The Birthday Bear

I used this Gruffies stamp from Stampabilities many times when I was making cards for troops scheduled for deployment.

This time I thought it would be great for a guy card for my gift packets at Christmas. What guy doesn't like pizza and a cold one for his birthday.

I colored with Copics and the sentiment is computer generated.

I'll be playing with my new toy soon. My nephew Steve had me for Christmas this year and got me a Copic air brush system. Just the one with the air cans, not ready for the big time yet with the air compressor. Hope you like the card and thanks for stopping by.

Get Well Doggies

Well we're back from our Christmas trip. We had a lot of fun, but it was a busy trip. Every day was packed with family events. So much fun.

Our drive to Buffalo was uneventful, just long. Seems like everyone was on the road and going slow. Our trip back was not so fun. Pretty much a white knuckle trip for me. The road were a bit slippery and it was very windy. We made it and only an hour lost on the bridges across the borders.

I am, however, happy to be back to blogging.

I made this card before Christmas and was glad to get away from holiday cards. This was the only get well card I made. The image is a Great Impressions stamp and the sentiment is from Custer's Last Stamp. Hope you like it and thanks for stopping by.

Birthday Daisy

I had made this card base using a new Cuttlebug folder and set it aside. Didn't have a clue what to do with it.

When I was faced with making 40 birthday cards I decided I needed to use this.

Well, I went back to an old but tried and true technique. Direct marker to stamp. I hauled out my Marvy markers and colored away. I used my Stamp-A-Majig for placement and it worked beautifully.

I'm actually in Buffalo for the holidays as this is being posted (yes I set this up ahead of time), but I didn't want to go without posting for too many days. Will post again after Monday.

Hope you all have had a wonderful time and see you soon.

Nativity

Merry Christmas to all of you. My wish for you is that the Peace, Love and Joy of this season be with you today and through all of the New Year.

Alice in Mo Manning Land

This is another of the wonderful Digi Stamps from Mo Manning.

I colored Alice with Copics of course. It doesn't show in this photo but there is a tiny blue flower on the DP that matches the blue of the mat and some of the blue in the image.

This is such a sweet image that it was fun to make a card with her.

Hope you like it and thanks for stopping by.

A Guy Card

This is another of the wonderful Mo Manning digital images. I needed some guy cards for my gift packages and this one certainly qualifies.

I colored with Copics and cut him out using a Nestabilities, then I cut the mat with the next size up.

After I had it all done I noticed that some of the color from his jacket had bled out so I grabbed a Copic in a lighter shade and gave him a shadow.

Hope you like it and thanks for stopping by.

Birthday Tulip

I had such fun making this card. This flower is part of a stamp that has three windows. Each is a different flower so I can make one or three cards. Really cool.

I first made the card base then colored to match using Copics of course.

I really don't have to much to say today. I'm actually on the phone with my cousin while working on this. Just catching up on family news.

Birthday Giraffe

I'm so HAPPY. I finally finished making all the cards I need for gifts last night. I know, I know it's cutting it a little close but I am done.

I finished this card the other day using this wonderful stamp from Rosie Roadshow. I used a technique I learned about from Sue at Heart Prints. Using a Nestabilities to frame your image. Really neat. Makes doing an interesting card very easy.

I colored with Copics and "grew" some grass around his feet. I sponged some Memento Blue Sky and was done.

If I knew how I might have drawn a bow around his neck but I didn't know how so he's just plain.

Hope you like him and thanks for stopping by.

Danny Boy

This wonderful image from Mo Manning was a must for me. My friend Pat has a dog just like this (except he's black, so black I can't color him correctly or he'd be just a black blob on the paper). Danny Boy is a great dog. When we visited last year he was a good host to my Eddie. (Eddie was not that great a guest, he's a bit aloof).

Anyway I made this card for Pat and her husband Stan for Christmas. Colored with Copics and I used Polar White Flower Soft for the hat and around his feet.

Hope you like it and thanks for stopping by.

P.S. Happy Birthday Pat

That Little Yellow Truck

I just love this truck. It's from Great Impressions and I've used it a lot. I colored with Copics of course and colored in some hills and a road. I used a little clear stamp from Art Impressions on the grass to show some texture. It really is more cartoon like but I'm happy with it.

This is one of my guy cards that I need for my gift packs. I do plan to give the guys some "pretty" cards to send to the women in their lives.

Hope you like it and thanks for stopping by.

Mo's White Challenge

When I went to my friend Sandy's blog I found out about Mo's Digital Challenge currently running and decided to join in.

I decide to use Mo's Door with Wreath. Don't you think this is a very welcoming image? It just symbolizes all that Christmas is about. Someone inside is waiting to invite you in, give you a warm drink and sit down with you to reminisce about past holidays. But I digress.

I used Cuttlebug folder Holly Ribbon for the base, then I took the QuicKutz Phrases folder and cut it up for the sentiment.

I used Copic E40 for the door, E41 and N1 for the shovel. The wreath is YG03 and G24, And E51 was used on the mat. A little B00 took care of the snow.

I originally had a red bow on the wreath then I double checked the requirements and changed to a white (well okay an off white) bow.

I've already sent out my Christmas cards for this year but I guess it's never too early to start on next years. Hope you like it and thanks for stopping by.

A Forest Sympathy

I finally finished my sympathy cards. I love using this image. The message is also that you aren't alone. The forest lets you remember the friends and family that can help you deal with grief.

Well that's a depressing ramble.

This image is from Penny Black. The base is embossed with Cuttlebug Victorian.

I just took a couple of Memento Tear drop pads, Desert Sand and Rich Cocoa and rubbed them on the stamp. A corner punch and dark brown mat and I was done.

Hope you like it and thanks for stopping by.

Sympathy

When I was making all my sympathy cards (I still need 10 more), I had some scraps left over from some of the other cards and decided to see what I could come up with.

This sentiment is, to me, a powerful one. I decided to make it the focal point, so I just mounted it on a scrap of DCWV La Creme, that was laying on the table. The base is from the same stack and even though it doesn't look like it, it matches the background of the DP. The black part of this paper is flocked and really pretty in person.

The sentiment is Stampendous. It's Flexible Friendship Wishes. There are several sentiments to the set and can be shaped different ways.

Hope you like it and thanks for stopping by.

White Christmas House

This card manges to combine all of my (current) favorite techniques. The first layer is embossed, Cuttlebug style. Then I used kraft paper for my second layer that I embossed with white embossing powder. I even managed to get a little ribbon on it.

This originally started just as an experiment. I wanted to see how this house, from Impression Obsession, would turn out done all in white. I really like how it looks.

What do you think? Thanks for stopping by.

Sympathy in Four Parts

These are some of the many sympathy cards I made the other day. I decided to show them in groups of four. This way I won't bore myself and you with the same type of cards. Let alone make ourselves sad with thinking about all of the family and friends we've lost.

I try to somehow make the cards attractive enough to lift the spirits.

These cards show different techniques and styles. I just can't do the same card over and over. Different DP's, different sentiments, different layouts.

The upper left and lower right cards use DCWV DP form La Creme matstack. These papers were a real help for these cards. The lower left card has the sentiment in the third row from the top. Looks like it was just printed there. Really neat.

The other two cards are just embossed in white with the sentiment added. Very simple.

Hope you like them and thanks for stopping by.

Sympathy for a Dad

I've been making sympathy cards for the last few days. OK, I really only worked one day. But I made 22 cards that day.

I think this is my favorite. It's a card that I'm sending to a neighbor. Well a neighbor of my sister's , but since my sister lives in the house that I grew up in (and my Dad grew up in), I consider my neighbor also. Gina lost her Dad last month. My sisters and I lost both our Mom and Dad within a year of each other, oh golly I just realised it's about 20 years now, I have a lot of sympathy for her.

I used the Victorian Cuttlebug for the white layer. The card base is a soft green Beckett. The sentiment is from Custer's Last Stamp. Hope you like it and thanks for stopping by.

JustRite Thinking of You

I made this card with the JustRite Stamper I got just a little while ago. This whole system is so neat.

I stamped this image and colored it with Copics. Using Nestabilities I cut it out and them cut a scalloped oval (Nestabilities) for the mat. I had this DP that coordinated and I was done.

Oh, the sentiment is a clear stamp that I can't figure out where it came from. Duh!!!

Hope you like it and thanks for stopping by.

Happy Birthday Nathan

This card was made for a grandson's birthday.

He'll be 17 today and according to his Mom is trying to corner the market in vehicles.

They live in Iowa so I did a search for an Iowa Hawkeye symbol and found this one. I thought it made a perfect auto decal. The truck is really colored gray but for whatever reason came out blue here. Computers baffle me.

I colored with Copics and this truck is from the Print Works Collection. I'm sure Nathan will like the card but he's sure to enjoy the enclosed check even more.

Hope you like the card and thanks for stopping by.

Happy Birthday Dick

A friend of ours is an avid Michigan fan, a difficult thing to be in Spartan country but oh well.

His birthday is today so I made this card for him. We found a calendar for him that is all U of M and has their fight song on it. He'll love it.

All I did was trace the M on vellum then taped it to the yellow (maize) card stock and then cut it out. I took some alphabet stamps and spelled out his name added the Happy Birthday and I'm done.

Thanks for stopping by.

A Short Note

Among the people I give an assortment of cards to are young men. Guys are so hard to design for!!! Luckily I have this set by Amy Rysavy that I got from All That Scraps. It's a really cute set (Amy's Boutique) that comes with various articles of clothing and there is a coordinating sentiments set (Boutique Sentiments). I like to keep these cards very plain. Don't think guys go for very much frou frou do you?

I stamped the images on DP then just high lighted certain areas. The hardest thing was cuttin them out. I just layered them on DP cut out with Nestabilities Labels 4. I left the sentiment in the Nestie and sponged on some color. Hope you like it and thanks for stopping by.

Embossed Birthday

Sometimes cards just make themselves. I know you don't believe me but really, I'll just lay everything out and they just jump together. At least it seems like that is the way it happens. These two Cuttlebug folders really lend themselves to easy card making. I embossed the top part then the bottom. (you just roll the card only as far as you want to emboss and then reverse). I wanted a little pop of color so I grabbed the Copics and colored just the flames.

I had picked up a combo package of card stock from Marco Papers at the last convention I went to (it was opening day weekend for dear hunting and the convention was up at Birch Run and let me tell you it was a busy area, who says there's a recession??). The pack had 5 different colors of paper and this pale blue was one of them. I found this sheer blue ribbon in my stash and I think it added just a nice touch.

What do you think? Thanks for stopping by.

Santa Embossed

I wanted to enter the IO White Challenge this week (I did but with other cards), so I made this card. After it was all done and I was writing up the info for the card I realised a huge mistake.

This Santa and sentiment are from Inkadinkado!!! LOL

I like the card anyway. The base was run though the Cuttlebug with the Ivy Ribbon folder. I used Gina K Rocket Red card stock for my image and sentiment.

I did copy an idea from my friend Sandy's blog, leaving the images in the Nestabilities I ran a white opaque pen around the edge.

A simple, but pretty card to send a friend.

An Oopsy Fixed

I thought I was going to do this really cool card. Ha ! I have this Magenta stamp that actually has three flowers on it, each in its own panel. It's a good stamp for one card or three.

Anyway, I had each panel colored (Copics of course) and cut out, then I went through the scrap drawer and found DP's to mat with. I chose this yellow card stock from Papertrey Ink for my card base. Hmm, I thought I'll get out one of my many edge punches and make a decorative border. At this point I have my image mounted so I'm trying to be careful. My bad!! I totally goofed it up. I trimmed off the mistake and thought about putting some DP on the inside but didn't really like that idea. Then the light bulb went off and I remembered this vertical sentiment set I have from River City Rubber Works. Saved my bacon on this card it did!!!

So the card was saved and we all lived happily ever after.

Well, now I have to finish making the rest of the cards I need for Christmas gifts and the birthdays this month (only 75 more to go. Learn from my mistakes. Thanks for stopping by.

White Challenge House

I woke up this morning (at 6:30 ugh!) thinking about Impression Obsession's White Challenge. Does that sound crazy or what. I had submitted a card already but this idea was floating in my head. I got up and found this stamp House and my kraft paper (well actually I tried using some Cryogen white first but the contrast wasn't enough for the white to show up). I used white detail embossing powder and just love the look. It's simple, classic and very elegant.

I used Cryogen white for the base, Neenah Classic white for the Cuttlebug Snowflake layer and of course kraft paper for my image.

I wanted a bow in the corner but ended up just crossing over on the corners.

Maybe I was inspired by the first snow fall of the year yesterday. It's all gone today but I don't expect the ground to stay clear for long.

The White Challenge

I finally got up the courage to enter Impression Obsession's White Challenge. I pulled out a favorite stamp Alesa Baker's Hydrangea Ribbon to use. I love this stamp since the image is so versatile. I've used this image for wedding, anniversary, sympathy and in this case birthday cards.

Since the challenge is white I used very little color on the image. I used a pale blue card base with a Cuttlebug embossed backdrop for the image. I rounded the corners and added a few flat backed pearls for dimension.

Check out the challenge and see all the beautiful cards other artists have submitted. I say artists because I think the beauty of the cards show such creativity that they are artistic.

What do you think??? Thanks for stopping by.

A Krafty Christmas

I've really gotten into the whole kraft paper design idea. When I found this sheet of DP (The Christmas Stack Holiday Collection) I just knew the card to make. This is one of the Christmas cards I made the other day when I was suppose to be making other kinds of cards. But, hey when inspiration strikes ya gotta go with the flow, right???

I used the middle of the Nestabilities Trees, then ran it through the Cuttlebug using a Snowflake embossing folder. The red rhinestone really finishes it off nicely.

The card is very simple but expresses the sentiment well. Thanks for stopping by.

Cuttlebug Leaves

I made this card using the Cuttlebug Maple Leaf embossing combo set. You first cut out the leaf then run it through in the embossing folder. There are several of these sets and it is really a neat format.

I used several different colors of paper and mounted them on a card base of craft paper.

I wanted a very simple card with a somewhat masculine feel to it. It is so hard to come up with manly cards.

Hope you like it and thanks for stoppong by.

P.S. I might do another card like this but distress the leaves to give idea of fallen trampled leaves. What do you think???

Football Birthday

This card was made out of desperation. I've had this image (Inkadinkado) laying on my desk forever. I finally needed to use it or throw it away. Being the frugal person that I am (LOL) I used it. The card base had also been sitting around on my desk FOREVER so I had to find away to merge them. The textured paper was mounted slightly off so the top edge of the card base showed, so I found a scrap of a coordinated green paper and tore it, ran some Memento Rich Cocoa along the edge and slapped it on. I smudged some of that Rich Cocoa along the edge of the image thinking it would look like the football had kicked up some dirt. Anyway the idea is that a young boy is playing with a birthday gift maybe???

Hope you like it and thanks for stopping by.

Embossed Trees

I started making cards the other day, intending to work on birthday, sympathy and thinking of you. Somehow they turned into Christmas cards. Sometimes I wonder about myself.

I started with this card base run through the Swiss Dots Cuttlebug folder. I then used the tree Nestabilities to cut out some trees in different shades of green and ran them through the Cuttlebug using Holly Ribbons folder. The two smaller trees are popped up with dimensionals.

The sentiment is a Fiskars Christmas set, I rounded the corners and ran Moss green Copic on the edge and added the rhinestones to finish.

Hope you like it and thanks for stopping by.