Card Swap with new Hero Arts stamp

Hi friends
Today I want to share a card I created for Belinda Akers card swap that is hosted on Life on the Scrap Beach. The ladies in this swap are amazing and I am always very humbled when I receive my cards back. The talent is over the top.

I used a teal and brown striped paper from Little Yellow Bicycle that I found at Archivers and it worked perfect for the Spring theme. I used a new stamp from the Hero Arts line and stamped it with  an off white Dabber paint. I'm trying to use things from my stash that I haven't used in a while so this was a good choice. I did a fussy cut around the image and then glued it to a brown piece of card stock and again did a fussy cut but left a rim to make it pop. I adhered it to the same striped paper  from the same paper line that was cut with a Spellbinders die and added a Cherry blossom flower from I am Roses and a sweet pearl flourish from Michael's. I then placed it on the die cut with pop ups.
For the base I cut a piece of Brazil teal and embossed it with the script embossing plate, rubbed some of Tim's' tea die stain on it and attached it to the dotted paper. In the middle I adhered a lovely brown velvet, ruffled trim that I found at Hobby Lobby.  The little butterfly from a punch was added.
I loved how it turned.

Top Faves of 2011

As I watch all those wonderful YT videos on the top faves for 2011 I have to say I'm feeling a bit left out. No, I don't do videos but I can share on my blog right? So I will be posting a top fave of mine each week and I hope you find it interesting. I have only run out once so far to purchase an item that someone has posted which I find pretty darn good for this girl. That would be the Tim Holtz sissers that are a must have according to most of my crafty sisters. I can't wait to use them.
    So top favorite for this week.......baskets

     Stamps and scraps are sorted as well as punches

    All my embossing folders are lined up for an easy go to.

       Flowers are sorted by companys and then my magazines for 
       inspiration below.

          Die cuts are lined up so I can grab in a hurry.

       Trash and scraps which I let sit for a while just incase I may
       need something.

So, you will see in the pictures my fave for this week are my storage baskets. I'm not a plastic girl and I try to avoid plastic at all cost. Oh I know that we really can't avoid plastic at times and I do have some plastic containers but for me I just love to use baskets for storage and even trash as you will see. They just look so darn cute in my craft room. I find them at thrift stores and Michaels and have them set up in rows and in corners. So there you have my favorite for this week. Have a great weekend and thanks for checking in.

My Travelouge thru MY PAPER PANTRY

Hi everybody. I hope you are enjoying another great weekend. It is very cold in my part of the country so I have been hiding out in my scrap room a lot, okay...maybe too much. Today I would like to share my completed Travelogue that I am a part of with YPP. This is my second TL and it is a great experience if you have never been a part of one. You are joined up with a group of great ladies where we create and title our own mini album and send off to each other in a round robin. Each participant creates a page and then sends it off to the next person. It takes about six months to return back to you but it is such a joy when it does.
My album this time is titled "GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN" Who are your girlfriends. I have come to value my girlfriends more and more as I grow older so this one is a celebration of them. I hope you enjoy the pictures and have a chance to do one some day. Thanks for checking in.

Easter Card for a Card Swap I'm in

I can't believe that I am doing a card for Easter as it is only January but that's how it is in the swap world. I love this card swap I'm in and I found it when I first began rubber stamping. The paper I used is a Lost and Found and I am so sorry but the stamp I got on Ebay and have no idea the company. I used a spellbinders die and  embossed the stamp in a copper. I love how it turned out. The border punch is a Martha Stewart and  that paper I found at Hobby Lobby. Hope you like it. Sorry the picture turned so light but I think it's the pastel blue.Let me know if you would like more information on joining my swap I'm in. It's a great group of ladies.

Upcycle Paper Bag Swap on YPP

I can't tell you how many ideas are going through my head as I start fun Friday. I always try to get some creating done on my day off and yes I will eventually take down my John Roberts Fairy tree from Christmas. Today I thought I would share some creations I have done in the past through wonderful swaps I have been in. I host the Upcycle Paper Bag swap over at My Paper Pantry and it has been  great fun. I can't tell you how many wonderful people I have met not to mention the talent and techniques I have learned. So today I will share some pictures from my personal creations and I hope you enjoy them. Thanks for joining.

Welcome

Thank you for joining me on this crazy journey. I have given a lot of  thought for sometime that it would be fun to share the "blend" of my everyday interests and happenings with those that may be interested in what I do. So here I am starting a new year and a new blog. Please bare with me as I learn and create this blog and feel free to give me ideas and critique as I go along. This blog will be a little bit about everything from my family happenings to my creations in the craft and art world to gardening, sharing recipes and of course I can't leave out my friendships. Hence "A Blend of Life" Thanks for checking me out and comments will always be welcome. Thanks too for joining me on my journey.