Back in the Saddle

It has been 3 weeks since my last post and I need to pick myself up and get going again. Life is too short to waste and Shirley would tan my hide if I stayed in my shell any longer. To jumpstart this blog I am reposting the card I made for her family with details this time.


The floral vine is from a gorgeous set by Papertrey Ink called With Sympathy. The butterfly is from a Verve set called Enjoy and the sentiment is from StampinUp. Shirley loved Pink or Peach with green so that was my color scheme.

The cardstock I used was SU's Blush Blossom, Always Artichoke and Groovy Guava as well as Neenah's Classic White. I stamped the vine with SU's Always Artichoke and the flowers with Dusty Durango then colored with Prismacolor markers.

The label was cut from Blush Blossom using Making Memories Slice and the Studio Essentials design card. I stamped the sentiment in Always Artichoke, dusted the edges with Blush Blossom and attached the label with crystal brads that were colored with a Prismacolor marker. The butterfly was stamped with Groovy Guava, Dusty Durango and Chocolate Chip then cut out. I stamped the antennae in Chocolate Chip directly onto the card front then mounted the butterfly in place with Dimentionals.


I have a handful of cards and things that I have worked on over the last few weeks that I will be posting over the next week or so. Several sketch challenges from Splitcoast and Verve, 2 technique pages from this years Stamp Club as well as the projects from Stamp Club. Hope you come back.

Til next time...

Rest in Peace Shirley

On August 20th a very special person in my life passed away. Dollhouse Miniatures first brought us together but love and friendship kept us that way and that love continued to grow and strengthen over the years in spite of a 27 year age difference.
She came into my life at a time when I so desperately needed a friend and mentor. She knew what it was like to be an only child and to have a mother who wasn't there to lean on and seek advice from. She knew what it was like to raise boys, to try and cope with a difficult child and to live with near constant pain. She knew what it was like to have to give up friends and family and move to Utah because of a husbands job. She knew all this and shared her experience and wisdom with me. And when I was feeling trapped and isolated she made sure I knew I had a home to go to and a person to turn to.
Tomorrow, August 31, 2009, she will be laid to rest but her love, her laughter and her zest for life will live on in my memories and in my heart forever. I have been so blessed to have called her friend, sister, and mother.
Farewell Shirley. I know you are at peace and have reunited with Joe. I will miss you.

Til next time...

The Perfect Sentiment

Today's card is for Week 4 of August's VLV Sketch with a Twist, the Twist being to use a favorite color combination. This designer paper is from the Porcelain series by Basic Gray. I paired it with SU's Cameo Coral, Barely Banana and Chocolate Chip. I tried not to make it too girlie because the moment I came across this sentiment from Verve I just knew I had to use it and give this card to my husband. Last night I heard him open the envelope and then he joined me in the living room. He didn't say a word but I got a very long, long hug. The card said it all.

Stamps: Verve -Enjoy, Because of You, Bountiful Backgrounds
Paper: DSP- Basic Gray; SU - Cameo Coral, Barely Banana, Chocolate Chip
Ink: SU- Cameo Coral, Chocolate Chip, Always Artichoke
Other: Spellbinders Oval dies

Thankful Thoughts

For the 3rd week of August, Verve's VLV with a Twist challenge was to use tags. I added an additional twist of my own by making myself use something from my vast collection of "Why the heck did I buy this?" items. I chose to use some paper from one of those ginormous pads from Provo Craft. These are the first 2 sheets to ever be pulled from this pad! I also threw in a BIBHUIY (Bought It But Haven't Used It Yet). I bought the Tim Holtz mini stapler thingy with a box of additional staples the minute it hit the retail market but of course it hasn't seen the light of day since the purchase.

To coordinate with the printed paper, I chose Always Artichoke, Pink Pirouette and Rich Razzleberry. I cut the tag with a Cuttlebug die but it looked rather plain next to the scallop layers of my focal point so I mounted a scalloped circle onto the tag. Threaded some ribbon through the tag and used one whole mini staple from my stash. It worked rather well and it doesn't look tacky like office staples do so I just may get some use out of this "tiny attacher".

My sentiment is one of the free stamps I got for ordering from Verve and it got me thinking about the things I am grateful for. First and foremost is my husband, whose love, devotion and unswerving conviction that I can do anything has made me who and what I am today. Another thing I am grateful for is my card club. Last night was our first meeting of the new year. I shared the "overflow" table with a new member who is a delightful woman and I am so glad she has joined our little group. Shared thoughts and ideas about "Copics vs Prismacolor" with another new member who fits right in. And then there are the returning members who are now my friends and confidants. Those very special friends with whom you can share not only techniques and ideas for stamping, but your personal joys and sorrows. I am grateful for this group of very special women and look forward to another year of sharing.

Til next time...

Stamps: Verve
Paper: SU Always Artichoke, Pink Pirouette, Rich Razzleberry; Provo Craft
Ink: SU Always Artichoke, Rich Razzleberry
Other: SU Ribbon; Spellbinders plain & scalloped circles; Cuttlebug tag; Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher; SU Dimentionals

Verve-a-licious!

Managed to squeeze in some stamping time and I am doing the happy dance. Using the Viva la Verve Sketch Challenge with an Edgy Twist for Week 2 of August, I came up with this little number. I stamped the background piece with Versamark Dazzle in Frost and I just wasn't dazzled. Fortunately the ink stayed tacky longer than I expected so I was able to dig out a jar of Pearl embossing powder, sprinkle it on and have it stick. It looked really cool besides until I realized that I had to try to stamp a sentiment onto that embossed background. Back to digging into the 3 drawers of embossing powder that I was going to get rid of. Ha!! My hoarding has been justified!! So a little punching here, some embossing there, some ribbon and a bow and I ended up with a very presentable card.

Til next time...

Stamps: Sonlight Crackle Backgrounder, Verve
Paper: SU Elegant Eggplant, Almost Amethyst; Curious Iridescent Cryogen White
Ink: SU Elegant Eggplant; Versamark Dazzle
Embossing Powder: Judikins Pastel; Ranger Adirondack Eggplant
Other: EK Success Border Punch; Spellbinders Plain and Scallop Ovals

Curious Cat and a Major Booboo

Last week I got out my Parchment Craft tools and proceeded to make my wonderful husband a new bookmark to replace the one he lost. I decided to make one with his Zodiac sign, Libra, and his initials. Oh how beautiful it came out but I decided to back it with some cardstock which is usually no problem. There is a spray adhesive specifically for vellum and it works like a charm. Hmmm... let me rephrase that. It works like a charm if you do not get sidetracked and use the wrong can!!! Yep, you guessed it. I grabbed the wrong can and used regular spray adhesive which can be spotted by a blind mouse from 30 yards away.

Oh well, stuff happens so I went ahead and set up to photograph it. I guess Bailey must have smelled those blind mice because he came along and crashed (literally) my little photo session.So now I am making a "New" new bookmark to replace this mess and will limit my photo sessions to afternoon naptime. Live and learn.


Till next time...