For My Dad...

I LOVE the new Crafty Secrets Clear Art Stamps! I picked up the Bird Notes set from Eclectic Paperie and *had* to use them on a birthday card for my dad! He's such a bird lover!!! He has a gazillion bird feeders in his yard and loves watching the birds visit them! So, here is what I came up with...

The card base is Chocolate Chip, with layers of True Thyme (distressed) and the new Brocade Background DSP (sanded) from SU!

The bird image was stamped on Very Vanilla CS, then colored with my aquapainter and River Rock ink pad. I used my Watercolor Pencils from SU! to lay in some more detailed color on the birds and branch, then used my Bashful Blue ink pad and aquapainter to color in the sky. The edge was distressed for more dimension.

The bird feathers were stamped in a line, using black, on the DSP panel. The sentiment is stamped with Basic Black on Very Vanilla CS, again distressing the edges.

Chocolate Chip CS was punched with the Word Window punch and attached on one side with the brass Vintage mini-brads.

It's a pretty simple design but, I think, effective for a man's card! Hope you like it!

Another Creative Outlet for Me!

I'd like to share with you one of my newer "vices" that I've been involved with lately... You know that beading craze? Well, it hit me, too!!! LOL! Here are a few projects that I've made in the past couple of months...

This first jewelry set is made from blue lace agate and Austrian blue crystals, with silver spacer beads. The photo doesn't do it (or the others) justice at all.

The next set is snowflake obsidian, black onyx, and these CUTE little turtle beads! I LOVE turtles... The turtle was my personal mascot, bestowed on me by a teammate, when I was swimming with my high school swim team (slow and steady wins the race, I guess! LOL!)

I love the speckles in the snowflake obsidian! What a pretty stone!!!

This last set is much more simple, but is a great "everyday" kind of set... It is made with sodalite and silver beads. Since blue is my favorite color, and the sodalite goes so well with denim, I "had" to make this set for myeslf! And, of course, the cross has tons of meaning for me. I like to wear a cross everyday. Guess I'd better make more jewelry with crosses, so I have one to wear with every outfit, eh?!? LOL!

Thanks for looking!

I've been Tagged...

...Thanks Charmaine!!!

Ok... If you don't know Charmaine George, you're missing out! She's an "ultra-cutie," who has lots of interests that aren't your run-of-the-mill American-type interests!!! She blogs, too, and here is her site: http://charmainescafeink.blogspot.com/. Check it out and you'll get a taste of what I mean, esp. if you read HER "tagged" post!

So, I've been "tagged!" That means, I get to list 7 little-known facts about myself, and then tag someone else to do the same!

Here are my facts:

1. Even though I'm *VERY* outgoing and **LOVE** spending time with my friends & family, I also ***ADORE*** having time to myself, for myself, by myself. Guess it's a "personal space" issue -- or, maybe just a reaction to having grown up with 8 siblings! LOL!

2. People think I'm always "up" but, in reality, I have plenty of crabby moments -- esp. in the morning, before I get my almond latte'! LOL!

3. I was born and raised in the Western US, but my *heart* is in the East! I always thought this was the case and, after visiting VA, MD & DC last September, that thought has been confirmed! I would ***LOVE*** to live there (I ***HATE*** the desert!!!)!

4. I have *extremely* strong feelings about things! (Oh -- wait -- that's not a little-known fact about me -- EVERYONE who knows me at all knows this! LOL!!!) BUT, I tend to back down on things that aren't as important, or just not push the issue if I think it will cause a major conflict. Guess I get that from my Dad! NOTE: I DON'T back down from my boys, though. And they don't like that very much! LOL!

5. If I had an "idol," my maternal grandmother would be it!!! She is THE most loving, genteel, gracious, elegant, and gifted woman I know!!! I want to be just like her when I grow up!

6. If I could play an instrument on a professional level, I would play the harpsichord (see #5 above -- my grandmother plays!!!).

7. Classical music (esp. sacred) is my VERY FAV!!! It just calms me! Having grown up in a family devoted to classical music (and with professional classical musicians) was a ***great*** gift and one I will always cherish!

I would talk about my faith in God, too, but I think everyone knows about that, so it wouldn't fit into the "little-known-facts-about-me" category! LOL!

So, now I get to tag someone else who blogs! I have to say, the only one I know who blogs and hasn't been tagged yet is Katie (http://www.stampingspot.blogspot.com/)! So, Katie, here is your tag! You're it!!!

...And the Matching Card!

Here is the card I made to go with the Post-it Note holder in my previous post. It uses the same products, PLUS...

The Pale Plum strip was pierced using the paper piercer and...

...see the cute little mini-card on the front?!? It stays closed via this GREAT magnetic snap closure by Basic Grey! These "snaps" are just SPIFFY!!! They are only 1/16" thick when connected, have an adhesive already on them, AND they have enough magnetism to stay connected, despite the doubled ribbon between them! Now, if I'd been thinking ahead, I would have placed the bottom one underneath the Vanilla layer, to hide it -- but such is life... Since I don't always think ahead, the recipient of this card will just have to deal with it -- and I will know better next time! LOL!!!

By the way, I got these magnetic snaps at ***eP*** (http://www.eclecticpaperie.com/i-need-that.html), one of my VERY FAVORITE PLACES to shop!!! If you check it out, tell my friends Daisy and Joy that I sent you! (You'll LOVE what they offer!!!)

Here is the set together, so you can get the "big picture!" Hope you like it!