happy halloween!!

ok, so i'm a little late, but...

happy halloween!!!!

halloween treats
stamps: unity, studio g
cardstock: becky higgins pp, white
ink: tangerine tango, rusty hinge, onyx black, mustard seed
embellishments:  twine, muslin

home...

i have a couple friends who have recently moved.  and i think this may be the first time i've ever sent a "happy new house" card to anyone!!  hopefully they have gotten their cards by now, if not, SURPRISE!! i have loved mixing card making and mixed media together and that's what i did here.  i used watercolors to color the card.

and it's friends with flair day!  so check out the unity projects over on the unity blog.  you have a chance to win!

home
stamps: unity (sotw)
cardstock: white, watercolor paper
ink: jet black
other:  watercolor crayons, gesso

plus, don't forget that i'm giving away some a little bag of goodness.  check out this post.  you don't want to miss it!!

and speaking of practically giving away, go check out this awesome sale at unity!  

love...

another page from my gratitude journal.  i have until the end of october to finish up this creative dare and let's just say i have a few pages to fill up in not a lot of time!  i gotta get crafting!!

this page is pretty much self explanatory.  i'm thankful for all the love in my life.  and i don't mean one type of love here.  there are so many types of love, it would take days to write about them all.  and i didn't know how to get every aspect of love down, so i went for simplicity.  and i do l.o.v.e. it!!

love
stamps:  stampin up
material: canvas, book text
paint: gesso, acrylic
embellishments:  wood shapes (studio calico), glimmer mist
other:  charcoal pencil

remember to visit this post to #spreadthelove #rak #payitforward #sharethejoy!!

under the mistletoe...

it's flashback day today for the fabulous feature.  (read: no time to create a new card.  shushh...don't tell!)  visit the {ippity} blog for other cards using the fab feature, kissmas & mistletoe.

mistletoe

stamps: ippity
cardstock: crumb cake, early espresso, echo park pp
ink: baja breeze, early espresso
embellishments: prismacolor markers, hemp twine, glossy accents

and don't forget to visit this post to #spreadthelove #rak #payitforward #sharethejoy!!

random acts of kindness...

random act of kindness   pay it forward.  what does that mean to you?  to me, it means doing something that will make another person happy or just put a smile on their face.  i don't know why people don't do these things more often.  it's not like  you have to even spend any money to do this.  a simple gesture can be a rak or pif.  know what i mean?

it's not a secret that i love unity stamps.  and i seem to have gathered quite a collection of stamps so i'm going to offer up a grab bag of unity goodness. what i ask in return for a chance to win is simply to pay it forward.

this stems from this post by rhonna farrer, #rhonnadesigns who is simply quite amazing.  today is her birthday and she offered an awesome gift to celebrate (check it here!).  all she wanted in return, was to share the love.  so i did.  i went to starbucks to get me a cup of pumpkin spice deliciousness and my pay it forward/random act of kindness/share the love was to pay for the person who was behind me in the line.  it was awesome.  the thing i loved most about it???  the starbucks girl thought it was so cool she was giddy!  and she shared her enthusiasm with her coworkers and they all came to the window to thank me.  how neat is that?  so not only did one simple act make the recipient happy (hopefully!) it made the starbucks girls happy too!!

so back to the free unity grab bag of goodness. here are the rules. you have until november 3rd at 11:59pm to enter.  what you must do is comment on this post and tell me what rak/pay it forward kind of thing you did.  i will draw a random winner.  if there are more than 10 people who participate, i'll draw two winners. and if there's more than 20, another!  so pass this along to your friends.  after all, what do you have to lose??  make more people happy??

so #spreadthelove #rak #payitforward #sharethejoy do whatever it is you do!

mixed media monday...

i think i may have mentioned once or twice (not sure!) about my love for monday nights.  the reason is an awesome group of peeps now named, mixed media mondays, that tracy weinzapfel  started (visit  her here).  we gather from all parts of the globe to watch her work some mixed media magic. in september, she threw us all another creative dare to fill up a canvas journal with all that we are grateful for.  here is my tribute to mixed media monday.  because without it, i don't know that i'd have discovered the love and passion i have for this new form of expression!

mixed media monday
stamps:  unity
material: canvas
paint: gesso, acrylic
  ink: jet black
embellishments:  label tape
tools:  pen

here are the other pages so far in my gratitude journal if you wanna take a look-see.

a life inspired...

it's been awhile since i've done any art journaling. but after the last mixed media monday night (catchy, isn't it?) with tracy, i was excited to get this page done.  and i even used the dreaded charcoal pencil.  a lot.  i'm not saying i like it any more, but i do love how it looks on this page.  so here's to stepping outside the comfort zone and using something you aren't comfortable!

a life inspired
material: mixed media paper
paint: gesso, acrylic
stamps:  donna downey, christy tomlinson
  ink: jet black
other:  bubble wrap, cardboard, dictionary pages

and i found a new tool to stamp with.  those little cardboard hand protectors around a cup of coffee??  well, the corrugated inside makes a cool set of lines!!  

believe in magic...

this is my second extra card for the bonus entry in the wcmd year's worth of kit of the month giveaway.  making a card for the unity kit of the month sketch challenge.  in this challenge  you had to make a card based on the sketch (found here) and use stamps from any kit of the month set.  i used stamps from faith, hope, love, live by it and love in an instant kotm.  here's what i made.

believe in magic
stamps:  unity
cardstock: echo park pp, white
ink: worn lipstick, spun sugar
tools: silhouette

cross your fingers!!  how awesome would it be to win a free year's worth of stamps??  and you all know me...i like to share!

and if  you haven't already, don't forget to check out this!!!

fall...

talk about under the wire!!  today i'm posting the last two entries for the world card making challenge.  i figured i could make two extra cards for an extra chance to win an ENTIRE year of the kit of the month or the smak kit.  right?? right. so here is the first one. it is for the unity monthly challenge. only the tricky thing was the challenge changed after the wcmd challenge started but before it ended.  so i didn't know which one i should do!  so i did both on the same card!  the first one was using banners, the second was using pumpkins (pumpkin challenge is here).  how did i do??

fall
stamps:  unity, ippity
cardstock: echo park pp, dictionary pages
ink: seedless preserves, burnt umber, dusty durango
embellishments: twine

so beautiful...

who doesn't want to get a card in the mail that says "you are so beautiful"?  everyone would!!  here's my friends with flair card for today.  not feeling great, so gonna keep it short.  check out the other projects this week for your chance to win!

so beautiful
stamps:  unity, ippity
cardstock: date swirl, studio calico pp
ink: baja breeze, going gray, mustard seed
embellishments: flowers

AND...don't forget to check out this!!!

your day...

today is a big day.  a shout out to my brothers, mike and mark, for their birthday.  happy birthday, boys!! and also to my cousin, mandy (who i still can't call miranda!), on her big wedding day to tyler.  congrats you two!!

here's the last of the challenge cards i made for world card making day.  how fun it's been trying to come up with a design for each challenge.  this one was using a sketch (found here).  i used the awesome stamps from this kit of the month.

your day
stamps:  unity
cardstock: certainly celery, my mind's eye pp, echo park pp
ink: spiced marmalade, onyx black

memories...

i think this may be the first time i've completed a bunch of challenges for world card making day. it's been fun to stretch my imagination. i've done a ton of art/canvas journaling and mixed media stuff lately, so getting back to cards has been fun.  this card is for the color challenge.  you had to make a card using cream, pumpkin, olive and brown. i used stamps from this smak kit and this kotm.  love them!!

memories
stamps:  unity
cardstock: pumpkin pie, crumb cake, fancy pants pp, simple stories pp, echo park pp
ink: tangerine tango, early espresso, crushed olive, early espresso

wonder...

here's another card for world card making day. this one really made me stretch. the challenge was to create a border using a stamp that was not a border stamp. i love this star stamp (i've used it a ton lately).  and i had some post it notes on my table.  and it dawned on me.  mask the middle of the stamp.  created a cool border!!  check out the challenge here.

wonder
stamps:  unity
cardstock: summer sun, island indigo, white, echo park pp
ink: summer sun, island indigo
embellishments:  button, twine

happy fall...

it's fall in my neck of the woods.  full blown.  leaves are changing.  the air is cool and crisp in the morning and evening, but still warm during the day.  i love fall.  except that it leads to winter.  which i don't love.  but here's a card i made in honor of fall.  i made it for the creative cuts and more blog, diecut diva.   and as part of the world card making day event over on the unity blog.  (have i hit all eight categories yet??)  go make some cards!!  you have until the 20th to enter.  HUGE prizes!

happy fall
stamps:  unity
cardstock: sunshine, basic grey pp, walnut cream
ink: pumkin pie, dusty durango, soft suede
tools:  prismacolor markers

hold it together...

how is it that i have not used this stamp. ever??? what is wrong with me? it's awesome! i think someone borrowed it a few weeks ago and i remembered i had it. so i had to use it. this is for another world card making day entry. this challenge was all about texture.

and it's friday.  and i know some fridays i need a little help holding it all together!  so check out friends with flair  (clickie clickie) to help you hold things together and have a good weekend!!

hold it together
stamps:  unity
cardstock: pistachio, walnut cream
ink: midnight muse
embellishments:  fabric, muslin, cardboard
tools:  tiny attatcher

and don't forget there are some killer sales going on this weekend.  here's one of them.  (click image to go to the sale).  and if you put any {ippity} in your cart (and you SHOULD!), put my name in the comments...brownie points, you know?

beauty...

i got a card the other day from my cute friend sherri.  it inspired me to make this card.  i loved how she did such a simple background.  this card is a bit of mixed media and stamping.  i gessoed some watercolor paper then stamped the image.  used watercolor crayons and painted the image and background.  so simple!

another unity world card making day challenge.  and you guessed it...the challenge was to color an image.

beauty
stamps: phyllis harris
cardstock: white, watercolor paper
ink: jet black
other:  watercolor crayons, gesso

what do you know?  it's a sale!  go shop...

today...

it's been too long since i've done a page in my gratitude journal. i did this page at my crafty retreat two weeks ago. i'm thankful for {today} everyday, but i loved that day because i was with my favorite peeps. and every time i see this page, i'll be reminded of that.  take a peek at the rest of the gratitude journals here.

today
stamps:  unity
cardstock: simple stories pp
material: canvas
paint: gesso, acrylic
  ink: ripe persimmon
embellishments:  wood shapes (american crafts), washi tape

butterfly kisses...

another world card making day challenge. the challenge here was to create a card that is shaped.  basically, not your regular square or round card.  so i used my trusty silhouette to help cut out a ticket shaped card.  when it's flat, there's a heart in the middle.  (challenge #1 found here)

butterfly kisses
stamps:  unity
cardstock: crumb cake, cherry cobbler
ink: cherry cobbler
tools:  silhouette

the list...

it's time for {ippity} fab feature wednesday!!  this week's feature is naughty.nice.not sure.  i love this set!  i also love the paper pad, merry, from my mind's eye.  i think out of the whole stack, there's maybe 2 papers that i don't adore!!

the list
stamps:  ippity
cardstock: baja breeze, my mind's eye pp
ink: baja breeze, cherry cobbler, black craft
embellishments:  clear embossing powder, eyelet, twine

i'm also using this as my "embossed" card for the unity world card making day challenge (read the deets here).  have you entered any of the challenges??  there are 8 total.  so surely there is something for you!!

batty pumpkins...

fall is in the air. have you noticed?  it's getting down in the 30's at night and is warm and sunny during the day.   can't say that i'm excited for winter, but i do like fall!!  these are pumpkin atcs for a swap with a fall/halloween theme. love the little bats hanging from the tree!!

batty pumpkins
stamps:  unity, stampin up
cardstock: summer starfruit, tangerine tango, old olive, becky higgins pp
ink: tangerine tango, walnut stain, black soot, peeled paint
tools:  silhouette

listen...

another page from my canvas journal.  i hope to get the final two pages done tomorrow. this was from week 4 of the canvas journal project.

listen to your heart

material:  canvas

paint: gesso, acrylic

ink:  walnut stain

embellishments: muslin

other: bubble wrap, mod podge

font: mtf sweet cheeks

starry tree...

i know it's not time for christmas yet, but i had to make a set of atcs with a christmas tree. i was playing with my silhouette and found this cute tree and wanted to use it. then i inked it up with the cute stars and added the banners too. love all things unity!! and it fits in with friends with flair. go check out the unity blog for the other fwf stuff.

starry tree
stamps:  unity, susan weckesser,
cardstock: crumb cake, gumball green, echo park pp
ink: pebble, peeled paint, broken china
embellishments: brad
tools:  silhouette

and while you are checking out fwf, don't forget the cute new phyllis harris releases which are all on sale!. and angela is finishing up the website changes so she is marking things down like a mad woman!! unity bargains galore!

live inspired...

this is probably one of my favorite pages i've ever made.  at first, i wasn't digging the orange color.  but i wanted to try something i wasn't used to. after i added the yellow corners, i was ready to throw a layer of gesso over it and start over.  i had an idea for the flowers and as it evolved, i fell head over heels for it.  and i can't tell you how awesome it is to make stencils from cool words like this phrase from donna downey using my silhouette cameo.  i think i may have gotten a few of my peeps hooked on the silly machine!

live inspired

material:  canvas

paint: gesso, acrylic

cardstock:  project life pp

ink:  walnut ink

embellishments:  buttons

other: silhouette images (donna downey sentiment, flower), american crafts stencil

this page was part of week #3 of the canvas journal.

be true...

one thing that was great about last week's crafty retreat...i was able to catch up on my canvas journal. i was a few pages behind and now i'm caught up. well, that was until monday night's class. behind, but not for long! only two more pages and this is finished!  this is the first of three pages.

be true to you

material:  canvas

paint: gesso, acrylic

stamps:  unity

ink: india ink

embellishments: buttons

you can see all of the journals from the monday night peeps here. this page was part of week #3 of the canvas journal.

snowman in a blizzard...

what do you see when a snowman is in a blizzard??  not much!!  that's the theme of the atcs i made for a snowman atc swap. isn't it hilarious? (sometimes i amuse myself a little too much!)  i was cutting out some cardstock while trying to think of what to do for the snowman swap i'm in.  i picked up a piece of paper and a scrap of orange fell on the white cardstock. that's when it hit me.  snowman in a blizzard!!

snowman in a blizzard
stamps:  ippity
cardstock: white, echo park pp, fancy pants pp
ink: soft sky

and it's october, my blog is going pink in honor of breast cancer awareness month!

helloooo!!

long time, no blog!!  well, only a week. but it's been a very busy/productive week. had a few peeps from out of state come for an extended weekend of crafting/laughing/eating/generally having a ball kind of thing.  and now it's all sad and lonely here.

but all good things must come to an end, i suppose.  just makes you look forward to the next get together all that much more!    what could be better than this picture??

talkin' true!