Saturday, October 17, 2009

Have you ever just let yourself color?

I mean color like you were in kindergarten with a big box of crayons, er, Copics? :) I am totally O.K. with this card looking like a child colored it - of course I'm talking about my inner child, duh! This card was inspired by my hubby's cousin Carm asking me for a card for a 13 year old boy! What a fun way to be inspired! I thought of my son Dominick who is 12 and thought what would he think is a fun card, hmmm?

I looked at my stamps in a totally different way! Those great Elzybell's stamps took me into a different realm of creativity! I saw a setting sun in the sweetest sunflower {and using a second stamped image and pop dotted and placed offset on top of the other "sun" actually made me smile!} Then, I saw in my mind's eye in those surf boards sticking out of the sand when sitting on the beach and memories of my son running past me with his surf and boogie boards just waiting to be used! This is what art does for me - a fun way to escape reality for a while and allowed myself to have fun!!!

I had to tell myself what kid wouldn't think this card ROCKS! Well, let's hope he thought that, and Carm, you'll have to tell me what his reaction really was!!!
Did he notice a sunflower for the sun? Let's hope not!


One quick tip:
I've been using my pop dots in an unusual way these days - I'm only using them here under the boys' head and not under his feet! Gives more of a 3D look for a closer face, not the whole boy!!!

Try it next time for yourself!

Thanks for stopping by and taking a peek at my kindergarten coloring experience!

{{{Recipe}}}
Stamps: Elzybells Sunflower & Surfer Boy
Cardstock: Gerogia Pacific White
Markers: Copic & Spica
Pop Dots


"Children are the sum of what mothers contribute to their lives." -- Unknown

Friday, October 16, 2009

Modern Colored Cornucopia

I must say I {{{love}}} this color combo - tan & black & white!!! This crisp color combo makes a masculine color theme to a very Fall theme! Tear those layers for a real elegant touch - and this is the cheapest embellishment you can do to ANY card!!!

This card was fun to make, and fun to think outside the "normal" colors - and by normal I mean golds, greens, oranges, rusts, tans, browns, etc. I challenge you to go outside the box and color outside your comfort zone! It's fun!!! If you do something fun with unusual color, email me your card - I'd love to see them!!!

{{{Recipe}}}
Stamps: CHF Kim Hughes Cornucopia, Clear Dollar Stamps Autumn Set Circular Thankful for You sentiment
Cardstock: Stampin' Up - Kraft & Black
Ribbon: Offray
Embossing Folder: Swiss Dots Provo Craft
Copic Markers
Pop Dot to the Cornucopia

Thanks for stopping by and please leave a comment, I would love to hear from you!

By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name. Hebrews 13:15

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Another Halloween Card


Just a little behind on my posting, but I had a wonderful time spent cardmaking last weekend with my friend, Carm, who just happens to be my hubby's cousin! Either friend or family, she's the {{{best}}}!!! We had an entire afternoon alone spent cardmaking! We came up with this card for Halloween! I'm not a huge Halloween person, but these last few stamps have inspired the creative juices to flow and this is one of our cards we created!

We pop dotted the witch over this great tree stamp from Darcie Heater's stamps! Sometimes the simplicity of a stamp makes the whole card perfect!!!! Thanks for stopping by and leave a comment, I love to read what my readers have to say about these cards!!!

{{{Recipe}}}
Cardstock: Stampin' Up
Stamps: Amuse Art Stamps (Witch), Eat Cake Graphics (Sentiment & Moon/Clouds), Inky Antics (Trick or Treat sentiment on Envelope, Darcie Heater Stamps (Tree)
Ink: Momento Tuxedo Black
Punch: Oval Scallop from Marvy Uchida
Markers: Copic & Spica Markers
Embellishments: Pop Dots

Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyways. -- Anonymous


With inky fingers &

Saturday, October 3, 2009

World CardMaking Day & Unity Stamp Co's Love Ewe

Happy World CardMaking Day, yippee - let the cardmaking begin!!! What great fun!

OK - Ya know when you see a stamp and you instantly know it's a stamp you {{{must}}} have, am I preaching to the choir? This one is it for me! I am totally enamored with Unity Stamp Company. I am not selling anything, really! But I love their look, their stamps, their freshness, their silliness and their honesty and realness! OK, it's true - of course, it's the stamps! I just got my order a couple of days ago and ***love, love, love*** these things! They've been calling to me, "stamp me, make a card, ink me up, and kiss me to paper." Editorial comment: Yes, I'm a bit nuts!!!

I have been wanting to make a card for my sweet Uncle & Godfather who lives in Arkansas, and I don't see him much at all. ***sniff, sniff*** He's got some health issues, and I've been wanting to send him a sweet, heartfelt note. Don'tcha think this is totally perfect? I just answered my own question. (It's like I'm having a conversation with myself, uh, er, almost... :)

I thought the use of the kraft paper cardstock with black & white accents was good for a somewhat masculine card...but really it's the sentiment that got me the most!


OK, so I used my Copics because, well, they are the {{{{BEST}}}}!

I embellished my "wool" with this great stuff Puffy 3D Glue by TSC Designs. I swirled the glue while squeezing my bottle. Then used my heat gun immediately for the puffy & textured look. I like that effect the best! Scroll down for the next picture...
See how the effect took? On the side of the bottle it say for puffy & textured, apply & heat immediately! {{{{Love this}}}} Sorry about a bit of a blur - still getting used to a new & somewhat cheaper camera. Ugh!
Then, I made a slim bow with ribbon. I folded a longer piece, used glue dots to make a horizontal loop. Then using a smaller piece of ribbon, folded and glued the vertical loop and tightened it all down with more glue dots. I think it is a bit more sophisticated.
Thanks for stopping by....and Uncle Jim, if you read this, I love you to pieces! Sending you some love...it's on it's way! Mwahh!
{{{Recipe}}}
Stamps: Unity Stamps Co. Love Ewe
Cardstock: Stampin' Up, Kraft, Black & White
Embossing Folder: Provo Craft Swiss Dot
Ribbon: Bazzill B&W Check
Ink: Momento Tuxedo Black
Markers: Copic
Misc. TSC Designs Puffy 3D Glue
The best thing you can do to be a great godfather is to be a mentor for your godchild. Guide to Being a Great Godfather by Brett & Kate McKay

Friday, October 2, 2009

Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?

Hey Bloggers -

This verse seems to sum up a lot of how we feel on any given day! That's why it makes me giggle! My sister and I ask that question a lot to our daughters (we really do love our kids)!! Then secretly laugh at ourselves for even asking!!! Then, just at the time we think we can't feel any better or worse, we crash into the side of our house! Just like it goes!!! Ahh, the life of a girl - are we Glenda or Elfaba? (Calling all you Wicked Fans!) It's up to you! Hee hee!
Enjoy my card:



{{{{Recipe}}}

Stamps: Eat Cake Graphics Moon & Sentiment, Amuse Art Stamps Witch
Embossing Folder: Provo Craft
CardStock: SU
Markers: Copic & Spica
Colored Pencils: Prismacolor
My Screen Door Card Template (see my Etsy store for details sidebar)

If you ever start feeling like you have the goofiest, craziest, most dysfunctional family in the world, all you have to do is go to a state fair. Because five minutes at the fair, you'll be going, 'you know, we're alright. We are dang near royalty.
~Jeff Foxworthy


Thursday, October 1, 2009

Yes, this is my second post for today, but Paolo Nutini is just fun music! Enjoy my last post....

OK, now a few things, I sent my "stuffed to the gills" USPS flat rate box with my cards made for Operation Write Home - if you have any extra cards, card fronts, etc. consider sending them to this great group! They will make sure your cards get to our troops, so they can send handmade cards back home to family & friends! What a great idea! Love this!!! Here is what their recent blog post had said about my contribution:

Michelle P, Montgomery IL - thank you sooooo much, your cards are just beautiful!

Yipee!! Isn't it really nice to lend a helping hand? I think so! Thanks to everyone and I will be making more cards & sending them soon! It's just something I ***love*** to do and believe that one handmade creation can touch so many hearts!!!

Now on to my card for today!



{{{Recipe}}}

This is one of those stamps that I simply love - and yes, it's an oldie [discontinued :( ] but a goodie! The Angel Company's "Libby Border" bee stamp is sooo cute! I coupled that with Inky Antics sentiment: "I'm glad to bee your friend" on the inside - making sure to see it through the vinyl screening. My Screen Door template (click here to purchase) was used, along with the yellow brad & CS from misc. sources.

My best tip for dark cardstock is this: I LOVE Gelly Roll pens by Sakura. It gave Libby the black'n'yellow shiny-ness & her (yep, she's a girl cuz' I says so) cute little buzzing white lines. Those pens give the card the pop it needed! I highly recommend them! Just MHO!

Quote for today: "Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." ~Dr. Seuss

Listen to this new musical artist, Paolo Nutini - Fun stuff!

Pencil full of Lead is my favorite song!