Shopping Spree

I went home to visit family, and while I was there, my mom gave me a shopping spree at Stamp A Mania. They are having an awesome sale on the remaining POSH stamps, check it out before they are all gone.

So here's what I got.

4 of the Pacific NorthWest set:

I also got 2 Stamp A Mania stamps:

Indian Dancer Card

This card took me a long time to get to where I liked it. I messed up the background and tried to fix it first one way, then another. Finally, I found the turquoise brads and that was a good start, but it wasn't until I added the turquoise paper to the corners that I finally liked it.

The Indian image is from B&J's Art Stamps and I colored it with colored pencils. The background is also from B&J's and inked with Inkredible! Maple Cream in the center and Purple Eggplant around the edge. The feathers are also B&J's and are stamped with the eggplant ink and then the edges cut out and embossed with Stamp A Mania's Silver City EP (the best I've ever used). I used SU's Itty Bitty backgrounds and Tempting Turquoise and Creamy Caramel for the background. I covered up a mistake with 2 turquoise brads and then backed the card on turquoise paper.

Christmas Tag Swap

I joined a Christmas tag swap on SplitCoastStampers. It took awhile to get into the Christmas spirit, but just in time, inspiration struck!

The first tag that I made used some holly paper I've had forever. (I've been doing a lot of using stuff I have had forever and not ever used before for these SCS swaps!) I used my old Sizzix tag die and then the old Sizzix holly die. I cut out the tag and then xyroned the paper and put it on white cardstock and cut out the tag by hand. For the tag on the left, I xyroned the wrong side (shouldn't do things that early in the morning) so I embossed with my ultra thick clear EP. I used some green/maroon cardstock for the holly diecuts that matched the colors in the decorated paper and used the holly leaves for the "to" and "from" which I hand wrote. I edged the tag with a gold pen - something I learned at a convention several years ago, but don't remember who showed me - and finished it with gold ribbon.

I've often used my Sizzix lightbulb diecuts for tags, but this needed something "more" so I used some pine tree paper to make the tag (once again backing it on white cardstock) and using thin twine for the cord, tried to make it look like the lights were strung on a tree. I tried green twine first, since most cords are green, but it didn't stand out much on the background, so I changed to the brown. I used silver EP on the end of the bulb and added clear Stickles to the small cutout on the light as a reflection.

I bought this patterned paper for this swap, but then didn't know what to do with it. So this turned into a very simple tag. I used an old coluzzle to cut out the tag, Big Lots paper for the red and the green. I've had the little green tag forever; long ago I had use of a punch/die and cut out bunches to "use later". Well, it was finally later! LOL I attached the green tag with a white brad and here is my simple tag.

Yes, I'm Still Alive, Just Not Stamping

I know it has been quite awhile since I posted last, but between vacations, job interviews, job rejections and the resulting depression episodes, I swapped the craft room with one of the guest rooms and have been unable to find anything. Here is the chaos I've created. You can see why I say I can't find anything! Before I can create again, I must organize it all!