My Love

I have been feeling rather un-inspired lately and when I would go to sit down and make a card, I just couldn't think of anything. I would just sit there and fiddle with paper for a few hours - LOL! So I knew Black Friday was coming up and hoped some retail therapy would help, and it did! I can't believe the deals I found and had to pass up because if I could spend what I wanted we'd be in the red by about $300 :( No thank you, Christmas is coming and I only have half of it done :)

When I saw the sketch challenge from Flourishes blog, I knew exactly what stamps and papers I wanted to use.

I used Flourishes "Flourished Words" set with my new HOTP (Hot Off the Press) "Medallions & Corners" stamp set, colored in with my Tombow markers. I am using Cosmo Crickets Circa 1934 papers called : Astaire, Gable, Bette. I snagged these papers from the BF sale, yesterday, and just got both of the stamps, so everything is new (love that!).

I made this card for my husband, as a thank you for letting me spend some BF money, and also for being a great guy :) I decided not to go with traditional "love colors" to make it unique looking. My husband liked it, and I really love how it looks too :)

I've Been Busy... :)

I haven't been on my blog for so long I almost forgot I had one - LOL! Our whole family came down with a cold :(  And during this time I was trying to see if I could sell a few of my cards and handmade ornaments at our churches Christmas Boutique, but things fell through and I was unable to do so. But I was offered a spot at another church's craft boutique, three days before it was to begin, and accepted. It was a two night craft boutique for 6 hours each night and I had a Great time meeting people!! I admit I had some reservations about selling my stuff, namely the price, but many of my SCS friends and family members really encouraged me, especially my great husband. He really encouraged me in a way I really needed it, he really was the one to tell me to go, meet new friends and enjoy myself :)  So I took everyone's advice, took the plunge and did it!

On the first night, in the first 15 minutes, ONE lady came in and bought 15 cards! I felt so blessed and realized my fears were for nothing :) I ended up selling 19 the first night and 4 the next night, and I thoroughly enjoyed every second of it :)
I Wholeheartedly Thank You to each and everyone of you, Ladies, who encouraged me. I was scared to put myself out there but glad I did, because I had alot of fun and really enjoyed meeting each and everyone of the wonderful shoppers and other crafters at the boutique! :)

Here is one of my new ornaments that I made for the craft boutique.

I love, love how it turned out! I used the MFT October's VIP "Noel Sentiments" on the Spellbinders Label Trio tag. I glued four Cuttlebug Flourished Brackets on to the Label to make it more elegant. (I love that it makes a cross). Then I glued the middle piece on to a Scalloped Oval Nestie piece popped up on popdots. I placed it all on a Spellbinder Fleur de Lis Pendant piece that I added some clear fishing line to, so you could hang it.

 I am excited to get started on making some cards again, and hope to get some inspiration and make something new soon :)

Fauxberry Wreath

This is my "fauxberry" wreath, for the Flourishes Warm Winter Challenge to use Blue. This is attempt #2 at this challenge. I tried on the first attempt but feel like I didn't really strain the ol' noggin hard enough, so after some thought and playing around, I ended up making this wreath. This was a hard challenge, but I'm glad I didn't give up :)
I'm calling it a fauxberry wreath because it looks like a cranberry wreath would, but with blue berries on it! I cheated a little because my leaves aren't blue, but green, but I just couldn't paint them blue, they look so pretty being green :)

I used the Flourishes "Sweet Berry" stamp set, using the blueberry stamp. I stamped out, no less then 13 of these :) I colored them in with my Tombow markers, cut them out with my craft knife, and glazed them in lightly with Diamond Glaze. The Diamond Glaze stiffens the images so they won't bend or break when touched, because they are so fragile after I cut them. That's why I add Diamond Glaze to almost everything I cut out. I used the two largest Spellbinders Circle dies to cut out a circle for the berries to be attached on to. Then backed that one with a second circle to re-inforce the back.


I love how it turned out, and I think if I had used my red Tombows, that then they would really look like Cranberries! I think my next side project will be making another wreath painting them in red for cranberries! :)

Princess

Yesterday we down to visit Mom & Dad (my in-laws) in LA, but before we got there, we stopped by the LSS as a treat. I'll let you in on a little secret, my husband shops for scrapbooking stuff with me! Isn't he AMAZING?!?!? And he sits with me in my scraproom and offers to help!! DOUBLE AMAZING & WONDERFUL, huh? Step back Ladies, he all mine and a keeper, for sure! :) 
So while we were shopping, noticed some new My Mind's Eye "Lost & Found" papers. I Had to have them!This is the card made from those papers.

When I saw the paper, I had an idea of what I wanted to do and it came out pretty much the same as what I had hoped it would :)

I used MFT PI "Something Special Just For You" stamp set because I love how the PI little girls has a crown and so does the background papers. I used my craft knife to cut out the "Princess" banner and the PI girl, so it wouldn't look so flat on the card. I used Zva circular pearls and lines with some bling on her crown for some fun :)


This was a fun card to make, and I love how it turned out! My only regret is that I just wish I had bought more of these papers and pearls!

May You Be Blessed

My favorite stamp company, Flourishes are having challenges galore, lately and I want to join in everyone of them, but it's overwhelming me :) So I made a card that would conquer at least two of their challenges. My problem being, is that one of them, is Warm Winter Wishes challenge. The challenge being that we are challenged to use Blue on your holiday card... I do not understand why, but anything blue stumps me. I mean I was utterly perplexed with this one! But since I love a good challenge that stumps me, I forged ahead and did my best :)

Here is my card I am entering into the Warm Winter Wishes (Blues) Challenge and the Bring Back Beautiful (Ribbon) Challenge.

 

I seem to only have Midnight Blue from Staz-On (re-enforcing the fact I steer clear of anything blue!), so I had to use that and if you can't tell, it's a Strong color of blue! :) So I took the less is more approach.

I used my Midnight Blue on my Rubber Stampede "Acanthus Background" stamp, and stamped it out on some clear transparency to make a pattern. I then used my Quickutz Christmas Tree die to make little trees to put on my panels. The panels are made out of Spellbinders Long Rectangles, and the tag is a Spellbinder Tag, with a dark blue ribbon threaded through. The sentiment stamped on the tag and the inside is from the Flourishes "Winter Bouquet" stamp set.

Looking at this card, I know it's not my best work, but I like the shapes, so I'm going to work on this blue phobia I seem to have :) And I'll keep trying and maybe come up with a better card for these two challenges :)

Thinking Of You Peony

I was on my Facebook page a couple mornings ago when I saw some sad, sad news. My LSS shop owner's niece has just been diagnosed with cancer. From what I am reading she has possibly stage 3 or 4 cancer. They find out more today. I am deeply saddened, I have met this wonderful sweetheart of a young woman, she is amazing and she is only a teenager.

I felt completely led to make her a card and send it to the LSS. I know this is a card that you have seen me make hundreds of times, and until I saw the FB post, I was actually going to go in a different direction with my card making, but I decided to make "B" a white card to represent Hope. 

I embossed my image in gold ink and clear embossing powder, to keep the image in line with the white/Hope that I wanted. I used my Clear Dollar Stamps "Peony" image, coloring it in with my Tombow markers. I double layered my leaves and petals, cutting them out with my craft knife. I used my Spellbinders Square Large Scallop, Fleur de Lis Pendant, and Scalloped Circles dies to help with layering and framing the image. The clear swirl transparency under the flower and the frosted scalloped circle frame are from Hambly Screen Prints.


I hope and pray that God will heal "B", she is kind and sweet and just too young, for this. I hope this card lifts her spirits. Keep her in your thoughts, please :)

I'm sure you are wondering where I was, for the past few days.. Well, my laptop crashed and my husband and I were debating the pros and cons of getting a new laptop now, or waiting until later when we could maybe get a better deal with Black Friday coming up. We decided to get one now since you are not guaranteed to be able to get one and if not then we'd still be out of a laptop.

I was working on some Christmas cards while I was off the Blogosphere, and on break from that, I came up with this card.

This is enlarged so you can see the details, I hope. This was inspired by and created around a My Mind's Eye ribbon card. I really love the pinking edge that it has at the bottom, and wanted to use that.

I stamped out a frame with Tattered Rose and Victorian Velvet Distress inks, and my new Prima frame stamps. I cut out the frame and used popdots to pop it off the card/paper. Then I stamped out a pattern from an Anna Griffin stamp on a clear transparency using Versa Magic "Moonlight White" ink. After that was dry I used a Flourishes sentiment from their "Seeds of Friendship" set, stamped out in Staz-On Black ink. When that was dry I used some glue dots to stick it to the cut out stamped Prima frame. Spellbinders Circles were used to make the circular frame (sandwiching the stamped transparency in between the two frames) using My Mind's Eye "Lush" paper.
I stamped out raspberries from the Flourishes "Berry Sweet"set and colored them in with my Tombows. I cut it out with my craft knife and added some Diamond Glaze then let them dry. It was then tucked in behind the circular frame and glued to it.
I had precut and stamped out a "Happy Birthday" message on my cardbase for the inside and taped it on with my Score Tape.....
..... But when I went to open it up, to show my husband later, I almost choked.... I had taped my card base UPSIDE DOWN!!!!!! *AAAAH!* What was I thinking??!?!! Let me tell you, this isn't the first time this has happened, but shouldn't I have learned by now? How many times do I have to make the mistake before I learn?!?! It blows the mind, I tell you :)