Hello everyone! Gosh….I haven’t blogged in a long time! Heading out for a vacation up the Oregon Coast today but real quick I want to share the projects we made in yesterday's Inked & Tiled class! I love this suite and I love the friendships I've made in my Stampin' Up! Business!! Click here to see a fun reel of today’s events! Thanks BUNCHES for stopping by today! Have a FUN week!! Do you need any Stampin' Up! supplies? Head on over to my store by clicking SHOP NOW! I'd love to be your demonstrator! Use my July Hostess Code - EBAK2KUY to get this months free gift from me with a $75 purchase (before tax & shipping)! (One gift per customer) If your order is over $150.00 please DO NOT use the hostess code...you'll still get the gift, but you will also get the hostess credit for yourself! You'll also earn Darla Daisies through my loyalty program! One daisy for every $50 spent (before tax & shipping)! When you have 10 Darla Daisies you can choose $40.00 worth of Stampin' Up! product(s) of your choice from me! Get your tracking form at the top this blog by clicking on Darla Daisy Loyalty Program at the top of this blog! When you have 10 daisies, email me your tracking form and your choice of product!! ~Today's Thought~

Good Morning! I'm flying home today! Sad...but happy too! I'm sure gonna miss my son, but it will be GREAT to get back to my workshop! I have a class tomorrow night and I plan on painting this weekend! Today's card is another card from my up-upline for my sales! I LOVE it! This SUPER CUTE card is made with the Perfect Mix stamp set and the Hexagons embossing folder. The colors are Pumpkin Pie, Whisper White and Basic Black with some Silver Glimmer paper and Basic Rhinestones thrown in! Super EASY, super CLEVER and super CUTE!! I LOVE that you stop by my blog to see what's going on in my little world! I hope that every time you check things out you are INSPIRED!! ~Today's Thought~

Hello everyone! I hope you are all well! I spent yesterday packing and getting ready for OnStage, a Stampin’ Up! Convention in Anaheim, California! Today, I left my house at 5:30 am and drive, with a girlfriend and arrived at 6:30! We chatted the entire drive and had an absolute blast!! Tonight I want to share some samples of the new Fitting Florets Collection that I made! I have many more to share too so come back by!!! Have a great night!! Thanks for stopping by!!!

A 15 minutes bee project. This quilt has blocks from 10 other quilters and measures 58"X80" It was inspired by a picture of a quilt by an unknown African American quilters from the book, "Accidentally on Purpose"by Eli Leon. therootconnection.blogspot.com/

...on the way to a distraction. I got distracted. The other day I was reading blogs and perusing Pinterest to get my quilting engines revv...

...on the way to a distraction. I got distracted. The other day I was reading blogs and perusing Pinterest to get my quilting engines revv...

Hi everyone! I’m glad you’re here! I have some Sale-a-bration swap cards I want to share with you today! All made with FREE Sale-a-Braydon products! Hope they get your creative juices flowing!! Have a TERRIFIC DAY! ~Today's Thought~

Good Morning Everyone! WOW...it's Wednesday already! I'm flying with my husband to Phoenix today. My son got a job in Redding, California and starts next Monday. We're flying there to help him move. I think we're driving the U-Haul. I must admit that I'm a little nervous about flying, but I'm prepared with gloves, masks and my Thieves Hand Sanitizer. I'm not sure about the masks...so many say they don't protect. Well...we're going and I'm just praying for Gods protection. For the next few days (we'll be driving back Thursday and Friday), I'll be sharing some GREAT tutorials! I hope you enjoy them! Here are a couple of CUTE Easter or Spring cards to inspire you! Full of Happiness All images © 1990-2020 Stampin’ Up!® Supplies: ● Stamp Set: Full of Happiness (151539) ● Card stock: Whisper White (100730), Gray Granite (46983) ● Ink: Gray Granite (147118), Memento Black (132708), Pumpkin Pie (147086), Pineapple Punch (147141) ● Tools & Accessories: Gray Granite Ribbon (147656), Stampin’ Blends Gray Granite (149535) ● Designer Series Paper: Bird Ballad (149592) Measurements: ● Base: Gray Granite 4¼”x5½” ● Card stock No. 1: Whisper White 5½”x3½” ● Designer Series Paper: Bird Ballad 1¼”x5½” Instructions: ● Score and fold 5½” and 8½” of Gray Granite card Stock in half. ● Adhere strip of Bird Ballad paper to bottom of base. ● Stamp bird in Pineapple Punch, beak and feet in Pumpkin Pie and eyes in Memento Tuxedo Black Ink. ● Color base with Gray Granite Stampin’ Blend. ● Stamp “Here’s to a new beginning” in Gray Granite ink. ● Adhere to base, leaving a 1/4” strip of Gray Granite cardstock showing along the top. ● Tie Gray Granite Ribbon around card. Full Of Happiness All images © 1990-2020 Stampin’ Up!® Supplies: · Stamp Set: Full Of Happiness (151539) · Secondary Stamp set: Under My Umbrella (151518) · Cardstock: Gorgeous Grape ( 146987) Whisper White ( 100730) Basic Black 121045) · Ink: Gorgeous Grape (147099) Crushed Curry ( 147087) Flirty Flamingo (147052) Memento (132708) Pumpkin Pie (147086) Soft Suede ( 147115) · Tools & Accessories: Hand-Lettered Prose (149550) Champagne Rhinestone Basic Jewels (151193) Old Olive Combo Stampin’ Blends (144597) Flirty Flamingo Combo Stampin’ Blends (147278) Basic Black Stampin’ Write Marker (100082) Paper Snips (103579) Paper Trimmer (152392) Subtle 3D folder (151775) Wink Of Stella Glitter Brush (141897) Bone Folder (102300) Multipurpose Liquid Glue (110755) Stampin’ Dimensionals (104430) Mini Stampin’ Dimensionals (144108) · Designer Series Paper: Pleased As Punch (153558) · Misc: Post It Note Measurements: · Card Base: Gorgeous Grape Cardstock 5-1/2” x 8-1/2” · Cardstock #2: ( 2 ) Whisper White layer 4” x 5-1/4” · Cardstock #3: · Designer Paper: Instructions: · Score and burnish your card base at 4”-1/4” · Stamp one chick using Crushed Curry ink in the middle of one piece of whisper white cardstock. Next stamp the chick again onto a post it note and cut it out. Use the post it note chick as a mask. Now cover Crushed Curry Chick with the mask. Stamp the Flirty Flamingo chick on the right side making sure you stamp partially onto the mask. Next stamp the Gorgeous Grape chick on the left in the same manner · Color all the chicks using Wink Of Stella Glitter Brush · Emboss the stamped chick piece of cardstock with the subtle 3D folder. · Cut out the word PEEPS using the dies and Basic Black Cardstock and adhere the letters to the bottom right side of the card using liquid glue. · Stamp and cut out the little flowers from the Under My Umbrella stamp set, color with the blends. Place them onto the P’s using mini dimensionals. · Add a Rhinestone to the center of each flower · For the Hello Banner stamp a piece of scrap Whisper White cardstock using the the stamp from Under My Umbrella and the stampin’ write marker. Only ink up the HELLO on the stamp that says HELLO SUNSHINE. Using your snips cut the flag ends. · Cut a piece of the pink stripe on the designer series paper snip the end like a flat and layer the banner onto the card using liquid glue. · Now add your HELLO to the pink banner using a dimensional · Stamp the second piece of Whisper White cardstock as desired and layer it into the inside of your card using liquid glue. Thanks so much for stopping by today! Have a wonderful Wednesday! Stay SAFE & WELL!! SALE-A-BRATION is ENDING SOON!! For EVERY $50 you spend (before tax and shipping) you can choose a FREE item from the SALE-A-BRATION Brochure!! Y!! I LOVE THIS TIME OF YEAR! Here's what you'll get only from me, with a $50 order (before tax & shipping) and Use the March Hostess Code! You'll receive the following... One Darla Daisy for every $50 spent (before tax& shipping). When you have 10 Darla Daisies you can choose $40.00 of Stampin' Up! product(s) of your choice from me! Just email me your choice! The projects we make in my March classes! Here's what were making this month! You'll also receive this months gift when you spend a minimum of $50 (before tax & shipping)! 3 x 6 Gusseted Cellophane Bag (A $5.00 Value) REMEMBER...use the March hostess code JAD9JGZY and place a minimum order of $50 (before tax and shipping) and you'll get goodies from me!! These will be mailed separately the first week of April. ~Today's Thought~

I finished up 63 crumb blocks in a matter of a couple of weeks. I’m pretty surprised I got them done this fast. I was really efficient and productive! They’re all up on the design wall …

31 Scraps And A Couple More is about the perspective, the purpose, and the pursuit of life. From "God Bless the Friends" to "Now" ... 33 Scraps span Childhood to Grandma, Deep Sadness to Extreme Joy. Oh yes, there are actually 33 Scraps... 31 plus 2 Bonus Scraps thrown in for good measure. It is always nice to receive a little extra. Yes? We might call this collection a hodge-podge of life observations, but it is more. It is more than some poems and some prose. Maybe this book could accurately be described as a purposeful gathering of choice breadcrumbs... jotted down over a lifetime. You and I both know - we ALL get lost from time to time. It is part of being A HUMAN. These are Notes to Self, penned to lead the way back. Picked from the multitude of papers stuck between pages of favorite books, notes placed at the back of dresser drawers, and scribblings on fast food napkins in the glove compartment of my car... this is a smattering of 'helpers' for when I am lost. Because? Because Lost is just another leg of the human journey, it happens. We need remedies... scraps of perspective... waypoints from which to view success, joy, loss, sorrow, and the bitter scourging by our adversaries. These are my remedies, locational markers, and my dropped pins. All are scrap evidence of a life lived, rather than a life spent. I hope it is true: "Many people will find glimpses of themselves in these scraps." We are all running in the same human race. Life is about balance... I chose these scraps with intent, carefully. Some up, some down... balanced, as I am convinced 'Life as a Whole' is always in balance. We are the ones, however, who climb or are placed out on a limb and to the edge of things, and thus perceive imbalances. Yet, if we could step back far enough from ourselves, I believe we would see the Whole of Everything as a Masterpiece: A Mighty Work of Artistry by an Even Mightier Creator. And inspired from such, this book was born. Of the scraps gathered into this work, one is for my dear mother and one for my steady father. Some are friend-encouraged, while some are rival-inspired. As I have said, these were carefully chosen. Perhaps you will find a breadcrumb or two useful for you among them. Thank you for reading my first book of scraps. Pj Swink December 2015 | Author: Pj Swink | Publisher: Pj Swink | Publication Date: Jan 19, 2016 | Number of Pages: 152 pages | Language: English | Binding: Paperback | ISBN-10: 0997189304 | ISBN-13: 9780997189308

Good morning stampin' friends! I hope you are well! I've been working in my yard for the last few days. The leaves are gone, the weeds up...I even did some planting in my flower beds and pots yesterday and I am SORE. I LOVE old metal buckets and have about 20 of them to plant. I so enjoy this time of year! Later in the afternoon the clouds rolled in, the thunder made itself heard and the rain came down....it was wonderful! Today...I have to go down the mountain to the eye doctor for my annual check-up...then back home to play and plant! I hope you find some time to play too!! I have another card we're making in my May classes to share with you! I hope you are INSPIRED! The card base is Basic Black with a 4" X 5 1/4" Whisper White mat. Mint Macaron is back!!!! YAY!!!! I used it for my next layer and it measures 3 3/4" X 5". I embossed it using the Lovely Floral embossing folder. Next, I used my Layering Ovals framelits to cut a scalloped oval in Basic Black and my Stitched Shapes framelits to cut an oval using the Share What You Love designer paper (it's BEAUTIFUL). The sentiment if from the Beautiful Bouquet stamp set and it stamped in Memento Ink onto a Stitched Shape circle. Both the oval and the circle are attached with dimensionals. I also added a couple pieces of Rich Razzleberry Velvet Ribbon underneath the sentiment! The Share What You Love Bundle is BEAUTIFUL! I hope you'll check it out and give it a try! Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a FANTASTIC day! REMEMBER....use hostess code B7XFSWQR and place a minimum $50 order (before tax and shipping)...and receive the gift pictured below FREE! Glimmer Enamel Dots (a $7.00 value) You'll also receive the following... Get a Darla Daisy for every $50 spent (before tax & shipping) The projects we make in my May classes! If your order is $150 or more, DO NOT use the code because you will receive hostess credits. You will get the gift from me FREE automatically along with the projects we make in May's classes! Your FREE gifts will be shipped separately and will be shipped by the 1st week in June or before. ~Today's Thought~

What happens when you BURY Kitchen scraps in the Garden?

Hello everyone! Thank you so much for stopping by today! I’m heading down the mountain today to teach a class, have lunch with friends and run a few errands. First, I want to share the finished cards from yesterday’s Tuesday’s Tip video! They are so FUN! I’m in love with the Taco Fiesta stamp set!! Aren’t these fun and festive cards? They just make me smile and they are so fun to create! Click on the photo below to see this product in my store! Thank you so much for stopping by today! Hope you day is terrific! If you need any of these or other Stampin' Up! supplies head on over to my store by clicking SHOP NOW! I'd love to be your demonstrator! Use February's Hostess Code ZFSAJZDK to get this months free gift from me with a $75 purchase (before tax & shipping)! Sale-a-bration continues thru February 28th so you'll get even more FREE product from Stampin' Up! (One gift per customer) If your order is over $150.00 please DO NOT use the hostess code...you'll still get the gift, but you will also get the hostess credit for yourself! You'll also earn Darla Daisies through my loyalty program! One daisy for every $50 spent (before tax & shipping)! When you have 10 Darla Daisies you can choose $40.00 worth of Stampin' Up! product(s) of your choice from me! Get your tracking form at the top this blog by clicking on Darla Daisy Loyalty Program at the top of this blog! When you have 10 daisies, email me your tracking form and your choice of product!! ~Today's Thought~

Good Morning friends! As promised I have a really FUN and CUTE "Make-It Monday" to share with you today! I hope you are all well! I have a workshop on Wednesday, down the mountain in Redding, CA and a class at my church on Wednesday evening...so I will be busy...busy...busy getting ready for both of these today...so I'll be quick to get started!! "Make-It Monday": Seasonal Chums pens created with Stampin' Up! products All images © 1990-2017 Stampin’ Up!® Supplies: Stamp Set Bundle (Seasonal Chums stamp set and Seasonal Tags Framelits dies) – wood mount bundle: 146076, clear mount bundle: 146077) Card Stock – Whisper White Card Stock (100730) Stamp Pads – Basic Black Archival Stampin’ Ink (140931) Miscellaneous – Stampin’ Blends NEW alcohol markers in assorted colors (see brochure with all colors HERE) or Stampin' Write Markers in assorted colors; Night of Navy ½” Gingham Ribbon (144232); pens; hot glue gun; jar Instructions: Stamp snowman from Seasonal Chums stamp set on Whisper White card stock with Basic Black Archival ink pad. Color as desired with Blends or markers. Die cut with Seasonal Tags framelits and trim off part with the tag hole. Fold in half and apply hot glue on both sides, starting about 1/2” from top. Press a pen between the two halves and hold a few seconds until set. Make a bunch and put them in a glass jar. Tie ribbon around jar. Cute to have on your desk at work or to give as a gift. Place a $50.00 - $149.99 order (before tax and shipping) and use hostess code T7QVP3PD, in November, for a FREE gift of 1 pack of Rhinestone Basic Jewels (see image below). I will also send you the projects we make in my November classes! If your order is $150 or more, do NOT use the code because you will receive hostess credits. You will get the gift from me FREE automatically along with the projects we make in November's classes! Your FREE gifts will be shipped seperately and will be shipped in Early December. ~Today's Thought~

Much of last week and a chunk of the weekend I worked hard to try to finish up a baby quilt. I have a baby shower next weekend and this is the present so it has to get finished…luckily I did…

Once again I’m taking advantage of my renewed interest in sewing and have started getting all these fun spotty borders put on my 63 crumb blocks. There will be nine different color ways of sp…

...on the way to a distraction. I got distracted. The other day I was reading blogs and perusing Pinterest to get my quilting engines revv...

Blogged here: Three Questions for my Quilting Friends.

I've been plugging away at my RSC18 projects. I guess I'm a slow learner, since I'm just now realizing I have ALOT of projects started, and I'm not too good at getting them finished.... the soothing and mindless sewing is a good thing, but then at some point I need to buckle down and get some of those blocks sewn together! this week I did 12 of my kona indigo 9 patches. 11 colors, 12 blocks. I think I might have done papaya twice.... canary, curry, yarrow, school bus 🚌, buttercup, daffodil, banana 🍌, papaya, butter, maize, corn yellow between watching the 3 littles 3X a week (our family babysits 3 little girls- ages 5,3 and 1) and grandchildren who visit very regularly, I was realizing that we didn't really have enough small quilts for naps, snuggling, floor time, ect... "didn't really have enough small quilts" can you even believe I just typed that?! I have a HUGE stack of the crumb blocks- a RSC project from 2016 and 2017. ( I did crumb blocks other years, too, but used them all. or most.)  the above 2 rainbow quilts were based on patterns/photos I found here and here. I've had them pinned for awhile; glad to finally get something up on my design wall! I chose a 7X7 layout for these quilts so I could choose a backing without having to piece it. they're nice and small for the littles to use, and not too heavy or bulky. (the crumb blocks will finish at 6") the purple and yellow quilt above is for my granddaughter to use. she and her family live across the country, but it will be here for her whenever she comes. I did rearrange the color columns, and they look much tidier now. although the pictures show the quilts just laid out on the wall, as of this typing, they are all sewn together, pressed and have backings picked out. 2 are even quilted! I'm anxious to get them done and washed so we can start using them! plus, with the changing weather (although we DID have snow 3 TIMES this week!!!) it's time for me to be making some spring dresses for my little (or really, medium sized) girls! they've also requested some nightgowns. believe it or not, the above photo is AFTER I used nearly 200 crumb blocks for the 4 quilts! and the black/brown/grey/cream crumb blocks aren't even pictured! I'm thinking of making another crumb quilt, similar to what's pictured here. anyway, if I want to get these quilts done, I guess I'd better get off the computer, and up to the sewing room! thanks for stopping by, and I hope to have the quilts done and ready to show off next week. meanwhile, click on over to Angela, the hostess (with the mostest!) of RSC18 and see what every one else is working on.

Today I've got a random collection of things I've been working on playing with lately. My latest project, "star crossed" is a utility quilt from "utility style quilts for everyday living" by Sharon Holland. The quilts in this book are a lovely blending of vintage and modern. I'm starting out using a new fabric stack 'Love Story' by Maureen Cracknell and will add in other fabrics from my stash as I go. And it feels like these scrappy flying geese blocks have been flying around my sewing room for ages. I've made heaps of them, and I want to get them together. now. But I can't decide if my geese should fly up & down like this . . . or maybe they could fly a little like this . . . Decisions, decisions! Linking up with Cynthia for 'oh scrap' here and with Julie here at julielou for 'sew stitch snap SHARE' - if you have a project to share, pop on over & join in too.

My mom asked me to put some drawer organizers in the drawers in her kitchen. She was getting frustrated with the clutter in two of her drawers specifically so I had her tape out the layout that she wanted and I used some scrap wood that we had and made it happen. After I finished with hers I like

Hi! Let’s be friends 🤗 It’s no coincidence that you’re seeing this. This is the year you will fall back in love with or learn how to sew! And I am here to help you make that happen. 🥰 Follow...

This is what happens when a crazy-quilter has scraps left over from a project. They turn into something utterly beautiful. The creator of these gems, Annette of Crazy Quilt Passion, calls them CPFs…

Hello! It's Wednesday...you've almost made it to the weekend!! YIPPEE!!! I sure hope your week is going well! I had something else planned to share with you today, but last night as I was watching the Giants beat the Mets (Heston pitched a NO HITTER...AWESOME!) I was also looking through Pinterest and found some really cool cards I want to try. So this morning I after going to the gym, making pancakes and eggs for the kids, spray painting some metal furniture that was rusting...I FINALLY made my way out to my workshop! Here's what I came up with...inspired by frenchiestamps! I absolutely LOVE this technique and these cards! Aren't they BEAUTIFUL??!! Let me show you how it's done...it's so simple! I just know you are gonna love it as much as I do!! All you need to have to do this technique is your Stampin' Write Markers, a clear block and Whisper White cardstock. The colors I chose for my cards are Pear Pizzazz, Bermuda Bay and Mossy Meadow. I simply colored my block with my markers, spritzed them with water (hold your spritzer 8-10 inches away) and stamped the image onto the cardstock. Isn't it a BEAUTIFUL technique?!! This morning when I went downstairs to start a load of laundry...I looked at a canvas I have on my wall (I need to frame these...too much white wall) and I thought...OH MY GOODNESS...I could recreate this as a card...with this technique! It ALWAYS amazes me where we find our inspiration. I took this photo a couple years ago at a burned area in a nearby town. It was so BEAUTIFUL that my husband NEVER hesitated when I asked him to pull over so I could take a picture! I'm so excited about what came out of this vision! For this card I used Tangelo Twist, Daffodil Delight and Blackberry Bliss. For this card I used Tangelo Twist, Daffodil Delight and Melon Mambo. This is where my inspiration ended (I had to come in from my workshop...and get some chores done!). I LOVE...LOVE...LOVE it! I hope you do too! I used Tangelo Twist, Daffodil Delight and Rich Razzleberry...I think it captured the fill of the photo just perfectly! I hope you will find time to give this a try...it's so much FUN! If you do, be sure to share a photo of what you were inspired to create! I'd also LOVE it if you have time to give me a comment on what you think of this groovy technique! Have a FANTASTIC rest of your day!! Thanks for stopping by...and remember

Are you wondering what to do with fabric scraps? If you are anything like me you generate lots of fabric scraps!

My mom asked me to put some drawer organizers in the drawers in her kitchen. She was getting frustrated with the clutter in two of her drawers specifically so I had her tape out the layout that she wanted and I used some scrap wood that we had and made it happen. After I finished with hers I like

I’ve been at it again with the gluing everything down. It’s just SO satisfying. This was another spread I threw together when I needed to clean out all my little stashes of scraps I found. This one is way more chaotic than my previous pages, but I’m still loving how much color & texture is happening I cleaned out several containers of scraps that were hiding in my shelves, and some off cuts from a tiny art journal I made for this month. This time I decided to add some doodles and ink elements over top of other areas. The extra detail makes these otherwise “meh” elements pop a bit more. Thanks for checking out my messy pages! Have you caught the collage bug yet? Really, these aren’t collages since they are such a collection of chaos, but all this gluing and cutting has got me super interested in doing more collage. If you need me, I’ll be elbow deep in paper scraps over here!

Wondering how you can start organizing your fabric scraps? Is your scrap basket overflowing and overwhelming you? How do you deal with leftover scraps from a finished project? While sometimes I may…

A blog is a funny thing. When it's really quiet, as in no posts for a while, I suppose people think that nothing is happening. That's what I would think. In reality, quietness on this blog means that I'm sewing like a mad woman. Here's what I've been working on. I'm teaching for a retreat