paper clutter

Today...(all this week actually) I have not worked on any cards, I'm taking a break from making cards, and trying to declutter! Decluttering, is a never ending job for me. (Somehow I think my paper multiplies all by itself--at least it seems that way) Any help or hints anyone can give me on this subject would be greatly appreciated...or am I the only one that has this problem?

The picture I posted here, is a wall poster that my mother-in-law gave me for a gift, she knew I would like it, and she was right. My desk doesn't look quite as bad as in the poster, but if I don't take some time and clean off my desk...it will!

By the way, the poster has written on the back of it..."Happy Birthday, 1984--Mom! So you can see how long I have been struggling with this problem.

"Have nothing in your homes that you do not know to be useful and believe to be beautiful." ~William Morris

From the book "Simple Abundance" ~Sarah Ban Breathnach

Favorite Things Friday #2

The pincushion in this picture...I no longer have...I gave it away in a pincushion swap that I participated in. I still had the pic so I decided to post it because Cross stitching for me could be considered one of my favorite things, however, I don't do as much of it these days. (too hard on the eyes) I have lost count of how many items that I have cross-stitched in the past-- Framed pictures, wall hangings, pillows, bookmarks, towels, bibs, aprons, pincushions, etc. Since I gave most of it away for gifts...I have very few pictures of my cross-stitching to show.

WT195

Since my pin cushion that I'm posting for my "Favorite Things Friday" has a rose on it...I decided to post a card with a rose.

I had entered this card in the Ways to use it Challenge WT195 at Split Coast Stampers.

The card is stamped with a Stampin Up Image from the Abundant Joy stamp set. I also used Stampin Up designer paper for the background. A ribbon, brads, and a rub on were also used, along with some punching using Martha Stewart Punch, and a swiss dots cuttlebug folder. I used colored Pencils for the rose, and used a Blender pen to smooth out the color.

January Stamp night

Here is another card I made on "Stamp Night" I have quite a few cards that I have made on my stamp nights to still post. Again I did NOT design this card, Everything on stamp night, is all cut out for me, all I have to do is put it together, so much fun!

Images by Stampin UP!

Fill your To-Do list with things that make you happy!

Wednesday

Card made with 3d sheet from Nikky, and Cuttlebug Textile folder.

"Your sorrow shall be turned to joy." ~John 16:20

Smile Card

Good Morning, It's a sunny day here in Pennsylvania, which is reminding me that spring is right around the corner. The weather does NOT feel like spring though, Very cold! But the card I'm posting today makes me think of spring!

The flower image was made using a 3D sheet by Nikky, and a Cuttlebug folder sponged with chalks, added a button, ribbon, and a tag with SMILE on it.

"If I can make people smile, then I have served a purpose for Good." ~Red Skelton.

WT206 Card with Stripes

This is a card I entered into the Ways to Use in Challenge, WT206 at Split Coast Stampers. You were to put stripes on your card. My card doesn't have too many stripes but they are there! It was the first time I used my new Bella Blossoms Stamp set. I like the combination of White, Brown and Black together so I'd thought I'd give that a try. I used two cuttlebug folders for my card, and on the top I used the cuttlebug negative technique. I added some dimensionals to my flowers to make the flower look 3D, and some buttons to decorate the card. This card was made with a Stampin Up Image.

"The earth laughs in flowers." ~E. E. Cummings

Fireproof

Barbara at The Serenity Gate recommended this movie...

http://theserenityroom.blogspot.com/2009/01/fireproof.html

Today I had the opportunity to watch it, and I did enjoy it. Thank you Barbara, and you were also right about needing the Kleenex!

Sunday's card

This card was made using a beautiful pyramid sheet from Solaris, and my Fiskars Sunburst Border Punch.

I'm posting this card today in memory of Step-father his birthday would have been today, and I have several friends in need of prayers right now, so this is also for them.

"More things are wrought by prayer than this world thinks of." ~Alfred Lord Tennyson.

Connie's Card

I received in the mail...this beautiful card from Connie...

Connie does such beautiful coloring on her cards...she is an inspiration to me.

Thank you again, Connie.

This is her website where she posts her beautiful cards...

http://stampinfrogscreativejourney.blogspot.com/

Another Page from my Altered Book

Back on my January 31st post, I posted about my Altered book...this is another page I did in my book. It represents one of my favorite Movies. A movie that was made from one of my favorite books. "Message in a Bottle" which was written by one of my favorite Authors Nicholas Sparks. Of course, I also enjoy watching the movie because it has Paul Newman, and Kevin Costner in it!

I enjoy movies they help me to relax!

"Every now and then go away, have a little relaxation. For when you come back to your work, your judgement will be surer." ~Leonardo Da Vinci

My Favorite Movies

Sunday night is "Oscar" time again, and it made me think of what my very favorite movies are...

So here is my list, they're in random order, and I don't think any of them made any Critics all time favorite or best movie list...but they made my-- movies I would watch over and over again-- list! (and I do!) I guess most of them you would call "chick flicks"

• 1. You've Got Mail


• 2. Out of Africa


• 3. Message in a Bottle


• 4. Sleepless in Seattle


• 5. When Harry met Sally


• 6. The Notebook


• 7. Love Comes Softly


• 8. Shall We Dance


• 9. The Promise


• 10. The Secret Garden


• 11. Anne of Green Gables


• 12. City of Angels

Favorite Things Friday #1

I can't believe that a little more than a month has already gone by since I started this blog. I'm sure that by now, anyone who has looked at this blog realizes that one of my favorite things to do is make greeting cards. However, even I am getting a little bored with just posting greeting cards, so I'm sure everyone else must be too! I'm going to start posting some things other than just greeting cards. I want to have a "Favorite things Friday" where I can post some items that are special to me. I have very few things in my collections that have a lot of monetary value, but they have much sentimental value to me. Yes, I am overly sentimental "that's why I have so much stuff."

Today, I'm posting something that was given to me by my next door neighbor. My neighbor does not have a computer, so I will have to print out this page and show it to her. This is something that she gave to us in gratitude for the delicious meals that my husband has cooked for her. It means a lot to us that she has been such a good neighbor to us for so many years. The card that I am posting today, I made using her gift for my inspiration.

Pitcher of sunflowers

I got the inspiration to make this 3d card from the picture I posted above. The water pitcher with sun flowers on it, given to me by my neighbor.

"Friendship is the only cement that will ever hold this world together. ~Woodrow Wilson.

Cheerful card

It's a bit foggy and dreary here in Pennsylvania, and I'm feeling a bit just like the weather, gloomy and foggy! It feels like my brain does not want to function today, and I feel "OLD"! Well, I am old, so I guess I should say "really" old! LOL

So, I went looking for a "cheery" card to post and, hopefully, a "cheery" quote to go along with the card. Hope everyone has a good day!

"If you carry your childhood with you, you never become older." ~Abraham Sutzkever

Image by Nikky

Birthday cake card

Since I just posted the picture of the cake I made for my husband for Valentine's day...

I thought this cake card would be appropriate for today. I am getting to the age that this card could be for me....smile!

Image on the "pyramid technique" card is from Penny

My husband's Valentine's day present

I know this is a little late, but I wanted to show you the gift I gave to my husband for Valentine's Day, A pineapple upside down cake! No, I did NOT bake it from scratch, I'm not a baker (or much of a cook for that matter)

It came out of the oven looking a bit overdone and darker than I thought it should have, and worried me a bit that it would taste burnt. Fortunately for me, it tasted just fine, and he liked his gift!

Another Victorian Image

Good Morning, at least it's morning here in Pennsylvania, as I type this post! It's a nice Sunny Morning, but I think a bit chilly. I haven't been outside yet, but my outdoor thermometer reads 37 degrees. It's just a bit cooler than I like it, but I keep reminding myself, that spring is right around the corner. (my favorite season!) I'm posting another card that I made with a Victorian image. As I said yesterday, I love to see anything Victorian. This image is from Angela.

"Never lose a chance of saying a kind word. ~William Makepeace Thackeray

Happy Monday to All of you

I love Victorian images, and this one is a favorite of mine. The card was made with a 3D image from Nikky.

"The happiest people seem to be those who have no particular reason for being happy except that they are so". ~ W. R. Inge

3D card

I have a dear friend who lost her sister this week, so I needed to make some sympathy cards.

"Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted." ~Matthew 5:4

The Day We met!

I'm not sure where I found the image to make this 3D card, but the minute I saw it, I knew I had to use it to make a card for my husband.

The boy, in the picture, reminds me of some of the earlier pictures I have of my husband, and the girl could have been me. I was kind of on the shy side...and I guess in some ways I still am.

I met my husband when I was only about 4 years old which would have made my husband to be about 5 years in age when we met.

I don't remember that day, but my mother-in-law very clearly remembered that day, and told me about almost every detail of that day.

My parents, who were friends of my future in-laws, took their newly "adopted" daughter (Me) to meet them and their family. Little did she realize at the time that she was also meeting her someday daughter-in-law!

"Whatever are souls are made of, his and mine are the same." ~ Emily Bronte

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's day. My hope is that anyone who is reading this today, will have a very special Valentine's day.

"The heart that loves is always young." ~Greek proverb

Stamp Night

A few Months ago, I started going to "Stamp class." I have been making cards for a few years, and started out with making cards with the Iris folding technique, then discovered 3d cards. I still really enjoy those methods but wanted to learn how to rubber stamp cards. So for my birthday last spring, my neighbor took me to a "Stamp class." We both really enjoyed ourselves, and have been attending the classes on a regular basis. Today I'm posting a card that I made at stamp class. I did NOT design the card, my Stampin' UP demonstrator did, but I made the card. She's very creative and makes her stamp nights lots of fun.

"Love is the condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own," ~ Robert Heinlein

Valentine Card for Granddaughter

This is a card I made for Granddaughter for Valentine's day. I used my new Heart Cuttlebug folder to make it.

"God gives us Grandkids to keep us young at heart."

Iris Folded Heart

I made this Iris folded heart with a pattern that I found here

www.circleofcrafters.com

"The greatest treasures are those invisible to the eye but found by the heart."

MMTPT33

This is the card I posted at Split Coast this morning for Mother Mark's challenge. MMTPT33. This is the link to her blog.

http://mothermark.blogspot.com/

http://mothermark.blogspot.com/2009/02/happy-teapot-tuesday-33.html

She received a really cute purse in the shape of a teapot, and made a card to match. This is the card I was inspired to make looking at her "teapot" purse.

My verse on my card is one of my favorites.

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."

TLC207

This is the card I made for today's technique challenge at Split Coast Stampers! It took me so MUCH longer to do than it should have. I enjoy doing card challenges because it makes me think outside the box! But...I am not good at thinking outside of the box! I wish I had more creativity! I so admire creative people, no matter what their creativity is...paper crafting, needlework, baking, painting, writing, woodwork, etc. I keep trying, and experimenting I think that is where some creativity does come from, experiencing, feeling, learning, and trying.

"Creativity is allowing oneself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep." ~Howard Aiken

TLC193

This is a card that I entered into the Split Coast Technique Lovers challenge TLC193. I had entered this card way back in November, but I have only just started this blog a few weeks ago, so I am just now adding some of these cards. This is one of my favorite techniques. (Circle Medallion)

I really like how it looks on a card. I learned how to do it by visiting Becca's site. She makes such beautiful cards, I am in such awe of her talent! You will notice that I even managed to tie a ribbon on this card! (I am ribbon challenged you know! smile --practice, practice, practice).

"To everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven." ~ Ecclesiastes 3:1

Friends Award

What an honor I was given this "Friends award" from Barbara....

Her wonderful website can be found here...

http://theserenityroom.blogspot.com/

"These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbon of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight more and include the cleverly written text into the body of the your awards."

I feel so honored to receive this award and I would gladly deliver this award to others if I could.

The problem is that I am so new to blogging that I do not even know 8 other people that I could pass it on to.

And the few wonderful bloggers that I do know have already received this award.

I will do my best to deserve this "friends" award, and in the future point out other deserving "friends" that I meet along the way.

How beautiful a day can be when kindness touches it. ~G. Elliston

puppies

The 3D image I used to make this card is from The Lilac Garden.

"Happiness is a warm puppy."

~Charles M. Schulz

Trivia

I have to apologize for this card I'm posting here. It looks so much better in "real Life." I did the Happy Birthday at the top of the card in Silver Metallic letters, and they did NOT scan well at all! I decided to go ahead and post the card because I wanted to add a bit Trivia along with today's card.

On Feb 10, 1942, Glen Miller (who was before my time) received the FIRST ever gold record for selling a million copies of a song...and the song was "the Chattanooga Choo choo". Even though the song was written before I was born, I still remember hearing that song as a child. Right now, I can't get melody out of my head.

I think this is a link to that song...

http://www.choochoo.com/thesong.php

I was thinking of that FIRST Gold record song when I watch part of the Grammy awards show on Sunday night! It was a long show!

Another cute Puppy

Without planning to do it...I guess I'm doing a Pet theme this week. Here is another card using a 3D sheet by Nikky. I gave this card to a friend who has not ONE, not TWO, but three Yorkies. They are her babies. Needless to say, she liked this card.

"Dogs are just kids in fur."

pug card

I made this card with a 3d sheet from Nikky. I gave it to a family friend to console her for the loss of pet.

"The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others." --Albert Schweitzer

Trixie

I like this card because the dog reminds me of my Granddaughter's dog. (the face anyway) I'm not sure where I found the image, I sent the card to a friend a long time ago. My friend calls Trixie my "Grandpup." Sounds good to me!

"My goal in life is to be as good of a person my dog already thinks I am." --author Unknown

This is "Trixie" my granddaughter's dog.

Snowflakes

This card kind of reminded me of SNOWFLAKES!

Right now I can see plenty of snowflakes falling down when I look outside my window!

The card is another one I've done using Tea bag folding (I used diamond shaped tiles) I found the instructions at http://www.circleofcrafters.com/

DELIGHT in the day!

Remember that life's most Treasured moments often come unannounced. --H. Jackson Brown Jr.

Cofee or Tea?

The cup on my card, I'm sure is classified as a "teacup," but when I look at the card...I see a "coffee cup! I am a big time coffee drinker. Coffee is definitely my beverage of choice! It's my fuel to give me a jump start in the morning.

The 3d sheet I used for my card came from Jools, thank you Jools, and the technique I used is called "lace.

Forever: Time it takes to brew the first pot of coffee in the morning.---Author Unknown

Violets

I can't believe it's February already!

Today when I went to change the page on my calendar, I saw where it read that the birthstone for February is Amethyst, and the flower for the month is Violet.

My calendar page helped me decide what card I wanted to post today.

The 3D sheet I used to make my vase of violets came from Penny. Thank you Penny for the sheet to make these beautiful violets.

I found this link which gives instructions on how to care for violets. I should have had this link when I was trying to grow some violets years ago, mine did not do very well.

http://gardenersnet.com/flower/violet.htm

The violet flower stands for faithfulness.

"I do not pray for success, I ask for faithfulness." --Mother Teresa