Jul 23, 2017 | About Me, Gallery, Hand-Crafted Cards |
Remember the 50’s? Dick Clark and dancing on American Bandstand? I remember watching the pony-tailed dancers rock n’ roll while wearing these delightful poodle skirts.
Since the Birthday Memories stamp set has the perfect poodle, I decided to re-create this childhood memory. Basic Black cardstock was made into felt fabric with the Ruffled Embossing Folder (yes, I used it again.) The skirt was cut and sewn with a Stitched Shape circle die. The Powder Pink poodle was stamped and cut with a die from Birthday Delivery, and the leash was snipped from a Balloon Pop-Up thinlit die. Petticoats were necessary for fullness, and this one was made with a doily.
Who can dance without music? So, I stamped the Sheet Music background stamp with Basic Black Ink on Whisper White cardstock and used the scallop die from Seasonal Layers to cut the four horizontal shapes. These were placed on dimensionals for interest, and the poodle skirt was ready for dancing.
Sometimes, one word says it all, and I found the word “Remember” in the Tabs for Everything stamp set. I punched it out, and highlighted it with two rhinestones. Poodle skirts were often embellished with rhinestones, so it seemed appropriate to add one more to the poodles collar.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this trip down memory lane. I’ve had fun!
Jul 21, 2017 | Gallery, Hand-Crafted Cards |
I was so inspired by the designer’s cards at the Tic Tac Toe challenge this week, I wanted to get my project in early. It was the “yellow” square that caught my eye, because I had the most beautiful Daffodil Delight ribbon I wanted to use. I usually stick with Baker’s Twine and Linen Thread, but this yellow ribbon is 1/4″ Double-Stitched, and narrow enough not to intimidate me. You would think ribbon and I would get along, because my mother made sure I had ribbons in my hair until the day I left home. I loved wearing the ribbons, so maybe my cards will learn to love them also. I really like how this one turned out.
I chose Delightful Daisy Designer Series Paper with “yellow” flower centers to coordinate with the “yellow” ribbon. Wisteria Wonder would be the card base, layered with Elegant Eggplant cardstock for contrast. This covered the middle, “floral,” square, so “diecut” was the one remaining. I used two dies from the Succulent Gardens set, layering Wisteria Wonder, DSP, and Whisper White to make three, 3D daisies. Tiny bits of dimensionals were placed between the petals, and a couple Pear Pizazz sprigs were cut with an Eclectic Layers die.
The sentiment, “You’re the Best,” from the Label Me Pretty stamp set was punched with the Pretty Label punch, and placed on dimensionals on top of the ribbon. And, let’s not forget those three Daffodil Delight Enamel Dots. The card wouldn’t be the same without them!
Thanks for stopping by my blog. Want to join me in a game of Tic Tac Toe?
Jul 20, 2017 | Gallery, Hand-Crafted Cards |
“Let me out” cried the reindeer from Santa’s Sleigh. He hasn’t been out of the envelope since last Christmas, and was so happy to make an appearance in July. And, I’m happy to report that this set is in the current catalog, and still available.
I had an idea for making an all Whisper White card, but decided to add a Soft Sky card base. The deer wanted to show off his pretty details, so he was inked in Crumb Cake before cutting him out with the die from Santa’s Sleigh. “Noel,” a Wonderful Wreath framelit die, used Whisper White cardstock layered with Crumb Cake. The forest Christmas tree used two Pretty Pines thinlit dies (also available in the current catalog) layered with Whisper White and Soft Sky.
I went crazy with the embossing folders for this one. I started with Hexagons for the background, which led to the Falling Petals folder for the piles of snow on the ground. I used a die from Seasonal Layers for the mounds, and lifted it with dimensionals. The deer wanted in on the action, so he went through the Big Shot in the Softly Falling folder. One dot landed perfectly on his eye making eyelashes, and another right on his nose. How lucky is that!
The Dazzling Diamond Glimmer Paper made the snowflakes, which were cut with a Seasonal Layers die. Aha! This set encompasses the Winter season. And, I just had to add the wreath around the deer’s neck. TIP: I discovered last year that his nose bounces right back after the adornment.
I had to laugh at the similarity between the prancing deer and the prissy poodle who jumped on the card. No, the poodle is NOT glued down.
Thanks for visiting my blog. Have a fun day!
Jul 19, 2017 | About Me, Gallery, Hand-Crafted Cards |
Since I’ve been spending a lot of time sitting and making cards, I have to make sure I get enough exercise and eat properly. I try to take care of myself, and found that essential oils benefit me in many ways. You may have noticed in my “About Me” that I’m passionate about essential oils, and specifically, Young Living. This company impressed me with the purity of their oils through their Seed to Seal guarantee, and the fact that they own their own farms.
I love ice cream and shakes, especially in the summer. I still indulge, but I found a healthy alternative, and I’d like to share with you one of their products that isn’t an oil, but a nutritious and delicious drink, called Pure Protein Plus.
I mix the Protein Powder in 1% milk, add ice and blend. It calls for two scoops, but I use less, and you can use water or other milk, and shake instead of putting in a blender. You can also add fruit or get creative with flavoring, but I like it as is. And, I think I’m liking the Vanilla even better than the chocolate, but that’s just me.
It isn’t cheap for a drink, but this is a meal substitute. Looking at it that way, it’s a good deal. You can see the size of the bag. I drink it for health and not weight loss, but I have a friend who recently started enjoying it, and has lost 27 pounds in a short period of time. Here is the ingredients label:
If you think you might like to try it, I’m here to walk you through the purchasing process. I’m off to blend up my lunch, and then head to my craft room.
Jul 19, 2017 | Gallery, Hand-Crafted Cards |
While pondering this week’s Global Design Project #096, I was thinking about the sun that was shining outside my window on this warm summer day. Is there just one sun out there? It seems that way to us, because it’s the only one we see, but the scientists know better. Anyway, thinking of suns, I remembered a Paisleys and Posies stamp and die that would be a perfect sun when stamped with Daffodil Delight ink. These suns would fit just right in a pocket. The idea for my card was born.
In keeping with the designer’s colors, I used Whisper White as the card base, and I found the Soft Sky shirt fabric in The Coffee Break Designer Series Paper. I stamped and die cut the pocket using the framelit that coordinates with the Pocketful of Sunshine stamp set. I stamped the cute “thx” tag (this must be a designer shirt) and the sentiment with the same Daffodil Delight as the suns. For the layout, I placed the pocket on the upper portion of the card.
The suns needed just a bit more sparkle, so I added our pretty, Glitter Enamel dots.
Wishing you all a pocketful of sunshine. THX for stopping by my blog today.
Jul 18, 2017 | About Me, Gallery, Hand-Crafted Cards |
I had an idea of the meaning of “going viral,” but wanted to get an explanation. In today’s age of technology, it’s important to know these things, so who better to ask than Siri.
She led me to a number of definitions, and I’ll boil it down to this: It’s the sharing of something on social media that gets re-shared multiple times. I think I knew that, but what constitutes it being called viral was where I needed understanding. I learned that it’s all relative. For some, it would take thousands or even hundreds of thousands to be considered viral. For others, it could take a mere 100, or 50, or anything that’s above your average. This is nice, because you don’t have to compare yourself to anyone else (we shouldn’t do this anyway) to have a viral experience.
I can now say, with confidence, that this card has gone viral. I found this picture stored in a cloud (crazy-huh?) dated July 6, 2016. I posted it on Pinterest a year ago, attracting 3,000 pins, and it’s still being re-pinned today. I’m not saying this to brag, but rather as a curiosity. I mean, it’s an okay card, but not the one I would have chosen to “go viral.”
That’s the other thing about “going viral,” you can’t predict it or determine it.
In the end, it’s all about sharing. I’m grateful for the technology that enables us to do this so easily. And, I’m even more grateful for those who enjoy what I have to share. May we all have a viral experience today!
