Best Butterfly Friends

Good morning!

Hope your day is going well so far!  I have a fun springtime card to share with you today:

Goodies:

Stamps: Miss Caroline Favorites stamp set by My Mind's Eye
Ink: Regal Rose, Peach Parfait, Soft Suede, Early Espresso inks by Stampin' Up!
Paper: Very Vanilla, Crumb Cake cardstock by Stampin' Up!; patterned papers from Cakewalk Collection by October Afternoon
Accessories: Delicate Decorative brad by Jenni Bowlin Studio; Basic Rhinestones by Stampin' Up!

This stamp set has everything you'd want in a great stamp set... fun sentiment, woodgrain plank, pretty patterned butterflys... there are also doilies and flowers included!  Hee!  The sentiment was the reason it had to come home with me though- I love a friendly sentiment like that!

It has been so warm here lately that it feels like spring is just around the corner.  We are supposed to be up in the 60s again next week!  Crazy weather for this time of the year.  Not that I'm complaining... I'll take it over snow and ice any day!

Hope you are having a great Wednesday!

-tessa

Inspired Blueprints

I'm excited to announce that I've joined the Inspired Blueprints design team!  Inspired Blueprints is a sketch challenge site featuring the sketches of Lisa Warren.  Look for their first sketch of 2013 on February 1st!

I'm really looking forward to being a part of this team and I hope all my scrappy friends will have a chance to play along as well!

Have a great day!

-tessa

A Birthday Card

I've been trying to get a head start on some birthday cards to use through out the year.  I made this quick one to add to my stash:

Goodies:
Stamps: Wacky Wishes set by Stampin' Up!
Ink: Black Onyx Versafine ink
Paper: Basic Gray, Lucky Limeade cardstock by Stampin' Up!; Seen & Noted 6x6 pad by Pebbles Inc.
Accessories: Red baker's twine by We R Memory Keepers

I have lots of nephews to wish happy birthday so I am in need of boy cards- something that is so hard for me!  I tried to let the patterned papers do most of the work here and left the other elements simple so they wouldn't end up too frilly.

Well, I've got lots to do today!  Hope you enjoy your Monday!

-tessa

A Homemade Christmas

Hello!
I thought I would share some of the Christmas gifts I made this year.  I didn't make as many as I usually do but the ones I did make, I really tried to put my heart into!

The first one is a canvas I made for my Dad.  He has always talked about building a barn.  He likes farms.  So I made him some barn art:

The whole thing is collaged using book prints from dictionaries and other old books.  I learned how to collage like this from Stephanie Ackerman.  Her work is beautiful and so inspirational!  I was lucky enough to travel up to Groves in Huntingdon, PA with my friend Kristen for the class in the fall.  If you ever have a chance to take a class with Stephanie, don't hesitate!  She is great!

The next gift I made was a blanket.  It is the first I've attempted and it took me about a week to get the first row done. :)  Once I got the hang of it, the crocheting wasn't too bad!  I might even make another one for my family!  Here it is:

This was for my brother-in-law who is hard to shop for.  He is a huge University of Alabama football fan so I used Crimson Tide colors. I followed the ripple pattern tutorial from Attic24.

My daughters and I also made quite a few homemade ornaments.  The girls used Perler beads for theirs.  Here is my favorite that Natalie, my five year old made:

She followed a pattern for the snowman and came up with the taalll hat herself!  Cute!

The ornaments I made used wine corks, beads, and charms:

Sorry about the picture... I used the recipients favorite wine's corks.  The original idea came from the Lavender Clouds blog.

The last gifts I made were for the girls' teachers.  I made them simple cups with the schools name and mascot on them.  I added a gift card inside, too:

Since the cups were not flat all the way around the bottom, I had to keep my design on the top portion.  I used vinyl and my Cameo to make these.

I really enjoyed making each of these gifts!  If I had more time, I would have made even more!  Giving gifts is one of my favorite things and something homemade feels even better to give.  Did you make any of your gifts this year?

-tessa

Another Bicycle Card

Yes, another bicycle card... I really can't help it!  It is my favorite stamp! :) Here, I've colored it with a blend of Stampin' Up! markers and Copic markers:

Stamps: Bicycle by Hero Arts, Sweet Essentials set by Stampin' Up!
Ink: Onyx Black Versafine Ink
Paper: Naturals White, Melon Mambo, and Peach Parfait cardstock by Stampin' Up!; pattern papers from Farm Girl and Make it Merry lines by October Afternoon
Accessories: Linen Thread by Stampin' Up!; Copic markers; Stampin' Up! markers

Denim patterned paper has become a favorite of mine.  I have a hard time passing it up when I see it at my scrapbook store.   It looks very pretty with bold, bright pops of color and it has an easy, casual feel to it.  

So what are you up to today?  I've got a little shopping to do and my favorite 2 year old coming to visit in the afternoon!  I am looking forward to silly little smiles and lots of giggles!

Well, I hope you enjoy your day and thank you for stopping by my blog!

-tessa

A Jar Full of Love Card

I am in such a good mood this morning!  The kids are back to school and my hubby is back at work and I finally have a little quiet time!  Hee!  I love having them home but the first day back is always sooo nice! :)  I hit the gym first thing to get it out of the way and now I'm just trying to figure out how to spend the rest of the day.  I am thinking of either heading to the movies to see Les Miserables or doing a little shopping at Target and Joannes... hmmm...  I could also go downstairs and catch up on last season's Downton Abbey and stamp!  :)  I think the last one might win!

Today I thought I'd share this Valentine's Day card I made recently featuring the Perfectly Preserved stamp set from Stampin' Up!:

Stamps: Perfectly Preserved set, Create a Cupcake set (heart), Tiny Tags set by Stampin' Up!; Calico Borders by Hero Arts/ Studio Calico
Ink: Pool Party, Sahara Sand, Raspberry Ripple, Pink Pirouette, Crumb Cake inks by Stampin' Up!; Versafine Onyx Black ink
Paper: Whisper White, Crumb Cake, Pool Party cardstock by Stampin' Up!; patterns from Everyday Eclectic line by Echo Park
Accessories: Sentiment rub on by Karen Foster Designs; Linen Thread, Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine, Jewelry Tag punch, and Dotted Scallop Ribbon punch by Stampin' Up!

I stamped the jar first and then masked around the outside of it before I stamped the hearts inside.  I like how it turned out and will be reaching for this set again soon!  The sentiment is a rub on I've had for many years.  I found them recently and figure I should start using them!

Well, I'm off to do a little stamping and enjoy my quiet time at home today!  I'll leave the shopping for tomorrow and just relax! :)  Hope you are having a great day, too!

-tessa

Happy New Year!

I'm sure it will take a few weeks of writing it to get used to the idea that 2013 is here!  Hope you had a wonderful night last night, ringing it it- did you stay up?  We had our New Year's celebration at 10pm- after an evening filled with many games, ice cream sundaes, and a visit from our good friends.  The girls loved the count down and clinking their fancy glasses full of sparkling cider!

Now I am just thinking over some goals for myself in the new year.  I have one- an important one, too.  It is to find some direction.  I have been feeling a little lost lately, both on my blog and in my personal life.  It is weird how things change and you find yourself saying what was I doing again?  lol!  Luckily, no drama is a part of my reasons for being lost.  I think it has to do with my girls going to school full time.  I have been board at home ever since... I need to figure out what to do next.

As for my blog, I think I've been a little lost since I stopped being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator.  It has taken a long time for me to find my spot here- what stamps I like, what style I like, what I like to make... I am feeling much more confident going into this year that I will have something worthwhile to contribute to blog land!  I may not have a 'home' like I did with Stampin' Up! but I am feeling content in where I am now.

One thing I will be doing this year is learning some new skills.  I am planning to focus on something different every month and learning all I can in that field.  For January, I am focusing on family history research.  I have done a lot of my research all ready but I really want to focus on it and learn all I can through the internet.   When I go back to Seattle over the summer, I am planning to scan as many old pictures and documents as I can as well as record some of the stories my grandparents tell me.

I haven't made plans for each month but maybe later today I will make a little list of the things I'd like to learn  more about.

Well, after all those deep thoughts, I guess I should share a card!  I made this card yesterday with a new stamp set I received from my secret santa:

Goodies:

stamps: Picnic set by Basic Grey/ Hero Arts; Hey Day Sentiments by Studio Calico/ Hero Arts
ink: Memento ink in Tuxedo Black
paper: Naturals White, Basic Black cardstock by Stampin' Up!; pink cardstock by Bazzill Basics; patterned paper from Hip Hip Hooray line by Pebbles, Inc
accessories: Copic markers, Dazzling Details and Scallop edge punch by Stampin' Up!

I have been trying to practice my coloring more and here I used some new Copic markers I picked up over the weekend.  I am lucky to have a couple of friends who really know their stuff when it comes to Copics and I am hoping they will teach me all their tips and techniques!

A Blog Named Hero is challenging us this week to use something new and since I got this set for Christmas, I thought I'd link up!  If you have time be sure to check out their current challenge.

Well, I hope you are enjoying the first day of the new year and thank you for stopping by my blog today!  Sorry if reflections aren't your thing... I promise to not do it too often! :)

-tessa