Yes, I made that!!

 Can you believe I actually made this?!  Thanks to this wonderfully done YouTube tutorial by Beadifulnights I did!!  It probably took me 3 hours or more and I'm sure it isn't perfect, but I adore it and it is so comfortable to wear.  The best part is I got to pick whatever beads and colors I wanted so it is just my style! 

Here is a side view so you can see how pretty the band is too.  This entire ring is made of only beads and fishing line.  That's it!  This project is probably a little advanced for where I am in my new beading hobby, but I learned a LOT and stuck it out.  So grateful for all the talented and generous beaders out there (a lot like the stampers I know!) for helping out us newbies!! 

I'll be back soon with a Clean & Simple Christmas card I really like, as soon as I get enough sunlight to take a decent picture. 

Thanks for visiting and have a great day!
~Kristin

Holiday Cheer

I've been working to come up with some designs for our annual Stamp-a-Stack which is coming up October 6th.  Since I've been neglecting my stamping for jewelry lately I'll post four cards at once.  I have another done, but haven't yet photographed it. 

 

 My new order from SU will be here on Friday so I'll have more stuff to play with and post then!  This first one is using the new Holiday Frame embossing folder.  I love how the Cherry Cobbler baker's twine looks but the punch I used on the corners is not by Stampin' Up! so I don't think we'll be making this one. 

For this one i stamped an ornament from Delightful Decorations on the Limited Edition DSP then embossed it with clear powder.  I have ordered the Cherry Cobbler powder so next time I can stamp with Versamark instead of the Versamark then Cherry Cobbler combination.  



 

This style of stamping has a name, something like Subway style?!?  Basically you just gather a large number of sentiments and stamp them in varrying directions.  I have at least 15 different stamps on here, many from very old retired stamp sets, all stamped in various shades of green.  The card base is Gumball Green, and it is finished off with some Cherry Cobbler Seem Binding.  Are you getting the idea that I like Cherry Cobbler for Christmas cards??

And finally... this one is actually Real Red with Always Artichoke and Naturals Ivory.  The tree, from Snow Swirled is an old favorite.  I embossed it in silver on the Limited Edition DSP then sponged over it with Artichoke ink.  If you're wondering, my sponge dauber had some other green on it and even though it was dry, it showed up more than the artichoke.  Next time I'll use a brand-new sponge dauber.  The tree ornaments were punched from the glittery red paper with a standard hole punch and the 1/8" hole punch. 

Thanks for visiting!  Why don't you let me know YOUR VOTE if you had to choose which of these you'd want to make at a Holiday Stamp-a-Stack. 

~Kristin

Purple Pendant

 Isn't this stone pendant beautiful?!?  I just love the gray and purples tones.  I have no idea what it is but I added these four little beaded things (no idea what to call them) I found already made (thanks mom!).  She obviously had something in mind... These earrings were already made as well as a matcing bracelet that I forgot to photo so I had to finish off the set!

Thanks for stopping by!
~Kristin

PS- Beads are the only ones not labeled in this particular storing tray.  Maybe agate??

Some Swarovski- a bracelet

Still trying to figure out this photography thing... was trying to make myself a really simple bracelet in colors that I wear a lot for every day wearing.  While I really like how it turned out, it is still pretty style specific, so not exactly an every day piece. 

I'll try to list the beads I used here.  Keep in mind that I am using my mom's stash and she labeled some things and not others.  Jahloneh (?) czech beads, blue agate, green avent, apatite green, blue zircon swarovski, and some silver accents. 

Thanks for stopping by!
~Kristin

BEADS!!!

 Good morning!  In case you are wondering, I've discovered a new hobby and think I'm in LOVE!  Unfortunately, if you are used to coming here for cards... well, they'll still be here but interspersed between some beaded jewelry pieces! 

This is a triple strand bracelet with matching necklace I made recently.  They are both on stretchy cord, which is good and bad.  The necklace is actually a single strand which hangs to my waist so it is VERY HEAVY!  The neat thing is that I can double it, like in the picture here, or even triple it easily!  The beads are a variety from my stash- some of which I do not like on their own, but love in this completely random combination!

Forgive my photography.  Either I'm struggling or something is up with my camera because it took me dozens of pictures to get these ho-hum shots.  I need to experiment with my backgrounds I guess, and maybe learn a little something about my camera settings.  I HOPE it isn't that something is wrong with my camera!! 

So what do you think?  I already wore this playful set and had so much fun with it!  Thanks for stopping by!  I'll be back with more jewelry for sure, and some Christmas cards too. 
~Kristin

Step It Up!! {Christmas}

Looking for a super simple, quick and easy Christmas card design?  Then look no further!  I have designed this card to be stepped up three times, adding a tiny bit of detail each time.  Choose the version you are comfortable with or experiment with all four!  

Can you guess what was added? 

Ignore the funky bow... I did get tired of it and fixed it eventually.

 

That's better (the bow I mean).  Did you spot each of the added details?  So what do you think?  Still Clean & Simple, eh?!! 

 

This just might be similar to something at our upcoming Annual Christmas Stamp-a-Stack in Kenton, Ohio coming up on October 6th.  Let me know if you are interested- all are welcome! 

 

Thanks for stopping by!

~Kristin

 



First Christmas Card of the Year

Hello again!  I'm back with my very first Christmas card of the season.  You may be seeing more of these in the days to come.  Our annual Christmas Stamp-a-Stack is just around the corner, October 6th, so I've got some designing to do.  If you are interested in details let me know and I'll be sure to fill you in!  (It is held in Kenton, Ohio)

 

For this one I used this sketch from iSpy Sketches.  Isn't it fun?!  Initially I intended to follow the sketch exactly and put a circle embellishment towards the bottom... but then realized that my large embossed snowflake did sort of the same thing, so I left it off.  Less is more, right?!  

 

Well, I hope you like it!  Come again soon!

~Kristin

 

SUO Supplies

Stamps:  Petite Pairs

Colors:  Raspberry Ripple, Regal Rose, Pink Pirhouette, Whisper White

Accessories:  square punch, Raspberry Ripple Stitched Satin ribbon, Modern Label punch, Big Shot, Northern Flurry embossing folder, basic rhinestones

 

Fab Birthday

Have you ever designed an entire card thinking you were using one color, only to find out it was another color?   Oftentimes I use my color coach to come up with color ideas...not necessarily for the combo suggestions, but just to spin out my own ideas until I come up with something I like.  I had decided on Calypso Coral, Raspberry Ripple and Pink Pirhouette... but ended up using Peach Parfait instead of Calypso Coral, and only noticed when my ink didn't match the cardstock!  DUH! 

Turns out I think I like it better anyway.  And bonus, the tiny butterfly was already stamped and punched and in the stamp case!  Obviously the ONLY thing I kept the same from yesterday's card was the sketch.  And I'm fine with that.  I couldn't bring myself to just change the sentiment to make it a birthday card when it started as a sympathy card.  Plus, this sketch was so fun, it only makes sense to use it again in a completely different direction!  

 Here's the inside... and yes, I screwed up.  Did the entire piece then realized as I was sticking it down that it was not the correct width.  Oh well.  I'm going with it anyway!  Also hadn't noticed that little edge of flower just hanging... again, Oh Well!  I'm OK with that too.

Here's the sketch again in case you missed it yesterday.  And the link:  Fab Friday. 

Thanks for stopping in to see me today!  I appreciate your visits and your kind comments (not so much all the crappy spam I've been getting.  Yesterday it was "Oh, I really appreciate this kind of post.  Please visit me at Hor$ny Asian Wom@n".  Uh, delete!  And I'm so not typing those words exactly or I know I'll get all kinds of junk!)

~Kristin

Sharing Your Sorrow

Good Monday morning, I hope.   I found a fabulous new sketch challenge blog this weekend called Fab Friday.  This sketch is their FIRST EVER challenge!  So excited I found it right from the beginning.  The simplicity of this sketch really appealed to me- lots of room to add those unique creative touches.  Found out that I needed a sympathy card just before I put the sentiment on so this quickly went from birthday to a sympathy card.  Don't worry, I did a second variation for a birthday which you'll see tomorrow.  

 

 Can you tell that my top picture was taken in morning light and these bottom two in evening light?  I couldn't decide which was better so you get both. 

 Here is the sketch:  Go ahead, have fun with it! 

Thanks for stopping by!
~Kristin

 

SUO Supplies

Stamps:  Thoughts & Prayers

Colors:  Lucky Limeade, Basic Gray, Marina Mist, Basic Black

Accessories:  Big Shot, Stripes embossing folder, Flower Garden embossing folder, Kiwi Kiss corduroy button (remember those?!), Pinking Hearts border punch, Modern Label punch

Above & Beyond

Good morning fellow crafters!  How about a fallish card to kick off the weekend?  I had a variety of inspirations for this one but mostly it came from my head.  Found a great new (to me) challenge site too, Stampin' Celebration which hosts monthly challenges.  Yep, I have an entire month to make it, edit, post and enter.  Yippee, my kind of deadline!  For September their challenge is to be inspired by the fallish photo they provided which I linked at the bottom of this post. 

 

I always think of texture when I use fall colors, not sure why.  So I whipped out the woodgrain embossing folder which is horizontal instead of verticle so doesn't show up the best in my lighting this morning.  (Hence the last picture)

 

 Here's a shot of the inside, gussied up but still fairly simple.  The Apothecary Accent die cut was leftover from the front of the card so had to put it to work.  Aren't those Comfort Cafe DSP patterns just perfect?  Love them! 

 

Here's the "other" shot of the texture- if this photo seems odd it is because the card is standing on its side.  And here is the Stampin' Celebration inspiration photo:  

 

 

Thanks for stopping by again and have a great weekend!

~Kristin

 

SUO Supplies

Stamps:  One in a Million

Colors:  Naturals Ivory, Soft Suede, Cajun Craze

Accessories:  Apothecary Accents framelits, Blossom punch, Triple Layer flower punch, Boho Blossom punch, Naturals Buttons, Big Shot, Woodgrain embossing folder, Paper Piercing pack essentials, dotted scalloped ribbon border punch

 



Color Me Beautiful!

 

Phew!  Well, I'm in a mad rush so this will be short.  Excited to participate in the Brand Spankin' New blog:  Color Me Beautiful and their very first challenge.  I made this yesterday and just noticed that I have less than 30 minutes to upload my card!  Yikes!  I don't want to miss it... so here goes.  

 

 

 

Thanks for stopping by!  I've got something else to share tomorrow too!  Woohoo! 

 

~Kristin

 

SUO Supplies
Stamps:  Pleasant Poppies, Petite Pairs

Colors:  Wisteria Wonder, Rich Razzleberry, Basic Gray, Perfect Plum, Lucky Limeade

Accessories:  Pennant Punch, Beautiful Wings Sizzlit, Punch Pack, Mini silver brads, First Edition DSP, oval punch, scalloped oval punch, basic pearls