Grama Kate~

Hello to you dear friends!
Much thanks for stopping in to visit : )

We are experiencing true Spring weather here in Colorado Springs and I must say it is warming more than the air!  it is warming my heart as well.  <3

I don't have a lot to share today, but I like to post and just "keep in touch" with you, so here is a
quick post about Grama Kate.
My late husbands grandmother on his mom's side; Grandma Kate was a kindergarten teacher until she retired - 26 years I believe~
She grew up with a military  father (Navy) & mother (in the Cleveland, OH area) and both her parents were descendants of Czechoslovakian immigrants.

 I realize the actual photo of Grama is a poor copy, and so sorry 'bout that! I believe this was her Collage Graduation picture, though I am not sure.
She was born in The Philadelphia area but they moved to Cleveland when she was very young.
She was married to Poppy, the grandpa I have blogged about a few times~


I want to take a minute to share a blog link - ->  http://appleapricot.blogspot.com/ where Wendy
hosts a by-weekly "Simply Neutrals Tuesday Party!
I will be sharing Grama's photo there; and if you have the time, I hope you will stop in and see
the array of Neutral things to see!  Something for every one - so please join us!

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Here is the link to an earlier blog post which included this photo of Poppy and Grama Kate below- ->  Generations Wedding Album 9-14-15

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If she looks just a bit 'tough' in the graduation photo, - - she was! : ) LOL  She had a great sense of humor and Grama Kate loved to laugh! but - she had a tough exterior.  Sometimes it's just necessary . . .
Please know she had a very kind and compassionate heart as well, and worked for many years within her church and community; providing blessings to others.

This lay out is about 8"X5" and quite simple.  I used black textured Bazzill cardstock for the base. 
I had bought some 'French' look pencils from the $ bin @ Michaels and the paper package is what I used on the left side of the l/o.
  For the postal stamp (a gift from my dear friend Marylou) and the stamp below that (clocks, text and Bflies:) I used while embossing powder.  I did this on a separate piece of black cardstock, then fussy cut it out, and added it to the lay out.

I also added some pieces/strips  of Washi tape (butterflies, French words and clocks) here & there.

No other embellishments; so there is no real  "dimension" to the page.  Simple was my goal, but I realize this is Great for mailing! but  'not so much'  for displaying! : ' ) - so perhaps I will find some flowers or a nice resin piece to add.

I'm sad to say we lost Grama early; just 80 years old I believe, maybe 82? (in 2002)  But she was truly the 'matriarch' and full of character and fun, love, and lots of 'salt' too : )  ILU Grama Kate.

I'm hoping my friends that you had a blessed week-end?  I really did.  It was a busy Friday cleaning out the shed and getting things ready for the Summer ahead.  And Saturday was so pretty I took a drive in the Rocky Mountains! 
I hope to post my photo's soon.
Wishing you God's very best for this week ahead~
Karen

Matchbook Style Needle Cards~

Hello and welcome!  I thank you  for stopping in today : )

I was visiting at ---> Shabby Art Boutique, where Kerryanne  was sharing a style of  'needle keeper'  I had not seen before -  Matchbook style!
I felt inspired and had to try!!
(yea for inspiration;  It doesn't always flow for me; I was so happy to receive it! Thank you God! : )  And Thank you Kerryanne for encouraging us to try.  She is an amazing blogger and creator.
This needle book WAS soo easy and fun!
Here's the small pile I made : )   (5)

 

These are simple and fast to make!

No sewing required ; )

I 'tweaked'  Kerryanne's instructions just a bit - you can visit her blog to see what she did,

 but I'll tell you my steps:

*Cut the paper (matchbook) sleeve 3" wide  X  8.25" tall.

(perhaps practice on some plain paper)

*The bottom fold is about 5/8",  crease & fold up.  (I did decorative punch on some edges.)

*Take the top flap and fit it into the bottom fold, and crease - like a matchbook.

(you can do 2 creases there- about 1/16th" apart so it will lay better-

again, practice on plain paper first)

*I tucked a piece of felt (cut with pinking shears - slightly smaller than the inside) into the bottom flap and stapled. DON'T staple too high up! or the top flap won't 'fit' in~

[Kerryanne suggested covering the staple with something decorative]

*I added needles, buttons,  pins and a paper spool covered in thread.

Whaalaa~

They are simple, with only a bit of embellishment at best - but if you use beautiful paper . . . : )

I had just the right color of seam binding to accent the pretty butterfly paper (by Kaisercraft; their Rustic Harmony collection)

I also used some Prima paper; their Butterfly Garden collection~

 

 

 

Prima paper on this one below!   "Sew Sweet!"

 

 

 I thought I'd also share a photo of one of the wonderful French treasures I purchased through Liz's http://lululizinlalaland.blogspot.com/2015/12/auction-no-30-vintage-french-enamel.html

Auction last year~

A gorgeous French Lunch Pail!!  (lid not showing)

 

This pail use to grace Liz's craft room; and now it graces mine : )  Thanks ever-so-much Liz!  I treasure it.

 

Well I better say Good-Bye for today.  I need to get back to work~  I am hoping to visit you very soon : )

Wishing each of you  God's very best!  Love and hugs to YOU~

Karen

 

GREETING  Cards~
I'm so happy to have you visit today!
The weather in Colorado is slowly warming up; and we seem (I say seem : ) to be heading into Spring!
 
I just have a few cards to share.  I needed some of everything (birthday, Mothers Day, Anniversary...) and was blessed with some inspiration (from YOU! : ) and a bit of my own) to get these done in time.
                  Though I do enjoy many paper-crafting styles, my cardmaking
has almost always followed the 'grungier' vintage style.  I am not sure what it is, but as I work I am forever trying to make it look like it came out of an old deteriorated box in the attic!
Water-stained and edges crumbling as I unwrap it from Grandma's 1934 newspaper.  *sigh*

The papers were a gift~ from a dear and talented scrapbook friend named Marylou. We are sisters in the Lord~  You can see her gorgeous gallery @ Scrapbook.com --> Meggies Nana
This will be a MOTHER'S DAY card for my sweet mom.
 I added a branch die-cut, (from Memory Box)  resin bird (Prima brand) and the postal stamp was also a gift from my friend.  I made the nest : ) from excelsor (?sp) and the eggs I made with a bit of 'Homemade'  texture paste - the recipe is found here @ Gabrielle's beautiful blog: >  Such A Pretty Mess   She is found on several Design Teams (scrapbooking) and posts Youtube video's for "How-To's" and more.  I love her blog because  she often shows her processes - and I find that so helpful!
I like to "see" what you did!  Hers is one of the very first blogs I ever discovered, and she is magnificently talented! : )
Along the right side of her blog is a long list of tutorials she offers~
  The eggs did need a few hours to dry.  Then I lightly dotted them with colored felt markers~

I used a honeycomb stencil, and some blue Prills , bit of paint, ink and glitters.

Here's a second card created from the collection of papers sent from my scrapbook friend~

This is for a precious sister-in-law and her hubby.

I was inspired by a card I saw at a blog I follow sometimes;--> The Key To A Dream

 I liked the shapes and so adapted a card from Hama's inspiration.
 I have wanted to use the pressed flowers I made quite a while back  for a Springtime card!  So here it is.
Alan made a flower press for me many years ago and would help me press (these) Jonny-Jump-Up's, and Pansies.  I like the look of a real flower; don't you?  Color's still vibrant after 2 years.

My layers are: cardstock, tan tissue, bits of laces & cloth, scrapbook papers, chipboard, pressed flowers and some stamping, embellishments and distressed & inked edges.

 The beautiful butterfly is from an Etsy shop: -->  Renea's Bouquet

And here is just a close up of my grungy corner.

 Next (below) is a birthday card I made for another beloved sister-in-law.
(They are the kindest and best of people! to quote an old movie : )

This card was created with Prima brand papers.  I believe it is their "Almanac" & "Printery" collections; unfortunately both are discontinued : /
That postal stamp from Marylou had been so much fun to use!  I like to add 'postage' to my stuff~  There are bits of white & tan burlap and corrugated board - along with some cut-outs from the collection.  The black scalloped edging is a punch.

My thanks to you!! for taking time to stop in and visit.  I hope for you  a beautiful day and week ahead~

BLESSINGS!  Karen