With Sympathy

Hello, Bloggin' Buddies!

Aren't sympathy cards the most difficult of all to make? Each time I need to make one I tell myself that I need to make several ahead of time so that I can avoid the creative process when my heart is so heavy. But it never seems to happen and I do like to make a card specifically for the intended recipient.

Today's card uses a creative "smooched" background using my all-time favorite product, Distress Oxide Inks. I love the depth and colors. I added a diecut in grey ("Earl Grey", Tailored Expressions) made with a cover plate die from Spellbinders (S4-254) and some peal embellishments. The sweet sentiments are from a Neat and Tangled stamp set called "No Words". The inside says "Because there are no words for this". I love it.

Thanks for the visit. I sure hope you are having a good week.

Pretty?!

Hi, Bloggin' Buddies!

Judi of Judikins at Paper Garden Boutique

We are safe from the California fires, but know many who are in harm's way. It is so sad - so much devastation in so many places! Praying for all who are suffering.

I was recently lucky enough to take a couple of classes at Paper Garden Boutique from the amazing Judikins. Judi and her husband Rob have an amazing array of products and stamps which they sell on their websites, at conventions and at "pop-up" shops. What a fun day.

We made some wonderful backgrounds using their unique Mica Gloss inks. Such shine (which unfortunately isn't done justice in my photo)! I used one for today's card.

I wanted to use my new stamp set called "You're Pretty" from Neat and Tangled which I believe was designed just for me.

Why do I say that? Because, for those of you who know me, the way someone looks is the LAST thing on earth I think about. So I love the idea of sending someone a card that says "You're Pretty" on the front. It will cause some second thoughts. But the sentiment  on the inside is the sentiment that "all me"! There are several in the set and I love them ALL!

I was inspired by the sketch on the current Little Tangles Challenge Blog with which I ended taking some liberties, but I plan to enter it anyway.

I also used an old (and dear) Hero Arts set (CL383) to stamp a butterfly on the inside and the envelope and some butterfly dies by Impression Obsession (DIE255-Y).



I love this card which is headed to one of my dearest fitness instructors.

Remember that we are ALL pretty! Stay safe and, as always, for the visit.

I know, right???

It has been far too long since I've posted. It appears that my blog layout and settings have disappeared. Reestablishing them will be for another day (maybe!)

I was having so much trouble with finding the right photo set-up in our new house (where we have now lived for 3 years!) that I kind of gave up. I just used my phone in my craft room for this one. Sorry.

Also, while I am making lots of cards, my focus has been more on techniques rather than products and challenges. I love all the new things - the Fuse Tool, inter-active cards, Oxide Inks, the layering stamp sets, etc.

For the past couple of days I've been playing with the Distress oxide Inks. I am so crazy about them that I'm hardly sleeping! Here is a background that I made which I used for a card for a sweet Mermaid friend of mine.

She is colored with Copics, the wave is heat embossed on vellum with comic coloring behind and I've used Wink of Stella. Very straight-forward.

Stamps and dies: Neat and Tangled, Mermazing; PTI, What the Doodle - Waves.

Thanks for the visit - keep crafting!

Spring Tags

Hi, Bloggin' Buddies!

It sure feels like Spring and Easter is here. I have been playing with an adorable new set by Neat and Tangled in conjunction with Simon Says Stamp. It is called "Cute Chicks".

The amazing blogger Emily Leiphart from Art From the the Heart did a wonderful video on masking these little guys to form the perfect parade. Check it out.

I colored the sweet images with my Copic markers, masked with Inkadinkado stamping masking paper and used some sequins from my stash.

I decided to avoid bunnies this year, so I have used this set and some florals for my Easter cards.

Hope you have a great week - keep springing! Thanks for the visit,

Ellen's Mix it Up Challenge

Howdy, my Bloggin' Buddies!

Have you heard the news?

Ellen Huttson has a new challenge going on over at the Classroom! The first one is to mix a wonderful "Essentials by Ellen" product with a Hero Arts product.

I have been having such fun with my new Kuretake Gansai Tambi paints and decided that this was the perfect chance. I have many of Ellen's great Essentials (such amazing designs!), but I wanted to combine this simple word die from Julie's "You Rock" set with part of a Hero Arts sentiment, in this case one from Essential Messages, CL371. The background is from Neat and Tangled (hope that is permitted!).

I added a mist of Perfect Pearls after the watercolors were applied - a lovely shimmer! - and some sequins from my stash.

I'm still fighting with making good photos at the new house - sorry!

Give this challenge a try - you have a couple of days. And check back at the Classroom for additional future challenges.

Thanks for the visit - have a great week!

The Big Day is Almost Here!

Dear friends,
Here it is, Thanksgiving Eve!

We are packing up our car and heading to our beloved Calistoga in the
beautiful Napa Valley. It is extra--beautiful in fall with the vineyards aflame with color. Can't wait! We will be connecting with loved ones, enjoying the warm and healing mineral water pools and relaxing. Oh, yes! There will be some delicious food, of course!

This is another of the Thanksgiving cards that I made this year and I think it is my favorite. I can't help but smile at this adorable turkey by Neat and Tangled - even the little dots are cute, don't ya think?

The tag die from Hero Arts (I shortened it a bit) and the sentiment is an old one from Crafty Secrets. I love this embossed wood grain card stock from Ellen Hutson - it is so rich! I die cut (Paper Smooches) the leaf from some wide cork ribbon that I got at Michaels and attached it with Tim Holtz's Tiny Attacher. The top is a strip that I made from several scraps of patterned paper.

Wishing you and your families a very blessed Thanksgiving. Thanks for the visit - stay safe and happy.

Happy Monday

Hello, dear friends!

I can't believe how time flies and how summer is slipping away. Darn it! But, life is good and I'm not going to complain as long as it keeps happening - ha!

As you have noticed, I am not spending as much time in the craft studio or at the computer these days. There is just so much to do here where we have moved - I am doing so much fun stuff.

September is going to be busy (including my classes in Sacramento with the amazing Julie Ebersole - YAY!) But, my heart is always here.

I am crazy about Neat and Tangled stamps. The images are so great and the beautifully-lettered sentiments are simply stunning.

Here is a card I made recently with two of their stamps. I used water color pencils and Perfect Pearl mist on the background. So much messy fun! Very shimmery in person (as am I!).

I'm off to my ZUMBA class! Have a great week and thanks for the visit.

Hope Times Three

A few weeks ago I attended a class at The Paper Garden in Sacramento, CA. It was taught by the amazing Peggy Jo Ackley of Pink Ink Stamp Company (formerly Lockhart Stamp Company). She taught us a bunch of different watercolor background techniques using Twinkling H20s and had us make a nifty little swatch book for future reference. Very cool.

I finally had time to give some of this a try. I have a difficult time with watercolor because I have serious control issues and I also hate messes!

I got out paints and some Twinkling H20s, created a big mess and gave it a try. Of the seven backgrounds I prepared, only five were salvageable.

I heat embossed one of my favorite current stamps by Neat and Tangled called Hope Anchors onto the backgrounds. I just love the message of hope and encouragement derived from Hebrews 6:19. I previously made several cards using this stamp for the friends we met when we went on a cruise with my sister-in-law's church.

Here are three samples. I used a Tim Holtz stencil on the green one to add some definition. To each I added a strip of glittery paper and some matching punched stars.

Hope you are enjoying the last vestiges of summer!
Thanks for the sweet visit & have a great weekend,