OLW 13: Christmas in July

Yeah! I made it before the next challenge! Just barely!

Christmas in July. That's the One Layer Wednesday Challenge from last week over at Simplicity's blog. It came at the perfect time because while on vacation, I was mulling over what to do for Christmas cards this year. I quite like this one and it was quick to do. Quicker if I remember to use my static remover thingy before trying to heat emboss.

The sentiment is from Inkadinkadoo...I stamped it in Encore! gold pigment and used twinkle gold embossing powder from Judikins. That embossing powder is fabulous! You can't tell in the photo, but in real life....OMG!!! it sparkles like crazy! It is on my list for Stampaway. Need gallons of this stuff! The teeny little holly is from A Muse, and I used my Marvy markers to color the image on the rubber, then 'huffed' on the rubber and stamped away. This doesn't seem to give as deep and crisp an impression as I would like, especially since the sentiment is so crisp. I'll have to work on that one.

Anyway, I enjoyed playing and may slightly alter this card (after all, I just recently bought gobs of real red and old olive from SU before their price increase), by matting the image and use it for my Christmas card.

Thanks for peeking!

OLW 12: Watercolor

Yes, I know I'm late on getting this one posted. But, like I said, I am addicted to these challenges, I did get it done 2 days after the challenge was posted, but then I left for Florida, where I had no internet access to post. Darn.



This card is for Simplicity's One Layer Wednesday 12: Watercolor challenge. I used Marvy watercolor markers on the image from Penny Black, then spritzed it with a light dusting of water before applying the stamp to watercolor paper. I'm not real crazy about the watercolor paper I used...from Canson's "Biggy Jr" pack. Maybe I used the wrong side of the paper....I just don't like all the horizontal lines. I had limited time to make this one and couldn't make a second card, so this is it. I also used a Marvy Marker for the sentiment from Cornish Heritage Farms.

Off to get the current challenge done and hopefully posted before the new one is listed!
Thanks for peeking!

Happy Birthday, Colleen!

A birthday card for my dear friend, Colleen, on her birthday last week. Flowers are each made with 2 punched scallops from the SU scallop punch; the border is a Fiskars border punch. The ribbon is my first try at making Wrinkle ribbon. This batch just happened to match SU Blush Blossom, and I really like how it turned out. Will definitely be making some more. And, that grid background???? Made it myself!!!

OLW 11 Be Funny!

Another Wednesday, another challenge over at Simplicity's blog. I am finding these challenges addicting....5 cards this week! Instead of making the cards I need to make...the thank you's, the sympathy, the get well, the birthdays.....I am making challenge cards. Because they are more fun to do. They feel like play rather than "have-to's". I really do need to try and combine the play with the have-to!

Anyway, my first card up is made using an image and sentiment from Eat Cake Graphics. They have some of the most humorous stamps. I've had these stamps for a few years now and this is the first they've seen ink.

Card #2 uses an image from soon to be defunct, Cornish Heritage Farms. :(. Sure am gonna miss them. The sentiment is from Inky Antics.

Third, is an image from Sparkle N Sprinkle....known as Digger. I like to think (for this card anyway) that he is hiding his head in embarrasment (of what, I haven't a clue). The sentiment is from Custer's Last Stamp.

Card #4 uses an image from Stampin' Up, and sentiment from A Muse.

Lastly, this was the very first card I thought of and my least favorite of the bunch, but I've always liked the sentiment from American Art Stamps. It cracks me up! It's just too big for the front of the card...it is more like an inside-the-card sentiment. And that teeny tiny cute cupcake image is from A Muse.

Thanks for peeking!

OLW 10 Patriotic

It's been a busy week...took a long weekend away to celebrate my birthday and the fourth, but still found some time to make FOUR cards for this past week's Simplicity challenge for one layer patriotic cards.

The first, and my favorite, uses an image from The Cat's Pajamas and sentiment from Savvy Stamps.

The second card (which really tied for first place in my mind) uses an American Art Stamps/Karen Stolper stick chick and that ever versatile Savvy sentiment.

The third card showcases my newest purchase (half off at Hobby Lobby last week!)...the image is by Stampabilities and the sentiment is from Hampton Art. And the card really is white, not the baby blue it appears.

Lastly, this card uses both image and sentiment from Technique Tuesday.

Thanks for peeking!

Happy Birthday to you...

My dear, sweet Skyler had her 7th birthday yesterday. And, like most moms, I just HAD to commemorate the occasion with some picture taking. And, I just HAD to include the added difficulty of making Skyler and Rosie wear homemade party hats. Many pictures later, we ended up with this:



You can tell Sky wasn't too happy with any of this. Rosie, on the other hand, was pretty cooperative...as long as we did it on her terms, and that meant she wasn't moving from her bed.

So, in fairness to Sky, here is a better picture of her (still not that great) and a just ok pic of Rosie.

In honor of Sky's birthday, they both got to split a little treat of canned, soft dog food which they only get on birthdays. And, Sky got a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday sung to her.

Funny how they both now know the birthday song. When it gets sung to me or John on our respective birthdays, Sky and Rosie get all excited because they think they are getting a special treat! We can't even whistle the tune anymore. They really get pretty excited about it!

Thanks for peeking!

Happy Birthday purse & card

I just ran across this photo of the birthday card I gave to my dear friend, Colleen, LAST year on her birthday and realized I never posted it on the ol' blog.

The paper is all from SU, the sentiment is from Morningstar, and the flowers, leaves, ribbon, brads, etc., are from my stash. The "purse envelope" is a pattern I copied from Martha Stewarts' website. The flap stays closed by using a thin Basic Grey magnetic closure on the flap.

Thanks for peeking!