lindaalbrecht

Fabric Eggs and Mikarose Giveaway!!

Hello blog friends!  Thanks for stopping by today... it's beautiful here in Minnesota.  A little bit cooler than the 80 degrees that we had a little over a week or ago, but things are greening up and the birds are chirping away.  They're busy in the bird houses around our yard... fluffing up their nests and getting ready for new life.

Did I tell you that a new little life has come into our family recently?  Our sweet baby Riley David arrived on March 8 and he is so adorable and precious.  I always like spring babies because they seem to just go along with what nature has happening.  All of my children are spring babies, so maybe I am biased ;-)

Here is our sweet angel...

Isn't he amazing?!?! :-)


I have a project to share today that I made for the GlueArts blog.  This weeks theme is Spring Fabric crafts.  Many of the Gluegirls actually "sewed" their fabric projects, but I opted for something quicker.  Not because I can't sew... I love to sew... but because I am so behind and so busy right now. 



I wrapped a big paper mache egg with strips of muslin fabric and lightly sprayed on a color mist... actually I added 2 colors, one a pale green and the other a golden color to add some distressing. 





I wrapped the egg in some old cotton lace and tied a bow at the top then hot glued some embellishments around the bow.


Details will be on the Glue Arts blog on the 30th.  Remember to go to their blog to leave a comment for a chance to win something.  They are always giving away their adhesives and many times even other scrapbooking supplies. 



Now for another awesome giveaway!  Mikarose is giving away a $50 gift certificate to one of my lucky blog readers..  They have beautiful clothes and a new accessory line of necklaces that my daughter in law would love to wear.  I need to send her there to shop!  

 
Their prices are so reasonable!  If you haven't shopped there you will be pleasantly surprised at their selections and cost.  One of my favorite dresses on their site is only $59.99!  It's called "Sophie" and you can find it HERE.
 
So, here are the rules and how to enter to win the $50 gift certificate:
(This offer is open to US and Canadian residents only-- thank you!)

Comment here on my blog -- on this post (required.)

For additional entries to win-- 
"Like" them on Facebook
Post about this giveaway on your own blog
Post about the giveaway on Facebook page with a link to Mikarose.com.
"Pin" them on Pinterest
Follow them on Twitter 

This contest will be open through March 7.  I will notify the winner via email and will announce it here on the blog too shortly after the 7th.  Good luck everyone!!


Linda :-) 

Wonder layout & the Shabby Apple Giveaway winner!!

Hello all!

It has been a crazy busy week for me but I wanted to pop in to share a new project and to announce the winner of the Shabby Apple $50 giftcard. 

My project was a bit of a challenge for me.  GlueArts teamed up with Tsukineko this week and I received some awesome stamp pads and their Goosebumps Texture Spray.  I am not the world's biggest stamper.  I love hand stamped projects but forget to use stamping to add uniquness to them.  My photos aren't the greatest of the stamped image because it was so dark here the day that I took them, but hopefully you can see how I used the product.



 
The stamped area is the tag to the right of that adorable photo of my new grandson and my beautiful daughter.  Oh, they are an amazing pair of people!  We are so happy and blessed.

The Goosebumps Texture Spray was used as a resist to the ink and the images are the butterflies and flowers.  I also stamped some images with ink first then layered the texture spray over it and added more ink.  The colors that I used were Pear Tart, Cantaloupe, Sweet Plum & Rhubarb Stalk in Tsukineko's Memento Dew Drop Inkpads.  I also stamped a few images directly onto paper to the right of the tag to make the stamping flow out from the tag onto the layout.



I layered some BasicGrey papers and a few odds and ends pieces like the old music paper.  I popped the tag up fromt he background with some Glue Arts Raisen's 3/8" Adhesive Squares.  (Remember, GlueArts always has great giveaways weekly on their blog posts HERE!)


The acrylic stamps are by Cherry Arte, Lawn Fawn & Hampton Art.  I can't do a project without the Maya Road trinket pins and miscellaneous buttons.  I love pins & buttons!



Okay... now on to the Shabby Apple giftcard........ the winner is............. Haley Grossman!!!!

Haley's comment:
ooh...i love shabby apple. and also love that its a gc and not a specific dress.
hgrossman at cableone dot net

Posted by: Haley Grossman | March 14, 2012 at 10:06 PM

I'll be getting in touch with Haley to get all of the information needed to get that gift out to you.  Congratulations and a huge Thank You to Shabby Apple for hosting this exciting gift on my humble little blog!  You are awesome!  Don't forget that you all can still gget a 10% discount at Shabby Apple for a few more weeks.... simplethings10off is the discount code.


To everyone else that commented hoping for a chance to win, please come back on Monday, March 27 for another chance to win a gift card from another wonderful company.  It is another fun one!

Goodbye for now and have a spectacular spring weekend.  Love to all!
Linda :-)

 

A couple of October projects

Almost too late, but will share them anyway!  Fall is my favorite time of the year and it seems to be passing all too quickly.  Here are a couple of projects made for Glue Arts this month.

Made with Core dinations textured cardstocks.  I love the sanded and distressed look created with this cardstock.


And you can never go wrong with a bit of Ranger Distress Crackle paint in "Rock Candy" form.  I love it!  There is also some BasicGrey Fabric Posies, Melissa Frances Fall Stickers and chipboard Backdrop piece, and a Maya Road chipboard bird.  I did just a little cutting to make the bird look more like a blackbird...just a little :-)

This countdown chalkboard was soooooo fun to make.  I used a Creative Imaginations clipboard and painted it with chalkboard paint that you can buy at a craft or home improvement store.  Added lots of Authentique patterned papers and elements.

The chipboard banner pieces are Maya Road and so is the tag covered with patterned paper.  Chipboard adds such a nice texture to nay project.  It adds depth and creates interest.

The acrylic spider web stamps are from Tattered Angels that I stamped directly onto the chalkboard then added glitter embossing.

I added wire and staples along one edge to rustic it up a bit and add more texture.  Again, all of the stickers and paper labels are from Authentique.  The glitter used is from Pink Paislee--my favorite!

We are coming upon my very favorite crafting season...


Yep!  Winter and Christmas!!  I actually made this in August, again for Glue Arts using "Paper Smooches" acrylic stamps along with some awesome BasicGrey papers and sticker.

Of course you need to sparkle up those snowmen after stamping and painting in the details... I always use Martha Stewart Fine Clear Glitter for my winter projects.  Goes a long way too.

Well, I no longer have wedding on the brain because my son's wedding was Septmeber 24th.  It was wonderful and sweet and perfect for the two of them.  I will post some photos soon. 

Hopefully now more of my days are open for creating and doing a better job of keeping up with Design Team responsibilities.  That is my goal!  I do have one other tiny, sweet, little thing that may come into play in early March though.  My daughter is having a baby...A BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!

This little hat is available at " Beautiful Photo Props" and as soon as I know if she is having a boy or a girl, I'm ordering one.  Or maybe I should order now... one pink and one blue so that I'm safe!!  Now don't you all go and buy them up before I can get one;-)

Thanks for stopping by!
Linda

Another March post & giveaway winner

I'm late, but at least I made it back before March was over.  It was an eventful week here last week, but not in a good way.  It seems that all of the gloomy, cold, unlike spring days, go along with the sorrowful thing that happened.  Something that you can't change but you live over and over in your mind imagining a different outcome... wondering why and praying for those that were close... in my mind it doesn't make sense and it eats up the time in my day and brings too many sleepless nights. 

I wish that I could turn off my brain and rest.  The only thing that I can do is to remind anyone who will listen, is to take whatever opportunity that you might have to thank a public servant.  They get paid too little and and don't get enough praise for what they for our communities. 

Life goes on, so I had to move forward trying to be productive.  Mostly because I have to be.  It's those commitments that keep me going otherwise it would be so easy to do nothing but worry and talk too much about the sadness and loss that so many are feeling.  All I want to do is spend more time just hanging with everyone that I love so that those moments never end, but reality makes me get back to work.  And I am grateful for that.

 
So, here is my newest project.  Done out of necessity, but made with hope for everything that is real and wonderful.  For the Glue Arts Blog and My Little Shoebox.  Thanks to both for the amazing product and for the faith that you put in me to represent!

 
I haven't made a layout in some time.  I actually had to pull out some of my old layouts for inspiration.  Have been feeling so uninspired creatively as of late.  I wish that I had done better on this, but am glad for what it is.  The springy, happy "Home Tweet Home" collection by My Little Shoebox is perfect for this photo of cutie pie, Briah.  This was from a shoot done with her, her mommy and new daddy-to-be late last summer.  Oh how I wish that we had just a bit of that green grass and warm air right about now!

 
If you go to the Glue Arts blog, there are instructions and a supply list for the layout.  I thought that the flowers turned out cute and added some dimension to the page.  I love the U-Cut-It 8.5" x 11" Foam for popping up a photo and used it also to die cut the larger flower.  It's a really great product and you'll never have to worry about it falling off of your page or any other project because it sticks like crazy.

I sometimes forget to give credit to AccuCut for the flower die cuts that I turn to over and over.  They have really great dies to work with.

 
Okay, so on to the Giveaway winner..... 

"Beautiful flowers and a great idea! That garland is gorgeous - thanks so much for sharing it with one of us! :)
Posted by: JeanFB"

JeanFB...please email me with your street address and I will send the Heart & Dressmaker's Flower garland off to you asap!!!!

As for the rest of you, comment here for a chance to win another little something.  This time it will be some of the "My Little Shoebox" Mini alphabet stickers like I used on my layout.  I'll be throwing in a couple of other things to go with them too.  It'll be a surprize. 

I'm truly grateful for life... for my creative work and the people that sponsor that...and for all of you that turn to my blog looking for a small bit of something to create for yourself.  You all help me to get the job done :-)

Linda

 

Christmas' past and Giveaway winner!

 
 
 
 
I always become a little nostalgic at Christmas time....especially as the days draw closer to Christmas Eve.  I hope that I can take the time this year to pull out old VHS tapes and watch some dear Christmas memories from years ago when my adult children were small. 
 
Christmas 1985 

Those memories are what makes me love winter and snow... and the sharing of gifts and time.  Time most importantly.  Where does it go?  It's always fleeting and ever precious.  My wish each year for Christmas is to always have it slow down so that I can savor each moment and memory....but it is a gift too complicated to hold.  A wish for such a gift is immense and beyond what I can understand or comprehend.  So in God's infinite wisdom we are given just enough time and it is up to us how we use it.  
 
Christmas 1974

So much has changed since I was young.  Some people that I loved have passed on and my sisters and I have families of our own, but every year still holds dear. 
 
Christmas 1999

No matter how we change, it's still about the coming together of family and for that we are blessed beyond measure.
 
Christmas 2003
 
Christmas...  The very word brings joy to our hearts.  No matter how we may dread the rush, the long Christmas lists for gifts and cards to be bought and given - when Christmas Day comes there is still the same warm feeling we had as children, the same warmth that enfolds our hearts and our homes.  ~Joan Winmill Brown
 
 
Another version of the house pattern from Victoria magazine's website.  I made this ornament for the Glue Arts blog using Makng Memories papers and embellishments and a lot of Christmasy sparkle.

Now on to the winner of the Winter House box from my last post.  Thank you to all who left a kind comment.  They never go unappreciated and I read them all and smile.  The winner is.....

Barb in CA who commented on Dec 18 2010 @ 10:29pm.  Send me an email Barb in CA and I will ship this off right away!
 
Thank you all again for visiting and leaving such nice comments.  I hope that each of you have a wonderful holiday, however you celebrate. 

Linda

 

Happy Thanksgiving week!

 Being a lover of food, Thanksgiving is probably one of my very favorite holidays--and besides that, there is no pressure or expectations beyond the food.  It's a nice, relax and enjoy the day kind of holiday.  We gather usually at my sister's house and everyone pitches in so that it is not too big of a burden on her.  It's just great food and laughing and sharing. 

One of my favorite food features is always bread.  Bread is so comforting.  I shared in a recent blog post that my mom, sisters and I, my daughter and future daugter in law, and a girl that feels just like a family member were getting together to make bread. Here are a couple photos of the girls.
 
 
 
They were making a batch of shamrock rolls here with a portion of the bread dough.

The day was so fun and one of the bread recipes that we made was my sisters Cracked Wheat Bread.  She usually makes this for Thanksgiving and forms it into rolls.  I want to share it with you, because it's the season for sharing.  Try it and I bet that you will love it!

Just a note on the Cracked Wheat ingredient in case you are not familiar with it.  Cracked wheat is a wheat product made from whole raw wheat kernels which are crushed or cut into smaller pieces.  I buy my cracked wheat at a food co-op or natural foods store.  Most grocery stores carry a similar product, which you can also use called Bulgur. 

Bulgur wheat, is also made by cracking wheat kernels. Bulgur, however, is made from wheat kernels which are steamed and toasted before cracking, so that they develop a rich, nutty flavor. Bulgur also requires minimal cooking, since it is already partially cooked. Cracked wheat, on the other hand, uses whole raw wheat berries. 

"Cheri's Cracked Wheat Bread"

Makes:
2 Loafs or 1 loaf and 18-20 rolls (form into golf ball size)

Ingredients:
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. salt
1 cup Cracked Wheat or Bulgur

2 Tbsp. yeast
1/4 cup warm water
Flour

Method:
1. In bowl soak cracked wheat or Bulgur in 3 cups of very hot water for 10-15 minutes.
2. In a large bowl combine first 3 ingredients with 2 cups boiling water.  Allow butter to melt, drain water from cracked wheat and add to mixture, allowing it to cool to lukewarm.

3. Soak yeast in 1/4 cup of water. Once above mixture has cooled to lukewarm, combine the two mixtures and work in flour with a spoon one cup at a time until it becomes difficult to stir.  Add dough to a floured surface, adding additional flour as needed to form a soft dough which you will knead for about 8 minutes.

4. Place in greased bowl, let rise until double in size(about 1 hour.) 
5. Punch down dough in the middle and shape into loafs or rolls.  Place in greased pans and allow to raise once more. 

6. Bake at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes until golden brown.  Brush tops with butter. Follow the same steps for making dinner rolls.
 
Mmmmmm.......I want some right now!  Forming the dough into dinner rolls and eating them that way is wonderful, but the bread is so moist and perfect plus it's great for toasting too.
 

I neglected to share a couple of my November Glue Arts projects, so I want to do that now.  Here is a little "Woodland Snow house".  We were given lots of May Arts ribbon to work with and once I saw the faux suede leaf trim that reminded me of moss, I knew what I wanted to do with it.


You can find this little paper mache house at most craft stores and the roof lifts off, so it would be great to use as a gift wrap.  The paper is from the "Jovial" Christmas collection by BasicGrey.  All of the trims are from May Arts and the adhesive used for the roof leaves was Glue Arts Perma Tac.  You can find complete a complete supply list and directions at the Glue Arts Blog here.

 

AnotherGlue Arts project was using Crate paper's "Restoration" collection along with the wonderful adhesives from Glue Arts.  This collection is amazing!  I love the colors and it inspired me to make another Art Journal using old family photos.  Remember to click on the photos for a more close up look!

 
 
This project uses lots of GlueArts Adhesives, including Perma Tac, Ribbon Adhesive, 3D Foam blanks, and Adhesive Squares for popping up elements on the pages.  I also used several AccuCut dies to make extra pages, flower embellishments and pockets.
 
 
 

 You can find the supply list and instructions at the Glue Arts Blog here.  Check out all of the Crate Paper projects that the Glue Girls made on the blog because they are awesome.  You'll find lots of inspiration using this paper collection.

 
Last thing for this post-- I'm sure that you're wondering who won my last giveaway mentioned in the previous post.  Congratulations to Char who commented on November 15 @ 6:12 pm.  Char, please email me with your mailing address.  Thanks to everyone who participated!  Next time I will have another holiday giveaway. 

It's time for me to get back to work.  I have to start thinking about decorating for Christmas too.  Isn't that always such a big job?  Maybe after Thanksgiving I will get serious about it and get something done.

I hope that all of you have a very blessed and happy Thanksgiving day!
Linda