Celebrate + Decorate on the CardMaker Blog

One of the best things about my "day job" is I get to create fun projects like this. Hop on over to the CardMaker Magazine blog and see how I created custom paper to make these pretty party favors!

Thank for dropping by, have a wonderful day.

CardMaker Magazine + Plus America Blog Hop

Hello there! Thanks for dropping by today -- you should have come to visit my blog from Juliana Michael's blog for the Plus Corporation of America and CardMaker Magazine Blog hop. 

Make sure you take a few minutes to visit the PLUS Corp Facebook page as they are hosting a pretty awesome giveaway!

Today it's all about Deco Rollers -- and I'm going to share with you how EASY the Deco Stamp Rollers are to use and create with. 

I also want to show you how easy it is to get a straight line. I don't know if you are like me, but I'm not that great at free handing straight lines -- and rolling straight lines wasn't much better. To fix that, I positioned the edge of the stamp on the edge of a metal ruler taking care to hold the ruler in place to keep it from moving.

Once I had practiced enough I was ready to move on to creating my card.

I used some pretty basic supplies: VersaMark stamp ink, DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylic Paint, Glitter Embossing Powder and my Fancy Flower stamp from Art Gone Wild. 

I decided I wanted to create a custom colored paper ribbon for my card, so I painted white cardstock with the Fluid Acrylic and let it dry. Once it was dry, I used the ruler technique to roll the stamp across the paper then I trimmed it into strips and picked the one that looked the best for my card.

To create the card, I stamped my Fancy Flower on white cardstock with VersaMark Ink and sprinkled Gold Glitter Embossing powder over the surface. Once the pattern was heat set I used DecoArt Fluid Acrylic paints to add color to the design. I also painted a my cardstock with the same red fluid acrylic paint to create a mat that matched perfectly.

I also hand-lettered a little sentiment and diecut a little tag that would accomodate the ribbon -- and voila -- a super cute card with a custom paper ribbon. Super easy, and the paper ribbon using Plus America Deco Roller couldn't look any cuter!

THANK you so much for joining me today, you next stop on this CardMaker Magazine Blog hop is Jeanne Streiff.

Momenta and Art-C

I've been working for Momenta for the last few years, mostly part time -- 1 then 2 days a week. Now it's pretty regular, 3 days a week -- what a dream come true to be able to go to work and be creative.

Lately I've been working a lot more hours, and I really love working there. I do so much more than just create. I'm not sure exactly what my job title is, but I do a lot of different things each week. It never gets boring, that's for sure.

This is one of the projects I made using one of their new collage kits.

Life sure is sweet these days.

Maine, it sure is Beautiful!

Lots going on over here in wintery New England -- so I thought I'd leave you with some beauty shots of my world.

Traveling to work in Portsmouth with my husband, thankful that he's a great driver.

The tree around the corner, love the moodiness of this. Even though it's a color photo it looks black and white because of the fog, snow and no leaves on the tree.

Early morning in Kittery.

Later afternoon in Kittery. Almost the same spot as the earlier photo, different angle and different time of the day. I love living surrounded by all this beauty.

Thanks for dropping by today, hope it's pretty in your neck of the woods.

Winged Things

This sweet little beetle is from one of my new stamp sets from Art Gone Wild, it's so cute and comes with a quote that says be beautiful on the inside. I also love combining it with hand lettering -- and since I love Rumi quotes this one seems to fit too.

So many people are pretty on the outside and ugly on the inside -- this is a reminder that beauty comes from within.

My Word for 2016

Joy. That's it.

The word I chose for 2016.

It doesn't always come easy to me, maybe that's why I need it for this year. 

PS. This is also part of the Be Series.
PSS. Happy Valentine's Day. 

The Be Series #4

Be what you think is beautiful, not what others think.

Why, because it feels better.

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives

As a family we love watching Diner's, Drive In's and Dives. I'm not really a fan of the host, but I do love seeing the places they visit across the country. While I was in California last month I found that a few of my friends also love that show. So we found a Dive that was in walking distance of our hotel.

And it was AWESOME. My friend Mandy really loved her salad.

And so fun to bring the printed menu home to my family. I don't remember what I ordered, something Carne Asada -- but it WAS delicious and very filling. 

My family was so happy that I was able to go there they sent me a special text. ha ha.

Thanks for dropping by, have a great day.

the Be Series #3

The Be Series. Always inspirational.

Often profound.

Always creative.

But mostly a silly little activity to keep me busy when I'm waiting for something big to happen. Like a red eye flight home from Anaheim, California. 

Have a great day everyone, just be. Ok. Be something. But always be you.

the Be Series #2

The Be Series are simple little inspirational bits of advice that have the word Be in them. Anywhere. Beginning. Middle. End. Sometimes real quotes from famous people but most likely silly little quips that just jump inside my head.

Often real.

Often funny.

But always helpful.

Thanks for dropping by today. Have a great day!

the Be Series #1

When I went to the Craft + Hobby Association meeting I picked up this little Strathmore Journal at a dinner and couldn't wait to fill it with quick little sketches.

As I waited for my shuttle to head back to Maine I started filling the pages, they were 4" x 6" so they were fast little drawings.

And the Be Series was born.

Smile…..

I saw these words on a pencil and they really stuck with me. 

I'm going to frame it and put it next to my bathroom mirror.  Have a great day, and remember to smile, your face is prettier when you do.

Give those Rejects Time

Back in December I was working on my Creative Jumpstart video -- had limited time -- and was sick. Like super sick with a stomach ailment. I was tired. Stressed. Uninspired. Rushed.

You name it. This was one of my rejects.

Today I like it. Well, this part of it anyway. I cut the really ugly other part off and burned it.

What's the moral of the story? If you create something that you don't really like, just walk away for a while and when you come back you might feel differently about it -- or parts of it.

Thanks for dropping by today, have a great day!

Being a Parent

Being a parent is so rewarding. Most of the time anyway.

Like when your kid plays with the Symphony and gets all dressed in a tuxedo and stuff.

My Project for 2016

I'm working on a new book for 2016. Not sure that I will fill all the pages in a year, but I'm gonna work as often as I can to to add art and words to this lovely blank book.

I will probably even add some stamped pages.

Oh wait, I already did.

I love my new Strawberry stamp from Art Gone Wild.

I also plan to add lots of sketches and qoutes that I love.

Maybe some color, but maybe not.

I also plan on dreaming big this year.

Because, why not.

P.S. I love my new beetle stamp. And honestly, I didn't even see the heart on his back until I started coloring this one in.

Big things -- yup they do start small.

And, they often start with cupcakes.

And sweet strawberries.

So why not.

What's your project for this year? Thanks for dropping by, have a wonderful day!

New Art Gone Wild Stamps, Part 4

In case you couldn't tell, I love drawing flowers. I have a lot of perennial gardens and am always inspired by the uniqueness of each flower. I don't often pick them, instead sitting outside on my porch or on a rock in the garden enjoying how they smell and the beauty of each flower.

Also, I love butterflies.

The way Michelle Pearson colored this one makes me pretty happy, I love the blue and purple together!

Oh, and here I am with all of them! Have a great day, I have one more stamp post for you, coming soon.

New Stamps from Art Gone Wild, Part 3

For all you stampers out there, I think the stamps I've drawn for Art Gone Wild over the last few years offer a nice range of diversity. I started with flowers and some fun paisley designs and have progressed to more flowers, some abstract items and now mushrooms, cakes and cupcakes to some pretty cool bugs.

I really like that they have stretched me out of my comfort zone, but it's been hard that's for sure. 

And maybe even a little frustrating. 

But in the end, I really love what I've been able to bring to the stamping community. Especially the bug lovers. Yup, that dragonfly down there really makes me happy.

Just one more post about new stamps and then I'm done for a while -- well only until I have time to start creating with them that is! I miss having time to make videos to show you how I create -- I need to make that a top priority that's for sure!

Have a wonderful day, thank you for dropping by.