Marvelous Possibilities

I want first of all to thank all the wonderful people that dropped by the craft sale today.  We met so many lovely people, who were interested in our crafts, and our classes.  That's the best part of doing craft sales, is to meet kindred spirits.  I sure hope some of them stop by our blog, and also sign up for our classes.  We are going to have a good time with new friends.  And, they won't stay strangers for long, because we have a cool bunch of friends who make newcomers feel so welcome.  Thanks again for all that stopped and supported us at the craft sale.  These are a couple of the candy dishes I made for the craft sale we had yesterday.  I know that I posted one the other day, but I love how these bright bowls turned out.  Wouldn't these be a great treat for the kids, or to put on a co-worker's desk as a surprise.  I remember making a really cute bowl for Halloween last year.  I was so tickled with it, and I took it to work with me.  We opened a brand new stor

      OCTOBER Stampin' Up! CLASS SCHEDULE Y ou may come a stranger, but you will leave a friend! Or, just bring a friend. THREE + 3D Class Thursday, October 11 6:30 – 9:00 pm Make 3 general/seasonal cards, plus one 3D card You'll make 3 greeting cards using a different technique on each. In addition, you will make a 3D Halloween card. Everything will be prepped and provided for you, including adhesive and tools needed for this class. Cost is $10.00. RSVP by October 5 CHRISTMAS STAMP-A-STACK Class Friday, October 19                          OR                            Sunday, October 21 6:30 – 9:30 pm                                                                 3:00 – 6:00 pm Make 12 Christmas cards with matching envelopes Get an early start making beautiful, handmade Christmas Cards to impress your friends and family. You will have 4 card

Today is our craft sale, hope you can drop by and see what we've been making.   Mary and Debby will present their crafts at the Fall Craft and Gift Show September 29, 2012 SHOWTIME 9:30am-4pm Andover Community Center 15200 Hanson Blvd NW Andover, MN 55304 ( HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL THERE

 Another little fall card that I had some fun with today.  I used the Lovely as a Tree stamp set, and did a little fall coloring.  I have never tried to do fall coloring on this stamp set before, and it was really fun.  Just have to have the right inspiration outside your window, and the fall colors are so pretty today with the sun shining on them.  All of the trees in my own yard are ash trees, and they usually turn yellow and drop to the ground in about one day.  Strangest trees around the way they drop their leaves all at once.  This card is kind of crazy, out of the box a little bit, but I was doing a little experimenting, and after coloring the trees, I cut one of them out, and it looked a little lost, so I ended up putting it on a punched circle.  I kept the leaves on the tree loose, and layered them together, and added some dimensionals to raise it up a little.  I wanted to put them over the printed paper to give it kind of a sky like effect, and the chevron pattern to repre

I've been making some of these cute little candy dishes for the craft sale.  Last weekend I just had Halloween one, and I decided to make some that had just a fall motif.  Then, I decided to make a matching card, hoping maybe somebody would like them together.  Well, I do!  I have this lovely retired paper called Autumn Spice that I used for this project.  I really kind of hang onto this paper because first, it's heavy and nice for 3d projects, and second, it matches the Day of Gratitude stamp set.  I have not used much of it, because it's one I really favor, but decided that now was the right time.  Don't know if you have ever seen these candy dishes, but they are very easy to make.  I use a 6X6" square of paper.  Score the paper in both  directions at 2" and 4", so you have 9 - 2" squares.  Then score each corner block diagonally to the outer corner.  Crease all the squares, and then fold the diagonal creases and push them to the inside o

 Do ya like it clean, or do ya like it dirty?  I could not decide.  I set out to make a card for my son, Joe's 27th birthday tomorrow.  You have got to know Joe a little bit to understand my inspiration for this card.  Joe is always making stuff.   (I wonder where he gets that from?)  He'll grab an empty wine bottle, and wrap it in an old lace curtain, spray paint the outside, stuff twinkle lights inside along with some other odds and ends, slip it in an onion bag, and hang it above the steps in the garage that lead down to the basement, to softly light the steps, so that when his friends come in thru the garage they don't have to turn on all the lights to find their way into the house.  He still lives in the man-cave down in the lower level of our house.  Joe and all of his guests always enter through the back garage door. Joe will go down to Stillwater, one of the oldest settlements in Minnesota, and dig along the riverbank where an old dump used to be and come home

5 Little Pumpkins 5 little pumpkins sitting on a fence. The first one said, "Oh my, it's getting late!" The second one said, "There are witches in the air!" The third one said, "Well we don't care!" The fourth one said, "Let's run and run and run!" The fifth one said, "I'm ready for some fun!" Whoo - ooo went the wind And out went the light And the five little pumpkins rolled out of sight!    OK!  I should have taken a bigger picture.  I had more than 5 pumpkins.  Do you remember this cute little poem. There is hardly a preschool or kindergartener that doesn't learn that poem in school. I did daycare for 20 years, and it's one I taught to many, many children.  These cute little pumpkins are ready to compete in a couple of challenges this week.  Over at the Challenge at Create with Connie and Mary they want me to make a favor.  At Crafty Boots Challenge they want something to do

 It was time to get working on some fall cards today, and I needed a little motivation.  Nothing better than a challenge or two to get me started.  Today I went to Color Throwdown Challenge 210 for some color, and Stampin' Royalty Sketch Challenge #142 for a layout.  Color and layout chosen, and I dug deep to find some paper in my stash with colors I could use.  Went into the old retired paper and a favorite fall stamp set, Day of Gratitude, and I was ready to go.  I also loved the idea of cutting the edge using my Label Framelits for my Big Shot.  It gave it such a creative flare.  I know I will do that again instead of a straight cut.  I felt it was a nice alternative to a ribbon over the divided paper. I always love playing with this beautiful fall medallion.  Whether you stamp it all one color, or do some multi colors, like I did, it always looks impressive.  The Bermuda Bay and Certainly Celery would not have been my first choice for fall colors, but this really cut a con

We had a great time at the fall craft sale yesterday, and met a bunch of fine new people.  Hopefully some of them will join us as followers on the blog, or attend our workshops.  Debby and I both enjoyed the day.  It was a wonderful mix of crafts, and flea market finds.  It's been a while since we have done a craft sale, so there was a lot of prep work, and putting together display pieces, but I think overall we did good.  The cards were very good sellers and of course, that's what we like making best of all.  The Halloween cards were a real hit, so I guess I better get busy and make some this week.  Debby had made some fabulous Halloween cards, which you can see on her blog here .     My best seller were the Monster Popcorn holders.  Everyone checked those out and found them delightful.  I will definitely have to make a lot more of those this week.  They are adorable, if I do say so myself.   Photos thanks to Debby I focused on more of the decorative items to

Mary and Debby will present their crafts at the Fall Craft and Gift Show September 29, 2012 SHOWTIME 9:30am-4pm Andover Community Center 15200 Hanson Blvd NW Andover, MN 55304 ( HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL THERE

CRAFT SALE FLEA MARKET This is the craft sale that Debby and I are doing this weekend.  Sure hope you stop by and say HI. Saturday September 22, 2012 9 – 3 pm White Bear Lake Alternative Learning Center (old Golfview School) 2449 Orchard Lane White Bear Lake, MN 55110 For info call 612-877-1903 (Barbara) COME ONE...CALL ALL DIRECTIONS  (corrections made) Orchard Lane is ½ mile north of I-694 Exit at White Bear Ave is closed. Best to take County Road E to White Bear Ave or McKnight Rd. Off White Bear Ave turn east on Orchard Lane by Lakewood Hills Park and the Y. Cross McKnight Road and school is 2 ½ blocks on left. Off McKnight Road – Orchard Lane is south of County Rd E and WBL South Campus grounds about 6 blocks. Turn east on Orchard Lane and school is 2 ½ blocks on left.

You've heard of the Monster Mash?  Well, I've got the Monster Pop!  Oooooo!  Eeeeekk!! Scarey!!! I don't usually make much for Halloween, but this year I've been frightfully busy brewing up some goodies for all the little monsters that come knocking at my door.  Batty Pop These little monsters have something to hide.  They have a bag of microwave popcorn inside.  How would you like to find one of those in your trick or treat bag?  Or on your desk at work?  Or in your mailbox?  I made a bunch of them for the craft sale next week, you can stop by and pick some up, or make them yourself. Harry Pop I just made a simple box out of and 8 1/2 X 11" paper, which fit perfect.  I tried just wrapping the paper, but decided that it was going to work better if I scored and creased and made a box with 1/2" sides 4" wide.  I cut arms that were 2 X 4", except for the bat which were 2 1/2" so I could taper them and cut the scallops with an oval punc

This is the craft sale that Debby Filiowich and I are doing next Saturday.  Come check it out! CRAFT SALE FLEA MARKET Saturday September 22, 2012 9 – 3 pm White Bear Lake Alternative Learning Center 2449 Orchard Lane White Bear Lake, MN 55110 For info call 612-877-1903 (Barbara) COME ONE...CALL ALL DIRECTIONS to Orchard Lane is ½ mile north of I-694 Off White Bear Ave turn east on Orchard Lane by Lakewood Hills Park and the Y. Cross McKnight Road and school is 2 ½ blocks on left. Off McKnight Road – Orchard Lane is bordering WBL South Campus grounds on south. Turn east on Orchard Lane and school is 2 ½ blocks on left.

  This is one of the projects that I made for a recent workshop, and I just had to make some more for the craft sale next week.  I used the Petite Purse die for my Big Shot, but I cut the flap off the purse.  I ran it thru square lattice EF for the basket texture.  I gave the handle a twist around a pencil before I attached it to create a basket-type handle.  I used the blue gingham-check paper from the Orchard Harvest DSP.  Then, I made the apples form the Perfectly Preserved stampes, cut them with the Framelits, and attached them inside and outside the basket.  I used a small cello bag and put some red and green peanut m&m's, to resemble apples (with the Christmas red and green m&m's were in the stores so that I did not have to pick through the bag).  The bag was tied with a knot of red ribon and a little hemp bow.  I pick this basket as one of my favorite projects, and so fast and fun to make.  I think I will enter this project over at Stampin' Sisters in

He sees you when you're sleeping, he knows when you're awake.  Don't tell Santa that I am the one who is awake.  I am trying to get things packed up to go to Wisconsin to craft for the weekend, and instead I am making cards.  I wanted to have a couple samples to share with my friend, Debby for ideas for the Christmas card class.  I know that I should not be playing with this, but the stamps were here, and the paper scraps were here, and I just had this idea, so I had to run with it.  I think I have a hard time going to bed when I still have creative ideas running in my head.  It's well after midnight, but I have creative mojo, and just have to let it go!  So, just for fun I thought I'd share this with you quick, and call it a night.  I just love this Owl Occasions stamps.  It's a must for the weekend, because I have ideas for all seasons and occasions, and I know I'll put it to much use.  The other thing I have to get in the habit of doing is making the

 This is it, my first Christmas card of the season.  I have been busy working on everything, but Christmas cards and now it's time to give this some thought.  I am planning ahead for the Christmas Stamp-A-Stack class we will be doing, and it's time to give this some thought and plan ahead.  This Owl Occasions set has some fun little Christmas decor, and I have ideas galore.  I started with something simple today, and I love this cute little star print paper from the Snow Festival DSP that coordinates so sweetly with the stamps.  I knew when I saw it today that it was perfect for the challenge at Christmas Card Challenge #41 to use STARS.  I added a few stars with a white gel pen to Real Red paper that I used to make the present.  I added some of the pretty stitched satin ribbon in Gumball Green, and a couple of rhinestones, and owl is all decked out for Christmas.  There is a greeting inside from More Merry Messages stamp set that I just got.  It has something for every

   Here's a geat offer from Stampin' Up!  If you place an order for $40 with me during September, you can get a spool of ribbon for free.  The more you spend, the more ribbon you get.  Great for all those holiday projects.  Drop me an email to place your order soon.         Promotion Details: While the kids are heading back to school, Stampin' Up! is going back to 'spool'! For the month of September, get a FREE package of 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon-an $8.95 value-for every $40 you spend! Choose from the following ribbons: Item Description Retail Value 126848 Gumball Green 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon $ 8.95 126847 Midnight Muse 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon $ 8.95 126844 Primrose Petals 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon $ 8.95 126845 Raspberry Ripple 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon $ 8.95 126846 Summer Starfruit 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon $ 8.95

Another quick challenge card today, but it was something I was drawn to, and could not miss the opportunity to do this color combo challenge #140 at Stampin' Royalty to use Crumb Cake, Soft Suede and Baha Breeze.  I have been using up retired paper making cards and projects for my craft sale, and I was not surprised at how many papers I have with this color combo.  For this card I used Elegant Soiree DSP (retired).  It is such beautiful paper, and I find it almost relaxing just to look at the paper patterns. I decided to make sympathy cards with this paper today, and the layout for challenge #82 at Try Stampin' On Tuesday had a simple layout, that allowed me to use a few of the scraps I had saved.  I try to keep sympathy cards simple, and always room inside for a personal message. I just added a few of the long paper flags inside with a little stamped message It was a fun card to make, and I have another  project in the works with this paper, because it's just too pr