Sympathy - One Layer Card

Another sympathy card for a one layer card challenge.
I chose several Stampin Up digital images.
Everything Eleanor - Flourish Frame
Wonderful Wings - Butterfly 2
Teeny Tiny Wishes - With Sympathy
Punch Shapes - Modern Label Punch
I chose Soft Sky for the frame, a central circle and the Modern Label punch shape and Night of Navy for the butterfly and sentiment.  I layered the butterfly over the circle in the frame and the sentiment onto the label punch shape.

Submitting to the Less Is More - 271 - One Layer Card Challenge.

Sympathy - Lattice Die

I needed several sympathy cards so I thought I would participate in a challenge at the same time.

I started with a Stampin Up Tangerine Tango card.  I cut a piece of Whisper White to leave a nice border.  I then, embossed it with the SU Stripes Embossing Folder.  This layer was adhered to the card front.  I cut a piece of Pool Party with the SU Lattice Die.  I adhered it to the top 2/3 of the card with Bling Zots on the four largest intersections.  This works well as it is being adhered to a textured layer.  I stamped the sentiment from the Simply Sketched Stamp Set onto Whisper White card stock with Pumpkin Pie classic ink.  I punched the right hand side with the Banner Triple punch then I punched a So Saffron piece of card stock to align on the left and leave a border on the top, bottom and right hand side.







Submitting to the following challenge:
SU FabFri #84 - color challenge 

Wood Board Birthday

I started with a sheet from the Stampin Up Adventure Bound DSP stack 4.5x6.5 inches.  I chose this wood board one from the great selection.  I then picked a piece of Pumpkin Pie card stock.  Based on the challenge sketch I cut the DSP into several strips of various sizes.  I wrapped a piece of Pumpkin Pie Tafetta Ribbon around the largest piece leaving room for the greeting. I then knotted a shorter piece onto it to make a bow.  I then adhered the five pieces of DSP onto the card front keeping the design of the paper intact but leaving space between each one.  I chose a color printed greeting in Early Espresso cut with a framelit from the Apothecary set.  I added coordinating snap eyelets on both ends.  I adhered some Early Espresso accents to the back of the greeting then adhered it above the ribbon with 3D foam tape.

I am submitting this card to the following challenges:
SU TGIF - #50 - Sketch

Artemis - Baby Gifts

The baby shower for Artemis is today but I am not able to attend.  I delivered my gift on the Easter weekend so Mom could bring with her when she goes.

The frame is the Creative Memories Black Mini Everyday Display, 8 x 8 inch magnetic frame.  It  provides 4 matching magnets, 2 mini clothespins, canvas-like white fabric -- great for thumbtacks, push pins, etc., an easel for tabletop display, a sawtooth hanger for wall display, and a clothesline ribbon.

The book I chose is the hard cover edition of God Gave Us You by Lisa Tawn Bergren.  I love the wonderful watercolor images.

You can see the card I made for Artemis here.

Share Your Cup - My Week

I spend a good amount of time at the sewing machine this week.
I purchased a 100% cotton navy kitchen towel which I turned into two mats for the shelves in  my tea cupboard.  Really happy with those.



Then I put the zipper into the green cushion I bought for the couch.  It did not have a zipper to allow me to remove the cover for washing. When I removed the cover, the inside stuffing was awful shredded foam. That went directly into a garbage bag. The cover was very dirty so into the machine that went. I did find a foam form that would fit so the final step was a zipper.

I`ve had the jeans for a while but they needed to be shortened before I could wear them. So I measured, cut some fabric off and hemmed them.  The pants had back pockets with flaps and buttons and I decided I didn`t need any more attention brought to my backside so I removed the flaps and buttons.  Done!

My aunt and her husband were over for tea this week.  She was picking up something she had dropped off in January now that I had finished the work.  I did a bit of a good job on the clean up because this table was full of sewing machine, spools, bobbins, scissors, etc earlier that morning.



Upcoming DIY project.  My sister gave the sunflower tile  when she returned from a trip to Mexico.  I want it framed so I can hang it in my kitchen.   I found the 50 tile at the thrift store which will hold the sunflower once I remove the 50 tile. I have had a consultation about how I should go about it and it`s on the To Do list.

Poppies for a Birthday

I started with the Memory Box Row of Poppies die.  I chose one of the ink backgrounds I created in January in soft aqua and red pink tones. I cut the paper with the die trying to align the colors to at least have a couple of the poppies fall on the red spots. I used the metal adapter plate to ensure a clean cut the first time through.  This die is great because it has a bottom edge which holds all of these flowers together.  Makes adhering it much easier.  I embossed a white layer with the dots from the Sizzix Christmas Words and Dots Set.  Once this layer was adhered to my aqua card placed in the tall or portrait orientation,  I placed Bling Zots behind each of the poppies and a couple on the base and adhered the die cut to the dots layer.  I then color printed the greeting and applied banner ends with the Stampin Up Banner Triple Punch.  I rubbed the edges with the Baja Breeze ink pad before sticking it to the card front with 3D foam tape.

I love the soft and elegant feel to the card.

Santa - Card Challenges

I made this Christmas Card to satisfy a few card challenges.
I started by cutting the Sizzix Santa Head die once in white card stock, once in white felt and 1 in red card stock.  I cut the red hat and nose and glued them to the white card stock one.  Then I took the head band & pompom from the hat and the eyebrows & mustache from the face of the felt one and adhered them to the same white card stock head.  I placed a piece of navy card stock behind the eyes which coordinates with the navy greeting.  I adhered a piece of damask designer paper onto the citron card leaving a small border. I adhered the Santa Head paper pieced head on the right hand side of the wide card. I adhered the color printed greeting cut with the Stampin Up Bitty Banner Framelits with 3D foam tape on the bottom left hand side. I attached the white felt snowflake to the top left hand corner with a red star brad which coordinates with the red on the Santa hat.

Submitting this card to the following challenges:

Holly Jolly - Santa
Weekly Christmas Card Challenges - Anything Goes
Crafty Hazelnut`s Christmas April Challenge - Anything Goes

Business Card & Promo Graphic

I designed a business card and a promo graphic for a client.  She wanted a vintage feel using the colors white and aqua. I found the ironwork grill image on Vintage Feed Sacks graphics site (see note) which I thought worked pretty well.  It was just black and white graphic so I colored it the aqua color and gave it a clear background.  I then created a white background onto which I placed the ironwork graphic and the relevant text.  She was wanting a larger graphic to put on a t-shirt or other promotional material.  I followed the same process for this one. She added her tag line on this one which I think is very appropriate.  They were delivered in digital format so she can get the business cards printed through the printer of her choice as well as use the files on social media. You can find her on Facebook Alberta Vintage.

You can check out my Digital Products page for further details.

Note: I was going to leave a link for the graphic but it seems be redirecting to a different site.  I`m not sure if that is temporary or permanent.  I will keep an eye on it and post a link if it clears up.

Mosaic Monday - This Week

I have a collection of odd photos this week.
Top Left:  I took a picture of this seabreeze fan which has helped to keep my place cool for many years.  I bought it second hand and I`ve had it for 15 years or so.  It`s mostly metal which I came to appreciate when I did some shopping to replace it and most of what is available these days are plastic. It was small and it oscillated which was great bang for the buck.  My research tells me it was built in the 1970s. It quit working a while back but it`s so iconic I kept it to see if I could translate it into something else.  No project has emerged so far. 

Top Right: I made new kitchen towels this week as well.  The ones I was using I made many years ago, they were tattered and worn through and needed to be replaced.  I still had the ball of yarn I used on the original ones which I made when I moved this place nearly 20 years ago.  I had determined a navy and golden yellow color scheme for this kitchen.  So, this week I took up crocheting again.  I upcycled a navy golf towel I bought at the second store. It was brand new.  I removed the bit of embroidery on it, cut it in half, sewed a line of stitching on the raw edge and added a golden yellow yarn hanger.  I now have 2 new towels with the vintage buttons I used on the original towels. 
Bottom: I took a picture of the train and the river on my walk on Sunday.  The ice is breaking up nicely and soon the river will be ice free.

Christmas Card Challenge - April - Green/Foliage

It's time again for my monthly Christmas Card Challenge.  The challenge for April is Green / Foliage.  Foliage could be pine trees, wreaths, evergreen branches, Christmas tree, poinsettias, holly, and much more.
My choice is  a green wreath on a window with a night sky behind on a deep red card. I pulled the Cuttlebug Holly Wreath die and folder combination from my die storage, which I have never used. I chose dill textured card stock. First, I cut the wreath with the sizzlet die then ran it through the embossing folder to add the textured design.  I cut the window from white card stock with the Memory Box Grand Madison Window die.  I spritzed a piece of navy card stock with white acrylic paint to create a night sky and adhered it behind the window.  The element was adhered to card front aligned along the top edge.  I then adhered the wreath centered on the window.  A bling Zot holds the red thread bow over the embossed one on the die.  I color printed the greeting onto white card stock and cut it with the Stampin Up Bitty Banners Framelits thin dies.  I adhered it  below the window.

Christmas - Use Your Stash

I made this card with pieces from my stash.  The strip of designer paper, I think is by Basic Grey.  It combines the dill color and the brighter citron green color.  I chose textured card stock in a citron color for the card which works with the darker green.  I cut the trees with the Tree Art Stamp & Die set by Hampton Art from a scrap of dill card stock. I've owned this die for a few years and this is the first time using it from my stash. I stamped them with a spatter stamp in dark green ink. I embossed the middle one with a Cuttlebug Friends Forever embossing folder which mimics the design in the decorative paper.  I printed the greeting in red on white card stock. I ripped the bottom edge and adhered it to the card front.  The next layer was the designer paper. Then came the three trees.  Submitting to challenge at Holly Jolly - Use your stash.

Farewell Card - Teal & Ice

I made this card for a couple who are taking on new responsibilities. 

I used teal card stock and cut down the 12x12 to 8.5x11. I folded the card in half and adhered a piece of the designer paper by Adornit - Carolee's Creations - Cold Water Collection - Ice to the front leaving a small border.  I printed the greeting with a watercolor background from Pixabay onto a piece 4x6 photo paper.  This was mounted to the card front with a piece of matching card stock offset on the left hand side.

Change is for sure so as we transition to a reality we will see and do new things.  Adventure awaits for all of us.

Note Card & Encouragement Card Gift Sets

I made a couple of Note Card and Encouragement Card Gift sets today.

I created some new encouragement cards in the portrait orientation with some great art from Pixabay.  The hummingbird and mushroom ones are posted below.

These cards were included in these 2 gift sets along with some made with a landscape image from Maria (see image below) and some I designed a while back.

One of these will be given to a couple who is starting new roles. 

This landscape was created by Maria S.  I used the image in black as well as I converted the image into sepia, artichoke, and navy.

Mosaic Monday - New Stuff

I've been refining things in my home.  You will recall from the Tea Cupboard DIY post I wanted to hang my mugs. I was able to find cup hooks large enough to accommodate my cup handles.  So quick as a bunny, I evenly inserted them into the bottom of the upper cupboard.  You can see in the photo on the right I needed a spacer so that the tip of the hook would not punch through the shelf on the inside.  A look through my bead collection produced these small copper spacer beads. Worked like a charm. Thanks for the advise on the weekend from my sisters.  Now the teapot fits in the corner. Yeah!!
The next photo is a container for hair gel in my bathroom.  I have used a Tupperware pump container for years. Recently my hair gel seems to be getting thicker in the container so upon investigation I discovered that it had developed a crack in the lid therefore air was getting in and my hair gel liquid was evaporating.  As the pump has been discontinued I needed a solution in quick order. This ivory pearl clam shaped bottle is likely a temporary measure but fits into the neutral scheme in the bathroom. 
I have decided to change the color scheme on the couch so I have moved from pink to yellow and green. The green needs a zipper inserted so that I can wash the cover when I want.

I'm sharing on Mosaic Monday hosted by Judith at Lavender Cottage.

Happy Easter

Wishing all of you a very happy Easter.  Enjoy time with family, friends, and in nature.  Take a walk, a few photos, and get some time away from technology.

This is one of my backgrounds from a batch made in early January 2016.  Enjoy.

Baby Boy - Artemis

I made this card for my nephew's son who was born in Feb 2016.  We will see him for the first time this weekend on Saturday evening at a family celebration.
I started with a deep teal card folded in half to make a large card. I cut the designer paper by Adornit - Carolee's Creations - Cold Water Collection - Ice.  I printed the first part of the sentiment onto it along with the banner and then trimmed it to leave a small border.  I then adhered his name in large letters which I had cut from the same card stock as the card with my Sizzix Shadow Box Alphabet dies.  I adhered them along the bottom but as you can see not quite straight.  I added confetti triangles to repeat the ones in the banner.   The card colors complement the gift wrap I used on the gift.

Share Your Cup 190

We got some more snow this week.  Quite a bit of the white stuff actually.  Monday was a bit of a sloppy day and driving home from Card Club in the evening after it has frozen was a bit hairy.  It's been cool all week with the afternoons being somewhat warmer.
 





I found this tea pot tray with three tea bag holders in white ceramic at the thrift store today.  I knew I had another similar tea bag holder at home so I would have a full set.  They have Joshua Maxwell Studio on the bottom.  Not able to find a link.  The front one is not ceramic and was a gift from a friend's trip to England 20 years ago.  I'm glad they all fit in the tray and keeps things tidy.







Mom and her girls day out.  We are spending Saturday with our Mom crafting, talking, eating, visiting and making memories.  Us girls all have crafting in our blood in one way or another.  Some quilt, others paper craft, one is into needlework and my niece is into wool accessories.  Some will just come to spend time with family. We will have a great time.  It's potluck for lunch and dinner so I made Quinoa Salad with Asian dressing, a veggie tray and Raspberry Bavarian just like my Mom made when we were kids.

I'm sharing with Share Your Cup hosted by Carol at Art and Sand.

Card Club - March - Pick Up Truck

I wanted a card for guys.  I chose this striped designer paper in some great colors.  I chose cards in green as show, royal blue and a deep orange. I adhered the striped paper to the card front. I created the banner with the Stampin Up Triple Banner punch.  The white strip is 1" and the blue one is 1.5 inches.  Once they were adhered together I placed it on the card front and trimmed the top end to the card edge. I then adhered the pick up truck image to the navy blue layer. This was then adhered over the banner. I placed 3 sticky embellishments on the right hand side. 

Card Club - March - Sunburst Birthday

I started with a royal blue card.  I cut the background red checkered gingham designer paper at 4.00 x 5.5 inches leaving the small border.  I adhered it to the card front. I cut the warm yellow sunburst with the Stampin Up Sunburst thin die and adhered it to the card front and trimmed the rays to the edge of the card.  The greeting is a combination of a scalloped circle in the same color cut with the Spellbinder Nestabilities Large Circle set - No.2 from the centre.  The greeting is color printed the punched with the 1 3/8 inch Stampin Up punch.  These are glued together then the greeting is adhered to the card front with 3D foam tape.

Card Club - March - Peacock Feathers

The card features a nice piece of decorative paper with peacock feathers. I cut a Stampin Up Top Note from this paper then another from gold paper. The gold one was cut in half across then I trimmed the points on the left and right.  These halves are then adhered offset to the top and bottom of the top note.  I repeated the turquoise color when I wrapped a piece of turquoise organza ribbon on the left hand side and taped the ends to the back.  This layer was adhered to the front of an orange card which coordinates with the colors in the paper.  I added a turquoise greeting color printed the punched with the Stampin Up Modern Label punch.  This was adhered to the card front with 3D foam tape.