What I Do Instead of Laundry

In the words of my 9-YO daughter, "This was the best day, EVER!" I got to host a craft day with some of the loveliest women on the planet yesterday. I hadn't met two of them until yesterday, but through the PTI forum, we were already friends. We had a great day crafting, talking, laughing and eating. Perfect! Unfortunately, none of the pics I took was a crafting action shot, but here are some from our gift exchange. You know it's a group of crafters when the packaging is admired as much as the gift! Merry on couch with my daughter, L-R: Michele, Jenn, Heather, Cindy, Melissa Heather, Cindi, Melissa, Joan, A on couch Various kids in background, A, Merry, Michele, Jenn Cindi and me. I consider this woman a dear, dear friend. Thank you, ladies, for making this a most wonderful day. Let's do it again soon!

I made this card for my niece's birthday last week. She is a free-spirited, world-traveling yoga instructor, and this year she spent more than a month in India. I thought her card deserved some sparkle, color and Mendhi. This is the first time I've colored in this Mendhi Medallion stamp, and it was a lot of fun. Then I decided it needed some sparkle, so I colored over the top of the Copics with Sakura Stardust pens. So I colored it twice. Also, are you tired of this sketch yet? I'm not! Paper: PTI White, Pure Poppy, Summer Sunrise Ink: Versamark, Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic markers, Sakura Stardust pens Stamps: PTI Mendhi Medallion, Enjoy the Ride Other: White Filigree EP, PTI Hawaiian Shores satin ribbon, Sunshine Impression Plate, Edgers #3 die

Are you tired of glitter yet? :) Here's one last one for a while for Make It Monday #44 : Paper: PTI White, Pure Poppy, Candy Cane Prints Ink: PTI Pure Poppy Stamps: PTI Signature Christmas Other: Ultrafine glitter, star punch, Zing gold glitter embossing powder, 1/2" circle punch, 1/4" circle punch, PTI Christmas Tree die

Another card with glitter masking for Papertrey's MIM #44 . Love this technique! Paper: PTI White, PTI Candy Cane Prints, SU Gable Green Ink: PTI Pure Poppy, PTI Fresh Snow Stamps: PTI Peace Be Still, Signature Christmas, Nativity Silhouettes Other: PTI Fresh Snow satin ribbon, Sakura Stardust red pen, PTI Peace Be Still die, Edgers #3 die, Ultrafine glitter

This week's Make It Monday has proven to be one of my very favorite techniques. This super-duper-ultrafine glitter is fantastic, but do not inhale it! Here's my first take on it: For the stripe on the ornament, I masked with a small strip of backing paper. For the polka dots, I masked first with the big circle, then after the green glitter, I punched holes in the circle mask with my Crop-a-Dile, sprinkled red glitter, then removed the mask and sprinkled white glitter. The sentiment is stamped first on cardstock then covered with a scor-tape die cut and glittered. I thought the background paper needed some bling, so I colored over some stripes with the Sakura Stardust red pen. Silver cord is threaded through a small hole made by my paper piercer, and bows are adhered with scor-tape. Paper: PTI White, Candy Cane Prints Ink: PTI Pure Poppy Stamps: PTI Christmas Blessings Other: PTI double-ended banner die, Sakura Stardust pen-red (for stripes), 1 1/4" circle punch, 1&q