Crawfordsville Card Class Thursday April 12

These are the cards we are making for the Crawfordsville Libraray Card Classon April 12 6:30-8:30 p.m.  We will also be making a Mother's Day card (I will be posting a picture of that one a little later, my picture doesn't want to attach for some reason).  Reserve your space now by e-mailing me at brendascraftroom@sbcglobal.net or calling the library.  The cost for this class is $10.00.

My five minute junk mail project

So, I saw a tutorial on making flowers from junk mail.  Lord knows we get enough junk mail, so thought I'd give it a try it took about 5 minutes and I got this cute little flower.  It features Stampin' Up punches.  I couldn't resist my little laptop for a background, looks like it is floating in a pool.

Monthly Drawing

I am going to start a prize drawing once a month.  This month, if you comment on this post I will enter your name into a drawing.  I will be drawing the winner out on March 28th.  Each month I will tag one of my posts with this challenge, be sure and read through the posts to find out which post you need to comment on to be entered.  I will continue to post my pictures of projects for classes as well as other project ideas I come up with.  I will also be posting tutorials in the near future for projects.  Let me know what you think of this blog site.

New Scrabpbooking class at the Ladoga Library

Here is the 2 page layout for the scrapbooking class at the Ladoga Library March 22, 6:30-8:30 p.m.  If you are interested, let me know.  This layout features the Everyday Enchantment paper, Poppy parade, soft suede, pool party and very vanilla cardstock.  Soft suede and poppy parade ink, everyday enchantment brads, Fresh vintage, mixed bunch and loving thoughts stamp sets, labels embosslits, Blossom and scallop trim border punches. 

March Card Class

These are the cards I will be using at the card class at the Ladoga Library on March 15th 6:30-8:30 p.m.  I intended to post them sooner, but life got in the way.  So, here they are. 

Regional and other fun stuff.

So, last weekend was the Regional and we had a great time. I ended up going alone, but made friends with a new group of ladies that sat at the table with me.  I will be posting some of the pictures of things from the Regional soon. I was able to swap 100 cards or 100 new ideas.

Since I returned I've been having a few back issues.  I think it is too much time in a car.  So, I'm trying to get back on track.  I am prepping today for my class at the library on Thursday March 8th 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Crawfordsville Public Library.  Later today I will be posting pictures of the cards we will be making.  Next week on March 15th I will begin classes at the Ladoga Public Library as well.  The first will be a card making class from 6:30-8:30 p.m. The following week, March 22, I will be holding a scrapbooking class that will feature a two page layout during the same time frame.  As I have those samples, I will be posting the pictures.  This back thing has put a crimp in my plans, but I'm getting help which includes hour long massages, and I'm sure that in the next several months/years, I should be fully recovered.  You know how good those massages feel, gotta stretch it out a bit.  But seriously, they are helping and I will be good as new before I know it.  Seems that stress has become my enemy.  Who could guess.   Look for the pictures coming soon.

Getting ready for Regionals

Yesterday and today I have spent making 100 card fronts to swap at the Regionals in Columbus OH.  This is the card I came up with.  Hopefully, I will get to swap all of them and come home with 100 new ideas for cards.  I can't wait.  Plus there should be make and takes and maybe a few new techniques to learn.  It should be a great time.  I'll update when I get home and let everyone know what we saw and learned.

Valentines

A couple of weeks ago, I agreed to help my granddaughter make her Valentines cards. She is always asking me to let her help stamp and make cards, so I thought this would be a good opportunity for her to get to do some card making. So, last night we were making her Valentines when it occurred to me that it would be a good idea to make up some Valentines to take with me to work on Valentines day and hand out to my coworkers. I thought it would be a little pick me up for them to get a nice little card. Here is the Valentines we worked on.

This uses the candy conversations stamp, the small heart punch and the scallop lace punch.  I used chocolate chip, peach parfait, certainly celery, daffodil delight, pretty in pink, bashful blue, and wisteria wonder inks. I didn't make it fold. It is about the size of the valentines you buy in the stores that the kids put their name on. I cut 12 per sheet. I thought they would be quick and easy to make and cute to hand out.  I think I'll pick up some chocolate bars to attach on the back to go with them.  Maybe some of the hershey's miniatures.  I think a glue dot will adhere them to the back of the card.

Later today I'll try and post a picture of Carolena working on hers. 

February Card Buffet cards

These are the cards we did at yesterday's Card Buffet.  The people there had a great time. These cards included the ones from the January and February card class as well as five new cards.  Here they are.

We had fun making these cards yesterday.  My next class that will feature some of these cards is a Card Buffet that we will have at Wishard Hospital on March 8th 1-4 p.m.

The next class at the Crawfordsville Public Library is also March 8th from 6:30-8:30 p.m.  The cards will be available to view here on the blog by the end of the week.

Yesterday was another long weekend day.  I had the class in the morning. We went to watch our 17 year old son with the show choir in the afternoon and went out for a nice Valentine's dinner last night.  Overall a very nice day, even if somewhat long.  We won't get another chance at a Valentine's dinner as I work 12 hours on Tuesday. 

This next week I'm hoping to get into the house and finish up the cleaning out of the kitchen.  That's my goal, just one room at a time.  It's about the only way I can think to do it without becoming totally overwhelmed.  It's been a slow process, but little by little we are accomplishing it.  Of course it will depend on how cold it is here as well.  I can only work so long in the cold there. 

Today's Projects

Here are the projects I've been working on today.  Just a few little thinking of you/thank you cards to share. The inside has a little butterfly stamped.  These are tempting turquoise and melon mambo, using the Hello Again stamp set.

These were done in melon mambo and rich razzleberry using the Bella's Bloom stamp set.  I also stamped a small flower on the inside.

These were done in rich razzleberry and melon mambo using the Tea Shoppe stamp set from the Spring mini.  I stamped a small teacup on the inside. 

These are little cards I can use to distribute to people as a thank you or just thinking of you type of card. I had some scraps that I made these out of.  What a good way to use up my scraps.

Random Thoughts

Nothing like being up to watch the sunrise when you didn't really sleep the night before.  This morning is one of those days.  I had trouble getting to sleep last night, woke up several times and finally at 6:30 decided to give it up.  Today is going to be a full day.  I have to finish getting ready for the card class tonight at the library.  I also need to go over to the house and work on gathering up trash to put out.  This house clean up has been a slow process.  Hopefully, once the weather gets warm it will go smoother. 

I'm trying to self motivate by trying to plan out what we are going to do with the remodel.  We have several changes we want to make, and while we are out of the house and repairing, this is the perfect time to make the changes.  I'm leaning to concrete countertops for the kitchen.  I'm researching to see if we can Do-It-Ourselves.  HGTV says we can, so we'll see.  I never thought I'd be learning to do that, but why not. Doing it that way may allow me to have everything I want in my kitchen and still be able to maintain a budget.  If anyone has knowledge, feel free to comment. 

This past week I've been working on ways to increase my Stampin' Up business.  I'd like to be able to hold more classes.  I really want to try and start a Stampin club as well as a Big Shot club.  I'm hoping by the time I move back into the house, to have several classes at the house and use my nice new craft room.  It will be even newer and nicer than before when we finish.  It seems a little sad to have to pull out the plaster in that room since we already redid it before, but I guess now I can fix any flaws I had before, so it will work.  I'm trying to think outside the box on the remodeling so I can really find ways to use our spaces to the best ability.  I'm really excited that we can make changes, but at the same time a little timid about doing so.  Something about these old houses fascinate me, but I'm hesitant to change too much. There are many things that just don't "work" well right now and I really want to make those better. 

Later today I'll be posting some more new cards.  I plan on making several new cards for classes down the road.  I am also working on cards to use in the business and those are just fun ideas I come up with.  I also have a few occasion cards to make for a wedding and sympathy as well as Valentine's cards for Carolena's preschool.   Today should be a busy card making day.

So, I should stop rambling and get busy with the cards. 

Have a Blessed Day.

February 9th Card Class

This card is very easy to make and it features the Sprinkled Expressions stamp set from the Sale-A-Bration catalog.  This promotion is fun and lasts only a short time.

This card features the Elementary Elegance stamp set from the Sale-A-Bration catalog.  It also uses the Everyday Enchantment Designer Paper that is featured in the same catalog.  The colors for this card are pool party and Peach Parfait. 

This card features the Everyday Enchantment paper and the Fresh Vintage Stamp set from the Sale-A-Bration catalog.  The colors for this one are the poppy parade, garden green and crumb cake.  This vintage look card is also very easy to make. 

This card fetures the Outlined Occasions stamp set from the Sale-A-Bration catalog and the designer paper is Beau Chateau.  The colors for this card are Marina Mist, So Saffron and Certainly Celery. 

The Valentine's card that I posted in the previous blog post is also part of this class.  This class is at the Crawfordsville Public Library February 9th 6:30-8:30.  The cost is $10.00.  If you would like to attend call the library to register.  765-362-2242.  This will be the first class that I will be able to accept credit/debit cards for the fees. 

This is our Valentine's Day card.  It uses the Candy Conversations stamp and features Calypso coral, Peach parfait and Lucky limeade colors.  I really like the little hearts.  It really looks like the Candy hearts and those can be fun. 

So, posting daily is going to be something to work up to.  This week I'm having two card classes.  The first will be Thursday night at the Crawfordsville Public Library.  I'll post here the pictures of the cards we will be making.  I can't wait.  I love getting together with everyone and making the cards and having fun.  I hope we can can get a few new people to join in the fun.

My New Blog

I have decided to develp this blog in an attempt to share some of my creative ideas with others.  Some days I'm more creative than others.  This blog will have some of those creative ideas posted.  In addition, it may contain a variety of other information.  It will remain a clean site and will at all times be a reflection of my love for Christ.  I invite people to share in the fun that I hope to develop on this site.  I will post pictures of my creativity.  Everyone is invited to make any comments (Please remember the clean motto).  I may also post recipes and other tidbits I've learned over the years. 

This site will more than likely, chronicle the saga of the remodeling of our house after our fire this past November.  I am looking forward to being able to move back in, even though I know that will be probably about a year from now.  I'm hoping we might make it back in by the holidays this year.  That would be the ultimate Christmas present for me.  We are currently in the clean up stage.  We have to finish cleaning out the damaged items and begin anew with the inside.  This house was built in 1865 and although I wasn't planning demolition by fire, we were considering several remodeling projects.  Those projects just got pushed forward.  We will be a doing a large percentage of the work ourselves, so this should prove interesting. 

A little about me.  I work as a nurse in the Newborn nursery.  Everyone says what a wonderful job that must be.  It is a wonderful job, but unfortunately, there are days that I have admitted enough new babies and listened to enough crying babies to know that every day isn't as fun as everyone assumes.  However, it is amazing to see new life and the miracle that God performs. I am mother to 3 children of my own and have been involved in the lives of two step children as well.  Currently I only have one of my children remaining at home.  He will be 17 in February and although I was truly looking forward to having an empty nest, God had other plans for us.  We currently have custody of a 5 year old granddaughter.  She is truly a blessing, even if it means my nest may never be empty.  I also have a 2 year old grandson.  I  would like to say that I really enjoy being a grandma, but it feels so much like being a parent, and somehow you just can't spoil those that live with you as you should. 

I enjoy a variety of activities.  Among those include a variety of craft projects.  I began scrapbooking when my granddaughter was born. I love to be able to make interesting scrapbook pages.  I'm not the avid scrapbooker that some are, as I have no desire to put all my pictures into scrapbooks.  I just like to take a few here and there and be able to see how the kids have changed over time.  My motto is "However many pictures are in a book when I die is how many will be there." I frequently vex scrapbookers by insisting that I am not behind in my scrapbooking.  This hobby began as a stress reducing exercise.  I refuse to let it stress me.  Once I was well established with the scrapbooking, I was invited to a card stamping class.  It only took one time and I was hooked.  Some of it is the pretty paper and the inks and stamps, and some of it was my wonderful friend Anna who is always such a joy to just hang out with. 

In addition to the paper crafting I also enjoy sewing from time to time, cake decorating (I dabble) and flower arranging.  Not to mention that from time to time I come across other crafting ideas that appeal to me.  To this end I decided to create a craft room for myself, once my daughter had flown from the nest.  I began simply with her room and proceeded to fill it with a variety of craft supplies. (Believe me it is well stocked) Initially, I had a variety of storage in my room and a table to work on.  After a couple of years, my son asked to trade rooms (He wanted the closet I had) and since I ddin't really need the closet I agreed.  During that trade I decided to make my craft room a little more what I wanted in a craft room.  I have some cabinets (mostly used) and countertops in my room.  And a nice big crafting table in the middle.  I decorated it in the decor I liked and had a very soothing place to go and "play".  Unfortunately (or maybe forutnately) now that we have had the fire, we will be tearing out all the walls and rewiring the entire house.  Translated as we will be totally redecorating the entire house including, but not limited to my craft room. This time I know what was working for me and what wasn't so it will be even more developed to be as functional as possible.  I'm hoping when we are done with the remodeling, to have a nice room I can invite my friends over to play and hold card/scrapbooking classes. 

So, this week, the focus has been on developing cards for my next two card classes.  These are currently being held at the library at Crawfordsville, IN.  The first class will be February 9th at 6:30.  We will make 5 cards.  The second will be a Card Buffet on February 11th at 9:00 and we will make 8 or more cards that day. I'm looking forward to these classes.  It gives me a chance to get out and play with others who enjoy these projects as much as I do.  Later today or tomorrow I will post the pictures of the projects we will be making in the classes.  

Well, most of you are probably wondering how much I can post in one blog.  I could go on, but since I've probably lost half the group after the first couple of paragraphs I will halt my wanderings for the moment.  I hope everyone has a blessed day.  And even though the sun might not be shining, remember the Son is shining.