On the Wings of...

an OWL! I just adore owls.

This card is one I developed for a recent class I taught to some new card-makers. They loved it.



The sunshine was a little too bright (it IS sunny California!) for this photo, so I added a close-up.

This is perfect for the current Simon Says Stamp challenge "Things with Wings" and the 2 Creative Chicks current challenge to use googly eyes (love 'em!). I also just became aware of a Linky Party at Craftin Desert Diva's to use a pun. Sounds like phun, so I will enter this there, too.

Stamps: Hero Arts Newspaper Owl (5562) & Stripes and Frame set (657858); A Muse Artstamps (8-8456B0) for the sentiment and, for the inside sentiment ("Owl Be Thinking of You Today"), Stampendous (E269).

Happy Mail

I often return to making this card (with changes and in several versions) when I want to send along some special happy mail, so it is perfect for the current Simon Says Stamp challenge.

This stamp (Hero Arts G5416) always makes me smile. The background is Hero Arts and Sizzix Stripes and Frame set (657858). I white embossed on kraft paper and used some vintage embellishments.

Crazy fun!

Thanks for the visit and hope you are having a glorious day!

Home Again!

After a couple of wonderful weeks visiting with my family and then several days at our place in the Napa Valley we are settling back into our "normal" routines.

I hope to visit all of your blogs and the Hero Arts Flickr page very soon to catch up on all of the wonderful creations I have missed!

A quick post today to share a Mother's Day card I made for my dear Aunt using My Mind's Eye "the sweetest day" collection of 6" x 6" papers and coordinating enamel dots (love them!).

Stamps are Hero Arts CL596 and CL498. I was inspired by this lovely card made by the super-talented Lin.

Travels are fun, but we are happy to be home again. See you very soon and have a great week.

One more quickie!

I thought I was done blogging because we are heading out on a trip, but I realized that our niece, who is a professional photographer, has a birthday and needs a card. What a great way to use the current Paper Smooches SPARKS designer challenge.




I thought it would be funny to use a camera and have the Paper Smooches image "break" through the lens. The lens is glossed up with Glossy Accents.

Silly and fun, eh? Love those Paper Smooches animals!

This time I will really say good-by for awhile.....be good and I'll miss you all.

Hopin' for good traveling weather, 

A Quick Hello

and then, good-bye again! Retirement is so darn busy.

Just home for a short while and I wanted to make a quick post in honor of Simon Says Stamp's fourth birthday! They are the most amazing company - great products, excellent customer service - they've got it all going on.

This week's challenge at their blog is for birthday cards, and this is mine. I used the Elzbell's 60073 stamp to make the background and the others are Hero Arts F5495 and CL148.

We are headed to parts east to visit family and sight-see a bit. I hope to hook up with my super-talented blogging buddy Robin while there - won't that be a blast?

In the meantime, I hope to catch up with your wonderful blogs. I will check in when we return. Do take care - I'll miss you!

Thanks, as always, for the visit!

Happy Easter!

And how I wish I could send along some of our sunshine and lovely blossoms to all of you.

I just had to buy this cute Inky Antics Easter set (Easter Millie 11094SC). So darn cute and fun to color! I hadn't made an easel card in ages, so I used that technique to highlight this little mouse.  The design is simple, using Spellbinders Labels 4, Hero Arts Frame Cuts DI006, Viva Pearl Pen, MS Glitter Pens and a Culltebug embossing folder.

This is heading to the current Simon Says Stamp challenge for Easter/Spring.

I am suffering a bit of burnout here in the "rubber room"! I've made lots of birthday and Easter cards this month, I've been taking two online card classes and I had a "live" class this weekend. I also prepared four large boxes of stamps and supplies for the annual used stamp sale at my local store. Way too many hours in the craft studio!

So, I am pulling the plug for about a week! I plan to catch up on all of your lovely blogs and photos, but I will not be posting. I am going to prepare for Easter and we will be heading out of town for several days.

Thank you for your visits and and your sweet comments. You make it such fun! I can't wait to catch up with all of you. Wishing you a beautiful Spring/Easter! Enjoy!

A Quick Sunday Post

I'm just breezing in for a quick post for the current Paper Smooches SPARKS Cool Shades Challenge. The gumdrop (or jelly bean) colors are so bright and fun!

I love my brand new Paper Smooches "Get Well Word" die, so I had to incorporate it with this card. I know it will become an all-time favorite. I decided to keep it simple. I used a trick from Jennifer McGuire about adding a tiny strip of patterned paper to anchor things.

This little guy is from the "Space Cadet" set (don't you think he looks a bit under the weather?) and the star was cut with the Lifestyle Crafts Nesting Stars dies.

Have a great Sunday!

2 fer 2

I am usually not around on weekends, but I'm simultaneously taking two amazing online card classes - Lisa's Studio Calico "You've Got Mail" and Jennifer and Kristina's "Pattern Play". For these two cards I used lessons and techniques from BOTH classes.

I used Shari Carroll's lesson and inspiration (You've Got Mail) to incorporate banners and letter tiles in different layers and Jennifer's (Day 4, Pattern Play) tips on altering patterned paper for these two cards. I was having so much fun that I couldn't stop at only one. For more details, you'll need to take the classes - both are fantastic!

I tried to keep the softness of the colors in the papers (My Mind's Eye, The Sweetest Thing) by toning things (including the bright pink plastic letters) down with my Copic pens. The layered banner on the first card is Spellbinders Basics Banners Three.

 

For this birthday card for my elephant-loving niece I used some enamel dots that coordinate with the patterned paper - I am struggling with random placement of these things! "Random" is not consistent with my need to control!

I also used Hero Arts CL382, Die-Manics Mini-Pennant dies, October Afternoon (Mini-Market Cream & Red) letter stickers and a Viva Pearl Pen.

I hope you are having a glorious weekend! Now that I am almost caught up on my homework I may get to go out and play in the sunshine! I also have an "in person" card class this weekend - eeek!

Thanks for checking in!

Pattern Play - Day 3

Yep, I can't believe the cards and the blog posts I am cranking out this week. This class really has me stretching - and I love it! Today's card is inspired by a lesson and card done by Kristina Werner, one of the most amazing cardmakers ever.

We learned how to use bold paper in unique ways that seriously work. I LOVE this card! I made it for the current challenge at CASology, which is about songs. I don't often do this challenge because clean and simple styles are so difficult for me, but I am ALL about songs. I am always singing and dancing......

I had to laugh at the challenge page because it warned that they may be able to guess our "approximate age" by our music choice. Ha! You all know that I am a child of the 1950's and I came of age in the marvelous and crazy 1960's - and I'm proud of it. My music choices reflect it. I simply don't know any new tunes!

So, I made this card to reflect a sign of my times - Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In, sung  by the 5th Dimension! Love it - I've been singing it all day. Here it is.

I made the embellishment from the paper and the sentiment is from "Bring on the Sun" by Ali Edwards, Technique Tuesday.

Thanks for the visit - enjoy the day; the weekend is well on its way!

Pattern Play - Day Two

I'm still running a tad behind, but loving this class. I was inspired by a lesson and card presented by the super-talented Jennifer Rzasa. Another very cool and talented gal who specializes in CAS cards.

I used a favorite Hero Arts stamp (CL596) for this. I had never done it up with patterned paper or with three (yep, 3!) layers of cardstock! I even curled the leaves a little. The paper is from the cute Lawn Fawn "Bright Side" collection. I even added a matching strip of the flower paper to the right side of the card, which I trimmed off. Cool! The sentiment is HA CL140. I'm not crazy about how the banner turned out, but I don't have time to change it right now.

  This is going into the Hero Arts monthly contest and also into the current Simon Says Stamp challenge,  since both are for Spring projects.


Thanks for dropping by and have a good one!