Category Archives: Photography

Refresh. Recharge. Retreat.

Posted on February 22, 2016 | 8 comments

What lies ahead maybe one of my longest blog posts ever, but I have so many pretty pictures to share… I just got home yesterday from a fabulously refreshing retreat… it was a weekend of laid back stamping and crafting that I had been invited to by a friend. It was held at the Whatever Craft House in Newton, KS… just about (lucky me!) 30 minutes from my home. Don’t my Copics look right at home on the welcome bench?

The event circled around a fabulous workroom with plenty of space for your 15 newest (since I only knew 2 people before I went) friends! Can you even?

Jen Shults and I may have both come home with fabric to make bunting for our craft rooms. Bunt everything!

This was my personal space for the weekend, and I had plenty of room for my tools and new Copic Carry Case that I received for Christmas. The light-weight case is made of plastic and aluminum, and it will hold an entire collection of markers with plenty of room for other crafty necessities. I use empty 36-piece clear cases to organize my markers inside the case.

Lots of yummy food over the weekend. This was from our lunch one day at the Bread Basket in Newton, KS. It was a super delicious soup, salad and sandwich shop where everything is homemade. No frozen piecrust here. Your grandma would approve. I had a taste of a friends pecan/coconut/chocolate pie called “JACKPOT”… and this restaurant definitely was, all the way around.

Our workspace was on the main floor, but up this back butler staircase and around the corner is a piece of crafty slumber heaven.

The bedrooms were just as cute as you’d imagine they would be… This was mine.

All the bed covers were beautiful, old quilts.

Fun colorful curtains and wall decor.

I got a lot of cards made through the weekend, and this was one of my favorites. The cool folks at Concord & 9th sent everyone this adorable Pop Art Pineapple stamp/die set. It had been in and out of my cart several times, so I was THRILLED!

The first craft project we did was a wooden heart kit that many of the girls purchased from Heart by CC. I loved this project. I just wish we would have taken a photo of all the different finished pieces because they were all different.

Doesn’t this just scream HAPPY?

Here is my finished heart. I used Special Walnut stain on the back board and acrylic paints for the individual pieces. After staining and painting, I applied a thin layer of wax paste to my pieces, but you could totally skip that step. I think I was the only one who did that, and it wasn’t obvious in the end. You can see a lot of samples for this project by look at this Instagram feed.

Our next project was a felt flower wall hoop. We used a collection of rolled and flat flower dies with felt from Taylored Expressions. Taylor’s felt is so, so nice… Beautiful, rich colors and great 100% wool felt quality. Cuts like a dream in the big shot.

Here I was playing around with my layout before I glued pieces to my hoop.

My finished project that I’m hanging in my office. {{love}}

The last non-stamping project that we did was a little nail, string art piece. We painted a wooden block and then used a heart shaped die as a template to nail little tacks, then we used string to twine around the nails. So easy and adorable. Loved this one, too!

Finally, here’s a little watercolor that I did from an image that had been at our work station upon arrival. I have a little detail work to do, and then I think I’ll be framing this for my office, as well. I’ll be sure to share when I’m finished.

This was our full group on the porch before dinner on Saturday night. So many beautiful new friends. Laurie Willison and Amy Kolling were fabulous hostesses! I’m so grateful for the invitation to attend and their new-found friendships. Love.

So, my Copic Carry Case and I are home, sweet home again, but already dreaming of going back… Something about being around so much color and vibrant personality. It’s so, so good for the soul.

Thanks for indulging me such a windy post. I appreciate you stopping by. I have more finished cards and projects to share, so I’ll be posting those through the week. See you again soon!

8 Comments

Posted in Photography, Random Stuff

Sunflowers Everywhere & a Save the Date

Posted on September 14, 2015 | 2 comments

After my last share with the sunflower card, I made a trip to a beautiful sunflower farm in northeast Kansas near my parents’ home. Sixty-five acres of glorious Kansas gold.

As promised, I thought I’d share some photos of that glorious morning.

My mom and I went early in the morning, and it was mesmerizing… pink clouds at the horizon, and we had to wait for a light fog to lift. This guy was busy as a … well, you know.

I’d never really seen anything like this before, and I came home wanting to till up our entire yard and scatter seeds. <sigh>

In stamping news… the sunflowers have quickly faded, and our large cancer awareness campaign at Splitcoaststampers will be starting soon! Save the dates now to join us every day in October. So much fun, inspiration and prizes!

See you soon!

2 Comments

Posted in Photography, Splitcoast Challenges, Splitcoast Stuff

Ruby Red Grapefruit Jelly

Posted on December 27, 2012 | 17 comments

Last Saturday afternoon, in between last-minute card mailing, shopping and wrapping, my husband helped me make a double batch of Ruby Red Grapefruit Jelly with the annual box of Ruby Red’s we purchase from the FFA (Future Farmers of America).

I know it’s not a card, but this will be a treasured recipe for years to come. It was easy, looked beautiful in the jars, and it tastes wonderful. I wanted to share.

We gave almost all of our jars away to friends and family, so I’ll be making one more batch that will have to tide me over until next year’s box arrives.

Three cups sounds like a lot of fresh-squeezed juice, but I got that from 4 grapefruit, so definitely not too hard or time-consuming.

Happy New Year!

17 Comments

Posted in Family Matters, Photography, Random Stuff

You are special to me.

Posted on October 3, 2012 | 7 comments

In the midst of making cards, I am taking this online photography class right now. I’ve learned a ton about my camera, and it’s really made me think about being intentional with my pictures. I’ve been very happy with some of the shots I’ve gotten in the first few weeks of the class. This is my husband and his dog, Walker. I had to get up at 4:30 am to take this photo, and it’s not technically perfect, but that’s ok because I’ll treasure it always.

Be intentional.

7 Comments

Posted in Photography

using iPhoto to remove color cast

Posted on September 17, 2012 | 3 comments

Non stamping related today, but this iPhoto tip rocked my world, so I thought I’d share because I know pictures (albeit of cards or kids) are important to so many of us.

I am taking an online photography class right now. I’ve been waiting ~~ever since Jenn told me about it~~ for 3 years to take the class, and finally my calendar coincided with the class schedule. Very excited.

While the class is about photography and taking beautiful pictures – not editing beautiful pictures – I’m still learning a ton in the editing arena from other women in the class.

I posted the photo on the left for critique regarding composition amongst my class peers. Because I had mentioned iPhoto in my upload for the class, one of the peer/student comments was to try the eyedropper tool in iPhoto editing to remove the yellow color cast. One click. Can you hear the angels singing?

You simply click on the eyedropper and then click on something in the photo that should be white.

This is probably old, old news to many of you Mac lovers, and if you don’t use a Mac, you could care less, but I’ve been using Mac exclusively for 3 years, and I had no idea it was just. that. easy.

Thanks for letting me squeal a bit. Card to share tomorrow. Promise.

And because someone will inevitably ask, and because I do not mind sharing… We’ve been making these for 4-5 years. (When I say *we*, I mean hubby.) These are so easy that he frequently does one or two jars at a time when we don’t have enough peppers for the full 4 pints. Here is the recipe:

Pickled Jalapeno Peppers

5 cups distilled vinegar
1 cup water
2 pounds fresh peppers
a few baby carrots
1/4 teaspoon pickling salt per pint jar of peppers

Simmer vinegar and water on stove or in microwave. Make a tiny slit in each pepper with paring knife. Pack peppers and a few random baby carrots (or carrot slivers) in hot pint jars. Put 1/4 tsp of pickling salt in each jar and pour simmered brine over the peppers. Apply seals and lids to jars. Drop jars in boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Do not over-salt or over-process the jars, both of these things will lead to soggy peppers. Yield: 4 pints. Enjoy.

3 Comments