Is anyone else as inspired by this picture as I am?! When I saw it, I knew I had to get in on this challenge...I just love those flowers! Then when I saw the Design Team projects, I was even MORE inspired. And how about those Waltzingmouse stamps!? Oh, my goodness...it was love at first sight for me. They're already on my Christmas list. I almost hate to admit it...I've never heard of them before! I know, where have I been, right? I also have to admit that I'm totally new to EM's challenges. I've only checked in on one other and thought it was way out of my league!! But this one was just so inviting, so here I am. I knew when I saw the photo, I HAD to make some flowers. I used my Papertrey Beautiful Blooms 3 dies for them and thought they turned out nice. The centers are full of some little coppery seed beads.

Next came the "Label" part of the challenge. This initally worried me, because I don't have any of the new labels that are out there (although I sure have been admiring several) and I didn't want to use something outdated-looking. I decided on the classic Spellbinder circle, framed it in and freshened it up with some Tim Holtz grungeboard, and added the Crafty Secrets sentiment (which stamped like a dream!) and the handmade flowers. The photo makes the grungeboard look darker and "flatter" than in person. I sprayed some Vibes in 'Penny Pincher' On top of the brown StazOn, it gives it subtle copper shimmer that doesn't show here.

I used my new Technique Tuesday "Rococco" stamps and Lemon Tart Ink to stamp the panel on the left side and framed it in with strips made from the Fiskars Upper Crest border punch. I added some scrunched up Cabbage Rose ribbon (MemrieMare - Etsy...vanilla creme?) to the panel, and put it all on top of that rich brown and creme Paper Studio paper.


I'm pleased with the finished card...my first attempt at an Embellish Magazine challenge. Yeah!...I'm so excited to create again after a long vacation! I would love to know what you think!! Hope everyone has a great day!!

Geri

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Other Supplies not mentioned above:

Cardstock: Melon Berry, Lemon Tart, Vintage Creme (PTI)

Patterned Paper: Brown Floral Medallions (Paper Studio)
Inks and Paints: Sunset Strip, RazzelDazzel Berry, Penny Pincher Vibez (Shimmerz), Close to Cocoa (SU)

HAPPY SUMMER, EVERYONE!!


This very exciting post for me finds my family home only 4 days from our vacation on the beach and at Disney in Florida. What a wonderful time!! Talk about Summer fun!! And speaking of Summer fun...it just happens to be this week's theme for the challenge in The Shabby Tea Room...for whom I am Guest Designing this week! What an honor! I do so appreciate this opportunity given to me by Debbie and the DT! Thanks so much, girls, for your vote of confidence and your weekly inspiration. I can't say how much I have enjoyed the inspiration from this blog!! If you have not already visited there, just click on the badge to the right (sidebar). OK, lots to say...I'd better move on!

Our summers aren't complete without a trip to the beach, so this was my inspiration for my project. I have even used some of our beach treasures on my project, a 6" x 9" clipboard to help us remember all of our fun summer plans. I thought this would be just as good a way as any to preserve and enjoy these little pretties! I also used a sweet little image from Crafty Secrets' Creative Scraps for the focal point...a sweet little couple on the beach.

These clipboards are easy...and so much fun to make. If you haven't tried one, you have to! They make the nicest gifts, too! Just use Mod Podge over your favorite papers, paints, rub-ons, etc. and embellish until your little heart is content! I used Paper Studio and Papertrey Ink papers, rub-ons from Basic Grey and K and Co., Hobby Lobby's basic pearls (found in wedding section) and Cabbage Rose ribbon from Memriemare (Etsy). As an extra added touch, I used my orange sticky tape and covered the clip in silver micro beads. It's subtle, but pretty in person. I also used opal and teal Glimmerz paints on my shells, along with a touch of prisma glitter. The paint and glitter gave them their "just washed up" look again...I really liked that. The Martha Stewart pine punch reminded me of that tiny, delicate seaweed that tangles around everything on the beach.

For those of you visiting from The Shabby Tea Room...Thanks so much for stopping by! I would love to hear who you are and where you're from, if you would care to leave a comment! I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with this week, and hope to visit lots of blogs to see what everyone is up to now that I'm home. I so enjoyed our vacation, but am chomping at the bit to get busy creating and posting again. If you care to scroll on down, I have included a few more clipboards I have done for other occasions, and my post closes with some exciting news!



The clipboards on the left (I know...bad photo) are the 'legal' size and were made for Teacher Appreciation Week door prizes at my kids' school. I used my Olivia Cuttlebug font to personalize them after the winning names were drawn(not shown in this photo--name was placed in the lower section). The legal size is nice, because when the lower portion is personalized, the name shows even when papers are clipped on.














These 6 x 9 clipboards were also door prizes. They were given away with their little easles so they were "desk ready". Each one has "Notes" added to the lower portion.












Finally, this 6 x 9 board was a Paper Crafts submission for a 'Christmas project using sheet music'. It wasn't a winner but I was very pleased with it. The snowflakes were punched with Spellbinder dies out of creme wool felt. The ribbon is velvet and the buttons were especially pretty, although you really can't appreciate those details in this photo. I really loved the soft look and color combination of it all...the photo just doesn't do the project justice.





Lastly...not only has Deb, from the wonderful Shabby Tea Room, given me a big "thumbs up", but I have also received a vote of confidence from Paper Crafts Magazine. I had a winning card in their Stamping Royalty contest in the Spring in the 'birthday' category. My card will be published in the Nov/Dec issue...a HUGE honor and 'dream come true' for me. Just had to share the good news!! Thanks for hangin' in with me on this long post...I had a lot to share after a long break!!
I'd love to hear from you all!!
Have a day full of blessings, and a whole lot of crafty goodness, too!!
Geri

This post finds my family and I early in our vacation to Florida. We're having a great time on the beach, as you will see in some of the later photos in this post. My card, as you can guess, was created quite some time ago...no time for creating on the beach, ya know! :) I glittered up the 'thanks' sentiment from my Cuttlebug Olivia font (out of PTI's Summer Sunrise cardstock) and layered three different PTI Pretty Pastels papers after punching them with my Fiscars border punch. The cardstock and ribbon are Lemon Tart (PTI). Simple and easy card, but I really like the way it turned out. I must send out a special THANKS to Jan and Tracy for visiting and leaving me comments last week. If it wasn't for you two, I think I would have fallen into a sudden and deep state of depression with no other visitors after months of blogging. (OK, I'm exaggerating!!) I do appreciate you two and hope to continue to hear from you!! (And YOU, Susan!!) I don't think I have anything to post next week as we will still be vacationing and I have nothing else photographed. To keep myself from going into withdrawal, I'll probably continue to post some vacation photos. I do have a special project ready for the following week in The Shabby Tea Room when I get to Guest Design!!

Here are Jonah and Jillian checkin' out some sea critters at the Mote Marine Aquarium. We love this place and had a great time there today!!

We're pretty big into creating in the sand. So far our castle has survived the tide so we've worked on it both days we've been here. We've already got plans for additions tomorrow.

This is how we left the beach this evening...another beautiful sunset. I'm so thankful to have a chance to spend this week with my family at one of my favorite places EVER! (But I sure am missing my best shark tooth hunting buddy, Daddy!!)

Have a great day!

Geri