As a blogger, people may know you, but how good does anyone really know you? Turns out, I've been invited to play a game of Blog-Tag! My good blog-buddy Becky Oehlers tagged me, so click on over to her blog-palace and be inspired by her papercrafts, or her professional singing, or her golden sense of humor. She's a boatload of fun! For those of you who just landed here from there, welcome to my creative blog where I ramble and rant and rave about my papercraft obsession. But wait, I don't stop rambling there ... oooooh noooo. My other blog "Dream Big" is where I ramble and rant and rave about my life and what's in my head. Pick your poison!
My love affair with the Crafty Secrets Victorian Christmas stamp set is officially over!. These last two cards complete my submissions to Papertrix, a wonderful stamp store located in Nashville, Indiana. I was delighted to be a card-designer for them and it kicked my Christmas Card-Making MoJo in high gear! My first card features tiny mini-pearls around the scallop. My second card did not photograph well because I could not get the flash to adjust to the wonderful, beautiful, gold & silver embossing ... but you get the idea, yes?
Let's dish for a quick minute about art-sketch stamps, such as this Victorian Christmas set. Here's the thing. It was a real challenge for me to create with these images. I found them to stamp so beautifully that it was almost hard to mess with Mother Nature! Some cards I liked more than others (particularly Father Time). Overall, I'm glad I stretched myself creatively.
Debbie Olson, over at Thinking Inking is having a birthday today! And this is my virtual "gift" to her for inspiring me to purchase my first Bella! You can see Debbie's Snowbunny Bella here, which sent me and my plastic to the Bella Store! I want to wish Debbie a very Happy Birthday and thank her for graciously sharing her time and talents.
I'm chipping away at Christmas cards. This is one I designed for Papertrix, a wonderful rubber stamp store located in Nashville, Indiana. This simple card would be easy to mass produce, yet it packs an elegant punch. First, I punched the card corners with an EK success elegant corner punch, and THEN I embossed with the Textile CB folder. {Let me emphasize the hint here - punch corners first and then emboss to avoid a jam in your corner punch, she said with authority!) I then added red cardstock as a background to add highlight to the corners, along with pearls. Father Time is stamped, then cut and embossed with spellbinders oval dies.
This beautiful garland is included in this Crafty Secrets stamp set, available at Papertrix. I used it to accent both the envelope and card-inside, using copics for coloring. I mean, after all, since the card was a 1-2-3 snap to do, why not go the extra mile for the receiver? When you care to send the very best .... you do! 
A quick post tonight for a quick card! Lots of CB embossing, layers, and punches make this card a snap. Not a lot of stamping here --- it's power to the punch baby! Folks, what DID we do in the days without CB embossing folders and punches? Well, it's kinda like comparing an old typewriter to the computer! I really like white on white embossing. It creates instant pizazz and who doesn't need that these days (that's what make-up and lipstick do for me too). I'm giving this card the ole' Sarah Palin "wink". Do I happen to like this easy peasy card? You betcha!
Therefore, I hereby challenge the one and only Becky Oehlers to sing Dashing thru' the Snow with me sometime! (I get to sing lead, kiddo - you can take the harmony.) First, we'll sing it your style (above), i.e. clear, crisp, clean lines, dotted with swiss cuttlebug, classy red crystal holly berries, all tied with a big beautiful bow.
Then, we'll sing it my style, i.e. frilly foo-foo, aged sheet music stained with coffee, busy scallop border and buttons, but alas -- all tied with a big beautiful bow! (For the record, I still like big hair too.)
A friend of ours is getting married this weekend, and this set has a really nice sentiment for that. {Note - there is a companion set of additional Quilters Sampler Sentiments also available at PaperTrey Ink. Yep, it's on my wish list!} The marriage sentiment is actually stamped on the inside of the card, below the layers of Martha Stewart Scallop Edged Punch.
This picture gives you a better viewpoint - to give you an idea of what on earth I am talking about! I placed the individual clear stamp quilt blocks on a glass block with grids to get an evenly placed image. Copics used were BG10, BG13, BG72, G21, Y21. We'll put a gift certificate inside and wa-la -- instant wedding gift!
I love the colors in this card! The DP is from K & Company and the copics used were RV11, RV14, R81, E31, Y28. Won't this be a colorful card to receive in the mail if you are under the weather? {Let me know if you get ickie sickie.}
These dark, rich colors really exemplify Janine's style best, but I found it challenging! By adding a chain scallop punch on one side (Paper Studio), and a strip of DP on the other side (Angel Co), I was finally satisfied. The saying is oh so adorable (much easier to read in real life): Birthday's are like quilts stitched together one year at a time. Copics used were V09, V15, E04, YG03.
Camie King recently released her newest stamp set through Gina K. Designs called Whimsical Autumn, which benefits the Alzheimer's Association (you probably already knew that unless you've been living under a rock :) I knew that I wanted to get involved because, as many of you know, we recently moved Kevin's sister to a nearby assisted living facility because of her Alzheimer's. I wish we had time for me to tell you story after heart-breaking story about caring for Jane, but many of you already know the pain. So all I would say is, if you are reading this and you are a stamper, please please please visit these links and support this worthy cause. And all the people said Amen!
I am sending card #1 to Jane's nurses aids who help with her daily meds. I used CB swiss dots, and two scallop edge punches (Martha Stewart Scallop and Fiskars threading water). I'm "crazy for copics" and the apple basket in Whimsical Autumn is perfect for coloring! Love the double ribbon treatment too!
I am sending card #2 to the dear sweet adorable lovely lady who lives across the street from Jane -- my mother. She tirelessly calls Jane for breakfast, exercise class, runs errands to the grocery, gathers up the neighborhood girls to help look after Jane, and rescues her each time Jane loses her house key --- pretty darn good for an 85 year old! God bless her. Love her guts!
I am giving card #3 to ....... JANE! Yes, she has Alzheimer's. Yes, she cannot remember details. Yes, she loses everything. But one thing she does - and does very well - is write notes to people. She believes letter-writing is a lost art, and she does her part to fix that by sending many cards and letters to family & friends. What better way for me to "share the love" in this Alzheimer's Outreach than to include JANE herself?!
Peoples of the craft world -- go hug an Alzheimer's patient today. Or hug a friend or family member of an Alzheimer's patient. Or hug your boss and tell him/her about this effort. But no matter what -- just smile when you do it! :)
Quote For Today: You can't live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.
I could not wait to get home from work on Friday and hit my stamp studio (okay-okay, it's really my dining room)! This week's stamp simply challenge issued by Sharon at No Time To Stamp was to follow a class act ... Jennifer Buck, one of the Stamp Simply team members. This was a jolly good time for me, because I normally like to doo-dad my cards just to the point that they can still fit in the envelope! LOL Well, Jenni, I gotta tell ya, you made a believer outa me .... cute-n-classy really rocks! 
My first card was a CASE of THIS card made by Jennifer, after reviewing her blog and her SCS Gallery. After I stamped and colored the corner flower/flourish from Hero Arts Clear Birds and Branches, I added diagonal scores at 1/2 inch intervals using my scor-pal. This allowed me to stamp the flower border using a "grid" so they were evenly placed. It really was EPLS (easy peasey lemon squeezy - as Jennifer says)! The card I CASED had a layer of vellum over the top, but I cut a clear acetate cover which almost makes it looked framed under glass! I then added a bow and put the crystals right on top of the clear acetate, along with the sentiment.
Well, call me BUCK-AROO because I went on to make a second card! Hey - this EPLS stuff is addictive - I recommend it! Notice the diagonal scores again? Well, okay dokey schmokey, I'll admit that the scor-pal IS one of my fav tools! Thanks for visiting. Whatcha waitin' for? Go create something Cute-n-Classey with the No Time To Stamp gang!
Although I like birds, I prefer "cute" to "real" but my sister-in-law, who struggles with Alzheimers, loves "real" birds so this set is for her! Jane believes that letter writing is a lost art, and she does her part by spending many hours writing notes to friends and family. That's VERY cool!
The birds are a clear stamp set by Martha Stewart. After coloring with Copic Markers, I dolled up the simple CB dotted swiss background with a few rows of Martha Stewart Scallop punches. Sheer ribbon and some crystals top it off. Knowing how to color birds "real" was a challenge for this chick!
I want to mention that Gina K. is currently offering a Whimsical Autumn stamp set that benefits the Alzheimers Association as part of her Stamps For A Cause Collection. I just ordered it, and you can bet I will be busy making cards for Jane as soon as it arrives. Go take a looksy, you'll be glad you did!
{Note -- I did manage to get a slight bit of "cute" in. Did you notice the bird house on the envelopes? Oh so tweet!}
How about a card inspired by page 85 of the new Stampin' Up catalog? No, it's not totally made with SU supplies, but the minute I saw the SU background stamp "stitches" I ordered it! Oh my, just think of the thinks I can think up with this background stamp?! If you own it, color you happy! Start the thinking!
Supplies:
Cardstock: SU Confetti Cream, Choc. Chip, Pink Pirouette
Inks: SU Choc Chip
Copics: R81, RV14, G28, YG03, W1
Punches: Martha Stewart Scallop, Fiskers Scallop
Stamps: Hero Arts Clear (Flower Blossoms), Sentiment is from CHF Silhouette Blooms I
Embellishments: Pearl Dots, Silver Thread
After cruisin' Tammy's Blog {and I suggest that you do, there is SO much to admire!}, I noticed that she often uses beautiful papers cut on a diagonal and she also makes good use of her sewing machine. Since I struggle to sew on a button, you will notice a faux sew-line that is hand-drawn around my perimeter card edges. Wa-la - now I can sew! And I even added Foofala buttons without using a needle and thread! The base cardstock is SU Confetti Cream and I used designer papers from K & Company's K-ology Collection, Hannah's Scrap Pad To Go.
The detail in Ellen Hutson's Lockhart Stamps always give me a warm, cozy feeling. Sweet Pea is the baby girl and Snips and Snails is the baby boy. As many of you know, I love to color with Copic Markers, and I have provided a color list at the bottom of this post. {Debbie Olson of Thinking Inking shares the most beautiful Copic colored work on her blog, if you ever need a little inspiration and tutorial - she's fabulous!}
I am a big fan of Tim Holz Antique Linen Distress Ink. Talk about warm & cozy! It's my go-to technique to add a hint of warmth ... just use a good stipple brush and dab dab dab around any stamped image. The Cuddle Up With Tammy challenge was especially fun for me because I rarely do 5 1/2 x 5 1/2 cards. So much room to work with! So I couldn't resist adding the embellishment of SU Photo Corners punch to balance things out.
Baby Girl Copics: R81, RV11, RV14, YG03, Y28, E37, W1, 0 Colorless Blender
Baby Boy Copics: BG10, B21, B34, Y28, E37, W1, 0 Colorless Blender
Get thee to No Time To Stamp and party down!
I needed a gift card set, so I figured - hey, why not stamp simply? So I went Dancin' With Dee and in a matter of no time at all, I had this 4-card gift set. The background is embossed with Cuttlebug Textile on SU Very Vanilla Cardstock - instant pretty! I used Martha Stewart's scallop punch to edge a second piece of SU Very Vanilla, and then I scored it diagonally at 1/2 inch intervals on my Scor-Pal before matting it on SU Groovy Guava. 
I went looking in my stash for 2-step stamps and since pickins was slim, I chose to use this blast from the past set from The Angel Company, Love and Joy. {I really need to go shopping at Kitchen Sink Stamps for some kick toosh 2 and3 and 4 step stamps!} I digress ... so I stamped the flowers in Burnt Sienna and Yellow Ochre ColorBox Chalk ink, and the stems in SU Old Olive and Certainly Celery ink. The flower centers are dotted with SU real red, in an effort to add yet another step to my dance! When the image was circle punched and matted on the Marvey Large Circle Scallop - it popped like a field full of flowers on a windy day! A butterfly fluttered in, compliments of Martha Stewart Classic Butterfly punch {love that thing}. Sentiment is from CHF Kim Hughes Silhouette Blooms II. 
