Silhouette and Floral Cards

Tis the season.

For mice.

I know this as I saw the tell tale sign of MOUSE POO on my pantry floor. But I wasn't too concerned. I have 2 mouse traps set all the time, and I check them every morning. I was ticked that a mouse had managed to make it's way into the house, but sure the traps would take care of him.

Yesterday morning I came downstairs to get the dogs their breakfast, and when we entered the kitchen (I hadn't even flipped on the lights yet)  Cooper went over to paw at something at the edge of the dishwasher. Thinking it was a chew toy, I reached down to pick it up. AACK - there was a shreik (from me!!) as I picked up a tripped mouse trap - accompanied by a huge dust bunny. My mind was processing this waaaaay too slowly in the dark.

Apparently we have a super-strength mouse. There are only 2 ways to get the trap from it's hiding spot beside the fridge/wall across the kitchen to the dishwasher. One is up and over the fold up stool wedged in there, or drag it under the fridge and out. Which he must have done, thus the big dust bunny. AACK.

Last night - after being home all day and puttering around in the kitchen - I found MOUSE POO on the shelves in the pantry. !!  Apparently he is not only super-strength, he is acrobatic and he has a friend. A friend who is boosting him up onto the upper shelves and then somehow helping him down. AFTER he nibbled on my barley, oatmeal and beans. Grrrrrrr. I bet he was probably hiding in among my canned goods when I was reaching into the pantry yesterday. Watching and chuckling at me when the pantry door closed - then POOPING all over the top of my canned goods. Grrrrrr.

So - late last night, G and I emptied the pantry and washed down the shelves and set FIVE traps. Yup - this morning we had caught two of the dirty little pooping critters. I am picking up more traps this morning. Grrrrrr.

On a happier note - here are a couple of A2 sized cards I made over the summer:

   

The silhouettes were Cricut cut from the 'Storybook' cartridge, and the pretty floral patterned paper is by K&Co.

I added a dab of glitter glue and some self-adhesive gems, but it's still a mail friendly card. When I mail a card like this I usually add a card stock panel over the front when I slide it into the envelope.

Hopefully I am able to get a few more things done towards our Christmas Craft Sale today ... and then go shopping for mouse traps.  Ahhh, the joys of autumn.

:-)  Thanks for stopping by today!

Kangaroo Birthday Card

This is the card I made for our daughter's birthday this month ... I thought it was such a cute image because she is a new mom.

This is a large card - just over 6" square.  The patterned paper is from K&Co ... a great paper stack I found on clearance at Michaels this winter.

The Kangaroo and baby cut is from the Birthday Bash cartridge. I cut the mother and pocket  from the purple, and when I removed the cut from the Cricut mat, I saw there was an even border all the way around it. So - I used that for the outer panel on the card. I just attached it to a pale gray folded card!

I changed up the mama's face a little, by adding only one eye and I used a mini black brad for it.
Lots of foam tape on this card, inked edges, and a dab of glitter glue on the balloon.

What a fun card this was to make.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Christmas Cards - September 2011

Things have been so hectic that I almost forgot to post my September Christmas cards! These are for the Christmas Card Challenge 2011 at Splitcoast, and I opted to do 5 cards each month.

These felt snowflakes were in the Stampin' Up clearance rack last year and I have so much fun with them.

The green snowflake is a Martha Stewart punch, and the white one is an Emaginations punch (I think).


I had picked up a Christmas Card kit by MME at Winners a long time ago, and the folded printed cards are slightly smaller than A2. So I cut them apart and mounted each panel on a folded white A2 card.

Thanks for stopping by today!

More Card Candy for Sue

Today's post is a quickie ... here is another piece of 'Card Candy' that I included in Sue's birthday gift. Again, made with bits and pieces and lots of different dies.

The stamp is one from the Michael's bargain bin as is the sweet little ribbon rose.

This one includes 2 pieces of card candy ... the smaller piece at the top with the butterfly, and the larger one at the bottom with the flourish, bird, birdcage, and rosette.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Christmas Gift Card Envelope #2

OK, I fired up my Gypsy and found the file that I used to cut these gift card envelopes:

I used the "Just Because Cards" cartridge. I had rotated the image and duplicated it to cut two from a 12 x 7.5" piece of patterned paper. This one uses a label stamp by Stampin' Up, stamped in brown and coloured with chalks. I punched it out with the Stampin' Up label punch (love that one) and attached it to the front of the envelope with foam tape. The paper is from my stash.

I have three of these ones, also packaged up and ready for the sale! 

I found a pattern for knit dishcloths using my Knifty Knitter knitting loom, so have also made a couple of those for stocking stuffers. :-)  Once I'm all done I will take a couple of pictures to share. It's fun to do something other than hats, ha ha.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Chipboard Butterfly Cards

I  decided that I had to USE some of my pretty K&Co chipboard butterflies, so made up a couple of cards for my stash.

The paper is also by K&Co - a different line than the butterflies but it still matches nicely. The fancy label was Cricut cut - it was an extra that was in my 'Odds & Sods' pile.

The ribbon is by Stampin' Up, as is the pink card stock. I outlined the top panel with a Sakura gel pen, but it's hard to see in the photo.








The next card is done using a 2nd, identical butterfly from the package:

 

Another fancy label from the pile ... quite often I cut a sheet of random labels to have on hand. While they come in really handy I don't always remember what cartridge I used. 

I love these butterflies - they make such pretty 'all occasion' cards. I can add a verse inside for almost whatever occasion I need them for!  Get Well, Thinking Of You, Happy Birthday etc etc.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Christmas Gift Card Envelope #1

I made a couple of gift card holders for our Christmas Craft Sale and this is the first of them:
I used my Cricut to cut out the envelopes, but I fiddled around with different ones from a bunch of different cartridges and sizes and now I can't remember exactly which one I used!

The snowman tag is by Stampin' Up, as are the circle punches. The label decoration was in my 'Odds & Sods' pile, and was run through my Big Shot with the Swiss Dots embossing folder.

The edges are all inked, and I added a little foam tape closure for when the person who buys it is ready to seal it up. These are made out of printed card stock, and sized just a bit larger than a standard gift card. Perfect for tucking into a Christmas card, a stocking, a book or magazine, or in a gift basket etc etc.

There are 3 of this design, all packaged and ready to go.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Tim Holtz Tag for Sue #3

I realized that I haven't posted the third tag I sent to my friend for our August 1st mailing! She has the same die, so it's always fun to share ideas using it.

This time I did a fold out - I folded a piece of patterned heavy paper into thirds, and ran it through the die with the folds just inside the top and bottom cut lines. So I got the size and shape of the tag with the folds intact.

I decorated a Tim Holtz rosette (cut from the same paper as the tag, by K&Co) with a stamped and inked butterfly die and resin cherry embellishment.

The butterfly was cut out of cream card stock (Office Depot) with a Stampin' Up die; stamped with Da-Vinci text (if you need to know who makes that stamp leave me a comment and I'll look it up); then a netting type background (unknown); stippled and sponged before attaching to the paper rosette.

 

 Here is a peek at the tag opened up. I scored across the top flap just below the hole, and glued the two layers together. Another piece of patterned paper was stamped, inked and then attached inside. I also added a few gems to this panel

I actually dug out the studio a bit yesterday, and got a few things finished for the Christmas Craft Sale. I haven't taken any photos yet ... but it feels good to have a few things done. I also had a brainstorm as to what I was going to send Sue for our October first mailing so I am itching to get started on that too. Smile.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Feel Better Embossed Card

I hadn't planned on entering any challenges this week, but Chrissie and Mandy at the "Less Is More" challenge blog are hoping for 1000 entries this week and I just HAD to help them out. So here is the CAS card I'm entering:

I always enjoy using this embossing folder ... but this is the first time I used it on coloured card stock. I found this soft orange textured card stock in my stash, and matted it with a subtle yellow before mounting it to my white card stock A2 card base.

The words are a rub-on from Stampin' Up.

If you have a chance,  swing by the "Less Is More" blog and check out all the wonderful entries!

Thanks for stopping by today.

Card Candy for Sue

Sue is an amazing stamper, but she has a family that doesn't really appreciate hand made cards.  (!!!)   She mentioned that she wanted to start making birthday cards instead of buying them all the time, so I thought I'd help her out with some 'Card Candy' as her birthday gift this year.

The idea for this started months ago. When I was first starting up this blog, I mentioned working on whittling down my 'Odds & Sods' pile. I made a whole bunch of card candy for myself (which I still have to photograph) and I was so pleased with it I wanted so make some for Sue as well.

I used lots of different dies (most of them by Tim Holtz) and small bits  & pieces to make the card candy ... and the base they are mounted on is another Tim Holtz die. Have I mentioned how much I like dies???  ;-)   The stamp on the top of the base is one I picked up from Michaels in their bargain bin.

These butterflies were SO much fun ... I hope she gets as much enjoyment out of using them as I did making them.

Her gift included a few more than what I'm sharing today, but will save the rest of the card candy for another day.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Butterfly Birthday Card

I love dies. Love them. I used one of my newer Sizzix die's to make this birthday card for my friend Sue.

It cuts a folded card with a flap on one end, which folds over the top and even has a little half-circle cut in the top to tuck the flap into. One pass with my Big Shot and ... perfection.

The card base was cut from a beautiful, heavy, glittered card stock from a paper stack by DCWV. I inked the edges a little, then attached an acetate butterfly (K&Co) so that one of the wings hid the little flap. If you look close you can just see it under the wing.

I added some layered panels to the inside, and some more die cuts from the K&Co package.  All folded up, the card is an A2 size. How cool is that?  Word stamp by Penny Black.

I am going to try to avoid the challenge blogs this week, as I really have to get going on some stuff for our Christmas Craft Sale. AACK - panic is setting in!

Thanks for stopping by today. (Sue - hope you had a great birthday!!!)

TBBM 3-d Box Challenge

The challenge this week at Bitten By The Bug 2 is to use an older cart - Tags Bags Boxes & More - and create a 3D box.

That was one of my first cartridges, and I was quite shocked when I heard it was being retired. It is SO handy! This is what I came up with ...

I cut a this cute purse as large as I could on a 12x12" cutting mat, and also a large tag from the cartridge. I folded it up and made a little 'gift card' or 'cash' holder that will tuck inside the purse.

The flowers were cut from the Paper Lace cartridge out of black card stock and glued onto the purse after assembly.

I thought that the front flap needed 'something', so I glued a strip of black card stock to the inside, then hand trimmed around the curves leaving a narrow border.

A quick and easy gift set to put together. Thanks for stopping by today!

Grey Knitted Headband

Knits are really trendy right now, and I can't believe I'm actually getting in on a trend. But I am SO hooked on loom knitting (pardon the pun) it's easy to be cranking out the knits. I just finished this knitted headband for myself. It looks really 'boxy' in the photos, but much better when it's on my head.

There are people who look good in hats, and there are people who do not. I fall into the latter category. In a Big Way. I look AWFUL in hats. But, come winter - they are a necessary evil as I walk my dogs every day and my ears get really, really cold. When I started loom knitting hats for our grand daughter, I had a brainstorm to make myself a headband. I didn't even know how popular they were - I just thought that I would look better in a headband than a hat. I was right. I put the first one on to show my husband, and he didn't spit out his supper, burst out laughing, or smirk.  This was a Very Good Sign! In fact, he even said the word 'Better'.  LOL - not good, but better. I'll take it.

I tapered the back of the first one I made to keep it from riding up (a common problem I have with hats) and knew I was onto something. I will have to photograph some of the other ones I've made too.

The above headband is made using a pale gray tweed wool twisted with a charcoal gray. It started out to be a hat for my brother for Christmas, but once I got going I decided I didn't like the narrow band after all. So - I did a chain-two cast-off, gathered the back and crochet a couple of flowers to sew on with a button.

Now I have another knitted headband that will keep me warm this winter.  I have a dressy scarf almost completed, and just made a 'Chemo Cap' for a friend going through cancer treatment. Yesterday when I was waiting for my Mom (heart test) I finished a pink & white hat for little Olivia!

 She looks so cute in the black hat I made her on the weekend, which is threaded with a pink ribbon. We will swap out the pink ribbon for a red one when it's cold enough for her to wear her little red coat.

Now THAT's how to wear a hat! She sure doesn't get that from her Gramma.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Birthday Owls

I thought I'd make another owl card while I had the stamp out:

I like this one SOOOOO much better. I used an A2 sized kraft top fold card as a base, and an off-white panel for the stamping. The Stamp A Ma Jig helped placing the owls where I wanted them to land on the (Impress) branch die*, and I added the same Copic markers as yesterday's card. This time though, I added black brads to their eyes and that little detail just makes me smile.
*I am a total DIE ADDICT.  Impress started carrying some of the new Memory Box dies - and I ordered a couple 'just to see'. WOW! They are amazing. Just look at the detail in this branch, and it cut like a dream. 

The Stampin' Up Pennant stamp and punch set was used to make the party hats. The hats were stamped in orange ink with the beads coloured with pencils. I also added a brad on the hat pom poms. The edge of the off-white panel was stippled with green ink, then a leaf (Inkadinkadoo?) was stamped repeatedly around the edge several times without re-inking, in two colours of green ink. When the panel was finished I popped it up onto the kraft card base with foam tape.

Below is a peek at the inside:

Then, since it was driving me crazy ... I re-did  yesterday's card. I cut it apart, trimmed the panels down and inked the edges.

 

It's a small thing, but I'm much happier with it now. I popped it up with foam tape, on a slightly larger piece of patterned paper which was attached to a dark green card.  It's still a CAS card - but not a OLC any longer.

The back of yesterday's card was used for the inside, by trimming it down & inking the edges before stamping and adhering it:

Ta-Da! 

Thanks for stopping by today.

One Layer Owl Card

I don't like to make OLC's.  (One Layer Cards). 

I WANT to like making them, but I'm just generally not happy with them when I'm finished. And today I think I figured out why. I've been stamping for 22 years this month. I bought my first stamp - a PSX long stemmed rose - when our son was an infant, so that is how I know how long it's been.  :-)  And what did I do 22 years ago when I was making a card? I made OLC's. That was it.

There sure wasn't much available for supplies back then - especially in Canada. There were stamping stores popping up all over the US - lots in California - but most pretty much refused to ship to Canada. Of course there also wasn't much of a crafting budget either!

I remember one of the popular stamping artists of the time - Lea Everse - was one of the first published stampers (Stampers' Sampler, and I still have those early issues!!) who used layers on her cards. And not just one or two layers either - it was groundbreaking.

Even then, it took a long time to get over the idea that I needed to 'save' my fancy papers and coloured card stock. Most of the cards then were made with a white card stock base as that was the least expensive. We've come a long way, baby! It's probably the reason I'm still such a pretty paper hoarder,  and just can't past up a lovely paper stack.

Don't get me wrong - I APPRECIATE all the wonderful OLC's that are out there, and the clean & graphic look of them. But I just make one and feel like I'm going backwards. I have a feeling that my family might feel the same way if they were to receive one from me!

A challenge is a challenge though, and here is my OLC for the challenge at the Less Is More Clean & Simple Stamping Blog. The challenge  is SEEING DOUBLE and Chrissie and Mandi want to see TWO of something on our CAS (Clean and Simple) OLC (One Layer Card). Sigh.

The center swirl (Impress Rubber Stamps) was stamped first, then I used my Stamp A Ma Jig to place the owls. That stamp I found at Michaels last year in their bargain bins and he has such character. Colour added with Copics and a bit of shimmer with a Sakura glitter pen.

The Stamp A Ma Jig was also used to off set the Happy Birthday (Stampin' Up).

Now I want to go make something with lots of layers. In fact, I think I will add patterned paper layers to the inside of this card and I'll bet I like it better.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Daisy Birthday Card

Sometimes patterned paper is so pretty, it can take the center stage on a card. I am especially fond of the glittered K&Co paper for this ...

I matted the glittered paper with cream and burgundy card stock then mounted it to the front of a white folded A2 card.

The words (Stampin' Up I believe) were stamped on cream card stock then cut out with a Nestibility oval die and mounted with foam tape.

The colours look a little off in this photo - they really did match in real life.  :-)

I traced around the inner edge of the oval with a Sakura glitter pen for some more shimmer and shine.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Game Controller Card

Our son is celebrating a birthday this week and this is the card I made for him:

I thought a game controller would be fun, and it fits into a standard A2 envelope.

Lots of foam tape on this one, since it will be hand delivered along with his gift and PIZZA.

Here is a peek at the inside. I designed the card on my Gypsy and had to fiddle with all the layer sizing etc so they fit the way I wanted them to. This was a fun card to make, and I bet he gets a kick out of it.

The stamp inside is by Stampin' Up.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Happy Grandparent's Day!

I have the cutest cards made for Grandparent's Day.

They are sitting on my desk. 

With everything that went on last week with my Mom's health, getting anything in the mail was the last thing on my mind. However, I haven't missed sending them a card on Grandparent's Day in over 20 years  -- so I wasn't going to start this year.

Especially since this is the first year WE are Grandparent's and they have become Great Grandparents!!!

This is a 5 x 7" digital card, made using the new digi kit "Gracie" by Shabby Princess. I just adored the colours and that cute little felt flower. I emailed this to them late last night, so they should have a fun surprise this morning. 

I guess now I have two really cute cards for NEXT year's Grandparent's Day, but I will have to put them somewhere were I can find them.

And get them in the mail on time.

Thanks for stopping by today.