Freshly Made Sketches #127 Entry

Hello Everyone!

Luckily we missed the most recent winter storm. Only 4 inches of snow; however, the temperatures remain low. Besides cuddling with my "minions"-I've been working on the Freshly Made Sketches #127 Challenge. You can see that blogs by clicking here.

Here is the sketch:

Here is my card based on the sketch.

I used some paper I have laying around in my stash along with an embossing folder to add texture to the tag.

Thanks for stopping by.

Re-organizing my Crafty Space

Good Morning!

It is a bright, but chilly day here in New Hampshire. One of my New Years Resolutions is to clean, eliminate clutter, organize and use the crafting items I have on hand. Prior to the New Year, I went to JoAnn's when they were having their huge sale on totes and organizing systems. I was able to purchase two storage units designed by Iris for less than half price (SCORE!).

New System-Iris

 Here is a picture of the door organizer I purchased. These organizers replaced the drawer system I had originally purchased from Wal-mart. My old system of the Sterilite drawers was great until I stated to accumulate paper. The amount of paper I needed to store was getting too heavy for the plastic. It began to warp, crack, and break down. Plus it didn't give me the flexibility to organize the paper by theme/season/color that I really needed to.Due to the length of the drawers, I could fit a stack of 12x12 paper with about 5-8 inches of unused space. Paper was getting damaged when I opened or closed the drawers.

Old System-Sterilite

The new system of doors from Iris is a stronger plastic and has individual containers that lock shut. This provides me with an easier way to sort and organize my paper. If you enjoy purchasing the slabs from Michael's or JoAnn's, each drawer on the Iris system holds 4-5 180 sheet slabs. My two organizers sit on the floor verses on the wheels. These new organizers take up less room than the Sterilite drawer system by about 6-8 inches in depth and 12 (unused inches) in length. These means that by replacing the old Sterilite system with the new Iris system I save about 12 of floor space along the length.

Now I'm able to find what I need for paper, when I need it. I highly recommend the Iris system of drawers. Keep your eyes out for coupons in the Michael's or Jo Ann flyers. The Iris drawer carts are usually around $90 USD. However, you can get them for 50% with a coupon or during sales.

My next step is to reorganize my craft closet. It's kind of scary in there.

Thanks for stopping by. Make it a great day.

Fun Things in the Works

Hello Crafting World!

Only a few days left until the 12 Days of Christmas online fun. I plan on posting a variety of cards, scrapbook pages and other projects to spur on your own holiday creativity. All the fun starts December 13th. Remember you can join in the fun by linking your projects through the comments section. As the date gets closer I will post more information.....



I'm working on new posts for the Technique page too.  Joy-fold cards, alcohol ink and more

On another note-

An exciting opportunity has presented itself. On December 26th, I will be at Steele Hill Resort in Belmont NH from 1pm to 3pm. I will be giving paper crafting lessons, selling kits (scrapbook and card), scrapbook layouts and greeting cards. Here is a link to the resort.....just click here

Thanks for stopping by,

T

Steampunk Culture-Card #2 A Victorian Romance

Good Afternoon Everyone!

Here in New Hampshire it is sunny and 73 degrees. I can't believe it! So before I enjoy some sunlight I'm posting my newest card creation.

This card measures 4x5.5 inches. I used metallic bronze embossing powder to create the image of the dancers over the stamped music image. I used paper from Graphic 45's Steampunk Debutante collection and a jewelry finding from Jo-Ann's. The finding I chose represents a Claddagh ring. 

The following is quoted from Wikipedia in regards to a Claddagh ring:
"The Claddagh's distinctive design features two hands clasping a heart, and usually surmounted by a crown. The elements of this symbol are often said to correspond to the qualities of love (the heart), friendship (the hands), and loyalty (the crown). A "Fenian" Claddagh ring, without a crown, was later designed in Dublin. Claddagh rings, with or without the crown (most commonly with a crown), have come to denote pride in Irish heritage, while continuing to be symbols of love or marriage.
Claddagh rings may be used as friendship or relationship rings depending on the intention of wearer and, in the case of a gift, of the giver. The way that a Claddagh ring is worn on the hand is usually intended to convey the wearer's relationship status:

1. On the right hand with the heart facing outward, the wearer is single and may be looking for love.
2. On the right hand but turned inwards, the wearer is in a relationship, or their heart has been "captured".
3. On the left hand with the heart facing outward, the wearer is engaged.
4. On the left hand but turned inwards, the wearer is married^."

My Love for Graphic 45 Paper!

Good Evening Everyone!

So I started teaching classes at Stampin' Memories in the Belknap Mall in Belmont NH. They are the only place in New Hampshire that I have been able to find Graphic 45 paper. I love this paper! I find that it's weight is great for all my projects and it's double sided. Which means I have pages that coordinate.

On December 3rd, I will be teaching a class about envelope books called Vintage Christmas Brag Book. The project I designed is using papers from the Christmas Emporium and Le Cirque collections by Graphic 45.

Please visit Stampin' Memories' Website at www.nhstampinmemories.com and Graphic 45's website at  http://www.g45papers.com for more information on classes and products. Graphic 45 products are also available through my store. 

Below are pictures of the paper I used.