Wednesday, May 6, 2009

THANK YOU MARY!


I made this one for my Grandmas birthday. She loves teal and flowers. The image is Sarah Kay and I got it from a coloring book image on Google. The flowers were from PW. On the bottom I used a Martha Stewart Punch that I got from Mary AKA Cardz for u -(Thank you!) Go take a visit over, she has some wonderful cardz!

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Mothers Day Card




Just a quick card. I should really add some more, but I'm not sure what else to do to this-


I got the image from printshop and the saying is printed too. Pearls are added at bootom after using Martha border punch.

Monday, May 4, 2009

Birthday Card


I found this digi on a digi site and loved it. I didn't make this card for anyone specific, but DH will bring it to his work and sell it there. Hopefully someone will like him as much as I do.










These were made for Mothers Day. One is for my sister-in-law for her Mom-in-law and the swan is for my mom-in-law. She collects swans and my husband said green. I didn't realize how hard it would be to find a swan and color it. I just added some dimensional paint and then Diamond Dust on top. Both are very simple cards.

Thursday, April 30, 2009

Cherries




My sister-in-law wanted me to make her a card for her mothe-in-law. She asked if I could make something with Cherries because she saw one that was white and loved it. This is def not white, but I like how it turned out. The image is from a digital stamp.

Castle Album

Crystals are all over this album, along with lots of glitter





I added "Skittles all over the castle peaks on this page



Ariel and her friends turned out the best I think. By the time I drew their faces I had become a pro!








Snow White turned out great too. I still need to add brown to her eyes. I glittered this one and sprayed with a sealant to keep it sticking.




THe dwarfs were so small and very hard to piece together, but I did it. They still need some detail and once I get them finished I will post some close-ups.





I still need some embellishing on this page.



I left this one pretty simple and just added the boquet and then on the top left is a small clear envelope to put something inside.




Also on the left is a tag that can be pulled out to write some journaling.







I put way to much on this page-- oh well, live and learn!






The outside heart shaped dorr. It's missing a few crystals that need to be added. one of the flowers on the left is hard porcelain.








Front of the castle






Another front view.




This album is gettng close to be complete, but still a long way. I need to go through and do the detail work and also still have the last two pages which are Cinderella. I really wanted to embellish it a lot and started to but then found that the less is more on this one since there are so many characters.

Album

Well, I am almost finished with my shaped album, which means today I will make a card. Whew, finally. I know that it has been just about a week, but it seems like forever. I really do miss making cards. I will post a sneak preview of the album sometime today-if I can get my camera to work. I tried to upload pics yesterday but the computer wouldn't recognize the camera. I realized later that the batter had died, LOL.

Friday, April 24, 2009

What's going on...

As some of you know, I am sending my cards to Ellen Degeneres because my grandpa loves her (among other reasons). He is very ill and doesn't laugh a whole lot, but whenever Ellen is on, he is full of smiles. My grandpa is very old fashioned so I wasn't sure if he knew about her wife- he said it very clear one day that he "knows how she is" but doesn't care because she is funny. This really meant a lot to me so I am making it my goal to send her a card for every holiday I can for her and her family. Right now I am making a baby album for her; she is soon to be an aunt and is very excited about it. The problem I have is that Michael and Casey (the parents to be) are not wanting to know the sex of the baby so I have to make a boy album and a girl album- she is due May 1.

I will get on the Ellen show for my Grandpa- I love his smile!

I am writing this because I may not have a lot of time to post new projects until I get this done- whew...but my husband does need some cards for people at his work so I will be able to slide a few in there once in a while.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Blender Pen Refill

Blender Pen Refill

Mix together:1 oz. glycerin2 oz. distilled water3/4 teaspoon rubbing alcoholGently pull the tips out of the pen on both ends. Some people use tweezers, but I have no problem just grabbing it with my fingers. If you do use tweezers, be very careful. You don't want to mar the tip.Soak the tips in the fluid that you mixed together. Some say to soak it over night, others say for a few hours. It depends on how dry the tips are.Gently push the tips back in. Add a drop of fluid to each end (since you probably squeezed some of the liquid out) Now you're ready to do more creating ;-)

Congratulations




My husband called today and said that he needed a congrats card for someone at work who just had a baby girl, so this is what I came up with in the spur of the moment.




I am not having the best time coloring right now-my blender pen is drying up :-(


Saturday, April 18, 2009

Not my typical card


Every once in a while I ask my husband to choose a theme and colors. Today he gave me lavender and black and said just a touch of silver too. He also said to make it a sympathy card. So this is what I came up with.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Happy Birthday Mouse...




I loved how the colors on this one turned out. I only wish that I would have sewn around the edges of some of the matts. This stamp came from Whiff of Joy Stamps. This one is just a lot of matting and layering with a ribbon and a Party embelli added.

halloween Cat


I did this one from a stamp at iloverubberstamps.com- I embossed it with black and colored it in. The paper is from DCWV and K&Company. Nothing too special about it :-)

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Cuttlebug Challenge Blogspot




I have been looking at the Cuttlebug Challenge Blog for a while and decided that I would enter some of the challenges. I do love my cuttlebug and don't use it as often as I should so maybe this will inspire me to use it all the time.


Today’s challenge was to use the cuttlebug (of course) and since it is tax day also put a number on the card. My step-dads 50th birthday is in August and I saw this stamp from Iloverubberstamps and had to use it. I added the sticker in the middle of the balloon and again added liquid glass. I wasn't going to, but for some reason I love the dimension it gives on every card. I also used the citrus card pack from HOTP. The ribbon was a find at Joann’s last year and I used floss for the balloon string. Lastly, I used a Martha punch for the bottom.

uuuggghhh Halloween card


This card is probably my least favorite of all time, but oh well, we live and learn...


A very simple birthday card. I think I may do a bunch with this color scheme, but different layouts and dazzles- maybe congrats, thankyou - (or not)

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Digital Tuesday DT Call


Digital Tuesday Challenge blog is looking for new designers...Please take a look at this link for more information- (Great designs for sale too, by the way- just click their banner to see.)

Monday, April 13, 2009

Mothers Day Cards











I did these this weekend, plus one more for my mom that I cannot post here until she gets it :-)

Friday, April 10, 2009

Paper Wishes Giveaway

I buy almost everything I use on cards at PaperWishes.com. Make sure to check them out if you need any supplies.

Well, they just started a new message board there and had a drawing where the grand prize winner will get a lot of goodies--- I WON the grandprize!!!! It was really needed as my husband has been without a job for a while (just started a new one 04/01, whew!)
Click HERE to go to their message board and participate in the fun!

Here are the other winners:



Winners of our new Use 'Em for Anything Dots & Stripes paper book:
kissat@hukassa
Oldma
Am0rcita
PhinnyArt
asiverson

Winners of our new Cards & More with Dazzles™ plus all the dazzles featured in the book:
Nanc
Kissedby2
Kathleen Mc
Melanie
Ribbon Lady

Next month they will have a whole new set of ideas, projects, tips and products, so stay posted!

I originally made this and thought my mom would like it, but since then I have made one more like her style, but then again, I have another idea so who knows.


This one is made with Dazzles from Paper Wishes--- I love them!

Corrected Cards




I posted these a few days ago, but they were missing something, so I added a few words and now I think I like them...

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

More Cards with Dazzles

This card was made with a dazzle flower in the middle. No stitching here which is unusual. I just didn't want to take away from the contrasting colors. Maybe I will do another with stitching--- This will be a Mothers Day card for someone--- (Hi Mom!)
Very, very simple card. No stitching. Just a read card with Dazzles matted to black cardstock.

Another very simple card. I am probably going to add a sentiment to this one as well as some brads in the corner....


Don't be Square


I made this card for a challenge on the Greeting Farm . It didn't turn out like I imagined, live and learn. I got the boot from a program I have on my computer and used the Cup of Stuff stamp. I added some fringe (ribbon that I cut and frazzled a little) added a chipboard heart and metal button with some mbossing, which you can't see in the picture too well.

Monday, April 6, 2009

Dazzles












The flower pot card was inspired from a challenge on Splitcoaststampers. I embossed the flower pot, but the pictures don't show too much. I used Dazzles for the roses and stacked them in layering colors.
I love the elegance that Dazzles have. I made both of these using Dazzles as the main focus. They are from Paper Wished and I have some for sale if interested. The "book" card was inspired by some cards I saw called "Bookatrix." I don't have the board so I used my Cricut and a patter I made myself and cut them at three different sizes. The last thing I did was add dazzles, ribbon and pearls all over to make it pretty.













Sunday, April 5, 2009

Motivational Quote

Ability is what you are capable of doing-
Motivation determines what you do-
Attitude determines how you will do it!

Dreams

Dreams take time,
patience,
sustained effort,
and a willingness to fail
if they are ever
to be anything more
than dreams.

The Top 50 Blogs That Will Unleash Your Motivation

This is a list of some of the hardest working self development blogs and bloggers - who not only talk the talk, they walk the walk. Many of them have day jobs and families and still take time almost every day to give you their best.
I suggest you check them out and add them to your list of motivational resources.
Here are the top 50 in no particular order -

Zen Habits
Make It Great! with Phil Gerbyshak
Today is that day
Dumb Little Man
Achieve IT!
Success Begins Today
LifeDev
David Seah
Productivity501
Your Life. Organized.
The Cranking Widgets Blog
Pick the Brain
OkDork
Lifehacker
43 Folders
Lifehack.org
Steve Pavlina
Slacker Manager
GTD Wannabe
Organize IT
Matt’s Idea Blog
Ian’s Messy Desk
Personal Development For A Greater Life
The Positivity Blog
Change your thoughts
Legal Andrew
ProductivityGoal
Zoli’s Blog
the simple dollar
Steve-Olson.com
Thriftymommy - good for Dads too!
Ricky Spears’ Blog
My Money Blog
Get Rich Slowly
Web Worker Daily
Life Tips Daily
Career Ramblings
Wise Bread
Life Learning Today
Diet Hack
Diet Blog
Change Your Thoughts
Duct Tape Marketing
Scott H. Young
Penelope Trunk’s Brazen Careerist
Instigator Blog
Ririan Project
D*I*Y Planner
LifeSpy
Management Craft
Life Optimizer
Genius Types

Friday, April 3, 2009

Last of the Easter cards...whew!



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I think I'm done with the Easter cards, but knowing me, there will be more.


I made these using Pupstar from the Greeting farm. I used the sketch from Sheetload and made six of the same layout, only using different embellishments for each one. They all turned out so different, I'm not sure which one I like the most...

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Shout Out To SheetLoad

March has come and gone so that means a new Sheetload issue.


This month has some great designs and also a nice sketch that I will be sure to do. The April 2009 issue of SheetLoad is sponsored by The Greeting Farm.


Take a look at the cover:
Click for the April'09 Issue

Check out Sheetload for more information...

Prizes - Prizes-- and what a great one too!

Charmed Cards & Crafts have teamed up with Graphics Direct Ltd to give away Copic Markers! They will be doing the giveaway until April 10--







Here are the rules:





The twist is that we want you to link to a project on your blog (in your comment) that either uses a download or a stamped image that you coloured in.



Link to a card you made with a download or a stamped image (does NOT have to be one of ours)
If you are using one of the Charmed Cards & Crafts downloads then you get two chances (please enter two comments, in the second just write "my second chance). All entries will be checked.



Please mention the candy on your blog.

I will use my Easter bunny card that I did yesterday as my design and see if I can get some markers to color in future bunnies....

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

When will they stop??? :-)







Another Easter Card. The base is a purple metallic, but it's hard to tell in the pics. I cut out squares and stitched one of each color. The bunny is printed from Printshop and I colored most ot it in pencil, I don't have grey markers yet... I put liquid glass over the top of it and used pop dots to put onto other square, off set. The background was made by stamping colors randomly and then blending together to make the look of clouds and grass. I stamped the flowers and colored them and a butterfly brad completes the design.

Masculine Easter Card? If it can be done :-)


I made this card to send to a male. I saw a stamp on a card somewhere so I drew my own. The stamp was from Whipper Snapper, although this is just a drawing and does not do the stamp justice. I added dimensional paint to the sheep head and tail as well as the bunny tail. Added drew drops on top- they were clear but I colored the bottoms with a Bic permanent marker to match the card stock on the bottom layer. Lastly, I sewed around the edges and did a sort of faux sewing around the image.

East Card


I made this card for a family friend. My daughter doesn't like it and I have to say it's not a favorite. I filled in the heart with liquid glass from CTMH and the bunny came from PC Crafters. I was playing around with some new markers so the coloring didn't come out quite like I wanted, so I added some stickles for more dimension.

Monday, March 30, 2009

Easter Weasle


I made this little weasle for my sister-in-law and her family. I tried to make it for both the boys and girls in her family.

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Birthday card


I made this for my sister-in-laws husband (I suppose that makes him my brother-in-law) ...

I hope it is not too feminine. I made them using Dazzles from Paper Wishes. I have every Dazzle they have and not I get to play!

Even more Easter Cards











We had visitors this week so I haven't had time to load them onto the site, so here they all are at once. These are all made for friends and family.








Another Easter Card


I made this card for my husbands parents. It's not the typical Easter colors, but I love how it turned out. It's all paper pieced together with stickles and stiching again.


Shout Out to SheetLoad


Sheetload is a great site for great inspiration. Every month they have a sketch to help inspire and you can win some freebies.

Check out the March Sheetload of Cards! It's an online card magazine and it's totally FREE! Get some inspiration, do their sketch, win some fun prizes!

This month I made it an Easter Card. I love how it turned out. I started out with silver and pink because I have a small envelope that I wanted to add to it, but once I made the triangles and sewed them on the card, the colors were not fitting for the envelope. I got the image from PC Crafter. I cut the eggs out and used Stickles and CTMH Liquid Glass. I added glass beads around the scalloped oval which I cut with my Cricut and then stitched everything up on the egdes. I hope the pictures show the colors right, but here they are.




















Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Motivational Quotes

It was a high counsel that I once heard given to a young person, "Always do what you are afraid to do."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Take calculated risks. That is quite different from being rash.
George S. Patton

If you do not hope, you will not find what is beyond your hopes.
St. Clement of Alexandra

We are all inventors, each sailing out on a voyage of discovery, guided each by a private chart, of which there is no duplicate. The world is all gates, all opportunities.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Seek the lofty by reading, hearing and seeing great work at some moment every day.
Thornton Wilder

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Easter Card

After I finished my moms card, I had to re-think what my brother and sister-in-law would like and came up with this one-- I saw a card that had these colors and the same cross and loved it. Unfortunately, I don't remember who did it, but I think it looks almost the same...When I find it, I will post a link.

It's a pretty simple card with a cross and the swirls are glittered with Stickles.



Easter Cards

I am making Easter cards for family and friends--only a couple weeks until Easter, I can't believe it has come so fast. I made this one with my sister-in-law in mind but after it was done, it fit my mom even better. She loves yellow and the bunnies are more her style.


Saturday, March 21, 2009

Hugs


I decided that all of my cards will have a hug in them as well as a hug poem:


A HUG FOR YOU...

There's something in a simple hug

That always warms the heart;It welcomes us back home

And makes it easier to part.

Wear it around your neckor out it in your pocket;

Whichever you choose.

You will always have a hug with you.

Friday, March 13, 2009

The TRUE meaning of Poor

One day a father and his rich family took his young son on a trip to the country with the firm purpose of showing him how poor people can be. They spent a day and a night in the farm of a very poor family.When they returned from their trip, the father asked his son, "How was the trip?"

"Very good, Dad!"
"Did you see how poor some people are?" the father asked.
"Yeah!"
"And what did you learn?"

The son answered: "I saw that we have a dog at home, and they have four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of the garden, while they have a creek that hasno end. We have imported lamps in the garden, and they have the stars. Our patio reaches to the front yard, they have a whole horizon."

When the little boy finished, his father was speechless. His son added, "Thanks, Dad, for showing me how poor we are!"

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Quote

Failure is not getting knocked down, it's not getting up again.

--Vince Lombardi

Friday, February 27, 2009

New Baby Card




I made this card for my moms friend who just had a baby boy. It turned out to be one of my favorite cards so far! I wasn't sure about the color combination until it all went together.




Show Us Your SheetLoad

I made a card for my sister-in-laws Birthday and also thought I would submit it to the Show Us Your SheetLoad February contest. Lisa loves elephants- I'm not sure if it matches the card, but I think it turned out beautiful!
I also got a chance to check out a new site and found some great stamps that will be my next purchase... Check them out: Unity Stamp Company's site




Here are some shots of the card I made for my sister-in- law--










Saturday, January 24, 2009



One of the most important ways to manifest integrity is to be loyal to those who are not present. In doing so, we build the trust of those who are present. – Stephen Covey

Things to think about...



Don't let the fear of the time it will take to accomplish something stand in the way of your doing it. The time will pass anyway; we might just as well put that passing time to the best possible use. – Earl Nightingale
Quotes underlined by the hand of John Pattersontaken from the book He Can Who Thinks He Canpublished in 1908 by Orison Swett Marden (1850-1924), the founder of Success Magazine

Self-reliance is the best capital in the world.

Self-deprecation is a crime.

The greatest enemies of achievement are fear, doubt and vacillation.

Every child should be taught to expect success.

If others can do such wonderful things why can not I?

Make a resolution that you are going to be an educated man.

The man who has learned the art of seeing things looks with his brain.

The best educated people are those who are always learning, always absorbing knowledge from every possible source and at every opportunity.

It is not such a very great undertaking to get all of the essentials of a college course at home, or at least a fair substitute for it.

People do not realize the immense value of utilizing spare minutes.

To eliminate every thing that can possibly retard us is the first preparation for a successful career.

Timidity also hinders freedom.

Many people are imprisoned by ignorance.

Get freedom at any cost.
Be yourself.

Let no consideration tie your tongue or purchase your opinion.

Multitudes of people, enslaved by bad physical habits, are unable to get their best selves into their work.

Your judgment is your best friend; your common sense is your great life partner.

’It can not be done’ cries the man without imagination. ’It can be done, it shall be done’ cries the dreamer.

Do not stop dreaming.

A test of the quality of the individual is the spirit in which he does his work.

Put the right spirit into your work.

Some people never see any beauty anywhere.

Others see it everywhere.

No matter how humble your work may seem, do it in the spirit of an artist, of a master.

Your life work is your statue.

Some of the greatest men in history never discovered themselves until they lost everything but their pluck and grit.

Responsibility is a great power developer.

Do not be afraid to pile responsibility upon your employees.

The way to bring out the reserve in a man is to pile responsibility upon him.

If there is anything in him, this will reveal it.

I know young men who believe in everybody but themselves.

Do not be afraid to trust yourself.

Have faith in your own ability to think along original lines.

If there is anything in you, self reliance will bring it out.

If one is so loosely attached to his occupation that he can be easily induced to give it up, you may be sure that he is not in the right place.

Today we carry out the inspiration of the day.

Almost anybody can resolve to do a great thing; it is only the strong, determined character that puts the resolve into execution.

The putting off habit will kill the strongest initiative.

Character is the greatest force in the world.

It is easy to find successful merchant, but not so easy to find men who put character above merchandise.

No substitute has ever yet been discovered for honesty.

Success can not be copied- can not be successfully imitated.

The principles by which the problem of success is solved are right and justice, honesty and integrity; and just in proportion as a man deviates from those principles he falls short from solving his problem.

Happiness is a condition of mind.

The very essence of happiness is honesty, sincerity, and truthfulness.

Real happiness is so simple that most people do not recognize it.

Few people ever learn the art of enjoying the little things of life as they go along.

No man can be happy when he harbors thoughts of revenge, jealousy, envy or hatred.

The world makes way for the man with an idea.

Do not imitate.

Resolve that you will be a man of ideas, always on the lookout for improvement.

Originality is the best substitute for advertising.

To be eccentric is not to be weak, but more often it is a sign of strength.

Do not be afraid of being original.

Do not imitate even your heroes.

Just be yourself.

The ability to read people at sight is a great business asset.

No idle life can produce a real man.

The idle man is like an idle machine.

It destroys itself very quickly.

Power gravitates to the man who knows how.

There is no word in the English language more misused and abused than ’luck’.

The highest service you can ever render the world, the greatest thing you can ever do, is to make yourself the largest, completest, and squarest man possible.

There is no other fame like that - no achievement like that.

The struggle to get away from poverty has been a great man-developer.

Poverty is of no value except as a vantage ground for a starting point.

It is the student who has to struggle hardest to obtain education that gets the most discipline and good out of it.

Quotes

Think and act- two words of progress
-- John Patterson

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Quote

Random Quote from Marsha Sinetar
"Rather than denying problems, focus inventively, intentionally on what solutions might look or feel like...Our mind is meant to generate ideas that help us escape circumstantial traps--if we trust it to do so. Naturally, not all hunches are useful. But then you only need a single good idea to solve a problem."

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Inspiration

Even the smallest star shines in the dark.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Think About this...

What makes a good or great card?


When do you like to get a card?


Do you hand deliver your cards or mail them?


Do you prefer to receive quality handmade cards or paper-printed cards?


What do you think your friends and family prefer to receive?


Do you find yourself sometimes buying cards at the last minute?


What kind of impact do you want your recipient of the card to have (feelings, emotions, etc)?


For what occasions do you send cards?


How many cards do you purchase per month?


How many cards do you purchase per year?


Have you ever been in a situation where you needed a card “right now” either because you forgot about the occasion/person or the need suddenly came up?


If yes, how does that make you feel?


What system do you use to remember special occasions such as friends/family birthdays, anniversaries, etc?


How would you describe your perfect card (i.e. what would it say, theme, colors, occasion, etc)


When is the best time to receive a card (birthday, Christmas, just because, just to say Hi, no reason, etc.)? name as many as you like

Quotable Inspiration

Be thankful for mistakes. They may lead you to solutions you never would have discovered before.
--Marilyn Hughey Phillis