Picking Up the Pieces Vol. 1 and Craft Room Makeover!

Aloha gang!  Welcome to the first edition of Picking Up the Pieces Monday in which I will be sharing every Monday my most favorite technique of paper piecing.  I've been enjoying The Holiday Card Workshop from Online Card Class and wanted to share some things I've learned.  My card today is using pattern paper from Doodlebug Design's North Pole 6x6 paper pad.  I LOVE 6x6 pads because they are perfectly scaled patterns for card making.

Avery Elle Holiday Fill in the Blank w/ dies, Avery Elle Sequins, Doodlebug Design Pattern Paper North Pole, American Crafts Rouge CS, Timeless Twine Christmas Twist, Memento Ink in Cottage Ivy

 

The technique to use on the 2nd day of class was die cut inlays which allows your card to have a pretty smooth surface.  For my tree I wanted a little dimension and used some Avery Elle Evergreen Blend sequins and Kraft Blend for the stump.  I added some Timeless Twine in Christmas Twist to continue with my traditional color card and there ya go...a fun and festive card!

Challenges I would like to enter this card in...
Avery Elle I Love You Challenge
Curtain Call: CAS-ual Christmas
CAS-ual Fridays: CFC 120

 

So on to my craft room makeover.  Here is the before (I dreaded showing this!)...

In my defense I know where everything is! 
Here is where my hubby works miracles...

Wow right?!  I recently got happy mail for my first ever publication in Paper Crafts Magazine that will debut in March!  As a surprise gift, my hubby said it was time for me to get organized and he purchased a few things from Stamp-n-Storage.  I HIGHLY recommend their products as they are reasonably priced, shipped quickly all the way here, and truly make a difference in organizing everything!

The finished room...

It took me a few days to adjust where everything was but I absolutely LOVE it.  Mahalo hubby!!!  Everything has a place, but I'll confess my desk needs a little tidying up...again.  Recently the hubby added this fun decor using some inexpensive frames and adding his own sheet metal from the hardware store that were only $1!

I can finally have guests in my craft room...lol!  If anyone is ever on Oahu I would love to meet up and craft together!

Mahalo for stopping by and letting me share...have a great day and week!

A Doodlebug Thank You

I went to my first crop ever at Scrapfest and had the pleasure of meeting Cynthea owner of Doodlebug!  Their latest release Happy Harvest is just so darn adorable.  I always have a hard time using Doodlebug papers because I can't bring myself to cut them, but this time I played it smart.  I bought 2 pads...one to hoard...lol!

I used this week's Freshly Made Sketch for inspiration.

Don't you just love the colors and cutesy patterns?!  Their cardstock stickers are so fab too and since the theme fits I will also enter this in CAS-ual Fridays challenge as well.

Here's the sketch I followed...

That's it for me!  Have a great weekend!!!

The mail came!

I have to admit that my hubby spoils me.  I've been eagerly awaiting some new goodies he ordered for me online and it came today! I didn't even know where to begin because when I get new crafting goodies I can just stare at them for hours not even thinking about what I'm going to do with them.  Just staring and oogling over cute stuff...my hubby points out I didn't even say thank you...oops...I was too busy staring!

Anyway I had some challenges I wanted to enter and ended up combining them because it all worked out that way!  Gotta love that.  My first attempt with the 10 minute Craft Dash was super fun so I thought I'd join in again.  Also since the colors were similar to this week's CAS-ual Fridays Challenge: She's Krafty and Just my Type I'll enter there as well.

I'm in LOVE with Lawn Fawn's Stitched Leaves Die!  Is it not thee most gorgeous.die.ever?!  To save on time I just ran dark kraft, light kraft and sky blue cardstock through 1 pass of the entire leaf die and made several cutouts that I will end up using on later cards.

 

Lawn Fawn Stitched Leaves Die, LF Yeti Set Go (sentiment), LF Stitched Journaling Card Die, Neenah Creative Cardstock, AC Dark Kraft, Light Kraft and Sky cardstock, Memento Tuxedo Black ink, Distress Ink Vintage Photo

This is my completed card in 9 minutes and 48 seconds! It literally took me 4 minutes and 32 seconds to cut the leaves, stitched journaling card, card base and distress the edges and FOOOORRREVERRRRRR (said in slow motion) to get the leaves the way I wanted them.  I'm still not satisfied, but time was ticking!

That's it for me...thank you hubby!!!

Sending You...

YES!  It's FRIDAY!!!  To celebrate a little early I got a little crafty and wanted to enter the next Fusion Card Challenge using the sketch.  I must say sketches really get the creative juices flowing!

And my entire card....

Avery Elle Fill in the Blank, Avery Elle-ments Fill In the Blank Die, Avery Elle-ments Icon Fill in the Blank Die, Hero Arts Brush Strokes, Memento Ink in Bahama Blue and Pear Tart, Studio Calico Snippets Collection, twine and button from stash

The color combination was inspired by this week's CAS-ual Fridays Challenge: aqua, green and orange

Mahalo for stopping by!  

P.S.-I'm happy to report that my little preschooler is adjusting to school life.  I finally might be able to drop him off now without crying myself!  Oh the joys of mommyhood!

Congrats with Lawn Fawn Goodies

Happy Monday everyone!  It was another busy weekend with a graduation party and being on call, but as always I had to make time for crafting!  I have been itching to enter the Fusion Card Challenge and think the whole concept is super fun.  I decided to go with just Jackie's Sketch Challenge.  Here's my card...

Lawn Fawn Bannerific, LF Claire's ABC, LF Lucky Stars, Lawn Cuts Puffy Star, Lawn Trimmings Pink Lemonade, Fiskars Crimper, Memento Ink in Rose Bud, Dandelion and Tangelo, Archival Ink Jet Black, LF Pink Lemonade papers, Kraft Cardstock, Cream Cardstock

Following this sketch...

Since this is a congrats card I will also enter this in CAS-ual Fridays challenge.  Hope everyone has a great week...I'm already looking forward to the weekend...hehehe.

*side note* Mahalo for taking the time to leave such sweet comments on my new venture as a DT for Kitty Bee Designs.  I truly appreciate the support...and if you haven't had a chance to check it out...please do...I promise it'll make you smile!