Happiness is a...

perfume which you cannot pour on someone without getting some on yourself.   What a great analogy from Emerson, don't you think?  I love having a visual image to trigger a concept.

Happiness is so much more than a temporary occurrence brought about by a person, experience, or object.  It is to me, an essence, all encompassing that doesn't drift away when outside circumstances threaten to steal it away.  Sort of like a beloved perfume.  One that has had decades of wear.  Once again, I am reminded of my grandmother who's favorite perfume was Estee Lauder's 'Youth Dew'.  She had dusting powder, bath soap, and the beautiful crystal bottle which housed the perfume.  To say she slathered it on, would be an understatement.  And now even 15 years later,  I can open a box, cookbook, or linens, smell her essence and be instantly transported to her house, her arms, her happy countenance.

I took my inspiration from the Bright and Bold color challenge on Moxie Fab
.  The quote is an Impression Obsession stamp.  And my perfume 
bottles are a cube from B Line Designs.  I stamped them with VersaColor and used UTEE on the 
crystal parts.  The metal atomizers are colored with a Copic in gold.  The papers are Basic Grey.




My favorite perfume is Ralph Laren's 'Romance'.   And while I do not slather it on, my hope is that wherever I go, it could be said that I leave behind happiness.  How about you?   I would love to hear your take...

Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving. A time to count your blessings and draw loved ones close. The Tuesday Trigger over on Moxie Fab World this week had the most wonderful inspiration photo

from Martha (who else???). It reminded me of a Norman Rockwell painting if he had done still life. The glow from the light in window, those amazing flowers, and the pumpkins. I can almost smell the turkey that must be cooking in the oven. And that got me to thinking about homecomings and family walking in the back door right into the kitchen.

So I made the door the focal of my design. It is from B Line Designs stamped onto PTI vintage cream cs. I stamped it again on acetate to minic glass panels. I wanted to use Martha's glass beads for the pumpkins for texture. The pumpkins are from Impression Obsession inked with Tim Holtz DI Walnut Stain. Painstakingly, I cut terrifically tacky tape to fill the pumpkins, leaving some gaps for depth. Those gaps were colored with Copics. The sentiment is Rubber Soul, again inked with the Walnut Stain, embossed with TH distress embossing powder. The wonderful leaves in the upper left corner and the stripes in the door panels are the last of a sheet of Memory Paper...I don't know the group. sorry.

Thanks very kindly for stopping by and having a look. I'd love to hear about some of your family food traditions at Thanksgiving. In our family we have mumble pie (so good all you can do is mumble)! It is a scrumptious recipe of apples, cranberries, walnuts, brown sugar, oats, butter...Yum!

...a second spring

I am not gonna let go of this glorious Autumn weather...nope, not gonna! Everywhere I walk and on my drive to work, the trees are dressed in magnificent color, an explosion really. Wednesday's over on Splitcoast Stampers is the Sketch Challenge. Today, I turned to Basic

Grey's Indian Summer paper group. There are 6 color variations of the same photograph of leaves and I managed to use each one.

The Albert Camus quote, Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a Flower, is an Impression Obsession image. The tiny leaves, a PSX long retired stamp. I used a Cuttlebug

Embossing Folder, Shells to give the pink leave panel some dimension. And the pretty card base is PTI Scarlet Jewel.

Our weather in the PNW is due to change soon and those glorious leaves will come down with the rain, but for now...for today, I am delighting in natures' show. Thanks so much for stopping by...

let's eat...

Dessert, first. I am not quite sure who said that first, a quick search today attributed it to Les Brown. Anyway I thought it would be a great excuse to get a hunking big slice o' cake to share with my coworker (who occasionally reads my blog)! We've been helping out in another department what is desperately short~HANDED. And while we are out of our comfort zone, stressed, I might add, we're taking one for the team!!!

I love this Impression Obsession slice of cake. It makes a great image just stamped on white card stock with black ink. However, as my coworker loves Red Velvet Cake, I thought paper-piecing would cook up a swell cake. The sentiment is also IO. And the coolio serving Hand has been in my 'well, maybe it will work somewhere, someday box'...anyone have a box like that??? It is part of a 100 Proof Press image, actually it is holding a pocket watch. Basic Grey snippets were used for the layers as well as the gorgeous green bg.

I am leaving for work early today in time to stop at my favorite bakery for that hunking big o' slice of cake and 2 forks mind you! Hope you find sweetness all through your weekend.

As the leaves turn...

I'm sighing here, my heart is so happy it's Autumn. My favorite season brings such bounty to my senses. The smell of a wood fire, the sound of leaves crunching under my feet, the chill in the air mornings now, the taste of "Pink Lady" apples and the chanterelles are at our Farmers Market, and the sight of my maples putting on their Autumn 'coats'. And if we are lucky, it will be nice until the second week of November.

The 365 Card Blog Super Sketchy Sunday was perfect for a card to celebrate the season. I first decided to use this wonderful Elizabeth Lawrence (Impression Obsessions) quote about the leaves turning. The tree (Paper Inspirations) was inked with Nick Bantock's Sap Moss Green and embossed with clear powder. I used many different chalk inks to color the falling leaves. Now my favorite way to watch the leaves turn is from a lawn chair very much like this one from Stampa Barbara. It was inked with the same NB green. I cut it out, popped on dimensionals and placed a few leaves under the chair...just like on my patio right now!

So if you have a moment, I'd love to hear what your Autumn traditions are...hayrides, cider pressings, long walks crunching the leaves in your neighborhood???? Happy Fall, all.

Signs

What a fun challenge today, Pam! Signs are springing up all over at 365 Card Blog. I couldn't resist using this cool image from Stampers Anonymous! I inked it with VersaFine black and lightly embossed. My words are assorted positive reinforcements. The 'oh, happy day' is a Wordsworth. The 'believe' a K&CO. Hope was taken from an Impression Obsession sentiment. The rest are unmarked. I used a My Mind's Eye discontinued paper for the double layers of grass. Think I'll use this a bookmark in the latest book I'm reading.

Thanks for your comments...have a OH, Happy Day~O!

heavenly aprons

When Stef issued the Inspiration Challenge today and linked up the Heavenly Hostess site, I knew I would use this pic of my DH's grandmother, Josephine from the 40's. Something about the surroundings is very comforting. And while I never met her, I know her just the same. If you'd like the specifics of my card, please hop over to my gallery on SCS.

It always makes me happy to see this picture hanging in my kitchen for I am reminded of how much love IS stirred, chopped, whipped, and mashed into food that nourishes our bodies and souls. I think of my grandmother letting me lick the beaters when she made 7 minutes frosting, a tradition that my boys still enjoy today...only now with caramel frosting.

So to all the bakers and cooks out there, bring it on...reach out and teach a whole 'nother generation who needs to know what home cookin' really is!

Thanks for visiting me, I am honored you give me the gift of your time.

puttin on the spritz

Happy Sunday, hope wherever you are, it's been a day for relaxing and connecting with family and friends. I can't help but think what a thoroughly modern family we are...youngest son texting oldest who is away on a retreat and connecting on facebook while the home phone rings and Dad's on his laptop...only our cat appears relaxed!!! In fact, she doesn't have a care in the world. I mean, she's warm and cozy snuggled in her favorite chair in our family room. I think I need to go pet the cat...

Who would be thoroughly agitated by my card for the Featured Stamper on SCS today...yep, she'd be in high gear chasing the mouses!  I had a lot of fun creating this card, even with all the layers.  If you'd like more specifics, have a look at my commentary in the gallery here!

Have a great day, no matter what finds you!