Love is brewing

Isn't that the cutest sentiment? Taylor is hostessing her weekly cupcake challenge and here is my version of this weeks sketch. No cupcake, but my second favorite item to stamp. COFFEE!!

I love all of the cute sentiments and styles of cups. We drink alot of hot beverages here in Alaska. So I have a large collection of coffee themed stamps, paper, etc. Plus brown is one of my favorite colors. I know how boring does that sound. But, I have loved it long before it was in fashion. :) The paper is from Memory Box's new release. I paper pieced the coffee cup. But, added another dimension. I also stamped on the cup onto a transparency and layered it on top of the paper pieced stamped image. I was going for the look of a glazed cup. I also used pop dots to raise the cup off the saucer to add more dimension. I am really pleased with the way it turned out.

Recipe: Pattern paper: Memory Box; Cardstock: Stampin' Up!; Ribbon: Martha Stewart; Transparency sheets: Office supply; Metal embellishment: Close to my heart; Stamps: Close to my heart (coffee mug & steam) & Papertrey (sentiment); Ink: StazOn (Timber Brown); Adhesive: Glue Arts Vellum Sheets and Xyron adhesive runner.

DIGISCRAP 101

Wondering how I changed the look of my blog? Well, it was the fabulous tutorial created by Kayla Lamoreaux (The Legacy Lady). She did a tutorial on Shabby Miss Jenn Designs site. So I bought the blog images from SMJD and followed the tutorial on how to install them myself. :)

Are interested in learning more about digital scrapbooking or how to personalize your blog? Well, Kayla has a great site with lots more tutorials and a special deal for bloggers until the end of July. Check out www.digiscrap101.com to see what she has to offer. If you are interested in what she has to offer leave me a comment here and I will send you the special deal information. :) Kayla has been so gracious and willing to share her knowledge. She also makes it very user friendly. Love it!! I like being able to learn new things, not just pay someone to do it for me. ;) I can't wait to take some of these tutorials.

Sunny Side

How do you like the new look of my blog? I am in love with Shabby Miss Jenn Designs. Check out a link to her site at the bottom of my blog. I LOVE CHERRIES!! They are so sweet. As fresh and funky as I think I want to be, I really am a gingham, polka dot and calico kind of gal. As you will see with my little project for today.

I saw this little red chicken and just could not leave the store without it. It is from Rubber Soul Stamps. The layout is inspired by Michelle. If you have not checked out her blog you must do so. She has the best ideas for using stamps in so many unique ways. This cute little notecard and matching envelope will look great in a farm themed set I am working on. I will post the other critters soon. :)

Wine Gift Box

I saw these flowers yesterday at Michael's and had to do something with them. I knew this wine box would look very elegant with a flower topper. After it is given as a gift it is pretty enough to set out as a decoration. The wine charms I made using swarovski crystals, silver chain and silver ear wire hoops. I added a bit of seam binding lace to finish off the edges of the box and tucked a few eggs into the flowers. If I can find a beautiful decorative bird I may need to add it to the top. Or maybe I'll just have to do another box. ;) Since we have a wine cellar, we give alot of wine as gifts. I always try and include a handmade topper or charms with the wine. It is overcast here today so I had to set the box right on the windowsill to have good lighting. Sorry for the background 'noise'.

I AM BACK!!

Between design jobs and a road trip in the rv with the family for a week I am happy to be home and ready to blog!! We had an amazingly beautiful trip from Anchorage to Fairbanks (Chena Hot Springs), to Lake Louise and then home. I will be sharing some of the few hundred photos I took and a few family shots to mix it up. Starting tomorrow I am back on track with my blogging. It has been too long. :) I am so psyched about CHA coming up and all of the new and exciting offerings for fall and winter. I am hoping to have all sorts of new and exciting crafty news to share with you over the next few months!!!!! If you are still checking in and reading my blog THANK YOU!! I know it has been too long and I hope that doesn't happen again. ;)

Heading north! As we were on our way out of Anchorage the first day it started turning cloudy, windy and rainy. That was the last we saw of bad weather for the week. Every view out of the front window was amazing! We really do live in a majestic state.

Some brand new ducklings trying to get off the road. Momma duck hopped right off the road into the tall grass, but these little ones didn't know where to go. After much of my pleading my husband drove down the center of the road very slowly and kept blasting our airhorn until these babies finally turned off onto a side road to safety. We had traffic blocked for about a 1/2 mile, but the babies stayed safe! :)

Marissa and daddy off to a morning swim in the pool and hot tubs. It was so warm. You would never guess this photo was in Alaska, huh?! We took her to the pool about three times each day. This is an ice sculture inside the Ice Museum at Chena Hot Springs. Professional ice carvers are on staff. Amazing artwork! It is a chilly 20 degrees year round inside this museum (It was 75 degrees and sunny outside). My husband and dad are enjoying their appletinis in martini glasses made of ice. We kept the glasses in the freezer for a few days and then let them melt. :)

SO PROUD!!

If you have read my earlier entries about my brother then you know how proud I am of him and his many adventures. This article is about him and a fellow guide. Their unselfishness, passion and professionalism are just a few items that are talked about in this article. http://www.adn.com/outdoors/story/443209.html :) Way to go Durney!!

Backyard BBQ

Just a quick little invitation idea. My friend Denise brought me all 12 sets of the calendar $1 stamps from Michaels while she was on vacation. How sweet!! Well, the little bbq grill was just begging to be inked, so I obliged. :) The recipe card stamp inside is from Stampin' Up! and I punched a hole in the cover so the circle stamp could show thru. You could totally decorate this up even more, but if you were mass producing this is quick & easy. Just the way I like things in the summer! :)

What's been up with me??

Well, a whole bunch of stuff. :) I have been given an opportunity to do some designing and that is taking up all of my 'free' time. It is very exciting to challenge myself to try and come up with new ideas or 'remodeling' an old idea into something newer & shinier. ;) Also, they have started construction on our addition so it is loud, dirty and my scrap stuff is getting moved into any nook and cranny the 3 year old can't reach it.

Oh, and we are camping almost every weekend and have some out of state visitors staying with us. :) As soon as life calms down a touch I will be back on track regularly with more goodies. Thanks for stickin' with me and checkin' in.

They reached the summit!!

WOOHOO!!! Another summit for Rob. Now is it back down the mountain. He says that is much easier and faster than going up. ;) I am not sure how many summits he has under his belt, but I will be asking as soon as I talk to him. :)

My AMAZING Brother!!!

My brother, Rob 'Durny' Durnell is one amazing man! He is a guide for Mountain Trip and helps people realize their dream of summiting North America's highest peak, Mount McKinley. It is so amazing that he does this for his summer job, right here in Alaska. Not once, but twice, maybe three times a summer if necessary. WOW!! If you would like to check out his current climb click on this link: http://may252008denali.blogspot.com/ It is always so good to hear from him and know that he and his group are doing well. We all love him and are so proud of his accomplishments. He has the best stories and we love to hear them. Check out some of these photos. They are breathtaking!

CAMP

ROB CLIMBING

SELF PHOTO ON MOUNT MCKINLEY

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MARKER ON SUMMIT OF MOUNT MCKINLEY