Happy Birthday Kendall

Yesterday I colored two images of a cupcake.  I made one birthday card yesterday and today I used the other image to make another belated birthday card.  I decided to use the sketch from Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge.

I chose to use a square/rectangle instead of a circle in the sketch.

The paper is from My Mind's Eye.  The stamp is from Whipper Snapper Designs and the sentiment is unknown - it is a floater - floating around the design table/stamp box.  The image was colored with Copics.  The cherry has glossy accents on top of it and all the frosting layers have Wink of Stella on it.

Enjoy what remains of your Sunday.

Season's Greeting Santa

I am trying to make a few Christmas Cards.  I don't have many done and I know I will need them in December.  If I was really smart, as I finished a card, I should sign it, place it in an addressed envelope - it would be all ready to go.  Unfortunately, I am not that smart.  I also do not like to do duplicates/multiples of cards.  This would make it so much easier if I would do that - but the fun for me in card making, is the creative process.

I am combining two challenges for this card.  The first challenge is a weekly Christmas card challenge (so you are not rushed at the end).  Jingle Bells has a tic tac toe challenge.  I chose to do the diagonal:  Santa, Die Cuts, Gold.  The Santa is a piece of chipboard.  The Die Cut is the Green edging alongside the plaid paper.  The gold is in the embossed sentiment and gold enamel beads.

The second challenge is a monthly challenge from House of Cards.  The challenge for September is to use stitching.  It can be fake or it can be real.  I chose to dig out my sewing machine and do some contrast stitching on several layers of my card.  The main creamish colored layer is stitched all around the edge of the mat.  I stitched the plaid strip also.

The creamish mat of my card is cardstock with a dictionary page adhered to it with gel medium.  A layer of gesso was added on top.  I then dabbed on a creamish color of acrylic paint to just give it more depth of color (of course not much show so why did I go to all this work).  The chipboard was distressed with Brushed Corduroy distress ink to give it an aged look.  The sentiment was gold embossed.  The bow is made from strips of forn muslin that was tea died.  I think this adds a more rustic/antique look to a card especially since the papers and the Santa have an old fashioned flare to them.  As I mentioned above, I stitched some of the layers.  The sentiment is pop dotted for some height.  A couple gold enamel beads were added for a little contrast.  The card is about 6.5 inches by 4.5 inches.

The paper and chipboard are My Mind's Eye and the sentiment is from a very old Hero Arts set (I think).  

Thanks for stopping by.  Hope you enjoyed my Christmas card.  One done - too many more to go.  

Oldie Moldie Monday

Monday - time to show some love for your old supplies.  Yes I am still using paper from the 6 x 6 pad - it is not Basic Grey (my bad) - it is from My Mind's Eye.

I had actually made the owl panel a long time ago and it has floated around my table for awhile.  It is am embossing folder.  I "believe" I glued a book page to card stock, added a layer of gesso and then embossed it.  I then colored it with distress paints.  The sentiment is from JilliBean.

The card is going to my niece and her family for Back to School.  I had the lovely opportunity of staying with the kids a couple of weeks ago when the parents were on vacation.  I had so much fun and I hope they did too.  My niece is a 2nd grade school teacher and she is starting the year with an OWL theme so that is why I chose to send this card.  While I stayed with the family, we made two owl projects for her classroom.

Everyone dig out your supplies and show them some old fashioned love.  Good luck with the new school year.

Christmas in July

Christmas in July – time to start working on your projects for the holidays.  This is the challenge at Mixed MediaMojo.  The extra twist is to use a Santa on your project. 

 I started with a canvas board.  It measures  6 x 8.  I covered the board with part of a carry out bag from Panera.  I love this muted pattern on the kraft.  It was adhered to the board with gel medium.  After it had dried, I put a layer of clear gesso on the paper.  I did not want to lose the background color but wanted some bite for the layers to be added.

The Santa for this piece is chipboard from My Mind’s Eye from 2013.  He is super cute but needed to be more vintage looking.  I took  distress ink and rubbed it across the Santa to give it a more vintage, mellowed look.  Well I didn’t quite like that so I started adding in some color on the jacket trim, the gift bag, belt and gloves. 

The clear gesso covered all the muted pattern on the kraft paper so I decided to just start adding some paint.  I put on blue distress paint.  I then used crackle paste through a stencil.  After it was dry I rubbed green, brown and red distress paint on it.  Now the fun with begin - Adding all the layers of stuff. 

I adhered the chipboard with gel medium.  I also used gel medium on the baubles.  The canvas seemed a little naked in the corners so I found this green trim and added it to two corners.  The edge of the canvas has a copper metallic paint along the edges.

So on those hot summer days, get out some of your Christmas stuff and start creating beautiful projects.

Oldie Moldie Monday

I needed to make a sympathy card for a co worker who lost her grandfather to cancer.  When I make a sympathy card for a male, I usually dig out my tree stamps.  I guess trees are masculine to me and flowers would be a choice for a feminine sympathy card.

It is Monday - so time to show some love for some old supplies.  The paper is a 6 x 6 pad from My Mind's Eye.  The tree stamp is from Penny Black and the sympathy stamp - not for sure because it is hiding from me now.

I used the sketch from Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge.  I love all the layers and of course I decided I needed to mat each layer.  Once again it is a loose interpretation of the sketch.  Their under strip is my vellum sentiment strip over the top.

Remember to show some love for your old supplies.  They make great cards yet.

Happy Monday - busy week at work.

Prima Tag

Today I am sharing a tag I made for a swap.  It traveled all the way to Australia.  Do you know it go to its new home in Australia before a package of ATC's made it to the state of Oregon.  I think there may be something shameful about that.

I used one of my Prima Doll stamps.  The tag is also from Prima.  The paper used is y My Mind's Eye.  A 6 x 6 pad I got on clearance at Michael's.  Love clearance.  Plus I have a thing for 6 x 6 pads.  A girl can never have too many in her collection.

The girls outfit is paper pieced along with the background of the tag.  Multiple flowers were added to complete the tag.  The yellow flower is one I made with coffee filters.  I brushed some glitter on the flower to bring some bling into the tag.

Thanks for stopping by.

Oldie Moldie Monday

Oldie Moldie Monday - time to show some love to your old supplies.  Those supplies still make great cards.  I have not made a card for Operation Write Home for awhile.  The number of troops overseas has decreased so has the need for cards.  These cards are for the monthly ODBD Challenge which is hearts.  ODBD stands for Our Daily Bread Designs - they generously will pay for up to two boxes of cards to be shipped overseas.  We just need to post 25 cards for each box.  I see that my card will be working toward the 2nd box.

The cute little stamp is from Whipper Snapper Designs.  The paper is from My Mind's Eye.  The paper has some very pretty colors in it.

Thanks for stopping by and remember to show some love to your old supplies.

Next day - Same Paper and Stamps - Different Card

Yesterday while creating I made two cards using the same stamps and paper used on the Card I posted on Saturday.  This card is based on the sketch at Sketch Saturday.

I slipped the sketch for my card.  This card will go in my Operation Write Home box.  The stamps are from a set from Hero Arts.  Part of the proceeds from this set go to Operation Write Home.  If you love to make cards and like to do something that warms your heart, making cards for Operation Write Home is the way to go.  Plus it is tax deductible.  Here is my card for today.

Enjoy your Sunday.

Back to Playing With Paper

I have been on vacation and had a few days of rest before I wanted to create again.  Today I finally got some creative juices flowing along with the laundry.  I decided to do a card using the weekly sketch from Seize the Sketch.

I used a new stamp set from Hero Arts.  This is one of the new sets that part of the proceeds go to Operation Write Home.  The set has some really cute animals on it.  The paper is from My Mind's Eye.

I added some glossy accents to the eyes and nose of the owl.  I hope it cheers the person I am sending it to.

The Badgers are playing tonight so I am heading to the neighbors to have dinner and watch the game.

Come back tomorrow to see another card made with the same papers and stamped image.

Paper Smooches Owl Stamp and Die - Oh What Fun

I got my Paper Smooches stamps in the mail this week and had to immediately make a card with the owl stamp and die set.  Actually I have made a couple.  If you look back to earlier in the week you can see another one.

I had made the card for a sketch challenge but the challenge is for clean and simple.  With the papers I used, I think we lose the idea of clean and simple so I won't post it on the challenge site.  The card seems a little naked to me - I may have to add something to it.  Have to figure out what.

Isn't that owl the cutest.  There are 3 owls in the set with coordinating dies.  I did fussy cut the limb.  I stamped that on top of patterned paper so you pick up some colors underneath the stamping.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Oldie Moldie Monday

I took out some images I had already colored and found a 6 x 6 pad of My Mind's Eye with happy colors in it and made some cards for Oldie Moldie Monday.  I made a total of 6 cards.  I will share three today.

The top and bottom stamps are from Whipper Snapper Designs.  The middle stamp is something - It is not jumping into my head at the moment.  The heart for the bottom card was already cut in the 6 x 6 pad so I had to use it on a card.

These cards will be in my next Operation Write Home box.

Thanks for stopping by.

My Mind's Eye, Retro Sketches Birthday Card

I needed to make a quick birthday card.  I had bought a new 6 x 6 pad from My Mind's Eye.  It was a nice change in colors from doing Valentine Days.  I used the weekly sketch from Retro Sketches.

I used a birthday sticker from SRM Stickers to add a sentiment for my birthday card.

Thanks for stopping by.

Welcome to the Jungle

We have a new person starting our office tomorrow so it has become my tradition to give them a monkey card the first day they start saying "hello" and on the inside it says "welcome to the jungle".  Hopefully she will not be overwhelmed and stay with us for many years to come.

We also have a tradition to place a table outside the new person's office and put food on it to welcome them.  We invite the other offices to stop by and meet the new employee and have a bite to eat.  I think I need to go to the store and get some cheese spread - try to keep this a little healthy - cheese spread, hummus and crackers and pretzels.

I did make a batch of monster cookie bars but I am going to give those to the neighbors.  I have not baked for them in a long time.  Everyone enjoy the remainder of your Sunday.

I am starting on another mixed media project.  This one is Christmas related.

Leftovers on the Table

Yesterday I posted a wedding card made with this image and papers - of course - whenever you do something you have leftovers sitting on the design table.  I put the leftovers together to make a card to send to my Mom - to remind her I love her.

The current challenge at CAS-ual Friday is to use polka dots.  I used the paper from the My Mind's Eye pad Kate and Co. that had the polka dots on it.  A favorite embossing folder was used for the background to add more polka dots and white to the card.  I also stamped the heart balloon on the patterned paper and cut it out.  It is pop dotted on top of the stamped balloon to add some depth.  The sentiment is an SRM Sticker placed on a piece of yellow ribbon left over from the card yesterday.  A different place to put a sentiment but there was a blank space and it seems to work.  I am sure the card will make my mom Smile.

Have a good Sunday.

Wedding Card and Whipper Snapper Stamps

Yes I know who puts a dog on a wedding card - well it is a wedding card for a couple that love their dog - unfortunately I never found a "Cooper Dog" stamp but I did find this adorable dog with a heart balloon - which I think makes a perfect wedding card for Nate and Ashley.

Ashley worked for me for two years and so Nate was in and out of the office lots.  Wonderful couple.  Nate plays on the US Wheelchair Basketball team and won a bronze medal at the Parolympics (well I have no idea how to spell that word) last year in London.

The stamp is from Whipper Snapper Stamps.  The paper is from My Mind's Eye (Kate & Co).  The colors for the wedding are navy and yellow - which is why I chose this color combination.  The balloon has a little sparkle on it from the Stardust pen.

Well I guess I should go finish up and few things and get ready for the wedding.

Everyone enjoy your day.

Hello, Howdy, Aloha, Ciao, Hey, Hola, Buenos Dias

I bought a new stamp - so I had to try it out - the stamp is by Stampabilities - a good  stamp for Operation Write Home cards.

This card is based on the weekly sketch from Operation Write Home's blog Stars and Stamps.

I bought some new paper yesterday (Happy Mother's Day Barb) and wanted to use some of it.  The plaid and the check that I stamped the sentiment are from My Mind's Eye - Kate and Co - Oxford Lane.  I liked the colors - a little different than what I usually buy - I also though you could make some masculine cards from the paper.  The brad is from them also.  The dark blue that I matted with are from my table and the yellow is also some my scraps.  I have lots of this yellow in my stash - I must have done a special project with it or was going to do a special project with it.

My take on the sketch is similar but not the same - my sentiment did not fit the dimension so everything else was adapted from there.  I also felt everything needed to be grounded so matted the sentiment and the yellow embossed background.

Happy Mother's Day everyone.

Operation Write Home Card

Good morning - hope to get some mojo started.  Life has been busy and hardly any cardmaking has occurred in this studio (mess).

I wanted to get a card made for the Our Daily Bread Design Challenge for the month of November.  ODBD will pay for shipping for up to two boxes for Operation Write Home card for our heroes overseas.  The challenge this month is to use a rarely used tool.  The tool I decided to use is this stamp.  I have had it for awhile and have not inked it up.  The paper is rarely used also - came out of the scrap pile/drawer, etc.

The stamp is from Stampendous.  The ink is Colorbox chalk ink - dark brown.  Used my distress tool around the edges.  Inked with another shade of brown chalk ink from Colorbox.  The name escapes me right now but I know it is one of their favorite colored inks by stampers and I am too lazy to walk across the room and see what the color is.  The paper - the cardstock is from a drawer where I placed pieces; the dark brown is Basic Grey and the stripes and dots is My Mind's Eye.

Well hopefully I am back in the saddle again for creating.  Everyone enjoy your Saturday.

Oldie Moldie Monday, Sweet Sunday Sketch, Paper Players Unite

Welcome to Monday - time to show some love to your older supplies.  The paper is from My Mind;s Eye - I love the colors in this collection - somewhat vintage but also rustic.  I had made a card yesterday with this same paper for the sketch challenge on Operation Write Home's card blog Stars and Stamps.

The card is based on the sketch from Sweet Sunday Sketch.  Hard to believe, but I stayed pretty true to this sketch.  I think that is a first for me in a long time.  I used my Silhouette to cut the banner.  The sentiment is from Paula - an active Operation Write Home designer.  This sentiment makes such a wonderful card for our Heroes to send home to their loved ones.

The card is also for the challenge on The Paper Players to Give Thanks.

There are so many things to be thankful for.  We need to take a little time each day to think about the things we are thankful for - it will make each day a little better.

Today and every day - I am thankful for my family.

Operation Write Home Sketch Challenge

Sunday morning - time to get your creativity jump started with the Operation Write Home - Stars and Stamps weekly sketch challenge.

Two different versions for the challenge - one using just patterned paper and a stamped sentiment and then another one with stamped images and sentiment.

I should have moved my strip up higher on the kite card - the bottom of the die cut looks very wonky down there - so people - live and learn from my mistakes - the stripe should have been moved up higher so the curves of the die cut showed..  And the kite card looks naked to me - maybe I should have added some dry embossed texture to it - live and learn from my creative blunders.

I really like the first card with just the patterned paper and the distressing of the edges of the paper - it is My Mind's Eye paper and such a great weight that the distressing is wonderful on it.

These are two of my favorite sentiment for OWH cards.  Every day sentiments - just to help our heroes keep in touch with loves ones at home.  I know the kite and hello stamp are from Hero Arts - and I think the big hugs is also.

Enjoy your Sunday - this time change will kick my butt.  I have a hard time adjusting to it.

SRM Sticker SKIP

I think you all will enjoy this little SKIP today.  It will be fun to see what all of the different card makers do with the same SRM Stickers.

I must confess this is my third card.  First one never made it  past paper on the cutting board - second one was finished but it wasn't quite right - and then I came up with this card.  I decided to use the tree sticker to decorate the hot air balloon Riley the Moose is flying in  - wouldn't that be fun to see floating over your home.  I kept the design very simple - this would be clean and simple for me - The paper is from My Mind's Eye.  I added my sentiment on a banner - the image and sentiment are pop dotted for some extra dimension.

Please leave some comments - each blog will be giving away a sheet of these stickers.

I now want you to SKIP over to Jan's Blog - I know I can't wait to see what she has created.

At the end make sure you stop by Stars and Stamps - and leave a comment and tell us what you would do with a sheet of these stickers.

Have fun skipping.