PPA #317

I have been so absent from pretty much everything for the last few weeks.  Needless to say, I am so ready for fall.  Back to school, jeans, falling leaves to hide the dead grass that the drought has gifted us with, and more time to play with my stuff.

What better way to get started than this beautiful color challenge created by Michelle Quinno.  Tangerine Tango, Rich Razzleberry and Crushed Curry are as warm and rich as the colors of the season can get.

I won't bore you with my wordiness today, because I only have ten minutes to get this posted before I have to pick my little guy up from school (and I thought back to school meant more time for mommy... where did the day go?).  So without further delay, here you go:

The colors immediately made me think of New England foliage, and of course pumpkins, so what better way to use them than with this simple scene from Stampin' Up!'s Happy Scenes stamp set.

Happy fall everyone!  I hope to be back more consistently as we settle back into back to school life and more mommy time.  :)

PPA #312

For this week's PPA, I decided to go into the archives and try to use up some retired designer series paper.  I love the designer series paper that Stampin' Up! has to offer, but find myself so afraid to use it because once I do - it's gone.  I need to get over that fear, but knowing me the way I do, I have to start with baby steps.

So baby step #1 was to use some retired paper that featured retired in colors.  I have all the ink, markers and card stock for the in colors that I have purchased since I started stamping, but I rarely use them because none of the new stuff tends to coordinate.  And especially now that I'm a demonstrator, I feel like I have to focus on new products so I can maybe sell some of this stuff.  Even though I am first and foremost a hobby demonstrator, I do have a few neighborhood customers and the more I can sell to them, the more I can buy for myself.

I stumbled upon this week's design by accident.  I was looking for some old paper that I could use with some Wisteria Wonder ribbon, and found a sheet from the Birds of a Feather DSP that featured flamingos in Primrose Petals.  Flamingos are such a hot item in the new annual catalog.  I have not purchased any of the flamingo-related products, and thought this would be a fun way to get in on the action while conquering my DSP fears.

And here it is... I had to cheat a little and cut out the flamingo using my Cricut machine, but this was such a fun and surprising idea, I couldn't resist.  

I took the "retired" theme so seriously, you would have thought it was the challenge for PPA #312.  Here are the products I used:

• Cardstock: Whisper White, Midnight Muse (retired), Primrose Petals (retired)
• Stampin' Write Marker in Midnight Muse (retired)
• Stampin' Up Very Punny stamp set (retired, from 2007, well before my stamping days began, but gifted to me by my aunt)... I just colored the sentiment part of the stamp with the marker and stamped it onto Whisper White.  The actual stamp had a really cute pig, but didn't quite go with the theme
• Birds of a Feather designer series paper (retired)
• Ribbon is generic white satin ribbon bought from Michael's
• Flamingo was cut out using my Cricut machine
• 1.5" circle punch (not retired!)
• Circle Nesting dies (not retired!)

Thanks for letting me play with the PPA!  I am having so much fun - especially when I love the card I come up with!

PPA #311

Unlike last week, where I raced to get my PPA entry posted on time, I'm a bit ahead of the game this week!  Per usual, it took a few attempts for me to get this card right enough to share.  My first attempt at highlighting Smoky Slate, Pink Pirouette, and Marina Mist was a totally different concept and the reality looked nothing like my vision.  No surprise there, but disappointing nonetheless.

I did two different versions of this card.  One had the wreath stamped on some Whisper White, with a corner punch adding a little flair.  It felt a little flat to me, so I decided to die cut the wreath and pop it with some dimensionals.

I used the blender pen to color in the bow and the flower near the sentiment, and then some crystal effects to give them some more depth.  With the colors being so subtle, I think this technique ended up washing it out a little too much, but I also think if I just used the marker with no dilution, it wouldn't have any nuance.

And lastly, I am working on my wet embossing technique.  My first try resulted in a crisper sentiment, but lots of embossing dust in the background.  My second attempt was a little more messy on the stamped image, but the embossing buddy helped clean up the other messiness.

Products used:

• Cardstock in Smoky Slate and Whisper White
• Classic Stampin' Pads in Smoky Slate (for the wreath), Marina Mist (for the bow), and Pink Pirouette (for the flower)
• Versamark Ink
• White embossing powder
• Crystal Effects
• Blender Pen
• Stampin' Write markers in Marina Mist, Pink Pirouette, Pistachio Pudding (retired), and So Saffron
• Weather Together and Circle of Spring stamp sets
• Wonderful Wreath framelits

Someday soon, hopefully once my son is back in school, I will post all the versions that I attempt to get me to my end result.  You know, for your amusement.

PPA #310

It may be hard to believe, since I'm typing this at 4:00 in the afternoon on the day before the PPA deadline, but I was actually pretty ahead of the game this week.  I got my card done last week.  But my weekend was hectic, and it has just been so darn hot out.  Posting this blog was a To Do item in my trusty planner, and yup, it's trusty alright.  Because here I am!  (That thing keeps me so focused... I already ordered next year's and now I'm wishing the rest of 2016 away.  But I digress...)

I played around with the Affectionately Yours suite for this week's entry.  I couldn't quite work in the embossing folder, but the stamp set and designer series paper are front and center, along with some thick bakers twine in Cucumber Crush (I am so going to miss that color when it's gone).

Products used:

• Cardstock in Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Cucumber Crush, Watermelon Wonder (another favorite of mine) and Daffodil Delight
• Affectionately Yours designer series paper
• Thick bakers twine in Cucumber Crush
• Love & Affection stamp set
• Washi Label punch (retired, but I love it)
• Classic Stampin' Pads in Night of Navy, Cucumber Crush and Watermelon Wonder
• Versamark ink (for the subtle tone on tone stamping on Watermelon Wonder and Daffodil Delight)
• Stampin' Write marker in Daffodil Delight (to color in the center of the main stamped flower)

I'm not sure I really like the pop of Whisper White.  It seems very out of place with the color scheme.  However it does showcase the ink colors beautifully.

I'm not sure this design will make it into a future workshop, but for now it has a home on my giant memo board in my stamping room.

Enjoy, and happy stamping everyone!  Stay cool out there, where you are.

A Quick Look at my July Workshop

My neighborhood stamping group usually takes the summer off, but since I'm new at being the demonstrator and got a later start at hosting these workshops, I wanted to do something over the summer to keep me focused.  And I was dying to use all my toys from Stampin' Up!'s new annual catalog.

In the past, we have usually made 5 cards, but I stuck to three and called it a mini workshop.  We only had three participants, but they were three of the tried and true stampers.  A lot of fun was had, a lot of sangria was consumed, and a lot of orders were placed (an extra bonus for me!).

I am sure these cards were CASEd from Pinterest or the Pals (I am sorry for not being able to assign better credit... I am working on better organizing this aspect of my stamping business).

I used the following new bundles to create/reproduce these cards:

• Weather Together
• Swirly Bird
• Jar of Love

I love hosting these workshops and getting together with the ladies, but so far I have found that at least one of my demo cards has been swiped and replaced with someone's less than perfect card.  I've got to keep an eye on these ladies in the future!  Or pour less sangria!

PPA #309

This is what you call a five minute card.

It's been a crazy week.  My husband is in California on business, I've had all kinds of appointments and meetings, and the little guy... well, he's been great, but it's been hard to get to my workshop and play with my stuff.

I thought I was going to have to skip the PPA this week, but yesterday I had 15 minutes before I needed to pick up my son, and I needed to make a congratulations card for my very best friend who received an offer for a job for which she thought she was under-qualified.  (Does that sentence sound as stuffy to you as it feels to me?  I was trying desperately to not end my sentence with a preposition, and just like the card, this is a five minute blog post!)  I was so proud of her for simply taking a chance and throwing her hat in the ring.  And I am ecstatic that she got rewarded with a fantastic new opportunity.

And since I had 15 minutes, and I needed to make this card, why not use the PPA as inspiration and kill two birds with one stone?

The challenge was to use three of Stampin' Up!'s beautiful colors:  Island Indigo, Sahara Sand and Sweet Sugarplum.  I was thrilled to see the Blooms & Bliss Designer Series Paper coordinates with all three of these colors (which made this five minute card possible!).

Products used were:

• Sahara Sand, Island Indigo and Sweet Sugarplum cardstock
• Classic Stampin' Pad in Island Indigo
• Blooms & Bliss Designer Series Paper
• Layering Circles Dies
• Confetti Celebration stamp set

It was fast and easy, and right to the point.  Hooray!

PPA #308

My fourth PPA in a row!  I can't believe it!  I really love how this is forcing me to sit down with my stuff, and come up with a card idea somewhat on my own.  Generally, I'm copying and sharing a lot of what I see on Pinterest and my own ideas don't always pan out the way I see them in my imagination.  The PPA is giving me a jumping off point, and the rest is up to me.  It's building my creativity and my confidence in my crafting.

It might be stressing me out from time to time, but that's the good kind of stress!  The "me" building stress... not the job stress, family stress or friend stress.

Speaking of friend stress, I'm glad I got this card done yesterday because I have spent the better part of the day dealing with high school drama with one of my high school friends.  I graduated high school 26 years ago. Enough already!! :)

Back to business... Here's my card:

I used all Stampin' Up! products for this card.  They are the best, after all.

• Card stock: Whisper White, Daffodil Delight and Basic Black
• Stamp Set:  Endless Thanks for the sentiment and Helping Me Grow for the flower
• Large Dots textured impressions embossing folder
• For ink I used Memento Black and the blender pens with Daffodil Delight, Early Espresso, and Wild Wasabi

I colored over the blender pen Daffodil Delight with the Daffodil Delight Stampin' Write marker because the color was not vibrant enough.  I definitely like it better this way.

I hope everyone enjoys their weekend!  And thanks for letting me play the PPA!

PPA #307

Here I am again - third week in a row!  This weeks Pals Paper Arts challenge was a color one.  Create a card using three of Stampin' Up!'s beautiful colors:  Night of Navy, Pool Party and Real Red.  I wanted to do something that felt a bit patriotic (given that today is the 4th of July!) without being too specific to the holiday.  The result was this:

By layering the doilies in two different colors, I'm hoping it looks kind of like a pinwheel.  You know, that quintessential summer time parade staple.  You can't tell from the picture, but the pinwheel will spin.  Probably not in the breeze like what we're all used to, but you can turn those doilies rather easily thanks to a small washer (or two) behind that brad.  I was/am pretty proud of myself for coming up with that one!

I used the following Stampin' Up! products to create this card:

• Card stock in Night of Navy, Real Red and Pool Party
• Thoughtful Banners stamp set for the banner and the "celebrate" sentiment
• Duet Banner punch, which can be purchased as a bundle with the Thoughtful Banners stamp set
• Stampin' Dimensionals behind the banner
• Classic Stampin' Pad in Real Red

In addition to the Stampin' Up! products, I used a non- Stampin' Up! thinlit die for the doilies... not sure where or when I got this, but I found it when I was re-organizing my craft room for the umpteenth time.  I also used a random, generic brad that I had purchased from Michael's during my pre-Stampin' Up! days.  And the unseen washers can be found at a hardware store near you.  Or my husband's workbench.  Whichever is easier.

I hope everyone has a safe, happy, and fun 4th of July!

PPA #306

This card is my third attempt at my second PPA entry.  I won't bore you with the details of what went wrong with the first two, but let's just say one looked like a Pepto Bismal explosion, and the other... just no.  Once I determined I did not need to interpret the layout of the challenge so literally (thanks to seeing all the beautiful cards the rest of the group prepared!), I was able to come up with something I wasn't embarrassed to share.

Here it is:

This card has a lot of pink, but trust me... if you think this is a Pepto Bismal explosion, you should have seen the first one.

I used the following Stampin' Up! products:

• Rich Razzleberry, Blushing Bride, and Old Olive card stock
• Blooms & Bliss designer series paper
• Rich Razzleberry classic stampin' pad
• Flower Patch stamp set for the sentiment
• Flower Fare framelits to die cut the flowers
• Corner trio punch (retired)

I used contraband rhinestones for the center of the flowers.  Because I had them and I need to use them up.

I was going to use the Flower Patch stamp set to stamp the flowers on Whisper White cardstock, then die cut them.  But I don't know... something about the simplicity of plain paper flowers appealed to me for this one.

I toyed around with whether or not to use the Old Olive leaves.  I'm still undecided whether the touch of green helps or hurts this card.  And they are not glued on yet, so I still have time to change my mind.  I would love to hear your thoughts on that.

I am really enjoying participating in the various challenges that are available to me as part of the Stampin' Pretty Pals.  I'm hoping to keep it up, especially once my little guy goes back to school after the 4th.  I love being a stay at home mom to this kid, but boy did I forget how much time I did not have to myself before he started preschool.  :)

A Look at My June Workshop

I hosted my first Stampin' Up! workshop for my neighborhood stamping crew at the beginning of the month.  My stampers requested teacher thank you, birthday and father's day cards.  I prepared two father's day cards and three cards that could work as either a teacher thank you card or a birthday card.  I didn't have too much opportunity to show off new products from the annual catalog, but I made sure to have one card prominently feature the new In-Colors.

I Played the PPA #305!!!

So, I am dipping my toes in the water and playing the Pals Paper Arts challenge.  I'm a relatively new Stampin' Up! independent demonstrator, but I've been actively trolling the various Facebook groups administered by my team, and my inspiration grows every day.  This is my very first time participating in the PPA, and I hope to do it more frequently.  (Leave it to me to get motivated to join in during my preschooler's first week of summer vacation... hopefully he lets me steal some time to keep it up!)

This week's challenge was to make a project using three Stampin' Up! colors:  Pool Party, Island Indigo and Whisper White.  I jumped at the chance to use the new Jars of Love stamp set and the Everyday Jars framelits, and here's what I came up with:

My card features a Pool Party base with rounded corners on the bottom.  The back drop is Island Indigo. I stamped the large mason jar with Smoky Slate ink on Whisper White paper, and added some Pear Pizzazz stems before die cutting with the framelits.  I then stamped the same stems in Pear Pizzazz and used the framelits to cut them out.  I lined up the die cut stems with the stems stamped on the jar and glued them in place.  The stems appear to be behind the rim of the jar, while the jar is still transparent.  The flowers were stamped in both Pool Party and Island Indigo.  The ribbon and Hello sentiment are both Island Indigo, and are popped up with Stampin' Dimensionals.

I was so excited to get my hands dirty with these new products (literally, my fingers are covered in Island Indigo ink), and had so much fun playing with them.  I may use this card for my first summer mini-workshop with my neighborhood stampers as we are all a bit obsessed with Mason Jars at the moment.  (I keep telling my husband there is a Mason Jar revolution going on, and he doesn't believe me.  Not even after this bundle appeared in the new catalog!)

I hope you enjoy this card as much as I do!  Have fun with this weeks PPA, and I look forward to doing more down the road!

XOXO,
Annie Manning aka Anne-Marie Schofer
The Lazy Crafter's Workshop

Green Cleaning: Yoga Mat Cleaner

As it says in my profile, I am a reluctant yogi.  Meaning I do yoga, but I'm not really in to yoga.  It all started because, as a cancer survivor, I needed to take better care of my body. And I knew I wouldn't do it on my own at home (this is true, because I was a four year cancer survivor before I finally said I needed to heed the medical advice and DO SOMETHING).  

Why yoga?  Honestly, because it was the only thing I could find that was early enough in the morning for me to do before my husband had to start work.  I was not interested in evening classes, because I know as the day wore on, so would my resolve.  And as much as I hate dealing with my toddler (now preschooler) at bedtime, I absolutely LOVE being with my son at bedtime and didn't want to miss it too often.  He's only this little once.  

So, yoga it was.  And I don't hate it.  I LOVE the way I feel when I'm done.  It's just that I can't wait for class to be over pretty much from the minute it starts. But I do it, and I've been doing it for over a year and I can honestly say that at 43 (gulp) years old, I am in the best shape of my life.  

My yoga class meets two days a week at 6am.  That was a great time until my son started preschool. Now I'm racing against the clock to get home, shower, and dress while still having a minute for a cup of coffee and a piece of bacon before packing up his back pack and getting out the door by 8 o'clock. 

Before you say anything, skipping the shower is an option, but not a great one. The yoga class is heated, so I am a disgusting sweaty mess when it's over and my moisture wicking yoga clothes are drenched and feel gross.  If I only had to drop him off at the front door, that would be one thing.  But he's three, so I have to bring him in.  And honestly, what's the point of yoga if it's just going to make me feel worse afterwards?

But I digress... Can you tell I have had this argument before?  

As a time saving measure, I have to skip cleaning my sweaty mat at the studio and choose to do it at home.  (My mat can wait for its shower, I cannot.)  Here's a recipe for a DIY green yoga mat cleaner that will help keep your mat clean and in peak condition.


DIY Green Yoga Mat Cleaner

• 1c white vinegar
• 3c water
• 5 drops lemon essential oil
• 5 drops lavender essential oil

Mix together in a spray bottle.  Spray your mat, and wipe down with a clean towel or rag.


That's it.  Easy peasy.  I suppose you can skip the essential oils, but I believe they may help condition your mat.  Feel free to adjust the combination of oils for a fragrance that better suits you and your practice.  You can also adjust up or down the amount you use, but I would be careful adjusting too far up.  You don't want your mat to be slick.  You need it to be sticky.  

Cleaning your mat is extra important if you practice hot yoga.  All that sweat that drips off your body gets absorbed into your mat and can be a breeding ground for bacteria.  Think about that the next time you are gently resting one cheek on your mat.  Gross.

Happy cleaning!  Namaste!

Green Cleaning: Granite Cleaner

As promised in my Natural Disinfectant post, I also have a recipe for a green granite cleaner.  This stuff makes your counters so shiny and glossy, it's incredible.  I love it.


DIY Green Granite Cleaner

• 1/4c rubbing alcohol or vodka
• 3 drops dish washing liquid (good old fashioned Dawn blue is recommended)
• 2c water
• 5-6 drops lemon essential oil

Gently combine all ingredients in a spray bottle, being careful not to mix too vigorously or else the dish washing liquid gets too bubbly.


When I clean my granite counters, which is often thanks to a work from home husband who hasn't met a meal he wanted to clean up after, I first wipe it down with a damp, soapy sponge.  And then I get eye level with it to see what I missed.

After I've recovered from my shock at how much crap is still on my granite counter (the pro and con of the granite counter is that you can't see how dirty it is), I repeat that step.

Then I spray with the granite cleaner, and wipe it down with a paper towel or my favorite kitchen rag.  If you've used raw meat and want a sturdier disinfectant, you can use my Natural Disinfectant (link to come, when I figure out how to do that) before using the granite cleaner.

When I first found this recipe for the granite cleaner, I was so excited to make it but did not have any rubbing alcohol in the house.  It was doing something weather-wise that made me not want to get the baby in the car and go to the store, so I opted instead to use vodka (which was listed as an acceptable ingredient).  So if you are like me and a little lazier than you want to admit, use whatever vodka you have on hand if you don't have the rubbing alcohol.  Just hopefully it's some cheapo brand, and not Grey Goose.  

I am fairly confident my husband will not read this, but just in case:  love you, honey!  XOXO

Also, do not skip the lemon essential oil.  In many recipes, the essential oil is optional.  In this one, the lemon oil actually does something to condition the granite countertops and it's a good thing, not just clean smelling.

Happy cleaning!

Green Cleaning: Natural Disinfectant

There are times when you need to make sure your sinks and counters get a little extra TLC from the bacteria police.  For most of us, that's after we've prepared raw chicken or other meat.  I do try to keep the meat off of the surface of my counter by using a cutting board or silicone mat, but after watching 20 years worth of Law & Order episodes during one 9 month pregnancy, you learn a thing or two about spatter.  

Now I am by no means a germaphobe.  And I would eat steak raw right out of the package if it was socially acceptable (since it's not, I have to settle for steak tartare in a fancy restaurant when the occasion presents itself).  But raw chicken skeeves me out big time.  If it wasn't so darn good for you, I wouldn't touch the stuff.  

And since I do make an effort to use green cleaners that won't harm my family or pets (who sometimes manage to find that sunny spot on the kitchen counter for a nap), I want a natural solution. Lucky for us all, I found one!


DIY Natural Disinfectant

• 2c water
• 3T dish soap (good old fashioned blue Dawn is recommended)
• 1t tea tree oil
• 15 drops essential oil (optional)

Gently mix together (be careful, you don't want the soap to get too bubbly) in a spray bottle.


Here are my thoughts on using essential oil in this cleaner.  Not worth it.  Tea tree oil is very fragrant, and not in a good way.  You would need a lot more than 15 drops to neutralize that smell, and then you are going to have an oily cleaner, which defeats the purpose.  I say don't bother.  Essential oils are not going to break the bank because they are used in small doses, but a bottle can be a little bit pricey so I say save it for an application where you really get the benefit.  

But don't skip the tea tree oil, because that is what gives this cleaner its disinfectant properties.  Don't worry about the smell.  It will go away.

The cleaning method I use is to wipe down my counter with a soapy dish sponge (the one that I use only on countertops and not on my dishes... even though sometimes I use the one that is supposedly only for my dishes on my countertops, but that's just when there is no raw meat involved).  Dry it off with paper towels or counter rag of your choice.*  Spray the counter with the natural disinfectant and wipe it in/off with your towel.  

You can even finish it with my granite cleaner for unbeatable shine.  (I smell another post coming! Link to follow but search on the "green cleaning" label if you just cannot wait.)

Happy cleaning!

* My counter rag of choice?  Cloth baby diaper.  The old fashioned Gerber white cloth diaper.  You can buy these at Target, probably Amazon, and I'm sure any baby superstore out there.  I have a set for rags and a set for drying dishes. They are so absorbent and do an AMAZING job.  I'm sure they would have made awesome diapers too, but I went the earth killing disposable route and just happened to have a pack of these for some reason or another.  

Green Cleaning: All Purpose Cleaner

The easiest way to go green with your cleaning products is to start with an all purpose cleaner.  This thing is so versatile and so CHEAP, you will wonder how you ever lived without it.  And better than cheap, it is effective and completely non-toxic.  You can feel good knowing that your family is not being affected by unpronounceable chemicals that have who knows what long term impacts on their health.


DIY Green All Purpose Cleaner

• 1 cups water
• 1 cups white vinegar
• 10-15 drops essential oil (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a spray bottle. Swirl or shake to blend.


The essential oils are optional, and are used to provide a light, clean fragrance. I am partial to lavender and lemon (together, or on their own).  If you do choose to use essential oils, do not go overboard.  A little goes a LOOONG way.

I use this cleaner primarily on glass, but it also works great on appliances (even stainless steel), porcelain sinks, and while I have not used it on a flat finish paint, it works well on our glossy painted cabinets and wood trim.  Do not use it on granite countertops... the vinegar can erode the finish over time.  

If you are concerned about the lingering smell of vinegar, don't be.  Once it dries, the smell is gone.  

I tend to make a huge batch of this cleaner by tripling or even quadrupling the recipe and storing it in a large container that I use to refill my smaller spray bottle (that naturally, I labeled with cute adhesive vinyl letters that I cut out using my Cricut Explore).  

* I will update later with resources on where to buy materials for making this cleaner.

Happy green cleaning!

So Am I Really Doing This?

Yeah, I'm really doing this.  We'll see what that means.  

Welcome to the Lazy Crafter's Workshop!  While I am not lazy (at least I don't think so), my craft projects tend to be very simple and attainable for all levels of crafters, and I hope to inspire the lazy crafters who have the desire but just don't know where to start.    

Who am I?  Take a look at my profile, and you'll get an idea of that but basically I am a "retired" business woman who now is fortunate enough to stay home with my charming little handful of a three and a half year old.  

If you saw all the paragraphs I have already edited away, you would know that I can go on and on... and on.  I'm going to try not to do that (because boring), but wordiness is my weakness.  So here's what I'm going to do.  I'm just going to tell you what it is I hope to share on this blog:

• My successfully cute craft projects
• Stampin' Up! cards that came out better than I expected, and techniques that I learned and loved
• Recipes that my family enjoyed (well, my husband... the three year old eats nothing)
• My loom projects that are more inspired than a basic scarf or hat
• Green cleaning recipes that I use around my home
• Things I saw and loved on Pinterest
• And I'm sure many other random acts of crafting and homemaking!

I don't know how often I will post because even though my family is small, they keep me busy.  But even if I only do it for myself, I want the Lazy Crafter's Workshop to be a forum to catalog my projects.  And maybe I'll improve my photography in the process.  

So thanks for taking a look and let me know if there is anything you want to see, know, or whatever.

Happy crafting!