Friday, January 30, 2009

Be Still...


I just love this stamp! I was fortunate to have a fellow stamper send me some of these images that I have been drooling over for months now. LOL!!! I can see they are ones that are going have to be added to my ever growing collection of stamps. I wasn't really sure on how to color her, but knew I wanted it soft and for it to have a more heavenly appeal. I decided to 3-D her wings, and then also add clouds under her knees to look as if she was floating on a cloud listening to God. I thought the sentiment used was perfect for this image. The one I had planned to use was to large, but found this one to be just perfect!

Stamps: Whiff of Joy "Melinda Reading", PTI Everday Blessings "Be Still and know that I am God".Paper: Stardream White Cloud, SU Almost Amethyst and Bazzil Rebel Blue
Ink: SU Black, Brocade Blue and Almost Amethyst, Zig Watercolor Marker Moonlight, AC Galaxy Marker in White, Prismacolor Markers in PM-172, PM-12, PM-88, Aquarell watercolor pencils # 156-3,#156-6,#156-16,#156-73, #156-1 and #a56-43. Sharpie Finepoint Pens in Black and Pink. Colorbox Classic Pigment Sky Blue for clouds.
Ribbon: Offray Satin 1/2" ribbon in Confederate Blue
Embellies: ME Pearls and Kaiser Flower Rhinestones, Stickles in Diamond

Sunday, January 25, 2009

CHP Card

This is the card I made for the big celebration today honoring my son's achievement of becoming a CHP. I am sorry that the name is blurred, but due to the nature of type of work he will be doing while working for the state his name has to be protected. Unfortunately there are people out there who do not like any type of law enforcement. I was fortunate enough to grab an extra program from the graduation to use the badge that was printed on the front of it. I have tried to locate a stamp for the CHP and of course there isn't one available and I am sure it is for good reasons. I then bordered it in a lighter color and then popped it up with the foam pops. I used the Stardream Midnight Paper, Gold Leafing paper and the word Congratulations is by CTMH I stamped it with Encore Gold ink and then embossed it with gold ep .

Fairies Amongst the Ferns

I just recently received this awesome Fairy Stamp from Susana's Custom Art & Design and found that there were lots of possibilities with this stamp. You should check out her website as she has quite a few cute mimphs and other fairies. I first made a card and then decided to make a matching 2009-2010 Pocket Calendar that I will be sending to a friend in the next couple of days. On the card I made her wings 3-D with the blue-gold vellum I found at a stationary store, but you really can't tell and I had planned on taking another picture showing that but my camera died. I picked up the calendar at Michael's in the dollar bin.

Stamps: Susana's Custom Art & Design Fairy,
Verve Visual Beautiful You sentiments

Paper: Stardream Paper in Midnight Blue,
MM Fern Green and SU Whisper White

Ink: Black Stazon

Embellishments: Martha Stewart Leaf Punch, Diamond & Waterfall Stickles,
Clear Spica Pen and Copic Pens.

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Address Book

This was one of the items I made as a prize for my sisters surprise 40th birthday party. In trying to locate inexpensive items for prizes I came across this address book at Michael's. I took the book completely apart (it was pretty ugly in the colors it was in..LOL!!) and revamped the whole thing. I decided to punch holes in the side instead and tied ribbons to hold it together. I covered the front and back hard cover with some scrap paper I had and then added a set of 6 colored envelopes inside it for receipts, notes, stamps and so forth. I then used stickles to glitz it up. The lady that won it was so excited and said she was going to go buy a new one the next day because hers had just fallen apart. She loved all the envelopes to hold all the goodies.

Stamps: SU Happy Harmony

Paper: N/A it was a scrap

Ink: SU White Craft Ink and then embossed with clear ep

Ribbons: Various colors by Offray

Bras and Panties and Lace Oh My....

Is this just not the cutest? I was in a swap that was themed bras and panties. I wanted to make sure that they were within good taste but wanted to reflect the lacey and feminine part of it as well. It took me a couple of days to figure out how I could achieve the lacey look. I first had decided maybe I would just use vellum as it is shear and could somehow add the look of lace to it by free drawing the scrolls and rosettes but then....a light bulb went off in my head and I it seemed I couldn't work fast enough on a draft one before creating the ones I would submit. It finally dawned on me that why not use acetate? Its clear and we all know lace is a see through material, but now how would I add black to it and give it a lacey effect? First of all I needed to cut out the pattern for the bra and panties that was given as the template for the swap and then let the creative juices flow. Hmmm..I know run it through the Cuttlebug and use the embossing folder D'vine Swirl to give it the lace effect. Now to color it I tried several markers, but they just wouldn't stick to the outside of the embossing, I decided to flip it over and color the indentation of the swirl with a black sharpie. Next I added the clear strecthy ribbon which just happen to be printed with a scroll design on it which I had found at the local LHS. I used velvet ribbon for the waste band on the panty and of course I had to have a cute butterfly tattoo. Add a little shading to give depth to the bra and Viola! a "Black Lacey Set".

Paper: Acetate
Stamps: Studio G Butterfly
Ink: Black Sharpie broad point
Tools: CB and D'Vine Swirl Embossing Folder
Embellishments: Plastic ribbon and a Black Flower Brad and Ice Stickles.

My Son Is A CHP!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I wanted to share with you that my son is officially now a CHP!!! His graduation was yesterday and was just wonderful and of course his wife couldn't be any happier. It was a day of lots of happy tears and joy and a big celebration is being planned for him tomorrow as I write this. I have to say that he has come out being a stronger and more disciplined man and it is so evident when you see how he carry's himself and the way he had such a high respect for his commanders. God is so good and definitely watched over his little family while he was away at the academy. Now a new chapter is about to begin in this sweet family's life and I couldn't be any happier for them. Please keep him in your prayers for safety as he begins this job of keeping our highways safer as well as the residents.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Hope all is well....

I don't have anything to post today, as I am getting ready to leave to go see my son graduate from the California Highway Patrol Academy tomorrow. It is a 6 hour drive up there and the weather is rainy and cold here so will need to take or time getting there. I will be back to update on Saturday as I have a couple of new items that I have been working on and will post them when I get back. Have a great weekend and will talk to you all soon.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Grateful...

Here is another card that I have made. This was one I had received images from Yoorah. These are so cute and this was the first time I had ever used the prismacolor pencils and gamsol for blending. Took some time on how to exactly blend them, but I finally got the hang of it. I thought the colors depicted the Fall/Thanksgiving seaon. I must say that I am kind of proud of myself for trying out this technique. I did notice that it does take patience in blending and not over-saturating the paper or rubbing to hard to blend.


Stamps: Ellen Hutson Acorn and Fall Leaves, SU Noteworthy, Studio G for the word "Grateful"
Ink: SU Chocolate Brown
Prismacolor pencils: Cannot remember the color combo I used to achieve the color variation. Sorry
Spica Pen in Brown to give the additional glitz on top of accorn
Dew Drops: Golden yellow
Paper: Stardream Chocolate Brown, Bazzill Mocha for background and MM for the designer paper
Punches: Martha Stewart Scallop, Mega Scallop Punch for the white and accent piece behind it.

Monday, January 19, 2009

Purse for the Princess

I was giving my sister a surprise 40th birthday party and had made favor purses for all of her friends. There were made just out of card stock and decorated with items of lip gloss, file, candle and candy in them and there was no need for them to be extra sturdy as they wouldn't be carrying them with them everywhere they went. My Granddaughter had seen them sitting on my work table and had inquired if she was going to get one since she would be attending the party. Of course I couldn't say no. LOL!! So I went to the local shop and found this purse that could be altered. I chose the princess theme papers from Disney and of course I had to have Princess Aurora on it for the snap closure since that was her "FAVORITE" Disney Princess. I painted the entire purse in a hot pink and then proceeded to cut the pattern that I had drawn out to apply the Disney papers that were already sparkly. I then glittered the opening flap with crystal glitter to make it all sparkly and glitzy to match the rest of the purse. I cut 6" ribbon lengths in the colors of the paper design and tied them to the handle of the purse. I found all kinds of little princess trinkets to put inside. She was so elated about the purse that we didn't hear a peep out of her the whole evening while the party was going on. She was sitting over in the corner next to all the gifts. She is so funny as she doesn't let any of her friends touch it, because her Grandma made it especially for her. LOL!!!


Floridian Butterfly


I made this Thank You card for a very special friend of mine who lives in Florida. As I began to think about what color scheme to do it in I remember watching CSI Miami and how the bright colors of the buildings reflected the Florida spirit. The blues, oranges and yellows just had Florida written all over it! LOL!! She was thrilled when she received it and stated that I had indeed depicted the Florida colors that it is known for.
Stamps: SU Winged Things, Warm Words, Scroll background by Stampendeous
Ink: SU Black and then colored the wings in with SU markers and added yellow stickles for the glitz on the wings to give it a stained glass effect.
Prima Flowers with coordinating brads.
Paper: SU (solid) and DP by Doodlebug
Ribbon: Yellow Saffron Satin by Offray
Punches: SU Word Window, and Martha Stewart Scalloped

Christmas Ornament

I have another ornament to share with you today that I made for family. Everyone loves snowmen. I think he turned out pretty cute. My daughter's in-laws really liked it since they live in a snowy area. I am eventually going to get caught up on this blog I promise. LOL!!!

Stamps: Inkdinkadoo Holiday
Ink Used: Stazone Azure Blue
Pens: Sharpies (Finepoint)
Stickles in Waterfall, Crystal and Red

Saturday, January 17, 2009

As Promised...



I finally found some of the pictures of the cards I have made in the last year or so. Please forgive me for posting so late afterwards. I had great intentions of keeping the blog current and like many others time has just slipped away.
Here is one of the very firsts I made when I discovered SCS and became involved in the swaps. I had just recently obtained the SU Haute Couture set from ebay and was anxious to try it out. The swap was titled "Vintage Dress" and I thought this was perfect as it reminded me back in the day when dresses were satin and fitting to the figure very much of the Jean Harlow era. Now mind you I am not that old LOL!! But back then it was all about being totally feminine and looking like you had just stepped out of a ban box. My mother always used to say that when I was growing up and I am assuming it meant looking like a million dollars even if you didn't have it. Of course those were the days of Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire dancing and I thought the sentiment of the stamp from Inkadinkado did it justice: "Remember, Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, (and this was the rest of the sentiment on the inside of the card)... but she did it backwards and in high heels". I love being a female don't you?


Happy New Year!

I know this is really, really late, but I made a vow that as one of my new years resolutions was to keep this blog updated for family and friends (which hasn't happened due to illness and year end at work) and add the artwork I have been working on which means going back a ways, but that is okay right?

I hope the new year will be prosperous to each and everyone of you. With economic times being the way they are, it seems as if spending on un-necessary items is becoming a habit for all of us. As I sit here and look in my craftroom, I think Good Grief! I have so much stuff!!!!! Papers, embellishments, stamp sets, books, punches, ribbons, and so on and really need to use up what I have before buying any new items. Oh sure there are some "I want/need that..stamp set, paper, punch or whatever, but NO! I am going to hold back on spending any $$ for 6 months. I think back to the monies I spent last year and go whew!!!! why did I do that? Its just been tucked away and collecting dust on the shelves. LOL!!!!!!!! I did manage to sell some of my stamp sets that haven't been used in over a year and was fortunate to get some great $$$ for them. Okay enough about my spending habits. LOL!! I would like to share some pics from our Christmas this year of the little ones; Christmas through the eyes of a child is like none other.

This is our granddaughter Calie who is 11 months here. She was having a ball with the sound of all the paper and the excitement of everyone else opening gifts. Her hair has finally started growing and for some reason it is growing really thick an fast just on top of her head. LOL!!! She had a bow on, but she took it off right before I snapped the picture. Little Stinker!

Here is my first granddaughter and of course she is about as Girly Girl as you can get. She would rather wear dresses than pants or shorts even when it is cold outside, always has to have her hair just "perfect" and everything matching (reminds me of her mother at this age). She had wanted these Princess Aurora earrings for quite sometime and was elated when she got them for Christmas.
Here is our first grandson. He is so into "Thomas The Train". Between his grandparents , parents and of course Santa, I think he got just about every piece of track and train stuff not to mention the DVD's we found. Christmas was wonderful this year.His little brother Maurice (4 months) our second grandson is pictured here being talked to by his Daddy and making him laugh so I would have a great picture of him. Okay I am off to locate the pictures of the work I have done. I know I have them, just need to locate the disk! LOL!!! Have a great Saturday and will be back to update.