Candy Cane Dog

Many thanks to Margaret for giving me a much needed break.  With nursing a dog who had an exploratory laparotomy and an unprecedented blizzard in Arkansas (never before has a blizzard occurred in all the years records have been kept), which left us without power (thank goodness for my boy scout husband who had the foresight to purchase a generator when we moved here a year ago), my plate has been more than full!

Tonight I am sharing the Christmas card that my husband received from the above-mentioned dog, Schmitzy, who expresses his gratitude for being rescued from the streets this summer and nursed back to health we're up to 5 days with no vomiting - I know, TMI, but this is big becuase he has been so sick for over a month.  He is especially grateful for the yummy meals his new daddy, who is from New Orleans, provides him (since everyone knows that in New Orleans you live to eat!  Schmitzy has now adopted that philosophy, as well!

It is not a perfect image of Schmitz, but similar enough that it fit the bill.  I used a manly b&w theme.  There is actually ribbon behind the fleur de lis.   The sketch is from Sweet Sketch Wednesday #186.

I am also entering the following challenges:

Forever Friends - Anything Goes

The Pretty Little Ribbon SHop - Christmas

Songbird Challenges - Christmas

Allsorts - It's as plain as Black & White

Thanks for stopping by!

kathy b

Owl Mandala

The last day of 2012...I am happy to see it go.  It was an intense year and I am personally ready for a new and better one!  In honor of the lessons I've learned and the wisdom I've gained...I made an owl card today.  I actually needed to make something really fast because my girls and I always watch the 10th Kingdom (it's an old HBO miniseries movie that is about 9 hours long) as we wait for the New Year to come in, upon which we celebrate with a glass of sparkling cider (this year's flavor will be Strawberry).

This stamp was my Christmas present from Kathy--my daughter loves owls so I am slowly building my stash of owls.  :)  I ended up stamping it twice and cutting out the owl part and placing it on top of the stamp. (Dragonslayerbuzz.com from Etsy).  Embossing this stamp made me learn something about Embossing powders.  It's hard to tell from the card, but I embossed the image using different embossing powders.  The pink is made with Adirondack and it is gorgeous--very sharp and clear and defined lines, similar to Ranger Fine Gold.  However, then I tried to stamp the green with Recollections.  AWFUL!  It was very thick, lost color and the lines blurred together.  The green on this card uses Stampendous.  It is better than the Recollections, but still not as clear and defined as the Adirondack.  This was an interesting experiment!

I ended up getting a bit whimsical, trying to use jewel-like tones, with the bottom of the card cut with a Stampin Up edger, to represent the owl scales.  The die cut encircling the owl is a Spellbinders.  It is gold paper...It's a bit difficult to see the sparkle but it is glittery paper.  Not sure how I like this card....am lacking a bit of creativity lately and I think I went overboard on color.  My daughter Julia (the owl lover) actually likes all the color.  LOL  Well tomorrow I will be back with a birthday card for a little boy and hopefully my mojo will be back for 2013.  I think I need to clean up my art space to get re-energized.   Enjoy the last few hours of 2012!  Margaret

Mandala by Kathy

Good evening everyone!
I'm leaving 2012 with a bang...my toilet overflowed and we didn't realize it until it flooded the bathroom, leaking onto the first floor ceiling, right onto the stove.  It was an upsetting day to say the least.  I've been washing over 30 towels since then...I didn't even know I had that many...glad to have saved all those ripped up ones for episodes such as this.  Anyway...

Today I have a card for you the should be a real treat for you (eye candy), and a surprise to Kathy (and a blast from the past).  This is a card SHE made and it is significant.  When we first started stamping, we got hooked on the Outlines Mandalas.  They are no longer being made anymore (unless if someone knows something I don't know)...but we almost went into business over this we were so hooked.  (Until we realized how much work this really was)  This is the first Mandala she made and gave me as a gift for Christmas.  These things take about 2 hours each to make...this is all one stamp, stamped and embossed many many times, as many times as there are layers, each cut being smaller and smaller and propped up with foam tape.  There are teeny Swarovski Crystals all over it--if I recall correctly, I think there are about 36 at least!  The photo doesn't do this justice but this card is extremely intricate and sparkly.  I hope you enjoy...this is one of the most special cards I have of hers and I look at it often...the love outpours out of it, as this was truly a labor of love.  Hope it perks up your day!  Margaret

Gratitude to an angel

Hello everyone!
Well my girls are back...and content playing with their Christmas goodies.  It's good for things to be back to normal, even though the house now looks like a hurricane went through it.

Today I have a card that took just a few minutes to do--and I really like how it turned out.  I found in my stash a bunch of readily embossed cards that I purchased at Hobby Lobby years and years ago...back in 2008!  I used one of the stamps Kathy got me for my birthday. ( I love angels--there are not enough angel stamps out there--and this particular one is GORGEOUS.  It was purchased from an independent seller on Etsy: dragonflybuzz.  It stamps beautifully too)  And then I just took my Versamark to it and embossed it in Ranger's fine gold, and mounted it on a POW Glitter paper (cut with Spellbinders).  Then I just put it on front of the embossed card and voila...just a few minutes.  I actually embossed two other colors which I'll do some other things with it in the future.  But I wanted to just share this one with you.

I've been sick so not feeling well...this was perfect and I really love how elegant it turned out.  I thought of coloring it, but I think this is perfect.  The Ranger's fine gold is much prettier for such fine detailing than the stampendous embossing powder.  Will see you again tomorrow...thanks for stopping by and I hope you are enjoying your weekend, what is left of 2012.

Margaret

Silver and gold, subtle yet bold

Hello once again everyone!  Well Kathy got her power back on and tomorrow I get to pick up my girls from the airport!  Then we'll get a chance to celebrate Christmas...finally!  I'm starting to fight a bug unfortunately...so send me some good wishes to get better so I can enjoy tomorrow.  It's my fault...been forgetting to take my vitamin D the last few days...it's my miracle preventive.

Well today, I am very excited to share with you one of the gifts that Kathy got for me for Christmas.  It is an embossing plate by Darice.  It is GORGEOUS.  I wanted to do something original with it so I took my Versamark and gently went over the embossed portions and then embossed with a silver satin embossing powder from Stampamania.  It came out BEAUTIFULLY except for a few spots which I strategically covered with a stamp and edging.  The circle die is Spellbinders as is the bottom edging.  The top edging is Martha Stewart with a POW Glitter paper strip adhered to it.  The stamp is Stampin Up and then there's a bunch of Swarovskis all over the card.  This embossing plate is so beautiful that it doesn't even need the embossing powder...it's probably the nicest one I own.

Enjoy!  Kathy will post tomorrow and then I'll take back over for the next several days.  My New Year's REsolution is to try to at least get into my art room once a week.  I will really try!

Brrrr....

Hello Everyone!
Well it looks like you're stuck with me a little while longer.  For the first time ever, Arkansas had a blizzard -- 15 inches of snow, 200,000 people out of power in Little Rock and surroundings areas!  That includes Kathy.  And now they're expecting an ice storm tonight with 19 degrees.  I wish I could do something--so I told her to drink some vodka. LOL  Really, I don't know what I'd do in that situation except stay in bed to keep warm.  My only concern is their pipes...so please send her and her family some warm loving thoughts to get them through the next few days.  She is lucky in the fact that they have a generator and fuel to last them through Friday and a handy husband.

In the meantime, here's my card for today.  It was easy peasy...and super quick to put together.  My neighbors two doors down baked some cookies for me and surprised me with it--I don't even know them.  That was so incredibly sweet!  So this is their thank you card.  The blue sparkly paper is super sparkly but it was not exactly easy to work with...all the glitter kept falling off as the glitter is on the thicker side, and it adhered to my die...yikes.  However, the results are stunning.  The two snowflakes are Memory Box and the banners are both MFT.  Theresa Collins Design Paper was used.  Enjoy...and thanks for stopping by.   See you tomorrow!  Margaret

'Tis the Season

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone!
If you happen to be on the computer tonight, then our blog won't disappoint.  I remember when Kathy and I first started blog surfing we would anticipate every day for our favorite bloggers to post cards.  Between the two of us that is possible, even over the holidays.  Poor Kathy is sitting in the dark right now in Arkansas as a blizzard blows through, power is out.  They currently have 8 inches and counting.  In all the years I lived in Arkansas, we never had a blizzard, though we did accumulate 8 inches once.  I bet all those kiddies are super excited.

Well today I have a card that I made for Claudia.  I'm pleased with how it turned out.  I have to take special care when I make cards for the girls because they KNOW how much effort I put into them...they're so funny!  So there's ALOT going on in this card with many products used.  Here's the synopsis:

• The snowman stamp is from Stampendous--he has loads of Stickles all over him
• The tree die is Memory Box.  I first cut it out on green card stock, and then cut it out AGAIN on sparkly glitter paper.  I cut out the Sparkly Pink Flowers and glued them to the green card stock.  On top of the flowers, I also placed clear Swarovski crystals.  On the green petals I put splashes of green stickles.  There are little berries throughout and those are pink Swarovski's.  
• Around the tree, I adhered Tinsel Twine by Jim Holtz.
• The bird is cut from POW Glitter Paper by American Crafts and the die is Stampin Up.  His eye is a blue Swarovski.
• You can barely see it, but at the bottom is an edging cut with a Martha Stewart punch.  The paper background is an old Me and My Big Ideas paper
• The sentiment is Technique Tuesday.  I LOVE this set...they have wonderful Christmas Phrases. it is embossed.
• All the objects are glued down with foam tape.

So there you have it...lots of 3D on this card, and lots of glitter.  I hope you enjoyed your Christmas and Holiday with family and/or friends.  Kathy and I are wishing you a peaceful evening as you snuggle in tonight.  Margaret

Cool Yule

Happy Christmas Eve, one and all!

(and if you don't celebrate Christmas eve, I wish you a beautiful evening).

 

Tonight I have a quick post.  I got a packet in the mail the other day and the wonderful shopkeeper sent me little Rudolph she had made.  I added him to my card as the centerpiece.

 

 

I used the sketch from Try Stampin On Tuesday.  The tag is from a Sizzix die with ribbon from my stash tied to the top.  The dp is really old stuff and I used the MFT fishtail die for the banner.  The sentiment is actually on the dp so I didn't add anything else.  I stamped a greeting on the interior and it is ready to give!  Sure helps when someone else does all the hard work for you!  (I did change the color of Rudolph's color, though, to match the dp).

 

Schmitzy update:

We had another episode of "cookie tossing" this morning after going 65 hours without since his surgery on Friday.  We have only fed him chicken baby food and yogurt this evening.  So far so good!

 

Thanks for stopping by!

kathy b



Let's be merry!

Hello again everyone,
I am sure you are missing Kathy by now,  but you are stuck with me for a few days.  ;)  Thanks so much for your lovely compliments on my card yesterday.  I really appreciate it.

I just realized today that I forgot to make a Christmas card for each of my girls!  That is a mandatory gift and they look forward to it every year.  But I do have til Friday, when they get back from their dad's house, thank goodness.  Today's card will be for Julia.  The reason I'm giving this one to her is because she wakes up with me every morning at 6:30am to walk Daisy, our dog.  She is so sweet, but also a bit of a space cadet and every morning and evening, her hands are really cold because she forgets to put on her gloves and half way through the walk there's lots of complaining.  SO, in honor of that, hopefully this card, which will no doubt be hanging up in her room by her bed, will jog her memory each morning.  :)  There's another secret meaning to this card.  When we walk Daisy each morning and evening, it's a great time for us to have our mother-daughter talks about all the stuff going on with school and friends.  It's a learning lesson time to educate about drugs, trusting others, etc.  Over the years, I've become a bit jaded with life--not so trusting anymore, not the Pollyana I used to be (I'm sure Kathy is laughing right now because when she met me, I was Pollyana incarnate).  So I tend to be a little bit of a realist and Julia, who is 13 and hormones raging, never fails to blurt out, "Mommy--why do you have to be so negative all the time!"  SO, that's why the sentiment says, "let's be merry" so I can show her I CAN be positive.  haha.  I hope she gets a kick out of it.

There's alot going on with this card.  Do you see the sparkly paper?  It is my favorite because it's the sparkliest I've seen on the market (WOW glitter paper by American Crafts).  HOWEVER, once again I've made the wrong decision by trying to cut it with an intricate die.  So believe it or not, I spent an HOUR cutting each of these little bitty holes with an exacto knife and trying to rip it from the paper without tearing off the silver.  The paper has a sheer backing of wax paper which somehow adheres to the back of the paper and really doesn't like to get cut.  The intricate die is a Spellbinders and within it, I cut an oval (Spellbinders) and inserted white paper behind it.  Everything is propped up with foam.  The mittens are Impression Obsession which I colored with Copics (R35, R37, R39) and the intricate snowflakes are colored in with silver stickles.  This is a SPARKLY card.    The tree branches are cut out with an Impression Obsession die.  There are three of them!  One behind the silver paper and two in two different color greens on top of the silver paper so it looks like the mittens are hanging off the tree branches.  The patterned paper is Theresa Collins.   The "let's be merry" sentiment is from Technique Tuesday.

So, there you have it.  Voila!  I am pleased with how it turned out and I didn't even CASE it from anyone!  (proud of myself since I've felt I've been on a creative slump lately).  But more importantly...I hope Julia likes it.  Well, 2 days left til Christmas....though for me Christmas will be Friday afternoon once the girls are home and their squeals fill the house as they open their presents.  I will be back...enjoy, and thanks for stopping by during this busy time.  Margaret

Have a Wild and Wonderful Holiday

Hello everyone!
I am posting today to save Kathy some energy.  As you know, her Schmitzy had a very serious surgery yesterday where they opened him up and scrutinized every organ, every lining of the GI track.  The good news is that there is no cancer!  The unsettling news is they found nothing.  HIs GI was absolutely clear so we still don't know why the poor thing keeps vomiting.  However, since his surgery he hasn't thrown up at all!  So perhaps we are in the clear.  The best news is that there is nothing serious. YEY!

Today I am sharing a card that I made for my aunt for Christmas.  She has horses and she is a big horsewoman, loves her cowboy boots.  The ribbon looks as if it is off in color, but it really isn't...it's just a lighter shade of pink as the paper.  The stamp is from Flourishes--boy was it hard to find!  It's always sold out!  The die cuts are all spellbinders.   There are lots and lots of stickles on this card though the photo doesn't do it justice.   I don't remember the name of the DP paper but it came in one of those small pads and was already precut like this.  It's several years old.

Well I hope you enjoyed!  It's a rather DIFFERENT holiday card.  I'm just on pins and needles for Kathy to get my Christmas gift!  Now I have a lot more cleaning and wrapping to do!  AND...I have some massive damage to do in my art room over the next several days so you'll be hearing more from me!  It's my only chance before classes hit again.  Thanks for stopping by! Margaret

Let It Snow!

Happy Friday!

Today I am a guest bar-tender (designer) on the Raise the Bar blog!  This is a first, so it is very special day for me!  The theme is Let it Snow, which is also the sentiment on my card.

 

 

The image is from There She Goes, colored with Copics and glittered up with Stickles.  The dp is from The Mind's Eye Winter Wonderland and cs is from my stash.  I used Nesties to cut out the circles and scallops.  Ribbon is from Michaels Basic line and I added Swarovski crystals to the 2 snowflakes on the sentiment, which is from Pink Cat Studio.

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

kathy b

 

 



Wishing You Peace

Thursday, Yea!  Work is done!

My card today uses an MFT Pure Innocence image, colored with Copics and Spicas.  The zigzag and circle are diecut from silver Origami paper.  The sentiment is from Verve and the sparkly red cardstock is from DCWV.

 

I used the sketch from Sweet Stamps Challenge.

 

I am also entering the following challenges:

 

Paper Playtime - Winter Fun

Lexi's Creations - Snow

Come and Get It - Anything Christmas

 

Schmitzy just found me, looking for food I'm sure.  He's NPO until after his surgery tomorrow, poor guy!

Thanks for stopping by!

 

kathy b



Wish Big

Hump day and 6 days 'til Christmas!
WOW!

 

Schmitzy seems to be getting worse.  We can only feed him 1 spoonful every couple of hours or he tosses everything back up.  He still wants to eat, though, which is a good sign.  Hopefully the surgery on Friday will be able to fix whatever is wrong.

 

My card today is for a very dear friend that I have known since elementary school.  Even after all these years, we still talk regularly and visit when we can despite the 2000 miles that separate us.  Her birthday is January 6, so she will actually get her card on time!  HA!

 

 

I used a LaLa Land Marci image and colored her with Copics.  I used Basic Grey Urban Prairie and cs from my stash.  The border die is from Spellbinders and I added some pretty pink rhinestones.

 

I used the sketch from Totally Papercrafts.  This one is a keeper!

 

I am also entering the following challenges:

 

Divas By Design - Anything goes

Paper Shelter - Anything goes

7 Kids College FUnd - Anything goes

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

kathy b

 

 

 

 



You Sparkle

One week until Christmas...can you believe it?

Made a trip to the PO to send off gifts to Margaret and the girls.

Be on the look out guys!!!

Tonight I have a card for the challenge at Ellen Hutson LLC Hero Arts Wood Take 'n Make.  It requires the use of a wooden Hero Arts stamp and I used two!

I used one of the fairies, colored with Copics, and one of the sentiments from both of these sets. I used a Taylored Expressions die to cut out the sentiment, which is stamped with Versafine Black Onyx topped with Glamour Dust for sparkle.  It is also used on the fairy's wings.  The trees are cut out with a Sizzix Bigz die and the fairy is popped up with 3M tape.

Time to wrap some presents...
Thanks for stopping by!

kathy b

Winter Wishes

Monday, Monday

 

Not such a good day for us.  Poor Schmitzy is scheduled to have exploratory surgery on Friday to find out why he continues to vomit most everyday for the last month.  We've tried several medications, changed his dry food, put him on only canned food, and we are at wits end.  He's lost about 7 pounds - he only weighs 27 pounds now, which is 1 pound less than when he was found wandering the streets this past summer, before we fattened him up. 

 

On to happier things.  I have a card using the sketch over at The Sweet Stop.

 

I used a Sizzix die to cut the tag and a Sizzix embossing folder for the card top.  The images are from Taylored Expressions, colored with Copics and the snowflakes are topped with Swarovski crystals.  The sentiment, also TE, was cut out with MFT Fishtail dies and a strip of rhinestones added beneath for bling.  A bit of sparkly ribbon was added to the tag top.  This came together pretty quickly!!!

 

I am also entering the following challenges:

 

Come and Get It - Anything Christmas

Quirky Crafts - Last Minute Christmas

Stamptacular Sunday - Christmas Time

The Squirrel and the Fox - Christmas

 

Thanks for stopping by!  I need to go give Schmitz a spoonful of food.

 

kathy b



Simple wishes

Good evening everyone,
I thought I'd get a chance to get in the art room...and I did, but it was to put the finishing touches on Kathy's Christmas card (featured a few days ago).  There's a surprise when she opens it so I won't be posting that here yet.

However, my daughter Julia created an art project for a Christmas party she attended yesterday.  It was so cute that I really wanted to feature it here today.  All she did was use her $1 stamp from michael's and then used all of my scraps to punch out circles in various colors.  Talk about sustainable crafter!  The kids LOVED the project too (all 13 year old girls).  She cut out circles and random christmas shapes such as stars and snowflakes so, instead of circles, one could use an assortment of shapes.  Quite a cute idea for hearts on Valentines Day too I think!  I was just very pleased to have some of my glitter paper scraps used up for good cause.  Enjoy!...I will be posting more with Kathy in the coming few days.  Once my exams get graded and grades get posted I'll have a bit more time before school starts up again next year.

Thanks for stopping by...Margaret

Ornamental Christmas

Hi Everyone!
I'm back this weekend with a Christmas card for a friend.  My Christmas card list is long but only a few select people get handmade cards while others get the Shutterfly versions.  LOL  I have probably more Christmas stamps than any others so it's great to get to use them. :)  Anyone else has that special addiction?

I had great fun using some of my Memory Box dies (ornament).  I dressed it up using gold glittery paper (very subtle) and Swarovski Crystals.   The patterned paper is Theresa Collins.  I smudged it with some Tim Holtz distressed ink.  Pretty simple, yet I love how it came out.  I'll be entering this card into the December Challenge for Cards Galore.  I hope to make another card this weekend--I need the mental health break as I have about 20 more final exams to grade!  Thanks so much for stopping by and I think I'll be back tomorrow (this gives Kathy a much much needed break).  Margaret

Patterned Pines

I still have a few more Christmas cards to make for people at work, so here's another one on this wonderful Friday evening!

 

This uses the sketch over at CAS Colours and Sketches.  I used green cs from my scrap pile, stamping the SU! image 2x and embossing with Orbitz Twinkle Sparkle Pine embossing powder.  I used my MFT fishtail die set.  Quickest card I've done in ages!  The time for Christmas card making is drawing nigh!!!

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

kathy b 

Happy Holidays

Today I used a stamp and die that I purchased when I visited Margaret in Colorado Springs last summer.

 

It is a Poppystamps design and Memory Box die.  I paper-pieced the image with old Hobby Lobby papers and the rest is colored with Copics and Spicas. I used an SU! ornament punch and tied silver ribbon to it.  I used the sketch over at Try Stampin on Tuesday.

 

I am also entering the following challenges:

 

ABC Christmas - favorite die/punch (ornie-though after using the die to cut out this image, any die that does that WILL become a fave!)

Freshly Brewed - Christmas

Clear it Out - Christmas use old stash (dp 2008)

Party Time Tuesday - Kid's Christmas

 

Thanks for stopping by!!!

 

kathy b

 

 

Stocking Stuffer

Hump Day!

And the office Christmas Party is on Friday.

Hmmm...I sense an easy rest of the week!!! Yea!!!

 

I thought I was done with Christmas cards, but it never fails that I always need a few more.  Somehow our vet didn't make our initial list so tonight's card is for our doctor and his wonderful staff.

 

 

The sketch comes from the challenge at The House That Stamps Built.

 

I am also entering the following challenges:

Freshly Brewed - Christmas

The Perfect Sentiment - Christmas

Tip Top Tuesday - Christmas

 

Thanks for stopping by. 

Back to the drawing table for MORE

Christmas cards!!!

 

kathy b

 

 



Wishing You Joy

Can you believe it is 2 weeks until Christmas???

Today I have a sweet card that can be used for Christmas or Winter.

 

 

 

I used the sketch from MFTWSC101.  Ingredients include the following:

Basic Grey Eskimo Kisses DP (OLD)
Bo Bunny Red cs (OLD)
Other cs from Stash
MFT snowflake die
MFT Frosty Fun stamp (Claire Keay) (OLD)
Sentiment - Verve
Basic Grey button (OLD)
SU! twine & round punch

EK Success round punches
stash pearls
Memento ink for image
Encore Metallic Silver Ink for sentiment

 

I think she's pretty cute!

 

I am also entering this card at the following challenges:

 

Celebrate the Occasion - Christmas, must use a punch

Clear it OUt Challenge - Christmas

Party Time Tuesday - Kid's Christmas

Forever Friends - Christmas

 

Thanks for stopping by!  I've got to get ready for agility class.  It is going to be 34 degrees on the field tonight...oh my!!!

 

kathy b



Snowflakes

In honor of the snow at Margaret's house, I made a snowflake card!

I used a very old Verve set called Snowflake Splendor (2008) for the sentiment, stamped in Versafine Majestic Blue.  The snowflakes are made with MFT dies and Wausau Pearlescent paper was used glimmer and Swarovskis for sparkle.  I also used an MFT hexagon die, a Memory Box Pristine Border die with added Swarovski crystals, and added sparkly rick rack on top of the die cutouts.

 

 I seem to be in a little bit of a rut since I made the Home for the Holidays card.  I am currently enamored by blue and white!!!

 

I used the sketch at Mojo Monday.

 

I am entering the following challenges:

Pause Dream Enjoy - Blue & White

Raise the Bar - Blues and Whites

Pixie Dust Studio - Sparkle and Snowflakes

2 Sisters - snowflakes

Have a happy Monday.  I have to go birthday shopping for little Sammie.  It's his 7th birthday.  I'll post his picture tomorrow!

Thanks for stopping by!!!

kathy b

 



Gingerbread Man

Hello everyone,
Although I didn't get a chance to make a card today, my daughter Claudia did.  And I was really wowed by it and wanted to share with you.  I've really enjoyed watching her art mature as she has grown up.

This is a gingerbread man stamp by Alias Smith and Rowe.  Claudia cut out the bow and popped it up with foam tape (and put lots of sickles on it and in the hearts).  Around each of the layers of paper, she put the Applique on and heated it to puffy.  It is really cute.

We got snow in Colorado today.  Very exciting, and beautiful but with it came single digit temps.
Brrr......

Thanks for stopping by and you will get Kathy back tomorrow.  This week will be hell for me...but I'm counting down til Friday.... Margaret

Be Merry and Bright

Hellooooo everyone!  Did you think I went away for good?  We have finals right now, students defending their theses, final projects.  It's nuts around here right now and I don't think I even stepped foot into my stamp room for about a month.  So today I finally made myself take time off and go in there.  Being away so long, it took me about 3 hours to make one card.  I cannot let that happen again.

So today I am here with a Christmas card.  OK so I'm totally ruining the surprise because it will be Kathy's Christmas card.  But I never CAN hold a secret.  So, the highlight of this card is the Christmas stocking die.  I'm very excited about it...it is beautiful.  And I chose to use all sparkly paper.  However, I must warn you.  You know that American Arts POW glitter paper I love so much?  It's great...but NOT for cutting out intricate dies.  You really do need a heavier card stock for that.  This stocking die (Dee's Dies) is actually two dies--one background die and the other the intricate die.  The edging is Paper Trey and the sentiment is Stampin Up.  I also attached a few Swarovski Crystals...hard to see in the photo but this card has ALOT of sparkle for my sparkly friend (Closeup attached).  I also "attached" the stocking with a bit of twine.  I was really trying to make Kathy's card as perfect as it could be--had alot of artistic block, but somehow today I got the inspiration.  Well I hope to be back a few more times...and once school is over, I will be back alot more.  Enjoy your weekend everyone.

I'll be entering this card into the I love Christmas Challenge (Fussy and Fancy Friday Challenge)

From Our Home To Yours

Happy Weekend!

So glad that it's Friday.  There is so much to do to get ready for the holidays!

 

It's Christmas again!

 

I used the sketch at Sunday Sketch and Stamp.  Isn't this a great sketch?!!

My dp is old stash from Memory Box and cs is DCWV.  I have no idea where this stamp comes from.  It's the first time I have used it because I had to peel off the cushion backing.  That's the problem with unmounted stamps, unless you store them from whence they came...sorry, I don't.

I used Versafine Olympic Green ink and added Swarovski crystals.  Ribbon is from my stash.  The sentiment is from Lizzie Anne Designs Holiday Lane set and I used dies from Taylored Expressions and SU!

 

I am also entering the following challenges:

 

Paper Pretties - Christmas Inspired

Christmas at Sweet Stampin' Challenge - Anything Goes Christmas

Dilly Beans -Traditional Christmas Colors

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

I need to go work on my Christmas card list now!

 

kathy b

 

 

 



Home for Christmas

 

I've got another Christmas card to share tonight. 

 

 

I stamped this Impression Obsession image with Versamark and then heat embossed it using The Powder Keg Tanzanite embossing powder.  The sentiment is from the Lizzie Anne Designs Holiday Lane set.  The Nestie border is cut out of Wausau Pearlescent.  I used a strip of Michael's grosgrain ribbon.  The sentiment is stamped in Versafine Majestic Blue on the pearlescent paper, punched out and popped up on the SU! blue punch out.  The snowflakes (MFT die) are also made with the pearlescent paper, popped up with 3M foam tape and topped off with a Swarovski crystal.  I used the sketch over at Sweet Sketch Wednesday.

 

I am also entering the following challenges:

 

Created with Love - Christmas Blues

Songbird Challenges - A Deeper Shade of Blue

Victorine Originals - Blue & White

Hiding in My Craft Room - Blue & White

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

kathy b



Snow Globe

Hi Everyone!

I've got another Christmas card today.

 

 

I pulled out an old Impression Obsession stamp, stamped it with Memento, colored it with Copics, added Art Institute Faux Snow and then Icy Stickles.  I used Nestie Blossom dies and an SU! punch.  DP is Wassill from Basic Grey.  I added square rhinestones to the sentiment tag after stamping the Papertrey image with Versafine Black Onyx. The sketch comes from Fetch A Sketch.

 

I am also entering the following challenges:

 

Christmas at Sweet Stampin' - Christmas

Paper Pretties - Christmas Inspired

Holly Jolly Christmas - Bingo (snow, tree, red)

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

kathy b

 



Tilda Squared

It's very late. 

I had a big deadline for work today that I have been working on for days.  Then there was Geena Bea's agility class.  After being gone to Mississippi Fri-Sun, I'm wiped out.  So here's a photo of an old card I made in 2011.

 

 

This is a Magnolia image stamped with Versamark and heat embossed.  The squares were punched out of various black and white papers with an SU! punch.  The circle and scallop are Spellbinder die cuts.  Rhinestones are scattered throughout the design.

 

Thanks for stopping by.  I'll be back with something new tomorrow!

 

kathy b 

 

 



It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Happy Monday!

It was actually nice to go to work today after travelling this weekend, though the morning did come rather early!

 

I have another Christmas card.  At this point, I think I am beginning on my stash for Christmas 2013!

 

 

The stamp set is from Shirley's 2 Girls.  I just love this mischievious kitty!  I used the sketch over at Christmas Card Challenges.  All paper is very old stash from Hobby Lobby (A Country Christmas, 2008).  Stars, snowflake and ribbon  are from my stash.  The image is colored with Copics.

 

I am also entering the following challenges:

 

Cards Galore - Christmas

Ladybug Crafts - Christmas or winter

Natalie & Amy's - Winter Wishes

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

kathy b



Paws

Happy Sunday!

 

I have just returned from my agility road trip.  We had a blast!  Tonight's card is one I made for one of the donors to the rescue with which I volunteer.

 

 

That's it for tonight.  Way too tired to do anything else!

 

kathy b



Doggoneit!

Happy Saturday!

Since I am spending the weekend with my friend Kathy, her 2 dogs, and my furbaby, Geena Bea, at an agility trial in Mississippi {leaving DH to be nursemaid to our sick, but improving Schmitzy, while entertaining the other 2}, I thought it would be appropriate to post a doggie card.

 

I have a birthday card for those occasions that slip our minds - the belated card!

 

 

I used a Sizzix embossing folder for the background, SU! dp for the fishtail (MFT) and image mount and stamps from Repeat Impressions (dog) and Rosie's Roadshow (sentiment).   I colored the happy little guy with Copics.

 

The sketch is from the challenge at The House That Stamps Built.

 

I am also entering the following challenge:

 

Hanna & Friends - animals

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

kathy b