Spot of Sanity Online Store - NOW OPEN

Finally, after weeks of learning the softward and uploading inventory and working to get the kinks worked out we are ready to open the online store....

This is something that my mom, sister and I are doing together as we get back to doing our favorite past time - crafting. So if you're in the market for a handmade gift for that someone special stop by and take a look at what we have to offer. There's a variety of items ranging from crochet to tole painting to ceramics to beaded Christmas ornaments. And this week we'll be adding more items to the store.

Hop on over now to www.spotofsanity.com/shop

Sizzix Reindeer & Stocking Pedestal Cards

Good morning and Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!! Are you all looking forward to eating those turkeys and pumpkin or mincemeat pies like I am?

Today I'd like to share a couple of quick and easy cards that I created using my Sizzix dies. A while back I wasn't sure if I wanted to invest in Sizzix, but today I have to say that I am just as addicted to Sizzix as I am Cricut. I absolutely love the ease of use I have with this system - not to mention that their Angel Policy is more "user" friendly.

Noel Tunnel Card - Cricut Cardz Challenge #3

This week's Cricut Cardz Challenge was to make a card using only the colors pink, green and white. WOW! This one was difficult for me because it ook me out of my "comfort zone".

Creating the base for the card was easy enough but when it came time to figure out what to use for the centerpiece that's when I ran into trouble. Why? Because I relly didn't want to use a snowflake...and what did I do?...I used a snowflake.

For this card I used A Child's Year for the snowflake inside. I cut the snowflake twice (once flipped) so that I could apply white and a touch of green glitter to both and then adhere together. The outside cover of the card was embossed using my snowflake cuttlebug folder.

Winter Wishes & Snow Kisses - Pedestal Card

I finally set my Cricut free today. This is one of the designs that I've had sitting on my Gypsy just waiting to come to life and today it all happened.

For this card I used Winter Wonderland for all the cuts except for the tree which was cut from the Christmas Noel cartridge.

Bird of Friendship

I am on a roll with my Sizzix dies this week.

Truth be told I've been so busy with Annual Membership Meetings for the 4 associations that we manage that I haven't had time to break out my Cricut......even though I have several files designed and waiting to be cut on my Gypsy. I know, I know. It's pretty sad when you don't have time for using the bug.

But hey, at least I have my Sizzix and my Cuttlebug that I can utilize when I need/want to create something quick. Like this card. All it took was one Sizzix die, a little paper, a couple flowers and viola! I have a beautiful card for a friend.

Snow Warm

Tonight I wanted to share a card with you that I created using my Sizzix. I love the larger dies since they are so easy to cut and piece together. And this guy was so darn cute that I just had to add him to the ever growing collection.

My Guitar "Hero" Altered Clock

Shhhhhhh, be very quiet......I made this for one of my boys for Christmas.

The "numbers" are actual guitar pics that I bought at the local guitar store (.35 each when you purchase 12 or more) and the cuts for the boy and guitar are from Everyday Paper Dolls.

The face on my boy was printed on using this wonderful new software that one of the ladies shared with our yahoo group. It's called Create A Face. It was the first time I used the software and I don't mind telling you that I was really pleased with the results.

Thanksgiving Card

Happy Wednesday. We are now in the final stretch with T-minus eight days and counting before we get to enjoy the bounty of all that Thanksgiving will bring. Every year our family takes a jaunt to Birmingham so that we can spend time with my husband’s family. It’s always a time of fun and fellowship and we look forward to it every year.

So while we wait for Thanksgiving to arrive I want to share with you this week’s card for the Cricut Cardz Challenge. Our direction for this week was to make a Thanksgiving card using any cartridge and colors we chose.

My card was made using Designer’s Calendar for all my cuts. The calendar was created in Microsoft Word and then printed onto colored cardstock.

To see all the other wonderful cards created by the DT hop on over to: http://www.cricutcardzchallenge.blogspot.com/

Altered Paint Can

This weekend I spent more time playing around with my Sizzix dies. Mainly because the boys had confiscated my computer since their's is temporarily out of service. So I spent two nights cutting out and putting together a variety of cuts and then this morning I took those cuts and created several projects.

One of those projects were these paint cans. Very simple and quick to do.

Penguins Due North - Cricut Cardz DT Challenge

Today is the day! The day for what you ask? Today is the day that I get to officially post one of my cards as a Design Team Challenge member. That's right. There was a call for members awhile back and I decided why not apply. Little did I know that I would actually be accept as a team member for the Cricut Cardz Challenge.

Today is the revealing of the first of our weekly challenges and for this week's challenge anything went. So for my first design I chose the following carts and cuts:

Zooballoo for the penguins

Winter Woodland for the hats

And the north sign is a Sizzix die

If you would like to play along or see the other wonderful designs created by the team hop on over to http://www.cricutcardzchallenge.blogspot.com/

Snowballs - Gypsy Design

I am so loving the fact that I have my new Gypsy. Yesterday word came down from corporate that they wanted dh to stay on-site (we work for a 500+ unit Condominium site and dh is the Director of Engineering) due to what was then Hurricane Ida. Needless to say we were less than prepared since we live an hour from site. BUT, I had my Gypsy. So after a trip to Wal-mart and dinner we settled in our room and away I went.

This card was created using:

Gypsy font for the verbiage,

Gypsy Wanderings for the snowman,

Winter Woodland for the snowflakes,

George for the snowball stand

God So Loved

This card was inspired by a plaque I saw in one of our local indoor flea markets recently. And given that the new "theme" for the Bitten By the Bug contest is: thanksgiving, gratitude, blessings, being thankful/grateful I thought what better to be thankful for than a Lord and Savior who willing gave His life for me?

For this card I used:

Going Places for the globe

Designer's Calendar for the cross

The background paper is Tim Coffey Fall Script.

Gypsy Christmas Reindeer

I designed this card on my Gypsy earlier this week and finally had the chance to cut and put it together last night.

Gypsy Wanderings was used for:

Reindeer cut at 2.5"

Trees cut at 4" and 3.75"

Winter Woodland was used for:

Snowflakes cut at 1"

The background was created by running a piece of cardstock through my Xyron and then applying Martha Stewart glitters in blue, snow and white.

We Give Thanks

With all the late work days I've had lately trying to get ready for the first of four annual membership board meetings for the condominium associations that we manage I haven't had much time for crafting. The good news though is that the Gypsy dh bought me for my birthday came in and he gave it to me even though my bday is a couple weeks away. Isn't he the best?!?!

Now that I have the Gypsy I'm able to design projects while commuting back and forth to work (we live an hour from work). So I do have several projects in reserve, but tonight's card was created using my new Sizzix. I so love this little turkey.......

The inside sentiment says, "We give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way." Author Unknown

Sizzix Santa Penguin

I've been playing around with my new Gypsy tonight and just finished my first try with it. However, I want to do some more playing before I actually post a project so tonight I am posting yet another Santa Penguin card that I made earlier this week.

This card was made using my new Sizzix dies and was cut using felt for the Santa outfit. The background was created using fabric as well. The candy cane is a Christmas button that I found at Michael's.

What do you think?

Santa Penguin

This week's challenge over at BBTB as to use the penguin from the Joys of the Season cartridge. After viewing the design team's projects and seeing how fun they looked I decided I'd give it a try too.

This is my take on the challenge.

For this card I used:

Joys of the Season - Penguin cut at 2 1/2"

Christmas Cheer - Santa's List cut at 1 1/2"

Christmas Noel - Lightpost cut at 5"

Christmas Noel - Wreath cut at 1"

Paper Doll Dress Up - Santa's Beard (stretched to fit)

Paper Doll Dress Up - Santa's Hat (stretched to fit)

The white on Santa's hat is 'painted' with my Snow Writer's pen from DecoArt (found at AC Moore last season) and then sprinkled with Diamond Dust.

The beard and list are pop dotted for a little dimension.

Altered Mailbox Gift Tins

I haven't really had time to do much crafting the last couple of days so it's all hit or miss. The past couple days have been spent catching up on much needed housework - especially in my craft room.

Now that it's all clean I decided to do a couple of quick projects simply using my stash. All told I probably spent a couple hours creating all three tins from start to finish. Problem is I'm now out of the mailboxes and need to find a new medium to alter so dh is going to check with one of his vendors to see what they'll sell the empty paint tins for. Who knows, maybe I'll get lucky and they'll be cheaper than if I went to Michael's or AC Moore.

These tins were created using stickers from Recollections and Sandylion.