Hey, strangers! Finally have the kids in school for a full week and am getting back around to a little crafting. We so enjoyed the holidays...sad to see it all end...but here we are starting a fresh new year!

Just a couple cards today using some digital images from Rhonna Farrer. Not my typical cards, but the images were so pretty, I just had to get a kit and play around a little...

I cut the full image out with my Papertrey die, then did a little fussy-cutting with a couple extra copies of the image to layer and embellish...

Here's another image from the same kit, Spring Mix...

Love that little Melissa Frances frame from Henny!

(The inside of the card says, "Just me...thinking of YOU!)

Rhonna has lots of lovely, lovely images! I think their detail can be appreciated more in a larger version, rather than on these tiny cards (and in better light!! Sorry!!) She has lots of accents, fonts, and background papers...I just got this one kit to investigate with, but I know I'll be returning. I'm even gettin' the itch to do a little scrapbookin' just looking at all she has to offer!

I think that's it for today, but I'll be back soon. My nursing home card "demo" is ready. Now for the cutting and preparing of all the elements to make it happen on Thursday with the residents. It's a simple one, but I like how it turned out. I'm also finishing a card for The Shabby Tea Room for this coming Monday. When these two projects are done, I plan to devote what crafting time I have to some SERIOUS Valentine's love, with some new papers and embellishments. Can't wait!

So good to be back!! Sure have missed crafting with you all!!

Take care!

Geri

A sweet gal many of you probably know, Kristii Lockart, has issued a fun challenge to use a digital image in creating your card. I really admire Kristii's work, and have really fallen in love with using digital images, so I've been trying to get a card done for this little challenge for about a week now!! I was actually trying to get 2 done!! What was I thinking...no time for crafting these days, so I am hoping I am getting this little solo number in on time. I used an image from Beatriz (I keep going back!!) and used a Papertrey Tag die on it...

...put some pretty Simple Stories paper with it, along with some hand-dyed ribbon, trim and jingle bell trinket pins...

I think I really like this one!! Hope you do, too! (And you, too, Kristii!! Thanks again for the fun challenge!!)

Thanks for visiting! Hope you are enjoying all your Christmas preparations and crafting! I promise I'll be by to visit soon!!

Geri

Hello, dear friends and family!! Hope everyone is enjoying kicking the Christmas season into high gear. It is certainly happening in the Freeman household...the race is on!!! What fun! I must confess, it's not all fun, though...especially when everyone is tired on a Friday morning after a busy, busy Thursday night. My darlin' baby girl and I didn't exactly start the morning off on a positive note. After a long talk and a few tears, which cut into about an hour of her school day, I finally got her headed off in the right direction. I really felt like I deserved a therapy session with some of my favorite Christmas papers and trims...don't you AGREE?!? One of my finished products was for this sweet little sketch at Card Patterns...

Boy, it has been a LONG time since I have played along. But I thought this sketch was perfect for a little Papertrey notebook. And I was also excited that when I was done I would have a little Christmas gift done to tuck away...but I ended up embellishing it for MYSELF. (Oops!)

I used a pretty image from Beatriz Jennings...love, love, love her downloads! And a new favorite paper from Simple Stories...I think I'm hooked!...

All the paper on the front is stitched on, with a piece adhered to the inside to cover all the backside of the stitching. Probably should have stitch those buttons on, too...

I love it! Makes me happy just to look at that cheery red gingham paper!

Thanks to Card Patterns for the pretty sketch! And thanks so much to YOU for stopping! I appreciate your sweet visits!!

Geri

Hello, all! And a Happy Thanksgiving to those of you celebrating this week! Tis the busy season and I've not had much time to post here recently. But I did want to share a few things that have been keeping me busy. Cards...

...for the nursing home and to sell to my dentist office ladies...

Had to keep them simple, both for the nursing home residents, and to keep the cost down on those that were sold. My buddy, Jack, at the nursing home was concerned that his doily was "a little stained"! I said, "Now, Jack...I worked long and hard to get it to look that way!! No complaining!!"

And look at these cuties peeking out...

These were the treat bags I wanted to try out for the office gals, and for the kids' teachers that I experimented with in the previous post...

I really liked these...and they were really very simple...

The little images from here were just too sweet! I am loving being able to dye my own ribbon so that I can keep the cost of it down, and use it more freely on projects like this. Can't wait to start experimenting with Christmas colors!

Remember, this was the smallest glassine bag (from Papertrey or from Henny)...

I was able to get about 10 chocolates in each...

I'll be making more for Christmas!!

I leave you with a closer shot of my favorite card. Loved the image, the warm sunny paper, and one of my all-time favorite colors of ribbon from Memrie Mare on Etsy. Hope you know how thankful I am for each of you...whether or not you are celebrating Thanksgiving this week!

And just one final thing that occupied my time last week...a little baking, a little shopping...a little party planning...

He's 9 now! Boy...how time does fly!

We had better enjoy it while we can!!

Warm wishes to you all!

Geri

Happy Sunday, everyone! Super quick post today! I wanted to get this little project done in time for The Shabby Tea Room challenge, Homespun Fall...

I had two projects in mind for the coming week. My nursing home card and some little "grateful" treat bags to take to the lunch room at my dentist's office. I took some of my cards to sell there last week and the ladies were tickled pink! I thought some little treat bags for Thanksgiving for family and friends might go over well. I saw the cutest ones on Melissa Phillips' blog yesterday and thought I HAD to try my own. I thought they would work well for the STR challenge, too, and then I would be one step ahead!! (I'm NEVER one step ahead!!! ;)

I made a simple burlap sleeve-type bag that the smallest Papertrey glassine bag would fit in. I just loved the idea of a bag in a bag!! I used an image from Beatriz Jennings, which I had in mind for my nursing home project anyway. (so many cute ones to choose from!)...

I was thrilled to find some Dove chocolates for 1/2 price the day after Halloween. They were perfect because they were wrapped more for Fall than Halloween!

Next was the tiny card that would fit in the bag also and accompany the treats...

The sentiment was computer-generated. On the inside I stamped "for you". I cut a Papertrey doily from some Crate Paper and stamped the other patterns with Papertrey stamps. The leaves were from a Fiskars punch.

I thought it turned out kind of cute. Not bad for a first run through, anyway.

It's a simple project, if you would like to give it a try! I would love to see what you come up with!!

Thanks for popping in!!

Geri

Hello, Friends!!! (I think of my daughter's Kindergarten teacher everytime I write that! I DO realize you're grown-ups!) It's another gorgeous Fall day here in Brazil, IN!! So I've used one of my all time FAVORITE crafting tools for today's card...my Leaf Print dies from Papertrey Ink...

I love cutting felt and burlap from them in the Fall...they just give a card a warm, cozy feel, don't ya think? I've combined two challenges for this card...the Color Trends with Die Cuts challenge from Embellish, and the October sketch challenge from The Craft's Meow (did you see their last release?!?)...

I've used the pretty Friend of Mine sentiment from TCM. I just love the font with it's pretty details. I embossed it on a Martha Stewart tag and added my leaves, hand-dyed ribbon and a pretty button. And I can't forget the twine from my cream burlap (I may never buy twine again!!)...

I guess that's pretty much it. Simple sketch...subtle colors...that came together just fine!

Thanks so much for stopping! Enjoy your weekend!!

Geri

Belated Halloween greetings from the critters and me!! Said I would get this done yesterday, but I lied...another busy day! Sorry to post these goodies the day after, but maybe there will be a little somethin' here to inspire ya...we'll see...

This was this month's nursing home card made with images from this Etsy shop, and stamps from Papertrey's "Embellishments" set...

...a little fussier than usual for the residents, but ALL the little parts and pieces were prepared ahead of time and they really enjoyed it! (They love all things festive!) The little panel at the bottom (pink and orange) was adhered ahead of time, and we built it all from there. We also put a little jewel by the "Hello" sentiment. I almost forgot it at the nursing home, but they wouldn't allow it!! ("Where's our little jewel!!") LOL! Here are the other images they had to choose from. (Since the cards are designed the same--it was nice that they got to choose the image that would make the card "their own".)

There were two more images that were horizontal, not shown--8 in all for $2.50 for the download. I know I have to keep in mind the ink used to print them--but all in all, this works out great for these cards for the nursing home. I'm thinking of using similar images for Thanksgiving. (Oh my gosh--we make that next WEEK! Better get busy!)

Next are some cards modified just a little, with some of the extra images...

These were used for teachers, and I made a couple more treat bags similar to Sunday's here, with one of the horizontal images I couldn't use on the cards.

These two went to the school media specialist and her assistant. My kids love 'em, and I figure they're often overlooked at the holidays. The report is that they were tickled pink!

This card was made a little dressier with an image from the same set, and went to the next-door neighbor who lives alone now...

Here is a birthday card for Grandma. Camera issues kept me from getting it in on Papertrey's monthly blog hop with stuffed fabric pumkins in colors of fresh greens and oranges in the inspiration photo...thus, my fabric leaves from Papertrey's leaf dies...

Finally, some clips from Hobby Lobby that I painted cream and added little bits of ribbon to. I use these on the glassine bags I deliver my cards in...

Love the way the bag gives a sneak peek as to what's inside. I would love to hear how YOU package YOUR treasures for delivery! For me...like this post...the card is often late...so the packaging has to be quick and easy! LOL!

Thanks for stopping in! Love hearing from you!! Have a great rest of the week!!

Geri