Well, I've been busy creating mini albums for my two brothers and sister. The mini albums are very short on pages and has a single purpose - to hold photos of my Mom and Dad and the one photo we all took when we were kids. I am keeping the masculine albums simple though it is so tempting to add flowers. I think my siblings will treasure these. Here's a sneak peek.
I want to share a card with you today. It is simple and shares the last of the summer with you. This is a Tellen's Place Design image, a diva, Madeline, who is busy on the phone as she catches some rays. Pretty cool looking, isn't she?
I hope your day is filled with some relaxing fun times! Thanks for stopping by.
Yesterday, I sat around working on my mini albums and feeling sorry for myself (things in life and menopausal more than usual, I'm sure).
My blogging journey has been a bit of a roller coaster, as are a lot of things, I suppose. But, I have to say, you ladies really had me in tears after I read your comments. I am really blessed to know people who take the time to leave little words that reach out and squeeze you, making this unhappy menopausal woman elated with joy. Each comment just had tears flowing. Tears of joy, y'all. *big smile*
THANK YOU so much for your beautiful comments throughout the year I've been blogging and mostly for the ones left about my anniversary. I wish that I could show you how much I appreciate you - please know that I really do!
To top it off, I received another blog award - from a very talented and crafty young woman, Mrs. A. Her blog, "It's an Alien life" is filled with treasures and witty conversation. She is such a remarkable and talented woman, whose gift of sewing brightens the halls of dull craft rooms.
I received this award from Sandra, then Monica and Helen. How lucky am I?
See why I was crying? All this love, y'all - THANK YOU!THANK YOU!THANK YOU! :-) All of you who have left comments for me have given me more meaning to so much that is in the word, "friendship."
Yep, it has been one year since I started Crafter's Delight - can you believe it?
I started this blog with hopes to reach those just starting out crafting, to help them to reach past the glue on paper stages where I first began in 1999. I'd gone to a craft party with a co-worker and still have a few of the things I purchased there (those unforgettable circle templates, among the few).
This is one of my first cards that I made at my first class back in 2003. I went home and had the hardest time duplicating it or anything else.
This is what I usually created without using a craft book/magazine for guidance outside the class and this was made in 2008. Yuck! Oh, but I've improved.
I learned how to layer and put colors together much better. I even learned to cut out images nicely.
In 2009, I took more classes and learned to work with acetate - that was a lot of fun!
At yet another class, I learned to make paper purses and smaller cards. I even made these out of class (I made 75 to put at place settings at a community organization I belonged to for Christmas in 2008 - everyone loved it).
I even started by own challenge blog (Tellen's Place) in November 0f 2009 using images my son creates and fell in love with Martha Stewart punches.
In January of this year, Glue, Scissors, Paper invited me to join their talented design team and though I was worried that I could keep up with this group of talented ladies, I accepted. The many challenges assigned took me "out of the box" and I had to research and learn things like making flowers. Now, I must admit that I can view a You Tube video and produce a pretty nice product!
January was also the month, Arlene accepted my entry for Sweet Sketch Wednesday's challenge blog. She designs every sketch each month and although I love sketches, I have to admit my "try-out" sketch nearly beat me - thankfully, Arlene liked it enough to take me in, teaching me so much about layering! Her sisters, Judi and Nancy are excellent crafters - I've learned quite a bit from watching their techniques.
My year has been a lot of fun. I've met many new blogger friends from all over. Many of you have been so kind as to stop by and leave wonderful, encouraging comments, watching me grow. Thank you because it has really enriched my crafting experience.
Well, I've mailed off the last of the swaps...whew! Swaps are really a lot of fun. You get to share your crafty work with others and get a sample of what others are doing. I decided to join in a pin swap on Life at the Scrap Beach. I'd received a bunch of cute ones and since they are growing in the trend of card making, I thought it would be cute to try some.
The color was red. I bought a bunch of pearl pins at Michaels and colored them with Copics (that's the top pin). One of the pins had to be "bling" so I sprinkled these with Martha Stewart's fine glitter or did I use Diamond Dust? (uh, oh - senior moment). Well, I sprinkled something on the top one to give it a glittery look. I thought they came out pretty cute. I can't wait to see what the others have made.
This was an ATC swap from Swap-bot. The theme was to create an ATC for the year you were born. I received a really cool one done in collage. I sent one with my year and two based on my partner's profile. She collected roosters and hens and loved cowboy and cowgirl stuff. I thought the jute as a lasso was a pretty nice touch.
At LOTSB, when I was told about this swap, I had to reply back that I knew nothing about the Twilight stuff. So the person suggested a particular video and I started researching. The next thing you know, I'm doing Team Jacob for Twilight. It turns out it's a series of movies about these youngsters; gorgeous young hunks that seem to make young and older women swoon at the sight of their scantily clad bodies. I have a son older than these little kids...so...the only thing I see exciting is the fact that one is a vampire and the other is a werewolf - get to fighting! I'm voting for the werewolf! :-) I did sprinkle the middle of the flower's button with diamond dust (that one, I remember!).
If you've ever wanted to join a swap, you could really have some fun. I've met a bunch of wonderful ladies. If you do join swaps, maybe you know of others out there and can share with the rest of us.
Thanks for stopping by. Let me know what you think.
I mentioned earlier that August 27th is the day that marks one year blogging for me and like others, I'm going to celebrate with candy. The fun part of blogging is making friends but let's face it - it's also winning prizes for challenges and the blog candy others give away! Since I've won a bit of challenges and blog candy myself, I thought for my anniversary I'd be generous. Here's what I'm giving away (five winners in all):
Package #1
100 sheets 6x6 designer paper (DCWV & K&Company), Studio 18 Top Note chipboard album, Mini Scrapbook Album kit (10 pages with 36 stickers), Journaling Tags (18 sheets), Recollections decorated paper clips, Footprints & Hands Vellum stickers, Soft Spoken "Girls" Chipboard, Jolee's Boutique Camping die-cuts, Birthday Girl stickers, Beach Vellum Stickers, My Mind's Eye "Home" Chipboard frames, Studio 18 Rhinestones (48 pieces), 1 "Hello" stamp, 1 "Be Happy" and K&Company Metal Art die-cuts.
Package #2
75 sheets 6x6 designer paper (DCWV), Colorbok Foil Stickers (14), Colorbok Metallic Chipboard (15), Aquatic Animal Stickers (31 pieces), Spring Classic Stickers (22 pieces), and Colorbok Chipboard Buttons (20).
Package 3
50 sheets 6x6 designer paper (DCWV), Colorbok, Mini Page Kit, Colorbok Chipboard Alpha (36 pieces), Colorbok Die-cuts (10 pieces), and Colorbok Rub-ons.
Package 5: SURPRISE!! I thought it would be cool to wait until the day the prizes are drawn to unveil this one. It's gonna be a goody!
To enter, just use the little frog guy (inLinkz) at the bottom of this post, which will remain at the top until I draw the winners on Tuesday, August 31st!
I really haven't been making cards lately - the ones I've posted had been made in July...my mojo has escaped me. But I wanted to make a card with the images I purchased from Fresh Brewed Designs; Heather's lovely shop. She is a really wonderful person, very talented and crafty; makes these really great designs. You should really check out her shop and her challenge blog!
This is an image of her darling daughter, Hannah Belle. Isn't she just the most precious little image? Heather always has lovely little tidbits about her two sweet babies. I just love her images. I colored this one with Copics and it just so happened to match the beautiful paper Sandra sent me, punched so nicely with one of her Martha Stewart punches! Sandra sent me so many different ones on such pretty paper - I just had to make something and finally, something came out right! :-) It's simple but that's my style.
How's your Saturday today? Mine is special because I've awaken with a dry mouth (ugh) and can't have water until after the sun goes down. I was up at 3 am, trying to eat an energy bar so that I can last throughout the day and glug as much water as I could before dawn. As Ramadan continues and I fast faithfully, my sweet dear blogger friend, Sandra surprised me with a sweet award (and then surprised on Sunday to have it from Monica).
I feel quite honored when I am given award and will start posting on my sidebar after seeing so many others do so. It's so nice to be thought of so nicely, isn't it? With it, you must do a little bit of something with this award:
1. Thank the person who sent it to you. Thank you so much Sandra and Monica! 2. Put it on your blog. 3. List 3 things about yourself.
**I like to paint and took a class but failed miserably -- so I like to WISH I could paint. **I get bored easily. **Most of the time, I really like to help others...when I'm not being such a witch.
4. Post a favorite picture.
This is King Mufasa and I in Casablanca (Morocco, N. Africa) at the largest mosque there; one of the fountains (four years ago). Isn't the tile work beautiful? An exciting adventure - I married the King that year in Morocco.
5. Pass on to 5 other bloggers. I'd like to pass this sweet award to:
Heather - a sweet blogger whose love and devotion to God always inspires me. Lisa - a sweet friend who really lifts me up with her sweet words of encouragement. Donna - a sweet and talented blogger whose cards keep me motivated. Faye - a sweet blogger whose blog is filled with fun and witty experiences that keep me laughing. Nancy - the sweetest blogger with a strong spirit ; her comments always warm my heart.
Sandra and Monica, thanks for making my day! Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
