Vintage Buttons

Today's card was created during my hiatus from blogging

Here is a closer look at the dimension and a
plethora of DETAILS

Inked and distressed the patterned papers before I used a loose zigzag stitch around the outside and a tight zigzag across the center. Not all of the buttons were vintage, however, some of them are and a few came off of old clothing that my husband had thrown in the garbage. The Mason Jar stamp was found during a shopping trip to a local antique's store.
If you look closely at this photo you can see that I colored the lid with Copic Markers, glued a piece of crochet lace then popped it up with foam squares.

Short and Sweet but I'm headed to dinner to celebrate my 23rd Wedding Anniversary

Funky Tag SHAPED Card

Wanted to pop in and share a fun Gift Tag SHAPED Card that I created using

the latest handmade buttons

SNOWFLAKE BUTTONS

They are available for Purchase at the
Buttons & Bows
ETSY STORE

Here is a closeup of the button along with some of the details
the little mittens by Unity are popped up on foam squares
the pink cardstock was stamped using a snowflake border stamp
"Let It Snow" by My Cute Stamps
I also inked the edges with white ink

Challenges I used:
Cute Card Thursday: Anything Goes
Crafty Creations: Buttons
Paper Sundaes: Winter Wonderland
Tuesday Throwdown: Inchies
Creative Inspirations: A PINK Christmas

Enjoying the Little Things

Justine (CARDiology) here sending warm, sunny greeting from the beautiful island of Antigua!!! This week the ABC Toys & Crafts Design Team has focused on the new Sarah Kay images for Fall. I am sharing the cute little " Rose Cuddling the Winter Bunny ". I wanted to keep a rather warm feel to my project, therefore, I chose to stamp the image onto Kraft cardstock and see how using the Copic Markers would look. The colors are VIBRANT
After stamping my image, I created a mask then sponged numerous inks in order to create
the glow of a
SUNSET

I love how my little girl appears to be anything but Anglo Saxon (white), huh?

I rather think she looks either Native American or African American

What do you think?

My tag was created by first stamping with the Hero Arts LEDGER Stamp then I inked the edges. The Button is handmade by Kristy of BUTTONS & BOWS. It is available with the
HARVEST BUTTONS

My only wish is that I could have captured how amazing this card turned out. No matter how I angled, no matter, what lighting or what background location I used, I could NOT CAPTURE a decent photograph. Trust me though, in real life this image is spectacular.

Most of the products that I used are from
ABC Toys & Crafts

Autumn Banner Idea for your Home

Hello Everyone, here today sunning myself on the beautiful Island Of Antigua which is in the middle of the Carribean. I am so excited to share a very fun set of "HARVEST BUTTONS" that Kristy (the owner of Buttons & Bows) has cooked up with her very own hands. I was very inspired by these little gems of yumminess and ended up creating a wonderful
" AUTUMN BANNER "
which I have on display across our Mantle

Now my husband is my biggest cheerleader and the greatest Craft Supporter a girl could ever want. His comment regarding my banner will warm my heart for years to come. Upon walking into the room he said "WOW, I think that is the most beautiful thing that you have ever created"

Imagine the HORROR I felt upon standing back to admire my handiwork only to discover that I

MISSPELLED the word
*** A*U*T*U*M*N ***

GASPPPPPPPPPPP,,,,,,,, I worked so hard putting this together that I have decided to love the fact that I misspelled it and will leave it just to see how many guests in our home Point it out. LOL, Forever more this shall be a funny novelty.

Close up of the Pumpkin & Flower Buttons that adorn the both ends of my banner. Notice that I stacked them on top of a larger button before stitching them in the center of my Homemade, Shabby Rag Ribbons.

Below is a SNEAK PEEK
at an upcoming project I created using another of the buttons that comes in this set of
* HARVEST BUTTONS *

Click on button photo to shop our ETSY STORE

Challenges I used:
The Pink Elephant: Color Challenge - Brown & Orange
ABC Challenge Blog: Z = Zig Zag (I zig zag stitched)
Stampin for the Weekend: Halloween or Autumn
Speedy the Cat's Friends: Die Cuts or Punches
Sweet Stampin' Challenge: Anything but a Card
Totally Gorjuss: Sparkle

The "KEY" to Surviving Breast Cancer

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
and let you know that Buttons and Bows has the most beautiful Handmade Pink Ribbon Buttons
available
HERE


Here is a closer shot of the Pink Ribbon Button on my project
(I distressed my button using ink & a sponge to give it a more aged appearance)

My daughter just turned 21 and I thought this was the perfect time to educate her about Breast Cancer Awareness and share that Early Detection is the " KEY to Surviving Breast Cancer ". I am hoping that an Easel Card will be easy to display and serve as a reminder for her to perform Monthly Self Breast Checks.


1. I used a large Tim Holtz chipboard key in which I painted a light pink, distressed the edges with brown ink, applied a layer of glue and sprinkled it with Dazzling Diamonds Glitter.

2. I dipped my seam binding in a pot of boiling tea to age it.

3. The Tag above and the photo below show how I used one of the new Hero Arts Cling Stamps "LEDGER" from ABC Toys & Crafts to create the layer that sits behind "The Girls Club" Crafty Secrets scrap. I colored on the stamp to make the lines red & blue, I then used a hole punch then using my stylus, I tore the holes to make my paper look as though it had genuinely been torn from a ledger or notebook. Lots of distressing going on there.

This Easel Card will stand upright because I have placed an Antique Keyhole on the inside. I purchased several of these at an Antique Market while living in Sicily, Italy. I first painted it white then I painted over that with pink acrylic paint rubbing off the top portions which allowed the pink to settle into the crevices and the white to show on the raised areas.

Now look closely at the photos below to see how I lightly colored directly onto the Crafty Secrets' images to create a PINK BRA and to make the lady in the lower left row have a PINK SHIRT & PINK FLOWERS on her HAT

CHALLENGES I USED
Flourishes Timeless Tuesday: Ink & Distress the edges
The Crafty Pad: Distressed or Torn Edges
For Fun Challenges: Something you purchased but haven't used (the antique keyhole)
Wild Orchid Challenge: Pastels
Our Creative Corner: Embellishments - the more the better
The Sisterhood of Crafters: BLING (I loved me some glitter)

Chic Shopping

Only * 70 * Shopping Days left until
CHRISTMAS
(click on the highlighted products to begin your Holiday Shopping Today)

This week the Design Team of ABC Toys & Crafts featured our newest stamp line
by

Penny Johnson Stamps
" CHIC SHOPPING ".

This little Fashionista was brought to life using Copic Markers and she isn't waiting until the last minute to get her Holiday Shopping done. She is all bundled up in her " Lemonade " fashions by " Basic Grey " with a " Sparkley Fur " trim by " Cotton Candy Stickles ".

Did you notice that amazing Handmade BUTTON??
These can be purchased -----> HERE

CHALLENGES I USED:
Basic Grey: Sparkle
Paper Sundaes: Change of Seasons
Ohh La La: Nothing Floral
Little Red Wagon: Something Old/Something New (old paper & tulle - new stamp & button)
My Partner in Crafting Crime: Shine on you Crazy Diamond (show sparkle)

"SPOOKY EYES"

****** B ** O ** O ******

Buttons & Bows released these "SPOOKY EYES" on Friday

" SPOOKY EYES "

Aren't they Fabulous

The second I laid EYES on these, I knew I would use them to create something for my son who is 12. Now 12 year old boys don't really appreciate cards so much so I created a Funky & Whimsical work of art that just oozes with Creepiness. I've already given it to him and he was tickled to death to have his very own Halloween Decoration to display in his bedroom.

Not into Halloween, NO PROBLEM, check out our Etsy Store where we have a wide variety of Buttons that are sure to please just about everyone.

Don't forget that October is also Breast Cancer Awareness Month so pick up a set of these

CHALLENGES I USED:
Shirley's 2 Girls: Scary project with a TWIST to use the word BOO somewhere on your project
Cute Card Thursdays #133: Make Your Own Embellishments (I made that spooky spider and I created the sparkley base of my eyes)
For Fun Challenges: Something that's been collecting dust (Chipboard letters, ribbon, spooky paper and the frame)
Little Red Wagon: Something Old, Something New (everything is old but my EYES are NEW)
The Creative Cottage Challenge Blog: challenge 25 - Halloween!
A Spoon Full of Sugar: challenge 124 - sparkle and shine
Glitterbabe's Challenge - anything goes, glitter
Cupcake Craft Challenge: Scary Creatures

Buttons & Bows very 1st NEW RELEASE

Brand new release of
Whimsical Buttons
visit our
ETSY STORE

I kept my card simple because I did not want to outshine this "Witchin' Hat" but I love how being propped up on a clear button in the middle of my tule bow gvae it Center Stage!!!

Just LOOK at the attention to detail Kristy incorporates into each one of these handmade embellishments

Don't forget that

October is also

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

BLOG CANDY ALERT
visit my Blog Post
-----> HERE <-----
but hurry
I will draw a winner tomorrow Oct 2 at midnight'ish

CHALLENGES I USED:
Caardvarks: Clean & Simple
Pals Paper Art: All BUTTONED Up
Sew Many Challenges: Anything Goes in honor of World Cardmaking Day
Simon Says Stamp & Show: Distressed & Sanded (I did this on the kettle)
Sentimental Sunday Challenge: Dimension and must have a Sentiment on the front (I popped the kettle up and well I think there are lots of areas with Dimension)
My Partner in Crafting Crime: Clean & Simple
Ooh Laa Laa: Sentiment as the main image on project

*EXCITING NEWS* and *BLOG CANDY*

Hope everyone is having a Fantabulous Monday!

KEEP READING FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN

I have been dying to share the news of the newest Design Team that I have been asked to join



This girl is FABULOUS and I have no doubt she is going to be a REALLY BIG DEAL! I met Kristy of Kuttin' Kards, owner of Buttons & Bows when Karolyn of Paper Therapy invited me to check out her Face Book Page. You know how much I LOVE BUTTONS so Imagine how tickled I was when I saw her great blog and found HANDMADE BUTTONS! Look at some of the items from her Etsy store:

YES that is really a CUPCAKE on the Button ABOVE.

You can see them all at her Etsy shop and while you're at it, join her Facebook page HERE.
I can't wait to work with these AMAZING embellishments and I know you are going to love them too!

HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO WIN
THE BUTTON SET OF YOUR CHOICE???

LEAVE ME A COMMENT
(follow only if you like my blog and truly want to)
TELLING ME WHICH OF THE BUTTON SETS FROM HER ETSY SHOP
YOU WOULD CHOOSE IF YOU WERE TO
WIN

(I WILL DRAW THE WINNER SATURDAY, OCT 2 AT MIDNIGHT)