Thursday, September 27, 2012

Food for the Forest....(you build an appetite there you know) :)


Hi everyone!
I hope you are having a wonderfully crafty day.

I wanted to show you all what I made for a swap I'm in on SCS.
It is the "Food in the Forest Swap" hosted by Forest Ranger (Jeanette). Hi J! :)

Now, I have to say this is one of my most favorite Fores swaps that Jeanette has done.....it has nothing to do with the fact that she chose my theme idea for this one! *giggle* Okay, it has a little to do with that....*wink*
So, I took on quite a few spots in this swap.
Look at all I did.....

I took 1 standard card spot. I used a limb stamp I bought from JoAnn's.
The design card stock is from a DCWV stack. I added some clear glaze to the middle of each flower after I colored the image. I punched some holes on either side of one of the branches and attached a birdcage charm with some hemp twine.
I added a white panel inside the card and off stamped the image to the edge of that (uncolored).
I put a note in each card.....I think the branch might throw one off as to how this goes along with food in the forest....so my note said "If you are every lost in the Forest, plants and tree blooms are your best friend in time of hunger". LOL I hope I pulled that off. hahahahaha


Next....



Yes, I took 4 spots in her recipe "section" of her swap. I am planning on making a Forest Cookbook when I get my returns. :) I will get 12 different recipe cards back. I think that will make for a cute little cookbook!
For my recipes, I used ones that you could make the day before you leave for your picnic or camping trip. You can store all these in air tight containers and munch on them the whole time you are "communing with Nature"! *giggle*

And lastly...


I took 3 spots in her Candy section of her swap. I love making card and page accents. That is like my "first love" in crafting I guess. I love getting out pictures and thinking about making a page and then going to my Cricut and making some Candy to go on the pages. Or, making some type of scene or accent piece for a card, then attaching it to the base. The card base is just an afterthought to me usually. I love all the stuff I'm gonna put on it. :)
I cut the Acorn (also on one of my recipe cards just a little smaller) and the trees from the new (to me) Art Philosophy Cricut Cart. I love that thing!
The leaves are stamped and paper punched.
I packages all in cello bags with a little glue dot on the backs. I didn't do the little decorative tops for the bags, that I've seen so many ladies do, I just didn't want anyone to go through the agony I do when I want to use the Candy I get back and I have to mess up that pretty topper. I cringe every time I do it.

Well, this is what I did for the latest Forest Swap. I'm very happy with how everything came out.
I can't wait to see what I get back!

Until next time...
Blessings...

Melina

Thursday, September 20, 2012

This Mystery Smelled Like Bacon!


It's time once again to reveal the Mystery image that was sent to us for this round of Mystery swapping.

I thought it was the cutest thing ever....but so made me want some bacon.... ***giggle***

Here' what I did with the image:

So I went a little crazy with the faux stitching. :)
I colored the image with watercolor pencils and a blender pen. I made stitches on the piggy's quilt with my brown SU! marker. Then I inked the edges with some gray ink and added some gray stitching too. The DCWV paper I used behind the image already had stitching on it. SCORE! Then I added a strip of white card stock behind that and added more stitching. And.....as if that wasn't enough, I added more stitches to the edges of the kraft card base with a white gel pen. Whew! That's a lot of stitching!!! (oh yeah, there is a white strip inside the card that also has stitching added to it!)
For my embellishments, I just added some espresso ribbon and a pearl flower.

How about you? Are you feeling under the weather? Would this card get you close to "cured"? :) I can't wait to see what the other Mysterious ladies did with this image!

Until next time...
Blessings...

Melina

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Come Fly By Twisted Tuesdays!


Hi! Yes, you are not sick or going crazy....
this is my 2nd blog post in as many days! LOL :) hahahahahaha

We are "Flying By to Say Hi!" at Twisted Tuesdays this week.
Come check us out.
The Twist is you must use 3 different embellishments on your "flying" creation.

Here's what I made:


This was my first time using this Spellbinders die set. I love it! I love it even more because I got it at a bargain price :)
The sentiments are from CTMH.
The kite stamp is from the Michael's dollar bin.

My 3 different embellishments are 6mm Ivory pearls, a Pink resin rose and a Black Tulle bow.

We hope to see you at Twisted Tuesdays Challenge blog this week!

Also, enter our Design Team Call. You have 1 more week. :)

Until next time...
Blessings...

Melina

Monday, September 17, 2012

Collection of Leftover Dueling Darling Goodies!


I'm late!
I was supposed to post this Saturday...but I've been feeling really blah lately. Forgive my tardiness Darlings! :)

This month the Dueling Darlings were to get all their leftover kit ingredients from the year and make a smorgasbord creation! Well, I had to go with another Sunburst to get all those lovely papers in....


I think I was able to get things from 3 or 4 different kits on this card.
Thanks Debbie for the great theme idea! You rock! ;)

Check out what the other Darlings achieved! Their blogs can be found in my
left sidebar.

Until next time...
Blessings...

Melina

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

We Will NEVER Forget



My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families of the 9/11/01 tragedy. Sadly, the people that died that day are not the only victims of this horrific event. Some of the men and women that risked their lives helping, are now struggling with health issues because of things they were exposed to that day. This breaks my heart. I become angry when I think of the cowards that tried to destroy us on 9/11/01 but I WILL NOT let the anger and bitterness crowd my mind. If we let this happen, the scum that planned and carried out this "mission" win. THAT CANNOT HAPPEN.

I love this country.
God Bless America!



Twisted Tuesdays Challenge blog is remembering the people affected by 9/11.
Check it out:
http://twistedtuesdaychallenges.blogspot.com/
(scroll down to the current challenge)


Until next time...
Blessings...

Melina

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

The Gals Are Getting Punchy!

Hi everyone!
I hope you're having a fantastic week.

Today's the 5th! I'm so excited to see what's in store for the Crafty Gals September Challenge!

Jeanette is our hostess this month. She challenged us to use a paper punch somewhere on our creation. She also said a bonus would be if we made our punched pieces into a piece of punch art...you know, make it something that it's not. :)

Well, I used my scalloped oval punch to make a.....well.......a fan, I guess?! hahahaha
But, knowing Jeanette like I do, I added a little something. The scalloped oval pieces are cut from an old recipe box divider! I know Jeanette loves seeing recycled items on projects. 
So, here it is....

 I have attempted...for the first time ever....to use the SunBurst (starburst) technique. I love it!
I used the Be Mine Echo Park papers for the technique. I inked the edges with Basic Grey Ink.

Oh look! No stamping! *GASP*

I also used my new (new to me anyway) Art Philosophy Cricut Cart for the rolled flower and doily heart.
 Here's a close up of what I did with the Art Philosophy cart. I just got it last week.

Thank you so much for stopping by my blog today!
Please be sure and check out all the other Crafty Gals and see what they created for Jeanette's challenge. Their blogs are listed over there ---------------------->

Oh before I go, be sure and check out the Design Team Call over at Twisted Tuesday Challenges and also our new challenge this week.

Until next time...
Blessings...

Melina