Greeting from Wisconsin - Contents Still Frozen

Last week I shared this card.

I assembled four more of the same card this week end.  I had one colored image left and not enough of my patterned paper to make this card so I improvised.  I flipped the card base and let the image hang off the bottom of the card.  Luckily the paper was double sided so I could use two small pieces side by side to do the front of the card.  Dug out some ribbon.  This time I stamped my sentiment with black ink and then put clear embossing powder over the top - it makes the sentiment pop.

Both stamps are from Wisconsin stamp companies.  The sentiment is from Crackerbox Palace in Janesville and the rodent is from Whipper Snapper Designs in Brookfield.

I am entering this card in the weekly Wednesday challenge on Simon Says Stamp.  The challenge is Anything Goes.

Well I am glad this week is half over with.  I have started some mixed media projects and still need to make some more valentine cards.  So do you also spend more time on Pinterest than you do creating.  I have been looking at tags and ATC's.  Lots of creations to drool over.

Enjoy your evening.

Oldie Moldie Monday

Monday - time to show some love to your old supplies.  I am continuing my posts on Monday with valentine cards using the same pad of paper.  This is my third card using this pad of paper.  The paper is from Michael's Recollection line.

I cut the base of my step card with my Silhouette.  It sure makes constructing this type of card very easy.  I recycled my card stock from commencement programs.

The image is from Lil' Inker Designs.  I stamped with black and clear embossed the image.  It really makes the image pop.  I colored it with Gelatos.  The sentiment is from SRM Stickers.  Added some ribbon and enamel dots and I have another valentine card made.

I even finished the inside with another sticker from SRM Stickers.

I am going to enter this into Addicted to Stamps Holiday challenge.

Everyone enjoy your Monday and try to show some love for your old supplies.

Season's Greetings

My second Christmas card of the year.  I think I did stamp it last year but never made it into a card.

The background was made with acrylic paints or distress paints.  Don't remember exactly I made it so long ago.  I just knew I did not want to throw it in a heap.  I needed to use it.

I embossed the image with white embossing powder.  It is matted with a teal/blue card stock.  The sentiment is a sticker from SRM Stickers on vellum wrapped around the card.  The matted image was pop dotted on the card base.  Some enamel dots were added for interest.

I am entering this in the challenge at Addicted to Stamps for their Holiday challenge.

Happy Sunday.

The Dog Ate My Birthday Card

This was the birthday card I made for my daughter.  She never got to see it; she brought it from the mailbox and laid it on the table and Axl (the dog) ate it.  Axl loves paper.  He even ate the dog shaming book.

The stamp is by Whipper Snapper Designs.  It was colored with distress paints and Gelatos.

It was a very nice card.  He also ate her Christmas Santa canvas.  Good thing I love that darn dog.

Getting Caught Up on Cards

Well I did not get all my Christmas cards sent out this year so I am sending some winter cards and then some valentine cards.  Here is the winter card I am sending to friends in warmer clients.  Three have been mailed and I have 5 more images colored.

I colored the Whipper Snapper stamp with distress inks.  The sentiment is from Crackerbox Palace in Janesville, WI.  Normally I stamp it on envelopes but I thought it would make a cute sentiment with my handsome friend.  The image hangs over the top of the card.  I have made several of this design this year and really like it.  It still fits in an A2 envelope.

I am going to enter the card in the Monday Simon Says Stamp challenge which is winter stamping.  Stamping in the winter, stamping a winter image - this qualifies for both.

Spent Monday off work so I worked in my crafting area.  I have found the floor and vacuumed it.  The tables now need to be cleaned.  Slowly but surely.  I should have done some cleaning upstairs also.  Oh well, there will be another day.

Enjoy your Tuesday.  I know this 4 day week will seem like 6 days.

Oldie Moldie Monday

Monday - time to show some love for your old supplies.  I don't think this paper is too old but I love the colors.  This is a Valentine Card for my mom - and her favorite color is pink.

We have four generations of women in my family with the middle name of Bea.  My Mom is the original Bea - she goes by Bea - but her real name is Molly Beatrice.

The stamp is from Lil' Inkers.  I stamped it with black ink and then quickly clear embossed it.  Love to do that so you have a little edge to contain your watercoloring.  The bee is colored with Gelatos.  I added a little sparkle with a Stardust Pen.  If I ever find my Glossy Accents, I will put them on the little bow and heart.  Hmmmm - maybe I need to color that nose.

Remember to dig out your old supplies and show them some love - remember they still make great cards.

Happy Monday - no work today.  Color me happy.

Back in the Blog Saddle Again

I have been horribly lazy at posting on my blog.  I have made several cards but never posted them.  They will get posted in the upcoming days.

Today I am sharing a card for several challenges.  I made the inked background awhile ago with a couple of my favorite distress inks.  I love the colors that I always come up with this ink combination.

I used a Hero Arts stamp I have had for ages (of course I had to have it) that I have never used before.  I stamped it with VersaMark and then used a white embossing powder for the sentiment.  I made a top folding card which I don't normally do.  It is sorta a short/fat card kinda like the designer.  I matted it with a blue/green cardstock.  I added some dyed seam binding for my ribbon.  When I put the ribbon across the top I did not like the look so I had this small strip of the inked background that I put on top of the ribbon.  I tied my bow and added it.  I also added some pearls in a dark teal.

I am entering this card in the challenge at The Paper Players which is to make the sentiment the focal point of the card an it needs to be clean and simple.  Hopefully I achieved the clean and simple.

I am also entering it in the Monday Simon Says Challenge which is a "inky background."

Well off to watch the Packer game and make my Oldie Moldie Monday card.  Valentine card in progress.

Monthly Faber-Castell Challenge

It is that time of the month when Mou posts her monthly challenge on the Faber-Castell blog.  Thc challenge this month is January: the first month of the year! A time of making new resolutions, fresh starts, starting again. It's the time of new beginnings. Your challenge this month is to create anything to celebrate new beginnings. 

This is a 5 x 7 canvas board.  It is a gift for a young lady in her 20's who has ventured forth to live her dream.  I know that she can do it but she sometimes battles her demons and they try to break her wonderful spirit.  One of the demons right now is also cancer.

The canvas represents being positive.  You have two choices - glass is half full or half empty - choose the positive one - choose the sunshine not the rain.  Although that monkey looks pretty happy in the rain.  Must be the snazzy little slicker and boots she is wearing.

Why a monkey - she loves monkeys.  Why a huge orange sun - aren't suns yellow - well orange is her favorite color.

I covered the canvas with gesso.  I just plopped some gesso on the board and then I took a paper towel and blobbed it around the canvas so I got some different texture - not the normal paint brush nothingness.  I then colored the gesso with gelatos.  I scribbled them on and then smeared them with my hands and some water.  The monkey was stamped on a gessoed piece of a book page and colored with different mediums.  He was glued to the canvas with gel medium.  The sun was a combination of different mediums to achieve the color I wanted.  I stamped the sentiment.  I added the little flowers last because I thought that added to the sunshine.  I used the Glass Bead Glitter Gel on the sun and also on parts of the monkey.  I added some texture with Whipped Spackle and a stencil.

I finished the canvas off with one of the Big Brush Pens around the edge (bright pink) and softening the edges with my fingers.

I know it will maker my friend smile and hopefully it will help her stay positive in this next big adventure called life.

Oldie Moldie Monday

Monday - time to show some love to your old supplies.  It is time to make some Valentine cards - this card with be for my Aunt.

This paper is not that old.  I believe I may have bought it last year.  It is the Michael's brand.  I love the colors in it.  The bird stamp - this may be the first card I have made with it.  It is from Hero Arts.  The sentiment is a sticker from SRM Stickers.  The ribbon was a small piece in the pink box but it was just the right amount to finish off the card.

Did you see that pretty felt hard?  A fellow card maker/crafter/jewelry maker/mixed media artist sent it to me in a RAK.  I thought - that heart would be the perfect embellishment for my card and it was.

Thanks for stopping by.  Remember to show some love for your old supplies.

Oldie Moldie Monday

It is never too early to start on your Holiday cards for next Christmas.  I had bought a new embossing folder and bought one for a friend also.  I thought I would send her a example of a card she could make with the embossing folder.  The oldie moldie part is the patterned paper.  I have had it for years and years.

The embossing folder is by Darice.  The sentiment is by Paper Smooches.  This would be an easy card to make a few of.  The little red dots are dots from the old fashioned paper punch.  Punch red paper, put on card with little glue dots and add some glitter.

I hope Mary likes this idea.  Remember to show some love for your old supplies.

Winter and Snow

We started the new year out with some snow.  I was thankful it was on the week end so my driving could be limited.  I had wanted to do some visits but that will wait for another day. My snow shoveling fairies came through last night but I should go out this morning and do it again.  More snow fell during the night.  Of course, one must make a snow card during this time.  I am getting caught up on cards I did not get sent during the holidays.

This stamp is from My Favorite Things.  It is such a sweet image.

I colored the image with distress paints and gelatos.  Embossed my white cardstock with a snowflake folder.

I am entering it into two challenges.  The first challenge is the Friday Mashup.  Winter theme and snowflakes.  I think I have both of those covered.

The second challenge is the weekly challenge from The Paper Players.   Their challenge is to make a card using a recycled or repurposed item.  The cardstock used in my card - the base and the embossed layer - are recycled cardstock from commencement programs.  It is a wonderful heavy cardstock and every year at the graduation ceremonies I can't stand to watch all those programs get thrown away.  I now have people who are so into my recycling of these programs, in May, we have two ceremonies - when I get to the 2nd ceremony to work, they will already have a cart full of the programs for me.  As I wait for the graduates to arrive, I pull out the insides and save the covers.  It has saved me so much money over the years.

Thanks for stopping by today.  I have enjoyed playing with my paper and having some well earned paper therapy.

Favorite "Non Card" Projects from 2014

A sweet little canvas for a little girl for her 4th birthday.

A graduation canvas for my granddaughter.

A tree canvas with dots representing leaves.

Leaves - another favorite item for fall creations.

Fall canvas using fabric.

A Christmas ornament.

And lastly - a Christmas canvas.  Lots of fun to use.  incorporated fabric in this canvas and recycled take out bags from Panera.

I hope you enjoyed seeing my favorite mixed media projects for 2014.

Looking forward to what I create with mixed media in 2015.

Favorites from 2014

It is always nice to go back and look through what you have created in the past year and pick out some favorites.

This is the last card I made for my son in law before he lost his battle with cancer.  I gave him this card in the hospital a couple days before he passed away and he thanked me for all the cards I made them and how they always made him smile.

A mixed media card I made.  Loved all the colors in this card.  I remember that the embossing paste white dots made me finally like the card.

I used a piece of paper I had been playing with mixed media on.  Loved how the card turned out.  Such warm colors.

I just love this card - it has so many different elements on it.  Tamela still has it up in her office.  More Mixed Media.

Playing with distress inks I believe.  Loved the colors.

Trees are a favorite design element for me and love how with just little dashes of color it looked like falling leaves.

I just love this card.  All kinds of different things on it.  I don't think I even sent it to anyone.

I love this stamp = loved the colors I used.  This card made me happy.

A favorite color combination.  Some mixed media.

I had to include on Christmas card in the favorites for the year.

As you can see, I have been dabbling in mixed media and many of my favorite cards reflect this new addition to my cards.

Mixed Media Mojo January Challenge

Happy New Year - 2015 - let's make it a good year.

For the January challenge on Mixed Media Mojo blog is New and the twist is the number 15.

I decided to make a New Year card.  I had not made a card for over a week so it was hard to get back into the swing of cardmaking.

I had the color blues and silver in my head from a top I saw on Robin Roberts on the Frozen special on Christmas Day.  This does not match the colors in her top but that is where the blue came from.

The blue paper was done with Twinkling H2O's.  I wet the watercolor paper and then added a color of blue and then swirled the other colors on top.  I cut the rectangle with a die that has the stitching lines.  Those little lines add so much to your rectangle.  I embossed the sentiment on another piece of paper.  I was going to use circles on my card but wanted something else so I found this circle stamp in my supply and embossed it twice on my card.  I added circles on top die cut from some of the colored paper I had made.  Some of the circles I colored with a tealish color and other circles I used a glass/glitter gel medium to add some sparkle to the card.  I embossed a strip of paper to bring more silver into the card.  I just swiped my Versamark on a piece of paper and then added embossing powder.  I then cut a strip of paper for my card.  The glittered martini glass is a gift tag.  Gift tags make great images for cards.

I hope you enjoy seeing my card.  Not overly mixed media - just a touch.  Now who should get this card.  Who would appreciate it?  That is the question for this card.