I'm Back! And I've Been Busy!

Hello. My name is Leana and I am a crafting supply hoarder. {admitting feels good! :-)}

There, I said it! Well, not only do I hoard crafting supplies, but I am just a cluttery person in general. Sigh.... Well, my husband has been really wonderful and is helping me get out of my rut! It started with turning the weekend of Martin Luther King Day into a three day holiday of cleaning my craft room - I started the weekend before really, but kept it going. Now I am loving my room all over again! I still have a lot of work to do on it, but it is at least getting manageable.

But wait, there's more....

I also cleaned out my bedroom closet this week! I had about 6 bags of clothes that went to the D.I. - for those that don't know what that is, think Good Will - and found a bunch of clothes that fit me again :-)! I was able to put some pants and other clothes that are too big away, and get out clothes that I haven't been able to wear in like 5 years! I haven't actually typed it down here on my blog, but I can tell you all that I have lost 30 pounds :). I am starting to feel like my old self again. I still have a lot of work to do and I am not down to my goal. But I actually feel like it's achievable now. I have been basically working with the old Weight Watchers point program, but didn't follow it strictly. I have worked hard though with portion control and trying to eat healthy - though it doesn't always work.

Because of all the cleaning that I mentioned before, I was able to go through my stamps and get rid of a lot that I don't use anymore. I have them listed on Etsy for purchase. I have them listed pretty cheap, if you all want to hop on over and check them out. :-)

Aside from all this other news though, I have been trying to craft when I could sneak in some time. This evening I finally finished two things to list on Etsy. They are both card kits. One comes completely assembled with the cutest little envelopes to fit the cards. The other comes with 1 finished card and then everything needed to make 5 more cards to match.

I'll show the assembled kit first...


Don't you love that chair! It's one of my favorite stamps from the current Stampin' Up set. And it's one of my most recent purchases.





This little envelope is a Big Shot die from Stampin' Up! Isn't it so cute!

 As you all know, I love to make smaller cards. It's just my thing lately! I am doing a swap with some friends, and I was specifically told that I had to make my cards 4x5! Ha! Funny hu! Oh, well.

Anyway, I have had this envelope die since I got my Big Shot and never used it. I have used my upline, Cindy's, at her house for our monthly club projects, but I have never done anything with mine on my own. I knew though that I wanted to make a small set of cards that had envelopes to go with them. And then it hit me - du! I have envelopes that I can make and then make the cards to fit them! Gotta love the light bulb moments! So I took my favorite chair stamp and some My Mind's Eye patterned cardstock and this cute little set was born. I made 6 cards and 6 envelopes to sell at my Etsy store craftydork.

 Here is the kit all packaged up and ready for Etsy :-) ....

This is what I used to make them:

Cardstock - Pretty In Pink, Bashful Blue, Old Olive, Very Vanilla and Naturals Ivory Stampin' Up!
Patterned Paper - My Mind's Eye
Die - Scallop Envelope Big Shot for Stampin' Up!
Punches - Itty Bitty 4 petal flower, Designer Label, Scallop Trim border, Dotted Scallop Ribbon border, Large Scallop Circle, 1/16" hole Stampin' Up!
Stamps - Stampin' Up!
Ink - Chocolate Chip, Soft Suede, Pretty In Pink Stampin' Up!
Ribbon - Old Olive grosgrain Stampin' Up!
Pearls - Stampin' Up!
Adhesive - glue stick 3 M; liquid glue Crystal Effects from Stampin' Up!

A few things to note: I stamped the envelope flowers in Soft Suede on 3 envelopes, and then Chocolate Chip on the other 3. Also, for some reason, even though all the chairs are in Soft Suede, a few of them came out darker than the others. Not really sure why, or how I did that! And the last thing is, the envelopes don't seal. I think they would be cute with a bit of ribbon tied around them, or just a tiny dab of Crystal Effects to hold it closed would work too.

And there you have it folks. I think these would be adorable on a present! What do you all think?

So my next kit features one of my most favorite paper brands, American Crafts! But more specifically, their Dear Lizzy line! I've said it before, but Elizabeth Kartchner is such a cutie! And her stuff is to die for! And her Enchanted papers are so cute! I love the big florals and bright colors.

This card just makes me happy....


Isn't the paper so pretty! :)

Stampin' Up!'s spring mini catalog is full of gorgeous stamps, paper and accessories. The dress form stamp is from the Oh Sew Suite line and it is one of my favorites! The button is also from Stampin' Up! but it is in the main catalog.

Here is a breakdown of the supplies:

Cardstock - Daffodil Delight, Whisper White Stampin' Up!
Patterned Paper - Enchanted Dear Lizzy for American Crafts {the solid paper, besides the white, is the reverse side of the patterned paper}
Stamps - Sew Suite {dress form} Stampin' Up!; frame and "my favorite" sentiment Dear Lizzy from American Crafts
Inks - Perfect Plum, Baja Blue, Early Espresso Stampin' Up!
Punches - Small Scallop Circle, 1/16" hole, Scallop border, 1 3/8" Circle Stampin' Up!
Bling - half pearls Stampin' Up!; orange jewels Doodle Bug; pink metal flowers with rhinestones Making Memories {aren't these so cute!!!!!!}
Ribbon - blue and brown scallop American Crafts; baker's twine my stash
Button - Rich Razzleberry Stampin' Up!
Adhesive - glue stick 3M; ribbon line Pop Dots;

Here is the kit all packaged up...

The only things you need to assemble the kit together is a glue stick and a little bit of liquid glue! The liquid glue was used to adhere the orange jewels and then just a dab behind the bottom of the stand on the dress form. Everything that needs to be inked, cut, punched, tied or scored is already done for you.

As I mentioned, this card just makes me happy. :-) The colors and patterns are all about spring. And I am so anxious for it to just be here already! How about you all?

And lastly, I have some fun Valentine cards I made. Originally I had made these to go on Etsy too. I am working on a set of 10. But I had the owner of the company I work for, purchase them already :).

Here are the 3 I have finished so far...

The patterned paper is absolutely adorable, don't you think! It's all Fancy Pants brand, except the red glitter paper. The cards - in Sahara Sand - are from Stampin' Up! about 4 years ago.  They have envelopes that fit them. The patterned paper is actually to make little Valentines. They have a label on the other side so you can put to and from. But I decided I would just convert them into cards - at least for the set of 10. I bought another sheet of the paper though, so I may make some to go along with some candy as just regular Valentines.

Here are all the supplies used:

Patterned Paper - Fancy Pants
Cardstock - Whisper White, Early Espresso Stampin' Up!
Glitter Cardstock - American Crafts
Stamp - Love American Crafts
Ink - Early Espresso, Ridinghood Red markers Stampin' Up!
Punches - Scallop border, Itty Bitty 4 petal flower, Itty Bitty flower, Scallop Trim border, Dotted Scallop Ribbon border Stampin' Up!; Lace border Martha Stewart
Button - BasicGrey
Bling - pearls, rhinestones Stampin' Up!
Glitter Glue - red Studio G {used on the Happy Valentine's Day card. I used it on the heart shaped balloon}
Ribbon - Brown and white polka-dot grosgrain May Arts; Red grosgrain Making Memories; Baker's Twine my stash
Adhesive - glue stick 3m; foam adhesive Dimensionals from Stampin' Up!; Glue Line Pop Dots; liquid glue Crystal Effects from Stampin' Up!

So for the Everything Grows Better With Love card, the hearts are cut out from one of the patterned papers. On the From My Heart to Yours With Love card, those pink hearts were just  hand cut out. Stampin' Up! has a heart punch that I so want, but I just haven't bought it yet.

And there you have it. As soon as I get more of the Valentines cards finished, I'll post those. And check out my Etsy store if you are interested in the card kits. Oh and as soon as my room is finished, I will post updated pics of it here too.

Last thing before I am off... I decided to try out for the Stampin' Up! Artisian Award this year. I don't know what my chances are, but here's hoping! I have a few things completed already. But I will share them at a later date :)

Hope you are all good and staying crafty!