SEW Special . . .

Happy Tuesday Blogging Friends!

The sun is shining and I hope to get outside this afternoon (once things dry up a bit from the mornings dew) and do a bit more weeding & prep before it's time to plan my annual flowers.  But before I do that, I wanted to share a couple of things with you today.

First of all, if you saw my post the other day about the 'crazy' robin that keeps attacking my front windows & doors (which, BTW she is still doing ... woke me up at 6:14 a.m. with her insistent body slams against the window) ... it's just been a flurry of birds in our back wooded area the past couple of days!  Guess they are happy Spring is here too!  It was so nice to see the Purple Finch & Gold Finch back at our feeders.  I just grabbed a quick photo (need to keep a camera upstairs ... by the time I ran downstairs to get it most were gone) grrrr!

 

AND ... we have a newcomer to our feeders.  

Isn't he gorgeous!!!

He is a Rose Breasted Grosbeak!  When I first caught a glimpse of him I thought it was one of our woodpeckers because I saw the patch of red but once he sat still where we could really get a good look at him ... WOW!  How excited we were to have a NEW visitor to our sunflower feeder!

  

As the title to this post reads . . . just as our new feathered friend is SO special,  I have a card to share with you that is SEW special because I created it using items from the NEW Crafty Secrets sewing line of digital products.  Which, you can view & purchase at the new Crafty Vintage Girl Shoppe.  I have used items from the Digital Sewing Basket - DAS 111.   

I am working on a project which I will share with you next week and this is the card that will go with that project when I gift it to the little neighbor girl.

It is just so much fun creating with this new digital line of products from Crafty Secrets!  I like that I can RESIZE (& manipulate) images to make them fit my needs.  For instance this quick inside sentiment.  I simply brought the 'sew special' image into a new Word document ... added a text box in which I added the words YOU ARE . . . into ... removed the outer box lines and Viola!   PERFECT!

OH! OH!  And, you'll want to pop right over to the Heartwarming Vintage Blog today where Sandy is offering a new (FREE)  Mother's Day's printable!  It is GORGEOUS and you'll want it for your very own!

A few additional challenges to enter this card into:

Bearly-Mine #84 - Anything Goes

Celebrate the Occasion #110 - Anything Goes

LEJ Designs #51 - Anything Goes

Party Time Tuesday #118 - Anything Goes

Through the Craftroom Doors - Anything Goes

Twisted Tuesday #49 - Anything Goes (no twist this week)

{PIN]spiration Challenge -

Well I guess I'd better get back to my crafting before time slips away from me.  All too soon it will be time to venture to outside chores!  I hope the sun is shining brightly at your house today like it is here!  Try to make time to embrace it ... if only for a moment!  

I love having the warm sun on my face ... makes me feel like God is reaching out and saying 

"Hello my child ... it's going to be a beautiful day ... enjoy it and know I love you"!

As always . . .

Recipe for this card:

Papers:  SU Pink Pirouette cs, White cs
Accessories:  Crafty Secrets digital images, Spectrum Noir alcohol markers, pop dots, Fiskars swivel craft knife, Spellbinder classic circle die, Momento Angel Pink ink, sponge dauber

Inspired by Others . . .

Hello Everyone and Welcome to my blog!

A short while back I was over on Pinterest checking out some of the latest pins and came across a card pinned by Debbie McNamara that really caught my eye!  I decided right then & there that I wanted to case this beautiful creation.  The card was actually created by Teneale Williams back in June of 2011.

Here is Teneale's creation . . .

and, here is mine . . .

I haven't used this emboss resist technique in a very long time!  

I really must make time to revisit some of these techniques that I learned so long ago!

A few challenges:

Artistic Inspirations - Lots of Layers

The Cutie Pie Challenge - Lots of Layers

The Crafty Bloggers Network - Anything Goes

Tammy's Scrapin Corner - Lots of Layers

Thanks for stopping by my blog today and I hope you enjoyed my post.  I also hope that you find inspiration in my work just as I do in all of yours!  Have a fabulous day and as always . . .

Recipe:

Papers:  White cs, SU Chocolate Chip cs,

Stamps:  Stampscapes 'Leafy Branch' and 'Scenic Sentiments #4'

Inks:  Tim Holtz 'Tea Dye' and 'Brushed Corduroy, Versafine Onyx

Technique:  Heat Embossing Resist (versamark & detail clear embossing powder)

Accessories:  Eclipse masking medium, Offray 'Chocolate Satin' ribbon, Bow Easy, X-press mounting foam tape

It's the CRAZIEST THING and a challenge creation . . .

Hello my friends!

Hubby and I are back from our little trip to Washington, D.C. and we had a fabulous time!  Which, if you follow my blog, you are quite aware of!  Hope I didn't bore you too much with my non-crafting posts.

Anyways, we get back home and my good neighbor came over to bring our week's worth of mail she had so kindly collected for us and while talking out on the front porch I noticed all this 'stuff' on the mat in front of our door.  A little later in the day we found the source of the 'stuff' . . . and it was (and still is) the CRAZIEST THING I've ever seen!

 

This ROBIN kept attacking our front door (and pooping all over the place in the process).  We assumed she/he was seeing its own reflection and thinking it was another bird ... hence the attacking ... so we took out the glass door and put in the screen.  We were really afraid it was going to injure itself because there were already signs of blood on the door.  WELL ... it didn't attack the door any longer ... but instead started the same process on the side lights of the front door ... I even tried covering them and it continued!  Then today I had one (don't know if it's the same one or not) attacking the sliding glass door on the back of the house!  YIKES ... these birds are really being aggressive this year ... not sure what's going on!?!  I don't see a nest any where near either door!?!

OKAY ... onto a crafting project!  As you know, I always enjoy doing the challenges at Joan's Gardens and this week the theme is really clever (and out of the box)!  They want you to create a card using items from the letters in the word TULIPS.  You know, like T = texture, tape, trim ... etc., etc., etc.

Here's what I've come up with:

T - texture, trim

U - umbrella

L - lace, lavender

I - item from Joan's Gardens

P - polka dots, pearls, pink & purple

S - sentiment

 What a fun challenge and I love the outcome!  I will finish (and share later) the inside to make this a Get Well card.  I must admit my MOJO is failing me a bit this weekend ... must have left it in Washington, D.C.  LOL!  So with that being said, I remembered that the big Adventures in Stamping convention was this weekend here in Akron, Ohio at the Knights Center (10 minutes away) so I drove on over and bought a few new goodies in hopes that maybe that will give my mojo the ZAP it needs.  Getting too late tonight so maybe tomorrow I can play more and get inspired!

A few additional challenges for this creation:

Catered Crop - Make an Impression (embossing)

Challenges 4 Everybody #19 - Anything Goes

Edit to add completed inside card photo (still keeping true to my New Years resolution).

So until then, I will thank you very much for stopping by and if you've left me a comment, I thank you so much ... I always love hearing what you have to say!  Wishing you a wonderful week ahead  and as always ...

Recipe for this card:

Papers:  White cs, Deep Purple cs, Prima Sweet Fairy dp

Stamp: Heather's Stamping Haven

Ink:  Versafine Onyx

Accessories:  Clear Embossing Powder, Wright's purple lace, Die-Versions 'floral parasol' die, Die'sire Embossalicious 6x6 petite dot embossing folder, Kaiser pearls, Wild Orchid Rose

Time to go home . . .

Hello my friends!

It's a happy day for TWO reasons ... 1st of all, it's hubby's BIRTHDAY and 2ndly, we are heading back home.  It has been a very interesting & fun week of touring around our nation's capitol but now it's time to go home.  But, before we get on the highway, I wanted to share with you our last couple tours.

We finally completed our tour through the National History Museum that we started a couple of days ago.  Here are just a couple of highlights:

I was fascinated with the gowns worn by the First Ladies for various White House events.  Beautiful designs!

 (Michelle Obama's Inaugural Gown - 2009)

(Laura Bush's Inaugural Gown - 2001)

(Nancy Reagan's Inaugural Gown - 1981)

AND, of course I had to photograph the ever popular RUBY SLIPPERS from the Wizard of OZ.

On our way back on the Metro Subway we decided to jump off at Arlington Cemetery and take the tour.  I am SO GLAD we did because our timing couldn't have been better.  The weather had warmed up and we got to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier just in time for the Changing of the Guard! 

We have been blessed with beautiful weather this week and I have learned SO MUCH on this trip.  Primarily how blessed we are to have our freedom and the amazing country we live in!

I'll be back soon with new crafting creations.  Until then, please say a prayer to see us home safely.  Thanks so much for stopping by and for your kindness.  HUGS ...

Walking ... Walking ... Walking ...

Hello my friends!

Here are a few more photos to share with you that tells the story of what hubby & I have been up to the past couple of days.  There are SO MANY amazing sites to see here in Washington, D.C. and hopefully our feet will hold up through one more day of walking today!  LOL!  (this getting old is for the birds!)

On Day 3 of our adventure, we once again hopped aboard the Big Bus Tour Line and this time we took the Yellow Loop visiting historical Georgetown and various museums.  The most noted was our visit to the National Cathedral!  MASSIVE and AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL!  You will see hubby's back in several of these photos ... 1) to give you an idea of how large this facility is and 2) because I am the photo taker and he's more the 'in depth explorer'.

I have many more photos of the stained glass ... so many beautiful & different styles ... just gorgeous!

On yesterday's (Day 4) adventure, we decided to go through the Air/Space Museum and the Art Museums.  Here's a taste of what we viewed ... again ... AMAZING!

Talk about TIGHT SPACES ... WOW!!

Over at the National Gallery of Art ... here are a few of the beautiful pieces of art we experienced.

Well ... hubby is up enjoying a cup of coffee and it's time for me to get ready for another day of sight seeing!  Hope you've enjoyed viewing some of the sights we are seeing ... and, if you ever get the opportunity, this is one  city you need to tour through!  So much history & beauty!  One helpful hint:  If you do visit our nation's capitol, use the Metro subway system to get around and once in D.C. the easiest way to get around is the Big Bus Tours ... be sure to check em out!

Time to go ... catch you later!

Thanks for stopping by!