Thanks for the Hospitality!

This is a fun (quick) card hat simply uses the flatware and a decorative oval to imply a plate - the thank you note was for a lovely home-made lunch with friends in Minnesota. I was inspired by someone - but for the life of me can't find the post that started this effort. The person (please tell me if you know who!) random stamped the background, where I used the design paper, and the color scheme was red, white and black where mine is clearly not!

TGIF. It's been a great week - lots and lots of things have been accomplished and yet, my "to-do" lists seem to keep growing! Well, the "things done" list does too. So, progress is being made.

I am hoping for an early bed and to sleep in tomorrow. I purchased bacon (I have been craving bacon!) for breakfast tomorrow . . . so I hope I can sleep and not wake up early thinking about my treat! LOL

Enjoy your Saturday, too, dear friends!
Hugs!

Autumn! Finally

I created this card with Waltzingmouse Stamps from two different sets (I think). I love the acorn! It's one stamp - so I stamped first with Close-to-my-Heart ink color Desert Sand and then inked just the cap of the acorn in Cocoa and stamped over it again. You can do that with acrylic stamps - they are SO awesome! ;-) The leaves are inked in garden green then rolled in barn red. The background was softened with Desert Sand and Antique Linen (Distress Inks) on the stipple brush. The card (4 x 4 square) is mounted on a sanded piece of textured cardstock in Cocoa color. I used this one for a masculine birthday.

My weekend is off to a great start! I went for a measurement yesterday and the dress is being made for me now! The shop where I went was just awesome - I highly recommend them. Mariee Gallery. Carrie and James Yeo are the owners and they know what customer service is all about!

This morning I got up early and did yard work in the beautiful coolness of the morning. I need to get off the computer and get into the shower now - I've got some errands, and then a funeral to attend at 1 PM for a dear, dear friend. Tonight I hope to be able to attend Elena's talent show (that will cheer me up!). My friends come to Open Stamping tomorrow after church - so we'll have an awesome Sunday.

Hugs!

Sympathy card

I never seem to get ahead on this particular type of card so that there is one already made when I need it. By the time I returned from my vacation up North, I needed three sympathy cards! This one came together very, very quickly - which was a good thing! It looks calm, and has just a little sophistication in that the entire panel is elevated on adhesive foam tape. I used a torn paper mask, and a stipple brush to create the soft lawn.

On a personal note, I found a wedding dress (again). It must have been meant to happened because I love the new dress twice as much as the first one. I also attended a Yoga workshop on Ayurveda, a home jewelry party, and had a hair appointment! In the coolness of the evening (90 degrees) I puttered in the yard. It's looking better - but still not really up to Steve's standards. LOL It's been a very good weekend!

Namaste.

Thank You! Inspired by Karen Baker

This card was inspired by Karen Baker (a LOT of my cards are inspired by Karen!) and you can see her post here. I used a BoBunny design paper and a retired (but favorite) Close-to-My-Heart stamp set. The sentiment is from Waltzingmouse Stamps - so you might say this is a real collage of products!

It was amazing how long it took me to make the first card I tried today. It's not very good - and took over 3 hours. I have been away from doing anything creative for so long that I had to prime the pump! So, once I finally got that one out of the way, then I was able to make a bunch more cards (2 of most of them). I've got 6 birthdays, 3 sympathy cards, 1 wedding, 1 welcome baby, and about 8 thank you notes to get sent this week. YIKES!! AND my stash of cards is getting low - so I guess I know what will be keeping me off the streets this week!

Speaking of having things to get done; I have a funny story for you. Remember how thrilled and relieved I was to finally find the perfect wedding dress? Well, at Steve's niece's wedding a couple of weeks ago, the mother-of-the-bride wore the exact same dress - same color and everything. I'm not kidding! So, I'm back to the drawing board with that one! What are the chances?!?!

Do you have any funny stories from your wedding?
Hugs!

Need advice!

Please let me know which one you like better - as soon as possible! I thought the one of the left looked too heavy in the corner, but the one on the right seems too light? Any ideas? (Be honest!)

Wedding

Knowing that I needed to make over 300 invitations, I kept the design very simple. I purchased high-quality plain folders (i.e. pre-cut card) and matching size envelopes from a local paper supplier. I used Antique Linen Distress Ink on the "natural" paper color to create a tone-on-tone image. The stamp is from a Close-to-My-Heart set appropriately named Dreams Come True. To finish off the invitation, I used the 1/2" corner chomper - (I love that tool!) on just the lower left and upper right corners. I added a tiny heart with wings under the printed information.

Here is a closer view of the flourish -Next on the agenda is to get moving on the Thank You notes! Here is my prototype (again, trying to keep it fairly simple!).
I had a very productive day today - it finally feels like I'm making progress! This morning my new window treatment in the bedroom was installed and it looks wonderful. I spent a couple of hours sorting through my vast craft supplies to pull out things I NEED to have in my 2nd home in Minnesota in order to be creative - it was fun splitting my hoard into two and making careful decisions about which "pair of scissors" should stay and which should go up North. On my last visit up there I spied a local scrapbook store (Steve immediately pulled into the parking lot without me even asking - see why I love him?!). The store is just delightful! I will be doing my part to keep them in business! It is called Memories for the Making and they blog here.

Well, hope your Sunday and week are wonderful. Hugs!!

Dreamin'

I used to think that I had some sort of weird addiction to flower stamps . . . lately I've come to realize that I am also addicted to pumpkins. I must have a dozen different stamps with pumpkins!!! BUT, this new one, from the just released Close-to-My-Heart catalog is awesome and it was one of the first stamp sets I ordered! Isn't it wonderful?! The card was very easy - I let the paper (Dreamin') do the work. I don't know if it shows up in the photo, but the pumpkin was stamped on the panel and then I stamped one to cut out and pop-up over it. It creates some depth that looks nice IRL. It's all CTMH product.

I've been so busy! Most of you know why *wink* - I've been planning our wedding, and traveling back and forth from Minnesota to visit Steve, and continuing to work full time. Oh golly - there's time when I sleep, too, but not much! Since I'm a crazy woman, I decided to make my own wedding invitations (I know, I said I wouldn't! But have you seen what is available commercially?) so I'm creating over 300 invitations and that project is time sensitive. LOL

I have been visiting your spots while munching my PB&J at lunchtime - so I know you've been busy and creative! I miss getting to post regularly and look forward to things getting back to some level of balance! In the meanwhile - know that I love you all.

Hugs!