Trick or Treat

Today my kids went back to school. My boy, Chris, started his sophomore year and my daughter, Katelyn, is now in 7th grade. Whew! Back to school for me is the official start of fall. Over the weekend I did a clean sweep (have you seen that show?) in my studio. I still have a few things to put away, but I'll take a picture when it's done:) FYI, if anyone is interested I have listed an almost brand new Spellbinder Die Cutting Machine in my Etsy shop for just $15 plus $10 shipping :)
I put all my Halloween stuff together and was really anxious to play with it. I used the new sketch from Mojo Monday. This stamp image is from American Art Stamps. I colored the adorable witch with watercolor pencils and a blender pen.

Thanks so much for stamping by today!

Laura~

Celebrate the Journey

It's all about My Favorite Things today! From the first moment I saw this image 3 years ago, I was enchanted. This is for the MFT Wednesday Sketch Challenge. I used the set Goin' Places and got to play with my new retro flower die-cut. I love the dimension is adds to the card.

I also am playing the Way to Use It Challenge on SCS. Recycling is the challenge today. I pulled out the stack of chipboard that I save to use for the tab, also a die-cut from My Favorite Things.

Everthing was colored with Copic Markers. I think that is about it today. I am off to meet a new friend for lunch! Have a wonderful day!

Thanks for stamping by!

Laura~

We Grow Great by Dreams

Hello! This is for the SCS Sketch Challenge today. The stamps are SU! Dreams du Jour and the paper is from K&Co. the ancestry.com stack. I stamped the image 2 times so that I could cut an extra flower for dimension.

The vellum die cut is from My Favorite Things and the hardware is SU! hodgepodge.
Thanks so much for stamping by today!
Laura~

E=mc2

Hello! I usually don't play color challenges. They are the most difficult for me to pull off. But the Color Challenge at SCS was to use red, blue and yellow with the dessert being back to school theme. Well, you know I had to play. It was the perfect opportunity to play with the library cards I created a few weeks ago.

The stamps are SU! It's Academic. I colored the bus with Copic Markers.

The digital download for this file (includes cards and directions for making the pockets) is just $2.50 in my Etsy shop!
Thanks so much for stamping by today!
Laura~

Those who wish to sing...

When I was a teenager I wanted to sing. I had been in my jr. high choir and had a blast, so I asked to join the the choir at church. One glorious Sunday afternoon, I was literally singing my heart out in front of God and the congregation when I noticed that my microphone wasn't on. Pointing to the offending mic, I mouthed to the choir director, "My mic isn't on." She mouthed back, "I know." That, my friends, was the heartrending end of my singing career.

Years later, while working on scrapbook, I came across this Swedish Proverb, " Those who wish to sing always find a song." I felt a little charge of electricity, an excitement, a knowing. That is exactly right; there is a song for each of us. Just because I wasn't gifted with a beautiful singing voice didn't mean I couldn't be a rock star with my long list of other talents (for those of us who don't know right out of the womb what we want to be/do with this life, I think we get to gather a bag full of skills and other fun things). But which talent to pursue, to cultivate, I am a MOM for goodness sake! I have been saying for years that I really don't know what I want to be when I grow up. I was getting desperate to find MY song.

Several months ago I enrolled to get certified to be a Life Coach. While I have had what is nothing short of a schizophrenic life path so far (cake decorator, frustrated interior decorator, PTA president, all on top of a degree in marketing), I am sure with every fiber of my being that this is absolutely the right path for me, my song.

I believe that we find and are connected with people for specific reasons. I want to share my journey here. If you are reading this, perhaps you are meant to share back. I hope so, it should be nothing short of interesting, that's for sure.

So what do you say, are you ready to join me for some singing lessons? (...and a little paper crafting while we are at it)


This is for the Mojo Monday Sketch. I used some new stamps I got from Stampers Anonymous and a new retro flower die I got from My Favorite Things. The paper is all from my stash.
Thanks so much for stamping by today and taking a minute to read my story!
Laura~

Wish Big Embossed Folder

Well, I am back at it again with my Tim Holtz stash. Today the SCS challenge was to use an embossing folder as the main element. I also used the SU! set Short & Sweet and some more new stamps from Stampers Anonymous Odds and Ends (for the ticket).
I think this is such a wonderfully masculine card.
Thanks so much for stamping by~
Laura

Get Your Freak On!

I love this sentiment for Halloween from My Favorite Things Fright Night set. I am playing along with the MFT Sketch Challenge for this card and the SCS challenge to use VersaMark. I used it on the spiderweb and spider to emboss it with clear embossing powder. I don't have black ep so I stamped the image first with VersaMark and then stamped it with Memento Tuxedo Black. Don't do it the other way around or you will mess up your VersaMark pad. I colored the witch with Copic markers.
I have had this stamp from The Cat's Pajamas for yeeaarrrs, I am embarrassed to say. Anyway, I was just aching to use it so here you go.

I used Crystal Effects on the floaty to give it some dimension. This card makes me smile and want to go hang out at the pool with a cocktail. Anyone want to join me :)

Have an amazing day. Thanks for stamping by.

Laura

Love Potion #9

I got new stamps in the mail yesterday so I refrained from using the Tim Holtz stuff I still have out on my desk :) This is for the SCS sketch challenge346 . The stamps are from Artistic Outpost. I love the vintage Halloween look. The papers are all from my stash that I am slowly going through. I embossed the Love Potion and the Witch's Potion labels for a little dimension and pretty heavily distressed the rest. I stamped the bottle onto cream cs and colored it with Copic markers.

Thanks so much for stamping by today!

Laura

And the winner is...

Everyone!!! That's right everyone who commented on this post will get the downloads for my library cards and pockets, whoohoo! I will email those who have links or just email me and I will send them to you.
Now for Mojo Monday...I think I might need an intervention. I had all my Tim Holtz stuff out from my last 2 projects and really wanted to use them again. Honestly, if I keep this up just send some help.

I used Gadget Gears Die-cut, Texture Fades embossing folders, and the Visual Artistry stamps from Stampers Anonymous. For the cool distressed look on the embossed layer, I inked the backside of the folder with Tim Holtz Distress Ink Brushed Corduroy and then ran it through the cuttlebug. I think this is such a great guy card.

Thanks so much for stamping by today!

Laura

enjoy the journey

WOW! I had such a great time making this telescoping card for the SCS TLC Challenge today.
On Saturday I got the gear die cut and the Texture Fades embossing folders from the Tim Holtz collection, aren't they fabulous? I love the steampunk feel of this card. The stamps are also from Tim Holtz called Visual Artistry. The Be Brave sentiment and the top die cut under the tag is from MFT Own Your Story set.

I haven't ever done a telescoping card before, but I don't think this will be my last.

You still have until tonight to leave a comment to win a digital download for templates to make library cards and pockets, see this post.

I am off to take my DD for some school supplies. Hope you have a beautiful day!

Laura

THANK YOU!!!

Now I remember why I love the stamping and crafting community so much and how much I missed it. You guys are the best, I have heard from so many who are sending well wishes and welcome backs. Thank you, it means so much to me.
Well, the story for today is this. I really liked playing with the It's Academic set from SU! I also had a PILE of scraps that I was trying to decide what to do with. I ran across some mini envelopes and thought, hmmm. I could make little notecards....that have little envelopes....

Voila! Adorable, easy to make mini notecards. I don't think I even need to spell out what went on here. I did use Tim Holtz walnut stain Distress Ink and the direct to paper method of inking to really distess the cards. Really the bonus is using up all those small scraps of paper. The notecards are 2 1/2 x 3 1/2.

Want your own mini envelopes. Well, lucky for you I have some in my Esty shop.

Thanks so much for stamping by today!

Laura

Back to School...

I am so excited for school to start again! I love my kids, but I love it when they are doing their thing, kwim? I am playing with my library card templates and with stamps from SU! that rarely see the light of day :)
I printed the set of cards, stamped the images, and did a little coloring with my copic markers. Easy! Now I have notes to leave the kids in their lunch boxes, send a note to the teacher or add to an album.

Want to make your own? Head on over to my Etsy shop and you can print your own or pick this set up! Want to win a download, just leave some love on the previous post by Monday.

Have a fabulous weekend!

Thanks for stamping by,

Laura

Hello?!!!

Well it has been awhile... do you remember me? It has been nearly 2 1/2 years since my last post. I had some life things to take care of. I am sure that nearly all of you can relate. You know when you just have to take a step back and decide what is truly important and focus on that? That is what I did and I wish I could express how amazing the journey has been.

But enough of that for now, I know you are here to see some paper stuff. So here you are, a journal I have made that goes with the challenge at SCS today, to use a frame.

I started the journal with thick chipboard and used Paper Mod Podge to adhere all the paper to the chipboard and then used it as a protective top coating for the rest of the paper elements. The images are from Stampin Up (I Like Your Style). I have been going through my stash to clear some room and remembered how much I heart this set. By the way if you are interested in some retired SU! sets check out my Etsy shop. I will be adding more sets in the next few weeks so check back often :0

For this library pocket I made my own. I have also added this to my Etsy shop so that you can use it too if you would like. I have a digital version, so you can be using it by this afternoon! The journey sentiment is from the Tim Holtz collection of stamps called Visual Artistry, gorgeous!

I finished the journal by binding it with my Bind-it-All.

To kick off my return to stamping and blogging land I am giving away a free download for the library pockets. Just leave some love (comments) and I will pick a random winner on Monday, August 15!

Thanks so much for stamping by!

Laura