Whatever Floats Your Chicken......

You know what blogging leads to? Blogging leads to other people's blogs and those blogs lead you to new products and new products lead you to addictions and new addictions lead you to fun and fun leads you to challenges and challenges lead you back to people's blogs and, well, you get the idea...

So I'd like to quickly blame Tammy for my latest addiction because now I'm in love with yet another  blog, From The Heart's Digital Stamp of the Month Challenge (July) and my always loved Mixed Media Monthly Challenge Blog.  

I thought the progressive challenge of using this month's digital image, Inner Tube Birdbrain, with #14 Summer Days would be perfect together.

Here's how I made my faux wood mixed media Summer sign.

1.) Begin with a rectangle cut out piece of foam board from Walmart. Cut the edges real jagged and then cover it with a sheet of adhesive canvas.

 

2.)  Spread a light layer of Gesso for sealant and let dry. When dry, spread a light layer of crackle medium and let completely dry.

3.)  When crackle medium was dry, I took a ruler and drew two lines with a black pen and smudged with my finger to make lines for a faux wood sign appearance.

4.)  Pulled out the Distress paints and went to town coloring a beach scene.

5.) Colored up the challenge image with Copics and attached it to the sign. Added a layer of frantage with gold specks for a sandy beach, cut out sunglasses and flip flops on my cutting machine, painted them up and then adhered and lastly, added a jute twine for hanging. 

6.) I aged up the edges with Antique Photo DI and then sat back, took a deep breath and wished I was there! 

I loved being inspired by Summer Days Challenge with the pink flamingo. Figured this bird would be a more than adequate replacement and I loved the bejeweled glasses, so I had to add them too. The beach sign just made me think I had to create this bird's very own retreat.  Hope you like it!

  Thank you SO much for your visit. I appreciate YOU more than you know.

Hugs and happy crafting,

Lisa x

Size Doesn't Matter....

It's not true what 'they've' been saying...size really doesn't matter!

 What does matter is the thoughtfulness; which is why I decided to showcase this tiny box of 

2 1/4" x 2 1/4" x 2 1/4".   It may be little but it holds a BIG helping of thankfulness.  

This week at The Cutting Cafe Blog, the DT get to pick whatever they'd like to share and I thought you might enjoy these files that I've used above.

Tiny Box with Sentiments

Just For You Charm Set

Gift Bow

All DT projects are posted at The Cutting Cafe Blog on the 7th and 21st of each month. We'd love for you to visit and be sure to leave a comment for Regina. She selects one lucky person to receive 3 FREE files of their choice!

The Cutting Cafe Shop

Hugs and Happy Crafting,

Lisa x

Remember When......

 Remember when you couldn't wait to grow up?!  

It was like wearing a badge of pride when you said,  "I'm (this many fingers up) and a half!"  

Now I'd like to freeze time or back peddle, back peddle, back peddle..

 When I started this challenge, I had no idea where it was going; except that it had to have blue in it and mixed media elements.  Once I colored up the vintage boy/man clown, the rest is... well, driven by childhood nostalgia.

So thank you Mixed Media Card Challenge...it's been fun!

And here's my completed card.....

Here's to aging, but never quite maturing...

Hugs and Happy Crafting,

Lisa xx

Coffee Understands....

There are a few challenges happening this week and when I saw them, I knew they would be perfect together....just like coffee and cream, infused into me; via an IV line, over a period of 24/7!!

I am starting something completely NEW for me. It's like so 2001 for ya'll, I'm sure, but for me, it's brand spanking new. I'm starting a journaling book!!

No, it won't contain life altering tid bits of wisdom that I pass on to my heirs, but it will be chock-full of humorous quips that make me giggle.

So, here is my first journal page using the ever fabulous Sketch from Cardabilities and with it I have paired Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge of Coffee or Tea and Frilly and Funkie for their challenge of Something To Say.  

 

I loved the concept of humorous quotes so much, I dove right into the pages and haven't even decorated the cover yet. 

 I'll just let the muse inspire when it's ready....

Biggest of hugs to you all and Happy Crafting!

Lisa xx

Happy 4th of Christmas!!???!! ....

Hi everybody! 

It's the 4th of July here in the States, but we're celebrating Christmas at The Cutting Cafe!

It's always good to get an early start on those gift ideas and cards, seeing as there's only 174 days or roughly 14,000,000 seconds until it's here. So, how about a couple ideas to help get you inspired.

Treat Boxes

And Matching Cards

Here are all the files I've used to complete these cute gift sets:

Snowman Treat Box , Gingerbread Boy & Girl Set, Peppermint Candy Treat Box,

Snowman Family Card Sentiments, Fun With Snowflakes, and Winter Bingo Card & Sentiments.

All DT projects are posted at The Cutting Cafe Blog on the 7th and 21st of each month. We'd love for you to visit and be sure to leave a comment for Regina. She selects one lucky person to receive 3 FREE files of their choice!

Hugs and Happy Crafting,

Lisa xx

Here's the Story of a Lovely Lady....

Who was creating these very lovely kits

all of them have amazing themes, like the picture.

See the youngest one in curls...

Okay! There's absolutely no place for me to fit in a man named Brady here, so I guess that's all the humming of Brady Bunch I can do; however, the fun goes on!

My very talented friend has been making these kits for awhile and I've been ogling them from my peripheral for some time, but alas I was too afraid to buy one because I don't have the knack for assembling what I think of as true "retro flair."  

Guess what???  That didn't matter!!  She takes ALL the guess work out of it and creates a kit jam packed with more creative fun than you can imagine AND she even includes step by step directions as to how she assembles them.

I was THRILLED when Lori asked me to try one of them just to see how easy and fun it was. I couldn't believe the amazing way she packages her kits so carefully and they arrive safely and ready to play with.

So without further ado, please let me introduce you to Lori and her amazing handmade Choux Box Kits!!

Isn't she so stinking CUTE??!!!!

If you already know Lori, then you are already aware of her blog, Choux Paper Art. If you're aware of her blog, then you know she is in the rare echelon of crafters I like to call, Paper Whisperers.   

Alright, so here are the items that I received in her Embellished Envelope w/ Agnes Richardson Kids Kit.  I couldn't wait to assemble it so I forgot to count, but I believe there were roughly 26 items included just for this one kit. 

As I mentioned before, Lori gives you step by step instructions for assembling her kits and until I can truly feel 'confident' about knowing what looks 'retro' and keeping with the theme, I pretty much followed the instructions to a T.

One difference I added to her envelope was that I cut out a window on the front side of it and added a velum backing and then slid the Agnes Richardson Kids inside. On the outside of the velum window I added my own handmade witch hat. I was inspired by the little black cat and so went in sort of a Halloween direction. Still, the essence of the retro theme kept my girls cute and not scary.

I also added an orange bow for some more festivity. 

A close up...

The decorated tag and accompanying envelope that have me smiling from ear to ear.

  I was 100% satisfied with the outcome and the kit absolutely delivered on teaching me how to achieve this desired look and feel in paper crafting.  

She even adds embellishments for you to attach to the back of envelopes....how thorough is that!!

Just so you can see another sample of Lori's work, here is a photograph from one of her posts.  Aren't these stinking ADORABLE??  

This is the type of quality you can receive from the Choux Box Kits.

And just because I am in love with her blog and want to brag on her, she also has these wonderful free images she includes on so many of her regular blog posts...she's just that sweet!!

Okay, okay..just so you know. I was not paid, nor persuaded, nor tortured in a back room under a swinging lamp, until I complied, I just wanted to share with you a fabulous paper crafter and friend, who is truly making the world a more beautiful place with each piece of paper she touches AND she wants to share them with YOU!

Here's the catch....THERE IS NONE.

The Choux Box Kit Club is the easiest club you could ever join. Here's the rules:

No dues, No Minimums, Just FUN!

Please click here to find out how to receive more information on types of kits and prices.

Thank you So much for your time and visit.

I appreciate you immensely.

Biggest of hugs,

Lisa x

Happy Crafting!!

Here's To The Men!!

It's testosterone time!   

In other words....

Happy Father's Day!

If you have one in your home, you should hug them (a lot) and AND make them cupcakes!!

 Yummy, scrumptious, decadent cupcakes and then present them in a very manly-man style with the help from the ever fabulous and trendy, Cutting Cafe.

Here I've used the amazing cut files,  

Cupcake Box with Lid, Sweet Stuff, and All About Cupcakes and finished up the decorations with a tie from Shirt and Tie Cutting File.

So here's to wishing all the special men in your life a Happy Father's Day and to all the single Mommies out there too...Happy Father's Day as well. 

You all deserve applause!

Big hugs to you all and Happy Crafting,

Lisa xx

What Happens When You Feed Your Children Vegetables.....

The answer to my post title is.....They Grow Up! (and you lose your mind....)

HELLO you wonderful people whom I have been missing for what seems like forever.

Long story short.  Our daughter transferred to a new school. They added up her credits and she had so many honor classes that she qualified to graduate a year early. You'd think I'd be all like, 'YEAH', but really it was more accurately like, 'WHAT THE ....' because we found that out in April and had 3 weeks roughly to plan a graduation party and apply for college.  Needless to say I've been in a crazy place for a bit.  

So, when Regina designed this amazing product Design Team Planner Set, I knew I had to make it to help preserve what brain cells I had remaining!

It's got ALL KINDS of cool stuff that makes my life easier, like a calendar, and tabs, and pages and pages full of ways to make being on a Design Team MUCH more ORGANIZED! 

Yeah Regina! You're a life saver!!

But wait, there's more! If that's not captivating enough, you're not going to believe this Craft Supply Planner Set she also created.  Here is a picture of her book below.  

Talk about oodles and gobs of organizational pages....it's unbelievable!

She's even created a sheet to organize your Washi tape collection!

I now have peace of mind when I come into my craft room and despite all the other crazy that is floating around, at least in my little art room, I know I'm on the ball!

All of these files are available @

The Cutting Cafe

Also wanted to share that I used more files from The Cutting Cafe to bring the BIG party together.

Here is our daughter and son when they were 'wittle bitty'....

They have a wonderful relationship.

This is actually last year's family photo that is hanging on our wall. LOL! I love it :)

And here they are all growed up this year.

EEK...she's graduated!!

The table setting getting ready for the party

The Graduate Word Shaped Card Set

Grad Hat Shaped Card Set 

And do you see that little box to the right on the tree? 

That's a present box from the Little Red Wagon Box template.

Because we were already planning a Mother's Day and several birthday's party, we had to add the very special Graduation Day into it as well so it officially became the 

Happy GradMoBirThersUation Day Party!!

That is why you see the multiple randomly placed numbers, the graduation hats, the boxes for presents, the flowers for Mother's day and the hysterical Tim Holtz birds that just look plain confused, because that sums it up perfectly.

Credit goes to my wonderful blog buddy Richard for the theme inspiration (what to do when there's mass confusion)....check this out!

Anywho, I'm back now with a few less marbles than before, but I'm so excited to visit all your blogs and catch up!

Biggest of hugs to you and Happy Crafting,

Lisa xxx