Sunflowers....Some of my Favorites!

Good morning everyone and welcome to a Hot, Hot, Hot East Tennessee.  Knoxville reached a record high of 101 degrees yesterday and the little community where I live reached 96 degrees.  Now that is just too dang hot for this fat old woman!

If you visited my blog on Wednesday you might have noticed this flower sitting on my desk after I completed the bleaching technique.  This is the finished product.  I will be interested to see if I can add color back to the bleached areas but for this one I just left it as it.  It would be nice to have green leaves.  I have to apologize for the photo.  The yellow in the ribbon really didn't show very well, but the flower photographed well.  It seems it is always something with my pictures.  It just shows you all inept I am with the camera!

Well I hope you like my finished product.  I'm definitely going to play with adding color back after I have bleached.  Just to see what actually happens.    That about does it for me this morning.  I'm off to do a little coloring....just staying inside out of the heat.  The forcast is for climbing temps over the next few days and no rain in sight.  Take care of yourselves and don't over do while you are outdoors!

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday #160

Happy Wednesday everyone!  It's time for my weekly WOYWW pictures and a romp though everyone's blogs!  If you are wondering what all this is about just go over to Julia's Blog and have a look around.  We all take pictures of our work space and post them on our blog then link to them on Julia's blog so everyone can come visit and see what you have going on!  It madness, but a happy madness and I thank Julia for creating this little monster!  I love visiting all the blogs and seeing what is going on all over the world!  And now here are my two pictures featured this morning:

Two pictures from different angles and different light; but still showing what I have going on.  I am playing with the bleaching technique and I made a sunflower image for a card front.  I used dark brown cardstock and it bleached out to a pretty pale yellow...gorgeous!  I'm going to try and use a colored pencil on the leaves to give some green color also.  All you do is stamp and emboss an image and then use regular household bleach and brush it inside the embossed lines of the stamp.  Very simple but it gives such a gorgeous look to this image.  I will share the finished card in a couple of days!  The green lights you see in the upper left hand corner are not from aliens...it is my internet modum doing it's thing and giving me access to the internet.  When those lovely green lights go out, you suddenly find yourself all alone and the window to the world is gone to parts unknown.  So I'm always comforted to see those little lights flashing happily as I sit at my desk and play!  Also my cup of morning coffee and some distress inks, embossing ink and powder, my embossing buddy, some clear stamps, and the little jar is holding my bleach.  Just a lot of little things needed for this card.  Once my card is finished I will clear everything and start again.  I'm one of those people who has to have at least a small space clear and ready. 

Well that is all for me this morning.  I am off to visit and see what you all have going on this week.  I'm hoping to get some storage ideas.  I'm always in need of extra storage and love to see how others solve this problem!

Fairy Dust.....

Just so you know, I missed visiting with you on Friday...I was up to my elbows in green beans.  Mother nature doesn't let us pick and choose when the produce comes, so we have to be ready.  I would have much rather been playing, but those beans will sure taste good this winter.  I finished Saturday morning and then spent the rest of the day cleaning my mess.  So yesterday I was able to finish my card for you.  I did miss all your visits and hope to get back on a regular schedule soon. 

My card this morning has a little fairy image that a sweet friend stamped and sent to me to color.  I have no idea the name of the company, but she is just so cute!  I colored her using Aqua ProMarkers and distress inks.  When I'm using the ProMarkers, I smudge some color on a piece of acrylic and use my paint brush just like I would with the distress inks.  I have better control this way and find it works well for me.  I added glitter to her wings to give some glitz and a few sparkles here and there.
Several Spellbinders Dies and some pretty paper; a little bow and done!  I hope you enjoy her...I have had so much fun coloring her.  I have a couple more of these images and think I will try some different colors. 

That about does it for me this morning.  I hope you have a wonderful day and find a little time to play.  We all need some down time here and there.  I'll see you back here on Wednesday for WOYWW!

What's on Your Workdesk? Wednesday #159

Good morning all you WOYWW people out there!  It's Wednesday again and time to show you my little corner of the world.  If you are wondering what all this is about, just go over to Julia's Blog and have a look around.  This Wednesday ritual has become very addictive to me since I love a good snoop!  Just take a picture of your work space and post it on your blog and then go to Julia's blog and link your post there.  Then visit as many desks as you possibly can and look around!  There is a world of crafting goodness going on all over the world!  So sound the horns and beat on the drums cause here is my little mess!

I took this picture early in the morning as I was working on a card and had a few things piled up waiting to be put away and of course my ever faithful cup of coffee, with cream of course.  I know this is not too messy by many standards, but for me, this is about it.  I just can't seem to work when there is so much out.  I lose everything I need and it can be right in front of me.  So for me this is a pretty awful mess! 

Now I've shown you mine, show me yours!  I'm off to visit as many desks as I can; seems like I never, never make it all the way through.  I keep trying though.

Have a wonderful Wednesday and I will see you back here in a couple of days!

In Honor of Lisa Lynne

It is with great sadness that I tell you I have received word that a design team sister and a dear friend, Lisa Lynne Wright, suddenly passed away while on vacation here in Tennessee.  I will miss Lisa, as we became fast friends while serving on the Heartfelt Creations Design Team. As it turns out, she and her husband, Joe, were born and raised here in East Tennessee.  I got to meet Lisa about a year ago when she came to Tennessee to visit family.  I always felt we made a connection on that visit and we had become instant friends.  My card this morning is in honor of Lisa.  She was always ready with encouragement and her wonderful smile was infectious.  She loved making the cards for the HC blog and took great pride in her work.  I was always so happy to see each and every card she made.  I looked forward to her every post and she visited my blog each and every time I posted. 

I believe that when we pass, we are carried on in the hearts of those who knew and loved us.  I will carry Lisa in my heart always!

Participating Blogs Honoring Lisa:

Heartfelt Creations blog: http://www.heartfeltcreations.us/blog/?blogID=165
Kerry: http://thestampingbug.blogspot.com
Lisa Somerville: www.lisasomerville.com
Lisa Nazario-Gregory: http://what-a-beautiful-mess.blogspot.com
Glenda Brooks: http://glendabrooks.blogspot.com
Olga Jewell: http://craftieodamae.blogspot.com
Sue Walsh: http://a-consuming-passion.blogspot.com
Emilia van den Heuvel: http://few-favourite-things.blogspot.nl
Carol Hurlock: http://chocolatecraftsandbearsohmy.blogspot.com
Marsha Sanderlin http://stampingdownsouth.blogspot.com
Sarah Miller: http://plainandfancypapercrafts.blogspot.com
Giovana Smith: http://giovana-believe.blogspot.com
Emily Neihaus: http://emmielouwho.blogspot.com
Linda Payne: http://paynehollercards.blogspot.com
Lisa Lynne's blog: http://craftgreetings.blogspot.com

I Wish I Looked This Good Gardening!

Good morning people!  It's Friday and the weekend is upon us!  Life is good here in East Tennessee...
This morning I want to share another card I made.  I've been working on my coloring with Ranger Distress Inks.  I just love this little image and think she is so cute working barefoot in her garden.  I've been spending some quality time with my hoe, but I have to tell you I don't look like this little darling!  I used some Prima paper and my new Poppystamps die for the fence and Heartflet Creations corner dies (HCD 702 Decorative Butterfly Border)  My little yellow flowers are from a punch and a little bling in the center. 

This is another "Just Because" card.  I will put it in my box and one day she will just be perfect for someone for an occasion. 
That about does it for me this morning.  I'm off to make zuchinni relish and maybe some zuchinni bread today.  Lots of chores outside also; so it will be a busy day for me.  I hope your day is a good one and that you have a wonderful weekend!

WOYWW #158

Good morning fellow WOYWers!  I hope your Wednesday is getting off to a good start!  Now if you are wondering what the heck this is all about...go on over to dear Julia's Blog and have a good look around.  Every Wednesday, we take a picture of our workdesk and post it on our blog then we link it on Julia's blog and then.....then.....then you can look at everyone's desk.  There are desks posted from all over the world and you can see their space and what they are doing.  Genius I tell you!  Especially for someone like me who loves seeing what is going on with my fellow crafters!  I like to see all the different ideas for storage and all the different crafts that are involved.  It's a wonderful way to get some creative ideas too!  So here is my desk! 



Not messy at all this week.  I did a bit of cleaning just yesterday and now I'm working on a card and coloring another image for another card that will be coming later.  Since my actual space is small I try and keep it as clean as I can.  I always have my Spellbinders Grand Calibur sitting on the corner of my desk and the little white shelf with glue and brushes and sprays, etc. is always present and accounted for.  Also there is usually a cup of coffee or a glass of iced tea sitting close by.   Sorry it isn't quite up to standard in the messy department.  I like things organized and close by and ready to go when I need to use it. 

Well that is it for me this morning.  I hope you have a wonderful Wednesday and now I'm off to snoop!

Peacocks.....

Good morning everyone.  I'm here this morning to share a card that I am entering in the Challenge over at Joan's Gardens .  Each week Joan has a challenge with a nice gift for the winner and I always love to play long because her challenges keep me on my toes.  This week the challenge calls for the following:

Use Pink and White
Use an Embossing Folder
Use a Die for an Opening on the Front of the Card
Use Leaves as Accents.

Of course I used Spellbinders Circles dies and the embossing folder is from Sizzix and is called Peacocks.  I used a punch to cut out the pink flowers with pearls for the centers and the leaves are Marianne designs Creatables.  I also used pearls for the eyes on the peacocks.  I used chalk to add a little color to the birds.  I hope you can see it, it doesn't show very well. 

Well that is it for me this morning.  I hope your Monday is a good one!

Graphics 45 Tag Envelope.....

Good morning out there!  I'm here to share a new thing for me; a tag envelope.  Now I'm sure these have been around for a long time, so where in the world have I been?  I haven't made a tag yet to go inside so I'm just showing you this little pretty.  The envelope will hold a large tag and I plan to make a tag you can write on.  Then you will just tuck it inside and send it on it's way. 

I found a pattern for this envelope on the internet, but you could even use something you already have.  I used Graphic 45 paper on this and of course Spellbinders dies for the leaves and the flower.  A little bling here and there and the starfish and the butterfly are cut from a page of the paper pack and then I added a little shine onto them.  The starfish has 3D Crystal Lacquer and while still wet, I sprinkled glitter on it.  The leaves have some Perfect Pearls brushed onto them to add some shine.  The little clock is an treasure that I had and I cannot for the life of me remember where it came from.  But I thought it looked so cute tucked down into the flower. 

So there you have it.  Why don't you give one of these a try.  I will most probably be making more of these in the future.

Well the weekend is upon us, it seems like only yesterday when I was saying Good Monday Morning to you.  Where does the week go?  So go forth and enjoy your weekend.  And no matter where you are or what you are doing, take a moment just for you and "Breathe"!

Whats on Your Workdesk? Wednesday #157

So if you are wondering what the heck this WOYWW stuff is; each week we take a picture of our desk and post it on our blog.  Then we go to Julia's blog and link it there.  Then you can visit desks from all over the world and see what everyone has going on.

As some of you recall, last week was the 3rd. anniversary for WOYWW!  As part of the celebration, some of the participants chose to exchange ATCs.  Well mine came on Monday and I was so excited to receive the ATC and a lovely card from Joyce Lofton in AL!  http://joynana-lovethatpaper.blogspot.com

Would you just look at that gorgeous ATC!  I absolutely love it!  So much attention to detail and the colors are to die for!  And check out the card!  Just lovely Joyce.  Thank you so very much for both of these.

Well my desk is actually pretty clean so I won't bore you with that this week.  I just really wanted to show off this lovely set of cards.  I will keep them always!

Now I'm off to check out all the other desks this week.  Come join us at http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com

Blue Bird in a Cage...

Good morning everyone!  I just love how this card turned out...what do you think?  I'm entering this in the weekly challenge over at Joan's Gardens .  This week Joan's challenge calls for the following:

Use a Bird Theme
Use a branch and leaves
Use Blue on your card
Use a frame

I used The Bird Sanctuary dies for the birdcage and the bird.  The corners and leaves are  Marianne dies.  Before I shaped the flowers I added a yellow color wash to the centers then I glued a pearl in the center.  Ranger distress inks were used for all color on this card.  The paper is from Prima. 

So wish me luck in the challenge.  I love playing along each week whether I win or not, it just keeps me motivated to do something else creative.  Why don't you join in this week.  Go over to Joan's site and look around; the weekly challenge is posted at the top of the page.  She also has a wonderful shop on this site and she has very reasonable prices.  Each time I order from Joan I'm always so pleased with how the package arrives in pristine condition.  Well done, Joan!

 

Wading Tilda.....

Good morning everyone.  It is finally Friday and time for me to share another card with you.  I just love this image and think she is so cute wading in the water.  I used distress inks to color her and then Spellbinders dies and then I used a piece of card stock that had been run through my Distrezz-It-All to be the base layer.  I used some pretty white flowers and some Marianne leaf dies and then all that was mounted onto a piece of pretty Prima paper.  Card size is 4 1/4 X 5 1/2.  I can just tell this is going to be one of my favorite images for awhile. 

What do you have planned for the weekend?  There won't be much going on here.  It will be spent quietly, like old folks do.   So no matter where you wind up or what you are doing, take a moment for yourself and just breathe!