Triple Time Stamping

Stamps: Flowering Flourishes, Elementary Elegance, God's Beauty

Paper: Island Indigo, Baja Breeze

Ink: Island Indigo, Baja Breeze

Element: Rose Red Vintage Flowers

Here's my take on Triple Time Stamping.

The blues really needed some color added.

Fun technique.

I'll have to try it with different colors next time.

Always on my mind...



Finally had a chance to get into the workroom. Katie showed us this background technique last week. It is so stinkin' easy, but it has an awesome WOW factor, huh? I used the Jester border punch to create the fence. Missing friends today...

Details

Stamp: Always (SU)

Paper: Baja Breeze, Whisper White, Island Indigo

Ink: Soft Suede, Cajun Craze, Baja Breeze

Extras: Linen Thread, Large Oval Punch, Dimensionals,

Jester Border Punch (Fiskars)



Happy Birthday Julie!

Not my usual style. Thought I'd try something different for my sister-in-law. She is an awesome artist and I always feel like I need to create something more than just the simple cards I usually do.

This is a mixture of different products:
Hero Arts; Birthday stamp
Stampin' Up; Elements of Style SS, Lace
K & Co; Stickers/Thickers

Goodbye Dear Friend

I just received word that Patrick passed away. He was a dear friend of the family. He spent most of my brother's last days holding vigil. He must have known then how sick he himself was - but it didn't stop him from caring for my brother.
Patrick's heart was always open to everyone. He cared so much about the world around him. Even while my heart ached for my brother, just seeing Patrick's smile could lift me up.
Patrick, we love you. Spread your wings, dear friend, and soar...

Now you see her...

I haven’t been around here much (obviously!), but I have been working on papercrafts. Mostly it’s been in classes with Kim, Nancy or Paula. They’re great people to work with. I have a really good time with them.

Even though I haven’t had a chance to come up with some of my own stuff, it’s been nice to at least make something.

Once the basement remodel gets going I hope to have time to participate in sketch challenges. We won’t be doing any of the remodeling ourselves, just the painting when they are done with everything else. Internet might be sporadic because we are having lines replaced inside the house. We might go back to using cable too. We’re very disappointed in CenturyLink.  I hate Comcast, but we don’t have any other choice really.

Hope to be posting a card or two soon!

Thank you, Katie!



Stamps: SU - Bird on a Branch
Paper: SU - Very Vanilla
Ink: SU - Bashful Blue, Poppy Parade, Early Espresso
Extras: Spellbinders Dies, Sponge

As you may remember, I've been struggling with the right sandwich for my Big Shot, so I could use Spellbinder dies with it. I don't even know how long I've been struggling. My friend, Katie, is a HUGE help to me, walking me through a couple different sandwiches until we find one that works. Katie called me one day and told me she was placing an order and wondered if I wanted to get a Spellbinder shim to use with the Big Shot. Of course I did!! I didn't have much use for the shim until today when I wanted to use a Spellbinder die and card stock to make a mask for a card I was working on. Once more I called Katie to get the right sandwich. She walked me through it and it worked the first time!!! Yay! It was so slick, I was amazed. I want to go in my workroom and cut a bunch of stuff! I am SO stoked! Thank you, Katie!

Letting go...



Stamps: SU - Nature Walk
Paper: SU - Whisper White, Marina Mist
Ink: SU -Marina Mist, Cajun Craze, Crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip
Extras: Martha Stewart Bakers Twine



Not a tradional Sympathy card for sure, but then, Daniel isn't a traditional kind of guy. He is one of James' dear friends. Once you got to know Daniel, he was just as much your friend too. Our whole family loves him. 

Stamps: SU - Button Buddies
Paper: SU - Whisper White, Marina Mist, Chocolate Chip
Ink: SU - Marina Mist, Pear Pizzazz, So Saffron, Chocolate Chip
Extras: SU - Chocolate Chip ribbon (retired), SU - Edge Punch, Mini Brads

Patrick isn't tradional either. He is another of James' dear friends. He is the one that spent the most time with James. He took care of his legal stuff and a lot of his personal needs (those the hospice didn't). I love Patrick! He is a very sunny guy. Whenever I see him I get a gentle hug and a warm smile. I wanted to create a card for him that was masculine without being macho, and just a little sweet. Like him.

Jon and I did end up flying to Oregon in December to see James. We had a pretty nice visit. It was hard to see him so sick, but it was wonderful to "see" that he was really still his same old self. I am proud to call him my brother.

Dean James Dixson
1952-2012

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

Still Stamping...

It’s been a long time since I’ve posted. I try to keep the crafty juices flowing by attending two SU! classes each month. My friend, and long time demonstrator Kim Smith, holds a class once a month. Our projects will all have something to do with Fancy Folds. Everyone was required to get a new Simply Scored Scoring Tool from SU! and bring it to class each month to do our projects. September and October we worked on medallion wreaths.  September we cut and scored strips of Designer Series Paper and then folded them into medallions. We used heavy duty adhesive and hot glue to hold the medallions in place. Kim took the idea of the wreath from page 6 of the Stampin’ Up! Holiday Mini Catalog. Quite a few of us girls liked the wreath so much that we are going to make one for Christmas too. At class in October we finished putting our wreaths together.
My friend, Nichole Bair (another SU! Demonstrator), holds a class once a month too. We have done some great projects there! I will get permission from her to post things in the future.

Around home things are going okay. We are able to keep my CML under control with medication. We are very happy for that. We received some sad news recently, my oldest brother has cancer again. It’s at stage four. Other than trying to make him comfortable, he is refusing treatment. Most of the family lives in different parts of the state, so he is living on his own in a private home with live-in care. He had to give up his apartment and move in with a hospice family, but he’s not too far from his old place and now he has a cell phone, so he chats with a lot of folks.   

Autumn has definately settled in the Wasatch Mountain Foothills. I love the crisp smell of the air. I hope we get get some Trick-or-treaters this year! Cherry Lane is a busy street and there aren't very many lights. Only the brave older kids come to our house. 

Have a Great Weekend! ~utahrose~