Valentine project 1.6? I've lost count!

First, I apologize for the fuzzy photo - my light box is getting hard to reach (I plan to fix that over the next couple of days!) so I was taking this photo holding the camera at arms length - guess I'm not very steady!  LOL

I would like to include this one in the Valentine project because of the tulle skirt - I will look for an appropriate design paper for the back and pre-cut the hearts for the participants to stamp with the CTMH stamp (I love you - I love you - I love you) and if I find time, I might even pre-thread their buttons.  

This week has been a break-through week and I am so very thankful!  I mentioned in my last blog that I was being sent to the "principal's office" and that visit was definitely a crucial conversation!  We changed my medications and by mid-Tuesday I had a physical change that was nothing short of a miracle!  I actually felt something in my knee/leg "let go" - that turned out to be the muscles that had been fiercely guarding my knee so that I couldn't move it!  I went from being able to extend out to about 25 degrees to getting it to 11 degrees in 2 days.  AND I can bend the knee and walk without the walker.  Praise God!!

Hugs!!

Editing - Mad-about-you

I was playing with stamps and it occured to me that the "Mad About You" card posted in my last post would be a great easel card!  So, here it is.  Do you think the change to one color of ink for the hearts was a good thing, or not?  I didn't photograph this very well - but that's partly because the craft room is a mess and the light-box setup is inaccessible by walker!  I'll be back in business soon as I regain strength and can walk with out the dang thing!!

We are at 11 days post surgery.  I have regained some, lost some, and some has simply changed.  I have a visit with my ortho surgeon tomorrow to discuss medications and physical therapy.  I feel like a kid being sent to the principal's office.   

Hope you've had a wonderful Thanksgiving with friends and family!  Hugs! 

Happy Saturday!  I'm so happy to be home - there is nothing as sweet as your own bed, especially when you're tired and sore.  Steve has been the best nurse ever - he is so gentle and kind yet he makes me do my exercises!  Have I mentioned that I love this man?  

Today I'm posting another sample Valentine card for the fund-raising project at church.   I borrowed an idea from Jeanette Lynton here. The moment I saw her card I saw "hearts"!  I used the Mad About You stamp set from Close-to-My-Heart but I didn't do any kissing (with the stamp anyway).  The dye colors are Blush, Cotton Candy, Hollyhock, and Ruby.  The sentiment was stamped in Cotton Candy Pigment ink.  I used a small piece of tulle bunched up to flag out from under the center medallion and clipped the ends into multiple points.  I just purchased a "gotta have it" Memory Box heart chain border die from 1-2-3-Stitch.com and used it along the inside bottom edge.  I'm going to LOVE this cutting die!

I've made a couple of cards today, and can see scrapbooking in my future!  Yippeee!!!!   It's ok if you are jealous.  I'm a little bit jealous myself!  *giggle*  That must be the drugs talking!  *giggle*

Hugs!!

Preparing 1.5

Presenting the 5th card in my series of prototypes.  This one has two Close-to-My-Heart stamp sets represented - Bliss and Truly, Madly, Deeply!  (I really LOVE that sentiment!).  I had some fun techniques to highlight with this one - the scalloped mat for the silhouette image is actually a heathered green felt cut with a Spellbinders die.  The sentiment stamped onto the design paper was inked up with pigment ink (one of the coolest new things from CTMH!) - while the script background stamp was dye ink.  The pigment inks take just a little bit longer to dry - but they are so rich looking and show up well even when stamped over another color and pattern.  I think it's neat that they're both used on the same card - it makes the point that each type has it's place in life.  For the class I'll find a better heart stamp - I had one I thought I'd like, but I stamped it twice and they got a little too close together! Maybe it's because I'm so glad my love is home that even the stamped hearts are cuddly!

Wednesday is my total knee replacement surgery.  With the appointment Tuesday I will have had a grand total of 8 office visits since the day that my surgeon said "we can't repair it any more, we're going to have to replace it" - that was in May 2012.  It seems incredible, but there was education, x-rays for measurements, lab work (and more lab work), heart testing, meeting with the Anesthesiologist, meeting with the coumadin clinic physician (to prevent clotting), and one last meeting with the surgeon.  I do believe we are all singing the same song now!  LOL  

I hope to post during my recovery - but it may be a few days before the pain meds allow me to do anything creative . . . that I'm willing to share!

Hugs!! 
 

Preparing 1.4.2

My thanks to Jeanne Tomshack for helping me figure out what to do with the card I posted last night . . . I like this one much better!  The branch & blossoms are Papertrey Ink's Out on a Limb, and the birds are from Papertrey Ink; Through the Tree's.  The sentiment is a Close-to-My-Heart from the stamp set Bliss.  

 

Here's the other re-make. I skipped the ink distressing - and used a simpler embossing folder (swiss dots).  The heart was cut out with a scalloped die and heat embossed onto design paper.  This is a smaller card (4 x 4") and the little bit of lace is a nice touch.  Instead of a window in the white piece, I just popped up the heart on adhesive foam squares.  It's pretty simple but will teach a few nifty tricks and the result is pleasing.

Gotta run - I'm picking Steve up in less than 2 hours and I need to do some primping!  :-D

 

Preparing 1.4

Another prototype card for the Valentines workshop.  This one was very simple, "almost" one layer and reminds me of a sympathy card.  LOL  Any ideas to make it less somber?  Change the ribbon?  Add a tiny sparkle to the center of each flower blossom?  Scale it sideways and add some design paper along the right-hand side under the ribbon??

It's finally Friday - only one more sleep until Steve comes home!  I've got a million things I want to do before he gets here (mostly cleaning) but I'm not sure it does any good to clean while they are still doing construction (like shoveling snow during a blizzard!).  Perhaps I'll concentrate on filling the refrigerator with his favorites and getting a pedicure (I'd like that before surgery anyway!).  

I've only had one person try to guess on the number of visits leading up to the total knee replacement - wouldn't you like to play?  

Preparing 1.2

This one used some awesome stamps I snatched at the MFT sale mentioned in my Nov. 1st post.  I love the matching dies - how did I live so long without them?  Well, I guess I know the answer to that -  while I own both of the awesome Close-to-My-Heart Cricut cartridges (Art Philosophy and Artiste) and have many stamp sets that could be cut out with the Cricut . . . well, I haven't bought a Cricut yet.  BUT I did see a coupon for $179 at J@anns soon . . . so I will be in line to get one that day (I hope they have more than one at that price)! 

OK, that was a little rambling!  Maybe I can get to the point.  This is the third design in my project to teach Valentine cards in January.  What do you think? 

Other news?  How many doctors office visits do you think it takes before you can have a total knee replacement (starting with the visit when your doctor said "we can't repair it any longer, we need to replace it")?  Write your guess in your comments and those who get it correct, will win a little surprise from me!  

Hugs!! 

 

Preparing 1.1 . . .

More about the Valentines project . . . this simple card uses a Spellbinder die cut heart opening in the center of a dry-embossed piece that has been lightly rubbed with "Cashmere" ink from Close-to-My-Heart.  I'm not sure I like the rubbed ink part, what would you do instead?  The ruby paper behind the cut-out was heat embossed with "LOVE".  All of this is on the front face of the card (the dry embossed panel is elevated on foam squares).  Not too difficult, I hope.

More progress on the barn door today - when I got home the door has been sanded and the steel bands are in place.  The hardware to hang the door is back on, and a scrap piece of wood was handy for me to examine the finish on it.  (a light oiling - definitely not shiny!).  

Work was busy today and we must be getting weather because I've had a pounding headache all day long!  Or is it just the endless political talk?

Namaste.  

Preparing . . .

I spent some relaxing hours in the craft room this past weekend working on a little project . . . it seems that I agreed to provide a card workshop in late January at my church for people who are willing to donate to support our Outreach efforts ("It's for the children").  The plan is to design 5 Valentine cards that can be taught in an afternoon session.  I have some awesome stamping friends that agreed to help me, too, if we have a big response.  This week I'll be posting the ones I come up with.  Naturally, this is one of my favorites - but I would have a bit of prep work to do (cutting all those circles with my cuttlebug and spellbinder nesties).  Still, it's so striking with the Close-to-my-Heart Flirty papers!  

Otherwise, this weekend I did chores, made a HUGE salad for a First Communion luncheon at church and spent quality time with my kitty!  Friday night was awesome as Steve had his family all at the house up North and they brought me to the party on his laptop!  It really does help keep us closer.

The good news is that Steve will be "home" Saturday.  Just 5 more sleeps!  

Hugs!  

Another partial fold card

I am so taken with this card-base type, I'll probably be on a kick with it for a few days!  LOL  This was another one I created this week with the same dimensions (which for the base is 4" x 10.5" with a score from the right at 5.5 and from the left at 2.5").  I snagged this adorable stamp on clearance sale from My Favorite Things (MFT) at this sale.  I used the Close-to-My-Heart Roxie papers and stamped the image and sentiment onto the linen-look design paper.  I need to practice coloring with the new CTMH alcohol markers - but for someone who never had a Copic class, I'm getting the hang of it.  Just think what I could do if I had a lesson!  

Remodeling update - I'm sure most of you have been through some sort of remodeling project.  And I'm sure most of you have experienced the delays, set-backs, project over-runs.  I'm so ready for my barn-door to be finished!  {deep sigh!}  This project started in May and was supposed to be done by July 4th.  Hello!?!  It's NOVEMBER now.  Bring on your sympathy!!!

On a lighter note, I had 61 trick-or-treaters for Halloween and they were darling!  One little "kitty" pointed out sweetly that I had a big cat. (Bilbo was at the door greeting everyone).  Two teens startled me with their "dark" costumes - one was The Grim Reaper ( ! ) and I stuttered - "you can have some candy, just please let me live to see the sunrise".  He stomped the scythe on the ground and solemnly swore that "it will be so" then went on to say that he would tell all of the other grim reapers to let me live.  All this with a straight face!  Probably an acting student from the school near here.  They turned at the end of the driveway and waved and said "Thanks!!".  
I love Halloween!

Hugs!