Sylvia's Simple Shots

It's been snowing and this day the snow was gently falling as I walked around my neighbourhood.

I found this crow in a tree just chilling.

I love how I captured the falling snow and it's large beak.  Unfortunately, the eye is not as sharp as I would have liked.

Nice dreamy shot.

These are the improvements I made to my Tumi Bag while I was at my sisters last week.

The bag is quite floppy and needed some structure.

It has enough pockets for the essentials that I carry.  

In my last purse I had a collection of things like my lip balm, my allergy eye drops, cough drops, and other things that just fell to the bottom of the center pocket.

With wanting to add structure to the bag we headed to the dollar store to see what we could find for organizers. We found these pencil cases. We built a case for them from mat board and duck tape. We added jump rings to the top so I can pull the pocket out easily. 

Now the contents are organized and the bag a solid core.

A sister and her husband came to visit this week.  They are the one who helped with carpet removal in the summer.  They wanted to see the new floor and have a visit.  Their kids were coming back from a ski trip.

I served roast chicken from the grocery store, salad, and fruit and muffins for dessert.

It's been great to have company.

I was gifted these beautiful Jianzhan tea tasting cups from China.  My nephew brought them back for me after I admired one he gave his Mom and Dad at Christmas.

Tea is my thing. Blue and yellow are my colors.  I look forward to using them when I settle in my new place as for now they are packed safely in a box for moving.

A watercolor card I made for my nephew and his wife who gave me the beautiful tea cups.

I chose watercolor paper and painted an abstract with bright yellow at the top running into ultramarine blue at the bottom.  

Once dry and pressed flat I trimmed the piece to leave a medium border and adhered it to the front of a SU Brilliant Blue card base.

I stamped the greeting with dark blue ink.

The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn one of my favorite authors.

Another WWII story about a woman, Mila Pavlichenko, who transforms herself from a bookish Mom of one to a sharp shooter. Based on a true story of a mother who became a soldier, found her place in the world and changed history.

When she reaches her 300th kill she is pulled from the Eastern front and is invited to the United States on a goodwill tour. She is hosted by Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. 

Danger lurks in every corner both on the battlefield and away from the fight. 

Another wonderful book.

Cards - Self Closing Cards - Christmas & Poppies

I made this card the other day but did not have double sided tape to complete the cards.

This is a card that does not need an envelope because the tape on the small flap will close the card once you have written in it.

This card has a turquoise base that measures 5.5" W x 6" T and a 1" flap to close.

I place a piece of lavender origami paper which was spattered with watercolor.  The white frame was cut with the Stampin Up Clear Oval Accent die with the matching mover shaper die. Spattered with same watercolor.

I cut the flowers with the Row of Poppies die by Memory Box in the same card stock as base. 

They were adhered to a watercolor background with Scotch Quick Dry Glue but they are difficult to glue down.  An insert was glued to the right hand side. Finally, tape with carrier for the flap.

I have not used this type of double sided tape for a long while because I don't run classes anymore and I am always crafting at home.

I needed it for the flap so that I could put it on when making the card.  I could have waited till I prepared them in December but having to cut tape then would have been a pain.

My sister let me know I could buy it at Dollar Tree.  This roll should do it.

I folded the card so that the pattern was on the inside to keep the solid side for addressing.

I cut the arch with the TH Arch Frame die out of deep red card stock.

I cut the Nativity with the QuicKutz Nativity long die.  I just cut my So Saffron cardstock to 5.5 inches and took the characters I could get with was the Shepherd and lamb. I adhered the manger section onto the deep red arch.

I added gold stars with a paint brush and metallic watercolor.  I painted the large star onto of the stable too.

I added a plain insert which I will just hand write when I prepare them in December.

Tape on the flap.

This card base is royal blue linen finish card stock cut 6x12 inches scored at 5.5" and then 1" for the flap.

I cut the ornament with Sizzix Ornaments #4 die in blue, then cut just the hanger from silver card stock. I used a decorative paper background from my stash as the background. The ornament is held in place with a silver glitter swirl brad. I added a few more around the card.

I added blue vellum on the left hand side to add some interest adhered with vellum adhesive.

White insert and d/s tape on the flap.

I created 2 Snowman cards.  One with a royal blue card base and the other with a grey card base. I cut the snowman with the Sizzix Snowman and Hat die.  On this card there enough space for the hat! I added a ripped snowbank. Painted buttons on this front and a face, added a ribbon scarf.  I watercolored the hats which turned out great. Added a snowflake die cut/punchie in the top right hand corner. Really happy with these.  The white insert on the right hand side and tape on the flap.  I can always stamp a sentiment later on the insert.

Christmas Card Challenge - May - Large Words

The theme for the May Christmas Card Challenge is Large Words.

I chose the Poppy Stamps Magnificent Merry thin die for my large greeting.  I selected a quarter sheet of 110lb white card stock.  First I printed "Christmas" in Night of Navy in the bottom right hand corner.
Then I ran the quarter sheet through my Big Shot aligning the die with the printed word. I pulled the word out of the sheet and made sure I kept the negative spaces in the m&e.
I used a light warm blue chalk above the curve.  I did the same with the negatives spaces from the M and E.
I used a dark warm blue chalk on the "merry" word.  I cut a piece of bond paper for the back.  Added a couple of strips of double sided tape behind the word and returned the darker blue word back into place including the small negative pieces.  I then punched white snowflakes for above the curve and blue ones for below.  I am really happy with this one!

Here's my inspiration card which I found on Splitcoast Stampers.

I worked on improving the process. 

If I kept one piece white and  watercolored the other then it would be easy to just switch them.  The green piece was a companion background to the one on this card. I cut both quarter sheet peices with the Magnificent Merry thin lit making sure I did not lose the negative space pieces in the m and e.

I put scotch tape on the back of the large piece, turned it over and just plunked the die cut into the hole. I put the negative pieces in as well.  The advantages are the colors all match.  In the blue one I had to do the negative pieces separately.  Once the tape was well burnished from the back to ensure the die cut would stay put I trimmed the quarter sheet to leave a tiny border of the warm green card. 

I created the color printed banner greeting, fussy cut to the edge, and adhered it to the card front with 3D foam tape. I adhered a shed free silver glitter star to intersect the "merry" with a bling glue dot.  I used a bit of the Stampin Up Watercolor Wonder crayons on the original background so I just spattered this card with some of the same colors.

Now I have 2 cards that are the opposite of each other. This one spattered with white acrylic paint.

I will certainly use this die again now that I have found this technique.