Buon Pasqua (Happy Easter) beware lots of photos & Italian traditions

(close up so you can see how I added color, highlights and Painted a few areas of my VINTAGE IMAGE to add depth and dimension. I also added yellow flower soft to the center of two flowers. Another ribbon that I created using an old pillow case. This one was dyed using coffee. In the center, I stacked two buttons)

Easter is such a wonderful holiday here in Sicily. In fact, Easter in Italian is “Pasqua,” and it’s a time of religious parades and celebrations. These processions often have as their focus statues of Jesus or the Virgin Mary which are carried through the city streets by participants. One of the largest and most famous processions is in the city of Enna (right here in Sicily) on Good Friday, where more than 2,000 friars parade through the city.
Traditional Easter foods include eggs, artichockes, roasted lamb, a special sweet bread called “Colomba” (made in the shape of a dove) and CHOCOLATE EGGS, which almost always are hollow and have a special prize inside. The Chocolate eggs vary in price based on the SIZE & SUPRISE that hides in the center.

ALL of the eggs are Fantastically wrapped and some are quite elaborately decorated.

Another tradition is the LAMB CAKE!
Serving your creation: Everyone starts from the rear and slices toward the head unless someone (I'm not saying who) snaps off the ear or even worse cuts from the head! Bless me father for I have sinned, I ate the lamb cake head!

Now Easter in Italy is traditionally a holiday spent with family, BUT the Monday after Easter is another story - it’s still a nationwide holiday, and this one is all about hanging out with friends, often gathering for picnics. Easter Monday is called “La Pasquetta,” or “Little Easter,” in Italian. Many cities will hold outdoor events on Pasquetta, including concerts and games. The games often involve eggs, like the famous egg races of Tredozio. One one unusual Pasquetta game takes place in the town of Panicale in Umbria, where the goal is to roll giant wheels of cheese around the city walls in the quickest time and using the least strokes.
I don't think that I had any interactions with my Sicilian friends yesterday that did not wish me "BUON PASQUA"....

Either way, Sicilian or American, I love Easter!!!

CHALLENGES I USED for My CARD:
VERVE: Fun with Flowers (I think I had FUN recreating my flowers)
Cute Card Thursday: Egg-citing (create a card with an egg on it or in an oval shape)
Simon Says Stamp: It's so Distressing (I inked the edges using Tim Holtz Vintage photo ink, also distressed around my egg with the ink & my fingernail)
Little Red Wagon: Rollin' Into Spring (Nothing says Spring Like Easter & Flowers)
Cupcake Craft Challenge: Easter/Spring & Lots of Chocolate (I've got Easter covered and my entire blog entry is dedicated to Easter AND CHOCOLATE, maybe they will let me enter?)
Creative Card Crew: Vintage or Aged (I got Both covered)
Our Creative Corner: Buttons (I stacked two in the center of my bow)
Crafty Creations: Anything Goes
.........Supplies I used.........
Image: Vintage Image Crafts
Paper: Paper Trey Ink (lemon tart), Stampin Up (whisper white)
Patterned Paper: Scribble Scrabble (Hollie's collection), Bo Bunny (Nutmeg collection)
Tools: Martha Stewart (doily lace edge punch)
Ink: Stampin Up (close to cocoa)
Misc: Flower Soft, buttons from old clothes, ribbon hand made

Shabby Chic Easter

OK so this is my latest favorite card and there are So many fun things about it that make ME SMILE......
Isn't the image ADORABLE?
So soft and elegant. Yep it is another image from Vintage Images (click on their name to check out their amazing images. Better yet, sign up for their newsletter and you will get FREE VINTAGE IMAGES).
After I printed the image out I used a circle die then inked the edges. One of new favorite things to do is to paint chipboard, let the paint dry then ink those edges. I then apply glue to the entire surface very lightly and sprinkle the chipboard with glitter..... Of course I am digging the painting and why waste all that paint that is on the end of my brush sooooo, I went back to the image and applied paint smudges around the edges and kind of smear it with my fingers. Doing that really helped to soften up the inked edges. Well heck paint on my fingers, what to do??? Smear it onto my cardstock. Are ya diggin it?

Do you like my funky, homemade ribbon??
Last week I tossed a pillow case into the garbage but then pulled it back out. I cut the pillow case into strips, and dyed them using Angel Mist!! I then twisted the strips up and rolled them into little tight balls and sprayed into them with the Angel Mist so that the ink would be darker in spots. Nest I wrapped a rubber band around them and allowed them to dry. OK I am impatient, I only waited 24 hours. I took off the rubber bands and helped them dry faster using my CURLING IRON ;o) I just left them all scrunched up and placed wads of the fabric between the barrel and part that lifts up. Unfortunately, I think the adding heat part, caused my fabric to lighten. I've got some more that I am working on and I will ATTEMPT to be MORE PATIENT this time. No promises
CHALLENGES I USED:
CARDS Magazine Blog: Easter
Colour Create Challenge: Your choice of Pastels & you can choose to incorporate Easter or Spring into your project (I got all of that covered)
Practical Scrappers: Use something you've had for OVER a YEAR (That pillow case might have been 15 years old)
Shirley's 2 Girls: Spring/Easter with a TWIST of Buttons
The Pink Elephant: Pastels
Crazy 4 Challenges: Sketch (I hope they don't mind that I made my circle a bit bigger than theirs and added buttons instead of the sentiment???)
Cute Card Thursday: Dimension (plenty of that with the ribbon, buttons, layers & chipboard)
Simon Says Stamp: Easter/Spring
.............Supplies I used...............
Image: Vintage Images
Paper: Paper Trey Ink (lemon tart, blush blossom, white), Stampin Up (certainly celery)
Patterned Paper: Basic Grey (distressed blue), Stampin Up (tall tales yellow polka dots)
Misc: Paper Trey Ink (buttons), K&Co (chip board), scrap fabric, Stampin Up (glitter), Delta pastel pink acrylic paint
Ink: Stampin Up (close to cocoa)
Tools: sewing machine,

Fussy & Fancy Easter Greetings

Fussy & Fancy
Challenge #7
"EASTER"

This week Fussy & Fancy is being sponsored by THE CHARM BARN so make sure that you check out the Challenge Page for Complete Details on WINNING a $15 STORE CREDIT to The Charm Barn.
Here is another take on the Vintage Image that I featured in the post below this one. Since my EGG CHARM has a more contemporary look, I had to really hold myself back from going crazy with my favorite technique of Distressing. The only distressing I did was adding a little light pink paint around the edges of my image, then distressed using my fingernail. I only adhered the middle portion of the image which allowed it to have a more dimensional appearance.

This card took me approximately 10 minutes to complete!!! Every single layer (inside & out) were pieces that I had lying around my table from other projects. Don't you love not having to figure out what to do with scraps???
OTHER CHALLENGES THAT I USED:
Fussy & Fancy: Easter
CARDS Magazine Blog: Easter
Little Red Wagon: Photo Inspiration (my embossed blue cardstock reminds me of the textured blanket at the foot of the bed, the layes of the scalloped edge & doiley edge remind me of the dust ruffle)
C.R.A.F.T Challenge: Easter
Pile It On: Furry Friends (bunnies are furry)
Simon Says Stamp: Easter/Spring & Glimmer (I think that EGG is pretty shiney but then I also have those yummy light green pearls)
THE ABC Toys & Crafts Challenge: (SPRING is in Full BLOOM) --- DEADLINE Tonight
..........Supplies I used..........
Cardstock: Paper Trey Ink (lemon tart, spring rain, raspberry fizz), Bazzill (pink, light green)
Patterned Paper: Stampin Up (tall tales),
Tools: Martha Stewart (ribbon punch, Doiley Lace edge punch), Provo Craft (cuttlebug & cuttlebug embossing folder), Marvy Uchida (scalloped circle punch), Cricut
Misc: The Charm Barn (Easter egg charm), Stampin Up (sheer ribbon), Offrey (hot pink ribbon), Making Memories (green pearls)

Hoppy "Vintage" Easter

If you haven't figured it out by now, I am so EXCITED to have discovered VINTAGE IMAGE CRAFT. No I am not getting paid or on a Design Team for VINTAGE IMAGES, but just for being on their newsletter, I receive FREE IMAGES from time to time (quite often actually) and I thought some of my readers may be interested. Seriously is that bunny not fantastic? I used this image again last night in a frantic rush to meet my Fussy & Fancy Design Team obligation but you will have to wait until tomorrow (Friday) to have a peek at my Fussy project.

After I printed, I inked the edges, roughed them up a bit with my fingernail then I dabbed bits of paint here and there. I didn't realize until after how appropriate the paint was since the Bunny is Painting the Egg. The ribbon was a basic cream color until I brewed a cup of tea and tossed it in. Not bad huh? That ribbon is just the first of several little fabric projects that I have been experimenting with so stay tuned for my pillow case transformation.
CHALLENGES I USED:
Pile It On: Furry Friends (bunnies count)
Little Red Wagon: Inspiration Photo (I was inspired by how feminine, the blue and the dust ruffle)
Cute Card Thursday: Dimension (I used lots of layers, ribbon and the heart border is actually raised by bending it up a bit)
Fab 'n' Funky: Favorite Technique (mine are distressing and creating my own embellishments)
Our Creative Corner: Easter
C.R.A.F.T.: Easter
My friend Nina from Crafting in Croatia is celebrating her one year Blogoversary and this is the sketch challenge that she has posted for a Fantastic Prize Package.
............Supplies I used..............
Image: Vintage Images.com
Stamps: Paper Trey Ink (limitless labels)
Ink: Stampin' Up (close to cocoa)
Cardstock: Paper Trey Ink (aqua mist, blush blossom, lemon tart, white)
Patterned Paper: K&Co (bailey), Stampin' Up (tall tales)
Ribbon: Stampin Up
Tools: Martha Stewart edge punches(lace doiley, valentine lace border, scalloped polka dots), Marvy Uchida (yellow scalloped circle

Chocolate Easter Bunny Blessings

Gonna have to be a super fast post today. I need to be getting ready for "Feste Della Donna", which is the celebration of WOMEN. I believe almost every culture EXCEPT Americans Celebrate this day. WHY NOT?? I'm all about having a day to Celebrate ME, aren't you??

Verve is having a release party this evening and issued this sketch challenge to be entered to win FREE STAMPS...... Would you like to play along? Go Here for all the details.... But hurry because they will be drawing a winner this evening (Sunday)......

Finally took the opportunity to get my new PTI stamps inky.... I combined two different sets on this card. The bunnies, Sentiment and flowers are from Tags for Spring. For the background, I stamped Damask Designs using Aqua Mist cardstock and the matching ink. I believe this card is pretty much straight forward so I am loading it up now so that I won't miss the opportunity to WIN..........
..................Recipe................
PaperTrey Ink: Tags for Spring, Damask Designs stamp sets, Cardstock: Dark Chocolate, Kraft, Aqua Mist, Ink: Dark Chocolate, Aqua Mist, Ribbon: Sweet Blush
Stampin' Up!: Stamp n Write markers, Scallop edge punch, Hemp
Spellbinders: Square Scallop Nestabilities
That button is one that came with a pair of American Eagle shorts!!!

Bunny Pockets w/ Matching Envelopes

I have been on a dead run today!! Started out paying an Italian speeding ticket. The polizia that I dealt with was the owner of my Alpha Romeo before me!!!!! The car is demonic and hates me so I asked him whether or not he ever had problems. He didn't but the car also hated his wife and she refused to drive it!!!!!! I'm telling you the car is "Christine". One tiny example, last week I needed to unlock it so that I could get it out of the way for street painters. When I tried to unlock it, it immediately re-locked itself!!! I had witnesses. It functioned just fine for one of the guys........ Needless to say, I don't drive the thing.

I did manage to find time to re-organize my craft closet (yes again).... I also got to stamp a number of cards. I had finished these bunny cards the other day and I love the way they turned out.  It is a boxed set of 6 with matching envelopes.  I stamped the bottom of the little card, rounded the corners affixed ribbon and a little punched flower. This gets inserted into the pocket. I am having a lot of fun with my new puches, can ya tell??

Adhesive is hard to come by around here so I decided to sew the sides closed rather than tape them. I love it. That part is a little time consuming because I am so picky. The top and bottom of all four sides must be tied off to keep them from unraveling.  The top of the pocket is lined with a polka dot paper.  I am going to make the container to house them in. It will open and close like a book and will have a pocket on the inside of each flap. One side for the cards/pockets and the other for the envelopes.  

This would be a great card for any occassion simply by changing the theme and colors.  Let me know if you are interested in your own set.