Strolling in the garden

Hello and hope everyone is fine.  We took a day trip on Saturday just for something to do and drove over to eastern Washington.  Below are some of the highlights.

Materials:
Impression Obsession - Girl with Easter Basket, Tiny Flowers & Hollyhocks
Memory Box - Stitched Clouds
Taylored Expression - Arbor Accessories & Garden Arbor & Gate

Leavenworth, Washington

Leavenworth was a dying logging town that decided to re-invent themselves into the look of a Bavaria village.  If you are interested in reading about the history I have added the link.

Deception Falls, Washington

Wonderful little walking trails around the falls with picnic tables and bathrooms.

Lily Stem

Hope everyone is fine and enjoying the start of summer.

Materials:
My Favorite Things Die-namics Lily
Memory Box - Meridian Border& Dancing Tulips
Poppy Stamps - Climbing Vine

4th Of July fireworks (for those that live in the USA) , sorry about the picture but they are hard to photograph.

Red Bartlett Pear tree currently loaded with fruit until the deer and birds have their way with it.

Happy Birthday Balloon Delivery

Greetings,  today's design was really quick, I just punched some circles, attached them to string and die cut the truck for my masculine card.  Making masculine card designs are not easy for me, I always have to stop myself from adding flowers and such.


Materials:
EK Success - 1/2" circle punch
Impression Obsession - Classic Truck
Spellbinders Matting Basics 5 X 7
String
Assorted Glitter paper

Out For A Summer Stroll

Greetings and thank you for stopping by.  For today's design I used the Gentleman Leaping jacket and added a Martha Stewart Doily punch for the trim on the skirt.  I thought since the Lady was all dressed up her little dog should be also.

Materials:
Memory Box - Gentleman Leaping & Lady Dancing
Martha Stewart - Doily punch
Poppy Stamps - Frenchy & Stitched Umbrellas
Spellbinders Nestabilities - 5 X 7 Matting Basics B

Delivering Flowers & Double Rainbow

I thought I would share with you some fun pictures.  

On my card I used the Enamel Accents to color the girls hair, when it drys to has a wavy texture to it.  Even though her legs are really to short to reach the pedals,  I will just pretend she is climbing onto the bike.

Materials:

Elizabeth Craft - Curvy Leaves

Impression Obsession - Tiny Flowers

Memory Box - Vintage Bicycle

Poppy Stamps - Puffy Cloud Border & Large Garden Cart

Ranger Ink Enamel Accents

We had some wild weather the other day, thunder, lightening, hail and heavy rain.  Then the sun would come out and my husband took a fabulous picture of this pretty cool double rainbow.  

Double Rainbow

Here is a better picture of the double rainbow

Lilies and Peonies blooming

This gorgeous red Lily is about 5 feet tall.

Garden Vine

Greetings and thank you for stopping by.

Materials:
Elizabeth Craft - Curvy Leaves
Lawn Fawn - Stitched Rectangle Frame
Martha Stewart - Hydrangea punch
Nuvo Crystal Drops - White

I found a great bread recipe on Pinterest and have made regular bread and cinnamon bread using the recipe.  

  I have been taking the bread recipe and cutting it in half to only make one loaf of bread.  If you are making two loaves then you will have to increase the cinnamon sugar mixture.   For the filling I use three teaspoons of cinnamon and about 1/4 cup of white sugar and one teaspoon of flour.  After the bread has risen the first time I roll it out  22 x 5 inches brush the dough using a egg/water mixture.  Then sprinkle on the cinnamon/sugar/flour mixture, start at short end and roll it, sealing the ends and pinching the dough together.  Place it into the greased loaf pan and let rise until about 1" over the bread loaf pan.  

This is the best bread recipe I have ever used.

https://www.restlesschipotle.com/amish-white-bread/

Monochrome bird on a branch

Greetings, today's design was very easy, to get the bird to stand out I added a black die cut behind the white one.  I have been working in the yard.  Finally our weather has warmed up and my garden is starting to grow.  When we bought the property the garden boxes were already here.

Materials:
Dee's Distinctively - Chickadee
Memory Box - Perched Reed Bird, Nutty Acorn & Woodland Branch
Poppy Stamps - Pine Springs

Broccoli, sage, chives. mint and cauliflower

I used Solo Cups over my cucumber seeds because the birds are eating the seedlings.

Snap peas growing

Every year a Steller's Jay makes a nest under out deck

Rhinestone Birthday

Greetings I have not been making cards lately, ever since Spring arrived I have been busy in the yard.
I thought I would show you some of the plants that are blooming right now.

Too bad the picture does not show the fun rhinestones very well but it sure made a card with a lot of bling.

Happy Mother's Day to everyone and I hope your day is very special.

Materials:
Cuttlebug - Flower embossing folder
Elizabeth Craft - Curvy Leaves
Lawn Fawn - Large stitched rectangle frame
Memory Box - Sentimental Happy Birthday
My Favorite Things - Stitched Rectangle Scallop Frame
Poppy Stamps - Dianna Border
Orange Rhinestones

Blue Clematis 

Robin's Nest that fell out of the tree

Pink Dogwood Tree

Pink & Purple Rhododendrons 

Tulip Bouquet

Hello, just a really quick flower bouquet design. Most of these dies/punches I haven't used in years.

Materials:
Impression Obsession - Paper cone
Martha Stewart - Double Edge Doily Lace Trim Punch
Marvy - Daisy punch
Memory Box - Tulip Petals
Poppy Stamps - Leafy Sprig
Spellbinders Card Creator - A2 Matting Basics A

Pacific Northwest Wild Trilliums, these come up every year.

Floating Butterfly

Hello and thank you for stopping by my blog.

Materials
Elizabeth Craft - Curvy Leaves
Lawn Fawn - Stitched Rectangle Frames
Memory Box - Drifting Side Butterfly
My Favorite Things - Lily

Wow these little guys are hard to get a picture of I bought some peanuts in the shell and then sat down and waited for one of the Steller Jays to show up.  They really don't like getting near the house.  But they are sure a beautiful colored bird.  We also have Scrub Jays but they are not nearly as pretty.  It is funny the Steller Jay looks like he is looking at me.

Family Stroll

Greetings and thank you for stopping by.  My ducks are certainly all dressed up for their garden stroll.

Materials:
Impression Obsession - Farm Girl (ducks), Tiny Flowers & Duck Set
Martha Stewart - Ribbon Bow & Monarch Butterfly
Memory Box - Prairie Grass, Gentleman Leaping (hat),Stitched Clouds & Grand Alder Tree
Spellbinders  - 5 X 7 Matting Basics A

My daffodils are blooming now and the Tulips will be blooming shortly.  I found a fun video of some Daffodil and Tulips growing fields in Washington.

Fun video of the Skagit Valley Tulips and Daffodil that are grown there each year.
http://www.king5.com/article/travel/what-you-need-to-know-for-the-skagit-valley-tulip-festival/281-532856710

Curvy Vine

Greetings, today's design was simple by using just two card stock colors.

Materials:
Elizabeth Craft - Curvy Leaves
Impression Obsession - Tiny Flowers
Memory Box - Leavenworth Butterfly Trio
Spellbinders -  5 X 7 Matting basics B

I have completed another fun puzzle, it gives me something to do with all the rain we get.

Charles Wysocki - Olde Cape Cod - 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle

(I get most of my puzzles from Amazon) 

Delicate Blossoms

Hello and thank you all for stopping by.  We have had three days in a row of sun. Of course the rain is not far off again.  I am busy getting my garden boxes ready for Spring.

I sponged the clouds using a cloud mask.  For the hummingbird I really went all out, I used watercolor pencils, then coated the bird  with Sakura 3D crystal lacquer and sprinkled on glitter.  I added a little mounting tape behind for dimension.

Materials:
Elizabeth Craft - Curvy Leaves
Lawn Fawn - Stitched Rectangle Frames
Impression Obsession - Wide Tree
Memory Box - Delicate Blossoms & Forest Hummingbirds
Prismacolor - Watercolor pencils

Evening picture of a Washington State Ferry and The Great Wheel located downtown Seattle.

Butterfly in Motion

Greetings and I hope you are all well.  I saw a video on the Poppy Stamps website where Dave Brethauer used gold thread to create a moving butterfly.  I did not have double stick paper so I used wonder tape instead and the string sort of moved on my finished design. But the butterfly will spin around when the card is upright.

PS - I watched a video the other day on a product that cleans shower doors (the water spots and soap scum) , fiberglass etc.  It is called Amaz (Amazon ) As soon as it arrived I tried it on my shower doors, you use a Scotch Brite Dobie  cleaning pad (or something similar) which I got wet, scooped on a little of the paste and rubbed it on the shower doors.  Then you wait a minute or so and use a clean rag to wipe off.  Oh my gosh, the shower doors look like new and I even used it on a hard water stain on the fiberglass tub which removed the stain.  

Materials:
Memory Box - Stitched Scalloped Circles & Drifting Side Butterfly
Spellbinders - M- Bossabilities Enchanted Embossing Folder
Gold Thread

Swirl Birthday Design

Wow I am really pulling out the hardly ever used dies.  I have had the Heartfelt Creations Layered Elegant Swirl die for years.  But I was thinking why not use it on the sides of a card design.  Once again, that Ultrafine Tip Applicator Bottle filled with glue really came in handy attaching the Elegant Swirl die cut.  The flowers are coated with the Nuvo Collection Aqua Shimmer - Glitter pen which I am just loving the finished results.  Yes, I know I am almost gushing over that glitter pen.

Materials:
Elizabeth Craft - Bunch of Flowers 4 (1030)
Memory Box - Sentimental Happy Birthday
Poppy Stamps - Massa Leaf Background
Spellbinders Heartfelt Creations - Layered Elegant Swirl
Spellbinders - Grand  Squares
Nuvo Crystal Drops - Yellow
Nuvo Collection Aqua Shimmer - Glitter pen
Ultrafine Tip Applicator Bottle

Critter Camera  picture of Snow in yard on 2/21/2018

Critter Camera captured Coyote in backyard.

Tropical Chickadee

We are having such cold weather I has decided to create another warm tropical design.  It was really quick to put together.

Materials:
Dee's Distinctively - Chickadee
Elizabeth Craft - Bunch of Flowers & Curvy Leaves
Memory Box - Woodland Branch
My Favorite Things - Stitched Scallop Frame

Tropical Postage Stamp Design

Hello and thank you for stopping by my blog.

For today's design I was trying to create  a card the looked like a Tropical postage stamp.  I went with all bold bright colors.

It is snowing here today, looks like spring is still a ways off.

Materials:
Elizabeth - Curvy Leaves & Bunch of Flowers 4
Martha Stewart - Hydrangea punch
Memory Box -Tender Leaves (blue on face) & Forest Hummingbirds
My Favorite Things - Stitched Rectangle Scallop Frame
Poppy Stamps - Climbing Vine ( I attached the hydrangeas to it)

Garden Stroll

Greetings  everyone,  I had some leftover die cut pieces that I thought I would use to create a card .
I masked the cloud background and just added the rest of the pieces.

Materials:
Impression Obsession - Wide Tree, Girl with basket, Duck set & Farm Girl
Poppy Stamps - Leafy Sprig
Taylored Expression - Cloud Border die
Spellbinder  - 5 X 7 Matting Basics A

Critter Camera

We had a bobcat in our backyard that the critter camera captured.  The deer are there everyday and so are the raccoons, but this bobcat strolled through early in morning.

Cupid Blowing a Heart

Hello, thank you for stopping by.  I am wishing everyone a early happy Valentines Day.

Materials:
Alexandra Reneke - Angel with Heart
Nuvo Collection Aqua Shimmer - Glitter pen (White Heart)
Spellbinders - Lace Hearts & Large Squares

Drifting Butterfly

Hello, thank you for stopping by.

I want to give a warm welcome to Carrie (Cottage Cozy) for being the newest follower on my blog. thank you for joining.

I filled the inside of the Butterfly wings with Rock Candy Glitter and also coated all the flowers before I shaped them with Nuvo Collection Aqua Shimmer - Glitter

Materials:
Elizabeth Craft - Curvy Leaves
Heartfelt Creations - Small Camellia Carnation
Martha Stewart - Floral Vine Deep Edge Punch
Memory Box - Lavish Branch & Drifting Side Butterfly
Nuvo Crystal Drops - Yellow
Nuvo Collection Aqua Shimmer - Glitter (flowers)
Ranger Ink Clear - Rock Candy Glitter (inside of butterfly)
Spellbinders - 5 X 7 Matting Basics A

Just a note, we have a Critter Camera mounted in our backyard.  Recently when we were viewing the footage there were of course images of deer sniffing the camera.  One night the motion sensor on the camera light up the flash and captured not one but 4 raccoons running to the bird feeder.  One climbed up the feeder and just sat there eating the seeds.  It looked like the were having a party in out backyard.

Birthday Wishes

Hello, today's design started out with me making flowers and not having any idea what to do with them.  So I just die cut some corner pieces and the birthday greeting to complete the card.

Materials:
Elizabeth Craft - Bunch of Flowers 728
Memory Box - Sentimental Happy Birthday
Poppy Stamps - Leaf Background & Crochet Corner
Nuvo Crystal Drops - Orange
Spellbinders - A2 Matting Basics A

Spring Phlox

Greetings, I really had fun using dies I found in my stash.  I probably have not used them for years.

Materials:
Cuttlebug - Polka Dot embossed folder
Memory Box - Fabulous Phlox
Poppy Stamps - Swirly Curl Border outline
Spellbinders Heartfelt Creations - Layered Elegant Swirl
Spellbinders - Grand Squares
Nuvo Crystal Drops - Red Berry

Sweetheart Vine & Trip To Victoria, British Columbia

Hello and thank you for stopping by.  I am using this as a Valentine card but after I got it made I thought it looked more like a Christmas design.  Oh well.

Materials:
Dee's Distinctively - Small Leaves
Impression Obsession - Tiny Flowers
Martha Stewart - Branch Punch
Poppy Stamps - Small Blooming Poinsettia & Trailing Vine
Spellbinders Grand Squares
Nuvo Crystal Drops - Red Berry
Mounting Tape

We took a weekend trip over to Victoria, British Columbia, gosh it was a lot of fun.  We stayed at Delta Hotel by Marriott   (club level booking gets you free breakfast and dinner items) which is located right near the harbor.  At night the holidays lights across the harbor are stunning.  I have included just a few pictures below.  We went to Butchart Gardens and walked around in the rain, they provide umbrellas for your use in the park.  We had High Tea at the The  Dining Room restaurant, that was my first experience having high tea and my husband and I just loved it.  You sit in an enclosed greenhouse surrounded by orchids and tropical plants and enjoy tea and a three tier tray of delicious food.  Then at night the gardens light up and it is just magical.   By the way the park was almost empty not sure if it was the time of year or the weather.

British Columbia Parliament Building 

Butchart Gardens with all their holiday lights

Stringing You Some Valentines

Greetings, today's design was quick and easy.  I just die cut the hearts, branch, words and colored the bird.

Materials:
Dee's Distinctively - Chickadee (just used the small wing)
Memory Box - Happy Valentine's Day & Perched Reed Bird
Nuvo Collection Aqua Shimmer - Glitter pen
Penny Black - Heart String
Poppy Stamps - Trailing Vine
Spellbinders - Large Squares

I am using two new products one is Nuvo Aqua Shimmer Glitter Gloss.  I really love the way it adds a glittery appearance on my cards.

Second I purchased Ultrafine Tip Applicator Bottles which I filled with glue and I can't believe how easy it is to now apply a small amount of glue to my projects.