Fabulous Fall Class Projects

These are 2 of the 4 cards we will be completing in the Fabulous Fall class coming up. This class includes the Fabulous Fall cling mounted stamp set by Art Impressions. This set includes 4 different leaf images, an acorn, and 3 sayings. It is a very beautiful and versatile set.

I wish you could see the shine on these cards. I believe I counted 5 or more different metallic mediums that we will be using in this class.

A Chance to Give

Dominic's fundraiser is coming right up. If you are not a regular on my blog you can read more details about my niece Dominic below. These details were previously posted on my blog so if you have already read this you can just skip down to the next photo.

Dominic had a g-tube placed when she was 14 days old due to urgent need of complete nutrition that would help her overcome all the challenges she presented at birth. These challenges included low birth weight (4.6 lb. at 39 weeks gestation), small head, an area of damage in her brain, two small holes in her heart and a severe bilateral cleft lip and palate.She has received surgery to repair her palate and lip, but has been receiving 99% of her nutrition from her g-tube (a small apparatus surgically placed in the stomach allowing food to be deposited there directly, bypassing the mouth and esophagus).

Dominic doesn’t experience food like you and I. She has oral sensitivities, poor oral motor skills, fear, and negative associations (like vomit or pain) with food that she needs to overcome. For Dominic moving food in her mouth in a way that is necessary to eat is not natural, it is hard work.Dominic is medically ready to wean from her g-tube to oral feeding, but she needs some help.

There is a therapy available in Washington called Rapid Wean directed especially for kid just like Dominic that could have her eating significant amounts of food orally in a matter of 14 days. (to learn more visit http://tofthouse.com/ )Dominic will be entering this therapy in October, but does not have insurance that will cover the costs of this therapy. God has already been blessing Dominic and her family, and much of the money has already been raised, but as the time draws nearer, there is more that I want to do to ensure that Dominic gets the therapy she needs in order to continue growing and developing into the sweet little girl that God made her to be.

Dominic feeding her baby.

If you live in the area and are interested in helping out...this is the invitation that is being sent out to friends, family, and people who care:

YOU ARE INVITED!!!!...

To an open-house cardmaking fundraiser.

When? This Friday, September 26
What time? 3-9pm
Where? At the Scrap-a-Latte store in McMinneville, OR
(Located on Hwy 99w betweenFigaro's Pizza and Hollywood Video.)
Why? To help financially support Mic in her upcoming oralfeeding/g-tube wean therapy.

Valonda Leichty(that's me...lol) is organizing the event and will be on hand, along with all her supplies, hundreds of stamps, lots of ideas, tips and helpful, professional advice. Come spend as long as you want and make as many cards as you would like.
There will be a requested donation of $3 per card that you make, although additional donations are welcome as well.
If you are interested in attending this fun event, you can RSVP by emailing Valonda at valonda1@juno.com

Obviously this is very, very important to me, and I am so grateful to have the opportunity to use my supplies and talents to bless my family and to help Dominic receive some life-changing help. Thanks in advance for joining together with me.

Bind-It-All

Ever need more ribbon storage? I made this ribbon holder by cutting thick chipboard in varying lengths and punching holes in both ends with my Bind-It-All Machine. I made it pretty by spraying each piece with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist, running them through the Cuttlebug, then embellishing the spine with ribbon. I cut out the sections between some of the holes to make wide spaces enough to accomodate all widths of ribbon without wrinkling them. Oh, and I bent one of the wire sections upward to use it as a hanger.

Bind-It-All

Here are some fun little notebooks that I made. I made this first one for myself, to replace a little notebook that I have that is almost all used up. I made this one with some fun pockets for receipts, list, business cards...you know, the little papers that manage to collect in the bottom of your purse with semi-important information on them. Ok, maybe it's just me. Anyway, here is what I used on this one-
Supplies:
Bind-It-All Machine and 3/4" Black Binding Wire
Thick Chipboard for covers
Brown Cardstock
White Computer Paper
Cuttlebug Machine, the Argyle Embossing Folder, and the Polka Dot folder from the new Everyday Greetings set
Paint Dabbers (Ranger Industries) Espresso, Shell Pink, and Cranberry
Grungeboard
Patterned Paper (Making Memories)
Hitch Fastener (Tim Holtz Idea-ology)

This one was made much the same as the previous one with a few exceptions.
I used Juniper and Shell Pink Paint Dabbers, and I added the self-adhesive tab clips by Making Memories. I took the image off of the one in the center and punched out a little circle from the patterned paper that I used and added Glossy Accents (Ranger) to make it match the others.

Bind-It-All

These are some card sets that I made for the retreat this weekend. Each set comes with four cards and envelopes and this neat little holder for them.
Supplies:
Bind-it-All Machine and Black 3/4" Binding Wire (Zutter)
Bazzill Cardstock
Vellum (on some of the cards)
Victorian Pattern Backgrounder (Cornish Heritage Farms)
Dusty Concord Distress Ink (Ranger Industries)
Chipboard Frame (Li'l Davis Designs)
Flowers (Prima)
Pearls (Kaiser Craft)
Lilac Silk Ribbon



Supplies:
Bind-It-All Machine and 3/4" Black Binding Wire (Zutter)
Cardstock - "Sisters" Floral/Coral and "Sisters" Stripe/Red (Wild Asparagus) My Mind's Eye
and White Linen Cardstock
Nestabilities Die (Spellbinders)
Sweet Chips Chipboard Die Cut Shapes (Crafty Secrets)
Sentiments by Cornish Heritage Farms and Hot Off the Press
Petite Petals Punch (McGill)
Pearls (Kaiser Craft)
Coral Ribbon (May Arts)

Glimmer Mists

I had lots of things to do today that didn't get done. Guess what I did instead...played with some new supplies that I've had sitting here for a couple of weeks tempting me. Now lest you think that all I did all day was play, I only sat down long enough to make one card then got back to the business of my day, but it was still a good feeling to create something without a deadline or an agenda driving me. Sometimes I have to make things just for me, not for a class or a submission.

I wish you could see the incredible shine that this whole card has, but it is hard to capture it in a photograph. The background was created with distress inks, glimmer mists, and a glimmer screen. The Tattered Angel Glimmer Mists are so much fun. I especially love how some of the more neutral colors look over dark paper.

Project Supplies:

Brown Cardstock
White Cardstock
Distress Inks (Walnut Stain, Spiced Marmalade, Aged Mahogany)
Glimmer Mist (Antique Brass)
Glimmer Screens (Fanciful)
Nestabilities Dies (Spellbinders)
Cuttlebug Embossing Folder (Forest Branches)
Everyday Greetings Die (Provocraft)
Drop Pearl and Black Pinwheel (Lost Art Treasures)
Lace Ribbon (Prima)

Still with me? My sister posted a really neat poem on her blog about her daughter Dominic. You can follow the link on the left that says "my sister Birdie" if you are interested in reading it.

First Day of School

My little girl is now a first grader. Her first full day of school was a little rough on her. She came home exhausted and starving. But she loves her new teacher, and was glad that she gets to see one of her very good friends on the playground even though she is in a different class.

I just thought it was so cute. When I got ready to take her "first day of school picture", Hannah felt bad that Noah wasn't going to have his picture taken, so she invited him to join her. He didn't have a backpack to show off, so he decided to show us his bag of cereal. It's amazing how one minute they can be yelling at each other and the next minute they are so thoughtful and kind to each other. I guess I can remember feeling the same way about my sisters and brother. Can anyone relate?