Hound Dog

The Penny Black challenge -- No. 74 (this week) is to depict a song or lyrics of a song using a Penny Black image so I opened up my Penny Black drawer to see what stamp would sing to me -- and "Birthday Dog" -- sang "pick me!"

This was a perfect choice because a very special person was in need of a birthday greeting. The birthday dog is on the inside of the card and can be viewed from the oval window cut out with an exacto. My song is, of course, "Hound Dog" as sung by Elvis Presley. To see the excellent DT's tune depicts -- go here. And, while you are doing that, I'll just pop this in the mail to "Hound Dog", the birthday dog.

Stamps: Penny Black, Cornish Heritage Farms, Clearsnap (rollograph) Tools and other stuff: watercolor pencils, Sizzix, Marvy punch, celestial blue embossing powder, Cuttlebug embossing folder - words computer generated.

White Christmas

The Penny Black Blog Challenge this week is White on White. I encourage all who visit here to go take a look at the Design Team's amazing contributions for this challenge. In the laundry room, I have no trouble with my whites -- but when there are so many yummy colors to be had in the studio, I had to wash away my desire to use colors -- though thank goodness the challenge does allow for the image to be in color. Most all elements are raised with pop dots -- except for the textured layers of snow. Because there is (subtle) shimmer to this card -- I am also presenting this to Our Daily Bread Designs Blog challenge "Show us the Shimmer".

Here's a better look at the shimmer:


Stuff I used:
Penny Black Rubber Stamp: "Aiming to Please" (scarf paper pieced)
5 different Cuttlebug Embossing Folders, Martha Stewart Snowflake Border,
Emaginations Snowflake punch, Sizzix tree die,
white satin Picot ribbon, shimmery paper,
crystal gems, Art Institute Glitter, mica powder,
asst. fibers, water color pencils, pop dots

All to show my dh that it takes a "Lot of Stuff" to make a card! Thanks so much for dropping by...please take a moment to tell me what you think.

Not a Cross Word

Happy Anniversary to my dearest cousin and her husband as they celebrate another great year together. They are so in tune with each other that they work several crossword puzzles in tandem each day -- Mary will work on one for awhile and then pass it to Jeff as he passes the one to her that he was working on. Together they solve all their problems -- and not a cross word between them. (oh, my son is cringing on that one.) And so this is my heartfelt greeting to them.

Stuff I used:
Sizzix die for tree, and a crossword puzzle that I worked on and then modified with a PSX alphabet and "Love." My very first ever punch -- the heart punch, leaf swirls - EK Success Corner punch, Cuttlebug embossing folders.

Let Me Make Something For You

Good friend and talented artist Sue has posted on her blog an offer I could not refuse. The rules are strict so please read them and if you would like something made by me just for you leave a comment at the end of this posting.

The first five (5) people to respond to this post will get something made by me.

This offer does have some restrictions and limitations so please read carefully:

1. I make no guarantees that you will like what I make. Whatcha get is whatcha get.

2. What I create will be just for you, with love.

3. It’ll be done this year (2009). This is my deadline to make something you for, it may be that you want to change this to some future time such as Easter 2010. Provided you make your commitment clear then no one will mind.

4. I will not give you any clue what it’s going to be. It will be something made in the real world and not something cyber. It may be weird or beautiful. Or it may be monstrous and annoying. Heck, I might bake something for you and mail it to you. Who knows? Not you, that’s for sure!

5. I reserve the right to do something strange.

6. In return, all you need to do is post this text on your blog and make 5 things for the first 5 to respond to your blog post.

7. Send your mailing address - after I contact you.

While you're at it, check out Sue's blog -- it is a favorite of mine and has a bounty of beautiful work to share.

This cat is where it's at

The last series of posts have been scheduled -- Remember this Aloha post? I am currently absent from my challenge participation and real time posting while I am doing the happy dance in Hawaii. When this posts, I should be on a plane towards home. Thanks for all your visits and lovely comments -- I will be anxious to get back home for more blogging friendship.

So glad

This is my first experience with a digi stamp. On one of my visits to my blogging friend Sue, I was lead to Mo's new digi challenge blogspot using digi stamps by Mo Manning. There I was lead to a "freebie" -- well, I took the freebie but wasn't in time for the challenge but felt responsible to post something since I took the image. I printed this charming image on purple cardstock -- because purple was in the challenge. The image is on foam mounts with an extra broom added for dimension. Other images are Sizzix. (But let me tell you this -- if you want to see the most ultra amazing project using this delightful image and better than that -- view a tutorial on how it was made, you must visit Mel.)


Though I have several Halloween words/phrases, I chose "I'm So Glad You're my Friend" (maker unknown) to be the most fitting because the little witch (Bella) and her dog (Bronte) are visibly good friends. And to all my blogging visitors, I say "I'm so glad you're my friend."

Happy Halloween

Using a technique I learned from a tutorial at Gina K's Stamp TV, I inked up the embossing folder to make the greeting. The background is red card stock stamped with a Hero arts "speckled" stamp, and the edges cut with a deckle blade. The spider is from a Martha Stewart punch with an added red gem - black crochet thread provides for the spider's launch on the card.

Happy Halloween!

Don't Say Boo

In front of this dilapidated house stands three charming fellows waiting to greet their guests for Trick of Treat. The house, bats, and welcomers are made dimensional with foam mounts. The smoke is from a fabric softener sheet. The ground is textured with a Cuttlebug Embossing folder and is cut with Emaginations Peaks.

Inside to create a little action, the "Boo" sticker is affixed with a wire spring so that when my grandson opens this card it will bounce and surely scare him to pieces!

Stamps: G Studio (Hampton Art), Stampendous, other images, Sizzix and Martha Stewart.

Designed by another

Pumpkins in the Pink

I have mentioned before about my darling grand daughter's passion for pink. So here's the card I've put in the mail to her. On the inside there is a spider dangling loose on a string so that when she opens it, it will sway back and forth and scare her to pieces LOL. This picture was still on my camera when my dh and I met her for lunch to celebrate her sixth birthday and she wanted to look -- but I told her she had to wait -- but I won't make you wait 'cause Halloween doth approach. Paper overlay on purple cardstock is DCWV, layered spider is embossed with amethyst embossing powder, accents and shading with Prismacolor markers and Memories red ink pad -- most elements are on pop dots for dimension, Sizzix, Sizzlets, and all the aforementioned made this easy-peasy and incredibly pink!

More Scarey Stuff

Michelle's accordian card tutorial has brought me a lot of fun making this assortment of Halloween cards. (This time I worked alone without any help from my black cat.) Also, a reminder to visit Michelle's blog here before Halloween and get your name in the "pumpkin" for her "Bargain of the Century Blog Candy."

Stamps are from Martha Stewart, Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers, Art Gone Wild, and Peddler's Pack. The bat stamp used on the front doesn't show the title of the book - but it is one of my favs (for those of you who know how I love a play on words) "Fly By Night." Other images and shapes are Sizzix and Sizzlets and Martha Stewart punches. Watch for more scarey stuff as the day of the Great Pumpkin approaches.

Don't Be A Scaredy Cat

This black cat who hangs around outside my back door is taking all the credit for the accordian card I made with her likeness on the front. However, she won't be able to tell you that these images are from Sizzix dies, and a Martha Stewart bat punch.

The card dimensions and design are from Michelle -- (by the way, Michelle has "The Bargain of the Century Blog Candy" so be sure to stop by to check it out before Halloween) you can find her blog here and you can see the card tutorial here. This card is easy even for scaredy cats!

Happy Anniversary

It's another wonderful October anniversary to celebrate. It is hard for me to believe that my daughter and her husband are marking their 27th year of marriage this month. They had a marvelous party on their 25th at a local resort and Randy had 25 bouquets of long-stemmed red roses delivered there for Sharla. Each bouquet included one yellow rose for friendship. I wonder what he can possibly do to top that! The best I could do was this piece of card stock with lots of bits of paper punched, pierced, stamped, glued and prodded into a greeting -- but it's filled with all my love. Happy Anniversary, my dear hearts!

Stuff I used:
Fiskars and Martha Stewart border punches, Distinctive Impressions greeting,
Sizzix dies, EK Success corner punch,
gems and ribbon

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