I See A Pattern Forming...

Nuts....

2011-12-14T23:18:00.003-06:00

There are three squirrels that visit our deck every day....they come to check and see if I've left any nuts for them.

I decided to see what one of them would do if they could see the walnuts...but not be able to reach them. I left the nuts on the inside window sill and waited. This poor squirrel is looking at them like...."Really lady....how mean can you be?!"

(I did give the nuts to him...I felt guilty.)

The Last Christmas Angel....

2011-12-13T12:16:00.003-06:00

This is the last of my four paperpieced Christmas Angels. All dressed up in her warmest coat and holding her pet bunny...she's been playing in the snow that the littlest angel made.

The Third Christmas Angel...

2011-12-12T22:47:00.002-06:00

The third Christmas Angel is the youngest....she's just learning her angelic duties. For her first job...God told her to make it snow.....

The Second Christmas Angel....

2011-12-11T23:05:00.003-06:00

This is the second Christmas Angel....she's been busy baking cookies.

Christmas Angels......

2011-12-10T12:13:00.004-06:00

There are a lot of them floating around this time of year.....some of them are friends that we see every day...some are invisible...and some are paper.

This paper angel is from my Paper Piecing Class at CraftFancy this afternoon. You'll see her sisters soon.

Halloween Mini Album...

2011-10-02T23:20:00.003-05:00

I love Halloween...the colors...the magic...the fun...and the candy. So to celebrate my favorite holiday...I made this album. I can't say that I was quick about it...because I didn't want the fun to end...but it's done now!

Challenge Number Three At CraftFancy.....

2011-09-09T00:17:00.002-05:00

The winner of Challenge Two has just been announced....now it's time for Challenge Number Three...which is....using Die Cuts on your card! With all the dies available now...the real challenge here is not finding a die cut to use...it's trying to figure out which one to use. Check out all the rules and samples on the CraftFancy Blog...and enjoy working on your project for the challenge.

Have A Seat......

2011-08-19T22:50:00.004-05:00

This is one of the cards from my Paper Piecing Class at CraftFancy this week. Each of the four cards that we'll do in the class features a different overstuffed easy chair. Even though it's just paper...it kind of makes me want to cuddle up in it with a good book.

A Morning Visitor...

2011-08-16T22:15:00.003-05:00

When I looked out of my kitchen window a couple of days ago...this was my early morning visitor...coming to share some of the apples that fell off of the old tree at the back of the yard.

Craftfancy's New Challenge.....

2011-08-13T01:06:00.004-05:00

CraftFancy has started a new series of Challenges! For the very first challenge.....use paint on your card or project.

Splash some paint on the background, splatter it delicately from a paintbrush, or stamp it on...use your imagination and come up with something wonderful.

I brushed (And blobbed) stripes of rust, cream and brown paint onto a small piece of cardstock....then punched out a circle from the painted piece. Eyes, ears, feet, a tail and whiskers were added....and I had a fat, funny little kitten.

To join in on the fun...check out all the important information (And find out about the prizes) on the CraftFancy Blog.

More Food......

2011-08-03T17:13:00.002-05:00

After the burger from my last post....I needed dessert. Maybe cake....chocolate cake....three layers....with lots of frosting decorations.

You might not want to eat this cake...since it's made of chipboard boxes...but you can store things in it...use it as a centerpiece....or as your giftbox for someone special.

This yummy looking faux cake was made as the sample for a class at CraftFancy. It wasn't difficult to make...the only problem was that I kept craving chocolate.

Late Night Snacking.....

2011-08-02T22:41:00.002-05:00

It's one of those days when I'm hungry all day....nothing edible is safe from me. I even ate two pretzels...until I realized that they were stale. :)

So...to carry on my bottomless pit day...here is one of the card samples from last week's Paper Quilting class at Craftfancy. The only thing missing from the card is the label on the ketchip bottle. There are three other cards in the group...a pitcher of sangria, a barbeque grill and a picnic basket with a watermelon.

We Need All The Angels We Can Find....

2011-07-21T20:18:00.003-05:00

So here is one more angel from the CraftFancy paper quilting class to help us with daily problems.

Christmas In July....

2011-07-15T22:43:00.006-05:00

Christmas is wonderful...but it's even better in July. No rushing, no hassle, no crowds...just the fun parts of getting ready for Christmas.

This little paper pieced angel is part of a set of cards made for my class last week at Craft Fancy.... I'll post photos of her sisters later this week.

Popsicle, Creamsicle & Rocketpop Notecards...

2011-06-17T20:28:00.002-05:00

This is a new set of notecards for my Etsy shop. I love the colors and I definitely feel a Popsicle in my near future. (Very near...like right now!)

Another Birdie Picture...

2011-06-17T17:24:00.003-05:00

One more photo of Cory....

I'm not sure what he was looking for in my purse.............probably his car keys.

Cory....

2011-06-14T01:09:00.006-05:00

I've shown pictures of my Mom's bird (Cory) a while ago when he was a baby. He's grown up now...he weighs 1.6 ounces....and he's learned a lot in the last 2 years. He can talk....pretty bird, orange juice (I'm not sure why he can say that.), kiss, birdie and yes.
His favorite food is waffles and maple syrup...or pancakes and maple syrup...or crepes and maple syrup...sensing a theme here? We try not to tell the vet about Cory's eating habits...and we've cut off the maple syrup since he got sick a couple of months ago. He's fine now but we've learned our lesson. He's going to stick to seeds, water and fruit...but he doesn't like it.

Summer Watermelon....

2011-06-14T01:05:00.002-05:00

It's summer....watermelon, cantaloupe, peaches, plums...all the good stuff that I wait for all winter. Being in the "Watermelon" mood....I made a few notecards to go along with my mood.

A Good Memorial Day To You.....

2011-05-30T11:12:00.004-05:00

I hope that you're all having a good and peaceful Memorial day. It's really warm here...a picnic by the lake (Any lake) sounds good. Since I cancelled my plans for today because of water problems....the day isn't going to include anything really fun. I have a feeling that the weeds taking over my yard are calling me. (If I try really hard...maybe I can pretend that I don't hear them.)

My Japanese Paper Quilting Cards are done for tomorrow's class at CraftFancy...the theme for the May class is "Lamps". Three Victorian Tiffany-style lamps and one contemporary lamp. I just threw that one in for a change of pace. Which is your favorite?

A Little Redhead....

2011-05-19T19:32:00.002-05:00

She's adorable....and she's one of my first attempts at stamping and coloring with Copic Markers. The stamp is made by Greeting Farm.

Don't look too closely...because it's not a perfect coloring job on the card...but I love the colors...and with more practice...I'll get better at it.

April Japanese Paper Quilting Cards...

2011-05-10T23:06:00.004-05:00

One of my cards from the April Japanese Paper Quilting Classes at CraftFancy. The wonderful patterns of Japanese Washi Paper make these cards turn out beautifully.

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-08T10:31:00.005-05:00

This gorgeous cardinal was on my deck this morning...wishing a Happy Mother's Day to me.

I hope that you all have a Happy Mother's Day and that everyone spoils you and makes you feel happy, healthy and loved.

Happy Easter.....!

2011-04-23T22:53:00.003-05:00

A very Happy Easter to everyone. I hope you get to celebrate with family and friends...and enjoy blue skies, green grass, colored eggs and Peeps. (We colored eggs yesterday...and I had Peeps for breakfast today....breakfast is after all, the most important meal of the day. )

Another Bunny....

2011-04-08T00:00:00.004-05:00

I'm definitely hooked on bunnies....so it should be no surprise that this card has one on it.

The embossing powder has glitter in it....so the bunny and the basket (A Penny Black Stamp) sparkle. It will be a bright Easter this year!

The Camera Shows EVERYTHING!

2011-04-04T00:22:00.006-05:00

Yep...........these bunnies are purple......and they're made of walnuts. I uploaded them into my Etsy shop a while ago...and was pleased with the photo that I'd taken. I thought that they looked cute. Until I actually looked closer....somehow I'd left a large glob (An unscientific word...but it works) of glue stuck on the back of the bunny on the right. There are more globs of glue on the bunnies...but we won't go into that right now...we'll just deal with the big one. I wonder what people will think.....that I'm a sloppy crafter? That my purple bunny is a slob?

Will he be shunned by the other walnut bunnies?

Will I be tossed out of Etsy for glue negligence? Sigh....the shame of it all......

Easter Cards....

2011-04-03T23:22:00.002-05:00

I've been trying to get a head start on making Easter cards this year....it would be wonderful to send handmade cards to everyone. My first card has everything that I love for Easter and Spring....a bunny, an egg, polka dots and pastels!

It Really Is Spring....!

2011-03-30T16:33:00.003-05:00

We may still be wearing coats....the wind is still sharp and cold....but the crocus are blooming...the birds are singing...and the sun is shining. As far as I'm concerned...it's Spring.

I made some gift card holders for a class at CraftFancy this Saturday; and I used some wonderful Spring colors. Easter and Mother's Day are both coming up...these gift card holders will be perfect for your favorite Easter Egg Hunter or for your favorite Mom.

It's Almost Time For Irish Soda Bread....

2011-03-15T18:52:00.006-05:00

St. Patrick's Day is very close; and I'm feeling the need for some homemade Irish Soda Bread. Warm from the oven , full of golden raisins, a sugar glaze on top... and fresh butter slathered on top. I'll have a cup of hot tea to go with it...gotta go...I need to start baking.

Three Bunnies In A Bucket...

2011-03-08T15:19:00.003-06:00

Three "Bunnies In A Bucket" on their way to a new home. Two of them are going to live with two little girls....the third bunny (The camouflage bunny) is going to the little girls' Daddy...to surprise him for Easter.

Kraft Envelopes....

2011-02-15T06:57:00.002-06:00

There are certain items that I seem to make over and over....tags are one thing that I keep making...I have an endless supply. Now...embellished kraft envelopes are capturing my attention because there are so many ways to make them. All colors and patterns look wonderful against the sturdy kraft paper.

So True.....

2011-02-13T11:11:00.003-06:00

Every once in a while you find a stamp sentiment that you just fall in love with.....this is one of mine.

Valentine's Day.....

2011-02-10T21:47:00.004-06:00

It's coming soon....I have lots of ideas for things to make.........just no time to make them. Crafting at 3:00am is fun until I have to get up at 6:00am. And sometimes the things I make early in the wee hours look different when I actually have my eyes open the next morning.
This set of kraft gift card holder envelopes was made during daylight hours....things turn out much better when I'm awake....

Valentines....Just A Little Early

2011-01-10T20:13:00.003-06:00

It may not be February yet...but it's never too early to start making things to celebrate such a "Lovely" holiday! I've been punching, stamping, diecutting, gluing and ribboning to get into the Valentine spirit.

Happy New Year Everyone!

2011-01-04T15:27:00.002-06:00

Thanksgiving was foody and fun, Christmas was hectic but beautiful....and New Year's Eve was peaceful.........now I'm looking forward to what the new year will bring.

I hope it's going to be a wonderful year for all of you...filled with whatever makes your heart happy.

One More Gift Card Holder....

2010-12-13T12:44:00.002-06:00

One more Gift Card Holder....this one has a North Woods Santa...in his warm blankety outfit. He'll keep your gift card nice and warm.

Gift Card Holders....

2010-12-13T12:42:00.003-06:00

It's the Gift Card time of year...and you need something to tuck those gift cards into.....this vintage Santa Gift Card Holder will contain a Target or Nordstroms' gift card very nicely.

Christmas Angels...

2010-12-12T12:07:00.002-06:00

Two paper pieced angels...holding an evergreen garland.

This was a Christmas gift that I made ...the angels face each other in a double matted frame. They have multi-layered

textured gowns and snowflakes in their hair.

Hmmm...My Blog Is Still Here...!

2010-12-10T00:16:00.002-06:00

I wasn't sure it wouldn't just up and leave to protest my neglect...

Winter Gift Card Holders....

2010-11-12T21:05:00.004-06:00

Two weeks ago was my Winter Gift Card Holder Class at Craft Fancy....these are the samples for the class. They're simple card holders....but I like the soft wintry colors and the whimsical snowman and lamb :).

Look At This Giraffe....

2010-10-31T23:28:00.004-05:00

....and tell me you don't love her! We met this wonderful creature at the Pumpkin Farm last week...and I immediately wanted to take her home. Since getting her into Matt's car wasn't a possibility...I had to leave her at the petting zoo. I did get to touch her nose and talk to her and take a few million photos of her and her baby. If the ceilings in my house were just a bit higher......

Gotta Love Photos....

2010-10-28T00:22:00.003-05:00

....this one is of my son Matt. He and Hayley went through a hay bale maze and stopped for me to take their photo. Matt knew that it probably wasn't a great idea to stick his face in the hole for the picture...he just didn't know how funny it was going to be. This one goes into the family album!

Pickin' Pumpkins At Goebbert's Farm...

2010-10-24T12:53:00.004-05:00

This Saturday...Matt came up from Indianapolis to celebrate our birthdays....and we went to Goebbert's Farm to pick out some pumpkins. It was chilly, cloudy, damp and windy...so whenever the sun came out it felt really good. We got to pick pumpkins and gourds, eat apple spice doughnuts, watch the camel rides (no one wanted to try it), cheer at the pig races, eat corn on the cob, pet a giraffe and best of all we got to meet Matt's girlfriend Hayley for the first time.

Ticket To Halloween

2010-10-23T20:07:00.003-05:00

I fell in love with the Tim Holtz stamp set "Odds and Ends"...the little tickets celebrating different holidays can be used so many ways.

I stamped the Halloween ticket on orange cardstock, cut it out, chalked the edges and added a ribbon tie...Hocus Pocus...Mini Halloween Tags.

It's Not Halloween Without A Bat.....

2010-10-19T22:53:00.003-05:00

....and here's one of my favorites...my Walnut Bat. He's a close friend of the Walnut Witch a couple of posts earlier. Made from a whole walnut...he's painted, has wings and ears added...and this year...got a spritz of Glimmer Mist in "Granite". He's stylin'.

If You're Going To A Masked Ball....

2010-10-13T12:28:00.002-05:00

This might be the very mask for you....

Or...if you're staying home for Halloween...it will look great on your Jack O'Lantern or Skeleton . They need costumes too. :)

It's a Witch, It's a Walnut...

2010-10-13T00:01:00.002-05:00

It's a Walnut Witch....a little Halloween Witch made from a whole walnut. Painted green, with a toothpick nose , bright orange hair and a handstitched velvety pointed hat...she's ready for all the Tricks and Treats of Halloween.

And Another.....:)

2010-09-27T23:18:00.003-05:00

A set of mini cards featuring three little Halloween pumpkins...frightening each other on Halloween night.

I Know That It's Not October....

2010-09-25T16:47:00.005-05:00

...but it's SO close...and I love making Halloween items. So here is one of my sample cards for the Halloween Happenings Class at CraftFancy on October 7th. Can't wait to show you the rest. Of course, if you were at the CraftFancy Make & Take Event today...you've seen them already! :)

It's Coming.......

2010-09-21T23:39:00.004-05:00

Halloween!

Here's a little mini notebook....paperpieced, chalked , stitched and complete with it's very own Spider....all my favorite things...for my favorite holiday.

Lists...

2010-09-21T14:30:00.002-05:00

Do you make lists to make your life easier? I do. I have lots of notebooks to make lists of things I have to do, lists of things I want to do...lists of things that I didn't finish on the last list of things to do. Lists of pretty things and places that I like to think about. Lists of pretty things that I'd like to own one day. Lists of accomplishments...lists of neglected or failed things (That's a long one)...but I'm working on taking things off of this list and putting them onto a "Completed or Successful" list. Then there are the lists of things that need to be done around the house....preferably before the whole place falls apart. There's also a gardening list, a shopping list, a sewing list, a papercrafting list, a class cutting list and a list of things to take to someone else's house. And...oh dear...the holidays are approaching...lists of grocery items and things to get ready for Thanksgiving; Christmas lists for gifts ,cards and celebrations.
I'm a little list obsessed...after all....this whole post is a list of lists. :)

Birthday Wishes.....!

2010-08-27T17:40:00.002-05:00

Happy Birthday To You!
Happy Birthday To You!
Happy Birthday Dear Marnie!
Happy Birthday To Youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!

Soft Autumn Colored Scalloped Tags...

2010-08-27T15:52:00.005-05:00

I seem to be on a tag making kick lately.........they're fun to make and there are so many ways to make them. This is a new set of tags for my Etsy shop....vintagey...in soft Autumn colors...and with ribbon loops to attach to a package.

Nature and Gifts....

2010-08-24T11:49:00.003-05:00

You gotta love Nature...it's always giving us gifts. One generous animal must have found this in our neighbor's pond...proceeded to eat what was in it...and then left the evidence behind our front hedge. And my neighbor Chris was just saying that she hadn't seen the turtle recently.......

Travel Tags...

2010-08-23T12:24:00.004-05:00

Another set of tags...this one with a travel theme. Half of the tags have cars, boats or an airplane as an embellishment. The other tags have a travel word raised and matted as embellishments. I loved all of the background travel words on these tags...but especially "Lost". :)

A Post!

2010-08-22T23:06:00.004-05:00

After another round of family disasters....not to mention a full moon and Mercury in retrograde ( Look it up) I'm back again to post on my blog...it's good to be here.
I have been working on things at odd times of the night and day...so I'm getting things accomplished...it's relaxing and makes me happy :)

Here is one of the new tag sets that I've done...soft vintagey colors on a chipboard based kraft colored tag. Each tag is embellished with a handmade floral print paper flower and soft green and cream striped ribbon.

Hmmm...I do have a Blog!

2010-08-01T16:10:00.003-05:00

Unfortunately that is something I forget every so often....so while I'm remembering... I'll show you some recent cards that I've been meaning to upload.

The first one is the July CARS group card...the theme for July was "Irreverent" Stamps. For a Christmas card...you can't get a whole lot more irreverent than "Jingle your own damn bells!". I love the handstamped and copic colored reindeer...and the sentiment is something that I know I'd say about a week before Christmas when there's too much to do and not enough time to do it in.

Such Bright Colors....

2010-07-19T06:30:00.006-05:00

...you just might need shades.

This is a card and tag set made with K & Co's Wild Saffron...a lot brighter in color than the last card and tag set that I made.

Nice to have such variety in one group of paper...

More K & Co....

2010-07-18T08:32:00.003-05:00

When I find paper I like....I use it over and over again. Here are the matching tags to the card made from the Wild Saffron paper pad by K & Co.

These were soft and gentle looking....but the next set of items made from the same Wild Saffron are really bright!

A New Card...

2010-07-17T00:38:00.004-05:00

I found some K& Co. paper hiding in my scraproom...such wonderful colors and patterns. Even though I was supposed to be doing something else...I couldn't help but put some of them together for cards and tag sets. It's funny, when you find paper and embellishments that you love...putting them together seems to take no time at all. I wound up doing two cards and four tag sets....:)

Just uploaded this card to my Etsy Shop...I loved the mix of patterns and the soft color. There is a set of tags that match it...but it's getting late so I'll upload those tomorrow.

If You're Feeling Blue.....

2010-06-21T23:16:00.001-05:00

....try painting yourself a different color.

That's the sentiment on this card...it made me smile...but it is true.

A Special Message For All Dads..........!

2010-06-20T18:36:00.003-05:00

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY !!!!!

Seed Packet Tags....

2010-06-17T14:59:00.005-05:00

A few of the tags from the CraftFancy "Seed Packet Tag" Class...some of my favorite things to make. I had a great time choosing the different brightly colored seed packets...and I love matching the paper pieced topper to whatever the seed packet contains.

These tags are great to attach to a special gift...or as a little gift in themselves. Perfect for shower favors and teacher gifts.

The Wedding Cake Card...

2010-06-14T22:18:00.002-05:00

The last of the Wedding Cards...the Wedding Cake!

The cake was made using Nestibilities and Martha Stewart punches.

The Rings....

2010-06-13T00:19:00.004-05:00

Card number three of the Wedding Card Class...

This one features the engagement ring and the wedding band...both are made of gold foil cardstock... so they're shiny and bright.

Wedding Bells Card

2010-06-10T21:18:00.004-05:00

The second Wedding Card.

Wedding Bells are ringing......of course these bells are paper pieced...so they're not making much noise. The flowers are made with the Tim Holtz "Tattered Florals" Die.

Wedding Card Class At Craft Fancy....

2010-06-09T15:44:00.005-05:00

Today was my Wedding Card Class at Craft Fancy...and it went very well...the ladies did an excellent job recreating the cards.

This is the first card...a newly married couple parked in their little car under the glittering full moon.

If you look very closely...you can see the netting of her veil.

A New Upload To The Checkerd Rabbit Shop...

2010-06-03T13:15:00.001-05:00

New mini notecards...Swirls and Pearls.

I Missed My Blog....

2010-06-02T19:12:00.003-05:00

I've been away from my blog for a long time....I missed it...a lot. A whole bunch of stuff kept me away...most of it not very good stuff...but things are much better now. Life is sort of on an even keel...and I hope it stays that way.
Now I can blog more...when I remember. You all know my thought processes.
A. I must blog.
B. I'm going to blog.
C. Turning on the computer.
D. Computer on...warmed up...right at Blogger.
E. Ooooo look...there's the piece of patterned paper I was looking for...now where's
the cardstock that matches it. It must be in the other room.................................

See you all soon. :)

Just A Little Bit More Easter...

2010-04-07T16:50:00.004-05:00

We usually have an Easter Egg hunt for my grandaughters every year...and yes they're not little bitty girls anymore...but if I would still like to go hunting for eggs...and I would...I think that just maybe they will too. (I did ask Jennifer if they still wanted to...just to be sure :) ) Anyway,

last week's egg hunt was cancelled because of several things...so the annual egg hunt will be this Sunday in my backyard. Let's hope that we don't have tornadoes, 100 degree heat or snow on that day. Let's face it...we live in the Chicago area...and in April we could any of those or several other mixed versions of weather. Here are three photos of one chilly Easter egg hunt about two years ago: One shows you what the well dressed egg hunter (Andrea) wears in the snow. Another shows a wooden Easter Bunny on a sled in the middle of the yard full of snow. And one more shows me...uh...gracefully hanging eggs on the crabapple tree in my backyard. I was trying not to make too many footprints in the fresh snow. (Didn't want to ruin the photo opportunities)

Coloring Eggs...and Other Easter Stuff...

2010-04-02T10:09:00.006-05:00

We're waiting for the doctor to call back...Jim is allergic to the meds he was given. You know how long it takes for anyone to call back from a doctor's office while you're waiting? It feels like forever. So while I'm not-so-patiently waiting....I'm going to color Easter Eggs. (I've already cleaned the bathrooms and the kitchen floor...I've got a little nervous energy.)

Coloring eggs has lost some of it's appeal to me with no little kids to help...but I like the bright colors...it's a fun mess to make...and I can always make egg salad out of the result.

In Your Easter Bonnet...........

2010-03-15T15:55:00.004-05:00

While I was getting ready for my Easter/Spring Card Class...I made this card featuring a new Easter bonnet on a mannequin head. I liked the colors and the hat...but I need a sentiment for the front of the card...any ideas?

Let Sleeping Fairies lie.....

2010-03-15T15:45:00.004-05:00

The C.A.R.S. group met last thursday at Craft Fancy...the theme for the card swap this month was "Fantasy" and this is my card for the swap.
I hope that you like it...but please be very quiet....you wouldn't want to wake the little fairy sleeping in the center of the flower now...would you? There's nothing worse than a cranky flower fairy.....

The Other Two Gift Card Holders....

2010-03-07T16:01:00.003-06:00

Ireally want to show you the other two gift card holders...and I better do it now while my computer is not fighting me tooth and nail.

Great Gift Card Holders!

2010-03-06T17:14:00.006-06:00

Today at Craft Fancy was my class called "Great Gift Card Holders"....small paper wallets to hold a gift card for special occasions. We did four of them in the two hour class...each of them very finely detailed....a bunny sitting in a pile of Easter eggs...a tree hung with Easter eggs...a small chicken sitting on a huge egg...and the last one was a wedding gift card holder with a flowered and glittered wedding cake. Despite the number of tiny pieces involved in each card...I think that everyone in the class had fun and they did a wonderful job on the cards. Here are two of the gift card holders that we made. I'll show the other two tomorrow. (Of course...my computer is actually working right now...so maybe I'll show the other two cards later tonight!)

Bunnies...Lots of Bunnies!

2010-03-01T23:46:00.002-06:00

It's no secret that I like rabbits....I own one (Or rather, she owns me). I guess, because I like them so much...I buy a lot of rabbit stuff. I have one t-shirt with a rabbit on the front that's been loved to death...it's so old and fragile...I can't wear it anymore...I'm afraid it will fall apart. Over the years, I've been given straw rabbits, china rabbits, glass rabbits, stuffed rabbits (Toys, not real ones), rabbit shaped cookies, rabbit shaped pasta and last week Marnie bought me some rabbit shaped cheese crackers and pretzel mix (I haven't eaten the crackers yet, but the pretzel mix was really good!

So...it's kind of natural that when the Easter season comes around...it's the perfect time for me to start making things featuring rabbits. Here's the first of so many rabbits.....:)

Spring Is Coming...Really!

2010-02-25T09:00:00.001-06:00

I know it's hard to believe when you look out the window and it's snowing...again...but Spring isn't very far away. So I made some bright Spring green tags for my Etsy shop...with tiny little yellow chicks on them.....can't get too much "Springier" than that!

Just a Few More Flowers....

2010-02-23T23:54:00.005-06:00

These cards were from the February Japanese Flower Card class at Craft Fancy. Wonderful, deep rich lilacs, peachy pinks and gold.

February Japanese Paper Quilting Class

2010-02-21T12:41:00.006-06:00

I forgot to post the cards (Once I finally got them completed...I was in slow motion this month :) )for the February Japanese Paper Quilting Class at Craft Fancy. The class went well...every one of the women did a wonderful job on her cards. Here are photos of three of the four cards made in the class .

More "Le Romantique" Cards...

2010-02-20T16:35:00.006-06:00

I love any paper line that turns creativity loose...Graphic 45'sLe Romantique does just that. The colors are beautifully soft, with just enough blacks and browns to make them pop. I am now a firm lover of creating vintage styled cards! Here are two new samples that I made.

Craft Fancy & Graphic 45...

2010-02-19T22:46:00.008-06:00

We have the new Graphic 45 paper at Craft Fancy...beautiful and dramatic double sided paper. I've loved every line that they've made and the new ones are no exception. Here are two of the sample cards that are on display in the store. I love vintage; but I never thought that I did it well. The papers from the Le Romantique Line make it so easy ...once I got started...it was hard to stop. I'll have more to show you tomorrow.

Two More....

2010-02-11T01:20:00.005-06:00

Two more of the washi paper flower cards.....from January's class.

I'm behind in making February's cards...only half are done right now. I'm getting caught up slowly but surely!

Another Floral Washi Paper Card...

2010-02-09T17:51:00.003-06:00

This is one of the samples from the January Japanese Floral Art Card Class at Craft Fancy.... each person in the class created cards featuring four different Washi Paper Flowers and received a pattern for a fifth flower. This card shows the flower made from the fifth pattern that I designed.

It's Been A While....

2010-01-25T23:15:00.006-06:00

I keep forgetting to post on my blog...I'm sorry. The less I come here...the less you come here. It's no fun to blog to no one. I miss you...and I'll keep coming here if you do.

I've been teaching more classes at Craft Fancy...Japanese Floral Art Cards, Japanese Paper Quilting and a class making Gift Card Holders. The ladies in the classes are wonderful...every one of them makes me feel good about the things I'm showing them. It makes me understand why people want to become teachers. No one could possibly call me a great teacher...but I'm learning more with each class. I've posted a few samples from the Japanese Paper Quilting Class...I love making these.

Japanese Floral Art Cards...

2010-01-11T01:04:00.004-06:00

The Japanese Floral Art Card Class is one of the first classes that I'll be teaching at Craft Fancy. It's really exciting for me...and the Washi Paper flowers that will be made in the class are beautiful.

Here's a quick look at one of the sample cards for the class...

Checking Things Off The List....

2010-01-07T22:27:00.004-06:00

I'm a list maker...I always have been. Right now I have six different lists of things that I'm working on getting done. There is never an end to the lists...as soon as I check a few things off...there are more things added to them. I've just finished some new tags for The Checkerd Rabbit..and checked them off of my list. Then I promptly added five new things that I wanted to do.

Sometimes the list makes me feel like I'm accomplishing something...and sometimes it just makes me feel like there's never an end to it. What I really like is reading my old lists that I find every once in a while...it's like reading a diary.

Here are some of the new tags that I made and put into my shop...simple tags but I like the soft colors.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T01:13:00.002-06:00

I'm not a good blogger. I forget to blog or I'll get busy and not get a chance to blog...and...sometimes I don't think that I have anything to say that anyone wants to hear....but I do have something to say today.
I'd like to wish everyone reading this a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year...with good friends, laughter and love in your life. Happy 2010!

Santa's Going To Be Here Soon.....!

2009-12-20T16:08:00.002-06:00

The tree is up (Well...most of them are...mine is up but naked), carols are playing, shopping is almost done and presents are wrapped...Christmas is almost here. I've got the menu planned for Christmas dinner and the house is in the process of being thoroughly cleaned. Just a few more items on my to do list and I'll be ready for the holiday.

Here is one of the cards that I made when I had some free time...(I believe that was in October :) ) At that time...I was very excited about Christmas and Santa coming.

Kick Off Your Shoes And Relax...

2009-12-14T00:26:00.003-06:00

Of course...these shoes may not be your exact size...but they do look like they might be comfortable.

The original pattern for this gym shoe card came from Papercrafts magazine. I had seen an ad for the next issue of the magazine and this gym shoe was on the cover. I fell in love with it and wanted to make it for a card swap...but the issue wasn't coming out for another week or two...so I made my own pattern.

I love the metal eyelets and the ribbon laces...and the shoes are really cute using any pattern of paper...in any color...for any holiday!

A Candy Cane A Day Keeps Santa On His Way....

2009-12-07T14:37:00.003-06:00

That's what it says on the little scalloped card attached to this Candy Cane Christmas Tree Ornament. The Candy Cane is 5 inches long...and is covered on both sides with glowing foil paper stripes. Red ribbon embellishments and a jingle bell add a little "Fluff" to the ornament. This will be cute on the tree...but would look great used as a tag too.

So Ugly...They're Cute!

2009-12-05T14:04:00.003-06:00

These are quirky Christmas Santas...made of walnuts. They're odd, funny, and kind of homely...but I still think they're cute. What do you think?....Honestly? Think about it and let me know...I'm going to figure out something for dinner!

Rudolph and Friend...

2009-12-04T06:42:00.002-06:00

I love reindeer...elegant, funny, cute or just plain goofy...no matter how they're displayed...I love 'em. I was thrilled a couple of years ago when a real one came running through my back yard...the first time in about 20 years.

So...because reindeer are some of my favorite creatures...I made these bright reindeer tags...complete with jingle bells. (And using BoBunny double dots paper...another of my favorites!)

Winter Snowfall Tags....

2009-11-28T23:13:00.003-06:00

I bought a 12x12 sheet of wonderful Winter paper at CraftFancy....almost the last sheet of this design available at the store. Hoarded it for a bit and then made these tags. While I love the little tags...I'm really sorry that I don't have my beautiful paper in one whole piece anymore....sigh...the problems of a paper hoarder.

Turkey Tags....

2009-11-02T18:00:00.005-06:00

Two little turkeys...sitting on tags...just waiting to be invited over to your house for Thanksgiving dinner...:) :):)

Lil' Pumpkins and Real Pumpkins...

2009-10-22T22:24:00.002-05:00

I love Halloween. I know, you've heard that already...but I love the colors, the excitement, the chill in the air, costumes , lights, laughter, candy, witches, bats, ghosts and pumpkins. I hate when it ends.

Here's a photo of Morgan and Andie with their pumpkins last year....the two little ones in the back are the girls...:)

Nutty Pumpkins....

2009-10-21T16:54:00.005-05:00

I used to have a booth in one of the Country Sampler stores. I made patchwork sweatshirts and patchwork wallhangings...but while those sold well...my best selling items were...walnuts! Odd isn't it? Painted and embellished little figures made of walnuts for different holidays....pumpkins, witches, bats and ghosts for Halloween...snowmen, santas, reindeer and Christmas trees for Christmas....snowmen with hearts and doves for Valentine's Day. I had them for every holiday...and then some. Teapots, goldfish, cardinals, bunnies, Easter Eggs....I made those too. They called me the walnut lady....and waited for them to appear in my shop. "Snicker"....my first brush with fame! :):):)

You Have To See This!

2009-10-21T08:35:00.010-05:00

After recently selling a Halloween Mask...the very nice woman who bought it sent me a message with a link to a photo with the mask in it.

You HAVE to see this... it's perfect for Halloween! Here's the link to her blog called I Craft. She has some absolutely wonderful Halloween items displayed in it...I fell in love with all of them. http://eyecraft.blogspot.com/

A Rainy October Day....

2009-10-15T11:18:00.005-05:00

Today it's been raining on and off and has been for the last few days...I'm looking forward to having maybe one more "Nice" day before the really cold weather starts to set in. To cheer myself up this past week and a half...I've been working on Halloween cards...it's hard to be gloomy when you're working with the colors of Halloween!

These fourteen cards were made for the C.A.R.S.

group meeting that meets every month at the Craft Fancy Store in Arlington Heights,IL. Each person in the group makes 14 cards ,tags or fun items...and each person goes home with a wonderful assortment of handcrafted items. This months theme was to use googly eyes on your project. I made witch cards and used the OddBirdPlanet stamp "You've got me spellbound".

Masquerade!

2009-10-08T21:07:00.003-05:00

Are you ready for Halloween?

Here are three pretty little masks to get you into Trick Or Treat mode.

Made of chipboard, covered with patterned paper, punched edgings, handmade paper flowers and a bat. He's in the center of the black flower on the swirly mask...you can see his little eyes glowing). I added narrow grosgrain ribbon for ties.

I think these masks would also make a wonderful addition to a 12x12 layout....or to be used as table favors for a Halloween gala!

World Cardmaking Day OddBirdPlanet Blog Hop.....

2009-10-02T18:45:00.019-05:00

Happy World Cardmaking Day!

Travel your way through the blogs of OBP Design Team members...each one will have a fun and creative challenge posted for you.

It's simple: Starting at 6 a.m. PDT today... October 3rd....go to the first blog in the list below...complete the challenge, post a link back to your blog or gallery so that we can all see the wonderful work you've done with that challenge...and then go on to the next blog. Each blog will have the link to the next...and a list of all the blogs. The challenge ends on Sunday at 6am PDT, so you have 24 hours to complete the challenge. Here's a link to Johanna's OddBirdPlanet Blog for even more details. You can also chat and share your completed projects at Odd Bird Planeteer's Flickr Group.

And...for every challenge you complete and post...you'll be entered in a drawing for some great prizes. Johanna of OddBirdPlanet Stamps is offering an amazing Ala Tarte Halloween Kit for a US winner or... a $50.00 gift certificate for an international winner....both absolutely wonderful prizes!

My blog challenge for you is.....To use chipboard on your card or tag....alphabet letters, basic shapes, swirls, dots, flowers, animals, chipboard buttons...any of them is fine...just have fun.

My chipboard sample is a tag created from chipboard, die cut using a Nestabilities Die, covered with patterned paper on both sides and then embellished using OBP stamps and chipboard buttons. I also used chipboard under the haunted paper bag to give it a little dimension. The Odd Bird Planet Stamps used :

Things that go bump in the night Teresa's Bag EeekFlourish Karrie's Theo Owl

Here is the list of OBP Blogs for you to get started.....don't forget to come back to each blog to post your link to your completed project...we can't wait to see them! Enjoy your blog hop!

Godelieve

Dianne This is where you are now.

Karrie This is your next blog stop!