Thoughtful Creations

Dr. Seuss atcs

2009-11-03T19:58:00.004-05:00

Another swap i signed up for... a Dr. Seuss swap! anything Seuss-ish!

Hope your week is off to a great start! I can't wait for this weekend!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

2009-10-31T11:52:00.002-04:00

Hope you have a safe and fun weekend!!!

Bookmarks

2009-10-25T08:01:00.004-04:00

I was working on my art journal this morning and thought I'd play aorund with some Tim Holtz techniques. I love all the grundge stuff!!!
Here are a set of bookmarks that came out of the process! (If you ever considered Distress inks - I am all for them! They are the most vibrant and deep colors I've seen!)Hope you all are having a great weekend. I think we will try for the farm to get our pumpkins today! I just love the farm market in the fall. It's so busy and full of great smells...
See you soon!

Looking ahead... Thanksgiving

2009-10-21T09:00:00.001-04:00

Here's one Thanksgiving card... that's really looking ahead!
Lots of sewing and the set is SU - Happy Blessings, DSP. Copic markers.

Some birthday cards

2009-10-20T14:10:00.005-04:00

Still making cards. I am working extra hard trying to get my quota filled for the day... so i can spend a little time playing tomorrow!!!

Here's two bday cards. I used the Eat Cake set from SU and the cake pieces are dsp and raised on dimensionals.
Background paper is Basic Grey and the owrds are rub ons by SU.

More cards and atcs!

2009-10-19T12:27:00.003-04:00

I just remembered I had this set - All in the Family - where you can mix patch the people...

These next set of ATCS were my first experience in Combining paper and fabric. I got this new book called "stitch Alchemy" and there is some very interesting techniques in it! Check it out if you get a chance!

Dum Dum Da Dum...

2009-10-14T15:48:00.003-04:00

A card that I made today using acetate sheets found at the office supply store... not transparencies but clear gloss binding covers - these are far more thick than the transparency sheet...

The bride is heat embossed with glitter.

Special Love...

2009-10-07T23:57:00.004-04:00

My oldest friend from Philly just had her first baby! YEAH!
Congratulations Sue and Nick! I can't wait to visit and meet the new baby...
~My heart and thoughts are with you and your little preemie... hang in there~

Hello~

2009-10-06T17:02:00.005-04:00

It's already been over a week since my last posting. Sorry about the delay. I've been here... just not online...

A few things: first - my friend Stacie has started a new blog for her jewelry and thoughts. Please visit her at www.staciejewelry.blogspot.com. she uses precious metal clay to make the most interesting pieces!

Second - I have some pics of a cat calendar I made for a custom order. That calendar is on it's way to it's recipient as we speak! (I just love how they turned out! YEA!)

& A special thank you toLISA of PARKLANE DESIGNS for the shout out on her blog:
www.parklanedesigns.blogspot.com !

Today I went on a field trip with my daughter's 1st grade class. As you can imagine, I need a nap! I will be back here tomorrow for a bit before going to school to work in the library. That's usually a quiet activity! (relief here...)

Hope you had a nice day. See you soon!

New Cards

2009-09-30T12:24:00.004-04:00

Fall is really in the air! It's cool, brisk and the leaves are changing already! I predict a very snowy and cold winter...
I've been making cards for the Muse... it's hard to get down to work when you have so many other projects that you wanna get done! (or start for that matter! :) )
For the rest of today? Painting pages for calendars! YEA!

dark and twisty atcs...

2009-09-28T18:39:00.004-04:00

Ok. It's been a while since my last post. It's been crazy around here... and I haven't had much time to craft. But I did manage some "me" time over the weekend. By "me" time I mean 15 min here and there... but it was great! It gave me just enough time to add a layer of gesso, then a layer of modpodge, then some black lava... each layer needs adequate drying time anyway!

For the month of October, the atc swap theme is DARK AND TWISTY. There are still some spots left! You only need to make 3 (all different) and you get 3 back! Contact me if you are interested.
Anyway, here are my entries.

There's still time to join!!! I am also on SCS... so if you see me on there, please sign up!
(You know - Grey's Anatomy's Meridith? She was called dark and twisty! And there are plenty of music lyrics that are definitely DARK!) It could go any way the artist wants!

Anyway, this week I'm not sure what I'll get done. I have a sick child... but hopefully she will be better to go to school tomorrow. And if she is better, I volunteer at the school... so I will start my work week on Wednesday this week! :)

Hope you all had a great weekend!
See you soon!

crabby

2009-09-18T10:04:00.005-04:00

OW! How fast a week can go! In a blink of an eye it's Friday again.
I mentioned calendars last week... I have some pics for you. They are not the greatest... but it's a gloomy day (I need perfect lighting =) )and my camera is too complicated to figure out.
This crab card is one of many different I made for the stores and online. Being from MD, I thought I needed to add crabs to my fall line!

Well, Hope you all have a great weekend. Next week will be a bit busy for me. We have some family birthdays to celebrate and a few days off from school (Thank you FAIR DAY!).
See you soon!

atcs on the weekends!

2009-09-12T08:38:00.004-04:00

I have found the perfect balance between work creating and personal creating for me! For sale cards and items during the week and atcs on the weekends. I love waking up at 6am on sat and sun and having the quiet house all to myself! I get at least 2 hours each day!
So this morning I got to make some more ATCS for swaps I am hosting as well as one I joined online on SCS.

A note about Stampin Up.

2009-09-11T18:15:00.006-04:00

A couple days ago I emailed all my customers and friends about a change that is about to take place for me... as a Stampin Up demo.

Recently (as many of you may have heard), Stampin Up placed new restrictions on their demos regarding personal blog content. And although I understand why they felt like they needed to do this, I don't think it's the right choice for me. SU is limiting what I can and can not put on this blog and my other personal website. This is not the website I have thru SU... (that one is directly supported by SU). Under this new rule, I can not link or give credit to other people, blog or companies that I use and are inspired by if those sites either sell or promote competing products. This is not right for me as I love to use all products available to me - Stampin Up included.

So as I informed my current customers, I will be leaving SU after 6+ years of being a demo.
I am sad to leave SU, but have been contemplating it for some time now, and this was perhaps the little push I needed to jump! I did sign the new IDA to give my customers til the end of December to place any orders for items on their wish list. After that point I will let my demonstrator status run out.

THANK YOU to all those who have supported me thru the last 6 years. I appreciate all the business you have given me and the friendships we have built throughout!

So my friends and customers know where I stand. I hope you will continue to visit me here... as this is in no way a farewell to creating! In fact I am excited to be starting the fall off with a bang!

Isn't this what growing up and evolving is all about?!?! =)

Next week i will be posting a few pics of the calendars I made for the stores this week!
See you then!
Have a wonderful weekend!

more peeks

2009-09-01T16:52:00.005-04:00

I am working on some more cards this week for sale.
Both images are from an older Stampin Up set.

The cakes have lots of Fine glitter and the bunnies are soft and fuzzy (flocking).

More looks...

2009-08-28T19:43:00.002-04:00

Today's offering...A twist on a past favorite!
etsy store is open... but not fully stocked yet! More everyday!
Have a great weekend!

Fall Preview... here we go!

2009-08-25T13:05:00.004-04:00

So with the kids back at school and the house safely tucked in... I am resuming greeting cards for etsy (www.allisonpapercrafts.etsy.com), the Muse (downtown Frederick, MD) and Art Partners (Clarksville, MD).

Here's a sneak peek at a card I am working on... some younger themed cards for kids to give to kids! This is a Stampin Up stamp set and designer paper. Shimmery silver cardstock with vellum and dimensionals. The penguin layer has a frosty white glitter all around the edge.
My etsy store will reopen on or about Sept 1 and the stores will start to stock the first week of Sept.

Hope you are all enjoying your day! Check back often this week for more sneak peeks!

First day of school for us...

2009-08-24T06:24:00.002-04:00

I have about 30 min before I have to get the family hustling and bustling this morning. Today is the first day of school for our girls. like I have heard from so many others... I can't believe how old they are getting. Time flies faster and faster each year. There doesn't seem to be as many "breathing" stops along the way. We got our outfits ready last night (another sign of growing up...) and got all our back to school paperwork filled out (my homework).

My heart is beating a bit harder right now and I am running all scenarios in my mind on how the day could go for them. I know they will be just fine... they are such able children and have shown me, time and time again, that they can handle these milestones.

August ATCs are swapped!

2009-08-21T21:05:00.002-04:00

I am mailing out the swaps for the sept atcs tomorrow.We had several new players from SCS and it was so much fun!
The theme was pets/animals.

Here are 2 pics of the cards

birthdays!!! Love'em!

2009-08-20T08:35:00.003-04:00

Recently I was asked to make some cards for the younger peeps to buy for their friends. Altho this one can go either way... I thought I'd share it. It's a cute glittered butterfly (cut with SU exclusive BIGZ die) card with linen thread, glass beads and a perfect scalloped edge! the inside is lined with paisley designer paper.

I added the second (more blurry) picture to show some of the inner lining. I must've taken 50 pics this am of this one card and I was just having a crazy moment. So I apologize for the poor quality of foto...

I plan on making lots more tween-age and teenage card themes in the weeks to come!

Today is open house at the school... get to meet the teachers and drop of our supplies.

signing up for HOUSES atcs swap for Sept

2009-08-18T09:40:00.003-04:00

We are currently signing up for the September 2009 atc swap . Theme: DOORS/HOUSES.

You make 3, one of a kind artist trading cards (2.5"x3.5" baseball card size) and send them in to me. then I will swap them back to you! You will not get any of you own in return, so if you love one or all of your cards, make an extra for yourself!

DEADLINE to sign up is AUG 31, 2009
DUE DATE: SEPT 20th
Swap out on Sept 25th.

3 for 3 swap.

here's a sample of a card I made.
you can make it any way you wish. Collage, stamps, free hand... just please remember to do your best work... something you are proud of. Also, avoid too much bulk. They tend not to do well during transit.
If you are mailing them to me, you will need to include a self addressed, stamped envie with the same amt of postage it took to send yours to me. include 1 loose stamp which will be returned to you if not used.
sign the back of your card and make sure you put your name on any ziplock baggies or packaging.

If you want to sign up, you can comment here and I will email you info on how to swap and where to send them.
Unlimited players. Swapping effort for effort the best i can.

I really hope you will join us in this fun swap. It really does force you to take time to relax and enjoy yourself in this busy go-go-go world!

See you soon!
~Allison

back again...

2009-08-16T10:18:00.004-04:00

The girls and I spent 4 days at the shore for a mini vacation. It was so much fun. the weather cooperated perfectly... 80's each day, slightly overcast! Hardly needed an umbrella til the last day. The water was perfect, the sand was fun! We really needed the time away and it was wonderful!

Now we are back... can you believe that school starts in exactly one week?! It's really early this year. Gotto get busy on those back to school errands.
and I'll be back with more cards to share.
I will reopen my etsy store (which has been on summer break too!) and load up the local stores again soon!

new baby card

2009-08-10T08:10:00.004-04:00

It's been a while since I've made a greeting card... so this morning I was thinking cards, cards, cards!
Since I just returned from my cousin's baby shower, I am in the baby mood.
Here are two ... simple and old fashioned.
I used the storybook font cricut cartridge... which I think I love... 2 little crystals finish off the carriage.
I think I may add a little more to it... maybe a button or something like that.
this second one is adorned with a classic little gold safety pin! Love it!

Home again!

2009-08-09T18:32:00.004-04:00

The shower was wonderful. Grace looked beautiful (as usual) and her home is so nice.
There were lots of friends and family to congratulate and shower her with gifts... little Alexander will be all set.
I am hoping Chris will forward some pics so i can post here!

So today I spent the day cleaning the house, doing PILES of laundry and having fun with more ATCS.
I am really enjoying my time.

I joined a CROWS: A HALLOWEEN SWAP and got those finished today.
Also, got 2 out of 3 animals/pets cards done as well as the 3rd pointy hat/crown atc. I hope to finish the pets up before my beach trip with the girls on wed. I'm so sad the hubby can't join...

Now I've got to finish the laundry (folding... argh!) and then I am free!!! I hope to be able to stay awake long enough tonight to watch a dvd with Bryan. Wish me luck!

Stressing a little...

2009-08-07T20:48:00.002-04:00

So... why am I stressing? Tomorrow is my cousin's baby shower... and it is in Philly! 3.5hrs away. Starts at 1pm. I need to be there by noon... I have a truckload of things to take, a shirt to iron, extra clothes for kids to pack, gifts to wrap still and load up. Gotto remember the camera. Throws for the car ride. Is there anything else? (I know, that's a lot for a day trip to philly. but comfort is key here).
now, add in three more family members (who I live with...) that haven't woken up earlier than 9am all summer. Now you see my anxiety. I don't know about your family, but mine LOVES TO SLEEP IN! In fact, I get the most work done in the morning between 6am-9am.
So I am thinking I need everyone up at 7am... (hmmmmm) and out the door by 8:30. Hoping to at least get the breakfast dishes in the dishwasher before we take off. (wish me luck!).

Well, before I get off to ironing and wrapping... I wanted to share 2 of my atcs for a swap I signed up for - Pointy hats and Crowns. I am having a lot of fun with these. The third is finished, but I think I will keep it. It comes from really deep in my heart and can be misinterpreted too many ways. So I will keep it for my personal collection.

My "monkey mood" right now?see you next week!
~Allison