Christmas Card Sneak Peek



Peaceful Snowflakes
Stamps: TPC Studio - Winter Collage, SU - Peaceful Wishes
Paper: SU - Whisper White
Ink: SU - Bashful Blue

As I sit here it's a beautiful sunny day in Utah. When I took the boys for a walk at 10:00 this morning, it was already 45 degrees. I wore a sweater and my thin gloves. The boys have chain leashes instead of leather (Hershey chewed through all the leather ones when he was a pup!) so I have to have gloves to keep my hands from getting raw - and cold!

Today hasn't been a very good day for me. I spoke to my brother yesterday (the one with terminal cancer), and I could hear in his voice how he is declining. I wish I lived closer so I could be more of a support for him. I think that might help me too - but that isn't something that is going to happen, so it's better not to dwell on it. I text him at least once a day, and when we call each other I try to listen more than talk. I asked him about a month ago if he had any ideas I could use for Christmas cards. He's an artsy type of person, so I figured he might find the project a nice distraction. Yesterday he asked me if I could give him a better idea of what I was looking for. These are the samples I sent to him.

I have to keep the embellishments and layers to a minimum, because I need to mass produce and mail a lot of them to family and friends. I'd still like to have four or five more designs.

Joy
Stamps: SU - Poinsettia (Jumbo Wheel), Craftsmart - Joy
Paper: SU - Very Vanilla
Ink: SU - Cherry Cobbler, Garden Green Marker, Gold Pen, Versamark
Extras: SU - Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding, Sponge



Holly
Stamps: SU - Peaceful Wishes
Paper: SU - Whisper White, Real Red, Old Olive
Ink: SU - Real Red, Old Olive
Extras: Misc. Red Ribbon

Rudolph
Stamps: Hero Arts - Winking Reindeer
Paper: SU - Very Vanilla, Crumb Cake, Red Glimmer
Ink: SU - Basic Black, Crumb Cake, Regal Rose, Real Red
Extra: SU - Blender Pen

This little guy just makes me smile.

Isn't he adorable?! 





Season of...

This card was CASEd* from one I saw posted by www.papercraftsmag.com The original card was created by Lindsay Amrhein. Our styles are different, but that is one of the things I love about cardmaking. Even if you copy something, you can't help but make it your own.

This time of year reminds us of all we have to be thankful for - yet, we have those blessings all year. Let those people who are important to you know that you love them and are thankful for them. Whenever you can, hug them.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

*Copy And Share Everything

Stamps: SU - French Foliage, Harvest Home, Thoughts and Prayers
Ink: SU - Cajun Craze, Lucky Limeade, Chocolate Chip, More Mustard, Versamark
Paper: SU - Cajun Craze, Lucky Limeade, Crumb Cake
Extra: SU - Brad, Mat Pack, Scallop Border Punch, Linen Thread

Simple Sunday

No, really.

It took me all of 20 minutes. That was only because I had to color the stamp with markers!
My brother, Kenneth, had triple bypass surgery on Friday. He came through just fine. He went into the hospital early last Sunday morning, but he needed so many tests and had some complications, that it wasn't until Friday about noon that he went into surgery. He was moved from ICU to a regular patient room this morning. I understand they had him up and walking already. It's possible that he could be home by Thanksgiving. Isn't that amazing?!

I thought I would get this card in the mail to Kenneth tomorrow. I wish there was some way to send him a hug too!

Stamps: SU - Thoughts and Prayers

Paper: SU - Always Artichoke, DCWV INC - Designer Paper

Ink: SU - Always Artichoke Marker, Early Espresso Marker and Ink Pad

Simple Sunday

Although, if you had spent the last two hours working with me to actually get this simple card, you wouldn't think so!

I try to help my office mate (Nikki) keep the "card box" stocked with simple cards to use for the other people at work. Nikki does a much better job at stocking than I do.

Anyway, I had this brilliant idea to use a Spellbinder Label Die and stamp a greeting on it. Yeah, welllll...I have an old Big Shot, so the sandwich is not the same as the instructions call for. I messed around for close to two hours trying to come up with a sandwich that would work. I finally called my friend Katie, http://tarjteachr-papermusings.blogspot.com/ and she walked me through a few sandwiches until we found one that would work. I was seriously tempted to meet the garbage truck out front in the morning and throw the Big Shot under it. I was that frustrated. I thought I might actually cry with relief when the label finally cut and I started layering the card together.

It should have been perfect, right? I mean, how many people spend a good portion of time creating something and then put it together only to find that...it's ugly?

I think it was the growling and cussing, or maybe the slamming things around, that brought my husband into my workroom. I showed him the problem. "Why can't you just use one of these?" He asked, pointing to the cards tacked to my walls. What?! Those were handmade by other people and given to me! I was not going to use one of those! But - wait. I could use that bird. Hmmm.

The husband? "Yeah, I like that. That looks really nice." Does he have to sound so surprized?

Oh, and Katie? When I texted her to tell her what ended up happening? This was her response, "roflolpimp".

Paper: SU - Blushing Bride, DSP Afternoon Tea (retired)

Ink: SU - Close to Cocoa (retired)

Extras: SU - Bird Builder Punch, Sponge

Tickled Pink!

For those of you who don't know me, I love pigs! Not the real kind. (Although, some pictures people send to me are awfully cute!) I stick to cartoons, stuffed things, dust collectors and RUBBER STAMPS. I just love this Button Buddies set from Stampin' Up! I skipped adding a button to this guy's nose snout because I'm going to be mailing this card and I didn't want any mishaps...like losing the jingle bells on my brothers card. (Machines and travel tore the envelope and ripped the bells right off the card. Its my own fault because I didn't put it in a bigger padded envelope.) Well, anyway, this little guy just got a popped up paper snout. HA! That's how you avoid USPS travel incidents.

Stamps: SU - Button Buddies
The Angel Company - Funny Farm Phrases
Ink: SU - Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose
Paper: SU - Whisper White, Sage Shadow (retired)
Extras: SU - Whisper White 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon, 1/2" Circle Punch
Martha Stewart - Border Punch

Happy Birthday to ?



I know, this is a complete 180 from the last post. What can I say? I'm fickle.

This card is for a very special lady who will be celebrating 80 years this month. Her daughter is throwing her a birthday card shower. Isn't that cool?! I don't know the birthday girl, but warm and classy seemed a good choice.

Stamps: SU - Perfect Punches
Paper: SU - DSP, Whisper White, Kiwi Kiss
Ink: SU - Regal Rose, Cherry Cobbler, Old Olive
Extras: SU - Wide Oval Punch, Lace Border Punch, Cherry Cobbler Quilted Ribbon



Happy Winter Hello!

It snowed here on Friday night. We got about 3". It wasn't much, but not all of the trees had shed their leaves, so the snow was enough to break a few branches.

Saturday I just had to break out the paper, ink and stamps to celebrate the snow!

I wish you could see the large snowflakes! They really sparkle!!

Stamps: SU - Gift Givers
Paper: SU - Marina Mist

Ink: SU - Craft White, Marina Mist, Frost White, Cherry Cobbler, Pretty in Pink, Blush Blossom

Ribbon: SU - Melon Mambo

Extras: SU - Blender Pen, Stampin' Dimensionals, Scallop Circle Punch