A NEW BEGINNING

With the death of my dear husband, Edward, I am starting a "new beginning".  I miss my loved companion very much, but my life has to go on.  The hardest thing of this journey is knowing that what I create in the future, he will know longer be by my side to critique my art.  They say, and I have to agree, that a person is hardest on themselves in critiquing their own artwork, so hopefully I will be able to not be so judgmental of my own.

Please give me some time to post my new art work within the next couple of weeks, and I do hope you'll enjoy what I am creating.  Thank you for coming back and see you soon.

EMBARRASSMENT & MORAL OF STORY

I ordered some stamps and a pearl pen from Michael Strong Stamps ( www.strongstamps.com ).  I didn't realize at the time why it was taking a bit longer, and pretty soon my order arrived.  The product I received was only a partial order and a bit mixed up, with a note that the rest of the order would be filled and forth coming.  I frantically looked up my order, e-mailed Michael with rather terse messages, and received a nice message back.  It wasn't what I wanted to hear, and started writing another message to him, when I found his phone number and proceeded to call him.  (Boy was I going to rip into him, but when I heard his voice all I could do was to apologize all over myself to he and his wife.)

It seems that my order along with a few others were submitted when Michael's daughter was getting married.  Oh my goodness, I could have fell over when he told me what happened.  Well to make a very long story short, I want to thank Michael and his lovely wife for all of the help they gave me. 

Morale of story, just because you feel you are being short changed and your life is getting in the way, stop and think about the other person and what they might be going through.  Thank you Michael for being the person and the vendor that I thought you originally was and are.  BTW, I got the rest of the products Michael, and am going to have some fun.  Thank you thank you thank you. 

SIGN-UP

for a free Grand Calibur give-away.  Here is the link and be sure to follow the information:

http://www.favecrafts.com/sweeps/Spellbinders-Grand-Calibur-Die-Cut-Machine

Good luck everyone.  Until next time.....

IN A FUNK MOOD

This card is laying on a white napkin, so don't be fooled by the size as it is just a regular size card.  I happen to be blog  hopping the other day and stopped by Sharon Field's blog at www.createdbyu.blogspot.com . 

It's a good thing I saw this, printed a copy of it, as after hearing some sad news, I made this card this morning.  My sad news is that my youngest daughter, a school bus driver who was doing her morning route of picking up kids, was basically run off of the road.  The bus had quite a few kids on it at the time.  She was traveling on a back county road when a personal van came towards her and wasn't stopping.  She pulled over to the side of the road, must have hit some ice, slid into a ditch at a 45 degree angle and hit a telephone pole.  She was badly shaken up, and some of the kids were sent to the hospital.  She'll be okay, but the intense investigation that follows will have her up tight for some time.

If that wasn't enough bad news, I found out that one of two grandsons that is stationed in Afghanistan was injured and sent to Germany to the hospital there.  It seems that my grandson and another army buddy was escorting a couple of reporters to a market place when a suicide bomber  decided to blow himself up.  Thank God my grandson "only" suffered a severe head concussion, some broken ribs & fingers.  It could have been worse, so I'm trying to dwell on the positive, and keep on praying that he recovers okay. I'm also praying that  the US Government decides enough of our young armed forces personnel has been there way too long and bring them all home safely and stop this insane war. 

I guess you might say, I made this card in my grandson's honor.  I hope you'll enjoy and leave a comment.  Until next time......

LOVE - STILL IN THE AIR

I made a couple more valentine cards which are the same, but can you  spot the differences.  Good luck in looking.  Seriously, they are really easy to spot, and don't forget to let me know what you guess. 

So for this post I'll only tell you who made the stamps: Couple - Inkadinkado.  Words - My Sentiments Exactly. 

Don't forget to guess and leave the number of differences in your comments.  Until next time,  enjoy......

LOVE IS IN THE AIR

We have a lot of snow on the ground, and it is cold outside, so this is the perfect time to have a cozy fire, and curl up with my husband.  Not....  I did  have my Amish Fireplace on in my studio to help keep me warm, but I was stamping away, not cozying up to my husband.  I will say he did come in and choose the cards that he liked best...LOL

The little mice are the ones I like best, and they were created with a stamp from Stampabilities and colored with my DerWent watercolor pencils.  The top center mice are mounted on a pinkish colored card stock and then mounted onto an orange/pink/black "Puffs" (like in hankie) box strip which was mounted onto white card stock.  The other mice were just mounted onto the pinkish colored card stock and/or then mounted onto a strip of paper.  The bottom right card was created with a Cuttlebug background on the pink and the white card stock.  A tinted heart was mounted onto the white card stock which was mounted onto a "Puffs" (like in hankie) box strip.  The stamps used on this card were from (heart) Stampabilities and the word was stamped using a 7gypsies hand stamp.

The card to the right was created using red card stock layered onto white card stock.  Gold lettering spelled out Love on red card stock which was mounted onto white card stock after placing a white sheer ribbon on the red card stock.  I used my Martha Stewart punch to create a border which I mounted a piece of red card stock on the reverse side.

I hope to create a few more valentines and I will share them with you.  Thank you for leaving a comment if you care to.  Until next time....

POST CARD SWAP

On the Inky Fun Stampers yahoo group, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inkyfunstampers/ , our moderator, Nancy Dees has posted a Post Card Swap, and these will be my entries.  The top left one is an Oriental looking post card and was embossed with the Forest Branches Cuttlebug folder, then stamped with images from All Night Media. 

The top center post card had Alcohol Inks smooshed onto glossy card stock, then stamped with flowers with die cut flowers affixed atop of the stamped flowers.  The flowers which is a stamp from VAP Scrap.  The square word stamp is from Great Impressions, and the smaller word stamp is from  Hero Arts. 

The post card in the upper right hand corner has Alcohol Inks smooshed onto glossy card stock.  The flat and fireworks were stamped onto a piece of transparency film and affixed with clear glue.  The word stamp is from Hero Arts.  (I'm sorry but I don't remember where I got the die cut "grateful" from.)  I was going for a "patriotic theme" with this post card.

The bottom left I used a piece of clip art that I had laying around for ages, so I'm sorry, but I don't remember how I got this one.  I affixed a "green gem" atop the harp, with a silk flower affixed at the bottom.  Here I was trying for an "Irish theme" post card.  Nothing else was added, and will leave up to my partner if she/he wants to add anything.

The bottom center post card I adhered a map piece that I applied distress ink to.  I stamped the couple with Memories Black Ink, colored them in and affixed a "purplish" gem to the ladies hat.  The words "favorite and escape" I received from a good friend and to me this was the "right" place to use these. 

The bottom right post card was embossed with Forest Branches by Cuttlebug, and of which I made them look like Arizona's Ocotillo plants which I think are one of the prettiest flowering plants there is.  When there is no water for these plants, the "flowers/leaves" fall off and all you have left are stark reminder of what "was" there.  I stamped the "practising" cowboy, shooting at a sign, of which the stamps are from I Brake For Stamps.  I affixed a "white" flower to the bottom right as it reminded me of the flowers in AZ that bloom only at night.  The bottom border are flowers that you press on, and I'm sorry I don't remember the name of these. 

I hope you enjoyed my ramblings of my Post Card swaps photos, and if you wish please leave a comment.  Until next time.............

KEEPING BUSY

It is January and the weather is getting colder, so I've been staying in a "playing"
in my studio.  With the aches and pains of the colder temps, I feel like this old man
looks...LOL.   Isn't he a scream?  I used the Diamond patterned Cuttlebug folder on white card stock, two shades of purple card stock to back the old man image from I Brake for Stamps.  A dark purple piece of rick/rack was added behind the backing of the old man.  He's drinking a cup of hot chocolate to warm his innards...LOL.

I think the "Red Hat Lady" has a problem - like possibly being a bit tipsy from her wine.  I really enjoy using the Senior Stamps from I Brake For Stamps as they usually remind me of someone dear/near to me.  This one reminds me of a lady I used to know in AZ, and well she was a scream with or without an alcoholic

beverage in her hand.  I created this card with a Paisley Cuttlebug Folder on white card stock.  I placed a red, with a deckle cut top, card stock to the back of  our Lady.  DerWent water colors were used to color her.  A red ribbon to match her red hat was applied.

I hope  you enjoyed my funny family of seniors as much as I enjoyed creating them.  Please leave a comment, if you wish. Until next time.......

PROMISE KEPT

In my last posting I promised to upload some of my creations, and I do try to keep my promises.  Here I have posted a religious card (probably a sympathy one), and then several "manly" cards.  I do hope you'll enjoy and leave me a comment.  Until next time....

LIFE GOT IN MY WAY

It has been way too long since I last posted.  Life (dh's illness) sure can get in the way of creativity.  Keep a watch out as I have resolved to (no not a new years resolution) get more creative.   I have marked my calendar(s) to create five (yes that is five - 5) Christmas cards on the 25th of each month.  Wish me luck, as I don't know what happened this year.  I thought I had another month to get all my Christmas stuff done, and alas, I didn't even get to send out any cards.  To my family, followers and members of Inky Fun Stampers (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inkyfunstampers/ ) I sincerely apologize.  Okay, I'm off to my studio to get creative and then post some of the outcome.  Until next time....

WHAT A GIVE AWAY

Hurry!  Don't walk - run over to Becky (formerly Chabot) Conley's blog to get entered in her give away of a Cricut Expressions.  Here is  her blog address: http://beckyconley.blogspot.com   Good luck to me and everyone....until next time.

ANOTHER CARD

Its another cold (cool by others standards) day in AR, so it was another good day to stay in my studio with the fireplace on.  At least we don't have that bad four letter word that out west and parts of the Midwest has gotten.  Whew!!!

I've been trying to use up a lot of my papers that I have lying around that isn't big enough for a card, but small enough to use as trim.  Do you have that problem too?  Well, the card to the right is one of those "scraps" you might say, but I'm happy how it turned out. 

I used a "Cornish Game" stamp of the month (Jan. 2010) stamp, and colored it with my Der Went water color pencils.  Before the coloring I just had to add some glitter to the snowballs and the huge snow balls.  I'm hoping you can enlarge the photo to see the glitter.   (Silver Fire Opal Embossing Powder by Embossing Arts Co. located in Tangent, OR is what I used.  I think I bought this at one of the conventions I've gone to in AZ. I'm sorry for not remembering.)  I also added via a Rubber Stampede double tipped embossing pen some glitter to the snowflakes that are in the green edging of the card.  This green edging was embossed with the Snowflake folder from Cuttlebug in my Wizard.  The lattice was punched using the Martha Stewart punch that I found at my local Wal Mart. 

I stamped the words "Sending you" (by Plaids Anna Griffin Seasons Greetings) at the top, and then inside I attached a white piece of plain paper (to somewhat hide the green area), and stamped "Greetings of the Season".  Viola, another card done...enjoy and comments are always welcomed.  Until next time...

WINTER CARDS

We woke up to 31 degrees outside and it felt that way on the inside too, but the thermostat said 65 degrees.  I'm still not used to this southern mid west weather.  So since it was so cold I buried myself in my studio with my fireplace on and started on some cards, and the "Winter" theme just came to mind...LOL.

I didn't have a pattern for these cards, so I was winging it.  Me measure anything - you've got to be kidding.  Well most of the time I do, but today I just folded the card stock and hoped it would all fit.  The hardest part was getting the folds all lined up. 

On the outside front of the white card (seen on the left) I used my Wizard and Snowflake Cuttlebug folder to emboss snowflakes.  I had a felt covered snowflake for the hanging one and that was my inspiration.  The blue part was embossed with the snowflake Cuttlebug folder and placed in the middle of the card.  I then cut out an oval on white card stock and hung the felt snowflake from this. 

The red card (seen on the right) is a Christmas bauble that I embossed with the snowflake Cuttlebug folder, and then used my white ink to go over the raised areas.  On the inside is white card stock embossed with the Snowflake Cuttlebug folder and finished off like above. 

I enjoyed making these and I just may form an "assembly line" and make more.  I just hope that the recipients will enjoy them as much as I did in making them.  Until next time stay warm....

THE SAME BUT DIFFERENT

 I made some Thanksgiving cards today.  They basically are the same, but yet the stamped object is a bit different in the coloring.  The first card (in orange) I used gold embossing powder on a calendar page that had some orange, green and brown in it.  The second one (in brown), I also embossed it with gold onto a calendar page that had green, brown and dark red in it.   In person it came out a lot better than what you see on the right. 

The green and red cards were punched with a Martha Stewart punch and then the punched part was backed with a green (or red) card stock.  On the inside I placed a piece of white paper (to hide the colored card stock), and stamped happy thanksgiving.   Again the stamped image is the same (basket full of fruit) but colored differently by using my DerWent water colors.

I enjoyed creating these cards, and hopefully the recipients will enjoy them as much as I did creating them.   I also hope that you will enjoy looking at them.  Until next time....

CHRISTMAS 2010 CARDS STARTED

I started my Christmas Cards and what gave me the inspiration was a swap card that I made for an Inky Fun Stampers group.  (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inkyfunstampers/ )

I stamped and embossed the Christmas Tree stamp from Michael Strong on green card stock with white ink from Martha Stewart line, and white embossing powder from Ranger products.  I mounted that onto white card stock, which I mounted those onto a red velvet card stock.  I stamped/embossed Merry Christmas, stamp from Plaid, with white ink & embossing powder onto the red velvet card stock.  I placed a piece of ribbon, from American crafts, between the tree and word stamping. 

I then used my Cuttlebug Snow Flake folder to emboss snow flakes onto a piece of acetate.  I then use white ink and went over the raised images.  I used vellum tape to adhere the embossed acetate to the red velvet card stock. 

I hope the person that received this enjoys it, as much as I enjoyed creating it.  Thank you for looking and until next time....Enjoy.

A CHALLENGE

Over on Inky Fun Stampers group, (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inkyfunstampers/) we have a challenge for November to use "recycled" objects to make a card.  I think this will qualify for this challenge as I used a magazine page to stamp the pot (stamp from Michael Strong), and left over bits to make the stems and leaves.

Others have joined the challenge also using bubble wrap and other found objects.  I hope you enjoyed my endeavor for this challenge.  Until next time.....

NEW TECHNIQUE - ANOTHER LOOK

I really like this Black Velvet technique.  To me it looks a bit subtle.  The colors are soft but vibrant, if you know what I mean...LOL.  I stamped the words "...You're in My Thoughts and Prayers..." by Stampabilities, on white card stock, placed two gold peel offs in opposite corners.  Mounted this all onto white card stock and then onto a black card.

Comments on my artwork are always welcomed.  Thank you for visiting.  Until next time....

NEW TECHNIQUE

Today was a very cool day outside, so I took the opportunity to try a new technique.  The technique is called "Black Velvet".  You use black card stock, stamp (by I Brake for Stamps) with white ink and then let the ink dry.  Next comes the "fun" part, as you color over the white ink with colored pencils.  After you're finished with your coloring you then apply a fixative.   I used the brand called Krylon Fixative.  I placed the finished art on to a white card stock and then upon a black card stock and placed 3 lavender (to match the lavender flowers) brads.  All of this was affixed to white card stock and trimmed with a lavender ribbon and bow.  Not a bad technique at all - not messy anyway...LOL.  Hopefully, I can continue creating today with a different technique, and if I do, I'll be sure to let you all know.

Thanks for stopping by, until next time.

NOTE TO GRANDSON'S WEDDING CARD

Just a note to tell you what I did to "finish" off my grandson's wedding card.  On the left side of the archway, I placed an organza (sheer material in white) bow and along with the streamers of the bow I placed iridescent pearls.  It seemed like the card really came to life.  Wished I had taken a photo of it before I mailed it out.  Thank you for looking and come again.  Until next time........

DON'T LIKE SYMPATHY CARDS

For some reason I have this mental block of  creating Sympathy Cards.
A dear friend of mine, one with whom I've attended school with since first grade and we graduated together, mother passed away.  While visiting in IN this past spring I attended a "mother/daughter" spring banquet at a local church and happen to see this friends mother.  It was a blessing in disguise as I got to personally thank her for her creation of a "K" (which signified our initial of our school) when we had our 50th high school graduation.  To the right is the card that I came up with.

I used a 5 x 7 inch white card stock for the base.  I used my Wizard by Spellbinders
( http://www.spellbinderspaperarts.com/ ) to emboss and cut out a scalloped circle in red & white.  I stamped the Bible (stamp from Inkadinkado - http://www.eksuccessbrands.com/inkadinkado/products/ ) and colored it with my Der Went water color pencils. I also stamped "thinking of you" (a miscellaneous stamp I have) just below the Bible.  I then added a sheer ribbon (miscellaneous ribbon I had on hand) to the bottom of the card.  I had some flower petals from my stash and mounted them with brads from my stash.  On the inside I wrote a very personal note to the family, enclosed it in an envelope and cried while addressing the envelope. 

Maybe this is why I don't like to create sympathy cards - I get all choked up, cry and wish that the deceased person was still with us.  This sympathy card is now mailed and I have my wonderful memories of someone that I happen to think very highly of.  Please enjoy, leave a comment if you care to, and enjoy each other.  Until next time......