One seed can start a garden, one candle can light a room, one step can begin a journey, one conversation can start a friendship, one smile from a handmade card can lift one's SPIRIT!

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Merry Monday Christmas Card Challenge #54 (Snowman Theme) and another Online Pattern Paper Card

I am learning people!  Of course, I pull  out about 5 or 6 different pattern papers and even cut them before deciding what really looks good...I told you I struggle with this!  Will it ever get easier?  I don't know but it sure feels good to be using this pattern paper that just sits in a box!  So the inspiration sketch comes from the Online Card Class Pattern Papers.  And once again I used a cute snowman to enter this card into the Merry Monday Snowman theme card challenge as well.  I figure I might as well kill two birds with one stone so to speak!  Note to self:  buy more twine...particularly RED!
 


paper:  PTI pure poppy, PTI Christmas Prints pattern pack, white
stamps:  Tiny Treats:Christmas, Tag Its # 8
memento marker,  copics, May Arts jute, white uni ball pen for dashes, pure poppy ink

Daughter update...GREAT NEWS!

Yesterday I had a three month follow up appointment with my oncologist.  The plan is to be proactive so I will have CT scans every 6 months for two years then once a year for 5 years.  Otherwise, I am very good. I am still dealing with the UTI from the time of surgery, but we are trying to go a "holistic" way and conquer this bacteria ~ I have faith that this will work, but just take time to do so.  As I was sitting at the scheduling desk for my next three month appointment the Doctor came out and told us he called the pathologist to get some preliminary word on Dina's bone marrow biopsy from last Friday.  She is CANCER FREE in her bone marrow!  That is HUGE and we were just thrilled beyond words for that news.  The doctor asked us to tell Dina...so we planned a gathering at our favorite "kid" eating place:  Red Robin; we invited my other daughter's family and Dina's in-laws...and then we surprised her and everyone with the news!  We had a little help from the Red Robin staff...they came with a bouquet of balloons, my husband had a dozen red roses, and he announced that he "ran" into his favorite oncologist (called him by first name!) and shared the Good News.  We all cried with joy! And the staff sang:  "Today you are cancer Free" instead of the "Happy Happy Birthday" song.  She did have one small spot still on her spleen so there will be another follow up PET and CT scan in another two months, but it didn't look like it was an active disease...so we are hoping the last infusion of chemo is still working in her body and will clear up this last little spot of the disease!

I just wanted to share this news with all of you, I know you have been following our story and have been praying for both my daughter and myself.  Your prayers have been answered, and your prayers have lifted us to new heights...even during times of despair, worry, pain, His presence has always been felt and we have YOU to thank dear friends of the cyber world!  Truly prayers have come from around the world ~  from my Dutch friends in the Netherlands, to relatives in Norway, friends in England, relatives of friends in India and throughout all the states...THANK YOU for caring and sending prayers our way!  I know as a mother I will sleep easier knowing that for now, Dina is cancer free in her bones!  YEAH!!  God bless you all!  The above picture is from Red Robin, we are missing a few of the "younger children", after dinner they went next door to Kritter Kabana (a pet store...their favorite place to visit...pet and love on all the little animals!).

I have to share a heart warming story with you.  As my husband and I were in the waiting room to see the oncologist, a lady walked in holding two bouquets of flowers.  She came up to me and said, "I am doing a random act of kindness."  And she handed me one of the bouquets of red roses, and said "God Bless".  She gave the other bouquet to another lady in the waiting room!  Now that is what I call Being Jesus to the world.  I paid it forward by giving that bouquet to my daughter...couldn't have gone to a more deserving person!  Just think of that ONE random act of kindness and how it will touch many lives...I shared the story with the nurse who drew my blood and with the doctor...the act of kindness will be spread!

Monday, March 18, 2013

Merry Monday Christmas Card Challenge #54 (Snowman Theme) AND the Online Pattern Paper class!

I think I have mentioned before how I get overwhelmed with pattern paper and also a bit intimidated by it...so when the Online Card Class came up with a class for Pattern Paper usage I thought that might be just what I need to use up my stash...And Lo and Behold, I watched the first day of the Online Class and Kristina Werner came up with this simple design sketch and talked about the pattern papers and what to look for etc.  So I decided to combine a card for that class along with the Merry Monday theme being "Snowmen" this week!  I love snowmen...and I have a couple of stamps that have never seen ink...this might just be the time to get them inky and give me a couple of extra Christmas cards not to mention practice with selecting pattern paper!  This set of pattern paper did all come from one set:  PTI: Holiday Flourishes and Swirls Patter Pack.  I think I am second guessing myself on the tiny dots...I almost feel like it needs to be solid, at least around the snowman.  The top edge of the card was cut back about 1/2 inch and then the scallop was taped to the back side of the front of the card...I like it and think I will learn a lot in this class and maybe stop being a horder with pattern paper!


Paper:  PTI rustic cream,, white, holiday Flourishes and Swirls pattern pack
stamp:  Unity stamp
die:  nestability circle, PTI small scallop
misc:  may arts jute 
copics for coloring the snowman 

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Case Study Challenge # 132

 

T
This last card of the three cutterflies is the "CASE Study" card for this challenge.  I loved the negative die cut butterflies, and I had seen on Amber's blog Damask Love how to cut out a die only partially...now sorry the link is directly to her blog NOT to the actual site of the tutorial for doing this technique with your die cutting machine.  You can probably do a search and find it...I can summarize the basic steps if you like.  I made a pencil mark on the paper at the halfway mark of my butterfly (the actual body), then lay the paper and the die on the edge of the cutting plate, run it through, take the die and turn it around and make sure you are setting the pencil line with the die and paper on the edge of the cutting plate, run it through again.  So you cut two times, but not all the way through because you have half the paper hanging off the edge of the plate.  Understand?  Clear as mud?  Go to Amber's blog and do a search for it.

I stamped the crackly background stamp in spring rain, then die cut the butterfly, attached it to a piece of spring rain paper and then attached the whole thing to a white card.  The sentiment is from Happy Hydrangea.

Dynamic Duos # 44 card 2

This week on the Dynamic Duos Color Challenge it is the "Black Tie" combo...one color with black and that other color is YELLOW this time...hmmm, kind of like a bee.!  Why didn't I think of that sooner!!!  I thought I would use my In Bloom stamp and make a background with it...can you believe I have had this stamp for oh maybe a year...my BFF has used it several times while she has been down visiting me and not once have I inked it up...Now I can say I have used it!  I embossed the sentiment with zing black embossing powder...really shiny and bright!


stamp:  PTI In Bloom
ink:  memento black
copics Y02
dies:  TANL, In Bloom,  medium scallop
paper:  PTI white, black, black bitty dot pattern paper 

Saturday, March 16, 2013

Dynamic Duos...Soft yellow and Black

Dynamic Duos have their new two colors up for this week...soft yellow and black!  I took a little liberty in using a tad brighter yellow...a memento dandelion!  Two fun colors this time around.  Do you want to play and check out the DT cards...each one is pretty fabulous!

Paper:  PTI black, and stampers select white
stamps:  Sweet Baby, Inside and Out Baby, Fabulous Frames
ink:  memento tuxedo black, memento dandelion
dies:  Sweet Baby, Fabulous Frames

CAS(E) this Sketch # 19

Karolyn Loncon has given us a sketch this week over at the CAS(E) this Sketch Blog.  I decided to go with a soft pink for this sketch...very girly, but sometimes we are very grateful for people and the things they do for us...so I thought this card spoke to my heart.  I selectively stamped the sentiment so that Grateful would be a brighter pink.  I used some zing embossing powders to make the flowers "pop" a bit, and for the 'heart' at the beginning of the sentiment.

Paper:  PTI rustic cream, sweet blush and pattern paper
stamp:  Birds and Blooms anniversary set
ink:  ripe avocado, versamark, hibiscus burst, harvest gold, sweet blush
misc: zing blush embossing powder

Friday, March 15, 2013

Merry Monday #53-A Christmas Card Sketch Challenge # 2

One more card for the Merry Monday Card Sketch Challenge.  Go HERE to play with this week's sketch.  Two down for this week...this is great people, getting enough cards made that maybe I can even sell a few!

Here is the sketch to follow...I really wanted to use that Hero Arts nativity scene, so I had to make my oval a bit bigger...then I also scored a line above and below my "O Holy Night".

Paper:  PTI white, enchanted evening and enchanted evening pattern paper
stamps:  Hero Arts nativity, PTI Nativity silhouettes addition
ink:  enchanted evening, versamrk
misc:  silver embossing powder 

Merry Monday #53-A Christmas Card Sketch Challenge

Merry Monday is a challenge blog to get at least one Christmas card done each week.  This week is a sketch.  And even though it is still winter (just less than a week from spring, though) I am still enjoying making Christmas cards this time of the year!

You can go HERE to link up to this challenge and get a jump start on your own Christmas cards!  Here is the sketch for this week:
I hope you have as much fun with this blog challenge as I am having!

Make It Monday #107: Clear Card & Copic Coloring Basics

This week's Make it Monday over on Nichole's blog Capture the Moment she demonstrates a simple copic coloring to get some dimension  and she combines it with using the clear card stock.  I was actually pretty pleased with the coloring on my butterfly and thought, WOW, I did pretty good having a shade darker in the center and blending it out.  Then when I showed it to my husband he said I was missing the black dots, since I used those "monarch" colors, I needed black dots on the wings!!  Ha ha...if the stamp doesn't have it, I don't free hand it!  I used only two colors for the leaves, but again, was happy that Nichole showed her coloring to get me started.


Stamps:  PTI Flutterby Friend, Happy for you
Ink:  memento black
copics
paper:  PTI stampers select white, orange zest, summer sunrise pattern paper, Hero Arts clear card stock
 

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Seize the Birthday #10 {Masculine Birthday}

This week on Seize the Birthday # 10 Masculine card... it is all about the males in our life!  My SIL is an avid golfer, so I knew exactly what stamp set I wanted to use for his birthday card...which is this month!  I heat embossed the white balls and tees for the side strip and then stamped the clubs and the "green" with the flag still in the hole!  I selectively stamped the clubs with Hero Arts "charcoal" ink (which BTW, dries a lot lighter and is a very fine gray!) and then the blueberry sky for the bag.  That might actually be what color his bag is in real life!
Here is the sketch for this weeks card!  Go have some fun and make another birthday card!

All products Papertrey
paper:  stampers select white, blueberry sky, simply chartreuse
ink:  blueberry sky, simply chartreuse, pure poppy, versamark
misc:  white filigree embossing powder
stamps:  On the Links 

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Colour Challenge # 180

Well, aren't these fun and maybe a bit masculine colors?  I always always struggle with male type cards...but this turned out to be pretty simple, but I like it a lot.  Want to play with the Challenge?  Then go  HERE to the blog and check out all the other fun and different inspirations!
Here are the colors...for this weeks Colour Q Challenge # 180!
Paper:  PTI white, new leaf, simply chartreuse, smokey shadow, true black
ink:  PTI new leaf and simply chartreuse, Hero Arts charcoal, memento black
Stamps:  PTI Stylish Sentiments:  Birthday, Hero Arts Box of Dots 

Monday, March 11, 2013

Muse # 8 Sweet Baby Card



The inspiration this week  is by Therese Calvird on the Muse blog go HERE to link up and see the inspiration.  What I first noticed about her card is the pop of white...I loved the white space and the image set into it.   Since I was in need of a baby card...actually I also need a bay girl card (might be making another one of these)  I thought to use boy colors and bring in that cute giraffe.


Here is Therese's card for the Muse Challenge this week.
All products Papertrey
paper:  white, spring rain pattern paper
ink:  orange zest, memento black, spring rain
stamps:  Sweet Baby, Baby Button Bits
dies:  Sweet Baby (giraffe), Mat Stack # 3
misc:  button from stash







Paper Players Challenge # 136

This is a Hero Arts Flower stamp.  I fussy cut each flower after I stamped it with memento black ink.  The top flower was stamped with hibiscus burst ink on hibiscus burst paper.  I added some white enamel accents to the center of the flower.   Go HERE to play.

Paper:  PTI white, dark chocolate, hibiscus burst, aqua mist bitty dot pattern paper
ink:  simply chartreuse, dark chocolate, hibiscus burst
stamps:  Hero Arts lg, md and small striped flower, PTI:Turning a New Leaf, PTI Stylish Sentiments: Birthday




Sunday, March 10, 2013

Dymanic Duos # 43 - 2nd Card

Have you seen the gorgeous colors for this weeks duo of colors?  Oh my, they are so yummy together...green and an aqua...the official ink colors are lucky limeade and pool party.
                                                                               If you want to play along go HERE to the Dynamic blog....the DT made a ton of awesome cards!

All products PTI
paper:  rustic cream, new leaf, aqua mist
ink:  new leaf, aqua mist, memento black
stamps:  With Sympathy

Colour Q # 179

Here are the colors for this weeks challenge, this is my second card.  I wanted to use the Wreath for All Seasons and make it springy...this could just go to one of my aunts, maybe in April or May...don't you think that would work?

paper:  PTI kraft, white, berry sorbet
ink:  PTI kraft, berry sorbet, scarlet jewel
stamps:  PTI Wreath for all Seasons, Birds and Blooms
twine from the twinery

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Dynamic Duo # 43 and Less is More

This week  Dynamic Duos colors have a fresh, springy combination of sky blue and grass green. And the More is Less challenge is asking for :ONE LAYER, but they are also asking for SPOTS and STRIPES!  I did ONE big spot by doing a masking and sponging in the aqua mist color, then adding a bit of the wreath from Birds and Blooms.  I added the stripe on the side like it could be a ribbon...Since I was short of sympathy cards, that is what I decided to use for my sentiment.  I normally don't combine two challenges because my mind just doesn't work that way, but this time it just came together so nicely (I think, at least!).

ALL products are PTI
paper:  white
ink:  aqua mist, new leaf
stamps:  Birds and Blooms, Fillable Frames Additions 
 Go HERE to link up to the dynamic duos color challenge, and Go HERE to link up to the Less Is More Challenge Blog.  Thanks for taking a look and leaving a comment if you so desire!  I love it when you do!
 

 
                                                                                                                          
 

A St. Patrick's Day Birthday card

I am just sharing a random birthday card for my SIL whose birthday is March 17!  St. Patrick's Day!  And no, I don't think there is a bit of Irish in him...but that is okay, we still love him.  I die cut three hearts using some masking paper.  I set the first heart down in the center and then laid the other two down overlapping at the points.  I used a random shamrock stamp set (acrylic, from the $1 bin at Michael's) and stamped all around my masked area.  I hand cut the stem...pretty exciting to pull of the mask and actually see my shape!  Yeah it worked!  That is it for now. 

My BFF is here until Tuesday and we are just on a roll with cards...doing all sorts of challenges and having a blast in here!  Sure wish we lived closer so we do this once a week or so...

Friday, March 8, 2013

Moxie Fab: Chevron and Ombre Challenge 2 in 1

I am entering this in the Moxie Fab Card Challenges for both the Chevron and the Ombre.  This week Moxie is highlighting the latest and greatest TRENDS...so I decided to make one card using both the chevrons and the ombre technique which is going from lightest to darkest on one color.

I cut  out the circle on the top layer, masked off about 1/8 on an inch on the right side and stamped my chevrons going from lightest to darker, then back..I added the top with dimensionals.  I white heat embossed the sentiment and added two green bling on the side.

All products PTI
paper:  white and ripe avocado
stamp:  Script sentiment, chevron
bling from stash

If you want to play with the chevron challenge go HERE and if you want to try the Ombre challenge then go HERE.

Moxie Fab: Card Creations: The Ombre Challenge

Have you seen all the fun challenges going on at theMoxie Fab Blog this week?  This challenge is for the Ombre technique.  "Today's trend focuses on a hot technique--ombre. What is ombre you might ask? Well, ombre is when color graduates from light to dark on a surface. This look can be created in numerous ways--from using ink to cardstock to fibers to paint to embellishments such as buttons to patterned paper. The point is to create a graduated color on a paper crafted card."

So I gave it a try...I had stamped these flowers from the PTI Text Box set awhile ago and realized they would work perfectly for this technique...light to dark.

All things PTI except twine:  Twinery twine
paper:  rustic cream
stamp:  Text Box, Beautiful Butterflies
ink:  pure poppy, summer sunrise, harvest gold
dimensionals:  dots from HERE...Deanna Dean's etsy!

CAS(E) this sketch # 18

Another sketch from CAS(E) this Sketch.  My brother's birthday is coming up, so I pulled out On The Links from PTI to make him a birthday card...he will be 60 this year...and he does love to golf.  I stamped the "tee" in brown ink and white embossed the golf ball to sit on top of the tee.  The sentiment both inside and on the front of the card is from the new Stylish Sentiments:  Birthday set from PTI.

Paper:  PTI white, new leaf, bitty dot brown pattern pack, dark chocolate
ink:  PTI dark chocolate, versamark, new leaf
misc:  white filigree embossing powder
stamps:  On the Link, Stylish Sentiments:  Birthday





CAS-ual Fridays ~ color block 2

For this second card, I die cut the blocks and then added a stamped image to each one.
                                                      
   Go HERE to check out this weeks CAS-ual Fridays challenge...it is all about color blocks...I guess mine is more blocks and then a little color inside...

Paper:  PTI white
stamps:  CAS-ual Fridays: Bean Stalk
ink:  PTI ripe avocado, memento pens
                                                                       

CAS-ual Friday ~ Color Blocks

Use blocks of color in your Clean And Simple creations.
As always, projects are NOT limited to just cards :)  
I used my cubed ink pads and stamped them directly onto a piece of paper, then I added some little stamps to each.  Tied a black twine around it and it is good to go.  I adhered it with dimensionals to the card base.  Go HERE to enter this challenge.

          
Supplies
paper:  PTI white
ink:  memento cube ink
stamps: assortment of small stamps
                                                                                                                                                  

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Seize the Birthday # 9 ~ Female card

This week it is all about our 'girly' birthdays...Go Here to Seize the Birthday Blog and check out the sketch and add your card to the link.

Stamp:  Penny Black (sealed with a kiss), Heart 2 heart # 2
ink:  copics
paper:  PTI white, pure poppy
misc.:  zing embossing powder

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Dynamic Duos Challenge # 42

This is my second card for this challenge.  I pulled out PTI's Daydreamer and used new leaf and harvest gold ink.  I added a scallop, some twine and a little Hello from the new Birds and Blooms set.
Here are the two colors for this challenge, you can go HERE 
to check it out...be inspired by the design team and link up your card!

Festive Friday - Snowflake

I have another card for the Festive Friday Challenge...I die cut the Damask Snowflake from PTI, then I daubed on Adirondack Pearl Dabber paint...it looks really pretty in real life...pearly and nice!  I then stamped the background with the super stripes in scarlet jewel ink on raspberry fizz paper.  My sentiment is die cut with the open ended banners die and stamped with the sentiment from Tremendous Treats: Christmas.  I added some "snowball" bling on either side. (My BFF gave me this package of snowballs for Christmas a year ago and I love them, so I use them sparingly and on special cards....this is one of those kind of cards!)
                                                                             If you want to play along with this fun challenge, go HERE and scroll down past the shout out cards from last challenge and you will see the above snowflake picture and cards made by the design team...then make your card and link it up!  You will be surprised to find all the Christmas cards you will need by the time that holiday rolls around!                                                          

Merry Monday # 52 Challenge

Another Merry Monday card...did I tell you that my BFF is here with me?  Well, she came down for my birthday week, so we get to spend all our time (except for eating) in the studio making cards.  And we decided it was a good time to explore more and new challenges.  AND I talked her into doing some Christmas challenges...I think she is on board with that idea now!

                                                           
                                                           
This time I chose to keep it really simple.  I used fine linen pattern paper for my background, added a strip of ripe avocado, die cut the bells and boughs and stamped them with scarlet jewel and ripe avocado.  The sentiment and all the stamps are from Bells and Boughs PTI.

Thank you for taking a look.