Halloweenie Quickies

I'm so excited today -- look what I learned! After having an intense "quickie cards" making session, I learned how to put them on a slide show screen ! Ahhh, but what I lost are my
new blog borders -- eeek -- something spooky going on.

Lucky Draw

The recent post of my latest card trick was a butterfly die cut "face card" from a deck of playing cards. Here's the link. This post is to show you that not much of anything ever makes it to the trash bin in my studio. The leafs attached to the tree with pop dots are the residuals from the butterflies ' wings and have sprouted new life on this sizzix tree. This, then is card trick No. 7 using a cuttlebug embossing panel, "Lucky Draw" by Art Impressions.

Now I've got to go play Gin Rummy with DH and wear out some more cards.

See other card tricks under titles: King for a Day, Queen for a day, Drama Queen, Gogh have great Birthday, and A Perfect Pair.

Pretty Woman

After creating and posting the Cinema Saturday challenge for Pretty Woman, I couldn't get the Roy Orbison song out of my head. This, then was my inspiration to have another go at it using the same image and materials, but adding a scalloped lace border by Fiskars, and attaching the flowers and vines (Stampendous) with foam dots to make a pretty woman walking down the street....(ah there goes that tune again). The phrase is computer generated, laminated, and framed with a sizzix die cut from copper cardstock to match the first layer. The first challenge card is here and offers more details about this challenge celebrating their 50th cinema challenge. To see how the design team was inspired for this challenge go here. Now, if I could just remember all the words to the song, I wouldn't have to keep repeating.... "Pretty Woman, walking down the street....pretty woman....."

Achieve

Pretty Woman is an all-time movie favorite of mine and this week, this film is the featured challenge in celebration of their 50th challenge at Cinema Saturday -- a new spot I've come to via a Gina K link as she is their special guest designer this week. I have been a long-time admirer of Gina K and have enjoyed watching her grow in the exploration of her talents as she spreads her love and generosity. Following Gina, has lead me to great videos, ideas, and wonderful bloggers. I think Gina K is a "Pretty Woman" - inside and out. The Cinema Saturday challenge: use the movie Pretty Woman and explain what it inspired in your creation using paper piecing. You can see the design team's inspired contributions here. Congratulations on 50!!

My contribution is "Achieve" -- In the movie, Pretty Woman -- self respect and self worth were to be achieved (not to mention the prince in shining armor.) I haven't seen this movie in years but the lines I always remember with a smile are the ones delivered to the snobby dress shop sales lady: "Remember me? -- Big Mistake." The day before Vivian was treated with distain at the shop. After telling Edward of her treatment, he sent her out the next day with assistance, and after an adventure in shopping and with many packages in tow, she came back into the dress shop and inquired, "Remember me?" -- and said, "Big Mistake." This image by Rubber Stampede, exudes self-confidence and achievement, you can just image this as Vivian with package carriers behind her. Other stuff: glossy black swirls – Sizzix, flowers – Stampendous, cuttlebug panel, crystal gems, foam dots, and copper metallic panels. Thanks for coming to visit!

The Queen of Diamonds

Springboarded from a Cuttlebug session where I was Cb'ing a bunch of panels which launched me into butterflies, which brought me back to my old deck of playing cards, wherein this card evolved. I guess you get the idea that I have a hard time staying focused! Here is card trick number 6 (see earlier posts for previous "tricks"), and probably one of the quickest cards I've made in a while. Stamp collage background on pale gold cs, sponged with the same inks I stamped the images with: Memories Sepia, Port Red, Brown, and Black. The butterfly is from Sizzix and only mounted in the center to make the wings free. Corner punch: Emaginations; stamps: EK Success, Stamp Happy. Glossy Black card face. Now, I've got to do some real work: Laundry!

A Plan

A plan indeed! This morning, I was delighted to follow one of Gina K's links to bring me to the Stampin' Sisters in Christ blog challenge. Also very exciting, is to learn of Gina K's sponsorship of this particular challenge by offering up two gorgeous to die-for stamp sets. The challenge is based on a sketch and a scripture:

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

The blog says: "What better challenge for this scripture than a sketch challenge... plans! The Lord lays the foundation and we have lots of options about how to build on that foundation,..." The sketch below is the foundation. I enjoyed playing along and look forward to your comments.

Stamps: "Believe" by PSX, Covered Bridge by Embossing Arts --Other Stuff: Paper - DCWV, coloring by Prismamarkers, leaf punch, gems, and ribbons from stash

Heart's Desire

From the Penny Black challenge comes a request to make a creation inspired by "Heart's Desire." This Penny Black image called "Chicky Night" is a good representation of a "heart's desire" -- spending time with friends -- and would make a good birthday greeting for one of my chicky friends. There is a heart's desire missing from this image, though, -- there should be a stamping chick! The image was "colored" cutting certain elements out of five stampings on various cardstock and printed papers, and then overlayed on the original stamping on the cream colored cardstock. A little extra color was added with watercolor pencils and glitter, etc.

Stuff I used in this project: Watercolor pencils, Cuttlebug embossing folder, Fiskars Border Scallop Punch, G Orange glitter, Art Institute Glitter, Baby stick on earring, Sizzix (gold frame), fern punch.

Stamps: Penny Black, Hearts Phrase Hero Arts, "Desire" - from a set of self-inkers from Costco, flowers, Stampendous,

I hope you get your heart's desire and thanks so much for stopping by. Please take a moment longer to write me a comment -- I'd love to know what you think.

Surprise!

This week the House Mouse challenge is to create a design to present a gift card. House Mouse challengers and the lovely work of the DT can be found here. I fashioned this card to look like a gift box featuring these three little HM guys/gals who have donned their caps of ribbon -- raised with additional stampings, and brightened with liquid laminate and Art Institute glitter.

I love the papers that I “inherited” but unfortunately, do not know what company to credit. The mice are colored with prismacolors and gamsol – my new latest fav technique and I created the message on the computer which says: “pretty little be-ribboned mice here to bring you something nice” – printed on cardstock, liquid laminate and glitter, and layered. And, what’s a surprise without a pop up?

The pop up inside is where the frolicking begins –

whether these three mice have had their quota of caffeine is anyone’s guess but they are certainly happy to be giving this Starbucks gift card. Aunty Amy’s coffee cup has been stamped twice and glued only on the edges to create a pocket for the card and inserted in the middle of the pop up mechanism. If you look closely, you’ll see that there are mouse tracks all over this platform – so it may be that they really have been into the coffee.

Stuff I used: Prismacolor markers, Gamsol, Liquid Applique, Art Institute Glitter, Marvy Scallop punch, Cuttlebug embossing folder, Sizzix (heart, cup, coffee word, beans, and swirl), DeNami blue ice glitter

Stamps: House Mouse, Inside cup (folder for gift card), Aunty Amy, Decoration for cup: Inkadinkado, “Sending you a Cup of Love” – Darcie

There really is a “need” for all this stuff, I keep telling my DH. He will be surprised on the day that I have inked, cut, punched, glittered, and tied everying into a bow all that I have in my studio.

Queen for a Day

Here is another card trick (No. 5) using a recycled playing card. I love the face cards so this time, I just cut out the queen’s image, painted it with liquid laminate and lightly sprinkled it with Art Institute Glitter. The Queen is foam mounted on an off-set to the gray panel with three purple jewels to mark her regal character. A silver ribbon binds the background. Do you recognize this patterned design?It is a panel cut from a Kleenex box to which I have added just a hint of Art Institute Glitter and foam mounted to the steel blue panel. I haven’t decided yet who the Queen is for the Day, and while any one of my birthday ladies might become “it” , all of you who visit me here are Queens when it comes to crafting.

See other card tricks under titles: King for a Day, Drama Queen, Gogh have great Birthday, and A Perfect Pair.

Gifts from and for my Blogging Friends

I am so jazzed to have very recently received some very beautiful awards. All of these awards have journeyed from afar - and I am excited to receive each one and thank my "awarders" and supporters as I happily send them on -- if your blog isn't listed -- grab them anyway -- because I appreciate all of you!

This gorgeous lavender rose (my favorite color) was presented to me by Gisela -- "Mueppi". I have the added pleasure to pass this award on according to the rules as I understand them to be: Send to just three persons decided as follows: two supporters of my blog, and one person newly visiting my blog and who lives in another part of the earth. The recipients of this award should, then, in turn send on in like manner and in a post, link back to your blog. Thanks Gisela -- I hope I got it right.

This one is given to:
1. Julia
2. Carolyn
3. As the farthest away that I can think of:
Lorraine

These two beautiful roses are given to me by Sandra who felt that these two awards should stay together. Sandra, thanks so very much for these.

there is a more complex attachment to these awards. The persons receiving these are asked to tell a few things about themselves.

For the photographic pink rose you are asked to list 5 things you like -- this is more about "love" for me:
1. I love all the creativeness I have discovered through the blogging world -- I used to have to figure all this stuff out on my own.
2. I love the friends I have made through blogging.
3. I love to craft - day and night -- for real or in my head.
4. I love taking pictures of everything -- including food.
5. I love the rain (because after the rain comes a rainbow and loves' promises)

For the Vintage Kreativ Blogger, list 7 things about yourself:
Here they are, interesting or not:
1. I am happily retired (50 years next year).
2. I don't sleep (very much anyway) because I am always thinking about my next project.
3. I am a jill of all trades but a master of none.
4. I've lost 40 pounds since I quit working.
5. Mr. Lucky, a weineramer, is a "special friend" and shares my bed along with my dh.
6. I am a saver of all kinds of "stuff" (thank goodness we have a big house).
7. I am happily retired (oh, did I say that already? -- well, that says it all)

These two awards sent in tandem to the following lovely ladies:
1. Susan
2. Riet
3. Chris
4. Mama Monkey
5. Jane

Heather sent me this adorable award. Thanks so very much Heather!

This one goes to:
1. Marijke
2. Sue
3. Sue (stamping adventures)
4. Linda
5. Saskia

A Stitch in Time....

Be sure to visit Penny Black's challenge to see what the DT has done for this week's challenge requiring stitching -- faux, by hand, or machine. I love playing with words and this was a perfect opportunity when I couldn't help but think about the old adage "A Stitch in Time Saves Nine." Enqueries seem to indicate that this old English Proverb was first recorded in Thomas Fuller's Gnomologia, Adagies and Proverbs, Wise Sentences and Witty Sayings, Ancient and Modern, Foreign and British, 1732. You can understand why I was unable to include the title on the book that this wise frog is holding. Here Penny Black's frog is reading from Gnomologia.... and you are guided to his thought bubble (Stampendous) by gems as he quotes that very proverb written by my hand. The clock is striking nine and is bound by black cord to match the hand (faux) stitched edges. Other features are: Sizzix for the clock and frame, computer "Old English Proverb" and Cuttlebug embossed background. Thanks for your time.

Everybody needs a Teddy Bear

Do we ever outgrow the need for a Teddy Bear? I got this Sizzix die to make children's birthday cards but when I used it for Sherry's get well card (post below) I realized this is too adorable not to share with all my "grown up" family and friends. My first honoree is Ann. Ann is a very special lady who has retired from the ministry but still remains very active in the church and devotes a great deal of time to concerns for her fellow church members and their families. Ann has "adopted" me as her sister and I feel very privileged for this new designation though I have known Ann for a very long time as my cousin's wife. I am using this to send all that Teddy Bear love on to my sister, Ann, with this writing.

The phrase and teddy bear stamp are from Stampin' Up.