An Everlasting Love

So, I posted this card into my Splitcoast Gallery, not only because I hardly ever post there, but also because I participated in a challenge and got my monthly card (group 4) done. Susan sent this image and paper for the January group. I just love Riley Moose (Hanna Stamps). Now after I posted in the gallery, I was asked... so is the sentiment "An Everlasting Love" for the receipient of the card or the chocolate. My answer is.....


....the CHOCOLATE of course!! LOL

What did I use: Whisper White is my base, then this really fun decorative paper. I'm not sure who makes it, all I remember is wedding page layout ideas on the back. Of course Couch Riley kicking back enjoying his chocolates, he was colored with Prismacolor pencils and gamsol. The sentiment came from that awesome TAC set I got as a gift and I used the tag punch from SU! - a heart eyelet that probably came in a swap. The ribbon is from Offray (one my trips to the outlet store) and a pop-can tab to make a buckle. I also did faux stitching with my template from the SU! tool kit and a fine line Sharpie. Oh, Chocolate Chip cardstock and dimensionals. I also inked the edges of the sentiment tag so it stood out just a bit more.

I hope you likey - let me know!

Stay tuned... I received my The Greeting Farm stamps. I'm going to have Mermaid Anya become a fishy cupid...

I have to say this - I get so into making Valentine cards and yet hubby and I boycott the holiday. LOL

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and moving to Valentine's Day!

Hi Everyone,

I am so sorry that I've been gone for so long. It's been crazy to say the least and I don't have my laptop... AGAIN!! Urgh!

The holidays were nice here, pretty low key and very enjoyable. I hope your holidays were what you wanted them to be. I also wish for you a New Year that is full of health, laughter and blessings.

Now for a card...

I made this Valentine's card for a swap that Marji is hosting. I just love how it turned out. I hope you do, too!

The stamps are Autumn Leaves that I picked up for my daughter to play with. I'm not crazy about the quality, or lack there of, but with some patience and a lot of do overs, I finally got enough well stamped images to make my cards. I used my Nestabilities scallop circle die to cut out circles that I then ran through the Cuttlebug with the Textile folder. I used the swiss dots Blush ribbon from PTI, a prima with some bling and then for the sentiment I received this awesome TAC set that has a lot of words, so I put together "Happily Ever After." It's a very easy card. Oh! I also applied just a bit of Pale Plum ink over the texture of the embossed circle to highlight that a bit.

I'd like to hear what you have to say about it....

Enjoy the rest of your weekend. I have many other projects to post - so check back often.

Cold Weather, Under the Weather??

OK - I am totally in love with Riley... Riley Moose by Hanna Stamps, that is. So cute!!

I made this card for a swap and I just think it's adorable. OK... so the whole Got Milk catch phrase is a bit over used, but it worked for me here. And who wouldn't want to give this little guy something to make him feel better!?

I used Kraft card stock for my base, Always Artichoke for the next layer and with MFT's Thanks A Latte set, I stamped the mugs in coordinating colors. Really Rust is used for the scallop. I used a word program to create the sentiment and then punched it out. The Riley is colored with Close to Cocoa and Creamy Caramel. I used an old SU! dp that I can't remember it's name for the bed doing paper piecing. Layered him on So Saffron and did a little paper piercing to give it a bit of texture. I like it. I hope you do, too.

Do you want to know the story behind my attraction to this moose? Yes! Oh good!! When my oldest son was little I gave him a stuffed Chris-Moose for Christmas. He unwrapped him and out of his sweet little mouth came "look at dat moose." It's become the thing to say when you want to get him to look the other way when you want to steal his ice cream or whatever. But the sweetest part of this whole story, that wonderful little boy is now 13 and every year when it's time to decorate for Christmas, he pulls his Moose out and he sits on his bed during the holiday season.

Happy getting ready for Christmas to you. I hope you stay healthy!

Monthly Card Groups

Brrr... It's a very chilly night here in WV. The Fall weather is giving way to the chill of Winter and soon there will be snow and ice to contend with. But while I'm still feeling Fall-ish, I wanted to share a couple of cards and hope to keep up this feature in my blog.

A bit of history: I host a monthly card group where a person takes a turn hosting a month and sends out paper and images to the members of the group and then the members make their cards using the paper and images. I want to share each group with you, but time doesn't permit me to do that, so I will feature as I can.

This is Jackie's card (left), she hosted October, Group 3. I am not certain where the image is from, but he is adorable! The paper she sent, I hope you can see in the scan is very rich in Fall colors and great paisley!!

Over to the right, you'll see my version of the card. I used Always Artichoke as the base, cut the top fold an inch, rounded the corners and then used the paper to finish it off. I also ran {the last of} Night of Navy card stock through the Cuttlebug embossing folder that I thought matched the paper very well. I colored him with Stampin' Write markers with a selection of Earth Elements colors, matted him to So Saffron. And can you believe it - I actually did not use ribbon!

I hope you enjoy the cards!!

Feeling the Aura

The November 1st challenge card was an Aura Technique. I've never heard of this before. However, they way it was described it reminded me of a movie I saw, The Village by M. Knight Shalaman (I know I didn't spell his name right). Anyway, in this movie there is a young woman who is blind and she describes to her father that she sees the colors that surround people. So I tried to create colors around the image. Unfortunately they are lost to the scan.

I am still learning the new photo editing software and had managed to darken this up so that you can see some of the detail.

I pulled out a retired Stampin' Up! stamp set called Natural Beauty - I discovered there are stamps in that box that have never seen ink! Anyway, I stamped the flower image with Stazon black and then used (more items pulled out and dusted off) my Stampin' Up! watercolor pencils and then to create the aura I used chalks around the image. Next I stamped the background and then wanted to highlight a word, so I chose DREAM and chalked it up. I like the effect.

Have a wonderful weekend!!

Finally!!

Hi Everyone,

Well, I am finally up and running! My computer got infected by a pretty serious virus. My husband and a friend of his stripped it down to it's bare bones then restored everything. One of the things I've lost was the photo editing software. I got a new one, and I am slowly but surely learning how to use it - but unfortunately, I think my inability there will keep me from being in the running for a design team position with All That Scraps. I'll tell ya! That is one company that I have wanted to design for ever since I saw it - I want it so bad I can taste it. I know I'm building myself way high that the disappointment is going to be massive if I don't get selected. I'm crossing my fingers though.

The set is called Hey Chicky, it comes with 4 chicky designs and the sentiment "Hey Chicky" and I think it's the most adorable set! It's the only one I have by CC Designs. I also purchased the decorative paper from ATS - I don't remember what it's called, but it's great! I wish my picture did the colors better justice.

Anyway, it feels good to be able to blog again. To share my creations with you.

Well, I best get back to my swapping projects. November came up way to fast for me! Have a wonderful rest of your weekend. Don't forget to set your clocks back an hour tonight.

Sweets for a Serious Subject

Hi Everyone! I hope that you've had a great week. Mine was very busy at work, well, at home, too.


I have been having so much fun with card candy, I opened up a swap and it makes me chuckle when I see people shy away from it because they are thinking it's out of their comfort zone. When you get into this, you'll wonder why you thought you had a comfort zone. It's really fun. And while I was showering the other morning, I realized that I have yet to put my pink on.

Fall isn't just the glorious colors of yellows, reds, browns and golds. No, it's the color Pink. As I shared this time last year, thereabouts, my sister was diagnosed with breast cancer. I have always felt empathetic for those who were diagnosed or for those who have lost special women in their lives to this dreadful disease - but when it became part of my sister's life, it took on a different viewpoint. I never have been one to think "that won't happen to me. That happens to them, not to me," but I know it's always been in the back of my mind and subjects of quickly thrown up to heaven, silent prayers to God that I stay healthy for my kids' sake. However, I know I'm not immune nor a stranger to tragedy.


So I share with you my card candy as a tribute to my sister(s)... and yours. To my mother and yours, my Aunt and yours, my daughter and yours, to my girlfriends and yours. I hope to put a few of these in my LSS to sell with proceeds going into her donation bucket. It's Scrap Pink month at Memory Lane, and I want to contribute in my own way.


Tell me what you think.... This first picture is of the card front, the candy is on the inside. I used Autumn Leaves Swirl set for the background. Then I used pieces that I made (candy) for the focal point of the card.





I used my five petal flower punch from SU! and Berry Bliss (retired) dp to make the flower. I embossed with Hologram Highlights on a piece of card stock and then punched out a 7/8" circle for the center. The sentiment comes from two of my favorite PTI sets - Women of Life and Out on a Limb. I placed all three images on the block, inked it with Pretty In Pink and then darkened "Life" with Pink Passion.


Next is the inside view of the card which is where I adhered my candy to the card with removable adhesive. I made one that is similar to what appears on the card front. A small tag using PTI's Out on Limb and a Michael's bauble. Next, another flower with Pretty In Pink card stock and Whisper White stamped with swirls. And lastly a scallop circle with an inner circle that is stamped with PTI's Borders and Corners - Circles. Then I made the awareness ribbon with a lovely shade of pink obtained during one of my trips to the ribbon outlet, topped with a Michael's bauble.

I hope you like this - I hope you are incline to CASE my candy and send a card to someone who is special to you, let her know you are thinking of her, that she means the world to you. I do have a little poem written that I want to include in the card (Melissa's original writings - they're simple, silly and even corny - but they are all me... that's my disclaimer) that says:

I send you this card candy because I care... Used it to create another card for you to share. Raise awareness with these pretties.... Do what you can to help save the boobies.