Who would have thunk - Christmas papers - for a retirement card?

I was asked to make a retirement card from our Office.  The recipient of the card has worked for the University over 50 years and she has worked in the same position the majority of her years.  Wow - can you imagine - the changes she has seen.  Mind boggling.



This picture is an inspirational image from Moxie Fab World for one of Paper Crafts new special editions - Get Inspired.  This card is my inspiration - I have a greenish houndstooth paper in my card and also the clasp is a pearl and I used a pearl brad in the center of my flower.

The papers for this card are from two different Christmas collection - Melissa Frances and Webster's Pages.  I had to trim the Santa Claus off one paper in two different spots.  The flower is made from old pattern pieces - I have enough pattern pieces to start several greenhouses.  The "thank you stamp" is from Hero Arts.  The three sentiments in this stamp set - have become go to stamps for me.

I hope you enjoy my retirement card made from Christmas papers.

Crate Paper and Hero Arts plus three challenges

Good morning - Oldie Moldie Monday - time to share some cards made with papers from my collection that are a little older - this collection is from Crate Paper.  Great papers and colors and a fantastic weight to the paper.  I did use my new Hero Arts stamp set with coordinating die cuts.  The cards do look much better in person - not doing real well with my photo editing.

The card is based on three challenges:

sketch - Clean and Simple Stamping
bling - Less Is More
O Christmas tree - Creative Corner

I used brown pearls on one tree and then on the second tree I used red bling - it gives it a little bit more festive color - the insides are done - I made a total of 4 of this design.

Still fighting my cold - YUCK - no time for this. 

Cosmo Cricket and Cardabilities Unite

Second post of the day - you can see I am working on my holiday cards and I also wanted to do the sketch at Cardabilities.  I do believe the deadline is today or tomorrow so once again I am just getting my card submitted.

This is an older collection from Cosmo Cricket - 2008 actually - I love the vintage feel of the paper.  The stamp is new - I bought it the day before Thanksgiving.  It is by TPC studio.  One color stamping - my idea of fast and fun cards. 

The sketch from Cardabilities is a very simple sketch that you could do lots with.  I kept mine very simple.  Showing off the vintage snowflakes on the patterned paper.  I did two versions of hte card.  One I centered the sentiment and just added pearls in the corner.  On the other card I decided I wanted to add a bow of some sort.  You would have thought with the millions of yards of ribbon I own I would have had the perfect brown ribbon - but now - so back to my trusty brown twine from May Arts - I think I just bought an additional 40 yards of it.  The edges of the paper were all inked to add some depth to the paper and make it look "more vintage".

Well back to creating - two more cards done - I need to go finish the inside of thse cards - I hve a sentiment that has joy in it so I will use that on the inside ofthe card.

Happy creating.

Bo Bunny Sketch Challenge

Good morning - I was busy yesterday making my own holiday cards - I have a few done - come back all this week to see more - I have been working through sketches that are online this week and challenges also.  I even mass produced one - to me mass production is 4 cards.  I have been using some older supplies also. 

I have finally realized I have lost my mind - I was going through my 6 x 6 pads - and have found I have bought several of the same design - I think 3 or  actually - Hopefully I do like the paper in each of those pads to use lots of.  As I have said before - I love 6 x 6 pads. 

My card today is based on the Tuesday card sketch challenge on the Bo Bunny site.  I had a different stamp in mind but could not locate it - of course I wanted a deer - so remembered I had this one - unfortunately it is loose rubber so I do not know the company.  I have two pads of this Bo Bunny collection - did not realize that until yesterday - glad I love the colors in it.

Everyone have a good day.  I came down with a cold so I am trying to hopefully get through the worst of that today.  I did nap yesterday afternoon and may do the same today. 

It is official - Christmas is less than 30 days away.  YIKES.  Everyone enjoy your day.

Hero Arts, Crate Paper, SRM Stickers - Holiday Fun

The push to get my holiday cards has  started - I got two more done last night.  This card is based on the sketch at Lily Pads Blog.  The deadline is December 1 so I am just squeeking in here with my card.

I had bought this stamp set from Hero Arts and it comes with coordinating die cuts - I just die cut part of the snowman so he would fit on the circles I cut for the sketch.  (I know I should have colored his nose and scarf - but not going to do it now - I don't want to ruin the card).  I had this paper collection from Crate Paper - with coordinating die cuts and rub ons.  I used my distressing tool to rough up the edges of the paper also.  That always makes you feel "less stressed".  With the addition of one of those great SRM Stickers and a little May Arts Twine - my card is complete.  The card is 5 x 7 to accommodate the size of my images.

I know the family this will go to because they have three children - everyone enjoy your Saturday - so much to do - and I hope to make a dent in my holiday cards this week end plus make more LOVE cards for Operation Write Home.

Owl Always Love You

Time to make Valentine Cards - what - love cards already - well if you want to get the shipped over to our Heroes who are serving overseas - yes you must plan ahead.  Plus Archway Cookies has promised 5000 cookies for 5000 cards - I have said I would make 20 love/valentine cards toward this challenge - Of course - I need to be making my own holiday cards.

Operation Write Home's card blog - Stars and Stamps - midweek challenge is LOVE cards.  I dug in my pile of paper and found this Basic Grey 6 x 6 pad - great colors - this could actually be an oldie moldie Monday post - and maybe I will use this paper on Monday also - who knows - stay tuned.  The little stamp is a $1 stamp I got from Michael's.  I have definately gotten my $1  investment out of this stamp.  It is a great OWH stamp because you can always use LOVE cards.

Glad to be home after Thanksgiving travel - now to get some things done.  I bought some new paper and stamps - maybe my goals will be to use all of it this week end - no - not all of it - but at least use a stamp and some of each paper grouping. 

Oldie Moldie Monday

Good Monday Morning - two day work week - yeah - love weeks like that - of course I have lots to get done.  Will spend Thanksgiving with my Mom this year - we will go to my sister's - it will be wonderful meal - she is a good cook. 

Oh and it is Oldie Moldie Monday - dug out some oldier Basic Grey for these two cards.

My cards today are for Operation Write Home - time to work on those Valentine/Love cards - and Archway Cookies has a challenge going - if OWH gets 5000 love cards contributed by a certain date (don't remember it off the top of my head) - they will donate that number of boxes of cookies (I believe it is boxes - not cookies).  I have a goal of 20 cards - this time of year - that is a big goal - I don't even have my own holiday cards done yet.

I have several challenges for thse cards - the first challenge is the sketch on OWH's Stars and Stamps.  The second challenge is from the Stampendous Blog - go use chipboard.  I did use chipboard - I stamped the heart on chipboard, colored with Copics and cut out.  I colored the edges of the chipboard and then pop dotted it over the hearton the stamped image.  There is also a challenge on Stars and Stamps where a stamp company will help cover the cost of mailing a box of cards - so hopefully we get enough challenges done that they will cover the cost of mailing several boxes.

This image always makes me smile - I can not resist making one of the cards upside down.  I actually don't know which direction is correct so maybe I am just covering all my options.  (Insert smile here)

Inkadinkado - I love you

Good morning - late night with a friend playing with paper - now today I need to do lots of chores around the house - laundry - some grocery shopping - all those fun things.  I also need to make home made chicken broth for Thanksgiving dinner.  I have 10 pounds of chicken parts of stew up.  My Mom - still at the age of 93 - makes home made noodles.  Something to look forward to every holiday.  After this post I need to get the chicken on the stove.

The card I am sharing is made with a new stamp I bought yesterday - I was feeling bad not going to the stamp show in Madison but I really do not need anything new but MoJo.  I will stop at a couple stores on Wednesday on my way home to see things.  The card design is based on the sketch at
CAS-ual Friday.  This is a very versatile sketch.  The paper is from Hobby Lobby - one of their own brands - but new - and a very nice weight. 

Well I must get going and get my day's work started.  I did not get out of bed until 8 which is unheard of for me but was in bed late and woke at 4 something when the neighbor was leaving for deer hunting.  Everyone have a wonderfun day.

Snow Much Fun - Stampendous and We R Memory Keepers

Actually SNOW is not fun and I am not looking forward to it coming - maybe that is a sign of old age.  Of course, you can always use it as an excuse to stay inside and craft - once you clear your sidewalks and driveway.

Time to kick my "you know what" into gear to get my holiday cards made.  I think they will be on the clean and simple side this year.  My card today is based on the sketch at Clean and Simple Stamping.  With the patterned paper choice it looks more complicated than it is.  The little penguin which is a stamp by Stampendous was "fussy cut" and placed on the circle with some pop dots.  The sentiment strip is based on a tutorial on Lisa Johnson's blog Poppy Paperie.  It is called crackle embossing.  You put adhesive on top of colored cardstock, sprinkle on your embossing powder and heat - it crackles - this was my first attempt - but it does add some fun texture to your strip.  I then added a SRM sticker for my sentiment. 

The paper is a patriotic collection from We R Memory Keepers.  The papers I selected to use are subtle enough to be used for any occasion.

Yeah one more holiday card made.

Basic Grey and Card Positioning Systems Unite

I needed to make a thank you card for a friend who I visited in Florida while I was on vacation.  This cute little stamp was sitting on a shelf asking to be inked - and it says it all.  I wanted to use the sketch from Card Positioning Systems.  I dug through my huge collection of 6 x 6 pads - I have many - and many are Basic Grey and thought I should use this one. Orange has become a favorite color of mine to use for card making.

It feels good to make some cards - now tonight I am going to see if I can make a card without a sentiment - the currently midweek challenge on Operation Write Home.

Everyone have a wonderful evening.

Oldie Moldie Monday

Oldie Moldie Monday returns after a vacation. 

I have "a thing" about 6 x 6 pads - I have met very few that I do not like and have quite a large collection.  I grabbed out a Basic Grey collection to use this week plus a Hero Arts stamp I have had for a long time.  I have gotten lots of use out of this monkey stamp.  The sentiment is computer generated.  We have a new person starting in our office so wanted to welcome her with a card.  My special greeting to her.

The card is based on the sketch at The Sweet Stop.  I substituted a circle for the square element.

Thanks for stopping in for a visit.

I Am Back

I am back - did you miss me - I was on a two week road trip with a couple friends - drove to the Florida Keys - where a friend has purchased a little home in a mobile home park for retirement - we pulled down the boat and supplies.  Here little home is now ready for their three week visit in January - she won't have to work the entire three weeks she is down there.  We went to Key West one day - visited with a former co worker in Miami, spent time in Savannah, GA and also toured the Biltmore House in Asheville, NC.  It was a fun trip.  I am tired.  When I have downloaded my pictures I will share them - if any of them are any good.

I did miss my paper and stamps so was excited to make a card today - it is time to start making cards for Valentine Days for Operation Write Home - I will try to make more general LOVE cards so they can be used anytime.  I based the design on the sketch on Stars and Stamps and it also fits the Wednesday challenge for Valentines Day/Love.

The stamp is from Unity - I was sent this stamp for having a card published using one of their stamps in a magazine.  I thought it was a perfect stamp for Operation Write Home cards.  It has some other great sentiments that will work.  I am also entering the card in the Fabulous Friends challenge on Unity Stamps. 

It felt good to play with some paper - now I need to go do some laundry and get things ready for work.  Everyone enjoy the remainder of your day.