Autumn days ...

I'm so glad to be back with you today, my friends.  Have you been celebrating the Autumn season?  I do hope so.  The air was cool and crisp the other night which made the bon-fire and hayride (hosted by our school) all the more enjoyable.  Our costumes are nearly complete and ready for all the Halloween festivities this weekend.  Yes, life has been hectic - I admit it was a relief to have a day to relax, unwind, and create in my craft room.

I adore these crocheted roses ... making them and using them!  So delicate and lacy, they are the perfect embellishment for a romantic look.  Using a different hook and yarn, makes this flower just the right size.  I wanted this lovely bloom to be my focal point so I used a "light hand" adding just a touch of color.

The seam binding is dyed to a soft shade of yellow and is tied in shabby loops.  Velvet leaves and decorative pins add warm hues of purple and artichoke.  You can see the greens tucked behind the rose.  My tag sweetly says "hello" with a stamp from Pennant Parade and a crown background from Artistic Etchings.  Lace and buttons complete the look.

The colors were inspired by this gorgeous collection of photos posted at Play Date Cafe.  They are celebrating their 2nd Anniversary this week.  Congratulations ladies - here's to many fabulous years to come!  Be sure to pay them a visit ... there are always wonderful projects on display from the super talented Design Team there.

It was so nice of you to stop by today ... thanks for visiting!

Comfort ...

School is back in session and everyone is settling into the new schedule.  Drop off, pick up, clubs, homework ... it feels good to have everything "click".  My children are soooo happy and naturally that makes me happy too.   I find comfort in "schedules and plans"...some of you may find that crazy thinking "where's the fun in that?".  But to me life is good when I have purpose and structure...I guess that's just me.


Pool Party  is such a lovely shade of blue.  It goes perfectly with my new favorite papers from the Domestic Goddess collection.  I've added a few of these gorgeous prints to my new Bingo Card background stamp.  Now I can create this vintage game look in any color - just add ink!

Some cardboard cut with pinking shears and brushed lightly with paint came next.  Three butterflies all cut from the same paper collection are layered with a sweet little button on top.  I used both the Butterfly Punch and Beautiful Wings.

The ribbon is dyed seam binding and I've added a decorative pin.  The tag is created with the Jewelry Tag Punch and again the little words in Pennant Parade came in handy.

Be sure to visit the ladies at The City Crafter.  Their challenge this week was to use 1 ribbon, 2 or more words, and 3 or more butterflies.   Every week there's something inspiring from Kirsty and the Design Team ... they never cease to amaze me with the challenge ideas they dream up and the projects they post.  Thanks ladies for sharing your creative talents!

And thank you too - for stopping by ...

Nice and Neutral

These past days have been wonderful.  First, a visit to the zoo brought us up close to our feathered friends when we stepped inside the new parakeet house.  Having budgies as pets at home, it was exhilarating to enter their world.  Beautiful colors flying everywhere with songs of joy filling the air ... it was magical.  Next, my daughter presented her crocheted apple sweaters (each with a bright red apple tucked inside) to her teachers ... sharing the moment with her younger brother who stepped in to give them to his teachers too.  I was so proud of her knowing how much work she put into each project.  Later, a quick visit to the bookstore to pick up the latest Somerset turned out to be more than expected.  I found a new publication "Crochet Traditions" - filled with motifs, projects, patterns, and so much more ... including a bit of history.  I read it cover to cover, staying up late ... enchanted by every page.  I hope to share some new projects and patterns with you soon.

Today's post is inspired by this week's Tuesday Trigger at Moxie Fab World.  It's all natural, neutral in color, and sooo romantic.  I love it.  I began with Sahara Sand cardstock and layered on neutral printed papers.  I've always wanted to try stamping on muslin and creating ribbon, this was my opportunity to try and I think it fits in beautifully.

Some brown and white baker's twine is tucked beneath my handmade vanilla flower along with a sweet tag created with Pennant Parade.  My obsession for creating doilies continues - still loving their delicate texture.

Each pennant is a combination of linen and lace made to hang on a string of hemp held in place with two sweet miniature clothespins.    

Back to the inspiration image.  Nice and neutral .... and gorgeous.

And for some more fun - For the second year in a row, Simon Says Stamp and Show & The Simon Says Stamp Challenge teams (click here) are joining forces to bring you a SUPER blog hop and treasure hunt to celebrate STAMPtember! 

Thanks for stopping by today!  I hope you enjoyed your visit ...

Let the Sunshine In

Hello friends!  I've had such fun getting together with family this past week.  My brother and his wife have been staying with us.  Days have been filled with dinners, shopping, the new Harry Potter movie, visiting with family ... it's been just wonderful.  Shirley is a fabulous fabric and clay sculpture artist.  Her pieces are fun, whimsical, and make me smile.  Plus she has just started her own shop on ETSY that you can see - HERE!

I know I'm late posting and am just getting in under the wire.  The City Crafter Challenge Blog has an exciting event planned this week.  As usual, the Design Team has once again "out done themselves" and not only is the image gorgeous, but the prize is to be a guest designer on their blog!  Can you image that?!?!  Here's the beauty of their inspiration ...

I started with So Saffron card stock and layered on print paper from my scrap drawer in shades of yellows and orange.  Along the top is another print cut with the Scallop Edge Border Punch.  It brings a bit of interest to an otherwise simple shaped card.  The chipboard board frame (thank you Stella!) and the tag heart were painted with acrylics in shades of burnt orange and red.  Bits of lace made a bed for my handmade flower to rest.  I used the 5 Petal Flower Punch and the Fancy Flower Punch to create the petal shapes - dampened and crinkled each layer then stacked them ... adding a pearl bead on top.  A touch of Dazzling Diamonds Glitter makes this bloom even more special and creates my "shimmery sun".  The sentiment is stamped in Chocolate Chip Classic Ink and is from the Happy Greetings stamp set.

The bow is seam binding dyed with So Saffron Classic Ink and embellished with an adorable orange button from the Designer Buttons Brights Collection along with Cherry Cobbler Bakers Twine.  The tag is stamped with Chocolate Chip ink and a cheery "hello" from Pennant Parade.  Very Vanilla card stock edged with the Scallop Trim Border Punch made my little tag more interesting.

Thank you for stopping by ... it's always a pleasure to see you here!

Pennants and butterflies

It has been a busy week here but I'm so pleased that another room is nearly complete.  A fresh coat of paint is such a big difference and I enjoy the "nesting joy" you feel when working on your home.  The days ahead will be used to hang pictures, mount bookcases, and a bit of sewing for our new room.  More "nesting joy" ...

Thankfully I was able to spend some time with friends yesterday.  Everyone gathered at my house and here is just one of the projects we created.  It's simple, based on classic colors, and fun with pennants and butterflies.

Beginning with Very Vanilla card stock, print papers from the "ever overflowing scrap drawer" were added.  I'm loving those polka dots!  The Large Lace Border Punch made a beautiful cut pattern for the middle.  I'll be featuring that punch in many a future project.  (You can see a more detailed image about this punch via the link.) Basic Black is just one of the many gorgeous colors this 5/8 inch satin ribbon is available in.  It ties wonderfully - here I added a white button with a Natural Linen Thread .

My sentiment is from a sweet new set ... Pennant Parade!  The words fit perfectly on the Jewelry Tag Punch.  The pennants are First Edition paper - a classic newspaper print.  I simply punched them out with the Petite Pennants Builder Punch.  There are two shapes in this punch but here I chose to keep my lines clean and simple.  Butterflies are cut with Beautiful Wings Embosslits Die (which dry embosses the shape while it cuts).  Finally, every butterfly needs a rhinestone, of course.

So happy you could stop by - I'll be back soon with more to share.  I have so much to show you!