Happy Birthday Bea

Today is my sister's birthday and this is the card I sent to her.  While I was up on the Gina K or maybe it was the Stamp TV site I saw an ad for Hancock Fabrics having a sale in the Janome Sew Mini.  I've been wanting to try sewing on cards but my machine at home is a big one and just hate to drag it out for one card.  Well we were driving down the street a few days later and I saw the sign for Hancock Fabrics and talked Bruce into turning around and letting me see if they still had any.  They did so I bought one, then of course I had to buy thread and bobbins and needles.  This was my first attempt at sewing on a card and needless to say I am going to have to practice a lot more.  I used the Papertrey Ink's All Booked Up set for the card and Background Basic Text Style on the blue layer and on the book mark.
Hopefully I will be able to master the art of sewing on cards and future efforts will be better.
Thanks for stopping by.  (You'll notice I didn't ask if you like it or not, I'm not pushing it)

Silver and Black

When I packed up my card making stuff to bring to Florida I found this black and silver foil DP form Hot Off the Press.  It doesn't look like much in the photo but it is gorgeous in real life.  I had to find a way to use it with out covering it up.  So this is what I did.  First I embossed this image from Papertrey Ink's anniversary set Iconic Images with silver embossing powder on black card stock cut out with Nestabilities Labels 4.  Then cut out a silver mat and another black mat in larger sizes.  I had a narrow strip of the silver card stock (also from Hot Off the Press) that I ran across the card to sort of ground the image.  I placed the layers on the strip and was done.  I really wish I had a better photo imaging system so you could see just how beautiful this DP is but I don't, so you can't.  Some lucky person is going to get it in their favor package at the wedding shower in May.  Or maybe I'll just keep it, hmmm.
Hope you like it and thanks for stopping by.

Simply Jane

The Papertrey Ink release in January had this gorgeous set called Simply Jane that has a matching set of dies and also DP designed by Dawn McVey.  What fun to work with.  I didn't have a chance to work with it right away but when I got the chance I played hard.  This is one of my favorites.  I layered some of the DP onto my card base and then used the dies to cut out the frame and silhouette.  Of course it didn't look great against the patterned paper so I used a Nestabilities to cut out a dark brown oval to place under the images.  The frame and silhouette were stamped with Memento Desert Sand.  I realize it's very hard to see the sentiment but it is also stamped in Desert Sand.  I used a technique shown on a Papertrey Make It Monday video on January 31st.  The idea is to stamp the sentiment onto a banner and make it stand out by folding it back and forth.  I used the back side of the DP and think it turned out well.
Hope you like it and thanks for stopping by.

Crafting in Sarasota

Just thought I'd share the view from the area I'm using as my craft desk.  I actually have two tables set up in an L shape here (this photo taken before I got it set up).  I'm having fun doing my thing in this location, the window is really a sliding door (three sliders wide) and I open them up as far as I can and enjoy the breeze and warm air.  Often taking a break and sitting by the pool to think up a new design.  I've made 35 cards so far and need to make a lot more to reach my goal.  I want to have an average of 10 cards a week and I'm about 15 behind.  I'll try to post some of the cards I've made but they will be short on details since I haven't been keeping records.
Back to work now.  Thanks for stopping by.

Thank You to the Troops

I recently had the opportunity to help my cousin Mary with a wonderful project she started last year.  Mary puts together some care packages to send with troops being deployed.  Mostly it's coffee, but she includes tea and I think hot chocolate and some goodies for them to have on those infrequent down times when they can relax.  There were three sets of packages going over and everyone who contributed (I was only able to send money to cover some expenses since I'm out of town) had to give her three thank you cards to be enclosed with the goodies.  I wanted to keep it to a patriotic theme so of course I went with red, white and blue.  The flags are from Papertrey Ink's Friendship Jar Summer
Fillers set.  I embossed them with Martha Stewart Dove powder.  The sentiment is also Papertrey and was a freebie.  I rarely make any two cards alike and even though I used the same focal point I tried to vary the layout and how the sentiment was done.  It's hard to see the one on the left but I clear embossed it and rubbed Papertrey Fresh Snow around it to make it show up.  I was so happy to participate in this project and am so grateful to our troops and their families for all that they do.
Hope you like the cards and thanks for stopping by.
P.S.  I'm posting this from sunny Florida where I've been crafting away and enjoying wonderful weather.