WOYWW 456 - Still Clean - Thank You Oliver

It's Wednesday which means it's time to take a picture of my clean desk and share it on Julia's Blog - The Stamping Ground.  Now I did make a mess on my desk this weekend, but I cleaned it up so as not to set Oliver up for failure.

This post is pretty picture heavy with some Oliver candy in the middle.  I've made it my mission to clean up my desk after projects so Oliver won't make a mess.  Tonight is supposed to be sushi night, but instead my youngest daughter is coming over for fried chicken.  I will be desk surfing later.

Thanks for stopping by the blog today.  Tune in next time for another paper crafting or t-shirt project.  Have a great day and enjoy the journey and some chocolate.

April

Ruth 2:  2   And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes I find favor.”

Naomi said to her, “Go ahead, my daughter.”

February Mystery Block of the Month

Yesterday I shared the story behind my January block of the month for my quilt club.  Today I am going to share the square that did not have any stitched ripped out of.  And I made the square the same day I went to the quilting meeting.  I have never done that.  I've been doing mystery block of the month for 2 years - this is the 3rd.

No judging.

I love my Cricut Easy Press - I use it to press the material between sewing.  It makes a big difference on how my square looks.  I have been cutting the material by hand.  That is my least favorite part.  Turns out I just won a baby Accuquilt machine and some dies on Ebay.  I will share it when I get it.  I have high hopes for that machine.  I've also decided that I like 6" squares better than 4" squares.  This is my first 6" square experience.  And those colors!  How could you not LOVE those colors!  I am so excited about this year's quilt.  I might actually finish it.

Thanks for stopping by the blog today.  Tune in next time for another paper crafting or t-shirt project.  Have a great day and enjoy the journey and some chocolate.

April

Ruth 1:  19   So the two women went on until they came to Bethlehem. When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?”

January Mystery Block of the Month

Well it is a new year and that means a new Mystery Block of the Month Club for quilting.  Now last year I lost interest.  I found the patterns complicated and the colors in my blocks were not my favorite.  They were cream, yellow, black and orange.  The quilt was called Sunflower something or the other, but there wasn't a sunflower in sight.  November was a crazy sad time in my life and December was a recovery period so I didn't finish the last squares.

Welcome 2018!  This year's quilt is called Rainbow something.  You can tell I'm really caught up in the titles.  ;-) . I do not I absolutely love the colors and we actually have used some pattern material in the first 2 blocks.

No judging.

Now I have a rule.  There is no reason to tear out a perfectly good stitch.  I broke that rule with this square.  Of course there is a story.  I had Monday President's Day off.  I convinced Mom to go to the Monday meeting instead of the Saturday meeting which bought me more time to make my square.  Saturday was packed with a crop and a 50th wedding anniversary party.  Sunday I went to church, ate at the chili supper, worked at Craft Inn and got home in plenty of time to make my square (5:00pm).  So what did I do?  I binge watched the Monk marathon until midnight.  I do work better under pressure remember.

I set my alarm for 7:45 which gave me an hour to finish my square.  After all, my Mom said it was an easy square.  So I cut out the material and put together my square.  2 of the squares with the design were backwards.  I took that square to the quilting meeting and got my material for February's square without having to pay.  

Mom and I went to lunch and I came home.  I decided that I was going to fix my square.  Yes - I broke my cardinal rule - I tore out stitching.  I really like these colors and the patterns.  I was inspired.  Not only did I fix my square - I finished the February square.  Bam!

Thanks for stopping by the blog today.  Tune in next time for another paper crafting or t-shirt project.  Have a great day and enjoy the journey and some chocolate.

April

Ruth 1:  18  When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.

Oliver Eye Candy

Oliver has kind of taken over my craft room.  I now have to clean up my desk after a project or it might be chewed or all over the floor.  My flowers are not exempt from Oliver's antics.  Water on the desk in any form is not an option.  I'm just waiting to go downstairs and find the flowers on the floor and the water everywhere.  And since I use gingerale in the water for my flowers - it's gonna be sticky.  But however destructive he is - he does provide entertainment.

I don't know what he sees in that window, but several times that I've seen - he jumps up in the window.  And of course he falls.

That CPU must be warm because this seems like a favorite sleeping spot when I am downstairs.  The first picture is what I see.  The second picture is me leaning over the monitor.  He must have been sound asleep because he didn't move.

This is his - I am going to get into trouble - pose.

I hope you enjoy some Oliver eye candy.  I will say - he is great for Instagram posts.  LOL

Thanks for stopping by the blog today.  Tune in next time for another paper crafting or t-shirt project.  Have a great day and enjoy the journey and some chocolate.

April

Ruth 1:  17  Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.”

Thank You Cards in Bulk

My granddaughter had her 2nd birthday at the beginning of the month.  It was a pretty big party for a 2 year old.  I have had smaller parties no doubt.  She received lots of goodies and so of course we need thank you cards.  Now as a card making you will agree that store bought cards are not even an option.  But there must be a balance when hand making cards for those who might not be card worthy.  We all know peeps who are not card worthy.  They will open the card, smile and throw that puppy in the garbage.  Here is my solution for some easy cards that are obviously hand made, but I will not have fits if someone throws one of these away.

Be prepared - there are several.

Thanks Card Recipe

The stamp that I used for this card is from Concord and 9th and is a turn about stamp.  I used my MISTI stamping tool and stamped using Versamark Ink and heat embossed with Ranger Clear embossing powder.  The color comes from the card stock.  The pattern paper is from Paper House.  The sentiment die is from Stamplorations and the pattern paper is stacked on some solid color card stock to give the sentiment dimension.  And that is it.  That is how you make a card for someone who might not be card worthy.

Thanks for stopping by the blog today.  Tune in next time for another paper crafting or t-shirt project.  Have a great day and enjoy the journey and some chocolate.

April

Ruth 1:  16   But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. 

Not Derby Yet Horse

Another t-shirt I made myself a couple weeks ago has a horse on it.  I live near where the Kentucky Derby is run so horses have a special meeting here.  This horse was on Pinterest and was a free download. 

Flowing Mane Horse Head

I found this awesome svg on Pinterest.  I had a new rose gold HTV and it seemed the perfect vinyl to use for this image.  Now finding the t-shirt color that coordinated perfectly with the rose gold vinyl was a different situation.  So Mr. Ed sat around for several weeks without a t-shirt.  I finally settled on this color and I am happy with my choice.  

The HTV is Siser (of course).  The image from Pinterest was pulled into the Silhouette Design Studio software and cut out using my Silhouette Cameo 2.

Thanks for stopping by the blog today.  Tune in next time for another paper crafting or t-shirt project.  Have a great day and enjoy the journey and some chocolate.

April

Ruth 1:  14  At this they wept aloud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye,but Ruth clung to her.

Recipe Challenge on Creative Knockouts Challenge Blog

It is Thursday and that means it is time for a new challenge on the Creative Knockouts Challenge Blog.  This week is a recipe challenge.  One digi image, 2 different embellishments and 3 patterned papers.  Woo hoo - that is a recipe for fun.  This week's awesome sponsor is Fabrika Fantasy and if you enter you have a chance to win 3 free digi images.

I used a Fabrika Fantasy image for this week's challenge called young deer.

Young Deer Card Recipe

I am a big fan of card sketches.  This card recipe challenge seemed the perfect time to pull one of those out and play.  This is OWH sketch #26 ish.  I used some pattern paper from Paper House that I found at Michaels last year or the year before.  I loved these sets and grabbed a 6 x 6 paper pad in every color.  The Fabrika image is already colored.  I pulled it into the Cricut Design Space software and printed it on my HP printer.  The set also came with the deer by itself.  I pulled that into the Cricut Design Space software, printed it and then cut it out on my Explore.  My Explore Air 2 is making some awful noises.  But it cut out the image beautifully.  All patterned paper was matted with a coordinating solid color card stock.  This card is heavy!  My 2 different embellishments are the butterfly on the deer's nose and the enamel dots. 

Consider joining in the challenge at Creative Knockouts for the chance to win 3 digi images from Fabrika Fantasy.  I like these card recipe cards.  I love paper and this was a fun card to make.

Thanks for stopping by the blog today.  Tune in next time for another paper crafting or t-shirt project.  Have a great day and enjoy the journey and some chocolate.

April

Ruth 1:  15   “Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her.”

WOYWW 455 - Still Clean

It is Wednesday and that means it is time to take a picture of my craft desk and share it with the world on Julia's Stamping Ground blog for WOYWW.  But more fun than putting my picture on the blog is visiting desk from around the world to see what my fellow crafters are working on.

This is my desk this week.  I am including the version where I am working on projects.

It is clean now because if I have a messy desk - Oliver makes messes.  Sue is my desk idol.  Her desk is always neat and clean.

Speaking of Oliver

Tonight is sushi night although Todd is getting burned out on sushi so it might really not be sushi night.  Regardless I don't have plans so I will be able to visit desks.  Yay!

Thanks for stopping by the blog today.  Tune in next time for another paper crafting or t-shirt project.  Have a great day and enjoy the journey and some chocolate.

April

Ruth 1:  12 - 13  Return home, my daughters; I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me—even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons— 13 would you wait until they grew up? Would you remain unmarried for them? No, my daughters. It is more bitter for me than for you, because the Lord’s hand has turned against me!”

With Enough Glue Sticks I Could Rule the World

Thank goodness my crafty mojo has returned from vacation.  I have a big list of to dos and missing mojo sometimes makes that list harder to complete than it needs to be.  One of the 4 shirts I made myself a couple weekends ago has a saying I just love - With Enough glue sticks I Could Rule the World.  I put this saying on one of the shirts I ordered so Dana would quit telling me my shirts are too big.

Glue Sticks T-shirt Recipe

I had a lot of fun making this shirt.  I played with the colors and expanded my horizons on multiple colors and coordinating colors.  I just love the color of this shirt.  I don't know the official name, but it's a blue green with a dark heather running through it.  I've used the green blue glitter with this color shirt before, but the flat turquoise blue vinyl looks really good on the shirt, too.  I'm a big fan of a flat vinyl offset.  For this one I used white.  I've also been playing using a coordinating flat vinyl with glitter vinyl.  

The image is from the Silhouette Design Store.  I used Silhouette Studio Business Edition to add the offset behind the saying.  Vinyl was cut using my Silhouette Cameo 2.  I so need a Silhouette Cameo 3.  LOL.  Please excuse the wrinkles.  I folded the shirt and it sat for a couple days before I took the picture.

Thanks for stopping the blog today.  Tune in next time for another paper crafting or t-shirt project.  Have a great day and enjoy the journey and some chocolate.

April

Ruth 1:  11  But Naomi said, “Return home, my daughters. Why would you come with me? Am I going to have any more sons, who could become your husbands? 

Gina K. Foil and Copic Markers

This past weekend I played around with some Gina K. foil and techniques that Jennifer McGuire shared in a video recently.  I think this particular technique was my favorite.

Check out this card:

Foil and Copic Markers Card Recipe

I started with Gina K. Foil in silver.  I colored the foil using the ROYGBIV(Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigu and Violet) with Copic Markers.  I only made it through Red, Orange, Yellow and Green using the broad nib of the markers.  You can also use Sharpie markers or any alcohol markers if you don't have Copics or you don't want to use your Copics on the foil.  The LOVE die is from Penny Black and I cut the word out of white card stock.  I glued the foil to the red card stock and then adhered the white card stock to the red card stock.  I added sequins in colors that coordinate with the colors on the foil . And I also added YOU in black ink.

Thanks for stopping by the blog today.  Tune in next time for another paper crafting or t-shirt project.  Have a great day and enjoy the journey and some chocolate.

April 

Ruth 1:  9 . May the Lord grant that each of you will find restin the home of another husband.”

Craft Room Sayings on my T-shirts

My inspiration finally returned and I made 4 shirts in one day.  Three of the shirts are craft room related sayings and one was a horse I'd cut out a while back, but hadn't found the color shirt I wanted to press it on.  Yay for crafty mojo.

Check out my first shirt in a while.

Messy Craft Room Shirt Recipe

Dana has been telling me that my shirts were too big.  I have lost quite a bit of weight in the last year and evidently I am supposed to buy smaller shirts.  Now I like room in my shirt.  I like to make t-shirts so that I can wear a long sleeve shirt under them in the winter and wear them as one layer in the summer.  So to appease Dana, I tried on a medium.  I don't like a medium.  It is just a little too snug for me.  Dana's voice kept ringing in my head - buy a shirt that fits.  You need to wear a smaller shirt.  So when I was placing an order for t-shirts for our company, I ordered a large woman's cut t-shirt.  Now this I can live with.  There is still room.  I can wear a long sleeve shirt under it.  And Dana came me the approval.

On this shirt I used white vinyl in the background (Siser Stretch - is there any other - I don't think so).  Messy is in purple glitter from Siser.  The rest of the purple is Electric Purple from Siser.  I am loving this Electric HTV.  The colors are awesome.  The red is my favorite so far.  The image came from the Silhouette store.

Thanks for stopping by the blog today.  Tune in next time for another paper crafting or t-shirt project.  Have a great day and enjoy the journey and some chocolate.

April

Ruth 1:  9 - 10  Then she kissed them goodbye and they wept aloud 10 and said to her, “We will go back with you to your people.”

Cards 4 Teen Kids

It is the second Saturday of the month and that means it is time for a new challenge at the Send a Smile 4 Kids Challenge blog.  The theme for this challenge is Anything Goes or Cards 4 Teen Kids.  This challenge no longer has sponsors so you will be participating for pride not prize.    

Send a Smile 4 Kids charity is dedicated to collecting and distributing handmade cards to children who are inpatient at Children's Hospitals.  Please send us your handmade kids' cards for holidays, birthdays, and everyday cheer.  Help us put a smile on our kids' faces.

Here is the card I made for the Design Team for this challenge:

Cards 4 Teen Kids Card Recipe

This is a clean and simple card that just came to me while I was perusing Pinterest.  I have always loved spatter and I had this heart die from Penny Black that I wasn't sure what to do with.  Well here you go.  Perfect for a teenager and with lots of my favorite color.  I cut out the intricate die in red card stock and ran it through my Xyron.  Perfect stick.

Thanks for stopping by.  Consider entering the challenge at Send a Smile 4 Kids.  More importantly, consider sending some cards for our kids who are in the hospital.  Have a great day and enjoy the journey and some chocolate.

April

Ruth 1:  8  Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back, each of you, to your mother’s home. May the Lord show you kindness, as you have shown kindness to your dead husbands and to me.

Fun with Gina K. Foil and Penny Black

I am doing a class at Craft Inn using Gina K. foil and a Penny Black LOVE die.  I saw a Jennifer McGuire video that inspired me to do these foil cards.  I tried using just adhesive and I get much better results when I use the heat to adhere the foil on large spaces.  I am still experimenting though.

Here is the first card I made.

Foiled Card Recipe

For the red strips I used score tape and the Gina K. foil.  I used Stick-it on a pice of 8.5 x 11 white card stock.  I added the silver Gina K. foil to the card stock on top of the stick it.  You place the foil pretty side up on the adhesive.  Press the foil until it is smooth and then pull the foil up.  The foil with the adhesive will stay.  I cut out the word LOVE using a Penny Black die out of the card stock and adhered it to the card stock with the red stripes.  I found some large silver sequins and added them to add interest.

Thanks for stopping by the blog today.  Tune in next time for another paper crafting or t-shirt project.  Have a great day and enjoy the journey and some chocolate.

April 

Ruth 1:  7  With her two daughters-in-law she left the place where she had been living and set out on the road that would take them back to the land of Judah.

More Valentine's from the 6 x 6 Paper Pad

This week is Valentine's Day and Fat Tuesday and Ash Wednesday.  I haven't made any Mardi Gras related cards, but I have made some love cards using a 6 x 6 paper pad.  I have been sharing those cards this week.  To see some of the other cards I've made, check out my posts from earlier this week.

Here are a couple more cards:

These two cards use paper from the pad that are matted with solid color card stock.  I used sentiment stamps for these cards.  On the one I added a small heart to cover up a smudge.  There is always a way to fix mistakes in card making.

Thanks for stopping by the blog today.  Tune in next time for another paper crafting or t-shirt project.  Have a great day and enjoy the journey and some chocolate.

April

Ruth 1:  6  When Naomi heard in Moab that the Lord had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them, she and her daughters-in-law prepared to return home from there.

WOYWW 454 - CRAFT MOJO Returned

It's Wednesday and that means it is time to take a picture of my craft desk and share it on Julia's Stamping Ground.  And it's Valentine's Day - Happy Valentine's Day. 

I am so happy to say that my crafty mojo has finally returned from its untimely vacation.  I just wasn't inspired to do anything crafty.  But Saturday morning I taught a Silhouette class, had lunch with my BFF and ran some errands.  When I got home, I pressed t-shirts for our company and then made 4 t-shirts for myself.  They are mostly craft room related.  I also finished some cards that I had already started last Craft Day at Church.  I have been sharing those on my blog this week.

Before:

Look at that mess!  I am once again working in a 6 inch by 6 inch space.  And what is worse is the more mess I have on my desk, the more trouble Oliver gets into.  

After the clean up:

Here is a Valentine's Card for the ocassion.

Tonight is sushi night and I will be visiting desks.  I've missed this the last couple weeks.

Thanks for stopping by the blog today.  Tune in next time for another paper crafting or t-shirt project.  Have a great day and enjoy the journey and some chocolate.

April

Ruth 1:  4 - 5 They married Moabite women, one named Orpah and the other Ruth. After they had lived there about ten years,  both Mahlon and Kilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband.