HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, JOANNE & MARK

My friend, Joanne, and her husband are celebrating their anniversary today.  She loves teddy bears so I decided to use this card  for them.  It may be a very warm day today for them but hope they have something special planned to celebrate.

Thanks for stopping by!

BEAUTIFUL DESIGNER PAPER

 

A few days ago I posted a card using some of this same designer paper.  For this card I covered the entire front of the card with it.  There was a strip of it left and since it is double sided and coordinates with the floral piece, I decided not to waste it.  The embossed die cut piece was made using the Stampin' Up! die set and embosslit.  The embossed dots were emphasized with a white gel pen.  To get the sentiment placed where I wanted it, I used my stamp-a-ma-jig.

 

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MOTHER'S BIRTHDAY PARTY

My mother

 

 A great buffet we prepared

Gift from my brother's family 

The 2 youngest great grandchildren.  They decided the water fountain made a great "car wash" for the matchbox cars.

My family

This is a video of the great grandchildren singing to my mother.

HAPPY 90TH BIRTHDAY, MOM!!!!

I loved the pink card like this that I had made at an SU Workshop so I bought the die set, embossing folders and stamp set to make additional cards.  My mother has always looked so nice when she wears lavender so I decided to choose that color of card stock for the card.  We have a special birthday card to give her that tells about the year she was born, but my mother-in-law is sending this one to my mother.

Today is mother's birthday, but we celebrated yesterday.  Our entire family was together for the first time in many years.  It was a great celebration!

Thank you for stopping by!

A SON-IN-LAW'S BIRTHDAY CARD

One of our son-in-laws is celebrating his birthday this Saturday.  His birthday is the day before my mother's and we are celebrating my mother's 90th birthday this Saturday.......on Jason's birthday!!!!  So I guess we will be celebrating for both of them.

Making cards for guys is hard for me but I had this card done and decided to give it to him.  I hope he likes it.  He usually likes what is inside it even better.  LOL

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GOLD MEDALLION

The main piece of this card was given to me by my Canadian friend, Annie.  She had stamped the layers and sent them to me so I could color them the way I wanted.  I used a gold glitter pen to color the various areas and then added each layer with pop dots go give such nice dimension.  I cut a Spellbinders Label with white card stock and ran it through the Cuttlebug with an embossing folder.  The next larger size of label was cut with some gold shimmer paper.  The front of the card was embossed with the Cuttlebug D'Vine Swirls folder.

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PAPER PIECED TREATS

I posted a card a while back using this same stamped image but with different dp combinations for the paper piecing.  This time I chose some bright colored dp to give a completely different look.  I used the pink one for one of our granddaughter's birthday last Sunday.  Emma turned 11 and who doesn't like ice cream?

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MORE KITCHEN SINK STAMPS

This is another piece from my card parts box.  This time I placed a sentiment over the floral design and embossed a pretty scroll at the top of the card.

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KITCHEN SINK 3-STEP STAMPS

The flowered piece is another one I found in my card parts box. (The flower stamps are from Kitchen Sink Stamps).   It was mounted onto a piece of SU Brilliant Blue card stock.  I ran the front of the card through the Cuttlebug with one of the embossing folders and then added the matted flower layer to the card. 

The sentiment is from My Sentiments Exactly.  I stamped it with VersaFine Black Onyx ink and then cut it out and embossed it with the Spellbinders Classic Oval.  A Brilliant Blue layer was cut with the Spellbinders Classic Scalloped Oval and added to the card with pop dots.

I always read and appreciate comments so let me know what you think.   Thank  you for stopping by!

ALCOHOL INK BACKGROUND

The background of this piece was made using alcohol ink.  Then I stamped the Penny Black design on it with SU White ink.  The piece was in my card parts box so I matted it with white card stock.  The card base is SU Tempting Turquoise card stock and I ran it through the Cuttlebug with an embossing folder.

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"ARTIST'S CHOICE" SWAP CARD

Last week our group had a card swap where we could send anything of our choice.  This was a card that had been made completely from card pieces that I had in a plastic bag.  All of the pieces came from a discontinued Making Memories 6 x 6 paper pad.  It was basically a very simple layout but I had two small pieces of the solid orange and striped orange paper so decided to trim them as shown and tuck them in to the design as well.

I love using 6 x 6 paper pads because of the coordinating colors and patterns.  I still have full sheets from this pad that I need to use so eventually you may see something more made with these papers.  Too many things to use and so little time.

Your comments are always appreciated so let me know what you think.  Thank you for stopping by!

A BIRTHDAY AND AN ANNIVERSARY

Today I am going to give you two cards because there are two special occasions to honor....

 

 

Our oldest granddaughter is turning 14 today!  It can't be true!!!!  She is studying for her driver's permit.  I pray she realizes what a responsibility she will be given once she is allowed to be behind the wheel of a vehicle.  Grandpa and Grandma will have a new worry.

 

A few days ago I posted a picture of the Flip Flop pieces we made for Allissa to use as invitations.  Well, I decided to carry through with that idea and made one to use as our birthday card for her so I won't post that one.  However, my mother-in-law had requested one of my cards for Allissa.  The card base was run through the Cuttlebug with a Happy Birthday embossing folder.  I stamped the image and colored the image with Copic markers using yellow and orange.  I chose those colors because the little ribbon tabs were left over from the invitations we made.  I think she'll recognize the ribbon used on the card.

 

 

This second card is for one of my friends from the Yahoo Group of ladies who get together every June.  Ron and Kris are celebrating their 44th Anniversary today and I wanted to be sure to wish them many more.  The paper on this card is some I bought in Des Moines this past June.  I wish I had bought more.  

I cut a piece 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inches to cover the front of the card.  The paper is double sided so I used the striped side to add a strip down the middle.  I had also picked out a solid color of card stock which picked up the color in the flowers.  I used a little SU embosser to make the pretty oval shape and then cut it out using an SU die.  I added white dots to the embossed dots using my gel pen.  

 

The SU oval punch is just the right size to punch a shape to fit into the embossed  oval.  I had thought about using a white piece of card stock and then stamping a design on it.  Then I discovered that the oval punch was able to pick up just the right amount of the flower design.  I made three other cards using this paper but each one is different.  This one is my favorite.

Thank you for stopping by today.  Hope you come back again soon. 

BIRTHDAY CARD PIECE

Another quick card because I found this matted item in my card pieces.  I simply added it to the card base which had been run through the Cuttlebug using a Cuttlebug border embossing folder.  The flower is from Penny Black and the vertical Birthday sentiment is from Paper Inspirations.

Thank you for stopping by!  Your comments are always appreciated!

ALCOHOL INK CARD PIECE

This card piece that I found in my stash had been made using alcohol inks on glossy paper.  After it was dry, I used SU White ink and stamped the Penny Black design onto it.  Then it was added to my card pieces for future use. 

Well it was time to clear out some of those pieces so I mounted it onto white card stock and trimmed.  The ink I had used matched very well to the SU Tempting Turquoise card stock.  I ran the front of the card through the Cuttlebug with the embossing folder and then added the matted design.

Comments are always appreciated so please feel free to tell me what you think.  Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by!

2 MORE CARD PIECES USED

This was a very quick and easy card to make since the image had been stamped and the punched edge had already been added.  I simply matted the image on a piece of SU Garden Green card stock and then added it to the front of the card base.  The sentiment was stamped with the matching Garden Green ink.

The picture doesn't show this real well due to the lightening, but for this one I did run the front of the card through the Cuttlebug with an embossing folder.  I think if you double click on the picture you might be able to see it better.

I think the second card will be left blank inside so that a personal message can be added when I decide how I will use it.  Thanks for stopping by!

BOLD STATEMENT

Over the last few days I have been pulling a number of things from my card parts box.  I had colored this image months ago.  It is such a cute flower design and so easy to color with my Copic markers.  Choosing the card stock was easy.  I used the SU Real Red and SU Yo Yo Yellow for the mats and then attached the piece to a card base made of the SU Real Red.  For this card I didn't run the card base through the Cuttlebug with any embossing folder.  I decided it made a nice statement just as it was.

I'll be posting more cards that I have made recently using pieces from my card parts.  Wish I could say it made a dent in the supply, but it hasn't.

Thanks for stopping by today!  Hope you are having a great day.......come back soon!

JUST FOR FUN

(Pull the video up full screen to really get a good look.....and hopefully a little laugh.)

When our last dog, Okie, died, my husband said "no more dogs".  He had a point.  He would be retiring soon at that point and we usually take a couple of lengthy trips each year as well as some shorter 2-3 day get aways.  As a compromise he set up a "T" shaped pole outside our living room window and I have three different types of bird feeders there.  I have been getting Cardinals, Blue Jays, Morning Doves, finally some regular Goldfinch and a variety of other birds.  But I also have 3 bunnies and 3 squirrels who come and help clean up the ground.  

The squirrels also like to climb the pole and hang upside down from the basket of sunflower seeds and hop into the bird bath for a drink during their "snack" time. We also have had one of those feeders on a pole with the corn on a cob for the squirrels.  They were going through the corn so fast  my husband made the "spinning" item above.  He saw the idea in a magazine and it has been so much fun watching the squirrels try to balance and then go spinning around.  But they have learned to hang on all the while eating their fill.  

I thought you might get a little chuckle out of what we get to see several times a day.  Thanks for stopping by!

MATCHSTICK MARVELS

Monday my husband and I took a little car trip to a town - Gladbrook, Iowa.  The population is only about 1000 but it has a resident there who is quite the artist with match sticks.  We were in awe of all the things he has made.  The pictures below are items in a facility there called "Matchstick Marvels".  Each of the exhibits tells when it was built and how many match sticks were used.  They also have a short video there where it is explained how he got started and how he shapes the match sticks.

Some of his works are in Denmark and India.  Ripley's Believe It or Not has actually purchased a number of his projects and he is now working to make things for them.

Covered Wagon

Replica of "The Iowa"

Terrace Hill - The Governor's Mansion in Des Moines, IA

Apache Helicopter

Capital Building in Washington D.C.

Close up of detail on Capital Building

Space Ship Challenger

Project was done in memory of those who died on the Challenger

Notre Dame

If you ever have the chance to go see these pieces, it is certainly worth a stop.  Or if you visit a Ripley's Believe it or Not, you may have a chance to see some of his works there.

Thank you for stopping by!

BABY WIPE TECHNIQUE

A few weeks ago I took part in a card swap where we were to try the "Baby Wipe" technique.  This involved putting several drops of coordinating colors onto a baby wipe, pressing our stamp into the inks and then stamping it onto card stock.  I think it makes a fun presentation.  I did several of them and I still had this piece left over so I pulled it from my card pieces.  It was cut out using a Spellbinders Classic Oval die and then attached to a SU Melon Mambo piece which had been cut using the Spellbinders Scalloped Oval die. 

The card base was one I found in my card pieces and thought it made a nice background for the design.  This was a quick and easy card to make.   If you are interested in trying the Baby Wipe Technique, you can find videos on YouTube that will show how to do it.  Very easy and fun!

Thank you for stopping by!  Your comments are always welcome.

2ND CARD FOR GRANDDAUGHTER

Today is our granddaughter Taryn's birthday.  We will be celebrating her 5th birthday on Sunday.  Of course my Mother-in-law also wanted a card for our granddaughter so I made this one using SU Wild Wasabi card stock for the card base.  I then cut a strip of SU YoYo Yellow card stock just over the area that had been embossed with a Cuttlebug border folder.

The stickers are from Mrs. Grossman and I have had them in my "stash" for more than a couple of years.  I remembered a card we had made at the CHA Mrs. Grossman booth a few years ago and did a version of it.  The three thin stripes are also Mrs. Grossman stickers which finshed off the front of the card just right.

Your comments are always appreciated.  Thank you for stopping by!

CARD FOR GRANDDAUGHTER

Our youngest granddaughter will be 5 tomorrow.  The grandchildren are growing up so fast.  My mother will be giving Taryn this card for her birthday when we go to a birthday party for her on Sunday.

The background paper is from a 6 x 6 paper pad but sorry I don't remember which one........it was just loose on my craft table.  The MFT stamp for the little girl and the sentiment were stamped onto white card stock and then the little girl again on the two printed papers that I used for paper piecing the dress and balloon.  After I trimmed the white layer, it needed something more so I used a green Copic Marker to add a little grass around her feet and then sponged in some blue sky and some added green grass.

Questions and comments are always welcome.  Thank you for stopping by!

MOTHER ROBIN

I bought this stamp in Branson, MO, and I really liked the way they had done the sample of it.  I had taken a picture of it and tried to use it as a guide.  The image was colored with Copic markes.  Then I took my Quickie Glue Pen and added some glue to various parts of the design.  Clear Glitter was then added to the image where glue had been applied.  The three pearls were colored with the Copoic marker to match the card stock.

There isn't a lot I can do to change the coloring but I may try doing it again and softening the color just a little.  What do you think? 

Thanks for stopping by!

TWO CARDINALS

We have bird feeders outside our living room bow window and have been collecting quite a little "zoo".  We have three squirrels, three bunnies, Cardinals, Blue Jays, Gold Finch (finally) along with several other types of birds that come now and then.  Naturally the colorful birds are my favorite. 

I saw this stamp at Archivers in Des Moines this past June and decided it would be a simple design to work onto a card.  I stamped the design using Memento Tuxedo Black ink and then simply added a little red to the two birds with a Copic marker.

The layers were made using SU Black and SU Real Red card stock.  To the right you can see a second card I made at the same time with a different look to it. For this second one I just added an embossed border at the bottom of the card using a Cuttlebug border folder.  Lately when I make a card, I try to make two of the same thing to be a little more efficient with my time.  It helps to build a supply of cards for those last minute requests I sometimes get.

Your comments are always appreciated!  Thank you so much for stopping by!

FALL WREATH

A couple of days ago I posted the picture of two cards that were made with another stamp from the Flourishes set.  After this one was colored I realized that it would go great on some Lasting Impressions card stock that I still have.  (In fact I have a large "stock" of various colors that I would like to sell.)

I don't know that this card needs much further explanation but if you have any questions, please let me know.

Thank you for stopping by!

PRECIOUS MOMENTS SWEETIE

A few years ago when I was actively collecting a few Precious Moments figurines, I discovered Precious Moments rubber stamps.  I went a little crazy and have a Rubbermade tub full of them.  And the sad part is that I have not used them as much as I should.

Recently when I was going through my card parts stash I found this little image all colored and ready to use.  I thought this image was perfect for a get well card.   I am guessing that this was colored with Copic markers.  Stickles glitter was added to the rain drops to make them sparkle.

I added the colored image to a piece of Lasting Impressions Raspberry Solid paper and then adhered that to the card base which is Lasting Impressions Raspberry Dots card stock.  I colored a couple of pearls with a Copic marker to match the colors and adhered them to the sentiment tag.

I love reading your comments so let me know what you think.  Thank you for stopping by!

FLOURISHES STAMPS

These two cards were made using a set of wreaths from Flourishes.  There are four different wreaths in the set.  The stamped designs were colored with Copic markers and then cut with Spellbinders Classic Circles and mounted onto two additional slightly larger circles cut with the same set of dies.  Those three layers were then added to a Spellbinders Lacey Circle die cut and attached to the fronts of the cards which had been run through the Cuttlebug with an embossing folder.

Your comments and questions are always welcome.  Thank you for stopping by!



CARD FOR THE GUYS

One of our son-in-laws will celebrate his birthday later this month.  After I stamped this image I thought of him and will probably use this card for him.

I stamped the image with the Memento Rich Cocoa ink and then colored the image with my Copic markers.  The image layer was trimmed and adhered to a card base which was made with the Lasting Impressions Terra Cotta Dots paper.

I love reading your comments.  Thank you so much for stopping by!

NORTHWOODS STAMP

The last two days have been really busy with family obligations so I decided to delay posting anything until I had more time.

In June I saw a card sample made up using this stamp in the Branson stamp store.  The sample was quite a bit more colorful and "flashy" but I decided to just color it using soft colors other than the two butterflies.  I used Copic markers for the colors.  I think I used SU Mellow Moss card stock for the layer and then mounted it on to the card base which is SU So Saffron.  I really like this stamp!

Your comments are always appreciated.  Thanks for stopping by!