Baby Shower Card

Happy Weekend To You!

No, I haven't gotten lost . . . 

I have had myself sewing a receiving blanket and burp cloths

 for my daughter-in-law's baby shower.

I will be a first time "Grammy" before long.

Now I have the card ready, so off in the mail it goes on Monday! 

Certainly I would be at the shower myself, however, 

we are in Minnesota and they are in Arkansas . . .

I know  . . .  bummer, right!

I am not an experienced seamstress, in fact, it's been over 20 years since I've sewn anything,

 but my Mom coached me and although it's not perfect - I am pretty pleased with the results.

Here's just a corner photo of the blanket . . . 

I think the fancy stitching on my Mom's sewing machine is so cool!

Actually, I never knew sewing could be fun, too!

My Mom and have also been sewing Christmas Gifts. 

I may show you those later on . . .

That's part of the reason why I haven't been posting anything.

I have to say, I am amazed and impressed with how many different companies there are selling awesome stamps and dies.

My new found interest in blogging has certainly sent me on a path of seeing 

multitudes of awesome cards that you all have made!

Then, of course, I am so impressed with the stamps and dies you've used,

 I've had to find out where to get them!

 Dangerous!!! I will need another job if I don't tow the mark!!!

Enjoy your weekend!

Washi Butterfly

Washi Tape Fun!

Giraffe Baby Card

Hello, Long time no see!

Well, this past weekend I found the instructions for this cute punch card here.

Normally, I do not do cards that I call "24 hour cards" because of all the 

tedious little multiple tasks and tiny pieces to achieve the end results.

However, not only is this giraffe absolutely adorable,

(Thank you, Kellie, for the excellent instructions),

I have a particularly important reason for making this card.

Our son and daughter-in-law will be having our first grandchild
about December 11,

it will be a surprise as to whether the baby is
a boy or a girl (so no pink or blue).

Our son asked us if we wanted to make any bets as to
whether the baby is a boy or a girl.

My answer was "Boy!", my husbands answer was "Yes!"

Smarty Pants! It will be a boy or a girl, certainly!!!

Well, I have a financial gift to send them from our family
to help them purchase a crib.

Since they live in Arkansas and we are in Minnesota,
we won't be having a baby shower as "normal",

so this is our baby gift to them.
I thought this card a perfect one to send our gift in!

Hope your week is starting out beautifully, mine certainly is!

Washi Tape Fun

Good Morning!

Well, the good news is that I just finished mowing our yard,

which is a challenge for me.

Our good mower is on the blink and I had to use the old push mower.

It does have a motor, but it's so hard to push.

Let's just say I got my exercise - could I say "for the week?"

I suppose not, but good for a try anyway!!!

I had some fun last night!

Washi Tape is so easy and fun.

My husband likes this one!

Enjoy your day!

More on the way - I was on a roll last night - playing, of course!

Alcohol Ink Peacock

My dear friend created this art piece.

Imagine!  She likes alcohol inks, too.

We have a wonderful time together! 

Have an awesome day!

Washi Tape Challenge - Graduation

Hello!

My friend at: stampingupnorthwithlaurie.blogspot.com

is always so creative and certainly on top of challenges.

Thanks to her, I became aware of this Just Us Girls with a Washi Tape Challenge.

Yeay, Fun!!!

You have just a little time to enter this Challenge - just in the nick of time!

Vintage New Year's Crackle

Well, I am totally out of my "norm",

but I was soooooo curious if I could figure out the 

crackle look and my Mom had printed out some of these adorable 

vintage pictures that I thought I'd put to use.

I hope you can see the linen texture in the cream frame and the crackle texture of the photo.

I am TOTALLY impressed!

My friend and I sit and giggle as we create and I think my favorite word is:

"Impressive"!!!

It's ok to be impressed with yourself, isn't it?

Have a marvelous day!
PS - No alcohol ink . . .?

Another Southwestern Look!

I'm liking this one too!

Alcohol Inks with a touch of Gold.

Have a wonderful day!

Southwestern Alcohol Inks

Good Morning!

Back to Alcohol Inks and fussy cutting!

I think the stamps are beautiful!

Enjoy Your Day!!!

Ferns and Alcohol Inks - again!

Ok - I know you've been missing alcohol inks!!!

Ha! Ha!!!

Fern die, alcohol inks, a deckle-edged rectangle with linen cardstock 

and look what you get!

Hope you have a great week!

It's your day! Digi Stamp

I have seen some really cute cards and found out they are "Digi" stamps.

So here is my first try at this kind of stamping. 

I colored it with alcohol inks and think he's pretty cute!

Thanks, Mary H. for directing and instructing me on how to go about this!

Funky Flowers

Quick. Easy. Fun!!!

More Washi Tape and Butterflies

Well, Washi tape is still easy and fun and soooooo Quick!

Alcohol Inks still rule, but Washi tape ranks right up there.

Quite frankly, what doesn't rank up there!

Have Fun!!!

Washi Tape and Butterflies

More Easy and Fun!

Washi tape, embossing folders and Butterflies!

Washi Tape "Stripes"

Surprise!!!

NO ALCOHOL INKS!!!

Temporary, only Temporary!

Washi tape is fun too!

I am entering this card into the "Stripes" challenge with Casology!

Find the information here

Alcohol Ink Painting

Well, Hello!!!

If you've been wondering where I went . . . well, not far!

I was invited to the lake to spend a day with my dear friend and her family

who were vacationing for a week.

How awesome is it to be included - and fed - and directed to "just sit there!"

I did the most "Nothing" that I think I've even done in my life in one day.

I did more "Nothing" that day than I did on the day I returned from surgery!

It was a perfect day and I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

Wonderful people, Beautiful weather!!!

Thank you for including me

For those of you observant mathmeticians, you know that one day does

not equal the number of days since my last post . . . 

What can I say? Excuses, excuses . . . nonetheless, here I am again and 

Alcohol Inks it is! 

Were you expecting something different?

Ha!!!

This was a different technique, however.

I actually painted the inks on with a paintbrush.

First, of all, I stamped the image with Memento black ink and

allowed it to dry well.

Secondly, I dropped only a drop or two of each color of alcohol ink into separate wells of a

plastic ink pallete that I'd gotten at Michaels.
In one well I put several drops of Alcohol blending solution.

I wet the brush slightly with the solution

 (not dripping, if it's too wet, just touch the drips to a dry paper towel)

 and lightly touched the ink with the tip of the brush. 

Then, by simply dragging the brush across the glossy cardstock, I painted!!!

The ink in the wells dry quickly, however, by softening the brush in the alcohol

blending solution first, it's easy to pick up the dry ink.

This is a very thrifty manner of painting - it hardly takes any ink.

Be sure to clean you brush with the blending solution, 

wiping the brush until clean on paper towel  between each color.

I did these 2 cards and was so very impressed with myself

because I have never, ever painted anything I was proud of until now!

My son and a good friend told me that I should frame them!!!

Aren't alcohol inks totally AMAZING!!!

Butterfly

Hello! I hope your day was a beautiful one!

Here's my Alcohol Ink card for the day, 

complete with Memory Box die and embossed.

It just wouldn't be right if I didn't keep the alcohol inks creating!!!

Have a restful sleep! 

Sunflower with Copics

Hi! Thanks to everyone who have been checking out my new blog and cards!

It's certainly fun to share and encouraging to hear back from so many of you!

Thanks for taking the time to visit . . . 

This is actually the very same stamp as the set of sunflower cards a few posts ago!

Suprise! Not my regular alcohol ink creations. 

Copic markers, though! 

Still alcohol ink. Ha! Ha!!!

 Truly, I am terrible at coloring, 

but I seem to be able to achieve satisfaction with Copics. 

So, they are my favorite coloring tools.

I would like to try inktense pencils, therough. 

Anyone with input on those?
I am entering this card in the "emboss" Wednesday challenge through SimonSaysStamp
See information here.

CAS(E) this Sketch Challenge Butterfly

Good Saturday Morning To You All!

Beautiful weather here in Minnesota and I and my cat, Max, are enjoying it!

I just can't get off the alcohol ink and Memory Box Dies kick.

Of course, add a little Stampin' Up ribbon and use an embossing folder . . . 

Waaaallaaa - Ah ha, I'm tickled!

The results are always so beautiful, no matter what I do,

I end up giggling at myself! 

I giggle because I feel artistic and these products help me with that!

So, 3rd day, 4th Challenge!

My friend, Laurie, was right! I think I'm hooked!

Talk about artistic! Take a look at her blog.

She's always coming up with impressive and fun cards! 

This card I am entering into the CAS(E) this Sketch.

See the details here:
Have a Wonderful Weekend!

House Mouse Challenge

Ok, so I entered a challenge yesterday and my dear friend and

valuable blog coach told me I would be hooked now - could she be right?

This is my 2nd challenge in 2 days . . .

House Mouse challenge "All About Summer". You can see details here.
I enjoy all my varieties of flower and colors outside.
It certainly looks like this Mr. Mouse is having a great time!
Enjoy your summer!!!

Roses are Something Special

This card starts with the Rose die from Penny Black
cut out of alcohol ink backgrounds.

The rose is mounted on white linen cardstock and then
Stampin' Up Pretty in Pink cardstock, 

 both cut out of Spellbinders Dies.
The pink layer is mounted with dimensionals
onto the white linen cardstock base
which is scored on both sides.

The words are from Technique Tuesday Greenhouse Society,
stamped with Stampin' Up Pretty in Pink ink and
cut with an oval Spellbinders die.

I am entering this card in the Penny Black die challenge,
 which is my very first challenge ever!
 See the details here.
Also, I entered this card in the Through the Craft Room Door
"Anything Goes" Challenge.
See the details here.

Hello Baby

Memory Box and Alcohol Inks Baby Card. 

Inside says: Hello Baby

Wedding

Well . . .  silver and pearl alcohol inks made a beautiful background for this wedding/silver anniversary card. I am still learning how to take good photographs and this doesn't show the beauty of the colors and sheen. Practice will make better, at least - so, I will keep practicing - photographs, I mean, alcohol inks - that is a given! 

Sunflower Cards

My friend and I had another "Fun" Day. Once we get started with the alcohol inks - we just can't seem to quit. It is so awesome to see the varieties of shades of colors that come out of just one inking of the felt pad. I can generally get 6 backgrounds out of one inking with a little additional alcohol blending solution on the last 2 cards. It was fun to decorate the insides of the cards, too. If you haven't tried playing with alcohol inks - you certainly should!

Pretty Pink Flower

Long time ago stamp, I believe from Angel Company.
Still as pretty as ever!
Love the matting . . .
Have a Great Day!

Alcohol Ink on Transparency

Another alcohol ink creation - isn't it absolutely amazing what can be done?
This one is stamped on one side of the transparency and colored with alcohol inks on the
 other side. I chose the colors of inks I wanted and dropped a couple of drops of
each into wells of a plastic ink palette.
Using a small paint brush I picked up color and simply painted the image.
Alcohol inks dry extremely fast,  but it's no problem. Just use the solution to moisten the brush
 and then dip into the dry ink. It re-wets the ink on the brush and off you go again! Yeay!!!
I put a designer paper behind the transparency and attached with brads

Peach Bella Boutique

a

Isn't it amazing what can be created with just a few colors of cardstock, embossing folders and dies!!!
Linen Cardstock is a favorite of mine as well. Well, what can I say . . . in cardmaking I have alot of favorites -
 sort of like ice cream. . . . mhmmmmh, . . . ice cream . . .
Happy Sunday to You All!

Fern Alcohol Ink

Well, I thought I would post one more yet tonight.
But, be certain . . . this is just the beginning!

One final thing . . . we were told this past week that my husband and I are going to
be Grandparents the first part of December!
Guess where we will be over Christmas?
Holding a baby - that's for sure!
Good Night and Happy Stamping with Alcohol Inks and Memory Box Dies!!!!

Memory Box Dies

I just cannot leave well enough alone!
Recently, my friends and I were on a roll and we were creating away!
Still, of course, alcohol inks and Memory Box Dies!
So much Fun!!!

Mustang Alcohol Ink

Wow! This Stampscapes Mustang Stamp is such a detailed stamp!
It's pretty clear that alcohol inked backgrounds are by far my most
favorite mode of operation!!!
Playing with alcohol inks are so interesting.
 Even when I use the same color inks on a  new felt pad -
 I never seem to get the same look again.          
 I can generally get 5 or 6 backgrounds on glossy cardstock (4 1/4" x 5 1/2") out of 1 felt pad just
by adding a few drops of blending solution on the last two!
The shades differences are so awesome!!!!
Fun, Fun, FUN!!!

Bella card

Welcome to  my new blog!
You'll be seeing alot of variations of this card as the days go by.
Without question, alcohol inks and Memory Box dies are my favorite of all things to work with. This was my first trial with the new blue ink that recently came out.
White linen cardstock, alcohol inks on glossy cardstock, Memory Box Bella Boutique and Lucienne Tile Dies