Walking the Dog, Fall, Football and Fun

My Eddie. He is so fun to walk with, he just loves to go out and explore the world outside our house.

We just got back from a mile walk and it is absolutely gorgeous out. The sun is shining, the grass is green there is a nice breeze. I LOVE fall. Yes I know it's not quite fall yet but it sure seems like it. The squirrels are already storing stuff in my planter box. We've seen some color changes and the geese seem to be flocking already. Hmmm, hard winter coming???

Well I'm going to enjoy this week, the forecast is for sunny or partly sunny and 70's all week. The first MSU Spartan football game is this Saturday and High School games have already begun. Looks like a fun week. Hope you have fun also.

Sympathy with Bows

Christmas is coming (and way to fast). Yes I know it's early to think about Christmas, but I have to. Part of what I do is gift everyone on my Christmas list (and it is getting longer every year) with 6 handmade cards. In the past year I was asked for more sympathy cards. It seems that is the one type of card most needed. Just what does that say about us??? Any way I've found the CuttleBug folders work really well for these type of cards. In this one I used the Stylized Flowers folder after I had run it through the Swiss Dots folder. I stamped the sentiment from Rubber City Rubber Works Everyday Collection. I added two strips of brown ribbon with tied on bows and was done . Hope you like it. Thanks for stopping by and leave a comment if you'd like.

Happy 50th

This card has special meaning for me. A year ago today I was at a wedding for my nephew Steve and his beautiful wife Michelle. I have already sent them the anniversary card for this year (it will be late), but when I was talking to them the other night we spoke of making to their 25th anniversary. It got me to thinking about not being here for some of the future events in their lives...i.e. their 50th. This image is from Mo Manning's site. It's called Jack and Ginger. It is the sweetest image. Can't you just see them walking down a path together just loving each other? I want to think of all my nephews and niece as having a long and loving life with someone they love. I want that for myself as well. These two look so comfortable together. I colored them with Prismas and Gamsol. Cut them out with Nestabilities Large Labels, added rhinestones, stamped the sentiment from Stampendous Special Message Set, found some DP that worked with my coloring and was done. I'm sending this to Michelle and Steve to hold onto for 49 years. Hope they like and you do also. Have a great weekend.

Happy Dance

My friend Sandy turned me on to Digital Stamps and this is such a fun one. It is from Mo Manning's http://www.digitalpenciltoo.com/. If you are interested at all in Digi Stamps go here first. I've purchased several of her images and can't wait to work with each of them.

This image, however, had to be first. Raised Catholic and having gone to Parochial schools and been taught by Nuns this just made me laugh. I kind of think of it as the last day of school sort of card but it could be almost anything. I had to color the center Nun's shoes bright orange because she just looked like the rebel of the group. Any way I colored with Prisma pencils and Gamsol, then cut the image out with Label One Nestie. I drew in the grass and sponged in the area around with Memento Summer Sky. I wanted to mat it with a similar Nestie but I had used the largest already, so I cut the same size, cut it in half and voila it worked. I added 2 little brads to disguise the cut. The sentiment is from Gina K Tag Lines and cut out with a Nestie Tag leaving it in the Nestie I sponged more Summer Sky and was done. Hope you like it.

Stitched Rose

This card was kind of a backward card. This is some more of the pretty vellum I had in my stash. I backed it with white card stock and since I was playing with my Bow Easy I slapped one on here. Then I had to come up with what to put on the card. What to do, what to do. I started looking through my stamps and came across this image from Hero Arts. The light bulb went off!!! I colored it with Copics of course, then cut it out with a Mega Curved Rectangle Nestie. It is mounted on a larger Mega Curved Rectangle. I ran a Copic around the edge of the image to give it some dimension then put the card together. Hope you like it and thanks for stopping by.

Water Color Daisy

This is another of the pretty vellum papers I had in my stash. The image is Water Color Daisy from Hampton Art Stamps . I colored it with Copics and cut it out with a Mega Curved Rectangle Nestie. Leaving it in the Nestie I sponged around the edge with Versa Magic Spring Pansy. After adding the bow (Bow Easy) I plopped a purple rhinestone in the center of the flower and added the sentiment. The sentiment is from PaperTrey Birthday Basics, which I cut out with a Tag Nestie and colored the edge with Copics. Hope You like it and thanks for stopping by.

Heart Prints

When ever I'm stuck for an idea for a card I go cruising (the web that is). More often than not I end up at Sue Nelson's site www.heartprints.net. I'll almost always find just the inspiration I need. This card is an example. Sue's card is larger but since I like to keep to the A2 size I shrank hers down and shamelessly copied her card. It is composed of three CuttleBug folders, Swiss Dots for the bottom, Divine Swirls for the middle and Bird Call for the top. The Bird Call layer obviously is torn across the bottom for some texture. I just added the sentiment at the top. It's from River City Rubber Works Every Day Occasions (unmounted).

This is a simple but elegant card that is so easy to make. Hope you like it and go see Sue's work also. Thanks for stopping by and leave a comment please.

Northwoods Rubber Stamps

This is an oldie. I made this card back in 2006. It's a beautiful image from Northwood Rubber Stamps. There is no name on the stamp just the item # P4617.

I did look through the catalogue but didn't find it, so it must be retired. I'm not really sure how I did this card but I believe I stamped it in Versamark and embossed it in black. I then colored it with Tombow markers. This is very early in my card making career and one of my better designs. I was looking at some of my other cards from back then and I realize the classes I've taken and the help I've had from my friend Sandy have made a huge difference. Still a lot more to learn but that's the fun of it. Thanks for stopping by.

Rouge Bird

This paper had to be the focal point of this card. It's from Bella Bella's French Flea Market set. I really wanted the bird to be the main focus so when I got into my vellum frenzy this is what I came up with. I had to finagle a bit to get the cut out in the right place (done with oval Nestie of course). Then the sentiment (one I use often). A little ribbon and a bow and we're done. Hope you like it.

Making use of mistakes

This card is the result of a mistake I made the other day when I was in a card making frenzy. I had this great idea for a card and I cut out these two ovals using Nestabilities. However when I went to mount my image it was all wrong. Didn't fit at all. Boohoo. Well I set these aside and went on with what I was doing. Yesterday I pulled them out and decided that one way or another I was going to get them on a card. I stamped this sentiment from Papertrey Bithday Basics, hand doodled around the edge, slapped on the rhinestones and grabbed these DP. The green paper went through the CuttleBug in Swiss Dots folder and the purple has the dots on it. Hope you like it.

Steve and Michelle 1 Year later

Quite some time ago I went looking for a nice church stamp. Boy did I ever have trouble on that quest. I did find church stamps but many were cartoonish or just plain strange. I did find one at Art Impressions that I liked and used but it is on the small side. Anyway, I ran across a stamp store in Troy at the Novi show called The Paper Hollow and since I was going to be in the area I decided to check it out. I found this great stamp there by Xpreshons. (I think they are their own line). So I decided to use it for this anniversary card. I used some Flower Soft, just highlighted the edges of the church with light blue Copics, colored the door and window casings with a darker blue. I then added the bow, heart brad and the sentiment. Hope you like it.

Thinking of You

I love Thinking of You cards. They are so versatile. This card could be a Birthday, Get Well, Sympathy or just Thinking of you. This vellum is so gorgeous that it could almost be framed and hung on a wall. Again a very simple card to make. I just backed the vellum with a light beige card stock and stamped the sentiment on the front and I'm done. I really didn't want to detract from the vellum so no embellishments. The sentiment is from Inkadinkado.

Hope you like it.

Penny Black and Vellum

This has to be one of my all time favorite cards. It just came together so easily. The vellum is the key. As soon as I had it backed with the white card stock I new that this stamp (Brush Tulips from Penny Black) was the one to use. I colored the stamp with Tombow Markers and then cut it out with Curved Rectangles Mega Nestabilities. Leaving it in the Nestie I sponged around the edge with Memento Summer Sky. A simple bow made with the Bow Easy and I was done.

Hope you like it.

Birthday vellum

As I told you yesterday I've made several cards using vellum. This vellum is obviously a birthday theme and I colored on the back side with Copics. Not wanting to distract from the velum I just stamped a simple Happy Birthday (from PaperTrey's Birthday Basics) and backed it with Raspberry card stock from Papertrey's Perfect Match color collection. (Just love this paper)

Hope you like it

Pretty Vellum

I was looking through my stash of paper and found several sheets of vellum that I've had for a long time. One of my vices is paper. I have a lot of it and if I'm in a store and see some pretty paper I'll buy it (in every color available) and put it away for something special. Vellum is a paper that I'm wary of because I'm not sure just how to use it, especially if it has a design on it. Whoever I took my courage in hand and started thinking about how to use these sheets and today and the next few days you'll see the results.

This card is very simple just the vellum, some light beige card stock and the sentiment from PaperTrey's With Sympathy . This is a terrific set with lots of options. Hope you like it.

My Photo Assistant

My Eddie, the photo assistant. I was taking photos of the cards I had made over the last few days and Eddie came a laid down at my feet. He's been doing that lately, just laying down where ever Bruce or I are. It's sometimes a bit disconcerting if we forget and stand up and almost (sometimes not even almost) step on him. Anyway there I was shooting away and there he was sacked out on the hardwood floor. Me, I'd go for the couch and be comfy.
The cards I was working on will start posting tomorrow. Have a great day.

Tilda

This Magnolia Stamp is a neat deal. Tilda is the basic stamp then there a two outfits to dress her in. This one is jeans and a top the other is shorts and a top. Really cute set up. I had this DP and thought it would be cute for the background. The sentiment is computer generated and brings back happy memories of the ice cream truck coming down the street on those hot summer days so many years ago. I colored Tilda up with Copics and then cut out the sentiment with Nestabilities. The little party hat is a Stamps by Judith stubbie. Hope you like it.

Black & White Sympathy

I tried something new with the bow on this one. Using the Bow Easy I did a bow with two ribbons. After a bit of struggle it finally came out right. I probably won't do that again for awhile. Need to forget that struggle first, although with advancing age memory is fading faster these days. LOL I computer generated the sentiment and cut it and the black mat out with Nestabilities Labels One. I mounted it on black and white ribbons over black and white paper over black cardstock on a white card base. Getting the theme here??? Anyway I like how it turned out and hope you do also. Thanks for stopping by.

She's a Hoot

This is another image I did at the MGP class. I have no idea what Co. this stamp is from but I'm going to have to find out since this gal is a hoot. The sentiment is from Inkadinkado and so fits this image. The image was colored with Prisma pencils and Gamsol but I then added Shimmerz to the dress, shoes and pimento in the olive. I then cut her and the mat with Nestabilities Label two. The sentiment was matted and a green rhinestone added for some bling. Inside I stamped "Youth is a gift of nature, but age is a work of art." from Papertrey Birthday Basics. Hope you like it.

Vintage Garden Chair

This stamp is from Lockhart Stamp Co. I just love these chairs and I have two of them in my front yard. Last year when a local candidate was in the neighborhood campaigning she wanted to just sit down and rest under the shade of my maple tree. I offered her a chance to sit and rest but she had a lot of ground to cover so she went on her way. Anyway I saw this stamp at the Novi convention and like my other Lockhart stamps it just jumped into my hand and begged to be taken home (that's still my story). I colored this image with Copics and matted it and found this DP for my background. The sentiment in from Hero Arts. Again I apologize for the blurred image. Hope you like it anyway.

Waste No Want Not

I was in the groove making cards and made a U turn on a design. I had cut out a plain oval with my Nestabilities and then a scalloped oval also. I then didn't like the look so I set them aside. This was the paper I had left over and didn't want to waste it. So it became a frame for Pink Tilda(Magnolia). The sentiment (Birthday Basics from Paper Trey) is stamped on the reverse side of the base DP. A couple of rhinestones and I'm done. Always good to hang on to scraps. Speaking of scraps Amy Westerman of Heartfelt Greetings (see Favorites) does a neat thing on her blog by just pulling out a handful of scraps and making a card with them. Simply amazing and terrific are her designs.

MGP Class

I'm sorry for the somewhat blurry photo but I just couldn't get it better. I did this image in a class for Prisma pencils and Gamsol. When I got it home I just set it aside and forgot about it. Silly me. Anyway when I moved some papers around it fell out and said make a card dummy. I cut it out with a Nestie and then sponged around the edge. I then cut out a scalloped mat in rose pink. I've been having fun with my Bow Easy and I've got to tell you that a tutorial on Jami Bova's blog Stamp Happy with Sgt. Stamper (see Favorite Sites to Cruise) has made it even easier. Wow!! Any way I made a bow with a long tail and ran it between the image and the mat. A glue dot under the bow and I was all done. Hope you like It.

Sympathy

I love the simple elegance of a white and black card. I've seen this card design on other blogs and really like the look. Just matting the sentiment and making it the focal point places the object of the card in the forefront. When I have to send a sympathy card I like to write my own notes inside so this enables that. The base is a CuttleBug Swiss Dot embossing with a black ribbon around it with a white bow. They are hard to see but I put smoke gray rhinestones on the corners of the black mat. The mats were done with Nestabilities. Hope you like it.

Busy Day

I've had a few busy days. I've made 12 cards and feel really good. I finished them up today and photoed them also. They've been uploaded to my computer and I can start blogging them tomorrow. I have to get the info about them together tonight. My craft area looks like a bomb went off and it will be a chore to find what I need. Oh well needs to be done anyway. See you tomorrow.

New Baby

This card was done for a friend who has just become a new Grandma. (a very young Grandma to be sure). Any way the DP is DCWV Circus Animals from Nana's Kids Print. The stamps are from a set of clear stamps that I've had for awhile and I don't have the name of them. I had put them in a binder without the paper backing so I don't know who makes them. Really cute set of stamps though. Any way this card was colored with Prisma pencils and gamsoled. I colored in some grass and sponged in the sky. The sentiment was computer generated and cut out with a Nestabilities tag. I made a bow with my Bow Easy (leaving a long tail) and ran it thru the tag and carefully cut a slit in the baby giraffes back and tucked the end under. I think it came out cute. What do you think?

Copics and Prisma with Gamsol

This post is to pass on some helpful hints. Actually it is to direct you to a couple of wonderful Blogs that inspire me and help me with tutorials on coloring.
First, for Copics you need to click on the link to Creative Moments with Sandy under the heading Favorite Sites to Cruise. Sandy is a certified Copic instructor, but more importantly she's a terrific artist. I regularly look to her site for info on colors to use.
The best site to check out the Prisma pencil with Gamasol technique is Heart Prints (also under Favorite Sites to Cruise). Sue is terrific at this technique and has a tutorial that is really helpful. She is also a terrific card maker with a wonderful gallery of her cards.
I can spend a lot of time on each of these sites getting ideas and okay yes drooling at their abilities.
Have fun checking them out.

Out and About with Penny Black

This is another of the stamps I wrote about yesterday. Doesn't she look like someone you'd like to hang out with? Love the dog. Again she's colored with Copics and matted twice to give some dimension. After I got her all done I thought something was missing so I studied her for a bit and decided she needed some earrings. They might be a little hard to see but I popped a couple of small pale blue rhinestones on her for some bling. Hope you like it.

Penny Black's Dash

Penny Black has a really cool line of stamps for teens and or young adults. "Dash" is one of them. Doesn't he look cool? I colored him with my Copics then cut him out with Nestabilities Small Deckled Rectangle and matted him on grey then dark red to match his shirt and shoes. I do like a guy with just a dash of color. The background paper is the Paper Co. Black Rain Drop (this paper comes in several colors and I think I have them all). The sentimant is Papertrey Ink's Birthday Basics.

Hope you like it.

Pink Tilda

Magnolia Stamps are so cute! I just love this one for a little girl. I've done this one as a birthday card but wouldn't it be cute for a little girl to give her Mom for Mother's Day ? The sentiment is from Papertrey Ink's Birthday Basics ( A great Set). I colored her with Copivs and layered her over several shades of pink. The bottom layer was punched with a Martha Stewart Punch. Hope you like it.

Lockhart Cupcake

I was so excited yesterday when I spotted Lockhart stamps at the Novi Show. This Morning Glory Cupcake stamp just jumped into my hand and screamed take me home. Well not really but that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Well any way I played with it last night and colored it with Copics and today I assembled a card. I had this paper and decided to mat the image using my Nestabilities. I had found a reference to a tutorial on "A Touch if Grace" for easy bow making using "Bow Easy" Hmm, I thought to myself 'I have one of those" so I dug it out and after finally reading the directions and looking at the pictures (after I watched the video 3 (yes 3) times I finally got it!!!! So I added ribbon and bow (Hobby Lobby), and finished the card. Hope you like it

Flower Soft

I went to the Heirloom Stamp show in Novi on Sunday and bought this stamp to use with Flower Soft. It's from Impression Obsession and they were doing wonderful Demo's using this product. Along with terrific stamps they had allot of the Flower Soft. Of course there were many vendors selling this stuff along with the toppers etc. I just fell in love with this stamp simply called House. Wouldn't you like to live here? I colored the image with Copics then added the Fuchsia mix.

I spent the day making cards so I'll have new ones to post tomorrow and the next day and the next etc.