Leftover Monday

Sorry for being "Missing in Action". My mom is ill so I have been with her and I came home with the dreaded bug so I am laid pretty low. I think I have had my burst of energy and will post this card and then hit the couch again. I hate being sick - I hate sitting in hospitals.

While being with my Mom - I did do some coloring of some images. This is a new stamp I bought at Hobby Lobby last week - half price - can't beat that. Someone posted a card and deeply enabled me to find this stamp.

This card satisfies 3 challenges. The design at Card Positioning Systems. The mini challenge of Purple Snurple at Caardvarks and last but not least - my friend Ivanka - has use up your oldie moldy papers. You can follow here link on the side of my blog.

The paper is leftovers from the Basic Grey box. Please tell me everyone has a box of Basic Grey they have collected. I colored the stamped image with Twinkling H2O's.

I hope you enjoy my card.

Using up the oldie moldie paper

My friend Ivanka has a challenge on Monday to dig into your old supplies and make a card - I do try to play along. Actually I made two more cards from the paper I used on last week's card

This card is a one sheet wonder - I like paper that has different design elements within the one sheet - I used the design for this week's challenge on Card Positioning System. I used a scrap of brown cardstock for the trim. The flower is several layers - one layers is from a flower bush I tore apart from a big box store so you have lots of flowers at an inexpensive price. A Prima, another flower - these three flowers were placed in some coffee so they were brown in color - they started out as white. The other layers are a Sizzix die cut - the paper is a grocery bag that was wet, wadded, wet and wadded again and left to dry - then ironed. I kinda like it. Card making gone green. (hmmmmmmmmm - could that be a hint of some sort).

I will be out of town the remainder of the week. Everyone have a great week - I am taking some stuff with me so I do hope to make a few cards while I am gone.

Sorry - No Card

Sorry I have no new card to post tonight - I was on the road all week end and for some reason they did expect me to show up and work today. What are they thinking?

I think I have told you that in a week - April 1 -we are going to start a contest here on my blog. It will be quite fun and you will have to put on your thinking hat for this. I have brought in judges for the event and I have already started buying the prizes. I covet all of them.

Stay tuned to find out what the fun is going to be.

I did take a fun class tonight - acetate cards. Interesting and I think I will be brave enough to do this on my own now. I did buy some the premade acetate cards - now I wonder - where did I put them.

Everyone have a great evening.

Promise - It Will Really Be Spring Someday Soon??

On Good Friday - don't you want to hear 8 to 10 inches of snow - or in some spots - 12 inches - I hope I do not live in that spot. I took off work today - I thought I could get some running done - price out some things - etc. Well - not I am not going anywhere. Do not have my Easter presents bought yet either. It will get done. I will just stop in Madison on my way home to see my Mom.

Today I am sharing a spring card. I was picking up and found the envelope that matches the hand made paper - the lavendar and bright pink are hand made papers - I found these in the Dollar Spot at JoAnn's. It include the paper and envelopes. I had that small scap of patterned paper so the size of the envelope and the scap of patterned paper were the jumping off inspiration points for this card. I put a piece of the lavendar hand made paper through the Cuddlebug Swiss Dot folder to give the paper some dimension. The sentiment was computer generated. The ribbon is from Hobby Lobby - it had wire in it - so I just pulled that out (Hint - save that wire - it is great for doing bead embellishments, etc - found object). Some flowers from the flower drawer - I believe I put some sparkle on the brads. Little bling flowers added to the patterned paper and tag ($1 spot at Target). The card has already gone to my Mom - she loves flowers - and spring can't come soon enough for her so she can get outside and watch her flower gardens grow.

Everyone have a wonderful Easter week end. I will be on the road.

Did I tell you - in April we are going to have a little fun on this blog. Are you excited? On Monday, I will start dropping some hints.

Thursday but really Friday

I decided to take tomorrow off so yes it is Thursday but it was really my Friday - but we are predicted to have 6 to 8 inches of snow. Did someone forget to tell Mother Nature that it was spring. I wanted to do some running of errands but that may not happen - oh gee - I may just have to stay home and play with paper - O Woe is Me - giggle giggle.

Tonight the Badgers play their first game. Go Bucky. UW-Whitewater women's basketball team is in the final 4 for Division 3 - hope they come home with the trophy - hopefully I can find a radio station to listen to it on.

Another Easter card tonight. More paper from Moxxie. Highlighted the bellies and ears of the bunny with a glitter pen. Computer generated sentiment. Added some flowers from the flower drawers with a brad which was accented with some stickles. I am sure it brightened the day of one of little nieces.

Everyone have a wonderful evening.

Day Before Spring - Thought it Would Never Come

The day before Spring begins on the calendar - guess what we got today - a winter storm warning for Thursday into Friday. 2 to 7 inches - and guess whre the 7 is suppose to be - near me. We still have snow melting here. The Easter Bunny will need to wear snowshoes here.

Here is one of my Easter Cards. This card was done wtih all paper - no stamping - the paper is from Moxxie. It is double sided paper. Computer generated sentiment. The little flower is from a strip of flower trim found in the $1 bin at JoAnn's. I did pen stitching with a gel pen. I would think all the papers are inked since I can't make a card without inking the edges - I believe I sold this card.

Stay tuned - I have another Easter card tomorrow.

Everyone have a good evening - I hope to create something tonight. I still need to make a birthday card for my great niece. I have the paper - just needing the paper to talk to me.

Another Snowman - Thought it was Spring this week

It is the week that spring is suppose to arrive - not too warm here and they have those pesky flakes showing up on several days - Easter for one - so it will be interesting to see what transpires - I am suppose to be on the road over the week end - off to see my Mom and then we will go to my niece's for Easter. Easter Bunny still needs to do some shopping.

This card was done for a swap on Cococat's Card Site. The same image is sent to whoever wants to participate - it is always fun to see how everyone used the design.

Image - stamp unknown
Sentiment - Gina K Designs - embossed in white
Colored with Prismacolors
Paper Two Scoops from Basic Grey
Acrylic Snowflake - Heidi Swapp - painted on the backside with pink acrylic paint
Brads Unknown

Tomorrow flowers or Easter - something springy.

Top of the Evening to You

St. Patricks Day is almost over - we had a party at work so there was way too much food to eat and of course there will be leftovers tomorrow. Not good for the diet - if you were on one. Went out to dinner with my Ya Ya's - we had not been together since October and we usually get together once a month. It was good to see each other and to catch up on what is going on in our lives - friends like that are very special. We shared a toast to friendship.

My friend Ivanka challenges herself on Monday to use supplies from her stash - some of the paper that is aging so well in a drawer somewhere. I decided to join her and opened up a drawer next to my computer desk - it was quite interesting - there was decent paper in there. This paper was bright and cheerful. I can remember making cards out of this before so I must have had several sheets. Very simple design. Added some pen stitching and got some big flowers out of the flower drawer to add to the card front. I had this big brad from Imganiece - I fussy cut one of the flowers from the patterned paper and Mod Podged it onto the brad - I added a layer of the Sparkle Mod Podge over the top of the brad. I added some Stickles to the center of the flowers. The rub on is from October Afternoon.

It is a fun card that some one will enjoy.

So next Monday, dig into your old supplies and make a card.

Another Week Begins

I just hate Sunday evenings – it means I have to go back to work the next day. Up early – I am still adjusting to that time change. Spring Ahead is almost killing me yet – but in a couple weeks I will be OK.

I got to do some creating today so that was fun. I made some Easter cards that I can get into the mail this week. I am just one birthday card behind yet. It is for an 8 year old – gee I wonder how old my great niece is.

Busy week – a life this week – tomorrow having dinner with my Ya Ya’s. Of course I will not be hungry because we are having a party at work tomorrow for St. Patrick’s Day. I took the easy route – guacamole – and chips. Chiropractor appointment on Tuesday – that winter snow shoveling has been hard on my back and on Thursday – I get my taxes done. Sure hope it is good news.

Today’s card is for two different challenge – Beate’s and Caardvark’s transportation themed card. My niece’s husband is starting a new job in a couple weeks so I wanted to send him a card. I don’t believe Dan has ever gotten a card from me.

This is a very loose interpretation of Beate’s design and has a transportation theme for the Caardvark's challenge.

Paper: K&Company
Tag: K&Company
Stamp: Stampin! Up
Ribbon: Unknown
Dimensional Sticker: K&Company

I found these sets at JoAnn’s – small pads of paper and you can get all the accessories at decent prices – of course – they were 40% when I got them. I will get another grouping when they go on sale again.

Stay tuned – there will be a set given away for a contest coming in April. We are going to have some fun on this blog in April. Come back to find out what it is.

How about an Easter Bucket??

Saturday - almost a memory - I worked this morning - got home and watched the end of the Big Ten game between Wisconsin and Michigan State - what a nail biter - but Bo and the boys pulled it out. Go Badgers. It will be fun to watch them play for the Big Ten championship tomorrow. They are already confernce champs - won the season - now to win the tournament. Did my grocery shopping so I can stay home tomorrow. I really like to have one day of my week end where I do not have to leave the house.

Today's creation is another part of my Easter projects from last year's spring issue of Simply Sentiments. This was a yellow bucket. I cut strips of the patterned paper and adhered to the top and bottom of the bucket. I then punched out circles and squares out of the patterned paper. The paper was adhered to the bucket with Mod Podge by Plaid. Over the top of the paper and the bucket - I put a layers of Sparkle Mod Podge - oh is that fun stuff to use. Adds a beautiful sparkle to your projects. I have even brushed it across the fronts of cards to give them some sparkle.

I must tell you a funny story - my little neighbor boy - Hunter - who is 5 - told me that the Easter Bunny has come already - told his Mom also - there is a blue egg on the floor inside Barb's door. Last night when I went home - lo and behold - on the floor - next to the patio door is a blue plastic easter egg. I must have put it down there when I took a picture of the crate. How observant of Hunter? It is good to see that belief in little children in the holidays in those mystical characters such as the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus.

Hope you had a wonderful Saturday.

Do you know Easter is just a week away??

Hard to beleive Easter is next week end - guess I need to get on the ball. I always try to find some little things for the great nieces and nephew and my little niece. I have gotten a couple of Easter cards made - hope to sell a couple at work tomorrow.

This little crate was in the Spring issue of Simply Sentiments last year. I think I may have gotten the crate at Hobby Lobby. It was painted with acrylics and then the paper was applied with Mod Podge - sparkle Mod Podge was painted over the top so it sparkles. Make the Easter Bunny happy to see sparkles. The paper is from Bo Bunny.

Get those Easter baskets made.

The Hangovers of Winter

And you all thought I was having a party and celebrating the 40 degree temps today. Not quite. I just thought I would share with you a picture of my flower garden - they plowed everything from the corner onto my flower garden - do you think a tulip is going to make it through that - I have never seen a six foot tulip before - but who knows.

Before Paper Therapy there was Dirt Therapy and it is still good therapy - feeling the sunshine on your shoulders as you pull the weeds and find the flowers - hopefully find the flowers. Of course, I always get lots of company as I gardent - the little ones from the neighborhood always stop by and talk or sometimes they want to help - I give them a little scoop and a place where they can dig and not harm anything.

Soon - well maybe looking at that pile - June. What is your bet on when this pile melts out of my flower garden.

Oh did I tell you - in April - we are going to have some fun on this blog so stay tuned.

No post tomorrow - I am going to see a musical. I did make an Easter card tonight - someone at works wants to buy some so I want to give her a few to choose from and then I will also have some to mail out also.

Just Chicken In

Just Chicken in - sometimes I crack myself up - wasn't that an eggcellent play on words. OK - I am sorry - I will quit my attempt at humor.

Another evening of staring at paper - I should just stamp some images and color at night. I think I might be able to handle that. I had the cutest paper - still have it - and it did not talk to me.

The weather - it is suppose to be in the 40's the next two days - doesn't that sound wonderful - well maybe not to everyone - but to us Wisconsin people - this is almost summer with 20 inches of snow still on the ground.

I stamped the chickens and couldn't figure out how to color them and then I found this patterned paper and from there - I knew how to color the chickens. This is my first card with the chickens - I have two more colored images - stay tuned - they may just hatch. Not sure I am totally satisfied with the card.

Stamp Gina K Designs

Ink Memories Artprint Brown by Stewart Superior

Watercolor Paper

Twinkling H2O's for the coloring

Bazzill Cardstock

Patterned Paper My Mind's Eye

I did some machine stitching and then I did some paper piercing - but I did it the easy way - an unthreaded sewing machine. Added a button and a brad. Of course - all the paper was inked with my favorite ink - ColorBox Chalk - Chestnut Roan. Love that ink. When ink is on sale at Hobby Lobby - I will pick up another pad if they have it in stock.

Thanks for stopping by and chickin out my blog.

Sunday Evening - Woe is Me

Sunday evening - why do we have to work - oh yes I remember now - it is so I can eat, have a roof over my head and be warm and most important - be able to buy more paper and all the good "stuff" that goes with it. Isn't "Stuff" a great word. It encompasses everything.

The week end - of course - is too short - I went to see my mom. It is a two hour drive - I just went up for the day and came back late afternoon. She does very well for someone who is 89 years old. She has survived the winter by doing lots of embroidery. She worked on one project that I was back at Hobby Lobby 2 times for more pink embroidery floss. She finally got the quilt top all embroidered and I laid it out and basted it together so she could now start quilting it.

I have played with paper today. This time change will make it hard to get up tomorrow morning because I don't feel like it is time for me to get ready for bed. In fact I just started my laundry.

This was a card I did not really like too well - but it has grown on me. I could find no brown to match the ink.

Paper - just paper I had in my pink/brown stash.

Stamp - Studio G

Ink - I honestly don't remember - I was trying all my browns.

Embossing folder for Cuddlebug - Swiss Dot

Inked the top of the dots so it stood out like real Swiss dot fabric

Somebunny will like it I know.

Friday - Finally

Finally Friday - yeah. Since I worked late last night - I left early today to run some errands - needed to renew my cable/phone/internet stuff and sure did not want to do it on the call center which is in India - a little wait in line -but I could have been waiting on the telephone for a long time - so the price just went up a little and I think my internet speed increased so watch out I will be speeding all over the place. Unlimited phone calling - all over the US and Canada - yeah - I can Ivanka any time I want. Also went to Hobby Lobby - I got a Tim Holtz black distress ink pad - I can clear emboss over it - cool. Now to find the time to do it.

I am heading home to see my Mom tomorrow. The winter has made it hard to travel much this winter. Will get to see my brother and his little girl. On the way home I will treat myself to stopping at Archievers, Super Scrapbook Store, and the super JoAnn's. Hmmmm - paper therapy.

Tonight's card was fun to make - I don't know who will be getting it -

Paper - Making Memories

Stamp- Gina K Designs - Tickle your funny bone! Way to Go!

Ink - what else - Chestnut Roan - Chalk Ink by Colorbox

Ribbon - Offray

Brad - Paper Salon

Punch - Stampin! Up

Stamped my designs on two different patterned paper. I stamped the stool twice and cut one out and it is pop dotted for some extra dimension. I used the punch to punch openings on my blue paper so that I could slide through a strip of the striped paper. Tied ribbon around the strip. The right corner was naked so I added the sticker and put the brad on top. Of course, all the paper was inked.

Lots of fun with this set - here is another card made with this set. See it is a very versatile set - I bet Gina never thought there would be a wedding card made with this set.

Let's all have a wonderful week end and some fun creating - I hope and then some sunshine so I can take pictures.

Catchy Titles

How do people come up catchy titles for each time they blog. I need to reread that chapter in "Blogging for Dummies". Another busy day at work and tomorrow will be extra long.

Tonight I am coloring an image with some Twinkling H2O's. I haven't had those out for a long time. I have a few copics but not enough to color something well - I do have the Prismacolor pencils and Gamsol and have done some coloring with those. My daughter had a nice set - she did lots of art in high school and 4 H and was not using her collection so I just borrowed them from her. This is one area of my cardmaking I want to expand on - I did not go to kindergarten so maybe that is my problem.

I actually went to a one room country school - for the first several years all eight grades were in the school, then we combined with another school so we only had 4 grades in the one room. Finally in 5th or 6th grade - they combined 5 schools - and we went down to 2 grades together. It was a wonderful education and I had wonderful teachers. I actually was named after my first grade teacher - no I was not the nameless child - she just happened to be my Mom's best friend in high school and I was lucky enough to have her as a teacher. More on education in the back woods of Wisconsin in another post.

Tonights card was another one I gave my assistant. I was playing with some stamps so the bird image was just laying around on my table so I decided to finally make it into a card.

Patterned Paper - Making Memories

Bird Stamp - Autumn Leaves

HI stamp - Studio G - I think I will get my dollar's worth out of this little stamp

Ink - what else - my favorite - Chestnut Roan - Chalk Ink from ColorBox

Brads - Paper Studio

Everyone have a good evening - probably no post tomorrow night.

Sad Day in Wisconsin

Good Tuesday evening.

Today Wisconsin went into mourning with the retirement of Brett Favre. He has given Packer fans some wonderful memories. A new era in Packer history will start from this day forward - but can't you understand when he says he was "mentally tired" - don't all of our jobs do that to us sometimes. I know mine does and today was one of those. Good luck Brett - have a wonderful retirement.

On to cardmaking - how exciting - I found out I was one of the winners over on the micro challenge on Caardvarks. It was the card I posted on Sunday with the Cuddlebug embossing folder. How fun - I won some new stamps - always nice to win new supplies.

I gave my assistant a pack of assorted cards for her birthday. This is one of the cards I gave to her -

the flower is fabric

Bazzill cardstock base

Patterned paper - Cloud 9 Design™

Rub Ons - K & Co

Buttons: American Crafts™

Trim: American Crafts™

In between the squares was the words I love to quilt - she is a quilter so I cut one of these phrases out and glued it inside the knot. The button has a skinny scrap of fabric pulled through the holes and tied in a knot. I also used my machine to stitch around the square. Don't remember for sure - but I imagine I adhered the fabric to paper with Heat N Bond Lite - you can sew through this without damaging your machine.

Well off to stare at paper (I do lots of that in the evening).

Spring Cards

wow it is amazing how wonderful colors turn out on a picture with a little sunshine. Actually I took this card to work with me and I took the picture there - put a couple boxes on top of each other with a piece of white paper on top of the boxes. Wonderful big windows with a southern exposure. I should take all my pictures at work. It would be a nice break for the madness.

I knew I wanted to use the patterned paper so I went digging through my bags of scraps and came up with the lavendar matting. This was lavendar cardstock which I had sprayed with the white webbing spray paint from Kylon - if you haven't tried it - it gives a very interesting affect to your paper. Purple felt flower from the dollar bin at JoAnn's. Forever Friends stamp is Hampton Art Stamps. The little flower is from see D's lil' stamps. Chalk ink from Colorbox. Patterned paper is American Crafts - The Goods.

I went to a class tonight at my LSS - we played with some of the Tim Holtz products. It was fun to goop around with stuff without having to go out and buy them. When the sun shines again - I will take pictures and post them - 2 cards and a tag. In a couple weeks I have signed up to take an acetate class - can't get brave enough to try this on my own. Char and Maureen do a nice job with their classes and you know you will come home with some fun stuff.

Everyone have a good evening - I actually have some more cards to post - I gave some to my assistant for her birthday - so now I can post them.

Sunday Morning

We are going to think positive - at least for 12 hours - that spring is actually on its way. We will ignore the forecast for after midnight and what we will see when we wake up in the morning and have to drive to work.

This card is made from all cardstock - another card for the mico challenge over on Caardvarks. This is a new Cuddlebug embossing folder I bought yesterday - I emossed white cardstock - spread VersaMark all over the top and chalked it. I like how it turned out. C0mputer generated verse. Felt flower was in the Easter section at Hobby Lobby - I do believe I need to RAK out some blue felt flowers. They were on sale for 40% off - can't beat that. Matted the embossed chalked design with blue cardstock. I have started a pink one also - pink is my Mom's favorite color - so I imagine it will be heading her way this week.

Everyone have a great day. Maybe I will be back later to share another card.

Saturday - Almost a Memory

Happy Saturday - but those days of the week end sure go fast especially when you run errands. But at least I will be able to eat again next week - I guess that is important - although I imagine I could live off the fat of the land. I played with some paper today so it was a good day - a little creativity always helps the soul. Thus the name PAPER THERAPY.

Today's card is for the micro challenge over on Caardvarks.

The challenge is to just use cardstock on your card. Leaves are a favorite subject of mine and while looking for something I found this foam stamp I had gotten at JoAnn's in their dollar bin. Inked it up with some ColorBox chalk ink from Clearsnap and stamped it on some cream cardstock. Added a rub on from Crate Paper. Matted the image with dark brown cardstock. The brads are from American Crafts. The card base is 5.25 square. I brushed a mixture of brown and green acrylic paint along the edge of the card to add a little depth to the card base. A very fun, simple card to use - acrylic paints would have been fun to use on the foam stamp also.

Hint: to make sure your brads are in the same spot in each corner - make a template with the hole for the brad in it - line it up in each corner - magic - all your brads are in the same spot on each corner.

Rain tomorrow - yeah - guess I will be doing battle water in the basement - yuck. All this snow has got to go someplace - hopefully not too much in my basement - going to be in the 40's tomorrow - Wisconsin folks will probably be out in their shorts and flip flops.