Christmas in June

I am trying to work ahead on my Christmas cards this week since I always seem to be running a losing race in December.

The challenge on the weekly blog Merry Monday Christmas is Cards for Kids.

I will buy gift tags when they are on clearance to make cards out of.  These tags are usually the focal point of your card and an easy way to produce a few cards.  I suppose in a way it is cheating - but I am OK with this type of cheating or short cut taking - maybe that is a better explanation for me to use Christmas gift tags.

I had eight of these sweet little penguins.  I went into my supply of Christmas papers and found some good papers to coordinate with the many colors in the scarf of the penguin.  I did use my Silhouette to cut my layers for matting the penguin.  This sure makes it easy when you are doing multiples of a card.

I dry embossed some snowflakes from recycled card stock for the background.  The sentiment is from Paper Smooches.  I added a little snowflake brad where the hole for the tie was.  Everything is quite glittery.  The snowflake may need a little pink bling on it.

I have kitted the seven other cards to be assembled when I am unable to create from scratch.

Thanks for stopping by.  I am off to work on a mixed media  birthday card.  I think this will be fun.  I predict for lots of layers.  You will have to wait until July 1 to see it though.  It is for a challenge blog where I am a team member.

Christmas Cards and Oldie Moldie Monday

It is Monday again - time to show some love to your old supplies.

The current challenge on Jingle Belles is Frosty the Snowman.  I was looking for a stamp and on the shelf was the snowman that I used on my card.  The snowman has such a cute personality and today it is a girl snowman because she is all dressed up in her pink scarf and hat and is wearing some bling on her finger tips.

The paper is random pieces from different collections that I gathered together to use.  I did see a date of 2008 on one of the pieces.  The stamp is from Stampendous and is colored with Copics.  The sentiment is from Paper Smooches.  The felt snowflakes are from my supplies.  I added some extra bling and Stickles to finish off the card.

I did add some blue chalking around the image so that the white paper which the image was stamped on was not so WHITE.  Sometimes this distracts me from the card so have tried to find a way to add just a small amount of soft color.  What do you do for this.

I did make four cards so I am a happy Christmas card camper.

Winter Card

I am part of a private group on Facebook of card makers.  One day I was cleaning out some paper and decided to do a kit challenge.  I made six kits.  I included the paper and a couple stamped images.  the only rules were that you had to use at least two of the papers and the stamped image.  Here is the kit I sent.  I had a non winter stamp I was going to use but I thought make it more of a challenge with the snowman.

This is always a fun exchange to do because everyone does something different with the supplies you send.  Here is my card.

I cut the base with my Silhouette.  The blue plaid paper you can see is extra paper I added.  I used four papers from the kits:  brown, pink, polka dots and blue behind the snowman.  The snowman and sentiment are both from Paper Smooches.  I did add some snowflake rub ons and a small die cut snowflake.

I am entering this card in the weekly challenge on Jingle Belles.  The challenge is The Hanukkah Song, Verse Two.  If you did not make a Hanukkah card you could make a winter based card which is what I chose to do.

Thanks for stopping by today.  Going to visit a friend today.

Happy World Card Making Day

I have been lazy and not posted lately.  I have created but was taking a break from blogging.  I have lots of exciting things to talk about so hopefully I will share it all in the next couple weeks.

Today is a day near and dear to all card makers.  Papercrafts created this day to celebrate card making.  There have been so many wonderful things to look at on blogs today.  Simon Says Stamp had a beautiful card on their post today and are asking people to link up what they are working on.  I worked on this card all day since it has many layers and they had to dry.

The base for the image is a book page which has a layer of Gesso on it.  I have started doing some drawing so found a "how to" on Pinterest on how to draw a cupcake.  So Simple and I had so much fun doing it.  I drew the cupcake in pencil.  I colored the cupcake with two shades of purple and two shades of orange.  I then drew around the cupcake with a black pen. After this was dry I colored the background with another Gelato.  If you look closely you can see that I used a beaded/glitter gel through a stencil to add another layer.  The Paper Smooches sentiment was stamped and cut out.  I then went a little crazy adding black splatters.  It is matted in black on a purple card base.

Normally the person receiving this card gets a card with a monkey on it - the monkey will have to be on the inside.  I hope she is not too disappointed.  Maybe when I tell her it is original artwork she will be very excited.

Have a wonderful evening.

Hi - Merry Christmas

I am joining the challenge on Merry Monday  -  a weekly Christmas card challenge - I am joining a little late into the year but hopefully will have a few more made when it comes to mail my holiday cards.

Their challenge is to focus on the sentiment.

I used three different sentiments on my card front.  The top one is a $1 stamp from somewhere.  The Merry Christmas is from Paper Smooches and the bottom sentiment is from a very old Hero Arts set.  They were embossed with white embossing powder.  The top sentiment is matted in red and pop dotted.  The snowflakes are from an old Quickutz die.  They worked perfectly for this card.  I splattered some white paint on the card front, tied a red twine bow and added some red enamel dots.  I really like how the white pops on this wood look paper.

Thanks for the challenge.

Oldie Moldie Monday

It was great to see that the challenge on Jingle Bells along with Shop Your Stash is to make a Christmas card from your supplies that are at least a year old.  It makes Oldie Moldie Monday so much more fun to do when I can do a challenge also.

The paper I chose to use is not a Christmas or Winter paper.  It is patterned paper from Bazzill.  I have had it for years and then a few more on top of it.  I love the challenge of using non holiday paper.  The stamp image and sentiment have been in my supplies for a few years.  I love the Paper Smooches snowmen.

I now have two more holiday cards done.  Yeah.  Thanks for the challenge and yes our old supplies do make beautiful projects.  It just takes our creativity to bring it out.  Show some love for those old supplies.

Happy Birthday

A birthday card for my daughter.  Paper Smooches owl and sentiment.

Thanks for stopping by.

A Simple Thank You

I am in the need of some thank you cards so I decided to attempt the sketch on C(ASE) This Sketch.  I have a hard time making CASE cards.  I am a "many layers cardmaker" so simple cards scary - a single layer card - OMG - that send me over the edge.  Here is the sketch.

Here is my take on the sketch.

The background is done on watercolor paper.  It is smooshed distress ink.  I then added silver embossing paste.  I wanted to try the the look of the looped string (this is not easy - you should see the second card I made like this).  The sentiment is from Paper Smooches.  I added some sparkly dots to complete the card.

Here is a close up of the focal point of the card.

I am also entering it into the Paper Smooches SPARKS challenge for the week where the theme is Anything Goes.

You can buy your own Paper Smooches stamps at this link.

I am also entering this into the challenge on CAS on Sunday which is Splash (or use water on your card).  To Smoosh, you must spritz your distress ink with water.

If you have a spare birthday card for a little boy who is battling cancer it would be wonderful if you could mail him one.  I believe he will be 6 years old at the end of this month.  Here is his address:  Colin Cahill, 819 Capman Street, Milton, WI  53563

Thanks for stopping by.

Oldie Moldie Monday

Yes Oldie Moldie Monday returns.  I made them today - my first day of not going to work retirement.  I don't think week ends count.  The paper is from an older Basic Grey 6 x 6 pad and the stamp is from Paper Smooches.  Even the yellow ribbon was a scrap that was left over.  Luckily it was just enough for the card.

Remember to show some love for your older supplies.  They still make great cards.

Oldie Moldie Monday and Paper Smooches

It is Monday - time to show some love for your old supplies.  The paper I used has a date of 2007 on it.  It is from a media pack from CHA.  I guess I always thought the paper was nice and could not throw it away.  Now the Winter paper is gone from that pack.

This is my third Christmas card for 2015.

I am entering this card in the challenge on Paper Smooches Sparks challenge blog.  It is one of my favorite challenges - Anything Goes.

Paper Smooches has the cutest snowmen.  If you want your own Paper Smooches stamps, you can shop in their store.  

Lots of snow here and lots of blowing.  I have been dug out once.  Luckily it is not my turn to drive today so I can walk out to the street and get in the car - if she can make it.

Oldie Moldie Monday

It is never too early to start on your Holiday cards for next Christmas.  I had bought a new embossing folder and bought one for a friend also.  I thought I would send her a example of a card she could make with the embossing folder.  The oldie moldie part is the patterned paper.  I have had it for years and years.

The embossing folder is by Darice.  The sentiment is by Paper Smooches.  This would be an easy card to make a few of.  The little red dots are dots from the old fashioned paper punch.  Punch red paper, put on card with little glue dots and add some glitter.

I hope Mary likes this idea.  Remember to show some love for your old supplies.

Oldie Moldie Monday

Some Holiday Cheer for Oldie Moldie Monday.  I have never inked this cute moose.  He is a Hero Arts stamp.  The sentiment is from Paper Smooches.  The paper is from Bo Bunny.  I made two of these cards for a couple special young men in my life.

Holiday Ornament

I have had this ornament design rolling around in my head for awhile so it feels good to get it done.  I really do like how it turned out.  I do wish I could get a better photograph of it.

The challenge on the Paper Smooches Sparks Challenge Blog is anything goes.  Yeah - my ornament came to life.

The clear glass ornaments that you can buy at the holidays are wonderful to create with.  They are a blank canvas.  I put a coat of clear gesso on the front of the ornament.  I painted some dictionary pages with gesso and when it was ready I stamped Mr. Snowman.  I colored the few things that you need to color on a snowman.  I used my Faber Castell Big Brush pens.  I put the snowman on the front of the ornament with gel medium.  I then used some embossing paste for my snowbank.  The sky was painted with distress paints.  I used a stencil to add the white dots in the sky (snow).  I brushed Glass Bead Glitter Gel over the snowbank and snowman.  I added some snowflake stickers to the sky.

I am also going to enter this ornament in the monthly challenge on the Faber Castell blog.  The challenge this month is to make a gift for someone using your mixed media supplies.

I am also sharing this ornament on the Simon Says Wednesday Challenge Blog which is Christmas/Holiday.

Next week I will do a tutorial on the different steps for making this ornament on the Mixed Media Mojo blog.

You too can have your own Paper Smooches stamps by shopping here.

Thanks for stopping by.

Mixed Media Birthday Canvas

My sweet little Ganny Baby (I am her Ganny Barb) is turning four years old.  How time flies.  She is living in North Carolina so I won't be seeing her until next summer.  I wanted to make her something other than a card - so decided a little canvas would be perfect.  I decided to use some of my Paper Smooches stamps.  The challenge on the Paper Smooches Spark Challenge blog this week is Anything Goes.  Yeah!!

I prepped a 5 x 5 canvas with Gesso.  I then painted a loose landscape scene of the canvas.  Sky and grass - very loose landscape.  I stamped the sentiment, sun and unicorn on watercolor paper.  They were colored with a variety of gelatos, distress paint and distress ink.  The hearts were stamped on an old magazine page, colored and cut out.  I stamped the clouds on the canvas and then put a layer of Gesso on the inside.  I added Whipped Texture Medium on top of the design and swirled it around so it has great dimension.  After it was a little dry, I took a glass bead/glitter gel medium and put on top of the clouds.  I also used the glitter gel medium on top of the sentiment.  All the stamped/colored images were adhered to the canvas with gel medium.  I put gel medium over the top of everything to seal it.  Of course, being for a little girl, after using her favorite colors of purple and pink, I had to add glitter.  All the purple on the unicorn has purple Stickles on it.  I finished the side of the canvas with some patterned paper.

If you would like to buy your own Paper Smooches stamps, you can find their online store at this link.

I am also entering this in the monthly challenge at Mixed Media Monthly Challenge where the challenge this month is to use stamps.  

Thanks for stopping by.

Playing With My Paper Smooches

Trying to get back into the swing of card making and planning ahead of what I need.  I have some birthdays coming up so wanted to get a head start on those December birthdays.  I thought I would play along with the weekly challenge on the Paper Smooches Sparks challenge.

This week it is a picture picture challenge.  I loved the picture this month.

I love the colors, the heart and the wood.  I used those as my inspiration for my birthday card.

Isn't this owl just the coolest - he is the largest owl in the set.  It has coordinating dies also to make your card making easier.  I took out some of my tension by distressing the edges of my paper.  If you would like to buy your own Paper Smooches stamps, you can pop over here.

I am also entering it in the weekly challenge at Addicted to Stamps - Anything Goes.

Let's Chill - It is Getting Chilly

Cooler weather is coming to Wisconsin - I guess we should not complain because it has been nice for quite awhile.  Last week end - it was in the 60's.  But reality returns.

The Operation Write Home monthly Our Daily Bread Design challenge is snowflakes - non holiday card.  I love the Paper Smooches snowmen.  This one looks like me - a little short and little round - ok - maybe a lot round.

It is also going to be entered into the weekly Paper Smooches Spark Challenge.  It is a sketch challenge this week.

Here is the sketch.

This time my creation was pretty true to the sketch.  Being true to the sketch does not happen too often for me.

If you wish to buy your own Paper Smooches stamps - just stop by their store.  I keep hoping for some new snowmen yet this year.

Thanks for stopping by.

Paper Smooches Spark Challenge and Oldie Moldie Monday Collide

Monday - time to show some love to your old supplies.  I needed to make a get well card for my granddaughter.  She had to have her tonsils out on Sunday.  This is not something you want to do at any age - but at the age of 18 - it is not fun.

I decided to play the Paper Smooches Sparks Challenge - Anything Goes.

I got out some American Crafts paper that has a date of 2012 on it.  Not as well aged as some of my supplies.  I love the bright cheerful colors in the 6 x 6 pad. Teal is one of Emily's favorite colors.  I paper pieced the balloons.  After cutting out a shape that you have stamped, always run a black marker around the edge.  It gives your cut a neater finish.  The get well sticker is from SRM Stickers. The white border was cut with my Silhouette.  The yellow ribbon is from May Arts and it was just laying there on the floor waiting to be used.

I don't know if I like the enamel dots on the card but there was so much white space.

If you wish to buy your own Paper Smooches stamps, just pop over to their online shop.

Remember to show some love to your old supplies.  They do still make beautiful creations.

Happy Monday - is it Friday yet?

Paper Smooches Spark Challenge

Back to trying to play with my Paper Smooches stamps each week.  I try to play along with the weekly challenge at the Paper Smooches Sparks Challenge Blog.  The challenge this week is anything goes.  Yeah - I like anything goes.  I have been wanting to play with this coffee set for a long time so decided to make a little mixed media project.

Sometimes when I am out shopping I pick up little things that I think I will someday alter.  Usually they are pretty inexpensive.  This is a small plaque that measures - 2.75 x 4 inches.  I covered it with a book page which is applied to the plaque with gel medium.  I then applied a layer of gesso.  I used another challenge for my color inspiration and will share that picture a little later.  I took the pink, yellow and aqua from the picture for my colors.  The first color laid down was a yellow gelato - then I added layers of pinks and blues with more gelatos.  I stamped the cups on more gessoed book pages and then colored them with distress paints.  I hate to tell you it took me 3 times to get that blue cup correct.  I smeared the ink (I am not patient).  I had a good cup done and then noticed I had colored the inside of the handle blue also.  Well that didn't work so back to the stamping.  I added the cups with gel medium.  The sentiment was stamped on more book paper and applied with gel medium.  I added some embossing paste that I colored with distress paint through a stencil.  Added a few rub ons.  I think it is a fun little project.

The colors were inspired by this challenge from The Mixed Media Monthly Challenge.

If you want to get your own Paper Smooches stamps, just pop over to their online store.  Check out their weekly challenge.

Paper Smooches Wednesday

Once again time to play the weekly Paper Smooches Spark Challenge.

This week the challenge is Picture Paper.  They show you a picture and you use it to inspire your card.  Here is the picture for this week.

I took the colors from the picture - pink and teal.  I also saw the tape in the picture.  I chose three colors of washi tape and added it in different directions on my card.  After I applied the washi tape, I embossed the front in a new Darice snowflake embossing folder - of course, you know I needed a new snowflake embossing folder.  I do have lots of white card stock to use up so it is good to have some choices.  I matted them in bright pink.  I stamped one of Paper Smooches cute snowmen, did a little coloring with Copics and matted and pop dotted it.  A sweet sentiment was added.

If you wish to shop for your own Paper Smooches stamps, just pop over to their store.

I am also entering it into the weekly challenge at Addicted to Stamps.  Their challenge is Holiday.  My little men are getting ready for the Christmas holiday.  They will go into my Operation Write Home box so some Hero can send them home to family or friends.

Thanks for stopping by.

Oldie Moldie Monday

It is Oldie Moldie Monday - time to show some love for your old supplies.  This paper may not be that old - maybe a year or two.  It is from Authentique.  I love their 6 x 6 pads - each piece of paper has a solid on the back so it makes your layering so much easier.

I had this new Darice embossing folder and wanted to try it out.  Isn't it cute.  The sentiment is from Paper Smooches.  I will put this card in my next Operation Write Home Box.

Only one card made for today - busy week end on the road.  Enjoy your Monday if you can.