right time, right place revisited

Another one of my commissioned cards for a gal who truly enjoys giving handmade cards. And she claims the recipients enjoy receiving them too! Yaaaaay.

Next up - a Valentine for her boyfriend. I showed her a card I had made years ago (it was even published back in the day!) and she was sold. I still love this idea. Talk about making a card personalized...

All you need is a PC. And a map of the place you're celebrating so you can die cut a heart from it!

I'll recommend these two sites too - this site for coordinates and this great site for nautical knots (mine is the square knot).

No multiples on this one. It's truly unique ;) But I'm taking it over to SSS Wednesday Challenge where it's Anything Goes this week.

have a smooth 18th

I cannot believe DD is turning 18 this week. Geez, I must be old! Wanna see her card? Totally inspired when I saw this card of Kristina W. I was. DD is a smoothie queen. And we're planning cocktails for her party ;) But alas, I have no blender stamp. Time to think outside the box.

I googled "blender cartoon" and found an image. Printed it on printer paper and using the old fashioned scribble-pencil-on-the-reverse-then-trace-image-onto-CS method to get the blender onto my panel which I'd die cut with Winnie and Walter Audrey Essentials. Copic colored it pink cuz DD dreams of owning a pink Kitchen Aid one day!

Then I cut the image out of the printer paper and used it as a mask before I stamped the random drink images from SSS Adult Beverages on my BG using Avery Elle pigment inks. I used an exacto knife to cut out the pitcher and turned it into a shaker filled with Lucy's Sparkly Shaker collection.

My sentiment is a mix of computer-generated, Dymo label and a vellum heart topped with MFT Bottle Cap Numbers. They are such a versatile size to have.

Hope DD will enjoy this. I had fun making it.

I'm playing at:
AAA Cards - there's a huge birthday bash going on right now

Seize the Birthday - I've even got the topping of dimension!

And I originally planned to use a portrait design for my card like this MFT Sketch Challenge, but ended up going landscape and thus changing my sentiment design. Still hooking up.

Hope your week is off to a good start. I'll be birthday party prepping all week!

collaging Ellie

There is still time to play in the Mixed Media Card Challenge #12!!!

Thinking of the collages I'd made during my school days when I saw this challenge theme, I was flabbergasted when I saw how today's technology has reinvented the world of collage. If you've a spare minute, take a gander at the images which come up when you google "collage".

I couldn't resist trying out this concept in the world of paper. (And I needed a birthday card for DD!) Haven't seen our pooch for awhile? Here she is...

In a nutshell... edited a photo using an "engraving" option, printed it on white, green, yellow and orange, then cut out some sections from those and added some sections of PP too.

LOTS of room for improvement here, but a couple ideas if you feel like giving this a try. Use the printed images for the main features (eyes, nose, mouth). Use printouts as a guide for cutting shapes from PP. Use black marker to add/extend main features.

I'm calling this mixed media, although technically, it ain't. But I've got a technique. And there's lots of texture! We'd love to see your collages (with the optional element of "frame") over at the MMCC. The gallery is open until the 25th.

And here's Miss Ellie, for reals. Needing a haircut.

simply create too 87

Ready for Father's Day? Over at Simply Create Too we are challenging you to make a Masculine project. Sounds like perfect timing to me!

I have a retirement card for you however... completely PC-generated cuz I had this idea and it seemed the only way to make it happen.

Whaddya think?

I'm joining For the Guys over at AAA Cards #40

the Make it Masculine challenge at SSS Wednesday and a new-to-me challenge, Perfectly Rustics, where it's all about Letters or Symbols. I think my card fits the bill.

ho! ho! what?

Happy Saturday. I've got a oh-so-easy and oh-so-graphic card for your today. Inspired by all the gold going around in blogland.

Screams Santa Claus to me somehow. Maybe cuz it reminds me of one-piece footie PJs I had when I was 18. Anyone else have those? All you need is striped PP, some die cut "h" "o" and "i"  or you could use alpha stickers.

I'm going places with this card:

Paper Crafts and Scrapbooking November Gallery - Gold

Inkspirational #69 where the cue word is Shine

and at the risk of wearing out my welcome, Virginia's View #9 Metallic Challenge

WARNING: brain dump ahead. Feel free to leave now.

So have you heard? Paper Crafts and Scrapbooking is closing its doors. Guess digital mags are not the way of the future. Feb 2015 is the last issue. Really kills me for the talented and competent staff in Utah with whom I've had the pleasure of working the past couple years. Adios jobs. And I must admit it kinda feels that way for me too.

Which brings me to my next observation which is that that's kinda crazy. I was pretty wrapped up in "submission calls".  Thinking about card designs when I should have been sleeping. Refraining from making social plans on the weekend before submissions were due cuz I'm the world's best procrastinator and knew I'd be in the basement creating. 

(One good thing about getting older is that you also get smarter. I know why I was so crazy about it. Sure, the money was nice but it was all about the recognition. I'm a SAHM. You don't get much recognition for vacuuming.)

So there I sat Friday a.m. head in a fog after Thursday's email from PCS informing me that my projects awaiting publication in UT are in the mail on their way back to me. Finito. And of course the whirlwind of FB activity as other designers got their emails too.

Woe is me. What to do with myself now?

And the first post I see in my reader is that Barbara Gray is going to see Spain Jane. "Huh?" you wonder. I wondered the same. This is what I read. Clueless, I click through to Jane and the tab entitled "reflections on the little c" catches my eye first. This is what I read. Noticing the "2006" at the end of the page, I click on "home". This is what I read. And then I sobbed.

OMG. I am so vain.

Flashback to the whirlwind of FB activity... lotsa comments about God closing one door and opening another. Well God opened my door and smacked me right in the face. How lucky I am that I can get older.

And smarter. I went to watch DD ride her horse today. And will watch The Voice with her now. And that's good. Monday would have been a submission deadline. I'm kinda glad it won't.

talking nerdy ap (PCS)

After the party. That's what "ap" stands for. As in, my life before the party and after the party. Yep, I've made it to the other side!

Suffice it to say, a good time was had by all :) I'll share bits and pieces of it with you over time. For starters, here's the green table. The first one to your left when you came into the room...

And this made table numbers obsolete and allowed our 80 guests to quickly see with whom they would be sharing a table... Can you say "color blocking"?

But now on to the talking nerdy part. Playing catchup in blogland, I came across the Paper Crafts September challenge "Talk Nerdy to Me". Well, when I think nerdy the first thing I think of is Michael A. wearing his calculator on his belt in high school. But the next thing I think of is glasses. (Which Michael A. actually also had, but which I do now too). Which reminded me of a card I'd made for a submission call.

So I'm hooking it up to the gallery at PCS. There's still time if you have a nerdy card to share. Happy weekend, folks. It's nice to be back ;)

Supplies::

Paper:  white CS Bringmann

Stamps:  Lawn Fawn

Ink : Janny Bowlin

Tools: 

Other: washi, Glossy Accents

simply create too 59 (no digi or stamps)

The new challenge #59 at Simply Create Too is a good one.  For me at least.  Make a card without using a digi or stamped image.  Hmmm.

So I dabbed some alcohol ink onto recycled acetate over a mask - Kesi Art Fleuri - and then using a Sharpie and a kids' alpha stencil (from a cereal box I believe!) I lettered the "sweet" onto the front side. Adhered the acetate hiding the tape under the "16".  And for that I found a font I liked here and printed it on scrap paper as a mirror image. Then on the reverse I adhered strips of washi. Fussy cut the numerals and adhered them with foam adhesive. TIP: Flip the "1" over to mix up the patterns a little. Of course I didn't plan it that way, but liked it better when it "happened" ;))

DD is turning 16 this year - either she will get this (but she's not really "an orange person") or one of her girlfriends.

Thanks for coming by - now put away those stamps, put on your thinking cap and simply create, too!

Supplies for sweet 16:

Paper:  CS Bringmann

Stamps: 

Ink : alcohol ink

Tools: mask Kesi Art

Other: washi, PC

tiptoe through the tulips

Dating myself here... anyone else remember Tiny Tim?

Well awhile back I submitted this card for a call asking for cards inspired by a song.  This one didn't get picked up but my Mom loved it! Said it's like the ones she chooses at Hallmark.  Now that thrilled me ;))

Wanted to go minimalistic.  A PC-generated sentiment. A stamp I love - American Arts Tulips in black on lotsa white.  I made a circle mask and using the negative splattered some red and yellow Pshiitt spray ink from Kesi Art around the tulips. Voila!

Thanks for looking.

shapes and stamps and sequins oh my! (Curtain Call, PC, Stamplorations)

Fat and happy, that's me.  Fat cuz I ate too much of our Thanksgiving dinner yesterday.  And I might have just snitched the last of the chocolate mousse while writing this post... And happy cuz it went well.  And cuz it's over...

Anyhoo, where's the card, you ask?

Started out as an idea to create a blue star card.  Cuz that's what I got from the Curtain Call inspiration photo.  See 'em on the tree?

Well I knew I wanted to play at a new challenge I discovered from my pal Shirley B., Stamplorations.  I'm diggin' those stamps.  So the challenge calls for stamping and sequins.

Only problem was I got sidetracked by this nifty October Afternoon Holiday Style - great retro feel to this line.  Love the blue tone so decided to go with it.  Made a shaker star-shaped card, trapping sequins between the card and the layer of recycled packaging I stitched on.  Stamping was then limited to the embellies - the candy cane and sentiment up top - both embossed to keep up with the shiny-ness of the project ;)

Also placing this into the Paper Crafts November gallery challenge where it's all about sequins!

Happy (real) Thanksgiving week to ya'll.

Supplies for merry and bright:

Paper:  cardbase Bringmann, PP October Afternoon, recycled packaging

Stamps: sentiment WMS

Ink : Versamark

Tools: star die Sizzix, holly die MFT

Other: sequins

right time. right place. (ATCAS, LIM)

Got your earplugs in?   I'm tootin' my own horn here today.  I am so incredibly happy to have five cards published in the special edition of Paper Crafts Magazine, Card Creations for Him.  I had a blast making cards for the submission call. But as the deal goes, I can only share one with you here... you really should check out this issue (and it's still paper!!!)  It's tough to make cards for guys, but this issue was created in an interesting way.

"Smart & Geeky, Casual & Playful, Hip & Urban, Rough & Tumble, and Classic & Refined" - pick your kinda guy and create for him, keeping his style in mind!

They're sharing samples from each of the categories over at the PC blog this week.  Did you see the clever take on "Classic & Refined" from Amy W.?  I have an anniversary and a retirement card in that section of the mag, too.

But I want to share my fave creation with you.   It's actually a 20th anniversary card for DH. (Unfortunately he didn't get it cuz it went to Utah!!!)  Anyhoo, any geocachers out there?

I'm not gonna explain it... I think you "get" it...
May I just say it's a great idea if you really want to make a card personal - whether wedding, anniversary, baby...  Agree? BTW, DH doesn't geocache.  I just love the "idea" behind the coordinates.

Let me just point you to this site for coordinates.
And to this great site for nautical knots (mine is the square knot).

I'm playing at Addicted to CAS where the theme for their first anniversary is, drum roll please, "Anniversary".  And at Less is More where the challenge #146 is to use PP in a CAS way.  Yep.

ETA:  Had this post scheduled for Wednesday but moved it up to today cuz I just saw over on the PC blog that Susan O. is plugging this very card!  Oh my, how exciting.  But apparently it's in the "Hip & Urban" category... Fine by me ;)))

Thanks for looking.

supplies for right time. right place:

Paper:  white Bringmann, red Am Crafts, PP Snap from Simple Stories, old map

Stamps: PC generated using Arial font

Ink : 

Tools: heart die Amuse Studio

Other: crochet thread, cork stickers Studio Calico

non-flower flower (PC)

Have you seen the challenges over at Paper Crafts Connection pertaining to the current special issue?

One of them is to create a flower using non-flower stamps.  Well I don't know if this is exactly what they're looking for (maybe that's why it belongs to the species: reject for this exact challenge in the submission call for this issue).  But I think it's mega cool!

Using DD's highlighters I colored a piece of Neenah CS.  Then I stamped a zillion butterflies from Hero Arts Antique Flowers and Butterflies.  Then I die cut a zillion butterflies!  Created my bloom.  Curved a sentiment to make a stem (cool too, no?) One leaf later the card was done.

Hard to photograph, neon is.  But really, oh so cool!

Thanks for visiting.

just saying thanks for this crazy life!

How crazy is this thing we call life?

I've shared with you how I felt last Friday when I read Cath's post that Moxie Fab World as we know it is going away.

Now picture this... checking my email before going to bed Friday night, I notice two messages in my Spam folder.  Huh?  One from Paper Crafts & Scrapbooking magazine.

Have a looksee. Oh. My. Goodness.

Thanks Paper Crafts & Scrapbooking! And thanks to you, my friends, who stop by here regularly.

This card is in the hot-off-the-press Stamp It! Card Challenges. One of over 200 clever ways to use your stamps.  I used the wonderful Folk Art stamp set from Waltzingmouse for this one-layer card.

Crazy, eh? Ellie agrees... What a CRAZY WONDERFUL life!

WCMD

OK, I must admit before drinking too much wine at the Zwitscherstub, I crafted a bit today after puppy play group in the pouring rain, followed by bathe puppy for  the first time and warm own feet back to normal after two hours in rubber boots.   But the crafting was for submissions.

What I do want to share with you is the birth of my card that I shared over at the Paper Crafts Connection blog for Cath's post on the international aspect of World Card Making Day.

Picture me sitting on the floor dogsitting DP, magazine in hand.  I stumble across this photo:

This is what I love about living in Europe.  I am pretty certain a photo with a color combo like this would not show up in an American mag.  But this spoke to me and became...

Take that purple and violet and mustard and chartreuse and do something with it.  OK, speech bubbles (thanks Avery Elle)  are good at the moment.  And some triangles from Mama Elephant Trifecta. And some heat embossing of a sentiment from Klartext.  And of course some gold CS to brighten things up.

Danke, for looking.

Supplies danke:

Paper: cardbase Bringmann, CS Coredinations and DCWV, recycled gold CS

Stamps: Klartext

Ink:  Distress Ink,, Verxamark

Tools: die Avery Elle

Other bling

it's WCMD time! (PC)

It's WCMD time. Wanna see more?  Head over to  the Paper Craft Connection blog today.

playing with crayons

Here to share one of my cards published in the latest special issue of Paper Crafts - Get Supply Savvy with Handmade Cards.  Have you checked out all the fun challenges over at Moxie Fab World associated with this issue?

I had lotsa fun making cards for this submission call, but my fave was playing with crayons.  I know it's not new, but I had never melted crayons before.  Like this.

I grabbed the kids' box of old crayons and set out to make something.  This is what evolved.

If you feel motivated to try this, a couple tips for ya.  TIP:  All crayons are not made equal.  Some melt quicker than others and are thus, soupier.  Just sayin'.  TIP::  Cover your workspace.  Well. ;) A picture is worth a thousand words, right?  This is the contraption I built to play with.  TIP:  If you paint your cardstock with white acrylic paint first it helps the wax to run even more.

And a nod to a couple cardmaking pals out there who also appear in this issue.  Did you see Kelly G.'s amazing bales of hay card?  Love that one.  And Miriam P. also played with soap bubbles mixed with ink (as I did in this post) and made a beaut.  So, only 230 other great projects waiting for you to check out in the issue :)

Supplies thanks:

Paper: cardbase Bringmann, scrap Neenah

Stamps:  

Ink:

Tools: heat gun, die Provo Craft

Other: old crayons

write it on the board (SSS, Paper Crafts, Neat and Tangled)

Between rabbit h-e-double-toothpicks and puppy heaven it's been awhile since I've seen my craft room. Actually just came here to check out the deadline for that ombre beauty over at Moxie Fab (actually had an idea circling in my head) and again I've way missed the deadline.  Where did the last two weeks go?!?!?  But I've something to share that's  pretty hot right now.  Chalkboard, anyone?

The idea for this was born in the annual pumpkin carving parties we've had.  Started them before Halloween hit Germany in order for my kids to get a taste of it.  Well, loads of pics are taken and I thought a photo CD could be a nice gift for friends.  So how about a photo CD holder?

I know there are tutorials out there for CD holders, and string closures, and  pocket books.  Well this kinda combines 'em all.

I cut the top edge off of a CD envelope and stamped with polka dots.  Used envelope as a guide to cut “wrap” from black CS and scored. 

Punched holes in wrap where closures would go.  Punched two circles each of CS and PP for closure, glued together to strengthen and punched hole in middle.  Inked edges.   Cut 12” piece of crochet thread and laid it in a circle on tape around the hole in flap.  Inserted eyelets (catching crochet thread secured at top hole) and set. Tied knot in other end of crochet thread.

Lay wrap flat and stamped subway art design with white ink.  Stamped design again with Versamark and heat embossed white.  TIP:  When doing subway art,  lay all stamps out (various companies/thicknesses) to get design, then carefully place large acrylic block over them and pick up all stamps of same thickness on block and stamp at one time.  Stamped design first with white ink and then slightly offset when heat embossing to achieve smudgy effect. When cooled, smeared white ink using finger. 

Added doodles with white pencil.  Stamped and heat embossed “To/from” on reverse.  Die cut label and stamped/embossed sentiment; adhered with washi. For CD envelope:  I cut a strip of PP 2 1/2 x 5” and scored in the middle.  Sandwiched bottom edge of CD envelope in folded PP strip,  adhering front of envelope to back of PP and back of PP to inside of wrap.

Yeah, it's a wrap!  (pun intended).  Here's the chalkboard effect for a closer look. 

I'm goin' places with this one.

Simon Says Stamp - Emboss it
Paper Crafts September Gallery Challenge - Chalkboard
Neat and Tangled -  #20 Back to the Blackboard

Thanks for looking.

Supplies for photo CD holder:

Paper: black paper Bringmann, PP American Crafts, MME

Stamps: (dots BG) Kars, (Vintage Camera) Maya Road, (Haunted) Cosmo Cricket, (Midnight Feast ) WMS, (Scary Night) Inkadinkado

Ink :  Versamark, Adirondack pigment, white pencil

Tools: die Spellbinders

Other:  embossing powder, crochet thread, eyelets, washi

giving gallery idol a go! . three (PC)

Here's my last birthday card for the open auditions at Paper Crafts Gallery Idol 2013 challenge. Have you joined the fun yet?  As another wise man once said  "Ever tried.  Ever failed.  No matter. Try Again.  Fail again.  Fail better."  Lookin' kinda regal and elegant from the little photo, eh? When I showed DD this one, she wrinkled her nose.  Well, keeping with the theme "Birthday Cards for Teens and Kids" please meet "for a 16-year-old-kitschy-but-true":

What was I thinking when I bought that shaggy neon pink fabric?  Pillow.  Nuff said.  It will never meet my sewing machine.  But my Big Shot, yep!

Have a good one.

Supplies dreams take flight

Paper: CS Bringmann, vellum The Paper Company

Stamps: Hero Arts, sentiment PTI

Ink: Versamark, Versafine

Tools: heart die Sizzix, butterfly die Hero Arts/Sizzix

Other: white embossing powder Stampendous, washi Masking Tape, gold wire, shishkabob stick, glue dots

giving gallery idol a go! . two (PC, Craft Stamper)

Here's another birthday card for the open auditions at Paper Crafts Gallery Idol 2013 challenge.  Keeping with the theme "Birthday Cards for Teens and Kids" please meet "for a 13-year-old-alcohol-inks-and-artsy":

I applied alcohol inks to glossy card as seen at Craft Stamper and therefore I'm also hooking this up to the Make it Take it #2 challenge to rip and tear - perfect for vellum.

Thanks for looking.

Supplies OMG:

Paper: CS Bringmann, glossy card Ranger, vellum The Paper Co.

Stamps: PC generated sentiment from eyechartmaker.com

Ink: alcohol inks

Tools: plastic spatula

Other: glue dots

giving gallery idol a go! . one (PC, ATCAS, ABNH)

Morning.  Broke my heart to hear about the tornado victims in Oklahoma.   Cars and horses flying through the air???  Are we responsible for the crazy changes in weather recently???  Even got an email from Mom saying that in MI last night they had crazy storms and then a "totally pink sky" like she's never seen before...

Well, maybe it was the holiday weekend in Germany (the third this month already... can you say lucky?) but something moved me to create cards for this year's Gallery Idol competition over at Paper Crafts.  I'm not expecting anything out of it, but it's kinda like the challenge of all challenges in my book.  And as a wise man once said, it's all about the journey, not the destination.  Get your thinking cap on and give it a go too!

The theme for the Open Auditions is "Birthday Cards for Teens and Kids".  Now that is truly challenging for me.  Introducing "for-a-four-year-old-in-primary-colors":

The mug in the mirror - moi!  Just add a "9" to the "4" and it'd be true.  Playing in the Birthday challenge #13 at Addicted to CAS and the Clean Up Your Act challenge over at A Blog Named Hero.

Thanks for visiting and stay safe.

Supplies look who's 4:

Paper: CS Bringmann, mirror card

Stamps: Stampendous

Ink: J Versafine

Tools: square punch EKS, die Memory Box

Other: sticker Lego

farmhouse appeal (WPlus9, PC)

Yippie for me.  I'm now the proud owner of Folk Art Florals from WPlus9.  And it's every bit as great as I dreamed it would be.

Image Credit

Had to go play.  Checked out the mood board at the website and with green, red and yellow on the brain I was off.  Grabbed the first scrap of PP I saw and die cut all the pieces.  And then an idea popped into my head.  So I went with it.

Brought it some brown with the repeatedly-stamped "Friend" and natural twine and even inked the edges of the birdies to mimic the edge inking on the mood board.  A cute little sentiment on the inside and I'm a happy camper.

Thanks to Jenny M. for the heads-up about a UK source for WPlus9 and other US stamps - Make The Day Special.

Appreciate your visit.