Christmas Cards

I wanted to do some more bird cage cards.  I haven't decided if I really like this or not, I think the flowers are too big.  The flowers were a stem from the dollar store.  I removed the plastic and added my own brads for centers.  The brads I glittered with Glossy accents and Martha Stewart glitter.  The glossy accents works perfect for this, it doesn't shed glitter at all.  I also did the glitter on the bird cage differently too.  I ran it through the xyron to apply adhesive and used Martha Stewart Quartz glitter instead of gold.  The adhesive worked really well.

 This is the first of many with some new Graphics 45 papers and stamps.  You will be seeing a lot more of these.  I really love the papers, and the stamps are so darling.  the braid is almost too thick for cards, but I just had to use it.  I couldn't attach it on the underside because of the depth, so I had to use glossy accents to tuck in the loose ends. 

52 and Counting

I saw the glittered bird cage in a magazine at the store, but the magazine was $10 and I wasn't in the mood to spend that much on something that had one thing that i wanted out of it, and it wasn't even a Christmas card.  But I thought that it would adapt for Christmas ok.  I am very happy with the way they all came out.

 This is a little stamp that I bought at a garage sale and while it is time consuming with all the little elements, I am happy with the way it came out.

 My favorite little snowman!

 I've been seeing this pink poinsettia in my dreams so had to put it on a card.  Want to do some more but need to get some different pink Christmas papers.

Begonia

I remember when Pastor and Mrs Leisy moved to New York and he gave me a hosta that he called his "baby."  It was huge and really beautiful.  This is my "baby" begonia.  I bought it in Snohomish the summer we left there in 2008.  He goes outside every summer and inside for the winter.  He will loose a lot of his leaves in the house, but as you can see, he recovers quite well.  I had to put him in a new pot this year as he outgrew the last one, and he really took off after that.

 The plant is 2' across and I measured one leave and it was 12" long by 8" wide.  I am going to hate seeing the leaves fall throughout the winter, but I know that it will be back in it's glory come next summer.

Weekend Cards

A few of the cards I did this weekend.  We went to Impress Stamps on Saturday, and I saw these papers used and thought they were so cute, yet simple.  I may have to go back and get some more.  Kind of a mish-mash of stamps.  Some Close to My Heart, and some other miscellaneous. 

Fun Day Making Cards.... and shopping

Went to Impress Stamps in Tukwila today to get some new sentiment stamps for the inside of the cards, and picked up another paper pack.  This first card I made four of yesterday.  The background papers were from last year, and the lace I bought at a garage sale this summer.  I really like it on these cards, and I love my rosette die.

 The round disc is three layers with the top two mounted with pop dots for dimension.  The papers are My Minds Eye.  These were a lot of fun to make.

 Papers on this set at Teresa Collins.  I've been wanting to do some black and white with a pop of color, and I love these.

I haven't stamped any of the sentiments inside yet, I'll be sorry when I have to do them all at once :( . 

It's official...

Christmas card season is well under way.  I went to Kent tonight and got some new papers.  The old ones just weren't doing it for me.  Also picked up the new Paper Crafts Holiday special for inspiration.  Made a couple tonight from the book... or inspired by the book, they are not identical.  I need to pick up a couple more stamps for the insides of the cards this weekend.  None of the cards shown here have a message on the inside yet. 

Kristy Jennings came over today and we talked about the booth we are going to share at the Emerald Downs Christmas Gift Show.  This will be the first time I've done this with my cards, except for at Relay for Life.  Since Relay is in the summer time I have never offered Christmas cards, so it will be interesting to see how it goes.  I went to their website today and saw the there is going to be someone for Stampin' UP there also.  So I will have some stiff competition.  Though I think as a general rule, my card style is different from the general Stampin Up style, though their's are really beautiful.

Magazine inspirations

The first card was inspired by Paper Crafts Nov/Dec issue, page 23.  The artist had stamped three red Christmas balls on the white, but I thought this was a perfect showcase for the shiny rosettes made from the rosette die.  I made three of these, and the other two I heat embossed the phrase, but the ink actually matches the red papers better on this one.  Lacey scallop border is a Martha Stewart punch.  I'm not having much luck with punches lately, I have jammed up two of them this week, this one included.

 These layered pattern paper cards are inspired by Quick Cards magazine that is published in the UK.  Kind of a pricey magazine since it is imported, but you get a "free" stamp set with it (not used on this card).  The snowflake is a Making Memories from my stash.  Stamp is Close to My Heart Holiday Commentary.

Next Installment of cards

I don't know what it is with me and three's, but my cards are coming this way for now. 

 As I dug out my left over Christmas papers I am just not that happy with them.  Maybe it is because they are mostly all patterns, and patterns don't really go so well with copic colored images.  It just makes them look so overdone.  I do like these papers.  I picked them up at a garage sale this summer and they are a Colorbok pack that I think I paid $3 for.  Great deal!  The patterns are subtle so they don't over-take the image.

 The stamp is an 1988 Hero Arts stamp from my stash.  I still really like it and it is quite simple to color.  I tried different mediums to color the stars.  One is gold Gelly Roll, another silver Gelly Roll and the third is silver Spica To You.  I didn't like the Spica as well as the Gelly Roll.  I used a white pigment ink pen to color in snow on the trees, and white Glaze pen on the rooftops. Labels are Spellbinders, Merry Christmas ribbon is Making Memories from my stash.

Poinsettia Cards

Still at a snails pace with my cards this year.  I really like this stamp and like to offset it on the spellbinders dies.  I used different mediums for the flower centers and haven 't really decided which one I like best.  The first one is colored in with Copics, along with the flower.  Second one is done with a glitter pen, which really doesn't show well on a scan.  Third flower center is done with Flower Soft.

Backgrounds on first two cards are dry embossed. 

Christmas Cards Season again

I usually start at least by July, if not in the spring time to do my cards, so this is extrememly late.  Spring came and went in another continent, Praise God!  Summer was catch up time, but not with cards. 

 Michael's had a great sale this week, with all Sizzix dies 50%, so I got this cute tree die.  The first one is embossed.  They are all attached with pop dots so they have dimension. 

 They didn't have stamps on sale, and I was glad, because then I couldn't have used my 50% off coupon for this cute Christmas set. 

 The snow background as well as the sky are both airbrused.  Snow is highlighted with Copic Spica to You glitter pens, though it doesn't show here.  The penguin and polar bear are both topped with Glaze pen.

If I do cards for the whole community here, I will be doing at least 150, but am seriously considering actually buying some cards this year :( .  We'll see how productive I am.

My Poor Blog

Oh my, I have ignored this blog for so long.  I wonder if anybody even knows?  Since coming back from our trip to South Africa I have not really had much inspiration to get back into the craft room.  I have done little bits here and there but nothing serious.  I did teach a mini class for my church's women's group make a little mini tag book.  Here are some of the results.  These are from women who have never done paper crafts.  I think they did great!

I think that everybody had a fun time and had a little something to take home. 

What else have I been doing?  Working, gardening and even getting a little camping in now. 

 Alder Dam near Elbe Washington.  We were camped on the same lake on the other side.

We even managed to catch a baseball game with some friends from church.  As is usual for our trips to see the Mariners, they didn't win... but it's not all winning that counts, it's the fun you have getting there!

A few shots of the family just before we headed for the airport in Johanasburg.  I have so many wonderful memories of the trip and will be sharing some of the pictures real soon. 

Bachelor Buttons

Just killing time today.  Background paper is Butcher Block that I've had forever!  Background stamp is Inadinkado wood.  Bachelor Button is Hero Arts cling.  The adornments are from Quikkutz.  Punch used is EK Success.  Flower is colored with Copic B00 and B15.  Background and floral stamped with Memento Cocoa.  Background inked with Tea Dye and Stormy Sky.

More Little People

This is the second set of stamps that I got recently from icopics.com .  They are OA Buddies from The Greeting Farm.  It took several tries to get it right.  I wonder if all the people that do the fantastic coloring that I see had to go through as much trial and error, or does it come just naturally?

The paper is DCWV stack, punch is EK, die cut Spellbinders.

I love the red/yellow combo, it is just so bright and cheerful.  I think it is psychological because my mother would never let me wear red and yellow together, she said it clashed!  Well, actually I would never 'wear' it together now, but my little kiddies can.  :)   Flower die cut is Sizzix, labels Spellbinders, punch EK.  Paper is from old stash.