a few thanks!

I sat down with some scrap paper and card stock along with some fun new Lawn Fawn dies (stitched journaling set and the polaroid photo) I got right before Christmas, and whipped out some thank you cards I still need to send FOR Christmas gifts. ;) Yes, better late than never! 

 

I just loooooooove that stitched journaling die set! 

 

Oh, tree heart bark is a recollections (Michael's) stamp. I also have the say cheese stamp set from Lawn Fawn, and  the sentiment stamps are SU!

 

 

punched out border are "windows" revealing the card stock inside of card, which is why I photographed them laying down rather than upright.  :)

 and, unfortunately, I needed a sympathy card for the loss of a pet.... I didn't punch out the hearts and left them in, but added some color with time holtz distress markers.

TFL!  Happy Wednesday! 

FBD February Blog Candy Challenge

Entering my first challenge of the year! 

Who doesn't love blog candy? 

I was looking for something on youtube and came across this lady's video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tolwIwNSads, and thought it was a really cute card that looked easy enough, so I tried one myself. 

I didn't have the exact same punches, so I had to make do with what I do have, but... here it is:

Card front/closed.  Stays closed tucked behind coffee cup rubber stamp image (Fresh Brewed Designs).

Top flap open:

 and Inside of card:

I'm entering  this card here:

HELLO THERE!

WOW!  It has been a long time!  I was busy during the holidays and then when I got back from visiting family shortly after the new year (HAPPY NEW YEAR, btw!!), I've been busy with a few projects.

First I reorganized my crafty space.  I added a new book shelf with baskets and put my nestabilities and the like dies in binders along with clear stamps, too. Michael's had some good sales on their storage stuff as well.  I'm loving that carousel.  I got rid of quite a bit.... here is my improved crafty space:

I got all my 2013 photos saved to disc and uploaded to Costco where I have my pictures printed.

 

Then I bought some more 3 d-ring scrapbook albums and page protectors to actually put away the huge pile of pages I had stacked up.  I also did some rearranging and changed the location of the albums, so now they are much more accessible which will be easier to get completed pages put away and easier if someone wants to look at them. 

 This next one will be an ongoing big project, since I've been really bad about it:  getting the dates on the back of my photo prints and put into my cropper hopper boxes. I bought another one and they, too, will have a new home so that I can get to them more easily to get stuff put away.....  (not to mention easier to get out should we need to evacuate for fire- I live in So Cal and we need to do that sometimes, unfortunately).

 I also have been getting envelopes matched up with cards I've made.  I didn't take a picture and I'm too lazy to do so now, but there's hundreds of cards I need to get rid of. I donated a bunch even!  I'd love to sell them, but not sure the best way to go about that, so in the meantime..... they sit in bags.  Ugh. 

I did get this card made for my Brother In Law's birthday this month.  It was quick and easy (especially using that washi tape!), but I added some special touches:

 The beer stamp is SU!  I added dimensional glaze with a light sprinkle of glitter to the beer :)  Using a glue pen I embossed the frothy head with white embossing powder.  Happy Birthday sentiment is A|S and is embossed with black glitter ep.

Inside says: Cheers to you (also SU!)

WHEW!  I did check out a few of my fave blogs last week, quickly.  You know who you are.  I miss seeing the inspiration, but I do feel better getting things done besides sitting behind the computer.  I hope to catch up with you all soon!  HAPPY STAMPING AND SCRAPBOOKING!  :)

a few more Christmas cards :)

Hello!  I haven't been doing much card making these days; however, I did create these recently:

 

This is a gate fold card. I went to the stamp store to get some glossy card stock and I ended up with this really cute snowman embossing folder pack.  You know how that goes.... lol!  It came with this snowman folder, and two small holiday house folders, and a label one, PLUS that cute little tree die. :)

 Here's another Christmas card using a rubber stamp from Fresh Brewed Designs. 

 A card I created on a little mini canvas and made that tree die 3d.  It probably needs snow, but I decided to leave it snow free....  

 And another quick and easy Christmas card.  I'm trying to get my monies worth out of that tree die I had to buy. ;)  The gift is a jolee's sticker...  rubber stamp by A|S embossed in pirate gold.  :)

TFL!

Christmas is everywhere..

I really don't even like to think about Christmas until Thanksgiving is over, but it's hard to avoid.  It's everywhere!  And if cards are to be made, they need to get started... (oh, riiiiight... should have started in July! lol)....  I'm actually on the fence if I want to make my cards or do photo cards (like I usually do); however, in a couple of recent visits to my LSS, I had picked up that Christmas tree die and the Merry Christmas one, so I better do something with them ;) .....  Here are two cards I made over the weekend.  They were pretty quick and easy actually. 

 

I used the Merry Christmas die to cut the words as a "window"...

 you see the glittery  paper shine through... there it is

 Next up is a snowy scene.  I used alcohol ink on glossy card stock for the blue/night sky.  I masked off and then painted the snowy ground with gesso and sprinkled glitter while it was still wet.  After I stamped the trees and let them dry, I used gesso as well to add the tree highlights and falling/accumulated snow.  This is an A Muse Studio Stamp set that I fell in love with last year and had to buy.  I still love it :)

TFL!  and Happy Veterans Day!  Thank you to our service men/women past and present. 

scrapbookin'

I did 2 pages over the weekend and I actually really like  how they turned out.  I have my kits all mixed together, so don't know what came from where, but...........

 

From one of our favorite local events that we go to every year... Winter Wonderland.  It doesn't snow where we live, but they bring in snow to a nearby park for the kids to sled on and play with.... they also have Santa and other activities going on.  :)

 For the last 3 years we've been going to a trick or treat event at a local shopping center with this same good friend. That makes it a tradition, right?  lol.   There is a professional photographer who takes pictures and prints out a copy all for free.

TFL!  :)

a bunch of cards! :)

Hey there! These are cards I've made over the last few weeks that I finally got uploaded and resized to share with you.  :)

 

For this first card, I created the background piece that the seahorse charm is on using a piece of chipboard covered with gesso and then dabbed with alcohol inks. 

 

 This card I stamped Craft Lounge stamps onto a little canvas and colored with distress markers.  I applied dimensional glaze on the leaves. I have found with the distress markers that the colors sometimes dry differently than they first appear (when using water), but so far it's been okay... still experimenting. :) 

 A quick and easy little card using Fresh Brewed Designs rubber stamps.  I stamped cup on watercolor paper and distress marker watercolored it.  I love the soft shading of it.  I made this card for a friend and plan to put a coffee gc inside.  :)

 Needed a new baby girl card.  Washi tape made this quick and easy.  Stamps by A/S and SU!

 A birthday card for a little 5 year old girl.  I bought some grab bags from Michael's a few weeks ago and there were lots of Mary Einglebright (S?) bling stickers like this (cake)..... 

 Inside...  happy birthday stamp by A/S and butterflies are Martha Stewart (SU! glitter paper)....

 Another new baby girl card.  Again, washi tape made it easy!  stamp by A/S.

 and finally.... another gross zombie card. lol. Stamps by Pink Hippo Stamps.  Background embossed by Tim Holtz plate.  Then I distressed it with white and red inks.  You can't really tell in the photo, but brains and sore/blood spots have dimensional glaze on it.  ew.  hee hee. 

TFL!  :)

It's Friday! Have a Turtally awesome day! ;)

Happy Friday!  I have some more watercolor cards to share with you today.  I've been into turtles lately for some reason.  In real life they scare me, but they are rather cute, esp. these images from Inky antics.  I couldn't resist, esp. since they are made/sold to create fun insides......

 

see- a fun inside!  :)

TFL!

watercolored cards

...And now for a couple of cards I created using Tim Holtz distress markers for watercoloring.....  see, not scary like the zombie card I posted last week. lol! 

 

I really love these pens, and watercoloring with them. I've been using a thick watercolor paper. 140 lb. I still need lots of practice, but wow- blending and shading is so much easier for me. 

Same thing here but I also created the little butterfly embellishment using grunge board, wire, and a bead.  I colored it with metallic rub ons, and then added wire and a bead.

TFL!  :)

CIC233

Well, this is my last post for Cupcake Inspirations Challenge Blog.  I was honored to be part of it and it's a wonderful DT to be on, so if you're interested check out their DT call.

This week's challenge, they have this for you:

and the sponsor is:

and my card using a fun stamp set from The Stamps of Life...

and some fun washi tape and googly eyes.  :)

 

Come on over and play!  You could be a lucky winner!!  :)

 

 

Zombie!

I am one of those people who loves to watch all things vampire, witch and zombies...   ;)  I couldn't resist this zombie rubber stamp set by Pink Hippo Stamps.  This is a Halloween card I made for my dad.  He likes that stuff too.  When I was a teenager, we watched horror/scary movies almost every Sunday together.  :)

 My new found love that I am currently collecting.. Tim Holtz distress markers to water color.  I have some other sweet and not so gross cards to share with you another day.  lol!   I also used a T.H. embossing folder and then applied T.H. black and rock candy crackle paint over it and then swiped it with T.H. distress red ink pad.  Look at me, quite the T.H. fan these days.  ;) 

TFL.  Happy Friday!  :)

alcohol ink scenery

Trying something a little more artistic...   The youtube video I watched made it look so easy, but it was not at all easy (for me!).  However, it was fun.  After several tries, this was the best I got.  I plan to try again.  I used a piece of stampboard which has a nice glossy-like surface.  You put the ink directly on the surface and let it run back and forth....  I added my sun later because I wasn't about to try to mask yet. lol.  I stamped a fish on the lower right... 

 

Here's the video I watched: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12OXKx0NBDo
TFL!