New Year Wishes---and Thank Yous

These cards use stacking word dies (Thanks from Honeybee) a gift from my BFF....and Happy is from a two word set that has gotten separated from it's manufacturer's folder. I am pretty sure it is SSS Happy Birthday diset, though. (Simon-Says-Stamp-HAPPY-BIRTHDAY-Wafer-Die-SSSD111559)   I used glitter paper by SU and DCWV Tack Metallicsa.  These are on plastic release film and are double sided sticky when the Metallics washi tape sheets are diecut.  The card with the tree is a Tim Holtz  #66097 Woodlands and the deer are from Poppy Stamps #1934 Jumping Deer Trio.  Other stamps are Lawn Fawn and Avery Ellie sentiment stamps and even a Studio E single alphabet stamp.  I used stitched mats frames fro Spellbinders as well as Memory Box Wrapped Stitch Rectangles.  The snowy scene winter overlay photoback was designed by Karen Schulz. (Snickerdoodle Designs by Karen)  These are touched with snowwriter for dimansion.  The 2018 numbers (negative and positive) are from the Sidekick mini die cutting machine stamp and dieset with the purchase.  LOVE that little bitty machine for little bitty projects.

SU DP, and My Favorite Things Cloud stencil and blue (and yesllow) distress oxide ink on mat

Santa Pants

Following a tutorial at Splitcoast Stampers written by Twila Davis, I actually created four of these little Santa Pants, and into them went cookies, fudge, Christmas Candy Cane hearts, and one of the Punchboard Peppermint Patty snowmen  I had them all delivered but the first one (the "test") before I realized that my pictures had not come out of the four of them, and I had only one left to take a photo of for posting.  Accents on the other ones were things like making the buckle out of gold glitter paper, and making the belt out of shiny black foil paper.  I used SU really red paper, and even thought of gluing on some cotton.  The basket is adorable, and the minis would be just as much fun to make.  Thank you Twila for the fun. I used Enamel Accents for white detail on the mouth and the eyes, and the "tree branches" from the tree in Hero Arts "Thorntree and Grasses" dieset for the snowmen's arms, that don't show in the picture.   Worked out much better than real twigs.

Christmas Wishes

This snowy cabin was created by my dear friend Tracy Wray for Whimsy Stamps.  (sentiment sheets) It is called Christmas Wishes, and is a digital "collection" not just a digistamp.  There are Holiday and Winter sentiments, and several beautiful graphics on this single sheet she has designed.  You can find this page   I have colored the little cabin with Prismacolor Pencils and have created the snow scene using TCW Shimmery Golodness and Decoart's Snow writer which as been painted onto the printed image.  (I reduced the opacity a little bit of the printed sheet so that the lines were less detailed.) US  users will want to resize the sheet to 8.5x11.  This card is a 5"x 5" card on very light gray cardstock.

Only the rooftop shows the shine of the  Shimmery Goodness which is on all the snow, the rich texture created by the snow writer is on the fence and tree branches.  The light in my craft toom yellowed this a bit, it is really dramatic white, and so much fun to do.  Thank you Tracy for sharing your talent and for this wonderful single sheet of wonderfully winter designs.

Calendars

I made a couple of Calendars for 2018 for gifts for special people.  It's a year long project, creating (and printing) a page each month for the next year.  Then today assembling and binding them.  Particularly pleased this year. 

Christmas Cards_with tim holtz

Tim Holtz die (661064) Tree line was used to create this "positive" and "negative" card.  The glimmer paper is by Simon Says Stamp, and the green is acrylic paint. Stickers finish the cards.

See others from a year ago:  HERE

Favorite Place--Puppy Hugs

The graphics are by Paulette of TLC Creations for these two cards.  One is a top fold that lifts up to display the sentiment and the other a side fold, done in grey, black and white.  White embossed sentiment is by Lawn Fawn from Scripty Sayings stampset.

Pussy Willow Sprite

This cute little Pussy Willow Sprite can be for any occasion...for today she's a Birthday wish.  The Polish Legend of the Pussy Willow shows that at Eastertime, the Pussy Willow is the one flower that tells the rest of the world that it is time to wake up.  This dry, sort of a twig--suddenly bursts forth with a flower of life, and is the first plant to bloom.

The Sprite is colored in Prismacolor Pencils and is finished with pearls, wink of stella and white Posca pen.  She and the other sprites are all designed by Aurora  Wings, Mitzi Sato-Wiuff

Snowflake Embossing

I used the Half & Half Snowflakes cutting dies and stamp set from Hot off the Press to create these cards.  I embossed the stamp,  I "debossed" the die and I worked with holographic embossing powder (Ranger) and some Martha Stewart microfine glitter--also "Little Things" accents from Lucy's Shop (Ice Cube mix).  I also spritzed with Perfect Pearls mists, worked with Tonic Nuvo drops and 3d crystal glaze used as an adhesive.  The embossed sentiments are from Half and Half and Inkadinkadoo Christmas stampsets. The seafoam stamp is Distress ink Iced Spruce. Debossing and then overstamping took some practice, as did working with the properties of the holographic EP.    (Advuise placing and versamarking all stamps at once and then embossing in one process. I did it in three and previous inkings had to be redone and re-embossed (on the gray card)

York Snowmen

These cute little guys followed a fun tutorial on Splitcoast Stampers by Jackie Topa.  They are made with a punchboard and paper scraps, washi tape and findings.   There are a bunch more of these in my future before January this year!  Cute, easy--fun  These are going to the front office at the Police Department.

Onamernt Girls November

This pretty pepperming pinwheel ornament is the November Club Kit with Oranament Girls.  I have made dozens of ornaments folding fabric before, and am excited to be in the little Club where I don't have to cut my own squares!!!  I love the spiral that this particular ornament builds.  Fun to do, and fun to share.   See Ornament Girls for this sort of crafting with the work taken out of it and only fun left!

Seasonally Scattered Thanks

The stamp from Seasonally Scattered (SU) was stamped in Fresh Fig (SU), heat embossed, then the letering was masked and the background brushed with daffodil yellow and tangelo twist (SU). The cards are finished with rhinestones, stickles and a satin bow. the sentiment stamp is from Elle Avery "Sentimental" (ST-16-01)

Autumn Sprite Note Card

The adorable Autumn Sprite is colored in Prismacolor Pencils and mounted on SU Watermelon Wonder Paper with matching accent bow.  She is finished with stickles, wink of stella and enamel dots.  The stitched rectangle die cuts are Memory Box Wrapped Stitched Rectangles. This will probably become a Thank You note, but I haven't put any sentiment on the cardfront.

Merry Christmas Winter's Frost

I have done a number of cards similar to this, but this one really pleased me. It is a winter photo background created by Karen Schulz in her kit "Winters Frost" touched with several kinds of snow-and glitter snow paste, mounted on glitter paper. The deer are cut from the  Jumping Deer Trio (Poppy Stamps) out of the same white glitter paper.  The black heat-embossed sentiment banners are Holiday Swoosh by Papertrey Ink. 

Luck in 2018

This stand up card was inspired by Kelly Atchison at Splitcoast Stampers.  I used DP by SU and glitter paper to cut out the horseshoe from Cherry Lynn's Arizona Cowboy dieset.  The calendars were purchased through Amazon and the stamp is from SU Occasions Alphabet. 

Sprinkle the Dust

For this delicate card created in spritz-bleached distress ink on 140# watercolor paper.  I used the Dandelion Stem, and Posing and River Faeries dies all by Poppystamps. Fairies are cut from silver fine glitter paper and the dandelion stem from shiny white photo paper, embedded in the background. As always the glimmer and glittery delicacy of this card does not show in a photograph.  Glitter I used was fine glitter "sugar cube" by Martha Stewart. The sentiment reads "Wave the wand and sprinkle the dust.  Make a Wish, in Fairies we trust!  

More Halloween Fun

Pumpkin graphics are by Make it Crafty colored in Prismacolor Pencils

Happy Halloween sentiment is from Celebration Simply Sayings a stamp by Lawn Fawn black embossed

Background is from a Panos FX action called "Spooky"

All elements of this card front were created in Photoshop with the Spooky Action set by Panos 

Acetate gift box card

 I had a lot of fun figuring out how to do this after I saw someone's technique video online a couple of weeks ago!   This card is made with some background paper I created in Photoshop, some black embossed and watercolor inked leaves (Ksaleidacolor Autumn Leaves) from Gina K Stitched Leaves Mini kit.  The 2"square acetate box is from SU filled with any color raffia or shredded paper, or lined with designer paper.  The Bow was created with 123 bowmaker punch board by We R Memory Keepers,  and is easily removable as it sits on the double base of this top fold card.  The sentiment is from the same Stitched Leaves Mini kit and die and is triple layered for dimension.

Thinking of you Get Well Card for my friend Barbara

The brown cardstock is embossed with a Darice autumn leaves folder,  the borders are copper stickers around the artpiece and the orange mat.  She is colored in prismacolor pencils and I am pretty sure she is a Sherrie Baldy graphic, but I can't find the original now to see how I labeled it before I printed it for this card.

The inside sentiment reads:  "I wanted to write something cheery and fun on this "Get Well Soon Card" for you.  But theere's nothing cheery or fun about shoulders getting replaced.  So here's all our support!  We're hoping you heal quickly and that the road to recovery is short and sweet (or long and cruisy, if you prefer)".

Shimmery Goodness--Halloween Style

This 5x7 card on black cardstock is the "Witchcraft (and cat) die #662368 cut from black and mounted on light gray cardstock. The stencils are  SU "Pattern Party" bricks and MFT 6x6 Mixables "Mini Cloud Edges"   This time I used a dauber for a very thin application of TCW Shimmery Goodness for the background stenciling.  

 Detail of the Shimmery  Goodness stenciling shows in the angled shot below

Papers N Pixels Club

October is my turn to decorate our Club's window in the Pioneer Center (our big recreation center here in  Sun City).  Here's what I did!   I love it!

"front" from the hallway

"Front" f rom the Craft room side.

Poinsettia Sprite_Aurora Wings

The adorable Poinsettia Sprite is the centerpiece of this top fold card.  She is colored in Prismacolor Pencils, and finished with  Wink of Stella and some gold and bright blue stickles and Nuvo clear drops  The Sentiment is from Just  Rite Stamps collection Elegant Christmas Swirls (AG02052)   The idea is "partial die cut" for the top of the card, but it is hand cut-not die cut  only because I had not positioned the image correctly when I printed it (so the image didn't end up stamped on the top fold of the card to be cut away.  Papers are SU real red and whisper white.

Post It projects

This is "round one" of several projects I will be making for sale at the Sun  City Craft Fair in November. These are created with Hero Arts Layering Owl Die, with Botanical Blooms (SU) Cotage  Cutz Owls on a Branch. and others.  The little pens are Bazic Keychain ballpoint pens.  Tip.  Get Post its at Costco.  The ones from Amazon are nice, but half as thick, so they need to be doubled up for this particular project. (All are genuine Post Its)  There is a friendship saying stamped on the first sheet of each project.  "Friendship is not a big thing, it's a million little things"  Some have embossed fronts, and silhouettes (the elephant) as the artpiece topper and some have holographic ek success owl stickers.  

Happy Halloween

Tim Holtz amazing Witchcraft (and cat) die (662386)are the focus of this Hallowee'n card.  The mat is created by brushing distress ink on the deep embossing of the   Sizzix Textured Impressions Prism  Geometrics 3D Embossing Folder (661951)  Paper colors are SU Cajun Craze and black.  Little Ghost stickers are from Pop-ups-etc (starform stiickers) and the Happy Halloween sentiment is from Teeny  Tiny Wishes by SU.  There's a tiny bit of black Wink of Stella on the hat and broom.

Using Shimmery Goodness and Su Stencils for the bricks and clouds. Little bat is a sticker from PopUps Etc.

Warm Winter Wishes

I created this card for our dear friends who are moving to Pennsylvania soon.  We will miss our wonderful weekly lunches, and the wonderful times, and the sad ones too,  we've shared.  Friendship isn't a big thing--it's a Million Little Things--part of the inside sentiment for the card with a Miran's drawing of Warm Winter Wishes.  She is done in Prismacolor pencils and finished with a snowflake border brushed with Nuvo Glimmer paste.  Wink of Stella, snow glitter, 3d Crystal glaze, and other accents are on the card.  She is mounted on SU gray and soft green paper.

Good Luck and Love, 

Donny and Sylvia!

The Cardinal Sprite by Aurora Wings

This little Cardinal Sprite is trudging through the snow with a precious stick he found for his lady. He is created for the Challenge #57 where we were to Crop a graphic.  I Cropped (well, I hid) one of his feet behind a snowbank, but cropped away his sprig of Holly, and used part of the cropped holly for the corner embellishment.  The rest of the holly sprig is on the inside of the card with the greeting. The sentiment will either say Merry Everything, or Home for Christmas, (or something else! on acetate on the bottom edge).  The sweet little Cardinal Sprite is colored in Prismacolor Pencils and accented with 3d Crystal Glaze on his beak.  Eyes are enamel dots.  The background is a soft winter scene created in Photoshop, over soft gray card base, and the snowdrifts are from the "Jingle all the Way" stamp and die set by SU The snow drifts are textured with  glitter snow that I have mixed a little very light grey reinker into, and then handpainted the texture onto the snowdrifts. 

Do you know the legends and meaning and symbolism of a cardinal?  The notions that cardinals are messengers of Spirit exists across many cultures.  The word is derived from Latin cardo (hinge or axis) Like a hinge on the door a cardinal is the hinge on the doorway between the Earthly world and the Spirit world, carrying messages back and forth.  The cardinal is associated with myths and traditions that surround renewal, good health, happy relationships, monogamy and protection.  Looking at the life of a cardinal, it's easy to see why good associations are connected to it.  Cardinals mate for life, they are non-migratory birds, so they stay in their same area all of their lives, protecting their turf.  After their eggs hatch both parents work together to assure the good health, welfare and security of their little family.  
Things with wings get our attention and some think things with wings (butterflies, owls, birds, dragonflies, storks, albatross, etc)  are messengers from Heaven.  So maybe seeing a cardinal means that your loved ones are around and that you are being heard and guidance you seek is forthcoming.  Fun history and meaning of the little Sprite Mitzi sighted and shared for us.!

Blankets for the Grandest

I knit blankets this year for both the Grandchildren in College. Ryan is a Junior at So Vermont College in Bennington VT, and Georgia is a Freshman at UCSB in Santa Barbara, CA.  Ryans is a forest green and Georgia's is fisherman.  

Georgia's card

The blankets were the same pattern, but different colors

Ryan's Card