On the Mend

Boy, am I feeling better today, so well that I decided to play along with the challenge over at ColourQ. 

I was sorting through my StampinUp sets and came across a verrrrrrry old set, I don't even know the name, but it had the cutest little birds in it. Next thing ya know I had this CAS card for "one of my favorite peeps"! 

This is a great card sketch and I went ahead and made a thank you card with the topiary stamp from the same set.

I hope you find some inspiration from todays creations!

Sick Day and Inspiration!

I have been really sick the last few days, I won't bore you with the details, but it did involve a trip to the ER. Today I am feeling better, but wrung out. I thought I would just hang out in the studio and watch some crafting video's. 

Yesterday I received a package from Ranger and Simon says Stamp so I had new stuff to play with. I figured I'd watch video's on some of the new stuff I got. Well before you now it I was up and running- the ideas were swirling and I learned a really important lesson. I had forgotten how to play. Some where along the line it became all about the finished product and not the journey.

Sooooo......

Today I played, I experimented and I had lots of fun!!!

Let me show you all about it.

First, it was time to clean up, I mean how could I possibly work in a 5X5 area!

Next I caught up on the embossing episodes from Jennifer Maguire's Cut Above class. It  was a 2 week class showing how to use dies, embossing folders and the silhouette machine. You can take both parts or just the first part if you don't have a silhouette. Check it out, it was awesome and you can still sign up!!

Here is a sample of the letter press look. It is pretty just like that, but I needed to go one step further.

I gently sponged distress inks onto the raised areas. Next time for the butterfly embellishments.

Do you recognize the stamp companies for the above butterflies? No? Well the big butterfly is Prickly Pear and the smaller one is a die cut I embellished! Could be a stamp and matching die huh?

Here's a short how to.

First die cut, punch or both, a couple of butterflies.

Color with copic markers or whatever coloring medium you want. Outline with a permanent marker.

Then have fun, doodle away and embellish your butterflies. Add to your card.

What fun is that huh?!!!?

I guess being sick was the best way to jump start my creativity!

I hope you try this out!

First Communion

My niece is having her first communion today. On a Saturday of all days?! Not being Catholic I just assumed the big event was on a Sunday. Thank God, George said- hey you know the party is tomorrow.

So there I was frantically cooking and making her card on Friday night. May be that was a good thing. I couldn't over think the card as I am apt to do.

So here is the results, clean, simple and sweet for the sweetest little girl in the world!

No fancy staging for this card.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend. I am off to get ready for the party!

uninspired....

I have waited for today for 2 weeks. I am done the final paper for my class and I planned today to stamp. I have all the new stuff I picked up at the conventions, I have the new distress markers and I have 3 birthdays to create cards for and I... am... uninspired....

How can this be? I have spent the last hour sitting at my desk and nothing is coming to me- nothing!

So.... this blog will feature a card from when I was inspired- one of many I made on my weekend away.

Doesn't this card just say April? April showers bring May flowers. I used the Hero Arts background stamp and matching folder and a stamp a new company Sunshine designs. Both picked up at the convention.

So how do you get inspired? Let me know and maybe by the next time I blog, I will be inspired.

Color my World

Every year I spend the weekend with my girlfriend Judy, stamping and going to the Heirloom Rubber Stamp Convention. We ALWAYS have the best time. I mean what's not to love about shopping for stamps, laughing, chick flicks, good food and of course stamping!!!

Judy hard at work- look at that concentration!!

I knew I was going to be taking Jennifer Maguire's online card class- A Cut Above, so I wanted to play with some dies.

I made the above card using the rick rack die from Papertreyink. I cut the rick rack from white card stock and colored it with my copic markers. The little girl is from My Favorite Things and the saying is Papertreyink.

Stay tune for more creations and pictures of my convention haul!!

 

Happy Egg Day!!

Happy Easter to all of you!!

Here are some blue versions of Easter cards!

I spent yesterday with my niece, her husband and my grand niece and nephew. I did some cooking and then when dinner was done the dining room table was cleared and the much used crafting table cloth was put on and the egg dying began! 

It is always a bit of sensory overload if you come to our egg dying sessions as a newcomer. There is just so many things to try. This year we went with the Koolaid dyed eggs. Yes, you heard me right eggs dyed using Koolaid. It was a fun experiment and they smelled great but not something we will try again.

You are missing the other half of the table with all the stamps, inks, sprays, glitter, flowers and gems.

My grand niece really gets in to all the artsy stuff and makes sure every egg she makes has gems on it.

My nephew in law takes this egg dying seriously and will spend the entire evening making one egg covered in Stickles glitter glue. His eggs look like a Faberge egg! This year he was going for what he called a Fabstract egg! 

Look at that concentration! I left their house after 10:00 and Kevin was still at work on his masterpiece!

Here is look at some of the eggs we made in all their sloppy glory!

Wishing you all the most blessed Easter ever!

Pink Easter Wishes

I have fought pink for long enough, I have to realize I do like pink. I mean I have a cat named Pinkie!!

Here are 2 pink Easter cards for my niece and grand niece. Shari Carroll, designer for Hero Arts is someone I go to for inspiration. The cards above are inspired by her.

So have a happy Easter Saturday and come back for blue versions.