{ Recollections Frame }

Paper: Recollections (retired) and Cranberry Crisp (retired) Accessories: On Board Accessories, True Thyme Stitched Grosgrain (retired), Cranberry Crisp Stitched Grosgrain (retired) and Mod Podge

A couple months back someone on Splitcoast mentioned some great picture frames at the Target $1 Spot, so naturally I had to go and stock up on them. I behaved myself (kinda!) and only purchased 4. What was I thinking? ONE dollar each and I only got 4? Well, I'm sure the hubby would be proud! lol.

Anyway, I just now got around to actually altering one. I decided to use the retired Recollections paper. Actually, it is still around, just in another form. SU! brought back pretty much the same design, but everything is in shades of blue, green and yellow (It is called "Porcelain Prints," if you are interested). So, I was trying to go with an antique-y/vintage-y/worn/shabby chic type look with the rough edges, frayed ribbon, slight tears and such (you may need to enlarge the picture to see what I'm talking about), but I think - in the end - it just looked like I messed up when I was making it. lol. It looks sorta unprofessional/unfinished/amateur. Oh well. I *mostly* like it and if nothing else, shows you what *not* to do!

Enjoy!

{ Food Signs }

Paper: Barely Banana, Georgia Pacific White Ink: Whisper White Craft Accessories: Black Gingham Ribbon and "Textile" Cuttlebug Embossing Folder

Is that what these are called? Food signs? lol. I mean, they are signs for the food, right? I'm sure they have a more proper name, but I'm not sure what it is. If you know, please tell me! "Food Signs" just seems like a silly name!

Anyway, the surprise party is tonight and my sister called me yesterday and asked me to make little signs for the drinks and hors d'oeuvres. She said they they were going with some pastel yellow decor and wanted me to make something to match. These are what I came up with. I'm really happy with them. Originally, I had planned to print the labels on white paper layered on Barely Banana and then layer that onto folded white cards that had the big swirl from Baroque Motif stamped in Barely Banana onto it. But, Barely Banana being *so* light, it just didn't look right. I tried a couple different ways to make the swirl work (so it would match the invites that I talked about earlier), but I just couldn't. I then played around a bit and came up with this. I'm really happy with them. As you can tell from the picture of the full set, I rubbed a bit of Whisper White craft ink on the embossed paper to make the embossing "pop" just a bit more. It doesn't look quite that pronounced when you see them in person though. It looks more like it does in the top picture - more subtle, like a shadowing effect. Anyway, I emailed these pictures to my Sister and she was happy, I'm happy, so now it's party time! :D

Enjoy!

{ Card Color Comparison }

Stamp Sets: Baroque Motifs and Wonderful Words Ink: Silver (Encore) and Versamark Paper: Perfect Plum, Pale Plum, Elegant Eggplant and Silver Accessories: Narrow Silver Organdy (retired) and Silver Cord.

Stamp Sets: Baroque Motifs and Wonderful Words Ink: Craft White and Always Artichoke Paper: Always Artichoke, Mellow Moss and Georgia Pacific White Cardstock Accessories: White Tafetta

My sister is throwing a 40th wedding anniversary party for her in-laws and asked me to make the invites! She really liked this card from Julie Purdum ("jeweleintn" on Splitcoast), so I made 2 samples in two different colors for her to choose from. Personally, I like the purple one better. I think it is more festive and fun. But, my sister loves green, so I just knew that I would have to use it for one of my samples. She, of course, liked that one better. She said it was more elegant and sophisticated, which I actually have to agree with. If you look at the one by Julie, it is done in different shades of blue. I think hers is also very elegant. I think she said she used it for a wedding card.

Isn't it funny how you can take the exact same card, change the colors and give it a whole new feel? I wondered how the card would look with some other colors (pink, red and yellow were the ones that immediately popped into my head), like if the different colors would convey some other feel. However, I'm tired of looking at this card after making 30 of them for my sister, so maybe that will be saved for another day!

Enjoy!

{ A Journal of My Very Own }

Stamps: Rough Edges Alphabet Ink: Cranberry Crisp (retired) Paper: Treehouse (retired) Accessories: True Thyme Stitched Ribbon (retired) , Cranberry Crisp Stitched Ribbon (retired) , Vintage Violet Stitched Ribbon, (retired) On Board Simon Lower Chipboard, Twill Tape, Pewter Hodgepodge, Glue Dots, Sticky Strip and Mod Podge

It seems that I am always making really cute things for other people, but never for myself! I'm sure you other stampers can relate. Well after seeing this way cute journal by Denise Hinton, I was inspired to make one too ... but this time, all for myself! I used my *favorite* (and retired) SU! paper, Treehouse. I just *love* these colors. I truly miss last year's In-Colors ... but I have a small stockpile to pull me through (at least, I hope!). Anyway, I even put Mod Podge over the whole thing to protect it. We can't risk ruining my favorite paper, now can we? I even made a matching pen to go with it. Ah, I'm just so in love with it. So, thank you Denise for the inspiration!

Enjoy!

{ Emerging Colors}

Stamp Sets: Wanted, Bronc Buster, That's Nice (retired), Weathered Ink: Really Rust, More Mustard, Old Olive, Chocolate Chip & Versamark Paper: Rust, More Mustard, Old Olive & Very Vanilla Accessories: Jumbo Pewter Eyelet, Pewter Hodgpodge Brads, Twill Tape, Scallop Punch, 1 1/4" Circle Punch & Clear Embossing Powder

Ever since I saw the emergining colors tutorial by Beate Johns over on Splitcoast, I just HAD to try it! It just looked like so much fun! I didn't even own a brayer, but I went out and bought one for this technique! (ssshhhhhhhh ... don't tell my hubby, I told him that it is an essential tool for many techniques ... and I'm sure it is, I just have to figure out what they are! hahahaha)

My first attempt did not turn out very well, but I am much happier with this version. This card is so not my usual style, but I'm really liking it. The only thing I'm not thrilled with is my torn edge. I think I may have to invest in a "Tearing Edge" from SU! (if anyone has one they'd like to trade with me, let me know, I don't think I can convince my hubby to let me get another "essential" tool!) This is definitely a technique that I will have to play with more.

Enjoy!

{ ISTJ }

Have you ever heard of the Myers-Briggs test? According to Wikipedia, the Myers-Briggs test is a "personality questionnaire designed to identify certain psychological differences according to the typological theories of Carl Gustav Jung as published in his 1921 book Psychological Types (English edition, 1923).[1] The original developers of the indicator were Katharine Cook Briggs and her daughter, Isabel Briggs Myers. They began developing the indicator during World War II." The website, http://www.geocities.com/lifexplore further explains that "The Myers-Briggs system measures people in four areas...subdivided by two functions:

• How a person relates to others (either by Extraversion or Introversion)
• How a person takes in information (either by Sensing or iNtuition)
• How a person makes decisions (either by Thinking or Feeling)
• How a person orders their life (either by Judging or Perceiving) "

You can take this test here. For those of you who might be wondering (as I did) whether it is nature or nurture, according to the theory, it is nature - just the way you were wired.

I would highly recommend taking the test. Personally, it really gave me some insight into my personality. It helped me realize that there are some things about myself that I just have to accept and stop trying to change or complain about (like the fact that I am often too logical/fact-focused, making me seem cold/distant or that I am brutally honest, again, making me seem cold).

I would also recommend that your significant other take the test as well. My husband and I discovered that we are *exact* opposites. I am an ISTJ while he is an ENFP. When reading each other's profile, it made it a little easier to understand why we sometimes act the way we do. For example, when my hubby does something in a different way than I think he should. It seems to him that I want everything done my way or that he is doing everything wrong. However, one quality of an ISTJ is that they often try/analyze different ways of doing something until they find the way that they feel is easiest or more efficient. When they see that it is being done in a manner that is less effective or more intensive, they want to try to correct it in order to ensure that the most efficient method is being utilized - not just for themselves, but to save time and energy of those around them. Knowing this about myself, I have come to realize that even if it is not what I think is the "most efficient" way, sometimes I just have to let him do thing his way. And, he has learned that when I suggest another way, it's not because I think his way is "wrong," it's just not what I have experienced to be the most effective way. Does that make sense? Well, it really has helped us with our communication and understanding of one another.

What have you got to lose? It's free and may even give you a better understanding of yourself/your partner! If you do take the test, leave a comment here with your personality type, I'd love to see what it is! :D

{ Cracked Glass }

Stamp Set: Gorgeous Grapes (retired) Ink: Elegant Eggplant, Creamy Caramel, Always Artichoke & Chocolate Chip Paper: Elegant Eggplant, Always Artichoke Whisper White & Chocolate Chip Accessories: Copper Cord (retired), Copper Brads (retired), Cuttlebug Script Embossing Folder & Glassy Glaze

Oh I have been wanting to try this technique forever! I saw a tutorial on it over on Splitcoast Stampers and thought it was just the coolest thing ever! But, I had to order some Glassy Glaze from SU! and kept forgetting to add it to my order. Well, I *finally* remembered on this last big order.

I just knew what set I wanted to try it with - I could see it so clearly in my mind. Don't you just love when a card comes out just the way you imagined it? Now do you see what I'm talking about with these grapes? You may have seen some of the elegant cards I've done in the past with it and those distressed, Tuscan-esque tiles that I made, and now, here the images are with a vintage look. (can you tell that I'm still not really over SU! retiring this, even though I try to say that I am? *wink*)

Enjoy!