Oh So Lovely...

This week has scooted by so fast, it's just amazing. I spent a day and a half this week in Salt Lake City, Utah for work. The last time I was there was a year and an half ago for my very first Stampin' Up! Convention. How time flies.

I have been busy with work so the evenings and weekends have been consumed with getting in and cleaning out all the clutter in the house. Working out what to give away, sell or take with us to the new house isn't that easy! It sure is amazing how much one collects and doesn't use. Our motto is, take only what is worthy. Sounds simple...not so easy to execute! 34 days until we close on the house and I am starting to get into the packing mode. I have tackled the kitchen, spare room, the garage and the linen cupboards so far. The next great adventure is to work through my craft room....whah! :( lol

I walked in there this afternoon thinking, OK i can do this. Clear out the clutter that's all I have to do. Pack what I don't use often and hopefully leave the bare essentials out. Well, after looking around i realized that EVERYTHING is essential LOL. I put aside the thought of sifting through my craft room and decided to make a quick card...surprised???! :-D


I made this 4.5x4.5 card using Oh So Lovely Stamp Set, Chocolate Chip and Confetti cardstock, Le Jardin and Brocade Backgrounds Designer Series paper, Blue Bayou, Real Red and Close to Cocoa classic ink with a blender pen. I believe both ribbon have been retired from Stampin' Up! (smile) and I used a half pearl from the Pretties Kit.

OK now to head back into my craft room and try and begin sifting through the room. I can do this...really I can! ;-D

Name Day Card and Gift Tag

Do you know about Name Days? Well, if you aren't Greek or know someone who is Greek, probably not.

For members of the Greek Orthodox faith, name days are a much-anticipated event each year, greatly overshadowing birthdays.

Children born into Greek Orthodox families are given a name that coincides with the name of a Greek Orthodox officially recognized saint. The name day is celebrated on the saint's day (for example, Saint Patrick, Saint Valentine, Saint Nicholas), and is a cause for birthday-like celebrations including sweets, gifts, and parties. Much the same as birthdays in other cultures, the honoree is the host. Family and friends wish them Χρόνια Πολλά (pronounced HRON-yah poh-LAH, and loosely translated, means "many happy years").

Here is the card and matching gift tag I made for a Name Day celebration last night. My Pretties kit is getting a lot of use these days! I used Stardust Stickles to dot the edges of the card and the scallop centerpieces.

The centerpiece is River Rock and Soft Sky cardstock, feathered with Close to Cocoa. I sponged the flower with Apricot Appeal classic ink and used a Rhinestone Brad for the flower center. I used the retired Organza Ribbon on this card, which works well - gives it just a little bit of detail without detracting from the centerpiece.

I took these photos at night so it has a haze of yellow to it...sigh :)

Mojo 9 Sketch Challenge

I was beep-bopping around blogs yesterday seeing all the wonderful creations of late. What fun to live vicariously when you can't get into your own craft room for some paper crafting therapy.

I used Julee's Monday Mojo Sketch challenge for the layout of this card. It's a Pretties Kit extravaganza! I have the kit have been using it sparingly of late but yesterday I dove right in and at one point had to just stop :D



This is Julee's sketch layout










Here is my take on Julee's sketch.

No stamps were used for this card. I used three separate sheets from the Stampin' Up! Le Jardin designer series paper, Chocolate Chip, River Rock and Soft Sky cardstock, the flowers, half pearls and tiny brad from the pretties kit as well as the blue brad from the Ice Rhinestone brad collection. The paper piercing set from the Crafters Tool Kit was used to pin hole the edges.

Love wall hanging

In the search for my crafting mojo, I made this wall hanging yesterday.

This is a power packed little item even though it appears simple.

It features the following items:
Brocade Background Double Sided designer series paper
Onboard Ginormous Pieces (backdrop and center piece)
Onboard Lots of Letters
Pretties Kit - Flowers, brad and pearls
Crop-A-Dile
Jumbo Eyelets
Ribbon
Dazzling Diamonds Glitter
Beaded Fringe (non Stampin' Up!)
Ruby Red, Mellow Moss and So Saffron Classic Ink Pads (for flower dyeing)





Here is a side view to give you a feel for the layering.

















Here is a closer look giving you true color view of the Onboard letters and Flowers. It will make a nice little add to my wall art :)
















Happy Wednesday everyone!