Easter Blessings!

I simply could NOT resist decorating a cute little Easter egg carton for this week's Stamp Simply project.  Usually I try to buy free-range eggs, and the paper label from the cartons reminded me of a template so I just ran with it.  The smaller half-dozen sized carton is really pretty much like making a card front.

There's just a tiny peek of bunny rabbits hopping across the front along with Stamp Simply's lovely layered cross, some sparkling rhinestones, a hint of lace, a soft bow and a pretty flower.  

The theme is carried to the inside with the same designer print and another lovely flower.  I need to climb up into my attic to find my cute painted wooden eggs.  PLEASE NOTE: Used egg cartons can carry salmonella and putting anything edible into used egg cartons is NOT recommended.

And this sentiment proclaims what Easter is ALL about.  Thanks be to God for this indescribable gift!

Supplies:

• Stamp Simply Clear Stamps - Combo Offer/Easter
• Authentique Springtime 6x6
• Spellbinders Die - Standard Circles Small SM
• Spellbinders Die - Standard Circles Large LG
• Spellbinders Die - Classic Squares Large LG
• Stamp Simply Steel Dies - Fishtail Sentiment Banners
• Stamp Simply Steel Dies - Crosses
• Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Tumbled Glass
• May Arts 5/8" Crochet Lace - 2 Yard Bundle
• May Arts 5/8" Faux Canvas - 3 yard Bundle
• Petaloo Botanica Minis
• Rhinestones - Ice Blue
• Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Glue
• Scrapbook Adhesives-3L 3D Self-adhesive Foam Squares - Mix
• corner rounder punch

He Gives Us the Victory!

Hello!  Thanks for visiting!  My Stamp Simply project for this week is in celebration of the victories, whether great or small, that we claim in Christ, knowing that without Him they would have been impossible.  I can think of lots of people and circumstances for which a card like this would be appropriate, and I'll bet you can too.  

Look at how lovely our Stamp Simply crosses dies look layered together and blinged out with a couple of leaf sprigs tucked beneath.  I used Delicata ink in copper to add some "veins" to the leaves and then added some splatters to tie everything together.  (They almost look as though they are a part of the marbled paper).  I know that the flowers in the background paper are old roses but something about this print reminds me also of dogwoods, so I think it would work equally well for Easter with only a tweak of the sentiment inside.

Supplies:

• Stamp Simply Clear Stamps - He Has Risen
• Prima Fruit Paradise 6x6
• Stamp Simply Steel Dies - Crosses
• Stamp Simply Steel Dies - Floral Cluster and Sprigs
• Spellbinders Die - Classic Ovals Small SM
• Spellbinders Die - Classic Ovals Large LG
• Spellbinders Die - Classic Rectangles Small SM
• Spellbinders Die - Classic Rectangles Large LG
• Memento Full Size Dye Ink Pad - Rich Cocoa
• Delicata Non-Tarnishing Ink Pad - Celestial Copper
• Rhinestones - Light Pink
• Scrapbook Adhesives-3L 3D Self-adhesive Foam Squares - Mix
• Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Glue

Spring is Coming...

...and Easter with it!  Time to get stamping if you like sending Easter cards!  Here's some Easter inspiration from Stamp Simply.

I love these sweet vintage Easter images and the colors that harmonize with them!  And of course since I'm from Louisiana, you have to know that I love Fleur de lis!  

Stamp Simply's embossed cross is such an elegant one to use for Easter or any Christian card.  I painted some clear Wink of Stella through the die to add some sparkle.  I also chose a gold flower and some golden yellow ribbon to bring out the yellows of the chicks these little blond cuties are holding.  A bit of gold and clear Wink of Stella on the edges of the flower petals intensifies the color.

Here's the inside, embellished with a scrap from the same designer paper pad.

Supplies, all from Stamp Simply:

• Stamp Simply Clear Stamps - Combo Offer/Easter
• Authentique Springtime 6x6
• Memento Full Size Dye Ink Pad - Tuxedo Black
• Stamp Simply Steel Dies - Crosses
• Kaisercraft Pearls
• Prima Audrey Flowers - Yellow Gold
• Seam Binding - Mimosa Yellow - 5 yard Bundle
• Zig Wink of Stella Brush - Clear Glitter Marker
• Zig Wink of Stella Brush - Gold Glitter Marker

Happy Birthday!

I needed a very simple, mailable birthday card and when I came across a pad of Eastern Influences designer paper I thought that the bright colors and a simple, uncluttered layout would be ideal, so that's this week's Stamp Simply project!  

This is one of those fast and easy cards where the beautiful paper, striking colors and bold sentiment take front and center.

Here's the inside.  This card delivers lots of punch with very little effort!  And yay that it is relatively flat for mailing without sacrificing its attractive appearance!  Even though this paper is a floral design, the contrasting dark colors along with this minimalistic layout make this a card that would work for either gender.   

Supplies:

• Stamp Simply Clear Stamps - Birthday Sentiments
• Craft Consortium Eastern Influences 6x6
• Stamp Simply Steel Dies - Fishtail Sentiment Banners
• Memento Full Size Dye Ink Pad - Tuxedo Black
• Enamel dots
• Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Glue
• Scrapbook Adhesives-3L 3D Self-adhesive Foam Squares - Mix

Love You SO Much! Miss You a Lot!

Hi y'all!  Last week I was here with a masculine gears and sprockets Valentine/I love you card, and today I'm back with a very girlie Valentine for this week's Stamp Simply project.  Roses (and chocolate!) are traditional Valentine gifts, so today's card includes a lovely rose!  

I love that the oval center panel is simply the flip-side of this pretty designer paper.  I used the larger oval to cut it and then used the smaller oval to cut the positive a tiny bit smaller.  

Sometimes Valentines are not able to be together for Valentine's Day (this year I won't be able to be with mine, so we'll be celebrating either early or late, maybe both!).  I love that the sentiment from our All Occasions 1 set works so well with those from our Thinking of You Rose set, so that they can be mixed and matched so effortlessly!

Supplies:

• Stamp Simply Clear Stamps - Combo Offer/Stamp & Die Rose
• Stamp Simply Clear Stamps - All Occasion Sentiments SET 1
• Stamp Simply Steel Dies - Farmhouse Pierced Nested Hearts
• Stamp Simply Steel Dies - Fishtail Sentiment Banners
• Spellbinders Die - Classic Ovals Small SM
• Spellbinders Die - Classic Ovals Large LG
• Spellbinders Die - A2 Curved Matting Basics B
• Spellbinders Die - Decorative Labels Eight
• Craft Consortium Watercolors 6x6
• Seam Binding - Fuchsia - 5 yard Bundle
• Melissa Frances Pearls - White
• Zig Wink of Stella Brush - Clear Glitter Marker
• Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Glue
• Scrapbook Adhesives-3L 3D Self-adhesive Foam Squares - Mix
• Copic Markers

For You

Hi everyone!  With Valentine's Day just two weeks away, there is enough time to quick, order a Stamp Simply stamp set and some paper and make a Valentine for your sweetie, although my card for today would actually work as a masculine "I love you" for any day of the year.

I chose some fabulous Workshop designer paper with wheels, gears, and circuits, and followed MojoSketch526 to create a clean and simple, no-nonsense manly card.  That's the kind my guy likes.  I love this traditional blueprint and kraft color combo.

The sentiment is stamped on a die-cut circle of printed paper with a wood accent and a knotted scrap of ribbon stapled on...no bows, no flowers, no anything sparkly!  😂

Inside imitates the layout on the card front, with a tiny wooden heart to accent the sentiment.

Supplies:

• Kaisercraft Workshop - 6.5x6.5
• Stamp Simply Clear Stamps - Floral Cluster Spring Pansies
• Spellbinders Die - Standard Circles Small SM
• Spellbinders Die - Standard Circles Large LG
• Seam Binding - Fig Beige - 5 yard Bundle
• Distress Inks
• Stamp Simply Steel Dies - Fishtail Sentiment Banners
• My Mind's Eye Wood Dots - Necessities Wood
• Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Glue
• Scrapbook Adhesives-3L 3D Self-adhesive Foam Squares - Mix
• small wood heart

Sending Deepest Sympathy

Hello again!

Last week our local reenacting community lost an amazing, dear friend and mentor. I wanted to send her family a card to let them know that they are in my prayers, and since I went to see Little Women (set in "our" era, the 1860's) as a sort of tribute on the day of her passing, Graphic 45's Little Women designer paper series seemed the perfect choice.  

I happened upon a layout (Freshly Made Sketches #419) that I thought would work well with the little ATC cards that are included in this pad, and this is the way it turned out...not too obviously "Little Women" but if you're a fan and you look closely, you'll still see it. 

The sentiment on the front is stamped over top of a bit of the book text, accented with a pretty silk bow, flower, and "hat pin."  

The top left corner of the inside is stamped with a portion of our beautiful Summer Roses floral cluster, colored with Copic markers, and given a little sparkle with Wink of Stella glitter markers.  The stamen were colored with a gold gel pen.

Here's a close-up...it's so hard to capture Wink of Stella's fine sparkle on camera!

Here are the supplies I used, all from Stamp Simply:

• Stamp Simply Clear Stamps - Floral Cluster Summer Roses
• Graphic 45 Little Women 8x8
• Memento Full Size Dye Ink Pad - Tuxedo Black
• Spellbinders Die - Standard Circles Small SM
• Spellbinders Die - Standard Circles Large LG
• 1/4" Silk Ribbon by May Arts - 3 yard Bundle
• Prima Serenade - Blue
• Stick Pins by Darsie - The Shabby Chic Collection - Yellow
• Melissa Frances Pearls - White
• Copic markers
• Zig Wink of Stella Brush - Clear Glitter Marker
• Zig Wink of Stella Brush - Gold Glitter Marker
• Scrapbook Adhesives-3L 3D Self-adhesive Foam Squares- Mix Black
• Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Glue

Dianne was our "resident expert" when it came to fitting bodices. She was a huge influence on all of us when it came to proper fit and historical accuracy in general.

Here we are (myself, Dianne, and Judy) with our friends aboard a steamboat for one of our "Golden Teacup" outings.

And this is one of my favorite photos of us together, taken at the Lightner Museum where she volunteered (and where we first met when my friend and I went to see the Downton Exhibit), in our later Victorian bustle era garb.  She helped in every aspect of the construction of my outfit, from the choice of fabrics, construction techniques, fitting...everything, as she did with every single one of my Victorian reenacting dresses.  I'm grateful for the influence she had over me as we enjoyed reenacting together, and for the impression she made upon my life overall.  She was somethin' really special, and she will be sorely missed!  ❤️  

Love You!

Hello friends!  I hope this post finds you happy and healthy as we are two weeks into 2020!  The hustle and bustle of the holidays is behind us, but today's Stamp Simply project is actually inspired by this year's holiday fashion.  It's a "20's" card inspired by the drop-waist pleated skirts and dresses of the 1920's that I saw "history-bounding" into 2020 as the New Year began. I thought it might make a kinda cute girlie Valentine.

Did you notice lots of 1920's fashions reappearing for New Year's Eve?  If you've been around my blog for long you know that I enjoy "time-traveling" as a historic reenactor.  That involves dressing as "the original cast" did during a different era for a particular event (and usually with lots of others in similar attire), but there's a new trend called "history-bounding."  To history-bound, I would wear historic or vintage fashion simply because I like to, whenever and wherever I like. with or without company. Sound like fun?  I suppose it takes a certain amount of confidence, or maybe even courage, depending on the outfit and the occasion.   

Today's project is reminiscent of those long-waisted pleated "flapper" skirts and dresses that were so popular in the 1920's.  They made their reappearance for a short time in the 60's and I'm sure we'll be seeing more of them during the 2020's as well, especially if history-bounding becomes more popular.  

The designer prints I used for my card are so beautiful and they are double-sided, so the pleats you see here are actually the reverse side of this paisley mandala paper.  Every bit as beautiful as fashion fabric, don't you think?

The sentiment is stamped and die-cut from a scrap of designer paper in harmonizing colors.  So many beautiful colors to choose from, and the unexpected color combinations made this a lot of fun.

While the outside is visually complex, the inside is quite clean and simple.  

Supplies:

• Stamp Simply Clear Stamps - Farmhouse Scriptural Thoughts
• Stamp Simply Clear Stamps - Farmhouse Simple Sentiments
• Stamp Simply Steel Dies - Farmhouse Pierced Nested Hearts
• Craft Consortium Eastern Influences 6x6
• Craft Consortium Grunge Light 6x6
• May Arts 5/8" Faux Canvas - 3 yard Bundle
• Kaisercraft Mini Paper Blooms - Amethyst
• May Arts Burlap String - 10 yard Bundle
• Scrapbook Adhesives-3L 3D Self-adhesive Foam Squares - Mix
• Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Glue
• enamel dots

I hope you've enjoyed this foray into retro-fashion, paper-crafting style.

The other day I had a reenactors' outing for which I wore Colonial dress. On the way there my husband took me to iHop for breakfast...and boy, let me tell you, I got some strange looks.  😳   It is a pretty normal occurrence to see Colonial reenactors out-and-about in St. Augustine, but here in Fleming Island, not-so-much.  I felt quite self-conscious.  So history bounding?  I'm not so sure! Flapper dresses, Downton Abbey style? Maybe...maybe not!

Rapid Recovery!

Hi everyone!  For today's Stamp Simply project, I've made a simple Get Well card with some beautiful paper and lots of restful white space.  

These colors were so relaxing, soft and peaceful that I wanted to keep the inks muted as well, so I used distress oxides in similar colors...I wasn't really sure how Copics would interact with them, but was pleasantly surprised to see that I didn't have any trouble. I deliberately kept the blending to a minimum because I didn't want to press my luck!

I love this designer paper.  It makes me think of lovely stained glass windows in ancient churches!  Plenty of prayers!  

This card will be going to my amazing friend and reenacting mentor who is currently hospitalized and hopefully soon headed for rehab.  We are all praying for her and wishing her well.  

Supplies:

• Stamp Simply Clear Stamps - Combo Offer/Stamp & Die Tulip
• Craft Consortium Watercolors 6x6
• Spellbinders Die - Classic Ovals Small SM
• Spellbinders Die - Classic Ovals Large LG
• Oxide inks
• Copic markers
• Zig Wink of Stella Brush - Clear Glitter Marker
• Seam Binding - Soft Seafoam - 5 yard Bundle
• Pearls - Ice Green
• Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Glue
• Scrapbook Adhesives-3L 3D Self-adhesive Foam Squares - Mix

#spin15adaytilMardiGras

Even though my blog is mostly about stamping and card-making, I've never really been a "monogamous crafter."  There are so many fun things to learn and experiment with, and in the last five or six years, I've really fallen hard for the fiber arts.

At the start of this year I stumbled upon a challenge on Instagram called #spin15aday12days.  It actually was a specialized version of the longer commitment to #spin15aday, created by The 1764 Shepherdess.  Of course, being from Louisiana, for me, the 12 days meant spinning something Mardi Gras themed and finishing it by 12th Night.  Can you say King Cake?!

To commit to spin 365 days straight, or even to a few months at a time, is a little daunting imho, but I really was not ready for the #spin15aday12days challenge to come to an end.  Another spinner and I decided to commit to daily spinning not just for the 12 days, but at least through Mardi Gras (February 25th this year).  Hopefully by then we will have established a habit and will be ready to commit to continuing to spinning 15 minutes daily til at least Easter, maybe longer.  

A while back I purchased a drum carder, so I was spinning the fiber I'd carded daily on my Kromski Interlude wheel for the 12 day challenge.  I was also working on a current spin-in-progress with my Turkish spindle, and I'm proud to say that I have made great progress!  It's really amazing what you can accomplish in 15 minute increments!

This is what my Mardi Gras carded batt looked like.

Then I stripped it by colors, spinning three colors together as a gradient and the other two as separate yarns.

For their journey from carded fluff to yarn

each one was spun as a singles on the wheel, 

chain-plied (that keeps the colors from barber-poling),

skeined onto the niddy noddy, then washed and hung to dry.

Spindle-spinning is much the same process, although the twist comes from the flick of the fingers rather than the treadles, bands, and whorls of the wheel.

The bonus of spindle-spinning is that it is portable! 

I really love spinning, how calming it is, and how it makes me feel connected with my ancestors.  

If you're a spinner, I really hope you'll join us on Instagram to #spin15adaytilMardiGras.  And spinner or not, enjoy some King Cake in this Mardi Gras season that extends from today, Epiphany, through Mardi Gras, which translates from French to "Fat Tuesday," the day before Ash Wednesday when Lent begins.