Mom's Clock

Here is my third clock! My mom loves teapots, and so I searched the Internet for different designs of teapots... my original idea was to have 12 little teapots, but I ended up with this design.
It is after a Mary Englebreit style. My handle and my spout, I put through the cuttlebug and embossed them.

The cherries were quickutz, and I hand cut all of the leaves. I punched white dots for polka dots and then just pieced it all together.

I found cherry ribbon at www.ribbonretreat.com and then I also had a bunch in my stash, so I thought I would ground the pot with the ribbons. The picture makes the look kinda wavy, but they are straight.

My steam for the teapot came from a free download from www.theanglecompany.com it was in the free black and white downloads and I just cut out the swirlys in the paper. I used red rhinestones for the numbers where I didn't use cherries.

Hope you like!

2nd Clock

Here is the second clock that I made. The top photo is of the finished clock. The second photo is the prototype? I made it first, and didn't like it, so I started over and made the top clock. Looks better to me. You can see the little kids instead of them competing with the background.

The lady I made the clock for, has 13 grandkids. I thought I could get them all on the clock, because 2 of them are twins... but I didn't like that they didn't get their own number, because the girls are so different. Then, I decided that the baby that was just born, well, she could have the center of the clock.

My girlfriends kids are in here, and when I gave the clock to her, her kids couldn't wait to find themselves! Each one of them did, even Squirty, who is three! Her oldest boy is the the redhead with glasses...

The second oldest boys is the blondie at 3 O'clock, spiky hair. He said, Keerst, my hair isn't that spiky! (Yes, Kobe! It is!) Abbie, one of the twins, is at 6 O'clock, with the long bright red pig tails.

Her twin, Maddie, is the strawberry blond curly headed one next to her...

There's Squirty at 9 O'clock, with the strawberry spiky hair! He said, "Dat me! Huh! Dat me Earst!"

It was fun to do, and challenging, to make all the kids and make them look like they were supposed to look - only in punch art form!

Anyways, hope you like! Working on clock #3!

Remember that paper you just had to buy?

Well, this is paper that I just had to buy. It has been in my stash for several years. My friend asked me to make her mom a clock for Christmas. Hmmm.... so down I went to the creation room! I was putting it off. (But Thanksgiving is in two days!) I am one who usually has all of her Christmas shopping done, wrapped, by October. Sheesh. I am sooooo behind this year. So enough of putting it off. There was the paper. I really, really liked the paper. So much in fact, I don't really want to send the clock off. Wonder if beyond, beyonds, I happened to purchase another sheet of it...
Nope. That is the rule you know. You must always purchase two of everything. Too bad I didn't have this rule a couple of years ago! (I do now for just such occurrences, also, if you are scrapbooking, you want to make a two page layout... you need two sheets...don't be frugal on me!)

I had to catch up on a couple of ATC swaps I was in.

And, I finished up the one set of Christmas cards... don't worry. I have already finished 4 other sets of cards.... just deciding if I need to make a few others....

But, I have 3 more clocks to make. So tune in, I'll get them done as soon as I can!

Trading Cards

I love trading cards. People ask me all the time though, what do you do with a trading card? They are only 2 1/4 inches by 3 1/4 inches. Well, I'll tell you! There are some that I really like, those, I decide whether I want to keep it for a design, or if I want to use it. If I keep it, I have a folder for them, so I can go through and look at them for inspiration. If I use it, I do something else.
The top pic, is of a trading card. I like it. I want to use it on a card. Sometimes I put them on scrapbook pages as an element... Anyways, here is how I turned "wanted" into a card.

I chose a light brown for the base, and then cut three strips of dark brown and layered them on the card. Then I cut 3 strips of the apricot-y, peach-y paper. I inked the three lighter papers, and stamped a stamp on each of the three. I happen to have this stamp set it was made from, so I used stamps from it. If I don't own the stamp set, I try to pick things that would go with it.

Then I layer the trading card onto the card front. Easy-peasy huh!

Watches!

I've been a busy girl! I love, love, love watches! However, I am very, very picky. I mean it too. Every year I ask for a new watch for Christmas. Hubby has the hardest time, because I only accept watches that I approve of. Namely, they have to be gold, black face, diamond for a number (least one number)...after 18 years of marriage, he has a hard time finding one I don't have!
But then, I saw these beaded watches. It is a craze here. Everyone and their dog has one. Well, we were making them in church. So I signed up to make a couple. Not sure I would like them, because, for one, they are all silver faced, and pretty big. I guess though, that is the idea, a chunky watch. (not on my list...) So I am giving them a try! (branching out?)
The top one had a face to it. (3 of my faces didn't come, waiting for the mail man!) It is green, I really like how it turned out. I tried to make them all glass beads, I am not a fan of the plastic ones....

So here are 3 bands. I know! You see plastic! But it was pretty! I don't know if I will ever wear it, because it is so chunky...but you never know!

This one I made tismorning. My friend Shirley and I went to town yesterday. She wanted to learn how to make the watches. Oh my goodness! We were in town from 10 til 5:30! One should never look at beads that long. (actually, we stopped at a thrift shop too, good finds, good day!)

So here is my yellow one. I love yellow too. The yellow beads have crackling in them...

My purple one! You have to have a purple one right? The face is not here yet.. :( Shirley went over to her step-daughters house, and was telling her about the beaded watches, her daughter says, Oh, I have some of those, and proceeded to show her 20!! See how watch crazy it is here? Who needs 20 watches? (please don't remember I have 18 from Christmas's...)

Ok, here is a closer look at the red watch... Everyone needs a red watch too... :)

Now tell me you don't need to run out and make one for you too!!

The Final Santa Card

After much debate, this is the new card that I came up with. I had quite a few emails, responses giving me their opinion. For this I thank you very much!
So, I used some of the suggestions, and I think the result is much better!
A few said the brown was too depressing. So, I changed the brown top and base, to green. I then used the same green on the corner. I added green rhinestones to even it out.
Also, on the green piece on top, I embossed it, instead of crimping. That way it was all an even design.
I changed the Merry Christmas to green to, instead of black. The background has green snowflakes stamped into it also.
Hope you like the finished one!

Help with Santa Post

Ok, needing some of your help people! I am making a Christmas Card. Here's the deal, I like the picture. I like it inked up. I like the corners...
The problem. . . They just don't look right to me. The envelope that the card is going into, is the light green you see on some of the cards. So, what I need you to do, is tell me which one you like best, and what improvements or problems you see with it.
Thanks mucho!!
Top card is Number 1 (red corners)

This is Number 2 (light shimmery green, same as envies)

This is number 3 or red face...

This is number 4. (shimmery green with shiny green band)

Leave me a comment with your input! Thanks!

And you thought I was doin nuthin...

well, I was doin sumthin. I finished up the little test tube holders, as far as I could. I am waiting on a stamp to arrive. One that I can stamp across the front of the holders that says, Merry Christmas. Actually, it goes on a label, but that is all done, just waiting on the stamp.

Then, my friend calls me. You know the advent calendar you are making for me for Christmas? Yes, I say. She says, well, how would you like to make 6 more? I need them myself for gifts. O K A Y says me! I got right to town! Literally, I needed to get to town, to get the supplies.

Here they all are stacked on top of each other.

Here is what they will look like. No two are the same, but they have the same papers on them. I got smart this time and punched circles for the numbers, had to use a different number set, but I like the crayon one better. So am redoing a couple of the other ones that I did for other people...

Here is one of the ones I am redoing, as you can see the numbers are missing. But I liked the colors on this one, kind of cheery!

There, so you see, I have been busy!

Hmmm, now I have to start all my Christmas Cards for myself, since I finished them for everyone else!

Tube Mess

This is my test tube mess. Just when I though I had finished the project, I realize I forgot the Merry Christmas stamp on them, AFTER they were already assembled. Some-days.
Well, upper photo, is of the little boxes that will hold my tubes for my neighbors and friends, and my girlfriends neighbors and friends...50 in all...

Here are the little test tubes already filled with stuff! I got in on a bulk buy for test tubes...I didn't realize how small they were. I was a little bummed, and had to figure out what to put in them. What would fit? The size I thought they were, I had flavored sugars for one, and popcorn for the other, but these are really little guys. Didn't work. Candy was out, because you could fit about 15 M&M's in one tube, all sitting on each other.

So, I came up with this solution. I took (for 8 tubes) One carton of orange flavored drink mix... I used Crystal Light. (there are 6 tubs in one carton) Then I used 2 tubs from the Lemonade flavor, and then I added Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Allspice. Mixed it all together and funneled it into the tubes. One tube will hold one tub with a little spices added. (so one batch discribed above, will fill 8 tubes, with a pinch left over...)

After I filled all 100 tubes....I had a little left over, and I mixed it up with Sprite. WOW!!! That is some drink! My kids loved it and want me to open more of the tubes for them!

So, I think its a winner.

Here are the little tags telling how to mix it with sprite or water... I guess you'll have to wait to see the finished product, as there is stamping missing on them!! Hope I finish them all tonight, so I can get to work on other things!

Candy Bar Challenge

Over at Late Night Stampers... they had a challenge and it was to make a card, using your favorite candy bar as the inspiration.
I can do that I thought.
So, went to the candy counter at the local farcnarcles... (that's what we call the closest mom and pop store..something from my childhood) and there, there were all the candy bars! Well, my most favorite is M&M's. But I wasn't sure if that counted as a candy bar.. so I put that in my basket. Then I picked up a twix, they didn't have the peanut butter ones... something with peanut butter and chocolate cookie...hmmm, put that in the basket. I grabbed a Baby Ruth, well, because, I like them. But then I saw it! The Farr's Idaho Huckleberry Cordial. I LOVE THOSE!!
If you have never had fresh huckleberries, you are missing out. We go hunt for these little berries worth their weight in gold, in July. Farr's, a local candy company, they make these Cherry Cordials, that I have to make myself not buy, well, this year, they made them with Huckleberries!
That was it. I can do that challenge. Got my favorite candy bar, and my favorite color to boot! (plus some extra in the basket, to give me more sugar inspiration!) (no.. I didn't eat them all in one day!)
SO hope you like what I came up with!