Cupid is Smiling

FEBRUARY - is the month where women and men alike find courage to seek the one that adds a flutter in their tummy and makes their breathing rhythm increase.  This is the month when the color Red represents the color of our heart and not Santa's suit.

Anyway here at Mema's Crafts there is a challenge going on to celebrate 

Cupid's chance to spread love with his arrow, so don't forget to 

enter early for more chances to win.  

Just use the tab above to enter or click here to jump right to it. 

Here is one of my cards for the challenge using a Bugaboo image.  The DP is MME and the cardstock is Paper Studio from Hobby Lobby.

I'd like to enter this card in the following challenges:
Sweet Stampin - Challenge "Love"
Digi Design - Include A Heart

Another project I created for the challenge is this simple treat box with 

matching note card that has a matching envelope. 

I filled one side of the box with Hershey kisses and then included the thank you note-card 

on the other side.  Perfect to give to someone for a caring act or something.

That's all I have for tonight...wishing everyone lots of hugs and kisses from family

and those we love for whatever reason.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

Hugs From Texas

~Lesia~

New Year's Resolutions

Every year we make resolutions and most of the time we forget or just quit trying.  Well last year I made the resolution that I would perform one RAK (random act of kindness) per month throughout the year.  Would you believe I made it and honestly it was the most rewarding resolution I could have made therefore I am doing it again.  There a few moments I will always remember...little things do matter and can make a difference.  Let me share a few with you.

1.  One month I was able to make a young single mother cry with joy just by finishing up an electric bill for her.  She thought she had enough on a gift card but was $13 dollars short.  As I stood there I watched this young lady try to explain to the cashier how she didn't have any money and they were going to disconnect her electricity.  I listened to her words and watched as her face changed to one of despair. I stepped up and offered to pay the shortage for her.  The look on her face was enough and the cashier mouthed the words "God Bless You" just as I received the biggest hug from a total stranger. The best $13 dollars I've ever spent. 

2.  I was able to feed a family of three for one week by sharing some coupons and $20.  I overheard a lady tell a small boy that he couldn't have a .99 cent drink because she only had a few dollars for food.  My spirit told me to return some of the junk I had in my cart and to fill her cart with food that would last.  First I was going to offer her $10 dollars but then I remembered that I had coupons (I do hoard coupons), so with my coupons and $20 dollars this family walked out of the grocery store with $78 dollars' worth of groceries and I left with my $22 dollars' worth of snack and junk food.

3.  The last RAK I think made a difference is when I paid it forward for an elderly couple behind me at the pharmacy.  Their medicine was only $10 but the waves and the smiles they gave me were worth so much more.  I could only smile back and hope that someday I will get back the same kindness.

There were others, but these just seem to matter to my spirit and for me nothing more was needed.  Perhaps this year I will find myself in position to once again make a difference or have an impact on someone. Since its Random I can't plan it but I can be on the look-out for the opportunity to help.

Now that I've shared that little story I want to go ahead and share another card that I hope you will enjoy. 

After one week of waiting for the Leafy Vines stamp by Hero Arts it finally arrived.  I didn't get the wood mounted but the cling worked just as well. 

This stamp was needed to practice the "Resist Technique" based on a tutorial I read somewhere out here in Web World.  So with stamp in hand I began to create this simple and easy to do card.  

The first step was to heat emboss the stamp using white embossing powder. I think I used the Zing brand although I could have used WOW as well.  Both of these brands seem to do well for me. 

Once I completed the embossing I selected three blues for my background colors; tumble glass, broken china and stormy sky distress inks.  It was kind of fun watching the image pop as I  started inking the card-stock. 

Being quite pleased with the results of the inking I found room for a few butterflies within the leafs.  I added a bit of glitter stickles (icicles and frosted lace) around the butterfly wings to make them sparkle.

I didn't have a greeting in my stash that I wanted to use so I opted to run up to Michaels for a new stamp.  I found a set that had just what I was looking for or it became what I wanted when I saw it...sure you know what I mean.

Lastly it was a touch of green on the leafs and a sparkle or two randomly added to the leafs that bought this card together in the end.

I finished off the inside to mimic the front with the exception of the butterflies and the greeting.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Crafting From the Heart - #42 Anything Goes (1/17)
House of Cards - Glitter or Color challenge (1/30)
Inky Chicks - #45 Anything Goes (1/29)
Party Time Tuesday (PTT) - #194 Anything Goes
PDE Linky Party - Blue and White (1/18)

That's all for tonight.  Thanks for stopping by and don't forget your comments are appreciated.

Ladies Diary Collection

Seems like along with the New Year came a mix of ice, freezing temperatures and bitter cold winds. It is during these cold days that my craft-room becomes my best friend and the television is my conversation piece.  Sounds very boring I know, but it is the best boring time for me.

Today was one of those days so I decided to surf the web and I heard that Graphic 45 is releasing three new collections and bringing back one of my favorite collections, "ABC Primer"! That tidbit of information made my day although it will require me to clean out my crafting account...ummm better start saving more than pennies.

I decided to concentrate on one of my favorite Graphic 45 paper collection "A Ladies Diary", so what I have to share is a couple of cards and a few tags I created using this fabulous paper.

I'll start with a few new ones and then some from memory lane.

Inspired by Kathy of "My Little Corner"

Inspired by Linda Duke

Inspiration by Susan Lui

My version of the "Picture Perfect" project sheet offered by G45.
Click here to download the tutorial

Tutorial by Sharon Ngoo
click here

My version of the "Sublime Tag" project sheet tutorial found
on the G45 tyepad.
Click here to download the tutorial.

Read information on these three tags below

From left to right the three tags:

1.  A tutorial by Romy from Scraps Stuff and More.  For the tag tutorial click here.
2.  The second tag is my version of a project sheet offered by G45 (Robin Shakoor) that you can download.  Click here for the .pdf tutorial.
3.  And finally the last tag in this series was inspired by yet another project sheet offered by G45. I started following the tutorial and then discovered that I didn't have all the material so I decided to go off and finish on my own.

Whew! I feel like I have been crafting and all I did was two cards. The rest was a walk down memory lane. Now its time to go count a few sheep and sip on a bit of tea.

Before I close out I want to tell you guys about a trivia challenge happening over at 613 Avenue Create in addition to their block party celebration!  Just click here to see the tons of prizes being given away (about 20 winners).

Next I have an announcement of my own...

Coming Soon

A Design Team Challenge

This challenge is for the Design Team to create a project for a chance at winning a prize and give two of our followers a chance to win as well.

I'll keep you posted as I pull this together, but in the meantime remember to join in our current challenge and don't forget to tell me what you think about my Ladies Diary Collection.

Happy New Year

I've made it through another year of joy, pain, laughter, sadness, hope, and so forth.  As usual I will start the year with three resolutions the same as last year, and I'll reminiscence of the days past and imagine the days that will come this year.

What better way to celebrate the New Year than with a card and perhaps a small glass of wine combined with a sampling of various cheeses from around the world.  I just hope the effects of the wine isn't reflected in my card...you be the judge.

Created with basic Bazzill Espresso card-stock and My Mind's Eye "Portabello Road" Designer Paper. I printed the calendar from the Internet and re-sized it to fit my card. 

My embellishments include a velvet piece of ribbon and two  studded brads.  I also used a Petaloo flower and used a Martha Stewart fern punch to add some greenery. 

My image is Mo Manning's Digital Pencil "Herald Harry" that I colored with copics.  My inspiration came from Tracy McDonald.

Copics Used:

skin--E000, E00, E11, E13

hair--E21, E23, E25, E27, E29

clothing--B0000, B000, B21, B41, B45, B97

To all my lovely friends, crafters and followers

thanks for stopping by and don't forget

to join in our newest challenge by

clicking on the Challenge Tab above.

!!!HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Hugs

~Lesia~

New M&M DT Members

This year will soon come to it’s end and we have had a fabulous time, meeting new folks, creating some really unique projects that we hope have in someway inspired you along the way!

Now, the New Year is coming up – 2015. We're anticipating a really great year, filled with joy, learning, sharing, and inspiration. There will also be opportunities to win some wonderful prizes, thanks to our generous sponsors!

The new year also means we have a couple of new Team members!

Mema's Crafts proudly introduces the newest 

M&M Team Members:

Barbara Bruder - I am single and retired. Love to stay up late and am usually crafting into the wee hours of the morning. I am a card maker at heart.  I have been stamping for 15+ years.

Currently I am on the Craft-Dee BowZ design team. I am also a past designer at Sparkle N Sprinkle, Art Impressions, Cornish Heritage Farms and Just Imagine Crafts/Kreaxions and was a guest designer at Crafters Companion. 

I also teach monthly card and technique classes at a local stamp store. Prior to 2010 I was a store owner for 6+ years and offered classes at the store as well. I have been immersed in the stamping industry for quite a while.

Kim Lamos - My name is Kim and I live in sunny Southern California. By day I am a K-8 teacher and by night I am a paper crafting machine.

I have been crafting for as long as I can remember. I came by it naturally since my mom and grandma were always making clothes and costumes for my brother and I, gifts for friends and family and just were all around craft dabblers. I have tried many different crafts over the years but I always seem to come back to paper crafting. I love to work with paper to make cards, mini albums and scrapbooking.

 
When I am not crafting, you can find me spending time with my family and friends, watching movies, reading the latest book for my book club or making memories at my favorite place; Disneyland!

!!WELCOME LADIES TO OUR M&M TEAM!!

We also want to show our great appreciation to those M&M Girls that have left us either for new adventures or just because of life events. It was a blast working with you all and please know that you will be missed!  So, a big Texas size Thank you and farewell to these wonderful ladies that were with us this past year.

I hope to see you all next year as we seek to learn, share, grow and just have fun here at Mema's Crafts.

Many hugs! and Happy New Year

Just Before Christmas

Hello everyone.  The countdown continues and Christmas is around the corner, so I think this may actually be my last post until after Christmas.

I wish to all of you a very Merry Christmas filled with laughter, love, family, friends and thoughts of the reason we share and rejoice in this season.

Here are a few last minute cards I created to cover any folks I forgot to count when I was deciding how many cards I needed. I knew I should have made a list but I didn't so these are my extra cards to avoid the embarrassment of forgetfulness.  I hope you find them enjoyable to view.

This first one is really attractive in reality.  The photo doesn't show the sparkle of the swirls, snowflakes and flourishes.

I embossed the folder, lightly rubbed an ink pad across the raised areas and then outlined everything with star-dust stickles.

I added a greeting and punched the bottom edge with a Martha Stewart snowflake border punch.

For my second card I was real excited to use my newest die from Memory Box.  I cut two corners (one white and one navy) and glued them together to form an outline around the navy cut.

I had a difficult time trying to keep the cutouts from falling out but with patience I manage to get it done.  I used a Versamark pen to color inside the outline and then I added Glitter embossing powder and heat set to give the corner a lovely shimmer and sparkle.

The sentiment and greeting was computer generated and printed directly on the card-stock. It looks very professional and using the computer I was able to match the font color perfectly with the card-stock.

Well tomorrow I think I'll be busy preparing our menu and making sure all ingredients are in the house so I don't think I'll have time to craft...but if I do find an hour here or there I'll be surfing to see what new thing I can find.

I'll see you next week after all the hype from Christmas has settled down and things began to return to normal.  So until then remember: