Inspiring

Hello my blog buddies,  I hope that all is well in your lives.  We've just gone through a big life event.  Moving.  Uggg.  I have joined the 'I hate moving' club.   My previous moves have not been this hard, or maybe I have gotten old enough that I don't remember them.  It has been just over 2 weeks and I still can't find my stamp cleaners!  my life. 
I did find time to join a couple challenges.  One from the Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blog ~ Challenge 236.  I took the liberty to turn it to the side and changed up the dimensions a bit.  The challenge is also to use a Cricut cut, so the papers were cut using George and Basics shapes.  The other challenge is from the November PaperCraft Connections.  Their challenge was to use gold in your card.  Well ta da!  Gold overload!  right!?

I started the challenge with some gorgeous hand made paper from India.  I had tried selling the stack during our moving sale, but thankfully no one wanted to purchase it because I have fell in love with it.  I used some turquoise paper for the base, then I added some beautiful gold glitter paper from Michael's.  The ribbon is also from Michael's ~ from last year's Christmas stock.  The cute perfume bottle is from a Graphic 45 set.  Also from Michael's.  Gosh, I guess I like shopping at Michael's!

 

I colored the bottle with a gold sharpie,a turquoise pencil with an aqua brush, then added  glossy accents on the bottle.  Pretty :-)

Update:  My card was picked as the top Design Team choice!!  yippie!

Once Upon A Springtime Easel Box

Hello my bloggy friends. It's Friday and I have another post for you. That makes 3 posts in 1 week! That is so unlike me. I usually find it hard to sit at the computer and describe my projects, but here goes. Todays post is of this gorgeous easel box with a sliding drawer that containing a set of 4 matching cards.

The base of the box, drawer and cards are all made using Stampin Up card stock. The box and cards are decorated using Graphic 45's stunning Once Upon a Springtime line of designer paper.

 The paper is so gorgeous that I didn't have to do much to create these beautiful cards.  I added a mat and used a Martha Stewart border punch, then voila..gorgeousness!

 If you are interested in purchasing, I have this this set up for sale on my Etsy shop.

Thanks for stopping in and have a great weekend.
Michelle

Altered Box

 Hello all.  I'm still cleaning up my computer and came across more pictures of projects that I haven't shared.
Here's a real beauty.  I don't know why it never made it to my blog, cuz I think it's quite a beauty and I am quite proud of it.  The box started out as a plain white box that I covered using Graphic 45 papers and ribbons.

Here's a view of the top.  Isn't it gorgeous!!  I lined the inside with matching satin fabric (sorry no pics)  The hardware is from Tim Holtz.
Back to more cleaning.......

MPS Design Call

Robyn at My Pink Stamper, has recently announced her next design team call for the next six months so I thought I'd give it a shot.

The guidelines were~
*You will need to have a blog that you regularly post on for at least 3 months.
*You cannot already be serving on a DT that has product that is a conflict of interest (most DTs are just fine as long as they do not sell product that is similar to My Pink Stamper Original Cricut Stamps idea)*Your project must be made just for this challenge*Post a pic on your blog with a full recipe along with what the challenge is about*This needs to be a new project that you make just for this challenge*Only one entry per person, please*You do not need to be a professional but you must have a love for the craft.  Challenge: Make a card, scrapbook page, or other Cricut project with your favorite Cricut cartridge using the following colors...... 
Orange  Turquoise  Green  and Brown  

  After looking through my designer papers to find something using those colors I came across some 'On The Boardwalk' by Graphic 45.  Perfect colors! 

 Here is my recipe: Cricut Summer Vacation Cartridge White Card Stock; Georgia Pacific  9" x 6 1/4"Green 4 1/2" x 6 1/4"Turquoise 4 1/4" x 6"Mustard 4 1/8" x 5 7/8"  Chocolate 4" x 5 3/4" card stock; RecollectionsDesigner Paper and tickets; Graphic 45Vintage Photo Distress Ink by Ranger Rhinestone brad; Stampin' Up!Dimensionals; RecollectionsWhite Uniball penGlue Cut ferris wheel at 3" with mustard, cut again at 3 1/4" using green. Adhere together.  Cut beach arrow at 2" with mustard, cut again at 2 1/4" with green.  Adhere together. Fold white card stock in half to create card base. Sponge all pieces using distress ink.Layer in the following order.  Green, turquoise, mustard, chocolate then the designer paper.Attach the Ferris Wheel using the rhinestone brad, the Beach Arrow is attached with dimensionals and the tickets then glued.Add white dashes/dots.Sit back and admire. 

 Thanks for stopping in.Michelle

Beach Fun

Here's another beautiful image from McMahon Five Vintage digital images called Beach Fun.  I colored my gal and scene using my colored pencils and H2O pen.  I thought the tag from last years Graphic 45 line went well with the era of her bathing suit.
That's all I have for you tonight, still not feeling tip top so I'm off to bed and it's not even 8:00 yet..yawn.

Chapdelaine Heritage Book

This is a lengthy post for a Heritage book that took me quite awhile to create. The original book was designed by Laura de la Rosa. I knew Laura before she was a famous for being on the Graphic 45 design team. Now look at that girl...gonna be a Momma and everything! Yay Laura.


The first page shows my Dad with his Dad and his Grandma taken in 1932. But that's not where the Chapdelaine story begins.



The photo below shows our family tree beginning in 1619! Can you believe it! I am so fortunate to have ancestors that kept track of all this information.

Be sure to click on the pictures to get larger images for better viewing.

Here's my Dad's Dad and Mom before they met.

And now their Wedding.

I tried to fill in as much information as I could gather.

Below on the left is my Grandfather and my Step-Grandmother.

Pictures of my Dad and Aunt when they were young.

My Dad graduating from High School.

Then along came my Mom

This is the story of my Dad and Mom.

I need to start working on one of these for my Mom.
Thanks for joining me.
Michelle
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Beautiful Box

Gorgeous!!

Gorgeous is the best word to describe this paper from graphic 45. Wholly smokes it is so beautiful. I had a hard time giving it a cut. The paper is from their Renaissance Faire Collection and I wish I could remember what company the purse is from. First I made a template to make sure I cut in the right places so the girls faces wouldn't be cut in half. As you can see, I was able to get the two larger images onto the front and the back of the purse.

I added some delicious Prima flowers centered by some cute buttons that I had picked up at JoAnn's. If you don't have a button shank remover, you don't know what you are missing!


I used some left over paper and more girls from the 'one' sheet of paper to cover the inside. I added plenty of ribbon and lace and now don't know if I want to part with this beauty. I had planned on bringing it to my next craft fair to sell, now I just may keep it.
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