It's All Fun & Games Until the Queen Arrives!

Good morning! 

Oh, my!  It's raining & blowing so hard here in California today!  I love the sound on my windows and roof...when I can stay cozily home by the fire...NOT when I have to drive around in it, though!  Oh, well!  We do need the rain...

I'm trying to get ready to leave for CHA early tomorrow morning--can't believe it's finally time!  I just have a couple of cards to share with you today that I made to bring with me as samples of new Crafty Secrets' stamp sets.  These will be available at CHA and can be ordered afterwards--you will love them all!

Here's my first...from the new "Greetings from Wonderland" set--

...just look at all the fabulous detail on the Queen! 

Being the Queen of Hearts, she need a red heart doily background of course...I used one of my favorite retired SU! sets of designer paper on this one--love all the royal red!

The Queen also demanded plenty of my favorite real silver shavings glitter--nothing but the best for her!   Some lace, ribbon and a few lovely red crystal rhinestones to finish it off, and that's it!

Next, one of my new favorites sets!  I've always loved mermaids, and never have found a stamp set that I love enough to get...this one is just perfect in every way!  Sandy will be posting images of these new sets tonight on the Crafty Secrets' blog, so check over there later on to see the whole set.  All these vintage mermaid images are sheer perfection in my eyes!

Here's one of the lovely water ladies...this is such an elegant image...

...I didn't want to add too much and take away from the beautiful lines on the image, so I didn't !  Very simple, but some Pearl Stickles were required!

Love this beautiful lace I had on hand from my Mom's stash--she was so generous to share with me last summer--thanks, Mom!

Lots of layers on this one, but not a lot of fuss. 

Keep checking the Crafty Secrets' blog for more new stamp sets--so many are being released this week--it's a vintage girl's dream!  You can also leave comments to be entered to win these new sets--so go visit & give it a go!

Off to take the girls to school and get busy...think I will have to get a little inky today, though...can't be all work now, can I?

 I won't be posting again till after CHA--I'll miss you, but I'll be back with lots of photos & stories for you--see you then!

Have a wonderful day today, whatever the weather!

King Arthur's Birthday, Over the Moon...and a Sweet Fairy Shadowbox...

Good evening, everyone!  Hope it's been a beautiful day for you! 

Had a busy day today--no school, my husband had the day off...crazy, stormy weather, and my Mom arrived to stay for a couple of weeks...

...and I can't forget to wish you a Happy King Arthur's Birthday today before it's over! 

(Okay, I know there's no King Arthur's Birthday...but we "celebrate" it in our family!  Here's the deal...my sister Becky had a little planner book when she was about 8 years old.  She left it open on her bed, and like a nosy, much-older sister would do, I looked at what she had written there...important things needing to be accomplished by an 8-year old...and there I gleefully discovered "King Arthur's Birthday--no school!" 

Of course, she had mistaken Martin Luther King Day for King Arthur...get it?!)  Our "celebration" of the day usually entails calling or emailing my sister and never letting her forget it! 

Now, on to slightly more serious things...!

Just a couple of things to share that I've been making with the fabulous new "Fairy Scraps" from Crafty Secrets.  These are absolutely gorgeous and so much fun to use!  They'll be available at and after CHA...

First, a a card I made just for fun because I couldn't wait to use this adorable image...

Love this sweet girl sitting on the moon!  The soft, fluffy pink pom-poms seemed like the perfect trim for this card...had to add some silver Stickles for a starry sky...

The colors of these scraps are so rich and lovely--the images so fun and offer so many fun possibilities!

Next, a shadow-box card made with Vicki Chrisman's amazing new die-cut design--she's got such great vision and is so creative!  Sorry the photos aren't the best--hard to take good photos on these gloomy days...oh, well!

Look how it stands up on it's own--isn't that great?!  No propping up required!  Great design, Vicki!

Just had to put this happy baby on the nest...why, I don't know!  Isn't it wonderful that the window looks like a little stage...complete with curtains!

A beautiful bluebird on the side panel...the little poem is from Crafty Secrets' "Birds and Botanicals" Images & Journal Notes booklet...

I love these sassy girls!  Wonder what they're saying?  Makes me think of the little line my girls always say in jest..."Secrets don't make friends"!

It's meant to close up beautifully, which it does...and can be tied with a ribbon or whatever you choose...my photos of it closed didn't turn out well, but if you go to Vicki's blog, you'll see it all closed up neatly! 

Well, that's it for the cards tonight...got more to show you tomorrow.  I took some pictures of my "new" antique piano today, but they were all blurry, so I'll try again in the morning.

Hope you have a wonderful night--we'll chat tomorrow!

Sweet dreams!