A Watercolor Notecard Set

Ack - time flies when you are having fun.  We returned from enjoying time in Flagstaff where my daughter attended college orientation and the days have simply flown by.  I have photos to edit from Brandy, I have projects I've been working on, and I thought I would stop today and share these simple cards with you.  Watercolor washes with a bit of antique gold embossing.  Simple and effective.

One card I used to send some love to my nephew who was baptized.  I couldn't resist the urge to mark the occassion with some encouraging words.  The rest are in the stash as notecards for a special need with a family member or friend.

I find that I really enjoy making the watercolor washes and finding just the right use is also fun.  Hope you are finding your crafting to be fun as well!

Being Commissioned - a Retirement Celebration Album

I'd mentioned that I was commissioned to create a scrapbook for a gentleman retiring after 30 years of service to one company.  The company changed owners and leaders many times and so this book was intended to be a testament to his longevity.  My mandate was to include all the photos provided and to provide room where co-workers could sign the book and express gratitude.

I decided on a two ring binder style scrapbook.  This allowed me to provide the book and the co-workers to sign the book without the bother of page protectors, etc.  I did end up providing him the page protectors because they came with the scrapbook, but hold punched each page.  It wasn't too obvious and I think makes the book a little easier to use.

Lots of open spaces for sentiments and notes to the recipient.  I ultimately used the Heartfelt Creations Celebrate the Journey paper pack.  The paper has been in the stash for a while and it was the perfect sentiment and style for a dude's book.

I did try to add some embellishments here and there to make the book special.  I've heard that it was a smashing success.

This was a lot of fun and I'll be honest to say that I wish that there was a lucrative way to be commissioned for a work like this.  The truth is there is no way to be compensated for your time.  I made 30 pages and these were very simple pages.  I could have spent a great deal more time in making the book.  As it was, I spent many nights after work pouring my energy (and stress!) into this project.  It did the trick - keeping my stress level down and my satisfaction high.  I really enjoyed doing it and hope it will be cherished for years to come.

I'm entering one of these pages into SSS Wednesday Challenge: Simon Says Use Patterned Paper. Come join the fun!

Happy Retirement!

So, a little while ago I was commissioned (yes, requested to complete a project by a friend!) to create a scrapbook of memories for someone leaving a company after 30 years of service.  In this day and age, it is something to be able to stay in one place that long.  I made this card for the gentleman as a way of saying thanks for his kind words on my work and his generous compensation for my time and supplies.

I'm trying to get the photos of the layouts that I took edited so that I might post them here.  There's quite a few pages and I've been busy at work following my vacation and then father's day etc.  I'll see if I can get it done in the next couple of days.  I hope your summer is going smashingly and that all is good and right in your home.  We're enjoying the last few weeks before my daughter leaves for college.

Happy Father's Day Watercoloring

Popping in to share the last Father's Day card and wishing all you an enjoyable celebration.  This card was made using a Tim Holtz stamp set from the stash.  I believe I received this stamp set as a free gift in a class once.  It works well with my Mission Gold watercolors to create this rustic, old timey card.  The striped paper in the back keeping the design simple and the blue ribbon recycled from the packaging of a pair of pajamas.

On the inside - a portion of the sentiment from the Tim Holz stamp set combined with a birthday sentiment stamp from a Penny Black set.  I'm loving the kraft cardstock - it adds a bit of testosterone to the card.

I made quite a few of the stamped images because I wasn't exactly sure how the watercoloring would work.

In the end, I made this card and will keep it in the stash for a male centered occasion in the future.  No sentiment yet, waiting to add just the right touch.

Either way, here's wishing your celebrations are filled with joy.

A Simple Little Birthday Card

Just a cute little card to brighten your day - one layer on that die cut front - making it simple to drop in a gift bag.  Sometimes, its about getting something together is a short period of time.  This was made using my WPlus9 Sunshine Layers stamps.  So easy and simple to put together.  Good products make good cards a snap.

A Redo on that Father's Day Theme

Soo, I carved out some time to retry my hand with the old tie stamp from the stash.  Once again, I white heat embossed the image onto some watercolor paper.  I used my Mission Gold watercolors this time and find that the result is closer to what I was shooting for.  A change in the background paper (plain from the stash) and the mix is right where I wanted it to land.  Much better card and I'm pleased to have used so many supplies from the stash.  No need to buy more stamps.... yeah right!?!

A simple sentiment on the inside to finish the card off.  I'm well on my way to being ready for the celebration later this week.  I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

City Crafter Challenge Blog - Frame It
Word Art Wednesday's Challenge 286/287 Anything Goes

Stripes and Father's Day

We returned from our vacation yesterday and the crafty bug hit me hard so I decided to give it a try on another Father's Day card idea.  This time, I'm using an old stamp set from the stash which featured the sentiment and those ties.  I white heat embossed the ties onto some Strathmore watercolor papers.  I then used Distress Inks smooshed onto a craft mat to watercolor the image.  A simple black Archival Ink sentiment using the MISTI (so I could get it very dark black) and some coordinating striped paper finished this card.  Upon further reflection, I'm not loving the finish - the blue stripe doesn't exactly match the watercoloring and I see that the orange tie bled into the background a bit.  Hmmm, I might go back to the drawing board to see if I can make some improvements.

Note to self - maybe give it a day to rest upon return before creating a card.  Your eyeball can be off a bit when tired!

A Golden Birthday Card

We've had a wonderful week on vacation - enjoying Hawaii and island life.  I'm thinking of trying to share some photos of our trip.  Stay tuned.

I had some time to edit photos and decided to use the WiFi to write this post.  My grandmother needed a birthday card for my cousin's kid whose 10th birthday is his golden birthday - meaning he was born on the 10th of June and he will be 10.  I had to whip this card up before I left.



I used my Gansi Tambi Starry Colors watercolors on Strathmore watercolor paper to create the background and my Mama Elephant Birthday Wishes sentiment stamp to keep it simple.  It's for a 10 year old boy - that magic age when grown ups can't possibly be cool enough but the kid is still a kid...   I think the card turned out just as I planned and so is a perfect match for the occasion.  My grandma was pleased for the help.

Celebrating Fathers

Before I left for my vacation, I'd begun the process of making a few Father's Day cards.  I have my own grandfather and father to celebrate and I thought to make a couple of cards for my children to give to my husband.  Let's be honest, I just felt like making some cards during the stress of the past couple of weeks. :)

These today are made using my JustRite Seasonal Trees stamps in coordination with the Art Impressions Foliage 1 stamps.  I used Distress Inks to create this card.  The backgrounds were made using a waterbrush and some ink smooshed onto a craft mat.  The trees and grasses were stamped with the stamps and then I altered a bit with my waterbrush.

On the inside, a simple sentiment because these cards would be given to a dude one way or another.

For the second card, I altered the look a bit - put a flowering bush in the landscape.  I like the first one better, myself.  However, both were simple and easy to make.  I've a few more card ideas and so I'm off to make the next.

A Happy Anniversary to .... My Hubby

 With all the graduation preparation, celebration and clean up, I knew that I wouldn't have time for anything elaborate for my hubby to celebrate our 24th wedding anniversary.  It's a little corny to make a card for your husband, but this is one of the ways he knows I care - that I won't let the opportunity pass to give him one of my creative works.

This card is made from lots of tiny hearts cut with several different mini-heart dies using patterned papers from the stash.  Most of these papers were smaller than 1 in wide strip from a 6 x 6 paper pad.  It is a good use for the scraps - though I'm left with a ton more hearts.

On the inside a simple sentiment that expresses my love for him with a few stamped hearts.  I'm currently in Oahu, Hawaii on a graduation celebration vacation with my youngest daughter, son and husband.  It is a spectacular place and we're blessed to be able to celebrate our anniversary in leisure, together, in one of the most beautiful places on Earth.

Here's hoping your June is off to a smashing start...

Precious Little Miracle - A Handmade Baby Book

I get the distinct pleasure of being able to share a handmade baby album designed by Brandy.  She used the Prima Heaven Sent paper pack to make this delightful photo album for a pretty young lady.  I'll try to get the details as much as possible to share with you.

The album is made using paper bags and one of Brandy's first creations using this technique can be found here.

The flowers on the front were made from coordinating cardstock paper using Heartfelt Creations Vintage Floret stamps and dies along with a liberal sprinkling of pearl swirls and greenery.

Inside the belly bands and pockets throughout the album are some cards for including special pictures and/or journaling. These cards are meant to make saving all the precious moments easy for the new mom.

This cute card has a baby stats page inside.

In addition to the album pages, Brandy makes cards for adhering photos.  These cards slide into the opening at the top of the pages, you'll notice the tabs on some of the photos.

A set made with the patterned papers.

A set made with coordinating cardstocks which have been dry embossed.

On the back of the cardstock fronts she included some embossed journaling spaces, allowing the freedom to caption the pictures adhered to the cards.

Brandy made all of the paperclips herself using some ribbon scraps and paper flowers from the stash.

The back of the album always includes a beautiful waterfall album with a magnetic belly band to hold it closed.  The magnets are hidden under the patterned papers.

Brandy did say this is her favorite waterfall album ever.  That's coming from someone who always makes a fantastic end to the album.  I'd have to agree with her, this album is simply sweet and adorable.  Join me in wondering at Brandy's creativity.

I'm entering this into the following challenges:

Simon Says Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday's Challenge 284/285 Anything Goes