roses in december

Death comes in threes. Do you believe that? I don't know, but there are certainly times when there are more deaths in my world than at other times. DH thinks it has to do with the gray days of November. Who knows. I know it's a part of life (isn't that paradox?). But it's a sucky part of life.

There's one quote I always turn to to seek comfort. Or to write on a card. I used it on this card .

Memories. All that's left when the loved one is gone. I have a couple rose bushes that, even without leaves, still proudly display a couple buds in December. And that makes me smile. Thanks, God. For roses and memories.

So, the card. Roses. Because roses! It also happens to be a stamp designed by the recipient. Blue. Well I feel a bit blue. Hole-y die cut. The holes represent something missing. Splodging. Because splodging.! Gold thread. Well, just cuz. Gotta be something to bring a smile, right?

Shirley-bee, I hope you've received the card by now. And I hope you have lots of wonderful memories to eventually bring you roses in December.

STAMPlorations december challenge

You're probably a busy little elf right about now, but if you've got a spare moment maybe you'd like to join us at STAMPlorations for this month's nearly-anything-goes challenge.

Your choice. In other words, pick a challenge from 2014 (sketch or theme) and go with it for December. I chose last month's Stamps and Layers. Lots of eye candy in the gallery if you missed it.

Layer 1 - cardbase

Layer 2 - white CS

Layer 3 - alpha BG stamped in white

Layer 4 - stripes stamped, misted and stamped again

Layer 5 - splatters

Layer 6 - black CS

Layer 7 - subway art sentiment from It's Your Day heat embossed white

Layer 8 - Distress Inks

Whew! You must check out the beauties the DT created using their favorite challenge themes. And our guest designer, Laura Jane, has created a blue beauty you won't want to miss. The challenge is open until the end of Christmas day. The winner gets one 3x5 stamp set, two if STAMPlorations stamps were used, and a guest designer spot in February.

The sketch challenge #24 is open all month this time around with more prizes to be had. And if you are interested in applying for the new STAMPlorations Digi Design Team the deets are here.

Appreciate your stopping by in the midst of the December rush. Have a great day.

visiting the cousin

Did you see the PC &S Thanks! blog hop yesterday? Lots of amazing and thankful cardmakers sharing their talents in a final nod to the team at the magazine which is closing its doors.

I shared a card made with heat embossing and die cutting.

And today I am sharing its cousin,

Notice the family resemblance?

I swiped Distress Inks in an ombre pattern across a piece of white CS. I heat embossed the tiny leaf CHF BG on another and sponged on gold ink. Then I ran them through my Xyron sticker maker and die cut the PTI oak tree. After that it was just a matter of filling in the puzzle pieces.

Two wow! cards for the price of one. Thanks for visiting.

Paper Crafts & Scrapbooking Magazine Special Thanks! Blog Hop

Joining the fun today to express my gratitude to the gals at Paper Crafts and Scrapbooking Magazine. What a short but wild ride it was for me!

Started with this published card I made back in January 2013, one of several I created for my first submission call (thanks to the nudging of some fellow cardmaking bloggers).

Back when Cath E. left Moxie Fab  I compared it to the Grand Central Station of Cardmakingland shutting down. Now, with PC&S,  I feel like the Drama Club at Cardmakingland High School is disbanding. Gone the tryouts (submission calls) and nail biting waiting to hear if you've gotten the part. Gone the buzzing crowd clamoring to see the cast list posted on the bulletin board (Friday FB parties). Gone the drama teacher encouraging you to keep on trying (SRO). Not to forget the whole production crew who, now jobless, must find other outlets for their talents.

So my wild ride ends 76 pubs later. My card today is one of a bunch I made in November for the now-to-be-known-as-last-and-never-to-come-to-fruition-submission-call for the Stamp It issue. Boy did I go to town creating for that call.  Stamping and techniques? You don't have to ask me twice. I was ecstatic when the deadline was extended cuz I had so many projects to write up and upload, I would never have made the original deadline! I digress :) Here's my card.

I'm diggin' that STAMPlorations sentiment. "Believe". And then, of course, take the first step. Reminds me of submitting for the first time. And it's my attempt at "cheerleading" the whole "production crew" today.

A closeup of all that Delicate Golden Glitz shimmer sponged on over the turquoise embossing. Extra for SRO ;)

I'll miss the mag. I'll miss the blog. I'll miss the lovely ladies at the mag. Thanks for a wonderful ride! And thank goodness for social media :) CU around.

My farewell to PC&S from Rhine wine country and me and my first pub, in Birthday Creations Vol. 3. Should you ever find yourself in the neighborhood, stop by. There's always a Riesling cold. Cheers to you on a job well done and good luck with whatever comes next!

You should have come from something colorful from the lovely Laura Williams and your next stop is certain to be something beautiful at Lisa Arana's blog. Enjoy. Thanks so much, Taheerah A., for making this hop happen.

Mixed Media Card Challenge #6

This month's theme at The Mixed Media Card Challenge is "Home" with an optional element of "Lace". Why does that make me think of an old granny in her Victorian house?!?

Well, my stash of dies doesn't include many houses, so I went with this one from PTI's Love Lives Here set and the trees from City Scene. Added some artificial snow (man that stuff gets all over the place!) and embossing paste stencilled through SSS Falling Stars to the sky which I watercolored.

For a bit more texture I dry embossed my kraft cardbase with a doily (kinda like lace, right?) embossing folder from Crate Paper and then inked over it lightly to make the impressions pop.

A sentiment from STAMPlorations Joyful on a tag accompanied by a perching cardinal from Impression Obsession finish off my card.

I think I managed a mixed media card that's still kinda CAS ;) Check out the DT's fabulous creations and show us your take on "Home". If you need a refresher, here's the deal on what makes a card a mixed media card. Basically, it's about TEXTURE, DIMENSION and TECHNIQUES. The challenge runs until December 25th.

I'm joining the Anything Goes fun over at:
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge 
Uniko Studio

christmas tags

Doubt that there is much traffic in blogland today, but I'm sharing a couple tags I finally got around to after being totally inspired by Tracey M.'s series 25 Tags of Christmas. Which is ending today. There is a Flickr group if you want an inspiration overload :)

There were multiple shaker tags. What a cool idea. Loved the idea of letting a pretty PP shine as the shaker backing. Used a PTI tag and Waltzingmouse sentiment. I'm joining the Anything Goes fun at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge.

On this one I was inspired by some tags which were heat embossed and watercolored with shimmery paints. I didn't achieve nearly the same shimmer, but oh well.  Thought the floating vellum circle with the embossed circular Penny Black sentiment worked well with the rest of the tag.

I did heat emboss a couple of the snowflakes (PTI) with holographic embossing powder which adds some interest and a bit more sparkle. And added a big ole sparkly Marianne Creatables snowflake. Can ya see it? (tee hee hee)

It's actually a tag card. Did some simple stamping of the images on the inside and softened them a bit with my water brush. I'm playing at Cards and More #120 Simply Blue and Inkspirational #70 No Red or Green and Time Out #19 Embossing with Sparkle.

This was the result of my post-perusing (Tracey's blog) crafting session. The ornament tag is blogged here. These were such fun to make and will adorn the bags of cookies we are making for neighbors this year. Yippie! More to come soon. Thanks for visiting.

oh christmas tree... which isn't

actually a Christmas tree stamp.

See the Sweet Stamp Shop Sparkle and Shine set?

 Meet my card.

Started with a stitched rectangle die cut stamped with that gem (once in Adirondack Bottle and once in Lettuce and then swiped lightly with my water brush) and given white embossed dot trunks. Balanced with a die cut Impression Obsession cardinal and a Technique Tuesday sentiment, stamped onto the base and die cut for interest.

Now, See the Aha Arts Geometric Borders set?

Meet my card.

Get the picture.

Squeaking in before the gates close at Craft Stamper's Take It, Make It for November. Use a non-Christmas stamp to make a Christmas card. OK :)

Also joining the fun at Stempelkueche #8 Untypische Weihnachtskarte. I think this qualifies as a non-typical Christmas card.

And cuz I really do love red and green at Christmas and that's what Bonnie wished for over at Merry Monday.

Thankful... for your visit. Have a lovely Thanksgiving.