Following a sketch

I find it helpful to get the creative juices flowing by following a sketch sometimes.  This is the sketch I used to create the above card.

A good way to use up those skinny little strips that accumulate, as most of you know...I can't throw anything out!

Here is a closer view of the card:

Stamp set: Verve Plain Jane, Circle and scalloped circle Nestabilities, Flower punch from Martha Stewart, and Button Emboss-lit die from Stampin' UP!
Have a blessed Sunday!  Elaine

Back in the saddle again....

It has been along time since I have posted on the blog but I now hope to start posting again on a regular basis.  To give you a short recap of what has been going on the past few months, on Feb 2nd I became sick with what I thought was the flu.  I got rid of most of the flu symptoms except that I would sweat for hours at a time, and some mild pain would go away, and I felt off balance.  I finally went to the doctor on Feb. 16th  after a week and a half of this .thinking he will give me some antibiotics and I will be able to see Antonio, Jenna, and Mason who were moving there stuff into my house on Sunday.  After some lab work the Dr. said that I was very sick and they needed to figure out why.  After a bunch of questions, another exam, we decided that I should have a cat scan of the appendix and ovary.  I ended up having a ruptured appendix, emergency surgery, and a 12 day stay in the hospital.  No lifting over 10lbs for 6 weeks.  That worked out to be around the time that Jenna had Valentina, and she ended up having a C-section and she couldn't lift for 6 weeks, so I spent the next 4 plus weeks helping her with the baby and Mason, and Mason would come home with me at night and spend the night here.  They have been in Milwaukee the past 2 weeks so things are finally settling down and getting back to normal.  I have been doing some crafting in this time period but I didn't really have time to post and I wasn't sure if I was going to continue doing the blog for awhile either, but I have had some people tell me that they have missed it so I am going to start again.  Please leave me a comment, I would love to hear from you!  Elaine

Stamp set: Verve - Plain Jane

Last of the mini note books

Yeah!!!! They are all finished.  Plus I cut out 50 book marks with the Big Shot today, and made homemade Cauliflower Soup.  Yum Yum!!!  They were fun working on but I am glad that project is over and I can move on to something else!

Bible Verse Notepads

Here are some more bible verse notepads.  I love my little Plain Jane stamp sets from Verve!

Work at the Sweat Shop continues...

Well, the flea market is officially over.  I packed up my craft items yesterday and brought them home.  I still need to pack up the card rack and my Tastefully Simple items.  I ran out of boxes or I would have done that yesterday.  I am working on sorting and repacking things together as I have the crafts from the Dells home too.
Today, I finished 14 notebooks, and worked on running more scraps through the Sidekick.  I am hoping to finish the notebooks up tomorrow and move on to something else.  We will see how it goes!  Enjoy this beautiful weather!  Elaine

Encouragement

I like this bible verse and I think it is a good one when someone needs encouragement.  I just made up 3 of these cards.  I used the grey background to symbolize our helplessness, and used the orange and green to symbolize that GOD is our hope, our bright spot in our times of trouble and he will give us strength to get through those hard times.

What a beautiful day it is today.  This is my kind of weather for sure.  I had a doctor's appointment in Mauston this afternoon, so I buzzed over there and back.  Now I am buzzin' around in my stamping room!  LOL  Enjoy this great weather!  Elaine

Recipe:  Stamp: is one of Verve's Plain Janes, DSP: House/Tree, Neighboorhood from SU Sale-A-Bration, Ribbon: retired SU, Nestabilities Die's:  Circle and Scalloped Circle.

For I know the plans I have for you...

 Good Evening.  I am buzzin' around right now getting things done because I had a 3 hour nap after I got home today!  The heat sure zaps a person out...at least it does me!

This is a card I finished last night.  I have 4 more of them ready to put together, but I ran out of steam to finish them last night.  This is a 2 piece stamp set from Verve and the name of it is Jeremiah 29:11.  It has the verse and the cross in this small set. You can see it here http://shopverve.com/vs-09-002.html  I bought a used Papertrey Ink stamp set this week from a gal on line and when I saw that she had this set for only a $1.00, I had her add this on to my bill.  I have some other Verve Plain Jane stamps with Bible verses and I like them a lot.  If you look under the tags on the side bar under Contraband or 3 D, you will find some other projects that I have made with them.  This verse has special meaning to me as this is the verse that Jenna chose as her confirmation verse, when she was confirmed.

Stay cool!  Elaine

Here is today's recipe:

Stamp set: Verve Jeremiah 29 :11
Ink: Memento Black and SU Bashful Blue
Card Stock: Black, White, Kraft, Pink Passion, Lavender Lace
Ribbon: 6 1/2" SU Black Grosgrain
Cuttlebug Embossing folder: Floral Fantasy
SU Embosslit: Beautiful Wings
Punches: SU 3 /16" Corner Punch, Spiral Border
SU Jewels Basic Rhinestones

Card Base: 4 1/4" x 11" Black (side fold)
Layer 1: White 4" x 5 3/8"
Layer 2: 3 3/8" x 4 5/8" Black
Layer 3: 3 1/4" x 4 1/2" Pink Passion
Layer 4: 2 3/4" x 2 7/8" Kraft
Layer 5: 2 1/8" x 2 5/8" Black
Layer 6: 2" x 2 1/2" White

Snowing in Wisconsin.....again....unfortunately!!!

We had a big snowstorm here today and I guess it is suppose to continue tonight and tomorrow morning.  I canceled my rag bag class for the second time.  I was suppose to have it tomorrow night.  I am going to reschedule it for the 28th.  My mom was teasing me that I should wait till summer to have it!  But hopefully next week will be okay.  I haven't looked out the window for hours so I don't know what it is doing out there at the moment.  But I need to take trash out to the road yet, and I am not looking forward to trudging through the snow to do that!

I got 18 cards made today.  So I am happy about that.

Stay warm and dry, and in the house if you can, they are saying not to attempt to go anywhere till afternoon tomorrow.  Have a good one!  Elaine