A Beautiful Swan

Since I first started stamping, I've been looking for the perfect swan stamp.  I collect swans so, of course, I needed one in my stamp collection.  Recently, someone recently  introduced me to Flourishes, I went right to their website and looked at all of their stamp sets.  Lo and behold, they had a wonderful stamp set called Swan Lake with a beautiful swan.  When she found out I wanted that set, she gifted me with it.

Stamp Sets:  Swan Lake by Flourishes, Sincere Salutations by Stampin' Up!; Ink:  Night of Navy; Card Stock:  Very Vanilla, Print Poetry Designer Series Paper, Attic Boutique Designer Series Paper (all Stampin' Up!); Accessories & Tools:  Early Espresso Baker's Twine, Chocolate Chip Corduroy Button (all Stampin' Up!)

I stamped the swan image on the papers after I had them all glued together.  After stamping the swan image on Very Vanilla, I fussy cut around the swan and popped it up with dimensionals.  I love this swan.

Perpetual Birthday Calendar

Last night found me at a local scrapbook store attending a class on how to make a Perpetual Birthday Calendar.  The Fancy Pants and Echo Park papers coordinated beautifully together for the calendar.  I really like the colors.  Kellie made the class fun and interesting.  These will make wonderful gifts and I'm looking forward to making more of these great calendars.

There is any number of color combinations you could use for these calendars.  It will be fun to make more of these.  Now I just need to purchase the Cinch machine so I can bind them together.  I had no idea two and a half years ago that I would be so into crafting.  One word of caution to those taking their first step into crafting, it's highly addictive!

Graphic 45 Congratulations!

Well, I didn't get a change to finish up the page I mentioned on Saturday.  It was a busy weekend but I'm not complaining!  I have my laptop back and I'm one very happy stamper.  In the meantime, here is another of the May Graphic 45 cards made in last month's class.

For the next few days, I'll finish showing you the cards from the May set as well as the June set.  And, I may surprise you with something other than the Graphic 45 cards I've been making.  You just never know what I'm going to do next!

My Day of Rest and Worship

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness:  for they shall be filled

Matthew 5:6

Graphic 45 May Card

There has been so much going on around here lately that I have fallen way behind in my posting here.  If I would sit down and finish up the started projects, I'd probably have enough to keep me posting through the rest of the year!  Well, not quite that many but I do need to get them finished up.  For now I'm going to share another Graphic 45 card I made in the May card set.  The May set is so far my favorite but I think that is just a color thing.  I love the Graphic 45 A Place in Time paper.

Gorgeous colors!  I love the doves at the window.  Hopefully, Monday I can share a page I'm making for an album I'm doing about my brother, Larry.  I purchased a new stamp and die set from Taylored Expressions because it a perfect fit for the album.

My Day of Rest and Worship

In honor of my father.

Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.

Exodus 20:12

A Black and White Father's Day Card

Well, now that I've completely neglected posting to my blog, I'm getting back into the swing of it.  I've got lots of cards and projects done and will be sharing those as the days go by.  For today, here is the newest Father's Day card I designed.  I used the Stampin' Up! Simply Scored Scoring Tool and the Simply Scored Diagonal Plate to make the diamond design on the Whisper White.  After I attached it and the ribbon and did the stamping, I added a drop of Onyx Pearl Liquid Pearls at the point of the diamonds.

Stamp Set:  Delightful Dozen; Ink:  Whisper White Craft; Card Stock:  Basic Black, Whisper White; Accessories & Tools:  Simply Scored Scoring Tool, Simply Scored Diagonal Plate, 5/8" Basic Black Grosgrain Ribbon

My Spool Dog Turned 50!

Back in my junior high school days, now a days called middle school, the girls had to take a shop class and the boys had to take a home economics class.  We were given a couple of choices as what to make and chose to make a 'spool dog.'  It holds spools of thread.  It was my first and last time of making anything out of wood.

These are the kinds of things you find when you are cleaning and sorting and going through boxes when you spring clean.  :-)

My Day of Rest and Worship

In the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion:  in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me.

Psalm 27:5

See Something You Like?

Want the directions?  Please email me so that I can forward them on to you.  I recently had a request for the Paper Basket but don't have the email address of the person who requested it so I was not able to send it off to her.  You can find my email address under the Contact Me tab.  I answer all emails within 24 hours.  So here, again, is the photo of the Paper Basket.

  

My Day of Rest and Worship

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you, let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

John 14:27

In Memory of Lance Corporal Larry D. Borschel

Larry graduated in 1963 and shortly thereafter went into the Marine Corps.  In 1965 we were given the news that he had been killed in Vietnam.  I share with you today a few of the mementos I have of my big brother.  His graduation picture on the lower left, my last letter to him that was returned to unopened and one of the horse blanket pins that Grandpa Lamb gave to my mother when Larry was born.  She gave me this one and kept the other for herself.  So many fond memories.  Larry gave me the Marine pin on his last visit home before going overseas.  It was the last gift he gave me and it is a treasure.  I wear it on special occasions such as his birthday, the United States Marine Corps birthday, Veteran's Day and Memorial Day to honor Larry and the sacrifice he made.

My Day of Rest and Worship

And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:  I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.  And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud; And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.  And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.

Genesis 9:12-16

KJV

I Love My Job!

I hope all of you are having a fantastic holiday weekend.  May you have fun.  May you stay safe.  I'd rather be at the beach!

Summer Sunburst

Today's card is mostly Stampin' Up!®  I love the sunburst in the Lifestyle Crafts Celebrate 2-Pack Embossing Folder set.  I have several ideas on how to use it on one of my Mixed Media canvases but that's for another time.

Stamp Set:  Trust God; Ink:  Pacific Point; Card Stock:  Island Indigo, Daffodil Delight; Accessories & Tools:  Dazzling Details, Lifestyle Crafts Celebrate Embossing Folder, Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine

It's clean.  It's simple.  It's bright.  It's cheerful.  Now I'm off to work on my plaque and, hopefully, get one of my Mixed Media canvases done.

Oh, Yes! Work Can Be Fun!

Yesterday I mentioned that I was no longer a Stampin' Up!® Demonstrator.  In March, I applied and was hired on at Archiver's.  It is Archiver's policy that you cannot be involved with any other similar business so I resigned from Stampin' Up!®  While I miss being a demonstrator, I do love working at Archiver's.  As I showed you a few posts back, I still get to have fun creating even at work.  Today, I'm sharing a photo of my Assistant Manager, Karen.  After I took a picture of the frame I made at work, I walked up to the checkout counter and simply to her to smile.  This is the great photo I got.  Karen graciously gave me permission to post this to my blog.  She is a peach!

If you're ever in the Jordan Creek area, stop in and visit the store.  It's a great place for inspiration and supplies.  And, be sure to check out the new Memory Lab.  To find out more about it, go to http://www.archiversonline.com/pages/archivers-memory-lab. 

As Promised... and it's all Stampin' Up!®

After a freaky and very scary drive home from work last night, I was in no shape to finish up any of the projects I have started.  Monday and Tuesday both found me driving home from work during tornado warnings.  The rain was coming down so fast and hard yesterday that I exited off the Interstate and took the back roads home.  On one stretch of the drive, I looked up and I think I actually saw the beginning of a funner right over my head.  I'm not sure but it sure looked weird.  Funny thing is, the news said there was one over Johnston and that's where I saw this odd looking cloud.  Freaky!  But God, in his goodness, made the most beautiful double rainbow I've seen in a long time.

This morning dawned storm free and beautiful.  I woke up at 4:30 a.m. and couldn't get back to sleep.  After making coffee, I finished staining my plaque and finished up two cards.  Yay!  The one I'm sharing today is an all Stampin' Up!® card.  Now that I'm no longer a demonstrator, I've branched out into other products so not all of my cards are all Stampin' Up!® product.  I love the Honeycomb Embossing Folder.  I took the time to cut out some of the hexagon shapes and added them to the Night of Navy that was embossed with the Honeycomb folder.  A little ribbon, a little sparkle and it was done.

Stamp Set:  Delightful Dozen; Ink:  Marina Mist; Card Stock:  Marina Mist, Night of Navy, Comfort Cafe Designer Series Paper, Print Poetry Designer Series Paper; Accessories & Tools:  Honeycomb Embossing Folder, 1/2" Seam Binding Ribbon/Pool Party, Rhinestone Basic Jewels, Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine

There are several people I need to send thank you cards to and this one fits the bill perfectly. 

It's A New Day!

And, what have I accomplished today?  Not a whole lot!  I've got two new cards in the works as well as a plaque but they are no where near the point where they can be shown.  So, I'm going to share another Graphic 45 card from the May set.  This is a Mother's Day card from the set and it happens to be one of my favorites.  Enjoy!

My Day of Rest and Worship

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you; For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

Matthew 7:7-8

KJV

Just Having Too Much Fun!

You know, I just never get tired of making new cards.  I recently picked up my Graphic 45 May card kit and was I 'wowed' by it!  The cards are gorgeous.  Over the next few days, I'll be showing them off along with some other things I've been working on.  For you Stampin' Up! lovers, stay tuned, that Honeycomb Embossing Folder has had my attention in recent crafting sessions. For now, enjoy the first card made in the new card set.

What a wonderful surprise!

This morning my oldest son, Wayne, sent me a text asking if I was working or at home.  When I said I was home, he said okay, I'll be there in about an hour.  I figured he was bringing over the joy stick to the Atari he gave me.  Yes, it's an old game console but I do hold the family record in Asteroids!

He said he had something else and went back out to the car to get it.  He walked in with a 39" VIZIO Flat Screen TV!  He grinned at me and said, "Happy Mother's Day!"  Of course, I started to cry and he said he knew that would happen and just gave me a big hug.

Thank you, Wayne, for such a wonderful Mother's Day gift!  My three sons are the best and I am one blessed mother.

My Day of Rest and Worship

In honor of my mother.

Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.

Exodus 20:12

NKJV

And the Winner Is. . .

Drum roll, please!

Congratulations, Jean Fitch!  You are the winner of the set of beautiful Graphic 45 cards.  They will be on their way to you just as soon as you e-mail your mailing address to me at marsha@coffeepotstampingcafe.com.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I did making them.

Here is one last look at the set of six Graphic 45 cards.

This is what I get to do at work!

Tomorrow is the winner of the card set will be announced but in the meantime, I thought I'd share a project I made one afternoon at work.  We had some frames come in that were damaged so they were put in the clearance section.  My manager thought it would be a good thing to show that the frames could still be used.  With a bit of sanding and a few whacks with a hammer, actually, the frame is so solid that the hammer barely made an impression.  A few flourishes and a wee bit of bling and here you have the finished project.  I love the little girl in the picture.

Graphic 45 April Card Six

And, now it's time to share the last card in the set and my all time favorite.  It's a tri-fold card with lots of layers and lots of detail.  There were two identical pieces with the ladies so you could fussy cut one and add it to the other for a shadowbox effect.  I love this card with all of the blue and the daisies on the stamp.

There you have it.  Six beautiful cards that can be yours.  Leave a comment to be included in the drawing.