This to That

There was a challenge on Splitcoast this week using metal washers.  I had seen this idea before and knew that I had purchased some washers, but for the life of me, I don't know where I put them.  So I asked HWNSNBP to pick me up some at Home Depot and this is part of what he came home with.

Here they are covered with some dsp.  On the pink and green ones I used a very fine paint brush and the gold shimmer paint to paint certain parts of the design and make them more fulgent (see Kelly's WOW - Word of the Week Challenge).  Well, they're not dazzlingly bright, but they do have some sparkle.  Then I either gave them a coat of Crystal Effects, or embossed with 5 layers of clear EP ...

And here they are strung on faux leather cording.

I'm so glad I found that challenge because now I have some presents done and some more in the works. 

I learned one thing while doing these.  In the first two pictures you see a washer with a very small hole.  Well, that's not a problem.  The problem was that that was one of the ones that I used the embossing powder on and it was a lot thinner than the other washers.  I found that it took a while for the embossing powder to melt because the metal had to heat up.  What I forgot was that those particular washers were a lot thinner and really didn't need as long under the heat gun and the paper got scorched.  I'll probably try peeling the paper off the washer and trying again with that one. 

I'd love to hear what you think about this project. 

Thursday's Throw Aways - Does Anyone Remember What Week?

I don't think we need the number, do you?  Just let me apologize for skipping the last couple of weeks.  Life's been getting in the way lately.  

In the mail a couple of weeks ago there was a black envelope (warning - picture is not good)

Something about that pre-made window just called out to me.  So I trimmed off the sides to make it as close to standard card size as possible, added some houndstooth dsp, some red cs and circles stamped from Circle Circus punched all the same size and here you go......

Then I took the left over pieces from the sides and cut the corners off to make triangles.  I added another larger stamped image to that triangle and made two corner bookmarks.

One envelope and three projects. 

(Psssssst.  Just wanted to say you don't need a black envelope to make those bookmarks, any envelope will do, and they make great little gifts to add to a card when you send them.)

December Rose

I looked up at the garden this morning and something pink caught my eye.  Pink is not a garden color for December.  The fact that it was near the rose bush made me wonder if it could, at all, be a rose.  So I moseyed up there with the camera and found not one, but two roses.  One was up high and partially opened and unfortunately the picture came out all fuzzy.  Lower, I found this.....

The rose itself appears to have a fuzzy texture, but I could smell it's fragrance.  So I picked both of them and brought them into the house.  I will let you know if this one does, in fact, bloom. 

If I hadn't been home, I'm sure I would have missed this treat. 

Teapot Tuesday and Look What I Got

CarrollAnn (Mrs. Boz) is our Teapot Hostess this week and she posted this cute little Santa teapot that has a story all about the bear and the drum you see in the picture.

It seems this Santa would like to know what not to bring for Christmas.  And, in that case, we are to make a card reflecting either the teapot itself, the worse present we ever got, or the best present we ever got.

Thinking back, I can tell you the worse present that I ever got was a sweatsuit from my mother-in-law.  It was black and it had a huge furry koala bear on the front of the shirt.  It was back when sweatpants were kind of short and had elastic around the ankles.  Well, don't tell her, but I never wore the darn thing.  There was just something about that faux fur bear that I couldn't get over.  I kept it in the box in a closet and a few years ago it got donated to some poor soul who is probably warm but very out of fashion. 

But, my card - with the bears - is not about my worse present.  It's actually about the best, and you're going to think this is rather strange, but it's all about the respect you get from someone when they pay attention to your likes and dislikes. 

When I put together gifts for our stockings, I try to get things that I know HWNSNBP and the kids like, like a favorite magazine, puzzle book, candy, snack, etc.  My stocking gets filled also, but one year in particular, there was a roll of Chocolate Necco Wafers.  I had been to a deli for lunch with a friend and saw them there and happened to mention that to HWNSNBP in conversation.  Of all the Necco flavors, I think the chocolate and the wintergreen are my favorite and I said so, but I never expected it to register with him.  Let's face it, my lunch dates aren't things that are going to hold his attention. 

That's why I was so touched when I found the roll of Chocolate Necco's in my stocking.  I had penetrated the barrier of indifference with that conversation.  Don't get me wrong - he's very good to me.  But it made me feel good that he just wasn't listening to the "big stuff" that we discuss, it was a very little thing and it meant so much to me.

So you see my bears?  They're punched out of Close to Cocoa cs and the edges are dabbed with White Craft ink - like the Necco wafers.  I drew the faces on them and ran them through my Xyron mini-sticker-maker.  The background is from Autumn Days and the sentiment is from Best Yet.  The scallop border is punched out of Choc. Chip with the scallop border punch and then I scrunched it up so that it would curve. 

Wait, don't go yet!  I have a wonderful card to share with you that I received from my blogging buddy Dana. 

Isn't this gorgeous!!!  She must have seen my post with the hints to deal with abdominal surgery because her message is right on.  Thanks Dana!  You've made my day, and yes, I'll sleep with my socks on!

Clean and Simple(?) Thank You

I  put the question mark there because I'm not quite sure how simple this is.  It took me most of the day today, back and forth to my work station, to put this card together.  I seem to be stuck in a low gear.  Well, hopefully, things will pick up.

The stamp set is Of the Earth.  I just love the silhouette of the little bird.  But getting a clear image was not that easy.  I actually went over the stamped part with a marker to fill in the graininess of how it came out on the Kraft cardstock.  And, I had planned to keep it to two colors - Kraft and Chocolate Chip - but it needed something else, so I threw in the Bordering Blue.  The Chocolate Chip strip is punched with an EK Success punch I had picked up a while ago but hadn't used yet. 

The sentiment was in the box with the Teeny Tiny Wishes set, but then again, I found two Thank You stamps in there, so I'm not positive that this is the Thank You that goes with that set.  I'll have to do some investigating on that tomorrow.  I have a couple of other "orphaned" stamps that I have to find the right home for.  Sounds like a project for another day!

Not Like November

Yesterday I took a walk in our yard.  This in part being that it was a pretty mild day, and secondly because that's the only exercise I'm allowed right now.  Even though I felt a chill and had my gloves, coat and Arctic 180's on, I was surprised to find Mother Nature was still enjoying the last hurrah of November.

The trees, with the exception of the oaks, have lost all of their leaves, so the color of the landscape is only punctuated with green where the moss, grass, or evergreens are present. 

In the garden, I can still see the remains of the chrysanthemums, but they are past their peak also and are fading fast. 

I was surprised to come upon some spring bloomers that had been tricked back into flower by the mild weather.  There were two primroses blooming amongst the crispy leaves.  A pink one and a yellow.

They are certainly showing their hardiness. 

Then I happened upon this little fellow (sorry it's blurry)....

It's a Wooly Bear caterpillar, and he was moving quickly across that terra cotta duck.  I think he knew that the weather was about to change.  There is a superstition about the Wooly Bear.  They say that the wider the black bands are, the more severe the winter will be.  Well, what do you think this one is predicting?

The sun was going down quickly as I moved to the front yard where I could see four deer romping around in the woods across the street (the day before I had seen a huge red fox in that same place as I was pulling out of the driveway).  The deer wanted to cross the street into our yard but seeing me there gave them reason to pause.   I stood poker still and eventually they did cross over, but they were cautious and didn't approach.  In fact, I didn't want to spook them so they would run back across the street in front of some unfortunate motorist. 

Yep, you never know what you're going to find around here.  The day after my surgery HWNSNBP found this in the driveway while he was doing the leaves......

He came running in for the camera (unfortunately he didn't use the zoom) because we don't see these around here much, let alone in November.  We're assuming it was a garter snake close to 2 feet long.  He scooped it up with some lawn tool he had handy and deposited it across the street to slither away. 

Okay, I promise to get back to my cardmaking and crafting now.  Although I still can't sit comfortably on the couch with this corset on, I am able to sit in a straightback chair for longer periods of time, so I'd better put the rest of the time I have off to some good use. 

Lunch Anyone?

I don't think so!

We visited Rachel in Delaware a couple of weekend's ago and passed this stand on the side of the road.  Funny how you sometimes take things literally.  It reminded me of a time that I had been in the car with my sister Andrea and we were going to some function.  We were coming up on a busy intersection and traffic had slowed down.  There was a sign on the side of the road that said "Rescue Squad - Donate Ahead".  Of course, we both looked at the sign and busted up laughing because in it's poorly handpainted script it appeared to say "Donate A Head".  How I wished we had a Barbie under the seat.  I would have loved to see the reaction when we dropped the head in the basket.

Happy Thanksgiving

Some Thanksgiving projects using Gifts of the Earth.   The top one is simply a panel that I added to a little wire pumpkin place holder that I found in the $ bin at Michael's.  There were two in each package - a great little buy!

The next three are all using the same stamp from that set.  I stamped the image 3 times for each frame and colored and cut out layering it like paper tole.  It was very time-consuming but I really love the way they came out.  (I kept the acorn for myself!)

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!