Beautiful Flower

Good evening - a quick post tonight - I wanted to share this card I made for a friend. It is based on the sketch at Clean and Simple Stamping - with absolutely no stamping on it.

The patterned paper makes the card so easy to make. It is a sheet from the 6 x 6 pad Sweetness from Pink Paislee. I made the flower - it was an experiment and I love how it turned out - a few diecuts, acrylic paint and scrunching. I have made the flower in orange, lavendar, yellow and blue. I make 4 flowers at a time.

Everyone enjoy your evening - I am trying to straighten up my crafting area - I have a friend coming over with her baby on Saturday and we are going to start a scrapbook for the baby - since I am not a scrapbooker - this will be very interesting - we will approach it as an 8 x 8 card with pictures as the focal point. Should be fun plus the baby will be here to play with.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

I wanted to share a card I made over the week end - I made 4 of this card - in different colors - for Operation Write Home - our heros need to send their Mom's a card.

Everyone enjoy your evening.

Oldie Moldie Monday March 28, 2011

Yes it is Monday - back to work day of the week - YUCK - but I did accomplish lots today so that is good. You always pay for taking days off.

Today is the day you are suppose to dig into your supplies and show some love for some old paper. I knew I wanted to use up these scraps of Basic Grey. I had used some of it a couple weeks ago on a card with a cupcake also and liked the combination I wanted to try and use up all the scraps left. I had plans for three cards but a detour happened and I only got two made. I needed to make some quick Mother's Day cards for Operation Write Home.

Once again I am showing the versatility of a digi stamp. This cupcake digi stamp is from I Brake For Digis - she has many cupcake styles to choose from. I have the plain vanilla one. One card the cupcake image is larger and more of a focal point on the card - this was a very simple card to make because I used a dry embossed base and then added my image and a strip of paper and ribbon and a sentiment. On the other card I lined five cupcakes (small cupcakes - bite size) in a row. The third card had nine bitesize cupcakes in three rows of three.

I am enjoying the versatility of the digi stamps - I could not have done that many different types of cards with one regular stamp of a cupcake. All the cupcakes would be the same size.

Dancing With the Stars is on tonight - so I must get ready to watch that. I have also been making some handmade flowers - having fun with acrylic paint. Enjoy your evening.

Happy birthday Sandy - OWH Leader with the Mostest

Happy Birthday Sandy - our intrepid leader of Operation Write Home is celebrating her birthday - she never did say how old she was - hmmmmmm - secrets - hopefully someone is baking her a great big chocolate cake today to celebrate her birthday. Every birthday we celebrate is wonderful and we must remember that - not begrudge the fact that we are getting older.

Frantoonie images were created especially to celebrate the day plus we have not one but three sketches to choose from today on OWH Stars and Stripes

I chose to use a new paper grouping I had from Bo Bunny - I like the color combinations of green, red, yellow and brown and a little blue thrown in for good color Karma.

I actually made 4 cards but for some reason one did not post. Blogger is being difficult today.

Everyone enjoy your day.

Bee Happy

Good afternoon - I made a card this morning before I went to run some errands. I am pretty happy with the card - yesterday I was having such a bad mo jo, creativity, mood day that I think today will be much better.

I actually combined 3 challenges into this one card.

1. The challenge on The Paper Shelter blog was to use a flower.

2. The sketch from The Sweet Shop.

3. Bingo from the Shabby Tea Room.

I used a already colored digital image from The Paper Shelter for the focal point on my card. There challenge was to use a flower or flower on your card. I made a little flower which is sitting in the center of my bow. The flower is cut with one size of spellbinders circle and it is made from pattern paper tissue leftover from my sewing days - we probably could make a billon flowers with all the pattern I have in my house that will never be used again. The bow is out of torn strips of muslin which were tea or coffee stained.

The sketch is from The Sweet Shop. Love their sketches - becaue they like layers - like me - unfortunately I don't always get to play along every week.

The Shabby Tea Room is having a challenge called bingo - they have a bingo card so you can choose any 3 items in a row to place on your card. I chose the row that had lace, flower and embossing. The lace and flower are obvious but the dry embossing is on the panel behind the bee.

Add a little sewing and one of those great stickers from SRM and I have a card I am very happy with. I think this card will be mailed to my sister Bonnie Bea.

Everyone enjoy your day.

Card details:
Size: 4.5 x 6
Paper: My Mind's Eye - Stella Rose
Image: The Paper Shelter
SRM Sticker

I Whisk You Well

This card is a card of encouragement. This sentiment is something that has been in my head forever and I do have a whisk stamp (or several) When I saw the vintage whisk image at "The Graphics Fairy" - I knew I had to use that image - to make it a masculine card - I chose these papers from Scrap Within Reach - totally makes the card masculine - some twine and a brad - instant card with the sentiment on the inside.

Please pop over to "The Graphics Fairy" and check out her images - they are fantastic - she even takes requests.

Everyone enjoy your day - I am trying to create but I can not get my mo jo going.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

I am sharing one more card I made lastSaturday at the Operation Write Home virtual cardmaking party - this is a mother's day card - but could be used anytime of the year - I try to do that rather than be specific - such as just for Mother's Day or just for Father's Day.

This little weiner dog is such a cutie to use - he or she would bring a smile to anyone's face. I love the sentiment on the card - I use it often on my Operation Write Home cards.

I have the day off from work - need to use up some time before the end of the fiscal year. Hopefully we have no more bad snow days where I would need to take a day off to stay at home safely.

Everyone enjoy your day. Badgers play tonight in the Sweet 16 - go Bucky.

Wednesday, March 22, 2011

Good Wednesday morning. Today I am going to share with you two cards I made using the same digital image. One of the great advantages to using digi images is being able to make them any size. Both of my cards use the same image but they are so different. The image is from I Brake For Digis.

On the first card I used a small version of the butterfly and just stacked them three in a row. They were colored with Copic markers that perfectly matched the patterned paper (that was a happy accident that it matched so well.) I pop dotted the sentiment. This was a card I made over the week end for the virtual cardmaking party on Operation Write Home’s facebook page.

The second card is very dimensional. I used the same image but larger. I first printed it on paper, colored it and cut the image out with a spellbinder. I then colored two more images which I cut out. I bent the two cut out butterflies in the center so they had some dimension and layered them on top of each other on the card – I did post a close up of the butterfly. I really did not have a spot for the sentiment so added it on top slightly hanging over the top edge. I sent this to one of my daughters with her favorite Easter candy. Hopefully she enjoys both. The card is even a little “green” – the ribbon was recycled off of something I received – a plant or gift – I don’t remember – but it was so pretty I could not throw away and there was lots of it – just had to work around the wrinkles in the ribbon.

Everyone have a wonderful day. One more day of work and then I have a long week end. Maybe I will get some more housecleaning done. Hopefully more cardmaking done.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Good morning - back to work today. Winter has also returned to Wisconsin - we may get a little snow - but up north - they are saying 8 to 12 inches of snow - yuck - we will get rain though.

Over the week end I participated in an online card party for Operation Write Home. One of the challenges was a thank you card based on the colors in your state flag - blue, red and yellow/gold and white. This is the card I created for that challenge.

The midweek throwdown at Stars and Stamps is scallops - and this card qualifies for that challenge.

All this paper came from different pads of paper. Some of the paper is actually from a Christmas pad. I do like to combine patterned papers. Hopefully it is all done in good taste.

Everyone have a wonderful day.

Part two, Monday, March 21, 2011

Good afternoon - 2nd post of the day - this is not using any oldie moldie paper. Recently The Paper Shelter was featured on Operation Write Home - Stars and Stamps blog - they offered up the prize for a challenge - of course I had to check them out and I think I have fallen in love. They offer images that are both ready for you color and already colored. Today I have chosen to use two of the images that were already colored.

I used "Dressed Up As An Easter Bunny" for a card - this is a shaker card - as you can see hard to take a picture without getting glare from the plastic in the shaker. I never made shaker cards before but with these new premade insets - easy peasy - I did this with my friend Mary yesterday - because after years of teaching - she has all the stuff to put into the shaker. I have flowers, butterflies and easter eggs inside my shaker.

The first card is based on the sketch at Mojo Monday - I have not done one of their sketches for a very long time but it seemed just perfect for the rectangle shape of my Bee Bear. I love this set of papers from Basic Grey. This is a card for my daughter Carrie Bea.

I am entering both cards in the Spring Fling challenge on the Paper Shelter blog weekly challenge.

For my distressing on the Bee card - I used chalk - I normally use ink - but have discovered the ease of using chalk to distress and to also use chalk to color your backgrounds after you have colored an image.

Everyone enjoy the remainder of your day. I am excited that Dancing With the Stars returns tonight - I only recognize the names of two people who are the stars. I think it will be interesting as always.

Oldie Moldie Monday March 21, 2011

Good morning - I guess I took a break from blog posting - actually I probably did not have any cards to post and my life is pretty boring so nothing to post about it anyway.

On Saturday I participated in a virtual cardmaking party - it was sponsored by Operation Write Home on Facebook - so every two hours a new challenge was posted - I did participate in (I think) 5 of the challenges. The card I am sharing today is made with a free digi that was sponsored by Nikki at Melonheadz She has wonderful digis that she shares. Some of them are already colored - see me jumping up and down - I can't color that well - so it makes my cardmaking so much easier. I can' wait to play with more of her images.

Today is Monday so it is oldie moldie Monday - time to share in some love with your old paper and supplies. I opened a drawer and sitting on top (was all my lost tools) but also was this piece of burlap paper that was perfect to use with this image. The brown cardstock and brads are also from the very old supplies. I must confess that the green pin dot is only about 6 months old.

Luckily I did get other cards made - so pop back in through the week and see what other challenges I did for Operation Write Home on Saturday. Please stop by Nikki's blog and see all her wonderful digi designs.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

A Quick post tonight - my computer is so slow - I am in wait mode every time I attempt to do something. After top equipment at work - it is hard to work with slow than slow.

My card tonight uses a digital design from I Brake For Digis - a great masculine image - of course - what color is that tractor besides really an ugly color - all the tractors in my life were John Deere Green but did not think I could carry that off. So somehow I came up with this ugly color - looks like it is rather rusty.

I had this one piece of paper which was double sided - the green numbers and dots - and then I bought some of a new Basic Grey collection - and it matched perfectly. I think I came up with a nice masculine card.

Everyone enjoy their evening.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

How about a spring card today. This card is a little oversized - something like 4.5 x 8 so going to have to find a special envelope for mailing it. I found this flower at Hobby Lobby in the Easter area at 50% off - 50 cents for this embellishment - not too bad - I added the yellow and orange flowers from my flower supply. I already had the paper out for Oldie Moldie Monday.

I am going to send to my Mom - she is anxiously awaiting spring so she can get out and watch her flowers grow. When you are 90 some years young - it is the little things that can make your day special - and watching all her different flowers bloom makes her very happy.

Everyone enjoy your evening.

Good evening - blogger is being very fussy tonight - I have no idea what order my pictures are in.

Today is Monday so it is Oldie Moldie Monday - time to dig out some old paper and supplies and make some cards. I needed to get back in the swing of making cards for Operation Write Home - I have had birthdays so have been busy with those cards. Also the midweek throwdown at Stars and Stamps is dots - my thank you card - the base paper is the Bo Bunny dots - I love this paper - I think I have a sheet or two in every color they make. I don't want to run short of a color.

The paper I chose to use is a Bo Bunny collection from many years ago but I love the bright and cheerful colors.

So dig out some of that old paper and show it some love.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Good Sunday evening - the week end comes to an end - the adjustment to the daylight savings time begins - so hopefully I can get to sleep tonight - I do want to be up and out of the house early so I can get some extra time in the office. A very busy week of work. I hope to make it to the next week end.

I finally got some mo jo going at the end of the afternoon because this is the card I needed for tomorrow. The recipient is a dog lover and this is a card for a girl and her favorite colors are blue and green. I hope this looks a little girly not too boyish. I know she will like it no matter.

I based the design of the card on the sketch from The Sweet Stop. I love layers and this worked perfectly for me. One of the pieces of paper in this grouping from 3 Bugs in a Rug - had pennants on it so that is where the idea came for the pennants in the corner. Even though pennants are the rage - this is the first time I have used them on a card. Add some ribbon, pop dots and a little bling and sentiment and you have a birthday card.

Everyone have a wonderful end of your week end. Come back tomorrow night to see what oldie moldie papers I dug out of my supplies. It is very bright and cheerful.

Card Details:
Size: 5 x 7
Patterned Paper: 3 Bugs in a Rug
Stamp: Whipper Snapper Designs colored with Copics
May Arts Ribbon
SRM Sticker
Bling Brads from Dollar Store in Canada

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Good evening. Had a busy day - drove to see my Mom, visited with her, my brother and his daughter for a few hours and then headed back home. I did manage to do some retail therapy or stimulation of the paper industry on my way home. I do miss having a local scrapbook store. I miss that supply of Bazzill to match the project I am working on.

Today's card is based on the sketch at My Mind's Eye Blog. Just happened upon it. on my second try, I did get a card that turned out.

The flower on the card is made using coffee filters. I die cut them with a spellbinders die I had in three different sized - I believe there are 4 layers for each size. I inked each layer with Distress Ink - let dry and then threw them in some hot water - I did not want a deep orange - just a touch of orange on my flower. I put the layers together with a small brad and then scranched up all the layers still wet and wrapped a rubber band around it to keep it together while it dried. I found the perfect pearl in my supplies to finish the center. I added the twine behind the flower - that brought the card all together for me.

Well I need to go and maybe make a card or maybe get ready to call it a day - it was a long one.

Friday, March 11, 2011

Good Friday evening - yeah we made it to the week end - or should we say whew!!! A busy week and next week is even busier. I think I may have to take a couple days off during spring break.

I am sharing a card I made for the Paper Crafts sketch call - alas - it was not picked up - but I now have my birthday card made for Ben - hopefully it is not too kiddish for him. Have to think about that.

I used my favorite digi fish from I Brake For Digis. This fish is the cutest. I printed the fish on patterned paper and cut them out. I then inked them to add a little depth to each fish. The sentiment was computer generated. Doesn't this patterned zig zag paper make you think of waves.

I hope you enjoyed my "fishy" card.

Have a wonderful week end and hope there is some creativty for you this week end.

Wednesday March 9, 2011

Good evening - I am sharing my third Christmas card of the year. It did snow here in Wisconsin again today - it was wet and yucky and horrible to drive in - but the good thing - the roads were clear when we came from work and it will be warm this week so I am not going to worry about clearing off the driveway - we will let mother nature do that for me.

The Penny Black blog has a challenge each Monday. This week it is to use the color combination of purple, teal and orange. Lavendar is a shade of purple - right. I have had this stamp since last holiday season but never used it - it is a clear stamp set - I have problems stamping with acrylics - the ink seems to bleed - does anyone know what I am doing wrong.

I do hope you like my non traditional color holiday card.

Have a wonderful evening.

Card Details:
Size: 5 x 7
Stamp: Penny Black colored with Copics
Paper: My Mind's Eye, Cosmo Cricket
SRM Sticker
Stickles

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Good evening - I found this beautiful patterned paper at Hobby Lobby and knew the paper could stand alone on a card. This week Clean and Simple Stamping blog had a simple sketch that I could use this paper on. You were suppose to use a die cut for the sentiment - my sentiment did start as a die cut but I did not like the shape so I did some trimming, rounded a corner or two and that is how my sentiment die cut turned out. I thought the pansies needed some beautiful lace, a bow and a touch of green to bring it all together. I plan on making a couple of these to go into my next Operation Write Home box.

Everyone have a wonderful evening - going to try and make a card tonight using purple (lavendar is a shade of purple right), orange and teal. Come back tomorrow to see if I accomplished it. It will be my third Christmas card for 2011 if it works out.

Monday, March 7, 2011

Welcome to Oldie Moldie Monday - time to show some love to some old paper. I have some old paper. Lots of old paper.

I have had this paper around for ages - the company is no longer in business.

The first card is based on the sketch at Stars and Stamps - Operation Write Home's card blog - they have a new sketch every Sunday. I love the color combination of red, blacks, grey.

Sorry - not feeling too chatty tonight. Have a wonderful evening.

Sunday, March 6, 2011

What a fun idea - a rejection blog hop. Paper Crafts recently had a call for an upcoming Sketch special edition. Every now and then I will send a card or two in for a challenge. I was lucky one of my cards got picked up for the Stamp It issue coming out next fall. But alas I was shown no love this time. I think I read somewhere there were over 2000 submissions - oh my.

Amber is hositng the Rejection Blog Hop on her blog Damask Love. There are lots of beautiful cards on the hop.

This card is my take on Sketch 73. I rotated the sketch. Did some fussy cutting.

If you want to see some beautiful cards - hop on over to Amber's blog.

Since I have paper piecing in the card - I am going to enter it into the Moxie Fab contest for paper piecing.

Card Details:
Size: 4.25 x 5.5
Paper: Basic Grey
Stamp: Stampabilities

Bunny Hop March 5, 2011

Good morning and welcome to my stop on the bunny hop. If you came from Kimme at InStyle Stamps you are in the correct spot. Are you overwhelmed with great ideas already – I hope you have a notebook and pen handy so you can make notes of ideas – purchases you want to make – etc.

Just a couple reminders of upcoming deadline before we get down to the fun.
March 18 is the deadline for Easter.
March 31 is the deadline for Mother’s Day.

Today I am sharing two cards. I have started using digital stamps and I have found them to be so versatile because you can adjust the size of your image. If you have old eyes like me – make them bigger so they are easier for you to color.




My bunny came from I Brake For Digis. I wanted to show the versatility of the image you download. On the yellow card I printed the bunny on the white cardstock and also on the patterned paper. I cut the image out of the patterned paper and adhered it to the top of the printed bunny. It actually has a little depth to it when it is layered on top of the printed image. I could have done a better job of cutting my bunny – note to self – print two on your patterned paper. I chalked the white paper so it wasn’t so white – although the picture makes it look white – it is actually creamy in real life. I used my nestabilities to cut the oval and its frame. My corner rounder is one of my favorite tools so used it on the corners of the card. Add some patterned papers, a little twine, a button and a sticker sentiment and you have a card I love.



My second card shows what you can do by making the image smaller. I decided on the size I wanted and then copied it and pasted it two more times – there is that rule in design about odd numbers. I colored each bunny a different pastel to coordinate with the paper. I have had this patterned paper laying around for years but it made this card so sweet. Doilies are the current rage so I had to add one of those to my card. Some more twine and a sticker – and you have the sweetest little card – I think I am keeping this one – I need a baby card.

Did you know there are free digis on OWH and also the cardmaker featured on Friday’s post of Stars and Stamps has some very fun images she is sharing with us. Try them –you will like them.

How about some candy? Just leave me a comment and tell me if you have had any experience with digis.



If you get lost – or find a broken link – just hop back to the beginning and find out where you left off.

Now hop over to Paula’s and see what she has to share with you today.

I am going to enter the cards in the Moxie Fab contests - one card qualifies for the coloring and one card qualifies for the paper piecing.

Friday, March 4, 2011

Good morning - raining in Wisconsin - does that mean spring is on the way - hopefully it melts the dirty snow that remains.

Today I am sharing a couple cards I made for Operation Write Home. The designs are digis designed by a lovely lady named Fran. Fran does some very cute images for Operation Write Home. I hope she likes the cards I made with her designs

Everyone have a wonderful day - are you ready to hop tomorrow morning. My cards are ready (yes cards - 2 for your viewing pleasure). Plus I have some blog candy.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Good evening - one more day until the week end - a big blog hop on Opeartion Write Home this week end - over 100 participants - please stop by and visit on Saturday.

Today's card was a birthday card for one of my student's. I think you can guess that her favorite color is purple. I was planning to do paper piecing on the cupcake but I couldn't find any papers I liked to do it with so I used my Copics once I had settled on the papers I wanted to use. I dug out some scraps of Basic Grey and paired them with a patterned paper from Papertrey Ink and some yellow cardstock. Add a sentiment sticker and a bow.

The image is a digi from I Brake For Digis. I enjoy the versatility of digis in that I can adjust the size I want on a card. There are all different styles of cupcakes on the site to choose from. Who doesn't love a cupcake. I wish I had one to eat right now.

Everyone have a wonderful evening.

Card Details:
Size: 4.5 x 6
Paper: Basic Grey and Papertrey Ink
Digital stamp: I Brake for Digis colored with Copics
Ribbon: don't know
Sentiment: SRM Stickers

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Good WEdnesday evening - made it through hump day - yeah. Downward slide to the week end.

I am sharing another one of my cards I made for my assistant. I colored the mat and the scalloped trim with Copics to match colors in the image. I like how it turned out. I also colored over the sentiment and then cut it out. I think this is going to be a fun stamp to reuse many times.

This week end - Operation Write Home is having a blog hop - there are over 100 people participating - please stop by and start hoping with us.

Everyone enjoy their evening - I guess I should probably work on my card for the blog hop. Actually I am hoping to make two - they are in my head - now lets see if I can break them out of their.

Card Details:
Size: 4.25 x 5.5
Stamp: Whipper Snapper Designs colored with Sentiments
Sentiment Stamp: Hero Arts colored with Copics

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

March 1 - that must mean that spring will come soon - I know the calendar says it is less than a month away but I wonder if anyone told Mother Nature. I know we have snow in the forecast for the week end. Luckily I have no plans to venture far from home.

I am sharing another of the cards I made for my assistant for her birthday. I love how it turned out.

The doily was originally white but a little coffee bath turns it into a creamy color. Dug into my collection of sewing themed stamps for the image. The thank you stamped scalloped edge is a Hero Arts set that I bought at 80% off - I think I will get my money out of that purchase.

I did get my birthday card made last night - it did not turn out like I had originally planned but I do like the path it took - stop back later in the week to see it.

Have a wonderful evening - I got to pick up my stamp cupboard tonight- excited to get it up and start sorting my stamps into it. I will probably regret not buying two.