Pumpkin Tag

I made some pumpkin bread today to give as gifts and wanted a cute tag to go with it. I used two sets of Studio G stamps for this, the pumpkin and word were from one set and the vine was another flourishes set.

Recipe:

• Paper: Joann's Value Pack
• Stamp: Studio G
• Ink: Marvy and Martha Stewart
• Other: SU Scallop Punch, Marvy Circle Punch, CropODile, Twine

I've got a secret....

...no, not THAT (yet at any rate), I'm a closet Tori Spelling fan...yeah, really. I "kind of" watched 90210, I was just a hint older at the time it aired and was more into Melrose Place which followed it. I knew who she was and what bit part she played and that she was Aarron Spelling's daughter, but other than that, I really didn't pay much attention to her...

...and then it happened....


Oxygen did a reality show on her and her dh (Tori and Dean Inn Love)...and I was totally addicted... and then I watched the NEXT season (Tori and Dean Home Sweet Hollywood)...and of course she had a book tour and of course I had to get the book (at the library, Story Telling by Tori Spelling) and I'll say for a little rich girl, she's fairly down to earth...and much more so than some of the horse show people I run into...

So what's your secret addiction?

Get Well Butterflies

I've been wanting to do something with all my excess lavedar paper, so I made this quick little card...I'm always needing to send a get well card and I just never have them on hand...now I do... enjoy!

Recipe:

Cardstock & Ink: SU Lavendar Lace
Punch: Martha Stewart Butterfly
Stamps: Sentiment by Hero Arts Expressions, Swirls by Basic Grey two scoops/heart smudge
Ribbon: Organza

Thong Central

Well, I've been busy making book thongs (It's addicting really)...so I haven't much time to blog...
Immediately below are some simple ones, below that, are a little more elaborate.

You are Amazing

Here's a card I made for a challenge on Split Coast Stampers... I think this card would be a cute thank you card, or a great "way to go" type of card. Enjoy!

Recipe:

Stamps: Stamping Bella Superbella, Hero Arts Sentiment
Paper: SU Bashful Blue, Adornit Fairy Dust
Cricut: Joys of the Season Stars
Other: Grosgrain Ribbon, Stickles, Colored Pencils

Do You Like My New Header?

I've been searching high and low for a more "me" header for my blog...and I scoured all the FREE digital scrapping kits and FINALLY found one...This one was fairly easy to put together (which is good because my digi scrapping skills are rather limited at this point)...but I think it turned out just right...and you KNOW it had to be PINK...that's my SIGNACHA COLAH!

Hang in There

I love this little teddy by Stamping Bella, the name of him is "my beary best friend"...isn't he sweet? I made this card for a challenge on Split Coast Stampers. Just about any message could be conveyed, although "hang in there" seemed too perfect... The bear is layered (4 layers), and I used jewelry jump rings on the punched hearts.



Below is sideview to show the layering.



Recipe

• Stamps: Stamping Bella My Beary Best Friend, Studio G Sentiments
• Paper: SU Pretty in Pink
• Punch: Heart by Posh Impressions, Corner Rounder
• Embellishments: Jewelery Jump Rings, Cuttlebug Embossing Folder Swiss Dots, Grossgrain Ribbon
  

Book Thong?

Ok, now I've heard of thongs (and they ARE uncomfortable)...but one for a book? Well yeah, as I was searching high and low for a book mark for a library book, I decided to put some of my crafting stash to good use...and made myself a book thong...it of course had to be PINK! Check out etsy.com for some really cool ones...makes mine look like a kindergartner made it!

U Rock Rockabella

I made this card for a challenge on Split Coast Stampers...the challenge was to use school supplies...so I used Dymo Tape and Staples...

Recipe:

• Paper: DCWV
• Stamp: Rockabella by Stamping Bella
• Foam Heart: American Crafts Playhouse
• Other: Dymo Tape, Staples

Deskunking...

...ok, when it doubt, google it out...LOL...so on about.com after I google "dog skunky" it came up with 5 recipes to deskunk your dog...so I bought ALL the ingredients for ALL the recipes (basically it was a combo of 3 ingredients, just varies...) so here's what worked:

• 1 Cup vinegar
• 1 Cup hydrogen peroxide
• 1 Cup citrus dish soap
• Suds them up and leave on for 10 minutes, then rinse

The only problem was it can't go on their head, which of course is the worse part...sooo...the rest of his body smells good...as long as you don't smell his head! sigh...but it DID work!

So cute, yet soooo bad

So after the LONGEST day EVAH...I do my final horse inspection/water for the day...at 10:30 p.m., after this I know a little tv and my bed is waiting. So I let the hounds of hades out to do their last little business and I go about to mine (the horses). My youngest dog, Ruby, bounds out of the house, barking before her feet even hit the dirt from the porch and bounds off into the crops...not unusual...and I go about my business and finish up and then I head back to the house. About 1/2 way to the house, I smell it, that eye watering, bile rising, nose plugging smell of SKUNK! Now saying a silent prayer that Mr. Skunk didn't meet with any of the hounds, I head up to the house, calling the hounds and praying...and they all bound happily in...and now the inside of my house smells like the skunk was with them...sigh... so after a sniff test and no "clear" winner, we all went back out to the barn for an 11 p.m. bath.... and the winner of the skunk is.....






Spanky! aka STINKY! Now how could something so cute smell soooooo bad I'll never know. I need to go and get the ingredients for the "smell" cure today...I'll let you know how that turns out..

Ahhhh, somebody loves me!

This was a nice surpise to find in my comments:

Thanks mamichelle for this award!

Horsing Around

My mil caught some great pictures from our horse show this last weekend. Enjoy!
Fashion decisions are tough! Wear the belt, don't wear the belt? Wear the blouse in or out? One of the funnest parts of showing our horses is the fashion...it's like playing dress up, with all the rhinestones and gorgeous fabrics...it's one of my favorite parts! Now squeezing and zipping ourselves into our chaps...well that's a whole 'nother story in itself! LOL

Everyone needs their own mobile fan club...the one above is ours! LOL

Kevin and Elaine with Sable (the horse) and a job well done. Elaine won under both judges and Kevin was top of his class (I forget the placings, but enough for some points at any rate)

Kevin (the very right) on Sable waiting in the line up for the placings.

I'm on Phoenix actually showing...see...I clean up ok! LOL

Cupcakeabella

Isn't this Stamping Bella, Cupcakabella cute? I made this card for a challenge on Split Coast Stampers. I finally figured out the "secret" for great looking knots, all it took was a tutorial... it took me a little while to follow it, but I think it turned out ok. Recipe:

• Stamps: Cupcakabella from Stamping Bella, Studio G Sentiment
• Flowers: Unknown stash find
• Papers: Joann's Value Pack, DCWV
• Embossing: CB Spots & Dots
• Ribbon: Grosgrain
• Other: Stickles Crystal Ice

Another Nice Weekend

It's Monday, we're tired, but had another good weekend showing. This time I actually had some competition in my class (1 other horse), but my horse (I use this term loosely as he is a clients horse) was a little better than the weekend before. So I'm happy. The clients did well, K did well, and I won my class under both judges. Above's a picture that our client took (her horse) of me warming her horse up before we showed.

Lavendar Thinking of You

I decided it was high time that I use some of the Studio G stamps ($1 stamps) that I have been collecting and put them to use, so I used a flower stamp on the card below.

• Stamps: Studio G (flower), Hero Arts Thinking of You Messages (sentiment)
• Paper: SU Lavendar Lace, Joann's Value Pack, Paper Pizzaz Lavendar Rosebuds
• Punches: CM Square, MS Lace Edge
• Embellishments: Organza Ribbon, MS Pearls, Rhinestones
  

Christmas in August?

So I was out and about doing various errands the other day and ran into Dollar Tree (one of my favorite haunts) and what do my wandering eyes do appear? Santa and some of his reindeer...in August? Right next to the school supplies? Really? They had only put up the halloween/fall decor just a week earlier and now, santa, his wreaths and wrappings? Am I supposed to deck my home in yuletide jolly and enjoy Christmas for 4 or 5 months out of the year now? I admit, I HAVE started my Christmas shopping as we have a HUGE family to shop for, but come on...Christmas in the stores? I do think it's a bit much.
With that said, I did get to enjoy some paper crafting last night. I bought the paper in the fall of last year and since the retailers are trying to rush Christmas and it's beginning to feel like fall around here (it's been an unusually mild summer for us), I thought I would make a fall feeling card...enjoy!

• Paper: (witch) Rusty Pickle Heathers Stripe, (happy haunting) SEI Halloween Hoopla, Orange CTMH, Black/White what I had in my stash
• Punch: Scallop by Martha Stewart
• Ribbon: Unknown
• Embossing: CB Textile
• Ink: Black Marvy, I rubbed the inkpad over the orange embossed paper to "age" it.
  

Sweet Chocolate

I stamp lifted this directly from Dawn Easton, she's such an inspiration to me and stamping! I used different stamps and embossing folder, but it's pretty much the same idea. Here's the recipe for those that follow:

• Stamp: Flower Trio by Rhonna Farrer (it's a $1 stamp)
• Paper: SU Pretty in Pink, Unknown Chocolate and White
• Ribbon: Unknown (from my stash)
• Ink: SU Pretty in Pink, Stampcraft Color Brush
• Punch: Martha Stewart Butterfly
• Embossing: CB Divine Swirls
  

You Really Shine

I've been on a roll...mmm...rock n roll (wink!)... This is a card made for one of our clients...

Card Recipe

• Paper: Joann's Value Pack
• Stamps: Rockabella from Stampabella, Autumn Leaves Sentiments Circle
• Ink: Stampology Onyx
• Pencils: Rose Art
• Punch: Circle Family Treasures
• Embossing: Cuttlebug Spots and Dots
• Other: Ribbon & Rhinestone star unknown

All in a days work.

We just returned home from a fantastic weekend of showing. Our barn collected 30ish points on all horses combined (and for those that aren't in the "biz" you have to beat 5 horses for every ONE point...so we beat over 150 horses!) K won some major classes over some trainers he's been showing against for years...it pretty much put him on cloud 9!
I showed two nice horses, one I had to school as it was being naughty for his 13 y.o. owner in my class, so I didn't place (although he rode better for her later, mission accomplished!).
The other horse (shown below) is one in the barn K has been training, but asked me to show for the clients. I did and won my class under BOTH JUDGES! (of course I WAS the only one in my class *wink!*, so if I didn't place first, then I fell off, LOL), but it was good exposure for the horse, and gave K and the clients some insight of things to come from the horse...his name is Phoenix by the way and his coloring is "red dun". The man I'm talking to is our old farrier and he's quite the chatterbox...anyway, we had a good weekend. Everyone is tired...the horses are exhausted (in fact one was so tired she ate her breakfast laying down this a.m.!). So, I'm gonna catch up on my email and my other blog. Enjoy the pics!

Thinking of You...

I've really been enjoying creating cards here lately, this is one I stamplifted from another blog, but I thought it turned out pretty cute!

Recipe:

• Cardstock: Purple by SU, White & Green from Joann's Value Pack
• Embossing: Cuttlebug Textiles
• Stamps: Sentiment by CTMH Thinking of You Script, Swirls by Hero Arts
• Ink: Purple by SU, Green by Martha Stewart
• Punches: Martha Stewart Butterfly
• Ribbon: Unknown

Latte Anyone?

Like I said, clean surface = creativity! :)
Ok, for those that WANT to know:

• Stamps: Javabellas by Stamping Bella (aren't they cool?), Hello from Hero Arts
• Paper: Pastel Pink by Stampin Up, Chocolate (unknown, from my stash)
• Embossing: Divine Swirls by Cuttlebug
• Ribbon: Unknown, again from my stash
• Other: Pebbles Chalk and Martha Stewart Markers
  

Sew What?

Sometimes our clients make me feel like Einstein! As I was braiding a horse for the local county fair for it's owner, I whipped out my nail apron (aka braiding apron) and they were all AMAZED at how useful it was! So for our clients 16th birthday, I made her one in her favorite color...PINK (a child after my own heart) and I'm just sure all other gifts will pale in comparison (wink!). Anyway, I liked this so much I plan on making one for myself...except I think I might add an ipod pocket...got to love my ipod! I also included some fun colored bands for her to use on her horse.

Here's another Birthday Card

This birthday card is for one of our clients, I used some of my old "stash" for this one. Patterned paper was from a Wal-Mart Slab, Sentiment was a Studio G and the candles are buttons (hobby lobby). SU scallop circle, Martha Stewart Scallop Edge Punch, Pink Stickles, Ribbon and Green Paper Unknown.

It's amazing what a clean surface can create...

I'm always amazed how creative I get after I clean up the craft room (K has another word for it, but let's not go there!) So I've been busy making birthday cards. Here's one for my MIL, I made her another one, but I think I'm gonna send this one instead...it turned out better! This was definately a stamp-lift from Dawn Easton (awesome blog and inspiration by the way, http://www.treasureoilerdesignz.blogspot.com/ )
Light pink paper and pink ink by SU. Floral stamp by Hero Arts, Thinking of you Stamp by Studio G, Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder, Martha Stewart Scalloped Edge Punch, Ribbon, Dark Pink & White Paper...from my stash (unknown).

Color my world in rainbows and butterflies and spidermen and...

...I was invited by a friend to "help" with face painting for her inlaws company picnic. There were 3 of us there and we worked 4 hours pretty much non-stop. The pay was good, it was the first time I had done this and I was invited to do it again next year...it was a nice change from the horses. I even found some of K's relatives there and his aunt was kind enough to a picture of me "in action". My most popular "tatoos" were butterflies, rainbows and spiderman's head...we did have a few unusual requests, an Ant, the Deer of John Deere and Yosemite Sam. I even did the Bat signal and a few roses as well as various flowers. I learned a lot, had a great time and am pleasantly pooped! Now I need to do a little more research for next year!