Happy New Year, be safe!

I can remember how if we volunteered to work New Year's Eve we would find a covered area to sit under at 11:55 so that our patrol cars didn't get hit with stray bullets. I worked on the south side of Phoenix and all the projects and HUD homes were there. Half of those people couldn't afford to have a decent meal let alone a gun but they did and they shot them off like crazy. One year these two Hispanics were in the front yard shooting their guns in the air when one of them fell to the ground. When we arrived he was dead with a bullet hole in the head, and the worse part was the family couldn't image who would shoot the guys he was so special to everyone. We couldn't make them understand he probably killed himself with the bullets he had shot off coming right back down to the ground. It happened every year but their just won't quit shooting off guns to celebrate. Any way if your going out tonight be safe and drive careful.
HAPPY NEW YEAR.

This is the end of the snowman cards I made. I love snowmen but right now I've seen enough carrot noses I would bite it off if I see another one. I'm so tired of coloring them so I'll move on.

This is SU So Saffron card stock with wax paper resist on it. I like the look of it for a background and that was my last piece of paper with it so guess when I get loaded up on SU paper I'll have to take the day and do more because I really love the look. Perfect last piece of wax resist for the last snowman of 2009.

God bless you all.

I did it!!!!!

Well I did it I finished all my cards for the 'Operation Write Home' and have them mailed. I made 75 Valentine cards and 100 Thinking of you, Just for you, Just a note and Birthday cards. Wow I am so proud of myself its like I'm obsessed to do these, like I have to make them for all their doing for us.

I would love to tell you all the stamps I used but I didn't all of these were images that I received from friends and the card is always SU cardstock. I used up a bunch of scraps and mini gems. If you'll notice almost every one of the cards I made within the past couple days have the yellow ribbon somewhere on them that's because Eyelet Outlet donated 10 bags to me to use on the cards. I really want to acknowledge how great their prices are and how I love the quicklets they are so easy to use I buy a lot from there.Like I said before I did use scraps and lots of cardstock. This pink Snowman salutation says 'Just thinkin bout you'. I use alot of these tiny salutations because they can be used by almost anyone. I wish I could say I follow a pattern but I just look at the image, find coordinating DSP and then put the cards together. I don't use lots of ribbon or flowers because probably 80% of them are men.....Not I'm always up for making cards so there won't be a shortage here.

God Bless you all.

Christmas has come & gone

Christmas is over for another year I use to love Christmas now its just a sad time for me. I think its because Christmas has become so conventional. It's wonderful that there is so much excitement for the children but even the stores are greedy putting up Christmas stuff so early. If only we could remember without Jesus we wouldn't have a reason for Christmas. We had a nice dinner on Christmas eve and opened gifts at my daughters home then they started playing Wii and I decided I best get Mom home since it was so late.

I've had alot of time to make some simple cards for 'Operation Write Home'. I finally finished my snowmen cards today, all those Christmas and snowman images that I colored for the past 3 months are gone, adhered to cards. This card is simple and I got the chubby snowman image from Sandy so I'm not sure of the rubber company.

This one is another image from Sandy and I used Copic's and liquid applicate for the fur on her coat. This card is cute because of the 'Dancing snowman' from Ellen Hutson and the 4 snowmen are from Whipper Snapper. The salutation says 'just thinkin bout you !' I have to say I ordered some eyelets from the Eyelet Outlet and told them I was making cards for "Operation Write Home" and they sent me an extra 10 packets of the Yellow Ribbons and some dog tag looking 'Love you' metal tags. Needless to say I'll put their advertisement on my sidebar anytime, Thank you again for your donation.

This card was super easy I stamped swirls on this used a MS border punch layered the image then put on the yellow ribbon eyelet. I am sending 100 cards out on Monday and that will be my December lot. I still have to get some Valentine cards ready as they are due January 5. I find it hard to work so far ahead of the holidays but guess I'll get over it because I so enjoy making these cards for the troops.

Hope your holiday met with your expectations and I hope you all had a wonderful time with family and friends. I want to take the time to say Thank you to each of you that read my blog and make comments. I really appreciate everything that you all say and treasure your comments.

God Bless.

Butterflies

Yep, I love butterflies just like Wendy Weixler and I hope that my friend does also because this is her Christmas gift. No fear she doesn't do Internet so I'm safe but I almost want to keep this I love it so.

Once again it was so easy to make and I just love matching everything up with DSP SU Spring Flowers, So Saffron most of MS butterfly punches, organdy ribbon and lots of embellishments.

I used silver cording all SU Friends Stamp set and geez felt flowers. Spellbinders labels and Cuddlebug Dots folder.

MS border punch just so much fun to do these matching four cards and I had no plans just pieces paper together.

I used Gina K's idea about ribbon and used a thread to pull the 1 inch ribbon together to look like I tied it all together....NOT. Again I used MS border punch and SU die cut. I loved making these for my friends and hope you enjoyed seeing them.

Right now I'm going to take a break then start my Valentine cards for the soldiers since I have to have them in the mail by January 5th. My daughter got some bad news at the doctors and we are trying to deal with that right now along with putting on a happy face for the family. I trust in the Lord and turned this over to him but a Mom just can't walk away from precious daughter who's distraught.

God Bless.

9 Days till Christmas

This was just a quickie card that I did for the Soldiers in Operation Write home. I used SU Saffron cardstock, SU DSP, Martha Stewart snowflake punch and the salutation is not marked so I'm unsure who made it.

I must apologize to everyone I've been slack this week as I've had two doctors appointments this week and my daughter had an appointment with Dr. Devlon, he didn't have good news for her. I'm not sure how much more she can take but with all the prayers everyone is offering I know she's in good hands. Thank you everyone for your prayers.

God Bless

Quick Easy and So Nice Card Holder

I love this project and I got it from Patty Bennett as a down loadable tutorial. You can go to her blog http://www.pattystamps.com/ and find the Purse Tote with Cards. The purse tote took me about 10 minutes to make, the cards to go in the tote & the front of the purse took a little bit longer. I would make a suggestion that you cut your paper 10 inches instead of 8 1/2 inches because then you can pick up the tote with the cards in it easier.

This is a shot of the front and what it looks like open with the cards in it.This is the inside before I put the cards in it. I apologize for the horrible pictures the focus was really bad on some of these or they were way dark. I asked for a Lakeside Photo lab $35 for Christmas so we'll see if I get it or if I have to buy it but if I don't get more comments I just may wonder if I need it since no one wants to comment.
This is card #1 with lots of silver mini balls on it like the front of the card, MS edge punch and SU Baja Breeze ribbon.
Card # 2 is again simple with ribbon and a couple of stamps. All the insides have white on them with the DSP edge (forgot to take a picture of that).

Card #3 was easy with ribbon that actually matches but in this picture it sure doesn't look like it does. I thought the butterflies with rhinestones and the Snowman were cute on dotted swiss Cuddlebug folder paper.

Card #4 is horrible in this photo but I took over 8 pictures and this was the best. Again super simple design with oval punches and pearl embellishments. My hairdresser will love this he's my best customer and promoter.....Thanks Joey.

RECIPE:

Stamps Sets: SU Medallion, SU Simple Friendship, SU Oval All

Papers: DSP SU Spring Silhouettes, Baja Breeze, Certainly Celery, Always Artichoke, Vellum

Inks: SU Baja Breeze, Amuse Black

Accessories: SU ribbon, MM bead dots, SU ticket punch, CM corner rounder, MS border punches, MS butterfly punch.

Have a great weekend I'm off to play some more gotta make something for Linda (she's Joey's co-owner and sidekick).

God Bless.

14 Days Two Weeks from Today

CHRISTMAS are we ready? Yesterday I spent a fortune, I had to get a new printer so I finally bit the bullet and bought an "All in One HP" and extra cartridges, then I decided I just wasn't in the mood for Christmas shopping this year so when I checked out I got gift cards. I'm done, enough messin around when you ask what do you want for Christmas all you hear is money so when I get the goodies buried I'll show you what I did.

In the mean time here is a card I made a few weeks ago. I got the image from Micki and I used a DCWV pre-made card then I mounted the image on burlap looking paper added a cute bow with SU pink ribbon and it was done.

I actually spent the day making a 'Patty Bennett' card holder from one of her free tutorials for my hairdresser Joey. I finished it tonight but didn't get a photo of them so I'll do that tomorrow and let you see it. Until then God Bless.

16 Days till Christmas

I pulled this card out of my stash to let you know I'm working away in the Studio with Riley cards and with Valentine cards. But don't plan on posting any Valentine cards till January. So here's the recipe for my Christ's child card: SU White card stock Rose embossing folder Blue vellum paper, SU copper paper and I used Copic's to color the image, a copper ribbon and such a simple card becomes elegant.

God Bless

I love Riley & Sophia

I just got three new Riley stamps today and couldn't wait to ink them up and play. I used SU Bordering Blue, Bashful Blue, Pink Paislie DSP, MS Thanks punch SU Chocolate chip, lots of Copics and Flora Doodles. I paper pieced the apron on Sophie and Riley's hat band. I love to do that!

This next one is Riley on the Couch, I used SU Fall Flowers DSP, In Color from 2008, grosgrain dotted swiss ribbon, Copics for coloring, Flora Doodles, Maya Road RIbbon Charm and I made a super mini card to go with the candy box that says 'For You'.

This is my newest favorite of Riley, I love coffee so this was fun to make with SU DSP Fall Flowers, Mellow Moss, Martha Stewart border punch, you can't see it on the picture but I used Crystal Effects to cover the glass window. I paper pieced the awning and Cafe sign and used Copics to color it in. I attached SU felt flowers and Flora Doodles to finish it off.This is the inside of the cards with the SU DSP Fall Flowers, I used the SU scallop punch and I'm done for the day. These 3 cards took me longer than any others lately because of the cutting out, paper piecing and coloring. But I had so much fun making these and finally I got out of the Christmas card business. Had a great day with all this rain just having fun. You all have a nice night.

God Bless.

Friendship it's the Best

This is going to be short and sweet, I just want to thank Becky for this darling card she sent me over a year ago. I found it this morning and for the second time it brightened my day for me. Becky is busy working full time now and we never get to get together anymore but just knowing she's there for me makes her special to me. Make sure you all take time to say 'Thank You' to your best friend today.

God Bless

Saturday - SU Play Day WOW!

Wow Playday was packed with fun and beautiful goodies. Brenda is a great SU Demo and so full of life and love of God that the time flies by when your with her. My favorite was the gift bag we made with glossy paper using Serene Snowflakes from the Christmas mini and A Wish for Peace on page 38. I have never done the crayon resist technique but Brenda gave us all a white crayon as a gift and we made the snow. We mounted the image on Night of Navy paper and then after stamping snowflakes (Big on Christmas page 40) on the white shopping bag we mounted the image. I think its gorgeous and you can use it for a card or gift bag.

Shhhhhhhh Ryan is my grandson so don't tell him but this is his Christmas ornament that I plan on hanging on the tree. We cut out two boots out of Real Red used DSP Merry Moments for the topper, toe and heel. We reinforced the topper with a 4 X 4 Real real and rounder the edges then we connected it with a eyelet and...................

There you are a gift card holder cute as can be. I love it and I added Ryan's name to the topper to personalize it. Love it!!

Then Brenda threw in this Glove project where she got 2 pair for $1.00 somewhere, you fill up some M&M's in a cello bag put it in the glove adorn the glove attach the Christmas Story and another great surprise to put on your Co-workers desk, your kids pals or hang on the tree. Nothing fancy but so adorable.
And lastly a super simple card using Big on Christmas stamp set page 40, color the letters, punch out with the scalloped edge punch half of it on the top of the card then in Bashful blue punch a full circle match it to the punched one on the front of the card then glue it to the inside. Stamp one of the Snowflakes from Serene Snowflakes to white cs with Bashful Blue ink mount it on the full scalloped circle then I used Versamark ink a snowflake and Dazzling Diamonds and it was done. So cute and Brenda did it again made my day with fun, laughter and lots of smiles.

Brenda is an Independent Demonstrator if any one is looking for a SU lady in the Chattanooga area, contact me and I will give you her number.

Thank you Brenda and may I say the 2 1/2 inches of snow that God gave us just made the day fabulous. God Bless

22 Days till Christmas

This was a fun card to make, Papertrey Quilter's Set and a big bunch of Copic, I used a punch to make some snowflakes used a holly leave and ginger man eyelet to hold the greeting which is SU. I used SU real red card stock, white for the 'Dots' Cuddlebug folder.

My second card is on some Dollar pack paper and the color is peachy. I used gold cording and SU gold card stock to mount the images. I got these in a swap and I don't know who makes them. I did color them with Copics but right now I can't find the recipe.

It's late and I'm tired but I had fun making card this afternoon. And tomorrow I'll have a sneak peek at what else I've been doing in my studio. Ok gotta get my beauty rest check back with me tomorrow.

God Bless

My Christmas Cactus is confused!

Look at this precious cactus, I've had this for 6 years or maybe more. My friend Tizzy bought it for me just before he passed away. Gosh how I loved Tizz (aka Wally Tisdale) he was a miner and died way to young of lung disease. Anyway each time I look up from my sink I see this cactus only my Christmas cactus is confused. It is suppose to bloom once a year around Christmas but it bloomed on Thanksgiving day and I bet it has 20 blooms still left to go.

The blooms are huge and so absolutely beautiful, it make me remember Tizz and his huge heart he never met a stranger he was such a character. I love the color of the Christmas cactus and the gigantic blooms. Well Tizz must have a hand in this plant because it usually blooms every six months yep twice a year.

This last picture is a picture of the cactus and my back yard. As you can see I still haven't raked the leaves and one of the blooms is hiding a 5 foot high pile of branches that I can't burn until I rake the leaves or I'll burn the whole place down. So now you know Tizz knew I would need a bloomin cactus to match my personality: confused and precious. Thank you Tizzy, I miss you so much.

I must apologize

I really need to apologize to everyone A T & T's DSL modem decided to quit on me this weekend and I was having a horrible time trying to get online.

My first card is a cheater card, I ordered stuff from Ellen Hutson's and she always sends this darling 'Thank you 'card with her stuff. So I cut the image out and mounted it like a picture window. I embellished it with some cute little flowers and that was it so "No Thank You Ellen".


My second card is Cocoa and his cup, I'm lovin this little mouse and little story about the Thanks punch...I was shopping at Michael's the other day. I go shopping for my exercise not my wallet, my hip is healing well and I must walk for at least a half hour twice a day so I do the Michael's store as my exercise...works for me!!! Anyway I saw this punch from Martha Stewart on the 75% clearance rack, I grabbed it up and when it came time to check out the girl said 'this isn't clearance price' I said there are about 4 more on the clearance rack you need to check it out so she did and realized their mistake. She brought the other 4 to the register obviously to get them off the clearance rack but she exclaimed that since it was on the rack she would sell it to me for the 75% off. Its a border punch that folds up, Woo Hoo I got a steel!Last card is a simple but easy card made with white SU card stock stamped with Snowflakes in silver metallic. I used Whipper Snapper's stamp mounted it on some old Christmas scraps and silver metallic paper. The cross was colored with Copic's B0000, B12, B14, BV04, B05 and Y38. I love this card its so simple but pretty.

I hope everyone is recovering from the long weekend, my daughter had to work on Thanksgiving and Black Friday. I did Black Friday the first year I lived here. I got up at 3 and drove to Chattanooga I arrived at Best Buy at 4:15 AM and the line was over a block long. My first thought was "Are these people nuts? What are they thinking its cold out here and the store doesn't even open for another hour and a half." I ended up sitting in my car people watching knowing that the laptop computer I was there for was not going to be mine anytime soon. Needless to say there is nothing I need at oh dark thirty to get me out of a warm bed anymore!

Well I have chatted my head off and I need to catch up on emails so ladies and gents (if there are any) remember be safe out there.

God Bless

Black Friday

My Dancing Snowman from Ellen Hudson Stamps I just got him and he is so precious. I love snowmen because you can use them for Christmas and for Jan. Feb. & March because spring doesn't pop up for about 4 months after the Christmas holiday. I bought these plastic snowflakes with blue fuzz at the Dollar tree for 50 cents, and I bought a string of snowflakes for 50 cents. I use the pearly string for embellishments on the cards (necklace, bracelet, ribbon bonus, etc. and then I colored the snowflakes with my Copic's to match some Christmas cards. Yes I'm still making Christmas cards although I have all of mine done, addressed and I always try to send them out on Dec. 6th, because that's 'Daddy's Day' (it was his birthday) and I just like him to know I think of him every day. The dancing snowman card was very simple glued the snowflake on the white card, colored Mr. Snowman with Copic's B21, B41, B0000 and W5 with W3 and a little -O-.
Card #2 is and image I got from my friend Sandy and I love this one. That bear cracks me up the first time I saw this I laughed so hard I cried he's so funny. I used Copic's RV19, RV23, RV000, E50,BG13. I used DCWV designer series paper, some paper flowers and silver ric rak.

Another version of Cocoa in the Cocoa cup. I used SU paper in Old Olive, Real red and lots of DSP, rub on stitches and I colored Cocoa with Copics E57, E33, E30, R81, R29, spica's. These have all been fun to make and what I don't sell at 'Head Gamez' (my beautician's shop) I will recycle to the soldiers for winter cards and different salutations. I sell my cards to pay for more card stock. I have so much stuff and I just continue to make cards but no one wants to buy them they don't understand 'Handmade with Love'. So I sell them for $2.00 each and that keeps me going because I just love to make cards!!!

God Bless

Happy Thanksgiving

Yes this is Thanksgiving Day, a day I count my blessings and remember how much I have to be thankful for. God has so blessed me with a wonderful family, two precious daughters, 7 wonderful grand kids and the opportunity to have travelled a bit in my lifetime. I still want to finish my wish of travelling around the USA but that will be sometime later in my life.I love this little mouse its a digi from SNS that I purchased last week along with the candle. I really like working with the digi's because you can make them any size you need and Sweet n Sassy have some really cute digi's. This one I colored with copic's making the mouse gray with W3 and W1, B21, R11. Some really old scrap pieces of designer paper and real red card stock from SU.

I love this stamp of St. Nick, Santa, aka the good guy. I just used real red, Night of Navy, Kraft and DSP from SU with gold cording. I used Copic's just for the face and snowflakes E50, E51, R11, B0000, Spica's and some white Copic paint. I'll find the stamp tomorrow and then update my blog.

This is a simple little stamp but so perfectly called 'Peace on Earth' with the deer, the rabbit and the cardinal. My DSP is from DCWV and some old SU paper. I love the stitching and the bright green gingham ribbon.

For those that spent the day with family I hope you all took the time to share your many blessings with them. We are celebrating Thanksgiving on Saturday this year because my precious daughter had to work a 12 hour shift today at the hospital. She works 7AM to 7PM and we enjoy spending pretty much the whole day together making everything together. I want the kids, Allen, Vicki and hopefully Mom to share the many blessings we have had this past year and through out of lives.

God has been good even though some days I thinks he's really pushed me to my limit, I always seems to make it and thank him for the experience.

May God bless you all.

Just cards

I did a bunch of cards the other day, this candle is a digi I bought from SNS and its so pretty especially with Copics. I learned the ribbon trick from Brenda the SU lady and I sure use it alot.

This is a SU stamp set that I fell in love with and mounted it on white cardstock then Copper specialty paper and copper cording. Very plain and simple but I love the card. I used E29, E31, E37, E50, E51, E71 B34, B000, Y11 & YR24.

This is a special one for me I love the snowman don't I love lots of snowmen but then he's holding up the star and every piece of cardstock is scraps so I have few details.

I received this cross stamp from Whipper Snapper Designs and colored it with Copics then cut it out and mounted it on some Christmas vellum, I used gold cording and an plain white cardstock.

I'm headed out the door for dinner with my daughter and her family but I'll be back later with some more cards to show.

God Bless