November Tag for Tim Holtz's 12 Tags of 2012

Hi, guys!  As many of you know, I am participating in the 12 Tags of 2012 by Tim Holtz.  Each month Tim demonstrates a new tag using various techniques and products meant to inspire you to create your own.  I can't believe it is November already!  Here is my submission:

I love that I get to use so many of my supplies when I make a tag.  For this tag, distress stains were used in various colors as well as distress inks.  The image was heat embossed onto the tag.  One of my favorite parts of this tag was making the leaves by using Core-dinations kraft paper, then sanding and inking them.  Love how they came out.  I never thought to pull apart my twine before, and then inked it as Tim showed.  It was a fun touch and am so glad he shared that idea.

I hope you like this tag, and if you are interested in making one for yourself, I would suggest you check out Tim's blog at www.timholtz.com and I am sure he will inspire you.

Have a great day!  Until next time!

With Deepest Sympathy

Hi, guys! Today I am sharing a card I made for a friend of my husband who lost his mom.  I wanted to make it a nature themed card, and appropriate for a man.  I didn't want to make it too fussy, and wanted it to be calm in feel.  This is what I came up with.

Supplies:
Stamps: Rubber Stampede
Paper: Core-dinations, Gina K Designs
Ink: Stampin' Up
Misc.: Cuttlebug Embossing Folder, Scallop Edge Punch, Sanding Block, Gem

One of my favorite papers to use is Core-dinations as I love the different colored cores in their papers and love to sand them.  It gives the image such a fun distressed look.

Hope you have a nice day!  Until next time!

Here's The Scoop (Nephew's Birthday Wishes)

Hi, guys! Hope all is well.  Today I am sharing a card I made for my nephew Christopher's 13th birthday.  I didn't realize that I didn't blog it and so I wanted to make sure I shared it with you.

Front

Inside

Supplies:
Stamps: Inky Antics
Paper: Inky Antics Honey Pop Paper
Ink: Archival Black
Misc.: Tim Holtz Bingo Marker, Ribbon, Copic Markers

I can see I have been on a roll with this Honey Pop paper.  It is so fun to use, and the recipients of the cards seem to love the surprise inside.

I am blessed to have 10 nieces and nephews, and making cards for them is just so special to me.  I also enjoy stamping with them and creating together.  Soon I will be writing a post about a day when I had 4 of my nieces over for tea and stamping.

Here's hoping Christopher's 13th year is the beginning of many happy years ahead.  He is a joy and a blessing to all those who know him.

Until next time!

Holiday Cards & Tags Giveaway

Hi, guys! Hope you had a great holiday!  We sure did! I had dinner here with my hubby and my father-in-law followed by a trip to my sister's for another round of fun and yes, more food.

Before:

After:

I can tell you, I am done with turkey for awhile.  My hubby could continue to eat it if I gave it to him. After day 4, I feel like I am going to start gobbling.

Now that Thanksgiving is over, I will begin preparing for the Christmas holiday season.  I am looking forward to making holiday cards for family and friends and plenty of decorating.  I have some fun news to share with you today.  My blogging friend Molly Jo who blogs at http://franklymydearmojo.com/2012/11/25/holiday-gift-basket-giveaway-winnies-inky-fingers-cards-and-tags/ is having a giveaway.  She asked if I would make some holiday cards and tags for her to raffle off.  I hope you pay her a visit for a chance to win the set of cards I donated. There are 5 cards and 5 coordinating tags.  Molly Jo is a great writer and blogger and a fine woman.  I know you will enjoy visits with her there.

Hope you have a great day! Until next time!

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!

Hi, guys!  Thought I would share the Thanksgiving card I made for my parents.  A little story behind this card: it was pointed out to me by my mother that I seem to have an affection for "vermin" cards.  I wasn't sure what she was talking about when she mentioned this to me, but after explaining how I make her a lot of cards with mice on them, I got her point.  I never realized how many stamps I own with various mice in various forms of dress.  So, when making my parents card I had to use this stamp set.  I am sure my mom will appreciate it.

Supplies:
Stamps: Inky Antics
Paper: Gina K Designs, Echo Park, Inky Antics
Ink: Memento Black, Stampin' Up 
Misc.: Ribbon, Copic Markers

I normally don't bother showing the inside of my cards, but since I used honey pop paper for the inside, I thought you might like to see this.  It really gives it a fun 3D look and a little surprise to the receiver.

For the leaves, instead of using a stamp for the leaves on the black paper, I used some fun leaf buttons I had in my stash.

Hope you enjoyed the card I shared today.  If you are celebrating Thanksgiving, I hope it is a joy-filled one.  I have so much to be thankful for, and I count my blogging friends and readers among them.

Until next time!

True Friends

Hi, guys! Hope all is well!  I was asked to make a special card for a friend to give to one of her best buddies.  I was asked to make it shabby chic in feel and to incorporate shades of pink and greens.  This is the card I came up with for Sheryl.

Supplies:
Stamps: Hero Arts
Paper: Stampin' Up, Watercolor Paper
Inks: Versafine Black, Distress Inks
Misc.: Perfect Pearl Mists, Ribbon Colored To Match, Distress Tool, Stick Pin, Heart Punch, Embossing Powder

I love using Versafine Ink for embossing with clear powder.  The image comes out very crisp and clean of any stray powders.  One of my least favorite things to do is use black embossing powder as I seem to get stray powders on my image.  They can be knocked off, or wiped off with a paint brush, but using clear powder just makes it so easy.

Making this card made my fingers very inky, so you know I had fun!

Have a great day!

Happy 40th Birthday, Sis!

Hi, guys!  This weekend was a lot of fun.  My kid sister turned 40 today, so we went out and saw a comedy show and had dinner with my other sister and some really good friends.  I can't believe my little sister is 40, but at least she is in the same decade as me now.  I thought I would share the birthday card I made for her.

Supplies:
Stamps: Stampin' Up, Cornish Heritage Farms, Crafty Secrets
Paper: Recollections Note Card, Watercolor Paper
Ink: Archival Black, Distress Ink, Distress Stains
Misc.: Ribbon, Embossing Powder, Distress Markers, Perfect Pearls Mist

The sentiment inside the card reads "You're no spring chicken ... Happy Birthday!"  She got a great chuckle out of it.  I love funny cards, and can give them to my sister.  You know who you can or cannot joke with about their age.  Since I am the eldest of the six siblings, I have been on the receiving end of many funny age-related cards.

This was a lot of fun to make.  I love the use of Distress Stains on watercolor paper.  I spray them with Perfect Pearl Mists and they blend so nicely and give it a nice shine.

Hope you have a great day!  Until next time!