back to the drawing board

a few weeks ago i discovered that i own very few spring decorations - so i bought a cheap chunky wood flower at michael's and made it pretty. i took this photo to use in my project life album - i've been using the camera+ app and instagram for about 99.9% of the photos that are going into the album.


supplies
patterned paper: [pretty party 6x6 paper pad] crate paper, [on the bright side 6x6 paper pad] my mind's eye
clear stamps: [enjoy the journey/tim holtz] stamper's anonymous
ink: [pumice stone distress ink] ranger
accents: [chipboard flower/restoration collection, fabric brad/pretty party collection] crate paper, [butterfly] studio calico
stickers: [butterfly, scallop border/anthology collection] studio calico
fiber: [baker's twine] the twinery
tool: [tiny attacher/tim holtz idea-ology] advantus
other: [wood flower] michael's

supplies
cardstock: [white] neenah, [hillary] bazzill basics
paper: [restoration collection 6x6 paper pad] crate paper, [mabel 6x6 paper pad/stella & rose collection] my mind's eye
stamps: [butterfly/love bugs set, sentiment/homegrown sentiments] purple onion designs
ink: [tuxedo black memento ink] tsukineko
fiber: [yellow embroidery floss] dmc, [black thread] mettler
steel die: [large scallops] a muse studio

one last summer themed card that i made for purple onion designs - and just one last day of summer before i have to head back to work.


supplies
cardstock: [white] neenah, [kraft] bazzill basics, [vanilla] a muse studio
stamps: [bbq set] purple onion designs
ink: [tuxedo black memento ink] tsukineko
markers: [r22, r24, r29, yg00, yg11, yg13, yg17, 100] copic
tool: [corner chomper] we r memory keepers

this weekend purple onion designs is participating in the last days of summer bloghop hosted by psa essentials. all manufacturers participating in the bloghop have contributed to a prize - to be eligible for the prize you must leave a comment on all 11 blogs participating in the hop. to get started on the hop head on over to the pod last days of summer blog post.


supplies
cardstock: [white] neenah, [leapfrog] bazzill basics
paper: [nook & pantry 6x6 paper pad] basicgrey
stamps: [popsicles/what's the scoop? set, summer/date me seasons set] purple onion designs
ink: [tuxedo black memento ink, lime versacolor] tsukineko
markers: [v01, v15, v20, r30, r32, r35, yr21, yr30, y38, e34, e81] copic
fiber: [white thread] mettler
tool: [corner chomper] we r memory keepers, [sewing machine] janome
liquid accent: [glossy accents] ranger

i have a bit of purple onion designs catching up to do:

• pod summer release is now up - new stamps include a bbq set (which i used above), a beach set, some bugs, a branch, as well as some baby bears
• pod's 8th anniversary sale lasts thru wednesday - all stamps 25% off with coupon code sum2011

supplies
cardstock: [white] neenah
paper: [toy box colleciton 6x6 paper pad] crate paper
stamps: [bbq set] purple onion designs
ink: [tuxedo black memento ink] tsukineko
markers: [r27, y15, g07, b04] copic
tool: [scallop diamond edger punch] ek success

one of my purple onion designs projects from last month. this one is pretty straight forward - the flowers were colored with copics and the fence was painted with white crackle paint as well as a bit of distress ink on top.


supplies
cardstock: [kraft] bazzill basics, core'dinations [green & blue/roy. g biv assortment], [white] neenah paper
stamp: [flowers/bouquet & containers set, sentiment/flower quotes set] purple onion designs
ink: [black tuxedo memento ink] tsukineo, [pumice stone distress ink] ranger
markers: [y11, y13] copic
accents: [chipboard fence] maya road, [orange brads] queen & company
paint: [pickett fence distress crackle paint] ranger
steel die: [scallops] a muse studio

i found this tonite - a video featuring one of my projects.

  

havin' a good time card - paper: dcwv [songbird 12x12 paper stack]; cardstock: bazzill basics [kraft], dcwv [green]; embroidery floss: the gentle art [onyx/simply shaker sampler threads]; other: [buttons].

you're sweet card - patterned paper: basicgrey [licorice/sugar rush collection]; cardstock: bazzill [kraft &espresso/orange peel texture]; stamps: purple onion designs [what's the scoop? set]; ink: tsukineko [rich cocoa/memento dye ink]; felt embellishment: sassafras lass [cupcake/delicious felties]; brads: queen & company [white, pink & orange]; embroidery floss: dmc [pink & orange]; punches: fiskars [threading water/border punch].

autumn card - paper: basicgrey; cardstock: bazzill; stamps: purple onion designs [autumn fallings, thanksgiving feast sentiment set]; ink & embossing powder: ranger/tim holtz [walnut stain/distress ink]; metal: queen & company [yellow mini brad]; other: embroidery floss.

 

i have a drawer, actually it's one of these trays, and it sits under my scrap table. this tray is beginning to overflow with random bits left over from other projects, and i just can't bring myself to throw out these random bits.  therefore, i have decided that this tray must be empty by the end of summer break. that leaves me about 6 more weeks to make as many cards as possible out of these random thingies. this mini-card here - it's about 2.5"x4" - i put together during the first five minutes of true blood the other night. i consider it a sin to multi-task during true blood, so i threw this one together as quick as i possibly could.

cardstock: bazzill [white/canvas texture, kraft]; paper: sassafras lass [piccadilly/pocket full of rosies collection], [green tissue paper]; stamps: hero arts [vertical clouds/wood mounted]; ink: tsukineko  [pearlescent sky blue/brilliance pigment ink]; paper accent: american crafts [orange butterfly]; wire: darice [20-gauge copper wire]; embroidery floss: dmc [brown].

what better way to end the holiday weekend on my blog than to post another birthday card for the operation write home: independence day blog tour?

cardstock: bazzill [north sea/grass cloth texture & lily white criss-cross texture]; paper: basicgrey [lemon meringue pie/nook & pantry collection], pink paislee [outside the box/office lingo collection]; stamps: purple onion designs [bubble-ma-jig, doodle hearts set & hopscotch sentiments]; ink: [tuxedo black/memento dye ink]; paper accent: bazzill [lemon lime/just the edge cardstock strip]; wire: darice [20-gauge copper wire]; die-cut: silhouette [sun]; other: [buttons].

[larger images: flower & flower holding photo]

it's time for another moxie fab world blog challenge - fun with fabric. this $1 wooden flower photo holder has been sitting on my craft table since i bought it two months ago. so after it fell onto the floor last night i decided it was about time i do something with it - so how about something denimish for the fun with fabric challenge. i like that the flower didn't turn out too girly - at least i don't think it did. and since i don't think it looks girly it's ok for my flower to hold  my favorite non-girly photo sent home from iraq.

cardstock & paper: dcwv [hippie chic collection]; fabric: [old denim jeans]; brad: pink paislee [bella brads/ queen bee collection]; embroidery floss: dmc [green & orange]; other: [wooden flower photo holder].

cardstock: prism [intense kiwi/prismatics], bazzil [kraft]; stamps: purple onion designs [doodle flower sentiment set]; ink: tsukineko [rich cocoa/memento dye ink]; markers: copic [y11, y13, y15, yg03, yg25, yg67, e25 & e27/sketch]; chipboard: basicgrey [chip stickers abc's/porcelain collection]; wire: darice [20 gauge copper wire]; other: [machine stitching].

cardstock: prism [nautical blue medium/prismatics]; paper: basicgrey, [lemon meringue pie/nook & pantry collection, pear tart/nook & pantry collection]; stamps: purple onion designs [spring noteblock, scallops]; ink: ranger ink [brushed corduroy/tim holtz distress ink]; chipboard: basicgrey [punctuation/chip stickers]; wire: darice [20 gauge copper wire]; punch: stampin' up [2" scalloped circle]; other: [button], [machine stitching].

thanks goes out to the get sketchy blog for inviting me to participate in this week's sketch. as you can see, i took the sketch and flipped it on its side to create a scalloped grassy hill for the house to sit on. if you haven't yet, be sure to check out their blog today to see what the design team did with this week's sketch.

paper: sassafras lass [sugary love/sunshine lollipop serendipity collection], basicgrey [lemon meringue pie/nook & pantry collection]; cardstock: bazzill  [kraft], core'dinations [green & blue/roy. g biv assortment]; chipboard: maya road [house/mini chipboard set]; stamp: hero arts [sentiment/mi casa clear acrylic]; ink: tsukineko [black tuxedo/memento dye ink]; embroidery floss: cresecent colors [fancy green nancy]; die-cut: silhouette [house of 3 scallop nesting tags]; other: doodlebug designs [flowers].

 

 

i have a ton of scraps in a box that i don't want to just throw out - so this week i've been trying to use them up instead of adding to the pile. i have been fairly successful so far. everything here - except for the frame - was either from my pile of scraps, or i've had it for at least a couple of years. i made the birdies body from some old chipboard flower petal pieces and his beak is an orange photo turn. it actually took a while to figure out what to do with his beak. when i was getting out a brad for his i eye i stumbled upon a bunch of photo turns and luckily i had an orange one that was the perfect size.

paper: studio calico [jelly beans & verde], basicgrey, [lemon meringue pie/nook & pantry collection], [page from old dictionary]; sticker: k & company  [grass border/actopus to zelephant adhesive borders]; metal: queen & company [blue brad & orange photo turn], darice [20 gauge copper wire]; embroidery floss: the gentle arts [california gold rush/sampler threads]; other: [yellow buttons], michael's [frame].

this card here sent me on an adventure this past weekend. see how the orange & lemon & lime are all paper pieced with cardstock - well that wasn't my original plan. what i first tried to do was color the stamped images with my watercolor pencils. but i wasn't really liking the watercolor look. i tried again with some martha stewart markers i bought a while ago and had yet to open. this time it was a bit better, but my coloring skills just aren't that great. so i searched online and found a copic class on long island and spent last saturday learning how to color with copic markers. and of course i had to buy some as well. i am now the proud owner of 20 copic markers. only 302 more to go.

cardstock: bazzill basics [kraft & melon, butterfly, buttercream, sunshine, lkey lime, limeade/criss-cross texture]; stamps: purple onion designs  [citrus stamp set]; ink: tsukineko [rich cocoa/memento], ranger ink [spiced marmalade, brushed corduroy/tim holtz distress ink]; tool: advatus [tiny attacher/tim holtz]; other: [brown ric-rak].

paper: dcwv [songbird 12x12 paper stack]; cardstock: bazzill basics [kraft], dcwv [green]; embroidery floss: the gentle art [onyx/simply shaker sampler threads]; other: [buttons].

 

i've been hanging on to this canvas for quite a while - since the beginning of november i think. i'm pretty sure i made it for a magazine call, but since it is still sitting on my desk it must not have made the cut.

paper: basicgrey [june bug & nook and pantry collections], prima [rosewood/victoria collection], cosmo cricket [maple/ nutmeg collection], [dictionary page]; cardstock: bazzill basics [salt/dotted swiss texture]; stamps: unity stamp company [sun & clouds/a pocket full of... kit, sentiment/???], prima [grate/collage stamp]; ink: ranger ink [brushed corduroy/tim holtz distress ink], tsukineko [paris dusk/memento dye ink]; paint: ranger ink [blank canvas & smidge of blue/claudine hellmuth studio]; chipboard: maya road [tree & bird/mini trees set], cosmo cricket [orange button/lil'man ready-set-chip]; metal: sassafras lass [brads]; embroidery floss: dmc [green]; punch: ek success [scallop diamond edger punch]; liquid accent: ranger ink [glossy accents]; other: [5x5 canvas].

here's a little 4x4 canvas i made a couple of months ago. it's one of my recent favorites, and even though it has a summery feel i still have it up on the shelf above my tv.  the idea to use denim came from a couple of projects that julie campbell posted on her blog a few months back.

paper: vintage book page; fabric: denim from old jeans; stamps: prima [grid]; paint: making memories [manila, school bus, corn flower]; embellishments: sassafras lass [fabric brad & flowers], jenni bowlin [chipboard button]; sticker: k & co. [scallop border sticker/acotpus to zelephant adhesive borders];  rub-on: basicgrey; ribbon: cosmo cricket [lil' man collection]; embroidery floss: dmc [dark brown/#3371]; other: canvas [4x4], wire.

finally finished this project. i've been wanting to make something on a canvas for a while, but haven't had the time until now. i originally wanted to use a square canvas, but couldn't find one smaller that 12x12. so  i ended up using a 9x12 one. the flower and butterfly are chipboard shapes from scenic route, along with all of the paper. the partial quote comes from hans christian anderson..."just living is not enough," said the butterfly, "one must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower."