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!

Open Stamping - Technique Sneaky Peak

This is the prototype for the Open Stamping technique next weekend.  Come and learn how to make this different kind of card.  When it's closed, the front piece matches up with the inside piece, hiding it.  And it stands by itself.  There are several tricks to learn while making this one!  It was inspired by this card by Lisa Stenz, and I used Pear & Partridge papers and Close to My Heart stamps.  Ink colors were Champagne, Olive, Ruby and Cocoa.  

It's been a wonderful weekend!  The antibiotics are kicking in and I feel human again!  The weather is holding under 100 - so it was fun to putter in the yard and I planted new flowers (luscious geraniums in various colors!) and nearly stepped on a toad trying to cut my way-too-tall grass!  I screamed like a girl - but I'm not afraid of the toad, he just startled me!  

I wish every weekend could be so relaxing!

Hope your's was awesome, too!

Namaste.