...A Few RAKs

While I am busy getting a several projects completed, I wanted to share a few of the RAKs that I have recently received from my sweet friends both local and abroad...Enjoy!

From the Talented and Encouraging Julee Tilman:

From My Sweet Sistah in Cyberspace, Jessie Rone:

From My Adopted Momma, Barbara Varnell:

From My Loving and Loyal Friend and Customer, Lois Billadeau:

That's it for me today! I didn't get to stamp the day away with Pam today, because she was sick as a dog last night. Keep her in your prayers as she fights off this crazy sickness {or food poisoning...ICK}! I may be seeing her tomorrow depending on how she feels, but I will see you back here on my blog for the "Happy Anyaversary Big Birthday Bash & Blog Hop" for The Greeting Farm. I can't believe that a whole year has passed already...my, how time flies! You can find the links to the blogs that will be participating in the hop at the TGF blog...I will also put a link of it on tomorrow's post. Pull up a chair, grab you a snack and some coffee, and spend some time hopping away! :)

Thanks for stopping by, and I will see you all in the morning! Until then...

...Handmade Christmas RAKs

I trust that everyone had a wonderful Christmas! We bummed around at home most of the day, then went to spend some time with our dearest friends, the Eakins...it was terrific! I wanted to take a moment to share some of the handmade Christmas cards that I received this year from friends and family.

I am soooo over Christmas now, and I can't wait for Valentine's Day! As a matter of fact, I am already in the process of Christmas "un-decorating"...time to move on to something new! I will be spending the day stamping with my friends Janet Beahm, Pam Varnell (aka stampingpam), Pam's MIL Barbara, and Janet's sister (whom I haven't met before). I should have some great stuff to share with you after stamping with these magnificent ladies! Thanks for stopping by again today, and I will see you all again tomorrow. Until then...

...Featured Stamper Challenge #74, & A RAK

This is my submission for today's Featured Stamper Challenge at SCS : Teneale Williams, aka {Teneale}. She has a very clean and crisp style that I absolutely love. She is one of my favorites, and I know she will quickly become one of yours if she isn't already! She also has a blog that can be seen HERE. I chose THIS CARD to CASE, but changed several elements to make it my own. These changes include : layout (I added one more layer), colors, stamps, and sentiment.

I started with a Kraft Cardstock card base, then layered a piece of Perfect Plum Cardstock on top of it that had been stamped in Very Vanilla Craft Ink with "Fine Lace". The next layer up was Pale Plum Cardstock that was faux stitched around the edges using a Mat Pack, Paper Piercer, and Chocolate Chip Stampin' Write Marker. The edges were also distressed using the Heidi Swapp Distressing Tool. The focal panel consisted of Kraft Cardstock and Very Vanilla Cardstock. The vanilla was stamped with "Silhouettes" from See-D's in Chocolate Chip Classic Ink. A small amount of Liquid Applique was squeezed out into two wells of a Painting Palette. I used one drop of reinker from the Perfect Plum Reinker and again with the Pale Plum Reinker to create my own custom colors of liquid applique. Once the colors were mixed evenly, I then used a Small Paintbrush to dot the blooms on the three stamped stalks. The two outer stalks were coated with the Perfect Plum Liquid Applique, and the center was coated with the Pale Plum Liquid Applique. The applique remains wet, so you must use a Heat Gun to make it "poof up".

The sentiment was from the set "All Holidays", and was stamped by coloring in the "love" only with a Perfect Plum Stampin' Write Marker. It was then stamped onto a scrap piece of Kraft Cardstock, and punched out using the Small Oval Punch. The Large Oval Punch was used to punch out a scrap piece of Perfect Plum Cardstock to layer behind the kraft sentiment piece. The completed panel was attached to the focal panel using Dimensionals. Two pieces of Kraft Taffeta Ribbon were added behind the focal panel using SNAIL Adhesive, and Lavender KaiserScrapbook Rhinestones were added to the sides of the focal panel and the sentiment panel.

I also received this beautiful RAK from Amy Rohl (aka rohla at SCS) in the mail. I had sent her a birthday card last month, and she sent this awesome card as a "thank you". Thank you so much for this phenomenal RAK, Amy...I will display this puppy with pride!

That's it for today! Thanks for stopping by, and I will see you tomorrow with another creation. Until then....

...Limited Supplies Challenge #155, Valentine's Day Card, & A Funny

This is my submission for today's Limited Supplies Challenge at SCS. Here's the rules: circle stamps + sentiment, any color of paper (no designer paper or CuttleBug images), any color ink, circle punches, any round/circle embellsihments, and no limited layers. So this is what I came up with. I started with a card base of Bashful Blue cardstock measuring 8-1/2 X 4-1/4, and when folded to open at the bottom measures 4-1/4 square. The focal panel is made up of Rose Red cardstock (4-1/4 X 1-7/8), Bashful Blue cardstock (4-1/4 X 1-5/8), Rose Red cardstock again (4-1/4 X 1-9/16), and Old Olive cardstock (4-1/4 X 1-1/2). The Crop-a-Dile was used to emboss circles across the center of the olive cardstock, then all of the layers were attaced to each other and the card base using SNAIL Adhesive. A Mat Pack and Paper Piercer were used to create the faux stitching above and below the focal panel. A Chocolate Chip Stampin' Write Marker was used to create the "thread". Chocolate Brads were added to the center of circles that were created using the 1/4" Circle Punch and olive cardstock, then attached to the card base (the mat pack and piercer were used to create the correct spacing between the brads also).



The sentiment is from the set "Lovely Labels", and it was stamped onto Whisper White cardstock twice: once in Rose Red Classic Ink, and again in VersaMark Ink. The VersaMarked image was embossed using the Blue Embossing Powder from the Rich Regals Embossing Stack and a Heat Gun. The rose image was punched out using the 1-3/8" Circle Punch, and the blue embossed image was punched out with the 1-1/4" Circle Punch. I used the Coluzzle Cutting System to make the largest circle from Chocolate Chip cardstock. Each circle was layered on the other, from smallest to largest, using Dimensionals. Then the completed sentiment was attached to the card base with Dimensionals also. And there you have it.....circles, circles, and more circles!


I hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day with your loved ones! I spent the night with my hubby and two boys.....it was wonderful! Speaking of Valentine's Day, I wanted to share this sweet RAK that I received from my customer, and good friend, Lois Billadeau. She LOVES making and mailing cards to everyone. I can always count on getting a beautiful creation from her on every major holiday.......isn't she just the sweetest thang?!? Thanks, Lois!


FRIDAY FUNNY: My friend, Martha Lynn sent me an email with this puppet singing a song about being "da man", and I absolutely cracked up! I had to share it with you! So this is for all you married couples out there! The Husband Song........ENJOY!!!!


That's it for today! I hope to see you all tomorrow, but I have alot going on. Christian has AAU b-ball practice all morning and afternoon about forty minutes from home, and I have to work on my projects for my classes next week. If I finish them I'll post them for you so you can see what I've been up to! Thanks for stopping by, and until later..........Hugs ~ Mercy

Supplies

Stamps: Lovely Labels

Paper: Bashful Blue, Rose Red, Old Olive, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White

Ink: Rose Red, VersaMark

Accessories: circle punches (1-4", 1-1/4", 1-3/8"), coluzzle cutting system, dimensionals, crop-a-dile, brads, marker, mat pack, paper, piercer, embossing powder, heat gun, adhesive

...Ways To Use It Challenge #152, RAK, and a Funny

This is my submission for today's Ways To Use It Challenge at SCS...Going Dotty! I started with a card base of Certainly Celery cardstock (6-7/8 X 6-5/8), and when folded in half to open at the bottom measures 6-5/8 X 3-1/2. The polka dotted paper is Close To Cocoa Designer Series Paper cut to 6-5/8 X 1-1/8. The cocoa designer paper (dp) was attached to the card base using SNAIL Adhesive. I tied a piece of 5/8" Real Red Grosgrain Ribbon over the top of the dp into a simple knot. A Mini Glue Dot was placed under the knot to keep it in place. I used Staples and a Stapler to secure the ribbon to the card base. The sentiment is from the set "So Much" and is stamped in Wild Wasabi Classic Ink directly onto the card base. I used a Stamp-a-ma-jig and Image Sheet in order to make the word straight....I can't stand crooked sentiments (a little pet peeve of mine)! I then used the Coluzzle Cutting System to cut a piece of Real Red cardstock into a thin circle, and adhered it to the card base using the scrap pieces of foam from the sides of a Dimensional Sheet.

The flower from "So Much" was stamped in Basic Brown Classic Ink onto Watercolor Paper, then watercolored with an Aquapainter in Certainly Celery Classic Ink. Once dried, it was cut out using CutterBee Scissors. I created the sparkly cocoa brad by applying Cinnamon Stickles to a Clear Rhinestone Brad and allowing it to dry completely. The brad was then placed in the center of the celery bloom, and attached to the card base with double-stacked Dimensionals.

This card was an RAK from Janet McAfee (aka bluemoon). She was the winner of my last blog candy giveaway. This was an adorable thank you card for the stuff she won.......how sweet was that?! Thanks so much, Janet!

Now for a funny.......I received an email today entitled "A Few Thoughts On Cat Baths From the Cat". This was one of the pictures included on the email, and I just howled when I saw it! The caption under it read: "Traction, traction.......I'm losing traction!" Bless its little heart! I will share another one with you tomorrow. Thanks for the hilarious email Robin E.......too funny!

That's it for today! I'll see you all tomorrow. My oldest son starts a basketball tournament tonight but it is single eliminations, so if they lose it's all over for them. Keep your fingers crossed for us! Until later.......Hugs ~ Mercy

Supplies

Stamps: So Much

Paper: Certainly Celery, Real Red, Close to Cocoa DSP, watercolor

Ink: Basic Brown, Wild Wasabi, Certainly Celery

Accessories: coluzzle, adhesive, glue dot, scissors, dimensionals, aquapainters, stickles, stamp-a-ma-jig, image sheet, brad, stapler, staples, ribbon