Random Act of Kindness

A little boy in my home town is fighting cancer and through the last year or two I send a card off to him.  Recently an update says that his immune system is low so he can not attend school.  I thought now was a good time to send him another card to cheer him. up.  I usually send a card with a monkey on them.  I have a collection of monkey stamps from when my friend Shari was battling breast cancer.  I sent her a card every week - I wanted her to smile - thus the monkeys.  Shari lost her battle with breast cancer but I am glad my monkey stamps can continue to bring a smile to someone.

If you wish to send this young man a card, please leave me a comment with your e mail address and I will send it to you.

The Wednesday challenge at Simon Says Stamp is Let It Snow.  I have added some snowflake stickers to this card.  The stamp is by Stampendous.  The tag is by Paper Smooches.  The paper is from Bo Bunny and the hello is from Hero Arts.  Wow - I knew all my products.  Many times I use loose things so I never know who made what I used to create a card.

Reach out and touch someone's life.  Bring a smile to their face.

Have a good day - currently I am on the search on my design tables for an image I had already colored.  One table kinda cleaned off - and it is not there.  Off to the next one.

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.

Getting Caught Up on Cards

Well I did not get all my Christmas cards sent out this year so I am sending some winter cards and then some valentine cards.  Here is the winter card I am sending to friends in warmer clients.  Three have been mailed and I have 5 more images colored.

I colored the Whipper Snapper stamp with distress inks.  The sentiment is from Crackerbox Palace in Janesville, WI.  Normally I stamp it on envelopes but I thought it would make a cute sentiment with my handsome friend.  The image hangs over the top of the card.  I have made several of this design this year and really like it.  It still fits in an A2 envelope.

I am going to enter the card in the Monday Simon Says Stamp challenge which is winter stamping.  Stamping in the winter, stamping a winter image - this qualifies for both.

Spent Monday off work so I worked in my crafting area.  I have found the floor and vacuumed it.  The tables now need to be cleaned.  Slowly but surely.  I should have done some cleaning upstairs also.  Oh well, there will be another day.

Enjoy your Tuesday.  I know this 4 day week will seem like 6 days.

Winter and Snow

We started the new year out with some snow.  I was thankful it was on the week end so my driving could be limited.  I had wanted to do some visits but that will wait for another day. My snow shoveling fairies came through last night but I should go out this morning and do it again.  More snow fell during the night.  Of course, one must make a snow card during this time.  I am getting caught up on cards I did not get sent during the holidays.

This stamp is from My Favorite Things.  It is such a sweet image.

I colored the image with distress paints and gelatos.  Embossed my white cardstock with a snowflake folder.

I am entering it into two challenges.  The first challenge is the Friday Mashup.  Winter theme and snowflakes.  I think I have both of those covered.

The second challenge is the weekly challenge from The Paper Players.   Their challenge is to make a card using a recycled or repurposed item.  The cardstock used in my card - the base and the embossed layer - are recycled cardstock from commencement programs.  It is a wonderful heavy cardstock and every year at the graduation ceremonies I can't stand to watch all those programs get thrown away.  I now have people who are so into my recycling of these programs, in May, we have two ceremonies - when I get to the 2nd ceremony to work, they will already have a cart full of the programs for me.  As I wait for the graduates to arrive, I pull out the insides and save the covers.  It has saved me so much money over the years.

Thanks for stopping by today.  I have enjoyed playing with my paper and having some well earned paper therapy.

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.

Paper Smooches Snowman Greetings

Once again, I am sliding in at the last minute with my card for the weekly challenge at Paper Smooches Spark Challenge blog.   

This week it is their Designer Drafts Challenge - or sketch challenge for July.  It is a cute sketch.

Of course, I had to add lots of layers.  Lots and lots of layers.  I was hoping the white and kraft will offset the business of the patterned paper.  It is time to start on those holiday cards so I found one of Paper Smooches wonderful snowmen for the card.  Instead of the scalloped edge on the picture, I cut a scalloped frame with my Silhouette Cameo and offset it from the picture.  The snowman and greeting are pop dotted for some dimension.

I am hoping there is a new set of snowmen coming out this year from Paper Smooches but in the meantime you can go shop at their store and fine other great stamps and die sets.

Well now that I have had some paper therapy it is time to go outdoors and get some dirt therapy.  The flower beds need a little attention.  Enjoy your Saturday.

Vacation Over - Time to Make a Card

I was on vacation.  I did get in some play time on vacation.  I visited one of my dear friends who has moved to South Carolina on a beautiful lake to live out their retirement.  Beautiful home, beautiful location, beautiful friends.  I am looking forward to when I retire to go spend some time with them in the winter months to escape the winter cold.

On Friday's I like to use my Unity Stamps and play in their Friday Challenge - Friends With Flair.  I have used this stamp before but he is cute - maybe next week I will try to use another stamp.  Although I do have this same card in my head in a different paper grouping - blues and kraft - so you never know what will happen.  I guess you will have to stop by next Friday to see what I did.

I based the card on the current sketch at Deconstructed Sketches.  A nice sketch - lots of layers.  I used a muted color palette for my card - it is a new pad I got from Heidi Swapp.

The card will go in my Operation Write Home box.  It is a card that can be used throughout the Winter months because it is not holiday specific.

The current challenge at Addicted to Stamps Challenge Blog - Anything Goes.  Love those challenges.

Two days of work and then I have the week end to catch up on rest and things.  Enjoy your Friday.

Sunday Creativity - Two Challenges Combined

Home from my 45th class reunion.  It was nice to see people again.  I graduated with a good group of people.  We even do reunions for special years.  We had one the year everyone turned 60 and are planning one for the year everyone turns 65.  The off year celebrations are a big potluck at someone's home.  Being an early riser, my drive home was accomplished with very little traffic and even though it takes two hours, I was home shortly after 8 a.m. this morning.  Time to get some things done.

I had laid out a card (started anyway) before I left home on Saturday.  I was able to combine the card with two challenges.

The first challenge is the weekly sketch at Freshly Made Sketches.  I just had to move my two strips down to accommodate my sentiment.  Here is the sketch.

The other challenge is a CAS monochromatic challenge from The Paper Players.

Here is my card.

The card is "shades of teal" - one of my favorite color combinations.  The snowman sticker is from Penny Black and the sentiment is from SRM Stickers.  I embossed the white and teal mat with a Cuddlebug snowflake embossing folder.  (shhhh - don't tell anyone - I am using more of my recycled white card stock from commencement programs).  I scattered a few pearls around the white areas to pick up more of the teal color.

Enjoy your Sunday.

Unity Monthly Challenge

Well here I come - sliding in at the last minutes, brakes on, gravel flying - phew I made it.  Only a few pieces of paper ruined.

I had forgotten about the monthly challenge from Unity.  I have been trying to use a Unity stamp once a week - so I had one sitting on my design table to be used.  Here is their monthly challenge.

I chose to do the sketch.  The colors would have been great to do with watercolor.  I had a snowman card out so we have a snowy card.  I did lots of paper piecing on my snowman.  I did stamp a couple extra hearts to put on the card also.  The sentiment was too long so I cut it apart.  He is a happy little snowman.

Thanks for stopping by.

Paper Smooches Challenge

This week I decided I wanted to try and play along with the Designer Drafts challenge on the Paper Smooches blog.  I am getting my card in somewhat under the wire.  I love their little snowman - so simple but they have so much character.

Here is the Designer Drafts challenge.  I actually stayed pretty true to the sketch this time.  Most of the time I tend to be pretty loosey goosey with my use of sketches.

The snowman was stamped on patterned paper from Authentique.  I fussy cut him out plus I cut his hat out also.  I did some coloring with Copics.  I added Glossy Accents to many of the elements on the snowman.  I also used Glossy Accents on the heart in the sentiment.  The random dots are gesso that I put on with a toothpick to make it look like new fallen snow.  It has some texture to it so adds more dimension to the card.  The frame and snowman are both popped for dimension.

I will send this to my Mom during the winter months.  It will bring a smile to her face.

Once Again - It Is Oldie Moldie Monday

Still working on those same pieces of paper for Oldie Moldie Monday.  I haven't made too many cards lately.  Luckily I started these earlier in the week.

Go show some love for your old papers and supplies.  They still make beautiful cards.