A touch of christmas....

Welcome back,
Each year I have high hopes for creating AWESOME Christmas cards, and each year (including this one) I never get them all done. I create a few, but end up with not enough to send to family and friends. Take a look:

Each of these cards started with the same white heat embossed image used in my MISTI. The backgrounds are different based on the distress inks I used. I gave these to my children for Christmas Cards this year. This card (of Course) I used wilted violet.

This one is my favorite. I love this blended combo of colors. Picked Raspberries, Salty Ocean and Peacock feathers. Thanks for stopping by. I love comments!

Gearing up for the Holidays!

Hello again,
This time of year is always busy. And this time of year, I always say I am going to keep blogging. And each year, I fail to keep blogging. However....I have not stopped being creative, and being busy in my craft room.

In June, my first grandchild was born! Her name is Ruby Mae. I am mentioning this because I decided to re-kindle my scrapbooking in addition to my cardmaking/blogging. (silly me, I thought I could juggle both! LOL)

I have kind of put cardmaking on the back burner, and focused on my scrapbooking since June. (Ruby is growing like a weed) I have to keep up! I have decided to do 8 by 8 inch scrapbooks. They keep the feeling of being overwhelmed down to a minimum. It is easier to do 3 small layouts than tackle 1 huge one....at least in my mind it is. I can put together smaller pages faster too! I am already on a third book, and she is only 6 months old!

The spirit of Christmas is here, and I only get so much time off of teaching, so I did manage to create a CD of Christmas music and a square easel card to house the CD. Take a look:

 

I created handmade envelopes as well to go with them. They look awesome in the sunlight! I am torn as to WHEN to give them out. If I wait until Christmas, then there is no time to listen to the CD!?!  If I give them too early, then it is not truly a Christmas card! (such troubles, right?)

I used silver glitter foam for the pine trees, and distress inks for the night sky. The moons are really masks I make to create the moon, but I liked the look so much, I didn't remove the masks on all of them. (I did on the upper left card)

I discovered something about mass producing the same complicated card. I have a maximum number! My number is 6! After about 6 cards, I begin to lose interest and the enthusiasm begins to melt into frustration. So I think I will create another card, and stick to the six rule!

Thanks for dropping in, I will be here! Please leave a comment, I would love to hear from you!

Code Notebook cover (front and back)

As I mentioned in my last post, I am still intrigued with grudge and paints! I decided to buy a new A5 notebook to hold all my online codes and passwords in it. My last one was full and it was getting hard to find things.
I ran to Target, and bought a cheap, UGLY notebook with thicker pages and was spiral bound. I decided right then and there I was going to create my own covers for it with my new toys!

What do you think?

  I even created the TABS, hand wrote them, clear heat embossed them, and glued them in every 4 pages. 

 This is the back side.

Here is a close up of the tabs. I know my handwriting is sad, but it goes well with the grudge look I was going for.  :)

Time to grow...

Hello,
I'm glad you are here.
This past summer, I was getting itchy to craft, and the look and feel of grudge, vintage and distressed was becoming appealing to me! I found myself watching more videos of Tim Holtz, and researching blogs of cardmakers that explored the "messy side" or dabbled in Art journaling. I placed on on-line order for a small intro set of distress paints, stencils and sprays. I couldn't WAIT for them to arrive. (I am always amazed that amazon can put an order together and deliver it in 2 days, yet Joann's takes almost 2 weeks. Hmft!) 

Here is my first try at a full panel:

I love the way it turned out. I cut it down to four A2 panels for the front of cards. I have no idea what to use as a focal point. I am thinking large letters or butterflies. I need some washi tape too. I will post them when they are finished.
Thanks for dropping by!

Another challenge....

Welcome back.
Day  two of the new year under my belt. I really miss crafting already.  :)  But I do have a challenge to join!
Take a look:

I still remember this butterfly stamp. It was the first (watercolor style) individual stamps I purchased well over 10 years ago in Buffalo, New York! I always go back to it when I am stuck creatively. It is so perfect! Come to think of it, this sentiment was an early purchase there too. I used distress inks and tuxedo black ink.
I entered this card into a single challenge:
CAS on Friday - Butterflies
Thanks for dropping in, I would love a comment or better yet, a follower!