Signs of Fall!

   I have been working on getting my cards ready for the Holiday Shopping Day at my friend, Cindy's house in Berwick, Maine. ( See previous post.) This is a card I cased from a gal named CONNIE... Really like her name. Anyway, she has a wicked cute card using this tree fold. Love it... Had to case it. You can find it here at this link: Connie's Tree Card  .If you go to her blog, she has the template for the folds. It is very easy to follow.
   You have to use double sided paper to get the different patterns to show up. I love using this paper because I don't feel like I am wasting it when I only use one side.
    I used my Cuttlebug embossing folder on some sparkly paper to make it look like swirly snow. Then I layered ripped paper below it to look like a snowy landscape.
   I added dots of Inkessentials White Enamel Accents to the trees. A star punch at the top gives it a Christmas look.
   The stamp "Season's Greetings" is from Stampin Up, but I don't know which set it comes from. If you know, please let me know so I can put it back in its case.
   I really like how this card came out. I may use it for my own Christmas cards this year... Thanks alot , Connie for sharing on your blog.

Holiday Shopping at its Best!! Join us!!!

HOLIDAY SHOPPING EXTRAVAGANZA!!!!

   My friend, Cindy, is having a One Stop Holiday Shopping  party at her home  in Berwick Maine AT 15 KEAY ROAD.   For those of you in the area it will be on October 23rd  from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. There are a wide variety of items to choose for your holiday shopping. Here is a short list: 
Custom made embroidery items.. such as towels, table runners, aprons, etc.
 Tastefully Simple foods: dips, sauces, soups, breads.. yummy!
Uppercase living: meaningful words and pictures to decorate your walls, cabinets, glassware, etc.
  Blume jewerly  A new line for Uppercase Living: very pretty indeed!
  Miche Bags: Why have a million bags when you can buy one base ans switch the outside with magnitized shells. 
  Hand crafted cards, boxes, and ornaments for the upcoming holidays by Calla Lily Studio, Creative Corner Studio, and Taken Wings.
 Heritage Maker samples and demonstration for those of you who like working on the computer to get things done.
Hand made totes made by Joyce...
Scentsy for those who like the the smell of candles and no worry of flames or fire.

So be sure and stop in if you are in the area and check out all the great items for sale way in time for the upcoming holidays. Hope to see you there. I will be showing samples of our cards on my blog in the weeks to come.

Another Wedding Card!

The Wedding Card

   I almost forgot about this card I made for my niece, Jill.  Her cousin got married last week and Jill asked  me to make a card to give to her.
  I was inspired by a card I saw on Spiltcoast Stampers. This is a great site to view lots of work by talented people. I think this card by Cathleen is way better than mine. I loved the ribbon and flowers are on the right side. Take a look at Cathleen's card.
Cathleen's wedding card
   I used some designer paper I had sitting around and added the fleur di lis border punch by Martha Stewart.
I had some lace and added pearls to give the card a more regal flavor. Prima flowers were added to the ribbon. I like Cathleen's flowers better.
   The stamp "Mr & Mrs." is from Stampin Up's set called All Holidays, I believe.
   Jill thought the card was really pretty. I hope her cousin did , too.
 

Cindy's Owls

   It was my niece, Cindy's birthday last week. Her mother asked me to make a card for her. She has many interests, but she particularly loves owls. So I cased this card from the Splitcoast Gallery. It is such a cute card. Check it out here...Owl Window Card   I didn't have the same materials, so I improvised. I used Cuttlebug's embossing folder for the tree accent. I "rubbed" Tim Holtz's distress ink pad, Mahogany, over the surface.

   I cut out the center of the card with my rectangular Nestability die cut. Also using the same technique I cut the branch free hand and attached to the back of the window part.
   I added the tree leaves using the scalloped punch from Stampin Up. Again the distress ink Vintage Photo around the edges of each scallop gave the desired effect.
   I used SU's owl punch and put them together in a similar way that the cased owl card looked. I added the hearts and kept their eyes quite large. I cut a scalloped circle out of the brown paper and trimmed it to look like a feathered arm. Martha Stewart's balloon punch was used and the balloon wrapped around the owl's wing gave the card a more festive look along with the cute party hats. I only had Stickles to give the hats a pompom.
   The banner is from Spellbinders and the stamp is from Hero Arts.
   Cindy's family celebrated her birthday last night. I know it was a joyous occasion. Happy Birthday, Cindy!!!

A Wedding Card

Happy Wedding Day!!

   My sister-in-law, Charlotte, asked if I wouldn't make a card for her to give to her niece who is getting married this weekend. Poppies are a theme for the wedding since this flower was her father's favorite. So I incorporated a poppy into my design. Luckily I had a stamp that is what I think a poppy looks like. It's from Stampin Up's Blooming Beautiful set. This is the first time I have used this set, so technically I am working on my goal to use at least all of my stamp sets at least once.... Yeah!
   I found my Cuttlebug embossing folder that has that nice oval shape in the middle. Love this one...Using my Nestabilities I cut a white oval shape and a cream colored looped oval shape to place in the middle of the embossed design.
   I stamped the poppy and colored it with my watercolor crayons using my watercolor pen. Then I stamped Congratulations from the Well Scripted set from Stampin Up, too.

The inside...

   I added a white ribbon I made with my Bow Easy and lacy pearls I had purchased from Tate's in Bath. This completed the outside.
   On the inside I found a wedding poem online and just mounted it with black SU paper. The wedding designer paper just accented the whole page to give it a little more color.
   I decided to add a little more to the envelope. I stamped the poppy again and colored it with watercolors again. Added the designer wedding paper and used Edwardian script to write their married names. I didn't take a pic of this,but I used Martha Stewart's border lace punch to punch out the envelope flap. I really liked this touch.
   I am going to make another wedding card so that Charlotte can pick  the one she wants. Her daughter, Jill, said she would use the one her mother didn't pick. So check back to see what I came up with for the other card.

He's turning 30!!!

A smiling computer....

   I have been working on my son's 30th birthday card...He works at Unum on computers all day.. He loves it...so I tried to think up a card using a computer as the theme. I typed in computer image and found one with a smile on it.. so I gave it a try. This is what I came up with for his card.
   I used Stampin Up's Pretty Petals background stamps to make it look like wallpaper. I pieced together the monitor screen: easy enough. Then I use SU word window punch for the place for the computer's buttons. I printed out and scaled down the computer keyboard and added it below the monitor. The smile was a little tricky , but I think it came out okay.
   I started working on the inside of the card by taking white paper and folding it for a pop up card. I again made a simpler monitor screen and attached that above the keyboard. I used Cuttlebug's embossing folder to make the table look wooden. I used Distress Inks from Tim Holtz to accent the raised wood.
   The balloons were punched from Martha Stewart's punch in different colors and patterns.

The mouse I thought was a clever addition!

   I used Stampin Up's Baroque Motif's flourish to add a little birthday look to the inside. I used SU real red ink and added touches of many colored dots.
   I found the sentiment online and thought it was perfect: "Another Birthday? That Bytes! Happy 30th"
Wicked fun making this one for him.. Hope Nathaniel likes it....

He's Back!!!

   Before I retired I had been teaching for 32 years. In those years I came across a few great principals. Mr. Manuel was one of those... He has been hired at the Superintendent of RSU #1, and I am so happy for him and for the teachers who will be working with him.
   A few of us retired folk who worked with him in the past wanted to give him a card and a gift card to give him a note of encouragement. I made this card to do just that. What fun it was to make.

Love these owls!

   I used Stampin Up's Owl Punch and Martha Stewart's Bird Border Punch. My largest circular Spellbinder made the full moon. I also used Spellbinder's banner dies to ask the questions.

  On the inside of the card I wanted it to hold a gift card. I used my small envelope template I have and just cut off the top flap.
   I made another owl from Stampin Up and added the "A little bird told me" with another Spellbinder banner.

   I got the poem off the internet and changed it to apply to this Mr. Manuel's situation.
We will be giving it to him before the start of school. I hope he gets a chuckle out of it and enjoys his first year in charge of a large school district. Good luck, Mr. Manuel!