Snappy Birthday

Back to working on some shaker cards - I enjoy making these and Mr. Crabby is one of my favorites.  They'll go in the pile for future mailings.  They're fast and easy to make.   Thanks for looking!

 

Joy

Working ahead for the heroes for next year.  I had trouble finding shiny gold cardstock in the local store but found one 12x12 sheet underneath some glitter papers on my shelf.  I used an old die and whipped these up.  After I ran out of gold, I used up a scrap of shiny silver paper.  These are already in their clear plastic envelopes to send off next year.  

 

Christmas Doors

Fortunately, I don't have a lot of Christmas cards to send out this year.  I used this die set from Concord & 9th to make these.  They actually came together pretty quickly and I really enjoyed making them, even all the gluing!  I sprayed some of the doors with Tim Holtz mica spray and then realized it was rubbing off on my hands, so I hit them with a good coating of hairspray.  I cut the ornaments from shiny red paper and used glitter white for the snow on the windows.  

 

Purr-fect Day

The purr-fect day around here would be rain, hard to believe I'm saying that tho!

I stamped these with my Misti, they needed several stampings to get the black looking nice and crisp.  Might be time to ink up my ink pad....  I colored some of the bowties with a red marker and mounted the image on a red background.  The stamp is called "Hipster Cats" and is from Technique Junkies. 

 

 

 

Woof!

I know I've used this dog die before.  I was going through paper stacks and came across some that just yelled out they needed the dog die.  So I fished out the paw print die, cut out a few of those and assembled the dogs and voila, I couldn't stop at one or two.  

World Card Making Day

I forgot about World Card Making Day!  I actually did these over the entire weekend, not just on that day.  I was rooting through my paper pile and found the Mickey paper, so those were easy and quick.  The smiley faces were pretty easy too, although I did manage to get out some embossing powder for a change of pace.  The dog paper was just staring at me also, and so those were some more quickies.  All in all, I was happy with the weekend's production.  I hope you all (Carol - LOL!!) enjoyed World Card Making Day too!
 

Brownies

I was watching a lot of videos on youtube the other day and was inspired to use my distress oxides and brushes.  I made the backgrounds and then spent a day mulling over what to do next.  I finally pulled out the little brownies, unmarked, unmounted stamps that I've had for years and years.  Then it was just a matter of finding some appropriate branches and flower stamps to frame them with.  I had so much fun that I made 6.

 

 

Postage Themed Cards

I jumped on the postage themed bandwagon.  It took a bit of searching to find stamps that would work but I think both of these came out ok.  I don't have the layering stencil to go with the die (I thought I could save some $$$) so I ended up using very narrow post-it tape.  It worked out but was a bit of a pain so I would have to now recommend getting the die along with the stencil.

Catheads

A bit of trouble wrapping my head around this one.  First I cut the die out of white and thought I'd color the cats that way, but it just wasn't working out, and that fail went in the trash.  Black worked out much better but I'm not thrilled with the green glitter eyes.  Seems kind of creepy.  LOL

 

Porthole

I spent a lot of time on this unnecessarily.  I used oxide sprays on the circle for the water, and none of it shows up because I put acetate over it to make it look like a window.  Anyway, still happy about how it came out.  It's from Spellbinders, called Coastal Escape.  

 

Sofa Dogs

I call these "dogs on sofa".  The darn dogs are so small that it was difficult to color them.  I also forgot I had the border die set for the paws.  I'm glad I found it, it wasn't in the stamp drawer marked "dogs" where it clearly belonged.  No wonder I can't put things together, nothing is where it belongs!  Now that the weather is cooler, maybe it will be time for an entire craft room overhaul!  (not looking forward to that)
 

Fall Greetings

Well, it's almost October already, so I guess fall greetings are really in order.  I'm sticking with the die cuts that I've never used.  This one wasn't too bad to put together.  I cut everything out in white and then colored them with Copics.  Better than horrible, as they say at Gina K.  

 

Fall Wreaths

These were made with a die from Tim Holtz - Fall Foliage Vault Wreath.   It was easy to cut out and not too hard to arrange, but in the gluing process, there was a bit of foul language.  Next time I use it, I will try to make a more interesting background.  This time I was just too anxious to start gluing the wreath pieces together.  I don't usually use a lot of sentiments so that the recipients (Cards For Soldiers) can use them for whatever theme they want.

Moving into fall

Finally moving into fall themed cards.  I think I burned out a little on Halloween since I started making them in, like, July.  Anyway, I'm not too thrilled with these, but I found this die set and decided I should use it for something.  I'm not sure who even made it, I apparently threw out the packaging and I need to stop doing that!  

 

I Think I'm Done

I'm finally ready to drop all these off  for Treats For Troops.  There are at least 2-3 of each design so I managed to fill a nice sized box this year.  I started in July so I would have plenty of time.  I think I'll do the same next year.  I thought I had gone through all my Halloween stuff until yesterday, when I found a box filled with more - UGH, but I'll start with that stuff next year!

 Still Working on Halloween

Eventually, I'll get done.   Eventually.   (I have until early September to get these to the group who will be packing up the candy for Treats For Troops.  

Treats For Troops is part of Soldiers' Angels.  I have a friend from our old card group who does this every year and I'm so happy that I found out about it and have the opportunity to make cards to put in each box that they send off to our deployed soldiers.

More Halloween

My original plan was to use every Halloween stamp I have.   hahahahahahahahahaha - FAIL!

More later........

 

 Lost In The Shuffle

I kind of got lost in the summertime shuffle.  Lots of yard work, etc.  I made these quick cards a few weeks ago.  Not sure of the maker, they are quite old and thickly mounted red rubber.  

The main reason I got lost in the shuffle is because I am frantically working on a mass quantity of Halloween cards for my friend, Tracy, who does Treats For Troops, and she needs them in September.  How can it be only a couple of weeks until it's September already!!!  Anyway, I'm well on my way with a batch of cards for her.

More to follow.....

Have A Wild Day!

I've had this set forever - it's old red rubber and unmarked.  Probably purchased at a show many years ago.  I used a Happy Birthday embossing folder for the white background, colored the gator with copics and outlined it all a contrasting colored paper so it would really stand out.  I made three of these, they will go in my box for Cards for Soldiers.  
 

Narwhal Love

I found this Sizzix stamp and die set at the local Tuesday Morning shop just before it closed.  I used to like all the card making things I found in there - all at reasonable prices too.   They've been closed for quite awhile and I finally just now got around to using these.  

 

Lots of Smiles

These cute little animals are from a set from Colorado Crafts.  I used a balloon stencil for the background and then used the dies and sentiment that came with the stamp set.   Wishing you also a safe and happy 4th!

 

Stay Cool

I used a set of cat stencils for the background paper and then colored the stamp with Copics.  The stamp is marked MJ Stamps with a phone number.  I tried searching the company, but it doesn't look like it's in existence any longer.  It's a really nice, old, wood mount.  I miss the rubber shows and I know a lot of people who have unmounted their rubber from the wood, but I haven't been able to do it, myself.  I like the old school sometimes.

 

Hello!

I'm back into production in three's again.   When I only make two, you can tell that one of them was a total failure, because I almost always do three cards at the same time.

For these, I first used some stencils to make the background paper.  That proved to be fun but I had to learn to keep my fingers clean between colors.  Easier said than done.   All I needed to add were the hello and cat head die cuts.  East and fast!
 

Just A Little Note

Looks like I ended up slacking off on my posting again.....  Yard and garden and weeds have been taking over all the cardmaking time.  

For these two cards I used stamps from Colorado Craft Co.  and some really old papers from unmarked 6x6 tablets.  

Thanks for looking!

 

Fairies and Dandelions

I needed to make a couple of quick cards - so I cut out a circle from a piece of cardstock and used that for the template to brush on some distress oxides.  The fairies are from Viva Las Vegas, the sentiments are from Scenic and the dandelions are Rubbernecker.  I can't believe I actually kept track of some of those things!

 

Another Birthday Card

May seems to be a big month for birthdays.  The background was done with a stencil set from Frosted Pearl and the donut stamps and sentiment are from Crystaline Stamps.  I added some glossy accents to the icing on the donut.  

 

 Someone Has a Birthday Today

Nope - not me!  Joanne is having one today.  This is the card I sent her.

Bela Lugosi is my most prized stamp and of course, my favorite.  I use him on every card that I send to Joanne.  He appears for every holiday.  Sometimes subtly, sometimes not.... I was thinking of making this a shaker card, but it was already kind of thick from the flowers.  The photography was not so good on this one, the details in the window box and shutters aren't really showing up very well.  Must try harder next time...

 

 LET'S GO FLY A KITE

In honor of our cold, blustery weather today, I made a bunch of kites.  I think the die is from Hero Arts, and the stencil for the clouds is from Rubbernecker, which I believe was bought out by another company.  Thanks for popping by. 

Funky Florals

I used a die set from Sizzix called Funky Floral for these two cards.  They were out of my norm, but I ended up liking them anyway.  😏

 

JUST FISHING 

Because it seems like the puddles here are big enough to fish in, I grabbed a set from Whipper Snapper called Hooked on Fishing and turned it into a tiny shaker card.  The background is from a stencil that I picked up at a yard sale or thrift store or somewhere I don't remember.  If it doesn't stop raining soon, I may go looking for an ark!

Just a Quick One

I've been organizing dies and found this one and wondered why I didn't use it for Valentine's Day.

Fast and easy cards!  

 

The Rabbit Is On The Way 

I haven't had a lot of time lately, but I managed to squeeze out this quick card.  I've been in a sidecar, it's really awkward!  Everyone else on the road is smiling and pointing at you...  

What's The Buzz?

I went through a big shaker faze a while back.  Just found this one in my stack of cards.

It's from a kit from Queen & Co.  

 

Sending Smiles 

I made a second attempt at using a stencil over a piece of cardstock where I had put down some of the same color.  I had the sentiment already in a drawer, so it was easy to pick the colors.  I wasn't happy with how it turned out, it seemed bland, so I used a white gel pen to outline the sentiment and it looks a little better.   I did a big cheat on the music card.  That was pre-printed paper and I printed the sentiment on the computer.   I'd like to get back into making a card a day but today the weather is great, so maybe not today.  

 

I've been watching youtube videos for inspiration.  Kristina Werner did a video on laying color on paper and then putting a stencil over the top and laying down a heavier layer of the same color.  So that's what I did.  I had this sentiment already in a drawer from a previous failed card (tons of those) and so I used it here.  Fast and easy, except I got a lot of ink all over my fingers.

Free Hugs 

I made these a couple of days ago and I just tried to find the set so I could post info on the manufacturer and I can't find the stamps or dies.  That just shows you the condition of my stamping area.  Not good!!  I may need to focus on organization for a day or two, the only problem with that is, I find things and decide to use them right then and there and so the organization thing takes a back seat.....

It's Been Awhile!

Sadly, I didn't really remember how to log in and I'm not sure I remember even how to post but we'll see how it goes.  

I have been making cards - I never stopped!  But, Joanne and I started this blog together, and I felt and still feel, a bit guilty posting things on my own because she hasn't been making cards for a few years.  

Anyway, I couldn't find inspiration this morning and I decided to try looking up blog hops for something like that to light a spark.  I couldn't find much except Christmas stuff, so I remembered that Carol still posts a card just about every single day, so that's where I went.  And it worked!  Thanks, Carol!!!!