Season's Greetings

Season's Greetings
Originally uploaded by mkmermaid (Maureen)

This Hero Arts sentiment is so elegant - I love it! This card is one of the last I made at my wonderful scrapbooking store, the Scrapbook Depot, before it closed. Oh, how I miss that great group of creative gals and wonderful Carina and Julie, who were always so inspiring. Many fun hours spent in that back room!

This flower was cut with a Cricut (not mine - I still hand crank!) and the center is made with one of those little clear plastic bubble thingies stuck onto a small circle of designer paper. Some ribbon was crinkled along the bottom......pretty festive, eh?

It's Snowing Gingerbread!

Today I have made a card for Cath's Moxie Fab World Tuesday Trigger, which this gingerbread snowflake from Martha Stewart.

I used a wooden snowflake which I painted with Ranger's Crackle Paint and Stickles. I added a vintage button, some hand-spun yarn and a pearl stick pin. The stamps are Hero Arts Magical Background CG211 and LP177 (I love to decorate these little guys!). I printed the ingredients on my computer. Lots of Distress Inks and we are ready to munch!

Seasonal Necklace

Seasonal Necklace
Originally uploaded by mkmermaid (Maureen)

Even though it isn't yet December I guess I have to accept that the Christmas Season is upon us. Dear Hubby is going to help me get out the tree and all of our decorations this weekend (I plan to scale down and haul much to donations - think simplify!) and lots of crazies are out this morning shopping.

So, it's time to switch out my "Seasonal Necklace". You may remember that I shared this necklace with you when it was decked out with pumpkins and leaves for fall. A quick switcheroo and it is now a Christmas necklace! The stamped image (with some added bling) in the beveled glass locket is Hero Arts (AR150) and I made the peppermint dangles to hang on lobster clasps so that they can be easily changed with the season.

I reluctantly say "Happy Holidays!".

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone

The year has turned its circle,
The seasons come and go.
The harvest all is gathered in
And chilly north winds blow.
Orchards have shared their treasures,
The fields, their yellow grain,
So open wide the doorway -
Thanksgiving comes again!

~Anonymous

Thanksgiving with an Island Flair

Boy, is it cold here today! A perfect day to share with you a Thanksgiving card that I made with a bit of an island flair. The warm beach is sounding pretty good right now! This is made with some Hero Arts stamps (Large Flower CG134 and Happy Thanksgiving G5463). THe flower was stamped and embossed on designer paper and inked with Distress Inks. The sentiment was stamped onto kraft paper and colored with Copic pens. The vintage button and embroidery are from my secret stash.

Have a great day and think warm ocean breezes!

More Leaves!

And, if you could see my street, you would really know what I'm talkin' about!

This card uses blocks of color to set off the leaf images. Quite simple! Some torn paper and a piece of twine (love the look for fall cards) complete the package. I was thinking that I might turn this guy on his side.....will think about it.

In the meantime, go kick up some leaves and have a great fall day!

The Serious Countdown

It is almost time for Thanksgiving, which is my very favorite holiday. It is a time for blessings, fellowship, family and friends. Oh, yeah - there IS the food! I love every thing pumpkin (this year I have even found pumpkin coffee which is much better than it sounds) and it is the only kind of pie I eat. Yum!

I have sure been blessed this year. Thanks for all your support as I try to figure out this blogging thing - it has been a challenge.

Here is simple little card which uses several different patterned papers. The leaf was stamped and embossed with clear onto kraft paper and trimmed and applied with dimensionals. A simple greeting stamp and a twined button finish it all off in all its fall glory!

Have a great week and get your grocery shopping done!

Thank You (again), Hero Arts!

Most of you know that I am a big fan of Hero Arts stamps and paper-crafting products. I participate in their creative challenges every month. Last month I won the "fresh face" award for folks who have never won a challenge. I just learned that I won the current challenge, "Gift Tags & Handmade Gifts" in the digital category (see the November 18th blog entry)!

I used the Hero Arts "Children's Christmas Set", which is digital, and combined it with CL331 and LP177 to make this plate. The gingerbread cookies looked so good that I took a bite out of one! It is difficult to see, but there is a layer of casting resin on the plate to make it crumb-proof.

This is such an honor for me - to be in the company of such amazing crafters! Hero Arts is so generous, so inspiring and so supportive! What a wonderful company. Three cheers, many thanks and lots of hugs and smiles!

Happy Birthday, Daddy-O!

This weekend is my Dad's 85th birthday. We will not be able to be there (but we have planned a visit next month), so I wanted to make him a special card. His memory isn't all that good, so I thought I would include a picture of his favorite (okay, ONLY) daughter. Who isn't cute at four years old? I loved that old peddle car. Even though it was a Christmas gift, it was old - and used. My Dad (always thrifty) had taken it all apart, fixed it all up, painted it and made it just like new. It was the best. He could make and fix anything! I think I got some of my creative genes from him.

No stamping on this card. I used vintage-looking paper (love these colors), a dimensional sticker, some twine and vintage lace and a button from my stash.

Love ya, Daddy - happy Birthday! Thanks for all you have been and all you did for me for so many years.

Starry, starry night

Starry, starry night
Originally uploaded by mkmermaid (Maureen)

Okay, so I told you that last week we were going to the Impressionist Exhibit at the De Young Museum in San Francisco. It was most amazing! I have been a huge fan of the Impressionists for years, even having gone to the Jeu De Paume in Paris to see originals. The entire exhibit was wonderful, but I just could not walk away from Van Gogh's Starry Night. It is so rich, textured and sparkly in person, unlike any print you have seen.

Although I believe that it is a bit early to be featuring Christmas cards, this is my little homage to Van Gogh's masterpiece. The image is a great Hero Arts stamp used with Zing embossing powder and sprayed with Glimmer Mist. It is painted with Ranger Distress Inks and embellished with some Stickles. I plan to make other similar cards, but with more embellishments, before the season is fully upon us.

If you are anywhere near it, go see this exhibit!

Homespun Fall

Here is a fairly simple card made using a Stampin' Up image which was colored with colored pencils. As much as I love my Copic markers, some images just work best with my good old box of colored pencils (the same ones I used in college - they may qualify as vintage!).

I wanted to keep this card fairly flat, as it will be going out to my Aunt in Upstate New York. Wish I could send along some this amazing California sunshine!

Have a good one!

Seasonal Necklace and Another Tuesday Trigger

It is that time again, the Tuesday Trigger. And I thought that I had put away all my fall crafty supplies. NOT! Cath set us up with this pic from Martha Stewart.

Well, I AM a paper-crafter. But I also make jewelery. This project combines both of these skill sets. This is what I call my seasonal necklace. I added this cool locket (Stampin' Up) to a chain - it snaps open to allow a little tiny image to be added. For this November image I used a stamp from Papertrey Ink and another tiny one from an old set I had; colored with Copics. I embellished it with sequins and snapped it into the locket (I added my signature mermaid on the back of the locket). It is a little difficult to photograph because the glass is beautifully beveled.

Then I made some dangle thingies with crystals and some leaf beads. I attached them to the chain with lobster clasps so that they can be changed, with the season, along with the locket image. Too cool? I will be sharing with you the other seasons as the year progresses.

I just love the inter-activity of this personalized necklace!

It's Recycling Day!

Good morning! This is what I call a scavenger card - some may call it recycled, green, re-purposed - but it is what it is. It was made from a piece I salvaged from a non-handmade card I received last year (thanks, Sharon!). I just loved this leaf so I made a new card around it. I added a background paper, some wonderful ribbon, a button, some twine and a sentiment from Cornish Heritage Farms.

I'll be spending the Holiday with dear hubby tomorrow. We are going to the Impressionist Exhibit at the De Young Museum in San Francisco. I'll share my impressions with you next week. Have a lovely weekend.

All dressed up!

I have a dear friend with an amazing Barbie collection. So, when I saw this day planner I had to get it for her. Of course, I had to embellish it - nothing leaves my house unadorned! Here she is, ready to go out and ruin the confidences of many normal young girls! HA!

Whooo do I love?

Who do I love?
Originally uploaded by mkmermaid (Maureen)

Isn't this the cutest little owl? You all know that I am a big fan of Hero Arts stamps and products and their owls are sort of their corporate logos. They just pop up all over. I love this one, HA5156.

I have been wanting to try making a round card - this is finally it! It was fun and a bit of a challenge; I cut out with Nesties. I used tea to stain the white binding, added a small piece of twine and colored the image with Copics pens. The sentiment is from Cornish Heritage Farms.A little distress ink and some bling and the owl is ready to fly. Happy Monday!

Ribbon Fun

Ribbon Fun
Originally uploaded by mkmermaid (Maureen)

Can you believe that I found this amazing hand-painted 3-D button in the clearance bin last year? I also found this ribbon there - love it! I have been wanting to try some of the ruffled ribbon techniques that I have seen on websites. I am not sure that I have the knack. I am even less sure how to get it all into an envelope! Ah, well.......I will work on it.

The square doily is cut from Nesties and distressed with Rangers inks. The leaves are Hero Arts stamps (K5230), cut out and distressed.

Have a great day - a wonderful sunny one here in northern California!

Shadows of Fall

shadows of fall
Originally uploaded by mkmermaid (Maureen)

This is a richly inked card using a technique called embossed resist. The image (Hero Arts H5424) was heat embossed with clear powder on watercolor paper. Then several deep shades of Ranger Distress Ink were added to "pop" the image. The background paper is also done with Distress Inks using Hero Arts leaves (E2242) stamps.

A vintage button, some burgundy ribbon, a piece of twine and a Hero Arts pearl (which was colored with Copics markers) complete the picture. I may add a Thanksgiving sentiment before sending this along to my dear cousin in New York state (hope she isn't looking!).

Thanks for looking!

Distressed Turkey Girl

Distressed Turkey Girl
Originally uploaded by mkmermaid (Maureen)

And why is she distressed? Is it because sometimes the holidays bring out the worst in us? Nah, it is the inking technique I used to give her a vintage and aged look! I love this little "Crafty Secrets" gal, so proudly riding in with a grin on her face.

This card has lots of layers and lots of distressing. I stained the twill with some tea to antique it. Two Hero Arts stamps (CG119 & K52850, a hand-cut doily I made with my Nesties, and some twine. It needed something else, so I dug out a little charm from my stash.

I may not give this one away......sorry, family!