Top 10 Favorites from 2012

Happy New Year!

Well. This year didn’t quite go as planned. There have been more downs than ups, but through patience and prayer, we are making it day by day. And each day seems to have better and better moments. I can honestly say that we are looking forward to 2013 and all the adventures we have planned!

I thought it would be fun to take a look back at some of my favorite projects from the year. Honestly, it was easy pickings, without much creating happening this year! :)

Snow Globe Tutorial

Hero Arts, Graphic 45, Michael’s Arts and Crafts

Treat tin and coordinating card

Technique Tuesday, Spellbinders, Studio Calico, My Mind’s Eye

No Place Like Home; Guest Designer for Technique Tuesday Studio AE

Technique Tuesday, Basic Grey, Spellbinders

Halloween Décor created for Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L,

Includes the large frames, plate, and apothecary jars.

Carta Bella, Michael’s Arts and Crafts, My Mind’s Eye, Spellbinders

Forever and Always with Simon Says Stamp monthly kit

Simon Says Stamp monthly card kit

Old Friends

Jillibean Soup, Donna Salazar, My Mind’s Eye, Spellbinders

Thinking of  You

Hero Arts,  Basic Grey, Ranger

Spellbinders class projects

Spellbinders, Echo Park, Bo Bunny

Just Saying Hello

Hero Arts, Lily Bee, Spellbinders

I Love You: Custom Wood Button Tutorial

Hero Arts, Technique Tuesday, JustRite Stampers, Fancy Pants, Spellbinders, Ranger, Michael’s Arts and Crafts

If you would like more information about each project, including supply lists and instructions, be sure and click the links provided under each project.

Have a wonderful 2013! Here is to happiness, health, and many more blessings!thanks for stopping by!

~kimberly

enjoy a very merry Christmas

Stop on over to the CardMaker Magazine blog and read a little bit more about the inspiration behind this photo card. And to read about my last post on the CardMaker Blog Team. Its been a wonderful year!

thanks for stopping by!

~kimberly

Flower Soft CardMaker Magazine blog hop

Welcome to the Flower Soft/CardMaker Magazine blog team blog hop! Today we are featuring cards with animals and Flower Soft’s unique product!


Flower Soft adds great dimension to your stamped images! Apply liquid glue to the place where you would like the product to be. I chose the spikey side of this cute Penny Black hedgie. Sprinkle the Flower Soft generously and burnish it gently with your finger. Tap off the excess. Because of the small image on this card and the detailed location, I chose the Ultra Fine version of Flower Soft.

You should have arrived here from the fantastic Linda Beeson and be sure and head over to see what Stephanie Lee has in store for you!

Also be sure and visit the Flower Soft Blog for more ideas and inspiration.

thanks for stopping by!

~kimberly

CardMaker Blog Team Hop: Holiday Yummies

Is anyone else playing Christmas music yet? Watching Christmas movies? I know I have been! Today’s blog hop will get you in the mood to get crafty for treat giving because we are all sharing treat holders and coordinating cards.



This project started off with all the extra Boy Scout popcorn tins we have laying all around the house... Hating to throw them out, I decided to spray paint them. I started with a couple coats of white primer spray paint. Then I added several coats of red. SEVERAL. It was worth it, the color is awesome!



Burlap trim was adhered around the tin with Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L Crafty Power Tape. Three strips were placed onto the trim.

TIP: If you have a hard time getting the backing off the Crafty Power Tape, simply scratch your finger nail over the end (where you want to pull the backing up). It should pull off easily.

The mini chalkboard (swoon! obsession! along with the burlap trim…) was stamped with a sentiment in white ink. The sentiment is from the Jingle All the Way set by Ali Edwards from Technique Tuesday.

The pine branch was die cut from green patterned paper using Spellbinders Fall Foliage set.



On the top of the canister, I placed two jingle bells, which were tied together with trim from Paper Source. A couple more branches were added. To adhere it all, I used 3D Dodz.



The card is a mini, only measuring 3.75 x 3.75.” The patterned paper is from Studio Calico, the sentiment from the same Technique Tuesday set, and the die cut is from Spellbinders Die D-Lites.

Ok, so that was a ton of explanation, but the entire project took less than a half an hour to create. (Not counting the spray painting.) Quick and easy, which is my motto. And it’s a beautiful way to present any treat you make this season. Here’s to extra special and meaningful gift giving!

Be sure and see what the rest of the team has for you today!

• CardMaker Magazine blog
• Anya
• Carolyn
• Colleen
• Glenda
• Jennie
• Kimberly *you are here*
• Trudy

thanks for stopping by!

~kimberly


Gratitude: For friends. For wonderful, supportive, listening, caring, make you laugh when you need it most friends. I am very blessed with several of these friends in my life. Two online friends I only get to see every once in a while and one dear friend here. They mean the world to me, even if I forget to tell them. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart!
Don’t forget, if you would like, join in the month of gratitude. Leave a gratitude in the comments of each blog post this month and I will draw a name and send a nice prize package to a reader, or maybe even two!

crafty space

Ever been curious about my crafty space? Well, if not, even if you are only looking for some organization ideas, stop on over to the CardMaker Magazine blog today and take a look. :)

thanks for stopping by!

~kimberly

Month of Gratitude:
Today I am grateful for the little man's school. Not only does he have a fabulous teacher, but his principal and the rest of the staff are amazing as well. The one thing you wish for your child when they head to school is that they will embrace the uniqueness that is your child. His school has. They love him. They think he is wonderful just the way he is. They encourage him and mold him with gentleness when he needs to learn a lesson. He feels safe to spread his wings out and be strong in who he is. Its such a blessing. Such an answer to many prayers! Thank you Indian Creek!

CardMaker Blog Team Hop: Metallic Inspirations

Today its all about the bling and anything shiny. Bling is not really my thing, though, so I put a little twist on it.



I embossed a piece of foil with a Spellbinders MBossabilities and then sanded away the raised edges with a sanding tool. See, shiny, but not. :) And to counteract the shiny even more, some twine and a button were added. :) The patterned paper is from my all-time favorite Christmas line from Basic Grey, Jovial. Sadly, it is not available anymore.

Check out the rest of the fabulous team, because I know some of them embraced the bling!

• CardMaker Magazine Blog
• Anya Schrier
• Carolyn King
• Colleen Schaan
• Glynda Wyatt
• Jennie Harper
• Kimberly Crawford *you are here*
• Trudy Sjolander

thanks for stopping by!


~kimberly

P.S. all the personal stuff…we spent a wonderful weekend in MN with my family. I got plenty of snuggles with my nephew, who is almost 5 months old now. And enjoyed some mom and dad cooking. :)

On a sad note, I taught my last class at my LSS tonight. Sadly, it is closing at the end of the month. I will miss it and the lovely ladies that I have had the privilege of getting to know the past couple of years. Please remember to support your local store.

wood buttons at CardMaker Magazine

Stop over to the CardMaker Magazine blog and see what is up with these fantastic wood buttons from My Mind’s Eye.

 

Today is World Arthritis Day. A day that now has a lot of importance to me. I never would have imagined my life being so impacted and changed. Its been seven months since  my diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis. And a very long seven months it has been. Take a moment today to stop and read more about Rheumatoid Arthritis. Stop and say a prayer for those affected. Or take a minute and be grateful for your body’s ability to move, to exercise, to stay moving, and being pain-free. And today I will be grateful for medication that is allowing me to get back to a more normal life. :)

Have a wonderful weekend! thanks for stopping by!

~kimberly

U Inspire Me

Curious photo for me to share. Isn’t that outfit cute? It totally screams me. I used it as inspiration for a card I am sharing on the CardMaker Magazine blog today. Stop on over and check it out.

The photo is from Pinterest. Original location here.

It’s a busy week here. The blog will be busy. Its busy in our house. Cub Scouts, swimming, parent/teacher conferences, Homecoming, my in laws arrive Thursday, rheumatologist appointment…I really need a clone. :) It makes me so very thankful for medication that is allowing me to keep up with life. To live life.

thanks for stopping by!

~kimberly

CardMaker blog hop: Graceful Leaves

Welcome to another CardMaker Magazine blog team hop! Its that time of year; chilly mornings, Salted Carmel and Pumpkin Spice drinks at Starbucks, soups, and sweaters. It all means fall. And with as hot as summer was, the cooler temperatures will be greatly enjoyed! We are all focusing on leaves, and golden colors. Do you think I followed the rules? Of course not. Sigh. That is how that happy little gold leaf ended up on this card. But, like usual, it’s a happy accident!



The leaves were die cut and embossed from patterned paper using Spellbinders Fall Foliage. The edges were inked. One of the leaves was covered in Crafty Power Tape and then Stampendous! Crushed glass glitter was poured on generously. Gently burnish the glitter into the paper and there you have a very pretty leaf! (I am thinking this look could be perfect for Thanksgiving home and table décor.)

And check out the background. Several leaves from JustRite Stampers Autumn Words were heat embossed with clear embossing powder. It made a beautiful effect and added a lot of depth.

Check out all the fall beauty that awaits:

• CardMaker Magazine  Blog
• Anya Schrier
• Carolyn King
• Colleen Schaan
• Glynda Wyatt
• Jennie Harper
• Kimberly Crawford *you are here*
• Trudy Sjolander

thanks for stopping by!

~kimberly

A couple of reminders:

• If you receive my blog posts via email, you must click the link in the email to see the supply list and images. (Images which take you directly to the product.)
• If a product is not listed, it means I am not sure where it is currently available. Please email me if you want more information.
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• Thanks for being such wonderful followers! You know you are appreciated! :)

CardMaker blog post: Favorite Technique

It’s a day to share one of my favorite techniques on the CardMaker Magazine blog. Emboss resist is what the post is all about and I share a TON of ways to achieve the look. For this card, I did the basics, with a kick, using the new Neon Inks from Hero Arts. They are too fun! Stop on over and check it out!

thanks for stopping by!

~kimberly

CardMaker Blog Hop:Escaping the Comfort Zone

Today’s CardMaker Magazine Blog Team hop is all about getting outside of our comfort zone. I don’t know about you, but I always tend to make the same style of card. Its just easier to grab the usual supplies and create the familiar.

Now this card isn’t too far outside my zone, with the Spellbinders and patterned papers, but I don’t usually grab images that need to be colored. Which is silly, because I teach Copic classes locally, but its not my comfort zone.



This hedgehog from Penny Black has long been a favorite character of mine and I knew he would be perfect to use. (Coloring with my hands does not work these days, so thankfully I had this image laying around from one of the classes I teach.)

Copics: E29, E37, E11, E13, W1, W3, W5, W7, Y15, YR04, R11, R27, YG11, YG13, YG17, B32, 0

Be sure and check out the inspiration from the rest of the team. I know that I cannot wait to see everyone’s projects!! :)

• CardMaker Magazine Blog
• Kimberly Crawford *you are here*
• Carolyn King
• Colleen Schaan
• Anya Schrier
• Trudy Sjolander

thanks for stopping by!

~kimberly

life is sweeter

Find out what is going on with this card over at the CardMaker Magazine blog. :) Its full of cute and new Jillibean Soup supplies.

thanks for stopping by!

~kimberly

CardMaker Magazine Sept 2012 giveaway

Oh, CardMaker, how awesome is your new format!! So many subtle changes, but it just makes you want to keep looking at the issue over and over again! One of the best changes is how much clearer the directions are! And you know how detailed they were before!

And I am having a total blast writing for CardMaker’s blog too! Make sure and pop over and check it out!

This project is in the issue to share more about the CardMaker blog and the projects, inspirations, and ideas we share. This has lots of fussy cutting with paper from Fancy Pants. Aren’t those hats just the cutest?

Today I am giving away this new and improved issue! Leave a comment on this post sharing what you are looking forward to this fall. You have until Thursday, August 16, at 10 pm (CST).

thanks for stopping by!

~kimberly

you and me

Stop on over to the CardMaker Magazine blog today and see what my favorite thing is today.

thanks for stopping by!

~kimberly

P.S. My parents left yesterday. We had a great visit. Ate too much, stayed up too late, all those wonderful things. Its hard when they leave, that is for sure. Hope you have great weekend plans. For us it’s the quiet before school starts on Wednesday. :) and a little of :( that too.

hexagon thanks

Find out what inspired me to make this card on the CardMaker Magazine blog today! Because let’s face it, I am totally in love with the hexagon trend! :)

thanks for stopping by!

~kimberly

P.S. On the personal front, I am attempting to attend CHA-S in Chicago this week. I am excited and a wee bit nervous. I am not working a booth, which I could never do, but simply walking. It will be wonderful to explore, but it will also allow me to take my time and rest. Rest will have to happen often. It will be good to feel “normal” for a little bit. (I will share my favorites when I get back.)

My medicines are slowly beginning to work. The dosages were increased last week. I am sleeping better at night. Getting out of bed in the morning is much smoother, slow, but no more yelling in pain. And other small victories are happening. Here is hoping the next 4-6 weeks bring more improvement. Finding the new normal for my body will be good. It will be the start of my new life and learning how to cope.

I still am grateful for your continued emails and prayers. They mean so very much!! Hugs!

Summertime Blog Hop

Welcome to the Really Reasonable Ribbon and CardMaker blog hop! There is a LOT of wonderful projects to see and of course, winning!

You should have arrived here from Emily’s blog. If not, head to the CardMaker blog and enjoy the whole hop!



To make this card I started with Really Reasonable Ribbon’s July Kit. It comes with 8 different ribbons, all unique and coordinated. When I saw the ribbons, I instantly thought; summer and then of a pitcher of ice cold lemonade.

I layered the green polka dotted ribbon onto the patterned paper first, using Crafty Power Tape to adhere it. Tape lines like that are perfect for keeping your ribbon straight, flat, and completely secure.
Then I tied the yellow ribbon around the lower part. The bow was tied upside down. No idea why that works, but my tails and loops always end up in the “right” places.

And because the ribbon was satin and flat, I decided to stamp the sentiment on the green ribbon. Use gentle pressure when stamping on ribbon. Much, much less than you would on paper. It will bleed a slight bit. I imagine if you used an ink formulated for fabric, that would not be an issue.

The rest was made with Spellbinders die templates. The die template set with them pitcher will be released at CHA-S this upcoming week. You can tell by my props in the background, I have a bit of a thing for white pitchers. :)

*On to the good stuff!! Winning! This blog hop is open until July 20, 2012. There will be a prize given away on the Really Reasonable Ribbon blog, drawn from the comments left there. Two other ribbon packs will be given away from the comments left on a RRR designer’s blog and a CardMaker designer’s blog.

Be sure and leave a comment, then continue on the hop at Debbie’s blog.

thanks for stopping by!

~kimberly

CardMaker Magazine blog team hop: Summer Dreams

Whose summer dreams don’t include ice cream?!? On our blog hop today we are sharing projects inspired by the ice cream  truck. I have a triple stacked cone of fun patterns and a cute sentiment to go with it. Fun, easy, and perfect for summer.

Check out the other cards and inspiration from the rest of the team:

• CardMaker Magazine blog
• Kimberly Crawford *you are here*
• Carolyn King
• Colleen Schaan
• Anya Schrier
• Trudy Sjolander
• Michelle Woerner

thanks for stopping by!

~kimberly

Technique post at CardMaker Magazine blog

I am posting on the CardMaker Magazine blog today and sharing a very cool technique. Learn about how you can make your own custom stamps!

thanks for stopping by!

~kimberly

posting at CardMaker Magazine today

Find out who and what inspired this card over on the CardMaker Magazine blog today!

thanks for stopping by!

~kimberly

CardMaker blog team hop: He’s All That

Today we are all making cards for the wonderful men in our lives. Which is good timing, with Father’s Day coming up this weekend. It’s a super easy card today with stickers and chipboard pieces. And I love cardstock stickers because you can stamp on them, like I did with the word, dad.

Check out the other cards and inspiration from the rest of the team:

• CardMaker Magazine blog
• Kimberly Crawford *you are here*
• Carolyn King
• Colleen Schaan
• Anya Schrier
• Trudy Sjolander
• Michelle Woerner

thanks for stopping by!

~kimberly

Supplies: Patterned paper and stickers-Crate Paper (Toy Box), Stamps-Paper Smooches (Boob Tubes)