Donna's Designs

Faba the Good Witch

2024-11-06T14:22:00.001-05:00

Hello everyone,

Today's card uses the Lavinia Faba Witch stamp. It is part of The Dream Witch Collection which debuted in August. Both Faba and the Flittermice stamp were inked in VersaFine Clair nocturne. I used a white gel pen on her hair. Lots of sponging was done before adding Stickles for some sparkle.

Thank you for popping by and for you lovely comments.

Stamps: Lavinia Faba Witch, Flittermice
Paper: Black Linen, Groovy Guava
Ink: VersaFine Clair Nocturne
Accessories: Aubergine Stickles, Yellow Stickles, White Gel Pen
Technique: Sponging, Masking
Card Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

No Crow About It

2024-11-02T16:43:00.003-04:00

I just love these little crow stamps and thought he would look cute perched on top of these books. This was a simple and easy one to make. The background was sponged in several different shades of blue with Purple Plum, Purple Twilight and Eggplant on the bottom.

The crow and stack of books were stamped in VersaFine Clair Nocturne. I used Prismacolor Pencils and Gamsol to color in the books. Magical Mist was stamped in Versafine Clair Morning Mist and embossed with iridescent ice embossing powder. The image was layered to a Spellbinders Lacey Square and mounted to a Metallic Black Onyx card.

Wishing you a wonderful & relaxing weekend!

Stamps: Lavinia Crow Set, Wands & Spells, Magical Mist
Paper: Black Onyx, Shimmery White
Ink: Images - VersaFine Clair Nocturne, VersaFine Clair Morning Mist with Iridescent Ice EP; Blue & Purple Inks, Prismacolor Pencils
Accessories: Spellbinders Lacey Squares #5, Gamsol
Technique: Embossing, Sponging, Prismacolor Pencils
Card Size: 4.75" x 4.75"

Lavinia Far World Castle

2024-11-01T03:00:00.002-04:00

Hello friends,

Halloween is my favorite time of the year so I have a few cards to share with you. Both of these were created using Lavinia Stamps. Don't they look a little "haunting" to you?

Thank you for stopping by!

Stamps: Lavinia Far World Castle, Bats, Small Lanterns, Small Branch, Mini Leaf 2
Paper: The Paper Company Metallic Flame, Basic Black, Cajun Craze
Ink: VersaFine Clair Nocturne, VersaFine Clair Morning Mist
Accessories: Star Dust Stickles, Yellow Stickles, Mini Hill Masks, Markers, Post-It Notes
Technique: Sponging, Masking
Card Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

Halloween with Lavinia

2023-10-29T16:00:00.054-04:00

Hello my ghoulish friends,

I just wanted to pop on today and show you a Halloween card and some tags I created using Lavinia Stamps. They are located in Ruthin, which is in North Wales. Aren't their silhouette stamps just gorgeous?

Willow the Witch was used for the "spooky" Halloween card and tag.

This tag was created using the crow set and Elm tree.

Wishing you all a safe and Happy Halloween!!!

Catskills - North Lake Trails

2023-09-03T21:00:00.002-04:00

Hey friends,

It was a beautiful day to take a drive to the Catskills. The trail was a bit more than I expected and I was a little slow on the way back.

The views were pretty with the puffy clouds.

We continued onward to a few other trails ...

There were many woodland ferns.

Do you recognize the plant below? It is Monotropa uniflora, also known as ghost plant or indian pipe. They are waxy white and unlike most plants do not have chlorophyll and therefore are non-photosynthetic.

A few mushrooms could be found, but not a lot.

My feet were very happy when we arrived back to the registration station!

Happy Labor Day weekend everyone!

June Blooms ...

2022-06-12T15:16:00.001-04:00

Hi everyone,

I can't believe it is almost the middle of June already!

Today I want to share with you a project started a few weeks ago. I finally decided to move the arbor from the northwest corner of our property to create a new entrance to our backyard. At the time it sounded like an easy job, but the arbor was set in concrete!

I love how it's integrated into the existing garden.

I planted Peaches & Cream Honeysuckle vines and look forward to seeing the blooms next year!

This week I was able to enjoy the last of my lilacs. Just as I was getting ready to take this photo, a yellow Tiger Swallowtail made it perfect.

Wisteria 'Blue Moon' has been putting on a show... the pollinators love it!

Peonies are abundant, but with the recent rain the petals have started to fall.

Purple geraniums are happy, creeping and spreading...

Salvia is a staple in my gardens. It is such a hardy perennial for the northeast. I've started to mix the pinks & purples together.

Last fall I planted Allium 'Roseum' and wasn't sure if the tiny little bulbs would make it through the winter. To my surprise I have blush frilly globes appearing.

Honeysuckle 'Mandarin' is bursting with color. Every year this vine just keeps getting bigger and bigger.

Our amphibians and Koi seem to cohabitate very well together in the garden pond.

Wishing you a happy new week!

Don't forget to stop and enjoy the simple things life has to offer.

Around the Garden ...

2022-06-01T12:45:00.022-04:00

As I dust off my blog and flip the calendar's page, I'm surprised at how quickly May has come and gone.

The gardens had a late start with the cool spring.

In May, we set up the fountain which I get to enjoy each day.

The pretty purple catmint is in full bloom ...

We even had a visitor stop by to say "Hello".

The Syringa vulgaris 'Sensation' lilac with its beautiful bicolor flowers!

Soft lavender-pink petals on the Korean lilac bush.

Drumstick Allium reaching for the sky.

Siberian & Japanese Irises have always been a favorite. 'Momogasumi' with warm lavender-pink petals. They remind me of a butterfly.

One of the oldest bushes is the Rhododendron.

Peonies are starting to emerge ... this one is 'Terrific Gal'.

Of course, there is 'Sarah Bernhardt' with her large double flowers in pastel pink.

Do you remember my garden pond? The water irises are blooming ...

and our koi is getting big! He was only 4" long when he came to join us.

I've enjoyed playing in the dirt this spring. We have made quite a few changes this year, which I hope to share with you soon.

Thanks for strolling with me today ...

Wolf Creek Falls Preserve

2021-05-18T18:11:00.016-04:00

Hi friends,

Today was such a beautiful day I went on a hike to the Wolf Creek Falls Preserve in the Town of Knox.

This preserve has multiple cascading waterfalls as you wind through the woodland path.

There are several different trails to choose from which intersect and intertwine with each other both north and south of Bozenkill Road.

Stretches of old stone walls can be seen along the trail. The property was once part of the Rensselaerywyck Estate. In 1864 the Van Aukens started clearing the land and put up stone walls to raise sheep, providing wool for the Huyck Felt Mill.

The hike was very peaceful, meandering through the woods.

Half way into our hike we came upon a little picnic area and ate our lunch. There was also a bird house nearby, but was vacant during our visit.

I couldn't resist taking a tree canopy photo.

We came upon this bridge built by Dan Driscoll. It was crafted to produce a tune if you stand on the platform and use a mallet to hit the planks.

I was surprised we didn't see any squirrels or chipmunks along the way; however, this little birdie stopped to say "Hello".

The hike was just shy of 3 miles and we stayed on the trail to avoid any poison ivy.

There is quite a bit of history behind the land, which was donated to the Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy.

I hope you have a beautiful week!

Micro Paris Planner

2020-11-29T17:19:00.027-05:00

Hello blogging friends,

It has been a while since I posted. I've been wanting to share with you my custom micro planner. It turned out better than I could have imagined!

I finally have a pretty portable planner, which allows me to have a grocery list, meal planning, wish lists and so much more on hand.

The planner is the same size as a Micro Happy Notes, which is 3" x 4". Great for on the go!

Since I love all things Paris I knew the first cover I created would be a Paris themed one. The images were composed and then the cover was printed on heavy white cardstock and laminated. Yes, I finally bought myself a laminator. Actually, it was a birthday present to myself back in November.

Journaling cards by Cloth & Paper fit perfectly in the planner since the cards are already 3" x 4". No cutting was needed for those. Divider tabs keep everything organized and easy to find.

The discbound system works great for me so I can just pull out my grocery list or meal planning sheets and take them with me to the store. I used aluminum 3/4" inch discs from Eleven Discs to keep everything together. I've already started creating different covers for the seasons.

Do you still use a planner or rely solely on your Smartphone?

Wishing you a blessed Sunday!

Happiness Jar

2020-04-19T08:58:00.019-04:00

Hi friends,

I hope everyone is staying safe. I want to share with you my "Happy Jar". I've been wanting to create one and today I finally had the time to be creative.

The concept of a happiness jar is so very simple. A jar you can fill with happy memories as often as you like. There are no rules! Just jot down on a slip of paper the happiest moment of your day or week; fold up the paper and drop it in the jar. I also like to write on my slips of paper the date.

I'm amazed over time the little things I have forgotten had I not jotted them down. I am realizing in uncertain times my happiest moments are common every day things, from watching the birds at the feeder, to having Pippin snuggle up on me.

To create my jar, I took a mason jar and painted it with blue chalk paint and then distressed it. Studio Manu Sound of Music scrapbook paper was used for the lid top, jar band, tag and pocket envelope. This is one of my favorite paper designs.

The label for my jar was simply computer generated using the 1942 Report font (simple and quick) :-)

A band for around the jar was cut with scallop edged scissors and adhered with double sided tape.

A view of the jar top, which has a cream crochet flower with a flat back pearl in the center.

Digging deep into my stash of die cuts, I located a Sizzix pocket envelope perfect for my slips of paper.

I decided to get extra creative and added a text graphic to the top of each one before cutting them out.

Have you created a "Happy Jar"? If not, I hope today I have inspired you to make one!

Supplies: Mason Jar with Lid
Text: 1942 Report, Enjoy the Little Things Text Graphic
Paper: Studio Manu Sound of Music Scrapbook Paper, Whisper White
Accessories: Vintage Tea Stained Seam Binding, Cream 12mm Flower Flat Back Pearl, Cream Crochet Flower, Spellbinders Small Circles #4, Labels Four #3, Small Labels Four #4, Large Classic Rectangles #3, Sizzix Pocket with Scallop Edge Die Cut, Scallop Edge Scissors

Goat Milk Soap

2020-04-13T03:30:00.000-04:00

Hello friends,

I hope you are staying safe through COVID-19 and doing your part with social distancing. Since my position is in healthcare I am still working and keeping busy trying to maintain a clean, germ free home.

All this washing and scrubbing can really dry out your hands. I've found the best soap to use is goat milk. It has a creamy lather with a subtle smell of sweet milk. Goat milk soap leaves your skin feeling clean, soft and hydrated.

Did you know goat milk is rich in Vitamin A and is perfect for sensitive skin? Vitamin A can help reduce lines and wrinkles (and who doesn't want that!) Goat milk soap is made through the process of saponification. Naturally high in saturated and unsaturated fat, which is gentle and nourishing.

If you are looking for a soap that isn't harsh and keeps your skin healthy, I do recommend trying goat milk.

Until next time ...

Evergreen Woodland

2019-12-29T11:12:00.000-05:00

Hello friends,

It has been such a long time since I've posted on my blog! If you follow Donna's Designs, I do post from time to time on Facebook and Instagram. Today I have an evergreen themed card I created layering digital images. Although I love stamping sometimes I can achieve a much better result with digital imaging.

This card truly represents how I decorate my home for Christmas. You will find snowy trees, reindeer, silver decorations and evergreens. I like to keep the decorations out until mid-January since winter is still upon us.

A peek at the inside shows a snow covered deer among evergreen trees.

I hope everyone had a wonderful and memorable Christmas! Pippin received a few new toys that he just adores.

Stamps: Digital Images by Isabelle Salem
Paper: Fresh Air, Bordering Blue, Shimmery White
Ink: Bordering Blue
Accessories: 1/4" Organdy White Ribbon, Spellbinders Small Petite Ovals #2, Large Petite Ovals #2
Technique: Sponging, Spritzing
Card Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

The Mother's Day Box 2019

2019-05-12T15:57:00.000-04:00

Hey friends!

A big shout out to all the beautiful mothers out there on Mother's Day! I hope you are having a wonderful day.

I wanted to share with you the Mother's Day boxes I put together this year.

This collection included some of my favorite items, such as an 8 oz. Wildflowers candle by Antique Candle Co. Wildflowers smells like a freshly picked bouquet of lilacs, pansies, sunflowers and lilies, with soft notes of sweet orange musk.

There was a full size Grapefruit & Blood Orange Hand & Body Lotion by The Cottage Greenhouse. This lotion is bursting with orchard-ripe plant & herb essences, which is loaded with Vitamin C & B5. I love that this enriched lotion is light and absorbs quickly. It's also Paraben Free / Gluten Free / Vegan / Never Animal Tested

A farmhouse style tea towel with a Fresh Flower Market Graphic by Returning Grace Designs. This towel is 28" x 28" and makes such a pretty Mother's Day gift.

Everything was hand packed in a pink box. A lovely curated collection to gift to someone special.

Also, included in a few of the boxes was a faux Rosemary plant in a vintage-style galvanized pot by Lemon Leaf Market. Love the garden marker signs!

However you celebrate your Mother's Day, I hope you cherish the time spent together with family and create some wonderful memories.

Decisions ... Decisions

2019-05-05T13:52:00.000-04:00

Hey friends!

I labeled this post decisions because I am such an indecisive person. Several weeks ago, I was reading some blogs and thought these are "so pretty and I like the layouts." Well, they were WordPress blogs - it got me thinking, perhaps I should switch platforms. After doing my research I decided I would stay on Blogger. I really didn't want to pay for hosting and wasn't familiar enough with WordPress to be able to switch over my feeds and so forth.

Since I had "blogs" on my mind I thought maybe I would create a new blog design and switch over to a 2-column format. The ultimate goal was to be able to post larger images. My mind was immediately swirling with so many ideas. As I started to create a new blog header, I found myself constantly changing the design. My first thought was a clean modern look with a minimalist design. Soon I had three different designs, but none of them "spoke to me", but it was finally time to start the testing process. Once I had my new template installed with all my gadgets & widgets set up I exported the data from my old blog, then uploaded it to the new one. I then had an OMG moment! All the posts imported fine, but every photo was so blurry you couldn't even make out the images. I knew this could possibly happen since my left sidebar would be larger in the new template. I played around with it for a while ... long while, but the only fix would have been to delete the images from 900+ posts and re-insert them :-(

Ok, so I put that issue aside and forged ahead. Within a few minutes I realized some of the coding from my original blog was also pulled over to the new template. At this point, I realized I can't import any information. I would literally have to start a new blog from scratch with no content. Among all this design stuff, my husband asked me again, "Why are you creating a new blog?" My response was "I want my images to look a little bigger." I knew I had to take a step back - I was becoming too frustrated. Just the thought of having to create all new social media icons and banners was weighing on me. I couldn't even settle on a color! I know - design is supposed to be fun, right?

Saturday morning I woke up, made a cup of coffee and sat in front of my desktop. As soon as I opened my blog I immediately thought "I really do love this design." I could never re-create the feeling I get when I see this. It was at that moment I decided to abandon the idea of a new blog. I sipped my coffee and thought all I need to do is make a few changes. I went to work creating a navigation bar, updating some coding, cleaning up the sidebars and adding a few new designs. It's a work in progress. If you had any suggestions, please let me know.

Although my images may not be as large as I would like them to be, I have "fallen in love" again with my blog. Over time everything comes back in style so perhaps one day 3-column blogs will make a comeback ... LOL!

Blessings,

Antique Candle Co.

2019-04-13T16:32:00.000-04:00

Hello friends,

A while back I had posted about how I decided to switch from paraffin candles to soy and today I would like to share with you why I chose Antique Candle Co.

Antique Candle Co. (previously Antique Candle Works) offers high quality, artisan candles made from natural, domestically grown soy beans without any dyes. Soy wax is non-toxic, eco-friendly, renewable and water soluble. Did you know soy candles last longer? They burn at a slower rate and can last almost 30-50% longer than a paraffin candle - Woo hoo!

I have discovered soy candles burn much cleaner without carcinogens and pollutants. Antique Candle Co. uses cotton wicks for a clean and even burn.

Another beautiful thing about soy candles is their natural off-white color. The raw color of this wax blends with any decor. Antique Candle Co. offers their candles in a wonderful mason jar with a vintage style metal lid. Can you say farmhouse?

Country Pear by Cotton Stem

Now it's all about the fragrance, right? Well, Antique Candle Co. has spent countless hours blending each product with their signature fragrance combinations. Every step of the process is carefully handcrafted in house by their team of candle chemists. Each unique scent is incredible. A few of my favorites are Country Pear by Cotton Stem, Wildflowers and Sweet Lemon.

Wildflowers

Sweet Lemon

Brittany, owner of Antique Candle Co., is passionate about what she does. You will be amazed when your candles arrive and how beautiful their packaging is. Each mason jar will come in its own box, including the wax melts. You will also receive an adorable muslin bag hand stamped with the Antique Candle Co. logo.

Happy Mail!

Look at all the wonderful smelling scents!

I am totally obsessed with Country Pear by Cotton Stem. This luscious fragrance is unbelievable! It truly is a timeless scent perfect for every season. I loved it so much I bought several jars for my friends.

As part of my gift giving, I created the cute candle tags for each jar.

These candles will have you swooning my friends ...

Thank you for stopping to visit me!

Paris in the Spring Time

2019-04-10T04:00:00.000-04:00

Bonjour,

Today I am taking you for a journey to Paris. Doesn't that sound exciting? There's nothing like the romance of Paris in the springtime.

I've started with a base card in natural white linen then ran a piece of parchment shell paper through the Big Shot using a Spellbinders Timeless Rectangle #4 die. The image was stamped in StazOn Black on Very Vanilla and mounted to a piece of Early Espresso.

The flowers were colored using Blushing Bride & Pretty in Pink inks with a blender pen. The leaves were done with Prismacolor pencils. A clear Spica pen adds sparkle to each blossom with a pink pearl in the center of each one.

Using the Beautiful Wings embosslits die, I cut two little butterflies and covered them with Angel Wings Shimmerz Paint. The card was finished with a pretty cherry blossom bow and pink ice brad.

So what do you think? Does it make you want to go to Paris?

Stamps: Stampendous I Love Paris
Paper: Natural White Linen, Specialty Paper Parchment Shell, Early Espresso, Blushing Bride, Very Vanilla
Ink: Image - Stazon Black; Flowers - Blushing Bride & Pretty in Pink; Leaves - Prismacolor Pencils
Accessories: 3/8" Cherry Blossom Ribbon, Kaisercraft Pink Ice Brad, Basic Grey Opaline Pearls in Blush, Clear Spica Pen, Angel Wings Shimmerz Paint, Gamsol, Spellbinders Timeless Rectangle #4 Die, Blender Pen, Bow-Easy
Technique: Blender Pen, Colored Pencils
Card Size: 4 1/2" x 6 1/4"

A Fleuriste Newsprint

2019-03-05T04:00:00.000-05:00

Howdy,

Fleuriste Newsprint by JustRite Stamps is a beautiful background stamp I have had for years and finally inked it up. Yes my friends, un-inked stamps - guilty as charged!

The image was stamped in StazOn Stone Gray on Shimmery White paper. I started sponging the background in Distress Shabby Shutters and then added VersaMagic Niagara Mist. Nothing too fancy - I just went with it.

Butterflies were also stamped in StazOn Stone Gray and sponged in Brilliance Pearlescent Purple. They were cut out by hand before adding Star Dust Stickles.

I wrapped some pretty orchid seam binding around the front of the card and made a triple loop bow. A Stampin' Up antique brad accents the center. These have always been one of my favorite items.

Here's a peek at the inside using the Spellbinders Decorative Labels Eight die. I stamped another coordinating butterfly.

If you ever have any questions about one of my creations, please feel free to email me.

Donna's Designs is also on Facebook and Instagram.

Stamps: JustRite Fleuriste Newsprint, Impression Obsession Faith Wings, JustRite Fleur De Lis Labels Twenty
Paper: Old Lace, Recollections Purple Passion, Very Vanilla, Shimmery White
Ink: Images & Sentiment - StazOn Stone Gray; Sponging - Distress Shabby Shutters & VersaMagic Niagara Mist; Butterflies - Brilliance Pearlescent Purple; Doily Accent - Brilliance Pearlescent Beige
Accessories: Bluebird Lane Orchid Seam Binding, SU Antique Brad, Star Dust Stickles, Kaiser Rhinestones in Wine, Spellbinders Floral Doily Accent, Spellbinders Decorative Labels Eight #3, Edge Distresser, Bow-Easy
Technique: Sponging
Card Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

Valentine's Day En Francais

2019-02-14T07:27:00.000-05:00

Hello blogging friends,

I have a Valentine's Day card to share with you today. Do you remember as a kid making homemade Valentine's Day cards to pass out at school and the nostalgic feeling you had? This is exactly how I felt creating this one.

When it comes to Valentine's Day I always think of something vintage, old, pink and nostalgic.

I started with a Natural White Linen card base with a layer of Primrose Petals. The floral paper is by K & Company. The pocket heart design I saw on SCS and added the pretty gold metal flourish to the bottom of it. Before folding the paper, I stamped the script background in Versamark and embossed it with gold embossing powder. Sponging was then done in Distress Antique Linen & Soft Suede. The inner heart was cut from a Spellbinders Classic Heart #5 die and embossed using a Craft Concepts Budding Vine embossing folder.

A piece of vintage seam binding with a heart brad finish it off!

The inside sentiment was also stamped in VersaMark and embossed with gold embossing powder. Distress Walnut Stain was used to stamp the key.

Sending you sweet wishes ...

Stamps: SU En Francais, Key to My Heart, PSX Valentine's Day
Paper: Natural White Linen, Primrose Petals, K & Company Ancestry.com Designer Paper, Blushing Bride, Very Vanilla
Ink: VersaMark with Gold EP; Sponging - Distress Antique Linen & Soft Suede, Distress Walnut Stain
Accessories: Cream Seam Binding, Making Memories Je t'Adore Heart Brad, Gold Metal Flourish (from my stash), Spellbinders Classic Heart #5 Die, SCS Heart Template, Craft Concepts Budding Vine Embossing Folder, Bow-Easy
Technique: Embossing, Sponging
Card Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

River Garden Studio

2019-01-26T21:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Saturday!

During the cold, gloomy winter months I find myself craving greenery. Perhaps that is a sign of a true gardener.

So today we headed to the River Garden Studio. This is a quaint nature inspired shop located in the shopping district. Would you like to come along for a tour?

As soon as I walked in my mood completely changed. The aroma of evergreens and fresh cut pines just brought me back to the holiday season.

Pretty tropical plants and palms were everywhere.

Look at this gorgeous Silver Queen plant! It doesn't even look real.

They had a beautiful display of air plants in hanging glass terrariums.

I love these tree trunk containers - perfect for that farmhouse look.

Barr-Co soaps in different scents. The Fir & Grapefruit has a citrus smell so fresh and crisp.

I literally wanted one of everything and didn't want to leave. I'm even more anxious now for spring to arrive.

Have a fabulous weekend my friends!

Antique Candle Works

2019-01-03T19:00:00.000-05:00

Hi friends,

Look what arrived today! I can't tell you how excited I am to try these soy candles by Antique Candle Works. I made a conscious decision in December to switch from paraffin candles to soy. I was fortunate enough to pick these up on sale.

They came beautifully packaged and with a cute muslin bag hand stamped with the Antique Candle Works logo.

White pine makes you feel like you are in the middle of a forest - so fresh and clean. My home is going to smell heavenly!

The peppermint candle is amazing! It has a refreshing and soothing aroma - sweet and minty.

"Look at how a single candle can both defy
and define the darkness."

~ Anne Frank ~

I can think of so many ideas for the adorable little bag and how to incorporate it into gift giving. I plan to share with you in the near future more about my decision to switch to soy candles and why I chose Antique Candle Works.

Stay warm & cozy!

A Christmas Nuthatch

2018-12-26T04:00:00.000-05:00

Hi friends,

I hope each and every one of you had a wonderful and blessed Christmas! Our little Pippin had a stocking filled with toys. He couldn't decide which one to play with first.

Today I'm sharing one of the Christmas cards I created. It's always challenging creating with a curious kitty around - he does slow me down some :-)

I've used a digital image by Fred She Said with some non-traditional colors.

The background was created using a Stampin' Up Softly Falling Textured Impressions Embossing Folder. The focal image is a combination of Spellbinders Classic Circles.

I stamped the inside sentiment with StazOn Black using the Memory Box Wonderful Time stamp.

I have so much to be grateful for this past year, especially for those who come to visit me.

Wishing you a Happy New Year with the hope you will have many blessings in the year to come.

Stamps: Fred She Said Nuthatch, Memory Box Wonderful Time
Paper: Kraft, Lost Lagoon, Whisper White
Ink: StazOn Black
Accessories: Kraft 3/8" Taffeta Ribbon, Kaiser Clear Rhinestones, Spellbinders Victorian Tags, Spellbinders Small Classic Circles #5, Large Classic Circles #5, Small Classic Circles #6, SU Softly Falling Textured Impressions Embossing Folder
Technique: Digital Image
Card Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

DIY Glitter Monogram Ornaments

2018-12-24T12:37:00.000-05:00

Hello there,

I can't believe it's Christmas Eve! Are you all ready for tomorrow? A couple of weeks ago I was in Pottery Barn and I saw these glitter monogram ornaments. They caught my eye, but I wasn't impressed with the quality of them as they were made out of cardboard. I thought it would be easy to recreate these at home.

Pottery Barn Silver Ornament

A few days later, I swung by Michaels Crafts and picked up 3 wood letters for 99 cents each. I used some Champagne Metallic Paint, Mod Podge, and Fairy Dust Glitter to create monogram letters for our Christmas stockings.

I started by drilling a whole in the corner of each letter then sanded the wood lightly to remove any rough spots.

Next, I painted each letter with a coat of Champagne Metallic Paint. Don't worry if it doesn't come out perfect as the glitter will hide any imperfections.

After waiting about 30 minutes or so I painted each letter with a thin coat of Matte Mod Podge and then sprinkled ... sprinkled ... and sprinkled glitter all over them. Tap off the excess glitter and let them sit for a few minutes to dry.

Because I didn't want the glitter to rub off onto everything I sprayed an even coat of sealant over the top of each one. To hang each letter from our stocking I used Baker's Twine and tied a knot around the loop.

Pippin's Stocking

Can you see the glitter?

Donna's Stocking

Michael's Stocking

What a super easy project, which allowed me to create letters to match our Christmas stockings and they are better than Pottery Barn!

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all thro' the house,

not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there ...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Randi's Song for Autumn

2018-11-20T03:30:00.000-05:00

When it comes to autumn my go to stamp set is Randi's Song by Our Daily Bread Designs. I've mixed up colors and have created numerous cards with this pretty set.

I stamped the Ecclesiastes 3:1 in StazOn Timber Brown on a piece of Shimmery White paper, which was cut from a Spellbinders Small Long Rectangle die. I then sponged the paper with Barely Banana, So Saffron, Summer Sun and Really Rust. This piece was layered onto a piece of Early Espresso.

The leaf image was stamped on Shimmery White paper using a Kaleidacolor Autumn Leaves ink pad then I sponged the leaf with Barely Banana, So Saffron and Summer Sun. A corner rounder was used on the edges. I adhered this to a piece of Crushed Curry cut from a Small Classic Square #5 die, which I also rounded the corners. Everything was layered onto a piece of Early Espresso using an Eyelet Square #3 die. I weaved a piece of naturals hemp cord through the eyelets. The card base is Crushed Curry with Early Espresso. Next, I ran a piece of Really Rust through the Big Shot using a Cuttlebug Victoria Embossing Folder.

The inside sentiment by Impression Obsession was stamped in StazOn Timber Brown and embossed with clear embossing powder with a heat gun. The tree cluster was stamped using the first two colors of the Kaleidacolor ink pad.

I've missed blogging with all of you. I hadn't planned on taking a break - it just happened. I appreciate everyone who still comes by to visit me and leave a comment. If you are on Facebook you can follow Donna's Designs there too.

Wishing you a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving!

Stamps: Our Daily Bread Designs Randi's Song, Infinite Beauty by Impression Obsession, Stampscapes Tree Cluster Small (266D)
Paper: Crushed Curry, Early Espresso, Really Rust, Shimmery White
Ink: Ecclesiates 3:1 - StazOn Timber Brown (sponged with Barely Banana, So Saffron, Summer Sun & Really Rust); Maple Leaf - Kaleidacolor Autumn Leaves (sponged with Barely Banana, So Saffron & Summer Sun); Inside Sentiment - StazOn Timber Brown with Clear EP; Tree Cluster - First two colors of Kaleidacolor Autumn Leaves
Accessories: Naturals 48 lb. Hemp Cord, Corner Rounder, Nesties Large Long Rectangles #4, Small Long Rectangles #4, Small Classic Squares #5, Eyelet Squares #3, Cuttlebug Victoria Embossing Folder
Technique: Embossing, Sponging
Card Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

Mini Muslin Gift Bag Holder

2018-11-16T03:30:00.000-05:00

Hello Crafters,

Today I have a super easy project to share with you. I've had these Stampin' Up Mini Muslin Bags forever and finally decided to use one for a gift card holder. Tell me why did I wait so long?

For You was stamped in StazOn Timber Brown on a Spellbinders Gold Labels Four Die. A little Brilliance Pearlescent Beige was added to the edges. I then popped it up on a Labels Four Small Die cut from Close to Cocoa Paper. The tag was hung from Baker's Twine.

I created a bow using Winter White seam binding and added the kraft paper leaf dipped in wax. These I had purchased several years ago on Etsy.

I think I'm addicted to these bags now! My mind is swirling with ideas.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend as we start to think about the Thanksgiving Holiday.

Stamps: JustRite Shoes Vintage Labels Six
Paper: Close to Cocoa, Shimmery White
Ink: StazOn Timber Brown, Brilliance Pearlescent Beige
Accessories: SU Mini Muslin Bags, Winter White Seam Binding, Baker's Twine, Gold Labels Four #1, Labels Four Small #4, Hole Punch
Technique: Sponging
Bag Size: 4" x 5 1/2"

A Dusting ...

2018-11-14T08:24:00.000-05:00

Our first dusting of snow arrived last night ...

It feels as though autumn came and went so quickly.

It was a late start and now the leaves are crisp and speckled with snow.

The gardens last hurrah.

A new season is beginning. The thermometer is at 26.8 degrees.

The pond has a thin glaze, but the Koi do not mind.

It's official, hot cocoa season has arrived.

Thank you for stopping to visit.

Stay warm!