Stamps, Scraps, Stitches-n-Stuff

If you missed it, I just started a new blog for all my creative stuff. It's called "Stamps, Scraps, Stitches-n-Stuff" and you can find it here. I just finished posting all of the pictures that I had of all of my cross-stitch projects. Thanks to my SIL, Julie, who taught me how to cross-stitch... and, as my husband puts it, "Created a monster!" :-) I appreciate you taking the time to teach me, and I hope you enjoy the pics!

I am working on posting all of my past projects first in some kind of order, then I will add new things as they are finished.

Thanks for looking!

Closing date and new website

Dawn... this is just for you... we are set to close on the house July 16th. Everything should be fine since the house is only 4 years old, and financing shouldn't be a problem. However, there is always that chance...

Also, I wanted to let everyone that is interested know that I started a new blog specifically to post pictures of my cards, cross-stitches, crafts, etc. The name is "Stamps, Scraps, Stitches-n-Stuff". I haven't posted any of my stuff yet, but there is a welcome post on there. Keep checking it... I'm going to try to post all of my old stuff on there as quickly as possible. :-)

Now, my cards and cross-stitch pictures

This is the cross-stitch that I made for Nathan and Caroline's wedding present. Of course, this is the unframed version. I'll post another picture when I get it back framed. I actually used a lot of metallic and iridescent thread in this, so it makes it have a little more "bling."

Anniversary card for my brother and sister-in-law. I used gel pens on the picture to make things a little more sparkly.
"You Grow Girl!" I love the little colored safety pin on the tag. :-) The inside says... "Congratulations on your Swell News... Happy Waiting!"
Flutter by oh butterfly... Birthday card for my SIL
Flutter by oh butterfly... Birthday card for my MIL
I liked the idea from the first card, and just changed the colors and layout a bit for this one. I love the combination of the Cool Carribean with Chocolate Chip.

Father's Day card that I made at a stamping party about a month ago. The letters are chipboard, and we colored them so they looked like suede (sort of!) This one we sent to my FIL

Father's Day card for my dad. He loves lighthouses, and has the focal point picture (or one similar to it) on his wall at home. This isn't a typical Nautical color scheme, but I really wanted to use this ribbon.
Father's Day card for Chris' grandpa. He used to LOVE to fish. I messed this one up a little when I didn't trim the blue cardstock to the right size. And, as usual, some things aren't straight, but I like it anyway. I love the color combination. Father's Day card for my grandpa. I'm not sure that he is into trains, but I thought they were pretty cool. I like the photo corners that I made with my stamp punch, and also the embossed train at the bottom. I used distressing embossing powder, which is pretty cool.
Another card I made at a stamping party this week. We used Pearl-Ex for the focal pictures, and embossing powder for the background. These colors are REALLY cool, too... very masculine.

Fourth of July card - also made at the stamping party. This one used Pearl-Ex as well in the fireworks background and the children's parade image. The flag was cut out of patterned paper.

More cards

Here are some more cards that I have made recently. I'm on a roll with the masculine cards... I have 2 brothers and a BIL that have birthdays within a month of each other. Next up... more thank you cards, a SIL birthday, MIL birthday, and 3 more Father's Day cards! Stay tuned!

My future SIL's bridal shower card (I wasn't totally pleased with the result, but I couldn't figure out what else to do, and I had to get it in the mail to make it in time for her shower. The silver entwined hearts are from their wedding invitation.)

BIL's birthday card
Father's Day card made at the last stamping party

Country coffee Thank You
(another one of my favorites... the gingam is actually fabric)

My Brother's Birthday card

Masculine Thank You card

Recent Creativity...

Precious Moments Cross-stitch for my nephew

(he was only born 2 years before I finished this!...But hey, you have to give me credit,

I didn't start it until 3 months before this Christmas, and finished it in January!)

Better late than never, they say!

For those of you who love stamping and crafts, I'm posting some more of my recent creations for your enjoyment. I'm not really fancy with the cards... that takes time and money! (Or at least more creativity than I have!) Also, please forgive the quality of scans/pictures. Some of them I had to scan b/c I didn't have the camera at home, and my scanner does not like cards that don't lie completely flat. I'll leave it up to your imagination to view the real thing! Hope you enjoy my version of art!

Recent Creativity... Thinking of You

Thinking of you warms my Heart

Sending Warm Thoughts your way
(latte)

Sending Warm Thoughts Your Way
(hot chocolate colorblock)

Sending Warm Thoughts Your Way
(hot chocolate colorblock ~ 2)

Delight in Life
(This one, too, did not take a picture well because of the light colors used)



Thank You spots

Thinking of You/Thank You Elk

Thinking of you/Happy Birthday

Scrapbook pages of Maryland house

Since we now have a contract on our house in Maryland, I thought it would be fun to post some scrapbook pages that I did to show you what the house looked like when we bought it, and what we did to it while we lived there. I really loved this house, and am somewhat sad that someone else is going to buy it. I know they are already planning to redo the kitchen, which I admit needed a little more work. However, the house had so much character, I'd hate to see what they are going to do to it. I am thankful, though, that they will be paying for it, and we won't anymore! :*) Oh, well, maybe one of these days I'll get another house to decorate.

Enjoy the pictures. I don't think you'll be able to read my handwriting in these pictures because it's so small, but you'll get the idea. Oh, yes, don't be too hard on me... I can't do anything straight, so you'll have to forgive me if the pages don't look perfect! Also, I took pictures of the pages in the protective sleeves, so there might be some glare on the pages as well.

Finally - Calendar Pages

I FINALLY got my calendars for this year all put together and ready to mail. Well, actually, I still have a couple of notes to stamp and write to send with about 5 more of them. The others are all sent already. Chris also finally remembered to bring the camera home so I could take pictures of them. They turn out better that way~my scanner doesn't pick up light colors so well. I apologize for the glare on some of the pictures. I didn't use flash, but the light was reflecting from the chandelier. :-( So - enjoy my calendars! By the way, I actually started them with February 2007 and they end in February 2008 (that's the advantage of doing them myself ~ I can start them whenever I want!) Also, it gives me 2 extra months for next year's calendar. I tell you... it takes some arm-twisting to get pictures from some of our family members! I try to take as many pictures of our family members as possible when we are with them, so if, for some reason, I don't get pics from them, I can use the ones I have!

Chromy 2007 Calendar Pages

Mitchell 2007 Calendar Pages

Decorations & Cards

These are some pictures that I just took. I finally decided to put some decorations up in our apartment... the walls were looking a little empty after I took the Christmas decorations down. I had these curtains that my friend, Mrs. Carrie and I had made for our house in MD. We did so much work on them, that I really wanted to put them up somewhere here. Since we live in an apartment, I don't have a window in the dining room anymore. I hung the curtains there anyway, then added the coffee plaques. The other "window" with the gingerbread curtains is actually just an opening over the stairway (we live on the 2nd floor.) I'm not really sure why it is there, but it does let in a little extra light... and it's perfect for my curtains.

The cards are just some I had to make for birthdays coming up. I apologize for the pictures. I find myself highly challenged in the area of doing anything straight... (cutting, layering, punching, stamping, etc.)... and apparently it spills over in the area of my photography, too. (At least pictures of cards! I don't know if the cards just weren't laying flat or what.) Anyway, they look better in person, but you get the idea. I got the background paper at a new scrapbooking store we have here called "Rock, Paper, Scissors: The Scrapbooking Store." I thought that was a pretty cool name for it! The "Rock" part comes from a framed Bible verse they have on the counter... but I can't remember what it is. :-{

Anyhow... enjoy my art! :-)

CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS 2006

yep - it's that time of the year again... CHRISTMAS IS COMING! I love Christmas time. I love the fact that people are more open to the gospel now than at any other time of the year. I love to be able to get together with family and spend time with friends and loved ones. I love getting Christmas cards and letters catching up on friends that you don't get to talk to often enough. I love decorating for Christmas, too. This year was a little bit hard for me, though. With just having returned from a big trip to FL for Thanksgiving, and the financial strain that we've been struggling with, to be honest, I was a little depressed. We will be staying here for the holidays, and as far as I know, will not be seeing any friends or family over Christmas. However, yesterday, Chris found out that he has a new job, and we sold our truck and bought it back, providing us with enough cash in hand to pay ALL of our overdue bills! Praise the Lord! Learning that news brought back the Christmas spirit, and I finally decorated! Enjoy the pictures of my decorated apartment!

JUST FOR RACHEL... CARDS AND CRAFTS!

Welcome Cross-stitch

I stitched this as a wedding gift for my sister-in-law and her husband... it's only 5 years late! :-) I made up the pattern from different books and cross-stitch patterns that I already had. Obviously, I haven't had a chance to frame this one yet.

Wolf Cross-stitch

Another wedding gift for another sister-in-law and her husband. (This one wasn't quite so late... only a year and 1/2!!) I haven't had a chance to get it framed yet, either.

Hedgehog Candy Cane

(I put flocking on the hedgehogs' bellies so that they feel fuzzy!)

Embossed Christmas Angel

Embossed Victorian Christmas

Winter Smiles Christmas

Pumpkin Thank you

Free punkins Thank you

My friend, Rachel, told me that she wanted me to post some pictures of cards that I have made, so that she could see them. So - here they are. Some of the pictures didn't turn out great, but you'll get the idea. Also, I'm including pics of two cross-stitches that I just finished. Enjoy!

TEAS, TREES, & TREASURES

Snowman door hanger

Brown paper bags, stuffed with shredded newspaper, painted and embellished make great snowmen.

This was my contribution to the tree... the star topper. They delegated me because they said that I'm "so creative" that I could figure something out. They helped with different ideas, though... I just put it all together.
The Lollipop Tree

November 15 was Teas, Trees, and Treasures at the school where I work. It is a craft show fundraiser. The classes all decorate trees and baskets for a silent auction to benefit the school, then each classroom does crafts to sell and that money goes to the specific class for field trip money. Here are some pictures of the tree that we decorated (The Lollipop Tree) and our craft that we did for our classroom. Our students actually helped with the craft, too!