From Owl of Us - New Cutting Cafe Stamps

Hello there!

Y'all know I'm gaga over the cut files at The Cutting Cafe, but now I have even more reason to be bonkers...they've added a new store and it carries STAMPS now, plus even more goodies!

Here is From Owl of Us at The Cutting Cafe Shop.

This set alone comes with  18 individual stamps and there's more sets in the shop as well. 

So please come by for a visit and see the grand opening.

All week long we'll be showcasing the versatility of the clear stamp sets, so earmark the links so you won't miss out.

Biggest of hugs and happy stamping,

Lisa xx

I would love to enter this card into Chouxchoux Paper Arts challenge of Valentine/Hearts also.

Bendy-Bendi Love....

It's 2 degrees as I type this and I've lost the sensation in my toes, but between the 3 pair of fuzzy socks and the warmth in my heart from this lovey-dovey card, I should be just fine!

Aren't they cute stealing a kiss under the street light of this wonderful Bendy-Bendi Card from 

The Cutting Cafe?  

This file comes with so many different card options and accessories, you'll be able to make bendy cards for every special occasion.  

Hey! Thanks so much for stopping by.

Hugs and happy crafting,

Lisa x

PS... Regina now has another new shop open that carries her incredible clear stamps and more.  Click here to see them. 

ALSO...my sweet pal Lori over at Chouxchoux Paper Art is hosting her third challenge on her blog and it's all about Valentine's Day and hearts and love and sappy gooey lovely stuff like that.  So, I'm in! 

A One Word Prompt....

You can call me Bird...

Well, it's not my birth name, but it's been the given nickname since I can remember and I rather like it.  Apparently I flapped my arms, like a bird would its wings, whenever I saw food and mimicked the excitement of a baby bird at feeding time.  

   

                                                   

I decided to join the year long class called Wanderlust 2016 and the first journal entry prompt was to choose one word that describes me today.        

 So bird it is..

I had a little fun with textures and the glue gun while creating these pages. I stamped both the leaves here to the right and the leaves below with Ranger Dye Ink. Now the leaves below, I colored them first with copics and gel pens.  The leaves to the right I decided to hit with glue first and then color the cooled glue.  You can see how the glue dried differently on those mediums.

  

 

Both of my kid's names begin with B's, so I've dubbed myself the "B keeper."  And that explains why they're buzzing around.

I find the longest day to be one that I don't laugh, so I try to always make time for silliness and a good belly chuckle.  Once I stamped the little ink nibs in various places, I gave myself random cues to write something.  Here's silly....  And God knows I'm trying to win t;hat 1 billion, but in reality, I don't think I really want anything to do with the insanity that would follow. So....back to journaling and laughing.

And here's something sweet....

And here's a little more texture with paste and glitter because, anything with glitter is good!

Well, that's a little peek into my Wanderlust journey and I'm so glad to have spent this time sharing it with you.  There's still time to join in the year long crafting journey. It promises to be a creative adventure.  

Until next time...

Big hugs and happy crafting,

Bird xx

Big Head on a Bike....

Hello and welcome to my brain!

Today I have a piece of mixed media art to share with you that involves elements from three separate challenges.  The concepts are: Chalkboard and Industrial, Freedom and Time Flies.

I'm incredibly late to the party for Tim Holtz's 12 Tags, like years late, but today I decided that I would see one through to the end, so let's begin with his January tag.

Above, you'll see the triple layered Industrial gears that turn the thoughts in the ol' noggin.  To add a humorous twist, I folder embossed the gears with a cobweb folder, sort of to say, it's good to challenge yourself and blow out the cobwebs occasionally.  I also have here my giant head, made by using the chalkboard method as described on the 12 Tags January challenge.

It seemed only logical that you can't have a giant head and no leg possessing structure just aimlessly floating in mid air.  Therefore, it must traverse on the most likely piece of transportation...a unicycle, of course!

Now why on earth is there a small boy on a swing dangling from gears situated nearby a pair of ballerinas?   Well, that little boy signifies the childlike state of the mind. Curiosity, creativity, silliness, innocence and playfulness.  All of these traits are fond memories generated when the adult mind's gears begin to turn.  They are what I hope the brain remembers to never forget.

The ballerinas are there to represent the ability to help the mind think differently, or to recapture those feelings or to relearn that which may have been lost or forgotten.  One ballerina has been given wings to raise his partner up so that she may turn the gears in the opposite direction. This allows for big head here to start to see things in a new way or recall back when....

Here you'll see the gears again as well as windmills, clocks and piano keys.  For me this signifies the never ending process of thinking. It's constantly churning out ideas, thoughts, concepts, goals, inspirations, enjoyment, emotions and  freedoms beyond the realm of the body.

A few closeups of the big head and inner child.

This particular sentiment was borrowed directly from Tim's blog post and I thought it fit perfectly on my project.  

And here's a little side view...

Here are the three challenges that this project was made specifically for:

Tim Holtz - 12 Tags of January (Chalkboard and Industrial Technique), The Mixed Media Monthly Challenge -Time Flies (The effects of aging and maturing and how the mind evolves from childhood

to adulthood and how that can change our perceptions and creativity),

Mixed Media Place - Freedom (The unicycle is symbolic of movement as is the swing. The wings are to reflect the ability to leave the confines of the ground, and the mind is most significant because it breaks all barriers and restraints. The mind can be your most freeing aspect.)

Thank you SO very much for stopping in for a visit.

I appreciate that and YOU!

Hugs and Happy Creating,

Lisa xx

Valentine Ornament Anyone?....

That's right...I said Valentine ornament!

I know it's crazy that we just took down the Christmas tree decorations, but over at The Cutting Cafe, the hits keep coming and the holiday festivities never stop!

So let's go see what I've made using the following cut files...

Heart Trio Card

By enlarging this heart to desired size and duplicating it twice, I was able to join the sides together and paint it black, crackle it and then paint it red. The weathered wood appearance makes this faux wooden ornament look so pretty with die cut flourishes, ribbon, berries and wire hanger.  

About 6 of these would look fabulous scattered around the Valentine tree.

Using the Heart Trio Card again, I made three different smaller ornaments and continued with the rustic, primitive look.

These hearts were different shapes and cut out from an old BINGO card for stability.

Some hearts got twine, others received moss, but each has a cute vintage sentiment, berries and bow.

For a larger table display or inside of a cabinet, I chose to use A-Z Letter Set and create my own X and O sign that I've covered with decorative cork sheets.

What's really fun about this set is that I turned the O into a shaker! 

 And finally, here are some little tags that could substitute as ornaments as well.  With the twine loop on them, the possibilities are endless.

For these I used the following:

Heart Trio Card Set and Mini Card and Envelope Set

Regina designed this file to be a tri-fold card, but by cutting down the perforated lines, I was able to make three tags/ornaments.  

Here you can see that I've lightly secured the envelope fold under a gently glued heart.  This allows for you to open the envelope and write a tiny message inside for the recipient.

Side view....

And there you have it.  

Four different and unique ideas to gift or decorate with and all of them from the fabulous files of 

The Cutting Cafe

Biggest of hugs to you and Happy Crafting,

Lisa xx

 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!

Is That a Vintage TV I See?....

 Hello, hello, hello!

It's another post for The Cutting Cafe and as you guessed, it's all about Christmas!

Regina let us pick our choice of file for this one and I couldn't resist using several, so let's get started so I can show you how to make your very own Vintage TV.

I am in love with anything vintage and when I thought of how to make a TV, I knew that if I used Regina's Configuration Box file, I could make these little ornaments come alive.

Below is the box that I used and then using my cutting machine I designed the "face" and "frame" of the TV.

Old televisions had legs and so all I used was a triangle piece that I rolled, glued, colored and sized and then adhered to the underside of the configuration box or TV.

The antenna base is a little shaving off a Styrofoam ball and a toothpick cut in half and colored black with copics for the antenna ears. The dials are just circles cut out and several layered on top of each other for depth.  The gingham bow is sporting this wonderful sentiment also from Regina's store called, Christmas Bag Topper .

And you see a little tease of that gorgeous holly that also comes from the Christmas Bag Topper.

Let's take a look at the other one now.

Now you can really see that gorgeous holly.

The Merry and Bright Sentiment is also from this set.  

And there you have it...

2 Vintage TV's (the shows playing come from The Tim Holtz Festive Ephemera Pack), but these wouldn't be possible without the incredible Configuration Box from Regina's store!

So stop on in for all your last minute Christmas needs for stock up for next year!

The Cutting Cafe

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

12 Tags of Christmas #12

I'm doing a little happy dance. I made to the end of the 12 Tags of Christmas 2015.

Here he is on display...

I drew my inspiration from Linda's 12th tag below with her use of plaids, corrugated cardboard, the holly leaves, the tag, the metal embellishment and the twine/hemp bow.

I used all of the same elements but changed up their perspective on my project. For example, the hemp is a bow on Linda's tag and it has become the edging of the sweater on my star snowman. The holly is green on hers and I've made mine a wooden texture.  Everything seems similar but used in a different way.

Here they all are together at last!

Linda has extended the contest for another week so if you are still thinking about joining in or needing a little more time, you are in luck! Also, a huge thank you goes to her store, The Funkie Junkie Boutique for supporting this challenge.

Hugs and happy crafting,

Lisa xx

12 Tags of Christmas #11

She started at number one. I blinked and good grief, here we are at number eleven already!

There's only one left but the fun keeps coming.

Here's Linda's texturaly scrumptious tag 11.

Like I said before. I love trying to duplicate Linda's style on a different medium other than a tag, but sometimes that offers up a challenge.  For example, this tag has a translucent appearance to it and trying to make fabric translucent is a task. SO, I decided I'd use one of them plastic folders you put paper reports in and use that as my star snowflake structure.

Above are the plastic stars and to the side are the products I used to achieve my duplication of textures.

Close up of the string of lights cut from the Cameo and double layered, colored and heavy powder embossed.  Happy Holidays sentiment comes from The Cutting Cafe.

The bag is very CAS with the continued theme of snowflakes.

I've since added a bow and leaf to the handle, but forgot to take a picture of it.

There you have it, number 11 and all inspired by The 12 Tags of Christmas and sponsored by Linda's store, The Funkie Junkie Boutique.

Hugs and happy crafting,

Lisa xx