Don't you just love a bargain?

Check out what my latest trip to The Christmas Tree Shop brought me!  In the spring decor section they had these adorable little chalk boards for just $4.99.  The bird scene that was on it was a bit Stephen King-ish and was screaming for a little alteration.  Since Spice Cake paper (and color inspiration) is all over my house, I chose to use up what little scraps I have left to make a couple of rosettes, added a little Linen Thread and my favorite stamp:  Imagine the possibilities.  I dug through my Nana's vintage buttons to find a jumbo brown one to cover up the ugly picture hanger.  Love adding those goodies when I get a chance!

I think I might need another one (or maybe two)...one to hang near the pantry to make note of needed groceries and one by the door for messages to my family.  So cute...how will I decorate those?

What is hanging around your house that could be used for inspiration?  Look for my new Inspiration posts coming next week.  I'll find an everyday item and make a card or 3D item inspired by it.  I'm thinking Friday will be the Everyday Inspiration day.  I'd love to know if I set up a blog challenge, would you be interested in participating? 

Thanks for sticking around and getting inky with me!

Bouncing Babies

Now you all know how much I love making the accordion albums...for holidays, weddings, babies...really anything!  The latest album is for a soon to arrive baby boy.  I kept this one pretty traditional, lots of navy and crumb cake.  Somehow I got going with stars and they ended up throughout the album. 

I've also been making the keepsake boxes for the albums to go in.  This one has the most adorable little white frame.  If the parent's choose, the frame can be removed and hung in the baby's room.  With a matching card and gift bag, this was an adorable baby shower gift.

Take Note

You're sitting at your desk doing your hum drum daily chores...wouldn't you love a little visual pick me up?  How about covering a post it note with a few scraps of paper, adding a jewel or two and I bet you'll smile! 

This was a recent order I finished.  Wouldn't you just love to show up at work and find one of these little gems at your desk?  I especially like making these after I've finished a big project...a scrap layout, a set of cards, one of the shadow boxes.  Anything where there are leftover parts and pieces.  And keep that Big Shot close by...adding a small textured shape from one of the Embosslits is a great way to add dimension with out costing too much.

Anyway...let me know what you think of these and maybe some other goodies you'd like to find on your desk!

My Business Corner

My big goal for 2012 is to make the most of my Stampin' Up! business and to do that I needed a dedicated space to take care of the paperwork.  It seems to be working.  I see it more as a job (that I love, love, love) than a hobby so I take it much more seriously.  Although when sitting at my desk with sticky fingers covered in glitter and ink, I'm not being very serious, I guess.
This is my desk from when I was a little girl. It was passed along to my daughter and now it becomes part of the Stampin' Up! world.  Lots of goodies on the shelves along with all of those important forms.  The red and white chair was my husband's grandparents and the table in the corner is my Nana's sewing machine.  I really love that I've been able to incorporate  a little bit of family history in my creative space.

 Valentine cards are ready to go...

Another little project I just started...I've put some Spice Cake Designer Fabric in my Nana's embroidery hoops.  Eventually I will add some goodies to dress them up, attach some of Nana's old buttons and knitting needles.  When we were little, my Nana taught my sister and I to make lots of things in plastic canvas.  Even now when I decorate the tree at Christmas time, I love pulling out the little mailboxes, jack in the box and candy canes that she made. 
That's all for today!  Have a great weekend!

My Crafty Corner

 I've had a few requests to share pictures of my new stamping space.  We moved in November and I'm pretty sure I've changed the room 4 times already!  Those who know me personally, know how many times I changed my former house...the colors were changed often (which my husband didn't like as he is the "painter"), the furniture was never in the same place very long and wall hangings were often switched.  Being in this new home has been sooooooo much fun!  It was built in 1803 but has had some fabulous remodels to make it a great entertaining house.  It's really open and has some great space.  There are touches of my crafting all over the place but for now I'll stick to my very own fantastic room!  Well...I do share it with my daughter (she's the + in A+...she is a beader/jewelry creator.). 
So...the picture at the top is my main work space.  I get to look out on the little stream that runs behind our house.  My main supplies are off to the right tucked neatly in photo boxes I've bought on sale.  The cream colored desk is made from two bar stools and a slab of wood I got at Home Depot.  I did a primitive style finish and tied 2 inch ribbon on the legs so that I could put boxes there for storage.

 This is to the left of my work station and mainly consists of my stamp sets.  A good friend of mine (and fellow stamper) gave me the two DVD racks (I think they're from IKEA) and they hold the new clear stamps perfectly.  Mini glass jars hold buttons to spice up the wall.  Oh and notice those beautiful Crumb Cake walls that my husband surprised me with!

 This is my daughter's space.  She got that amazing table for Christmas and it's filled with some great art supplies.  She has oodles of beads and has recently started making her own clay beads.  That stack of drawers on the floor holds lots of random craft supplies and I was tired of looking at them so...I used spray adhesive and attached some scrap fabric to the inside of the drawers.  It just cleans it up and hides the mess!

 More scrap fabric!  This is actually a really cute wooden student desk but I have some ugly totes, bags and other random things hiding under there so...I've hot glued the fabric over a curtain rod, opened the top drawers enough to hold the rod and tucked away the mess again!  The top of the desk makes a great big shot station. 

Strangely enough, this room has no closet but has a half bath in it.  Kringle the cat love sitting in the window and it's great for washing the ink and glue off my hands but still a little wacky!

A close up of my tools...sponges, glue sticks, tape, rhinestones, sanding blocks...that sort of thing.

This is just the top of Kylee's space.  I use it for storage and extra stickers, albums, goodies that I don't use often because they aren't Stampin' Up!

Eventually the other two walls in this room will be a Cactus green.  Throughout my house I  have Crumb Cake, Cactus Green (which really is a lighter version of Always Artichoke) and So Saffron (soft sunny yellow for you non SU followers).  We still need to recarpet a few rooms...the 80's called and need the teal and mauve rugs back!  And the lighting in this house is about as bright as candlelight...talk about feeling the 1800's! 

Anyway, thanks for stopping by my crafty corner of the world.  I'd love to hear your feedback and see what you think!  Next time I'll share the office portion of my space.  Or as my mom calls it, my boutique.  I love being surrounded by color and creative things so you'll see some of Kylee's jewelry and a few goodies I've made over the years. 

Welcome Baby Girl...

One of my latest orders...really adorable baby shower invitations.  Although there were lots of steps involved, these were so much fun to make!  I received a picture of the bedding so I added the stripes and swirls to compliment the real thing.  Melon Mambo and Pear Pizzazz are the featured colors and of course I had to use the square lattice embossing folder to make the "blanket."  Both of my kids had a snuggly waffle blanket that I would wrap them in...sometimes I miss those days!