IT'S BEEN A MONTH!

...RIGHT TO THE DAY!

A lot has happened since my last post.  Sometime before the end of August I started feeling extremely tired.  I thought it was just a case of anemia, so I took iron pills; but other symptoms started up.  When I went to the doctor, she took a urine sample.  Since it was Labor Day weekend, it took a week to come back--I had a serious kidney infection.  The first round of antibiotics had to be repeated before it finally started to clear up.  It was actually quite scary, and it took 3 weeks to regain my strength; but I'm fine now.

Meanwhile, my elderly diabetic cat was also quite sick and losing weight.  After running numerous tests, the vet could not find any reason for her deteriorating condition, so we had to put her down.  It was very sad, especially since she was our last pet.

Yesterday was my first day back in the Stamping Tower, and I made 15 Christmas cards to give our pastor for his use.  Love that MISTI!  

TWO OF A KIND

These two cards were made as a result of pressing the leaves between 2 panels of cardstock or watercolor paper, placing both panels in a folded  piece of typing paper and running it through the die cut machine. I then cut each panel using a stitched die.

Next, I added the greeting and glued the panel to some fun foam to keep the warping to a minimum.  The only embellishments I used for this card were the three tiny pearls.

You can do this with any green leaf that is still moist.  The chlorophyll in the leaf acts as a natural ink that is transferred to the paper "sandwich" giving you two prints at a time.   Try it--it's fun!

TWO OUT OF THREE

Jennifer McGuire inspired me to try "having fun" with water coloring, so I used the three roses from the SSS "Beautiful Flowers" stamp set.  I clear embossed them, coated them with water, and added Fossilized Amber and Spiced Marmalade, then fussy cut them and mounted them over some green leaves.

It was sort of fun, but I still don't have it down when it comes to using water colors.  To "pep" this card up a bit, I added the dsp strip on the side, the copper thread and the tiny tag.  After I took the picture, I also added a few sequins.

For card #2 I used the third rose, the leftover leaves and a few gold sequins.  Both cards will make good summer notes since I already have quite a few birthday cards made.  I'll be moving on to Christmas cards soon!

FEMININE WINDOW CARD

This was sooo easy to make!  It's hard to see the depth of the window here, but it's mounted over the embossed piece with dimensionals.

The flowers are punched and the centers brushed with white WOS.  (Did you know it comes in white?)  The pearls were added to the centers, and the flowers are mounted with one on the top, one attached to the back of the green cs, and the 3rd one attached to the white cs beneath; so they're on three different levels.

The butterfly is sponged lightly with Marmalade Distress Ink and mounted with glue dots.

I like the scalloped edges peeking out from beneath the green cs.  That die should get used more often!

PAPER ROSES

I CASEd this from a few cards on Pinterest that used the SU die set.  I'm not sure I really like the open-ness of the flowers.  I finally settled on this arrangement.

For embellishment, I used the leaf sprig from the same die set and added matching pearls.  They matched the pearlised cardstock perfectly.

This will make a handy note card for someone who needs a lift.  It's good to have these on hand.

PAPER PLAYERS--Humor

This was an easy card to make with the Sizzix die set.  However, it was tough getting it through the machine having two layers plus the die to cut.  I was a little nervous that it might break the machine, so I don't think I'll use this set again.  Thankfully, it was borrowed; and I'm glad I got to try it.

The die set includes one for the sprinkles, but I chose to use the stick-on dots from my stash--much easier thank cutting, coloring and gluing paper ones. 

This cupcake/food group stamp is just one of many humorous ones in my stash.  I love to make cards that will make someone laugh.


Paper Players are HERE.

FOR AN EXTRAORDINARY BIRTHDAY

Today is the first day I've used this tag die (using scraps, of course.)  I started by cutting the whole die in white.  Next, I cut the top part from green cs, and again the light blue; then I glued the leaves and birds on top of the white.

After stamping the verse and sponging the edges with the same Distress Oxide ink, I tied the silver cord around the tag and mounted it on the card front.

This is one of those cards that looks better IRL!

SIMPLE SATURDAY #53

NOTE TO A FRIEND

It's that crazy chick stamp again!

This note will be going to Joan.  She quit stamping (horrors!) about a year ago and gave all her supplies to her daughter-in-law.  I thought it was time to send her a personal invitation to the Stamping Tower, just to see what's new here and throughout the stamping world.

No, I'm not going to pressure her to stamp again.  Her mind is made up for sure.  She quit to pursue other things, and I respect that.  I simply would like to have her company again.

The card is fashioned from scraps on my table (what else??) and is self-explanatory.

Shadow Box Card, NOT!

Somehow, every time I try to make a shadow box card, I get turned around and can't put it together.  I WILL get it eventually, but this card had to be cut apart and reassembled as a window card.  Maybe it's the heat and humidity...

I'M BACK!

We're home from our week at the beach house on the Outer Banks.  I know you're supposed to get wet at the beach, but not from rain!  After 4 days, one day with the road closed due to flooding, the weather improved enough to use the pool.  The beach was closed the whole week because of the undertow.  We heard 8 people had to be rescued.  At least I got some much-needed rest.

We came home Sunday exhausted from the 9 1/2 hour ride.  All I did was unpack the car, cook dinner and go to bed.  Monday I picked up our cat the the vet and caught up on the laundry; then yesterday I went to our Bible study meeting and met a friend for lunch.  Today I'm in the Stamping Tower--finally!

 Check back later for today's post! 

WINDOW GREETING

Yet another opportunity to use up some scraps!

After die cutting the circle off the edge of a panel of shiny gold dsp, I mounted it on the cardfront with Tombow glue.  Normally, I would have used dimensionals, but this paper was a bit too thin.  Then I stamped the greeting (W plus 9) in the opening

For embellishment, I die cut three leaves and punched out 2 glittery flowers, arranging them as shown.  For a final touch, I added the dark green embroidery floss on the left.

I could probably make hundreds more cards  without buying any more dsp or embellishments, but...  well, you know how that goes!

ANOTHER CARD FROM SCRAPS

Since I won't be doing any card classes for awhile, it's safe to use up leftover die cuts and embellishments like these.  The only new items here are the light blue gems on the butterfly.  Even the flower had the blue gem already affixed.

The blue panel came in a fully embossed sheet, so it must have been bought that way.  All I did was cut it into fourths and trim to fit the card front.

At the end of the summer I will be discarding or giving away whatever older scraps are left.   Some of what I have goes back 5 or 10 years!

SIMPLE SATURDAY #52

SUMMER BIRTHDAY CARD

Thanks to Tina Smith of Cards and Coffee Time, I made a few cards from the scraps on my table.  If you want some inspiration, take a look at her videos on YouTube.  The link to her blog is HERE.

Thanks, Tina!

NEW CARD FROM OLD LEFTOVERS

It's amazing what I can find when I clean up my tower!  The circles I found were from a card kit where I omitted the circles.  Here, they're used as a background for the dragonfly I found in my stash.

After running a white panel and ef through the Sizzix, I mounted it on a panel of brown cs that matched the scalloped circle.  I then mounted both on the yellow card and added the circles and dragon fly.

This will come in handy as a thank-you note.

JUST FOR YOU

Here's a card I made using scraps found on my table when I cleaned up (again!)

The die cut leaf matched the greens in the dsp and banner, and the sequins matched the dsp colors also.  All I had to do was to trim the dsp to size, create the banner with the SU punch and assemble.

Easy card!

JUST BECAUSE

I'm really lovin' the SU Vertical Greetings set, as you can see here.  I also used the SU cat punch for a card to go to a Silver Stamper cat lover for her birthday.

The fish tails on the tags were done with another SU punch.  I guess it was a SU day!

PAPER PLAYERS--Celebrate!

After watching  "Happy Friday Series/Using What's in Our Stash" on YouTube, I was inspired  to make this card.  I thought it worked very well for the Paper Players "Celebrate" challenge.

Using just one SU 6x6 pad, I chose several patterns that seemed to work well together.  I die cut three of them in different sizes and used a small balloon punch from my stash to create a birthday theme.  For the greeting, I white embossed it on a scrap of black cs.

Birthdays are fun to celebrate.  Just remember, it's not how old you are--it's how long you've lasted that counts!


Click HERE to view other entries.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!

This is posted late because today was my husband's birthday, and I didn't want him to see his card on line.  We actually won't be celebrating until Saturday night at our son's house, but I gave him his card today.  Then we went out to lunch, just the two of us, at Applebee's.

We are so blessed to be able to live in this wonderful country.  Sure, we have problems now and then; but it sure beats anywhere else.

GOD BLESS AMERICA!


Paper Players challenge can be found HERE.