Playing with Dolls!

  I recently bought one of Julie Nutting's new doll stamps from Absolutely Everything's online store. They are only $7.00. I love them. It reminds me of playing with paper dolls when we were kids. I love choosing the patterned paper to cut out her dress.
  I made a tag for my sister, Adrianne's upcoming birthday. (Don't look Adrianne , if you are seeing this post.) I chose pink and red for the color combo. I stamped leaves in the background and then used Tim Holtz's distress ink pad to soften the edges.

Love this tag!!

  I put the flowers together from my stash of prima flowers and some ribbon like flowers I got from Tate's in Bath.
   I forgot to take a picture of the back of the tag, but I typed in a message that I think works really well for birthdays:

"By  living fully,

recognizing that all we do is by

His power,

we honor God;

He is turn blesses us."

I hope Adrianne has a wonderful birthday. Happy Birthday, Adrianne!

   I was able to use my new favorite tool for this tag to be sent to Adrianne, since she won't be with us on her birthday. She lives in Massachusetts.

 

Envelope Maker

  This Envelope Maker is fabulous and so easy to use. It only costs around $20.00. The dimensions for cutting the sized envelope you want are right on the board, as you can see in the picture. 
  I needed a larger envelope than the dimensions showed, so I added an inch to each dimension and got the perfect fit.
  I also purchased the "Lick and Stick" glue for envelopes that let's you roll on the glue around the flap. You wait til it dries and then you can lick the flap and it will stick like a bought envelope. Neat, huh?

Perfect fit.

 

This is the tip of the envelope glue.

Well, I am off to the post office 'cause I think this card will need more stamps.
  I am on to finishing up my Disney trip mini album. I think I have said that for the last few days. The heat here just wears you down and all you think about it taking a nap. Whew... tomorrow the heat is suppose to break and we will have mid 70's weather. Hurrah!!!

Altered Cigar Box and other projects....

Altered Cigar Box

  It has been so hot here recently that I have been working on projects in my craftroom ( It has air conditioning.) that I have been putting off finishing up. Great time to do it... I have wanted to get started on the cigar box that I bought at "Absolutely Everything " a few  months ago.  I purchased a paper pad of Graphic 45 paper called "Secret Garden".  I knew this would be perfect for my cigar box.
  I am not sure what I am going to put into this box, but I just love the way it came out.
  I used Tim Holtz's legs and knob to make it practical and pretty. The sunflowers are a nice splash of color.

This is one of my favorite pages from Graphic 45.

   I love the top of the box with the little girl in a garden. I added some prima flowers and a little key and bow.

The back of the box

   I didn't add much to the back of the box because the fence with flowers seemed just perfect.
   I might add a pocket or two to the inside of  the box and maybe a few more embellishments, but for now I am happy with what I've done so far.

  I plan on buying another box 'cause they are only three dollars. These would make a great for someone who collects things.     

    I have been working on making birthday cards to have them ahead of time cause July and August are busy months in my family for birthdays.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The inside 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   I use Pinterest alot for inspiration and design ideas. The two birthday cards I made came from my boards on Pinterest.  Here are the links to the cards that I used .Pinterest Card  The second card is at this link: Second Card 

 from Pinterest    

   I loved using the new stamp I got on ebay called "Just Believe" from Stampin Up. It's a great stamp set. I've seen many cards using this set. I cased this card with just a few changes. I used a different color of green and I didn't use pearls on my flowers. I love the embossing folder 'cause it works well here. 

   The second card was fun to make, too. I made a few changes to this card, too. I distressed the background paper and used my scissors to make it look very worn

 and vintage looking. The stamp was from the same Stampin Up set "Just Believe". The sentiments on both cards was from Stampin Up's "Well Scripted" set.

Second birthday card

   I used pearls on the ribbon that I added. I wanted a little more color for this card. I used my punch to make the flower and added a pearl in the middle.
  When the weather was a little cooler we went to Gurnet which is the road to Harpswell at Cooks Corner. My sister and her husband found this great little place called Gurnet Trading Co. It has really good seafood. It also will cook lobsters for you. It was a really quaint place.

Good eats.

 

Out door seating area

  Russ and I had the fried shrimp dinner with fries. It was our splurge for the week and well worth it. I couldn't eat it all.  

Loved the shrimp

                                           I would recommend this place if you like seafood. It's just on the side of the road on the way to Gurnet. My mom had the crab meat roll that she said was good, too.               

         Well, I am working on another birthday card using the new doll stamp I got from Julie Nutting's collection. It is a really cool stamp.
I also plan on finishing my Disney mini album. If the hot weather holds on, I will get alot of projects done.
   Next time I will have pics from our trip to Brimfield, Mass. Great place for antiques and collectibles.

Russ is holding the mini lobsters that will light up to tell us our order is ready...Cute, huh?

                                           

Heat Wave in July!

Wow.. it has been wicked humid here in Maine these last few days.. We have been staying in doors with a few moments outside weeding the gardens or watering our plants.. It should break here in a few days.. Yeah!!
   My last post we were going to Topsfield, Mass. to a yard sale at one of our favorite craft stores: Absolutely Everything. It was a fabulous sale. Items were mostly a dollar or fifty cents with a few things a bit more. We had a ball. The picture below shows you the items I purchased. The paper was Graphic 45. I also got some chipboard cut outs for a dollar. Loved everything. My sisters came away with good stuff, too.

The "goodies" I bought at Absolutely Everything.

Clematis

     I am so proud of this blossom on our climbing clematis vine. I am having a wicked hard time growing these babies. I am hoping that now they are established that they will grown bigger and have more blossoms.

Hydrangea Plant

 This hydrangea bush is doing real well, too. The yard has so many pine needles around that the flower is turning blue without me adding anything to the soil. That is kinda cool; except I don't like the pine needles.

The peas are ready for eating.

 A Saltwater Farm

 



  We had a lobster feed at my sister-in-law, Bette's and her husband. Tom's home. Tommy and Bette have a wonderful garden out in back of their home. It is huge with many of the plants growing sky high. The peas are delicious eating them right out of the pods. This hot humid weather with an afternoon rain shower helps the gardens to really shoot up.

  

Thomas loves those garden peas, too.

   We went to the lake yesterday to our friend, Cindy and Dave's camp in Limington, Maine. The weather was perfect there. The food was yummy and the water was warm. We all had a great time.  Cindy's friend, Nancy, gave us all a ride around the lake. It was great fun.

Slow smoked ribs...yummy!

Beautiful day at the Lake.

Ribs afterwards

Good eating...

Boat ride on the lake

  We were so tired on the way home. A day at the lake can really sap your strength especially when you go swimming in the lake to boot. We can't wait until next year. Cindy and Dave might have us back for the Fall. We will have to rest up for that fun, too.
  I will leave you with a picture of a moose that Dave and Cindy have inside their camp. I always jump when I come into the sun porch 'cause I think someone is standing there. Spooky..

Mr Moose...