Carpe Vinum!

I don't know wine, but I do know what tastes good. My family owns an Italian restaurant and I have been introduced to the "good stuff". I've sampled numerous varieties over the last fifteen years and I've narrowed down my favorite grapes to pinot noir and pinot grigio. My oldest son is the wine aficionado in our family. If he recommends it or pairs it with food you can guarantee your taste buds will be happy. However, I drink wine so that I can do something crafty with the corks!

Today’s project is part of the monthly YouTube hop for the TMC4u Inspiration team and we have teamed up with the Crafter's Castle Design Team. TMC4u is the new sponsor for the monthly challenges on the Crafters Castle Challenge blog and each team will create projects showcasing a vintage digital kit from TMC4u. The featured kit will be the prize for the winner of the challenge and this month’s kit is the Passport to Italy!

I found a cut file by Jamie Lane Designs for this 3D wine bottle gift box in the Silhouette Design Store and thought it paired well with the Italian theme of the kit. (A full list of available supplies is listed at the end of this post.) If you download as an SVG file, you can cut the images with other die cutting machines like the Cricut and Brother ScanNcut. The designer has also included a link to her blog where she posted detailed photos and step-by-step written instructions on how to put the pieces together. It’s super easy to assemble!

Jamie Lane Designs Wine Bottle Gift Box

I "print and cut" the the panels of the box using digital backgrounds and elements from the Passport to Italy kit that I resized using Photoshop Elements. 

I love how easy it is to be creative using digital designs!

Click HERE to join the challenge on the Crafter's Castle Challenge blog for a chance to win the Passport to Italy kit and HERE for the full list of video hop links!

Thanks for stopping by and carpe vinum!

SUPPLIES LIST:

Below you can find a list with all the products used today. Links to multiple online shops are available. Just click the static image below to be redirected to the LinkDeli product list. When the bookmarklet opens, click your favorite store link below each item. Compensated affiliate links may be used – that means if you make a purchase using my links, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support of my work on this blog!

https://linkdeli.com/widget.js?1559654439292

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Trick or Treat!

I'm not decorating for Halloween this year. My bathrooms are being remodeled and I will have a claustrophobic meltdown if I get out the Halloween decor. I did mix up a fun fall scent in my essential oil diffuser this morning though!

We haven't had "trick or treaters" in a long time, so I don't buy candy anymore. I would be the one to eat it anyway! I am going to make a few of these though...My nieces and nephews will love getting these in the mail!

I used some digital backgrounds from the Taylormadecards4u Halloween Passport kit and some of these fun vintage images from the Retro Halloween Images 2 to make my card.

I designed the card panel in Photoshop Elements and cut the pieces using my Silhouette Cameo 3. I like that I can mass produce cards this way. All I have to do is change out the backgrounds and the pop-up images.

Mounting the cut-out background on black card stock really makes the sentiment stand out. I dusted over the cut-out areas with Black Soot Distress Oxide ink and added some Xmas Red Stickles for a little Halloween gore effect. I found the skull and crossbones foam sticker in my stash.

I gave the cats some red gem eyes and added some Diamond Stickles for added sparkle.

These cards are so much fun to play with!

Click HERE to check out what the rest of the Taylormadecards4u Inspiration Team has created and be sure to visit the TMC4u shop for 40% off Halloween images!

Trick or Treat!

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Let's Talk Valentine's Day

My grandparents were very frugal people. They grew up during the depression and lived through WW2 and food rationing. They kept everything! Memaw even kept a book of ration tickets with her box of keepsakes. I think she kept every card we ever gave her and she would thoughtfully "re-gift" them to us on special occasions. On my parents' 25th wedding anniversary, she gave them the card they had given to her and Papaw on their 25th anniversary. Last weekend I cleaned my craft room and found a folder of treasures that belonged to my Memaw that I didn't know I had.

There are some sentimental things in here including her high school "newspaper" from 1944 and a newspaper clipping of her engagement announcement to Papaw in 1947!

She started writing a blog at 87 years old and posted her first blog post in September 2012. She even had a Facebook page. I was feeling a bit nostalgic, so I pulled up her blog and started reading some of her posts. Her writing is short, sweet and to the point...just like she was in real life!

I knew Memaw and Papaw's anniversary date was coming up, but I forgot the exact date. I just knew she would have posted something about it on her blog, and she did. I decided to incorporate her writing into a project, especially after I saw the Taylormadecards4u Passport to Love digital kit!

I found this picture of my grandparents from when they were first married to go with her story. They look so young. Memaw once said that the first time she saw my Papaw she thought he looked like a little boy who had just had a bath!

They always had roses growing in their yard and climbing roses on the front porch. Even after Papaw died, and she went to live with my aunt and uncle, Memaw had a rose garden. Now I know why.

"So with roses you get flowers every day. They adorn your garden and make beautiful bouquets for your table. It's like getting a gift every day and it's practical. "

Virginia Chapman, Ridges of Lee County blog, February 15, 2013

I'm so glad she left her thoughts for us to read! It's like getting a gift every day. I like that.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Be sure to check out what the rest of the design team has created over on the Taylormadecards4u blog and you can find the Passport to Love digital kit in Monica Taylor's Etsy store here.

P.S. We'll have another fun retro Valentine release on January 25!

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Keep the Wheels Turning!

Yoga with this guy! I gotta keep the wheels turning so this body will run like a well oiled machine. It helps to have a good workout partner. We push each other. He makes me want to be better and healthier!

[caption id="attachment_12323" align="alignnone" width="3600"] Club Scrap® digital kit elements. Steamworks is currently available.[/caption]

I'm always looking for new things to keep my mind busy too, because I've developed a bad habit of playing on my phone. I'll tool around on it when I'm relaxing and before I know it, it 's been a couple of hours. I really need to delete the Amazon app because it makes buying new crafty supplies waaaaay too easy. I've been eyeing the Gelli Plate for a long time and I bought it after it popped up in an Amazon ad. I am such a sucker! I must have searched for it during my online Christmas spree. WOW, that is kind of scary...big brother is watching! On the plus side, I did open and play with the my new purchase immediately.  The Gelli Plate is going to be my new favorite toy for awhile!

[caption id="attachment_12331" align="alignnone" width="5069"] Club Scrap® Steamworks  gear stencil and coordinating colors of acrylic paint.[/caption]

All of the creative monoprinting prompted me to whip up a set of cards!



The Club Scrap® Idea Deck  and Page Formulas are such great tools when I need a little inspiration! The cutting and assembly instructions are listed on the back of each card. I love that the only thing I have to think about is picking out stamp  images and complementary card stock!

[caption id="attachment_12332" align="aligncenter" width="445"] This month's card for the Club Scrap Chat Idea Deck challenge. [/caption]

Card #1

[caption id="attachment_12325" align="alignnone" width="4646"] Club Scrap® Steamworks   Page kit card stock, cut aparts and gear stencil.[/caption]

I substituted the Gelli Plate panel in place of the card stock nesting panel from the Idea Deck directions. I trimmed the cut aparts using detail scissors, inked the edges with Vintage Photo Distress ink and assembled the layers according to the sketch design.

Card #2

[caption id="attachment_12326" align="alignnone" width="4699"] Club Scrap® Steamworks  Page kit card stock, 12x12 cut aparts and gear stencil.[/caption]

I trimmed more of the cut aparts to nest on the mini blue squares and added another Gelli Plate panel for the background. The assembly was easy using a grid ruler to line up the edges!

Card #3

[caption id="attachment_12327" align="alignnone" width="3948"] Club Scrap® Steamworks Page kit card stock and 12x12 cut aparts. Stamp image from a past kit that is no longer available.[/caption]

I got a little creative with this card. I made a mini collage cluster with leftover scraps, a stamped sentiment and a little of my own handwriting!

Card #4



This one is for the Sweet Stampin' Challenge Blog: GIRLY! card challenge. I searched through my stash of stamps and found these little ladies to fit on the tiny panels!

[caption id="attachment_12328" align="alignnone" width="3456"] Club Scrap® Steamworks Page kit card stock and gear stencil. Stamp images inked with Club Scrap's white pigment ink.[/caption]

I used a scrap of Gelli Plate art instead of card stock and tied the colors together with a bit of matching ribbon.

Whew! That's a wrap! Thanks for stopping by and be sure to let me know you were here!



CHALLENGES ENTERED:

February Anything Goes Crafting Challenge at Polka Doodles 

HIMCR #339 Super Scraps Saturday

Sweet Stampin' Challenge Blog: GIRLY!

Club Scrap 02/18 Idea Deck Challenge 

Club Scrap 02/18 Past and Present Challenge 

Club Scrap Tool and Stash Challenge: Paint

Club Scrap 02/18 NBUS Challenge: Wheels and Gears

 

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The Trees Have EYES!

"When in Rome, do as the Romans do!"

"What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas."

In Colorado...

[caption id="attachment_2847" align="alignnone" width="864"] Club Scrap Garden Shed digital kit with accents from Botanicals. "Aspen eyes" images made by ME from my photos![/caption]

We spent Labor Day weekend traveling around Colorado. The mountains were calling! We went to Gourmet on Gore, food festival and wine tasting,  in Vail Village for our first stop. Everything smelled so delicious!

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaQ47Sx8UgE]

We walked around sipping Arnold Palmers, checking out all the food and enjoying the glorious weather! Everyone was either walking or riding bikes. Chris bought some of the most delicious organic plums. I swear they were so sweet and fragrant I felt like I was eating a flower!

I love the mountain air, though I did have mild altitude sickness and had to suck on a can of oxygen the first night. That's what I get for being hardheaded and walking two miles, while the rest of my crew took the shuttle to dinner!

Since this was a road trip, we decided to travel through the mountains to Aspen for a night and loop back to Denver via Independence Pass. We stayed at the Aspen Meadows Resort, home of the Aspen Institute.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmSn7tLwhkw]

The grounds are BEAUTIFUL, though the buildings look a bit like the Dharma Initiative in Lost! The rooms were really nice inside though, and the flowers were blooming everywhere!



We left the windows open all night (the rooms don't have air conditioning) and the low night temp was 40 degrees! Loverly!

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqRcvksj_6c]



[caption id="attachment_2907" align="alignnone" width="2448"] Water station in the lobby. Cucumber mint ice water, so refreshing![/caption]

My family tried to kill me...We rented bikes to ride into town. It's been years since I've gone bike riding. Chris was leading and I was the caboose. I was leisurely pedaling and just enjoying the mountain view. I should have known better when I saw the giant mirror on the curve. No lie, the road sloped down 60 degrees and I cruised right down it! Luckily, there was road construction, so no traffic, BUT we had to climb back up to get back on the main riding path. Honestly, I haven't had that much fun in a LONG time!

We walked all over downtown Aspen. Is that background gorgeous or what?!





Ahem...I wanted to check out a dispensary, so I walked into The Green Dragon. Unfortunately, I didn't have my ID and was politely asked to leave! (Insert howling laughter) Flashback to 1987! I haven't been asked for my ID since high school! This is all I got, a pic of the t-shirts in the waiting area!



I don't do heights, but I did Independence Pass! The drive was breathtakingly beautiful, but scary! At one point we inched past a USDWF work truck and had a hairs width between us. Yikes! I got tickled when we were walking to the summit of the pass. We passed two young children with their grandparents. The little boy kept saying he was tired and the grandfather said, "You're not tired, it's just the altitude!"  12,095 ft up on the Continental Divide...I had a little trouble myself! My boys LOVED it!





 

We finally made it to Twin Lakes, (big sigh from me!) and it is gorgeous!

[caption id="attachment_2928" align="alignnone" width="3264"] Twin Lakes[/caption]



[caption id="attachment_media-25" align="alignnone" width="3264"] That water was too COLD for me![/caption]



I had a fantastic vacation with my sweet family. I didn't want to come home, even though they pushed me to my limits BUT we took the scenic route!

Do more of what makes you happy!

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The Adventures of Supergirl and Spiderman!

We took a Sunday road trip to Lafayette to see the "Chapman Blondies". We had a great time watching soccer and eating red beans and rice and catfish for lunch! I even got my boob honked by a three year old. Good times!

One of the perks of having grown kids is that I get to be the fun aunt and take pictures. I love my nieces and nephews. Haylan was so excited that her big cousins and Uncle Chris came to watch her play! She's not a show off, she's really that good!

[caption id="attachment_2774" align="alignnone" width="3600"] Club Scrap Fire and Ice digital kit, Homemade Apple font, sagittarius sign and soccer ball from my stash. Sketch from the Club Scrap Idea Deck Vol. 2 King of ♦ card (see end of post). [/caption]

Little brother likes to be entertained too and doesn't take NO for an answer. As long as you do what he says, life is good!

[caption id="attachment_2775" align="alignnone" width="3600"] Spider web and Chinese symbols from my stash.[/caption]

Millie was too busy running around to be in the pictures this time. She's kinda sassy!

It was a fun, chaotic, rainy day=HAPPINESS. I ♥ my people.



Challenge entered:

Club Scrap 9-16 Idea Deck Challenge



 

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