Lanterns

The stamp of the month from Close-to-My-Heart last month (November) was lanterns and I really love them - and they reminded me that I have another CTMH lantern set!  It seemed like the right time to make some lantern cards!   This one is a little "funky" but I kinda like it!  The scallops on top were a patterned paper that I trimmed along the design and popped up on foam tape.  I think it looks like the edge of a roof or awning.

This one used the same masculine papers I had laying out on the work table - do you do that too? I thought so!  In fact, if I leave the papers out, I find that I pick them up over and over and make all sorts of things with them.  It's like the pieces are raising their little hands in excitement saying "use me, use me"!!  Anyway - I'm sure your paper doesn't talk to you!  ;-)

So, these were easy and fun!  I LOVE lanterns!

How are your Holiday plans coming along?!  I spent the evening tonight wrapping and boxing up gifts to take by the post office tomorrow.  But I'm glad to have it done, perhaps the gifts will reach their destinations on time this year?  One can hope . . .

Hugs!! 

Masculine Birthday card

This was a super easy card - and I pulled out another retired Close-to-My-Heart stampset (the birthday cake, plate and confetti).  Most of the paper was retired, too.  (sorry!).  I needed something that wasn't girly, and wouldn't take all night!  I like how the cake turned out stamped on a design paper - it gives it another dimension of pattern and colors.  The inside was a simple design using the patterned paper.  The card has been sent and received and the biggest response was for the cash tucked inside!  LOL  

The only think remotely remarkable about the card was that I used a copper "zing" embossing glitter for the confetti.  I really love the look even though the photo doesn't do it justice.  

My Love took me to see Evita last night - the Broadway production on tour.  It was fabulous!  I was up too late, however, and really wished it had been Saturday this morning when the alarm went off before 5 am.  Not as young as I used to be!  ;-) 

Hugs!

Wine makes a nice Hostess gift!

One  of my favorite things to bring as a hostess gift when we've been invited to dinner is a nice bottle of wine!  This one was a Malbec from Argentina.  I combined two Close-to-My-Heart stamp sets and used the For Always paper (which is retiring - so get it while you can!).  We wrote a little greeting on the backside of the tag.  Our event was Thanksgiving - we gathered with about 20 friends for a pot-luck type of meal.  The food was fabulous and the friendship was superb!  Hope your Thanksgiving Day was wonderful, too!  

Hugs!!

Watercolors

Happy Saturday!  I hope you are fully enjoying this weekend - in our part of the world the weather is glorious and it was just delightful doing EVERYTHING today - even my little nap ( ! ) in the late filtered sunlight.

This card was embossed with white embossing powder on white cardstock and then watercolored with a water-pen picking ink directly off the ink pads.  I used Close-to-My-Heart Sweet Leaf, Olive, Blush, Cotton Candy, and Hollyhock.  I found this sparkly pink ribbon at the Metal and Paper Scrappers store in Payson AZ.  I really like this card, not sure why.  Hope you like it, too!  

Hugs!

Simple sympathy cards

There is a lovely local scrapbook store in Payson AZ that I have done my best to keep in business!  You need to visit them:  Paper and Metal Scrappers.  Brenda has the best of everything there (I'm especially partial to her ribbons!!) and I don't get up to Payson often, but when I do, I always come home with lots of new treasures!  This time I picked up some plastic templates that can be used for spraying or sponging designs.  

Both of these simple sympathy cards were made with template.  The dark one was just a section of what was available to use - the base paper was white so the tree parts are what were covered by the template and I sponged in inks over to create the night sky.  Does anyone know of an awesome vellum adhesive?  I wasn't too thrilled with the "tape runner" type that I used here (it said for vellum but it really shows through). 

On the other hand, the template used to make the card with the gray leaves had the leaves as the open part.  This particular template was a little more challenging as the edges were sharp and jagged - catching on the sponge and requiring a careful straight up and down motion to put the ink down without lifting the template or tearing the sponge.  

I'm hoping if I stock up on a gazillion sympathy cards that I won't need any for a long time!  (one of Murphy's corollaries).  

Hugs!!

Halloween Treats

At the retreat, I had LOADS of fun using up scraps and bits of Halloween papers to cover full-size Hersheys chocolate bars.  I prepared a couple of boxes (72 bars to be exact).  These are just some examples.  It was a great project to do when I wanted to be chatting and working with other people, but actually getting something done for myself! 

I went through a phase for a few years where I refused to give out candy treats, but would give other stuff.  One year it was the glow necklaces and bracelets; another year it was little spider, bat, ghost toy things.  It just wasn't as satisfying somehow so this year I'm back to candy.  I usually get about 50 trick-or-treaters.  I love seeing their costumes and have been very fortunate that all to date have been well behaved.  The trend has been to "fall festivals" and such and I totally understand why, but when there are no longer any trick-or-treaters at my door it will be a sad day.

How do you celebrate Halloween?

Ombre Noel

Hello everyone!  This was the third "technique" card that we made at the retreat last weekend.  We had so much fun!!!  There were a couple of fun tricks that we learned.  One thing I do on almost every card (not intentionally, usually) is that I make an error and then share with everyone what "not to do"!  In this one, there were a couple but the most difficult one was that I adhered the "N" before trying to color the fill-in letters.  Since the "N" overlapped the "O" that was incredibly silly!  The second lesson on this card was about the alcohol markers - they show on the back side of the cardstock.  I usually layer cards but this one had the art on the card-base itself.  Hence the addition of the red scallop!  I cut the piece of red large enough to cover the inside flap. ;-)

I feel so renewed and inspired after the weekend.  There is nothing quite like spending time with just girlfriends!  No offense meant to my male friends - but my "sisters" nurture my soul.  I've got some other new things but they haven't been photographed yet - I'll get to that tomorrow night with any luck.  

Hugs!!

Leftovers (not just for dinner anymore!)

As I worked in the studio last weekend I did a little cleaning.  Not too surprising as there was not a single inch of table space available to create anything!  LOL  While putting things in their proper place I came across a stack of cards that were prepped for a class back in 2011.  Since I've been trying to send wedding anniversary cards this year, I decided it was time to use these (5) cards and set about putting them together!  Here was the original . . .

Funny story about this - I had to go back into my blog archives to find the original post to figure out what I'd done with these bits of paper (since that's what I had - bits in an envelope - no example!).  I thought to myself, hmmm, that was a long time ago but after Steve came into my life.  I jumped back to 2011 and found it within 3 posts of my starting place.  Just luck.

I have another example of prepped, un-used cards.  This one I altered a bit to use for birthday instead of Thanksgiving.  Here is the current version 

 

And here is the link to the original post.  Isn't it interesting how a little pop of color changes everything?  I try to always prepare more cards for our Open Stamping than I think there will be guests.  It's the over-achiever in me, I guess!  LOL  But it's nice to be able to pull these out and quickly make up a batch of birthday, anniversary, whatever cards when I need some!  So you see, leftovers are not just for dinner anymore! 

 

Scrapbook Retreat - Sneaky Peaks

 Very soon my friends will be gathering at Pam's lovely home for a big-girl scrapbook retreat!!  I've been prepping all weekend for this - and the cards above are just two of the sweet things we will all make as we learn some new tricks and play with the newest papers from the Winter mini-catalog from Close-to-My-Heart!  

The weekend, otherwise?  Our weather has been glorious!  I enjoyed puttering in my yard, talking to and watering my snap dragons (they are SO pretty!) and continuing my tentative friendship with the neighbor's little doggie (I call him "Buddy" - no idea what his real name is).  I brushed Mr. Baggins about 3 hours total this weekend and now he thinks he's a fur vest for me (have I mentioned that he absolutely LOVES to be brushed?).  LOL  

I am home from work today but leaving soon for the dentist - we have to do a bone graft before I can have the dental implant in that space that was a dry socket.  Ugh.  I have no idea what to expect - but I imagine a nap will be in the cards for me this afternoon. ;-)

Modified "store-bought"

One of my favorite stores of them all is Target.  Last week while strolling through the store chatting with my darling daughter on the cell phone, I spied these note cards and little fireworks went off in my head!  I could "alter" these - take them "up a notch" and make them personal!  Into the basket lickety-split!  

The focal piece with the spray of fuschia sequins and turquoise glitter blobs was cut off the front of the card and cut down just slightly.  Then I used the corner rounder on the right-hand side.  I layered it onto a piece of Kraft cardstock (don't ask me why it looks orange in the photo - it's really Kraft).  Then onto a piece of Crystal Blue cardstock for the card base.  The only stamping was the sentiment - "friends forever".  

This particular sentiment seemed perfect for the card I had in mind - it was a thank you note from Mr. Bilbo Baggins to Meridith - one of my friends who comes to scrapbook on Open Stamping day!  Meridith brought Bilbo a toy mouse!  He was thrilled of course (I know how much because I haven't seen it since that day - I think it's under my bed).  This was the inside of the card . . .

;-)

It's been a good weekend, although too short again!  Our weather has calmed down and it is absolutely LOVELY here now!  The highs in the mid-80's and the lows in the upper 60's.  

We had the St. Francis day Blessing of The Animals at church - one of my favorite days!  I had so much fun meeting my church family's pets!  I spared Mr. Baggins as he gets so nervous!  Lord knows he needs a blessing, however!  Perhaps I can find a Priest that makes house calls???  LOL


Hope your weekend was excellent!  Hugs!!

Home decor - new way to display

The new Autumn / Winter Close-to-My-Heart catalog has some beautiful items that are home decor type things; this frame with chicken wire really caught my eye!  I love that I can use the nifty little clips to hang recent creations and rotate them easily.  My "old" way of displaying cards was to put them into cellophane envelopes and using velcro attach them to a foam-core board.  With the card inside the protective envelope, you couldn't see what I'd done with the inside part.  Each time I changed out the display, bits of the board would pull off with the tapes until the board looked ratty!  My other "problem" with the black foam-core board was it's size - it needed about 8 items to look full enough.  This frame is a little smaller and can look great with just 5 examples!  Perhaps I will be able to change out the board more often this way?!  Hooray!!  

This month I have it with an autumn theme and the papers are mostly Huntington, but also one from Laughing Lola and another from Babycakes!  Hope you like it!

Namaste.

Technique for Sunday Open Stamping

This will be our technique card for this weekend.  I loved the design of 3-candles that I saw on someone else's blog - and they had used a glittery something - embossing powder I believe, to make their card.  I didn't have these lovely colors of glitter embossing powder so I began to play around and experiment and discovered two wonderful techniques!

First, remembering that you could use alcohol markers to color brads and things like that, I made the card on the right hand side, that is super shiny.  With the glitter tape from Close-to-My-Heart and the new alcohol markers, I colored the tape, let it dry, and then trimmed it into a candle shape and adhered it to the card.  The second experiment was to see if I could get one that looked "creamy" and I used the pigment ink pads directly on the glitter tape.  These took longer to dry ( ! ) but I hurried them up a little with the heat gun.  

Which look (candles) do you like the best and why?!

Namaste.

Laughing Lola meets Halloween

Laughing Lola is one of the new paper packs from Close-to-My-Heart.  It has some, shall we say, "Interesting" papers!  But honestly, I've seen some awesome work with them - the colors are wild (not tame like this card) and they can really make it POP.  I used the new stamp with the pumpkins and some bits of ribbon from my stash!  

Steve leaves in the morning (so what on earth am I doing on the computer!).  I'll be able to post more this weekend . . . Love to you all!

Thank You using Babycakes papers

Despite the fact that this card looks huge, it isn't really - it's just 3 1/4 x 3 1/4 inches.  I was thinking of a little gift enclosure for my Close-to-My-Heart customers.  I'm still loving the open alphabet - it lends itself to all sorts of "dressing up"!  

Steve has been in town this week and I'm in heaven!  He'll be here a bit longer so my posts will be infrequent - only when he's sequestered watching sports or something!  LOL  

Hope you've had a good weekend!  Namaste.

Wedding photo

What do I love about this photo?  I love the spontaneous eruption of JOY in my daughter's face (as well as her beloved, her man-of-honor and bridesmaids).  I love that she was moved to tears by Brian's vows!!!  That we were able to capture this candid moment forever.  I love that she wore her glasses (because they are the "real" Kristen).  I love that she wore her Grandmother's pearl necklace and her Great-Grandmother's pearl earrings.  I love how she planned and organized the wedding in partnership with Brian - he was very involved in every step of it!  How wonderful that my daughter found such a great man to spend her life with - and gave me such an awesome son-in-law!  I wish you could all have been there - the day was just magical! 

Hugs!

Autumn gratitude

This card was inspired by someone, I wish I knew where I saw it!  But I changed more than three things so perhaps she will forgive me for signing it?  I didn't have the flower stamp that goes with the new Huntington papers, but I thought this older flower looked pretty good!  Also, I used a retired set for the stem and leaves - that seems like a great coordination, also.  I didn't have the new bronze glitter tape so I used a zip strip mounted on cardstock between the two different design papers (and I used a different design paper on the left hand side).  I love both versions of the card and really appreciate the inspiration from the awesome artist (please tell me who you are?!)!

I got one of the new CTMH home decor display frames - the white one with chicken wire - and am hoping to create a set of Huntington cards to display on the frame this month.  This is "example 1"!  The papers are beautiful and autumn is my favorite season so it will be relaxing and fun to work on this project! 

On the personal side?  I'm recovering from the car accident - I have a new-old car that I really like and am almost at a point where I don't flinch every time someone comes up behind me.  LOL  

My precious daughter is now Mrs. Stuart - and she planned the most wonderful wedding!  It was fabulous and they are a darling couple!  I'm one lucky MIL to have gained such a nice man for my Son-in-law!  I just realized that the wedding photos (the few) that I have are on my i-pad so I'll have to e-mail them to my PC so I can post one here.  Stay tuned for that . . .

Hope your holiday weekend has been everything you needed!  Hugs!!

Anniversary card

 

Hello!  Another pre-scheduled post while I'm on the road - I decided to do this because I couldn't trust that I'd be able to figure out how to upload things from the i-Pad!  This was an anniversary card made with the July Stamp of The Month set from Close-to-My-Heart!  It's a beautiful set that lets me play with the markers!  I just love how beautiful these images can be with just a little ink!  

I'm sure you can tell, this is one of those cards that will stand up by itself, and the front image covers the note written on the inside without covering the entire back piece.  Very clever.  The paper is Chantilly (just wonderful colors!).  Speaking of, the colors used are Hollyhock, Buttercup, Cotton Candy, Pear, Ruby, Sunset, and Twilight.  The piece to the left of the cherry focal point is a Zip-Strip from the design papers.  So easy to use and what a nice boost to the overall look!  

It won't be long now and I'll be getting home again.  Hope you are all having a wonderful week!  Hugs!

Wedding Day!

This post is scheduled to show up on Saturday, July 27th, 2013 - My precious daughter's wedding day!  Her colors are Ivory - Firecracker - Tan - Gold and I used some of this same paper in making the table-cards for the wedding reception.  I promise to post wedding photos when I get back; but for now at least, you can see the card I made for Kristen and Brian for their wedding!  Such a perfect couple!

Hugs!

A Whale of a good one!

This darling card was inspired by Aaron Brown.  She is UBER creative and I often steal ideas from her!  I changed mine just slightly - very slightly!  So Aaron gets all the credit here! ;-)

I'm getting better at making paper pleats!  I thought you'd be happy to know that little tid-bit.  Also, I love, love, love the CTMH alcohol markers.  I was one of the few people who didn't jump on the Copic bandwagon and I'm glad I waited.  Now, I just want CTMH to make MORE colors!  *giggle*  

Hope everyone is doing great!  Hugs!!

Hello There!

Hello! I'm sure glad I finally figured out a way to post from my I-pad. It wasn't easy, let me just say that! 

What was easy is this card! I used a new Papertray Ink stamp set that I suspect will be a favorite for many, many things! The paper is from the Close to My Heart Dream Pop pack, it is the backside of a bright card we made at open stamping a couple of months ago.

The sentiment is part of the zip-strip from the papers. It went together in a fraction of the time it's taken me to create this post!  

I'm counting hours now until my flight out to North Carolina. My darling daughter is getting married next Saturday! I'm so excited!!! With any luck I'll be able to post again on the road but if not, know that I'm thinking of you and I promise photos soon! 

Hugs!

A sneaky peek at NEW Close to my Heart stuff!

 

The new Close-to-My-Heart catalog will be available to everyone starting August 1st and there are some pretty wonderful new things in this one!  Wowie!!  This darling little stamp is just one example - wait to you see all the terrific new things!

My daughter is getting married next week - I am so stinkin' excited!!  She and her Beloved are so good together; I am so happy for them both!  I'll try to post on the road, but I do seem to have mixed results with the I-Pad approach to blogspot - not sure why it's so challenging!  

Anyway - enjoy this little peek (the papers were from Dream Pop - the annual Scrapbook special that comes in late Spring!).  Hugs!! 

Weekends are too short!

I have a huge list of cards that need to be completed this weekend and it's Sunday morning already!  Yikes!  This one was a 10 minute (give or take a few) card - I used Dream Pop papers and added a little edge-ink and zipper ribbon (all Close-to-My-Heart products) and voila!  

I awoke before the alarm today!  That is so rare for me I feel like I should shout it from the rooftop!  I feel refreshed and ready for church and then play time later.  I hope your weekend is full and rewarding and that you're also getting your batteries recharged!

Namaste.

Another card from the Brainerd studio

As I was looking for another photo on my I-pad tonight I saw this one that I'd completely forgotten!  We used it for a sympathy card.  It is a retired CTMH stamp set, with design papers that I bought at the scrapbook store in Brainerd last year (I.e. I don't remember who made them).  There is some dimension to the card but it is understated.  

I was out running errands today in the heat. I had forgotten how exhausting that can be!  Thankfully tomorrow afternoon I'll be comfortably at home with my friends who are coming over to scrapbook here!  Hope you're having a good weekend, too!  Hugs!

Open Stamping Technique Preview

This is the card we will make on Sunday June 30. Same time same place - I hope to see everyone there!! The two things this card highlights is making the rolled roses, and dry embossing / sanding the leaves for detail. 

I've enjoyed the Minnesota trip very much! This morning we awoke to thunder and rain! I sat on the couch sipping my coffee and watching the rain for almost an hour.  I don't see rain much living in the desert and the beauty of the green, lush plants and the diamond-like sparkle of the water drops when the sun came out are treasured memories for me! 

Namaste.

The Brainerd Studio is Open!

When I got to Minnesota I learned that friends were getting married and we needed a card! So,  let me present the first card made in my new studio!!  I found the reverse image cling stamp (un-certain who?) in one of the first boxes I unpacked and had a vision of this card.  I mumbled "if only I have a script background" and to my complete delight I found a CTMH background stamp set that my dear friend Jone gave me as a studio warming gift (along with many other must-have-in-both-studios stamp sets). Thanks Jone!!  I stamped the wedding sentiment in olive, heat embossed it w/ clear, then used sponge daubers to ink in honey, blush, and hollyhock inks.  I put olive on the few stems and leaves but it looks more brownish.  Okay by me!  

We have had so much fun! If forced to pick a favorite activity it would be watching Steve's grandsons play baseball.  They have grown so much this last year!!  

Another chalkboard technique

I have had some fun with the chalkboard technique!  Recently I was cleaning up the craft room and spotted a little used (and long ago retired) stamp set and I immediately saw this curvy border. That's one of the things I LURVE about acrylic stamps - that you can curve them into different shapes!  The striped paper is another retired find - but the sentiment is a current Close-to-My-Heart.

I'm up in Brainerd visiting my Love for a couple of weeks.  Yesterday I set up my studio here! It is just starting but already workable! Opening the boxes of supplies that I'd mailed to myself up here was like the best Christmas ever!!  OMGSH!!

We've had fun with the family and relaxing and spiritual walks in the forest.  I'm going with Melissa to yoga in a few minutes and am just thrilled that she asked me to come!  

More later!  Namaste.

Friend Always

I stumbled across a "new to me" blog on my lunch hour the other day and was smitten with the card that Deb Currier made here.  It reminded me that I have a Close-to-My-Heart stamp set called "Hope" that had never seen any ink and I thought perhaps I could imitate Deb's card using that one.  So, here is my end result!  Same but different.  Different stamps, but definitely the same color schemes and card layout.  It was very fun to make!

The work week was short - but taxing none the less.  Today I awoke feeling sluggish and after a nice breakfast, decided to pile up in bed with my i-pad and cruise Pinterest for awhile!  My oh My!  That's a sure-fire way to waste some time, huh!  But I really enjoyed it and when I got out of bed the second time, I really felt refreshed!  

Hope your weekend is turning out good!  
Namaste.

Trucks!

 

A close up of the truck - I used the Close-to-My-Heart springy things to pop this up.  It's very "active" in real life!  Very fun!  What you can't see is the liquid glass on the windows and headlight, and the silver marker on the "metal trim" of the truck.  This came together fast with the great "boy" stamps and paper pack!  All Close-to-My-Heart products.

Hope you have awesome plans for the weekend!  I am finally going to get the honeymoon scrapbook concept planned and organize my box full of memorabilia.  Perhaps I can even get started on a few pages!  I'd like to get it to a point where I can drop into the studio now and then and complete a page on the fly!  I need to get this scrapbook completed before I forget all the fabulous things we did on our three week trip to Hawaii!  ;-)  But when I expressed that concern to Steve, he promised to help me remember.  What a sweetie!

Hugs!!

I love modifying "store bought" cards!

In this case, the cards weren't even "store bought" by me!  They were a gift - a nice little box of pretty Hallmark cards that are blank on the inside.  In Real Life, the swirls are sparkly.  I used chalk ink direct-to-paper to create the "rustic" looking yellow piece and then used Cocoa embossing powder to heat emboss the sentiment.  The ribbon was a dyed-to-match piece of the seam binding ribbon. 

This week has been crazy.  Up until yesterday I was barely staying afloat.  I think I had an abscessed tooth because something gave way yesterday and it was gross.  After some careful attention and a good nights sleep I have a lot more energy today!  Whew.  

Today is my Love's birthday!  I wish I was in the same place that he is - but we will get to Skype tonight and I've been invited to the birthday party on Sunday with the family (on Skype).  22 days until I fly to see him.  {deep sigh}  Here's hoping your weekend is wonderful!

Hugs!

Open Stamping Technique - Sneaky Peek!

I've been wanting to try the "chalkboard" technique and Close-to-My-Heart has come out with a whole bunch of stamps that would look fabulous done this way!  I decided that we would learn this one together for the Open Stamping on Sunday (5/19/13).  I used the Dream Pop papers, all CTMH products with the possible exception of the ribbon - I can never remember where I get ribbon (possibly because I'm buying it A.L.L.  T.H.E.  T.I.M.E!!)  I put a piece of White Daisy inside the card so it can be written in without requiring a white pen. 

My house is empty, except for Mr. Baggins.  He's been very cuddly, too!  I've cleaned and done yard work, had a nap today, came up with this card for next week and prepped for the group, and actually cooked two meals for myself!  I ran an errand to the post-office, and moved some of the tender plants into the house for the summer.  (here we do things backwards from what is the norm in Minnesota.)

I'm looking forward to worship in the morning with my church family.  I missed church last week and felt the absence all week.  It's strange, because I believe church is where-ever you want it to be and I have a hot-line to God that I use regularly.  But the traditions of the sacraments are very comforting and inspiring for me and I miss them when I can't get to a worship service.  Being at Epiphany tomorrow, and having recently spent time with my precious daughter as well as my beloved niece, will mean that this Mother's day I have everything I could wish for.  Steve may be in Minnesota, but he lives in my heart and I feel his love constantly.  

Happy Mother's Day to my friends who are, or who have Mother's.    

Steve's Favorite Flower

Last year I made Steve a birthday card with this same stamp set but I guess I'd never really looked at the fuschia plant in bloom - I colored the blossoms in rather pale colors!  This year I had a photograph to use for reference and it's amazing, but the flowers pretty much look like this - with stunning bright pink and deep rich purple on the inside.  I see why these are Steve's favorite flowers!  I'm pretty happy with how the card turned out.  

It's been busy here.  We've had a death in the family that wasn't totally unexpected, but still hard to accept now that it's actually here.  The rush of travel plans, arrangements, and all that must be done is exhausting!  I need my time in the craft room right now more than ever.  Steve left last Thursday to return up North (fishing opener is 5/11) so in theory I should be able to do more crafting "soon".  

Hug the ones you love.  
Even hugs the ones you don't love - but should.

Namaste

Old and New

Do you ever find elements that you made for a project but didn't use all of them?  The wreath was a "left-over" from my wedding 15 months ago - and I decided to use it with the new CTMH papers called "For Always" to just have something to show the pretty new papers.  I created a little tulle pleated "skirt" and trimmed the wreath down (it was a square before).  On the inside I put a light gray piece of cardstock to help with writing a note since the card base was black.  

I just returned from North Carolina where I enjoyed my daughter's bridal shower with her friends, bridesmaids (most of them) and the groom's Mom.  Kristen is very blessed to love her new family very much!  I'm thrilled that she has this special relationship with Cindy and Brian's sister, Megan!  

Hope your week is wonderful!
Hugs!

Pop-up Card

Oh my goodness, I have been missing in action for awhile now!!!  My apologies to you all - but I can tell you that I've been visiting your beautiful art in stolen moments and am inspired and loving everything you do!  Thank you for  nurturing my soul.

This card was inspired by Ashley Cannon Newell from this post.  I love her blog and the video she posted to explain how to make a pop-up card finally gave me courage to try one!  I'm planning to teach this to my Open Stamping friends today when they arrive.  So easy - why was I afraid of it?!

Life is good - rehab on my knee is progressing beautifully, I've been on a hike and everything!  Steve is still spoiling me (I think he loves me!).  Work is rewarding and the only compliant I could possibly have is that I've not had  enough time in the studio!  Other than that . . . . ;-)

Hugs!!

New CTMH Spring Catalog item!

This beautiful paper, and stamp, are from the new, just released Close to My Heart Spring catalog!  I love the way this stamp worked - I stamped the image with archival black ink, and used the new CTMH alcohol markers to add a little Honey color to the image.  Isn't the bee pattern paper just wonderful?!  Another very simple card to put together!

Work has been getting better and better for me.  I have more energy, taking fewer and shorter naps, and just feel more productive!  In addition, Steve has been taking me to all sorts of theater and music performances (spoiling me rotten!).  I find that it's easier to get around, I am tiring less and walking farther . . . all good news!  Soon I will return to Yoga!

Hugs!!

Altered cards!

Hello!!  I've had no time to play - working and sleeping occupy my 24 hours each day!  But, it's embarassing how long I've let it go since receiving gifts and I needed thank you notes!  This started out as an inexpensive pack of thank you notes I found at the local office supply store.  I added the band-of-bling, the array of hearts, and the adorable owl (popped up)!  It was SUPER quick to upgrade these cards!  

My "big" weekend is nearly here.  Sunday is the Valentine card making workshop.  I've been preparing like crazy and I do believe I'm ready to roll!  I'm getting excited now - and thinking about things like beverages and snacks!  That's a good sign!  I know you're all still being wonderfully creative - 'cause I've been drooling over your art! 

Hugs!

Sympathy cards

I know it happens, but it seems cruel somehow to lose someone during the holidays.  Just when the world around you is building up a frenzy of parties and gift exchanging, feasts, music and joy - there you are, standing alone.  We have learned of several such losses recently.  I lifted this design from my friend Cibele Glazer on this post.  I've kept it for awhile - and I used different stamps but the basic design is the same.  Thanks Cibele for a lovely card. 

I returned to work this week - half-days.  It has been exciting, and exhausting!  I love being at work, but I don't really like the alarm clock going off in the morning (I was spoiled!).  I guess I'll get used to it again.  LOL

Hope your weekend is wonderful!
Hugs!!