more baskets.

Remember these baskets I started working on way back? Well I finally got them totally finished.Hopefully all of the girls will enjoy them. They work perfectly with the miniature bottles from Bath and Body Works. I will say these aren't the easiest to put together, but they certainly cute.

Paper: Bashful Blue, So Saffron, whisper White, Cosmo Cricket
Ink: Bashful Blue

Kwerner Color Inspiration #50

So I finally got some quality time with my craft room, always nice. So I decided to tackle the much anticipated 50th Kwerner color challenge. Here was the colors she gave us (click on the image to see the other participates):I started with these great birds from a stamp set by The Paper Studio and I went from there. Man, was there a lot of cutting with this. I just couldn't seem to stop! I will say that this card is full of texture and dimension - two things I love. Stamp: Birds set Paper Studio, Inkadinkadoo alpha, Birdcage My Cute Stamps
Ink: Colorbox Yellow, Chocolate Chip, Tempting Turquoise
Paper: My Minds Eye (Brown); Stampers Select White, Real Red
Ribbon: Tempting Turquoise Ribbon

it's STILL hot in here.

In other words I don't have anything craft to show you tonight! My craft room seems super uninviting when it involves walking up into the heat. Chase and I camped out downstairs where it was nice a cool all night. We did get some stuff done. We shopped for some outdoor tile, hung a blind that I had to special order, and got a good bike ride in.

So no card, but I do have a funny story. Today several of my friends from work went out to lunch to celebrate Mary Anna's birthday. Now if you are keeping track you might be thinking, "Is it still her birthday?" Well, yea kind of. This was actually the first date that worked for everyone to go out so HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAB. So off we go. Now, can I add that this isn't a group that normally goes out to lunch together. This is a group that consists of Mary Anna's team (including her boss) and some friends. On our way out we are talking about where we are eating (Calypso Cafe in case you war wondering, so good), and I am deep in thought conveying what my husband Chase normally orders to Mary Anna's boss when WHAM! Yep, I ran into the wall. Yea, the wall. I guess technically it was door frame, but it was a large door frame. Just ran into it. I'm telling you the heat is getting to me here. I need a How I Met Your Mother type intervention (speaking of do you watch that show, I think it's HILARIOUS but I can never find anyone else who watches). It was pretty embarrassing, but so ridiculous that all I really could do was laugh. I hope you are laughing too, because let's admit it when someone runs into a wall when they aren't looking is funny.

I'm off to read Mansfield part and pretend that that it's nice and cool.

it's hot in here.

No seriously, it's like 85 degrees in my house right now and it's 9:30. Let me explain. Last night Chase and I went to bed. After laying there a second I kept hearing this clicking noise. We had our fan on so I assumed it was something being knocked against the wall by the fan. So I asked Chase to please figure out what it was. Well, he kindly reached over to his nightstand, but not finding anything he reached down to the floor. Here's how the next part of the conversation went:

Chase: Oh no.
Courtney: What?
Chase: Did you spill something?
Courtney: What? No.
Chase: The floor is wet.

We proceed to get out of bed and start to check out our room to try to figure out where the water is coming from. Everything looks good though. BUT THEN... we went out to the other side of the wall... um yea water. Chase climbs up into the attic and says:

Chase: Courtney what did you do up here?
Courtney: huh? What? Nothing, I've only been up there one time EVER. (I'm afraid of heights and I hate ladders).
Chase: It look like some one killed our HVAC.

So yea, no ac here. It's hot too, and we can't really open the windows because my allergies are awful right now. Thankfully it looks like we will only have to endure one night of this.

Well, when I am hot, I seem to be frustrated pretty easily. Keep that in mind when you see this card:I used a new stamp set. I'm really not happy with how it is stamped (even after sanding), but I'm hoping that gets better. Isn't that owl cute. Totally not my "normal" style.

I did cut out and add some dimension with the leaves.

Stamp: The Paper Studio
Paper: Stamper's Select White, Cosomo Cricket
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Ripe Avacado
Thickers and Basic Grey Buttons

Papertrey Blog Hop!

It's that time again... another Paper Trey Ink Blog Hop. This month was to use one of Lauren's Timeless Templates. Just in case you aren't familiar check them out here.

I have a few of these (here's some links to some other examples: here, and here). I chose to do another basket. I wanted to make it come up with some ways for it to not look Eastery.

Chase and I have been at a marriage conference at church all day today, so I didn't have a ton of time to get super creative with this one. I did try to do a pretty modern feel to it. I have no idea who I'll give this too, but I think it would be cute with just a gift card inside!Stamps: Life
Paper: Bashful Blue, Stamper's Select White
Ink: Versa Magic Black, Blue Bayou; Black Stazon
Vintage Black Button, and Black Saddle Stitch

new paper.

Well, I'm sick. Actually I think it's just my allergies, but I woke up this morning and I felt awful. So I took my first sick day since I've been at Lifeway and I hated doing it. I kind of liked having a long streak of no sick days. Plus, I hate laying around all day (I know I'm weird). So far today I've slept 13 hours last night and another 3 today. I'm hoping another round of meds will make it possible for me to sleep again tonight.

I did make this card a few nights ago and wanted to share. I got in some new buttons from Papertrey Ink and some new Hibiscus Burst paper. I'm not a big fan of pink, but I do like this color okay.
Stamps: Friends Til The End
Paper: Patterened Paper Cosmo Cricket, Hibiscus Burst, Ripe Avocado, Naturals Ivory
Ink: Ripe Avacodo
Ribbon: Hibiscus Burst
Buttons: PTI
Ranger Glossy Accents

On another note, sweet Lynnette, wrote some sweet things about my blog on her blog (thank you). It kind of made me reminisce about how much I've learned while crafting. I've always said that creativity takes practice. The more you do it, the better you get.

For example, I made this card almost exactly three years ago. It's not a bad card at all, but when I look at it I can see how my style and creativity have developed over just a few short years. All that to say that if you doing anything creative (or want to), continue to practice. I know I'm still striving too!

a MANLY card.

First up, I rode seven miles on my bike yesterday. That probably does not sound like a lot to riders, but I promise we did 10 major hills. Hills kill. I did enjoy the time with my husband, and the fact that he was proud of me for adding two miles on my fourth real ride (Chase did 25 miles Saturday so he's practically a pro... um but he did fall over again...shhh... don't tell that I told).

I also have an official announcement. I am now officially an adult. I know I don't really feel like one, but this week Chase and I met with our accountant and will be refinancing our house. Those two things make you an official adult (just in case you were wondering).

I do have a card to share. I'm not a big fan of manly cards. It's mainly because I feel so limited, so it's always a challenge. Here's what I came up with using Men of Life from Papertrey Ink.What I do love about this card is that I figured out a way to use a button and ribbon. Well, it's hemp but that counts right. My favorite part is the braided hemp. I think it adds a fun touch.

Stamps: Men of Life
Paper: Kraft, Not Quite Navy, Chcolate Chip, Stamper's Select White, Old Olive
Ink: Close to Cocoa, Not Quite Navy, White Craft
Hemp and a Basic Grey Button

monkey bread.

Yesterday we celebrated Amy's birthday at work. We tend to celebrate with a very large breakfast, and if you ask me there is nothing better than starting off the week with a big breakfast. My contribution was monkey bread.

I've been helping Chase with school so I thought this would be a great opportunity to share this favorite recipe:

3 cans refrigerator biscuits
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed

Cut each biscuit into 4 pieces. Pour sugar and cinnamon into a bowl and mix.
Add biscuit pieces, several at a time; coat well.
Place pieces in a buttered Bundt pan until all are used.
Bring remaining brown sugar and butter to a boil in saucepan. Cool 10 minutes, then pour over top of biscuits.
Bake at 350F for 30 minutes. Allow to cool 15 minutes before removing from pan. Turn upside down to serve.
I did not get a picture of the right side up version because I transported it to work in the bundt pan.

I can actually remember the first time my college roommate Kate made this for our dorm room. It is super yummy. Try it out and let me know what you think.

CPS card.

Last Thursday we all celebrated Mary Anna's birthday and put together our goody bags for the homeless.I have to admit that I did not finish all of my 28 cards. I believe I only got 15 done. I probably need to start mass producing at this point, but after checking out the card position system sketch I had to make another unique card. Here's the sketch: Of course I had to change the sketch to be a 3x3, but I love the cuteness factor!
The buttons are of course my favorite part. Here's what I used:

Stamp: Friends Til' The End (PTI)
Paper: Kraft cardstock; Grandma's Kitchen (We R Memory Keepers)
Buttons: Vintage White & Cream (PTI)
Hemp

One of the top 10 of 2009.

I always hope that I like the things I make, but let's be honest sometimes I'm not. Or sometimes I make a card, like it just fine, but it's just not really my style. Am I the only one like this? But every once in awhile there are those cards that I just LOVE. So far this year I've had a few of those cards, but this was one of them. I like the style, colors, uniqueness... it's just me.
There was a lot of cutting with this card, and that actually brings me to a tip I wanted to share. Every once in awhile someone asks me about how I cut these intricate shapes, and I always say slowly! I also, use my non-scissor holding hand to move the paper along. My last tip, is really on how to hide your mistakes. I don't think I've ever cut anything out and had it be 100% perfect. I do always take time to critically look at my piece before I glue it. I don't know about you, but that drive me CRAZY to see mistakes after you've put it together.

Lastly, when I cut out a piece, I will ink up the edges if I didn't cut it perfectly. For example to two little flowers in the card above, I used the orange or tempting turquoise to cover any white I left behind. Here's another example from the 3x3 cards I made last week:This little sentiment was cut out of a sheet from Cosmo Cricket. Because the surrounding paper was purple, and I had missed a few tiny places I just inked up the edges with purple! Works like a charm.

Thanks for stopping by.

Stamps: Life
Paper: Basic Black, Pumpkin Pie, Tempting Turquoise, White
Ribbon: Black Saddle Stitch
Ink: VersaMagic Midnight Black

what have you read lately?

Wow, I'm worn out. Chase and I had a pretty busy day. We woke up at 6 to head to Jeremy and Emily's for our yard sale. Then I came home, vacuumed and washed my car, cleaned the house, washed clothes. Then, Chase and I created a flower bed in the back of the house, took a trip to Lowes and added some color to our front landscaping. 6 am seems so long ago.

I did decide to wind down with a little project. A year ago I realized that I couldn't remember some of the books I had read over the years. Sometimes I could remember a story line, but I would have no idea what the titles was. I decided it was time to keep track on my reading. So I purchased this cute little notebook from target:After each book I read I write the title in the book, the author, and my thoughts on the book:I decided today, that it's time to make this cute book even cuter, and what better to use than Damask Designs. I taped off the cute black cloth and stamped with craft white. I also added my own handwriting, and some inked edges. I also added some faux black stitches. Then last, but not least, I added a HUGE black vintage button and some SU! organza ribbon to the black strap. So cute.
I think I'm off to watch a movie and just sit. Have a good night!

more 3x3 cards.

I'm still churning out the 3x3 cards for Mary Anna's party. At this point I only have 15 done. I could mass produce the rest of the cards, but I really want them all to be cute and original.

Here's my latest bunch:I think my favorite idea that I had from these cards was the row of buttons I sewed onto the front of the card. I think I'll have to try it out on a A4 card.

Pattern Paper: Cosmo Cricket
Cardstock: Stampers Select White, Basic Grey, More Mustard
Prima Flower, Buttons, Twine

my new coat tree.

This weekend my friend Emily and I took a trip to Lebanon for some shoes. We didn't come home with any shoes, but I did find a great ladder at one of the antique stores. I wish I would have taken a picture of it's rustic goodness, but I just got too excited. I spray painted the ladder black to go with my color scheme, roughed it back up, and added some hooks. I wish you could see all the texture from the original paint under it... I love it. Here's the finished product:
We have people over a lot and my goal was just to have a place for people to hang their jackets/purses. Here's my breakdown of cost:

Ladder: $24
Hooks: $10
Paint: $4

Not too bad for $38. I moved the 'B' from my upstairs shelf. I'm hoping to look for something original to hang on it soon.

guest star stamper.

I decided to participate in Papertrey Ink's Guest Star Stamper challenge. Also, since I have 28, 3x3 cards I decided to combine the two.
I used Tempting Turquoise, More Mustard, Basic Grey, and Plum on Stamper's Select White. I love how the combination of Damask Designs and the original guidelines work together. I also used my matching markers to add some interest to the designs. And of course, since I can't make anything without a button, I added a vintage white button from PTI. I also added stickles.

I think my favorite is the far right card. I might have to make that in a full size version.

Is anyone planning on making a Papertrey Ink purchase this month? I'd love to know what everyone is planning on getting! I know I want some new.... yea go ahead and guess... buttons.

my beautiful disaster.

Next Saturday I will be participating in my first neighborhood yard sale. Because I love to throw stuff away I don't have a ton to sale, but I think the experience will be so fun. In an attempt to get organized early I took a trip to the attic. The attic entrance is right above this:On my way down with a box of yard sale goodies, my elbow caught the edge of the shelf... and there is goes. Not only did it fall but it gashed my wall and baseboard, and left an array of marks on the wall.

I took a deep breath, and started to clean it all up. I got it completely up and... yep you guessed it, it all came down AGAIN. So frustrating.... but even laying on the floor it was pretty.

I did work on another project over the weekend. I'll post pictures tomorrow!

for Mary Anna.

***EDIT*** I just got this lovely comment from Mary Anna:

"My own blog post! Ahhhhh! How special do I feel?!?! Thank you dear friend. I think those cards are beautiful and I think it will make the unloved feel loved. However, I will make one teensy comment---We're doing 28 bags, not ten (one for every year of my life). ;)"

Well dang. I better get to work, and apparently I need to read better. These might become simpler 3x3 cards.

Original Post:

Wow, this has been quite the morning. Actually it's been so eventful I might post about it tomorrow. Actually, I'm so frustrated at the moment, that I think I could be removed from the situation a day before I can write about it and not sound crazy! :)

So to relieve a little frustration I decided to work on a very worthy cause. My friend Mary Anna's birthday is tomorrow, happy birthday friend. Her party is Thursday night and she came up with this fabulous idea for a party. Mary Anna is one of the few people I know... maybe the only... that would rather you give her gift to someone in need of a gift rather than to her. So for her birthday she decided to ask all of her friends to bring 10 items (non-perishable food, toothpaste, etc) to her party on Thursday. With those items she is going to make 10 packs to give away to homeless people in Nashville. This is just Mary Anna, she's good like that...

I decided that any pack that's going to a homeless person needs a hand-made card. It's my love language right? I also wanted to make cards that I thought Mary Anna herself would like. If there is one thing I do know about Mary Anna it's that she loves color and patterns. Here's what I came but with....
I'm not sure a homeless person will really appreciate the busy bee one, so I'll probably pull that one out, but isn't it cute? All of the paper and sentiments are from Cosmo Crickets new lines (don't you just love it). I used Stamper's Select White for the card base, and some random ribbon to finish them off.

Kwerner Color Inspiration #49

Check out these colors:
I love them! Sometimes that's actually a bad thing, but I love the way it turned out:

I started off with the grid paper by Cosmo Cricket - Love it. I added a little interest to the pacific point background with Friends 'Til The End. I finished it off with some thickers, a touch of rasberry fizz, a vintage white button and that gorgeous Papertrey Ink ribbon!


I'm off to go shoe shopping with my friend Emily!

Christmas in April?

I know, it's spring now, and I should not be thinking Christmas! But I am or was. A couple of weeks ago I decided to whip up a Christmas card. Mainly I wanted to use the color combo, and it just seemed like it would make a great Christmas card. I actually think it would be funny to send a Christmas card this time of year. I know my friend Mary Anna would laugh, so would my mom.... I could be on to something here.

Stamps: Merry & Bright

Cardstock: Kraft, Real Red, Tempting Turquoise ; Stamper’s Select White

Ink: Whisper White Pigment Ink; Lipstick Red Fluid Chalk

Ribbon: Fresh Snow Satin; Hemp

I do love all of those scallops.

April 7, 2009 - 1 Christmas Card Down.

weekend decorating.

I went on a little shopping spree this weekend to TJ Maxx Home Goods. Can I just say I that store... I do love it, but actually my first find came from Ross. First of all, I really hate that store. The only reason I went in was to check out some shells and baskets!

My latest Pottery Barn catalog had this great boat in it:It's $200 at Pottery Barn, and it's gorgeous. I love it, but I'm not going to pay $200 for it. So as I walk in to Ross I spot this:
I thought it would look great on our old door desk in the "man room." I'm sure it's not as nice as the one in Pottery Barn or as "worn," but check out the price:
My second find came from Home Goods. Awhile back I saw this picture on Layla's blog and LOVED it:
I knew I wanted to do something with the same kind of colors/feel. I found this great shelf and went from there (this picture is awful but it's so yucky here): I'm going to lose one of the Bs but I can't decide which one I like.

My last little project was to find something to hang on our "real" coat rack in hallway going to our garage. Since it is starting to look like spring here we aren't actually using it, and it looks pretty boring without something hanging on it. So I came up with this grapevine wreath that cost all of $4: Simple but effective. Have you found any good deals this weekend? I'm looking forward to a shoe shopping trip with some friends on Friday!

2 days of color challenges.

I took on Dawn's color challenge. This is by far my favorite one I've done for her challenges! I will say when I saw these colors I was totally uninspired - all those pinks and reds. I did have to start with a kraft base.

Here's the challenge:Stamps: Life
Ink: VersaMark, Craft White
Cardstock: Kraft, Pixie Pink, Real Red (SU!), Berry Sobet (PTI)
Ribbon: Snow White (PTI); Hemp
Accessories: Ranger Embossing powder; Cuttlebug dots embossing folder