I finished these cards just in the nick of time! DH will be spending Father’s Day with our two married sons. We needed to leave for the airport at 6:30 and I was taking pictures of them at 6:15! So they may not be perfect photos. But since three of the four cards are now out the door and on their way, they are what they are!

This first card is for my DFIL. The image is colored with SU! reinkers. The designer paper is from Basic Grey’s “Scarlet’s Letter” .

Stamps: SU! “For Father”, “Sanded”, “Wonderful Favorites”
Papers: Watercolor, Very Vanilla, DP Basic Grey’s “Scarlet’s Letter”
Inks: Jet Black Stazon, SU! Reinkers in Ruby Red, Certainly Celery, Garden Green, Summer Sun, More Mustard, Creamy Caramel, Close to Cocoa, Not Quite Navy
Accessories: GG Ribbon, Eyelet, Miniature Screw Brads, Twine, Gel Pens

This card is for my DH. He looks pretty comfy there in his chair. And I’m so proud that he color coordinated his evening wear. He won’t get this card until he gets back from his trip. His two sons living here can give him a second special day. Hope the popcorn is still good by then. *chuckle* It was made with Liquid Applique. After using my heat gun to puff it up, I took a Summer Sun marker and colored around it. More LA would have helped to cover the stamped black lines, but I had to laugh. I can never pop a bag of microwave popcorn without burning some of it! So in reality this is pretty much what our popcorn looks like around here! I had so much fun with all the paper piecing on this one. Lots of dimension, too. The TV antena is colored with Sakura’s StarDust GellyRoll Pen and the TV screen is colored with their Glaze Gray Pen.

Next time I use this image, I will lay down some “carpet” and put up some wallpaper first and then stamp and paper piece on top of that. With the white walls and floor, DH almost looks like he is sitting in the dentist’s chair. Which brings us to card #3…

Stamps: MFT “Let’s Hear it for the Boys”
Papers: PTI White, Brocade Blue, Basic Black, DP..Lots!
Inks: Jet Black Stazon, Brocade Blue, Creamy Caramel, Blush Blossom
Accessories: GG Ribbon, Sakura’s StarDust GellyRoll Pen, Glaze Pen, Gel Pen

This card is for my DS Jeff, who is in dental school and who has just informed DH and me that we are going to be grandparents again come January! This will be Jeff and Kimberly’s first. So I thought I would get him started with his first Father’s Day card. Kimberly is my DDIL whose cards I have shared both here and over in my SCS Gallery. Actually Jeff has made me a card or two as well that I have also uploaded there.

All stamps, papers, inks and accessories are from Stampin’ Up! which makes this an SUO card. (Well except for that little piece of twine. I think I raided DH’s tool box some time ago and stole away with his ball of twine. Wonder if he ever missed it.)

Stamps: SU! “Winds of Grace”, “Wonderful Favorites”
Papers: Very Vanilla, Basic Black, SU! DP “Prints” in Blue Bayou
Inks: Jet Black Stazon, Not Quite Navy
Accessories: GG Ribbon, Brads, Twine

This card is for my DS Gary. He is the daddy to my sweet little twin granddaughters. The inside of the card reads, “Hats Off To You”. Parenthood came at a very young age for both him and his wonderful wife, Jenna.. just 19!! It was not easy.. the girls were very premature and when they were finally allowed to come home from the hospital they still had to have oxygen (as in tanks!) connected to them. Gary and Jenna were truly baptized by fire with these little ones and we are so proud of the great parents that they are. I love this image for Gary! It is so him… full speed ahead on life!

Stamps: Clear Art Stamps “Favorite Fellas”
Papers: PTI White, Basic Black, Real Red, DP Basic Grey’s “Scarlet’s Letter”
Inks: Jet Black Stazon
Accessories: Cuttlebug, Embossing Folder “Bubbles”, Jumbo Eyelet

I don’t know why I pulled out this set and made dinosaur cards. I need to make a graduation card and some Father’s Day cards. And I’m getting way behind on the SCS Christmas Card Challenge. So I know what. Let’s pull out the dinosaur set and make a couple of cards. I dunno. I guess it’s just like the sentiment on one of the cards says, “You’re never too old to do goofy stuff.”

This card’s layout is from Splitcoaststamper’s Sketch Challenge #173.

Stamps: Prehistoric Pals, Older & Wiser, IBB
Papers: Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla, DP Basic Grey “Archaic”
Inks: Chocolate Chip, Always Artichoke
Accessories: Rain Dots

This second card is an SUO (Stampin’ Up! Only) card which means that only products from Stampin’ Up! were used.

Stamps: Prehistoric Pals, Smarty Pants, IBB
Papers: Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Real Red, Very Vanilla
Inks: Basic Brown, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Real Red
Accessories: Twill, Jumbo Eyelets, Corner Punch

Today at school my 16 year old got his yearbook. Wow!! This is like the coolest yearbook I’ve ever seen. The “Eastlake” on the front cover is just like the letters that the kids get to sew onto their letterman’s jackets. Oh and the entire book is in color and printed on beautiful glossy paper with full page foldouts! I have to say I’m totally impressed!

GO WOLVES!!

Lori Craig has organized a Bible Verse Challenge over on Splitcoaststampers. “We’ll each create an on-going altered journal, rolodex card, scrapbook page, ATC or recipe card project… Each month we will choose a verse and get to stamping. We’ll add that piece to our collection.” Here is my first scripture card, the storage box and dividers.

Isn’t this a wonderful idea and challenge! I am just now joining in for the month of April. I plan to make this more than just a year long project.. perhaps a life long project. The scripture card hangs from the picture hooks in plain view all month. As I create the next month’s card, I will simply take the old one off from the hooks and file it under the month in which I created and memorized it. It will be easily available if I choose to refer back. Oh and another easy change each month could be the ribbon around the hangers. Thank you, Lori, for such a meaningful and awesome challenge!!

The finished box measures 5-3/4″ wide X 4-1/2″ tall X 3″ deep. Each scripture card measures 4″ X 5-1/4″. The center of the holes for the eyelets on the scripture card are 5/8″ from the top and 1″ from the side of the card.

The holes for the brads are placed 1/8″ from the top and 1-1/4″ from the side fold on the box.

These are just the regular inexpensive picture hangers that measure 7/8″ in length. The holes for the brads are placed 1/8″ from the top and 1-1/4″ from the side fold.

Each divider card measure 4-1/2″ X 5-1/2″ not including the tab.

Box and File Cards
Stamps: Full Calendar, Sanded
Paper: So Saffron, Always Artichoke, SU! DP “Le Jardin”
Ink: Always Artichoke
Accessories: Tab Punch, Brads, Picture Hangers, GG Ribbon or Organdy Ribbon

Scripture Card:
Stamps: A Light Unto My Path, Carte Postale, French Flair
Paper: So Saffron, SU! DP “Le Jardin”
Ink: Not Quite Navy, So Saffron, Jet Black Stazon
Accessories: Jumbo Pewter Eyelets, Crop-A-Dile, Rhinestone

For her inspiration piece this week, Beate has chosen this skirt from Coldwater Creek.

I have been trying to learn to brayer. When I saw this beautiful skirt I knew another brayered card was soon going to be attemped.

And I finally used my Build a Brad Kit. Nothing fancy.. just a plain piece of Taken With Teal card stock. But I love it. How cool to be able to match any card stock or color perfectly by making your own accessory with it.

Beate I LOVED this week’s inspiration piece. You pick ‘em good! I hope to be seeing a lot more of these colors in the next little bit as I’m headed off to Mexico for Spring Break. Will catch everyone on the other side!

Stamps: Essence of Love, Infinite Goodness
Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black, Taken With Teal
Ink: Taken With Teal, Cool Caribbean, Barely Banana, Certainly Celery, Old Olive, Jet Black Stazon
Accessories: Build a Brad (Pewter), GG Ribbon

Check this out! Silke Ledlow nominated me for this award! How cool is that! Isn’t it beautiful. *big grin*

Thank you, Silke! You made my day!

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Last week I went to this art class at my neighbor and artist extraordinaire Michelle’s home. I painted a blue tulip. It wasn’t very good and I decided after ONE lesson that I wasn’t going to continue. Then I read this post from Carol Lee:

1. # Carol Leeon 13 Mar 2008 at 6:14 am

   …Give yourself more time to learn! Nobody gets it perfect the first time. I bet your first stamped card was not your best work either… Practice more, you’ll be amazed at how much you’ll improve!!

So after I read that I took a look at the very first card I ever stamped 2-1/2 years ago. It was a workshop and I LOVED this card. Okay it’s cute but I decided maybe Carol was right.

I was expecting my first attempt to look like Michelle’s current masterpieces.. Art that she has been able to paint only after years and years of study and practice. So the bottom line… I went to another class. This lesson was only about painting shapes like squares and cylinders and cones. Using yellow and red paint we had to blend them to create at least three values to show the light and shadow as well as the shape. Here is my cone.

Try as I might I could NOT get a point on the top. So I added a pompom to make it a hat! lol Poor Michelle. She is trying to be really patient with me. Sorry Michelle. I’ll try to behave next time. hehe

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I hadn’t been home long when I realized I had forgotten my DBIL’s birthday. So I made this card for him.

I tried to use a little of what I had just learned about lighting and shading. This is an SUO card.

Stamps: For Father, Twill, It’s Your Birthday
Paper: Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip, Watercolor, Prints DP (More Mustard)
Ink: Jet Black Stazon and Reinkers and Markers
Accessories: Old Olive Poly-Twill Ribbon, Brad, Aquapainters

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The birthday card is for “Patty’s Bad Day” hubby. Patty is my DSIL who fell on some ice a couple of weeks ago and shattered her leg, dislocated her ankle and had to have some major surgery to repair everything. Several people have asked how she is doing. Well she’s doing okay… she emailed some pictures. Oh my they are… well gruesome! Don’t worry. I haven’t posted any of those. But this one shows all of the pins and plates that she had to have put in her leg. She definitely is going to have fun going through airport security from now on! lol

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And finally the last dish on the Smorgasbord table. Deb Wood has tagged me! I haven’t been blogging very long but I think that means that I’m supposed to list 7 things about myself.. That in itself is easy enough but I think they are also supposed to be interesting. And therein lies the rub!

1. I lived for 5 years in London England where my 4th son was born.

2. My first job as a teenager was an usherette. Now you younger people probably don’t even know what that is! But when you went to the movies back in the 60’s, there would be a girl standing at the back with a flashlight who would help you find a seat if you wanted or needed it. Since I would have to stand there for the entire movie I ended up seeing some movies so many times I had them memorized.

3. Also when I was a teenager I played classical piano for ballet classes. It paid a whole lot better than babysitting!

4. I hiked to the top of Mount Vesuvius in Italy. There is a chairlift for tourists but it was broken the day we were there so we decided to hike it. I was 5 months pregnant at the time!

5. I married my childhood sweetheart… Literally. We met when we were 3 years old! I’m 23 days older than him and he likes to tease me about his “old lady” and how I “robbed the cradle” for those 23 days until his birthday.

6. I am a certified scuba diver. On my 50th birthday my DH took me diving in Tahiti. One of the dives was with sharks! Another was a deep dive where we sat on the ocean floor and huge 12′ manta rays kept swimming over us within touching distance.

7. I have a Harley. *Insert my family rolling their eyes here. It has been years since I rode it. Not sure I would even remember how!*

Now I think I’m supposed to tag someone. So what I would like to do is for anyone who has actually read to the bottom of this post (and who would like) to list 7 things about themselves. Let me know when you have done so. I would LOVE to read them!

Don’t you just love Fridays. Have a great one!

So somewhere between St. Patrick’s Day and Easter, I’m making Christmas cards. It’s the 2008 Holiday Card Challenge group that I have joined over at Splitcoaststampers that has caused this strange behavior! Each month from January through November we are to make 10 cards. The challenge was changed a little this year from last. So instead of just Christmas cards it is now 10 “Holiday” cards per month. That way if someone doesn’t need 100+ Christmas cards they can mix it up to include Easter or 4th of July or whatever holiday they choose. But it needs to be 10 cards per month. Here are my March cards.

On the first card I completed I put a rhinestone brad to finish it off. But I decided I actually liked it better without the brad. The one card had to keep it as there was a nice hole there, but the others were spared! This is an SUO card meaning that all products used to make this card are Stampin’ Up! only.

I’m so happy that I joined this group. I now have 30 cards already done just waiting to go!

Stamps: Paint Prints, Floral Backgrounder, All-Year Cheer III
Paper: Handsome Hunter, Whisper White
Ink: Handsome Hunter, Bravo Burgundy, Apricot Appeal
Accessories: Satin Ribbon in Purely Pomegranate, Brads

* * * * * * * * * * * * BLOG CANDY ALERT * * * * * * * * * * * *
Oh and come back tomorrow. I still have several of the 2008 SAB sets to send out to someone. It could be you!!!

How cool is this picture! It is a painting by Ivan Reyes. It is also Beate’s inspiration piece this week.

As soon as I saw this piece a couple of different cards came to mind. Both are very different styles. I couldn’t decide which way to go with it so I did both. The first one has a retro feel to it and uses DCWV’s new textured scalloped card stock. Isn’t it fun. There are page pebbles of varying sizes placed over the multicolored circles.

The second card was created by coloring the stamps with markers and the spritzing them with water before stamping them. This gives the images the look of being watercolored. It is also an SUO card meaning only Stampin’ Up! products were used.

Beate, thanks for another great inspiration piece!

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Card 1
Stamps: Sentiment Circle of Friendship
Paper: Old Olive, Yoyo Yellow, Only Orange, Whisper White, DCWV Textured Scalloped Card Stock
Ink: Jet Black Stazon
Accessories: Page Pebbles, Ribbon from Michael’s $ Spot, Circle Punches

Card 2
Stamps: Easy Elegance (Retired), Lots of Thoughts
Paper: Old Olive, Basic Black, Whisper White
Ink: Basic Black and Markers: Old Olive, Summer Sun, Only Orange
Accessories: Black GG Ribbon, Gold Cording, Small Oval Punch, Small Hole Punch, Brad

Yup it’s Friday and that means it’s the Limited Supplies Challenge over on Splitcoaststampers. Today we were supposed to use our own handwriting someplace on the card. Here is the challenge. And here is my card.

I used an SU! Not Quite Navy marker to print the “Happy Birthday”. The candlelight was made by punching a small circle in a piece of paper and then, using it as a mask, sponging Summer Sun so that only a small “hazy” looking dot appeared on the card. The patterned paper is SU!’s new “Afternoon Tea”. I LOVE this new collection. The image panel is popped up on dimensionals.

Stamps: She’s All That

Paper: Blue Bayou, Whisper White, DP “Afternoon Tea”

Ink: Blue Bayou, Not Quite Navy, Summer Sun

Accessories: Double Stitched GG Ribbon in Groovy Guava, Border Punch

You know how sometimes you see a certain image and you simply fall in love with it right then and there? Well okay maybe you have to be a little obsessed to fall in love with a stamp… but this little park bench surely found my heart in a hurry. It is from the new SU! set called “Time for You.”

I stamped the image with Timber Brown Stazon on watercolor paper. I colored it with reinkers and lighted sponged the edges with Bashful Blue.

This is an SUO (Stampin’ Up! Only) card. The designer paper is from their “East Coast Prep” collection. I’m still debating my choice of papers. It seems a bit too cheery for this sentiment. But it is what it is! And the ribbon is their brand new striped GG.

Stamps: Time for You, Tagger’s Dozen

Paper: Real Red, Watercolor, East Coast Prep DP

Ink: Bashful Blue and Reinkers: Real Red, Cameo Coral, Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Creamy Caramel, Timber Brown Stazon

Accessories: Brads (Real Red), Striped GG (Real Red)

Oh I had such fun tonight playing with some of my new stamps from SU! I love the solid image stamps. They just lend themselves to a brayered background. Here is a fabulous tutorial by Michelle Zindorf. She shows in perfect detail how to achieve these beautiful backgrounds.

This card is for the Inspiration Challenge #115 over at Splitcoaststampers. I used the colors for my inspiration and although the winged creatures on the inspiration piece are birds I was inspired to use the butterfly stamp from this set. (Okay okay the butterfly stamp was out and handy so I used it instead of looking for a bird. That’s inspiraiton right? *chuckle*)

I took a piece of Whisper White card stock and stamped the flowers with Versamark. I then sprinkled it with Crystal Clear embossing powder and heat set. After that I brayered in So Saffron, More Mustard and Really Rust inks. The butterflies and sentiment were then stamped on with Jet Black Stazon.

This is an SUO (Stampin’ Up! only) card meaning all products used on this card are from Stampin’ Up!.

Stamps: Essence of Love

Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black

Ink: So Saffron, More Mustard, Really Rust, Jet Black Stazon, Versamark

Accessories: Very Vanilla Taffeta Ribbon, Embossing Powder, Brayer