Mailbox Surprise!

 

A package arrived in the mail a few weeks ago. From a crafty supply company. Not such an unusual occurrence here in the Attic. But it was from a company I've never ordered from before and I was being good - I hadn't purchased anything for quite a while! So I was really wondering. Did I order something and forget about it? Have I become so addicted to this hobby that I browsed online and ordered in my sleep? What could this be? And then the real question became, "Now, what did she do?" So, hurriedly I dropped all the other mail on the table and tore open the envelope. I was right! It was from her! The package included a very nice note with my friend's name on it. We had been discussing in detail Penny Black's new Spring release, how excited we were over all of the cute animals, and which sets we really, really wanted (since neither of us could have them all!). Excited, frenzied, girl-talk! The very best kind! Both of us agreed "Garden Critters" was the "must have" on our wish list. I was going to order mine later since I was wrapped up in some other projects and wouldn't have time to stamp for a bit. How excited I was to receive this surprise gift!

This is the "thank you" card for my friend using two of the images and some paper from My Mind's Eye "Memorable" for a bit of paper piecing on the saucer and the background. The Memory Box Cosmo Border die cut was included with a previous card from her as well.

May each of you be surrounded by friends who continually surprise and delight you. They truly are blessed moments in our everyday happenings. I am blessed!

 

Materials: Paper: Neenah Solar White; MME Collectable "Memorable"; Stamps: Penny Black "Garden Critters", Simon Says Stamp "Beautiful Words";  Dies: Spellbinders Labels Nine; Memory Box Cosmo Border; Ink: Versafine Black; Spun Sugar Distress Ink; Prisma Color Pencils; Other: Ribbon: Michaels; Recollections Windmill; Martha Stewart Punch; Zing Clear Embossing Powder

Happy Hedgie

I love the "Garden Critters" stamp set from Penny Black. Loved it from the moment I first saw it. Love it even more since it was a surprise gift from a friend! She thought the bunnies "needed" a home in the attic, knowing how much they are adored in our little nook. And so right she was!

Penny Black is sponsoring a challenge, "For Family." Who do we call to celebrate all the big and little things that come along in life? Our family, and friends we consider to be family. The hedgie with her super-sized bouquet of flowers was perfect for a "congrats" card but I didn't have a sentiment  image small enough to fit on the tag. After some searching through my stamps, I happened upon the Itty Bitty Bird set from Paper Trey Ink; it included separate words to make your own phrase, and "happy for you" conveyed the message I wanted to send even better than "congrats." This was my first time coloring an image with distress markers; Cathy's tutorial using distress markers was quite helpful and made the process easier (and more fun!) than I thought. It makes me happy things work out just the way they are meant to be!

Materials: Cardstock: Neenah Solar White, Bazzill; Watercolor Paper; Patterned Paper: Graphic 45 Secret Garden, Basic Grey scrap (for butterfly); Stamps: Penny Black "Garden Critters"; PTI Little Bitty Bird; Ink: Versafine Black, Distress Ink - Spun Sugar; Distress Markers - Peeled Paint, Spun Sugar, Worn Lipstick, Rusty Hinge, Scattered Straw, Mustard Seed; Dies: Memory Box Hopmeadow Circle; Dancing Butterflies; Spellbinders Labels 4; PTI Tiny Tags; Misc: Recollections Gems, Pearls; Hug Snug Seam Binding Winter White; Ribbon; Clear Embossing Powder; Glossy Accents

A Little Sunshine, Please...

I participated in Marcy's Scramble on the Hero Arts Flickr site last Saturday. Her theme was sunshine and we were asked to create a design using one or more of the following: the word "sunshine"; an image of the sun (die, cut file, or stamp); or a yellow monochromatic project that conveyed the feeling of a sunny day. Spring has been slow to arrive this year and we have had many gray, cloudy days. A bit of sunshine was just what was needed, especially since the afternoon proved to be cold and drizzle-filled once again.

I wanted to use this Hero Arts Hydrangea stamp in my design, although I'm not sure there truly is a hydrangea this color - that's the beauty of art though, isn't it? We can design whatever we imagine! This was my first time coloring a stamp with distress markers and misting with water before stamping - there is definitely a technique to be developed in this process! After I stamped, I misted the image again with perfect pearls and water. The glisten is quite pretty in the light.

Marcy was a great hostess and provided a delightful way to spend the afternoon. Deborah will host the next scramble on May 18 - details for the scrambles are listed here in the Hero Arts Discussion Thread. It is simply amazing to participate in card making at exactly the same time with crafters in different parts of the world. Just take a look at all of the sunshine goodness created last Saturday and consider joining in the fun. Hope to see you there!

Materials: Cardstock: Neenah Solar White; Paper: MME "In Bloom"; Stamps: Hero Arts Hydrangea - K5376; American Crafts - Seeds; Ink: Versafine Black; Distress Ink - Pumice Stone, Squeezed Lemonade; Distress Markers - Worn Lipstick, Peeled Paint, Shabby Shutters; Misc: Spellbinders Romantic Rectangles, Perfect Pearls; Hero Arts Light Yellow Pearls.