Stitching Sensations! @ Little Red Wagon (And Craft Area Reveal)

This week at

it's my turn to choose the challenge and I'm saying, "Stitching Sensations!" which just means that I want to see stitching on your project.  So many ways you could get that sewing on there....die cut, faux, actual machine or hand stitching, even patterned paper with stitches on it.

I do love stitching on cards.  Back some time ago I used to almost always machine wonky stitch on my cards.  While I still do love that look, my sewing machine has been pretty much unused since stitched dies starting coming out.  So much easier, so much quicker, and so much less bulk!  Since I don't have as much time to craft these days, I don't think I'd have any stitching on my makes if it wasn't for dies.

Anyhoo, this is what I did....

As you can see, I've used a couple of stitched square dies and a stitched tag.  Originally, I had planned on using a stitched snowflake in the upper right corner there, but it turns out I don't have any stitched snowflakes....or if I do, I couldn't find them.  I'm actually glad, I do like the tag/twine/bells combo.  Digi is from Tiddly Inks and is one of my faves.  I think I've done a least one Christmas card with this image for many, many years now. 

So, why not give our challenge a go this week and join us?  And, if you'd like more inspiration, be sure to check out what the Girlfriends have made. 

So, that was the card portion of our post....on to the craft area part!  I don't know if any of you will remember this, but I've been in the process of redoing my craft area/office since late December when my daughter and I painted the room.  (Gawd, it's been, like, seven months and I still make an awful ugly face when I think about painting it.  Safe to say I still hate painting.)  Efforts to get my craft area glam-up done were severely hampered by supply chain issues with getting the furniture and just a lack of time for me to get everything in place.  I was going to wait until I had everything 'just so' before sharing but I've come to realize that could possibly be never.  In truth, I could have taken photos a few weeks ago but my desk was absolutely piled with supplies from quick-'n'-dirty craft sessions.  On the weekend I finally got my desk cleared and snapped some photos before I did any crafting...though glancing over, it's actually not too bad right now.  Shocker.

Okay, so here are the before pics, you'll notice I didn't bother to tidy up before taking these....

And this is what it was turned into....

Had to include that closer up of my desk as it really never looks that clean.  Yeah, so aside from adding some more things to the pegboard, figuring out where I want to put some of the stuff that's just shoved into the cubbies for now, and hanging a couple of pictures, that's my craft area sorted.  Needless to say, I have way more room and storage options....and a lot less found-at-the-side-of-the-road-with-a-free-sign-on-it desks.

One thing I want to point out, see that cube with the circle in it on the bottom row of the shelving unit?  It's actually a cat bed, that's made to fit in this storage system.  My older cat, Daisy, doesn't want anything to do with it, but my younger cat, Ollie, likes to nap in there when I craft.  It's looks very cute when he's snuggled up in there.  (:  

So, that's pretty much that.  Really wish I could stay and craft today but it's off to work I go.  To the office where there's something wrong with the temperature controls and it's usually about 15ºC in there.  One of these days I'm just gonna break down and wear socks with my sandals.  Hey, if the 45 and up male crowd can manage to get away with black almost-to-their-knees socks with shorts, I could get away with short socks with sandals, couldn't I?  You're right.....I won't do it.  (:

Also for:

Aud Sentiments:  anything goes

ABC Christmas:  O is for old - Everything is old, old papers, old digi, old twine, old dies, old bells, person who did the crafting (;

Addicted To Stamps:  any occasion

Crafty Gals Corner:  Christmas in July

Fab 'n' Funky:  anything goes

Simon Says:  anything goes

The Holly & Ivy:  anything Christmas goes

TTCRD:  anything goes

Unicorn Challenge:  Christmas in July

Christmas With the Cuties:  Christmas + cute + not just Rockin' Robin

Cutie Pie:  little cuties

Double Trouble:  Christmas in July + bling it on

Dream Valley:  Christmas in July 

Alphabet Challenge:  H is for holidays

My Time to Craft:  Christmas in July 

My Time to Christmas Craft:  cutesy Christmas

Christmas Craft Creations:  patterned paper

Time For Ice Cream! @ Little Red Wagon

 This week at

it's Doni's turn to choose the challenge and she's saying, "It's Time For Ice Cream!" which just means she wants to see those ice cream treats on your project.

Ah, ice cream.  I LOVE ice cream.  But, I'm kinda fussy about my ice cream.  It think it stems from years of painstaking research to develop a discerning palate.  I'm aware that there will be few of you, Dear Readers, who will have the experience I do with ice cream.  So, allow me to educate.

The best ice cream is soft serve.  Now, before you quizzically look at your cone from McDonalds or Dairy Queen, it's not just any soft serve.  The best soft serve comes from Erie Drive-In in Stratford, Ontario.  And, yes, I am aware that their ice cream is probably not proprietary, and is most likely a purchased mix which they add to their machines, and could possibly be the same mix available at other soft serve serving restaurants, but, believe me, it's the best.  And it's the best to the point that I will not eat a soft serve ice cream cone from anywhere else because of the crushing disappointment I feel when it doesn't taste like the ice cream from Erie Drive-In.  [Full disclosure, I have eaten soft serve ice cream from Dairy Queen, in the form of a Blizzard, and I've made a Wendy's chocolate Frosty do from time to time as it's a 45 minute drive from my house to Stratford, and Erie Drive-In is open from April - (Canadian) Thanksgiving long weekend only.]

Before I continue, I feel like I need to verify my ice cream tasting credentials for you.  One Saturday, a number of years ago, when my middlest was in a ball tournament in Stratford, all I ate was ice cream cones.  I had five of them.  That's my record.  I've achieved three at tournaments before and after that, and two is basically a given if I'm going to be in Stratford for any length of time.  And, it's always the same order.....a Zebra Cone.

Now, if you're wondering what the frick a Zebra Cone is, you're probably not alone.  Heck, if you Google 'Zebra Cone' you won't even find out what I'm meaning, especially since this....

...is one of the first images that appears (which is completely awesome, but not relevant to this narrative).  Erie Drive-In is the only place I've ever heard it called a Zebra Cone.  It's more commonly referred to as a Swirl or Twist Cone.  You know, one of the ones where the ice cream is half vanilla and half chocolate... and all delicious.

Getting your cone dipped is not only an option, but an encouraged option (though I do allow myself only one dipped cone per day....which does seem to be a ridiculous limit to impose on someone who has no problem gobbling up multiple cones in a 24 hour time span).  Erie Drive-In has all manner of dipping options including the standard chocolate and butterscotch, to the more adventurous cotton candy or birthday cake to the one I always get....wait for it.....

Peanut Butter. 

And it is glorious.  Especially since the peanut butter dip isn't too thick, coz it's needs to allow soft ice cream to dip into it after all, so it's all the peanut butter taste, with none of the stick-to-the-roof-of-your-mouth texture.  Also, since the dip is warm it makes the ice cream a little more melty and that much creamier.  I'm telling you, My Friends, it doesn't get much better than that. 

Now, you're probably wondering with all this talk of ice cream, did I have time to make something that included ice cream?  I sure did.....

As you can see, I did not make this lil one's ice cream a Peanut Butter Dipped Zebra Cone.  It is hard ice cream, after all, not soft serve.  But, I did cover it in Stickles so it looks all glittery and delicious though.  Digi is from Mo's Digital Pencil.

So, why not give our challenge a go this week and join us?  And, if you'd like more inspiration, be sure to check out what the Girlfriends have made. 

Also for:

Classic Design Challenge:  anything goes

Crafts Galore Encore:  anything goes

Mix It Up:  anything goes

QKR Stampede:  anything goes

Creative Crafters:  anything goes

If You Give a Crafter a Cookie:  inspirational image

Colour Crazy:  anything goes

Crafty Catz:  anything goes

Creative Fingers:  anything goes

Ellibelle's:  anything goes

TTCRD:  anything goes

Cutie Pie:  little cuties

Corrosive:  anything goes

We Love Stamping:  hot sunny colours

As You Like It:  warm or cool colours - I like 'em both but I think I prefer warm colours.  They seem to pop more.

Aud Sentiments:  anything goes

Craft Rocket:  summertime

Simon Says:  for a child

Fab 'n' Funky:  anything goes

Addicted to Stamps:  any occasion

Make Me Laugh! @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's Chrissy's turn to choose the challenge and she's saying, "Make Me Laugh!" which just means that she wants to see those funny projects.

Chrissy's got a great sense of humour, so I knew this would be an easy challenge.  And, while my card certainly isn't lmao funny, I'm hoping it'll a least get a smile....

I thought I'd colour up this fun group of dogs in non-dog colours.  Then all that was left to do was pair it with a fitting computer generated sentiment.  Image is from Pernilla Nilsson.  

So, why not give our challenge a go this week and join us?  And, if you'd like more inspiration, be sure to check out what the Girlfriends have made. 

Also for:

International Art & Soul:  red, white & blue

Allsorts:  all sorts of animals

Alphabet Challenge:  G is for giggle

Crafty Catz:  anything goes

Creative Fingers:  anything goes

Aud Sentiments:  anything goes

TTCRD:  anything goes

Critter Crazy:  anything with a critter goes

Get Creative:  red, white & blue

Incy Wincy:  woof

Christmas In July! @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's Imke's turn to choose the challenge and she's saying, "Christmas In July", which means she wants to see those Christmas/Winter Holiday projects.

This is what I did....

So, that's the outside (which won't centre align, for some reason)....And this is the first inside....

....and this is the second inside.

I'm doubting anyone would remember this but.....A couple of months ago, LRW had a fun folds challenge and I said I had made a different card for that challenge that I felt wasn't particularly worthy for hosting duties of said challenge.  Welp, this is that card, with the finishing touches added.

Like I said, not completely thrilled with how this turned out.  First of all, it's quite a bit bigger what I like to make card....it's 6"w to accommodate the Merry Christmas cut from patterned paper.  And, as you can see, when you open the first layer, you get a really good view of the fact that I used different coloured pop dots, and the glue line to fasten the acetate is visible.  It is what it is, I guess.  Santa digi is from Make It Crafty (no longer in business) while the presents digi is from...well, shoot.  I can't find it in my digi folder right now.  I'll look later and come back to update when I find it.

So, why not give our challenge a go this week and join us?  And, if you'd like more inspiration, be sure to check out what the Girlfriends have made.

Also for:

Crafty Catz:  anything goes

Creative Creases:  anything goes with a fun fold

Creative Fingers:  anything goes

Ellibelle's:  anything goes

The Sisterhood of Crafters:  add layers

The Holly & Ivy:  anything Christmas goes

TTCRD:  anything goes

Double Trouble:  Christmas in July

Corrosive:  anything goes

Crafty Gals Corner:  anything goes

Guest Rocker @ 613 Avenue Create

At the beginning of the year I was thrilled to be offered a Guest Designer spot at 613 Avenue Create.  Yay!

This month optional twist for the challenge is "Black & White".  But then I, for some unknown reason, thought it was "Black & White with Gold or Silver Accents".  So, mine is a little more than just black & white.  

This is what I did...

Is it just me, or is the photo fuzzy on the left side?  Anyhoo, I made this for my sub-baby, Matt, as he graduated from high school this year.  (Sub-baby is the term I've coined for my kids SOs.)  He's already secured a full time job at a local electrician company, as he would like to go to college next year to become an electrician, and while he's worked two part time jobs for the past few years, as well as cutting grass for a few people, he wants to save up some more before going to school.  Plus, this gives him a good idea of whether he'd like to be an electrician before he goes through school for it.

The lil graduating head is a digi is from Melonheadz Illustrating.  In my Silhouette Designer program I added the letters for the sentiment.  I know this might be common knowledge but I'm gonna mention it anyway.....Did you know you can easily make digi sentiments in the Silhouette Designer program?  All you gotta do is type the letters you want and pick the font you want.  Next use the Fill option to fill the letters with colour, and then change the Cut Line to the same colour as your fill.  Then just print your design.  Easy-peasy!  And I just popped over to the Silhouette website, and it appears that you can still download a free version of the Silhouette software.  So, you don't even need a Silhouette machine to do this!  I'm guessing this same technique would probably work with Cricut software as well, but seeing as I've never used it, I can't be certain.

Now, a little about the sizing of this card.  I intended to do a standard slimline....but I did not make my image small enough in order to make that happen.  I even knew exactly what size it was (8.5"), and still thought it would work.  D'oh!  So, it's 3.5" tall, but it's 10.5" wide.  I'm calling it a supersize slimline.  (:

And, that about all I've got to say....except, you should join the challenge!  You can link up any papercraft for the Anything Goes theme, or play the Black & White twist.  Challenge is for the month of July, so no excuse not to enter.  Hope to see you there!

Also for:

Dream Valley:  all occasions

Sweet Stampin':  use numbers

Crafty Catz:  anything goes

Simon Says:  anything goes

Paper Funday:  masculine

Cardz 4 Guyz:  summer theme - In Canada, the school year ends at the end of June and then it's summer break.

TTCRD:  anything goes

Cupcake Inspirations:  oh my stars

I Am the Walrus! @ Little Red Wagon

First off I want to say, Happy Canada Day! to all my fellow Canucks.  That's definitely the reason I'm posting my LRW make today, coz I wanted to say Happy Canada Day to all my Canadian Readers on actual Canada Day, not because I'm just very late with my project.  Yep, totally the reason.   

And onto our regular program....

This week at

it's Kate's turn to choose the challenge and she's continuing on with her Beatles theme and saying, "I Am the Walrus!" which means that she would like to see sea creatures on your project.

This is what I did.....

Did some major paper piecing on this digi from 2 Cute Ink.  Added some Stickles and that's about that.

So, why not give our challenge a go this week and join us?  And, if you'd like more inspiration, be sure to check out what the Girlfriends have made.

Also for:

Inkspirational:  precious

Alphabet Challenge:  G is for giggle

Crafty Catz:  anything goes

Creative Fingers:  anything goes

Crafty Gals Corner:  anything goes

Fab 'n' Funky:  summer colours

Simon Says:  anything goes

The Sisterhood of Crafters:  add layers

TTCRD:  anything goes

Dream Valley:  any occasion