Santa's Helper

Polka Dots! That's what the House Mouse Challenge was for the week. Take the link to see what the Design Team has done with this theme. Because I made a Funky Pink Christmas card for my darling little granddaughter -- I could do no less for my wonderful grandson. This card is for him as he has a real sweet tooth. Perhaps I'll sneak him a real candy cane when his Mom isn't looking. I made the polka dot background with a pencil eraser, top boss, and gold embossing powder. "Santa's Helper" is by my hand. The House Mouse image "Little Candy Striper" is colored with Prismacolor Markers I sneaked out of my son's studio. Thank you for coming by to look -- please take a moment to tell me what you think.

Thanks Be for Thee

My "studio" is supposed to be my laundry room and after a flurry of making Thanksgiving cards, I realized that the dirty clothes hamper was becoming rather full so I had to clean off my work spot and do a few loads -- but not before using the paper scraps laying about. I like to try to use things that are already out and left from previous projects -- sometimes it makes sense and sometimes it doesn't and almost always involves hauling out even more stuff before I'm done. The turkey is a sizzix die cut, the second layer of feathers was texturized with a cuttlebug embossing folder. Stamps: Winter Trees - All Night Media and "Thanks Be for Thee" - Stampin' Up given to me by my special friend, Sarah, who received this card. Sarah is a cancer survivor and I treasure our friendship and salute her bravery. Thanks Be for Thee, Sarah.

Have Yourself a Funky Little Christmas

I am so excited to find yet another challenge blog spot -- this one requires the use of a Penny Black image. Another one of my favs! -- and I probably have a drawer full of these too. This week's challenge was to use untraditional colors to make a funky card. Here are the specifics on the challenge and a link for you to see some awesome creations by the Design Team.

I immediately thought of my dear little granddaughter who insists on everything -- I mean everything -- being pink from her shoes to her lunchbox. So I've made this for her. The trees are by Sizzix, the pink swirly "snow" and the frame is by cuttlebug, Penny Black's "Ladies Divine", and the mailbox - Good Stamps Stamp Goods are edited to suit the purpose and the phrase is by my hand. Get those letters off to Santa -- time's a wasting!

Give Thanks

Here is my interpretation of a sketch challenge No. SK111508 at Papercraft Planet -- an online community for papercrafters. There are lots of groups to join there so go take a look and join in and share the fun. This card required me to think -- and late at night I'm at my best especially while the washing machine is running, because it offers me an open flat surface when my studio work table doesn't offer any. LOL. The stamping on the background of this card is the Stampendous texture cube stamped with Memories Brown, and edged (believe it or not) w/cool blue Prismacolor marker which created a muted edging - not blue at all. Memories Blue ink pad sponging on the phrase panel. All the rest is Sizzix die cuts except for the Emagination punch for the feathery leaves, and Marvy punched oak leaves. The ribbon across the inner rectangle is to repeat the red circles of the apples in the cornucopia. Happy Thanksgiving All!

Same Stuff - Different Look

This has got to be one of the happiest House Mouse characters around. He's called "Hyper Mouse" and I can see why. Here is another "take" from the Drawer Full of Mice post using the same components. I haven't asked my son about this one yet but I think I like it better and I know my husband is always good for a "that's great -- can you make about 100 of these for my best customers?!" Winter Trees background - All Night Media.

Drawer Full of Mice

Since I discovered the House Mouse and Friends challenge spot, I've pulled out the drawer (full of house mouse images -- untouched by ink). This card was "unsolicited" - meaning there was no suggestion for it as a challenge so I made this just for fun. I plan to use it for Thanksgiving greetings to family I will not share a table with next week. When I asked my son for approval, he just nodded his head. I think he was more interested in what's for dinner. He did say he loved the colors and that he couldn't "see anything wrong with it."
Particulars:
Burgundy Card face
Leaf border stamp - Greenbriar (I think this was from Dollar Tree)
Happy Harvest - Embossing Arts
House Mouse
Cuttlebug folder for copper layer
Leaf punch - Marvy

With or Without?

The House Mouse Challenge for the week is to create a Christmas card using a House Mouse image. Having a House Mouse image is the easy part. What comes next is illustrative of my indecisiveness when it comes to the creative process. With the poinsettia on the side, or without it? With or without? My son says "without." What say you all? I think my final answer is "without" because it gives a more natural feel to the wintry scene I was trying to create. Here is the process: Memories Midnight Blue Ink for a "midnight" sponged background skyline, PSX trees and Stampin up stars finish the scene. PSX "Believe" stamped on a sizzix die cut tag. The blue frame (Sizzix) for the House Mouse "Warm Tree Light" is stamped with one side of a Stampendous texture cube and then heat embossed in gold. If you like the addition of the poinsettia, it is created with a sizzix die and scored for dimension. And, the best part of the making of this card is that I just inherited my son's Prismacolors and I used them for the first time on these little mousies. Crystal lacquer accents the Christmas Bulb. I can't wait to decorate my tree!

Too literal?

Oh, I get like that sometimes. Over at the House Mouse Challenge the challenge of the week was to devise a card using bits of junk. All the Design Team did beautiful creations -- nothing at all that looked like junk -- their work is perfect in every respect. For this card, I chose the House Mouse "pure bliss" candy box and did what is fondly called these days, "altered" it to make a place for pack rats to reside and have a box full of treasures ("junk") -- such as rubber bands, safety pins, buttons and bits of ribbon. The heart is to say "I Love Junk" -- and so I do. I've sure got lots of drawers full of it. Thanks for stopping by.

Friendship

A very special word and a very special bond. I am so blessed with great friendships. This card was a serendipity creation with no planning and I am delighted with the results. Sometimes, I think I overwork an idea. I used my very first stamp (the fern) purchased at a State Fair many, many years ago which began my addiction. See Count Your Many Blessings. The Friendship phrase is from Wordsworth. When I received this stamp from an e-bay win, I was certain that I would never be able to use it because it is so large -- but it worked perfectly here. The frame is a sizzix die cut from copper cardstock and the image is Rubber Stampede "Woman in Repose." All components arranged on a slightly tinted 8 1/2 x 11 folded in half card stock. Frame is raised with foam mount for dimension and the rest was simply stamped with Memories black ink giving the slightest bit of blush to the woman's cheeks. Thanks for stopping by.

Spiders and Bats

Yes, I so know that Halloween is long since over but I must show you this card. It arrived in my mailbox as a great surprise on October 31st. This is certainly no trick but indeed a treat. This card has many things going on -- some I can identify as sizzix, some stickers, hand drawn bats -- plastic bugs, and a little soft webbing overall. I was overwhelmed to receive this spooky creation from my special stamping buddies in Canada -- Ann and Anne. They are a great team and I have had the pleasure of stamping with them on three occasions -- twice at workshops in the woods of Canada, and once in Puyallup, Washington. The card they sent me was the result of their spending a recent week-end together stamping the nights away. I look forward to another time when I can join them in their playtime. Thanks A and A!

An Award!!

Wow! Look at this! I have truly entered the blogging world with this gorgeous award from Els G. Thank you Els. What a delightful surprise, and a wonderful opportunity to pass this on to some extremely talented ladies I enjoy visiting via blogs.

The rules are:
1. The winner may put the logo on their blog.
2. Put a link to the person who sent you the award.
3. Nominate 5 blogs.
4. Put links to their blogs.
5. Leave a message for your nominees

The hardest part of this "assignment" is picking just five -- but here are just a few of my favorite bloggers and to whom I pass this beautiful award:
Adventures from the Monkey Hut
Karen
Kimmie
Jovita
Lori

Wild Time

After my last post and then silence, perhaps you think the wild things got me. No, though I've had somewhat of a "wild time" this past week. I played "house mom" to my great little grandkids, 5 and 11. The best part of staying at their house for 10 days was having lots of playtime with them. We had a couple of great card making sessions and my grandson came up with some good Halloween cards. The little granddaughter, became a black cat manufacturer. I have to give Martha Stewart a great big endorsement here. I own tons and tons of craft punches, but when I reluctantly paid a higher price for one of Martha Stewart's cat punches I was extremely pleased with having done so.

My little 5-year-old granddaughter was able to manipulate this punch with great skill -- it is one of the easiest to use punches I have ever seen. I kid you not, that she sat for an hour straight punching away. In some of the workshops I have conducted, I have had some adults who were unable to use some of the craft punches. Martha S has it figured out! I couldn't wait to go back to Michaels for another one -- this time, a bunny.