edge. In fact, I do believe I have a ton of stickles all over this !!

We have a single very very large room with two fireplaces, that combine a dining room, a living room, a little media area, even a second eating area. Everything is all monochromatic green - but if I were to change the colors I would pick this color combo.

Cardstock - Recollections
Design Paper - DCWV
Frame - The House across the Bay etsy shop
Sentiment stamp - Tim Holtz
Embossing - Sizzix, Cuttlebug'
Flower - MME
Stickles - Tim Holtz
Ribbons, jewelry cording, button - stash

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TKJ 6

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This week's Kraft Journal has a "hip to be square" theme. My little brain went a lot of ways on this one, I gotta say it was one of my most favorite challenges EVER ! First, though, let me thank the ladies at The Kraft Journal for their award last week - I am a big Kraft and Kraft Outlet fan, and I was so tickled...

Reading books has always been associated with nerds, but of course, now with the advent of the computer age nerds are not quite so square ! That was my first thought about this challenge (after singing the Huey Lewis song to myself, of course...) - and I wanted to go that route.

Well, look at that little library card and card pocket from the Kraft Outlet - now if only my flabby brain can connect those two things with books .... hmmmmm

I used a very very old book I found at Goodwill, it just shredded when I ripped out the pages. It is so old it was published in the 1930's, and a little stamp inside said "RKO Studios." I wondered if maybe the movie industry had optioned it at one time. Just glancing at the pages it was quite appalling how idiotic and submissive the women and ethnic minorities were portrayed. I used a different name for the book and the author to spare its/his embarrassment - no one wants to go down THAT street again.

Have you bought an e-book reader yet ? I have a Kindle, so does Dom, and there is nothing like it on this earth. I really thought I would miss the book feel and smell, but not so, not at all. I can honestly tell you I will never read a book the "old fashioned" way again, not a chance.

The small print says:

Library card and holder - The Kraft Outlet
Cardstock - Recollections
Design Paper - K & Co
Inchie squares - The House across the Bay etsy shop
Button - My Favorite Things
Jewelry cording
Brad - Stash
Bulldog Clip - Tim Holtz
Paint and Ink - Ranger

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Papercraft Star 33

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Papercraft Star is in its 33rd week of challenges ! Wow. The time keeps going faster and faster, doesn't it.

I have been saving this Bo Bunny paper for awhile, but today is the day it is being utilized ! I really loved the colors, and was lucky enough to have just the right Prima flower to go along with it.

Copic is sponsoring at Papercraft Star all February, giving away some goodies - who doesn't want to win that !!! AND My Favorite Things has also been sponsoring our DT all month - look at that sentiment and charming little heart, I love it.

Link up your submission today for a chance at those Copic prizes ! The challenge closes Saturday at noon, then voting until midnight Monday.

Sentiment and heart stamps - My Favorite Things
Cardstock - Recollections
Design Paper - Bo Bunny
Design "ribbon" - Basic Grey
Flower - Prima
Die - Spellbinders
Punch - Martha Stewart
Brads - Bo Bunny

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For Charlotte

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This is the mini I have been working on for my friend Charlotte, who is retiring from the Oregon Golf Association, where she spent many years heading up the Junior Golf program here. Not only did Charlotte make my daughter, Brie's, life during her preteen and teenage years a complete blast, but she did so much for so many kids. She had two national USGA champs, Jason Allred in Junior Boys, and Jeff Quinney in the Men's division - and she also mentored our own Robert Garrigus, the hottest player on the PGA tour right now.

Dom and I worked side by side with Char for almost 20 years, working at junior tournaments throughout the state. What an amazing woman, and one I call a true friend.

I cannot include a list of supplies here, I just used all sorts of things I found around, scraps, special little tokens, ok, junk....

The front of the book.

A secret tag I tucked behind the plate. Surprise, surprise !!

The front of a tag, in the pocket of the inside cover.

The back of the same tag.

Back of front cover, and page 1. I didn't photo the little tag inside the brown pocket.

The front of the tag inside.

Back of page 1, front of page 2

Charlotte is a gardener, and a doggy lover too !

Pocket on page 2

Front of tag inside page 2 inside pocket

The back

Back of page 2, front of page 3


One of the four tags in the outside pocket

Inside page 3 inside pocket

The back, lots of glitter, did you see all the dragonflies all over the book ?

The last pages. We won't share how often we have bumped into Char at a casino...

Inside the inside pocket of the last page

And the back of the book. I see now I didn't photo a few of the back sides of things, oh well. No loss.

I really tried to focus on the future, and not all the memories of the past. I know she is getting a scrapbook that does look back, so I thought I would celebrate what is to come - she deserves a long and happy retirement.

Hope you have enjoyed this. It really was a true "labor of love."

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CCCB 43

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The other day the work was finished on our heating system, and a fella was out to test run the a/c for an hour or two. I was busy working on a girly girly valentine, see the pink one below (The Kraft Journal) and I took the photos and put it aside.

We all have that question, what do you do with your cards after the photo and post - well I thought I would ask this guy if he had bought his wife a valentine yet, and of course, he was "working on it." I handed him that pink valentine and told him his wife was going to absolutely love it.

That got me to thinking about Random Acts of Kindness, something Tracy mentioned last week.

I sent a card to an on-line friend, and included a card for her to send to her granddaughter, who is having a wee little rough patch. Then, as I was taking it to the post office I thought why not bring along a "have a great day" kinda card and give it to someone there, just randomly. (In retrospect, probably not a good idea to hand out a sealed envelope randomly at a federal facility... don't do this...)

All of that brings me to this card. The photo shows all of its little flaws, and it probably isn't good enough for a challenge (though I will enter it anyway) but its recipient will be a random single person I see at the grocery store on Valentine's Day. I am going to make it a practice to do this at least once a week, and keep it a complete secret, except for this post today.

That is going to be my solution for dispensing with these cards. I hope you will think about that, and maybe consider doing that yourself. I can imagine how I would feel if someone passed one on to me.

And now for today's challenge, off to the lovely ladies at City Crafter Challenge ! Their theme this week was gold and silver. Oddly, my silver scalloped circle looks completely gold !! Oh well, *sigh*. Have a wonderful weekend !!

Cardstock - Recollections
Brads - Recollections
Design Paper - DCWV
Ribbon - stash
Stamp - Michael's $1 bin
Punch - Martha Stewart

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Papercraft Star 32

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Hey ! It is Friday, and the Executive Reveal this week is from me. I am the DT Coordinator at Papercraft Star. Sounds like an impressive job, huh. But mostly I just hang around checking out the fabulous creations by our talented design team, and being impressed !

I thought our sketch this week was so much fun ! I looked at it for a long long time, and decided on a masculine look for someone special this Valentine's Day.

The incredible heart stamp is from My Favorite Things - the stamp collection (Boho Blossoms) that has both the negative and positive of this stamp, along with flowers and sentiments.

Our house is in the middle of being rewired, and a lot of electrical things being added, so the screws and wire made this a very personal card !

Hope you liked it ! Stop in at our message boards, and don't forget your submission this week, and your two votes !!!

Stamp - My Favorite Things
Cardstock - Coredinations
Design Paper - Dream Street Papers, K & Co.
Brown crimped paper, wire, brads, tag, staples - stash
Not so much here

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TKJ 5

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It has been a while since I posted anything, but I have been busy working on a mini for a friend who is retiring. Not to mention, the never ending saga of the furnace/ac/electric which began before Christmas, and may finally come to an end today. Whew.

Now we are on to the new deck, countertops, kitchen floor and new doors.

Today's card is for The Kraft Journal - their theme this week is LOVE, which makes total sense today, so close to Valentine's Day.

My husband and I did a "romantic Valentine dinner" as our fun thing this year - only we took a cooking class ! Wow, was that ever fun. So we got the class, and an incredible meal too, along with some local wine - met some interesting people, learned a few things, and heard about the best wine EVER. (One of many local wineries, Sweet Cheeks Rosy Cheeks is the wine, only available on site I hear... love their Reisling)

For our meal we had crab cakes as an appetizer with red pepper remoulade, an "upscale" salad with candied pecans, gargonzola cheese, macadamia nut oil dressing, then saltimbocca, garnished with a cranberry/raspberry sauce, butternut squash/apple/onion puree, potato galette, and a raspberry cream swirl cake. The most amazing thing about it all was how very very light it was - satisfying and delicious.

Wow, am I hungry now. Too bad hub is "only" cooking me lobster and asparagus tonight, *sigh*.

Cardstock - Recollections
Design Paper - MME, K & Co
Flower - Prima
Button - My Favorite Things
Stamp and those little plastic things what are they called again - Tim Holtz
Brad - Karen Foster
Ink - Ranger, Versamark
Jewelry cord
Texture Fade - Sizzix
Hug Snug seam binding

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Papercraft Star 31

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Today's Papercraft Star Challenge has us working with one of Liz Chidester's sketches !

This month we are sponsored by Copics (wow!) and My Favorite Things, (another wow!)

The flower here is made by a flower stamp (Boho Blossoms) from My Favorite Things. It was stamped on ivory cardstock, then fussy cut. I twirled the petals around an awl, poked a pretty brad through it, and a beautiful flower appeared ! Isn't it gorgeous. One really wonderful thing about this stamp set is that it has a "negative" image of this flower too, along with "positive" and "negative" hearts. I know I will be showing you the hearts later on this month.

I have had these stamps in my possession now for a couple of months, and it was all I could do to hold them back for their February appearance at Papercraft Star.

The plate is distressed with pink distress stickles, and lavender liquid pearls.

There are some great prizes at Papercraft Star this month - be sure you have linked up so you have the opportunity to win one of them ! This week, well every week I should say, entries close at noon (Eastern US) on Saturday, and voting begins, with our weekly winner(s) announced on
Tuesdays.

Flower Stamp - My Favorite Things
Background paper & sentiment - Color Bok
Foreground paper - Basic Grey
Circle - Recollections, and textured with Sizzix plate
Flower - Recollections
Leaves - Bazzill die cuts
Punch - Martha Stewart
Pink brad in flower - Bo Bunny
Pearls and bling - Michael's $1 bin
Plate - Tim Holtz
Ribbon - Heidi Grace
Ink - Versafine, Ranger
Glossy Accents - Ranger

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CCCB 42

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Well, this week at CCCB the theme is "all you need is love", and didn't I have the perfect card made last week for a different challenge. *sigh* Ain't that the way ...

A very very simple card, I spent more time wrapping the wire around it than making the whole rest of it, lol.

The "frame" is just an illusion, it is really a piece of paper on top of the black card stock, but with black edges.

I am also entering this into Simply Create Challenges, thanks to the heads up from Rose !!

Cardstock - Recollections
Background purple - The Paper Co
Foreground - The House Across the Bay etsy shop
Heart & charm - Tim Holtz
Purple paint & Distress Rock Candy crackle paint - Ranger
Wire - Toner Crafts

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TKJ 3

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Anything goes at the Kraft Journal this week ! Oh I have just done one too many love cards. Next week I can tackle them one more time, but for the end of THIS week I made a masculine Thank you card. Can't say I see these all that often, but the situation does arise when one needs one. This is just a little more casual than what you may find at the store.

I may have been a bit generous with my spatter stamp, but I have had it for months, and this is the first I have used it, so the thrill of it all may have taken over !

Bag & tag - Kraft Outlet
Background paper - Color Bok
Foreground - Graphic 45
Button & brown ribbon - Stampin' Up
Sentiment tag - K & Co
Black Ribbon - stash
Sentiments - Scenic Route Paper, American Crafts
Brads - Making Memories
Sock Rub On - Royal & Langnickel

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Moxie Fab World - the Metallic Challenge

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Today's post is a Moxie Fab World entry - for the Metallic Challenge that ends 1/31. The three colors are based on Bazzill's Gold Leaf Metallic, Satin Wedding White and Pinkini. One of the fun things about this card was that I used leftovers, cheap stuff, recycled packaging and things I had tucked away for a while. I thought it turned out pretty well for all that !

I have done a bunch of lovey-dovey things here for about a week, I think my next card must be something a little wilder, doncha think.

Oh - The Kraft Journal is showcasing one of my cards today on their Feature Me Friday !! I am so tickled !!

Cardstock - Bazzill
Pink striped paper - recycled packaging
Texture fade - Tim Holtz
Satin Frame - Dollar Store
Ribbon and pearls - Michael's $1 bin
Sentiment - JoAnn's Craft Essentials
Sentiment background - Crafty Secrets
Punch - Martha Stewart

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CCCB 41

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City Crafter's challenge this week is a sewing challenge. Actually this whole card was a challenge - just one of those you fight and fight with, and no one is the winner. *sigh*

Nevertheless, I believe I left tears on it, just one of those kinda days.

This one is for my hub, who will find it in his sock drawer. Today he sent me purple and white tulips, when only Sunday he and Spencer brought me yellow ones.

Speaking of Spencer, I haven't had a whole lot of stories lately, and I am not sure why.

Yesterday Tootles (his mother) told me that he had broken his leg,
but only half of it, at least that is how he reported it

We are usually liking the "partialness" of things, as in "I don't want a whole nap, just a piece of one" to which his Pup decided to try and set him straight while Tootles and Gwanma are miming a slit throat.

DP - K & Co, Bo Bunny, MME
Valentine, I love you - Tim Holtz
Hug Snug seam binding
Bling - Recollections
"love" - Michael's $1 bin

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