I Adore You Wall Hanging

To enter my 3 Year Blogaversary Giveaway, click HERE!!

Happy Friday, everyone!! I hope you have fun plans for the first weekend of April!! Today is the last day to enter my Blogaverary Giveaway, so if you haven't linked up a picture, make sure you do before midnight tonight (click on the link above)!! Remember, it doesn't have to be your baby picture, it can be your children, grandchildren, pets or favorite project...whatever you would like to post :)

It's my turn to post on the Die-Versions blog and I would love for you to stop by and say hi!! I have a wall hanging to share with you today :) The base is chipboard and it was covered with white acrylic paint. Once the paint dried, it was sanded it to take some of the color off. The papers are from Prima's Divine paper stack. I dry-brushed some of the white paint onto the background paper to soften it up a bit. A Die-Versions Whispers Hexagon Background die was cut in heavyweight cardstock and added next. The banner was created with a Die-Versions Whispers Lacey Dots die and the triangles were cut from the paper.

I used one of my older Julie Nutting Prima Doll stamps for this project. She was just the right size :) She was stamped on old book paper and cut out. Her dress was paper pieced and the top layers were popped up with foam tape to give some dimension. The butterfly on her shoulder and the bird were fussy cut from the paper.

The Die-Versions I Adore You Sweet Phrases die was cut from the Prima paper and then it was embossed on a piece of white paper. The patterned paper was then placed over the embossed white paper so that the letters popped through the holes. I then glued the small pieces from the patterned paper back on. The flowers are from Prima and the butterfly is a piece of chipboard that was covered with the paper and then covered with Glossy Accents and crystal gems.

I am entering this in the following challenges:

1. Craft It Up & Link It Up - Anything Goes
2. Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Anything Goes
3. DL.Art - April Linky
4. Pause Dream Enjoy Linky #7 - 3D Projects 
5. Funday Friday Challenge - Anything Goes
6. Every Day is an Occasion - April Linky
7. Just B Creative Crazy - April Linky
8. Word Art Wednesday #121 - Anything Goes 
9. Scrapping4fun Challenge - Anything Goes
10. Divas By Design - Anything Goes
11. Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
12. All Crafts Challenge - Anything But a Card
13. Challenges 4 Everybody - Anything Goes

Die-Versions Dies Used:

Die-Versions I Adore You Sweet Phrases
Die-Versions Whispers Hexagon Background
Die-Versions Whispers Lacey Dots

Thanks so much for stopping by!! I will be announcing the winner of my giveaway this weekend :)

Hello!!

To enter my 3 Year Blogaversary Giveaway, click HERE!!

Happy Tuesday!! It would be happier here if not for the forecast of snow. Ugh. Will it never end??!! At least it isn't supposed to accumulate more than an inch or so. Still...I want flowers, sunshine...spring :)

There are a few challenges I wanted to enter so I have a card to share with you today :)

The black paper is heavyweight cardstock from The Paper Studio. The patterned paper is from Prima's Princess stack. I just love Prima papers - so pretty!!

The bottom two layers and the smaller rectangles were all cut with Spellbinders Matting Basics A & B. I ran a strip of paper through my Xyron and added glitter. The banner is a Lil' Inker Stitched Sentiment Flag die. Hello! is from Justrite Stamp's Musical Notes Labels 20 stamp set. The flowers are from Prima. The vines are a Memory Box Floral Vine die and they were cut in vellum.

I am entering this in the following challenges:

1. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Glitter It
2. Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Transparent
3. Justrite Friday Challenge #117 - Sketch (see below)
4. Little Scrap Pieces - Show It Off Saturday
5. DL.Art - March Linky
6. Cut It Up Challenges - Anything Goes w/Die Cut
7. Every Day is an Occasion - March Linky
8. Just B Creative Crazy - March Linky
9. Word Art Wednesday #121 - Anything Goes

Thanks so much for stopping by!! Don't forget to enter my GIVEAWAY :)

Craft It Up & Link It Up - Buttons, Ribbons, Twine, Brads

To enter my 3 Year Blogaversary Giveaway - click HERE

Happy Monday and Happy St. Patrick's Day!! It's time for another fun challenge at Craftin Desert Divas!! The challenge this week is Buttons, Ribbons, Twine or Brads...we want you to use two. Our sponsors for this challenge are : Too Cute By Jessica - $20; Pretty Paper Pretty Ribbons - $10 gift certificate; and Tombow - Permanent Adhesive and Refills.

I've been on a shabby kick lately :) And I couldn't decide which two of the items to use, so I used all four :)

The papers are from Fancy Pants Etcetera paper stack. The edges were distressed with a Zutter Distress-It-All. Follow Your Heart in the bottom corner is a Tim Holtz Remnant Rub. The gem swirl is from Recollections.

The doily is an Xcut die from Docrafts. The flowers are from Prima. The leaves are a Spellbinders Corner Sprigs die, and it was cut in vellum. The buttons, brads and pearls are from my stash.

The tag is a Spellbinders Charmed I'm Sure die. The sentiment is from My Craft Spot's Tiny Tags 3 set. The ribbon is from May Arts.

I am entering this in the following challenges:

1. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Mother's Day or Special Girl
2. Little Scrap Pieces - Show It Off Saturday
3. DL.Art - March Linky
4. Every Day is an Occasion - March Linky
5. Just B Creative Crazy - March Linky
6. Word Art Wednesday #121 - Anything Goes
7. 613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes with Option 2 or 3D Flowers
8. Scrapping4funChallenges - Flowers
9. Sister Act Card Challenge - Anything Goes
10. The Shabby Tea Room - Anything Goes

Now it's your turn!! Head on over to Craftin Desert Divas to see the amazing projects my talented design team sisters have created for today's challenge, then Craft It Up & Link It Up!! I can't wait to see what you create!! And don't forget, later this week...

Woohoo!! We are so excited to show Tara's stamps to you!! So make sure you stop by the Craftin Desert Divas blog on Wednesday, March 19th for the first reveal!! See you then!!

And please be sure to enter my 3 Year Blogaversary Giveaway!! Thank you to those of you who have already entered!! I am so enjoying seeing all of your adorable baby pictures!!

And finally, three of these flew over my house yesterday. They were really loud and pretty low. I managed to grab my camera before the last one disappeared but the shot isn't the sharpest. I am pretty sure they are Navy Sea Dragon Helicopters :) 

 Erin go Bragh :)

Remembering These Special Moments

Happy Sunday!! I hope you are having a wonderful weekend!! It's in the 30's here right now but we are supposed to hit the 60's tomorrow!! Heat wave!! Plus, when Cedar Waxwings arrive, I feel like spring is almost here...and they appeared yesterday :)

I have a springy tag to share with you today. The base is a Prima Doll Tag. The edges were inked with Tim Holtz Walnut Distress Ink. The images along the right bottom were cut from Prima Lyric paper. The large black clock is a Tim Holtz Weathered Clock die. The pink swirly flowers are a Die-Versions Daisy Flair die.

The gorgeous crinkle ribbon is from my dear friend Karen of Little Scrap Pieces. The beautiful flowers are from CraftyCity.

The gem swirls are from my stash. Dream is a TH Remnant Rub.

I am entering this in the following challenges:

1. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Tag It
2. Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Tick Tock
3. Little Scrap Pieces - Show It Off Saturday
4. DL.Art - March Linky
5. Every Day is an Occasion - March Linky
6. Just B Creative Crazy - March Linky
7. My Sheri Crafts #128 - Bling it On
8. Word Art Wednesday #121 - Anything Goes
9. Funday Friday #40 - Anything Goes
10. A Song in Your He{Art} - Time Flies
    
11. Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes
12. Make it Monday - Anything Goes
13. Natalie and Amy's Challenge - Flowers
14. Scrapping4fun Challenges - Flowers
15. Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
16. Crafting From The Heart - Anything Goes - Use Dies

Here's a couple of shots of the Cedar Waxwings :)

Thanks so much for stopping by!!

Make a Wish

Happy Thursday everyone!! I hope you are having a great week!! Only two days left in February...I hope March is much better to us weather-wise :)

I wanted to enter a couple of challenges so I created a springy birthday card to add to my stash :)

The papers are from Ruby Rock-It's Arcadia stack and were attached with Score Tape. The edges were distressed with a Zutter Distress-It-All and then inked with Tim Holtz Victorian Velvet Distress Ink. Two sizes of Spellbinders Big Scalloped Circles Large were cut with papers from my stash. They were sanded with a TH sander and each layer was popped up with foam tape for dimension. The tag is a TH Tiny Tabs and Tags die. The pearl swirls are from Want 2 Scrap and I snipped and manipulated them along the side of the card. The ribbon is from May Arts and the Chalk White Seam Binding was colored with TH Spun Sugar Distress Stain. Make a Wish is a TH Remnant Rub - I am addicted to these right now...I'm rubbing them on everything :)

A Spellbinders Resplendent Rectangle die was used for the sentiments from JustRite Stamps Grand Sentiments stamp set. It was stamped with Versafine in Black Onyx.

The butterfly is a Spellbinders Wonderful Wings die. It was stamped with the coordinating stamp from the JustRite Grand Sentiment set in Victorian Velvet Distress Ink. The antennae were created with beads from my stash. The top layer was attached to the base with a Sakura Quickie Glue Pen along the center, leaving the wings unattached.

I used the Classy Cards 'n Such color palette for this card:

I am entering this in the following challenges:

1. JustRite Stamps #115 - Spring Cheer
2. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - A/G with Pearls
3. DL.Art - February Linky
4. Every Day is an Occasion - February Linky
5. Just B Creative Crazy - February Linky
6. Classy Cards 'n Such - Color Palette (items from store: Score Tape, Chalk White Seam Binding, Want 2 Scrap White Pearl Swirls, Sakura Quickie Glue Pen) 
7. Word Art Wednesday #121 - Anything Goes

Thanks so much for stopping by!! Have a great day :)

Die-Versions - New Year's Celebration!!

Happy 2014, everyone!! I hope the new year brings you all you hope and wish for!! I hope this year doesn't fly by as fast as the last, but I have a feeling it will :)

I am so excited to post my first project for the Die-Versions Design Team!! It's a New Year's Celebration!! Please stop by the Die-Versions blog for all the details on my project including the dies used!!

I am entering it into the following challenges:

1. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Something New (New DT)
2. DL.Art - January Linky
3. Just B Creative Crazy - December Linky
4. Funday Friday #31 - Happy New Year
5. Little Scrap Pieces - Anything Goes

Thanks so much for stopping by!! I hope you have a wonderful first week of 2014!!

Oh Come Let Us Adore Him

Happy Tuesday!! I hope you are having a wonderful week!! How are your Christmas preparations coming along?? I'm still so far behind :( But I do have a card to share with you today :)

I have a few Christmas cards to post in the next week or so, starting with this one. Sorry the picture is a bit dark...I took it a few weeks ago and sent it already before realizing the settings weren't correct :/ The base and layers are Spellbinders Card Creator Dies A & B. The top layer was embossed with a Tim Holtz Sheet Music Texture Fade Embossing Folder. The sentiment is from My Craft Spot's Joy Filled Christmas set, stamped with TH Festive Berries Distress Ink on a Spellbinders Ribbon Banner die.

The wings are a TH Layered Angel Wings die, embossed with the matching TH Wings Embossing Folder. Each layer was popped up with foam tape for dimension.

The angel on the inside is from TH's Joyful Song stamp set. The sentiment is from the same My Craft Spot Joy Filled Christmas set.

I am entering this in the following challenges:

1. Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Stamp it Up 2013
2. Craftin Desert Divas - Christmas
3. DL.Art - Christmas
4. DL.Art - December Linky
5. Sunday Funday - December Linky
6. Just B Creative Crazy - December Linky
7. 2 Creative Chicks - Christmas/Winter

I was looking out my window the other day and saw this guy scrounging around in the snow...in daylight!!

I hurried outside with my camera and scared the poor little guy up a tree!!

But I was able to get some close-up shots of him!!

He stopped to pose for me :)

Look at those daggers!! His claws are deadly...I'm glad he scurried up a tree instead of at me!!

Please be sure to stop by Craftin Desert Divas tomorrow for the winners of the Holly Jolly Blog Hop!! Thanks so much for stopping by!! Happy holiday season my friends :)

Sending Love at Christmas

Happy Thursday!! I hope you are having a wonderful first week of December!! We are under a winter storm warning, with it expected to hit tonight with lots of snow and ice. We are in the area with a strong possibility of losing power, so I may not be able to visit you for a few days. I'm trying to get in a quick post before I head to the store for supplies, just in case :)

I have a Christmas bag to share with you today. I started with a Copper Foil Engraving Blank from Royal Langnickel...this stuff is so awesome!! It really makes the embossing pop. I also have silver, gold and rainbow blanks, so you will be seeing lots more projects with it from me :) A Spellbinders Roman Romance M-Bossibilities embossing folder was used and then sanded to bring out the copper and awesome texture.

The ornament is a Spellbinders Heirloom Ornaments 2011. The stamp is from JustRite's Deck the Halls stamp set. A Spellbinders Classic Circle Small was used for the inside sentiment, which is also from JustRite's Deck the Halls set. The stamps were stamped with Tim Holtz Distress Embossing Ink and then heat embossed with copper embossing powder. The sparkly copper ribbon is from my stash.

I am entering this in the following challenges:

1. JustRite Friday Challenge #111 - It's in the Bag
2. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Make Your Own Background
3. DL.Art - December Linky
4. Sunday Funday - December Linky
5. Just B Creative Crazy - December Linky
6. Paper Playtime #24 - Anything Goes
7. Funday Friday #28 - Get in the Spirit

Thanks so much for stopping by!! Have a wonderful weekend and I'll be by to visit when I can :)

Merry Christmas!!

Happy Sunday!! I hope you are having a fabulous weekend!! For my friends in the USA, I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with your family :)

I have a card to share with you today, using some awesome background stamps I won from my sweet friend Jo of Jo's Scrap Shack and 3 Twenty Crafts!! Jo is having a huge sale right now, but hurry, not only are the stamps almost sold out, but the sale ends tomorrow at midnight. If you purchase two sets of stamps, you get free shipping (use code "FREESHIP). And if you like sequins, she sells them dirt cheap - $.99 a bag!! Buy three bags and get a fourth bag free (use code "BLACKFRIDAY"). I hope you will stop by her new shop, 3 Twenty Crafts, and check out all she has to offer!! You will love the stamps!!

The layers of the card were constructed with heavyweight cardstock from Canvas Corp. The base is a Spellbinders Decorative Labels Eight, followed by a Labels Eight, embossed with a Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder and popped up with foam tape. The next layer is a Spellbinders Opulent Ovals, also embossed with Swiss Dots and popped up with foam tape. The top layer is also an Opulent Opals die. The stamp is from Tim Holtz Mini Holidays #5. I wanted it to look like my silhouette guy was rushing through the snow, so using Iced Spruce Distress Ink, I inked the dots background stamp from 3 Twenty Crafts Background Builders set, taping off the edges so they didn't show. The flower is a Spellbinders Poinsettia die, inked with Iced Spruce. I also inked Tim Holtz Crinkle Ribbon with Iced Spruce. The tag is a Spellbinders Charmed I'm Sure die. The sentiment is from My Craft Spot's Joy Filled Christmas stamp set that I won from my sweet friend Susie of Susie Craft Happy!!

I am entering this in the following challenges:

1. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
2. Little Scrap Pieces - Anything Goes
3. Paper Playtime #24 - Anything Goes
4. Funday Friday #28 - Get in the Spirit 
5. 2 Creative Chicks #9 - Christmas/Winter
6. Just B Creative Crazy - December Linky

Thanks so much for stopping by!! Have a great day :)

Finnabair Inspired Canvas

Happy Sunday!! I can't believe it's November already. Where did this year go?? I have a canvas to share with you today that was inspired by the amazing works of Finnabair. If you haven't seen her work, it's just stunning!! This is my first attempt of her techniques, but I will definitely be trying more in the future :)

I created this a couple of months ago and I'm sorry, but I don't remember all of the steps. So I apologize, but this won't be the most detailed description...plus, the pictures aren't the greatest (it looks purple but it's actually very pink). I adhered patterned paper to the background, along with drywall tape for texture using Multi-Medium by Claudine Hellmuth. Wendy Vecchi Embossing Paste was adhered through Crafter's Workshop templates: Bricks on the left, Art Is on the bottom, and Harlequin on the top right.

Several different flowers, buttons, chipboard pieces, twisted wire and lace and elements were added. Finnabair uses lots of industrial items, but I wanted to keep this a bit softer with the sweet image of my niece. The awesome chipboard butterflies are from my sweet friend Sherrie of Sherrie Scraps With Passion!! Thanks again, Sherrie, I love them!! Once everything was glued down, it was completely covered with a couple of layers of Gesso.

Once all of the Gesso dried, it was sprayed with Tattered Angels mist in Valentine Pink and Bubblegum pink (although it looks purple in the pics, it's actually very pink!!) Perfect Pearls Mist in Biscotti was then spritzed over the canvas. Once all of the mist dried, Gesso was dry-brushed over several elements to highlight them, as was pink acrylic paint.

I am entering this in the following challenges:

1. Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Anything Goes
2. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes 
3. Craftin Desert Divas - Anything Goes
4. Little Scrap Pieces - Anything Goes
5. Just B Creative Crazy - November Linky
6. Crafting Musketeers - Pretty Pastels

Thanks so much for stopping by!! Happy November :)

Happy Halloween II

Happy Saturday!! I hope you are having a fabulous weekend!! I still haven't been able to get to my craft room very much, hence the few posts the last couple of weeks. I apologize for that. I keep hoping that I will have more time to craft but things keep popping up. There are so many projects I want to get done but just can't find the time to do them. I love creating Halloween projects but I haven't had the opportunity to do very many. This might be my last one of the year :(

The inspiration for this piece was a canvas I saw in Michaels. It featured a skull with a yellow and brown background with a black border. I tried to recreate it with my Tim Holtz stamps. The frame was created with Spellbinders Grand Labels Large dies. It was popped up with foam tape for dimension. The base is Canvas Corp heavyweight cardstock. The skull is from Tim Holtz's Apothecary stamp set. It was stamped twice with Versafine Black Onyx ink, once on the white cardstock and once on a TH Masking Sheet. The mask was cut out and applied over the other image. The background was then sponged with TH Distress Inks in Mustard Seed, Scattered Straw, Gathered Twigs and Tea Dye. The spider webs are from TH's Halloween Cutout stamp set. Happy Halloween is from Apothecary. The bottom one was outlined with a Sakura White Gelly Roll pen.

I am entering this in the following challenges:

1. Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Spooky
2. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge  - Halloween or Halloween Colors
3. Little Scrap Pieces - Anything Goes
4. Craftin Desert Divas - Halloween 
5. DL.Art - October Anything Goes Linky 
6. Sunday Funday #14 - Anything Goes 
7. Just B Creative Crazy - October Linky 
8. 2 Creative Chicks - Halloween

Thanks so much for stopping by!! Have a wonderful weekend my friends :)

Happy Halloween

Happy Wednesday!! I hope you are having a great week!! It's been so cold here the last couple of days. It was in the 20's yesterday morning, as opposed to the 70's a year ago. Ugh. I'm so not ready for winter :( But, in the spirit of fall, I have a Halloween project to share with you today :)

This is a shadowbox project I created, using mostly Tim Holtz dies and stamps. The box was cut with Spellbinders Grand Squares dies and popped up with layers of foam tape for the dimension of the box. The paper is from My Mind's Eye. The moon in the corner was colored with a Mustard Seed Distress Marker and a TH Waterbrush. The bats are from Tim's Mini Halloween #1 set, stamped with Jet Black Archival Ink. The tree is a TH Branch Tree die, inked with TH's Gathered Twigs Distress Ink. The owl was stamped from the TH Mini Halloween #2 set. The fence is a TH On The Fence die, inked with Walnut Distress Ink. Happy Halloween is from the Mini Halloween #3 set, heat embossed with Zing Vanilla embossing powder.

The skeleton is from the Mini Halloween #2 set. It was heat embossed with Zing Vanilla embossing powder and fussy cut. The spider web is from TH's Mini Halloween #3 set, and it was also heat embossed with Zing Vanilla embossing powder. The spider is from the Mini Halloween set. Several of the elements were popped up with foam tape for dimension.

I am entering this in the following challenges:

1. Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Spooky
2. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge  - Halloween or Halloween Colors
3. Craftin Desert Divas - Halloween 
4. DL.Art - October Anything Goes Linky 
5. Sunday Funday #14 - Anything Goes 
6. Just B Creative Crazy - October Linky 
7. Funday Friday Challenge - Anything Goes  
8. 2 Creative Chicks - Halloween

My new blog design is still a work in progress. I'm having the hardest time getting the colors changed in several text areas. I hope to have all the kinks worked out soon. Thanks so much for stopping by!! Have a great day :)

Surely The Stars Danced and WINNER!!

Happy Saturday!! I am having a hard time getting back into the swing of things after being on vacation. I've been trying to stop by your blogs this week and catch up, so if I haven't been by, I hope to soon. Thank you all who voted for me at Heartfelt Creations (you can still vote HERE). I appreciate it so much!! I have a winner to announce from my Early Christmas giveaway, but first I actually have a project...I can't believe it's been over a week and a half since I've posted a project :(

I used a piece of plastic from a large die as the base of the card. The bottom layer is a Spellbinders Majestic Labels Twenty Five die cut with black cardstock. The next layer is a Spellbinders Labels twenty five. It was popped up with foam tape. The paper is from my stash.

I used the Tim Holtz Crescent Moon and Stars die to decorate the card. The papers are from my stash. A Spellbinders Labels Twenty Nine die was used for the sentiment, the edges inked with Tim Holtz Antique Linen Distress Ink. The sentiment is from Paper Wings Productions.

I used another Labels Twenty Five and Labels Twenty Nine for the inside.

I am entering this in the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Inspired by Tammy Tutterow (her card HERE...I actually purchased the die set after seeing her card!)
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Use Rubber or Clear Stamp
Little Scrap Pieces - Fun Friday Anything Goes
DL.Art - October Anything Goes Linky
Craft It Up & Link It Up #16 - Anything With a Sentiment
Jo's Scrap Shack - Favorite Technique (Spellbinders)
Sunday Funday #14 - Anything Goes
Just B Creative Crazy - October Linky

And now for the winner of my Early Christmas Giveaway!! Thank you all who entered!! It took longer that I thought to pick a winner. I printed out all the comments from the Giveaway post, as well as the ones from the posts while I was gone, making sure to add extra entries for the additional chances to win. After they were all cut out and put into a box, I chose one name out. And the winner is.......................................................................................

jessica of Chick-n-Scrap!!

Congratulations, Jessica!! Please email your addy to me at indymermaid(at)gmail(dot)com and I'll get it in the mail to you!! Thanks for stopping by!! I hope you have a wonderful weekend :)