Scrapping for Father's Day

I've been cleaning out my scrapbooking supplies. There's A LOT to sort through! My scrapping days are not over yet - more to come just no time... But I didn't want to "waste" all the pretty papers, stickers, and ephemera collections. I took out the Simple Stories Dad Collection and put it to work:

A post shared by Betsy L (@madebyteddi) on Jun 10, 2017 at 7:26pm PDT

The card designs are fairly simple. I wanted the papers and patterns to be the star. Not much stamping was done, but it was really fun putting it together. Scrapping on a A2 size format is challenging!

Of course I had to make an instagram post! Oh, by the way, this is the first instragram account... EVER... I'm still trying to learn how to navigate though this"new" social media. Please be patient with me.

Challenges:
SSS Monday Challenge: Masculine
SSS Wednesday Challenge: Make It Masculine

Detashing: Halloween cards

It's October. This means it's officially fall/pumpkin/apple cider/Halloween time! This is my favorite season: perfect hoodie weather and I can still go outside without getting too hot or cold. Plus, who doesn't love apple-picking-pumpkin-spiced season?

So I went through my scrapbooking supplies and found a bunch of Halloween stuff. I decided to make them all into cards (so that I can clear out some space for other craft things). There's a glimpse of my first batch:

By far, my favorite of this batch is this one:

It's simple and clean. I love the sparkly bat and the color combo! I think it's great for any age, kids or adults.

Challenges entered:
SSS Monday: Halloween
SSS Wednesday: Halloween Inspiration

First day of fall.... already!?

It's officially fall today. That's crazy; time is flying by so fast! This means that Christmas is just around the corner and it's the start of holiday craft show season. I'm excited, but at the same time, I know how busy I'll get!

Without further to do, I've been doing through my Christmas stash:

That is a small glimpse into my Christmas card box. I told myself that I will update my Etsy this year and really push my online store. That's my goal for the next few months! This also allows me to get many uses out of my stamps and crafty tools. (I love playing with my toys! Who doesn't?!)

Here's one that I really like that I made recently:

This was inspired by the song "White Christmas" (call me old-school, but I love the Frank Sinatra version - so classic and has that warm holiday vibe). I think of this song every time I write a Christmas card. 

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas, just like the ones I used to know

Where the treetops glisten and children listen to hear sleigh bells in the snow

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas with every Christmas card I write

May your days be merry and bright and may all your Christmases be white

I applied some clear wink of stella on the "Merry," so it shimmers when you hold it in the light. So pretty! The ornament gems were randomly picked and adhered using Rangers multi-medium.

Challenge:
Simon Says Stamp: Inspired by Music

2016 already?!

Happy New Year!!! Wow, it's already 7 days into 2016! I'm so behind on all my craftiness! One of my new year resolution is to blog more and keep up with the crafty world!

So, I finally received my new Hero Arts Milwaukee Heat Gun!

This heating tool is fabulous! It heats up quickly like all the reviews have described. BIG thank you to my loving boyfriend who totally supports me and my craftiness! So happy!

I purchased a new planner for 2016 from PTI. I'm a planner user. I'm excited that I can be a crafty with my planner too! There are two versions: spiral-bind and binder. 

 

I'm also a binder user (even for school stuff... never a spiral bind, which gets worn out so easily). I didn't want to spend extra money to get a new binder (even though I really like them from PTI), and thinking that I can I have these mini binders in my office supplies, I decided to get the binder version. Little did I know that, of course PTI has to make their own binder that is not quite standard size! Now I have to get PTI's binder. I'm not thrill about spending more money, at the same time, I really like the this:

This looks so classy! I like the white one too. My friend, Ashley, got the white one and it's gorgeous. Knowing me, I'm going to the white all dirty; black is a good choice. So guess this binder is also on my wish list (a wish that will be fulfilled within the next few weeks, haha!). 

A few more things to continue from my 2015 wish list (continuing from last post...):

4) Couture Color Winter 2015 Collection from The Ton

Most of my inks are from Stampin' Up inks and a few Hero Arts (HA) and Simon Says Stamps (SSS). As much as I want to expand my HA and SSS inks, they have way too many colors! But these collection from The Ton is not too bad. The colors are beautiful - all 31 of them! That rose gold bangle pigment ink is so lovely. The price is $200 for the whole collection.

5) Mini Distress Ink Pads Kits 

I have half of the distress ink collection. I'd love to complete the the set.

6) Die-namics Inside & Out Diagonal Stitched Square STAX from My Favorite Things

These little square are so cute! The diagonal stitches really add to the design and accents the squares so well! I've seen so many cards using these and I really want to try them out myself. MFT also have the rectangle version as well. 

That's all for now! Thanks for stopping by! I hope to post some crafty projects soon!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Wow, has it been soooo busy! It's December already and I have yet to do my gift list for friends and family. I'm not sure what I want to make yet. I made a TON of cards and little gift items for the craft shows; however, I don't want to give out those items... I feel like that would be cheating. I want to make something unique instead of just giving "inventory" as gifts. But on the other hand, I'm running out of creative juice here... this will be tough!

Nonetheless, I did get my self an early Christmas gift -  Furetake Fude Real Brush Pens!

I am super excited about these! Bought them on Amazon (free shipping - thanks to my boyfriend's Prime ;)) I've been watching videos and reading blogs from other crafters about watercoloring. Ashley got these over the summer and I played with them. I can't wait to put my new colors into action. 

The next item I'm also super excited about is the Hero Arts Milwaukee Heat Gun!

I wasn't intending to get this, even though I need a new heating tool for some time now. I have a cheap one that takes a while to heat up and it's starting to tarn/rust around the metal tip. Anyhow, my boyfriend recently asked me what I wanted for Christmas. Although there wasn't really anything specific that I wanted, I asked for this heat gun. I didn't think he would get it, but he did! He got it from Ellen Huston. 

There are a few new stamps I want to add to my stamping wish list:

1) Luna Animals from Mama Elephant 

  

These are so adorable! I've bought the Luna Extra set and Lucky Envelope die from Mama Elephant already. I'm looking forward to making my own 紅包 (red envelope) for Chinese New Year. Then, i saw Vera's red envelope with the critters; now I really want to get these critters too!

2) Oriental Orchid from Altenew

 

I love orchids! I started caring for two orchids this year. They were neglected and left to die, so I took them in. I have never had orchids before; this was quite the learning experience. The good news is, they're both growing strong and new roots/buds are coming in! I saw so excited to see these new stamps from Altenew. I'm not Korean, but I really like it when I can find good quality stamps in different languages, especially an Asian or sand-scripts languages. These stamps are definitely on my wish list! 

3) Autumn Foliage from The Ton

 

I think these are absolutely gorgeous and stunning. The layering ink really brings out the details of each leaf. These leaves can be used for any occasions and various flower stamps from different stamp companies. I think these would make great accents or background for any type of floral pattern. 

That's all for now. I'll keep you posted on the next three items on my stamping wish list on my next post!

Almost Advent

Wow, this past month has gone by way too fast! I've been busy with craft shows on weekends and school stuff during the week. There's no time to do anything else! (or so it seems...)

Being at craft shows and seeing other crafters doing holiday stuff has really inspired me to make an advent calendar. I've never used one before, let alone make one! Nonetheless, I thought this would be a good project on the side. And TA-DA:

 It's a 6"x6" cube; made with 24 matchboxes. Each drawer slide out for each day before Christmas. And, for Christmas day, there is an extra big box on the top for more goodies on that very day! Here's the "back" side:

Technically, there is no "front" or "back." This calendar will need to be rotated as the days go by. Here's what it looks like with the drawers pulled out and the top opened. Each matchbox is the same size; they are all a little over 3" deep.

If I'm up for it, maybe I'll make another one to sell at the craft show! :)

tags after tags

I've been MIA because school is totally taking over all my craft time! However, it's not a super bad thing, I do enjoy working with the kids. I guess for now, crafting will be slowed down to weekends only.

Even though I can't make much, I can still browse other crafty sites and blogs. I'm joining Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Use a Stamp and Blog Hop and their Wednesday Challenge: No Designer Paper.

I'm working on a list of things for the holiday shows coming up. From that list, I've only touched "holiday tags." I'm totally not ready, my inventory is w-a-y low. Here's the past two weeks' results:

I used my new PTI stamps! I was so excited when they came in the mail. I really like the little bear stamp! :) Then I packaged them nicely, twelve tags per container, three of each design:

 

Here are the other tags that were done:

I've gotta mass produce and make other designs as well. Hopefully school gets in to routine within this week and crafting is on schedule again. Or else I'll be in big trouble when the shows are here!

Sparkle & Christmas

I was blog hopping and came to Happy Little Stamper August Christmas Challenge page. Their theme this month is "SPARKLE." How perfect~ I just reorganized all my paper supplies and knew exactly where all my sparkly, shinny papers were! And this was the result:

Christmas seems so far, yet so close! I'm looking at the calendar, and it seems like holiday craft shows are starting soon! This card is also good for Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Anything Goes. 

I used PTI's Wonderful Words: Holiday Die for the "merry" and added "Christmas" from a different stamp set. I used the same die cut, "merry," on red glitter paper and some fun foam. This way, I was able to give the text some dimension. For more sparkle, I added some more sequin for bling. 

Side note: My Etsy store is coming along. I'm still working out the details and organization. Will do some posting about that soon. Thanks for stopping by!

winter on July 4th

Even though it's a holiday, I somehow manage to wake up super early, thanks to the lovely birds, in the neighborhood, chirruping away ever so loudly.

Here's another for this week's Simon Wednesday Challenge: We are going dotty! This is also an entry to PTI Make It Monday Challenge #216.

Originally this was going to be birthday card. However, when I started coloring "happy" in shades of blue, I thought to myself, "winter is more like it!" So I changed sequence colors and the background to a textured, dotted paper to mimic snow. And then I added silver glitter wash tape to give it some spark.

I tried to angle the card and change the flash setting on the camera to help reveal some of the snow dots in the background. Here's another picture. 

Colors: pacific point (SU), night of navy (SU)
Stamps & die: phrase play #5 (PTI)

Happy Resurrection Day!

"And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, 'Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.'" 

- Luke 24:5-7 (ESV)

Happy Easter! The Lord has has risen! Thank you Jesus for your sacrifice on the cross so I, and many others, can live and be with God eternally. 

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."

- Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV)

"For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

- Romans 8:38-29 (ESV)

Sunday service was very encourage. I was once again reminded of God's amazing grace and love for us sinners. Although I deserve judgement and death, Jesus took my place instead. There is nothing I can do to save myself, it is all God's doing and I'm forever grateful. ^_^

I made these a while ago for my friend. Her mom was going through breast cancer and she asked me to make these little angels for her family. These beaded angels reminded all of us that God is watching and He's in control. He is a God that protects and heals. We prayed for her mother a lot. Thank God her mother did survive; she's now living very healthily and will be able to see my friend get marry later this year!

These angels are made with Swarovski crystals and sterling silver. I attached to a mini bookmark. The bookmark is about 3.5" long. Small but big enough to keep me on the right page.