Our Daily Bread meets Memory Box

When I was at CKC Lancaster last week, I won lots of drawings. CK really aims to keep you happy. There are drawings in classes, at the crops and on the vendor floor. I won this blingy necklace at the Friday night crop. It has a ring and lobster clasp on the end so I use it when I'm crafting so that my readers are always nearby. (Sad, but true.)

Luckily, that night, I sat at a table with a friend I hadn't seen in a while and her co-workers who worked for a week on the sea theme decorations for the table. They were vying for the Grand Prize for best table.  Well, wouldn't you know they won? So I won, too, because there were prizes for the whole table. A big bag of SEI goodies. I'm telling you, CKCs are a ton of fun.

Anyway, the prize that was even more fun was a vendor door prize I won that gave me a gift certificate to shop at Our Daily Bread's (ODB) booth. I had a tough time deciding on what to get so I just had to pick up more than what I had to spend (that's what they are hoping for, right? Lol.) I settled on a Butterfly Branch stamp that is normally part of a set called Faith and it's accompanying ODB die. Then, of course, since they carry Memory Box dies, I gave in to a set I've been wanting for awhile. The Grand Madison window, shutters and flower box dies. They are all starring in today's card. I can imagine so many different window scenes to do with these dies. The only problem is that when they are placed side by side, the card size required is at least 6"x6". There is a smaller version I might have to go looking for in order to fit a standard sized card base.

Before I show you the card, I have to tell you that I was blown away by the intricacy of the branch die. I don't think I'd ever have the patience to cut the detail that it does. See for yourself below. I'm sold on dies that coordinate with stamps!

So here it is. I made it with Stampin Up paper for a friend of the family who's birthday is coming up. I preferred the Hero Arts greeting I chose over a traditional Happy Birthday because it matches the special glittery butterfly that I popped up.

Here's a closer look at the dimension I gave the window and butterfly.

Thanks for sticking it out to the end of my rambling. I just want to tell you it all!

Oh, and I have a tip for you that I learned from the people in the ODB booth. Let's call it Crafty Tip #70. Place a sheet of wax paper between your die and your paper before you cut it and it will slide off the die much easier. Can't wait to try it on a doily die!

Til next time.... *smile*

Hero Arts Scramble

I've never done one of these over on Hero Arts Flickr page so I used up a good chunk of the alloted time. I think I was the last to post! Lol. I also didn't realize that I didn't need to make a blog post about it, just a URL link to my Flickr upload. I learned that lesson.

Anyway, the challenge was to make a card in 90 minutes that combined two different sentiments or created a custom sentiment. I don't have many Hero Arts stamps but luckily enough to put together this card. The sheep are from Happy Day Animals, the snoozing cat from I Love My Cat (I don't even have a cat....) and the sentiments are a combination of "Seize the Cake" from a birthday greeting set that only calls itself CL139 and letters to form the word "nap" from A Happy Hello.

See the cat? Under that paper pieced cat is a very badly colored first cat. Don't tell, okay? Lol.

Thanks for checking in. That was a fun way to avoid all the other projects I have to get back to!

*smile*

Collage #1

I've always admired Claudine Hellmuth's work so when I saw that she was conducting an online Composition for Collage class over at Big Picture Scrapbooking, I had to jump in. Learn from the best, they say.

So we started with week one yesterday and this is what I came up with. She gave us images to work with so that was a start. As in my cards, I tend to like to tell stories so I combined some images that worked well with a story in mind. (The word "Stuff" comes from a Smashbook pocket folder. Loved the retro feel.)

I've got a card idea germinating so maybe you'll see it here soon. Thanks for dropping by and have a nice weekend!

What's on Your Workspace today?

All around my workspace is the treasure trove of goodies that I brought back from CKC Lancaster on Sunday. I have so many unfinished projects that my muse will be on duty for a while, but that's okay. It's gonna be fun to get them done.

Here's the top of the workspace though.

Closer, closer....

You'll find a spur-of-the-moment project I had to do with a new Spellbinders die that I picked up. It's Spiral Blossom One. Cut it, roll it and it looks like a flower. I thought I try my hand at making a flower to sit on top of a pen for my desk. A friend inspired me to Shop My Stash (a challenge to use what we have!) So this flower is for the Shopping Our Stash #62. I used some old Stampin Up Petals and Paisleys paper, butterfly and dragonfly charms and stem wrapping tape... all gathering dust in my stash.

And the result of forming the flower, perching it on top of a pen, then taping a wire with charms on it to the pen.

Now, I'll have a pretty pen on my desk. Back to the unfinished projects....
Check out Julia's blog if you want to visit other desks of the world. Enjoy!