Happy Halloween!

Stopping in on this Halloween to share a couple of cards Brandy made to celebrate today.  She's set a lovely scene using her Hero Arts and Lawn Fawn Pick of the Patch stamps and dies.  The coloring was done with Prisma colored pencils and the background was accomplished with Distress Ink.

That little ghost is ever so adorable.  My kids are all grown and so we will be staying home tonight to see ghosts and other little goblins.  We'll hope your night is safe and fun.

Andie for

Fall Birthday Cards

'Tis birthday season in my family and friends.  This means that card making season is in full swing as well.  I made this set of cards, inspired by our recent cooler weather.  Arizona doesn't officially have a fall season, so I decided to make my own.

I used my long dormant Distress Stain to create the papers from which I used my Hero Arts September 2016 monthly card kit dies to decorate the die cut wreath.  The Distress Stain that I used included:  Peeled Paint, Seedless Preserves, Wild Honey, Fired Brick, Gathered Twigs and Ripe Persimmons.  I added some Antique Bronze Distress Stain to each which created this fantastic shimmer without being too girly.

I then created the backgrounds for the cards.

The backgrounds were made with varying amounts of Antique Bronze, Wild Honey, and Gathered Twigs Distress Stains.  My fingers were so inky after this - mostly brown - which caused my husband to remark later in the day.  He wondered how I hurt myself... ha.  I stamped the sentiment inside the wreath using brown Archival Ink and clear heat embossed to make it stand out (shiny!).

All that was left was the arranging the tiny images onto the card and adding a little Nuovo glitter drops in copper to the card fronts.  These really made me feel the fall air in our sunny Arizona.  I'm staring at the stamp set from the card kit and thinking I really need to make some good use of this years-old stamp set.  Hopefully I'll be back to share those soon.

Plus, today is my mother's birthday.  I've made a card, but haven't given it to her yet, so I'm holding off the posting until after we've had a chance to surprise her.  Looks like I'll be back soon.

A Card Making Festive Event!

Earlier in the month Brandy hosted a card making celebration with her niece and cousin's kids.  She made these fantastic place cards which I decided to hold off until closer to Halloween to share with you.  The ribbons are actually part of a hair goody that they can wear later if they want.  The names were stamped and heat embossed using the Concord and 9th Bold and Brushy stamp set.  So perfect with the hair goody, don't you think?

All together, the name tags look perfectly inviting!

Inside the boxes where all a girl could need to make an assortment of Halloween and Christmas cards.  The ages varied from early elementary to teenagers.  Such a perfect idea since the girls could make the cards as complex or as easy as they desired.  The mamas came too and enjoyed a little adult card making as well.

Here's a picture of the table all set with a disposable (brilliant) vinyl tablecloth for the card mayhem to ensue.  It was a delightful night and I'll wish each of them a productive Halloween, hoping they get all the candy they want!

I'm going to link this up with the following challenges:

SSS Monday Challenge Halloween/Spooky
SSS Wednesday Challenge Halloween/Spooky

Andie for 

A Simple Housewarming Gift

A coworker had the benefit of moving into a new place.  I heard on short notice and decided to get a small housewarming gift.  An oversized mug, hand towel and matching wash rag seemed just right.  I used the mug colors for inspiration and created this tag to tie to the mug to let her know I was wishing her well.

The flowers were stamped using my Papertrey Ink Farmer's Market Florals stamp set and inks to match.  So much fun and a little cheer to brighten the new place.

More Distress Oxide on Kraft Birthday Cards

I so liked the card I made for my son that I decided to recreate the design, altering a little and making it slightly more girly.  I used Papertrey Ink's Balloons and Banners stamp set and Distress Oxide inks to create this colorful card on kraft cardstock.  In this case, I left the balloon strings off and I like the absence of the start black strings.  Also, I used color the stamp the Happy in the sentiment.  I made two versions slightly girly, one with pink sentiment and one with the gold sentiment.  I think I like the pink version best.

I also decided to play with the banners that come with the stamp set and made this card as well.  I wish I had masked the banner stamping (I used a small sentiment stamp to do it), but all in all I like this version as well.  I think, looking at the photo now, that I will go back and add the black strings to this card.  Since it is more masculine, I think the design can handle it and it would improve the card design.

It is birthday season, so I'm sure I'll find a use for this card as well. 

A Birthday Celebration Card for My Son

I decided to whip up a a quick card to celebrate my son's birthday.  I used my Papertrey Ink's Balloons and Banners stamp set and Distress Oxide inks to create this colorful card on kraft cardstock.  I first stamped with white pigment ink and let that dry, then I stamped with the same image onto the white and in a couple cases, I stamped with the pattern in the same ink.

I rally love how the stars stand out without the white pigment ink, so I think I'll give it a try again.

More Than All The Fish in the Sea

I get the distinct pleasure of sharing this lovely card that Brandy made with her Picket Fence Studios A Dose of Vitamin Sea stamp set.  She also used the Picket Fence Studios Ocean Waves stamp in this no line coloring with Polychromos colored pencils.

So delightful!

I'm entering this card into the SSS Animal Antics challenge.

Andie for 

Celebrating 94 Years!

My grandfather turned 94 earlier this month and I needed a special card for the occasion.  I shared that my grandmother, his wife for 72 years, passed away in early August.  The loss is fresh and raw and birthdays aren't much of a celebration.  Still, 94 years is important to mark and finding happy is possible when you have the perspective of almost a century of life.  I used my Art Impressions Windows to the World stamp since the sentiment seemed the most appropriate:

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.  Psalm 91:1

My handwritten sentiment expressed an understanding of the tension that exists now (and probably for the rest of his life) between celebration/happiness and his keen sense of loss.  When he opened the card, he looked at me and we both knew.... knew that the card hit just the right "note".  Exactly the reason that I make cards.

Sweet Treats - A Card Set

Brandy has been working with some of her recent purchases and these cards were made using her Waffle Flower Sweet Treats stamp set.  This set is so adorable, the cards almost make themselves.

A little ink blending on the dry embossed backgrounds make the perfect focal point to draw the eye to the delectable treats that she's made.  The cards are a charming to use as a card or give as a set.

Such soft colors and pretty results, don't you think?

Andie for 

A Quilting Disaster Averted - A More-Than-Decade Long Project

I decided to share this finished project with you because I had previously shared progress.  Way back on August 2, 2015 in this post I shared my progress (for that year at least) in a post linking to a Our Beautiful World photo challenge blog.  I have worked on this hand quilted wall hanging for over a decade.  My fingers would get tender if I quilted for any prolonged period of time, so I would pull out the project and work on it for a few weeks and then it would go away for a while until I pulled it out again and worked some more.  I am certain I have way over 1000 hours of hand quilting on the project.  I finished this up last year (!!!!), but still needed to bind the edge.  I decided to wrap the background linen around to the front of the quilt and hand sew the binding together.  Rather than follow the steps by the YouTube video I watched, I decided to use my rotary cutter to cut the top piece "straight".  I put that into quotes because the quilting is slightly off (not much), but for all intents and purposes should have been my guide to trim the

quilt along the quilted edge.  My error occurred when I was about 75% done - I accidentally cut the back piece (meant to stay intact and wrap around the front).  In the end I had to repair about 18 inches along one edge.  The picture to the left shows the final repair after some cobbled together (high anxiety) actions involving lots of pins (see picture above), some Fuse fabric adhesive and a spare piece of the linen that was cut off.  It isn't pretty (actually looks like a cat took to the edge and I repaired that nasty feline's horrendously selfish act) up close, but it is passable at a distance.  Since the project is symetrical and does not orient to top or bottom, I'm thinking we can hide the repair under the hanger on the wall.

This project was "sponsored" by my twin sister who bought the preprinted kit and asked for my help.  I intend to give it to her on her birthday this year.  Shhhhh!

I'm linking this up with Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday Challenge Anything But a Card since it is truly anything but a card...

Finishing the Graphic 45 Card Kits

Of the three card kits that I found and completed, I think this set is my favorite.  I used the Moda Scrap Christmas Holidays 6x6 paper pack to accent these cards and in every case, the card is better for the background patterned papers. 

It's super hard to determine which card is my favorite, but this top card is probably it.  The snowflakes on the barnwood doors is just the right fit for me.  Hooray for using up some supplies in the stash.

Daily Art

Brandy has made a commitment to daily art.  The idea is that she will do some form of art every single day - whether the project is finished and/or whether she really intends the art for a purpose.   I am admiring her dedication, but mostly, I'm admiring this painting which was one of the first pieces that she completed.  It is beautiful and charming.  I say "go Brandy go" as I get the pleasure of seeing each of these lovely pieces to share with you.

I'm linking this up with Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday Challenge Anything But a Card since this isn't a card, but it truly is a work of art.