Any ATC Traders Out There?

The three ATC's in the above photos are up for trade. If you would like to trade, please email me at webe34him@bellsouth.net or leave a comment. The stamps used on the cards are from

My Paper Moon. I'll add more ATC to trade now and then if there's an interest. These little gems become addictive once you start making them.

This cute Halloween card is a from Kimmarie. It is also the first fall related card I have received. Fall theme cards are one of the ways I know the season is changing here in Florida seeing we don't get the beautiful colored leaves and it only gets slightly cooler. : ) I love it when I open my mailbox to happy mail. Thanks for giving me a great mail day, Kimmarie.

Inky hugs!

Shelly

A Creepy Crawly Treat

Wouldn't these spider cookies be fun for a Halloween party or even for a kid's birthday party? My neighbor did her son's last birthday party in a bug theme and these would have been perfect for it. I found this idea on a site, but unfortunately when I went back to the link to post it here today the info was gone. So I can't give proper credit to the person who came up with the idea, but it wasn't me.

To make the spider cookies you use chocolate sandwich cookies, black licorice whips, mini m&m's, and chocolate frosting. Adhere two m&m "eyes" to each cookie with a dab of chocolate frosting. Cut licorice whips into even lengths and insert 3 pieces into each side of the cookie for legs. The chocolate sandwich cookies in the photo have orange frosting, because they are the ones that are sold that way around Halloween time, so watch for them in your grocery store if you want orange frosting. Have a great party!!!

Do you ever get to thinking about the things others excel at that you wish you excelled at? Sometimes God has to remind me that He made each one of us unique. He didn't give my specific insights, gifts and instincts to anyone else. I Peter 4:11b says, "If anyone ministers, let him do it as with ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ..." Remember to thank God for the special abilities that He gave only to you.

Have a great day!!!

Inky hugs!

Shelly

Sponged Ink

I only use this stamp every once in awhile. For some reason I get to thinking there is too much coloring involved and avoid it. Once I get it out and use it, I realize that it is a simple stamp to color. I stamped it in Jet Black StazOn ink. Everything is colored with sponged on ink, except for some details on the sun. They are done with colored pencils. I added gold stickles around the rays of the sun, icicle stickles on the wings of the dragonfly, and Crystal Lacquer over the face of the sun. The stamp is from QwikArt Stamps off of Collage One stamp sheet. QwikArt is having a great sale right now. Their stamp sheets, which are normally $20 each, are $10 each and Purchase 3, Get 1 Free. You sure can't beat that!

My little dog, Princess, has developed a habit of bringing me things to "trade" for dog cookies. Most often it is a tiny scrap of paper that she finds somewhere around my stamping desk, but occasionally she will find a coin under the recliner that has fallen out of dh's pocket. It is so cute to have her come up and offer me a coin for some cookies. Who could resist that?

Have a great day!!!

Inky hugs!

Shelly

Update: I just learned that the link to My Paper Moon has not been working. I apologize. I'm still learning. : ) From now on I'll test my links. It's working now and I'll post it here too so that you don't have to backtrack to find it. My Paper Moon

Good Things Come in Small Packages

I've been experimenting with making some bath products lately. I found out that soap is harder to make than I expected. : ) But the Oatmeal Milk Bath came out very well and I'm gradually getting it all packaged in these cute little gift packages. If you'd like the recipe for the Oatmeal Milk bath email me or leave me a comment. I don't want to bore everyone with it on the blog.

But I did want to share how to make these little gift packages, because you could package many different things in them with Halloween and Christmas coming up.

1. Cut a piece of cardstock to 2 3/4" x 8 1/2".

2. Score the cardstock at 3 5/8" and 4 3/4" and fold it.

3. Adhere a 2 1/2" x 3 5/8" piece of designer paper to an outside panel of the box.

4. Adhere a computer generated label to the dp. Mine measured 2 1/8" x 3 1/8" and I punched the corners of it with my ticket punch.

5. Use a 2" x 3" ziploc bag to hold your gift. Secure it to an inside panel of the box with a strip of double-sided red liner tape. (The tiny ziploc bags can be purchased at craft stores & at some Walmarts.)

6. Making sure the edges are even, punch two holes side by side through both layers at the top of the box.

7. Put ribbon through the holes and tie it.

I think Christmas and Halloween packages would be adorable if you substituted a seasonal embellishment for the label. If you make some, please share a picture with me.

**Update: I just thought to add that I fill the small pastic bags with a funnel when I'm filling them with the Oatmeal Milk Bath. It makes the job neater and easier.

I'll leave you with an awesome thought today. You're somebody very special, because God created you in His image!

Inky hugs!

Shelly

Acrylic Background

The background of this card is made using metallic acrylic paints applied with a sponge brush on watercolor paper. I used Jet Black Staz On ink to stamp the images. The stamps are from my TAC Light the Path set. That's one of my all time favorite TAC sets.

This is my third day blogging and I haven't told you yet that I'm married to the sweetest man in the world. We've been married 27 years and he still opens doors for me, including my car door.
Most Saturday mornings my dh likes to check out the local garage sales. This last Saturday he came home with a huge box of scrapbooking and stamping stuff that he had gotten a tremendous buy on. It was all current stuff, mostly new in the package. It was like 3 years worth of Christmas gifts in one day. lol And he not only bought it for me, but he sat down with me and enjoyed watching me go through the box and discover each thing. What a guy!

Have a wonderful day!!!

Inky hugs!
Shelly

Torn Paper Layers

This is a card I made about a month ago. It's a fun card to make when you're not in the mood for anything technical. It's just the three layers of torn cardstock on a piece of dp that I used my ticket corner punch on. I used Sepia ink dtp on the torn layers and for my stamping. Both stamps I used are from My Paper Moon. BTW, My Paper Moon just came out with some new victorian images. Be sure to check them out.

Many moons ago my dh drew some of the stamps in the Stampsations line of rubber stamps that My Paper Moon carries. Fond Memories. : )

Stamps used:

Both from My Paper Moon

Spatter Background

All that I Have Seen

I had a nice long talk with my sister, Sheila, by phone last night. She is in isolation right now, because she is radioactive due to cancer treatment. Please pray for her and her family. This is the 4th time she has battled cancer in 8 years. It was so good to be able to talk everything over and to share some good laughs together. We always laugh ourselves breathless when we talk or get together.

Is there something I can pray about for you? If so, please let me know at webe34him@bellsouth.net.

Have a great day!!!

Inky hugs!

Shelly

I'm blogging!

Me, the gal who didn't want anything to do with computers years ago and ended up a computer addict, though I have to admit that I'm not very computer savvy, so please be patient with me as I figure all of this out.



I'll be sharing pictures of papercrafts with you and more importantly blessings that touch my heart and life. Stop back from time to time over the next few weeks and months to see what I come up with as I get the hang of all this.



Inky hugs!

Shelly