Featured Stamper - Pat Smethers

One of our very own Teapotters has been chosen as the Featured Stamper today on Splitcoast - Pat Smethers.  She was chosen by our fearless Teapot Queen Cindy Motherway and you just have to read the tribute and poem she wrote - here is the link.  And here is a link to Pat's gallery. 

The rules for the Featured Stamper Challenge are to pick a card from the stamper's gallery and change at least two things about it.   I visited Pat's Critter File and chose this one - Sweet Friend.

I've always admired her cowboy cards but I also love all her Gruffies and House Mouse cards.  They're all so sweet it was hard to choose from.  I just happened to recently purchase my first House Mouse stamp called Fragrant Friendship (I always make a serious dent in my wallet when I visit One Little Spark in Tuckerton!). 

I made a few changes - I changed the image, the colors and flipped the little cut out with the ribbon to the other side as it fit better that way with the image.  I haven't added a sentiment yet, but when I do it will go on the lower left portion of the yellow panel right below the image.

So I say - Great choice today Cindy and Congratulations Pat!  Your gallery is such an inspiration!

Birds in a Tree - Home Inspiration

Today's Inspiration Challenge is called Home Sweet _________ and the object was to make a card that was representative of where you live. 

I live in New Jersey - the Garden State.  Although much maligned at times in how New Jersey is portrayed as being a chemical wasteland and covered with macadam, I can tell you that the state has it's beauty from the hills and valleys of Sussex County in the north, to the cornfields and cow pastures of central Jersey, right down to the gorgeous sandy beaches of the Atlantic coast. 

My card gives a glimpse of the rich soil and the greenery that abounds.  Although not our state tree (which is the Red Oak) and not our state bird (which is the goldfinch) I chose to use this stamp as I bought it on a recent trip to a little stamp store in New Jersey.  I added bluebirds because right now they are again making a home in a nest box on our property. 

On our last trip to Barnegat I was able to stop at the stamp store in Tuckerton and picked up this Memory Box stamp - Dotty Tree Birds.   I stamped it onto Whisper White cs in Close to Cocoa ink and then colored in the leaves and birds with my SU markers. 

I added a backing of Bashful Blue that I punched with the open scallop border and corner punches - it makes a nice medallion of sorts.  The card base is Certainly Celery as is the ribbon and I added a panel of Close to Cocoa that I ran through the Big Shot with my Finial Press embossing folder. 

I learned a lesson after I bought this stamp.  When I went to use it I realized I had never even noticed that the rubber and the sticker were going in opposite directions.  Because I was stamping it on the square turned on end I was using the Stamp-a-ma-jig, but I guess I'll have to use the SAMJ whenever I use this stamp unless I get brave enough to peel it off and reposition it.  We'll have to see about that.

What do you think of this color combination?  I'm thinking of using this for Earth Day.  

Quick Snaps

I know he's a rodent, but he's still cute. 

Speaking of rodents.  HWNSNBP was cleaning out some flower beds and came across this, this, this thing that looked kind of like a dried up banana peel with fur.

 Upon closer inspection, we figured it to be a dead squirrel that didn't make it through the winter.  Take a look at those teeth.

Sorry if that grosses you out, but I found it interesting.

This morning I tried to get some pictures of the goldfinches at the feeder.  They are "yellowing" up very quickly.

I wish I could get closer.  Until now I had never noticed that moss growing on the tree branches. 

Thanks for looking today. 

Thursday's Throw Aways

I was cleaning my desk at work today and found a couple of things I thought I would bring home to use for today's throw away projects.  Yes, there are two.  And one of them will even qualify for the Ways to Use It Challenge - Angled Interest.

Each morning part of my job is to go through all the dismissal notes that come into the school for the day.  Sometimes these notes are written on odd scraps of paper and sometimes they're almost formal and written on notecards.  This is one such notecard that I rescued.  I loved the pattern so I just cut the top of the notecard off to use.

Sorry that's a little blurry. 

I picked out a stamp set that I hadn't used yet - Peace Within and stamped my image in Basic Gray on watercolor paper.  Then I took my aqua painter and SU markers and colored the image. 

We've never had an orange cat, but I wanted the cat to match the overall design so she's orange!  She also matches the orchid and the butterfly.  The accent color is Taken With Teal on the pillow and the flower pot.  I backed the watercolored image and the notecard piece with Taken With Teal cs, added some Dusty Durango ribbon, and arranged everything on a Tangerine Tango base.

I really like the way this came out and it was very relaxing to come home and do the watercoloring.

The second project involves some bakery string.  I got this the other day when our mail lady came in with a box of fresh bakery macaroons (she knows I like them!) as I hadn't seen her last week on my birthday because school was closed for spring break.  The macaroons were delicious by the way!!!

The Ways to Use It Challenge for today is called Angled Interest and you were supposed to create something with angled or diagonal lines.  This string looks like it has diagonal lines to begin with but I also wrapped it diagonally on the red panel on this card.

I used the strawberry stamp from Tart & Tangy and a flower from the Blossom Party die in front of and behind the wrapped string.  The center of the flower is my first attempt at using some Flower Soft that I picked up last year sometime. 

It is kind of weird-looking close up, don't you think?  Anyway, the sentiment is from Teeny Tiny Wishes and is punched out with the word window punch. 

I've made a little pledge to myself to try and use more of the things I already have on hand this month.  I don't believe The Peace Within stamp set hadn't been used yet - I have so many ideas for this one.  And the flower soft has been sitting in a drawer for almost a year now.  The string is new, but I'm glad it didn't just get chucked.

I'm pretty happy with both of these.  What do you think? 

Teapot Tuesday 88

Yo, yo.  It's a rappin' week at the party.  Frizzle Da Dizzle, Da Teapot Sizzle!  Sounds like fun, huh!  Well take a look at this.......

 This is Frizzle. He's giving rap lessons behind the barn and Gertie is there.  Confused?  Well check out the Teapot Challenge for this week and you'll be less confused. 

Here I have Frizzle taking center stage amongst his peeps out behind the pastel barn. 

Inside it says Thank You - it'll be a thank you card for an Easter gift I received. 

The "peeps" are from Best of Cluck (retired) and I colored them with my SU markers.  I pounced the color on to make them look "frizzled".  Did it work?  I used my pastels to add some blue sky and green grass around them, and I'm not sure you can see that in the picture. 

Please be sure to stop by the Teapot Gallery and check out the rest of the challenge cards.  And you really should make sure to check Cindy's glob.  She's done it again with a brilliant card and story!

Easter Cards

Just a quick share of a couple of Easter cards I received.  The bunny card is from my cousin Barbara and the potted daffodils from my co-worker Carol.  It's always so nice to receive hand-made cards.  Didn't they do a great job?

Easter Wishes

First let me wish everyone a wonderful Easter.  We are being blessed with gorgeous weather here so I know we will enjoy the day.  Here are some Easter projects that I have been busy with this week.

The first project is "The Sending of the Socks".  I have been sending my daughter and her college roommates holiday socks since they were living together at the University of Delaware.  Since then, she has added two more deserving young ladies which brings the total to five.  I love shopping for the socks (usually at the $store) and preparing a little something else to include in the package. 

That little petal card envelope contained some candies and a small whistle.  I put the envelope along with the little notepad in the layers of the socks and tied the whole thing up together as you see.  The Spring pencil was added to the padded envelope. 

This next project uses a little chickie stamp I've had for some time and a new sentiment that I picked up at One Little Spark a couple of weeks ago.  I wasn't too sure about this color combo (Cameo Coral with the Orchid Opulence) but it's growing on me.  I packaged some peeps individually.  Here's a hint for you if you do this - once you pull apart the peeps, dip the raw marshmallow sides in some rice flour so they don't stick to the plastic bag.

This next card was supposed to be an April Fool's joke about bringing deviled eggs somewhere, but  I never got it posted on April 1st.  The colors were inspired by the Color Challenge this week at SCS.  (Bermuda Gray Saffrons). 

It looks a little dull to me.  I'd love to know what you think.

The last project is a combination of a couple of things.  I was inspired by a Easter cupcake wrap I saw somewhere and a birthday one for apples.  So, you'll see mine is an Easter Apple Wrap.  Oh, and I almost forgot that this meets the Thursday's Throw Away guidelines.  I've used those paper coffee sleeves again!

I made a few of these and to save time, left off some of the flowers on the right and used less under the sentiment and they still look pretty.  The sentiment is from Well Scripted and I used the butterfly embosslit for the butterflies.  The flowers are punched from the Three For You punch and the centers are some MS beads.  Leaves are punched from the two-step bird punch.  Tombow glue and a pair of tweezers really helps when building these little "floral arrangements". 

I think this would make a great little something for someone who cannot have candy or cake.  Hmmm, I may even use this for Administrative Assistant's Day later this month.  

More Birthday Sharing

The mailman delivered some more birthday wishes yesterday and today.  Two of my SCS friends, Charlene (aka LilLuvsStampin and aka Gertie) sent me this wonderful partying cow card.  Just look at those clouds.  She is quite the artiste!  She also sent me some stamping goodies and "fat free chocolate".  Thank you Charlene, I will enjoy them all.

And today I received this beautiful card from Emily (aka Stamp Muse).  Isn't this just absolutely gorgeous!  I love the embossing and I'm going to have to get her to tell me what folder she used on that background!  Thank you Emily.  I am so touched by your thoughtfulness.

My dear HWNSNBP took me to tea for my birthday.  Well, we actually went the day after, but we went nonetheless and although he was the only "man" in the tea room, he enjoyed his lunch.  We went to Teaberry's in Flemington and I would highly recommend them if you are ever in the area.  He had a regular lunch - a crabcake sandwich with lemonade and I had the Milady's tea.  The Milady's tea includes a pot of tea of your choice (I chose decaf apricot), a plate of finger sandwiches, a fresh warm scone with clotted cream, lemon curd and raspberry preserves, a dessert sampler, and a small scoop of fresh sorbet. 

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I included a picture of the lovely centerpiece and forgot to take a picture of the sorbet served in a cordial glass.  I had chosen blood orange sorbet and it came topped with a single blueberry.  The scone was a maple pecan and was warm and delicious.  The sandwiches were all very good. I love having all those different tastes to sample.  And as for the desserts - I didn't eat all of them there, just a bite of one or two and the rest came home for later that evening. 

It's been a very memorable birthday thanks to my wonderful friends. 

It's My Birthday and I'll Share If I Want To.....

You would share too, if it happened to you..... 

I don't know where that came from but I've got some sharing to do.  Today is my birthday and I just wanted to show you the wonderful handmade cards and other goodies that I've received from some of my very talented friends.

Carol is my friend from work and she's taken classes with me from my upline.  She always surprises me with her sweet cards.

Marilynn, Dawn, Judi, and Kim are friends from SCS - fellow teapotters.  I don't need to tell you what a talented group of ladies these are.  Every week they amaze me with their teapot cards and more.

Sunshine and I met through our blogs - she lives in New Zealand and takes wonderful pictures as well as making cards.  She made me that cute snowman too.  You know it's going on winter there now.  Hard to grasp.

My SCS friend Sabrina (another wonderful photographer, cardmaker and you'll see soon..... expert needlecrafter) sent me a package from Ireland.  I was so excited when HWNSNBP e-mailed me at work and told me I had a package from Ireland.  Inside was some delicious pig candy (she knows I celebrate Pig Day), a gorgeous card and a mysterious package with the cutest "robin" tag.

Inside the carefully wrapped package was the robin again, but not on paper.  This time he was framed.  She hand-stitched him on fabric.  He took my breath away....

Just look at the detail of the stitching.  Sabrina, you are so very talented!

I know I've highlighted my handmade cards and gifts here, but I am so blessed to have many friends who have wished me a happy birthday in their own special ways.  Thank you to each of you.  It's been a wonderful day. 

Teapot Tuesday 87

Awww, look at this cute little bunny teapot!  Isn't he adorable?  But, you guessed it, it's not what it seems.....

According to Cindy this is Brutus and Brutus is conflicted.  He doesn't like Easter.  He doesn't like hiding the eggs and delivering the Easter baskets.  He dislikes it so much so that he has taken up behaving like a dog.  Yes. That's right.  A dog!

Our job is to get Brutus back on track.  Afterall the Easter Bunny needs all the help he can get.   How is he going to hide all those eggs and deliver all those baskets all by himself?  He really needs all the help he can get.  He needs Brutus.

But you see Brutus, much like Santa's elf Hermey has another desire.  He has a need to create, not just hide those darn eggs and hop around carrying baskets of jelly beans and plastic grass.  He wants to weave the baskets.  Deep down inside he is a basketweaver.  He has practiced his art secretly using cast-offs that he has found and saved.  You should see his stash.  He's got twine and rope, grass and hay, paper and plastic, pine needles and paper bags.  You name it, he's used it. 

This week he found some scraps in my stamp cave and lucky for me he got busy weaving this wonderful background for me.  Doesn't he look just great up against that background with all those coordinating flowers? 

The other part of this Easter thing that bothers Brutus is that darn pink ribbon.  Well Brutus, if you paid attention at Easter Bunny Helper Orientation you would know that all beginner bunnies wear pink.  Once you finish all your Easter Bunny Helper courses and actually help out for one Easter you get to move on to your yellow ribbon.  Then it's blue, and then white.  So on, so forth, etcetera! 

So now that Brutus has leveled with the Easter Bunny authorities about his real desire I think they'll be asking him to use his weaving talents to help out with Easter.  Yes, he'll still have to workout so he'll be able to heft those jellybeans around, but he's bound to be happier about it now that he can create to his heart's content. 

If you have no idea what I'm talking about you need to visit the Teapot Challenge thread this week to find out the scoop.  Or go take a gander at Cindy's glob.  Either way you're sure to be entertained by some fine fiction and even finer creativity.  Don't miss the gallery either.  (Pssst, if you're reading this on a Tuesday, make sure to come back for the link later in the week when everyone has had a chance to post their cards.)

Oh yes, the details of the card.  Stamps used:  Chocolate Bunny and Whimsical Words.  Ink:  Chocolate Chip and Close to Cocoa.  (The bunny was stamped in Chocolate Chip onto Whisper White cs and then colored with my Close to Cocoa marker.)  The paper strips are from Kaleidoscope and Tea Party dsp, along with So Saffron, Gable Green, Green Galore, Cool Carribean, Pretty in Pink and Lovely Lilac cs.  The flowers were punched with the 3 For You punch, the sentiment from the wide oval, and the grass was a leftover from the Fancy Favor die.  I used the eyelet punch on the dsp for the ruffle around the oval and I filled in the centers of the flowers with chunky glitter.  And lastly the pink taffeta ribbon.

A Walk on the Beach in March

I have to admit that I have never, in my life, taken a walk on the beach in March.  Two weekends ago we had some gorgeous weather for this time of year - 70º.  HWNSNBP and I took a drive to Barnegat on that Friday and stayed overnight at our friend's house.  We all went out to the lighthouse on Saturday morning and had a wonderful walk. 

The sun was warm, the water was calm, and the company was perfect.  We parked the car and took the path to the end where we climbed over the rail and down to the sand.  We walked along, parallel to the inlet and took note of all that had washed up the previous weekend during the storm that devastated many areas.  In fact, we had noticed on our drive to the lighthouse that many of the private beach entrances were unaccessible as the water had pushed the sand up so high as to block most of them.

I am always intrigued by the composition of the shells and flotsam in the sand.  The sun shining on the sand cast shadows as well as illuminated the sand crystals.  We walked and picked shells as we did and were even lucky enough to find some sea glass though I suspect that others before us had done the same.

Here are a couple of pictures of the lighthouse from the water's edge.  Notice the clear azure sky.  It was amazing.

There were boats going in and out of the inlet and fishermen on the rocks.  There were also photographers with some serious photo equipment taking pictures from the rocks on the inlet.  We think they were photographing the birds in the water.  It was interesting to watch some of the diving birds take their dives while we tried to guess where they would come up.  It felt like they were underwater for an eternity.  I only took a few pictures as my camera card is pretty much still filled up with pictures from the Philly Flower Show we attended earlier this month.  I will try to get those posted soon.

From the lighthouse we traveled further south to Tuckerton and the stamp store One Little Spark.  I hope to show you soon something made with the stamps that I bought there.  Then we headed back north on 9 to have lunch.  We ate at a Sonic - the first time for all of us.  It's a drive-in fast food chain that recently has come to New Jersey.  The servers come out to the car on roller skates. 

We spent some time looking at homes and then a quick trip to the $ store, Michael's, and on our way home.   It was kind of a whirlwind 24 hours, but enjoyable nonetheless.