Vintage Stamping Challenge - January

Hello Everyone,
Happy New Year!  This should be a great year.  We are really enjoying our new home and feeling like this is "home" now.  And, we are so close to family and friends.  We are keeping busy with all our visits and get togethers.

Now it is time for a new challenge with the Vintage Stamping Challenge blog.  The theme for the month is:

ANYTHING GOES / WITH YOUR NEW STASH

You must include some stamping on your project - no digis please.  Link your project up on the blog for a chance to win a gift certificate from Flonz Craft Stamps!!

I used the following new stash: stamp, washi tape, ribbon

Materials:

Stamp: Retro Car America Twenties from Flonz Craft

Ink: Pewter Multi Media 

CS: Chalkboard and white

Washi tape

Ribbon

Make It:

• Make a card from white CS and add a layer of white CS
• On the chalkboard CS, stamp the car with Pewter ink and set with a heat gun---Note: this ink stays wet longer than dye ink, so be careful not to smudge it.
• Tear the washi tape in half lengthwise and wrap around edge of chalkboard CS
• Add stamped piece to card
• Cut a piece of ribbon and turn under top edge and glue to card

Done.  This is a fun and easy masculine card, but it still has lots of interest and movement with addition of the washi tape and ribbon.  This will be going in my send box.  I think this would be a fun series to make differing the washi tape color and ink colors.  Fun, fun, fun!!
I hope you will join our challenge and show us your new stash!!  I think it is always fun to see what other crafters had on their wish lists.

Stay tuned this month--there is so much going on in Dreamland!!  Lost Coast is having a New Release party later in the month, more Technique Junkies projects too......  See you soon.  Love ya
Karen

**********Challenges for my Antique Car:
Less Is More: Neutral Colors and CAS
Amusing Challenge: new---I used a new stamp, washi tape and ribbon
Avenue 613: Anything goes/CAS

Technique Junkies Blog Hop - January New Release Stamps

Hello Everyone!
Welcome to Dreaming and Creating - Karen's Blog and the  third stop in the Technique Junkies January New Release Blog Hop!! You  have arrived here from Judy's blog.  Wow, wasn't her project super!!

****If you are just popping in here, why not go back to the beginning of the hop on the Technique Junkies Design Team blog.

The Junkies DT is celebrating the new year with this fun blog hop showcasing all the fabulous January New Release stamps!  All the January New Release stamps will be 15% off now until Jan 8, 2016!! How cool is that??!!  Check out all the new release stamps here.

 I am so excited to be part of this great team and work with all the Technique Junkie Stamps and Technique Tutorials!!   For my first project with the team---I just joined the team this month----I have used two of the new releases and one older stamp.

Materials:

Stamps: New Releases---Marilyn, Better Things (sentiment);

Key Script background

Ink: Shell Pink and Mountain Rose Adirondack; Coffee Archival

CS: Peachy Pink, White, and Dark Brown

Pink Lace

Ribbon

Washi Tape

Pearls

Acrylic Stamping Block

Spray bottle with water

Make It:

• Make a card base with dark brown CS
• On the peachy pink CS stamp the Key Script stamp with Shell Pink ink twice
• Ink the dotted area of the Key Script stamp with Mountain Rose ink and stamp several times over the background
• Distress edges with Mountain Rose ink
• Add to card base

• To make the center piece --- Color the white CS using the Acrylic block Background Techniques Method #1 --found in the Stampin Companion CS with Shell Pink ink
• Stamp Marilyn with Coffee ink over the background and trim to size
• Add a layer of dark brown CS

• Glue the lace to card base in lower corner
• Add the stamped Marilyn piece with Dimensional adhesive
• Add the Washi Tape and ribbon to lower corner

•  Stamp Better Things Sentiment with Coffee ink in upper corner

• Add three pearls

• Inside is decorated the same as the front background 

Inside

Okay!  Great new releases, Yes??!!  Now on to your next stop on the hop:

Pam's blog  

Hope you are enjoying the hop and all the great inspiration pieces from the designers!!


Design Team Blog http://techniquejunkies.blogspot.com
Judy Jackson http://judysstampart.blogspot.com

Karen McAlpine http://dreamingncreating.blogspot.com  -- you are here

Pam DeChellis http://journeyawakensthesoul.blogspot.com

Marilyn Hughes http://DollsEtc.blogspot.com
Kathy Stacy http://craftynurse4u.wordpress.com

Jane Bosi http://janembosi.blogspot.com

Tonya Davidson http://stampintonya.blogspot.com

Beth Norman http://sunflowers-dragonflies.ca/blog

Pat Huntoon http://patstamps.blogspot.com

See you again soon!

Karen

Thoughts on 2015

Hello Everyone,
Happy New year!  I realized it was the last day of the year.  What a year it has been!  A lot life changes for me this year.  Starting with the death of my dear father in February.   Then making the decision to move.  Looking for a new home, buying the home.  And then selling our other home.  All was very stressful and consumed much of my time through out the year.  All the time trying to deal with grief.  But, I still found time to be creative.  I feel so happy and blessed to be in our new home now.  I am having fun setting up a new crafting studio in the basement.  I have lots of room so I can have tables and really spread out.  I continue to move things around and have added a small Ott light on my work table.  I really do need lots more lighting though.  It will all come together with time.  I hope...LOL.
So, what were some of my favorite projects for the year 2015??

January

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

I wish you all the best in the new year!!  Stay safe and be happy.  See next year.  LOL   Love ya

Karen

New Design Team for 2016!!!!

Hello Dreamers!
I hope you had a great holiday season!  We certainly enjoyed our holidays here! We had three gatherings - two for Christmas and one for my mother's birthday! Great times with friends and family!  Still have lots of left overs and cookies. LOL.  I put some of the cookies in the freezer for later.  Some cookies freeze really well.  Okay....on to my big announcement!!!

I have accepted a spot on the Technique Junkies Design Team!!!

I am really excited about working with the Junkies in the coming year.  There is a blog hop each month showcasing the new release stamps and lots of projects through out the month on the Design Junkies blog.

As you probably know, Technique Junkies has a long history of publishing their Newsletter and CD's with all kinds of fabulous technique ideas and tutorials.  Pat Huntoon, the owner, also now carries a line of art stamps!  Check out all the gorgeous stamps here.

To celebrate, I have made a fun card with Technique Junkies stamps.  I used shades of aqua and teal.  This seems to be a favorite color scheme with me lately.  I also painted my bedroom in a pale aqua and made teal drapes.  Looks scrumptious!  I digress.  Here is the card.

Materials:

Stamps: Magic Strands, Click Your Heels from Technique Junkies

CS: White, teal, and black

Ink: Peacock Feathers and Black Soot Distress Inks

Black Tulle

Fabri-tac glue

3D Zots

Make It:

• Make a card from teal CS and add a layer of black CS
• On white CS stamp the Magic Strands stamp several times with Peacock Feathers ink -dry with heat gun
• Distress with Peacock Feathers ink until all the white CS is covered

• On white CS stamp the feet with Peacock Feathers ink 
• Layer with black CS
• Apply Fabri-Tac glue to the back of the stamped shoes piece and gather a piece of tulle pressing it into the glue to hold in place
• Add this piece to the card with 3D Zots
• Stamp the sentiment with Black Soot ink

Isn't this a fun card!  Love it.  I will send this to someone special.  There are so many super fun stamps available from Technique Junkies!  I am in stampers heaven!  LOL.
The next  TJ Blog Hop begins Jan 1 at 5:00 am central time!!  Check  out the January New Release Stamps ( at special offer price!!) and lots of Design Team projects!! See you then!!  Love ya
Karen

*****Challenges for Click Your Heels:
Love To Scrap: anything goes
Creative card crew: anything goes
Fashionable Stamping: make your own background

Merry Christmas and One More Christmas Card

Hello Everyone,
I would like to wish all of you the Happiest of Holidays!!  I will be having dinner with my family on Christmas day.  I did finish my shopping yesterday and I will do all the wrapping today.  I am also putting together some little gifts: Christmas tea cups filled with candy.  Should be all ready for the big day.  Expect for all the cooking.....
So, I thought I would share one more Christmas card.  I used the same layout as my Vintage Stamping December Challenge Card.   I love this layout and will use it again.  It is fairly simple.  Just have to use a stamp that has some width to it.

The stamps are from A Muse Studios and are stamped with brown ink on white CS.  

Gold ribbon is tucked under the strip of DP and a separate bow is glued on.

Merry Christmas and I will see you after the holiday!!  
There are lots of fun things coming in the new year.  A new design team.....  More on that later!  And fabulous new releases from Lost Coast Designs.  Should be a great year!!!  Thanks for hanging out here in Dreamland all year!!  Love ya.
Karen

***********Challenges for my Sleigh ride Card:
ABC Christmas: Z is for Zoo- use a zoo animal
Mod Squad: anything goes
Crafty Hazelnut Christmas: anything Christmas

Postcards- One Layer Christmas Cards

Hello All,
Getting closer to Christmas.  I haven't finished my shopping yet.  I  always finish late.  I have three birthdays in November, which delays the Christmas shopping every year.  I think I will start buying a few gifts through out the year and putting them in a closet for future birthdays and Christmas.  Hopefully, I will follow through on that.
Today's post is all about one layer Christmas Cards.  This set of cards is really more of a postcard.  Why not?  Right?  Only one layer, no fold, and no glue.  I used the back side for the sentiment.  I will put these in an envelope with a change of address sheet (because I moved in October).

 I started by stamping this large image from Stampendous on white and cream CS.   I used three ink colors: black, brown, and Pesto Adirondack.

The edges were distressed with inks and the holly colored in with markers.

I stamped Merry Christmas on each postcard.

I stamped the sentiment on the backside.  I will also write on this side.

I like this idea and may make more for next year.  I have all I need for this and will be sending some store bought cards this year.  With the move, I was not able to start my Christmas cards in the Fall like I normally do.


Challenges for my Post Cards:
Love to Scrap: anything goes
Dream Valley: Christmas
Crafty Card makers: snow
Cards in Envy: snow and A2
Crafty Hazelnut Christmas: anything goes Christmas
Holly Jolly: anything goes Christmas


Well, I wish you a wonderful Holiday!  See you soon.
Karen

Holiday Wreath

Hello Dreamers,
Been busy here working on Holiday preparations.  I am hosting Christmas dinner.  I just about have the menu planned.  I am not sure what dessert I will make.  Something gooey and chocolaty I think.  Well, on to some  crafty topics.
I have been making crocheted scarves for gifts.  Have seven made so far.
Also made a holiday wreath.   Which is the subject of today's post.

I purchased a grapevine wreath, and cut the evergreen from trees in my yard.  I had the ribbon in my stash.  Take a look.  (Made that Santa years ago.)

The evergreens were wired on and the bow hot glued.  The wreath is hung in my front foyer.  Such a nice cheery welcome for guests.
Next time, I will be back with more one layer Christmas cards.  Soooo, see you then.  Hope you are having a great day!!  Love ya.
Karen