Yoga!

Just a quick post tonight - I enjoyed a wonderful Yoga practice this evening and am feeling so relaxed and happy. Ohm. I haven't been for a couple of weeks now - the last time I did Yoga I did something to my knee (the one that had surgery) and it really set me back. So, I've been babying it and praying (a LOT) and today felt that I was strong enough to try a modified practice. It was good and I am filled with gratitude.

So - it seems fitting to share my most recent card! I found these amazing stamps (there are 5 all together) at American Art Stamp. I bought them all. This was the first one I got wet - it's "Side Angle Pose". I used the pattern paper from the Close-to-My-Heart Grace paper pack and the top piece is the backside of a design paper from CTMH Magnifique - I stamped and colored right on the design paper. The coloring is a bit amateurish - I should have opted for pencils and OMS instead of markers. But, I was impatient. Next time.

Namaste.

Better get Better!

We're taking a short break from Halloween to bring you a Get Well card! I needed one to send to a friend . . . I had a lot of fun making this one using TCP (The Cat's Pajamas) stamps. Papers are from Close-to-my-heart! All from the You Rock pack. The purple dots are the back side of the blue dots. Fun, huh?!

It was a good day at work today - busy, busy - just the way I like it! Not much news except that I'm really enjoying my DD's new blog - I'm getting to see photos of her without waiting an eternity for her to send them to me! :D

Have a Happy Hump Day!

Haunted House

So, this card is a little exaggerated . . . LOL! But what fun!! I enjoyed putting this one together - the haunted house was stamped twice - once on the design paper and then on the other side of it and mounted on black cardstock before I trimmed it out. Then popped up for dimension. I used yellow stickles to illuminate the window. It's a little weird - next time I might just paper piece yellow paper into the window.

We said our final good-byes to Sister Pat at church yesterday. The service was heavily attended - she was beloved. We held each other and openly wept. Pat's biological family was small, and more composed than her church family managed to be. Yet, the day was also cathartic as we acknowledge that she is now at peace and in the arms of our Lord.

It's Sunday - my weekends are too short! But, today will be wonderful - my friends are coming over this afternoon to scrapbook with me. I always enjoy their company so much - today, doubly so.

Hugs!

I called this one "Happy Jack"

This card appeals to me because it's so simple! I did paper piece the "Jack" with the Close-to-My-Heart Olivia papers (therefore, the new Sunset color), I think everything else is quite self-explanatory!

Happy Thursday!!! I got home earlier than usual - started the day early and actually left on time. Traffic was light (perhaps because I was earlier?) and I had fixed dinner and eaten by 6 PM - that's usually when I walk in the door if not later. Wow - I could get used to that schedule!

I hope your week has been good - I hear about lots of rain (we even had some here!). There are always things to be done, fun things and "gotta" things - our assignment is to find the joy in all of them.

Hugs!

Halloween pumpkins!

What an original title. Sorry - I'm not up to speed tonight. Tired.

This card was a serious case of a card posted by Julie Ebersole here. I think Julie had design paper with the funky black border, but we can imitate that, huh! The pumpkins are from my new Waltzingmouse stamps set (see last post) and the writing on the background is a PTI stamp. I used an embossing folder to create the orange piece (inked it up with Goldrush to get more definition on the Sunset cardstock). The card is Pear.

Wednesday - maybe the best I can say about today is that I had BUCKETS full of rain last night and today at my house - perhaps over an inch!! I won't need to worry about watering my plants this week!!! I am thankful for a roof that doesn't leak, too.

Namaste.

PS - my DD has started a blog - it's food-related. If you are interested, you can find her here at http://joyful-foodie.blogspot.com

Halloween cards!!! HOW FUN!

This fabulous card was designed by Kate Whelan HERE. I was so smitten with it that I ordered the stamp set from Waltzingmouse stamps the next day. They got here Saturday and were the first thing I got to play with after I finished the fence! I've been enchanted by them - there will be a few more Halloween cards coming; I have some IDEAS!

But, about this card - I need your advice! I stamped the bats and blings on the focal image cardstock and used the heat gun to help them dry completely. I then rubbed the piece with a dryer sheet (supposed to remove static cling). I used Versamark and black embossing powder and the powder stuck very stubbornly to the bats. I used a tiny paint brush to help the stray powder scurry away - but that risks brushing my witch and she's so awesome! What tricks do you know for reducing the stray embossing powders?? Do I need to stamp the bats and leave them overnight to dry?

Another cool thing about this card - the bubbles and the magic coming out of the wand were white embossed, then colored over with dye ink markers - - - less than perfect results. I've ordered 4 copic sketch markers, I think the alcohol based copics will work beautifully! If it does, I'll re-post the next version of the card. Otherwise, the card is pretty straight forward.

Materials: Close to My Heart inks and paper; Gypsy, Pear, Black. VersaMark clear for embossing with CTMH Black and White embossing powders. The underneath "ribbon" for the purple and orange are TAPES, with the thinner ribbon put over them (I don't know where the ribbon is from - I am a terrible ribbon hoarder and buy it everywhere I go!). Waltzingmouse stamp set.

So, I love to be busy! I've had a full and fun day and I'm ready now for Tuesday - bring it on! Hope you're having a good week.

Hugs!

Another Baby Girl on the way!

I had fun playing with this card - even if it did take me HOURS to complete it! LOL It should have been a 30 minute card. I used the clear embossing over a stamped pattern, then sponged color over the clear embossing. I like the effect of the partial words showing through the sweet little animal characters. I'm not sure where I got the white paper with the dots, but the stamps are Close-to-My-Heart and the inks are Honey, Sweet Leaf, and Baby Pink. The writing underneath was in Bamboo.

It's Friday (after sleeps)! What a week - I've been dragging . . . and am not quite sure how I got through this week. I have a fairly low-key weekend planned with (I hope!) some time to spend in the craft room - AFTER I finish staining the fence (that simply MUST get done this weekend!)

Namaste.

Triple Play stamps - another possibility

This was inspired by Tresa Black - she created a "Fabulously Artsy" card recently to show off ways to use this new stamp set! I copied her - as much as I could. LOL There may be one detail I should admit to - with my card I used a piece of CTMH daisy white cardstock, and covered it with the Tim Holtz distress ink in "Spun Sugar" to create the pale pink background. The images were stamped over that with CTMH Cotton Candy and then accented with the white pen.

I had the strangest morning - it reminded me of one of my frequently recurring nightmares! I set my alarm for 45 minutes earlier than I needed today so I could shower leisurely, perhaps fix a hot breakfast . . . and leave for work a little early. I had a teleconference webinar today and wasn't confident that I could manage logging into both things - so I wanted lots of extra time to figure it out! LOL Well, I really don't know what happened - I got up on time, and showered about the same as always. By the time I got into the car, the dash board clock indicated that I was actually running 15 minutes LATE! Oh No!!! I dashed into the office with just enough time to throw down my things and pick up the phone to dial the number. I was still trying to log onto the computer when the chairperson for the committee asked me to introduce myself to everyone. I'm lucky I remembered my name!! Holy cow.

How was your day?

More Birthday cards!

This one uses the corner doily stamp from the Close-to-My-Heart current Triple Play special - where you can get three (3) mini-albums and a wonderful stamp set all for $5 with a purchase of $40 in stamps. It's a great deal as the mini-albums are adorable and this stamp set is terrific! After photographing the card, it occurred to me that the ribbon of leaves should have been going the other way (pointing up). Hmmm. Well, we can fix that!

Hope your weekend is going great - I'm over 1/2 way finished with staining the wood on my new iron/wood fence. I'm thrilled with the look - I picked a great color (natural). Check out this little mid-way photo (unstained is on the left).
Have a wonderful Sunday, dear friends!

Namaste.

A Happy Birthday MAN card!

This weekend my mission (that I accepted gladly!) was to make 14 birthday cards, one of which must be masculine. I created this interesting offering! I thought I'd share and delineate the reasons I think it might be "okay" for a MAN card.

1. Distressed
2. Neutral - woodsy colors
3. No ribbons, bows, or buttons (or bling - yikes!)
4. Simple
5. To the point.

I think the papers are from Basic Gray - the sentiment is Close-to-My-Heart from the set that has ALL the birthday greetings in one set - the colors of ink were Cocoa and Olive. I regret that CTMH retired the textured cardstock (the little band of cocoa paper that I sanded to reveal the white core) because it always added so much interest to a project.

I'm SO glad it's almost Friday - what a long (short) week!! LOL Why are the short weeks so difficult? Do we really work harder - or is it just that we enjoyed the long weekend SO much that we are craving more time off? Do you have any fun plans??

Hugs!

Ippity Flowers

A second card from my new Ippity stamp set - this one with flowers and the repeating sentiment . . . It's prettier in real life (I think). The yellow gingham is distressed with some Cotton Candy ink (one of the new CTMH colors) so it blends and coordinates nicely with the Blush cardstock.

Work was good but I really, really didn't want to get out of bed this morning! I must have hit the snooze button 4 times! YIKES! Well, I made it through the day and am finally home. Just a few little loose ends, then I can settle down with a book - I'm feeling the need to be lazy tonight.

Hugs!

Be Still

I finally had a chance to play with the new Ippity stamps I bought from Julie Ranae HERE.

I fell in love with the stamps in this set - this is really a very simple card - the tree was inked in CTMH Brown Bag, the things in the tree are open and fine-lines so it was easy to color them. This ribbon is one that I've been hoarding for awhile - and while I was thinking "brown" when I went to the ribbon "wall" I picked up this ribbon first.

The weekend was wonderful! I enjoyed "down time" and "stamping time" and I did yard work (which I actually enjoy, to be truthful) and did gobs of laundry. For one person, I don't know why there is so much of it! LOL

Hope your short week flies by quickly -
We will be back celebrating the weekend soon.

Namaste.

Stupendous Stampers Close-to-My-Heart Unit Swap

Drum roll, please . . . These cards were made by my CTMH unit sisters - aren't they simply amazing?!?! The top one is by Danielle. She is new to our unit (which explains why I can't think of her last name (forgive me!)) but she is clearly not new to paper crafting! Wowie, what a pretty card using the Mistletoe papers!
My upline, Joanne Zubal, make the example using the Creative Basics papers and ribbon. Oooooo, Ahhhhh.

Jen Coleman really went outside the box with the new Magnifique papers (they seem to be all about Peacocks) - look at this gorgeous example of what you can do besides large birds with these papers! Fabulous!! Even the envelope is pretty!!

Angie Almanza hasn't been participating in the swaps and we will be sure to not let that happen again! This example of what can be done with the Hooligan's paper pack is so STINKIN' cute!!!

You saw my card already - I did the cornucopia with the new Olivia papers. Pretty neat swap, huh!! It helps us all get a demo board pulled together for the new catalog. I love a "win-win" situation!

Namaste.