Merry Christmas!

I wanted to take a minute today to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year.  

Today is my birthday....turning 61 is tough...the years are just flying by and it seems to get faster every year! My brain still thinks I'm 30...but the body just can't keep up! LOL! So far the day has been fabulous!   My sweet husband gave me a certificate for a massage and pedicure....both of which I've already taken advantage of...pure bliss!!!  Later in the evening, we'll be getting together with some of the children and grandchildren for a birthday dinner celebration...and this morning the florist delivered me a gorgeous bouquet of flowers!

I've spent this morning baking and making candy.  Let's see....we have brownies, peanut brittle and pecan brittle finished....so I think I'll take a little break and then do a little more this afternoon.  Gotta get all the goodies ready for the influx of the Goetter clan (about 40 people!) on December 26!

Hope your Holidays are everything you hope for...filled with joy and peace!  Hugs to all!!

LIM46 - Feel the Music

This year is flying by!! It time again for the Less is More challenge which is hosted by Chrissie and Mandi...and this week we've been challenged to make a card with a "music" theme. I've finished three cards and I'm not totally happy with any of them, so...if time permits, I might just have to make another card or two before the week's out.  Of course, with all the Christmas prep, I might be a little strapped for time.

Next Friday is also my birthday (sigh....)  The years just keep flying by! Anyway...back to the cards...here they are:

This first card is super simple.  I used a mask that I tore from the center of a paper to stamp the music background...but first I stamped the large sunflower and masked it.  Sunflower and sentiment are from Flourishes.

This next card is just a music background that I stamped on white card stock, then cut out with a PTI die.  I colored the edges with a gold foil pen and a black marker.  The music note was cut with the Cameo. Sentiment from Flourishes.  No idea who makes the music background.

This last card was made with the Cameo mostly.  I cut the piano from black card stock, then added some gold highlights with a gold uniball pen.  Sentiment is from Flourishes.  The bench is pop dotted for a little added dimension.

Like I said earlier...super simple cards this week.  Thanks a million for stopping by!  I truly appreciate your comments!! 

Until next time...

Hugs!

One Layer Wednesday #73 - Ohmmmmm

Oh My! Three posts in one day!! I am seriously behind!! 

This week for the One Layer Wednesday challenge, Susan at Simplicity has challenged us to make a card that says peace to me....I guess that could be anything, but I've chosen to use the word peace.

As some of you know (those that follow my blog), I've been doing a bit of Zentangle Inspired Art.  I recently drew these "balls" and filled them with tangles.  Before drawing the balls, I traced the word Peace across the front of the card in pencil, then added the balls behind the letters.  I didn't want to send out this card (now why is that?), so my son suggested that I scan the card and then print copies of it.  What a wonderful idea that turned out to be.  I was afraid to add color to the original sketch, but with the copies I could color all I wanted too!

The other cool thing is, I was able to make the few extra Christmas cards I need to finish for this year.

This second card doesn't say "Peace", but when I was drawing it, I felt peaceful.  This new hobby really helps me to relax and be at peace. I haven't copied this card, but it might make a good birthday card...or who know...with a touch red on the flowers, it might make a good Christmas card.

Here's all the different variations of the card after I printed it out on the card stock (I was able to get two cards with each 8.5x11 sheet of card stock). Some I added a glittery pen stripe too, others I added glitter on the word Peace, and some I just colored the ribbon.  Overall, I'm pleased with the way these turned out.  Some of them, not so much, but I learned each time I colored another card.  If you'd like to see them bigger, just click on each card.  You'll see that I even cut the image out and popped it on one card, and on another card, I added a popped up blue sparkly "Peace".  I know that not strictly one layer, but most of them are definitely one layer.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I truly appreciate your comments! Until next time....

Have a wonderful week!!

Hugs!!

LIM45 - MORE snowy days...

Okay, so I wasn't really finished with the snow cards for the Less is More challenge!  Here's a few more that I finished this weekend.  Thankfully, I believe I have enough cards finished now that I can get my Christmas cards in the mail soon!

I think this first one is my favorite of all the snow cards I made this weekend.  I stamped it in sepia ink and then highlighted the snow with a touch of glitter and lightly sponged the sky in the background.  The sentiment is from PTI.

This next card I should be ashamed to post...it's just not clear at all.  I used the same stamp as the previous card, just stamped with versamark and heat embossed with clear embossing powder.  Handwritten sentiment....again! I believe I've learned my lesson now!

This next one is also one that almost hit the trash.  I thought the silver line around the border would enhance the stamped/inked image...but I smeared the fine line I drew and had to make it a broader silver line and I think that's why I don't care for the finished card. The sentiment stamp with the snowflakes is all one stamp ...I just stamped and embossed it as I did the others.  You'd think with all this heat embossing, that my embossing skills would improve, but I really don't think it's helped that much!

Thanks again for popping by! I love it when you leave me a comment! Have a great day!! Until next time...

Hugs!

LIM45 - Snowy days....

I'm running behind again this week! Why is that?  Maybe it's just the season.  At any rate, I finished my cards for this week's Less is More challenge over the weekend, and I'm just now getting them posted! Hopefully, I'll have time this evening to visit a few of you and take a peek at what you've been up to this week!

I got a little carried away making snow cards...mostly because I didn't really "love" any of them! LOL!  Unable to decide which one to post, I'll just post them all and you can be the judge!

This first card was stamped in Versamark and white ink then heat embossed.  I masked off the moon and then sponged over the embossing with some DI - stormy skies.  I wiped the embossed area off and added a touch of color to the cabin and the rocks with my Copic pens.  I don't know what I was thinking, but I decided to add the sentiment in my handwriting...probably should have stamped it!

I like this second card...not crazy like...just like.  I stamped the trees with Versamark and white ink then heat embossed, sponged with blue DI....then added my handwritten sentiment.  You'd think I'd have learned something after writing the first one...but not me! I had to give it another try! LOL!

My snowman card is a bit different.  I used my Cameo to make this card.  I figured out how to replace the bladed with a black pen, then I just "sketched" the image rather than cutting it out!  Okay, this was too cool! I did discover that the black pen must be skinny, so I couldn't use one of my Copic fine liners, and then when I colored my snowman, the ink would smear!  It's a cute idea though.  Once again, I "tried" to write the sentiment....Geesh!  it's crooked too!

This card was just downright simple!  I stamped the snowflakes (from several different stamp sets) and heat embossed with clear embossing powder.  I stamped the sentiment, then sponged DI over the background. Easy-peasy!

This card was just for fun...I'm not sure about the colored ink I used to stamp with, but it just didn't look right stamped with black.  I drew the "hill" with a matching marker. The snowflakes were from several different stamp sets.  I believe most were from Inkadinkado.  

Last, I wanted to share another layout of my beautiful baby granddaughter, Maggie.  I adore these photos of here.  The photos were taken by AmyP photography.

I'm not sure I've done the photos justice, but I was  trying to make the photos be the focus of the layout. I used my Cameo to make the lattice background which is layered over another piece of white card stock. The lattice is only adhered to the white background on the edges. I added faux stitching on each side of the lattice strips. The original lattice has a four petal flower at each intersection, and I also added a punched bloom on top of each intersection. The mat for the oval photo was cut with the Cameo, as was the title work. I cut a thin strip of the teal and added it as a border to the lattice before adhering it to the white background. I also layered the white background on a teal background. I added a touch of lace under the large photo that mimics the lace on the baby carriage and ran a piece of teal ribbon through the top edges. The blooms are some that I have had in my stash forever...I believe they were from Michaels bridal dept. I had some flat pearls that I colored with Copics to match the teal and then adhered them to the centers of each of the punched blooms. 

Journaling is adhered to the back of the layout (because there wasn't a good place to put it on the front!) and reads: 

Maggie, you are our baby girl...our youngest granddaughter. You are a little shy and tend to "study" the people you meet. You love shoes and can entertain yourself for hours walking around in a pair of your Mama's shoes. I'm sure I'm probably a bit biased, but you are a beautiful little girl...with your big blue eyes and curly blond hair. You will always be our beautiful baby girl! 

Thanks a million for stopping by! Your comments are always appreciated!  Until next time....

Hugs!

LIM44 - Going Green

Saturday has come and gone, and I'm just now getting my cards made for this week's challenge at Less is More.  It's the first week of the month and so once more it's a Color challenge, this week we are using the color green.


When I first read what the challenge would be...I thought...great, this will be easy.  Well,  I was wrong.  Of course, I wasn't sure if we could add other colors or if everything had to be green.  Here's my cards for this week.

This first card was just something I was playing with and wasn't really going to post it, but I think it's grown on me a bit.  I could have done the spacing better, but I wasn't really planning to use this one.

I stamped all of the "Merry Christmas"s in a light grey and then stamped it one time in bright green.  I added the bling as an afterthought, but it does perk it up a bit.

This next card was super simple.  I embossed a layer of white card stock, added a dark green border and popped it on top of the card base.  The Merry Christmas was stamped in a bright green pigment ink and heat embossed with clear embossing powder.  I colored a few pieces of bling with a dark green Copic marker and added them to the snowflakes.  Then I touched a few areas with a Sakura silver star pen.

I think this third card is my favorite.  I used a Spellbinder ornament die on some mirrored green paper. The ornament and the ribbon on top of the die were stamped with Flourishes stamps, colored with Copics and the Sakura silver pen.  I cut out the small ornament and the ribbon and pop dotted them on the mirror ornament.  I punched a hole in the mirror ornament and threaded some gold cord through for the hanger.  The background was embossed with a new folder I got the other day (I believe it's a Sizzix) and adhered it to green mirror paper.  The sentiment is from Flourishes and is stamped in green.  I also added a touch of Sakura clear star to the word "sparkle" but it doesn't show up well here.

I also wanted to share a recent layout.  These are photos of my beautiful grandchildren, Katie, Adam, and Maggie.

The photos were taken by AmyP Photography. I fell in love with these sweet photos...who would have thought to have an outdoor tea party with a chandelier?! Too cute! For this layout, I used Quick Quote Paper "Mary's Garden"...how appropriate! The pink, blue, and green checkered background mat was cut with the Cameo, as was the chandelier. The climbing leaves on the right were cut with a Sizzix die, and the roses are Prima roses. The blue strip was punched with a Fiskars punch and layered over the checked background. I added glitter to the title letters, which are letters from a Basic Grey pack. I cut the chandelier from white card stock, then added gold accents with a gold signo pen. The candles have stickles on them, and the flame was colored with Copics. The chandelier is also pop dotted. I inked the edges of the shaped background, and added faux stitching to it as well at on the blue strip. 

Journaling is tucked behind the big photo and reads: What a precious photo of you three! Your happy faces make me smile and make me wish I could have been there at your tea party! I miss you all so much and wish we didn't live so far apart! Photos - April 2011

That's all for today! Thanks so much for popping in! I appreciate your visit and I love your comments! Until next time....

Hugs!

Challenge#51 - A new Tangle - Fife

This weeks challenge from Laura at I am the Diva is explore the new tangle Fife and see what we come up with. Well, this is what I came up with on my first attempt at Fife.  I enjoyed this tangle and will probably use it often.

I did this on a 4x4 white tile. It just has a black border from scanning.  This second is a mandala that I did last night.  I find that that I enjoy working in circles better than random strings...sometimes.  I did this by drawing circles with my compass, dividing the circle into even sections with a ruler and then adding the tangles. 

That's all I have to share for my tangles.  I'll be back later with a few new Christmas cards that I've finished.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Until next time....

Hugs!

St. Luke's Charity Challenge - December

It's the beginning of the month, and St. Luke's Charity challenge has been posted.  This month's challenge is to "Let it snow" and we can use snowflakes, icicles, polar bears, penguins, snowmen - anything goes as long as its cold and frosty so plenty of opportunities to get out the glitter and crystals!

For my first card, I took one of my quilled snowflakes...added a bit of glitter and put it on a blue background which is popped up on a silver background.  The small snowflakes are shiny silver and punched with an EK Success snowflake punch.

The sentiment is a PTI image, that didn't emboss very well.  I used a silver pigment ink, and I thought the embossing powder was silver, but it turned out to be white with glitter in it...weird!  Fun fact about the small snowflakes.  I was throwing away an empty tissue (Kleenex) box the other day and realized that the inside of the box was bright shiny silver.  So...I took the box apart and peeled off the printed side (only to make the cardboard thinner).  The punch is not a heavy duty punch and taking off a layer of the cardboard made it easier to punch.  So...I learned that you never know where you'll find something interesting to use when making cards! LOL!

This next card is a total CASE of this card by Jenny.  There are subtle differences...but I fell in love with the die she used...and had to have it!

I allowed my card to cover the entire front of my 4.25 x 5.5 inch card.  Then I added some additional snow hills and popped them up for depth.  I put a touch of yellow card stock in my windows and doors and added stickles for the stars. I also punched a circle for the moon and added subtle shadows for my scene.

I LOVE Jenny's card!...I bet I do this one again!!

Thanks so much for stopping by.  I hope you leave me a comment and let me know how you like these cards.  Until next time...

Hugs!

OLW72 - Only a Sentiment

We're back on at the One Layer Wednesday challenge hosted this week by Susan at Simplicity.  Susan has challenged us this week to:

1) use ONLY a sentiment stamp on your card...no other stamps or embellishments allowed!

2) use a NON-STANDARD size for your card

3) make at least two cards using the same stamp that vary something (color, type of ink, technique, placement of the stamp, size of card)

Well, I've made my cards 4.25 x 4.25 inches, just because I thought my sentiments weren't large enough to fill up a 5 x7 inch card (or look balanced).  The sentiment I chose for this first card is stamped in SU Real Red and is a PTI sentiment. 

Wasn't too crazy about it in the center of the card, so I decided to move it to the bottom right hand corner of the card.  Much better.  Although, if I'm totally honest, I think these cards need something else...a touch of bling, a small holly stamp...anything!

There....now don't you think it's better on the bottom corner?  Then just for fun, I decided to try another of the stamps in the PTI set for this next card.  I started it off in the bottom right corner...and I do like this...however, I still think it needs something to jazz it up a bit.

That's it for me today.  It's been a busy day. I finally managed to get the tree up...not decorated...just up in the living room.  Every year when we get it out, I say..."next year we need to get a smaller tree!"  A nine foot tree is difficult to set up and difficult to decorate.  I'm not nearly as comfortable climbing on a ladder as I was a few years ago.  Of course, that might be because my hubby hovers and constantly says...be careful..don't fall!

Thanks for popping by....As always, your comments are welcomed and appreciated!  Until next time...

Hugs!

Challenge 50 - Make it BIG

The challenge this week from Laura at I am the Diva is  "to push your comfort zone and biggify your tangles.  Don't biggify your canvas, try sticking to the size you generally work on to get the full effect."  

I generally work on 5x5 inch pieces, so I used my typical size.  I find that I'm drawn to circles. They're neat and clean...and ...organized. I know, it's my type A personality jumping in! LOL!  Since I like circles, that's what I've decided to go with for this challenge.

I've used keeko, paradox, flying geese, and nzeppel...all biggified! (I hope I got the names right!) 

Thought I'd also throw in a few of my pieces that I've done this past week.  I find myself tangling every evening while sitting in front of the television. Sometimes I get so involved with my tangles, I pay no attention to what's on...very relaxing!

This one makes me think of a cross..

 

This is just one of my mindless swirls....embellished....

Back to my circles again. I love the finished look.

Now...one big circle...this is on a 6x6 sketchpad.

Below is the tangle sequence for the tangle I "thought" I'd designed.  Seems as though it might be an offshoot of the tangle OOF.  It does have the same base tangle...but I dressed it up a bit for my tangle....so I guess it's a variation of OOF. Whatever it is, I'm really loving it!

I think the finished tangle is very lacy looking...and I love how it turned out.

Thanks for stopping by for a visit.  Your comments are always appreciated and welcomed.  Until next time...

Hugs!