I’m using what I bought!

Not *everything*, you know. I’ve been a good girl, and have been actually been pulling out some of the stamps and cardstock and ribbons and other things that have found their way into my stamping room lately and incorporating them into cards and stuff. I’m really proud of myself! After all, when I’ve used one thing, I can just replace it, right? I’d hate to run out of stuff to play with, wouldn’t you?

When I saw Beate’s sketch for this week, I immediately pictured one of the new stamps that I picked up at Stamp Salado as the focal image. Wednesday night we had a bunch of family over, and they’re already looking for and talking about Christmas card designs (we normally get together and make a bunch of cards and then I end up doing a simple photo card after helping everyone else make their pretty layered cards!). I think this one might be perfect for Red. He needs a few handmade cards to send to clients and asked me to come up with something. I figure this might be just what he needs ~ something for the holidays that’s holiday-ish, but not religious. I’ll have to ask him when he comes over for dinner tonight. That reminds me, I need a birthday card for his son! Anyway. . . .

I started with the Stampington & Company (C8426 Scripted Leaf) image stamped in Palette Burnt Umber on Poison Ivory cardstock. After watercoloring the leaves with Old Olive, Always Artichoke, and River Rock reinkers and letting it dry a bit, I lightly sprayed Glimmer Mist (Coffee Shop) over it as well as the patterned paper. I layered everything on dimensionals, and adhered both panels to the card, making sure to leave room for ribbons to be tied around both layers. I love two or three ribbons together, and used wide chocolate satin by SU! and coppery-gold edged organdy by May Arts here. I felt like the leaves needed more, so I went over the outlines with Crystal Stickles, scribbled over the darker areas with my Sakura Quickie Glue Pen and poured Dazzling Diamonds over the whole thing. The sparkles were just what I needed to make it more wintry.

Prism cardstock (I think it’s Spring Willow Dark) is the 5 x 5 card base, and the patterned paper is Making Memories (St. Nick 12×12 Vintage Snowflake) . Layered behind the focal image and patterned paper is Stardream Metallic in Bronze, and you can find it here.

For more takes on this sketch, visit Beate, Charmaine, Laurie, Lori, & Mary Jo. . . . I can’t wait to see what those talented ladies have come up with.

For a peek at my front porch just prior to taking the kids to beg for candy, click for more!

We host a potluck dinner every Halloween, and this year had about forty people over, including fourteen kids (Elmo’s not pictured) for hot dogs, hamburgers, and all kinds of junk before we visited all the neighbors. It was a lot of fun! Chandler was home sick the day before . . . he still looked ill even though he claimed to feel better and dressed in his gi (gotta love that kind of costume!) since he didn’t feel like his “Archeologist” costume would be understood (the kids can dress up for school but must be a character from a book. He chose a DK Archeology book and pulled together his own costume). Adrianna decided very early on that she’d be Dorothy. We’ll likely get her dressed up again – she looked too cute and I never got a chance to get a picture of her alone with her little Toto and ruby slippers. Before heading out, we take the same picture every year. . . it’s so cool to see these kids grow up together!

Hope y’all have a great weekend!