Calenders

2013!

I was talking with my friend Rosanna about the 

bouquets northwest blog and she mentioned that

the calendars I crafted she loved to see.

So... I thought I would craft a 2013 calendar

for her, Kim and Janet.

Three of my closest friends!

Paper Zone 2013 Calendars!

Of course I purchased the calendars in December.

Then with everything that goes along with 

selling a home and building a home -

I got delayed!

I thought oh well I won't send the calendars.

Then I realized that your Best Friends will understand.

Also, there are 10 more months to enjoy in 2013!

Dry embossed the printed calendar and

stamped the image.

Simply...crafted!

Follow along as I will be crafting 

2013 calendars using different techniques each quarter.

Dream!

-Elaine

Supplies:
Cardstock: Kraft - Speckletone, Ivory - Flourishes
Ink: Distress Ink - Barn Door, Pine Needles
Stamps: Heart - Viva Las Vegastamps!, Flower - Hero Arts Sizzix
Embossing: Cuttlebug - D'Vine Swirl, Argyle
Tools: Fiskars Paper Cutter, Tomboy Adhesive

Love

Special Love of my Life...

my husband, Ed!

Breaking ground for our new home!

As we are beginning the process of building our new home,

Ed asked me what I envisioned planting around the edges of our home.

It was very sweet of him as he knows I love gardens!

And he knows I simply... love flowers!

His Valentine card I crafted for him was very special for me.

The floral printed paper and ribbon was the wrapping paper

 he choose for my birthday gift last year.

I choose this Hero Arts Curly Flowers stamp 

for it's loopy appearance as our new home is on

Coyote Loop!

Colored it in his favorite color - Pink!

Yes, Pink!

Dream

-Elaine

Supplies:
Cardstock: Kraft - Speckletone, Green and Pinks - Bazzill, White - Flourishes
Ink: Adirondack Espresso
Stamps: Hero Arts Cling Curly Flowers, Sentiment - Peddler's Pack
Coloring: Copic Sketch Markers - RV21, RV23, RV25, YG61, YG63, E25
Embossing: VersaMark Ink, Stampendous Embossing Powder Detail White
Embellishment: My Mind's Eye Enamel Dots, Smooch - Molasses
Tools: Fiskars Paper Cutter, Tomboy Adhesive,

Dream Home!

For years Ed, my husband and myself have been envisioning our Dream Home!

On our road trips we would talk about our dream house while 

we were driving in different parts of the United States.

First thought - where?

We thought where would we like to live and retire in 10 years?

Would we want to move to a warmer climate, perhaps in the desert - 

 Las Vegas, Nevada or Palm Springs, California?

Perhaps a mountain location - Bend, Oregon or Denver, Colorado?

Perhaps a historic town in Southern Oregon - Jacksonville, Oregon?

Or along a golf course in Charbonneau in Wilsonville, Oregon?

Ed and I visited all of the areas many times the last 3 years.

We would drive neighborhoods and tour homes.

On our last "road trip" we realized that there is

No Place like Home!

Where we have built our lives in the beautiful Northwest!
Most importantly being close to our family!

Second thought - what type of home?

We knew we wanted primarily a one - story home.
Perhaps one with a Red Barn and a little land.

A home in the wine country.
Perhaps we will build our dream home.

So... our dreams have come true - 

Welcome to our new home!

Lot # 10 in The Stables at Coyote Run!
Located between the towns of Newberg and Dundee in Oregon.

Our one-story home with a little land will begin next week!

Along with our dream home I can plant cutting gardens for floral bouquets.

Maybe a few rows of Pinot Gris or Pinot Noir to play with in the Autumn.

And yes... there will be a pole barn for Ed! Of course in a shade of Red!

It is very exciting to begin the process of building your new home.

There is so much to do...like packing!

I have begun to pack items that you don't use everyday.

(Although I wish I would of not packed the serving bowls and platters!)

Tencha sharing her garage with us for storage! Thank you!

The hardest to pack were items for paper crafting.
Although I did not pack everything!
I am missing coloring and creating cards.
In the next few weeks I am going to take some time and color!

I have begun planning my Craft Coloring Room!
In future blogs I will share some ideas with you.

Now, I better get back to preparing our current home for Sale!

Dream!

-Elaine

Dream!

Happy New Year!

Celebrating the second anniversary of bouquets northwest blog!

Who would of thought?

 Over 2000 people have viewed my blog!

Mixing Patterns - # 1 viewed on bouquets nw blog!

 I know that there are blogs that have thousands of bloggers that read their site.
 I am thrilled that over 2000 have read my blog site!

For 2013 I am going to dream that 6000 bloggers view my site!
Where did I get 6000 - 6 is my lucky number!

Every year I choose a word to focus on.

2011 - Enjoy!

2012- Imagination!

For this year it was a very clear choice - Dream!

My dream is to share the wishes that my heart makes!

As we all know... dreams do come true!

Dream!

-Elaine

Supplies:

Cardstock: Kraft Speckletone

Ink: Distress Ink - Barn Door

Stamp: Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz

Shades of Brown

From my last blog I promised to post results from 

stamping images in shades of brown.

Then how they colored!

The 3 shades of brown I choose to stamp:

Memento - Toffee Crunch

Archival Ink - Coffee

Adirondack - Espresso 

(yes, I did go back to my favorite color)

First Shade of Brown - Archival Ink Coffee

Colored using Distress Markers

Second Shade of Brown - Memento Toffee Crunch

Colored with Copic Sketch Markers

Third Shade of Brown - Adirondack Espresso

Colored with Copic Sketch Markers

What did I discover?

1). How important the intensity the shade of brown must be

2). How different the effect of color is when the same shade of

 Copic Marker is used - E81 and E44 basket horn  

3). The impression and detail that the stamp gives after coloring

Cornucopia is a symbol of Abundance

Next images I will stamp using Memento in Rich Cocoa and Espresso Truffle.
 Please comment what your thoughts are on stamping with different colors?

Imagination!

-Elaine

Card #1

Cardstock: Kraft - Speckletone, Eggplant and Butternut - Bazzill

Patterned Paper: BasicGrey -  Eerie

Stamps: Cornucopia - Stampendous on SSS Watercolor Paper

Coloring: DIstress Markers in Fall tones, Tim Holtz Water Brush

Embellishment: Mon Ami Gabby Burlap

Tools: Fiskars Paper Cutter, Tomboy Adhesive, Sticky Thumb Dimensionals, We R Memory Corner Chomper

Card #2

Cardstock: Kraft - Speckletone, Orange - Core' dinations, Purple and Taupe - Bazzill

Stamps: Cornucopia - Stampendous, Salutation = Papertrey Ink - Falling Leaves

Coloring: Copic Sketch Markers -   E81,E44,YR04,YR07,YR09,YR23,YR24,E35,E41,E57,R22.R24,R29,V22,V25,V28,YG21,Y08,YG23,YG25,YG13,YG63,YG67

Embellishment: My Mind's Eye Enamel Dots

Tools: Tim Holtz Sander and Distresser, Fiskars Paper Cutter, Tomboy Adhesive

Third Thursday Tools

Simply...the Color Brown!

When stamping an image on to white paper 
99% of the time I use Adirondack - Espresso ink to stamp my image.

Dark Brown the color of soil - or as known "dirt".
And, we all know where flowers are planted... in dirt!

Why not black?

Just my opinion but the color black seemed harsh when coloring florals.
I want the color of the flowers to be the focus point.

Now, don't get me wrong I love the color of Black...

most of my clothing options are black

(from my Nordstrom days).

Or at least paired with Black!

I have noticed on many blogs that designers are trying
 new colors to stamp an image.
From shades of gray, brown and even black.

The photo above is an amazing idea shared in the

 Kick Start - On LIne Card Class by Kelly Rasmussen (guest artist).

Now, I am challenging myself to use different shades of the color brown.
I choose my colors from my Ink Swatch Tags!

I will be coloring Autumn images stamped with
Archival Ink and Memento Dye Ink in different shades of brown. 

Between now and Thanksgiving (just one week away) 

I will show you on the finished colored cards!

Please check back!

Imagination!

Elaine

Happy Halloween!

Trick or Treat!

Happy Witch discovered on one of my morning walks.

Whether you are carving pumpkins into Jack o' Lanterns,

trick-or-treating in a special costume, 

answering the door and sharing candy to the children,
apple bobbing or visiting a haunted house

... simply enjoy!