Happy Mother's Day!

Many of us "artists" have other projects we work on besides what you see on our blogs.  I'd like to show you another of my hobbies -- cross stitch embroidery:

....And it is DONE!  After approximately 280 hours, 35 minutes, The Christmas Holiday Bells 58" X 104" oblong table cloth, 2 placemats and 6 napkins are finally completed!  Ensemble is worked in Stamped Cross Stitch.  Here is the setup on my dining room table (with one leaf insert).

Close-up of the tablecloth.... 

 Placemat and napkin

Center of the tablecloth

Napkins -- Notice the beads in the center of each flower.  Beads were also used in the center of flowers on the placemats and tablecloth.  A total of 156 dark grey beads were used on this entire project.

 Side of tablecloth -- with beads

I started this project September 14, 2011.  Between each section, I worked on smaller cross stitch projects and greeting cards -- a project this large, one does need a break....The project was completed May 3, 2014.  It looks great on my dining room table!

Of course, I always get help with my projects....

Our Belgium friends arrive Tuesday evening.  That next weekend, May 17 and 18, is the Rubber Stamp and Paper Arts Festival in Puyallup, Washington.  We have not attended in several years, so we are excited about attending this year.  Will you attend?

After all this, I can get back to making greeting cards again.

What cards have you made recently?

Over the past month, I've been working here and there in cleaning out my craft room and rearranging things in an effort to make the space more usable and efficient.  When you acquire more material, the old space just doesn't work as well.  About half done now.  No cleaning this weekend as I need to get some cards done -- 2 Graduations, a Thank You, a Baby card and some Mother's Day cards.

In cleaning up my work table so I could create, I found a rubber stamp I didn't think I had -- it wasn't on my list.  List?  Yes, I have a list -- of all the rubber stamps, templates, inks, pens, glitter glues, paper packs/pads, etc., I own so I do not pick up duplicates.  You're all familiar with that, right?  Thus my list.  I checked my list, and discovered that all the rubber stamps, templates and embossing folders and die cuts on that table were not on the list!  I think it is updated now, so I can create once again....

First, let me show you a birthday card I did for younger sister Jan back in March. Besides Penguins and Tweety, she also loves Fairies, so this is quite appropriate for her.

The 5-layered Fairy came from a pack of layered patterns from The Netherlands, compliments of our Belgium friends.  Each layer of the Fairy is hand cut.  Base paper is Bloemen (Btossoms; i.e., Blossoms) Block 14 (StudioLight in The Netherlands).  My Dutch is a little rusty, but I believe the translations are correct.  The stock red paper was embossed with Ornate Frame (sizzix #656989).  Butterfly ribbon (craft smart), and Pink and Silver stars (The Netherlands) completes this cute birthday card.

This adorable Baby Boy card with Bear comes from the same Netherlands layered pack -- and each layer is hand cut, up to 5 layers.  Base paper is Baby Boy (me&mybigideas).  Stock maroon paper Top Note die cut (stampin' up).  The white paper Doily is brushed with Tim Holtz Salty Ocean distressed ink.  Blue stock ribbon and black Train brad complete the card.  For once, I completed a card well in advance, like 3 months early.  The baby is due in early June.

I also wanted to play with my embossing powders yesterday.  I had purchased a couple of new powders at the Sew & Stitchery Expo in late February, and wanted to see how they compete with the Ranger embossing powders I currently use.  I haven't made cards with them yet, and will post photos when completed.

Here is the card I completed yesterday with the Ranger silver embossing powder, Butterflies and Apple Blossoms:

Silver Embossed powder on green marbled paper, edged with French Blue (cats eyes).  Butterflies and Apple Blossoms are all colored with Copic markers and Gelly Roll glitter pens for highlights.  Adhered with pop dots.  Green lace ribbon (the paper studio) completes the card.

Last Saturday, I taught a (postage) stamp greeting card class at a stamp show in our area (see earlier postings).  I had three students, who thoroughly enjoyed the class.

This is the first time Jack has ever attempted a paper craft project.  He caught on quickly, did a great job on making his cards, and he thoroughly enjoyed the experience!  Some of his cards will be used as birthday cards for his mother and sister.

Gina is a school teacher, and hoped that what she learned in class, she could apply to the classroom.  Her husband is a stamp collector, so she was under no time restraints to complete her cards.  She enjoyed the class immensely, and her husband was impressed by the completed cards.

Lisa is a beginner card maker and is at the level we all start at -- basic papers and punch-outs.  She took the class to improve her skill and loved what she was learning!

Lisa learning to use an adhesive runner instead of glue.  All the students agreed the adhesive runners are a lot better than glue of any sort.

Jack proudly showing a completed card.

Lisa showing off one of her completed cards.

All three students did a great job with their cards!  They all want another class with at least one card a Christmas/Holiday greeting card.  Before the class even started, one of my sample cards was sold by my husband!  Customer agreed to pick up the card after the class.  After class, I left the remaining sample cards on the table with the flyer for that class.  Several customers and vendors' wives inquired about the class.  It appears I may well have a full class come July, when we will have it next at the Evergreen Stamp Show in Kent, Washington.

After the class ended, Lisa brought out several items to ask for advice in how to use.  Then she brought out this:

I've been making greeting cards for about 10 years and have not seen this paper pack (or just missed it on the store shelves).  I got a kick out of it and took a photo.  I posted a "remember this?" message with photo to DCWV Facebook page.  We are all getting a kick out of older items.  Thanks Lisa!

I still need to work up samples for the North Sound class, of which I have 7 people interested in taking.  I was hoping to have the class before Mother's Day, but it does not appear that will happen.  Just too many things going on (including a broken shower and broken dishwasher, former fixed today, latter fixed on Tuesday).

Our Belgium friends will be in town in a few weeks, so we can't wait to see what goodies they are bringing.  Rest assured, we have goodies for them....This year, we get only one day together, so we will definitely try to make the most of it.

If you have a separate crafting room, you know how quickly it can become "overgrown".  My room is in such a state.  About two weeks ago, my husband and I started cleaning it out/up....sorting out all the stitchery and card-making magazines and books, and figuring which I want to keep.  Putting away items I haven't put away in a long time (and that NEED to be put away).  Next, came the couple dozen boxes out of the closet to sort through and put in a separate room reserved as storage.  This included sorting through 25+ years of income tax returns -- what to keep, what to shred and what to recycle; I have four boxes left to sort.  The amount of boxes that went into storage (incomes taxes and family estate stuff) is cut in half, and boxes that went back into the closet is just a fraction of what was previously in there.  I did, however, take the time to clear a path to my work table so I could make a few postage stamp greeting cards for a couple of upcoming shows:

I'm trying to use papers that I haven't used in a while, and I think I have the perfect fit with these cards.  This base paper is from Bo Bunny et cetera Collection.  The ribbon is airmail adhesive paper tape.  Notice the 3 blings on right side of ribbon.  Yes, these are real postage stamps.

This paper is also from the et cetera collection.  World map paper tape and three brads complete this card.  As you can see, I am working on "man" theme here.

This paper is from the KaiserCraft Vintage Timeless paper pad.  The ribbon is from Queen&Co, complete with the three buttons.

This background paper is also from the Vintage Timeless paper pad.  Dark blue-green "coral reef" ribbon was added, and the card was completed with three small seashells. In sorting through our "keepsake" boxes, I came across this necklace that my husband made way back when in the 1970's -- yep, when these necklaces were all the rage.  He asked me what to do with it.  "If you don't want to keep it, put it in the charity box."

"Can you use the seashells in your cards?" he asked.

See why I keep him around!  He strung these shells pretty tight as it was a little difficult to get them off the fishing line, but I managed. Don't the shells look great!  I have a lot more shells for future cards.

This base paper is from MME (My Mind's Eye) Traveler paper pad.  Card was finished with Blue and Green twine and three buttons.

This background paper came from MME Blush paper pad.  The green ribbon is from The Paper Company Secret Garden pack. Love the colors and designs in this ribbon pack.  Couple pieces of flower to make one, add a bling, and card complete.

Base paper here is from Authentique's Splendid paper pad.  Ribbon is again from The Paper Company Secret Garden ribbon pack.  Two paper flowers and a Butterfly brad complete the card.

All paper pads are 6 or 6½ inches square.

The background paper on this card is from Art Talent paper block (out of The Netherlands), in a previous gift box from our Belgium friends.  The paper pack contains 20 designs,  all with glitter and in pastel colors.  The glitter on this card is stripes down the paper in neat columns.  The photo does not do it justice, but looks real nice in person.

Remember, all these cards are for sale.  All my postage stamp greeting cards sell for $4.00 each, regardless of what is on them.

Upon a request from last December, I am teaching a class on making these cards at a stamp show this coming weekend, Saturday, April 19, Noon to 2:00 pm.  See my March 20 entry to view the greeting cards the students are making.  Not shown, is a surprise card they will make.  If you are in the area and want to make the cards, attend the show (no admission), pay your class fee and let's get down to business!  Show information:

Evergreen Stamp Show

Kent Commons

525 - 4th Avenue North

Kent, Washington

Noon to 2:00 pm

$20.00 for 5 greeting cards

Please bring small scissors and stamps to match the topics of the cards shown in the March 20th entry.  I am bringing stamps if you do not have access to any.

Have a great Easter everyone!

And, yes, I am still working on cleaning the craft room....

You know, the one thing about multiple hobbies is you can combine them -- Pony Express (or any topic) and Stamp Collecting; Hunting and Fishing; Birding and Nature Walks; etc.

I've been making greeting cards for over a decade.  My early cards were just that -- early cards.  Very basic and simple.  I've grown much over the years, many thanks to other crafting friends, my younger sister Jan (we share ideas all the time), and classes and Expos I attend.

Each Christmas season, my husband and I attend several Holiday Craft Shows/Bazaars to sell my handmade greeting cards, and his etched glassware and handmade chocolates.  We did the same thing last year.  The weekend after our last Holiday Craft Bazaar was a stamp show (for postage stamp collectors).  I am a part-time stamp dealer.  Since we had some chocolates and stamp greeting cards left over from the Bazaar, we decided to take them to the stamp show.  I mean, stamp collectors like chocolate, right?  And you never know when someone needs a last-minute gift or greeting card.  We just about sold out of chocolates and greeting cards.  (Remember, I talked about this on January 29.)  I also mentioned customers and dealers (vendors) wanted us to bring back the chocolates and stamp greeting cards to each stamp show thereafter.  We've done this twice since, and sales have been good.

What I didn't tell you back in January is a several stamp collecting customers were VERY interested in my teaching a class on how to make greeting cards using postage stamps (their idea)!  Plans are well under way, my samples are completed, and I have started taking reservations for the class.  Here are the samples:

Since I expect most of the attendees to be stamp collectors or their spouses, they will have no problems coming up with the theme stamp.  But, just in case, I am taking stamps for them to choose from.

I am supplying all materials.  These are beginner card makers, so for this first class, all materials will be pre-done -- paper cut to size, ribbon cut to size, etc.  The attendees will need to trim as needed and put all the components together into a card.  If you remember when you started making cards, you know how long it can take to put that first card together!

This class will be held at:

Evergreen Stamp Club Show

Kent Commons

525 - 4th Avenue North

Kent, Washington, USA

April 19 (Saturday)

12:00 noon to 2:00 pm

Cost is $20.00 for 5 cards.  Yes, only 4 are shown above. The 5th card is a surprise!  It will be a rubber stamp card to give them a taste of other ways to make cards.  If they enjoy this class, and want additional classes, the next class will include stamp and rubber stamp greeting cards with attendees doing much more of the work.  

I currently have 5 open spots for this class.  If you live (or visiting) in the area, contact me to register.

I am holding another class in Edmonds, Washington area (north end of Puget Sound, whereas above class is at south end).  I already have 7 potential attendees -- and I do not even have the masters created yet!  Watch this blog for date, time and location, but I do plan on having it before Mother's Day so we can add in a Mother's Day card (or other special card if you wish).

Belgium Friends' visit update -- Looks like we will see our Belgium friends in the middle of their USA tour, about late April to early May.  Per their request, I've managed to put together a want-list, so stay tuned to see what goodies arrive from Belgium this time.  And, yes, I've been working on filling their box!

You may have been wondering why I haven't updated my blog as much as usual.  Many reasons -- my second cold in as many months, my husband off work and applying for Long-Term Disability and Social Security Disability (that's a ton of paperwork), his many medical appointments, and more recently, deep cleaning of the home.  We have been working on the master bedroom, which is large.  Half is for us, and the other half is to work on projects.  Everything is currently stuffed into the storage room; we move everything back today into their proper places.  Hopefully, at the end of the day, we will have a much more functional area for sleeping and working on other projects.  When the storage room is reorganized, then I will work on cleaning my craft room -- you know how that is!  I started the process -- there are several large piles of cross stitch and card making magazines in my front room for Stitchery Club members to take what they want.  If you are in our area, feel free to stop in and look at the stitchery and/or card making magazines to see what you want to add to your collection.  In the meantime, I have boxes of our previous years' tax returns in the craft room closet -- those will be shredded or put in the storage room, depending on age of tax returns.  This will give me more space in my craft room -- which I will be reorganizing.  I have acquired so many supplies the past couple of years (way more than cards I can make from them in the same amount of time), it needs to be better organized and reach-able.   So lots of work ahead of me, but very little card making.  Hope to get all this done by the end of April so I can start making cards for our summer craft shows.  Then, you will once again see loads of cards on the blog!

Have a great Easter everyone!

Are we having fun yet?  No sooner I get over the "Winter Bug", and I catch a cold.  So, in order to get caught up on things, I'd like to show you a few items we received for Christmas.  Yes, Christmas.  We received the package on January 2, 2014, when I was still recovering from the bug.  Now that a cold has set in solid, I decided to post photos now before it becomes March.

We love our Belgium friends! Not only do they send us Belgium chocolates, but also scrapbooking/cardmaking goodies.  (Yes, we love them without these goodies!)

The large postal box from Belgium contained some great paper packs and card stock.  Love the large aperture greeting cards -- great items for my cross stitch greeting cards!

This is a close-up of the Red paper pack (similar items in the Pink and Green packs) -- gorgeous colors!

A variety of stickers, rub-ons, bling and embossing folders. The thing about getting a package like this from Belgium is you cannot find these products in the United States.  We do have stickers, rub-ons, and bling, but not these designs.

Love the Sea Creatures Stickers and Lilacs.  Don't have anything like that here.  Been wanting to get ahold of some lace -- these are rub-on lace.  

Not used to working with these types of embossing templates, so something for me to learn.  Yes, Jan, you can borrow the butterfly one.

Close-up of stickers and bling.



And, of course, what is a package from Belgium without chocolate:

These truffles are to die for, they are so yummy!!!!! (This is my portion of the stash.)

My husband's portion of the stash.  A few other pieces are on the table for us to "share".


Thanks Dominique & Greg for the terrific gifts!  Can't wait to start working with the new goodies!

See you in April/May!  (And yes, we have some of Keith's homemade chocolates set aside for you!)

Happy New Year!

It's been awhile since I've last blogged -- busy with husband ending up on medical leave, being separated from his job, filing for long-term disability, and all the garbage that goes along with all this.   Then, I got sick just after Christmas and on into the new year.

HOWEVER, I have been able to sneak in a few days to make greeting cards!

Years ago, I used to make greeting cards with postage stamps being the central theme.  After a couple of years of doing them, I stopped as I was no longer satisfied with them.  Mid last year, customers and fellow vendors started inquiring about them, asking if I was going to do them anymore.  I took another look at the designs, and finally figured out what I needed to do -- use smaller card stock!  I posted some of those newly designed cards on November 20 -- didn't they look great!  Yes, the background paper is part of the design to enhance the cards.

After our holiday Craft Shows were finished in December, we still had a final (postage) stamp show to attend.  I decided to take the unsold stamp greeting cards and my husband's unsold handmade chocolates.  They were a hit at the show!  Just about sold out.  Customers and vendors told us we had to bring the stamp greeting cards and handmade chocolates to each stamp show from then on.  We have two stamp shows coming up on February 9 and February 16, so the stamp greeting cards and fresh handmade chocolates will be available there.  Pop on over to my other website for stamp show dates and addresses:  http://peafowlphilatelics.weebly.com/ 

If you are in the area, feel free to stop in and buy some goodies.  At a future stamp show, I will also be holding (postage) stamp greeting card classes, and some regular greeting card classes (with classes outside the stamp shows).  Stay tuned for design samples, dates, locations and price.

Here are postage stamp greeting cards I have been working on for the two stamp shows coming up.  Enjoy!

I am really lovin' the leaves I picked up from Urban Scrapbooker. They really add something to these cards.  I should have picked up more!

Remember, I am also selling my greeting cards at I Did It Creations on the internet, so feel free to stop by and see those cards.  To find my cards, always click on "Artists", then "Earth Dragon Creations".

Til next time.....Happy Crafting!