Spellbinders Metal Leaves

What a crazy week this has been.  First my youngest son was sick, then my husband and finally my oldest son...YUCK!!!!  To top it all of I try to get the boys out of the house when my hubbies sick so I was staying at my parents house...I'm so tired and now have to gear up for the belated birthday party this weekend...oh well I think they call this being a Mommy.  Oh and notice, I'm the only one that didn't get sick....thank God for little miracles. 

I'm finally back home and couldn't wait to sit down and do this card.  I just got the leaves Spellbinder die and I knew exactly what i wanted to do with it.  Metal Leaves....I cut them with the my Grand Caliber then colored them with copics to give the variety of colors.  The papers are from several different lines...Teresa Collins and My Minds Eye.  Did a little stitiching with the handy dandy sewing machine, layered it up with some foam tape and also use some of my large Grand Caliber Dies from Spellbinders for the middle Label. I  had some organza ribbon from CTMH that I stitched in a haphazard line up the center.   I added a few final finishes with a copic colored Tim Holtz pearl and some pearls and gems from the Lush Collection of MME and called it finished.   

The sketch I used is from the The Beary Scrap DT Challenge.  You should really check out their bi-weekly challenges...really fun and great prizes.

Be Still Card

Happy Valentines Day to everyone. I hope you all had a great weekend.  Mine wasn't quite what I expected.  My youngest son's 5th birthday was this weekend and God love him, he was sick.  We had to postpone the party till next weekend. I felt so sorry for him.  I will say, not having the party afforded me the chance to get a little crafting done, which is always a good thing. 

I did this card for a friend of ours whose father just passed away.  I love the delicate feel of the Spellbinders die cut, Prima flowers and the Close To My Heart metal butterflies.  The sentiment from Verve Stamps was perfect and just what I wanted to say.

Have a great week and I'll be past soon with more posts. 

LOVE IT...HUMMMMMMMM!

You know how some cards just come together...but others seem to be a struggle and just never live up to your expectations...this is the that card.  I worked for a while on this card this evening and it never really gave me that "it's complete feel".  I suppose that is just the way it is, they can't all be masterpieces. It's pretty enough and my hubbie will think it's beautiful for Valentines Day...maybe by then it will have grown on me. 

Hope you all have a great weekend.  I'll be celebrating my little man turning FIVE!!!!!  Man do they grow up quick. 

Hugs, Lori

I used the waltzing mouse sketch for this card. 

JustRite Challenge Card

This week over at JustRite's Blog, they have a sketch challenge.  I really love their stamps but don't have any of their new ones...so I thought I would join in the fun of the challenge.  I got so tickled when I started to do their sketch

It was all rectangles...and as many just rite stamps that I have they are all circles.  Actually majority of them are Christmas one and baking ones...I mean like three to four of each.  What does that tell you about me?  I love Christmas and I love to eat, LOL. 

I love the way I addressed the sketch for only having circle stamps.  The paper is from Webster's Pages.  The keys/key hole is from Tim Holtz, foam tape for lots of layers and shadow boxing effect,  and of course the embossed sentiment is from JUSTRITE.  So how did I do considering the challenge and what I had to work with.

Just a little card stock and some stamps....WOW

This was a little challenge I came across this weekend that was to make a card and not use any of that beautiful designer paper, I just adore .  Believe it or not...this is all stamped, not a bit of designer paper was used and it just goes to show what you can do when you put your mind to it. 

The flower was made using Blossom 2 from Spellbinders die, stickles and pearl opaques from CTMH.  The background stamp is a new one from Close To My Heart called "Two Step Background" and the sentiment is also on a die from Spellbinders "Fleur De Les Accents".  The border is another little secret I've discovered from Close To My Heart...Kraft Ready Color Borders...just added some ink and it was a perfect match. 

This card qualifies for the following challenges:
The Shabby Tea Room
Simon Says : Love is in the air
Wild Orchid Challenge: Love is
Papertake Weekly Challenge: anything goes plus a flower
Mark's Finest Papers: Handmade Flowers

Lounging By The Lake Layout

I love the way this layout turned out.  It was one of those that when I first started I really didn't have a clue how it was going to turn out or if I'd even like it, much less LOVE IT!! but I do.  The papers and some of the embellishments are from my monthly Swirly Doos kit.  For the background paper I used Tattered Angels masks and sprayed the masks with the mist, instead of spraying the paper.  Then I flipped over the masks that were good and soaked with the glimmer mist and pressed onto my paper.  In essence I got the positive of the image, instead of the negative.  I then sanded and tore some of Coredinations new Graphic 45 paper for a great distressed layer.  Added a Spellbinders border that I also stenciled to really make it pop and made the flowers by hand so they would blend in just right. Hope you like this layout as much as I do. 

I'll be working hard this weekend getting my projects ready for the final round of Spellbinders...so wish  me luck. 

  Be sure to leave some love/comment and let me know.  I hope everyone has a great weekend and is able to find some time to spend with family and CRAFT!!!

Hugs, Lori

Detailed Picture of Handmade Flowers

"ME" 12x12 Layout

This is a layout I did with the sketch challenge from The Scrappiest.  I just discovered their site and really like some of their sketches...so I gave it a whirl.  The paper collection is from My Mind's Eye and the pleated ribbon is from Webster's Pages.  Of course you know I used some Spellbinders dies to give that finished complete look.  Loved the little metal charms I was able to make with a Spellbinders set and some metal...just charming, LOL.  I also sewed around the various papers believe it or not, three times...I wanted it to have a heavy stitch than what one round did and I was able to line it up perfect.  Oh and yeap....this is me when I was a little girl...boy I sometimes wish I could turn the clock back to then. 

Hugs....Lori

Blog Hop / CTMH's February Stamp of the Month

Welcome to February's  Close To My Heart, Stamp of the Month, Blog Hop!. If you just joined us from Pamela's  blog then you're hopping on the right path.

This month's stamp set "Friendship" is one you'll be sure to use over and over again.  It's simply beautiful.  The largest Fleur De Lis is a perfect square and just lent itself so well to the technique I used for this card.  I used my new favorite stamp set " Universal Backgrounds and stamped plain cardstock with Twilight ink and the musical sheet music.  I then stamped the Fleur De lis in versa mark over the top of the music and embossed with cocoa embossing powder.  Then I cut the image into 2 x 2 inch squares.  Layered them up a bit and placed on my base card using some of our awesome foam tape.  Lastly to finish out the main motif I stamped on more smaller Fleur De Lis and layered over the top.  The background paper is from the new paper collection Bliss and it's so elegant...I love it and know you will to. Remember you can get all of these new products starting February 1st as the fresh idea book premieres.   









If you would like to pick up your Friendship stamp set for a discounted price or even free...feel free to check it out on my website http://www.lorileng.myctmh.com/ or email me lorileng@bellsouth.net for more information

Now it's time to hop on over to Shirly's Blog and see what stunning creation she has come up this month. 

This card also qualifies for the following challenges:

Beary Scraps: Friendship

Soul Scrappers: Tag/ Card using the word HAND

If Only Time Stood Still Layout

This is a layout I did of my oldest son Will.  He was only two in this picture and had just learned how to sit up by himself.  We were so thrilled and got some great shots of him on the dunes at the beach.  Will is going to be 10 this April and he is one of the greatest blessings of my life.  Will can't sit up anymore by himself as he suffers from a neurological condition, so I look back on these photos with such fond memories and am so grateful he was able to sit up if only for a while. He continues to be my miracle everyday. 

Here are some of the products I used for complete this 12 x 12 layout:

Flower Soft (on the photo...really makes it look like sand)

Spellbinders Dies

Unity / Iron Orchid Co Brand Stamp

Prima Flowers

Opaque Pearls from Close To My Heart

Photoshop Elements

Tattered Angels Apple Mist

Tim Hotlz Distress Inks

Spellbinders Shout Out

I am so thrilled to let you all know I have moved on to the third and final round of the Spellbinders 2011 Design Team Competition.  They actually announced early which just thrilled me beyond belief.  Some of you may think this is crazy, but I've actually been praying where God wants to take my gift/scrapbooking skills for 2011.  I realize there are so many important things to pray for in the world, but the more I thought about it the more I realized...how BIG my God is, big enough for it all, even things that are important to me, but so small in the scope of the world.  To have made it this far is amazing and such a blessing...I'm in the company of some of the top designers in the world...MIND BLOWING!!!   I've already started planning the next assignment and started work on my 500 word essay about me and I really feel the artwork and the essay both truly reflect who I am as a person and a designer.  Thanks to everyone that has sent sweet wishes and prayers my way, as you all know this is a very lofty goal I've set for myself. 

I still can't share any of my projects with you until the competition is over, but I can't wait to show you all....I know you're going to love them...

Oh and be sure to click the spellbinders picture at the top to visit their blog and get some great inspirations and see their new line that is just being released...it really is to die for.