Non Traditional Christmas in August

In a private facebook group of cardmakers, the challenge was to make something with pink and purple.  I knew I had two of Tim Holtz's crazy birds colored with pink.  I did not know it would lead me down the road to a Christmas card.  It was not going to be a Christmas card but once I stamped the branch on the card front to ground the bird, it became and Christmas card.  Probably because it is a stamp from a very old Hero Arts set.

This is a square card approximately 4.25 inches.  The base is mixed media paper.  I scribbled a purple gelato on the front and used a baby wipe to blend it.  I placed a stencil over the top and rubbed out some of the color because I thought it was too dark.  You can see the faint circle in the background.  This did not lighten it enough for me so I watered down some gesso and swiped it across the front.  I finally got a soft lavender for my color.  (I know it looks darker in the picture - let's say I am not a good photographer.)  The bird was stamped on gessoed dictionary pages and colored with distress paints.  It was fussy cut.  I adhered the bird to the card front with glue and he was floating so the branch was added.  Now he is grounded.  I clear embossed both the sentiment and the branch.  I splattered watered down gesso across the front of the card.  White string was colored and tied around the top of the card.  The front is mounted with foam tape.  I even finished the inside of the card so it is ready to be mailed.

I am entering this card in two different challenges.

The Paper Players challenge is Hip To be Square.  The card is square.

The other challenge is Merry Monday Christmas where the challenge is to use pastels.

Thanks for stopping by.  I did enjoy the journey my crazy pink bird took me on yesterday thanks to Cora's color challenge.  Come back tomorrow to see my snarky, texty card.

Golf Themed Birthday Card

I have a friend who's birthday is in June and he loves  to golf.  I have this wonderful impression from Art Impressions which I had actually colored quite awhile ago.  I had gessoed some dictionary pages and then heat embossed the image on the paper.  It was colored with distress inks.

Finishing up the card this morning, I found two masculine card challenges I am going to enter the card in.

Wednesday - Simon Says Wednesday Challenge Blog

Sunday - The Paper Players

I am so looking forward to my retirement in July.  I will be able to play with my toys so much more and be able to create to my heart's content.

Here is today's card.

This is a 5.25 inch square card.  The patterned paper is actually a winter collection from Simple Stories but I loved the colors for a masculine card.

Thanks for stopping by.  Enjoy your Sunday.

Back in the Blog Saddle Again

I have been horribly lazy at posting on my blog.  I have made several cards but never posted them.  They will get posted in the upcoming days.

Today I am sharing a card for several challenges.  I made the inked background awhile ago with a couple of my favorite distress inks.  I love the colors that I always come up with this ink combination.

I used a Hero Arts stamp I have had for ages (of course I had to have it) that I have never used before.  I stamped it with VersaMark and then used a white embossing powder for the sentiment.  I made a top folding card which I don't normally do.  It is sorta a short/fat card kinda like the designer.  I matted it with a blue/green cardstock.  I added some dyed seam binding for my ribbon.  When I put the ribbon across the top I did not like the look so I had this small strip of the inked background that I put on top of the ribbon.  I tied my bow and added it.  I also added some pearls in a dark teal.

I am entering this card in the challenge at The Paper Players which is to make the sentiment the focal point of the card an it needs to be clean and simple.  Hopefully I achieved the clean and simple.

I am also entering it in the Monday Simon Says Challenge which is a "inky background."

Well off to watch the Packer game and make my Oldie Moldie Monday card.  Valentine card in progress.

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.

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.

Oldie Moldie Monday

Once again it is Monday, time to show some love to your old supplies.  I wanted to make a boy card today so I found a 6 x 6 pad from Echo Park - A Boy's Life.  It has a date of 2011 on it.

The first card is for a little boy in my hometown who is battling cancer.  I am trying to send him a card every month.  My monkey stamps are guaranteed smile makers.  Thank you Stampendous for your great monkey stamps.  I used a sketch from Just Add Ink.

Here is my take on the sketch.  I did add a half circle in the upper left corner - I thought I needed a little red to balance off the card.The banner and flag were cut with my Silhouette.

Since I had another monkey stamped and colored, I wanted to make a card for my Operation Write Home Box.  I used the challenge from the Paper Players - Clean and Simple with Washi Tape.

I put my washi tape on a piece of white card stock.  I then embossed the cardstock so I know that washi tape will stay stuck on the card.  I added a Paper Smooches sentiment. I covered the sentiment mat with the red washi tape so it would match.  I know that some child will love getting this card from their parent who is serving overseas.

Remember to show some love to your old paper and supplies.  They still make great cards.

Thankful

The weekly challenge on Paper Players was CAS with Leaves.

I cut my tree design with my Silhouette Cameo.  I took the trunk of the tree and colored with a couple different mediums to get the brown.  I then took a piece of paper and marked the area where the leaves were located and then I took my paint daubers and just dabbed different colored paints all over.  I added some dashes or regular acrylic paint also.  I think I achieved the look of a fall tree in bloom.

This went in the mail to my daughter in Alaska.  I am sure she will appreciate the beautify of the fall tree.

Oldie Moldie Monday Does Paper Players Challenge

Oldie Moldie Monday - time to show some love for some old supplies.  This is Making Memories Paper - an old 6 x 6 pad - has greens and blues in it.  The challenge at Paper Players this week is to make a CAS masculine birthday card.  This is one of my favorite masculine stamps - I guess it could be a feminine pick up truck - my girls first vehicle was a brown pick up.  I stamped on pattern paper.

I made a couple more cards out of the same paper for my next Operation Write Home box.  It needs to be shipped out soon.

Remember to show some love for your old supplies - they still make great cards - because it is the cardmaker who can make it look good even though it is well aged.

American Crafts and Whipper Snapper Designs Unite

It is raining today so had to take my picture inside.  We really need the rain so I am not going to complain.  It is a pretty gentle one so that helps it soak into the ground.

My card is for Operation Write Home.  It is a card for a child.  The Paper Players challenge this week is to make a card for a child.  I colored two of this image - this one was colored so it would work for a little boy. The hearts have glossy accents on them.

The design of the card is based on the sketch from Tuesday Morning Sketches.  I have been admiring this sketch since Tuesday and have wanted to make a card.  Finally today I got one made.

Everyone enjoy your Sunday.  I have lots to do.  I am going to watch football but also need to get some work done.  I also need to make a sympathy card.  My Oldie Moldie Monday cards are made - I have four of them done for Operation Write Home.  Come back tomorrow to see those.

Clean and Simple Masculine Card

Paper Players' Weekly Challenge is to make a CAS masculine card.  This was a wonderful challenge for me because I wanted to get a masculine card made and sent off to a friend's husband who is going through a rough stretch right now in his health.

The truck stamp is a favorite that is no longer available from Cornish Heritage Farm Stamps.  I do hope they bring it back someday.  The sentiment is from Hero Arts.  Kraft Paper and black as your accent color make a great card.

I made a second card just like this one for my Operation Write Home box.

Thanks for stopping by.

Hello Paper - I Missed You

I was on vacation last week - I was in Orlando, Florida - and it was so nice and warm - even got a little sun - but alas Wisconsin is not that warm.  I am able to have the back patio door open today - the sun is shining in so able to keep the door open for some fresh air in the house.

I missed my paper so it was good to play again.  Today I made some cards for my Oldie Moldie Monday cards but also came up with this card to do a couple challenges.

The first challenge is from The Paper Players to use something "recycled in your project".  Actually all the paper is recycled on this card.  The paper is a nice cardstock used in our commencement programs - I went through after the ceremony and picked up a bunch of them - I would have liked to pick up more - but you can only do so much in a limited amount of time.  The chevron paper is done using a Studio Calico mask and Mr. Huey mists.  The flower was cut with the Silhouette.  The top layer of the flower was pop dotted to add some dimension.

The second challenge was from CAS-UAL Friday to use chevrons and flowers.

I don't know if you saw it last week but I was Moxie Fabber of the Week.  How special to be chosen for that.

Everyone enjoy the remainder of your Sunday.

Unity Stamps and I Am Sew Happy

A card I am going to send to my Mom - she is going through a little rough stretch right now but I guess when you are 94 that can happen.

For the card I used the sketch from Sweet Sunday Sketch.  She has a new sketch challenge each week.  I was pretty much true to the sketch this time.

Simon Says Stamp and Show challenge is to use numbers.  What better to use on a sewing card than twill tape that looks like a tape measure.

The weekly challenge on Paper Players is "in stitches" - the card can be sewing themed, have stitches, etc.

The cute stamp and sentiment are from Unity Stamps.  The paper is from Basic Grey - the Lucille collection - love the sewing motifs.  The little flower is made from pattern pieces.  I have enough pattern tissue to make at least a gagillion flowers.

Now it is time to get ready to go and have my taxes done - hope for a big refund so I can go to Alaska to visit my daughter.  Enjoy your evening.

Creative Ways to Use Tags

Yes - how do you use the good old basic manila office tag in your creative endeavors.  My friend Ivanka and I are taking a free online class Creative JumpStart coordinated by Nat Kalbach and one of the videos is using tags.  Since both of us are basically card makers - we adapted what we learned to make cards.  We decided we would challenge each other to make something with our tags - and post today.

Of course I did not have any office tags to use that you can buy in packages.  But I did have some old recycled manila file folders - so I found a file on my Silhouette and cut myself a bunch of tags.  Most of them I left the hole out.  So in that respect I did cheat a little but it is the same basic material as a tag you would purchase.

Here is my first card - I painted the tag with acrylic paint.  After the paint was dry, I cut myself a stencil with a circle design on it with my Silhouette.  I just rubbed ink over the dots onto the tag.  I then used the tag as the focal point for a very simple masculine card.  The patterned paper is from Authentique.  The sentiment is from Hero Arts.

My second card is a birthday card for my daughter.  I imagine she is going to wonder what artistic endeavor her mother was up to because this is not my traditional type of card.  The tag was painted with green acrylic paint - the same as the one above.  I then used a die cut (the stripes and dabbed some blue paint on - well a little blue paint strayed so then I added more blue paint.  After it was dried - I then came in and did some stamping with Gesso - the big circles were stamped with a bottle cap I dipped in the gesso.  The white dots were done with the end of a pen dipped in the gesso.  The green background in also a piece of manila folder painted with the green paint and then I had to add more circles to coordinate with the tag.  The sentiment is stamped on more painted folder.  I like that sentiment for a birthday card - I will be a little late with the card. I added some dyed seam binding to make the card a little feminine.  Hopefully she likes it.

My last card is entirely different than the other two (can you see I have had so much fun doing this) - sometimes you just need to do some different things with your creativity.  The tag and the heart are cut with the Silhouette from the manila folder material.  I then got out my Tattered Angels glimmer mist which never gets used and sprayed my elements.  Of course, the color of the card - was based on my limited supply of glimmer mists.  Luckily I had a pink and brown - a wonderful color combination for creating.  I also misted a doily I had in my supplies - the background script paper is a piece that was laying on the floor that worked wonderful into the design.  I dug into my bag of cream/white trims - found the tea dyed lace, the torn strips of muslin which is tea dyed and that cream color trim.  In the bag was also that little piece of pearls.  I ran the tag through the Cuddlebug.  I added twine to a large cream colored button I had.  The muslin bow was tied with the twine.   I added part of a Love sticker from SRM Stickers.  

The card is for the weekly challenge from The Paper Players to make a "love is in the air" card.  This valentine will go to my Mom - pink is her favorite color.  

I hope you enjoyed my creating with tags - try something new - that is what Ivanka and I are trying to do.  Her word for 2013 is "different" and this type of creating is very "different" for me - hop over to her blog and check her creations out.  

Whew -

I say Whew because I ran out of space in Picasso (free) so had to upgrade and did not want to do it and pay money - but I broke down.  Now I had better be very busy posting.

I made this card on Sunday for the weekly sketch at Freshly Made Sketches but I am too late to post it but I did want to share it.

I also made it for the weekly challenge at Paper Players - snowmen -

The snowman stamp and sentiment is from Paper Smooches - kinda reminds me of me - short and chunky.  My nose is not that long though and I do not have a cap like that.

Hope you enjoy my card.

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.