A Little Stamping

I get to do a little stamping once a month with some dear friends. And I actually got a few cards made.

On this, and the rose card, I lightly sanded the raised portion of the embossing. This exposes the white core of this cardstock, highlighting the embossed design. The white oval bearing the sentiment was lightly sponged with blue sky while still in the oval die, to protect and emphasize the white border. Also, I stamped the flower portion of the oval stamp again on the blue paper, cut it out and adhered it to the white oval. Then I used the 3D paint to make tiny dots in the center.

Recipe:  paper-  white, Core'dinations canvas textured cardstock "vacation blues" (Storage Units, Inks & More);  stamps-  Oval All (Stampin'Up);  ink- archival black, blue sky (Stampin'Up);  accessories-  Elegant Bouquet textured impressions embossing folder (Stampin'Up), sanding block, ribbon (American Crafts), Nestabilities (Spellbinder), shiny white Scribbles 3D paint.

As soon as I saw this stamp of Ronda's, I knew I wanted to paper piece it. 

Recipe:  paper- white, K&Company designer papers;  ink-  black archival;  stamps-  need to find out;  accessories-  Square Lattice textured impressions embossing folder (Stampin'Up),  punches (Stampin'Up), shiny white Srcibbles 3D paint.

Recipe: paper-  K&Company designer paper, white, black;  ink-  black archival;  stamps-  Oval All (Stampin'Up), hummingbird stamp;  accessories-  Nestabilities (Spellbinder),  Scribbles shiny white 3D paint.

I used the same sanding technique on this as the first card.  Also, I cut away part of the embossed panel to highlight the roses. 

Recipe:  paper-  white, K&Company Classic K Designer Mat Pad, Core'dinations canvas textured cardstock (Storage Units, Inks & More);  accessories-  Manhattan Flower textured impressions embossing folder (Stampin'Up), sanding block.

SCORE!

Oh my!  Every once in a while it happens. That fun, big bargain find. I had an hour to kill on Tuesday (two piano students out on vacation). So I slipped to the Goodwill store close by.  Thanks to some of the amazing blogging thrifters out there, I've gotten more into the habit of checking out boxes. Off to the side, before I left the store empty handed this time, I saw two large cardboard boxes...one marked "Pottery Barn Kids" for $3, and the other marked PBTeen for $4.  Pottery Barn! How can it not be good? I've seldom seen anything from that place that I didn't love. Each box contained an item that had never even been unpacked.  I couldn't find the chair in a catalogue, but I did find the lamp. It's listed for $79! Granddaughter #1 needs a lamp for her new bedroom, and what child can't use a classy chair just his or her size?  Thank you, Lord!

Not bad for a total of $7.

Best Laid Plans...

I had visions this summer of projects, gardening, alfresco entertaining, regular blog posts. Oh well.  Number one...it's too miserable outside most of the time to even think about picnics, dining out, or sitting around a fire pit. Number two...the outside looks terrible because everything is burning up. My poor, once beautiful flowers. And finally, the biggest reason it's "oh well" to my plans, is that we're renovating a house. Only it's not ours!  Daughter #2, husband, and three grandkiddos are moving into my husband's parents' house. Both parents passed away within the last two years and the family preferred that the house be kept within the family if possible. It brings daughter and family 25 minutes closer to their respective jobs, and right around the corner from us. Yay!!  The house was an old one and had not had hardly anything done to it since it was built.  Needless to say, it needed work. So while everything there is being scraped, sanded, painted, and cleaned, everything at my house is being....ignored. Dust and dirt included. 
However, we do need groceries once in a while and to go to the grocery store I need to pass a thrift store and an antique mall. Grin. So, Friday I treated myself to a couple unscheduled stops before groceries. I found 3 beautiful blue and white plates and two very nice silverplated serving pieces. Total spent, $12.  

At least when I finally do get around to working on my house, I'll have some pretty things to use. :)