LoriBelle's Bags!! and Blog Candy Alert!!

My friend, Lori, started her own business making hand quilted handbags in the past month!! I have ordered two of them already, and this is the latest one...it is done up so sweetly in rich browns, roses, moss greens, and burgundies. The inside of the bag is lined with pockets made to order,, and there is a drawstring closure! I am loving my bag...and wanted to let you know that these are available on Lori's Etsy store and also for custom ordering! So just wanted to pass this along to you, her prices are so reasonable and darling designs custom made with fabrics and pockets, straps to fit, zippers, etc...


You can find view and order your own one of a kind LoriBelle Bag at Chef Mama's blog: http://www.chefmamacrafts.blogspot.com/

Lori has some blog candy give away and her Etsy store there also!! So be sure to give her a visit and leave her a comment for the blog candy...a cute Christmas tote and some other goodies!!

Shadow Box Card

One of my friends issued a challenge this week from the Stamping Sisters in Christ blog to craft a card using the shadow box tutorial. The devotional this week can be found at the SSIC blog. The verse was 1 Corinthians 13:12 "For now we see through a glass, darkly: but then face to face: now I know in part, but then I shall even as I am known. "
I was intrigued by this design, and have been hoping to use this stamp set from Our Daily Bread Designs called "Peace on Earth" since receiving it. This rich regal gold embossed paper was just right for this image, too, don't you think?? I mounted the paper first on another piece of cardstock before cutting out a center window with the Labels Four nestability die. The image was embossed with gold detail powder, then highlighted with Antique Linen ink. Gold dome accents were added. The sentiment was done the same way, then the corners highlighted with gold ink. The ribbon is from Sharon Johnson's Stamp Simply store, it drapes beautifully and is great for framing images.
I loved making this card, it reminded me of gazing into a window scene and gave the image such depth. This is a 5 1/2 inch square. card. Thanks Peggysue for the challenge and the wonderful devotional.
I am so happy you stopped by today!!

Dusty turned Valentine!!

Don't you just love it when two challenges converge into one needy cause? Today is the Operation Write Home's blog hop which you can find here:

http://www.owhhomefrontblog.org/
The idea from what I can gather as a latecomer is to honor our servicemen/women (Any Hero)...by sending in cards to either express gratitude or to be used as a Valentine card which our Any Hero can mail home to a loved one. The card I made yesterday had some little pink hearts on it and I purposefully added pink and blue with a dash of red so this card could be sent by a parent in the military to their child (boy/girl) expressing love and letting them know they are missed!! I am planning on mailing this one in to Operation Write Home and they will send it along.
The other challenge was issued by my friend, Charlene (lilluvstampin) on SCS to make a card for Dusty the Bear who is looking for a new home now that his owner left him abandoned in a dirty attic. The bear brigade is on it's way to rescue Dusty and unite him with some little boy or girl that misses their Daddy at home and needs a bear to hug!! Thanks Charlene for the challenge...and stay tuned next Tuesday for a new Teapot Challenge. It is now listed on the challenge forum page on SCS.

Thanks so much for looking, and hope you can make a card for the OWH, what an honor to participate in this cause!

These are a Few of My Favorite Things!!

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens.

Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens.

Brown paper packages tied up with strings,

These are a few of my favorite things.

Cream colored ponies and crisp apple streudels.

Doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles.

Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings,

These are a few of my favorite things!

Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes,

Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes...

Silver white winters that melt into springs,

These are a few of my favorite things!!

Good morning! These words are from one of my favorite songs taken from my all time favorite movie, The Sound of Music! I was delighted when the Flourishes Blog team challenged the viewers to create a card using one of the lines of the lyrics from these songs. I found some warm woolen mittens and paired them with the snowflakes from the snowflakes Cuttlebug folder, then doused them with some chunky MS glitter and added a pretty eyelet border , then finished it off with some pretty red buttons! This is also a TECHNIQUE using the Double embossed dry embossing which was featured on Monday's technique challenge on SCS. It took me awhile, but with a little determination, I was able to get a great embossing impression. What a fun way to add texture and spotlight one item as in these mittens.

Last year my husband and I were able to take a trip to Salzburg, Austria, where a good portion of this film was made...over the weekend I plan to upload a few photos of some of the settings from the movie, The Sound of Music.

Thanks so much for stopping by...and what would be your favorite thing from this song? I admit, it was hard for me to choose just one!!

Mojo Monday Sketch

Do you ever feel like your days are slipping past you and you have no control over where they go? It has been that kind of week for me...but it was so nice to take some time this morning and focus on the Mojo Monday sketch challenge. This card opens on the right side, which is cut one inch shorter and the edges scalloped and sponged. A bit of the Basic Grey Eskimo Kisspes paper was added to the inside edge for some color and contrast to the Kraft cardstock.
Hope this makes you smile...and you have a great weekend with time to do something you enjoy...maybe even stamping??

Simple but Heartfelt Sympathy

When making a sympathy card, I like to keep the card simple in layout and classic in design...I have to credit my good friend, Pat Smethers, for inspiring me with this set, Thoughts and Prayers from SU. Her colors were pinks, but I wanted to use blues, so I switched to a brocade blue. The corners are wrapped in silk taffeta with tiny pearl adornments. The roses are paper and add a bit of dimension.

I hope the recipient finds some comfort with knowing that others care and are praying for them!

Have a blessed day! Thank you for stopping by~