Ice Cream and Pirate Jack

Took another break from making the identical photo albums. Yes...still complaining about the boredom! Note to self...next year don't take so many stinkin' photos!

Here is a sample of a couple of the pictures that will be in the albums. Please note that Bobbins our 'traveling gnome' appears in many of the photos.

 Ice Cream Capital of the World - LeMars, IA

 Early evening at Pirate Jack's, Arnold's Park, IA (Can you say INTERVENTION?)

 Bobbins does the stairs at Fillenwarth Beach, Arnold's Park, IA.

 Fall foliage - just outside our deck - West Oaks, Arnold's Park, IA.

 Evening on West Okoboji Lake (evening view from Pirate Jack's).

A completed quilt - the primary reason for the sissy get together! Don't Miss Bobbins!

And now for the card....

Wood N' Wreath
~Base card - red cardstock
~Layer of Stampin' Up Very Vanilla - streaked with brown inks and embossed with wood grain embossing folder
~Wreath created with fern punch and LOTS of shades of green paint chips - smattering of fine glitter
~Merry Christmas sentiment with label die cut
~Red/white stripe flower with bling center
Challenges
Just Us Girls - photo inspiration
Kenny K's Krafty Krew - traditional Christmas colors
Sparkles Monthly - Christmas

Back to the trio of albums tomorrow. Why did I take 270+ photos!?

Thanks for clicking by,
Nancy in Iowa

Trios of Threes

I'm taking a break from putting together a photo album of my annual holiday with my sisters. Well, actually I am creating three, yes - THREE, of the same album - to give to the sisters. It is SO boring. It is fun looking at the photos and remembering where, when, and what. But putting these together is NOT what I call fun. And I won't even be keeping one for myself... I won't need to after making three of these! Why all the same you may ask.

Last time I did this I made three that were similar but not identical. The sibs squabbled over who's was cuter so I decided this time the three memory books will be exactly the same. SISTERS! Now instead of me listening to them whine about who got what embellishment they get to listen to me bellyache about making three of the SAME album.

Yes - it is an album this time NOT a scrapbook. I HATE scrap booking. I am horrible at it! I can't make decisions - I can't ever decide when a page is finished - I keep tweaking pages - ARRRGGHHHH! So this time is it the album method! There will be some scrapbook elements - but the photos are just slipped into little sleeves.

A trio of identical albums - sure makes for a humdrum activity. So! It is card time!! I popped over Play Date Cafe for some color inspiration and this is what I came up with. MUCH more enjoyable than my boring life as an album maker! By the way - notice it has three flowers. What is it with trios today?!

ALSO I recently received my order from Stampin' Up so decided to put it to use! I bought stamps, die cuts, and my FAVORITE: their watercolor crayons - I LOVE them!

I'm my own best customer. Okay - truth be known - I'm my ONLY customer. I don't think I have it in me to be a demonstrator in front of actual people! I would be so nervous - there is no way I could put on a card making demonstration!  I am so impressed with the Stampin' Up demonstrators who are really SERIOUS about selling SU - I really do love their products! So I am just a silent seller... with me as a silent buyer....Ridiculous - eh?

Trio of Thanks
~Base card - Stampin' Up Going Gray
~Layer of design paper (found it in a 'scrap drawer')
~Additional layer of the same design stamped with Stampin' Up Very Vintage (I removed it from the wheel as I have all my wheelies. I find I use them more frequently as a flat stamp rather than a wheel.) I really like the look of the stamp over the design paper!
~Three stamped flowers from the Stampin' Up Fabulous Florets set - colored with Stampin' Up Watercolor Wonder crayons. Flowers were stamped on Stampin' Up watercolor paper using Versamak and black embossing powder, hand cut and attached with dimensionals.
~Sentiment ALSO from Stampin' Up - the Perfectly Penned set - inked onto an oval die cut with the edges smudged with ink
Challenges and Inspiration
Play Date Cafe - color transpiration
Crafter's Challenge - thank you card
Raise the Bar - thank you card
Freshly Brewed - thankful
Penny's Paper - Crafty Challenge - thankful
Crafty Sentiment Designs - thankful

Thank you for clicking by,
Nancy in Iowa

Christmas in ND

Final installment on the Jennie cards. Okay I admit it - I only made 3 fresh cards - I am including one previously made to fulfill her request for 4 Christmas cards.

Fargo Bound
~Base card - Stampin' Up Gumball Green
~Layer of striped design card stock
~White card stock framed with red card stock - embossed with Swiss dots embossing folder
~Stamped sentiment
~Stampin' Up ornaments (Ornament Keepsakes) and Stampin' Up die cuts ( Holiday Ornaments Framelets) - highlighted with Stickles
~Gold braid (gift from sister Gail - thank you!)
Challenges
Bloggers - Christmas
Christmas Stampin' All Year Long - die cut

Thank you for clicking by,
Nancy in Iowa

Snow Go

The request for the 4 Christmas cards is complete. Didn't even break a sweat. Since they are for daughter Amy's friend Jennie they are very very BLINGY and SPARKLY!

This one even has bling on the inside! I like the used dryer sheet technique - but I must admit - I leave a trail of glitter wherever I go....

Since Jennie lives in the North Dakota tundra I thought a card with snow would be appropriate.

Northern Snow
~Base card - navy card stock
~Sentiment double stamped with Adirondack Lights Snow Cap and Brilliance Starlite Silver
~Layer of white cardstock stamped with a variety of snowflake stamps - covered with Gel Medium and a used dryer sheet - slathered with fine glitter - allowed to dry then embossed with a snowflake embossing folder
~Snowflake brad
~Blue metallic embroider floss
~Snowflake charm
Challenges
Ladybug Crafts - snowflakes
Creatalicious - winter
Fussy and Fancy - blue

Thank you for clicking by,
Nancy in Iowa

Blingin' on Christmas

I recently received a text from daughter Amy's best friend. Jennie put in her annual request for a few Christmas cards - only four this time. I can get that done in NO time! Right?

Here is card number one. Thank you Mojo Monday for providing just the sketch I needed to use my poinsettias! I admit I just have a thing for hand cutting images. I double stamped the flowers - topped with glitter glue and Stickles - cut them out - then attached them to layer of green and red card stocks - and cut again. I think it is a throw back to my days of paper dolls!

Forgot to mention - any cards made for Jennie must have BLING - the more bling the better!

 Pointy Poinsettias
~Base card - olive green card stock
~Layer of design striped card stock
~Cream card stock stamped with a tree, highlighted with green glitter glue, misted with glimmer mist, dotted with red Stickles, cut using a scallop circle die cut
~Two poinsettias - glittered up with red glitter glue (yes good old Elmer's glitter glue), highlighted with yellow and green Stickles - one layered on green card stock, one layered on red card stock
~Merry Christmas sentiment stamped on green card stock label cut using my Cricut Mini (Some day I am going to really get into this electronic gadget! I need to get over my fear of the little 'bugger'!)
Challenges
Mojo Monday - sketch
Crimbo Crackers - Christmas anything goes
Tanda Stamps - anything Christmas
Whimsy Stamps - traditional Christmas colors

Thank you for clicking by,
Nancy in Iowa

Pinned Glitter

Pinterest does it again! Found the used dryer sheet technique over there. Thought I'd give it a go! I like the results for the card...the trail of glitter everywhere...well that is another story. Even with the glitter explosion in the Bubble I will try this again. It was fun!

Dry Glitter

~Base card Stampin' Up Very Vanilla

~Layer of red snowflake cardstock

~Christmas ribbon - it was too wide so I sliced it down to a narrower width

~Layer of SU Very Vanilla stamped with a very old Chunky Stamp evergreen tree using Stampin' Up Old Olive, Gumball Green, and Certainly Celery - slathered with Modge Podge, covered with a used dryer sheet, sprinkled with fine glitter

~Embossed with embossing folder (next time I will use the dots folder...)

~Four red rhinestone brads

Challenges

Little Red Wagon - texture

Southern Girls - Christmas

The Crafty Pad - Christmas

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - use something more than 6 months old (stamp, ribbon, brads)

Thank you for clicking by.

Nancy in Iowa

Just Keep Walking

Enjoying our weekend with daughter Amy. She went shopping with me at Kohl's. As I paused to look at a sweater, behind me I hear, "that is hideous - just keep walking". I love her brutal honesty. She makes me laugh all the time!

We watched two Blu-rays - Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace then went to the theater for MORE 007 - watching Sky Fall. I don't normally go to the theater with Amy and my hubby. That is usually reserved as dad/daughter time. I was 'allowed' to go to this one. So glad I got to go - it is a really good flick! Daniel Craig is the ULTIMATE Bond! I love how the three films give the back story of Bond...James Bond.

Right now daughter/dad combo are watching The Avengers on Blu-ray....I'm over in my Bubble. (in the same room - but NOT watching their movie selection...I'm not a Marvel comic fan. They are happy. I am happy. And officially we are all 'together'...

Thinking
~Base card - Stampin' Up Really Rust - stamped with Versamark and SU Blooming with Kindess flower
~Torn layer of a vintage book and stamped with SU Blooming with Kindness using Stampin' Up Really Rust
~Second layer of SU Really Rust on SU Very Vanilla, cut down and attached with dimensionals
~Sentiment - Stampin' Up Curly Cute stamped with SU Early Expresso  - edges burned with flame
~Two sided satin ribbon bow
~Layer of olive green ribbon topped with drywall mesh smudged Really Rust ink (I have a 500 yard role - so expect to see it on LOTS of cards!)
Challenges and Inspirations
Shabby Tea Room - autumn inspiration
Sweet Stampin' - anything goes

Thank you for clicking by,
Nancy in Iowa

Feeling (not so) Blue

Daughter Amy is home! I love it when she is padding around the house, cracking wise, and serving as chief instigator! I took the day off. I'm not sure what she has in store for us today but I'm looking forward to whatever it is we do.

The Blues
~Stampin Up! Night of Navy cardstock
~Layer of blue hues design paper
~Rectangle of Stampin' Up! Night of Navy topped with more of the blue hues design paper
~Leaf die cuts
~Strip of dry wall mesh tape (Lynn! Are you convinced you NEED some yet? hehehehehehe)
~Stamped flower from Stampin' Up! Heartfelt Thanks - flower stamped twice with flower top popped up with Stampin' Dimensionals 
~Top flower highlighted with Crackle Accents
Challenges and Inspiration
Charsima Cardz - feeling blue
Dutch Dare - favorite things (dies, dry wall mesh tape, dusting off forgotten stamps)
I{Heart}2Stamp - sketch

Thank you for clicking by. I'm off to gobble up some Amy time!
Nancy in Iowa

Heartfelt Cheese

I survived the trip to a conference in Wisconsin with my boss. What a long trip! This was my first trip to Madison. Quintessential college town. Found two additions to my 'nun' collection! I learned they really like their cheese up there in Wisconsin. Had a meal that included a taste of a cheese curd (battered and fried cheese curd) and a macaroni and cheese wedge (which is mac and cheese battered and deep dried...) It snowed on the trip home. I was very happy to climb in my own bed after three days away. I am in such a rut. Lucky for me I LIKE my rut!

Heartfelt
~Base card Stampin' Up Early Expresso
~Layer of design paper
~Coordinating design paper - bottom edge burned with a match
~Oval die cut edged smudged - stamped using Stampin' Up Heartfelt Thanks
~Sentiment
Challenges
Just Us Girls - sketch
Tuesday Trigger - color/photo inspiration

Thanks for clicking by,
Nancy in Iowa

Thank You Mr. Miller

I was color inspired by a quilt I recently saw. It was pink and grey. I'm getting reacquainted with some of my oldies but goodies Stampin' Up sets - especially the two-step stamps.

Michael Miller Inspiration

~Base card - pink cardstock

~Layer of BasicGrey pattern paper - edges smudged with pink ink

~Three flower Stampin' Up stamps - from the Delight in Life set

~Flower centers are white pearls that I colored with a bright pink Sharpie (I know.. the photo looks purple....they are pink...really....)

~Oval die cut with 'friends' sentiment and another pink pearl as the dot to the 'i'

~Strip of dry wall mesh (inch by inch...I WILL use that enormous roll my husband bought for me at the hardware store!)

Challenges

CAS(E) This Sketch - sketch

BasicGrey - anything goes

Less is More - pink

I'm off to pack for a trip to Wisconsin. I'm attending at conference with my boss...6 hours in the car with my boss....yikes!

Thanks for clicking by,

Nancy in Iowa 

Day at the 'Bleach'

I got a little carried away with the bleach technique. I really like seeing what a little bleach does to different cardstocks. Some turn white, others yellow, others gray, other vanilla - allowing for a coloring in of any other color - or allowing the natural state of the cardstock to show through. I wanted to see what I could come up with using the same stamp and same color cardstock.

Here is my stuck on bleach series:

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Here is the break-down of each of the cards.

Mixed Vine
~Base card Stampin' Up Close to Cocoa
~Layer of design paper
~Die cut leaves ends covered with narrow layer of back ground design paper
~Mixed Bunch (SU!) stamp using clear embossing powder and bleach
~Orange polka dot button
~Stampin' Up Labels Collection die cut Vanilla with edge rimmed with ink
~Label die cut and stamped sentiment
Challenges
Seems a Little Sketchy - sketch
Die Cuttin' Divas - anything goes
Bloggers - thankful

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Friends Like You
~Base card grey cardstock
~Layer of design paper - dotted with black fine point Sharpie
~Sentiment stamped with black on oval die cut - edges dotted with black fine point Sharpie
~Die cut and stamped leaves
~Stampin' Up Mixed Bunch flower stamped with Versamark and clear embossing powder - and bleached petals
Challenges
Play Date Cafe - color challenge
Card Crafter's Circle - patterned paper
Freshly Brewed - photo/color inspiration
Sparkle Creations - fall color inspiration

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Thinking
~Base card - Stampin' Up Pumpkin Pie
~Layer of design paper
~Center die cut pre-printed chip board
~Stamp colored with Copics - printed on Stampin' Up Vanilla cardstock and die cut with scallop and dotted with paper punched grey punches (lots of them)
~Stamped flower from SU Mixed Bunch stamped using Versamark and embossed with clear embossing powder
~Grosgrain ribbon (that I bought at a really fun scrap store in Fremont, NE while vacationing with my sisters - it was the ONLY stamp shop they had to endure - while I on the other hand 'tolerated' quilt shop after quilt shop) (okay I admit - I enjoyed the quilt shops as much as they did)
Challenges
Mojo Monday - sketch
Shabby Tea Room - photo inspiration
Card Makin' Mamas - anything goes

Thanks for clicking by.
Nancy in Iowa