Well, the other day I was thinking it would be cool to have a stamp with a crazy-quilt design. I have a few friends that do alot of quilting, and thought it would be neat to send them some notes. But I couldn't find a stamp that was crazy enough (I did find several that I really like, though). So I thought I'd just make my own crazy card. I found a template off of a quilt web page and just reduced it to fit my card. Then I photocopied that onto the backs of 5 different pieces of coordinated patterned paper. Cut out the quilt pieces and tried to randomly assemble the blocks. Here's my favorite block:
I went ahead and machine-stitched all 5 blocks. This was alot of fun, but next time I think I'll do a few things differently: Die-cut the scalloped square first, then adhere the paper pieces to it, then sew (for this card, I put the pieces on paper, stitched, then cut out the square with a straight-edge, then put the pieced-square on a scalloped square...I didn't quite like the way it looked in the end).
Also, I would straight-stitch the outside of the block (rather than zig-zag), just because I think I'd like the look better. Maybe reduce my template a bit more, if I want to make a card with a sentiment on the outside.
Okay, enough card...Here's my little bit of ridiculous for the day. Pippin is so opinionated and is going through her Terrible-2's, I think. She kept scattering her toys everywhere, so I got out this tub to hold her toys. She decided it was a much nicer napping place than her crate...especially since Unicorn is in there. Tuesday night will be her first class of Puppy Kindergarten; hope the class will help the living situation at our house...
Well, this is way late...last Wednesday (October 15) was National White Cane Day. We actually didn't know this was an official "day" until we attended this event! The students from Ziggy's school walked about 2 miles from the school to a park downtown. Then there were refreshments and a mini ceremony. The mayor actually gave a speech! Very cool! 
The students also set up a little table with samples of braille, notetakers, etc. One student had a braillewriter, and she would write your name in braille for you. Ziggy had her braille his name; he was a riot!
Okay, onto some cards...Here is a batch I did last week. A friend of mine wanted some "Vintage Halloween" cards, and this is what I came up with. I didn't have any vintage stamps so I used printed images that I got at my LSS. I got this idea from Lisa Zappa's Halloween cards
I bought some cool Martha Stewart glitter, and used that to sparkle up the mats. I had a bit of a problem with it warping, so maybe will have to use thicker cardstock next time.
I liked this one, with the dog. This uses My Mind's Eye papers (Night Lights and Spooked Pumpkin Patch).
Not sure about this one, because the red didn't really go with the orange and brown, but hopefully she'll be okay with that.
Kind of a plain vintage...Just thought the image was cute enough without patterned paper competing with it.
And a final shot of my crew, at the White Cane Day festivities!!!
I was really busy making cards and such last week, and didn't have time to post (bad blogger). Finally catching my breath, and found a bit of time to load some photos.
First, are some recipe cards: I just started doing these, and they are so much fun! I got most of my inspiration for these from Michelle Wooderson's and Sharon Harnist's blogs. The gingersnaps and pumpkin dip recipes came from Nicole Heady, and the pumpkin fluff dip came from Sharon Harnist. I tried Nicole's gingersnaps and Sharon's dip, and both are so yummy! I decided to make recipe cards for myself and my mom, using scraps of BasicGrey Ambrosia and Karen Foster autumn paper. The images are Karen Lockhart itty bitty pumpkin and $1 pumpkin from Michael's. I printed the recipes using my latest FAVORITE Font Combination: Porcelain and Typinoksidi (both are free downloads). (Note: the recipe cards are 4x6)
Well I couldn't just send Mom the recipes without a note, so I had to make some note cards. Again, I got this idea from Michelle Wooderson's blog...she makes these alot, and I finally decided to try them out. They are so much fun to make! 
SUPPLIES: Stamps...IB Pumpkin (Karen Lockhart), pumpkin ($1 Michael's); Paper...Ambrosia (BasicGrey), Autumn (Karen Foster, probably retired...I got it from closing of LSS), Orange Poppy (Martha Stewart), Natural White (Neenah); Ink...Noir (Palette); Misc...square and circle nestabilities, prismacolor pencils, OMS & blending stumps.
And now, our little baby is getting so big...I love it when she sleeps; the house calms down and I can get something done! Here is Pippin with her unicorn (and what little girl doesn't love sleeping with a unicorn to give her magical dreams?).
I found this beautiful spider's web on our trampoline, and just had to take a photo before Steve got rid of the web (he hates spiders, but I think they're pretty). It's been raining alot today, so maybe the web got washed out before Steve got there...
And I think it's about time I wrap up my Autumnal-themed cards (since I really only have a few of those stamps)...we'll see. Anyways, here's one I did in a fun layout that I like to use with patterned paper that I don't want to cover up. This time, I added a strip of chocolate paper, pierced with my Ornare template, to kind of echo the swirly of the leaves falling from the tree. The patterned paper is Basic Grey "Mellow," and I think it is so cute, with kids and dogs running around outside during an autumn day...
SUPPLIES: Stamp...Falling Foliage (Hero Arts); Ink...Brown (Palette); Paper...Mellow (BasicGrey), Summer Sunrise, Dark Chocolate (PTI); Misc...Classic Rectangle Nesties, piercing template & equip (Ornare), prismacolor pencils, OMS & blending stumps and W1 (Copic).
I wish I was a better photographer, but hopefully this will do...just wanted to preserve my spider's art, before it goes away...
I went ahead and machine-stitched all 5 blocks. This was alot of fun, but next time I think I'll do a few things differently: Die-cut the scalloped square first, then adhere the paper pieces to it, then sew (for this card, I put the pieces on paper, stitched, then cut out the square with a straight-edge, then put the pieced-square on a scalloped square...I didn't quite like the way it looked in the end). Also, I would straight-stitch the outside of the block (rather than zig-zag), just because I think I'd like the look better. Maybe reduce my template a bit more, if I want to make a card with a sentiment on the outside.
