About Me

I am a new empty nester, and I love to make cards and ATCs. I am always looking for ways to use the product I have, to learn new techniques and ways to do things, and most of all, to have fun with the creating of my art.

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Mini Books!!!


Well, I finally decided to try my hand at mini books again.  I had done a couple of them a few years ago, and really wasn't happy with the results. With my kid and all the friends going away come September, I thought it would be a great idea to make them each a mini book, so that they can take pictures and journal in the book, to take with them to school. The covers are all chipboard coasters that I have covered in paper, and either stamped or just embellished, depending on how much the kids are travelling.  All the stamps are Hero Arts, and the chipboard letters are from the dollar store.  For the middle, I took a 12 x 12 inch sheet of thin cardstock, and scored it at 3,6 and 9 inches, both ways on the paper, so I ended up with  3 inch squares all over the cardstock.  I then cut it like an M, then folded it, so that I had about 16 pages to work with.  I stamped the inside a bit, made pockets for the tags, and left some pages blank for photos.  I added fibres and ribbon at the top of the tags.  I did try and keep each kid in mind for the book.  I did Japanese book binding (modified), that I learned from a Hero Arts video.. I believe it was a Lisa Spangler video.

Well, now it's just a matter of getting the books to the kids, so there will be time to take all those photos!!

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Playing with Markers

I was playing with my markers last night, and went to play with  my new Hero Arts set (Watercolor Petals).  I used the big flower and used my Marvy Le Plume II markers.  I used Manganese Blue for the flower, and the leaves and stem were in Leaf Green.  I lightly spritzed water on the stamp, then stamped it, and repeat stamped it on a piece of die cut glossy cardstock. I then put the die cut piece on Cool Caribbean cardstock (retired SU), and added some brown ribbon down the middle card.  The sentiment is Hero Arts from the Anytime Messages set, which I stamped in Chocolate Chip ink (SU).

    One Layer Card

    I am not sure which blog I saw this on, but the challenge was to do watercolor on a one layer card.  I used my Marvy Le Plume II markers in Pink and Leaf Green to do the flower, which I spritzed with water before stamping, the repeat stamped it.  I did it twice to get enough flowers on the card.    I then used a Bottle Green marker to colour the sentiment stamp.  The flower and sentiment are both Hero Arts.  There was a bit more white space on the top than I liked, so I added three buttons.

    A Sketchy Happy Birthday Card

    This card was done for three challenges: The DRS sketch challenge, the Crazy 4 Challenges button challenge, and Caardvarks Birthday challenge.  I used the DRS interlocking flower stamp, and stamped in Brilliance ink on stickers, as well as the white cardstock.  I layered the stickers on dark blue cardstock.  I used the same dark blue cardstock for the bottom layer of two of the three pieces that are on top of the sticker layer.  I used a pale blue butterfly patterned paper for the two smaller, layered pieces, and used a Hero Arts Happy Birthday sentiment.  The buttons are from my stash of buttons that I got from my Mom when she passed away.

    Saturday, July 17, 2010

    Congratulations Paula!!

    I wish you well on the birth of Lilly.  One thing to remember: make sure you spend some time with your hubby.. with two young kids, oftentimes the spouse gets neglected.. as best you can, have date nights (even if this means having a late dinner at home AFTER the kids are in bed), love notes in a lunch or briefcase, and reminders of the wonderful guy you're with.  It really does help, especially when the inevitable happens: Both kids clamoring for attention from one parent.

    Friday, July 16, 2010

    CARDS for GRACE

    OK, this may be a little late for my Canadian readers, but Jen McGuire is doing a card drive for a little girl named Grace, who recently lost her twin sister Ellie to a horrible illness.  If you wish to participate in this card drive, here's the link for all the details HERE.  I just sent off my card and some blank  inside cards for Grace to use today.
    Thanks for looking at this post!!!

    Thursday, July 15, 2010

    C4C 45 and DRS

    At Crazy 4 Challenges HERE, this week's challenge was to do a Red, Black and White card.  This is what I did with it.  I used an Inkadinkado ladybug for the red ladybug, and Hero Arts for the small ladybug.  The DP was from a pack from Michaels years ago.  I used textured red cardstock for the base and for the "tab".  I almost forgot to add, I used a sketch from DRS Designs for this card.  You can see their blog HERE.  I didn't use any DRS stamps for this card, but  it was fun to follow the sketch anyways.

    Mojo 147

    This is my take on the Mojo Monday challenge this week.  I used a LOT of patterned paper, and the only stamping is the sentiment, which unfortunately, didn't show up well in any of the photos I took.  All of the DP that I used was given to me, I have no idea who makes it.  The silver scallop is actually the inside of a Chewy Chips Ahoy bag!! Thanks to hubby for thinking of that.  The ribbon is American Crafts, the brads are Making Memories, and the stamp used is from SU.

    Wednesday, July 14, 2010

    CCC July Card that I made

    This was my first month doing the CCC challenge on Deborah's blog HERE.  I still haven't received my card yet, but hey, it's Canada Post, it's supposed to be slow, right!?  I will say that the ladies who work in our local Post Office are WONDERFUL, and I am very thankful for them... some of the management decisions, however, make me shake my head in wonder..... oh well, back to the card I did.

    There was a choice of a theme, sketch, or colour palette to work with for July, and I chose to do the sketch and theme of friendship. I flipped the sketch on its side, and used a Martha Stewart punch for the paper ribbon, and some sheer blue ribbon from Michaels for the top ribbon.  I used a Nestability to cut out the oval ( I don't own a die cut machine, but I have friends who do, and we even have die cut days at stamping).  I inked the oval in SU Bashful Blue ink.  The stamp, from Quietfire Designs, is stamped in SU Night of Navy ink.  I added some platinum Liquid Pearls for an accent at the bottom of the verse.

    The person I sent this to has already received it, so I'm posting it now.  I am glad that she enjoyed the card. :)

    Sunday, July 11, 2010

    Fall To Layout 98

    Well, I did sneak in some time to make one more card today (Sunday).  I did the FTL 98 sketch from the Clean and Simple Blog HERE.  I used some Michaels light blue cardstock for a base, Michaels darker blue cardstock for the frame of the flowers, and a third Michaels blue card stock to do the sentiment frame.  The patterned paper was a gift from a friend.  The stamps I used are from Hero Arts ( I will say it again.... right now I am having a love in with Hero Arts.... I just love almost everything they're making at the moment).  The flower is from the flower Antique Engravings set, and the sentiment is from Anytime Messages.


    Now that I'm looking at the card again, I think that the card might need some bling, but I need to make some brownies now. 

    Enjoy your Monday!!
     

    Christmas is coming EARLY!! (Blog giveaway)

    OK, so the people at Simon Says Stamp are having the most HUMONGOUS giveaway!!!  One gift (Santa's choice) for every ten comments!!! That's a GREAT chance to win!! All you have to do is become a follower of the blog HERE  and leave a comment for your chance to win!! Hurry, it all ends July 18th!

    Card Patern 72

    Good afternoon!!  I actually got a couple of cards made yesterday, and this is the second one.. The first was the Mojo146 card.   For this card, I used some yellow cardstock as a base, and made it about 4 inches square.  I then used some white striped cardstock and some paisley patterned paper to make the 7/8inch squares, which I carefully laid out in the pattern.  I used American Craft Ribbon, Hero Arts stamps, and a Prima flower for the rest of the layout. I used a white gel pen to faux stitch around the outside of all the squares.  Unfortunately, it doesn't show up very much. now it's off to make lunch, then stamp some more.

    Mojo 146 card

    This is the card that I did for Mojo 146.  I used all Hero Arts stamps (antique engravings flowers, and essential messages).  The "ribbon" is Apricot Appeal cardstock punched with a Martha Stewart punch.  I used Purely Pomegranate SU ink, and Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Dried Marigold.  The base cardstock is SU Pretty in Pink. I  also used cream cardstock.  The papers, I don't know who made them.

    Saturday, July 10, 2010

    A Birthday Present for a Friend

    A friend of mine is having a birthday this month, and since she loves to spoil me, I thought I'd  make her a set of cards for her... I made the clean and simple  card a  few times for part of the set (using different colours), and here are the other cards I did.  All stamps are Hero Arts, and I kept it simple, but elegant.. or at least attempted to.  I had a lot of fun making these cards.  I know the style of the cards are similar, but since she'll probably be giving these to different people, it wouldn't matter too much.

    Fall To Layout 97

    This sketch is the Fall to Layout #97 from the Clean and Simple blog.  I used all Hero Arts stamps, and Tim Holtz Distress inks. The big butterfly is from Watercolor Petals, the two smaller butterflies are from Antique Engravings (the shell and insect set). The patterned paper is Basic Grey

    Sunday, July 4, 2010

    Card Chain Challenge (CCC)

    I am on the Hero Arts Flickr group, and a lady there, Deborah Nolan, runs a really neat swap called Card Chain Challenge, or CCC for short.  Each month (as far as I can tell), you have three choices to do a card with: a colour palette, a sketch, or a theme.. now if you want to, you can do more than one choice, such as a themed card in the colour palette. You only send out one card a month, but, be warned, this is an international swap.  This is the first month that I've joined, so it'll be interesting to see what I get.  I am putting my card in the mail Monday, so until the lady who is the recipient tells me she has the card, you'll be left in suspense to what I've done.


    Deborah's blog is HERE, so if you're interested in checking out this swap

    Bee Swap

    I had totally forgotten to do this swap, so on the 1st, I was busy getting this ATC ready to be swapped... I think this might be the second time in all my times of swapping that I've been late.   I feel so bad. 

    Anyways, on to the ATC.  I am not sure where the pink cardstock came from, but the patterned paper is dollar store stuff.  The flower stamp is one I won from DRS Designs, very cool.  The bees are from SU (an old Sell-a-bration set), and the verse is Hero Arts.  I stamped the flowers on the patterned paper, and the  bees on yellow cardstock.  I stamped the bees enough that I could layer them on top of each other, for some dimension.  I also Stickled parts of the bee's body. Everything was stamped in Versafine Onyx Black.

    Saturday, July 3, 2010

    July Christmas Card Challenge

    Well, this month's challenge is to use PURPLE on your cards... it doesn't have to be as purple as my cards are, but there needs to be some purple on the cards.  Here's my sample:
    The ornament punch is from SU (I'm not sure if it retired or not), and I used some shaving cream paper I had in purple and moss green. The ornament is edged in Perfect Plum ink (SU) and mounted on white  and pale plum card stock.  The white cardstock is edged with Perfect Plum as well.  The verse is stamped in Versafine Black Onyx, and the cardstock that the ribbon is on is a dark purple.  The verse is from Inkadinkado.


    If you want to enter this month's challenge please post a link in the comments section if you have a blog or email me HERE with a photo of the cards you've done.


    Have fun with this month's challenge!