A Happy Birthday Card Set

I so enjoyed this card that I decided to make a set of these cards.  My MISTI was a huge help.  First, I find that getting a good image the first time with this stamp set is tough.  Second, I wanted rich color using my Simon Says Stamp Smoke, Soft Navy and Surf Blue inks.  Plus, I was able to make four of these in very short order.

Now, I have a bit of a stash for those male birthdays for my co-workers and friends.   It is a new year tomorrow and I'm bound and determined to use things from my stash in the new year.  These cards were a beginning - even if the beginning started in the old year!  May you, too, be blessed with abundance of craft supplies in the new year.  Here's hoping you celebrate this evening in a safe manner, but one fitting a year like 2015!

2016 Calendar - My Annual Tradition

One of my traditions is to create a calendar each year for my grandma using the Basic Grey Calendar Kit.  I really love the style of their kits and the ease with which everything goes together.  I simply need 4 x 6 photos and follow the instructions.

I have tried to remind myself that you really want to have a good thin tipped black journaling pen and a white gel pen.   The details that are created with these pens just adds to the lovely finish of the album.

My son, Timothy with our Abby whom we lost this past September.  This pictuer was taken on the first day of college - that's what you get for staying home for college - I get photos....

I end up making two of these - one for my grandma and one for me.  It is a thrill to me to be able to make these and now to look back on previous years at the scrapbook these make when the year is over.  I'll soon be cutting down 2015 and stuffing it into a scrapbook.  My grandma has hers to fill with appointments and other commitments.  Such joy!  As we wind down 2015, I am wishing you and yours a safe New Year's celebration.  I will also wish us all much crafting in 2016!

One More Christmas Card - Madonna and Child

I find that the older I get the more Christmas cards I send.  I suppose this is a good thing.  However, when I make my Christmas cards I typically only make about 50.  Then I end up needing a few more. This year I played around with a few other designs. In this case, I used an old Stampin' Up wood block stamp of the Madonna and child. I used Kristina Werner's no line watercolor technique with my Distress Markers.  I die cut the image out and layered it onto some patterned paper with a bit of twine for accents.  

I'm really pleased with how these cards turned out.  I'll probably make a few more of these next year - a small card that is simple and attractive.

I hope you found Christmas to meet all your expectations.  We certainly did.  Here's looking forward to hearing more about some presents that I can now edit pictures and post.

Merry Christmas!

I prepped this post up earlier this week as I will be on my way to Christmas breakfast when this posts.  This is the Christmas morning celebration with my husband's family and is a rich tradition.  This year will be bittersweet as we will be one short at the table as Dan's dad passed away earlier this year.

My card this year is simple - die cut from Cricut's Paper Lace cart to set the stage for my glittery poinsettias.  The centers of the flower are white and clear seed beads.






On the inside - a Cricut die cut Merry Christmas laced with white glue and the same glitter to look like snow.  

We'll head later today to my mother's house for a Christmas feast - though who can eat after that big breakfast?  I will hope that your day is filled with warmth, cheer and blessings.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas Eve!

It has become somewhat a tradition that I share with you a warm Christmas Eve greeting which is Brandy's Christmas card.  This means that in a few short hours it will be that wonderful day of the year - the celebration of the birth of our savior, Jesus.  Brandy's card is made using the Die'sire Create a Card Christmas Angel die which she used to cut this white shimmer card.  Forgive my photography skills, but getting the shimmer was quite tough.  The card is simple, elegant and strikes just the right sound - making me think of the angel's trumpets resounding to announce the birth of our Lord.  Beautiful.

I hope this finds you all warm and comfy and enjoying the last minute preparations for tomorrow.  Merry Christmas Eve, everyone!

Another Birthday Celebration

I had stamped and colored a bunch of the Birds and Blooms images from my set last month and they've been hanging about in a plastic bag since.  I decided I needed a birthday card and a girly one at that, so I broke out those bad boys to throw this card together.  Here's what I used:

• Heartfelt Creations Birds and Blooms stamp and matching die.  I colored the birds and flowers with my Prima Oil Pastels using some Palette Paper.    
• The frame was cut using my Heartfelt Creations Eyelet Oval die.  Here the outside was cut in green patterned paper and the inside from a very old piece of cloud patterned paper.  So cheesy by itself, but perfect for this card!  

• A few green patterned paper leafy swirl die cuts to fill the space.
• On the inside a sentiment stamped from my Sweet Wishes stamp set colored with the watercolors and fussy cut to be raised with some foam squares.  

All in all, a very lovely card with only a bit of effort at the last minute.  Fun!

PA-Rum-Pa-Pum-Pum

I had mentioned using my WPlus9 Little Drummer Boy stamp set and matching dies in a post earlier this week.  I'm back to share a similar, but different card.  I stamped the images with black Archival ink onto watercolor paper.  I then colored the images with my Inktense Watercolor Pencils and die cut them out.    They were sitting waiting for a card front when my grandma asked me to make some.  My grandpa quickly pointed out that the drummer boy is not in the Bible (ah duh!) and so I avoided using him on a card for my grandma.  The background was created using palette paper, a watercolor brush and my Prima Oil Pastels onto watercolor paper.  I edged the paper with Embossing Ink and some gold embossing powder and stamped the sentiment in black Archival Ink.  This time, the star was stamped and then colored with a gold paint pen.  This added just a bit more shine to the star.  I really like the notes stamped onto the card front - adds a bit of movement to the card.

On the inside was a simple sentiment stamped in black Archival ink.  When I shared this card with my grandma she gobbled them up to take and use as well.  Guess we know who writes the Christmas cards in that family, yes?!

Wishing you and your family a blessed Christmas and Advent.

A Watercolor Background in the Christmas Card

I thought I'd lead off today with a description of one of the Christmas card sets I made for a ladies night.  The Bible study group I used to join every Thursday night still meets.  I found that my schedule simply doesn't permit me to participate any more, but I still love the ladies in the group.  I was asked to coordinate a card making night which we held last night.  I recently acquired Die'sire's We Three Kings silhouette die and was inspired by one of their inspiration cards.

II figured that the card was perfect to make up some for the ladies that they would then have to simply glue together and stamp a sentiment.  I used my Intense Pencils to do the coloring - rapidly laying down the color in layers.  I ended up getting the 72 piece set, but could have easily completed this card with the 12 piece I originally purchased.

After coloring lightly onto watercolor paper, I used a watercolor brush to start in the center with the lighter version and move outward toward the edges.  The sand color to the orange brown and finally dark brown for the bottom of the scene.  I did the yellow of the star all by itself, but then moved from light blue to dark blue after drying the yellow with a heat tool.  In the end, I prepped 20 of these in a night, including die cutting the white cardstock with the die.

Last night was fantastic.  Here's an example of the finished card.

In addition, I prepped the following cards for the ladies to make as well.  These designs you've seen from me in years past.  They worked really well in the large group.

I am hoping that your Christmas crafting is coming along nicely.  Wishing you a joyful Advent.  I'm entering the three kings card I to the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday Challenge Simon Says Die Crazy
Word Art Wednesday's Challenge #214 Anything Goes

Come join the fun.  It's Christmastime!

True Meaning of Christmas Joy

When my grandma was here for Thanksgiving I shared with her my new WPlus9 Little Drummer Boy stamp set.  I had purchased the stamp set and matching dies earlier in the month.  I didn't think I'd fall so in love with this stamp set, but I truly have.  Well, my mother's maiden name is Burrows and so my grandma likes anything with a donkey (or burrow) on it.  She especially requested these lovelies.

I stamped the images on watercolor paper using black Archival Ink and then colored them with my Inktense Watercolor Pencils.   I never really thought of myself as a talented colorer, but I am so pleased with how these turned out.  Those donkeys are adorable!  I've been talking about my little baby Jesus' for weeks and to see them on this finished card is thrilling.

The background was created using palette paper, a watercolor brush and my Prima Oil Pastels onto watercolor paper.  I edged the paper with Embossing Ink and some gold embossing powder.  This is a trick that Kristina Werner got me into and I think it very effective here.  Other than the black Archival Ink sentiment, the star is also embossed with the same gold embossing powder.

I made up a few of these and gave them to my grandma who will used them as her Christmas cards when she returned home.  I was thrilled.

I'm entering this card into the City Crafter Challenge Week 292 : The Heat is On because I heat embossed the gold edges and Word Art Wednesday's Challenge 213 Anything Goes.

Wishing you a wonderful Advent as we anticipate celebrating the birth of Jesus, the little baby Jesus!

Our Beautiful World - Connect

The prompt over at Our Beautiful World is Connect this week.  My first response would have been to put pictures of our family get togethers. Having lost my husband's father this year, connections with family are so very dear.  However, I tend to go those family picture routes with the prompt so I found these photos - taken by my son several years ago - of some horsing around with dominos.  They are all definitely connected.

I also just had to share this cell phone photo from our pipe organ concert at ASU yesterday.  Dear friends, Dale and Pat invited us to join them for the Christmas concert.  The concert was delightful, but the connections with dear friends where we share experience is priceless.  A heartfelt thanks for the invite.  We will cherish our memories.

I wish you all a delightful Christmas season and hope that all is well in your part of this Beautiful World.  Come share your connections with us.