***********Give Thanks JustRite Sketch 042

Today is a day to to Give Thanks for a beautiful fall day.  So, I decided to use Just Rite Stamps from the Auturm Blessings Borders and Centers for this challenge.   First I took the sketch, turned it on its side, and flipped it to get a "mirror image sketch".  (why I don't know, I just did!)  Starting with a blank cardstock base and using stamps from Just Rite's Autumn Blessings Borders and Centers, Ribbon, Lace, Pearls, Fabric flowers, Stickles, Spellbinder dies, and bits of paper this card evolved.  I first covered the card with wide ribbon (pumpkin background).  May Arts Silk Ribbon and Lace provided the vertical lines and also the background upon which "Give Thanks" was stamped. Individual pearls were glued to the lace and the Give Thanks square was double mounted on coordinating paper.  5 Prima flowers with Stickles centers were arched on/above the square.  Pumpkins were gold embossed, colored with Copic markers, cut out and mounted on paper circle and then on a  Prima flower from the Crown Jewels collection.   Finally I worked to place both the square and circle in an appropriately pleasing position (slightly modified from the sketch)

**********************A Recipe to De-Light You

This week -041  JustRite challenge this week is to welcome the holidays with a favorite family recipe.  Oh my, so many yummy things to eat!  But, as I thought and thought of which recipe to choose,  I realized that some of my most favorite "recipes" are not for edible items, but for things that embrace the spirit of the holidays.  So, I added my own personal twist to this week's contest to include a family recipe that was handed down from Grandmother, to Mother, to Daughter.  This whipped candle recipe has been used to provide table centerpieces for Thanksgiving, and provide provide teacher and hostess gifts throughtout the holiday season.  This candle is decorated with Imaginisce flowers and pearls. I made a gift card using Just Rite Christmas Stamp Ensemble, May Arts Ribbon, Cuttlebug embossing folder, and Spellbinders dies.  Packaged in a decorated box that  includes the Recipe for making the candle the gift is ready to give.  Look closely, the recipe card is decorated with Stickles and Robins Nest Dew Drop. 
 The wonderful thing about this recipe, is that it keeps providing joy for several years!

Whipped Candle

Candle Wax (I use blocks of paraffin)
Candle Wicking – about 3 inches longer than carton height
1 quart empty, cleaned waxed milk/cream carton (or similar) top cut off
2 lb. empty, cleaned coffee can (or similar)
Pencil (or similar)
“Old” electric mixer
Spoon
Glitter
Misc. embellishments

PerparationPoke tiny hole in bottom of carton. Thread wicking through hole to a 1 inch length. Tape it down. Roll other end of wick around pencil and lay it across open end of carton.

Candle
Place wax in coffee can set in a pan with a few inches of water. Melt wax at low heat, making sure there continues to be water in the pan. Pour a tiny amount of melted wax into the carton – enough to seal the hold around the wick. When that wax has cooled, pour melted wax into carton until carton is about 2/3 full. Let set until hard (overnight). Remove waxed carton and place candle on a prepared work surface. (newspaper, oilcloth, etc). The next step is messy!

Candle Covering
Add more wax to coffee can and melt. Let cool slightly. Take electric mixer and beat wax. (when wax has cooled sufficiently it will form a frothy foam). With spoon “slop” the frothed wax on the candle. While it is still warm, sprinkle the candle with chosen color(s) of glitter. Other embellishments can be added later with pins or glue.

Light the candle and enjoy the flickering glow. Use normal safety precautions.

Colors of Fall Kaleidoscope Just Rite 040

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

 The colorsof Fall are beginning to show as the warmer temperatures of summer are becomming a distant memory.  Swirling together the different colors of leaves provide a moving kaleidoscope of colors.   And so, I began to think of creating a Colors of Fall card.   A stamp from Just Rite's Kaleidoscope Set was stamped (Stazon Ink) on a piece of heavyweight acetate.  It was cut using a Spellbinders circle.  A larger background was cut using a larger Spellbinders Scallop Circle.  I used all the Copic marker "fall" colors I have and covered the  background piece with a myriad of pinpoints of color.  I punched a small hole in the center of the acetate and background and put them together with a brown brad to create a movable "kaleidoscope of color".  Next, I found a paper from Webster Pages that reminded me of a waning summer.  Flower Soft enhanced a printed tree to remind of  fall colors.  Next was adding the Beauty of Fall (perfect stamp for this card!) from Just Rite's Nature Nested Sentiments and Verse.  I used a Spellbinder tag to punch out an oblong in the card front.  The same tag was used to create the frame around the space.  The sentiment was stamped on a coordinating piece of the Webster paper and mounted (pop dots) behind the opening.  Layered on brown then cream cardstock, the font of the card was done and it was time to use my Dad's sentiment on the inside.  I found a maple leaf pattern on website http://www.kids.creativity-portal.com/  and used it as the background piece.  The title Colors of Fall was stamped using Just Rite's Special Occasions 15 and 50 pt sets.  To "tired" stamp the entire sentiment, I turned to my computer to finish:  "Notice the leaf colors.........................Now you know Fall is here."  Colored leaf punch outs (EK Success punch) were used instead of  words (red, orange, yellow, gold, brown, and burgundy).  I next created a mask to block out the big leaf and spritzed the rest of the page with Tattered Angel's Burnt Red Glimmer Mist.  My card is done; time to turn the kaleidoscope and watch the swirling colors of fall.  May fall's vibrant colors inspire you!

Flying Witch Ribbon Card

The "paper" was created using pieces of May Arts ribbon.  Spellbinders pumpkins and witch were used to create the focal point of this card.  A little bit of distressing and little bit of a bow and the card was done.  Ready for a special Halloween message inside...

Thank You says......JustRite 039 &Joan's Garden 18

This week Just Rite chllenged us in part, to create a Thank You card; Joan's Garden's challenge was to make a card using a die cut flower, a vertical paper strip, a swirl, and alteing the cardstock.  For this card, I decided to combine the two challenge together. (Whew! that is actually harder than I thought it wold be!)This card "grew" from a recent statement from a minister's sermon.  He said  "the words Thank You are an expression of Love".  And I thought about it....we say Thank You to show appreciation, appreciation is a facet of love; thus I thought Thank You Says Love Says Thank You in an unending circle. Hearts cut from Spellbinders formed petals upon which I stamped: Thank You (Just Rite's Just a Note set), Says an Love (Just Rite's Special Occasions 50 and 15 pt font set).  After distressing the edges, I used them to form the inner petals of the Spellbinder Die Cut Blossom (which I had run through the Swiss Dots cuttlebug (look closely!).  Instead of a brad or a button, I used a hand made dimensional flower for the blossom's center. Rhinestone swirls and a touch of glitter pen on the background paper and strip added a touch of bling to the card.  The last thing I did was prick the border of the card with a stylus.  I love that you viewed this card....Thank You!

******************************Pixie Hannah Witch

Thank You JustRite 039

Giving thanks that just I happened to have JustRite's Just A Note Stamp Set so had a "Thank You" stamp and thought I'd challenge myself to using a MoJo Monday layout.  There are so many times we have a should say "Thank You", and what better way to express a heartfelt thanks than to send a  hand stamped card.  Coordinating paper (from somewhere!), a few glass beads, a couple of Spellbinder's circles,  a luscious ribbon from MayArts, and a hand crocheted backdrop for the stamped Thank You were combined to create this card.  Simplicity...Thankyou for looking!

*******************Glowing By Candlelight JustRite......038

 My favorite fall holiday is Halloween, so with JustRite's "fun fall holiday 3D" guidelines I knew I would focus my efforts on that holiday.  Grinning Jack-o-lanterns, ghosts, and witches from the JustRite Witch Way to the Treats collection were sure to lend themselves to "something"!  What else to I like?  Candles.  3D..hmm.I took a glass globe/candle holder and transformed it into a Halloween centerpiece/table accent.  I stamped the halloween images on velumn, colored the pumpkins with those oh so wonderful copic markers...used stickles to color the ghosts (unfortuantely the sparkle doesn't show up too well on camera).   The cat was cut from Spellbinders Witches Brew set and I decorated its eyes with a bit of sparkle.  I held my breath (or was that wave my wand?), lit the tealight candle and sat back to enjoy the flickering view.