'Building Blocks of Design'

So....I would LoVe to share my fun news...

...and you know what?

I will!!!

Click HERE and check out a

project I am really proud of!

I have been working on a series called

'The Building Blocks of Design'

and one of my 'building blocks'

is featured over at

Scrapbook News & Reviews.

If you love the look of 'shabby-chic' or

'vintage', then this article is for you.

If it's not your style, I'd still love for you to

make a visit.

I'd love to know that you did and if you'd be

willing to pop back by and let me know what you

thought, that would be so wonderful.

And while you're at it, I'd love to know which

'Building Block' you'd like to see more of!

Thanks for coming by...

I look forward to hearing from you!

Love is in the Air...

I have been working on a few cards to try and get

ahead on posting as I will be away over the next

several days...so here is another one.

I love vintage and shabby chic, but don't create nearly 

as many things as I would like just because of the

time required to layer and layer.

I love these this paper from Webster's Pages.

I was able to piece it together and use much of the page.

The only paper that is not WP, are the solid white, pink 

& green cardstocks.  The green heart was stamped

around the edges with an accent stamp to give depth.

The sentiment is from My Sentiments Exactly.

Thought I would offer these up for a bunch of

challenges...so here's where they are going:

Challenge #112 ~ Sketch

Challenge #4 ~ Pinks

Wee Memories #5 ~ Stitches

Our Creative Corner ~ Which Anniversary?

(I went with 30th which is pearls)

I will be back a little later with the new

challenge from The Play Date Cafe.

Romance...In More Ways Than One

Romantic Style...what does that look like to you? 

I think like anything else, it's different things to different people.

You know I love the 'shabby-chic' style...although pastels are a bit harder for my brain to work with,

when this card came together,

I just sat back and took a deep breath in.

I love the background stamps from Artistic Stamper.   I used the Polka Dots image for the bold background and the Simple Swirls for the subtle pink background and the gray foreground on the tag.

The sentiment is from Wordsworth.  There are all kinds of 'extras' that complete this card including the Martha Stewart Eyelet Lace Around the Page Border, Prima Flowers and silk ribbon.

As I continue to clear my stash, this is a very old die cut from Colorbok that I embellished with

'Carrera Marble' Tinsel Glitter also from Martha Stewart.

Now for romance of a different style.

I love the new 'Mariposa Collection' from DCWV.  The 12 x 12 stack is perfect for card-makers because there are so many wonderful images that can be cut out and layered.

Yep...more Prima Flowers.  Such a quick and easy embellishment.

Although I didn't use them on this project, I also purchased the box of die-cuts that match this collection.  They are beautiful, so I am sure they will turn up here soon!

Quick little story...My dear grandmother, who was one of the biggest influences on my creative life, bought me a sewing machine many, MANY years ago and truthfully, the only time it was used, was when her machine had to go in for servicing.
She would borrow my little unit to get her by.

I finally broke out that machine a couple weeks ago, but for the life of me, I could not keep the bobbin thread from tangling with every effort I made to sew.  I mentioned it to my mom who said, "You know, I think your grandma had the same problem with that machine every time she borrowed it.  I have her machine stored away,
maybe you should give it a try."   
Grandma was a master, self-taught seamstress.
Well, grandma's machine had the magic touch!

I put it to use for the first time on these cards
and I just love the results.

My stitches aren't perfect....
but romance sometimes isn't either.....

The Play Date Cafe Challenge #10

I am so thankful when it comes to a blog 'makeover', you get to try and try and try until you fall in love with what you've done.  Now the problem with all that trying is it usually takes up an entire day of being at the computer, but I think it's just another form of creativity.  I love shabby chic and the romantic colors, so I hope you enjoy it while it lasts....you never know when it might be changed again!

 

      So the sneak peek above is to whet your appetite for these luscious colors for this week's Play Date Cafe Challenge.  I LOVE THEM!  The inspiration comes by way of The UK this week, so get on over and see what the fabulous PDCC Design Team
put together to inspire you.

I didn't use nearly as much brown in mine...in fact, it's just the base of my card.  But I thought the other elements of this Valentine's card worked really well for the challenge.

The focal point is vintage sheet music from the 1940's.  Also vintage are the foils that were recycled from very old baby shower decorations.  Remember the tissue paper garlands that pulled out to spell 'Congratulations'?  I managed to purchase a number of these awhile back and loved die-cutting them for these hearts.

I used the Damask EF for the silver metallic layer and fabulous turquoise glitter on a chipboard letter.

The die cut tag is from 'Snowed In' by My Mind's Eye.

In an effort to stick with the goal of using more of my older paper collections, I will do my best to share those by name, when I can.  This card uses pretty pinks from Making Memories' 'Sabrina' Collection.

That's one down...many, MANY more to go!

This card is currently for sale in my Etsy Shop.

Go...have fun with this challenge!

Let's see if we can get a record 
number of players this week!

Julie Ranae's Wednesday Night Favs!

It certainly has been a busy day here at The Open Window, this being the 3rd post of the day! I try not to overload you with 'stuff', but there was just so much going on that I didn't dare keep it from you...which includes tonight's favorites list...so here we go.

A Penny For Your Thoughts is a blog with beauty all through it. Although I do not create as much 3-D art as I used to in my 'store' days, I am still totally inspired by it and this blog definitely inspires me. My favorite project so far, uses a stamped Mica tile with postcards. Click here to go directly to it.
A lovely blog with all kinds of....well, lovely!

Although I am not a scrapbooker (card makers, don't stop reading...), I occasionally buy scrapbooking magazines to see what's new in products. I was reading, what I now learned, is the very final issue of Memory Makers Magazine and ran across one of the MM Masters, whose name sounded so familiar. Well, that's because Annabelle O'Malley's blog Bits and Pieces was on my list as one of my new favorites to share with you. This blog is just the right recipe of creativity and personal story. Children returning to school mixed with a shabby-chic style (which you know I love) and some of the darn cutest cards I have seen. Hope you will make a trip over and say hello.

Those are my two newest favorites for tonight. I already have my list for next week, so I hope you will come back again. I am thinking about moving my favorites list to THURSDAY NIGHTS, as Wednesdays are looking pretty busy at The Open Window. Would that be OK with you? Leave me a comment and let me know....

And by the way...the photos tonight are just some cards that I had done over the course of the spring and summer, all lumped in for the photos. Just there to hopefully inspire you!

How Was Your Weekend?

I hope it was a good weekend for you. Mine was nice. Paul had the weekend off, which is always a good thing. We spent Saturday running incidental errands. Then while he watched his beloved English 'football', I played with stamps and such. Today, we went to church then pretty much repeated the same routine as yesterday, only Paul watched a movie instead.

No.....no new babies in my life. Just felt like going 'vintage' and this card 'cried out BABY' to me (no pun intended). I love vintage...retro...shabby chic. Love, love, LOVE it. So may focus a bit more on that in the coming weeks. If you know someone who needs a unique card for a new baby, you can get this one in my Etsy store.

I am on a huge Halloween kick right now, though. So hopefully some of the things I have to share over the next few days will inspire you to get thinking about the fall.


I received another Blog Award over the weekend, which is always such a lovely surprise. I already am behind in sharing my awards with my friends out there, so I am going to spend the next day or so getting my list together of those who I want to pass those awards on to. If you don't know how they typically work....you kindly accept the award and then pass it on to others who are deserving of some recognition. Many times, you are also asked to list some things about yourself or your blog, which is always what puts my behind. But I will do my best to get those things caught up this week.

Many thanks to all of you for logging on as a follower to be in with a chance to win my blog candy giveaway. I appreciate your willingness to promote it on your blogs and it is my hope that once the giveaway ends, you will continue to visit daily and participate in the activities coming up beginning in September.

It has been really fun reading the comments from my last post...you guys really do save some unique things to use in your artwork! If you haven't read the responses from that post, go back and take a look. So far the most interesting item that is being recycled for the sake of art is a dead dragonfly! Yep...it's true! There is still plenty of room for you to share your most unusual object, so click here and leave a comment!

Time to go for now....but I will be back. My oldest grandson starts 1st grade on Monday, so I am prepared to be on the phone with my daughter at least once or twelve times tomorrow.

Julie Ranae's Wednesday Night Favs!

I don't typically start out my posts with a negative, but I have to say....I SO do not like how this card photographs, but the card itself is so lovely, that I had to give it a go anyway. I tried every different backdrop, different lighting, blah...blah...blah. So I hope you will take it for what it's worth....a valiant effort to share!

Now on to my new favs for this week!

Last week I introduced some of you to LilyBean's Paperie. You LOVED it there, so here is someone that Melissa herself follows. A Creative Mint is a feast for the eyes if you are inspired by color. I think many of us have inspiration boards in our art spaces to assist us when we need a little help. This blog is like having an inspiration board on your computer screen. Make sure when you visit that you don't stop at the most recent post. This visit requires you to scroll through the archives to really connect with what I'm saying.

I have to admit, I am still in my shabby-chic phase with this next blog, but you will see why I must share this with you. Iralamija is beautiful...lovely...sweet...well, you get the picture! Beatriz Jennings offers descriptive content for all of her posts in both English and Spanish translation, without relying on Google Translator. There are classes and tutorials offered and lovely handmade items just waiting to be ordered.
Again, visiting the archives of this blog is a must for you to really
appreciate all the beauty that is offered.

I saved this one for last because, well....I'm not sure where to start and I can already tell you that I don't see an end in sight for my description of this blog. Maria Medeiros Photography & Design AKA Cozycomfycouch. Maria has been a follower here at The Open Window from very early on. She came by way of my cyber friend Paulette's blog. Maria, is not a stamper. She is not 'technically' a paper artist in the way that most of us think, but what she manages to 'put to paper' is phenomenal! Maria has a website and a blog and about 25 other things going on and the one constant is the beautiful photography she shares. I am so happy to say that she is participating in our tag swap using her photography and she is very excited about it. You can get a sneak peek at her tags on her blog. Maria...thank you for being such a loyal follower and I can't wait to see what you have for us next!

That's it for tonight. Please...please...PLEASE...when you stop by these blogs each week, take just a moment to leave a quick comment to let them know how you found them. We bloggers always appreciate that little tidbit of information. Sometimes we stay up half the night just wondering how someone in Katmandu came to log onto our blog...well, I do anyway...

Julie Ranae's Wednesday Night Favs!

Here we are...another Wednesday night and I have a few new blog favorites that I am excited to share with you. We're going Shabby Chic tonight, one of my favorite styles, so let's get right to it!

How fun is this blog to read...LilyBean Paperie! I do love shabby chic and so does Melissa Phillips, the owner of this lovely blog. I am not only captivated by her projects but also her writing. Run, don't walk to this link. You'll be glad you did!

I don't even know where to start on this next fav....Shabby Miss Jen Designs. First just let me tell you that the direct link is for the home page. There were so many links to offer to you, but I will let you decide where you want to go when you arrive there. Digital designs are very popular right now and the offerings by Jenna Beam are never ending. Make sure you do not miss clicking on the old-fashioned typewriter key at the top which says SMJ Blog. That is Jenna's personal blog, which is being updated, but it's so STILL worth the click!

Cupcakes & Sunshine...need I say more? I know my friend Mona at Cupcake's Creations would certainly agree with the subtitle of this pretty blog 'The World Needs a Little More...'. I love the colorful, dimensional creations shared by blog owner Lea and she clearly knows what we women want. The projects that have been pulled from her blog for publication have been replaced by BEAUTIFUL photos of....Orlando Bloom! Seriously....go see!

Over in the UK, there is a blog that I have come to love by an acquaintance of mine that I met through my friend Sarah. The Stamp Man, the store and the blog, are owned by Jill Tuck. She has been in business for a number of years, even before rubber stamping and paper crafting became popular over there. Her blog features some very unique designs by a very talented design team. I especially love the techniques using the Starburst Stains. So I hope you will check out Jill's blog. When you do, please tell her I said hello!

Well....I need to catch my breath after that trip in blogland. I hope you enjoy it as well and I will see you tomorrow with something completely different.