Happy Fall

For those friends that visit me regularly, you probably wondered why I have not posted this week. I have decided to take a month off from my design team and spend the time on other artistic endeavors. We have just opened an Artistan Shoppe in our city and I am trying to diversify!! I do dabble in most crafts and have many ideas so..... it is time for me to let the mojo begin.I will post some of my crafts when I can.  See you soon.
PS I still will be looking at your crafts:)     Barbara

Halloween Candy Bar Wrappers

Sorry about posting late this week. I hope your paper craft was one of the many beautiful ones that were posted for challenge #137 at My Grafico Challenge Blog. Are you ready for the current challenge?

Challenge #138 Anything Goes

Join our challenge this week and show off your cards with a Fall theme

Link up your creation by Friday, October 19th.

Remember to link a new project and to only link your project, not your whole blog.

It seems that we are all excited about fall. We are entering a few weeks of beautiful fall splendor. The leaves are just starting to turn, the weather is a little warmer but not as warm as September, the pumpkins and other fall decorations are starting to appear everywhere. Due to the late frost, this spring, apples are in short supply. My favorite apples are $1.00 each!! Football and soccer games are the norm...Yeah Fall. 

The design team this week had the pleasure of working with this wonderful My Whimsy Frame set by Sanqunetti Design.  

This is such a useful set. Our Design Team used it in so many unique ways. Just check Here to see their paper craft project.

I couldn't resist making some candy bar wrappers for our newly opened Artisan Shoppe at our local YWCA. These are Hershey Candy Bars,

Here is another wrapper:

I thought that people would like to have something special to take home to their loved one while they purchased something fancier for themselves or their home.

Materials Used
DP: from a paper pack at Michael's

Ribbon: Michael's

Raffia: The Dollar Tree

Image: My Grafico

Thank you for stopping to visit. I hope that I have inspired you to think about fall crafting and decorating. Please feel free to leave a comment and/or follow this blog. When you have finished your craft just click HERE to enter our current challenge. Have a wonderful week. Take time to enjoy the beauty of fall.

I am sharing my paper craft with:

clear it out challenge: Anything Goes, use orange, purple and/or black

bearly mine-challenges: Halloween
deep ocean challenge blog: More than two colors
everybody-art-challenge: Tags
paper take weekly: Anything Goes+Celebration (Halloween)
ribbon carousel: Halloween with a spooled element-ribbon

craft door magazine: Anything Goes
use it tuesday: Use something from my stash: Raffia, ribbon
365 cards : Non-Card: CAS
Creative Stamp Friends: Autumn Colors
make it monday: Anything Goes

Fall Gift Card Holder

Are you enjoying the cooler weather that Fall brings? After being so hot this summer, we now are having unseasonable cool weather! At least this is the perfect time to be inside and craft? I hope that you are thinking Fall and have decided to enter our current challenge atMy Grafico Crafts.

Challenge #137 Fall into Fall

Join our challenge this week and show off your cards with a Fall theme

Link up your creation by Sunday, September 30th.

Remember to link a new project and to only link your project, not your whole blog.

This week we have a very colorful set to work with:

So many possibilities....

I chose to make a new fold that I saw on Splitcoast Stampers.

It can be use to hold a gift card, money, tickets etc.

Here is the inside:

Of course I had to make another one too!!

Once the folding technique was mastered, the rest was fun...choosing the papers, sentiment, stamps, ribbon etc.


Materials Used:
Image: My Grafico
DP: A C Moore
CS, Ribbon,Stickers: Michaels
Sentiment,(inside): Free from Meljens
Punch: Martha Stewart
Stamp: Stampin Up roller stamp
Green, behind the pumpkin: mesh that once held some vegetables from the store:) You never know when you might need something!!

I hope that you are thinking of all those special fall moments that you might need a card or a scrapbook page. When you are finished, you can enter them in the current challenge at My Grafico Crafts. Please feel free to leave a comment and/or follow this blog. Have a wonderful week.

I am sharing this project with:
belli challenge: Fall
little miss muffet challenges: anything but square
my heart pieces digital stamp challenge: Anything Goes
paper play challenges: Any Holiday-Haloween
paper make up stamps: Anything Goes
make it monday: Anything Goes
tammy scrapin corner: Card for a kid

Ladybugs

I hope that you have been enjoying our challenges at My Grafico Crafts.  Remember that you do not have to have a machine that cuts SVG files, you can cut them with scissors or merge them in "Word." You don't even have to use their images, however we wish you would:) Just follow our theme:

                                        Challenge #137 Fall into Fall

Join our challenge this week and show off your cards with a Fall theme

Link up your creation by Sunday, September 30th.

Remember to link a new project and to only link your project, not your whole blog.

This week we had ladybug images to use. I love ladybugs. So I designed three cards. (Just couldn't help myself!) I know that this set will be used many times. Here are the images in our newest set:

Aren't they adorable?

Here are the cards that I designed:

This card was made for a special little girl celebrating her third birthday.

Here is the verse. A little poem that I made.

I am sharing this card with:
kaboodle doodles: Babies/children
crazy challenge: Spots and/or stripes
crafts 4 eternity: Must include numbers
 

This card is blank inside. I wanted to highlight the cute ladybug so kept it simple!

I am sharing this card with:
tammy scrap in corner: Anything Goes
shellys images blog: Anything Goes
willow sketchie challenge: Things with wings
cas-ual fridays: Black and White + one other color, must be CAS

 

I saw this pretty ribbon and another card was born using fall colors.

Here is a close-up of the flower. Can you see the microbeads in the center?

I am sharing this card with:
paper make up stamps: Welcome Autumn
eureka stamps;  Autumn Colors
love to create challenge: Things with Wings
make it monday: Anythng Goes
paper pretties blog: Use ribbon
song bird challenges: Defying Gravity
crafty our passion challenges: BINGO- Flowers/ribbon/yellow
trimmies craft challenge: Autumn
simply create challenges: Anything Goes
crafty anns challenge blog: Autumnal Color Scheme
digitally sweet challenges: Anthing Goes with flowers
patties creations challenge: Embossing
 

Materials Used:

DP: from my box of treasured scraps:)

Ribbon: Michael's

Embossing: Cuttlebug folder

Coloring: Copic Markers

Thank you for taking the time to visit. I would love for you to leave a comment and tell my what you think. Please feel free to follow this blog. Our current challenge at My Grafic Crafts will last until Sunday, September 30th. I hope that you have been inspired and will enjoy some special time this week using your creative energy! Have a wonderful week.

Shabby Flower

dream valley challenges

Hope you are enjoying the remaining days of summer. I have to admit that I like the cooler evenings! Do you have a summer card that you would like to share with My Grafico Crafts? 

You are welcome to join our current challenge: #136 Summer, and show off your cards or paper crafts.

Link up your creation by Friday, September 14th

Remember to link a new project and to only link your project, not your whole blog.

Here is the digital set that we used in our DT creations this week:

I chose to create a card and hand stitch the X's.

This is a close-up of the stitching on the flower.

I had fun choosing the coordinating DP! The inside is blank on this card. That way it can be used for any occasion. 

Materials Used;

Image: My Grafico

DP: Background- Michael's, others from my forgotten treasures of scraps:)

Ruffle: fabric ruffle-JoAnn's

(After applying the ruffle, the circle was popped up with dots.)

Thank you for taking the time to visit. I hope that you have enjoyed this simple card. I hope that I have inspired you. If you have any questions, just contact me. Please feel free to leave a comment and/or follow this blog. Have a wonderful week. 

### Once you have completed your SUMMER paper craft, just click HERE to enter our current challenge.

I am sharing this card with:
crafty boots challenges: ONE- one flower,one ruffle
Make it Monday: Anything Goes
cupcake craft challenges: Stitches
squigglefly: Polka dots
crazy challenge: Seeing Spots
catered crop: pink
dream valley challenges: Something old- embroidery floss, Something new- ruffle
joanna sheen challenge: Going Dotty
pile it on challenge:  Use DP
in the pink challenge: Lots of pink and anything but square
my heart pieces digital stamp challenge: Lots of Layers

fussy and fancy challenge: The Fabric of our lives

Monkey Girl

I hope that you were able to participate in our recent "Back to School" challenges at My Grafico Crafts. You can check to see if you were a winner by clicking HERE. Ready for our new challenge? SUMMER...Here is the set that we used in creating our new paper craft projects:

Aren't these the most adorable monkey images?

Here is the card I designed:

Everything on this card was something I already had in my forgotten treasures! . Not wanting the frame to obstruct the branch and the banana, I simply fancy cut them! A perfect card to send to a friend.

Materials Used:
DP and Frame: K&Company
Image: My Grafico
Sentiment: Computer Generated
Button: Vintage find
Shading: Copic Marker
Distressing: Tim Holtz distressing ink
Bling, on the flower and flower middle: Gelly roll pen

Thank you for visiting today. I plan on using many of the images on other projects. You may see them on this blog soon. I hope that I have inspired you or brought a smile to your face. We would love for you to join us on our current challenge.  Please feel free to leave a comment and/or follow this blog. Have a wonderful week.

I am sharing this card with:
ladybug crafts: Anything Goes
natalie and amy: Anything Goes
unique crafters challenge: Anything Goes
crafty boots challenges: One ( one monkey, one flower, one banana, one button, one sentiment:)
paper make up stamps: Button up- use a button
make it monday: Anything Goes

Back to School projects

If you haven't entered our current "Back to School" challenge at My Grafico, you still have until Friday August 31st:)

Remember to link a new project and to only link your project, not your whole blog.

 .Here is the set we used for this week's challenges:

WOW!!!

Isn't this an inspiration in itself? I have thought of many, many items I could make using this set.

First I made a card, for a very special young lady who will begin second grade this year. She is also my crafting buddy!

Now just pull up on the ribbon:

Her mom uses these cards on the kid's scrapbook pages too:)

I am sharing this card with:

MCreative Stamp Friends: Special shaped cards
eureka stamps: Anything Goes
fashionista challenge: A card for a child
lollipop crafts: Back to School
make it monday: Anything Goes
paper pretties blog: Back to School
squigglefly: Falling into fall/Back to school
tammy scrapin corner: Lots of Layers
totally stampalicious: Anything Goes
cute daisy may: Two patterned papers
T scrap-creations1: Back to school
Wdigi stamps 4 joy: Back to school
inky impressions challenges: Back to School
the paper shelter: Anything Goes
Next I designed a post it note holder using an acrylic photo frame from the Dollar Tree, for her teacher.

The pen is also from the Dollar Tree. I unscrewed the bottom and inserted a small piece of the paper from the above image.

Then I designed a magnetic holder for post it notes. A teacher can never have enough post it notes!!

Finally, an altered composition book for my "Peace Lovin" Second Grader.

The name and subject tag is from the above images.

I had so much fun with this set. The best part of digital stamps is that you can make them any size you wish, alter them using names, words etc., and this set does not even have to be colored!

Materials Used:

Image: My Grafico

DP: Recollections from Michael's

Adhesive: Modge Podge

Embellishments and ribbon: Michael's

Thank you for stopping to visit today. I hope that you have enjoyed my paper craft projects and that you will leave a comment to tell me what you think. I would love your ideas on how you will use this Back to School set. Please feel free to follow this blog.

Back to School

Are you ready for the Back To School Race? ... school supplies, new clothes, lunch boxes etc. Ready or not the time is getting close or for some of you, school may have already started.Our challenge at My Grafico, for the next two weeks is: Back to School. 

 I am now a retired teacher. You will think that I am nuts but I miss the beginning of the school year. It is a crazy but fun time - a chance to become acquainted with a new group of youngsters and help them develop into confident students. I sometimes go into friend's classrooms and help them organize for the first week of school. Occasionally, I substitute teach. Once a teacher, always a teacher by heart!
Now, I enjoy making the grandkids back to school cards. Their mom uses them in their scrapbook pages. This week, I used the following set for my projects:

Along with the accessories is a template for this cute box.

Here is the view from the top. I love the small cork circle that I attached. Any note could be tacked to this center.

I am sharing this box with:

trimmies craft challenge: Box
moving along with the times: Anything but Square
my heart pieces digital stamp challenge: Favorite color: Red
paper play challenges: Recycle: The cork in the middle of this box was a coaster
patties creations challenge: Anything but a card
card makin mamas: Try something new: new image, new shaped box design
stamping with dragon: Anything but square or rectangle

The next project is a card for my grandson:

I love how one of the clock hands looks like a face...cute!!

The background paper is also part of this file. I chose not to color it and use is as a background.

  inside the card

As I have mentioned before, the SVG files can be cut by hand. Someday I would like to have a machine to cut them but for now, my scissors work just fine!

Materials Used:

Cardstock: Red- CTMH, brown- Kraft 

Cork sheet: hardware store

Burlap: fabric store

Sticker: 8th grade-EKsuccess

Images: My Grafico

Ribbon: Martha Stewart

Sentiments: Computer generated

Using My Grafico files made these projects very easy. All I needed was the inspiration and the time:)

Thank you for stopping to visit. I hope that you enjoyed seeing these paper crafts. Would love to have you leave a comment and tell me what you think. I hope that I have inspired you, in some small way. When your "Back to School" paper project is complete, just click HERE.  As always, please feel free to follow this blog. More back to school inspiration coming ...hope to see you next week!

I am sharing this card with:
pennys challenges: Back to school
whimsy inspires: Lots of Layers
aud sentiments challenge blog: Must use a number in the sentiment (number is on the inside sentiment.)
raise the bar challenge: Back to school
simply create too: Back to school
created with love challenges: Use 3 of something-3 gear images!
fashionista challenge: Card for a child
make it monday: Anything Goes

Seascape

Challenge #134

The current challenge at My Grafico Crafts is:

 Beach Time! 

You have until August 17th to enter.Just click HERE when you are ready to enter.

Here are the images we used this week:

I love all of these pictures. Being born and raised in Rhode Island only a block from the ocean, I LOVE the ocean, rocks, shells, everything about the East Coast of the US!!

A shadow box was used for the current challenge. 

First. I will show you a close up of the beach scene.

Notice the cute little cottage nestled in the woods. Wouldn't you just love to be there now?

Here is the seascape in a shadow box. It was the perfect place to add our treasured shells collected from past vacations.

I used copic markers for most of the coloring but did use some prisma pencils near the bird's feet.

The sand is salt! that was glued on after coloring.

I purchased this shadow box at our local Veteran's of America Store for only $3!! Quite a bargain. I covered the two inside mats with some designer paper.  As you can see, I popped up the wooden posts as well as the birds.

 This is the first time I have designed a scene and found it quite relaxing...almost as much as reading. Thank your for stopping to visit. Please feel free to leave a comment and/or follow this blog. I hope that I have inspired you, in some small way. Have a wonderful week: Hugs

I am sharing this project with:
crafts and me challenges: Use a digi stamp
belli challenge: Vacation/travel
4 crafty chicks: Up,up and away
digi doodle: Things with wings
moving along with the times: Summer
my heart pieces digital stamp challenge: Use DP(Used on the two mats)
paper-crafting journey: Anything Goes
scrap it with a song: John Denver's "I'm Leavin on a Jet Plane"I'm so lonesome I could die! 
southern girls challenge" Water Play
clearly i stamp: Things with wings
joyful stamper: Anything Goes
totally paper crafts: Add a Frame
simply create too: Anything Goes
pan pastel uk: Create a Scene
challenge up your life: Everything Goes
craft a scene: The Great Outdoors
kennyks krafty krew: Sun, sea and sand
the crafty pad: All About Summer Vacation
diekreativenstempelfreunde: Create a scene

220 Follower candy

Alethea won the draw for my 200 follower blog candy. Hope that she enjoys her new stamp set and embellishments. The Close To My Heart Stamp Set was donated by my daughter. She is a CTMH consultant. You can find her blog on the sidebar. CONGRATULATIONS ALETHEA!!

 I had fun making the crocheted flowers and butterflies:)

Beach Time

We have a new challenge at My Grafico Crafts.Challenge #134

theme Beach Time!

We have a really cute beach set from Clemetine that we are featuring for this challenge You can read all about it and see the wonderful Design Team projects by clicking the purple line above. We would love for you to challenge yourself and enter our newest challenge. Remember, you can fancy cut the images, as I have done. No coloring or shading required...that is a blessing. The images are so bright and cheerful.

This is a new venture for me: SCRAPBOOKING! I have dabbled at this before but never really felt comfortable. This time, I just did it and liked the results. Of course, now that I evaluate my work, there are a few things that I would change....Isn't that the way we learn?

I used this cute set from: My Grafico Crafts

There were so many images to choose from:)

My daughter gave me several pictures, of my Granddaughter, I decided the following pictures told the story from that vacation: She did not like sand, on her hand, between her toes, anywhere on her body!! We were at the beach!!! You can tell by her face that she was just getting used to it. I was surprised that 4 years had passed since this beach trip! I was glad to help my daughter 'catch-up' on her scrapbooking pages.

The last picture shows her in awe at all the sand everywhere!!

This picture is a close up of the bottom of page 1

The second day, she was a little more tolerant of the sand and began to enjoy the beach. She was trying to help her brother built a sand castle. I added the bucket and shovel for journaling.The best part is that both KT and mom loved the layouts!!! Job Well Done.

Materials Used:

CS: Michael's(Recollections)

DP: Cosmo Cricket

Images: My Grafico Crafts

Sentiments: Computer Generated

I hope that I have inspired you to create a scrapbook page, paper craft project, and/or card. Perhaps you will enjoy crafting something with a summer theme? Would love to have you enter our current challenge HERE.  Would enjoy seeing your newest paper craft project. Just leave a comment so that I can visit:) Have a wonderful week. Enjoy the gorgeous weather...we finally have received some much needed rain. It is HOT but it is Summer:)

I am sharing this with:
craft your passion challenges : Anything Goes
paper make up stamps: Keep Cool
make it monday: Anything Goes
stamp with fun: Summer
creative card crew: On the beach
die cuttin divas: anything Goes

200 Follower winner

The winner of this surprise gift is Alethea.
Thanks for contacting me, Alethea. Your gift will be in the mail soon:) I appreciate all my followers. You have inspired me!





Again, I want to thank all of you for following this blog. There are now over 200 followers. I am thrilled. In response to my 200 Follower Give-away, I have chosen a winner. Actually my husband chose the winning number------CONGRATULATIONS---- ALETHA.   Please contact me with your address so that I can send your surprise gift.  you will have until Saturday, August 4, 2012 to contact me. If I don't hear from you, I will choose another winner on Sunday.  Hugs, Barbara

Welcome Baby

Thank you for taking the time to stop by for a visit.  We hope that you have chosen to enter the recent challenge at My Grafico Crafts.  The current challenge is: Challenge #133 Expecting

Join our challenge this week and show off your cards for the 

Mother-to-be!

Link up your creation by Friday August 3

Remember to link a new project and to only link your project, not your whole blog.

With the baby theme in mind, I created another baby card. This card is a "Welcome Home" card for Bridget.

Not sure what this "fancy fold" card is called but I just loved the design.

When you open the card, this is the inside.

The baby dress has been paper pieced.

This fancy fold is easy to do. 

• Begin with an 8 inch square piece of card stock. 
• Score @ 2 inched on all four of the sides. 
• Cut off the little squares in each of the corners.You can see this in picture 2.
•  Refold on the score lines to make sure that the edges fit correctly.  
• Decorate with DP on each outside flap. I chose to use 2 different DP. However, you could use only one paper, if you chose. 
• Practice closing the card like you would close the flaps on a box that had been opened. 
• Have fun decorating the inside of the card .

Did you ever wonder who thought up all the unusual fancy folds for cards? ...just a thought!

Materials Used:

Card stock: Close to my Heart

Images: My Grafico

DP, Stickers, and cut outs: K&Company-Brenda Walton

Baker's Twine

I hope that I have encouraged you to try your hand at a fancy fold. There are so many on Splitcoast Stampers or try the one above. The most important tip...do something that you enjoy! Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit. Please feel free to follow this blog and/or leave a comment. I love reading your comments:)  Have a wonderful week.

i am sharing my card with:
critter challenge blog: anything Goes
fashionista challenge: baby
kaboodle doodles: Celebrate a Special Day
make it monday: Anything Goes
paper pretties blog: Use two or more DP
tammy scrapin corner: Anything Goes
simon says stamps challenge: Anything Goes

200 Followers

It is so amazing to think that there are over 200 people who are interested in following this blog. My daughter and I began: u-inspire-me.blogspot.com in April, 2010. We were very "green!" When we received our first comment, we were thrilled. Since that time, my daughter has been very busy with her family and career. I am now, the prime blogger. I have been on several design teams and literally been challenged in so many ways.I could not have continued without the support of my design teams and my blogging friends.

 I had a huge give-away in June for my birthday and promised another  surprise candy give away when there were 200 followers.

How to be fair to my loyal followers? I could just draw a number but I want to reward the followers who are constantly posting and encouraging. Therefore, I have decided to wait until Monday, July 30th to choose the winner, by random draw.

I am asking all my loyal followers, if you are interested, to post your name in the following comment section. I will choose a blogger's name  on Tuesday, July 30, 2012 and post on this blog the following day.

Thank you for all your support. It is rewarding to have so many talented crafters take the time to leave comments and words of encouragement:) Hugs, Barbara 

paper bag scrapbook

Challenge #133 @ My Grafico Crafts this week is: Expecting

Join our challenge this week and show off your cards for the 

Mother-to-be!

Link up your creation by Friday August 3

I am so excited about my paper craft project for My Grafico this week. Challenges are all about being challenged, right? Well, I challenged myself to create a paper bag mini scrapbook. I used the digital images below:

I have a friend whom I have known since she was in high school and is now expecting their first child. It was so much fun to create this scrapbook for them. They are a darling couple. 

This is the front cover of the mini album. In this picture, you can see some of the tags that can be used for journaling.

Close up of the poem

 Pages 1 and 2

 Pages 3 and 4

 Pages 5 and 6

 Pages 7 and 8...Baby Z is movable!

 Page 9

 Page 10...Notice the tag that can be pulled out, on the upper left...

 Here is the tag!

This verses completed the verse that began on page 9

If you are still with me, you have seen many pictures! I just couldn't bear to leave any out. Notice that there are blank spaces for journaling, tags inserted for journaling, places to store pictures( inside the bag openings- and pages to place pictures. I am sure baby Z's parents will have fun with this album. 

Now for the recipe...

I used 3 large size brown paper lunch bags. You could really do this nicely with just two bags, if you choose.

DP: Recollections, Basic Grey, Deja Views

Stickers: ek success

Ribbons: Michael's

Images: My Grafico

Distressed Ink: Tim Holtz

Coloring: Copic Markers

Page titles: Word

Binding of the pages: Punch holes and thread ribbon through then tie in a knot.

This images from My Grafico Crafts made this album so easy. Using Microsoft Word, I was able to use merge several of the images with the titles. Cutting all the designer paper was the fun part:) 

By now, I am sure you are thinking of events that you could make this album for. I already thought it would be cute for: summer fun, vacation, bridal showers, favorite places, etc. This album is small enough that it could also be included in a larger 12x12 in. scrapbook page. 

 I hope that I have inspired you to use your creativity and create something special. Please, take a few moments this week just for you. If you need anymore information, Please contact me.Feel free to leave a comment...yes I do read all of them and love hearing from my blogging friends. Would also love for you to become a follower:) Have a wonderful week.

I am sharing this paper craft project with:
crafty creations challenges: Tags (there are several tags within this project)
stampin royalty:: Anything Goes
perfect sentiments challenge: anything Goes + Sentiment on front
dutchdare-cardchallenges: 1 ribbon, 2 images, 3 DP, 4 embellishments
joyful stamper: Anything Goes
simply create too: Use something two or more times: Ribbons,colors: aqua, orange
sir stamp a lot challenge: What's your crafty passion? ribbons, layering, distressing
the squirrel and the fox: Babies/children
crafty boots challenges: Babies
fashionista challenge: Babies
love to create challenge: Spots and Dots
the crafty pad: Interactive designs
make it monday: Anything Goes
simon says stamp and show: Hey Girl