MEWsager Gift Tag

Finally! After many technical difficulties and a few lost posts, I got my blog back to working!

Welcome to the 2020 Cat Lovers Hop, (our 6th year!) hosted by HerPeacefulGarden.

As you know, I look forward to this hop each year. Unfortunately, those of you who follow my blog know that I haven’t been able to craft as much this year, as what little energy I have has been used up caring for my folks. In trying to get ready for this hop, I find out I’ve been away so long that WordPress has completely changed up the format and it’s like learning how to make a post all over again. Argh! (I think there’s something to that saying about not being able to teach an old cat new tricks!) Ok, enough caterwauling!

I found this adorable little hand held massager at the Dollar Tree. Not only is it cute, but it’s perfect for my mom whose psoriatic arthritis makes it too painful for her to give my dad a back massage that distracts him from his pancreatic cancer pain. This allows her to knead his muscles without hurting her hands.

I was hunting for a cat stamp to shadow my printed punny sentiment, but couldn’t find what I was looking for. They say necessity is the mother of invention… So I drew and drew a likeness of the cat until I was satisfied with it — which reminded my why I really prefer buying stamps!! After printing the message on cardstock, I cut out the tag (Spellbinders Exquisite Labels 11)and then traced my cat image and colored it in. On the back side I used the cutout of the cat image and then wrote a personal note around it.

I copied my drawing and made this .jpg file (aka “digi”) in case you happen to find a similar massager at your local dollar store and want to use my kitty drawing for a card. You should be able to right click and save it. If not, you’ll have to take a screen shot or draw you own. I rarely use digis, so I don’t know anything about re-sizing, etc., sorry, but I’m sure you can figure it out! Tag me or come back and comment when you post your project so I can cheer your efforts!

This will be my only entry in this year’s Cat Lovers Hop. I hope you have a FURbulous day and enjoy the rest of the hop!

~D.Ann

.

p.s. any ads on this page are placed by WordPress and are not endorsed by me.

Giant Raspberry for 2017 – the Year in Review

As 2017 draws to a close, I feel like giving it a giant raspberry…

LOL! (for my foreign readers, a raspberry can also mean and expression of disapproval by sticking out one’s tongue and blowing out air to make a vibrating sound) Last week was the week of giant berries:

Now, ‘them’s the berries!!”

Just look at those berries compared to the normal sized berries in the middle! Amazing! And they were sweet, too!! A foretaste of paradise!

So, yeah, as most of you know health-wise, this was a bad year – not to mention the hurricane. It culminated with a severe migraine that started November 30 and has yet to go away over 4 weeks later. Ugh! The longest I’ve ever had one was my very first one which lasted 6 weeks. I’m hoping that I’m NOT going for a record! Needless to say, I got much less crafting done this year. I’ve been putting this post together in stages for several days now in those brief moments of semi-lucidity. ; )

Despite everything that was going on, I was able to make 86 posts this year. This blog had 2612 visitors (including you 63 faithful followers) from 57 countries who left 832 kind comments. Thank you all for your support!!

I was thrilled to have the honor of being a guest designer for the CropStop blog a couple of times this year:

    

I was also delighted to be invited to be a guest designer for the MarkerPOP! challenge blog with this card:

It was exciting to see few of my cards received special recognition:

 

for this card:

for this card on Instagram:

and 

for this fun card:

These were the most visited blog posts this past year (in order and not necessarily posted this year – interesting!) – if you missed any of them, just click on the picture to be taken to the original post:

        

These were this year’s posts that elicited the most comments, in order (click on any picture if you want to go see the original post for more details):

       

Here are the top nine from Instagram (the ones that got the most ‘likes):

  

  

  

Thanks to the 210 followers and others who left over 3000 ‘likes’ on my 103 Instagram posts!

Let’s hope that 2018 is a better year for us all! I hope to catch up on several things that I didn’t get to post this year, including a DIY photo light box and some beaded tie chains. Plus, I have some craft storage ideas, including a DIY jewelry case. I’m hoping my health will let me be a little more regular in posting and in crafting wherever the whim takes me! Thanks for accompanying me on this journey!! See you next year.

~D.Ann

.

p.s. any ads on this page are placed by WordPress and are not endorsed by me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

PTI 10th Anniversary Challenge: Packaging Inspiration – Gift Tag

The next Papertrey Ink 10th Anniversary Challenge was Packaging Inspiration and I made this sweet little gift tag for a special gal:

A new monthly feature of the Papertrey Ink blog will be by Packaging Ambassador, Rebecca Luminarias. She shared a whole lot of inspiration in her post (HERE), and I chose elements from these pics to create my tag:

 

I loved her use of a doily and a tassel and the peach and gold combo!

Supplies used:

• Papertrey Ink Swoosh stamp and die sets
• Papertrey Ink Orange Zest die ink
• Tsukineko Versamark ink
• Embossing powder – a special mix:
  • Recollections Detail embossing powder – ebony
  • Ranger Perfect Pearls – Gold
    • It makes a shiny golden black that shows up well on the gold paper
• Ranger Inkssentials manila #5 size craft tag
• Colorbok Shiny Gold Metallic Paper
• Recollections Craft It paper diecuts
• Recollections Spring Sherbet Delight Feather Clips
• Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L EZ Runner and EZ Dots
• Aleene’s Super Tacky Glue

I’m playing along with the following challenges… click on any one of them for more information on how you can join the fun:

• Papertrey Ink 10th Anniversary Challenge: Packaging Inspiration
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: For a Special Lady/Girl
• Cropstop March Challenge Linky Party #26: Anything Goes (Aleene’s, Inkssentials/Ranger & Versamark)

I’ll be back soon with another post, so do check back!

~D.Ann

.

p.s. any ads on this page are placed by WordPress and are not endorsed by me.

 

 

Winnie & Walter – Two More Challenges

Guess who?! I’m back again with another project for Winnie & Walter’s 2nd Anniversary Bash. Congrats to them!!

This tag fits Kate’s Winnie & Walter Anything but a Card Challenge and Shay’s Winnie & Walter Two challenge (two colors, pink and blue):

Materials used:

• Winnie & Walter download: 1st Bday Bash Digital Elements (HERE)
• Technique Tuesday Hello Circle die
• Core’dinations Cardstock: white, pink, blue
• Advantus holographic sequins
• Tombow mono adhesive
• Misc. ribbon

If you want more information on playing along with these Winnie & Walter challenges, you can find the Anything but a Card Challenge with Kate HERE and the Two Challenge with Shay HERE.

Thanks for stopping by yet again today! : ) Be back later…

-D.Ann

.

p.s. Any ads you may see are placed by WordPress and are not endorsed by me.

 

Dress Up Inspiration Tag with Color Bursts

Hello again! Thanks for your patience as I struggle to get on an even keel again.

Today’s project was inspired by Papertrey Ink’s Dress Up Inspiration Challenge – To design something based on a piece of clothing from your closet. And by Simon Says Stamp’s Have a Heart Wednesday Challenge

I chose this T-shirt  as my inspiration:

And made this tag:

The background is made from a Kleenex tissue colored with Color Bursts. I found a cool tutorial on this technique HERE, and decided to try it. This was my first time trying Color Bursts.

First you sprinkle a bit of the colors you want to use on a craft mat. These are highly pigmented powders, so just a tiny dab will go a long way!

Then you spritz with water.

Then take a Kleenex tissue, pull apart and lay on the color, smooshing around until all the color is absorbed and the entire tissue colored to your liking. You may want to add more water as needed. Let dry.

I then decoupaged part of one sheet to a wooden tag and stamped my images over it once it was dry.

I love the texture and rich colors it gave the piece! Since my shirt had sequins, I added some pearls and Craftin’ Desert Divas new heart sequins, too.

Materials used:

• Papertrey Ink stamps:
  • SAF2014 Regency
  • SAF2014 Renaissance
  • Spiral Bouquet
• Papertrey Ink Die: Swoosh
• Tsukineko Memento Dye Inks: Elderberry & Sweet Plum
• Tsukineko VersaMagic Chalk Ink: Spanish Olive
• Tsukineko Brilliance pigment inks: Pearlescent Crimson, Starlight Silver
• Ken Oliver Color Bursts: Indigo, Merlot, Yellow Ochre
• Craftin’ Desert Divas fuchsia heart sequins
• Queen & Co lavender pearls
• Plaid Royal Coat decoupage finish clear
• Aleene’s Tacky Glue
• Recollections wood tag
• Kleenex tissue
• Misc metallic paper, ribbon and tissue

I’m playing along with the following challenges:

• Papertrey Ink Dress Up Challenge:  http://nicholeheady.typepad.com/capture_the_moment/2016/02/introducing-dress-up-dolls.html
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Have a Heart :http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/simon-says-have-a-heart-3/
• Simon Says Stamp Work it Wednesday January 2016: Something New (Color Bursts & Craftin’ Desert Divas sequins)  http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/blog/work-it-wednesday-january-2016/
• Edited to add: Since I hadn’t done decoupage in ages, I’m adding this to A Colorful Journey’s Let’s Play challenge link for this week: https://acolorfuljourney.com/lets-play-with-lace/

Thanks again for stopping by!

-D.Ann

.

p.s. Any ads you may see are placed by WordPress and are not endorsed by me.

It’s Time to Switch to Decaf! Gift Tag

Good evening and welcome back! Tonight’s tag is an owl at sunrise on a wintry day… those wide eyes made him look so hyped on caffeine – even more so with googly eyes!  I just HAD to make up this sentiment to go with a decaf coffee gift box:

Materials used:

• Unity Stamp Company Owl See You stamp
• ARTplorations CLOUDS stencil
• Memento Rich Cocoa dye ink
• Tombow Dual Brush Markers #025 & 879
• Pebbles Inc Pearlescent Chalks Jewel Tones
• Darice 5mm paste on eyes
• Tombow adhesive
• Core’dinations white cardstock
• Darice twine

I’m playing along in the following hops and challenges:

• Coffee Lovers 2015 Winter Blog Hop: http://wp.me/p5K3PQ-4w
• This week’s Hop with Unity: http://theunitystampco.blogspot.com/2015/12/hop-with-unity.html
• STAMPlorations ARTplorations 2015 Flash Stencil Linky Party:  http://stamplorations.blogspot.com/2015/12/artplorations-stencil-blog-hop-day-2.html
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Tag it!:  http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/simon-says-tag-it-2/

Before I go, I have another bonus to share… a special little something you might enjoy adding to your coffee to warm you up on cold winter nights. Sort of a DIY Bailey’s:

Irish Creme Liqueur

• 1 3/4 cup of your favorite liquor (scotch, bourbon, whisky, brandy, or a combo
• 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 Tablespoons Chocolate syrup or 1 Tablespoon powdered cocoa
• 2 teaspoons instant coffee
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Put in blender and blend until smooth on low. Keeps up to 1 month refrigerated (maybe! wink-wink)

See you tomorrow!

-D.Ann

.

p.s. Any ads you may see are placed by WordPress and are not endorsed by me.

Fill Your Heart With What’s Important – Mixed Media Tags

Today I have a pair of tags to share. Jenn Shurkus is celebrating her 10th blogiversary and has invited us to copy the inspiration from one of her projects. I chose one of her beautiful tags from March (you can see it by clicking HERE).

Simon Says Stamp’s Wednesday Challenge this week is Sparkle and Shine, and their Monday Challenge is: i scream for… using the letter i.

So, I put the ideas together and came up with these lovely, sparkly and shiny mixed media tags using some Imagine crafts products, ink and a what’s Important stamp (i words)…

Thanks so much, Jenn, for the fab idea!

Materials used:

• Unity Stamp Co.:  January 2015 KOTM: Magic of Beginnings + Take Care of You + Tag – free gift with purchase : )
• Dreamweaver Large Lace Border Stencil
• Ranger Tim Holtz Butterflies Tissue Tape
• Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Paints: Peacock Feathers, Wild Honey, Mustard Seed, Picked Raspberry
• Ranger Stickles: Fruit Punch, Aqua, Distress Stickles – Dusty Concord, and Ice Stickles – Crystal Ice
• Ranger Liquid Pearls: Dark Chocolate
• Imagine Crafts Creative Medium: Metallic Gold
• Imagine Crafts Goosebumps texture spray
• Versamark ink
• Recollections Detail embossing powders: Ebony & Gold
• Recollections Encrusted Jewel kits: Mica & Teal
• Memento London Fog dye ink
• Misc glue, ribbon, feathers

Here are the challenges I’m entering this project in, in case you want to join the fun:

• Jenn Shurkus’ 10th blogiversary: http://shurkus.com/everyday-life/happy-10th-blogiversary
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge – Sparkle and Shine:  http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/simon-says-sparkle-and-shine/
• Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge – i scream for… (using Imagine crafts products, ink and a what’s Important stamp)  http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/?p=2833
• Unity Stamp Co’s Friends with Flair:  http://theunitystampco.blogspot.com/2015/07/friend-with-flair-link-up.html
  • 7/27/15 update: FWF winner! Yay!  http://theunitystampco.blogspot.com/2015/07/time-for-winners_27.html

I’m glad you stopped by today!

-D.Ann

.

p.s. Any ads you may see are placed by WordPress and are not endorsed by me.