retro.

Remember when these cut n' fold things were all the rage? well....this is the first time I've actually USED mine. I'm on a *mission* to use some of the stuff I just *had to have* and haven't touched yet. I like it and will hopefully use it more often now that I'm not intimidated by it :) I've always loved the color combo of purple and teal ( or purple and anything....) and the look of paint sample chips. I have a friend who is a paint salesman and he GAVE me a whole huge color wheel thingy of them <3 I used the big plastic stencil from the set I bought at Oriental Trading to make the *h*. The stamp is part of a Heart & Soul image- and the awesome paper flower is from another one of my *CSSC* Sally- you can check out her bloglink on the right side of the page too! ><>

*borrowed*

This beautiful card was made by one of my *CSSC* (that's cyber-stamping sister in Christ! ) and occasional stamp designer friend Dina Kowal. Oh yeah, and sometimes she performs *html rescue* for me when I really goof things up! Can you tell I'm one of her biggest fans? The verse is from Heart & Soul. Click here to see even more amazing things! Thanks Dina ><>

stamped tiles

I wanted to share what one of my awesome customers (thanks Stephanie :) sent me awhile back. She makes beautiful coaster sets using ceramic tiles and stamps- antiquing them and adding felt on the back. I just treasure these, they are on black easels in my home. I love it when people show me what they've made with Heart & Soul stamps <3

spring is just around the corner :)

This is for a card swapping class I'm going to shortly- 8 of us bring 1 *kit* for each to make. Lots of fun with fun people :) All out of my scrap drawer too! Image is vintage SU. Ironically, as I was making this card yesterday, there was a snow plow going down the road in front of my house. We were enjoying a beautiful *snow treat* morning. It's mostly gone now :(

just how does one color an angel ????

This is one of the new images from Heart & Soul. I love her! But coloring is not my strong suit on a good day- let alone trying to do *justice* to a Heavenly Being! I know that when we actually see one some day- we will be blown away by their beauty- colors & patterns & textures our human eyes have yet to see :) So for now- this is my best guess- I'm pretty sure there will be some purple in my angel :) I added some pearls and a spritz of shimmering mist.

Here's the inside - although the front looks like a 'baby shower' card! it was meant to be a friendship card :) Verse is Heart & Soul too :) ><>

message board :)

I made this fun metal message board for my sweet *potential future daughter-in-law* for Valentine's Day. Got the metal sheet at Craft Warehouse, glued a 12 x 12 piece of background paper on, then glued some magnets on the back of some beads- they're kinda hard to see in the picture- I arranged them in a flower shape near the left corner. I glued some brass corners on because the edges are pretty sharp- and it just looks a little more finished that way :) Easy peasy ><>

a penny for your thoughts :)

I made this for Valentine's Day...Just some felt cut into shapes and blanket stitched around the edges. Don't look too closely....a few of the hearts started to *wander* as I was sewing them...and I was too lazy to do them over :) This is the first one I'd made with white thread- I like it :) ><>

*recycled* love :)

I found this frame at Goodwill awhile back...The heart image I kept/hoarded from a sheet of *love* postage stamps a few years back. The torn vellum is out of a book of phrases that I've had for years. Voila :) and whenever I look at it....I feel a song coming on :) ><>

Pillow Making Day :)

So yesterday, whilst watching the Super Bowl for the commercials, I decided to multi-task and sew up some of the material I've been saving/hoarding into some Valentine's Day pillow fun- some for me, and some to give away. I was a little disappointed with the ones on the far right- spent time carefully tearing and weaving strips into a heart shape....but they don't look very heart-shapey on the finished pillow. Oh well- I love the colors anyway! And can I just say I'm a little sad that the National Anthem got goofed up? It always gives me goosebumps and makes me have *proud happy tears* when I hear it - but- chances are if I were attempting to sing it in front of a bazillion people...I would have fainted on the spot. One things's for sure- I'll bet Christina gets it right next time! Time to practice a little of the grace we've been given, eh? ><>

Vintage *Smurfage* :)

This little guy sits on the counter for Valentine's season...makes me smile everytime I look at him....and kinda reminds me to say "here's my heart, Jesus....take it...it belongs to you and you alone." And that's a big job for such a little Smurf :) ><>

Another use for stamps :)

*Back in the day* when I was making banners for church, I made this one when Valentine's Day fell on a Sunday. I printed the verse (one of my very favorites!) and then stamped the small hearts in a circle above it- then copied it onto acetate and used the overhead projector (a banner maker's best friend :) to paint it on some rose colored oil cloth. It's still one of my favorite banners :) ><>

New stamps! New stamps!

If you head on over to the Heart & Soul website (click through on the right of the page under "places I like to visit" ) you'll find some fun new things- and my *webmasterette* extraordinare Cyndy has *jazzed it up* a bit for Valentine's Day :) Here's one of the new phrases. I even had my sewing machine out (working on some pillows for the season) so I added some stitching with the bling & such. I should just leave that thing out all the time! :) ><>

more love....

I don't know why this is so blurry....hmmn. Sorry. Anyway, both heart & verse are Heart & Soul- just stamped the heart 3x in each color. A little brad in the corner. Oh and a 3D heart just for grins. Yippee <3