The Shabby Tea Room #123

I'm super excited, and so honored to be this weeks guest designer at The Shabby Tea Room!  This week the theme is "Sew Crafty" and we needed to create a card or project  that includes buttons, ribbon/twine, and stitching (machine or faux), also we needed to be inspired by the colors of this drool worthy craft room in this photo:

I opted to make a criss cross card.  As you can see, the colors inspired me:

I was searching for the perfect paper for the base of this card, and after hunting high and low, I finally found this beautiful blue and white paper at Crafts Direct in St. Cloud.  I had the orange paper in my stash, and decided that I wanted to play off of the pink and orange in the photo.  I also love that color green, so I just had to have some in my card.  I used some pretty pink lace and topped it off with some divine twine.  For the pull out, I thought it would be cute to machine stitch the tab to the card.  I found the button in my stash.  The big medallion has been floating around in my "Found Objects" box, I have no idea where it came from or how it got there, but I did know that I had to use it on here.  Here's a peek at the pull out:

Supplies Used:

Paper: Fresh Collection - Authentique; Delightful Collection - Little Yellow Bicycle

Cardstock:  Pear, White Daisy - Close to My Heart (CTMH)

Ink:  Heavenly Blue, Grey Wool - CTMH

Stampsets:  Find Your Style - CTMH, Savvy Sayings - The Angel Company

Orange Divine Twine

Bubblegum Lace - American Crafts

Double Loops Punch - Martha Stewart

Label Punch - Stampin' Up!

Corner Rounder, 2" Scallop Circle Punch - CTMH

One Final Mother's Day Card

I'm finishing up some final preparations for Mother's Day tomorrow.  After I get this posted, I need to go wrap some gifts and write out some cards.  I based this (what I hope is my final Mother's Day card for this year) on The Shabby Tea Room's inspiration photo:

We also needed to use the colors in the photo, and a rose.  I was really inspired by the pitcher, I wanted to include something like that in my card.  I decided to use a doily that I spritzed with gold glimmer mist and then stamped a flourish stamp in Hollyhock.  I also was inspired by the blue magazines, so I used a pretty blue patterned paper that also picked up on the touches of brown.  The green seam binding is my nod at the green in the foliage, so I opted to tuck my rose in the bow. 

I used this week's Mojo Monday sketch for the blue print for my card:

Also, this week at the Ribbon Carousel, the challenge is "Word to Your Mother".

Supplies Used:
Cardstock:  Colonial White - Close to My Heart (CTMH)
Paper:  Linen Closet Stack - DCWV
Inks:  Chocolate, Hollyhock - CTMH
Stampsets:  Say it in Style - CTMH, Bliss - Stampin' Up!
Bling Assortment - CTMH
Pink Pin - Prima Flowers
Gold Glimmer Mist - Tattered Angels
Flowers - Wild Orchid Crafts
Chipboard Banner - Jenni Bowlin
Doily - Royal Lace
Vintage Seam Binding

Shabby Heart

I used this weeks Mojo Monday sketch for this card, it's taken me all week of working on it (in between other commitments) to finish it.  I just couldn't get the flowers right.  Finally this morning I went to try again, and they just fell together.

I used The Shabby Tea Room's challenge - "Spring is Love" - for the inspiration.  They challenged us to use colors from a gorgeous photo, and include flowers, polka dots, and a heart.  I'm a member of a Stampin' Up! card club, a few months ago my consultant showed us how to do the Iris Folding Pattern using one of their embosslits.  I was excited to give it a try for the heart in this card.  It took me a few false starts on it before I remembered the technique correctly.  I'm so happy with how my heart turned out (and very glad that I purchased the embosslit that night).

Supplies Used:
Paper:  Uncommon - Authentique
Cardstock:  Sweet Leaf, Colonial White - Close to My Heart (CTMH)
Ink:  Hollyhock, Desert Sand - CTMH
Stampset:  Say it in Style - CTMH
Punch - Fiskers
Lace Tape - decollections
Flowers - Wild Orchid Crafts
Pearl Flourish - Zva Creative
Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder, Embosslits Scalloped Heart of Hearts - Stampin' Up!
Vintage Seam Binding

Beautiful Roses

This weeks challenge at The Shabby Tea Room is "Beautiful Roses".  We needed to use Aqua, Pink, Neutrals, and Flowers in our creation.  

I used the Viva la Verve April week 3 sketch for the blue print.  I have a confession about the doily,  it was at my spot last weekend for a Girl Scout fundraising crop.  I just couldn't leave it behind, I could picture it on a card.  When I pulled this sketch out, I knew I had found just the card for my doily. 

I'm also entering this in this week's Word Art Wednesday.

Supplies Used:
Cardstock:  Blush, White Daisy - Close to My Heart (CTMH)
Paper:  Linen Closet - DCWV
Ink:  Blush - CTMH
Stampset:  Beautiful You - Verve
Roses - Wild Orchid Crafts
Pearl Flourish - Zva Creative

Psalm 18:2

This week at The Shabby Tea Room, the challenge is "Homegrown Flowers".  At my favorite local scrapbooking store (which for me is a 40 minute drive), they had a tutorial board about how to make coffee filter flowers, I've had the instructions in my things to try pile for a while.  So, since we needed to make our own flowers, I decided to give it a whirl.  After I cut out two circles from the coffee filters, I spritzed them with three different colors of glimmer mist.  Then I did a basting stitch along the bottom, gathered them, and tied a knot, so I had four ruffled circles.  Then I glued the two smaller circles into the two larger circles.  After that I applied Rock Candy Crackle paint (the directions said liberally), after that dried, I added stickles around the edges.  Once the flowers were dry, I added jeweled brads for the flower center.  Once I started putting my board together, I did have to add some of my favorite roses from Wild Orchid Crafts, but the two larger flowers are coffee filter flowers.

I used this weeks Word Art Wednesday verse.  I love to surround myself with inspirational things while I'm in my craft room, so I decided to make something that I could display in there with this verse.  I highlighted some of the key words with some soft pink chalk.

This week at The Ribbon Carousel, it's "Spring is in the Air".  For some reason the flowers aren't as pink in the photo as they are in person.  However, I used a lot of spring colors like buttercup and sky in my canvas.  I mixed re-inker with pearl finish white paint to create my own colors and painted the green chipboard in the corner, and the main color of the canvas sky blue.  Underneath the sky blue, I brushed some darker blue and brown just for some depth.  My Bow-Easy made it easy to create the double bow from some satin ribbon. 

Supplies Used:
Cardstock:  Colonial White, Buttercup - Close to My Heart (CTMH)
Verse from Word Art Wednesday
Reinkers:  Sky, Sweet Leaf - CTMH
Paint:  Pearl Finish, Spice Brown, Cape Cod Blue - Delta Creative
Lace - Hero Arts
Antique White Ribbon - Offray
Pearl Flourishes - Zva Creative
Spring Soft Chalks and Rhinestone Brads - CTMH
Cricut Art Philosophy - CTMH
Platinum Stickles, Rock Candy Distress Paint - Ranger
Suede, Vintage Pink, Iridescent Gold Glimmer Mists - Tattered Angels
Regal Glimmer Chips - Tattered Angels
Roses - Wild Orchid Crafts
8x8 Canvas Panel - Art Alternatives

Whimsical Greetings

I used The Greeting Farm SCS Sketch Challenge #9 as the jumping off point for this spring themed card.  When I first saw this sketch, it reminded me of the rays of the sun, so of course I had to use yellow (or in this case Close to My Heart's Creme Brulee) patterned paper.  Here's a close up of the rose with the smaller butterfly, I included the others in this picture just because I like them. 

I have to confess that this is actually take #2 on this sketch for me.  My first try had the same Creme Brulee "sun", but had a different matting.  I had added some stickles to the stamped butterfly "trail" (I used Close to My Heart's Tulip to stamp it), and then I had to run down to the farm.  When I came home a few hours later, the stickles had turned it orange.  So I started all over, again.  I decided to use the challenge from The Shabby Tea Room - 'Bright & Beautiful Spring'.  I needed to use the colors lilac, blue, yellow, kraft, and a butterfly.  They had this absolutely beautiful photo as inspiration:

Supplies Used:
Cardstock - Kraft - Stampin' Up!
Paper - Key to My Heart, Life Delights - Close to My Heart (CTMH)
Inks - Cocoa, Lilac Mist - CTMH
Stamps - Butterfly Wishes - The Greeting Farm
Pearl Opaques - CTMH
Embosslits Beautiful Wings - Stampin' Up!
Ribbon - unknown
Rose - Wild Orchid Crafts

The Shabby Tea Room #105 - Spring is Near

Here's my card I created using this weeks challenge from The Shabby Tea Room:

The challenge was to create a card using the photo below as inspiration.  We needed to use 3 colors from the photo and dry embossing.

I used this fabulous sketch from Cardabilites:

I highlighted the embossing with platinum stickles, when I selected that color, I thought it would give it a wonderful aged glitter effect.  After I had everything glued down, I wished I would have gone with the clear diamond stickles instead. 

I'm also going to enter this card in these following challenges:
2 Sisters Challenge Blog - Challenge #82 - Spring Colors
Use it Tuesday - Challenge # 27 - Green

Supplies Used:
Paper:  Lucy - Close to My Heart (CTMH)
Cardstock:  Sunny Yellow, Baby Pink - CTMH
Ink:  Bamboo, Pear - CTMH
Stamps:  Notably Ornate - Stampin' Up!
Platinum Stickles - Ranger
RicRac, Pearl Opaques - CTMH
Cricut Cartridge - Art Philosophy - CTMH
Flowers - Wild Orchid Crafts
Top Note Die, Elegant Lines Embossing Folder, Scallop Punch - Stampin' Up!

Shabby Tag

This week at The Shabby Tea Room, the challenge was colorful confections.  We needed to use aqua, pink, green, and a tag.  I opted to make a tag as my project:

This week at the Ribbon Carousel, the challenge is called "Cause we FELT like it".  I happen to have some felt die cuts from Close to My Heart, so I pulled them out last night and found this cute bird.  I thought it would be cute (and a good use of space) to punch the wing from some paper and stamp the sentiment on it.  This morning before I snapped pictures, I was looking at my tag, and decided it needed something more.  So, I added some hand stitching on the tail of the bird and the flower.

Supplies used:
Cardstock:  Blush - Close to My Heart (CTMH)
Paper:  Linen Closet - DCWV
Ink:  Cocoa
Stamps:  Sweet Expressions - Whipper Snapper
Mocha opaques, Heartfelt Whimsy, Embroidery Thread - CTMH
Lattice Rectangle - Spellbinders
Button Latte, Bird Punch - Stampin' Up!
Cotton Candy Divine Twine
Lace - Multicraft Imports
Vintage Seam Binding - from my stash
Cherry Blossom - Wild Orchid Crafts

Shabby Mojo

Good morning, it's snowing here in Minnesota.  I almost didn't make it down to the farm this morning to feed calves.  I had my choice of driving on my side of the road with 3 foot drifts or on the wrong side of the road that the wind had blown open.  The one mile to the farm seemed like 10 this morning, but I made it and the babies are fed.  Anyhow, I stayed up late last night because I was obsessed with finishing this card, my poor hubby had to do 3 or 4 proofs for me. 

I used this weeks Mojo Monday sketch. 

I combined it with this weeks challenge at The Shabby Tea Room - "Shabby Shutters".  The challenge was to used navy blue and neutral colors along with a distressed element.  Here's the inspiration photo:

Since the challenge was "Shabby Shutters", I thought it would be a good time to pull out the My Creations A-door-ables from Close to My Heart.  I've had them for a few years (blush) and haven't used them.  My thought was to create a window out of two of them and include a message on the inside.  They come in white, so I stamped a bird with Versamark and embossed it with clear embossing powder, one for each "window".  I distressed them using the emboss resist technique with Bamboo ink, and went around the edges with walnut stain distress ink.  I used my edge distresser on the framing panels.  For the background, I embossed a piece of Outdoor Denim cardstock and used my sanding block to distress it to show the white core.  I made a crumpled flower for the corner, I painted on some Rock Candy Distress Crackle paint to the petals for some more shabbiness and shine.   I ended up creating a twine background using twine, a small piece of round cardstock and lots and lots of glue dots.  I also included a vintage button that I bought at an antique store on my birthday last summer. 

Here's the inside of one "window":

The inside of the other "window":

Also, at the Ribbon Carousel challenge it's Anything Goes this week.  For that challenge, we need to include some sort of ribbon or twine, I've used 3 different kinds of ribbon or twine.

Supplies Used:
Cardstock:  Bamboo, Outdoor Denim, Desert Sand, Colonial White - Close to My Heart (CTMH)
Paper (for flower):  Caprice - CTMH
Ink:  Bamboo, Outdoor Denim - CTMH, Walnut Stain Distress Ink - Ranger, Versamark
Stampsets:  Childhood Portrait - CTMH, Butterfly Wishes - The Greeting Farm
Scallop Velvet Ribbon - American Crafts
Ruffle Ribbon - Morex
Rock Candy Distress Crackle Paint - Ranger
Mocha Opaques and Clear Detail Embossing Powder- CTMH
Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder, Button Latte - Stampin' Up!
Scallop Circle (for flower) - Lifestyle Crafts
Brown Twine - pre-cut from local store
Vintage Button - Antique Store in Stillwater, MN

High Tea with The Shabby Tea Room

This week at The Shabby Tea Room the theme is "High Tea" along with this beautiful inspiration photo:

I have a drawer in my craft room dedicated to empty containers that I can turn into something for a project.  Since the theme is High Tea, I thought I would raid the drawer for a jar to turn into a container to hold Friendship Tea. 

I decided that I was going to also create a card to go along with it and make it a gift set.  For the steam, I inked the stamp first in Versamark and then in Bamboo, so I only have to stamp it once.  Then I sprinkled it with clear embossing powder, heat set it, cut it out, and adhered it to my card.  I used a gold metallic marker to draw around the doily and sentiment panel.

I loved the gold details in the inspiration photo.  For the jar, I used a glue pen to add gold glitter around the outside of the cardstock.  I also stamped the image in Versamark and sprinkled it with gold glitter.  Here's the jar all alone:

And a closer view of the top (I adore these paper flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts):

Just for fun, here's the recipe for the tea I'm going to make to put in the jar.  I need to pick up a few of the items at the store tomorrow.  I couldn't wait to share this jar and card with you until then.  My sister gave me some for a gift.  I enjoyed it so much that I found a recipe that I like on the internet, except I can't remember where I found it.  I love that it's instant and that you can vary how much you put in depending on your taste and mood.

Friendship Tea

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 cups Tang

1/2 cup instant iced tea (plain, unsweetened)

1 package Lemonade Koolaide

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspooon cloves

Combine together in a food processor.  Store in a sealed container.  Put 2-3 teaspoons of mix per mug of hot water. 

Supplies Used:
Stamps:  A Sip, Playful Petals - Close to My Heart (CTMH); Favorite Thoughts - Stampin' Up!
Paper:  Sky, White Daisy, Sweet Leaf, Life Delights - CTMH
Inks:  Sky, Bamboo, Chocolate - CTMH; Versamark
Lace Ribbon, Gold Metallic Marker - American Crafts
Flowers - Wild Orchid Crafts
Gold Stamp Sprinkles - DeNani Design
Paper Doily Die - Stampin' Up!
Vintage Seam Binding
Mocha Opaques - CTMH

Cherry-O Mojo

I adore this weeks Mojo Monday sketch:

I also love to play along with The Shabby Tea Room challenges.  I was excited when I saw this weeks theme entitled Hi Ho Cherry O, we were challenged to create a card with cherries on it in honor of national cherry month.  Close to My Heart had a workshop kit a few years ago called Cherry-O it included paper and a stampset both with a cherry theme, so I knew what paper and stampset I was starting with.  Here's my card that I created using both the Mojo Monday sketch and including cherries:

I stamped the leaves on the stems and the bowl in sweetleaf and then rolled the edges in chocolate.  I have to confess that this is actually take 2 for me.  I wasn't quite happy with my first try, I took pictures of it, but couldn't bring myself to post them.  I was thinking about the challenges last night while I was feeding calves at the farm.  I decided to start over, so after I put the girls to bed, I stayed up late and made take 2.  I'm very pleased with how this card turned out.


Supplies Used:
Paper:  Cherry-O - Close to My Heart (CTMH)
Stamps:  Bowl of Cherries - CTMH
Ink:  Tulip, Chocolate, Sweetleaf - CTMH
Brads, button, embroidery thread - CTMH
Ruffle Ribbon - Morex
Early Espresso Bakers Twine - Stampin' Up!
Scallop Punch and Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder - Stampin' Up!
Labels 1, Circles Small, Petite Scalloped Circles - Spellbinders

The Shabby Tea Room Week #100

I wanted to play along with this weeks The Shabby Tea Room challenge - Candy Hearts.  They challenged us to use a food theme and hearts.  After alot of pondering, I remembered that I had some nugget tins stashed away, so I decided to pull one out.

I originally intended to fill it with some Hershey's nuggets, but since the theme was hearts, I thought it would be fun to do a literal interpretation of the them and fill it with candy hearts.  Hearts are not something that I use alot for crafting or for my home decor, so I didn't realize until I sat down to design the wrapper for the tin how few things I have with hearts on them.  I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to use a stampset from Verve.  I colored the hearts on the frame with a Copic marker and then used a Glaze pen on them for some shine.

Supplies Used:
Paper:  More to Adore - Close to My Heart (CTMH)
Ink:  Chocolate, Hollyhock - CTMH
Stampset:  Sweet Treats - Verve
Punch - Double Loop - Martha Stewart
Copic Marker - RV11
Glaze Pen - Sankura
Mocha Opaques - CTMH
Ruffle Ribbon - Morex
Brown Tulle - Maya Rd.
Pink/Brown Ribbon - hoarded in my stash until now

I (heart) You

I combined this weeks The Shabby Tea Room week #99 challenge - Love is in the Air with the Mojo Monday #226 sketch challenge.  This week the sketch challenge was either a round our a square card, I started with a round card, but didn't have enough circle dies to make it work (does this mean I get to go shopping???).  I originally was going to use a "Love" stamp for the sentiment, but as I was deciding on paper, I stumbled across some felt die cut sheets from Close to My Heart that I've had for a few years, but haven't used, I thought some felt would be a good addition for some texture.  I found the felt I (heart) U in there, and had to use it.  Part of the challenge for The Shabby Tea Room was to include a mail element, so I inked up a stamp first with VersaMark and then with Bamboo ink and then stamped it.  I repeated a few times, then used detail clear embossing powder on it so I could distress the cardstock without loosing my stamped image.  There is a tiny bit of overspray from some glimmer mist I was playing with, but in real life it does add a bit to the card.  I was inspired by Debbie Carriere's stitching on her cards on her blog - Scrappin' My Heart Out so I opted to add some stitching to my card.  I love stitching on cards, I think I need to do more of it.

Supplies Used:
Cardstock:  Baby Pink, Bamboo, Colonial White - Close to My Heart
Patterned paper - Cosmo Cricket
Ink:  Bamboo - CTMH, VersaMark
Stamps:  Pure Love - CTMH
Border Punch Scallop Trim - Stampin' Up!
Labels 8 - Spellbinders
Detail Clear Embossing Powder, Mocha Opaques, Felt - CTMH
Lace Tape - decollections
Velvet Lace - from my stash (before I kept track of where I got it from)
Cream Pearl Pen - Viva Decor