Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Rustic Greetings

It's the last day of August and the last day you can order the August Bloom Box.  Have you been enjoying the cards I've been sharing from it?  Here's the last card of the 4 from the Box.


The fun Great Outdoors stamp set will be available in December for general purchase.


I love this layout, too.  Richard Garay and the Journey Design Team does a great job creating cards for our boxes. 

Card Stocks: Oatmeal Cookie, Denim Days, Butter Cream, Mother Nature Prints
Inks: Hazelnut or Dark Roast (or Cocoa Powder that I used)
Silk: Dark Roast
Dies Tag Elements
Embellies: Natural Thread, (the star element is no longer available but I have OODLES)
Other: Color Burst Pencils (or whatever you have)
Adhesives: see posts of first 2 cards

I'll be late next month showing you the cards from the September Bloom Box.  I'm going to do a bit of traveling starting tomorrow to hold kids, grandkids, and great grandkids.  But I will have posts scheduled and I'll have my laptop to check in frequently.

Monday, August 29, 2016

Head Shot

And here comes card 3 from our August Bloom Box. Again, this stamp set, Great Outdoors, will be available for general purchase about December.  You can ONLY get it in the August Bloom Box until Wednesday.


This card was changed up as I liked my background a bit more organized for this particular card.  The directions called for random stamping.  Also the bear head trophy is stamped twice, once on Dark Roast and again on the Oatmeal Cookie.  You need a real good light to cut out the Dark Roast image as even with Black Licorice ink it was difficult to see.  Angie cut right on the outside line and I left a bit of an edge around it.



Card Stocks: Dark Roast, Cranberry Bliss, Green Olive, Oatmeal Cookie
Ink: I used Cocoa Powder since I don't have the Dark Roast from the directions
Silk: Dark Roast
Dies: Ovals
Embellies: Natural Thread, Wooden Accents
(See previous posts for adhesives.)





Friday, August 26, 2016

It's Great Outdoors

Are you ready for another card from the August Bloom Box?   I really like this "Great Outdoors" set as it reminds my of Wyoming, my home state. I have seen all 3 of these animals in the wild, even hunted the Big Horn Sheep but I didn't get one.


I love the design of this card!  Simple yet with enough embellishments to really dress it up!


I love the Cranberry Bliss Chevron Trends on this!  To me they really pop without being distracting. And I love this color combination!

Card Stocks: Butter Cream, Dark Roast, River Stone, Cranberry Bliss, Denim Days
Ink: Directions called for Dark Roast (which I don't yet have) so we used Cocoa Powder
Silk: Silver
Punches: Chevron Trends, Punch Handle
Embossing Folder: Beach Towel
Embellies: Metal Button, Natural Thread
Adhesives: White Liner Tape, Glue Dots, Foam Squares
Coloring Medium: Color Burst Pencils, Blender

There's still 2 more cards to show!  And I should have pictures of our September Bloom Box soon!

Wednesday, August 24, 2016

An Almost Busy Desk and a Red Barn

Wednesday, Hump Day, Desker Day, huh?  Yep, today is What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday!  Today is your opportunity to join me and many others sharing our work areas and whatever else we want to share!  And all this is brought together by Julia at the Stamping Ground.  She has a couple of buttons just under her blog name if you want to know more or how to join.  Meanwhile...


Here is my desk.  I just finished a project but it won't be shared other than this until next week.  You can see not only the desk top but my shelves where I have my Copics (center top), ink pads (right top), and misc. (left top).  On my desk from left to right.... my Cricut and paper cutter (sitting on a pile of stuff), a stamp set, my work station which consists of my blue mat, Scor-Pal and Score Mat, and a pile of scrap paper, then more stamps, my ATG adhesive runner and just the edge of my Journey Platinum die machine.  The blue towel is my stamp cleaner and the water bottle to dampen it is on the shelf above it.  My OTT lamp is on the right, too.

Yesterday I played with my new Canon PowerShot camera and took a picture of the little red barn seed feeder.  The feeder was about 40 feet from me so I zoomed as far as it would zoom.  I had to steady my arms on the table as any movement is greatly exaggerated.


I was hoping the green Parakeet would visit but he didn't show up.  Oh well.  Maybe another day.

So, other than my desk description this post is relatively short.  Please head over to Julia's Stamping Ground to pick up the links to the other crafters taking part.  I don't have much happening today so hopefully I'll get most all visited.

Sunday, August 21, 2016

Fun Stampers Journey "Outdoor Fun" Blog Hop



Welcome to the Amazing Journey Blog Hoppers hop!  This month's theme is "Outdoor Fun".  I'm so happy you're hoppin' along!


 If you arrived here from Wilma's blog, you're on the right track.  
If not, that's ok, too!  Just continue the hop and you'll come full circle.

Please don't forget to click the next button to continue on the hop with Becky's blog.


I got this stamp set at convention in June and this hop was a great time to use it!


I played with a technique that Richard Garay shared a while back.  I splattered my Dark Roast and Bronze Silks on an acrylic stamp block then spritzed with water then "stamped" my Whip Cream card stock for a watercolor look.  I added more Bronze Silk to my paper as it kinda disappeared when I spritzed.  Oh well.  I did an A2 size piece of Whip Cream so have a bunch left over for a future use.


I splattered my assembled layers with the 2 Silks, too.

Our Blog Hop list is:
Betsye Rose Cimino Erazo
Wilma Payne
Carol Norby >> That's me!
Becky Lemire
Heather Flaherty
Kim Lamos
Christine Pennington
Karen Seifert
Allie Gower
Ruth Cooper


Please head over to Becky's blog from here!


Supplies used:
Card stocks:  Whip Cream, Candy Apple, Oatmeal Cookie, and Cocoa Powder
Stamp Set: Bike Life
Inks: Oatmeal Cookie and Cocoa Powder
Silks: Bronze and Dark Roast
Accessories: Fam Bam Elements
Other: Foam Squares, White Liner Tape



Not only can you click on each product as they are linked to my shopping cart but you can also click
to go to my replicated web site then click on SHOP or JOIN or whatever!


Thanks for stopping by! And have fun hopping

Friday, August 19, 2016

It's Time to Go Wild!

Last weekend Angie and I got together to assemble the cards from our August Bloom Box.  We have a great time and she loves it that I have most of the inks and other fun stuff to use.  Here is one of the 4 cards we made....


The stamp set, Great Outdoors, will be available for purchase about December unless you hurry and purchase this month's Bloom Box.  All the paper came precut and die cut.  We only had to cut out the head.


We did change things just a hint as Angie sponged ink around her Butter Cream oval and I colored my button. I colored with my Color Burst Pencils and Angie used what she had.

Card Stocks: River Stone, Dark Roast, Oatmeal Cookie, Butter Cream, Cranberry Bliss, and
Mother Nature Prints
Ink: I didn't have Dark Roast so we used Cocoa Powder
Silk: Dark Roast (the splatters on the cards)
Dies: Journey Ovals 
Embellies: Natural Thread, Wooden Accents (button)
Other: Color Burst Pencils, White Liner Tape, Foam Squares, Glue Dots
and Blenders along with baby oil to used and the blending agent

I will be participating in a blog hop on Sunday so come back and enjoy the hop!

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

Just a Desk, Ma'am, Just a Desk

It's a glorious Wednesday!  Hot, cloudless, virtually no chance of rain, but still a glorious day!  Why, because today is the day the Lord has made!  I woke up, I had coffee, I had breakfast, and I have a class to teach.  All good.  I'm even ready (I think as I'm always 2nd guessing myself).  But today is also your opportunity to view my desk and the desks of many others who are brave enough to take a picture and share it.  And this fun view is put together by our head desker, Julia of the Stamping Ground.  She has been doing this for 376 weeks!! I've joined her about week 186, roughly.  I've gotten to cyber-know a few wonderful gals and enjoyed many desks and projects.  So, here now is my desk.


I'm in-between projects since I just finished preparing and packing for my class.  I'm teaching 4 cards using products from the company I'm with.  So what do you see here...
In front from far right to far left:
Twinkle Trim and ribbon from FSJ (the short version of the company)
a pile of whatever  which is in front of my red Cricut Expression
my actual work place on the pretty blue mat - with my Scor-Pal and mat and scrap paper on top
cards that need finishing on top of the aforementioned
my OTT light then a pile of crap, I mean scraps
In back shelves for misc, my Copic rack, then ink pad rack
Oh, far left, a bucket of more scraps...

I will be heading out shortly to teach so I'll be back to visit this afternoon.  Hope you all have a GREAT day!

Monday, August 15, 2016

Christmas Goodies

Time is running out for you to purchase the great Holiday Sparkle bundles!  I played a bit with my 3 Christmas bundles and here's a fun Goody Bag from the "Sparkle & Shine" bundle.


I love the Journey Advent Boxes, they're so easy to decorate!  But the cool Holiday Sparkle Bundle will be available until the end of Sept. as it's in the Holiday Mini catalog (which expires Sept. 31).  I can see some Christmas cards using this fun set in my future!   The fun paper is from the Tis The Season Prints which is available through Sept.


I used some white satin ribbon from my stash but how about that bright and sparkly Twinkle Trim!  Oh my gosh, it is so cool!  I used a Clear Bloom Accent on the bow.  We were to use the Tag Elements die (on my wish list)  for the tag but I don't have it yet so I made due with a piece of scrap and used the Slit Punch for the Trim. 


I die cut the Circle, added some Silver Silk for fun.  I colored my stamped image with our Color Burst pencils and used some baby oil with the Blenders to smooth out pencil lines and blend my colors.

The Bundles come with directions but if you don't have everything just substitute like I did!  Great way to personalize the project!  So remember, you only have until Aug. 31 to order these fun products.  Get a head start on your Christmas cards and projects (and Halloween and Thanksgiving, too)!

Friday, August 12, 2016

Shabby Chic Challenge

Last Sunday we coaches were challenged to create a Shabby Chic card on a private FB page.  I'm not real certain what that is but I've come to the conclusion it's kinda vintage and feminine.


I used an assortment of products to make my card.  Can you figure them out?


I stamped the Spring Bouquet stamps on Whip Cream card stock using Banana Cream, Pineapple Smoothie, Pretty Amethyst, and Lavender Fusion, then cut them out, and set aside.  On my folded card base of Whip Cream I sponged Banana Cream ink though a couple places of the Starburst Lines stencil then lightly sponged the same ink between the stenciled areas.  I die cut a piece of Banana Cream card stock that I cut to size for the Doily die and lined it with the same size of White Liner Sheet then die cut.  I did have to shim with a piece of card stock to get a complete cut of the die. Our Bloom Tool worked great to get rid of the little unwanted pieces.  I sponged a bit of Oatmeal Cookie ink on the die before attaching it to the card base. I left a bit of the doily off the card and cut off that unneeded piece.  The White Liner sheets (double sided adhesive sheet) are great for getting the whole piece adhered!   I stamped the phrase from the Sentimental Prints set using Oatmeal Cookie ink onto a strip of Whip Cream card stock, stenciled a little bit like I did the card base, sponged the edges and layered on a piece of Banana Cream card stock.  Using Foam Squares I attached this piece then adhered the purple flowers around it.  I foam dotted the yellow flowers and added some Rainbow Drops to the flower centers. 

Did I succeed in making a Shabby Chic card?

Wednesday, August 10, 2016

Desks and Lemons

It's a beautiful Wednesday!  We got rain yesterday, yeah, lots.  I was getting flash flood alerts on my phone so I stayed home and played!  The first time in a week!  And with today being What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday, I took a pic of my desk yesterday right after I finished making 2 cards for a couple of challenges.  I will share one I made for CanYouCaseIt? sketch challenge CYCI#132 and my desk for the weekly desk tour put together by our head desker Julia at the Stamping Ground. So glad that Julia is crafting again after an absence due to her surgery.


Since I just finished making some cards I still have stamps and stuff out waiting to be put away before I start on my next project.  The wax paper on the far left in front of my Cricut is for some intricate dies, there's stamps at the middle left, the cards sitting on my work spot, my Bloom Tool and red ATG adhesive roller to the right.  You are getting a glimpse of what is higher in front of me within reach, my Copics, ink pads,  and misc.  I had some old movies starring Boris Karloff on Amazon Prime as I worked and Pinterest on my computer.


This is my card for the CYCI sketch challenge.  I used all Fun Stampers Journey products.  Funny after I got this done I thought that I should have done more layering.  Oh well, too late.


I did play a bit with our new Color Burst pencils to color the lemon and leaves.  I need to practice more but this stamp didn't require a lot of shading, etc.

Well, my post is done.  I will share the other card probably on Friday.  I need to get a bunch done as we're heading out Sept. 1 for 18 days to WY to see our kids and families, and friends.  We'll be doing quite a loop through the state, over to Jackson Hole via Yellowstone Park (that's the tentative plan), into Idaho to see a friend and maybe home via the 4 Corners (Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona) to see friends and hopefully finishing up Sept. 16 or 17 at the Scrapbook Expo in Mesa, AZ.  So now please head over to the Stamping Ground to view the links to the other deskers and CanYouCaseIt to see the inspiration cards and challengers.

Monday, August 8, 2016

Dino-Mite!

I really want to play this past weekend with the HUGE order I got in on Thursday but I had other things I had to get done.  I vacuumed and shampooed the living room and hall carpets was the biggie.  But I do have a 3rd card that I'll be teaching August 17th at my "Critters Galore" class.  This may look familiar as it is almost identical to a previous card but I used a different dinosaur.



I love the Dino-Mite! stamp set!  Just so cute!  I started with my Lemon Drop card stock base and stamped the set of words with Citrus cooler ink.  I die cut the Citrus Cooler card stock with the frame from the Snapshot Frames die set.   I made the background with a square of  Pool Play card stock then added a piece of torn Oatmeal Cookie card stock for the ground.  I stamped the dinosaur and tree on a piece of Whip Cream card stock, colored with colored pencils (I now have our cool Color Burst pencils which I'm so wanting to play with, maybe Wednesday), and cut out.  I also stamped the phrase on the bottom of the frame using Black Licorice ink.  I adhered the ground to the Pool Play square then adhered this to the back side of the frame. I then adhered the tree and pop dotted (foam squares) the dinosaur in place.


I pop dotted (yeah, foam squares) then I added the 2 Special Celebrations sequins around the phrase using glue dots.  Ta da!  Adhere this card front on a Whip Cream folded card base and it's ready for you to add something inside and give to that special person!

Friday, August 5, 2016

Friends are Family Critters and the August Bloom Box

Are you wondering about the other 3 cards for my Critters Galore class?  Never fear, they'll all get posted.  Here's the 2nd of the 4 cards.


This fun bundle, Creature Comforts, is so fun!  (Found in the SHOP area of my replicated site under Stamps then under Stamp/Die Bundles.)  It's great for making cards for kids!  I used Watermelon Fusion card stock for the base and Whip Cream card stock for the die cut Circle and the critters. 


The fun print papers come from the Party Pop Prints.  I used a length of Beach Breeze Thread and sponged the circle with Watermelon Fusion ink.  The little critters and phrase were stamped with Black Licorice ink.  I colored with my PrismaColor pencils but have our new Color Burst pencils on order.

This class is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 17, at 10 am at the AZ Scrapbooking store in Green Valley, AZ.  This will be my last class in this location.  I have another place to check out in the same mall area for future classes. I will also have this info on my FaceBook page, Stampin Hot with Carol. Contact me if you would like to take the class.  It's $18 for 4 cards.  You need to bring your scissors, adhesive, pop dots, glue dots, and your coloring medium of choice. At this time I have 3 signed up.


 Not only do we have 6 fantastic Bundles for August but look at the great cards from the August Bloom Box!  Oh my gosh!  I LOVE this!  (I think I say that almost every month....) Since I'm from the northwest part of Wyoming these are right up my alley!  Please head over to my Specials page for the info on the August Bloom Box and the Bundles!  I've ordered oodles already!

Wednesday, August 3, 2016

Desks and a Mini-cation

Since we got back from our mini vacation I have not taken time to sit at my workdesk.  And since this is What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday, I'm supposed to share my desk. And this weekly view of desks is a fun tour around the world (sort of) brought together by Julia of the Stamping Ground.  She's been doing this for 374 weeks!  I've been involved for about 1/2 that time.  But my desks looks just like it did last Wednesday.  So....  I decided to share a few pictures of our trip!


We went to Prescott, AZ July 29 - 31.  It was hot there, too, but not as hot as at home.  This first pic is of us at a concert in the Square.  What a fun surprise!  The band played mostly blues.  Lots of dancers and there was 1 guy who danced a lot whether with someone or by himself.  He had some really smooth moves!  I love this app on my phone camera that does a selfie with the picture!


While we waited for the Phippen Western Art Gallery opened we took a short hike.  The trail was a bit rough but the view, oh my gosh!!


I loved this tree on the hike.  Such character!  Look closer at its base, it's twisted! Can you imagine the wind forces against it as it was growing?  Wow!


And last (for now) a pic of some new growth on a pine tree.  I may have to play with this one on my PhotoShop program.  I have many more pictures but these are my favorites.

We visited the Sharlot Hall Museum, Phippen Art Museum (they just opened a special exhibition called "Hold Your Horses" which was fabulous!!), the Lone Spur Cafe (best burger I think I ever had!), a fun little restaurant called Shannon's Gourmet Cheesecakes (I ate too much cheesecake), and the Heritage Zoo (all the animals were rescues).

So, no desk but a bit of fun and nature.  Please head over to our head desker Julia at the Stamping Ground blog to get the links to others taking part in this weekly tour of desks.  If this is new to you please click on her page What is WOYWW for more info.

Monday, August 1, 2016

Three Critters from Upcoming Critters Galore Class

While I was at the retreat over a week ago I worked to finish some cards for possible classes.  I had 3 of the 4 already done but I did manage to get the 4th doneI now have the class scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 17 at 10 am at the AZ Scrapbooking store in Green Valley, AZ.  This will be my last class in the store as it closes the doors completely (open on Wednesdays through Aug. 31) September 1. 


I just love how this card turned out!  I used the Creature Comforts Bundle (stamp set and coordinating dies),  Cloud Dreams dies, and Border Details dies.  I sponge some Lovely Blue ink around the clouds (very faint ink) and Black Licorice to stamp the critters and words. 


Most card stock is Whip Cream but the grass was cut from Limeade Splash card stock. I have to admit I'm showing you my favorite card of the 4 first.