Doonesbury blogs?!

I TOTALLY know how he feels! LOL! I just can't seem to get the hang of daily posts and admire those of you able to swing it!

snappy birthday greetings

This past Thursday I got together to craft w some friends - some old, some new - and the lovely and tallented Mary Allen (no blog to link to ... can you believe it?!) led us in making some uber cute cards, this being one of 'em! Isn't it sweet?! I love this stamp set and it's been on my "short list" for ages! So much to do, so little time to play, y'know?!

stamps: SU's Crab & Company; paper: SU's Regal Rose, Whisper White; ink: SU's Basic Black and Regal Rose, StazOn's Jet Black; accessories: mini googly eyes, Sakura white gelly roll pen

happy parents day!

My folkes have always been the sort of people that others gravitate to. When I was a kid, our home was a kids' meeting place partly because we had 3 sibs close in age that played well together, but my folkes were actively involved in making the neighborhood a good one for bringing up families. They constantly volunteered and worked on improvements. Always easy-going, friendly and fun, they made others feel welcome. If I've been half the mother to my kids that my Mom has been to me, I'll be a happy woman!

This morning when I got online (did I happen to mention that I'm addicted to the Internet?!) I learned that President Bush issued a proclamation making today Parents' Day, so I made this card to bring to my Mom's when we visit later today. It's based on one that I'd spotted at the lovely and talented Julie Koerber's blog - thanx for the inspiration, Julie!

I'm also a long-committed recycler (I hear some of my buddies ... or SHOULD BE committed!) and am constantly either reusing or recycling materials from home and work. The acrylic came from some presentation materials I broke down where I work (insert plug to Kettering University here!) and I save cardstock and binder materials for future projects. I also save the backings from paper pads, pull-tabs from cans for the C. S. Mott Children's Hospital, and recycle paper and cardboard at my workplace. If you'd like to send me pull tabs, contact me at slblondin[at]netscape[dot]net!

stamps: Inkadinkadoo's 8347-Y BK, SU's Heartfelt Thanks; paper: Bo-Bunny Press' Summer Cottage Buds DP, SU's Real Red and So Saffron cardstocks, unknown clear acrylic sheet; ink: Krylon's 18-kt gold leafing pen, SU's Mellow Moss, Real Red and So Saffron, Versamark; accessories: SU's Real Red grosgrain ribbon

happy anniversary PB!

My DH and I recently celebrated our wedding anniversary and I made him this card to accompany the kewl wire sculpture. The sculpture's springy and lightweight - its base is a heart and the two people gazing at each other are raised upright at a slight angle, in case you can't tell from the photo. I'd purchased the wire sculpture at the Flint Art Fair from Tom Mahard. He's amazing and sometimes makes wire sculptures while at the fair; he was kind enough to customize one for me a couple years ago. I've that one and a couple other samples of his work that I'll share w future posts.

stamps: SU's Always, Polka Dot BK; paper: A1's Natural White, SU's River Rock; ink: SU's River Rock, StazOn's Jet black; accessories: Tattered Angels' Wheatfields Glimmer Mist

PAPERTREYink's blog hop

Tonight's PAPERTREYink's blog hop challenge and the subject is using vellum. I was out celebrating my anniversary tonight but I love vellum and have lots - white, multicolored, and patterned stuff ...

Here's a few posts using different vellums:

- a diecut glass of lemonade

- as ribbon w sentiment

- as gift card holder

- foreground to mute brightness of cardstock

- matching background of baby's firsts

and a couple of cards using patterned multi-colored vellum:

- the red/orange swirl pattern

- the pastel stripes are patterned vellum

later, alligators!

- SueB

b'day wish 4 my friend

One of my lunch buddies, Tami, celebrates her birthday tomorrow, and recently moved into a new home. She has this "thing" for flip flops, and I happened upon a wind chime of 'em to go along with this card. Hopefully it looks summery; I used my Cuttlebug to dry emboss swirls to represent the water, and bummed some 220 fine grit sandpaper from my DH to represent the sandy beach. The layout's based on Kazan's sketch #5, Crafty Monkeys' summertime and Our Creative Corner's dry embossing challenges, making today's card another triple play challenge (edited to add photo of windchimes)!

stamps: Lockhart's Adirondack chair, ProvoCraft's Summertime; paper: Memory Box's echo DCS, Bazzil's unknown aqua, Prism's unknown black, and SU's Whisper White cardstocks; ink: StazOn's Jet Black; accessories: 3M 220 fine grit sandpaper, Greenbrier's crystal sticker embellishment (over sunglasses and flip flop stamps), Ellen Hutson's ribbon; tools: Cuttlebug w D'vine Swirls embossing folder

triple play

My sister's wedding anniversary is this weekend, I wanted to play with a new stamp, and this combines a few challenges as well ... I THINK it's a triple header, either way we look at this!

Starting with Jennifer Meyer's OCC Inspiration Challenge, tossing in Hilda's Silhouettes and Allison's White-Out challenges, this one's headin' to the mailbox. Michelle Zindorf provided the inspiration for my using the marblizing stamp (side A in Versamark, side C in Cloud White), and Pat Jarbeau for this ribbon tying method - thanx, ladies! I love the silhouette stamps and the look of the 3-panel cards, so I used that but stamped the image in white on vellum to soften the effect, layered on yellow CS stamped with the same image using Versamark. The triple panel represents the rungs in the dining room chairs ... another "triple" reference, eh?!

stamps: Stampendous' Marble Texture Cube, SU's Essence of Love; paper: A1's Natural White, Bazzil's unknown soft white, SU's Summer Sun and Vellum CS; ink: StazOn Jet Black, Versamagic's Cloud White, Versamark; accessories: SU's (methinks?) So Saffron ribbon

birds and swirls

This delicate card is from last Saturday's make-'n-take at my LSS, Capture-a-Memory (link at right). Each Saturday, 2nd Tuesday, and 3rd Wednesday they hold make-'n-take sessions where they lead the group in making an item, usually a card. It may be a new technique, die, or tool they share; Saturday was coloring using pastel chalks. I have another brand at home, but gotta admit I've not pulled 'em out in ages! This used the Cuttlebug embossing folder that's currently #1 on my wish list, the Birds and Swirls - isn't it pretty?! I colored mine rather lightly ... I like it's effect.

stamps: n/a; papers: unknown ivory and light pink CS; inks: n/a (we colored using pastel chalks and cotton balls); accessories/tools: Cuttlebug with birds and swirls embossing folder, light pink ribbon

SU retiring in-color accessories

FYI - Mary Jo of the Techno Stamper blog has posted a list (thanx to Melissa Stout) of the retiring in-color accessories that will be retiring on or before August 10th. Check it out here!

belated b'day shout out!

I procrastinated and ended up sending electronic b'day greetings to my buddy Joanne this past week. She's collected Barbie's for ages and I'd picked up this uber cool Barbie 3D sticker set late last year and put it in a safe place (another B'rer Mark memory coming back to haunt me here ... ). Well, THAT was all fine and dandy, 'til a week or so before her b'day and I was hunting for where I'd stashed 'em! Sheesh! Naturally I found 'em AFTER I'd sent the e-greeting, so I thot I'd send it along as a belated card ... as it is, after all, a decades b'day celebration (I won't mention which one!)!

stamps: SU's First in Fashion; paper: Bazzill unknown pink and olive cardstocks, Memory Box's Sprout, SU's Whisper White cardstock; ink: SU's Always Artichoke, Tri-C watercolor markers;

SCS poll - top 10 tools

Recently SCS had a poll regarding the top 10 tools you use to make a card, and Michelle Fischer tabulated the results.

Here's the short version: 1) paper trimmer, 2) paper snips, 3) bone folder, 4) paper piercer, 5) ruler, 6) mat pack, 7) Crop-A-Dile, 8) punches, 9) heat tool, and 10) Stampin' Scrub & Stampin' Mist. Honorable mentions included the Stamp-a-ma-jig, hobby blade & cutting mat, stamping sponges, and edge distresser. Visit Michelle's blog for the long version.

aside from SueB: for a ruler, I highly recommend killing two birds with one stone and you picking up the C-Thru Ruler Company's Zero Hero Centering Ruler!

welcome back, Pat!

My buddy Pat's been recuperating from back surgery, and Tuesday was her first day back to work. I put this card and the explosion box I shared at this post at her desk and her department picked up bagels (yum!) to welcome her back. What can I say? I'm a sketch layout junkie, and this layout was from Rae's latest weekend sketch challenge!

stamps: n/a; paper: Fiskar's Cloud 9 Design Sunrise Smoothie collection; ink: PC-generated inside greeting; accessories: Cloud 9's 3D chipboard stickers

a QuicKutz 4th

Have you seen all the QuicKutz states and countries dies released this year? Part of their Around the World in Eighty Dies promotion, today's card used the US shape and I believe this wraps up the cards I did for Independence Day.

The lovely and talented Pat L from CAM led us in the making of this card during a recent QuicKutz club meeting at my LSS. I LOVE this card - thanx, Pat! (no deets - all provided by store - unknown white, navy, red, and gold cardstocks)

b'day shout out!

B'day greetings shout out to Kim and Allison this a.m.! I'm still in red, white 'n blue mode as you can see; it seemed appropriate for these gal's early July b'days (speak of the angel, I JUST got a pop-up message telling me Kim's just logged on to AIM - LOL!)! My lunch/scrappin' buddy Kim's b'day is today as well as Allison, whose blog I read daily. Hope it's a t'riffic one, ladies!

This card's physically heading to Kim at work this a.m. and she gets to pick her restaurant later today. The candles remind me of sparklers. I made a larger sparkler for the inside from the swirlies that are stamped using Versamark on the bottom of the front of the card.

stamps: SU's Eat Cake; paper: SU's Brilliant Blue, Real Red, Whisper White, Wild Wasabi cardstocks; ink: Versamark, SU's Brilliant Blue, Going Gray, Real Red, Summer Sun; accessories: SU 1/4" Whisper White grosgrain ribbon (colors approximate; from a workshop w Crystal - link at right)

Card Drive for Kids

Jennifer McGuire of jennifermcguireink is requesting cards by August 1 that she'll then pay to ship to 3 kids and their parents who've moved to Liberia to set up household and a dental clinic. Interested in participating? There's a chance at blog candy involved. Read more about it here!

did you know? ... re: SPAM

did you know? ... that on this day in 1937 SPAM was first put on the market (originally introduced as HORMEL Spiced Ham). I still love grilled SPAM 'n eggs on toasted wheat bread. PLEASE DON'T TELL ME what's in 'em - I realize I'd never want hot dogs after a tour of a processing plant either! To learn all things SPAM-related, visit the official site at this link. The SPAM Museum opened in 2001 and we made the trek to Austin Minnesota in April 2003 during the height of my youngest son's infatuation with all things Monty Python (it was a fun trip down memory lane while it lasted!)! You'd be amazed at the number of SPAM varieties! We brought lots back home with us. For a pictorial history of the trek, see our pics on Flickr.

So, what's that got to do with today's card, you ask? Absolutely nothin'! Today's card is one I'd made for my sister for Independence Day. I'd picked up this stamp for a measly $1 at a garage sale, thinking of KAZ 'cuz she has lots of ultra cool baskets. I've tons of baskets too, but mine are a more eclectic mix of styles, shapes and stains whereas my sister's are mainly the same type of weave and stain thruout her house. I've a friend I've not seen in ages who made lots of mine. For a while she and a neighbor were making and selling them at craft shows.

Back to the card ... the layout's based on Julee's latest Mojo Monday #44 sketch challenge AND Verve's first ever forum challenge at SplitCoastStampers, A Starry Challenge. Check 'em out and play along!

stamps: unknown (first stamp I've picked up with NO NAME on it!) basket stamp, SU's Classic Stars, Technique Tuesday's Borderline: Holidays; paper: A1's Natural White and CTMH's Outdoor Denim cardstocks, Rusty Pickle's Molly Striped Pajamas DP; ink: CTMH's Outdoor Denim, Marvy LePlume and Tri-C watercolor markers, Sakura's #700 gelly roll pen (for added sparkle after watercoloring the stars)

Happy Independence Day!

This turns out to be my fav of the cards I made for Independence Day greetings this year, so I saved it to upload today. It wasn't so much difficult as it WAS time-intensive, y'know?! All the decisions as to what to place where ...

I'd picked up these CI rub-ons during my last visit to CAM and mainly just played around with placement, added a few star punches and red-white-blue from my Technique Tuesday Borderline: Holidays stamps. Initially placing these on unknown white cardstock around what was then to be the centered chipboard star, I decided it didn't have enough red to it, so I matted it on some SU bold red cardstock and added the Heidi Swapp midnight star-shaped chipboard star piece. I ended up going with the chipboard a bit off-centered (kinda like me, I know, I know ... I can just HEAR Pat and Kim saying that!), and voila - I LIKE it!

... and my brother Mark won't be AT ALL surprised to hear me admit that I finished this card ON July 4th (so it'll be a belated card - such is life)!

... AND - one last thing - the kind folkes at Verve Stamps (yep, previously known as Verve Visual) have recently become a member company on SplitCoastStampers ... read here for more info and what that could mean for YOU (or me - hey, I can wish, right?!)! One of us could win and get more of their uber cool star stamp sets!

stamps: studio g (the "celebrate" with letters that look like sparklers (it worked great for inside sentiment)), Technique Tuesday's Borderline: Holidays; paper: SU Real Red, unknown white cardstock; ink: CTMH Outdoor Denim, Marvy LePlume watercolor markers; Sakura silver gelly roll pen; accessories: Creative Imaginations' rub-ons, Heidi Swapp Midnight star chipboard shapes

Laugh Out Loud

Another in my red-white-'n-blue cards for quick Happy Independence Day greetings, this one's for my youngest brother and his daughter. I love this patterned card stock from My Mind's Eye that I picked up last weekend ... and ALWAYS love playing with challenges (this week's SplitCoastStampers' SC183 sketch challenge).

stamps: Technique Tuesday's Borderline: Holidays; paper: My Mind's Eye 29th St Mkt, Prism's unknown dark navy blue, SU's Whisper White cardstocks; ink: CTMH's Outdoor Denim; accessories: My Mind's Eye's coordinating cardstock tags; tools: Fiskar's mini star handheld punch

SU News

Ooh, this is GOOD! I'm just checking some blogs before getting supper ready and read at Michelle's blog that all new stamps from the Fall catty forward will be die cut!

Read all about it, and her descriptions of the new hostess stamp sets, here!

it's July already!

Time speeds up exponentially as we age, I think, which explains why it's July and I'm just whipping up some cards to ring in the 4th (and I'm JUST getting these ready, you ask?! What's your point?!)

Another card made from the My Mind's Eye DCS that I picked up recently ... this one's made from Jen's recent SFYTT sketch and to wish all my Canadian friends a happy Canada Day! I used to live in the Detroit area and they have SPECTACULAR fireworks, generally fired off between Canada Day and Independence Day from barges on the river separating Detroit from Windsor. I'm a sucker for fireworks, parades, museums and zoos ... and would make the trek to an overpass along Michigan Ave. I got to see the show AND avoid all the traffic, then boogie back home within 10 minutes max! Dearborn holds some great fireworks too - 4 evenings' worth, if I'm not mistaken, from the grounds at The Henry Ford.

stamps: Technique Tuesday's Borderline: Same Time Next Year (inside sentiment); paper: A1's Natural White, CTMH's Outdoor Denim, My Mind's Eye 29th St Mkt designer print cardstocks, Rusty Pickle's Primitive Hearts DP; ink: CTMH's Outdoor Denim; accessories: My Mind's Eye 29th St Mkt's matching acrylic piece (together sentiment) ... and WHAT?! no ribbon?!