Deals to DIe for

Good Evening! I just wanted to post another fun and quick bargain savvy picture filled post!
So as many of you know I live in a place where I have access to the wonderful thrift or second hand store called the DI (Deseret Industries) available to me. I usually walk away with a great find for under 2$. I love going to the DI to shop for new a fun scrapbooking/paper crafting items. I have found several 12x12 Scrapbook albums, and paper stacks. I have found a few decorative scissors, and even die cuts and brads. On this visit, which happened about two weeks ago, I found some amazing items! Even something that I have never seen in person before!
First, lets start with what I normally find a buy, I love decorative scissors! I first became addicted to them when a Friend bought me a set of 7 as a gift for starting into the Scrapbooking world. (I totally love you Becca!) Since then I have been on the hunt for great deals on them, not too many places actually have sales on these scissors. They are pretty cheap to begin with but, you know me, I am all about saving that penny if I can. I have actually only bought one decorative scissor at full price from a Roberts Arts and Crafts. Its call Cloud, essentially its a mid sized scallop cut. Its one of my favorites and I use it all the time. I have even found a smaller one at the DI for .50 Cents! Anyway, on this trip I came across a decorative scissor that I have never ever seen before. I have seen the design several times in any number of boarder punches but never in scissor form! I was so excited that I waisted no time grabbing it and holding it tightly in my hot little hand. I have used it in the last two card challenges.

Super cute huh!!

Well, now on to the really fun stuff! I love chip-board but I am never willing or able to pay what most places want for chip-board so I am always on the look out for these, any shape and design. Naked? Decorated? It doesn't matter to me. I just love the stuff! I came across this awesome little set while looking at a stack of binders. I couldn't believe my eyes! It was perfect!

I don't really care for the Alphabet set, I'm sure it will come in handy somewhere down the line, but I just don't see it right now. I am however very excited about the two sheets of Flourish and odds & ends! I even popped one out and stamped it on today's Inspiration Monday post. I picked this set of over 1,000 pieces up for 1.50$

Next up, who ever goes into a thrift store and doesn't go in search of stamps is kind of crazy in my book! Stamps are crazy expensive! In a thrift store you can pick up a ton for way cheap. One time I got a large tote that was filled with 68 wood mounted stamps, most of which we Stampin Up stamps, for only 5$! It was amazing! This find wasn't that good but it was a nice find. Normally I stay away from the foam only mounted stamps but the quotes on these were just too much to let go! And for a dollar I still feel that it was worth it.

Last but not least is something that I have actually never seen. These are fabric pockets from Making Memories, they have their own adhesive and are ready to go on any project. I picked them up for a dollar! I have seen paper ones used all the time in craft projects but never these fabric ones! I'm so excited to make a western themed page with a few of them for a frequent Customer! Go ACES WILD!!

I love going to the DI, you never know what you are going to walk away with! I have found so many wonderful and amazing things there!
Thanks for stopping by!
~Virginia E.

Inspiration Monday

Monday again! My weeks are usually very busy with Doctor Appointments, meetings with my apartment management, and taking care of my little family that these days all seem to fly by so quickly. (Sort of thankful for that.)

Well, with it being Monday I have actually made it on time for another wonderful Inspirati♥n Monday post! This week I have decided to join in on all the fun the at two Challenge blogs. The first I would like to mention is one that I have actually won at, and came very close to being apart of her Design Team. Lets give a big warm welcome to Stamptacular Sunday Challenge! You can visit her site at: http://stamptacularsundaychallenge.blogspot.com/
and you can visit the challenge that I am playing along with here: http://stamptacularsundaychallenge.blogspot.com/2012/01/challenge-148-seeing-spots.html

As usual though, I have a copy of the challenge here for you, but I really do hope that you will stop by her blog to take a peek at all of the wonderful inspiration she and her design team have!
Challenge #148: Seeing SPOTS!
This week’s challenge is going to be so much fun! We can’t wait to see what you create!
This week's challenge is a…
“Seeing SPOTS!”
For this weeks challenge you will create a card with spots/polka dots on it! They can be anywhere or as few or as many as you wish, as long as we can see them when you’re finished!
I didn't do much stamping on the card that I made but lucky for me there isn't a limit to the stamping that needs to be done on the cards that you enter into her challenges, there just needs to be some stamping. =) On my card, I had a purple chip-board flourish that I decided to stamp with a pin point polka dot in shy peach. It turned out very cute. This is one of my favorite cards that I have ever made! The colors just really flow together.

The second challenge blog that I am joining this week is the CPS (Card Positioning Systems) Challenge Blog. They have a very lovely sketch that they would like you to use in some way in your card. Its a very simple design, I don't normally go for the tiled look on cards but something about this layout got my creative juices flowing! You can visit this challenge at: http://cardpositioningsystems.blogspot.com/2012/01/cps-252-part-1.html
But for the sake of the challenge I have borrowed the sketch image from CPS. (THIS IS NOT MY SKETCH AND I TAKE NO CREDIT FOR THE SKETCH.)

Alright now, here is the moment that you have all been waiting for, here is the card that I made for these two challenges! *Again, this is by far one of my all time favorite cards that I have ever made!

For this card I chose to use a pre-cut design for the quote, I chose Serenity because when I look at this card it reminds me of all that I have over come these past few months, it makes me feel calm and at peace with the dark tones and easy flow design. It just seem right to put Serenity on this card. (I plan to make this card part of my decor around my craft desk, it really does me good to see it.)

Amazing isn't it!!!!! Now I'm going to post a digital Scrapbook Layout of the card at different angles so you can see the detail a bit better and see how all of the layers word and mingle!

Thanks for stopping by! Be sure to come back soon for more challenges and crafty updates!

~Virginia E.

Inspiration Monday

Hello all, I made it a few hours earlier then last time, hopefully this means that soon I will be back into a rhythm! This week again, I have chosen to join in on all the fun at three different challenge blogs! All of whom I have played along with before!

The first I would like to mention is CAS-ual Fridays! You can visit their current challenge here:
http://cas-ualfridays.blogspot.com/2012/01/cfc35.html
Their Challenge this week is Scallops!
"CFC35:  Create a Clean And Simple project with scallops!"
And boy does this card play to that!

Next I have decided to join the fun over at Sarah Hurley Challenges, you can see the current challenge at:
http://sarahhurleychallenges.blogspot.com/2012/01/challenge-57-sponsored-by-sarah-hurley.html
Give thanks is the theme this week!
"The theme this week is Giving Thanks - it may be your Thank You cards from Christmas, a Scrapbook Page or a Thank you card or present for someone, we want to see!!"

Then as a very minor part I decided to add just a touch of lace and join in the fun over at The Cutie Pie Challenge Blog. You can view the current challenge at:
http://cutiepiechallenge.blogspot.com/2012/01/9-ribbons-lace_15.html

Well, now that I have all of the fun and amazing Challenge Blogs posted how about I show you what I have been working on for the day??
I have decided that with it getting close to Valentines Day I would make a very lovey Thank You Card. The phrase alone made me think lovey thanks! I used a Scalloped circle to help make the rose circle pop and I added a new fringe of scalloped lace cut along the bottom as well.

Thanks for stopping by!

Virginia E.



Inspiration Monday

Things have just been so crazy around here that its Friday before I even realise that Monday had come and gone yet again, and even again. Its so hard to get your head in the game after an auto collision. =( But I am here in just the nick of time to try and get back into the rhythm of things. Today I will be joining all the fun at 3 different locations. The first I would like to shed some light on is Cute Card Thursday. You can visit them at .. .. http://cutecardthursday.blogspot.com/
And their Challenge this past Thursday is:

Challenge 198 - What's New!

Use something new on your card, it can be anything that you have recently bought...or even a new technique. Make sure you tell us your new item or technique...we might like to try them/buy them!

The new item that I used is a new quote stamp set that I picked up at the DI for 1.00$ by J.L. Designs. Its super cute and the font is really sweet and I felt like it really added to the card.

Next I found that My Craft Spot is also having a fun new challenge about delicious things! You can visit them at .. .. http://craftspotbykimberly.blogspot.com/

The details about their challenge is:

Monday Challenge #40 - It's delicious!

It's time for another Monday Challenge!  There are so many fun food cuts on the Cricut cartridges including 3D images, so this weeks challenge is to make something delicious.

This weeks Challenge: It's Delicious!

(project must include a delicious treat - made from paper of course!)

The delicious items that I used was a chocolate swirl candy stamp. I stamped it in white ink on chocolate paper. Even knowing that its paper I still feel like eating it, it looks so sweet and yummy! Ha Ha Ha. Then just to help get my juices flowing again I decided to jump on over to MoJo Monday and their new sketch and try to get a jump start on my New Years Resolution. (I will be posting a picture of what that is soon enough!)

As you can see from the picture there link is http://mojomonday.blogspot.com/ so feel free to stop on by and see what they have going on!

Alright, are you all ready to see what I have come up with? I'm not sure if I like it completely but I feel that just being able to post something is better then not posting anything at all. A sad thought, I know, but things have really been crazy here and I'm fighting to get things back to normal. =(

Thanks for stopping by and I hope to see you all again and be able to share more and more with you as these days get better and better. Thank you all for your support!
~Virginia E.

A New Year

A New Year means new oppertunities, new business plans, new photos, new product details, and new hope for a still starting business. The Blog and the Facebook Page will be underconstruction for the next few days but if you have any questions or orders please send me an e-mail and I will be more then happy to answer anything you might need help with.
~Virginia E.