Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!  This is a scheduled post - with a card I just made on Sunday when I realized that I needed more hand-made cards (because I left the entire container of Christmas Cards I'd made all summer in Minnesota!  Duh!).  I like this, and it came together pretty quickly.

May your holiday be peaceful and yet JOYOUS; may you have enough to eat, enough good company, and enough football to make the day perfect.

Let's remember to take a moment and think of those who don't and how we might help them.

Namaste.

Peace.

Love.

Charlotte colors and Thin Cut dies

This card was my attempt to imitate a card in the new Seasonal Inspirations book coming out January 1.  The smaller, blue flowers are the newest little mini-incentive stamp set (also effective Jan. 1).  

I achieved the color on the flowers and leaves by using a water-brush and picking ink directly off the ink pads (Sorbet and Pear).  (This was over the image stamped with Tuxedo Black ink and allowed to dry thoroughly).  The blue flowers were painted with the water brush and Crystal Blue ink, and then the ones with the purple center were enhanced using my Inktense watercolor pencils.  Actually, the yellow one was also, it just doesn't look as cool as the purple.  The ribbon was a piece from my stash. I inked the edge of the white piece with Sorbet and mounted it on a piece of Whisper cardstock before the base of White Daisy cardstock.  It's a standard 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" card.

My daughter and her husband will be "home" until 1/1/16 so I won't be posting except for some scheduled posts.  I know you'll forgive me.  *wink*

6th card of the Card Workshop

This card was designed by someone at CTMH corporate.  It was published in our marketing materials.  I almost copied it (I made a couple of errors) but I do like it!  The really, really exciting news about this card?  The flowers, leaves, do-dads, are all cut with thin dies!  YES! Matching Thin Dies!  Woot!!

Can you say "Merry Christmas"?  

Well, in all seriousness - I can!  Merry Christmas to you all!  I hope your holiday is filled with JOY and LOVE and that you are with people that mean a lot to you.  

Hugs!

Belated birthday - Card Workshop card

This sweet card uses the little sheep from the Operation Smile benefit stamp set on the backside of the Annual Inspirations book and the Seasonal catalogs.  I love sheep!  I also used the CTMH woodgrain dry embossing folder with a little chocolate ink rubbed on it before embossing.  I'm pushing ahead - gotta get these ready before my sweet daughter and her darling husband arrive!

For the Card Workshop - Jar of Hearts

I loved a similar card I saw on the CTMH consultant page - so I tried to create something similar.  This uses the La Vie en Rose papers.  I love the mirtred corners, and that the hearts are punched from the design paper.  I cut a tiny tag with the Cricut, and found an "xoxoxo" that would fit onto it in a Stamp of the Month set from last spring that had a cool typewriter with sentiments to put on the paper in the typewriter.  I used a black micron pen to outline the hearts and on a whim made some of them disappear behind the ribbon at the edge of the mouth.  I like that little touch.  This one will be fun!!

Another Card Workshop card

This sweet card was also imitated, but I've lost where I got it!  There are several changes (larger sun, different hearts, different pink and blue stripes) so maybe I can say that I lifted it rather than stole it?!

I also didn't have the Fundamentals Basic papers when I made this prototype versions.  The cards that my class will make will use the Whisper fundamentals which has a neat pattern of shiny on matte cardstock. I actually love how this turned out!

Twinkle, Twinkle - January Card Workshop

This card is another one for the Card Workshop in January.  I love that it used the "Twinkle" from the October Stamp of the Month (no longer available - sorry!) and that it forced me to remember how to use the Cricut Expressions 2 that has been gathering dust in my studio.  Creative design credit should go to Lisa Plummer.  You can see her card at her blog here.

Anniversary card - Shhhh!

I'm pretty sure that my Beloved doesn't actually read my blog. Anyway, this is the card I made for our upcoming 4th Anniversary.  The silver paper is actually wrapping paper that I used to wrap his gift. I know, all matchy-matchy!  

This is the inside of the card.  It's from a current CTMH stamp set called "I Do".  There are many (maybe all?) stamps in this set that are simply adorable!  I cut the feathers on the Cricut (had to re-learn how to use it all over again!) from a retired CTMH textured cardstock that is light on one side and darker on the other. I love the imagery of the feathers and the birds - with the thought that these 4 years have just flown by!  

Dream Big - Card Workshop January 2016

This card is one of six that I'm developing for a Card Workshop on January 3rd, 2016.  I can't believe I'm doing this on the tail of having Kristen and Brian here for 10 days - but, I'm jumping in as early as possible and prepping like a mad-woman!  This one I actually had what I needed to imitate Wendy Coffman's awesome card.  The rest of my supplies arrive tomorrow - so I guess I know what's on my calendar for Sunday while my Beloved is watching football.  ;-)

In case you thought I never make failures . . .

This card was something I started, then had a verbal interaction that wound up putting me into a really pissy (forgive my language!) mood.  I stayed in the craft room for an hour trying to work out my anger and this is the card that came out of that process.  Is this not the ugliest thing you've ever seen?!  My goodness!

So, do you think I maybe should have gone for a nice long walk instead?!  (hint:  I do!)

Maybe the last of the tags??

These are using the Stamp of the Month from October 2015 called Twinkle.  What fun to tinker around with the coloring - outline or no outline, and Wink of Stella or No-Wink of Stella - OR just a tiny touch of Wink of Stella (last photo below).  I love them in all their variations!

Have you ever opened a box years later (an empty box, saved to wrap a package sometime) and found a tag that you made?  I did this year, and it brought a big lump to my throat.  I really {heart} my tags! (just keeping it real here!)

More Christmas tags

This week I've been into the studio several times to make "more tags"! I guess that's a good thing!  I'm having a blast! These are from the same set as the trees below (the trees) and another one "nuts about you" which is also retired.  You've got to remember I've been doing this CTMH thing for over 14 years now - and the stamps are classy and timeless! The only thing about having "retired" stamps, is that I have all sorts of new combinations for them!  ;-D

Never enough tags!

Have you ever had an idea for a design in your sleep?  It doesn't happen often, but I had been going through my stamps looking for things that might work for Christmas tags.  I came across an "oldie" set that has boot tracks and the sentiment "Not all who wander are lost" - and this tree.  It didn't occur to me to use the tree until I went to bed - I was actually looking at the two smaller trees in the package.  LOL  

So, the details; It was stamped on a store-bought kraft tag with Pomegranate ink, then the image was stamped again on a scrap of retired CTMH design paper from years ago (when the paper was two-sided but the patterns were the same on both sides, just the colors different).  I used Ponderosa Pine on the green side and Cocoa on the brown side of the paper; cut them out and paper pieced.  The star was from a set called "Live, Laugh, Love" (also retired) that has beautiful swirls and design elements.  I thought about stamping it on a lighter color but decided that I liked the rustic look better.  

Ombre Watercolor

 I've made an ombre background using the ink pad and a water brush; but honestly, the way the watercolors move on the new CTMH watercolor paper with a brush is so satisfying! I believe doing it this way the blending was even easier! 

I used three of the colors (I actually worked it from lightest to darkest), I "encouraged" the piece to dry with the heat gun, and then stamped the sentiments with the new Sapphire ink.  The front piece is self-matted (I had taped the watercolor paper down with Washi tape) and it is mounted onto a piece of Sapphire cardstock. Then I stamped some stars with White Daisy pigment inks.  I had to stamp them several times to get them solid enough but the final effect is nice - they are a little blurry just like all the stars I see in the sky at night! I also used just a touch of the Wink of Stella Clear on the stars.  

Another watercolor - Northern Lights

One of the CTMH consultants posted a video showing how to create a northern lights scene using sponges and ink pads.  I decided to try doing it with watercolors.  This was my first try - and I kinda like it!  The stars are dots of Star Dust Stickles.  The snow is Wink of Stella - Clear and the tops of the hills were done with the Stickles.

I don't think I mentioned on here that I actually saw Northern Lights this summer!  It was after midnight, Steve and friends had been out fishing for Walleye and saw the lights from the boat.  They woke me up and made me go outside with them in my robe and slippers - but I am SO GLAD they did!  What I saw wasn't as colorful as my example - mostly white with some green and blue hues; but the way it danced in the sky is a sight I'll never forget! Simply magical! 

Watercolor paints

I hadn't yet dipped my new brushes into the watercolor paints from Close to My Heart.  I decided to make a small batch of cards I could share with my artist friends - the sentiment is one of a CTMH set available to Consultants - I believe the goal is for recruiting.  But I love how this looks over the watercolors and thought it would be great fun to share with my card-making friends.  One of these is not like the others - can you see which one?  (Given: each one is unique - but three have the same background paper from Kaleidoscope). 

Get Well, Thinking of You, Thanks!

This set of cards was completely inspired by the design paper that I stumbled onto at a garage sale.  One of my dear friends has more scrapbooking/card-making stuff than any (make that ALL) of the Local Scrapbook Stores combined!  She was trying to reduce the load of stash - and I was the very fortunate recipient of over 100 sheets of design paper.  There was only one of this one, however.  And I was completely smitten by the copper foil on these roses.

I made a Get Well (for a friend who had surgery) a Think of You for another with a serious health issue and a Thanks for the young woman who cared for my house plants all summer.  I like them all!

Sentiments are all Close to My Heart stamps and the inks were Blush, Topiary, and Cocoa. I added a few "gems" also.

It sure feels good to be creating again!

Masculine birthday card

Steve's oldest Grandson is turning a TEENAGER soon - the family is celebrating early so we can do this with him in person!  It's nice! So, I'm thinking a 13 year old boy won't want a goofy, childish card - but something very masculine. Hope this works!

 

The papers are the new Urban design from Close-to-My-Heart, and the sentiments are from a stamp set that isn't available; it was a September special celebrating Scrapbooking, Card-Making, and Picture-My-Life planner types of stamping.  I believe this particular one was Card-making (but I get confused and my stamps are packed so there is no looking it up).  Anyway - I cut the stars from the Urban paper, I stamped "Happy birthday" in a subtle "whisper" over the metal plate design paper. What doesn't show is a little pocket I added after I took this photo for us to slip in the $13 that we give at birthdays.  ($1 per year).  Next post will be from Arizona!  Yippee!!

One more Christmas tag

This is a retiring stamp set from the 2014-2015 catalog; an "A" size, that I had to have.  I love the simplicity of it - the sweet message (not so much the sentiment as the image of the girl holding the single star).  I stamped it in black ink, then colored with my Inktense pencils.  I love the effects!  There is a little Wink-of-Stella on the star and star-beams but not anywhere else. 

I'm scheduling this post and the next one because we are traveling soon and I may be without internet connection temporarily!  Next real visit will be from Arizona (Home!)!! 

Christmas Tags

It's time to wrap family presents in MN before we leave (we're trying to save money on postage!).  We'll be having a big "thanksgiving" meal together on Saturday and everyone here will take home their gifts to open with us on Skype at Christmas.  It's been our tradition for as long as I've known Steve.  He has no desire to be in MN with snow on the ground and -40 degree weather!

I used a beautiful CTMH stamp set called Christmas Love and delved into my supply of "zip-strips" (I cut them off, and store them separately - but I rarely use them!).  Their sources are too many paper packs to remember, but I do believe all of them are retired papers. I'll probably tie these to the packages with a piece of twine or ribbon of an appropriate color.

Christmas Tags

These cute stockings were from a retired CTMH set called Holiday Magic.  It is a "build-your-own" type of deal - with a couple of stocking tops and stocking designs. I used just a portion of last years Christmas paper (cut out just what I wanted) for the "hand-made zip strip".  *giggle*

There is also Wink of Stella on the top of some of these.

Christmas Tags - Trees

These trees are from a retired set - Holiday Magic.  I had some fun here!  I stamped the bottoms by just inking that part (i.e. put the stamp on the edge of the ink pad) but the top part of this stamp (which has all the different patterns on one tree) was done by stamping one Ruby one and one that was Fern and then mixing up the sections.  Fun, huh!

Christmas Tags - Penguins!

These tags are a combination of Christmas Melodies and Wintry Wishes. I love using up little bitty scraps of pretty paper - the scarves and hats came out better than I expected!

Christmas Tags - Christmas Love tree

Such a pretty little tree!  I love the swirls built into the stamp that make this tree look decorated already!  I used Wink of Stella to add sparkle to the tree (not sure if it really shows up).  In real life it is so pretty!  Another part of a vintage zip-strip (so glad I save everything!)

Fallen Leaves

The colors of the Sangria paper pack have captivated me!  Perhaps because I am living with them in the beauty of this rich Northern autumn (and it is a stupendous autumn - spectacular!) where the trees are every color imaginable!  Today is warm (no kidding!) and I even have a window cracked open in the studio this afternoon - the cool breeze is tickling my face as I sit and write this post.

The colors are Saffron, Poppy, Pomegranate, and Cocoa - the cardstock base is Cashmere.  I didn't think I needed that Fallen Leaves stamp set but it has been put to good use! Hope you like it!

Making Christmas Tags

I'm working on Christmas tags for the family presents!  I love making tags - probably for the same reason I like to make cards before scrapbooks (instant gratification!).  Tags are even more instant (now that sounds weird!).  The stamp set is a retired CTMH one called Christmas Melodies.  I used some black shimmer tape, some black design paper cut out of the Christmas paper pack from last year, and the sweet leaf dot paper is from the current paper pack Zoe.  I really love how the words stamped in black look on that dot paper!  I stamped the dove on all sorts of things before deciding that it looked best on plain old White Daisy Cardstock.  Okay! 

Stay tuned for more tags - I'm on a roll!

Cheers! 2016 (Stamp of the Month)

Isn't it strange how in real life the orange button didn't look out of place but in a photo, it looks totally the wrong color?  Oh well.  

Again, Aaron did a fabulous job with her original of this card - my imitation is still pretty nice and could be even better with the right color button!!  LOL

This card definitely says graduation to me.  How about you?  Any other ideas how to get more from this stamp set?  

Cheers! 2016

I like this card - but I also can see it being a Birthday card - or celebrating a graduation, promotion, or retirement, even!  Just change it a little bit and you've got an entirely different use for these stamps!  I used Eggplant, Poppy, and the Coral Shimmer tape (love, love, love this stuff!).  The design papers are from Sangria.  

November Stamp of the Month - CHEERS! 2016

This stamp set didn't "scream" out to me like some of them do - but then I discovered the amazing things that Aaron Brown was doing with it on her blog and I was smitten!  I find Aaron to be very inspiring - I try to visit her every single time she puts up something new!  I hope I'm not jumping the gun - but I believe she will put up the November SOTM on November 1st (like me!).  You can see her work here, if not today then soon! Tell her "hi" and that I sent you!  You can say that I've made some mediocre imitations of her cards . . . it's alright - I know her work is far superior!

I included the close up so you could see the cool ribbon I used. I put a few glue dots on the paper under the focal sentiment - then looped the ribbon (it's pretty stiff) around and over a few times, pressing it into the glue dots.  Then I mounted the focal image on foam adhesive over the ribbon loops.  I used Eggplant and Pomegranate inks.

One more Halloween card?

This is the last of the 5 "grands" cards.  I saved it because it almost could be a thanksgiving card, too, if a slightly different color theme were used!  LOL  This one is for our smallest guy - he is truly a blessing to his Parents, Aunties and Uncles, Grandparents and Great-Grandpa.  We are ALL blessed beyond measure with his loving, calm nature, his inquisitive approach to life, and that he is just so dawg-gone adorable!

I used CTMH Sunset ink on Champagne cardstock. The Poppy twine on the pumpkin stem is a really neat addition - it's thicker than baker's twine. 

Halloween Cards - a few for Family

Just a few "scary" cards for the children in the family - I had a pack of Halloween paper that I picked up at the Creating Keepsakes convention last spring - it was a booth in the exhibit hall that was having a tremendous sale on 6x6 packs (perhaps 3 for $10)?  Anyway - since I love to wrap candy bars in halloween theme paper, I picked these up.  Unfortunately, I don't have the brand name to tell you!  

The silly monsters were from a coupe of years ago (CTMH) and I wrote out the "Boo!" with an alphabet and black ink.  These were super fast - and I think they're pretty cute!  

Hope your weekend is wonderful!  We're expecting about 85 trick-or-treaters this year!  :-D

Hugs!

Third Twinkle Card - October Stamp of The Month

This awesome card was inspired by Wendy Coffman here. I changed one design paper, the mat for the focal piece, and added an extra bulb.  So, in other words, Wendy gets all the credit for this one!  LOL

I do love it!

Have I convinced you to get Twinkle yet?  

Another "Twinkle" card

Another card using the new October SOTM - Twinkle.  This one is 4 1/4 square.  I used some design paper from CTMH that I had in my hoarded stash.  The Olive color looks very good in real life with the new Fern thick twine.  It's another fairly easy card with a great look.  The star inspiration came about because I didn't have all my circle dies in MN and had to improvise.  I did have the stitched circles, and a nestie of hearts.  I love how this looks, especially with the circles of stars!  

On a personal note; I am FINALLY strong enough to go to Yoga class.  Not the injured-persons-list chair yoga, but the real Yoga! I can't do everything (never will be able to because of the two bionic knees) but I am strong and feeling awesome!  Yay Me!

Namaste.

October Stamp of The Month - Twinkle

This cute little 3 1/2 x 3 1/2" card uses the fabulous October 2015 SOTM - Twinkle!  It's got some pretty awesome images!  I decided I needed to make some examples to have on hand for the Autumn Card Workshop coming up on 10/25/15, just in case anyone is interested. *wink*  The card was totally R&D (ripped-off & duplicated) from Liz Ann Designs at www.createwithliz.blogspot.com. She makes boo-ti-ful art!  I do think her card base might have been a smidgen bigger.

Are you starting on Holiday cards yet? (Not you, Alanna - I know you started in January! By the way, how many do you have ready to go?).  

Sangria Papers

Isn't this layout using the new Sangria papers just beautiful?!?! I have been working with this paper pack for a week or so, creating cards for an Autumn Card Workshop in Minnesota. The colors are so rich! It uses some of the new autumn colors (pomegranate, poppy, eggplant) and looks great with the addition of saffron or fern. The image above is a CTMH photo using the workshop-on-the-go kit. Yummy.

Hope you are doing great; we are living the good life up here in North country. I can't believe I have missed so many autumns!!! I'll just have to love the ones I've got all the more.  

Hugs!

Welcome Baby Boy

I have a dear friend who became Nana recently. This calls for cards!! One is for my friend, the other for her daughter, the new Mom.  I used new CTMH papers with older stamps and an awesome hexagon punch that my Bestie gave me. It was really fun to design these cards! 

Scrapbook Layout with Nevermore papers

This paper is so lovely!  I can see it used for things other than just Halloween - although the colors are certainly right for the holiday!  I couldn't resist making a layout with it to share at my upcoming CTMH Open House.  I used a new stamp set (Little Monsters) and some of the complements for Nevermore.  

Gift tag

I found these two photos from a Father's Day gift back in June that I don't believe I had shared. The fishing rod (a CTMH retired set) the fishes (one of the beach sets?) and the "gone fishing" poster stamp from last summer. The "water" on the first side was done with the geometric backgrounds! I love that set! It's hard to see in my terrible photos, but the brook trout on the back is shimmery. I really need to set up a light box in Minnesota. 

Hugs!

August Sneak-Peek of ZOE design papers

The Zoe paper pack is so pretty and soft!  I have seen (on the consultant boards) some of the coolest things done with it - and quite a variety!  I was inspired to make the first one by this lovely card that Becca Whitman made here.

This was my very first sunburst card - and I did it primarily to show off the beautiful papers in this pack!  The missing pattern is a wonderful slate and white graph paper pattern (used for the horizontal band in the card below).  That will be so versatile!

This is the card I settled on for the make-and-take at my September OPEN HOUSE in Brainerd, MN.  I am very excited to be holding a new inspiration book Open House. I NEED to make scrapping/stamping friends here so my summers are not so-o-o-o lonely!  Feedback is happily accepted on any of these cards (especially how I can improve the last one - should the pattern strips be 1/8" wider?).

Hugs!!