Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Merry Christmas!


Never a slow moment over the holidays until about 8pm tonight but I wanted to take the time to wish all of you a very merry and blessed Christmas holiday.

Take care all,

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

washi holiday

Many of you know I have discovered the wonders of washi tape. I am using it everywhere! Here are some holiday cards I made using my holiday washi tape. I lifted the idea  from someone's blog somewhere. I think they used strips of paper. This was so much easier. I was able to crank out about 30 of these reasonably quickly. The snow men- I just love them-mutt and jeff men are from Paper Smooches. The saying is from Paper Smooches too, the Joyful greetings set.
Here are 2 other cards I made using this blueprint.



Yesterday, my cards got mailed out and I went shopping with my niece,  so I am almost done! YEAH!!

Off to work on calendars for my staff, 10 peeps and 12 months- 120 pages of stamping!! YIKES!! I may have spoke to soon!!

Till I am done the calendars-


Monday, December 17, 2012

Peace on Earth



Sorry for not being a good blogger, between my new class, work and trying to make over a 100 holiday cards I haven't had time to blog. My class, work and cards are done till after Christmas so I have no more excuses. I will try to make up for lost time this week.

I saw a card somewhat similar to this and knew the tree die from Impression Obsession would be perfect. The peace is from the Papertreyink wondeful holiday words. I have used them over and over again this season. Click on the picture and you will see the trees are cut from glitter paper.

Here are 2 other versions of the same card.





I hope you are all able to relax and enjoy the holidays.

Peace,





Sunday, December 2, 2012

Winter Cabin

Here is another card using the deep scallop snow flake punch by Martha Stewart. As you can see I am really having fun. I wanted to use one of my last stamps I received from Memory Box before I stepped down as a designer. It is part of this year's holiday collection.  I also wanted to participate in a challenge I haven't done that for awhile. So out came Winter Cabin F1871. The challenge over at Less is More is to use red and green in a card. How appropriate for the first weekend in Advent.
I stamped the winter cabin with Distress Ink- festive berries. I think it is the best holiday red around. Pair it with the Distress ink- mowed lawn and you have a winning holiday combo. I added some crystal stickles to the edge of the roof and the tree line. it is perfect since when it dries with a bit of a red glimmer.

I had to try the card in another color to, so out came the blues.



It is more subtle. What do all of you think. The bold red and green or the soft blue?

I hope you are taking time to get started on your holiday projects and that I will inspire you over the next few weeks.


Saturday, December 1, 2012

It's the Holiday Season!!


Sorry, I have been such a bad blogger. It isn't as if I haven't been creating. I am on my holiday high, so I am stamping like crazy.  I think it is just I have been creating and not photographing or blogging. I will try to change that as I have a backlog of cards to share.

I went out on black Friday to all the craft stores for some the crafting sales. I got this Martha Stewart punch- 30% off and I just love it!! I have been using on all my cards. It adds that extra special something to the edge of a card. The snow dudes are from a older Paper Smooches set- Swanky Snow dudes. I love the short fat snow dude, he reminds me of me!

On a completely different note, I got a new job. (another reason why the last few weeks have been nutty) I won't be a manager- just a wee indian, so I am hoping to have a life again. After 23 years as an endoscopy nurse, I am moving into the OR as surgical nurse. I am so excited, it has always been a dream of mine to work in the OR and you are never too old to learn a new skill.

Come back for lots more holiday cards to inspire you.


Thursday, November 22, 2012

A season of giving


Happy Thanksgiving everyone. I hope you are able to spend the day with those you love and enjoy the bounty of the season.


Friday, November 9, 2012

Dreams of a Starry Night



I happen to come across this card in my photo files. It was a card I had created for Memory Box's Outside the Box blog but never got to post. I die cut the birch tree twice with white and grey paper to create the tree and the shadow. The stars are pierced with a pokey tool. I raised the panel with foam tape to allow the stars to shine through.

Happy Creating!




Sunday, November 4, 2012

Dreaming of Mittens


How many of you are like me and dream about cards and their creation? I dreamed this card last night. needless to say, I had to go right into my studio to make it, before I forgot the idea.

I thought about some nontraditional colors, but decided I really wanted to stick with the obvious. I love how the mittens dangle from holiday. 

I stamped the 6x6 background Nordic Stripes from Impression Obsession with distress ink, mown lawn. I die cut the holiday from the Wonderful Word set from Papertreyink. I stamped the mittens from StampinUp's make a mitten set with mown lawn and distress ink, festive berries. The stamp set has a matching punch to the mittens. The rest I think you crafty stampers can figure out. If you have any questions please let me know.

The holiday crafting season starts for real November 1, so I will be very busy over the next few months.

 

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Happy Halloween!



Wishing everyone a Happy Halloween from a cute kitty to a scarrrrrrrry kitty.


I hope your Halloween is all treats and no tricks!





Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Kick Start with the Holiday Card Workshop



With Hurricane Sandy finally leaving the area and having a surprise day off because of her, I have caught up on the new Online card class with Jennifer Maguire and Kristina Werner- Holiday Card Workshop. I love these classes and always learn something new. You can still sign up and enjoy these awesome classes. This card is inspired by the card Jennifer taught us on the first day.  It uses the new set from Paper Smooches called Reflections. In the new issue of Pare Crafts magazine- Holiday Cards and more, there were quite a few cards made with this set. While I have many branch, leaf stamps, I just loved the poinsettia type flower in the set.

I used three shades of distress inks- sun sugar, warm lipstick and festive berries. I added the circle trio in 
Hero Arts green hills and added a bit of glitter to them. The saying is Technique Tuesday's Jingle all the way by Ali Edwards . What a fun card and while I may not be able to mass produce it quite like Jennifer, it is still a doable card. Hey guess what else!!! ONE LAYER!!!

I hope everyone in Sandy's path is safe, secure and maybe able to enjoy a surprise day off like me.


Monday, October 29, 2012

Get your Kraft on!


Stormy weather is perfect for doing several things, cooking, reading, napping and of course krafting! I am using the K instead of the C craft, because that is the challenge theme this week over at CAS-ual Fridays and I just love working on kraft paper. So channeling my best Kristine Warner I made this card for the Krafty challenge.

I hope those in Sandy's path are safe, secure and enjoying some down time.


Sunday, October 28, 2012

Halloween Spooks



I have been so caught up in red snowflake Christmas cards, I almost forgot it is Halloween this week.
I always send cards out and since my grand nephew is quite the young man at 11,  I can't send out a cute card. It has to be scary. Enter Tim Holtz's freaky skeleton. I used Julia Stanton's card as an inspiration and I am entering it in the CASE study Challenge #114.  I took some liberties with the horizontal position, but hey isn't that the point. Her card is the jumping off point.

Now I have to showcase my grand niece's card as well. Of course hers is girly, cute and of course PINK! A pink Halloween card, who knew?!!?


The biggest trick we are getting this year, is Hurricane Sandy. It is expected to pummel us tomorrow and Tuesday. I have been to the grocery store, I have my matches, candles, flashlights and water. I guess I am ready as I will be.

It will be good to just hunker down and doing some creating!

If you too are in Sandy's path, be safe!



Monday, October 22, 2012

There's that red snowflake again....


I guess there reaches a point when you begin to beat a dead horse huh? You all probably are thinking that about this red snowflake background. I promise this will be the last card, at least for awhile, but I had to use the piece I cut from yesterdays card. Didn't I? I mean we crafters cannot throw anything away!

I made this card with a white background and just didn't like it and almost chucked the whole thing. Then I happen to notice the chevron background stamp in the front pile of my background stamps and thought hmmmmmm.....

The rest is history and just because I noticed that Just Add it has a chevron challenge, I decided to enter this. I hope they forgive me using that d*****mn red snowflake stamp again!!! Please forgive me guys!

So until next time, I hope you all aren't seeing red over my red.


Sunday, October 21, 2012

Red Christmas


Every year I find a color combo that I really like for my holiday cards. This year it is red and white. I especially like the idea of red snowflakes for some reason. I had to use my Impression Obsession snow flake background again and I had to do it in red again. 

I am submitting this card to the "Over the Edge" challenge at Cas-ual Friday.  An element needed to hang over the edge. Out came the PTI set- in the meadow with my sleigh running right off the edge.

I am also submitting it to the CASE study challenge, where an adorable card by Julia Stainton was the inspiration.

Stay with me for the next few months and see how many ways I can use this great background stamp!


Saturday, October 20, 2012

Meow- you're it!


It's getting closer, 11 days to Spookymis otherwise known as Halloween. So beware the bad elves, ghosts and black cats. 

This is  my last card in the tag you're it series with my friend Julie. So as many of you know, I had to make this card using Julie's last card sent to me as inspiration. Here is her card and  mine together. Can you see the inspiration? It is a great way to use up scraps and is based on this card by Sally Traidman of Hero Arts. 

Here is another version of the same card, more like the original while loved.


It's time to get your black and orange on and start scaring up some Spookymis cards!!




Sunday, October 14, 2012

Holiday Card Workshop Card with updates.




Yesterday my buddies and I traveled to York,  Pa. for the fall Heirloom Convention. We have never been to this particular location. Not sure we will go back, every year the conventions get smaller and smaller, I recognize fewer and fewer folks.

Impression Obsession didn't disappointment though. I waited in line for 25 minutes to check out and it was worth it. I am beginning to see the draw of the big 6x6 background stamps. This particular snowflake background drew my eye and I knew I was going to have to stamp it in red.

I added my new "merry die" from Papertreyink, a few snowflakes and some bling and waa laaa one of my first holiday cards made with all new things.

Over at Just Add Ink the challenge this week is using something new. Well this card is all new so I am submitting it.

Oct. 30, 2012 update. The Holiday card workshop at Online classes with Jennifer Maguire and Kristina Werner is going on right now. You can still sign up and the classes are always excellent with many new techniques to learn and ideas to kick start your creativity. Lisa Spangler used a HA background stamp to create her holiday cards and it reminded me of this card I made a few weeks ago and i wanted to share it with my fellow students.

Take care all and happy creating!

Friday, October 12, 2012

Ghoul Friends



Ya know sometimes the stars, the moon and the world all come into perfect alignment and it is a beautiful thing. That is how I feel about this card. I was answering the challenge over at One Layer Wednesday for one layer Halloween cards. I had this stamp of ghouls from Picture Show Stamps  and then I found the saying from Darcie's Stamps and I created the flames with my eclipse tape. 

Nothing more to say but one layer and I couldn't be happier.



Saturday, October 6, 2012

Happy World Card Making Day!


Today is World Card Making Day, so instead of blogging I have been making cards all day!!! What fun!! The perfect holiday for us card makers!

The card above is my response to Julie's card she sent me in our "tag your it" series. Here is Jule's card.


She used washi tape with black and white images and the pop of the red star brads. Mine is a bit more colorful with the pop of the turquoise card stock. I took washi tape and covered a piece of card stock and used that as my back ground. This is rather spring or summer but I still like it, plus these are the first washi tapes  I have purchased. I think I am really gonna like them!

I hope all of you card makers are enjoying the holiday!



Thursday, October 4, 2012

Stars



Making male cards is always a bit difficult for me, especially since my husband loves cards like cards with cute teddies and other animals, which most men don't like. I needed to make a card for my director of endoscopy. We are having a birthday party for him tomorrow and among other things, I was elected to make the cards. I chose a star theme. The above card is from me, but the card below is from his team. the inside says " happy birthday from your stars!" There is a start for each person on the team.  


I apologize for not keeping up on my blogging recently, I was at a conference last weekend and and then back to work and school. Today is the first day to myself. Stay tune for the next installment in the Tag Your It series. I just got the most amazing card from Jules yesterday.

Until then stay creative!!


Sunday, September 23, 2012

Kick Start and Hallmark Inspiration




I received a sympathy card when my kitty Winkie died. The person who gave it to me was embarrassed by the card. It just didn't say what she felt. I on the other hand loved it and knew I would be copying the design of it.

Here is the card I received.

I loved the shadow of the tree behind the main panel. I had gotten a tree mask from Crafter's Workshop at some point and hadn't used it yet. I think I was saving it for Halloween. I knew the tree template would be perfect for my version.


I started with some white paper and sprayed Mr. Huey's clay spray over the card. I stamped some blotches with pumice stone distress ink. I added my panel of trees colored with distress markers and the sayings. While it was rather similar to the first, it was my jumping off point. Like Jennifer Maguire during the Kick Start class, she often makes several cards when the inspiration is happening.

Here are two more cards made using the same template but different backgrounds. 



I loved how the white spray on the black card stock made it look the mikyway. The last card I used the white spray on kraft paper.

Three different cards from the one inspiration.

Have a great weekend!




Thursday, September 20, 2012

Tag your it, catch up!


I have been taking the Kick Start online card class with Jennifer Maguire and Kristine Warner. The class teaches us how to "kick start" our creativity. My tag your it challenge with my buddy Jules is one of the best ways to kick start my creativity.

If you have been following my blog, you all know about my "tag your it" challenge with my friend Jules. Check out this blog entry for the details if you have no idea what I am talkin' about.

Well, I have gotten way behind what with work and my statistics class. Finally some time to respond to 2 of Jules cards. "hey there" is clean and simple card that took me 4 days to complete. I had the paper strips and the "hey there" on the base card and then didn't know where to go. I finally went through all my stamps and pulled out this Hero Arts stamp that I actually have never used! I fit great on the top of the blue strip. Add "let's party" and the card was complete. This card was made based on this card I received from Jules. 


The next card was a bit more difficult to get a take on. Here is my interpretation.


Here is Jule's card that it was based on. Can you find my inspiration from her card? It is a bit of a stretch.


If you click on the photo's, you can see Jules embossed the ice cream cones. So that was my jumping off point- embossing, something I rarely do these days.

Hope you enjoy the latest "tag your it" cards. I would love to see your inspiration cards from any of the cards presented here.
  





Sunday, September 16, 2012

Happy Haunting


I had 30 minutes to stamp this morning. My statistics class is proven to be exactly like I thought......very difficult. My mind just doesn't think that way. I have spent around 10 hours on it and needed to take a break, so I gave myself a half an hour to stamp. Not much time for me...but I wanted to come up with an entry for the challenge over at CASual Friday. They are looking for a project using black, white and a pop of color. My new Halloween dies from Memory Box fit the bill for this challenge. Notice the only stamping is the greeting. And the best part it only took me 20 minutes to make, so I had 10 minutes to photograph and write my blog spot.

Well..... it is back to cumulative percent functions and variable frequency distributions.

Until I blog again, happy creating!!!


Sunday, September 9, 2012

Enjoy the Ride... dot ... dot...dot... polka dots!!


I have really been enjoying the ride of all the challenges I have been involved in. What a way to stretch yourself! Pretty soon I think school is going to interfere, so  I am grabbing all the time I can.

This challenge over at Just Add Ink inspired me this weekend. Polkadots!! I love them!! So what fun to try and come up with my creative interpretation.

I recently pulled out a couple of Penny Black sets that I bought at one of the conventions in the past few months. These gorgeous girls have been calling me. There is a make up company called Mary Kay Cosmetics. Some of the top sales rep ride around in these fabulous pink Cadillacs. So how about a fabulous pink polka dot caddy!!

I also made the same card with a red caddy.


I hope you enjoyed the ride today! head on over to Just Add Ink and see what others have submitted and add your own work!!

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Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Blessings




I have been following the blog Simplicity for the last several months. It amazes me, because Susan ( and believe it or not, not only do we share the same name but her husband's name is George like my guy, but those are the only ways we are similar!!:)) creates the most creative cards with either no layers or minimal layers. It fascinates me how she designs the most pleasing card with massive amounts of white space. 

Empty space just plain scares the bejeezus out of me. I mean on a one layer card if you make a mistake you can't cover it up with another layer.You have to start over. I am a layer girl, the more the merrier. But I am trying to embrace the white space. So when Susan issues a challenge, I have to answer the call.

Today her challenge for One Layer Wednesday is to create a one layer card gratitude card. Susan has started a campaign to save Thanksgiving from the excesses of food and football and she wants us to remember the people in our lives whom we are grateful for.

Last year, I started sending out Thanksgiving cards to those I am grateful for, so I have a few stamps that answer the call. I thought about making this card on white card stock, but felt kraft would wouldn't be quite so stark and would blend better with a warm Thanksgivingy (is that a word?) feel. You all are seeing the final card. I am not showing the 5 others that are in the trash. (remember- no where to hide!!)

So answer Susan's call, start your own Gratitude campaign and let the folks that are important to you know it.

Have a blessed day!

Monday, September 3, 2012

Tag you're it.... so sweet



Some of you may have been following my "tag you're it" with my friend Julie. Remember I started with this card. I just received in the mail Jules take on that card.



I took me a few days to see where I was going with this. I went with the sweet idea and created not only one but three cards with the ice cream cone as the focus. I chose a pink and brown color scheme and am submitting this clean and simple card to the challenge over at Less is More.


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I am still not sure which one to send to my buddy Jules. Any thoughts any one?



All these ice cream cards is making me want something sweet. Guess i better grab Mr. George and off to Handel's for a rocky road ice cream cone.


Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Friends with Stamps





I know you all have heard of friends with benefits, well I have friends with stamps!! Until recently when life just got overwhelmingly busy for all of us (children's weddings, new grandchildren, pursuing higher degrees etc. etc.) my friends and I would get together at least every few months for a stamping party. Now we are lucky if we get together twice a year.

Recently, I had a break with my last summer class and decided it was time for all of us to get together. So I put together a StampinUp party.  My good buddy Jude agreed to host it at her house and naturally I did all the cooking and while not everyone could come the majority of the group was there. When we do get together it seems all we do is laugh! We poke fun at one another and at ourselves. 



After a good meal and time for catch up and show and tells, it was time for some serious stamping and shopping. Claire, our StampinUp gal showed us two cute cards. The first used the new mitten stamp set  from the Holiday catty. The set has a matching punch. After making this cute swing card, I had to buy the stamp set and punch.



The best thing though was learning how to make the swing card. It looked really hard but it was soooo simple and with the new Bog Shot it was a breeze! Claire had several really cute samples.





The second card we made was a collage card. I know Jude loved this one. It was totally her style.


When the stamping was done, the shopping commenced. This was the first chance we all had to shop from the new catty and the holiday catty. I just loved the new holiday supplement and bought quite a bit from it. Thanks to the generosity of friends I was able to get a few freebies too.

Claire with Margarita
If you live around the south eastern Pa.or the Philadelphia and suburban areas and you want anything StampinUp, you must contact Claire Lawrence. Not only is she a great stampinUp gal, she is an amazing artist. She gives the best parties. Check her out here and if you contact her, tell her Sue T, sent you!