Digital Cards - Change of Address

I've created some Change of Address cards. Once personalized, they are available as 4x6 photo files and will be delivered in a digital file. They can be shared digitally on social media or sent by email. They can also be printed at your local photo printer.

This is a digital card features a crooked house graphic in three colors. 

This card features a vanilla background with a deep green crooked house graphic.


The heading, names, and address can be personalized.

Check out my Digitals Products tab for the details.

Digital Cards - Save our Date

I've created some Save our Date cards using some of my art and photos.  Once personalized, they are available as 4x6 photo files and will be delivered in a digital file. They can be shared digitally on social media or sent by email. They can also be printed at your local photo printer.

This first one would be great for a wedding being held at the lake or cottage.  The lake photo has a pine branch coming in from the right hand corner.

This one features a watercolor background with one of  my original evergreen paintings.  It's elements are coordinated with the colors in the background.  This could be used for a summer wedding.

This birch tree card features one of my original watercolor paintings.  The elements are color coordinated with the background.  This would be great for a winter wedding.

You will find these on my Digital Products tab at the top of the blog.

Painting on Silk Workshop

As part of our AGM today one of the artists held a workshop on painting on silk.  We did scarves.  The steps were:
1. Sketch your layout
2. Add resist if you need it to keep some areas white.  Let it dry completely before proceeding.
3. Collect your colors. We used Dye-Na-Flow paints by Jacquard Products.  Use water to dilute if you would like a paler version.  These paints were chosen for their ability to provide vibrant and vivid colors.
4. Paint on silk scarf which was suspended between tables.  We covered to the floors to ensure paint dripping would not touch the floor.
5. We steamset the colors with a steam iron.
6. Hand wash to remove the water based resist.
7. Enjoy it and let it bring a smile to your face every time you wear it.

The colors I used are: 802 Gold Yellow, 806 Brilliant Red and 816 Midnight Blue.

We had 12-15 participants who all did a great job.  This is my first silk scarf and I can see more in my future.  It was a lot of fun and I am happy with my final product.   We are blessed to be provided with level of instruction. Instructor was Doris Charest.

Share Your Cup #201 - This week

I have been looking for some blue and white patterned plates to coordinate with the rest of my dinner ware collection. They had to be smaller than the luncheon plates but not a saucer.  I found these at the second hand store last week and they are perfect.  The right blue, the right size and the right price.  Unfortunately, there are only 2 so I will keep looking.  They did several patterns in the blue so chances are good I will find something.
They are vintage blue transferware dessert plates made by Myott, England 1940-1950s in the pattern called The Hunter measuring 7 inches in diameter. The ironstone plates have a rural scene with a hunter and his dog coming home.  I love the fluted rim which adds just a bit more to the presentation.

At the same time I found these gorgeous small square yellow bowls.  They are really nice.  Just the right size of a dessert.  I scored 5 of those.  They hold 1/2 cup so they would work well for yogurt and berries, pudding with fruit, hummus with veggies, fruit salad, and a bunch more.

My aunt and I took in the James Taylor concert last night.  Some of the songs were familiar and the crowd was chilled and well behaved. We took the train to the venue and managed to leave just a tad early to beat the rush on the train home.

It was a good experience.

On one of  my walks this week I left a little earlier because I had a full day of things to do.  I was rewarded with seeing a hot air balloon flying over the river valley while the temperature was cool and the winds were calm.

I took a picture of this cobalt blue glass vase on the window sill at my aunt's house. She has a lovely collection of this glass the the light was making it look pretty.


Joining Share Your Cup #201 with Carol at Art & Sand.

Christmas Stack Class

I had a good class last night.  The ladies got their 12 cards made and I managed to add 12 cards to my stash. I will have to work on more kits this summer for classes in the fall.

I have 67 cards in my box ready to go.

Sail Boat in Blues

I started with a Stampin Up Sahara Sand card.  I substituted Pool Party for Mint Macaron. I cut a piece of non SU shiny card stock which matches Pool Party to leave a small border. I placed a piece of Night of Navy seam binding on the diagonal on the Pool Party layer and taped the ends to the back.  I knotted a shorter piece onto it in the top right hand corner. I adhered this layer to the Sahara Sand card.

I created the accent with a piece of Night of Navy, a piece of Chevron pattern paper in Sahara Sand from the Adventure Bound designer paper pack.

I chose the Sail Away stamp set in Night of Navy onto Sahara Sand card stock.  These layers were adhere together aligned in the top left corner.
I tied some navy thread into the holes of the Pool Party button and adhered it to the bottom left hand corner with a Zot.

I'm submitting to the following challenges.

SU Retro Sketches #217 

Pals Paper Arts - Color Challenge - #303

House Cards

I created these cards for a monthly card exchange group.
I had cut a couple when I made this card so I chose to use the second one here.   The front layer was cut from white cardstock with the Folk Art Festival cartridge and the Cricut.  I cut the shadow from royal blue card stock.  I then layered a piece of red behind the heart and yellow behind the windows.  I created a hill with some green card stock which I just cut free hand.  I punched the sun from yellow using a circle punch and placing only a corner of the piece in the punch.  It needed something and I considered spattering but could not decide on a color so I chose pencil crayons instead.  I added some depth to the green hill and pulled some grass growing from it.  I created subtle clouds in the sky with grey and blue.  Pulled some sun rays from the yellow sun in the corner.  I added a bird in the sky with a black fine tip marker.

For this card I had printed this crooked house clip art which is available for free on several websites. I colored it digitally then printed it. I fussy cut around the edge leaving a narrow white border.  I create a grass layer with some ripped card stock which I glued down and trimmed to the card edge. I punched a sin with a circle punch and adhered it in the top left hand corner.  I created a sidewalk to the front door with a piece of white card stock cut by hand.  I adhered the house over the sidewalk. I pulled out the pencil crayons and added some depth.  Yellow sun rays from the sun, smoke from the chimney in grey, cloud was grey and blue, green grass growing up and a subtle image of a tree on the right hand side with green and brown. The embellished white layer was adhered to a navy card base which matched the house roof.

These cards are headed to their new homes today.

New Home Card

I'm visiting my aunt's new home today so I made a card for her.  Things are getting unpacked and sorted out.  She says she feels at home in the house and the province which is very good.

I started with the Folk Art Festival cartridge and the Cricut.  I cut the fancy house at 3 inches in white and the shadow in royal blue.  I cut the greeting layer 3.75" x 5" from white textured card stock and I printed it with the colors I had chosen in mind.  I adhered a bit of red card stock behind the heart and then adhered the white house to the blue shadow.  This accent was then glued to the card front with 3D foam tape.  The full layer was then adhered to the card front. 

Share Your Cup #200

I washed the kitchen rug and put it out to dry in the wonderful sun this morning.  As you can see it fits right in with the navy and sunshine yellow color theme of my kitchen.  I wash it in the bath tub then put it in the washer on spin only to get most of the water out.  Then it sits on the balcony till it's dry.  I have to turn it over a couple times during the day but at the end of the day it will be dry.  This rug was woven by my Mom on the loom she inherited from her mother. Mom asked what colors I would like and filled the bill.  She's a great lady. 

It rained last night but this morning was warm.

The pot of herbs planted on May 21st is showing signs of life and green sprouts.  It will be a while before I cut them and put them in my cooking.  Patience is a virtue.

I received the latest Stampin Up catalog from my demo Gail.  I made a cup of Jade Citrus Mint and browsed every page carefully.  That was 60 minutes well spent.

I've put a check next to the Woodland and Seaside embossing folders and the new balloon punch which is the right shape in my humble opinion.  The others were perfectly round and balloons are not usually.

I captured this water drop this morning on my walk.  It rained last night so most natural surfaces were wet. 

Roses blooming is a good sign it's June.  I took this one again on my walk this morning.

Decorative Paper - Set 3

This card features paper created with the Bubble Painting technique.

This technique was done on plain white card stock so it matte and not shiny.  There is a great variety of greens from moss to a yellowy one.  I chose a green grey card stock.  I trimmed the decorative paper to leave a small margin and adhered it to the card front.  I then placed a piece of River Rock card stock across the bottom third of the card.  On top of that I adhered my greeting with 3D foam tape.  The greeting was color printed on ivory card stock and punched with the Stampin Up Decorative Label Punch.  I rubbed the edges with Always Artichoke ink pad. I cut a star from River Rock then a smaller one from the same bubble decorative paper.  These where layered and adhered above the greeting to the left.

Here's a sympathy card made with the circle trio using the same bubble paper.  I punched the decorative paper with the smaller 1.25" circle punch then the solid card stock with the 1 3/8" circle punch. These were adhered together.  The large greeting is my own design and was printed in Mellow Moss.  I used the same green grey card stock as the first card. I adhere the left and right circles leaving even borders then just place the third one in between leaving even borders.

This card features Paste Paper.  The acrylic paint used in the technique was brown.  I cut the paper leaving a small border.  It was adhered to the front of a warm brown card which worked well with the colors in the paper.  I cut the Memory Box Birch Tree Trio from sand colored card stock.  I adhered them to the paste paper with snail adhesive so I could just rub off the areas which had adhesive sticking out.  The greeting is printed on vellum in black then embossed with clear powder. I ripped the top and bottom edges.  I placed it across the bottom third of the card and added the copper maple leaf brad in the top right hand corner.  I used several tiny round brads to hold the rest of the greeting in place.  Once in place I trimmed the ends to the card edge with scissors.

Decorative Paper - Set 2

For this card I used heavy decorative paper made with alcohol inks and Future floor wax. I cut the quarter sheet with the Creative Memories circle cutter using the largest circle and the red cutter.  I rubbed the edge with a blue ink pad to get rid of the white edge.  I adhered it along the left folded edge of the blue card and trimmed the top and bottom to the card edge.  I created a slit in the fold to pull through a length of white 1/4 grosgrain ribbon.  The ends were taped down on the inside of the card. I then cut a shorter piece which I tied onto the first piece and trimmed the ends with scissors. I added silk flowers one white, one blue on the bottom third of the card just inside the curve. These are held in place with a tiny white brad to which I added a small flower sequin.  A card ready for any occasion.

This card is shares the same layout as the first one.  This time the colors a quieter. Mauve and turquoise onto a white background. This one was photo paper so was much easier to cut.  The same white grosgrain ribbon across the top.  A white then a purple silk flower on the accent with the same flower sequin and tiny white brad. The card is turquoise.

This card again is set up in the landscape/wide orientation.  I used my large greeting layout with Rose Red for the printing.  I punched the Stampin Up 1.25" circles from the ink background paper and the larger 1 3/8" circles from a deep rose solid card stock which matched the greeting. I selected a light blue card with coordinated with the blue in the decorative paper circles.  I generally  adhere the right then left then just place the center one leaving even spacing.

Decorative Paper - Set 1

Today, I'm delivering some cards made with my own decorative paper to add to my inventory at gallery gift shop.

I've always loved these rounded squares and now that I have a Creative Memories punch which makes the sizes perfect it makes it a joy to make these cards.  I punched the smaller 1.25" squares from mauve/turquoise decorative paper. I punched the larger 1.5" squares from turquoise card stock.  These all had 2 corners rounded with a punch. The decorative ones were adhered to the solids tightly aligning one of the corners.  I color printed the large greeting on white in a coordinating color.  The white greeting layer was adhered to the card front. The 4 squares were then adhered with the tight corners all aligned to the center of the cross.  It gives the effect of a graphic flower.






Here's another using the same decorative paper and the same squares.  This time I left the square corners.  I mounted the decorative ones onto turquoise solid.  These were then adhered to a 3.25" square of textured white card stock.  The square was then adhered to the card front leaving about the same margin top and bottom.  I stamped the greeting with one of the stamps from the Good Greetings Stamp set in Tempting Turquoise.  I flagged the ends with the corner of the square punch as it was handy.   Celebrate allows the card to be used for birthdays, anniversary, graduation, or any other celebration.

I changed the orientation on this one to landscape/wide.  The greeting layer was printed with Garden Green and just one line with the greeting blocked onto it.  I used a ink background decorative paper with yellow and green.  The solid is Mexican Poppy Bazzil card stock.  These again are layered then placed along the line.  The whole layer is then adhered to a kelly green card.

Christmas Card Challenge - Silver / Large Greeting

It's time for another set of Christmas cards to keep me on track for November. I'm at 50 which is not half way to what I need so I will have to pick up the pace.  I have a class scheduled for June 6th so that should help.

The challenge for June was Silver and Large Greeting. I color printed the greeting. The small evergreen tree is Always Artichoke and the tree stamp from the Stampin Up Festival of Trees set. The large greeting is printed in black on vellum and then embossed with silver detail powder.   I chose a warm forest designer paper - Provocraft - Once Upon a Forest.  The paper was trimmed to leave a small border and placed on a grey green card which matched the designer perfectly.  I added a sparkly silver glitter swirl brad to fill in the open space and repeat the silver color.  I did several greetings and Winter Wishes was one of them.  There are some people that are not as crazy about Christmas as I am so a few cards with out Christmas on it helps to fill that gap in my card collection.

Super happy with these and they were very quick to make. 

Christmas Bird House

I'm adding to my Christmas Card Count.

I started with a kraft card in the portrait tall orientation.  I added a strip of off white striped vellum and mounted it offset from the center. I selected the bird house die cut from the vintage K&Company Cardstock and Acetate die cut set.  I used Tombow Acetate Adhesive on the acetate greetings and adhered them below the bird house.

Choo Choo Train Christmas Card

I started with a die cut from a set of Vintage Cardstock & Acetates from K&Company.  I chose a black card to match the color of the engine which I laid in the landscape/wide orientation. I used a piece of off white vellum which worked with the vintage image.  I held it in place with 4 tiny black brads in the four corners. I then adhered the train die cut to the vellum.  I used Tombow Vellum Adhesive on the clear acetate greeting (it's red but scanned black) and adhered it below the train.  I used a thin black marker and added smoke from the chimney by hand.

Submitting to 52 Christmas Card Throwdown - May Stash Challenge - Dies or Punches.

Vintage Snowman

I started with the Vintage Snowman die cut from K&Company Cardstock & Acetate set.  I chose a green card which worked with the bow in the gift he is holding.  I searched my stash for a off white vellum which happened to have stripes.  I attached it to the card front with 4 tiny red brads in all four corners.  I adhered the snowman die cut to the vellum layer.  I used vellum adhesive by Tombow to adhered the acetate greetings placed below the gift.  I added an acetate snowflake in the top right hand corner held in place with a tiny red brad.

These die cut sets really facilitate the making of cards because all the elements coordinate nicely.

Submitting to the challenge at Holly Jolly - Traditional Colors.

Thank Yous - Trip

These are the cards I included with my thank you gift to those ladies who helped me out last week. One took me to the airport and the other kept an eye on my place while I was away.  I am giving them tea as gift.
The left card features handmade marbled paper with a leaf cut with a Cuttlebug double die.  It cuts the outline and the solid background.  The pink one is the Stampin Up scallop circle punch in pink pearl paper.  Then layered 1 3/8" white and 1.25" pink circles.  I placed a pearl confetti daisy on top of those with a rhinestone in the centre. The envelopes were cut from 80lb text weight paper with the SU Petal Card die.  The envelope is held closed with a small white circle sticker.

Mosaic Monday - May

I have visited the Community Garden several times.  Here's a nice group of tulips which arrived early in the month.

Today, the strawberries were turning red, there was plenty of chives, and there were a few rows with markers indicating seeds had been planted and soon green sprouts will be sticking their heads from the soil.

I took this photo at the Morrison House Cafe.  My sister and I had lunch there together on the May long weekend.  We talked about our craft projects and a bunch of other things.

This was taken at the Heritage Hill Wetlands.  A very attentive Canada Goose on the beautiful water. 
No Pelicans on this visit.  I will have to try again.

This is a barn in Ontario on my quick trip across the country last week.  The barns in Alberta just don't look that same.  Love the Canada Maple Leaf flag painted on the addition.














This was an unusual sight so I took a picture so I could investigate later.

Here and there across the Canadian countryside you’ll see these bright blue shelters placed in patterns in pastures. Their openings all face the same direction and their presence has a rather otherworldy feeling about it. What are these things?

They are plastic shelters for alfalfa leaf-cutter bees, a native North American bee that has been domesticated. The blue dome is used in western Canada, variations in other parts of the continent. The shelters, usually found in alfalfa pastures, are needed for their warming ability and as a place for the bees to build their nests out of alfalfa leaves. One shelter for every 4 to 5 acres contains about a dozen nests.

Sharing with Mosaic Monday hosted by Judith at Lavender Cottage.

Friday's Hunt 1.22

These photos are for Friday's Hunt challenge.

The prompts this week are:
Starts with V
Favorite
Sunshine

This is Vintage Linen.  This is one of a set of three Vintage Doilies I found recently at a sale.  I loved the embroidery of a blue basket filled with pink flowers. It has a wonderful crocheted edge.

This is captured Sunshine.  I have several prisms in my living room window.  When I open the curtains in the morning the sunshine highlights bouncing around the room as the crystals move and swing.  I captured one of these on the cushion of the chair.  The colors are all there!! Love it.

This is a photo of a lake in Northern Ontario.  There are just a million of them.  There seems to be one on every corner.  This is my favorite for this week. 

Joining Friday's Hunt hosted by Teresa at Eden Hills.

Share Your Cup #199

Pot of Herbs  I was with my sister on the long weekend. I had decided that I would like to have a few herbs for cooking.

We transplanted the Cilantro to this large shallow pot. We added Chives, Basil, and Dill.  She had a turquoise plate to go under the pot, how nice was that!
This second picture shows the few green sprouts that are starting to poke their heads from the soil.

Quick Trip  
I spent most of the week traveling across the country to help my aunt Fran move from Ontario to Alberta.  She is coming to be closer to her family.  Isn't retirement grand!
We drove for 4 days with averaging 10-12 hours on the road per day.  We got along well as we were both morning risers as our days usually started around 5:30 am. I did manage to get a walk in every morning so my body is not complaining too much. We got to know each other and we have quite a few things in common. Family, photography, fiber crafts and love of Butter Chicken and Chai Tea.
I need a snooze today.

Deck Chair
I purchased a white plastic deck chair on the long weekend.  This morning I washed it all up and put it on my balcony.  I had tea outside of the first time.  It's a bit noisy but the morning sun feels great.
My To Do book to work on what needs to be caught up now that I am home, Masala Chai tea,  muffins, and fruit.

I'm ready for a bit of a rest.

Sharing My Cup with Carol at Art & Sand.