Winter Wreath - TMS #586

Welcome! It's time to wrap up the end of the year at Tuesday Morning Sketches and that means we are having our annual Anything Goes challenge. Click HERE for all the details and design team inspiration. For this challenge it doesn't have to be a card, so I made a Winter Wreath (see below). I wanted something I could leave up all winter and enjoy. It started with a 10" foam wreath that I wrapped in ribbon. There are two layers of ribbon, the top ribbon is more sheer and has glitter and the bottom ribbon is a satin ribbon in the same color. Then I took a piece of mixed media paper and cut it into a circle to fit behind the wreath. The sky was made with the ink smooshing technique using distress inks and then sprayed with some white distress spray. A piece of Pixie Dust glitter paper by Lawn Fawn was used for the snow which was cut with a stitched land border die. All images and trees were made using products by Newton's Nook. The snowman and birds are from the Festive Fawns stamp set and were colored with Copic markers. The little caroling mouse is from the Caroling Newton stamp set and the die cut trees were made using the Forest Scene Builder die set. To finish it off five snowflake sequins were added and that's it. 

The challenge goes through January 3, 2021 at 8 pm EST. We would love for you to join us and share what you've been creating. There will be a prize for this challenge and you can check out the details HERE. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful day!

The Poisoned Apple Blog Hop

Happy Halloween! Today I'm taking part in a blog hop called the Poisoned Apple Exhibit. There are 13 creative projects for you to view. The majority are mixed media in nature and many of them are dimensional. We would love for you to hop along and enjoy these spine-tingling creations. The hop list is below along with a photo of the prize donated by Gecko Galz.🍎 Have fun!

My creation is more cute than spine-tingling, it's as spooky as I get. I made this Happy Halloween wall hanging using distress oxide inks for the background adorned with several stamps that were colored with Copic markers and then fussy cut. The black embossed trees are made using a stamp by Whimsy Stamps called Tree Silhouette used with Zing! black glitter embossing powder. To add a little spooky the Tree Menace and Count Catula stamps by Stampendous! were used along with some cute Hello Bluebird stamps from the Frightful Little Bits and Halloween Party stamp sets. Once I had everything assembled I decided I needed to add a little toad from the Springtime stamp set by Hello Bluebird. The Happy Halloween die cut is from Impression Obsession and that's it. 👻🎃 I'm glad you stopped by and I hope you have a hauntingly fun Halloween!🦇

Hop List:

It's Oddly Appealing

Creatif Edges

Ink Stained Roni

Helen Angel-Cullum

Chaitali Dekhtawala

Louise Thompson

Monique's Pretty Dark Art

Lyne's Laboratory

ZoeB

Rituparna

Angela B

Savvy Handmade - (That's me)

Monica Longard

Hop Prize:

We have a wonderful digital prize package up for grabs, courtesy of Gecko Galz (https://www.etsy.com/shop/geckogalz)! You'll receive: Face To Face Jewel It Collage Set, Steam Punk Collage Set, Picture Perfect ATC Set, Clockwork Christmas ATC Set, and Spellbound Digital Stamp Set (which has 25 images!).

To have a chance of winning, leave a comment on this post, along with your email address or social media contact (IG, FB, etc) from now through Monday, 2 Nov. One lucky winner will be picked randomly from all comments left from all of the artist's participating! The winner will be contacted via email or social media so it's important you leave your address/social media contact info! Good luck and enjoy the hop!

Door Hanging - TMS Anything Goes

Hello crafty friends! It's the last Tuesday of 2019 and I hope you will join us in our annual anything goes challenge at Tuesday Morning Sketches. It has to be new and it has to be crafty but it doesn't have to be a card. I've made a Door Hanging for my nephew for his bedroom at my parent's house. He really likes dinosaurs, so I used some patterned paper by Doodlebug Design. The T-Rex image was a free online download. All letters were cut with my Cricut machine using the Alphalicious cartridge. Everything was adhered onto a comic book board, which is thick, the perfect size and my hubby has a ton of them. That's it! Click HERE for all the challenge details and design team inspiration. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you will play along with us this week. 

Six Year Blogiversary

Hello and welcome to my Six Year Blogiversary celebration! It was today six years ago that I started this handmade card blog and I'm still having fun. I didn't make a new card today but I wanted to share a few of my past favorites. To celebrate please leave a comment and share a link with one of your personal favorite cards you've made. At the end of the month I will give away a prize to a randomly selected commenter who shared a link to their card. I want to say thank you for my crafty friends who leave comments and follow my blog on a regular basis. It's nice to share the love of card making with others all over the world. I'm still amazed every day by the talent and creations of other crafters/artists. I hope you enjoy a little walk down memory lane with the following photos of my past cards.

Card from February 2018, click here.

Card from August 2017, click here.

Card from September 2016, click here.

Card from June 2015, click here.

Card from July 2014, click here:

Card from April 2013, click here.

Card from August 2012, click here.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

Rescued Kitten

This past week was spent watching for this tiny stray kitten we spotted in our yard. It was eating old birdseed under our front tree and then hiding in a bush. We put food out for several days but couldn't get close to it, so we borrowed a trap and finally caught her on Friday. Unfortunately we couldn't find a shelter that would take a feral kitten, so we took her to our veterinarians for treatment. We have set up a Go Fund Me account to cover her rescue expenses. This definitely wasn't in our holiday budget but we couldn't let her starve or get injured. The poor thing is only 8 weeks old, malnourished, had fleas and we are still waiting on the results for intestinal parasites.

The good news is she is clean, safe, warm and staying in our master bathroom. I know many of you are kitty lovers and if you feel like donating to her rescue fund we would greatly appreciate the help!

   

Handmade Baby Gifts

If you need a baby gift check out my Etsy shop. Feel free to share the link with your friends and family! There are a select few items on sale and I love doing custom orders. I also make flannel baby doll blankets, you can pick your own size and the blankets are made to order. They make great Christmas or birthday gifts. Thanks for stopping by!

Etsy Shop Sale

Hello crafty friends! This weekend Etsy is having their first-ever site wide sale. Most items in my Etsy shop are 10% off now through Sept. 5th. All items are handmade by me and custom orders are always welcome. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Items in my shop include:

• Baby Burp Cloths
• Baby Blankets
• Doll Blankets
• Handmade Cards

Black and Red Pot Holders

Recently a girl I went to high school with asked me to make some Black and Red Pot Holders for a gift. Last time I made pot holders was in March, so I had to remember what sizes I cut the fabric to get the right finished size. I really should write this stuff down, but I'm one of those that just does stuff without patterns or recipes for that matter. I'll look stuff up and then just do it my way. I'm constantly making things up in the kitchen. My hubby just loves it when he asks "what's for dinner" and I reply that I'm trying something new or throwing something together. Sometimes it's really good and sometimes it's just okay, but it's always fun to watch his face as he takes the first bite. Thanks for stopping by my blog and bye for now. 

Making My First Quilt

It's not a secret that I love patterned paper but I also love fabric. Earlier in the year I was looking at the fabric store and I found this delightful green floral. At the time I didn't buy it because I didn't know what I would do with it, but I couldn't stop thinking about it. So now... I'm Making My First Quilt and not a small quilt, a king size quilt for our bed. I decided to make a big block quilt to showcase the pretty green floral. It's a simple design of alternating coordinating fabrics with a big square of the floral fabric. The green was impossible to match but I have six other fabrics that I'm working with. My sewing space isn't large, so it's going to be interesting as I get more pieces finished. Well, that's it! If you don't see many cards from me this month just know I'm busy Making My First Quilt. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

  

Burp Cloth Special

Hello crafty friends! If you are looking for a unique and fun baby gift, check out my Etsy shop! This month I'm offering a special on the purchase of 3 or more individual burp cloths. When you buy 3 burp cloths you save $1.50, enter code DEAL3 at checkout. If you purchase 6 you'll save $4.00, enter DEAL6. All burp cloths are handmade by me. They are made of 100% cotton featuring flannel on the front and terry cloth on the back. If you have specific colors or characters you want I'm happy to complete a custom order. Want a matching baby blanket? I can do that too.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

Keepsake Box with Photo Tutorial

Do you have lots of patterned paper scraps laying around waiting to be used? If so, a Keepsake Box is a fun project and makes a great gift. I made this Keepsake Box for my youngest niece's birthday. She keeps all the cards I send to her and now she has a special Keepsake Box made especially for her. The list of supplies are simple: Mod Podge, foam brushes, plain photo storage box, patterned paper, embellishments, your favorite Bugaboo Digi Stamps and markers.

First, gather your supplies and layout some newspaper to protect your work surface.

Second, decide how you want to arrange your patterned papers and trim as needed. I found the thinner papers work best on areas that you need to bend.

Third, start painting the photo box with the Mod Podge in sections, place your patterned paper and smooth with your fingers as you go. Apply a layer of Mod Podge to the top of the paper making sure the sides seal. Continue this process over the entire storage box.

Fourth, select your digital images. I used colored images because they are vibrant and quick. However, you have to be careful applying the Mod Podge to the top because the ink has a tendency to smear. I colored one image with Copic markers and had no problem with smearing. Die cut images to the desired size.

Fifth, select any embellishments you desire. I used sticker letters to spell my niece's name and several punched butterflies from my box of extras.

Note: You will need to allow drying time for the sides of the box before turning and working. A second coat of Mod Podge can be applied after the first coat is dry.

Here is the finished Keepsake Box:

Front

Lid/Top

Side

Side

Back

Thanks for stopping by and I hope this project has inspired you to use those paper scraps along with a few of your favorite Bugaboo Digi Stamps.

Fun Pot Holders

This past Christmas I made pot holders as gifts for family. After Christmas I posted some photos to Facebook and one of my friends from high school asked if I would make her a couple. I had her share a picture of her favorite kitchen decor items to give me an idea on color and patterns she likes. Having a picture made it easy to select fabrics that would coordinate with her kitchen. These two fun pot holders are the finished product. I hope she loves them!

In the mailing package I included a card to thank her for letting me make her pot holders. Almost all the supplies on the card are retired by Stampin' Up! with the exception of the bitty butterfly from the Papillon Potpourri stamp set.

This Just for You Card is entered into the following challenges:

• Making Memories: Lots of Layers
• Scrapper's Delight: Anything Goes
• Lil Patch of Crafty Friends: Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

Flannel Fox Doll Blanket

Hello friends! I've been busy the last couple of days sewing doll blankets and matching pillows for my hubby's nieces. The girls were asked their favorite colors and then I selected the fabric. This cute fox set is for a little girl who currently likes orange. The fox fabric has a lot of colors, so if her favorite changes hopefully she will still like it. Since I made the presents the hubby gets to do the wrapping. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day! 

Etsy Shop Promotion

Hello crafty friends! Today is Small Business Saturday and my heart and wallet has always supported small businesses. When you are doing your shopping for Christmas and gifts throughout the year I hope you will consider giving handmade gifts. If you're crafty make something, if not... support the crafters and artisans on Etsy! From now until December 17th, 2016 you can take $2.00 off any order of $19.50 or more at Savvy Handmade on Etsy, enter TAKE2 at checkout. All items in my shop are made by me and I love doing custom orders. I do sell some of my handmade cards along with baby burp cloths, baby blankets and baby doll blankets. I welcome you to visit my shop and I love it when you share it with your friends. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

Flannel Burp Cloths

Hello and Happy November! It's been awhile since I've shared my sewing projects. I've been busy making Flannel Burp Cloths for a local craft show on Saturday, November 12th. With that in mind, the next two weeks you won't see many posts from me. I have a couple of scheduled posts but most of my time will be spent sewing. If you know anyone having a baby feel free to share my Etsy Shop. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

Happy National Cat Day!

In honor our National Cat Day I wanted to share a few pictures of my furry feline family. My hubby and I have no human children, but we love our kitties!!! They make life interesting. I'm starting this post with a photo found online of an irritated kitten with the perfect caption for the photo and my life. I will never profess to being a morning person.

This is a photo of our oldest and she is a big girl, long and pudgy. She was born at my parent's house, her mother was rescued as a kitten from the middle of a country road by my brother. When older the mother had a litter of kittens and she is the one who picked us. We weren't looking to get a kitty when we brought her home in May 2005. She was just too cute and feel asleep in my hubby's arms, that's all it took. If she sees food she eats it, no restraint. She does have a little attitude and has become pretty cranky in her senior years.

Our middle kitty was adopted from a shelter in March 2014. He is very mild mannered and just as sweet as can be. He loves playing with his glitter balls and having his belly rubbed. After a couple of months we felt he was lonely because sister didn't want to play, so we adopted another cat. 

Our youngest is full of personality!!! He is constantly into something or wants our attention. We found him at our veterinarian's office. A family adopted him and at 5 months returned him because of a family tragedy that left them unable to care for him. All the changes must have been traumatic for him because the first few months we had him we honestly didn't know if we could handle him. He has separation anxiety and was extremely active. Now that he has settled in and we have a routine he has calmed down. He is now the most affectionate cat we have ever had, he will groom his brother and loves to snuggle at my legs when I sleep. He definitely adds interest and entertainment to our lives.

This final photo is all three of them waiting on me to give them their food bowls. If you were to ask them what I could do to improve, they would probably prefer their meal quicker.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

Pastel Elephant Baby Blanket

Have you ever seen a fabric and just knew you had to make something with it? When I found this pastel elephant fabric I knew it needed to be a baby blanket and of course matching burp cloths were a must. The flannel fabric is designed by Michael Miller and the colors are lovely together. The reverse side of the blanket has a coordinating pattern and the burp cloths have lilac terry cloth. Both items can be found in my Etsy shop or click the following links:

• Pastel Elephant Baby Blanket
• Pastel Elephant Burp Cloth

Ladybug on Flowers Flannel Baby Blanket

If you ask me the saying "cute as a bug" has to be referring to ladybugs. I think they are super cute and when I found this flannel fabric with ladybugs sitting on flowers, I knew I had to make a blanket and a few burp cloths. The finished size of this ladybug blanket is 38" x 35" and it's listed in my Etsy shop. You can also find the matching burp cloths listed here.

A lot of my sewing projects are custom orders for family and friends but I also enjoy just picking fabric because I like it and making it into something. I prefer natural fabrics and love working with flannel and soft comfy fabrics. If you want something custom made feel free to contact me with your request through Etsy.

Baby Doll Blanket

Happy Friday! A couple of weeks ago my friend asked me to make her daughter a baby doll blanket and it turned out really cute. Then I decided to make one or two for my Etsy shop. This doll blanket has fun bright hearts and is reversible with the coordinating chevron pattern. I would have never thought about making a doll blanket had my friend not asked, but now I know what I'm making my younger nieces for Christmas this year.

Then I decided to made a set of burp cloths using this fabric. The front side is flannel and the back is terry cloth. They make a great baby shower gift.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!