in memory of Bill

I had the sad occasion to go to the funeral of the Dad of a close friend and colleague from work yesterday. It was a 2-hour trip, made more enjoyable by the company of my lunch crew and the beautiful fall colors. We're like extended family, 'tho we haven't known each other all that long - in some instances only 7-8 years. Though we gave him a card from our work group, I made this one to send from me and my family.

I love this embossing folder - it reminds me of a quilt pattern (a wedding ring pattern, I spotted one once that was white on white and just gorgeous!), and I kept the card simple with the addition of the bird (think dove, tho' I know it's not) and branch, and tag. I finished off by distressing the "quilt" layer and edge of card w moonlight white ink.

stamps: Avery Elle's Oh Happy Day; paper: Neenah's Solar White, SU's Brocade Blue, Sahara Sand card stocks; ink: Ranger's black soot, Tsukeneko's Moonlight White Brilliance; accessories: build-a-bird punch, Cuttlebug w Lifestyle Crafts' Dainty embossing folder

Happy World Card Making Day 2013

Hi folkes! Happy World Card Making Day! While I've been mainly watching the President's Cup golf match with my DH today, I took some time out to get crafty and made a card to send to my sister. It reads "happy FALL" but the fall is stamped behind the vellum piece and turned out a bit harder to read than I'd hoped for ... oh well! Autumn's her favorite season.

I stamped the background image using a recent stamp set acquisition called LEAFLETS by clear & simple stamps. You can ask my stamping buddies; I've an obsession with leaves and trees and couldn't pass this one up; it had a corresponding die set, you see! Anywho, I stamped the word "FALL" using block stamps, distressed the card stock, then added the vellum card stock, die cut some leaves for on top of the vellum, and added the sentiment.

Today's card is based on one of the dozens of sketch challenges that people posted to celebrate World Card Making Day - this one's from the noon challenge by the kind folkes of Scrapbook & Cards Today blog fame.

stamps: clear & simple stamps' LEAFLETS, Unity's It's the most wonderful time of the year inside sentiment; paper: Neenah's Solar White, SU's Crumb Cake, and Vellum card stocks; ink: SU's Crumb Cake, Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, Real Red, Riding Hood Red, Soft Suede, and Summer Sun; tools: Cuttlebug w clear & simple stamps' LEAFLETS and TAGS 1, memory box's Happy dies, SU's Sizzix Sweet Buttons Embosslits; accessories: unknown hemp for tie

jack-o-lanterns smiling bright ...

jack-o-lanterns smiling bright,
wish you a happy haunting night!

Just a quick post to share my Halloween card based on retro sketches' rs#78 sketch. I had picked up the purple main image at a Deer Hunter Widow's stamp weekend last year but hadn't used any from the pack yet and thought this one lent itself to being cut into pieces for the sketch!

I'd forgotten to note the name of the cute spider punch, the stamp's from A Muse Artstamps of long ago, and while it's SU card stock, I'm not sure now what the orange card stock is ... so is this a short post, or what?!

when I see owls I think of b'rer Jack

Once upon a time we picked up an owl statue and held a photo shoot thruout a day of just driving around and goofing off. I don't recall now who was there besides me and my b'rer Jack ... possibly my sister Karen? Decades ago, it was... we painted his eyes in dayglo paint, if that helps with the time frame, LOL! So now, whenever I see owls, I think of my brother. There were 4 owls in the midst of some DP that I'd picked up (and now, for the life of me, I can't find the sheet to report its maker), and I cut these out to use in a card utilizing retro sketch's rs#80 sketch.

no deets today; by the miracle of scheduled postings, I'm predating this post to when I made the card, but I don't know where the DP is now that I'd used. c'mon now, did I REALLY put my stamping stuff away after being crafty??!

crafty mid-week?!

I've scheduled half day vacations on Wed- nesdays thru October - initially it was to take my time in getting ready for my golf league which starts at 4 p.m. locally ... but I ended up only subbing this year, and it's now past the league schedule. It's just SO NICE having a mid-week break, that I continued it, at least during the nice fall weather, thinking my DH and I would use the opportunity to play golf or go to a movie or ... whatever!

Well, today's crafty day. Actually it's now Saturday but thru the miracle of scheduled postings, I'm backdating these posts to upload cards I actually made this week but was too lazy to photo and upload at the time. I know; I'm pretty darn lazy at times! And I seem to have put away the supplies, so there's not much in the way of deets either ... BUT it IS based on retro sketch's rs#79 sketch! I like the DP and its swirly background reminded me of this cute little ghost's lolly pop, so I pulled them together. Now we'll see whether I remember to send out Halloween cards this year!

Thanx for stopping in.

happy fall, ya'll!

I like to make a Wordle for holidays and seasons, and here's this one, welcoming my sister's favorite season in! My favorite? I really don't have one, but figure God placed me here to more appreciate spring, summer, and fall! Yeah ... not much of a winter person am I. It's okay for maybe the period of Thanksgiving (after everyone's made it home safely) thru the Christmas holiday break, and MAYBE I'd even give it thru the end of February ... but that's it! After that I'm WAY ready for spring!

Try a Wordle - you'll like it! Visit wordle.net and you'll find complete and easy instructions! Enjoy!

happy b'day SueB!

I'm planning on sneaking to Sue's (no, not me - I have three friends also named Sue, actually ... and three of us hang out together) house today and taping this card on her front door so she sees it when she returns from church as I procrastinated and didn't get it into the mail in time. As her birthday falls on the first day of fall, I thought this card that I made at the lovely and talented Angie Jarman's stamp camp last week was oh-so appropriate; don't you?! Thanx for stopping by!

Sorry for the dark photo. The light by my computer's not cooperating today and it's early so the glare is off my glass-topped end table. 

no deets today; a class project, everything is Stampin' Up!

September make-'n-take

I've been taking part in a continuing project make- 'n-take class that started at a local paper crafts store that shut down in May 2013 but thankfully the lovely and talented Joyce Johnson has continued the class out of her home (thanx Joyce!). It's offered in either a 6x6 or 12x12" version, but one seems too small and the other too large to me (thinking Goldilock here?!) ... anywho, here's this month's two page spread, slightly altered as I make 'em in an 8x8" format!

And can I take a moment to gush over Simple Stories? I love Love LOVE their DP and this one's no exception. It's from their Year-o-graphy line, and I found the last remaining 6x6 pad at the Sterling Heights Archiver store on a recent shopping expedition w my stamping buddy Kim!

So, do you have a favorite paper vendor?

S&CT's fall issue is here!

hi folkes! just a quick note to let you know that the fall edition of Scrapbook & Cards Today mag is now available. You can EITHER download the digi version by clicking on the picture at left OR view the entire mag online - thanx, S&CT!

It's one of my fav scrapbook mags and Canada’s first FREE magazine dedicated to scrapbooking and card making. It showcases the latest techniques and products, presents interesting and easy-to-follow ideas and instructions, and displays beautiful photography and inspiring design. Try it, if you haven't already ~ you'll like it!

part deux celebrations

Happy Independence Day, all! I've a few reasons to be celebrating. First, it's a nice, long weekend! Second, I got time to play today, and third, I have a stamping buddy who's celebrating a birthday on Sunday. I decided to make it a red, white, and blue birthday card and I based it on the DDWS6 sketch challenge from the dahlhouse designs blog. Tune in for a new sketch challenge each 3rd Sunday, and thanx for stopping by today!

stamps: n/a (sentiments are PC-generated); paper: Neenah's Solar White, SU's Cherry Cobbler, Brilliant Blue, and Vellum card stocks; ink: n/a (PC-generated sentiment); tools: Cuttlebug w Provo Craft's bloom dots embossing folder, and tonic's butterfly flutter punch

a CASE study wedding greeting

Sigh ... I have the printout of the card this is based on and know it was something I found on Pinterest ... and I THOUGHT that I'd saved it in my inspiration directory to papercraft later but alas, I can't find the original now to credit the originator. I entered the URL printed on the top of my printout but it's no longer available online, and a search for "you make me smile" didn't turn it up either. If anyone knows the originator, please share, ok?!

I had the same embossing folder and bird die, and thought of this card immediately when a coworker announced he was getting married. All I did was reposition the birds to the right side (a pet peeve of mine, I don't like photos or dies looking off the page as they were when placed to the left on the original) and skipped the outside sentiment. My inside sentiment is PC-generated and reads, "congratulations on becoming Mr & Mrs."

Thanks for stopping in!

stamps: n/a (sentiment is PC-generated); paper: Neenah's Solar White, SU's Ruby Red, Pumpkin Pie, Summer Sun, and Old Olive card stocks; ink: n/a (PC-generated sentiment); tools: Cuttlebug w Provo Craft's birds and swirls embossing folder, and memory box perched reed bird, and unknown small heart punch

Happy Bee Day in 3D

The prior Happy Bee Day card was a one-layer Wednesday challenge card, so I used a few conversation cloud dies I had to pop up another version of the same card ... so, which do YOU prefer?!

stamps: PTI's Melissa j designs' Flower Fusion #1, Heart-2-Heart #4, Simon Says Stamp's Circle Friends, Talk Bubbles 2 sets; inks: SEI's cumquats, Ranger's black soot distress ink; paper: Neenah's solar white, SU's crushed curry, cameo coral, and taken w teal card stocks; tools: Cuttlebug w Simon Says Stamp's Talk Bubbles 2 dies, Paper Shapers circle punch