Maxam Made

I host a Sketch challenge every Monday on my Christian card makers group, I design the sketch and then members make a card and the names of the participants go into a random draw.  The winner gets a nice little packet of supplies to make a few more cards with - Fun!  Well this weeks sketch was a challenge, I am not sure what I was thinking when I made it up, as my friend Pam said "It's just weird"  She was right!  You are welcome to try it - good luck! here is the card: Here is the Sketch: after looking at this sketch I thought I'd use some bits from my scrap basket and a pad I bought 4 of to make kits with. I think I am very influenced by seasons- I bought these in the dead of winter and the bright strong colors really appealed to me.   Now  that it is summer, I want to do everything in red and Aqua...... What I used I also used Best Glue Ever and bits of Transfer Foil - because the paper needed more color I guess?  Assembling: and the

I have always desired to have a good mortar and pestle in my kitchen, I may have even had one sometime in my home cooking career but after 19 moves and a house fire I know it hasn't been in the last 20 years.  Recently I went on a hunt and found one that I thought would be perfect for what I wanted it for.  Medium size and high sides and a nice pest that fit in my hand.  I found one and as far as kitchen tools go it was fairly inexpensive! What I didn't realize was this is not a tool you use fresh out of the box!  This tool requires seasoning. Here it is all ready for use, the following steps are what it took to get it to this stage! After washing: First step: grind 1/3 cup white rice into powder. Not minute rice! Sound easy? Well, just plan on having friends over, lots of them and each one takes a twenty-minute shift of grinding.  It took Steve and  I  about 6 hours of swapping back and forth during the weekend the get it to the "powder" st

I would like to say thank you to all our military members', spouses, moms children!  I know and appreciate the sacrifices that are made to keep this country safe and free. To our services members and families: Well Done! Our thanks to you, Ginny and Steve MAxam 

Happy Thursday everyone!  I've been working on building my pantry, cooking and fermenting lately.  I've had to read lots of cookbooks, books on nutrition and instruction manuals for new appliances.  Now you may be wondering what that has to do with paper crafting? Well, leading a balanced life is very important and good nutrition is a foundation of life, plus I love cooking, it is another craft to me. I decided to put together a little notebook using The Best Glue Ever to hold all my notes: The sweet little butterfly is from Garciellie Designs  , from a set with terrific sentiments! I'm a big note taker and I use paper I have precut for stamping, nice 80# paper from Paper Temptress I punched holes in all my paper and then used a 100# card base for the cover I pulled  some pretty paper from my stash Punched new papers Next, doing the pretty part: I attached my cover onto metal chipboard, the Best Glue ever holds all types of t

Welcome to Word art Wednesday's anything goes challenge!! Today I am bringing you part 2 of my vellum overlay printing!  For part one go  here .  For papers, I printed on vellum and Heavenly White cardstock by Paper Temptress  and used stash for accents and base. I used The Best Glue ever to keep it all together!  Wouldn't this make a great guy card? The beautiful verse by Karen Murray: I was pretty sure using a deer for this weeks designer samples would be pretty common so I wanted my card to have just something a little extra, Vellum printing really looks so beautiful! This is my deer and gift to you: I printed my photo,  lined up my  deer and bible verse on the template ( check out last WAW) Another great man card ( I think)! I hope you take the time to try this and add it to your card making techniques, it is really simple and has great results! Thank you for stopping by! Ginny M

Steve and I have been very busy settling into our new life here in New York.  Our home is midway in renovations, we are making friends, reconnecting with family and becoming a part of our new church community.  This spring seems like a spring in Canan Land. W have wanted to live in NY since we got married, it was always a goal.  We are missing Steves dad and somehow we are missing his mom more now too. There are so many things in life I see as a way mark, and as a legacy, Actually,  I think our examples to our offspring are very important, and one of the reasons why we still work hard for our kids. We work hard at showing them a better way: A better way in our faith, our marriage, our finances, and our health. Starting a garden is going to be a big thing here. We'd also like to have chickens and maybe bees.   this little bit of farming has been something we have been talking about for years and will have to wait until next spring to really start.  In an effort not to become tota

Hurry on over to Graciellie Designs for 30% off your entire order!!   Have a Great Weekend!! Ginny M

 Today I tried something a little new to me today!  Using a Penny Black  stamp, I colored with Alcohol Markers directly on the stamp and then stamped on Cryogen#89  paper from Paper Temptress. The different part: using alcohol markers for this traditionally used water color marker technique.  I stamped this on Beautiful I stamped this on Beautiful  Croygen  89# paper .  This also was a first for me and  I kinda of held my breath, not knowing how the ink would play on the paper not knowing how the ink would play on this sparkly paper.  The ink left the stamp and sat on the paper perfectly and I was able to go back in and add a little bit more detail with the fine nib on my pen ( I use Spectrum Noir) In this shot, you can see the beautiful Sparkle! This Just added something so special to this simple stamp!  I edged the card with distress ink which also moved beautifully on the   Cryogen Paper ! This lovely paper is one I will definitely want to sto

I was asked the other day about my soaking method for the nuts I use to snack on and cook with.  I've been soaking for about 3 years, actually, I soak all of my legumes and nuts and many grains before we eat them.  I am not a nutritionist I don't make any claims to superior wisdom, I have just spent a lot of time reading and experimenting in my kitchen.  The end result, we are happy, healthy reasonably fit and not obese. Right now Steve is in the garage tuning up our bikes.  My 57th birthday is just down the road a little bit and I intend on making it fitter than my 56th birthday, Why not!  It is true, you are what you eat and I hope to be fit and healthy and stay that way- so we eat good food, real food -whole food.  I know I've been saying this for years.  I've enjoyed almost every mouthful! I am not going to get into the science of this, I will let you do your own reading so that you can discover what works best for you!  I soak my nuts and legumes  to hel