Etsy Update & PUMPKINS!

Pretty blah title, I know.  Pretty much says it like it is, lol.
*I actually wrote this yesterday*

FIRST - I've spent allllll morning (and into the afternoon) updating my Etsy store, so it'd be great if you make it worth all that work and go check it out. lol! :)  Find something you'd like?  Go ahead...buy it! ;-)

MY ETSY SHOP (craftincrystal)

NOW...for the pumpkins.

I know I've mentioned before that I *heart* watercoloring, but can I just say it again? ;-)  I LOVE WATERCOLORING! :)

Even more so when I use our watercolor paper. (sigh)...love it.

I stamped the front pumpkin, then masked, then stamped the remaining pumpkins, gourd, and leaves.  Then...I got out my trusty aquapainter and ink pad lids and set to work!  The leaves on top of the pumpkins are cut out and I added a linen thread bow, then stamped the sentiment from Grateful Greetings.  Added the layers, and...Voila!

Okay, so this has taken me all day to get to (multiple interruptions)...but it's finally ready to post. Oops, I guess that means this is Saturday's post instead of Friday, lol!.

Well, what do you think?

The Small Print (All Stampin' Up)
Stamps: Autumn Harvest, Grateful Greetings
Ink: Stazon Black, Various ink lids for coloring
Cardstock/Paper: Watercolor paper, Always Artichoke, Cajun Craze, More Mustard
Accessories: Paper snips, Aquapainter, Linen thread

Thanks so much for stopping by, and have a GREAT day! :)
Crystal

It's My Party

...and I'll Stamp if I want to, Stamp if I want to....
...you would stamp too, if it happened to YOU!

If you were invited to a Stampin' Up party of mine, you'd definitely be stamping something! :)

Below are the two projects the gals did (from start to finish) as free M&T's (Make n Takes):

First, a little treat bag type thing...













Here's the side view:

And now, a Christmas card.

Yes, it's a little early, but this party was instead of my Annual Holiday Open House, so I felt the need to include some Christmas. :)  It's basically the same card, just a flipped sketch. I let the gals decide what they wanted to do, and they also got to choose which stamp for "Merry Christmas."

Want the quick "how to"?  OK...

Thankful Thoughts Treat Holder - Cut out (2) Top Notes with our Big Shot & Top Note die (yep, they got to play with the Big Shot!), Fold bottom of bag downward, then cut bag down to 2 3/4". Attach to (1) of the Top Notes, punch with word window punch.  Decorate 2nd Top Note, then attach on top of bag, Line up and punch with Word Window punch again. Tie with ribbon.
Top Note: Crumb Cake cs
Vines: Baroque Motifs stamped in Old Olive
Pumpkin: Pumpkin Pie cardstock, Wide oval punch, sponged with Pumpkin Pie ink & sponge dauber. Stamped leaf from Autumn Harvest & cut out, Attatched linen thread bow.
Sentiment: Stamped from "Grateful Greetings" in Early Espresso Ink
Handle: Word Window punch, Old Olive grosgrain ribbon

Whew! Maybe it would've been easier to film a video for this one! lol

Merry Christmas Card
Cardstock: Cherry Cobbler, Always Artichoke, Very Vanilla
Designer Paper: Deck the Halls (mini catalog)
Ink: Early Espresso
Accessories: Cherry Cobbler seam binding ribbon, Scalloped oval and Large oval punches, Scallop trim punch, Dimensionals

Well, what do you think?!!  I'm dyin' to know! :)

Thanks so much for stopping by, and have a GREAT day! :)
Crystal

What In The World...

...Have I been up to?
Take a look:

Actually many things, but one of the biggest was painting our Living Room.  Finished JUST in time for my 5year Demo Celebration Party.  A BIG shout out to my momma - THANK YOU SOOO MUCH!!  Couldn't have done it without her!

FYI, I was not painting because I was having a party...the project actually started on Sept. 18th.  Ha! You laugh.  Well, my hubby's a dairy farmer, so he was working on this room whenever he could, (which meant a little here and there).  I was very good, and did not nag.  I did, however, casually ask once in awhile how far we were and how far we had to go, then left it at that. Call it a friendly bug in his ear.  ;-)

For those of you who know me...prepping for my annual party (usually a Holiday Open House) is big enough. Add in a 'project room', mommy/wifey duties, and grandma going to the hospital, all in one week, and I was one stressed-out gal!

Sooo happy for this week to be here!  It's been a little busy just catching up on things that fell behind during the last couple of weeks...

STAY TUNED!  I have a lot of things to show you I created during that time, as well as what the ladies made for their Make n' Takes! :)

Thanks so much for stopping by, and have a GREAT day! :)
Crystal

Sorry...and a Thank You

FIRST, the "Sorry".

That's for you. I'm so sorry that I haven't been consistent with my posts the last couple weeks. During that time, I was busy prepping for a wedding (of a good friend) I was in - miscellaneous stuff/days involved with that.  At the same time, I was helping with playground duty, going on Field Trips, and doing the normal "mom" stuff, too. ;-)  Doesn't leave a lot of time for crafting.

Oh, except for the crafting I've been working on for my party...my 5th Year as a Demo Party - this Friday!! :)

And now for the "Thank You".













For some customers of mine.  I wanted a little "something" to put with their orders.

SOOO easy.  So easy, in fact, that I just came up with them as I whipped them out - no instructions, lol.  If you'd like instructions, maybe I could figure it out again and post a tutorial?  What do you think about that?

I used a stamp from the Hostess set "Afterthoughts," and our new Cherry Cobbler seam binding ribbon (see mini catalog)!

Well, what do you think?

I sure hope there's someone left out there that checks my blog!  I did notice I lost a couple of Google Followers (sniff, sniff)...makes me sad, but I'm choosing not to dwell on it. :-)

The Small Print (All Stampin' Up)
Stamps: Afterthoughts
Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Whisper White
Ink: Cherry Cobbler, Chocolate Chip
Accessories:  Scallop edge punch, Circle punch, Cherry Cobbler seam binding, Hole punch, Small cello bags

Thanks soooo much for stopping by, and have a GREAT day! :)
Crystal

A Challenge

In more than one way! lol

This week has been a challenge - lots going on, and more to come!

Stamping this week has been a challenge.
I made a card that just did NOT turn out right. I *might* show you someday. ;-)

I decided to participate in a stamping-related challenge at SCS, hoping to aid my efforts.  It was a sketch challenge, which doesn't always work for me. ;-b 

Thankfully, I knew what stamp I wanted to use on this card for Grandma's Birthday (other grandma).

Here's the sketch:

 

And here's what I did with it:

She's always helping us out with our yards, loves flowers, and a ton of other plants in God's creation (well, except for weeds - wink).

I stamped the flower from "Friends 24-7" onto Very Vanilla, then colored in with my aquapainter and ink pad lids. :) The flowered paper is from the same pack I used on my other grandma's card (Parisian Breeze).

Well, what do you think?  I'd love to hear/read! :)

The Small Print (All Stampin' Up)

Stamps: Friends 24-7

Cardstock/Paper: Crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla

Ink: Basic Brown

Accessories: Kraft taffeta ribbon, Aquapainters, SU ink lids (Baja Breeze, Wild Wasabi), Dimensionals

Thanks so much for stopping by, and have a GREAT day! :)
Crystal

It's The Small Things

Awhile back, I had the Saturday morning of my dreams......

The girls slept later than normal - aka - I got to sleep in! :)
The weather was beautiful!

Mom offered to watch the girls so I could go grocery shopping alone - yay!

Both grocery stores (I shop the ads) were fairly quiet & empty...ahhhh...solitude.

I found everything I needed, and forgot nothing.
A new lane opened and the clerk said "I can take you right here" (don't you just love that?) and...

At the finish of my 2nd grocery stop...I was rewarded with THIS!

















YEAH, baby!  It was FREE, too!!!  Some frosty frapuccino thing...yum!

Here ya go, take a closer look:

Ha ha!  At that point, I didn't CARE that it was a mere 3" tall.  It was so yummy and it capped off the perfect morning...perfectly! :)

It's the small things in this world that can totally make a day.

A card is one of those such things. Give a person a card...and brighten their day. Bring a smile to their face.  That, my friends, is totally worth it. :)

HAPPY WORLD CARDMAKING DAY to all my stamping buddies out there!!  I hope to create something fun today (I mean, what's WCD without making at least one card?!)...and I hope you do too! :)

Thanks so much for stopping by, and have a GREAT day!
Crystal

Elegant Melted Ribbon?

How can melted ribbon be elegant, you ask?
Oh, let me SHOW you! :)

I saw this technique somewhere, fell in love with it...and gave it a whirl! :)

















I made this card as a thank-you to someone sweet...someone who had a giveaway on her blog, and I WON! :)  It turned out to be a bit belated because of stuff going on here, but I always say A thank you is better than no thank you! :)

FYI: I actually made two. Hers is the first one I tried, and the petals are a titch smaller. That one took longer, but I thought it went better with the paper, so that's the one I sent to her.  I really hope she got it ok...I have visions of it being mangled in the mail, even though I had paid extra for that to NOT happen. ;-b

The leaves - cut freehand leaves, folded in half lengthwise, then ran through the crimper. :)

I will tell you this is not a quickie-technique, to be sure!  It took awhile, but I sure love the end result!  I also love that it could be used for MANY occasions! :)

What do YOU think?

The Small Print (All Stampin' Up)
Cardstock/Paper: Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla, Garden Green, Woodland Walk DSP
Accessories: 5/8" chocolate chip satin ribbon, 5/8" very vanilla satin ribbon, half-back pearl (Pretties Kit), Heat tool, Scissors, Crimper, Glue dots
Technique: Melted Ribbon Flower

Thanks so much for stopping by, and have a GREAT day! :)
Crystal