Saturday, February 26, 2011

My "fixer-upper" card....I fixed it!

Well, that last card really bugged me. I couldn't leave it alone...had to "fix" it somehow! So I followed some of the suggestions I got from helpful people and...voila! TWO new cards! I realized it was the background color I didn't like so I simply removed it and replaced it with a subtle pastel stripe...not so intense! And I changed the ribbon (as suggested) and like it much better. So what do you think?

However, that slightly used coral colored paper with the polka dot stripe and the peach ribbons all attached I couldn't just throw away....I'm much too Dutch for that! ...so I worked alot longer trying to salvage that. Now its a little more "okay" and I will actually give it to someone! I love the Bible verse I've printed on it...that stamp is a new one I just got from Verve. The green swirls stamp: I didn't write down the brand name but that set can be found at Joanne Fabric.
I don't think I will be using that coral for a card ever again!...well, maybe as an accent color.
So, I hope your Saturday is fun, productive and full of "sunshine"! Its a great day to prepare to go to God's house tomorrow for worship.
Hugs!
P.S. Thanks again for help with my troublesome card, to all of you who commented and made suggestions!

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

"I'm Thinking of You!"

Have you ever had one of those days
when you fuss over a card you're
making, tweeking it, adding details, adding just the right embellishments that you think "go" perfectly...only to be dissatisfied with it when you're done? THIS is one of those cards for me...its kind of OK...that's all. But the House Mouse image IS one of my favorites...in fact I like all of the elments alot...just not put together quite like that I guess! Oh well, I'm still entering it in a few challenges!

Here's some of the stuff I used :
1)The stamped image of Maxwell the House Mouse- "Feeling Rosey" colored with colored pencils
2)Spellbinders circle and scalloped circle dies
3)on that scalloped die cut is a stamp from Cindy's Lacey Circles set
4)Martha Stewart scalloped flower border punch
5)the white paper is Cryogen, the rest is from my stash
6)as well as the ribbon and buttons
7)the "Thinking of You" & heart stamp are acrylic ones from ??? (sorry)


I stamped those 2 stamps in a pattern for the background paper in green, but then I think I covered it up too much....it really did turn out nice!

The challenges I'm entering this card in:
http://housemouse-challenge.blogspot.com/ - "Favorite House Mouse Stamp" #89
http://theshabbytearoom.blogspot.com/ -Week #50 - "Buttons & Bows"
This time, any advice on what I could have done differently to improve this card....please! Feel free to comment! Thanks!!

Friday, February 18, 2011

"Best Wishes" to the Happy Couple!



Yesterday I found a beautiful card on someone else's blog...can't quite remember how I got there but her name is Jean Martin, the gal who designed the card. She said it got published in a magazine and I could see why it was chosen...its gorgeous! Soooo...I thought I'd try something similar. And here is what I came up with. I doubt if you can see it but I used that nice iridescent Cryogen paper and all the stamps I used are from Cindy Echtinaw's "Lacey Circles" set. Oh except there is a flower one in the very center of the circle design which I colored and covered partially with the paper flower and button. I'm curious to see what Cindy thinks of this one!
The lavender paper and the ribbon are from my stash; everything else can be purchased at Cindy's http://www.stampingscrapping.com/ ! I looked at my list of challenges that I sometimes enter cards in and believe it ot not this card doesn't work for anything! Oh well, this one was just fun to make. And I'm pleased with how it turned out. It is going to be a wedding card (I have to finish the wording and design on the inside yet). So, "Thank You", Jean Martin!
And thanks in advance to anyone leaving some kind comments!
*******************************
Well, its now a few days later and, yes, I HAD to "fix" the uneven edge on the card! The photo made it look worse than it was but I still didn't like it. So I took it all aprt on that side and trimmed and trimmed and reglued and rephotographed. So here's the corrected version:




And since I finished the inside of the card as well I'll include a picture of that too!

















Thursday, February 17, 2011

Vivi's Blog Candy! Gilli Stamps!!


Go to Vivi's blog to enter for a chance to win!

Click here to get there:
But I hope I'm the one who wins! I love the Gilli stamps!
Thanks, Vivi!

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Pink, Pink, and More Pink! Plus...

First up, I want to answer 2 of the lovely ladies who left comments for me on my Sympathy card. They asked what print paper I used; so here's the brand etc.:
K&Company, "Tim Coffey- Blossomwood" mat pad
It is 2-sided cardstock; the ones I used are back & front of one sheet.

And I do want to thank those of you who take the time to leave a comment.
I sure enjoy reading them! ;-)

Next, just to let you know, I added another "card" to my Valentine's post!
Its one that my hubby made for me! Scroll down and take a peek. Its cute.

OK. My new card post!
Now I am posting my very pink "Pink" card
for 4 different challenges!

I've been using quite a bit of pink lately with Valentine's Day just behind us. I think I'm just about "pinked-out"! But it IS an easy color to work with especially with the Tilda images from Magnolia.....Tilda is such a pretty "girly" girl!

For this card I used 3 different patterned papers, 4 Spellbinder dies, gross-grain ribbon, paper roses, Stickles for sparkle, a Tilda image and the little sentiment is from Cindy E's stamp set called "Lacey Circles". Any questions about specifics, just ask!

Here are the 4 challenges I'm entering this card in:

http://craftyourpassionchallenges.blogspot.com/ - "Pink" Challenge #45

http://magnoliastamplovers.blogspot.com/ - "Pastel" Challenge

http://stampingscrappingchallengecentral.blogspot.com/ - "Pink"

http://houseofgilli.blogspot.com/ - Very First Challenge!

Monday, February 14, 2011

Happy Valentines Day!

Happy Valentines Day to Everyone! Hope its a warm fuzzy lovey day for you all!

Note: My husband made a card too!
(see bottom of post)



Just a quick post today! First up is a Valentine card I made for my husband...well, I wasn't sure who it was for originally but since I've run out of time, he gets this one! Its a little unusual, with the chickens on there, but I made it to enter the Bildmalarna challenge "Love" at http://bildmalarnablog.blogspot.com/ and if you remember, that's the only set of Bildy stamps I have so far! (Thanks, Kevin!!)

This weekend we went to a birthday party for a sweet lady who is now 90 years old (young!) so I whipped up a special card for her. I promised myself to keep it simple and I actually did it for once! And used up a few of the pretty things I've had in my "stash" for too long. What do you think?



It's now Wednesday, and I decided to add one more picture of a Valentine card, this one that my husband "made"! He usually buys me a beautiful romantic one but this year he just went in my craft room and "made" his own! I had been working on a few and trying some new stamps on scrap paper so he carefully wrote "Bee my Valentine" on the paper. (BC1 is just a code name for him) What you can't see is that on the other side of the paper are more stamped words so he was carefully avoiding them so I can still use them. So thoughtful! He did also get me a beautiful cyclamen plant...a very nice Valentine's Day all together!

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Love & Snow Flurries Are In the Air!

Just got back from a nice drive out in the country...what a beautiful day! Its cold and windy with sudden sporatic snow flurries but there is also lots of blue sky and sunshine!
Well, today I'm posting a Valentine card...not sure who its for yet...but I will enter it in 4 challenges. (see list at bottom)

I am still dealing with an older camera that sometimes takes blurry pictures...couldn't be the operator, could it? Oh well, its clear enough to see most of the details.




I've used several things that can be found in Cindy's store at http://www.stampingscrapping.com/ .
They are marked with an *

Here is the list of ingredients:

Cardstock is from my stash (most is DCWV)
House Mouse stamp "Contented Mudpie"*
Heart stamps (brand??)
Spellbinders Shapeabilities-Pendant "Fleur de Lis"*
Spellbinders Nestabilities - Labels 4*
Twinkle Jewels*
Fiskar border punch
Ribbon from my stash
And...I used my new Glue Glider Pro*
(I'm still getting used to my Glue Glider...there's kind of a trick to it. I'm finding I need to tip it up a bit when I want to stop laying the tape down so it doesn't continue after I pick it up off the paper. Anyone else find that? Or have some tips for me?)

















Okay, here are the 4 challenges this card is being entered in:
http://craftyourpassionchallenges.blogspot.com/ - "Anything Goes" Challenge #44
http://housemouse-challenge.blogspot.com/ - "All About Hearts" Challenge #88
http://craftycardmakers.blogspot.com/ - "Hearts" Challenge #39
http://theshabbytearoom.blogspot.com/ - "Sweethearts" Challenge, Week #48
Please let me know what you think of my latest creation! I sure hope you are all having a warm and safe February...and at least "sometimes" sunny!

Take care!

Sandie

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Big Snow Storm of 2011 = Cupcake Valentines Card

What fun! Lots and lots of snow! And being snowed in for the day! Well, sort of fun...my husband & I spent several hours today doing some heavy-duty early spring cleaning, and only got 3 small rooms done. But that sense of accomplishment is sooooo nice! And then I rewarded myself by spending the evening in my craft room making a card!

The picture on the right is me standing in the road not far from our house. I'm standing in one of the ruts that is about 14" deep! No plows came through until late in the day. But we didn't lose power during this storm so we have lots to be thankful for!






Now here is the card I made, a tent card, the first I've ever made. I would do it a little different next time so you can see the inside attachment better. But it was fun to try! There is a lot of sparkle on this one...sorry you can't see it in the picture.



This card is is going to be entered in a couple different challenges:


The "Cupcake" challenge at


and the "Valentine" SSCC at



(I think I will wait 'til morning and take a better picture in daylight, then I'll enter it in the 2 challenges.)
OK, its Thursday AM...not sure these are much better! But the color is more accurate.