Oldie Moldie Monday

Good morning - yes it is Monday - time to show some love for some old paper - I had several pieces of the dotted paper but only small pieces of the purple and green.  I was able to make two more cards for Operation Write Home.  I used one of the digitals a fellow OWHer designed - Paula.  Being a digital image you can make it the size you need and this size fits perfectly in one of my spellbinder dies. 

The paper is from Quick Quotes Paper.  Enjoy your day.

JilliBean Soup, Stampendous, Unity Stamps and Operation Write Home

Good Sunday morning - I had lots of fun shopping yesterday and got some new supplies.  Of course, several 6 x 6 pads jumped in my basket - I don't know how they do that.  This paper is one of the stacks - It is from Jillibean Soup.  The collection is called Southern Chicken Dumpling Soup and it has the most yummy pastel colors in it.

Sitting on my design mess (table) was this little monkey waiting to be colored - lucky for me - an easy color.  (as you can see - I forgot to color the chest - kinda looks like she has a white Tshirt on underneath her tutu - it is now colored brown) so this card was born with the help of the weekly sketch from Operation Write Home card blog - Stars and Stamps.  When I cut with my Silhouette - especially borders - I cut extra in basic colors so I have them when I want to create.  I like the difference in sizes in the scallops on this border - gives a different look.  The card seems naked to me and after I had it finished - I should have tied a bakers twine bow at the top - but I was not going to tear the card apart. 

I just mailed Kris a box of 70 cards and I tried to send children, masculine, and normal (whatever we consider that) and hoping to do that for my next box.  So this card I believe would be for a little girl.  I love this sentiment from Unity Stamps.  I think I will go add a little bling in the center of the flower.  I am also going to put my sticker on the back and line them as I make the cards - it will help when it is time to mail them in.

Everyone have a creative day.  Since I played (shopped) and then played yesterday - I must get some work done around the house - but I will get my Oldie Moldie card or cards made for tomorrow.

Creative Saturday

Yeah it is Saturday and I am going to go play with my friend Mary - she started me on this road of cardmaking and we try to shop or play together.  We decided to forgo the shopping and work with some of our supplies and ideas.  We are taking the online card class on die cuts and the Silhouette so we are going to try and do some projects from that. 

I also wanted to come up with some card ideas for her - she needs to make some thank you notes for her daughter in law so thought I would make some easy ones.  By swapping out the sentiment on this card - it could be for any occasion.  I think this may be sent to my Mom the week of Mother's Day - she will like the butterflies - of course - it really should be pink.  Her favorite color.

This is an embossing folder from Sizzix I had never used yet (SHOCK).  I embossed it on watercolor paper (love the weight) and then I inked it an ink pad - used a sponge and rubbed it across the pad.  To make sure my mat would match - I just inked the edge of the same type of paper.  It is mounted on more watercolor paper and then a cardbase.  The sentiment is (I think) a dollar stamp I got from Michael's - it is on a wood block.  The sentiment is pop dotted.  I decided it needed just a little sparkle - and rubbed Stickles across the butterflies.  You can see that in the close up photo.

Have a wonderful day - I hope you get to be creative also.

Eat Cake Graphics and Stamp Techniques

A very simple card tonight.  The card was made with with this stamp from Eat Cake Graphics -
7005-I Coneflowers.  I always have coneflowers in my flower garden in the summer.  They are usually pink though - can you can see a card I made using this same stamp - colored with copics at this link.

A few months ago I took an online class from Jennifer McGuire and it was such great fun - I got to get all inky.  One of the things we learned to do was to stamp on canvas - I embossed with white embossing powder on the cream colored canvas.  I then colored the image with Tim Holtz distress inks and Pearl Ex spray mist.  You can pick up a little of the shine.  The card is very simple - I just wanted to highlight the stamped image on the canvas.

This canvas was sticky back canvas that comes in the ATC size.  You can also use regular canvas you buy in the fabric store - very inexpensive - lots of fun in a small piece of fabric - most canvas is 60 inches wide. 

Well I am taking another online class - this one is one using your die cuts and Silhouette Cameo - lots of fun - I haven't done much. 

Everyone have a wonderful evening.

Sympathy Cards

I believe sympathy cards are so hard to make and many cardmakers always buy them - but I can't bring myself to do that.  This card is for a co worker from the office.  Our co worker has lost her Mom and her sister in the last month.  I hope that this brings some comfort to her.

Finding a good verse to put inside the card is difficult.  I always search the internet and find one that works.  Inside it  reads - Although it's difficult today to see beyond the sorrow, May looking back in memory help comfort you tomorrow. 

I used my new Basic Grey 6 x 6 pad - Plumeria.  I cut out the floral spray and banner from a page of the pad and them mimiced the design in my sentiment which is a sticker from SRM Stickers.  The pearls are from my supplies.  The floral spray and banner are pop dotted and the other flowers cut from another sheet of paper were slid under the spray. 

Have a good day.

SRM Sticker, CAS-ual Friday and Hero Arts

Can you believe this card took since Saturday to complete?  I stamped the flowers on coffee filters and embossed with white embossing powder.  I then painted the flowers with Twinkling H2O's.  Tried to layer some colors.  The three flowers are actually the same shades but photography is not my greatest skill.  After the flowers had dried, I cut them all out.  I had planned to layer the flowers together but it just did not work so we have 3 individual flowrs.

The card did start out as the challenge from CAS-ual Friday which is a sketch this week.  Honest it did start out as the sketch but the card looked naked so I added the strip of houndstooth paper to pick up the houndstooth in the embossed background (one of my new folders I bought last week).  The sentiment is a sticker from SRM Stickers - love those stickers.  The black centers are from Pebbles.  I created my own background paper by just painting the edge of more watercolor paper in the same color as the flowers. 

I hope the sketch gods forgive me for my creative detour.  Have a wonderful evening. 

Oldie Moldie Monday

Oldie Moldie Monday - time to show some love to some old paper, old supplies.  I found this grouping of American Crafts paper - solids on one side and prints on the other side.  I just worked with mostly the solids and did some embossing - both dry and ink.  I used the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches - just getting in under the wire.  All three cards are for my box for Operation Write Home - the box will go postal this week - 70 cards and the majority are one of a kind. 

Have a wonderful Monday. 

Simple Stories and Operation Write Home

My goodness - a different look on blogger today - I did not blog one day - oh boy - hopefully it all works so I can post.

I like to start my Sunday morning off with doing the Operation Write Home - Stars and Stamps sketch - gets the creative mojo flowing (mojo is a better work than juice). 

The paper is from Simple Stories - the stamp is from Unity Stamps and I cut the scallops with my Silhouette.

Well I need to get groceries and mow my lawn today.  I do hope the lawn mower starts - first time each year it is a prayer.  Enjoy your day and I hope you get to be creative also.

Happy Day and Monkeys

Isn't this the saddest looking monkey carrying his upside down box.  I believe adding the "Happy Day" sentiment is what makes you smile since Mr. Monkey is so morose.  I feel that way somedays.  This card is going into my Operation Write Home Box.  I know it will make someone smile.

The paper is by Crate Paper.  The stamps are by another local stamp company.  It is Crackerbox Palace in Janesville.  I added some May Arts twine.

Lawn Fawn was part of the Operation Write Home Blog Hop last week sharing humor - and I am sharing this card on their post.  Thanks for stopping by - hey it is Friday - I do not look like Mr. Monkey today.

Warm Winter Wishes - no - Warm Spring Wishes

Close up of snoflake embellishment



Good morning - my first personal Christmas card for 2012.  I made this card for the Merry Monday sketch challenge. 

I am taking an Online Class about using your diecuts and Silhouette Machine.  The classes have been fun - the first lesson -part of it - was making your own embellishments using diecuts.  I posted a closeup of the snowflake one I made.  This is from a Spellbinders die cutting set. 

The paper is from Collage Press.  The penguin is from Whipper Snapper Stamps - a Wisconsin stamp company.  The sentiment is from Fiskars - another Wisconsin company.  The ribbon is from May Art - I just added a touch of red to the pink/blue card.  I even used some Stickles on the snowflake - when you make cards for Operation Write Home - the glitter goes away.

Enjoy your day.  

Wacky Wednesday

it is wacky because I had posted this last night to go alive at 6:00 a.m. - it said it was a draft this morning - oh well - try again.  And I apologize if there are lots of typing erros on here - I had my eyese tested today so not seeing very clearly.  Now the fun of picking out a new frame that you want to live with for several years.  Thank goodness for the tax refund.

My card today is based on the sketch at Retro Sketches.  I had bought this gift tag (package of 12) for 30 cents at Michael's - if you check Monday's post - there is a similar but different gift tag there.  I just used cardstock for my colors and layers.  The stamp is by Unity and I just cut out the hello.  this is either going in my Operation Write Home Box or I will send it to my Mom.  She likes to get mail.

Well I am off to do my dishes and anything where I don't have to see real well.  I don't think I will making any cards tonight.  I am taking a class from Jennifer McGuire right now - so I can kinda watch the video and get somewhat of an idea of what she is doing.

Come back tomorrow to see my first personal Christmas card for this year. 

Clean and Simple Stamping, Creative Corner and Operation Write Home

This is another card for my next Operation Write Home - the emphasis for this box is masculine cards for sending home for Father's Day.  I tend to not make cards that are specific "mother's day" or "father's day" - I know that this could be used for Father's Day or for any other occasion.  This card is a combination of 3 stamps.  The golf balls came from three different stamps.  They were all cut out  and pop dotted on the card.  The background is my argyle cuddlebug folder - and then a touch of argyle patterned paper.  I was so pleased with the card - I made a second one and sent it to a friend so she could send to her father - I know he likes golf.

The card is being entered into three different challenges:

Sketch at Clean and Simple Stamping
Creative Corner - Boys and Their Toys
Operation Write Home Stars and Stamps Blog - Midweek Challenge - Dad

Have a wonderful day.

Oldie Moldie Monday

Today - the day to show some love for some "oldie moldie paper and supplies".  The post today is mostly "oldie moldie".  The blue plaid is not old but I needed a background for this particular grouping of paper.  All the paper in the pad were not good background papers for the cards or paper I wanted to highlight. 

This grouping is called Kazoo Kids from K&Company.  I had the paper, stickers and rub ons.  I was able to use the rub ons - sometimes they do dry up or do not rub on but luckily these still worked with lots of hard rubbing.  The stitches were rub ons - I love the little extra they add to the card.  The sentiment on the second card is also a rub on. 

These cards will go into my next box for Operation Write Home - I can see some little boy gettng the top two cards from their Daddy and a wife or sweetheart getting the last card with the flower. 

Thanks for stopping by today and try to use up some of those old supplies.

Cosmo Cricket, Card Positioning System, humor and Operation Write Home

Second post on a Sunday - I wanted to do some posting of a humor card I made after being inspired by the "Make Em Laugh" bloghop on Operation Write Home's card blog Stars and Stamps.  Did you go and follow along on the hop with all the different companies - it was such fun - I had a good giggle at each hop along the way.  Many of the companies were offering a chance to win something by posting a humorous card.  I based my card on the sketch at Card Positioning System - I love layers. 

I did change the oval to a circle - I knew I wanted to use this funny image - every time I use this stamp - I smile - looks like a bad hair day to me - or you could have been scared straight - or that is your style. 

The paper is from the 6 x 6 pad from Cosmo Cricket - Tea for Two.  It has such pretty colors and prints in the grouping.  6 x 6 pads are great because the designs are smaller and work so well on cards.  The sentiment was computer generated.  The stamp is from a designer in Wisconsin - Chris - who coordinates the Stamp show held in Madison in November.

I will be posting my cards to Graphics 45 facebook page; Market Street Stamps; and Lawn Fawn.

I hope you will join us in making cards for our Heroes.  How wonderful it is to share you hobby with people and just think, what a legitimate excuse to buy new supplies (insert really big smile here).

Happy Hello

Can you believe this is my take on the weekly sketch at the Operation Write Home card blog Stars and Stamps.  I guess I could not make up my mind. 


I made the first card with the greys and pinks (very old collection from Stampin Up) and did not know if I was really too excited about it.  The second card is entirely different - I used a square which is a recycled gift card, the orange behind it is the envelope and cardstock.  I embossed the cardstock and then I felt I needed a contrast between the upper and lower level colors of cardstock.  The sentiment on the bottom card is from Unity Stamps.  The thank you image is a digital by our own Paula.

I am also entering this in the Art Impressions challenge - "thinking of you" challenge - I believe a Happy Hello - should qualify as a thinking of you card. 

What do you think?

A Little Humor to Help You Through Your Day

If you want to add a little humor to your day - head over to the Operation Write Home card blog - Stars and Stamps - we have a great little hop going on over there with lots of fun companies.  I imagine you will be giggling from all the cards shared and want to go do a little shopping. 

My funny card is made using an Eat Cake Graphics Stamp 5024-F Feathers MacGee (chicken),  I had a happy accident making this card.  I stamped Feathers MacGee on a grid paper and it looks like he is caught up in chicken wire.  Trying to escape to just chick in on you.  The banners were cut with my Silhouette and trimmed down for the front of the card.  The sentiment was computer generated.  The paper is from a new 6 x 6 pad from My Mind's Eye - Follow Your Heart.  Great colors.

Head over to Stars and Stamps (link above) and be prepared to giggle.

Happy Holidays/Merry Monday

I got a chance to make a card for the Merry Monday challenge - It will be going in my Operation Write Home box when it comes time to send Christmas cards - which really is not that far away - right now we are working on Father's Day cards.  This card could qualify for Oldie Moldie Monday - it uses paper from a 6 x 6 pad for Kaiser Scrapbooking.  The Santa was on the corner of one of the pieces of paper.  The Happy Holidays stamp is another $1 stamp I have - you can not beat the price for the use you will get out of such a versatile stamp.

Enjoy your Friday - I am attending a workshop at work today so that will be a nice break from the normal work day.

Sending You Love

Once again trying to get a card posted for the sketch on Retro Sketches - just making it by the hair on my chinny chinny chin. 



I love pink and brown together and have a collection of these colors - I should really purge that drawer tonight - I have a chance to donate some supplies and the last day is tomorrow - so I need to collect some more supplies to get rid of.

This card will be for Operation Write Home - it is a 4.25 square - 4.25 x 5.5 is the desired size but this will fit in that size envelope so it will work.  It is nice to do something different once in awhile.  The stamp is a $1 stamp from Michael's stamped with Memento Ink.  The sentiment is from Hero Arts and an American Crafts brad finishes off the empty corner.

Well off to design another thank you card and get six kits made so my friend and I can assemble tomorrow night.

Hello Deer

Another masculine card for Operation Write Home.  This is the sketch for this week on Stars and Stamps - OWH card blog -  and it also is for the OBDB challenge for the month of April to use an animal.  OBDB will pay to ship a box of cards overseas for every 25 cards posted up to a max of two boxes.  What a wonderful contribution to help our heroes keep in contact with their family and friends. 

Hump day - enjoy your day.  Dinner with a friend tonight.

Oldie Moldie Monday

Monday - the day you go back to work to rest up from the week end.  Luckily I had made my oldie moldie Monday cards before I left for the week end. 

I used a new stamp I got from Unity Stamps - thought it would make some great masculine cards for Operation Write Home.  Masculine cards are always in demand.  I believe the sentiment stamp is from Michael's $1 bin - I have gotten lots of mileage from this stamp. 

The stripes and plaid fabric are from some very old collections.  I was trying to clean out my paper and donate to something on campus - and I had to make some more cards from the paper.  Gee whiz - why can't I send it to a new home.  I do like how the cards turned out - the fabric for the shirts are so cute.  The cards are for Operation Write Home. 

Everyone enjoy your Monday. 

Hoppy Easter

I hope the Easter Bunny is good to all of you.

Hero Arts, Thinking of You and Operation Write Home

The midweek challenge at Stars and Stamps, Operation Write Home's card blog, is to make thinking of you cards.  I had this card in my head - I have made a smiliar one using a leaf stamp and greens and browns. 

The base is watercolor paper, a layer of cardstock, and another layer of watercolor paper.  I stamped the Friends definition (Hero Arts) in grey Memento ink and then the flower (a very old old Hero Arts) flower in different shades of blue/green ink.  The sentiment on each card is another Hero Arts stamp.  I overstamped the friend definition over the sentiment.  Everything has a little inking on it in the lightest shade of blue/green.

There is a new challenge blog - A Blog Named Hero - which focuses on Hero Arts Stamp - the challenge this week is to use your favorites - the background stamp "friend definition" is a favorite of mine.  It can be used as a background on almost any card you make. 

The challenge on the Pink Elephant is to make a Clean and Simple Card.  I think they both qualify.  I have six more of the second card ready to be assembled for Operation Write Home.

Moxie Fab Challenge and Retro Sketches

day off from work - unfortunately I did not get as much done as I wanted so I guess I had better stay up all night and be very busy.  Yeah right - I will go put in a load of laundry as soon as I do this post - of course - on a day off you needed to play with paper.  Come back tomorrow for the other playing I did today - quite happy with that also. 

One job I did do today is tear apart some things so I had all this scrap bright colored paper in my scrap bin.  Yeah for me because Moxie Fab has a challenge to use your scraps - I was luckly I had a big piece of the yellow.  I embossed the bright colors except for the two pieces which were stamped.  I kinda wish I had embossed the very bottom of the pink also. 

The design of the card is based on the sketch from Retro Sketches - luckily I had all those bright colored scraps that worked for the sketch.  I made the card for Operation Write Home so I know it will be much appreciated. 



The bird stamp is Inkadinkado and the sentiment is a favorite Hero Arts Stamp.

I love long week ends.  



Aloha

A quick card for a friend who visited recently from - guess where - Hawaii - I do hope she is not peeking at my blog right now.  She brought me this cute little stamp.  I was making some Easter cards and was using some papers from this paper pad - and there was a surf board on this paper - so the idea was born to make this card.  It is 3" x 5" - something a little different.  I know she will like it. 

More Easter Cards

Another Easter  card to share - I made three of this design.  It could have qualified for an oldie moldie Monday card also.  The paper is from a pad of paper by GCD Studio - Melody Ross collection.  There is some glitter paper in this pad - glitter everywhere - I will need to clean my design area very well before I start on any more Operation Write Homes.  No glitter on those cards - puts our heroes in danger. 

I fussy cut out the flowers and bird from one sheet of paper and the red stripe comes from the same sheet of paper.  I just used all kinds of different patterned papers on the card.  The flowers and bunny are pop dotted to add dimension.  I don't know who makes the bunny stamp - he floats around my studio.

I am entering the card in the "Simon Says Stamp flower challenge" on Lily Pad blog. 

Have a good Tuesday.

Oldie Moldie Monday - Echo Park and Penny Black

It is Monday time to show some love to some of that oldier paper and supplies.  I don't know if this paper is that old - but I love the colors.  I have had the Penny Black stickers for quite awhile.  The teal paper is not old - I am loving this purchase from Tuesday Morning - great background paper for cards - so much of the patterned paper now days has tealish colors in it. 

The first card is based on the sketch at Cardabilities.  My card is very simple because it is for our heros.  All three cards are for Operation Write Home - I am trying to make my next box have masculine, regular and children cards in them.  I know these will make some heros kids smile all over their body when they get it in the mail from a parent.  The midweek throwdown at Stars and Stamps - Operation Write Home's card blog - is cute characters.  I believe these hedgehogs are so cute.  The brads are older than dirt also.  I added some sentiment stickers from SRM Stickers to complete the card. 

Everyone enjoy your Monday. 

Eat Cake Graphics Easter cards and Brads

No joke - two posts in one day - I was waiting for the sun to come out so I could take pictures outside. 

Today our challenge was to make a card with an Eat Cake Graphics rubber stamp and to use a brad on your card.  I actually have two cards to share - I don't think I have posted the bottom card yet. 

The first card uses 5036-K Mr. Bun in his speedy basket.  I thought the pole added the best place to add the sentiment I wanted to use on the card.  It looks like it is a flag flying behind his speedy basket.  I cut the sentiment out and colored it with Copics to match the colors of the paper.  The little spots of exhaust are actually little dots of paper colored with Copics to matchthe flag and then I added some Stickles on top.  Do you know why I added those little dots - somehow I got some spots on my image and did not want to stamp and color another image.  I like how it turned out.  Brads were placed in the other three corners.

The second card uses 5050-F Flopsy bunny's got an egg.  I paper pieced the egg Flopsy was holding to match the paper used on the card.  Wasn't that a perfect piece of paper to use on an Easter card.  I love the corduroy brad which picks up the blue in the patterned paper.

There is a challenge on Catered Crops to use BRADS.  Pop over there and play.

I hope the remainder of your day is good.  Off to make a couple more Easter cards.

Simple Stories and Operation Write Home

It is Sunday and Stars and Satmps - Operation Write Home's card blog - has their weekly sketch posted.  I try to hop to it right away on Sunday morning - so then I know I have one more card made for my next box.  The emphasis right now is on mascline cards - the colors are somewhat masculine - they are from the 6 x 6 pad from Simple Stories - Awesome.  Great colors - and I do wish I had a sheet or two of that blue houndstooth.  YUMMY.

As everyone knows - a sketch is a tool and sometimes we alter things a little - my image is not the same size as the rectangle given in the sketch but I like this sweet little image.  I know it will bring smiles to many faces.  Also - I had purchased card bases that are kraft colored and they are 4 x 5.5 - so my other sizes are altered some - and of course - I then matted each piece of paper with dark brown since they are busy prints.  The fearless leader of Operation Write Home - Sandy Allnock - uses this trick - and I have learned from her.

I am frantically working on my own Easter cards so I imagine there will be some other posts today also.  Enjoy your Sunday - now I need another cup of coffee.