Tuesday, December 26, 2017

Christmas Thank You's

We must remember to send our thank yous for gifts received during the holidays.

I received a gift from my friend Annie and I used the gift tag on the package to make her thank you card.  This is recycling at its best.


I hope you all survived the holidays. 

Monday, December 25, 2017

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to everyone.

 Today I will share two Christmas cards that were made with the recipients in mind.  It involved things that they liked.

The first card is for Sierra.  Sierra loves monkeys and the color orange.


Here is a close up of the monkey in this orange and green sweater with his Santa hat sitting on his tail.  Did you see that the tree bases are wine corks. 


The top of the trees are adorned with Santa hats also.  Glitter was added to the ball and trim on each Santa hat.


This card is for Morgan.  Morgan loves wiener dogs.  I think every Christmas card I have made for her has a wiener dog on it.  I have not found any new Christmas wiener dog stamps so had to be creative.  I used the same idea as Sierra's card.  I could not find my Santa hat stamp so went with a little top hat for the dog and trees.


It was fun creating these two cards. 

Merry Christmas.

Sunday, December 24, 2017

Christmas Postcards

I make cards.  My cards are usually not one layer cards - they are multiple layers and cost extra postage to mail.

This year I decided to try making Christmas postcards - one stamp mails these holiday greetings.  I mailed 20 postcards this year.  Here are the postcards I made.



The postcard paper is from Canvas Corp.  A great way to finish the back of your postcard for mailing.  You get six images on each sheet of paper.  I cut them apart so they measure 4 x 6 inches which matches the size of my postcards.  I stamped this sentiment on the message side.


Everyone was very excited to receive their postcards.  They were sent to fellow card makers and they appreciated the one layer greetings.

Saturday, December 23, 2017

Christmas Ornaments

Every year I try to make some ornaments for the older children that I give money to.  Here are the sweater ornaments I made for them.




This little ornament is for my grandson.  I try to make him an ornament each year.  He is two years old.  It is fun to build a scene on the paper mache ornament.


Remember you can make ornaments with all your card supplies. 

Friday, December 22, 2017

Happy Birthday Baseball Card

The last birthday card of the year.  I had bought this paper for this card.  The paper is by Authentique Papers.  It has beautiful masculine colors and images within the grouping.


Here is a close up of the image and the layering of paper behind the image.


Here is a close up of the die cut sentiment.


I am entering this card into the weekly Monday challenge at Simon Says Stamp where the challenge is Party.  What is better than a birthday to celebrate?

I am also entering the card in the weekly Wednesday challenge at Simon Says Stamp where the challenge is Party Time.  It is nice that both of their challenges this week shared a theme. 

Thanks for stopping by.

Monday, December 18, 2017

Oldie Moldie Monday

A continuation   of last week's oldie moldie Monday post.  More colored images found and made into cards.

Last week's opening statement:

It is Monday and it is time to show some love for your old supplies.  Every time I straighten my desk (I work in total upheaval the majority of the time) but when I do clean, I have a box on my desk in which I put images that are colored, ready to be colored, things that can go on card fronts.  This is what I worked on for today's post.  



What is on your work table? 

Remember to show some love for your old supplies.

Monday, December 11, 2017

What is On Your Work Table

It is Monday and it is time to show some love for your old supplies.  Every time I straighten my desk (I work in total upheaval the majority of the time) but when I do clean, I have a box on my desk in which I put images that are colored, ready to be colored, things that can go on card fronts.  This is what I worked on for today's post.

The paper I used to go with the images are from the scrap box.  I also threw away some pieces of scraps.  Yay Barb.




Thanks for stopping by and remember to use up some of those old supplies.  These cards are going to a troop stationed overseas.

Sunday, December 10, 2017

December Happy Little Stampers ATC Challenge

It is time for another ATC challenge at Happy Little Stampers. 

An ATC is an Artist Trading Card which measures 2.5 inches x 3.5 inches.  They are meant to be traded.



I was in an ATC swap where the theme was "if the shoe fits".  I had seen these cute elf boots at Michael's and knew I wanted to use them in my ATC for the exchange. 

The background was made with distress oxide inks.  I heat embossed the little dots on the paper with white embossing powder and then dipped several different colors of ink on the background.  A Santa hat tops the boots and a little sentiment from Paper Smooches.



Please join us at Happy Little Stampers for our December ATC Challenge

Friday, December 8, 2017

December Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes With Dies Challenge

It is time for the December Anything Goes With Dies Challenge at Happy Little Stampers. 


I needed to make a thank you card for my friend Annie.  I had spent a long week end with her creating, shopping and taking a class.  We were supposed to take a class this summer but I had to have my appendix removed.  This was a real bummer but we found a different class to take.


Here is a close up of parts of the card.


The colored background is my work space cover sheet.  I loved it so I carefully saved it for a future creative project.


I colored other pieces of paper with distress inks for the die cuts and matting.


The background was die cut with a stitched rectangle.  Three layers of thanks were adhered together and snowflakes were die cut.


It was a fun card to make and she really liked it.

Come join us at Happy Little Stampers for our December Anything Goes With Dies Challenge

Wednesday, December 6, 2017

December Happy Little Stampers Mixed Media Challenge

How did it become December and time for another Mixed Media Challenge at Happy Little Stampers.    It is one of your favorite challenges - Anything Goes.


This time of the year you are always in need of more Christmas cards.  I have found an easy way to make a great looking card is to use the images from napkins.    I had one napkin with this snowman on it.  He is such a cute little guy.


I remove all the layers of the napkin until I just have a single ply of the image.  I adhere the image to card stock with gel medium or modge podge.  I mat the image with brown card stock and then stitch around the edge of the image.

The card is made on a kraft base.  I used a white patterned paper and stitched it to a brown mat.  A strip of patterned plaid paper was added across the top with another touch of red added underneath the plaid paper.  This was sewed onto to the white patterned paper.I had a new snowflake stencil that was crying to be used so I obliged.  The texture paste has a gritty texture to it.  I added a texture paste snowflake on the snowman image also.

I tied a brown twine bow on the card front.  A stamped sentiment was added to a die cut circle.  The image and sentiment were adhered with pop dots.

Here are a couple close ups of different parts of the card.





Please join us at Happy Little Stampers for the December Mixed Media Challenge of Anything Goes.  

Monday, December 4, 2017

Oldie Moldie Monday

Monday - Oldie Moldie Monday - time to show some love for your old supplies.  I grabbed a 6 x 6 pad and started making some cards. 

I made 2 of this card.


I made 4 of this card.


The 6 x 6 pad is pretty much used up.  I put the last pages in the scrap box.  I know only have one thousand more to use up.

These cards will go to a troop from Wisconsin. 

Sunday, December 3, 2017

Star Light Star Bright

I was attempting to do a sketch challenge last week for a CAS card.  Well I do have difficulties with CAS cards and I was not happy with the card I created so I kept going.  I do like how the final card turned out.  I now have some New Year cards made to celebrate the arrival of 2018.

The card does fit into the challenge at the Monday Simon Says Challenge Blog where the challenge is Star Light Star Bright.  


Obviously I had trouble capturing the silver embossing.  It must have been a cloudy day here in Wisconsin and poor photography skills.

I believe the sentiment is from Penny Black.  The backgrounds were made from Distress Oxide Inks.  It is amazing how if you keep layering the ink you can get the deeper darker color on which the sentiment is stamped.

The stars were die cut from a metallic card stock.

Thanks for stopping by. 

Monday, November 27, 2017

Oldie Moldie Monday

Time to show some love for your old supplies.

Today's post is a continuation of the papers I used last week.  I got a total of 6 cards from those two sheets of paper.  I had made at least one card out of this paper years ago.

This card is the same layout as last week's cards.



I have gotten a new set of tag dies and used almost all the sizes on this card.  I traced around the outside edge of the die to make my card base.


This card uses up almost all the last pieces of paper.  I cut the paper using my rectangle stitched dies in different sizes.


I threw away the last few pieces of paper.  Nice to know those sheets of paper are not on my desk anymore.  I guess I should check and see what else is on here I could use for cards.

Remember to show some love for your old supplies.

Monday, November 20, 2017

Oldie Moldie Monday

Bad Blogger Barb should be my new name.  I do create almost every day but I just don't get them blogged. 

Today is the day I use older supplies.  I have had these two sheets of paper sitting on my desk for years.  It is Authentique paper so it is beautiful weight and color. 




I had seen this design on Pinterest aod liked it so used it for these cards.  I cut the blue pattern paper a little larger than an A2 card.  I then trimmed it down to A2 size.  I die cut the white using a stitched rectangle die and then cut it at a slant for the card front.  The stitched edge adds a nice finished touch to the card front.  I stamped different sentiment on each card.

Fun easy cards to make and this beautiful paper will be put to good use.  I am trying to put together a box to send to a groups of Wisconsin soldier stationed overseas.  Some will go to a friend's charity drive for Hospice.

Remember to show some love for your old supplies. 

Friday, November 10, 2017

Happy Little Stampers November ATC Challenge

It is time for another ATC challenge at Happy Little Stampers. 

ATC's are little works of art that measure 2.5 inches by 3.5 inches.  They are very fun to create and I hope you will join us this month where the challenge is Words.  How much fun is this challenge.




I made a group of ATC's.  I had gotten a set of Tim Holtz stamps on sale and thought they would make great ATC's.  The background was made with distress oxide inks.  The words were stamped with VersaFine Black Ink and clear heat embossed.

Here is a close up of one of the ATC's.  I did add some doodling along the edge of each ATC.



Here is a picture of the other four ATC's.    ATC's are hard to photograph.  I was being lazy and did not photograph each one separately.


I hope you will join us in the month of November and play along with this ATC challenge

Wednesday, November 8, 2017

Happy Little Stampers November Die Cut Challenge

It is November - time for another Anything Goes With Dies Challenge at Happy Little Stampers.   I love Anything Goes challenges - leaves you a wide open door for creating.


My card this month is very simple.  I had gotten a new embossing folder with all these Hello's on it.  The embossing folder is larger so this is not my standard A2 card.  It turned out to be monochromatic also.  I love these shades of teal or aqua.  Not sure which it is. 


The circle is a die and also the heart.  The heart is cut from vellum.  It adds a nice focal point for the white embossed sentiment to sit on.

I think I will make multiples of this card.  I send cards every month or so to 5 elderly ladies.  I think they would like this card.  I could use it for the month of February. 

Please come join us at Happy Little Stampers and create a project using your dies

Monday, November 6, 2017

Happy Little Stampers Mixed Media November Challenge

Hard to believe it is November and time for another Mixed Media challenge.  Time is flying.  How did I manage so many things when I worked full time - retirement keeps me so busy - so wonderfully busy.

The Mixed Media Challenge at Happy Little Stampers for November is Tags


My tag is on a holiday card.  This card will go to someone very special because it took me a long time to think it through and finally finish it.  

Here is my card.



Here is the tag that is the focal point of my card.  The large snowflakes used on the project are from another card project I was working on where I needed the negative space of the card.  I had many snowflakes left over.  For the tag, I glued two layers of the snowflakes together to make it more sturdy.  The Joy was cut on my Silhouette also and it is two layers. 

I clear heat embossed the little dots on the tag.  The tag was then colored with several colors of distress ink.  The Joy was colored with distress inks, distress oxide inks and then a layer of Dina Wakely red acrylic paint.  I was not getting the color red I wanted.  I still don't know if I got the color of red I wanted.  I cut a strip of glitter paper and added to the bottom of the tag. 


Here is a close up of the upper left corner of the card.  You can see the layers of snowflakes under the tag.  A glitter enamel dot decorated the center of the snowflake.  The bow is seam binding.  Of course I had to wet it and squish it to get wrinkles.  It is tied with some silver cord.


Here is the lower right corner.  You can just see that a strip of glitter paper was put across the front of the card.  You see very little of it on the card.  I decided I needed to have a little more red on the card for some balance.  I cut a little berry branch with my Silhouette and colored it with the red acrylic paint.  A leaf spray was die cut out of  the glitter paper and added to the corner arrangement.


Lots of Stickles were used on the snowflakes to make them sparkle. 

Please come join us at Happy Little Stampers and make a mixed media tag project.