Announcing a brand new swap! The "Scrap Stash Swap"

 Are scrapbooking and cardmaking supplies bogging you down?  Are you tired of looking at the same old stuff year after year, thinking, someday I will use that for some layout or card?  Well if that is the case then this swap is for you! 

Yes, I am calling it the Scrap Stash Swap.  I wanted to call it the Scrap Crap Swap, but I changed my mind.
To all you scrapbookers and cardmakers out there.  You know you have oodles of scrapbooking supplies that you will never use.  How about trading it in for some new stuff?  Well I know when I look through my stashes,  (from years of scrapbooking) that I know I will never use some things. Heck I have a whole studio full of scrap stash.  Here are the rules if you would like to play along.

1.  Comment on this post and tell me that you would like to be involved.  Then please email me at ask@comnett.net and put scrap stash in the subject line, with your information.  blog address, physical address and email. 


2.  Here is what we are swapping.  Please include all the scrap supplies you want, only here are the absolutes.
     Must have at least 5 brand new items, that have never been opened and this could include embellishments, stickers, chipboard etc.  Must have at least 10 sheets patterned paper, that is 12 x 12 please. and at least 1 sheet of rub-ons. Then put in as much other goodies as you wish.   (I know you have lots of paper you probably will never use)  Don't send garbage, but you may send parts of a sheet of stickers or other embellishments or even neatly cut pieces of patterned paper etc.  Send stuff that you wouldn't mind buying or something you thought you might use someday.  It will be fun to see what you get in return.

3.  The shipping date will be May 27, so we can have our new stashes for the summer of scrapbooking and cardmaking.

The entry deadline will be May 15, 2011.  so spread the word!      

Past Paper Projects (very random)

 I love this layout, because I love the drastic mood swing changes in my granddaughters face.  completed in 2006

 I stack em in the corner of my studio.  (completed in Feb. 2011)

I sent this to someone for a Valentine giveaway.  (completed 2011)

 My good stuff project, is my blogging journal. (completed March 2011)

This is what I sent in my first swap ever and it was for Valentines Day. Valentine candy box (completed 2010)

This is one of my designs for Storytellers club scrapbooking company, and was published in their digital portion of their website.  (completed in the summer of 2010)

Another "nest" swag

Yep,  made another "nest" swag and this time I am not giving it away.  I posted a couple of different swags that I did a while back, and once again, must give credit where credit is due.  This idea came from swags that I saw on Karla's Cottage blog. I don't want to sound selfish in any way, but I make lots of stuff, and always need gifts for loved ones and friends, or even swaps and don't end up with one myself.  I love giving handmade crafts away, but wish I could have one for my studio, or home too sometimes  So this one is mine!  I am still planning on making more of these for other gifts I will need soon, but again, this one is on my wall and it will stay there.

A fun way to hang something like this is to screw knobs right to the wall and then simply tie it to the knobs.
I was walking around the fair grounds the other day and the wind had been so bad that this perfect swag stick was laying under a big tree.  It was hard getting it back home in one piece, cause my little granddaughter loves sticks.  I had to hide it under my coat!

Judging at the Clark County Fair and Rodeo

 Every year around the first part of April, my friend Camille and I are asked to judge the scrapbooking and paper crafting entries at the Clark County Fair Juried exhibits.  We enjoy it very much, and always get served the most beautiful luncheon, and earn two day passes to the fair.  The picture above was actually taken a couple of years ago.  Below are some of the pieces we have judged.  Some of the cards are really beautiful and clever.

 A chipboard album we liked alot.

 This card was our favorite one this year!  Love the owls, but the tree and the leaves made the whole card.

 This one was so beautiful with its 3 dimensional stand up ability.  Any mother would be so tickled with it!

This is one cute baby boy card.  I love the way they used a punch at the bottom to resemble a furniture cabinet

Spring Giveaway in honor of Kinley's Birth

Since Easter is coming, and Spring has officially arrived, and most importantly I have that new little darling grandbaby Kinley, I thought I would put together a fun spring inspired giveaway. If you are a card maker, scrapbooker, chocolate lover or fancy fabric collage pockets, then this giveaway is for you!

This giveaway will include a fabric collage pocket done with a lovely vintage Easter image. Embellished with ribbon, laces, trims, vintage buttons, flowers, and varigated thread and stitching.

These pretty spring 12x12 papers from S.E.I. and a new sticker alphabet sheet.

And in the pocket, lots of goodies, from my stash, all spring colors etc. There is rub-ons, punch-outs, paper and stickers.

More embellishments, and two brand new packages of clear stamps.

And finally, this 'peter rabbit' chocolate Easter Bunny. All you have to do is comment on this post, and make sure you are a follower, and for an extra chance, put the button up on your sidebar. (you can use the picture above) Oh and be sure to look at the darling baby girl in the previous post. She is a little doll. And I am not at all prejudice on that one! lol

New paper project

Yes, got this idea from Karla at Karla's cottage. I just loved hers, so I had to do up some. This one above hangs in my craft studio.

I used vintage sheet music, old book pages, vintage buttons, tulle, tags and chipboard bases. I really had fun with this project.

Just get outside and find the twigs to complete the banner. I am really into bird things, but i loved what this represented. Our nest is the best!

This is one I made for my daughter Kendra, to hang in her kitchen. I love the little quote, "we have a great thing"

I attached the twigs with embroidery floss instead of glue or glue dots. It really works well for making somthing like this last on your paper projects!

More stunning tags of talented artists.

Here are all the beautiful, fun and creative tags in the Valentine tag swap hosted by Natalea at Kandeland

One of my favorites is this darling fabric and embroidered tag.  I can't believe she did 20 of these!

the jar one is so creative and fun.

Here is a fold out card, all hand done and very detailed.  

Valentine Decoration

I love putting blue into my Valentines. I think I might be putting this one in my Etsy shop. But at this moment I am displaying it in my Living room just as my own Valentine Decoration.

I just love the retro vintage feel of this paper project.

Giveaway over at Something Special

Click on the sidebar announcement of this new fun Giveaway!

SOMETHING SPECIAL IS HAVING A GIVEAWAY!

Here are all the goodies in the giveaway.  Check it out at:
askmichelesomethingspecial.blogspot.com/2011/01/announcing-two-fold-giveaway.html#links

In the giveaway there will be the above set/matching paper designed by myself for Storytellers Club and published in the January 2011 Ultimate pack and it is titled "Bohemian Swirl"  It is great for cards, crafts
and especially scrapbooking.  Each sheet is loaded with punchouts and there is matching paper to go with it!

The second thing in the giveaway is this sweet hanging pocket
filled with a vintage Valentine and other sweet ephemera for
making Valentines.  It is deliciously ragged and has vintage
doilies and buttons adorning it.  I had a lot of fun
making it.  

                                        Little bit of a close up of the details on this heart pocket.

This double heart pendant.  It can be used added to a key chain or
hung on a chain.  The main large heart is Vintage!

This sweet porcelain heart dish. . . .

 and this bunch of Vintage wallpaper pieces.

All you have to do to be entered is:

1.  Comment on this post that you would LOVE to be entered.
In your comment tell me if you are a follower of Something Special or Special
Paper Projects

2.  Become a follower if you are not already.

3.  And for a third chance, post my button for this giveaway on your blog sidebar
to spread the word.

The drawing for this will be on February 9, 2011.
Good luck to all of you and thanks for a lovely blogging past year for 2010!

Most recently published sets for Storytellers.

This is what the sets look like when I send them to be reviewed by the staff at Storytellers.
Then they let me know exactly how much they will pay me for each set. After I get paid, they are theirs' to do with as they please. And seeing them turned into something tangible is awesome.
Storytellers club is the scrapbooking company that I am priveledged to design for. I have had many sets now published into punch outs, and many sets that have been published to the digital part of storytellers club.
These are sets from the last 3 months, and that means they were made into punchouts. Then they are sent all over the planet to people who join and are sent these large packets each month. You can view all their wonderful products at www.storytellersclub.com The paper that their graphic designers design to go with each set is awesome. I enjoy seeing my designs made into physical pieces.
The above design "Noteworthy was done up in the November pack for Storyteller's Club.

                                                          In December's pack Yuletide Bliss

                                                           In January's pack Bohemian Swirl