The Inking Spot of Crain Creations

Under the weather?

Two weeks in a row I've been able to play MFT's WSC!!  I am on a roll :)  I loved this week's sketch, and soon as I decided which set I was using I just knew I'd do the inside of this card too!  The image and sentiment on the front are from the Bunny Slippers set.  I wish I had the Scallop Doily dienamic, but I had to make do with a Nestie.  I used a Sakura Stardust pen for the steam... I don't know why I think steam should be glittery, but it should be! 

I love decorating the inside, but don't do it often enough.  Anyway, I ended up doing the inside of this card first, lol.

Of course I had to paper piece her robe, but I also added some white sparkly fluff to her collar and cuffs... so snuggly!  I colored the slippers with Copics, but they looked to plain so I used a Souffle pen to add some polka dots.  I think I need a pretty pink polka dot robe!!  Well that's it for tonight, thanks for stopping by.  Hope you have a wonderful week!!

Up, Up and away...

I loved the color blocking on last week's Mojo sketch !  I did change up my mid panel for an oval... I really like the way this card turned out (all due to the sketch and stamp set!).  The last few days here in So Cal have been like summer so I was just dieing to play with some spring-y colors & images.  The Up, Up & Away set from Verve was perfect!  I just LOVE those hot air balloons!!  I started by airbrushing the panel with some blue, my clouds are actually stamped from the set on gray Prismatic cs and then cut out (they're all bumpily up close).  I paper pieced the balloon, but colored the basket with copics and the "ropes" with Sakura Stardust pen.  Thanks for popping by, hope to see you again soon :)

Stamps: Up, Up & Away (Verve)  Paper: Early Bird (Cosmo Cricket)  Extras: Lettuce liquid pearls (Adirondack), brads (su!), Ribbon, button, Bakers twine, Stardust pen (Sakura)  Copics: B00, E25, E29  Challenges: Mojo225

MTME Pretty Patterns Sketch #45

It's Thursday and it's time to get sketchy with the MTME Pretty Patterns Sketch team!  You can head over to the MTME Blog to get the deets on the sketch and see some inspiration from the Team.  I know, can you believe I didn't use digi paper?  I'm out of ink :( lol  I got out my VERY dusty distresser (that poor thing hasn't seen daylight in YEARS! lol).  The paper, Honey Cake by MME, is just perfect for this look!  I love it.

The image is from Tending the Garden, by My Time Made Easy (comes in Acrylic or digi). To add some dimension to the image, I used some Rouge Liquid Pearls on some random dots, and then a little Baby Blue Liquid Pearls in the center of the flower.  Thanks for popping in, can't wait to see what you create with this sketch!!

Gettin' love-y with JUGs, he he he

This week's JUGs challenge was to use Red, Pink & White... in the spirit of Valentines Day :)  I paired it up with the JUGs sketch from a couple of weeks ago.  The quote is from Paper Makeup Stamps and the paper is from SEI, quick simple fun card!  Thanks for stopping by, hope to see you again soon.

MFT Wednesday Stamp Club... Thinking of YOU

Sometimes a girl's just gotta color!  And what better to color than a Pure Innocence cuttie?  I have a couple of friends that are going through a bit of tough time lately, and this image is just perfect for one of them!  This card has a little of everything but the kitchen sink... I pieced her dress, used a white Souffle pen on the vase, and baby rhinestones "here, there and everywhere" :)  The fabulous sketch?  Swiped from last week's MFT WSC... LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!!!

Stamps: PI - Because You're Special (MFT Stamps)  Paper: Farmhouse (Crate Paper)  Extras: White Souffle pen, Prima Flowers, Orange Stripped ribbon (SU!), button, red bakers twine, aqua rhinestones  Copics: BG13, BG45, BG49, C00, C0, C01, E000, E00, E21, E30, E35, E37, E57, R20, R22, R24, R27, YG23, YG61, YG63, YG67, YR12, YR21  Challenge: MFTWSC55

Mojo-licious Monograms

Yesterday I spent a wonderful and heart-warming day with my family (extended)!  This isn't something I get to do often, and it was just a wonderful, wonderful afternoon!  Now today, the house is all cleaned up and I got some time to play today, just for the sake of playing.  I decided to start of with some "Mojo Inspiration" and some Jenni Bowlin paper that I absolutely LOVE!!! I got my card all together and it just really needed something else, and I am really trying to "step-up" my papercrafting creations these days.  I was stumped... so I went looking for some inspiration and I found it in this card by Jackie Pedro.  I love the button and twine!!  Thanks Jackie!!  Well here's my card for last week's Mojo challenge, thanks for stopping by :)

MTME Pretty Patterns Sketch #44, a birthday/anniversary Calendar

Happy Thursday!  Woo hoo, I just love these short weeks... it's already almost Friday!  Having the kiddo's home for one extra day always makes me happy :)  I used today's MTME Pretty Patterns Sketch for the cover of my Birthday/Anniversary calendar.  All 3 papers are from the Amethyst Sparkle digi pack.  One of my favorite things about digital paper is that I can print out as much as I want, since I plan on selling some of these calendars at a craft show I don't have to worry about planning out the papers (ya know making sure I don't run out of one).  The focal piece uses one of the frames from Killer Curves stamp set, and the slice of cake is from our brand new stamp set, Sweet Treats.  I used my copics to color the cake, but man if I found a recipe that would make that cake... I'd be one happy camper :)  I'll be back this weekend to show off the insides of some of these calendars, thanks to Cat for the 2012 Create-a-calendar template!!  You can head over to this MTME post for the deets on the sketch and to link up your creation!

Thanks for popping in!!  Hope to see you again soon :)

Stamps: Killer Curves, Sweet Treats (My Time Made Easy)  Paper: Amethyst Sparkle  Copics: E21, E23, E25, E77, E79, R35, R37, YR20, YR21, YR23  Challenges: MTMEPPS44

Twine & fiber storage idea & I {heart} Pinterest!

First let me start off by saying that I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE pinterest!  I wish I could claim that I was the brain-child behind this brilliant idea, but I saw it on Pinterest!  HeatherJs blog to be specific, and she used it for embroidery floss.  I don't really use embroidery floss, but what a great way to store my Baker's Twine!!!!  Before this, all of my twine was a knotted mess :(  Now it's pretty and the best part is that the "mouth" of the clothes-pin holds the end of the twine!  I LOVE it!  and this took WAY less time than my ribbon storage (of course I have TONS of ribbon).  You can see my ribbon storage here.  I have to say that since that ribbon post my ribbon collection has grown to 1 color per drawer :)

I have found tons of awesome idea's on Pinterest... made several recipes, tried several crafty ideas and even applied some household organization ideas to m yown life... I am soooooo addicted!!!  Hello, my name is Tangii and I'm a Pinterest-aholic.  Well, thanks for popping by, if you have an awesome storage idea for your fibers, ribbons, etc please leave me a comment with a linkie... I'd love to check it out!!

Huck's Dog Biscuit Recipe

Since I posted this project the other day I have recveived lots of emails asking for the recipe.  I think that I am not allowed to buy Huck biscuits from the Pet store anymore, good thing these are so easy!  Also, we passed them out to about 10 of Huck's furry friends for Christmas and everyone seemed to LOVE them :)  Go to this post for deets on the project, but for the dog treat recipe keep reading :)  I am NOT the original chef for this recipe, however I did alter it a bit to make it easier :)  The original recipe is from King Arthur Flour Co, called Best of Breed Dog Biscuits.  Here is my version:

• 2 cups Premium Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 cup rolled oats, regular or quick
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup nonfat dry milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup peanut butter, crunchy or plain
• 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon cold water, enough to make a cohesive dough

Directions

1) Preheat the oven to 300°F. Lightly grease a couple of baking sheets, or line them with parchment.

2) Throw all of the dry ingredients into my KitchenAide (mixer).  I use a dough hook.

3) Add the eggs and peanut butter, mixing to combine; the mixture will be crumbly.

4) Add enough water to bring the dough together; depending on the season, you may need to add a bit more (winter), or a bit less (summer).

5) To make biscuits using a dog-bone cutter, roll the dough about 1/4" thick, and cut with a 3 1/2" cutter (or the size of your choice). Gather and re-roll the scraps, and continue to cut biscuits until you've used all the dough.

6) To make dog "cookies," drop the dough in walnut-sized balls onto the prepared baking sheets. Flatten them to about 1/4".

7) Bake the biscuits for about 40 to 60 minutes, baking the smaller cookies for a shorter amount of time. When finished, the biscuits will be dark golden brown, and will be dry and crisp all the way through.

8) Remove the biscuits from the oven, and cool right on the pans.

Yield: about 42 larger (3 1/2" dog-bone) biscuits, 60 smaller (round) biscuits.

Thanks for popping in!  Hope you're having a wonderful week!

MTME Pretty Patterns Sketch #43

Thursday means MTME Pretty Patterns Sketch Day!  Today we have a simple sketch for you, can't wait to see you work your magic with it!  Head here to check out the details of the sketch and to link up your creation.  The colors for my card were inspire by this weeks Pretty Palette challenge!

Here's the sketch...

Stamps: Bold Botanicals (My Time Made Easy)  Paper: Island Love (My Time Made Easy)

My Time Made Easy January, A Year in Review

Last night Jeff & I watched "The Help", and I LOVED it!!!  It got me thinking and I thought of a great gift idea... a movie, Hot Cocoa and an Throw Blanket...(snuggling up and watching a movie is awesome and cheap therapy!!)  

Today's group post is "A Year in Review", and I used the Disc-Covered template and made the DVD size.  The paper is from a FREE paper pack called Freestyle Florals...LOVE it!  All I needed now was some ribbon, some embellies to cover the "fastener area" and some rhinestones to make those flowers POP!

Thanks for stopping by, be sure to check out the rest of the My Time DT...

• Lauren
• Katie
• Lisa
• Debbie
• Monique
• Kathryn

 

My Time January Release, and a prezzie for a friend

This release from My Time Made Easy is cupcake-a-licious!!!  You can see all of the new goodies in the store, here.  I have a friend who has just started quilting and her birthday is coming up soon, and this is her little gift.  I used the BRAND NEW Sweet Treats Tote template and stuffed it chalk full of fabric!  You can visit my sewing blog next week to see the project I made with this beautiful fabric!

This template comes with a few different ways to hold whatever goodies you decide to fill it with!  For the front of my package I used some paper from the Candy Kisses paper pack.  Add some ribbon, flowers, buttons and voila!  A pretty package just bursting at the seams with Birthday Goodness!!  For my card I just stamped a Birthday sentiment from the Sentimental Occasions set.

Today is a group post from the My Time Made Easy DT, be sure to visit them all and be ready to blown away with TONS of inspiration for this awesome release!

• Lauren
• Katie
• Lisa
• Debbie
• Monique
• Kathryn

 

Paper Makeup Stamps January Release Blog Hop

Happy Hop day!!!  Today is the Paper Makeup Stamps January release Hop, if you didn't come here from Anita's blog then you'll want to start at the PMS Blog to get all the deets :)  This month PMS is releasing 3 new Color Kids and some fun wordart.  I used this week's sketch from SCS for my layout and the adorable image here is Color Kid w/a Valentine.  Grab yourself a latte and happy hoppin!  You're sure to see some rockin inspiration!!  Your next stop is Miss Ginger.

Stamps: Color Kid w/Valentine (Paper Makeup Stamps)  Challenges: SC366

Cupcakes for Huck? My Time peeks start today!

Ok, so my puppy, Huck, MIGHT be a teensy bit "spoiled" but he certainly is NOT getting cupcakes :)  Today the My Time Made Easy DT is showing off the versatility of the brand new Hey Cupcake! Template.  Since Huck was out of Biscuit treats I just HAD to bake him some more, and they fit perfectly in the Hey Cupcake Box.  I left out the insert inside so I had more room for treats :)

For the top, my sentiment is from the Sweet Sentiments set (available January 8th).  I printed it on some Kraft Prism cardstock and then took the Biscuit cookie cutter and traced it around sentiment, cut it out and decorated a little :)  The decorative layer is from the Candy Kisses digi paper pack (also available 1/8).  Huckie will like it, lol!

This template is very quick and easy to make.  I'll be making at least half a dozen more for Huck's "friends".  Hope you enjoyed my peek today, be sure to visit Katie, Lisa and Lauren for some more inspiration using this fabulous template!!

Paper Makeup Peeks!

** Please scroll down one post for this weeks MTME Pretty Patterns Sketch**

Today the Paper Makeup Artists are showing off some NEW wordart!!  You can visit the PMS Blog to see more wordart samples.  This is PMS' very first ALL DIGI release and we couldn't be more excited!!  Don't forget about the Rubber Closeout sale, use code CLOSEOUT60 in your shopping cart at the PMS Store.  Stay tuned to the PMS Blog for the next few days to see all of the new release, and make sure you check in on the 7th for the Blog Hop!!  Thanks for popping in, hope you have a fabulous day!