Photo Finish

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend! The weather here was picture-perfect and we had a great time!

Our dear niece is a professional photographer (her lovely website is here). She has such a great sense of style and I always try to make her a fitting and special birthday card. I love images of cameras and photo equipment. I actually taught a black and white photography class at the craft center in college - way before such things as Photoshop!

Anyway, here is the card that I made. No stamping! The sentiment is from SRM Stickers (thanks again, Virginia!) and the paper is from Graphic 45. Bling and ribbon from my stash. I am entering this in the Simon Says Stamp current "anything goes" challenge.

I'm having difficulties with my photography all of a sudden - need a refresher course! I am not happy with this photo.

Wishing you a fantastic week - I hope you can get out and enjoy it!

Bead-dazzled

No card today, but I still wanted to share something.

The other day my husband asked if I was ever going to make jewelry again. Such a sweetheart! I do have thousands of beads and have neglected this hobby for many months.

Since my recent "transformation" (thanks for all of your positive comments and support), I have been trading in the former black and navy blue clothes for brighter colors - specifically lots of pinks and chartreuses. Fun and lively! A pink necklace was on my mind, so I got busy with my beads.

This is made with several strands of high-quality organza ribbon, sterling silver findings and spacers and a pot-luck of pink beads - all in a kind of random design. It will go great with a couple of my new spring tops.

Thanks for checking it out - Have a wonderful weekend! I promise that I will have more cards next week.

Poppy Fields

I am still struggling a bit with the new Blogger Dashboard......but, I am determined! There is really no choice, is there?

Today I decided to combine two challenges and continue my quest to develop a "Clean and Simple" design. The first challenge is Virginia's View at Lily Pad Cards, a wonderful source of inspiration. This lovely photo is the inspiration for the challenge.

The second challenge is from Simon Says Stamp and Show, which asks that we use our "favorite word" on a creation. Now, I know many will use words like "inspire", "hope", "imagine", etc. However, I decided that most of the wonderful friendships I have started with a simple "hello", so that is the word that I selected.

My card uses Stampendous H203, called Scenic Poppy, and Hero Arts CL449 and CL493. I stamped the background flowers with Hero Arts Shadow soft brown ink on kraft for a faint tone-on-tone effect. I hope you can see it in the photo.

Thanks for looking and have a great day.

With a Little Help from my Friends.....

Don't you just love it when friends get together?

Well, this card is a result of a couple of dear blogging buddies, Virgina and Lisa. Virginia was kind enough to share some of the sweet & special elements and Lisa's fun style and great idea of "getting more from your stamps" came together right here. Thanks, ladies!

I added a smiling face to this sunshine from the Hero Arts "Monster Fun (CL391)" stamp set. It is made with Glitter Ritz, which I rubbed onto sticky tape, stamped with Stazon, colored with Copics and cut out. You can see another example on Jennifer McGuire's blog here. Sparkly fun!

Other Hero Arts stamps used are 657851 (Bold Pop), CG211 and CL488. The cool sentiment is a SRM sticker from Virginia.This is going into Hero Arts current contest, Sunshine and Showers. Thanks again, sweet gals!

A Blog Named Hero

How many times have I struggled to come up with something for a challenge, like one of Cath's from Moxie Fab World, and then never used that technique or idea again?

I was thinking of that when I decided to reach into my collection of canceled stamps (household items!) and pull out a rainbow. Just perfect for the current challenge over at A Blog Named Hero to use a window in a card - Cards With A View.

The rainbows qualify this for Hero Arts current contest for Sunshine and Showers - check it out!

This clean and simple style (I am going to keep trying) uses a great Hero Arts background stamp (CG301) which I stamped in Momento Fog Ink. The ribbon is a thank you gift from Ellen Hutson for a recent order I placed - nice!

Have a lovely week!

Another Flashback Friday!

Thanks to my blogger buddy, Jen for turning me on to this fun challenge. It is called Flashback Friday and you go back and find your first project EVER when you used a certain technique. It is a walk down memory lane.......sort of.

This time it is die cutting. Here is my first die cut project. I used one of my favorite Hero Arts stamps at the time, "Cute Girl" (E5236). I colored her with Copics. I had some great Japanese stationary. I'd actually make more of these today!

Thanks for checking in - we are heading out to our Hideaway in the Napa Valley where it is expected to be in the 80 degrees. Sounds good to me! Enjoy your weekend.

Feeling Just Pinky!

Just a quick post today. The current challenge at Meljen's Designs is to use one of their stamps with a pink and green color combination.

What screams pink more than a flamingo? I'm crazy for flamingos - in fact, they are the decor at our Hideaway in the Napa Valley. What better for a double-wide?!

I made this tag with their "Pinky Flamingo" stamp and lots of dies (Nesties and Die-namics).

I love this guy/gal! He looks just like he belongs in a trailer park, doesn't he? Thanks for looking!

April Kit

As some of you may know, I recently was the proud and happy winner of  the April Simon Says Stamp Card Kit. I was so excited when my very talented and kind blogger buddy Cheiron selected my name! Check out her blog - she is a master at the "Clean and Simple" styles, a real sweetheart and a all-around great inspiration. Plus, she is a brand new hostess over at the Hero Arts Blog! Won't she look super-cute in her apron? Ha!

I have never before worked with kits - truthfully, I had no interest in them. But this is such fun! All of the colors are coordinated and the quality of these products is over-the-top. And, with all these goodies I find I am considering different approaches to my card designs. I am a total convert. I'm sorry - the lighting on this photo isn't the best (SF Bay Area fog!).

With their great kit, I had to make a card for the current Simon Says Stamp Challenge, April Showers Bring May Showers! Too cute!

Thanks again to Cheiron and Simon Says Stamp - both winners in my book!

Another Tuesday Trigger

                   Cath over at Moxie Fab World has graced us with yet another amazing Tuesday Trigger. This one is called Three Little Birds. I love this graphic! It really reminds me of the "mod" images of my favorite decade - the 1960's. Fun colors, too. Incredible!

I had such fun with masking these little guys from the Hero Arts set CL415, Sweet Owls. And I used one of the sketches from the current Hero Arts Contest.

The background stamps are Hero Arts CG298 and S5208; the sentiment is CL342.

I sure hope you have a great week! Thanks for stopping by.

C'est Francais!

My friend needed a Parisian-themed card for her grand-daughter's big 21st birthday. Did she go to Hallmark? No! She came to watermarks!

You all know how I love everything French and I love to make my special "Eiffel Tower" cards (they are actually called Tee-Pee cards - see video here, but whatever). Remember this one? They are so cool because they easily fold flat for mailing and stand up with no effort and a dot of Velcro.

And, what could be more perfect for the current contest at the Hero Arts blog to make a shaped card?!  I used Hero's CL325 and some paper from Graphic 45 and a vintage postcard. Of course there are some fleur-de-lis and lots of bling. There is space for a personal greeting under one of the flaps, too. I have photographed all three sides.

This was such fun - and I even made her a matching set of thank you notes. I like to encourage the younger generation to employ the social graces.......ha!

Adieu, mes amies! I will see you next week!

Tiny Bubbles

Good Morning!

A quick post today to share a sweet, simple and bubbly mermaid that I made for the current challenge at the Meljens Design blog.

You all know how I love mermaids, and we are asked to incorporate dots, so I gave this gal some serious bubbles. These are those "Candi' dots again - love them!

I wish the Copic coloring photographed better, but I can't seem to capture it.

Have a great day - I will be dodging raindrops! And, this afternoon I will be joining the other mermaids in my water aerobic class.

Owl-Time Favorites!

                                         Have you checked out the great new spot "A Blog Named Hero"? A very cool spot founded by the talented Mary Dawn and Linda. Their first challenge is "Playing Favorites" - to use your favorite Hero Arts products. I love The Hero Arts Brown Shadow Ink for a great monochromatic look on kraft paper. And, those of you who have been here before probably already know that two of my most favorite stamps ever are the Classic Fabric Design CG245 and the Curious Owl F5210. I can't get enough of these great stamps. I tried using Mr. Owl in a little different way and tucked a bright umbrella under his arm for the current contest at the Hero Arts Blog, which is "Sunshine & Showers" . I also used one of the sketches for my design. The sentiment is Hero Arts CL572 and the paper is from K&Company.

Finally, I am submitting this to the current Simon Says Stamp Challenge, which to use your favorite tool. I couldn't go a single day without my trusty Cuttlebug! I have no interest in going bigger or electronic - it is just perfect!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great week!

Happy Easter!

 A quick post today to send out Easter wishes. A few weeks ago I shared a "knob hanger" and said that I had lots around the house. Here is an Easter one I made out of a vintage Easter card (yep, that is one more thing I collect - vintage cards) and some embellishments. It hangs on the handle of my china cabinet. I do play with more than cards! Enjoy your day.

Princess Power?!

Now, as you can well imagine, I am not a big proponent of princesses. But our little niece loves them and, well.....we love her.

So, while I was looking at a pile of trash on my desk I was inspired by Cath at Moxie Fab World who has challenged us to look creatively at our cast-offs with her "Don't Throw it Away" challenge. I had opened a new Lifestyle Craft die and realized that the plastic bubble was perfect for a shaker card. When was the last time I even thought about making a shaker card? Years ago! - It used to be so popular but it is now quite dated. I know that this design is not an award-winner, but the little one will love it. I used and old (2004) Stampin' Up Set, "Pretty Princess" (eeek! It almost hurts just to say that phrase!). I wish the shaker box photographed better - it has a magic wand with little sequin stars, seed beads and glitter.

The inside was fun to color with my Copic pens and I added a big sequin star for pop.

I Heard it Through the Grapevine!

I had such fun with wine corks the other day that I made another card using one, thanks to Cath at Moxie Fab World for her Household Items Challenge. I just love the earthy texture!

This card was inspired by the current CAS-ual Fridays challenge to make a card based on a song. This song always gets me dancing and who can forget the dancing California raisins?

I may be stretching the CAS requirement with this embellishment, but I am really trying to embrace this style....difficult as it is for me. I used watercolor pencils on watercolor paper with this vineyard stamp from Stampendous' Serenity Series (H202). The background is my brand new Hero Arts Lattice stamp.

This reminds me of one of my favorite places - California's beautiful Napa Valley. I'll be there for Easter.

Some Tall Wishes

A quick post today as I head out the door for a busy day. I have a friend who loves giraffes so I made this special little tag for her (Kathleen, close your eyes until your birthday, please!). I used an image by Meljen Designs and I'm submitting this to their current challenge. The sentiment is Hero Arts and the tag is by Spellbinders. My blogging buddy Sheila turned me on to these cool dots called "Candi" which add some lightweight dimension. They are made of paper and are so great - thanks, my friend!

Thanks for looking and have a great day.

Wine-ing!

One of the current challenges over at Moxie Fab World is about using household items on our cards. Is a wine bottle cork a "household item"? In our house it sure is! I've decorated picture frames and made trivets, wreaths and Christmas ornaments with them - why not use them on cards?

I didn't fill a glass, but I sliced up some corks and had some fun. What great texture! I used watercolor pencils on watercolor paper with Inkadinkado's #97121. Even the butterfly bodies are pieces of cork.

I am also entering this in the Simon Says Stamp current challenge, "Anything Goes".

I see that I am going to need plenty of these corks in the future - ha! Thanks for looking and craft responsibly! have a great week.