Monday, December 31, 2018

Turning the Page January 2019

Time to turn the page on our calendars to a new month and a new year.

I make calendars each year for my desk and my family.

I thought I'd set up a regular post on the last day of each month to share them.

I hope you enjoy my “Turning the Page” posts.

Here's our January page.


 By the way, the calendars are clipped together and can be displayed on an easel

or hung on a push pin or magnetic hook.  We all have a different way to display them.

Happy New Year!

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!





Saturday, December 29, 2018

Sending Hugs

Hello friends.  I'm so glad you could stop by!


This was made from a borrowed stamp.
Isn't it nice to have stamping friends that share?

For this card I stamped the image with Tree Branch Archival ink
so I could watercolor the flowers with my Zigs and not cause the ink to smear.

To finish it off, I diluted some white paint and added some 
white splatters for added interest.

As we approach the end of 2018, I want to thank all of you
for your visits and encouraging comments.  I don't get by to comment to you
as often as I would like, but know that you are all in my thoughts and I send
you a cyber hug with every comment you leave.

May the new year bring you love, good health and peace.

Sending Hugs,

Enjoy!



Card Recipe
Stamps:  Botanical Frames (Hot off the Press), Ways to Say: Thinking of You (PTI)
Ink:   Tree Branch (Archival), Rich Razzleberry (SU)
Paper:   Mixed Media (Strathmore 400 series), Neenah Solar White
Other:  Zig CCRBM (#81 Lt. Violet, #36, Lt. Blue, #31 Cobalt Blue, #46 Mid Green, #43 Olive Green, #50 Yellow, #52 Bright Yellow)


Tuesday, December 25, 2018

Hark the Herald Angels Sing

I'm sharing these thoughts again this Christmas.


I remember the joy I felt when my babies were born…

and the same joy at the birth of my grandchildren.

 I imagine the joy the angels felt at Christ’s birth. 

No wonder their songs of joy broke through heaven

 And startled the shepherds.

Let our hearts and voices sing for joy. 

God came down to us as a baby to show us grace and love.

Join the angel’s song. 

Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace and goodwill toward men!

Glory to God in the highest!

May the joy of the angel's songs fill your hearts
with the gift of Christ's coming and God's grace to us.

Joy to you and yours.


Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!




Sunday, December 23, 2018

Christmas Owls

Hello friends.  I'm glad you could stop by.

Almost time for good St. Nick!


When we did our bird challenge at CAS Christmas, I loved this card by Emilia.

That sent me on a search for the stamp and I was lucky enough to find it on Ebay
for a decent price.

One of our daughter's family likes owls.

I'm not sure of the significance for them, but since there are three of them,
I thought a Christmas card with three of the owls would please them.

It took more than one try, but I was able to mask off two of the owls
to get just the three.

It was fun watercoloring with Zigs and my water brush.

I did a few splatters with diluted white paint, but I chickened out
before I got too many.  I didn't want a big splat to land on there.

I added a few sparkly snowflakes from my box.

I hope they like it. 

Adding this to AAA Cards Game #130



Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!


Card Recipe
Stamps:  Owls on Branch (Wild Rose Studio)
Ink:   Jet Black Archival, Tumbled Glass DI
Paper:   Mixed Media (Strathmore 400 series), Neenah, Glimmer (SU)
Other:  Zigs (67 Mustard, 65 Mid Brown, 62 Dark Brown, 46 Mid Green, 40 Green, 44 Deep Green, 24 Wine Red), Stitched Squares Die (SSS) Little Snowflakes Die (IO)


Thursday, December 20, 2018

Making Tags into Cards

Hello, friends.

Here's an ides for when you need a quick Christmas card.


I had some leftover tags and popped them onto coordinating card bases.

You can see how I did the tag on this post.

I'm entering this at Poppystamps Challenge


Here's another.


 You can see information for this tag on this post.

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!




Card Recipe (card 1)
Stamps:  Festive Snippets (PB)
Ink:   Encore Silver
Paper:  Solar White (Neena 110 lb. for smoosh), Silver Glimmer (SU), Emerald Envy (SU) 
Other:  Inka Gold (Steel Blue, Jade), Mainstreet Pinpoint Tags (PS), Snowflake Ribbon (PS), Holiday Wordss Script (TH), Fun Foam, Silver Twine (retired SU)

Card Recipe (card 2)
Stamps:  Peaceful Pines (SU)
Ink:  Real Red (SU), Encore Silver 
Paper:   Solar White (Neena), Watercolor (TH), Emerald Envy (SU)
Other:  Silver EP (SU), Pinpoint Mainstreet Tags (PS), Wired Twine (Michaels), Emerald Envy Re-inker, Stickers (Stampendous) 


Tuesday, December 18, 2018

Oh Tannenbaum

Hello dear friends. 

Are you ready for Christmas?


I still have a few Christmas cards to share.

This one uses traditional Christmas colors, stamping the tree in 
Old Olive ink and adding some shading with an Always Artichoke marker.

The ornaments are stickers that add sparkle but  not bulk.

I'll enter again at
ANYTHING GOES: OPTIONAL WINTER OR CHRISTMAS

and another entry at

TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS COLORS

 


Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!


Card Recipe
Stamps:  Tannenbaum (PB), Christmas Blessings (Verve
Ink:   Old Olive (SU), Always Artichoke Marker (SU), Jet Black Archival (Ranger)
Paper:   Neenah, Gold Foil (SU), Mixed Media (Strathmore 400 series)
Other:  Red Stickers (Stampendous), Gold Sticker (Starfoam), Cosmic Shimmer Sparkle Texture Paste


Saturday, December 15, 2018

Amaryllis with Penny Black

Hi there.  I seem to be featuring Amaryllis flowers this season.

Here's one done with a Penny Black Brush Stroke Stamp.


I've used my MISTI to ink this stamp with Distress stains and markers.

After stamping each color, I moved the ink around with a water brush, 
adding more ink as needed.

The sentiment is embossed with gold.

Penny Black Saturday Challenge
ANYTHING GOES: OPTIONAL WINTER OR CHRISTMAS

Penny Black and More
*****Traditional Christmas Colours******



Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!


Card Recipe
Stamps:  Amaryllis, Season's Wishes (PB)
Ink:   Festive Berries, Mowed Lawn (DS & DM), Barn Door, Fired Brick, Peeled Paint, Black Soot (DM), Encore Gold
Paper:   Mixed Media (Strathmore 400 series), Neenah
Other:  Gold EP (SU), Double Pierced Rectangles Die (AE)


Tuesday, December 11, 2018

Star of Wonder

Hello friends.


I love this star from Stampin' Up!

I've stamped it in gold on Vanilla cardstock, heat embossed with more gold
and die cut.

A snippet of embossed gold foil to rest on and another quick and simple card is done.

I'm going to join in at Pixie's Snippet Playground with this card.
This is such a fun group of playmates and I rarely get over there.


CAS Christmas challenge closes on December 15th midnight (PST).


Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!


Card Recipe
Stamps:  Star of Light (SU)
Ink:   Encore Gold
Paper:   Vanilla Thick, Gold Foil (SU)
Other:  Starlight Thinlits (SU), Kars Snowfall EF (ret. Cuttlebug), Gold EP (SU)


Sunday, December 9, 2018

Cookie Day 2018

Hello friends.

In my last post, I told you that we were about to do Cookie Day here.

I thought I'd share some of the fun with you.

You'll have to come by to share in the sweets.

I have lots and they are really are good!

First up are my Cookie Girls.
They are such fun and I love spending time with them!

Here's Nana showing Emmy and Jack how to roll out the gingerbread.

Emmy & Jack rolling in the dough.

Then comes the decorating.
Emmy's masterpiece... 

and Jack's.

I didn't get pictures of all the cookies, candies and snacks.

Needless to say all didn't get packed up and we had more than our
day's quota of sugar!

To top off the weekend, this is what we woke up to this morning.
An unusual sight in NC!

The snow was so pretty but then turned to sleet and now rain.

It's a COLD rain.  Hopefully it's not freezing on trees and power lines.

I think I'll go get a sweet treat.

Thanks for sharing our fun day with me.


Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!



Friday, December 7, 2018

Bloomin Beautiful Thanks

Hello.  Are you deep into Christmas preparations?

Our halls are decked, cards are in the mail and our girls and
grandkids come tomorrow for Cookie Day.

I needed some stamping therapy!

So I found took a few minutes to make a card.


I used an old wood block stamp for my watercolor flower.

Simple and sweet.

I've stamped with a permanent ink and colored with Zigs.

The wash was done by smooshing some Distress ink on my palette
and picking up the ink with a damp waterbrush.  I wet the background
and dropped the color onto it, moving it around with my brush.

I die cut and popped the image on a piece of foam for dimension
and it was done.

I'm joining in at
 I used an old retired Stampin' Up! stamp.


Anything Goes with Stamping


and there's still about a week to join in at
Challenge closes on December 15th.


Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!


Card Recipe
Stamps:  Bloomin Beautiful (ret. SU), Happy Snippets (PB)
Ink:   Versafine Onyx Black, Tumbled Glass (DI)
Paper:   Neenah, Shimmery White, Basic Black (SU)
Other:  Zig CCRBM (#43 Olive Green, #25 Pink), White Gel Pen, Pierced Rectangle Die (Avery Elle)


Monday, December 3, 2018

Stars Light the Way to Peace.

Hello friends.  It's the start of a new challenge at

Our challenge this month is a short one.  More details below.


Again I've used a color as my "white space" as well as lots of gold foil.

Our fantastic Trina is hosting the challenge this month.

This month's challenge will only run for two weeks.  The challenge closes on December 15th midnight (PST).

Our Design Team have lots of starry inspiration for you along with
our Guest Designer, Cindy.

I hope you'll check them out and join in the challenge.


Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!



Card Recipe
Stamps:  Season's Gift (PB)
Ink:   Encore Gold
Paper:  Night of Navy, Gold Foil, Whisper White (SU)
Other:  Star of Wonder Dies (MB), Gold EP, Simply Scored (SU)


Sunday, December 2, 2018

Cones and Berries Thank You

Hello friends.  Today we are launching a new challenge at
CAS Watercolour

We'll be cutting all our CAS Challenges short this month.  More on that later.


I've used my MISTI to ink this stamp with markers, stamping and
using a damp water brush to move the ink.

When it was all dry, I smooshed some Distress Ink on my palette
and using a wet on wet technique, did a light wash around the design.

I wish I could remember to do the red after the wash!

Adding a little pink to the wash makes the bleed fade into the background better.


I'm hosting the challenge this month.

This month's challenge will only run for two weeks.  The challenge closes on December 15th midnight (PST).

Our Design team is joined by the fantastic Michele (I Card Everyone),
and have some lovely designs to inspire you!


I hope you'll join us at CAS Watercolour in the next two weeks.
You know you're going to need some thank you cards!

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!


Card Recipe
Stamps:  Cones & Berries (PB), Thoughtful Messages (SSS)
Ink:  Walnut Stain, Festive Berries (DM), Tumbled Glass (DI), Chocolate Chip (SU)
Paper:   Mixed Media (Strathmore 400 Series), Neenah
Other:  MISTI, Water Brush


Red Delight Guest Designing for Penny Black & More

Hello.  I am so pleased to be Guest Designing at Penny Black and More today.


Their challenge is to use 'Traditional Christmas Colors" greens, red, golds.

I have really enjoyed this Penny Black Red Delight stamp.

I've stamped it using my MISTI and Distress inks.

This is my second try on this design.  The first time my wash looked like
I'd spilled Pepto Bismol on it!

This time I stamped the finished flower with Versamark
and clear embossed it.  It kept the red from bleeding so much.

I smooshed some Tumbled Glass Distress Ink on my palette and
used the wet on wet technique, picked up the ink on my brush for the wash.




I mounted the watercolor piece on foam to minimize the warping and
put it on a larger piece of gold foil.

The sentiment is heat embossed with gold too.

I know it's a really busy month, but I hope you'll find time to join the

Also,  CAS Mix Up
Using stamping, emboss resist and watercolor



Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!


Card Recipe
Stamps:  Red Delight, Season't Wishes (PB)
Ink:   Spun Sugar, Festive Berries, Shabby Shutters, Tumbled Glass (DI), Candied Apple, Barn Door, Peeled Paint (DM), Versamark, Encore Gold
Paper:   Mixed Media (Strathmore 400 Series), Neenah, Gold Foil (SU)
Other:  Clear EP, Gold EP, Gold Dazzling Details (SU), MISTI


Saturday, December 1, 2018

Emboss Resist with Brushos

Hello friends.  I'm so glad you stopped by!

It's time for a new challenge at CAS Mix Up.

We'll be cutting all our CAS Challenges short this month.  More on that later.


I thought I'd take a break from Christmas cards today.

I stamped this dandelion with whisper white ink on 
mixed media paper and heat embossed it.

Then I sprinkled some Brushos on it and spritzed.

To get a good coverage and blending, I used a water brush.

When it was dry, I die cut it, and placed it on a card base
that had been embossed with a larger matching die.

This inspirational sentiment and butterfly in black
added a little drama.


For my mixed media I used
stamping, heat embossing, Brusho, watercolor, dry embossing and die cuts.

This month's challenge will only run for two weeks.  The challenge closes on December 15th midnight (PST).
Our Friend Hideko has joined the CAS Mix Up Design team.
We're so happy to have her there!

Another friend, Bozena (ArtCardBox) is joining
our team this month as Guest Designer.

Hope you get to join us.


Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!



Card Recipe
Stamps:  Dandelion (TT), Treasure the Moments IO)
Ink:   Whisper White (SU), Onyx Black (VF)
Paper:   Neenah, Mixed Media, Basic Black
Other:  White EP (SU), Brushos, Butterfly die (wish)