Sunday - January 31, 2010

Good Sunday evening to all of you. A quiet restful week end - I do wish it was a 3 day week end though - but back to work tomorrow. This afternoon my neighbor girl - Kristin - came over to make cards. She loves to come over and play in all my stuff. Come back later in the week and I will post a picture of Kristin and her cards - I will have to have her come over when I do the post - she will be so excited to see herself on the computer. I taught her how to ink the edges - she likes to ink the edges.

I indulged in a little paper therapy yesterday. I went to Tuesday Morning - interesting things in there - they had a whole pack of American Crafts paper - but I really don't need 20 or 25 sheets of the same color - the price was right - 1.99. I picked up a few other things. Of course, I did not need anything.

Tonight I made a couple cards for the challenge on the SRM Stickers blog - to use stickers and the color orange. I have gotten into the color orange some - because one of my student workers - that is her favorite colors - so have been creating more this last year with the color orange. I went through my Stickers - I found a few. I am pleased with how the cards turned out.

Everyone have a good evening - I need to do laundry yet and find something to eat for dinner.

Card 1-

Paper - Crate Paper

Sticker - Penny Black floral sticker; thanks - Sticko

QuicKutz - scallop diecut

Lace - from my supplies

Highlighted flowers with Stickles (Crystal)

Card 2 -

Paper - Die Cuts With A View

Sticker - Sticko

Diecut - Sizzix

Twine - May Arts

Thursday, January 28

Good Thursday evening - yeah one more day in the work week - the faster I go the further behind I get.

I did manage to make a card last night - I had colored the image a couple nights ago just trying to figure out colors to go with this paper. I think it turned out OK. The card is based on the weekly sketch at 2 Sketches 4 You. The stamp is a $1 stamp I found at JoAnn's. Can't beat $1 for a cute stamp - even if you only use it a few times - you sure get your money's worth out of it. Basketball on TV I want to watch so this is a short post. Go snuggle under my blanket to watch the game. Hopefully I do not fall asleep this early in the evening. Everyone enjoy yourself.

Stamp - Inkadinkado colored with Copics

Patterned Paper - 8 x 8 pad Die Cuts With a View - Crafty Pad

Button - American Crafts

Lace - tea dyed - from my supplies

Wednesday - Downward Slide to Week end starts

Good Wednesday evening - yes we are on the downward slope to the week end - yeah!!!!! I think I can make it. Work continues to be crazy and I don't see it lightening up any. Oh well - I should be happy - I have a good job and I am busy and I am never bored so that is good.

Tonight's card is based on the sketch at Our Creative Corner. My bow is a strip of fabric - this is left from a blouse my daughter made many years ago when she was in college - or I made while she was in college - that seems to be a lifetime ago - but I kept the fabric and have it torn into strips that I used on cards - it is a lovely color - the perfect accent for many of my cards.

Everyone have a lovely evening.

Paper - Basic Grey
Stamp - Inkadinkado (owl)
Ink - Colorbox Chalk Ink
Sentiment stamp - I think Prickly Pear
Rub Ons - Martha Stewart
Bow - fabric scrap

Tuesday - not much else to say

Close up of flowers

Good Tuesday evening - another rough day of work so glad to be home and hibernating. For excitedment - I went to Hobby Lobby and bought a pencil sharpener for my Prisma colored pencils. I don't want you to be jealous of such a wild crazy fun thing to do. I even passed up the Spellbinders on sale - today anyway.

Today's card is based on the sketch at Card Positioning System (of course I had to add something in that empty space - sorry) and the old stuff challenge on Teri Anderson's blog - I told you I had lots of old stuff.

Everyone have a wonderful evening.

Paper and coordinating flowers and tag - Deja Views - 8 x 8 pad

Bling flowers - $bin somewhere

Oldy Moldy Monday Returns

The card looked naked to me - so I had to add a little extra to the
design. I am very happy with the card now.

Good Monday evening - I have decided to bring back Oldy Moldy Monday - I did this in the past for quite awhile - Monday's post always had to be from your "well aged" paper. Teri Anderson's old stuff challenge - reminded me of this - so I got out the paddles and shocked Oldy Moldy Monday back into existence. This paper and embellishments are well aged. Aren't those chipboard stickers fun.

Busy day at work. I hope to play with some paper tonight - but sometimes I just push it around and stare at it and nothing creative happens. Today's card is based on the sketch at The Fresh Batch - a new sketch every Thursday. Very little stamping on this card and you can see I thought it needed something more - so there is a before and an after picture.

Well I am hungry so I must close my post for this evening. Everyone have a wonderful evening.

Size - 4.25 x 5.5

Paper and chipboard - Imaginisce

Stamp - Hero Arts

Sunday, January 24

Good morning. It is raining - I think I should back my car out of the garage and let the rain wash some of the grime off my car. It is pretty dirty but that would involve energy - and I just don't want to do it. I fell asleep on the couch last night watching the Australian Open - woke up about 3 in the morning and have been watching matches since - there have been some really good ones - I did take a nap for awhile. I think today will be a long one. I can not sit down tonight and try to watch tennis - I must go to bed. I need to put in a 10 hour day at work tomorrow. Not because someone told me to - but because I need to. We will see what tomorrow brings. Lots of football to watch today and the Badgers play basketball also - so I will stay busy. I really have no need to go anywhere.

Today's card is based on the sketch at Get Sketchy. It was a fun sketch. I don't have too much valentine's day paper - but I dug into this old collection from Bo Bunny - I really like the colors in this collection. Teri Anderson has a challenge on her site to use "Old Stuff" - and boy do I have lots of old stuff. The only thing new on this card was the stamp ($1 stamp from Michael's) and the red button.

Everyone enjoy your day.

Size 5 inch square

Paper and Stickers - Bo Bunny

Stamp - CraftSmart distributed by Michael's colored with Copics

Ribbon - no idea - scrap hanging out in the basket

Button - Dress It Up

Twine - May Arts

Saturday - January 23

Good afternoon - a little dreary in Wisconsin but the air is warm and damp and the snow is melting. It would be better if the sun was shining and melting the snow. But I will not complain - it is a day where I am not at work. Yeah. Actually I am doing a pretty good imitation of a slug - except I have made a couple cards today - not much on valentine cards - but maybe I can sell a few at work if I get them made.

The challenge at Caardvarks is to use a red heart. I had just bought a package of fun red heart buttons at Hobby Lobby so thought I would use one of them. I have been wanting to use felt and stitching and do a somewhat primitive/homespun type card. I have a package of white heart doilies so I sprayed it with some Glimmer Mist from Tattered Angels - Marshmallow so if you look close the heart shimmers. The thread is from a sewing container that I got from my grandmother. Just did a running stitch around the outside edge. Totally not my style but sometimes it is fun to step out of your box and create something different.

Everyone enjoy the remainder of your day.

Size - 5 inch square

Doiley - supplies

Glimmer Mist (marshmallow) from Tattered Angels

Felt

Button - Dress It Up

Stamps - Heart - Studio G; Sentiment - Hero Arts

Ribbon - scrap

Don't know what ink I used - I had every red I owned out trying to find a perfect color match.

Thursday, January 21

Isn't that an exciting title for a blog post - it was the best I could come up with. A quick post tonight - I am not feeling 100% tonight so going to go relax. I guess those dirty dishes will have to wait another evening.

Tonight's card is based on the sketch at 2 Sketches 4 You. A pretty basic design you could do lots with. I did some very simple stamping. Only took me 3 or 4 times to get the bird and sentiment stamped on the same piece of paper so they both looked OK. I am onec again using up some of my older paper. I have a drawer of pink and brown paper and so I dug in there for this card. Notice the inking - I ended up with a smudge so had to add the extra inking - don't know if this is a card for someone or if it is going into a card set.

Everyone have a wonderful evening.

size - 4.25 x 5.5

Paper - Making Memories, EK Success

Stamp - Inkadinkado

Ink - Colorbox Chalk Inky by ClearSnap - Chestnut Roan

Buttons - Fancy Pants

Twine - May Arts

Wacky Wednesday

Good evening - the hardest part of doing a blog - is coming up with a title each time you post - why - oh - why isn't their a book - Post Titles for Blog for Dummies. Of course, I leave a pretty boring life so don't have lots to say.

Tonight's card is based on the sketch at Get Sketchy - a good basic sketch - I offset the vertical stripe. One of the goals for this year is to try and use up some of the older paper I have. It is really pretty paper - hopefully not too pretty - since this is a card for a male.

Prety worn out form work today so a very short post for tonight. Everyone enjoy your evening.

Size - 4.25 x 5.5

Paper - Hot Off the Press Flea Market Fabrics Sarapapers collection

Stamp - Cornish Heritage Farms

Ink - Colorbox Chalk Ink by ClearSnap - Chestnut Roan

Twine - May Arts

Rub On - Deja Views

Button - Blumenthal Lansing Company

Long Day of Work

I put in a 10 hour day at work today but I did accomplish lots so that makes it worthwhile. Busy time of the year for me. I doubt if there is too much creativity in my bones tonight - maybe I will just sit on the couch and watch tennis - probably watch tennis through my eyelids.

Today's card is based on the sketch at Taylored Expressions and I guess it also qualifies for the challenge on Our Creative Corner since it is blue and green. That was a happy accident. A card to be sent to Shari to cheer her. I used some older paper which is good - now I think I will give it away to a scrapper - she doesn't have lots of money so she will love getting the paper grouping.

I also finished the inside of the card and have include a picture of it.

Everyone have a wonderful evening.

Size - 4.25 x 5.5

Paper - Stemma

Stamps - Inky Antics colored with Copics

Spellbinders

Sizzix diecut for buttons

Twine - May Arts

Hello Monkey

Inside of card

Envelope

Good morning - very early - normally I am an evening poster but no work today - at work - anyway - I do need to get some things done around the house and go to the grocery store so I have food for the week. I do wish someone else did that for me and had a nice healthy meal waiting for me when I got home each evening.

I got 3 cards made yesterday. We are in the "interim world" at work. We have a new "interim" person starting work on Tuesday. I made this card to welcome her to the office - thus the monkey/jungle theme. She has small children so she will appreciate it.

This card actually satisfies 3 challenges. It is the sketch challenge on The Fresh Batch; the color challenge (blue and green) on their sister site - Our Creative Corner; and finishing the inside of your card on Moxie Fab World.

Everyone have a wonderful day - I need to get stuff done around the house plus play with some paper.

Size - 5 x 7

Patterned Paper - Piggy Tales

Stamp - Inky Antics colored with Copics (monkey); sentiment - Hero Arts

Button - American Crafts

DMC Floss

Spellbinders

Brads - Imaginisce

Twill - Wrights

3 Day week ends

Inside of card

Envelope

I love 3 day week ends but you know you will pay for it at work on the 4 days you work - but it won't stop me from enjoying the 3 days. Yesterday I went and visited with my Mom - it was a nice visit - in the winter I don't like to stay overnight - I do not trust the weather in Wisconsin. I did have a little paper therapy on the way home. In fact, the paper used in this card, was bought yesterday. As a former sewer - I could not resist the paper.

I played with paper all day and just got out of my PJ's only because I needed to go let the neighbor's dog out.

My card tonight is based on the sketch at Card Positioning Systems. Moxie Fab World has a challenge on their January 13 post - in celebration of their new magazine - Card Creations: Inside and Out - I did purchase this magazine and it is great - wonderful ideas to help you design and finish your card. I decided to take it one step further and I decorated my envelope also - you should never send a "naked" envelope.

Everyone have a wonderful evening. Australian Tennis Open starts tonight - yeah - I love to watch tennis.

Card details:

5 x 7

Paper - Die Cuts With a View - the Crafty Stack

Stamp on card - River City Rubber Works

Stamp on inside of card - Serendipity Stamps

Stamp on envelope - Stampendous

Ink - Colorbox Chalk Ink by Clearsnap - Chestnut Roan

Buttons - American Crafts

Twine - May Arts

Spellbinders for circles

Bue Bird of Happiness

Doesn't that little blue bird look very happy. If he was in Wisconsin right now, he would not be happy - it is very cold and snowy.

Had dinner tonight with a co worker - one of our student workers made dinner for us. This was very sweet of her. One of the joys of my job - are the students who work for us.

My card tonight is based on the sketch at Taylored Expressions. It was a fun sketch. I feel like my card is naked - it needs something - but I will consider it finished. I wanted to use this stamp - I think it was two trips to the store before I was able to get the stamp. The stamp's name is Conway Tweetie - I just saw that - how cute. The stamp company is Whipper Snapper Designs, Inc. A Wisconsin based stamp company. A trip to this store is very dangerous to my wallet.

Size 5 x 7
Stamp - Whipper Snapper Designs, Inc. colored with Copics
Paper - Pink Paislee - Pop Fashion Collection
Bling - Paper Studio
Cardstock - Bazzill
Spellbinders

Digi Stamps

Images © stampsandsmilesstamps.com



Good Saturday evening ...... I am busy making a snack mix so trying to get a post in while it is in the oven. It makes an absolute huge batch - I will have to post the recipe. Maybe I can get a picture of it to go with the recipe. Busy day today - worked in the morning, watched a basketball game (Yeah Badgers) and then went off and did some shopping - needed some groceries. So Mother Housner's cupboards are no longer bare.

Digi images are becoming the "new" thing in the world of stamping. I don't really understand much about digi but some of the images are so cute. I have been playing with free ones to see if it is a venue that I want to invest in. This image is from Stamps and Smiles and the design of the card is based on this week's sketch. The image is the sweetest. Notice the polka dots on her coat and scarf - that is so fun to do with the colorless blender from Copics.

Everyone have a wonderful evening - almost time to go stir the snack mix.

Digi image - Stamps and Smiles colored with Copics
Paper - Die Cuts With a View (Holiday Collection - the Winter Matstack)
Sentiment stamp - no name on it but I think it may be Crackerbox Palace
Ribbon - Offray
Bling - Dollar store in Canada (thank you Ivanka)

Whew - that week went fast

Wow - didn't realize the week is almost over with - I guess when you are that busy at work - time flies - so then throw in lots of snow today. Hopefully the roads won't be too bad in the morning - it is suppose to get windy tonight. I have to drive about 20 miles through the country to get to work - so the roads can be interesting in some snow storms.

My card tonight is based on the sketch at Mojo Monday. It was a fun sketch and worked well for this birthday card. Dug out a piece of paper I had that had 4 different squares on it. Plus added some other paper. Paper Crafts Connection's January challenge is to use your markers - and I used my growing number of Copics to color the image.

Everyone have a wonderful evening.

Card size - 5 x 7

Stamp - Inky Antics colored with Copics

Cardbase - Bazzill

Pattern Paper - We R Memory Keepers and Die Cuts With a View

Border Punch - Martha Stewart

Rub Ons - Imaginisce

Greeting from the cold state of Wisconsin

Good evening - I do hate it when we get in these cold stretches in Wisconsin - near zero for a week or two. You only go to work and back and force yourself to run errands only because you run out of toilet paper or coffee. I am still OK on those fronts - but I don't have any meals for lunch tomorrow. I may have to go out or order something in.

My card tonight is a birthday card for my oldest daughter. Very vintage feel to it. She loves fashion so I think she will appreciate the beautiful paper. Graphic 45 does such a great job with their paper. The flower is sizzix die cuts - the tissue part of the flower is sewing patterns - you have to do something with all those patterns you have collected. The lace has been either tea or coffee dyed.

Patterned Paper: Graphic 45™
Cardstock: Archiver’s
Inks: Colorbox Chalk Ink by Clearsnap
Stamps: Hampton Art
Brads: Paper Studio
Lace: Wyla
Trim: Making Memories
Sizzix Diecuts

Survived Monday

This time of the year at work is survival. One day down - I survived. Yeah for me. Come back tomorrow to see if I survive tomorrow.

Tonight I am sharing a project I made for gifts this year. The base is an 8 x 10 canvas. I found this wonderful snowman so thought it would make a great canvas.

Cut red mat to fit size of canvas. Cut Snowman paper to fit inside red mat. Cut strip of striped paper (snowman double sided paper). Create sentiment on computer. Trim sentiment and mat with red. Sponge white acrylic paint around edges of all paper. Adhere your layers together. Add sentiments to left side of canvas. Place snowflake buttons on canvas.

Patterned Paper: Snowman - Best Creation Inc.; My Mind’s Eye™
Paint: Folk Art Acrylic Paint by Plaid
Font: CAC Shishoni Brush
Crystal Buttons: Dress It Up

Sunday - Do I really need to go back to work?

Good Sunday morning - why do 4 day week ends go so fast and back to work tomorrow and it will be a 5 day week - oh my - I don't know if I will be able to make it through. It is an extremely busy time - so yes - I will make it through - and won't even realize how fast the time went.

My card today is based on the sketch at The Fresh Batch - Stamps and Smiles. Yes I know it is the third card I have made out of this paper - a new year resolution was to use up some of my paper - so if you have the paper out - use it - I put the remainder of the paper in a bag for one of my friends - but I may have to dig it out to make another card. This card will be the beginning of a set of cards for a gift.

Everyone enjoy your day - going to finish up my pulled pork sandwiches today and bake some bar cookies for my son in law. I hope they make it back from Costa Rica today and I hope their car starts when they get back. They were held over for a day.

Paper – We R Memory Keepers
Stamps – Golf Ball – 100 Proof Press; sentiment – Great Impressions; Golfer – Art Impressions
Ink – Colorbox Chalk Ink (Chestnut Roan) by Clearsnap colored with Copics

Brrrr - It is Cold

Good evening - did everyone survive the first day of 2010. That is going to be strange to remember to write 2010. It is very cold in Wisconsin with a chill warning - I am even cold inside my house. My daughter's plane was unable to take off from Costa Rica so they are there another day - told them to appreciate the warmth. I do hope their car starts when they get back.

I am sharing a couple of projects that I did this last year. Both are food related. The bottom card is a matchbook card that you can put a small piece of candy in such as a York Peppermint Patty. The top project is a covered candy bar. The snowflakes, mittens and alpha were cut with my Slice. I need to get that out and play with it some more.

Everyone have a wonderful evening - I hope it is warm where you are.

Happy New Year - 2010 begins

Both of my son in laws have birthdays in December - terrible month for birthdays so I always tell them I celebrate their birthday a different month. I always need to do Chris's in January because his wife - my oldest daughter - has a birthday January 7. Chris has to get his birthday card before Staci gets hers. This card is based on the first sketch of 2010 from Taylored Expressions. It was a fun sketch.

Since the paper and stamp was out - and this is a very versatile stamp - I wanted to make a card for a friend to say hello and to give him a little cheer. I hope he likes it and is cheered by it.

It was fun to create my first cards of the year. Hopefully it is a year full of creativity, learning new techniques and bringing joy to the people who receive the cards I have made just for them.

Stamp - Hero Arts

Ink - Colorebox Chalk Ink

Paper - We R Memory Keepers

Brown trim - edge off My Mind's Eye paper - makes a great trim - plus I am "being green"