Less is More - A Recipe for 3 Squares

Happy Saturday and welcome to my blog! I've been playing in my craft room most of the day and enjoying every minute of it!  I've been working on my card(s) for the Less is More challenge, hosted by Mandi and Chrissie.  Our challenge this week was to make a card using 3 squares.  I've probably made about 7 cards, but these two are the only two I kept.  I know...I'm my own worse critic.  This first card is just a fun card I made for one of my grandsons who will be turning 7 years old in just a couple of weeks.

The fish stamp and the sentiment on this card is from Paper Smooches.  Now, I don't usually do cutesy cards, but these cute stamps really spoke to me.  I cut three 1 1/2 squares from white card stock.  I stamped the fish in black Memento ink, then colored the fishes with my Copics.  Then I used a sponge and inked up the backgrounds of each square.  I also added a "googly eye" to each of the fish. With two different size hole punches, I punched a couple of holes above each fish and then carried the "bubbles" on up above the squares by drawing little circles and highlighting them with a light grey Copic marker. The three squares are pop-dotted off the card. 

For my second card, I found a really old (and now I know that it's dull) punch in my stash and punched three shapes down the side of the card. Then, using my scalloped edge punch, I punched the right, front edge of the card. I backed the punched out areas with a bright pink (and for whatever reason it looks red on here) that was also punched with the scallop punch.  I used a Papertrey Ink sentiment and offset it between two of the punched out shapes.  A small piece of bling to the center of each shape...and I'm done!

Now I'm off to check out the other challenge entries.  Everyone has such beautiful work...can't wait to see what everyone has been up to!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Thanks SO much for all the wonderful comments! Until next time....

Hugs!

OLW42 - I've Got the Music in Me!

This week's OLW challenge is hosted by Jennifer at Styles Ink.  In Jennifer's words...."This week’s challenge is to make a one-layer musical themed card.  Anything to do with music.  Sheet music, musical instruments, an image of someone singing; anything that in some way relates to music. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy!" 

Yeah...right!  In order to do this challenge...you MUST have some kind of stamp that relates to "music".  Well, you see, last year when I was re-modeling my craft room, I donated quite a few of my stamps and accessories to the Ronald McDonald House, because I had 1) never used the stamp, or 2) thought that I never would use it.  WRONG!  I know I had at least 2 or 3 stamps that were musically related!  I searched and searched through all my stamps and this is the only stamp I could find...no musical instruments, no singing birds...nothing!  This music score is from a very old set of Prima stamps that were designed to make frames.  The Happy Birthday is a PTI stamp and the To You is from a Technique Tuesday set.  Given what I managed to pull together, I tried to be creative with this little strip of music notes, but this is the best I could come up with! 

I stamped the music in black, then scored a couple of lines above and below it.  (By the way...I practiced on plain white paper cut to size numerous time before I actually stamped on my nice card base!).  The first card I made, using the same design I'd been stamping on the white paper looked "okay"...but seemed to be missing something. Then I decided to add a little bling, only to realize that my sentiments were not stamped in the right place! ~ sigh~ back to the drawing board!  Then I stamped it again...using color this time for the sentiment and moving the top sentiment over to the right more and the bottom sentiment over to the left more....then I added a little bling to opposing ends of the sentiments...wa-la! much better!  LOL!  Really?!? How could such a simple card be so difficult! I definitely like the sentiment in color much better!

Got another layout finished over the weekend...so here it is:

A recent photo of my son and daughter-in-law, taken just a couple of days before their 7th anniversary. I used the beautiful new Stella Rose papers from MME. The stars and the title work were cut with the Silhouette. The large scallops were punched with an EK Success punch. The circles were punched with a scallop punch and a smaller circle punch. The inner circle with their names and the date were created in the Silhouette program, printed and punched with a circle punch. I made the photo corners by cutting a square in half diagonally and then trimming out the inside to leave a 1/2 inch corner. I added quite a bit of doodling in red and black (around the outside edges and on the red dotted and teal papers). I also added a few pieces of bling and a bit of stickles to the stars. I covered the heart on the title work with glossy accents. No journaling on this...just a simple layout.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Your comments are appreciate so much!! Until next time....

Hugs!

Stylish Blogger Award - for me!!

Today, I am the recipient of the Stylish Blogger Award...actually, I've been presented the award by three different people - Kim , Valarie, and Sylvie!  Be sure to check out their blogs and all their beautiful cards!

I have four things that I have to do:

1.Thank the person/persons that shared this award with me and link it back to their blog/blogs.

2.Share seven things about myself.

3.Pass this award onto seven other bloggers that I have recently discovered.

4.Leave a comment so they can pass along the recognition!

Thanks so much, Kim, Valarie, and Sylvie!! You made my day! (Be sure to visit these three ladies at the links provided above!)

Seven things about myself:

1.  I've been married almost 30 years.

2. We just found out that there'll be another grandchild in the late fall.

3.  I've been scrapbooking since October 2000.

4.  I've only been making cards for a couple of years.

5.  I really struggle with CAS cards

6.  I also knit, crochet, tat, cross-stitch, and make quilts.

7.  I learned to do French hand sewing when my children were small, and made most of their clothes and  even made the patterns for the clothes.

Here's my seven bloggers that I have been following for a little while.  They all create beautiful cards...some CAS and some really layered cards...but all beautiful!

Susan
Silke
Ali
Joan
Wanda
Nichole
Julie

All these ladies are card makers and each one has their own unique style.  I hope you take a moment to take a peek at their blogs and see the beautiful work they do!

Thanks again, Ladies!  Until next time...

Hugs!!!

Less is More...Spring!

This wee for the Less is More challenge, we have a Theme challenge... the theme is SPRING.  There are no other restrictions apart from the those in the guidelines for a C&S card.  Well, of course, spring means beautiful flowers, green grass, sunshine...all those things that make each day brighter!  I decided do make a card using faux postage stamps.  Not only did I make A card...I made THREE cards for this weeks challenge!  Why?  Because this challenge wasn't as difficult for me as most challenges are! LOL! 

 My cards this week are hybrid cards.  I printed the faux stamp outline using Word. All you have to do is make a table in Word.  This table has four columns and three rows.  Then set the line type to a dotted line and turn off the border on the outside edges....super simple!  Then I added 44 in the corner.  And...I just noticed that I have the postage amount in opposite corners! Drat!  Oh, well... The image is a Flourishes stamp - Cherry Blossoms.  I stamped the image in Mementos black and colored it with Copic markers.  The sentiment is from Papertrey Ink's Asian Fusion stamp set.

I made a text box twice on one piece of paper (landscape) so that I could print one 8.5 x 11 piece of cardstock and then cut it in half for the two cards.  For this second card, I used Flourishes Gerber Daisies collection and colored it with Copic markers.  The sentiment is from the same Papertrey Ink -  Asian Fusion collection.

The third card was printed the same way and once again I used the Cherry Blossoms stamp from Flourishes, but the sentiment is from a Hero Arts sentiment set.

Since I finished another layout last night, I thought I'd share that with you too.  This is a photo of me and my son on Easter morning 1982. 

The papers are called Quick Quotes Paper - Ode to Joy. I used a template to cut the shaped piece, then cut the center out to use the shape as a frame for the layout. I added a little white faux stitching around the edges. The center strip is from the same collection and I used some punched edges on either side of it as well as a thin rust strip. I used a MS lacy edge punch and an EK Success punch on the borders. The buttons were clear buttons that I backed with the soft peachy color that I used to punched the lacy edge. I covered chipboard letters with the same paper as the shaped border, then added some glossy accents for shine. The "sweet" part of the title is handwritten and cut in squares. The flowers are some old DaisyD flowers from my stash. I added a large pearl and some stickles to the center of each flower. The swirls I made using 3 dimensional paint on transparencies, then cut them out and adhered with glue dots. I added some teal 3D dots across the lacy strip, and three small pearls to the top right corner of the photo. Journaling was printed on the soft peach paper, cut into strips and adhered to the layout. Journaling reads:

It was Easter Sunday, 1982, and you were a little over three years old. This was your first Easter wearing long pants to church. I usually made your Easter outfit, but you told me you didn't want to wear short pants anymore, so we bought your Easter clothes. ~sigh~ My little boy was growing up! I'm so glad I have this picture of us taken that day. It helps me remember the how sweet you've always been and how you've always given the sweetest hugs to your Mama! I love you, Matthew.

Thanks so much for stopping by! I appreciate the time you take to visit my blog and all your wonderful comments! Until next time....

Hugs!!

OLW41 - It's Christmas!

It's OLW time...and I thought Christmas was over!  Not so...this week Susan at Simplicity has challenged us... to make a Christmas (or Season's Greetings, if you prefer) card, but you must use green and red on white or cream. Feel free to be creative with the shades of green and red...you don't have to stay traditional. You can also use natural-style cardstock, watercolor paper, or textured paper as long as it's white or cream. Keep embellishments to a minimum. Extra points if you do like I did and use an image that isn't specifically holiday! 

What to do? What to do?!  GAAH!! My Christmas mojo has flown the coop! 

For this first card I used a Papertrey Ink set called Dot Spots.  It's definitely NOT Christmas-y, but I thought it would work. After stamping the different sized circles in Memento Cottage Ivy green, I decided that the card could use a little bling....WRONG!! Now that it's on there, of course, it must stay...but I really don't like it!  I don't know why...it's just wrong! The sentiment is also a PTI stamp from the Signature Christmas collection.

So...not being happy with the first card, I decided to make a second card.  This time I used a nice big flourish.

The flourish is actually from the Papertrey Ink collection - Silent Night (a Christmas set - although the flourish in and of itself is definitely not Christmas-y).  I stamped the flourish in SU! Real Red and the sentiment is from Flourishes - Sweets of the Season Set.  The sentiment is stamped in Memento Cottage Ivy green.  Not able to leave well enough alone...I once again added a few pieces of bling to the card, only this time, I'm more pleased with the end result.

I'm not sure why, but I struggle with stamping with "colors".  I'm much more comfortable when I can stamp in black or brown and color my image with markers.  Nevertheless, I did manage to create two cards for the challenge...just wish I liked them more.  Maybe I'll put my thinking cap on and see if I can come up with something else...or maybe I'll just go see what everyone else is creating and soak up some of YOUR mojo! LOL!!

Oh, before I go, I thought I would share my newest layout.  A totally silly layout...but maybe it will be effective blackmail material! LOL! This my baby boy and my oldest daughter. (He's 32 and she's 36). At a recent family dinner, I asked them to move closer to each other so I could get a photo...THIS is what I got! So, what's a mother to do...I scrapped it, of course.  Let them try to explain that to their children! LOL!

I used a sketch from Creative Scrappers (#143) for this layout.  The papers are from October Afternoon - Fly a Kite.  A very simple layout...I just cut the diamond shapes from the patterned paper, then stitched it down with a little hand stitching (which is crooked, but that's one of those things you can't really "fix".)  I wasn't sure how to spell "euwww" but I think you get my drift.  The journaling reads:

Really?!!  You’re really planning to lick your sister’s face?  Euwwwwww!! I don’t know what made me believe that when you two were over 30 years old that you would behave somewhat more “grown-up.”  Duh!  This photo is proof that the old saying “Growing older is mandatory …. Growing up is optional” is true.  Even though you still do things like this to each other, I still love you!

Thanks so much for stopping by! I appreciate all the comments! Until next time!

Hugs!

Less is More - Flowers or Trees?

It's time to play the Less is More challenge.  This week the challenge was to create a card that is a ONE LAYER CARD with the theme of a FLOWER or a TREE.  Since today is Saturday, I have more time to play than I do during the week, so I was able to get this little card done pretty quick.

This is a one layer card as required...just one piece of card stock folded in half.  The stamps for the mug, flowers, and the "from a friend" on the mug are from  Flourishes Mix and Mugs set.  I colored the mug and flowers with many different colors of Copic markers.  The Thinking of You sentiment is from Papertrey Ink's Through the Trees collection.  I added a line across the card to ground the mug and then added a little shading with a Copics C-1.

While I was playing today, I also finished up a layout that's been laying on my table for a week now.  This is a photo I took of Helen Grace a couple of Christmases ago.

The papers are My Mind's Eye Lost and Found collection. The pink and brown combination is one of my favorite color combos.  I cut the mirror stand and frame and the dress form with my Silhouette.  I just love all the cool things I can cut out with the Silhouette!  Back to the layout...I cut the photo to fit inside the mirror frame.  I colored the frame and stand with some different colored Copic markers to give the wood some different shades.  I added some gold lines on the base of the stand and on the frame of the mirror.  The pink polka dot paper was a die cut paper that I added a brown backing to and then cut around the shape with my scalloped scissors.  The brown stripe was punched with an EK Success punch then I doodled some gold lines on it before adding dots of gold 3D paint.  I added a pink velvet ribbon on top of the striped border piece.  I made a photo corner from the striped paper with a little pink piece underneath and cut the edge with the scalloped scissors.  A few tiny pearls finished off the photo corner.  I did a little doodling on the dress form with the gold pen (btw, I found a gold metallic Signo Uniball pen at Michael's...and it's FABULOUS!).  I tied a little bow and added a pearl and "hung" it from the post on the mirror.  The "Girly you rock" tag was stamped with a PTI stamp and then cut like a ticket.  I added a little inking to the edges of the papers and a little doodling with the gold and a white pen.  Fun layout...nothing like what I started out with a week ago.  I guess if you leave it laying on the table and look at it all week, you can get plenty of ideas of ways to change it!

That's it for today. Thanks so much for stopping by! Until next time...

Hugs!

OLW40 - Two for the Show

It's time once again for One Layer Wednesday. This week the challenge is hosted by Jennifer Styles at Styles Ink.  I love the challenge this week. In fact, I love it so much that I made 2 cards!   Our challenge...should we decide to take it... was to use two (and ONLY two) image stamps on our card. That’s right, just two. And no sentiment. AND..we could only use each stamp one time.  We were allowed to use the following AND ONLY the following:  heat embossing and/or markers to colour your stamped images. That means no bling, no ribbon, no hippopotamuses. We were only allowed to add heat embossing and/or colour the images with markers. NO additional embellishments.   

For my first card, I used the large apple stamp from Flourishes Apple of My Eye set.  I love the beautiful apple...as as a bonus, I get to practice shading with my Copic Markers.  I would give you a list of all the colors I used, but I lost count, I used so many different colors!  The butterfly is from the Flourishes Gerber Daisy set.  I had a difficult time coloring it...don't know what the problem was, but I just couldn't get the colors right.   

For my second card I used the Flourishes Sunflower.  I stamped the sunflower, then cut a mask and used a very old script stamp that I've had forever, and rarely use.  I LOVE the way this card turned out!  Notice the cute little ladybug on the flower?  Once again, I colored the sunflower with my Copic markers - about 3 different yellows, and an orange for the flower and a couple of greens for the leaf and stem.

Fun challenge this week.  Hop on over and join in the fun!  Thanks so much for stopping by!  Love it when you leave me a comment!  Until next time...

BTW....not a hippopotamus in sight!! LOL!

Hugs!

Less is More - Pink, White, & Black

I hope this meets the requirements for the Less is More Challenge.  I did do a layer on the white card base, but only to add the embossed piece.  The oval tag was cut with a Spellbinder oval and oval scallops dies.  The I love you heart is a CTMH stamp, and the pink "hatching" behind the I love you heart was a stamp.  The little "heart" flowers stamp, I had forever and really can't remember who makes it.  I stamped the hearts in black and then colored the heart with a pink Copic.  I cut them out and then stuck a bow on them to make it look like a bouquet.

 

Probably one of the quickest cards I've made in a while.  Thanks so much for stopping by! I appreciate your comments! Until next time...

Hugs!

OLW39 - One Image, a border, and some Bling

The OLW challenge this week is hosted by Susan Raihala at Simplicity.  Our challenge this week is to use 1) an image, 2) a border stamp (or stamped border), and 3) bling (rhinestones or glitter).   Well, first of all, can I really make a card without a sentiment on the front?  Definitely a challenge for me!

I decided to do things a bit differently this week by using a Kraft card base.  I rarely do that...so that was my first challenge.  The border across the bottom was actually a single line border stamp, and I just stamped it five times down the bottom of the card to give the illusion of a lacy tablecloth.  I added a few pieces of pink bling across the top edge of the "table".  The coffee cup is a Hero Arts stamp that was stamped in Memento brown.  I colored it with Prismacolor pencils (don't do that often either).  The steam drifting up from the coffee is PTI stamp that I only used part of by masking off the coffee and stamping in brown.  At the last minute, I decided to add some stickles to the steam. Not sure I like it after I finished it, but it's too late now! LOL!  Can't decide if I really love it....maybe it'll grow on me.  Just seems like it needs something else...like...oh, I don't know....a sentiment?!?!

Thought I'd share my latest layout too...

These are just random photos of our annual get together of the Goetter family - our children, grandchildren, spouses, MIL, and hubby's two brothers and and spouses...a real house full! I cropped and printed the photos to 2x2" and then two larger photos of my hubby and I and then a silly photo of some of the grandchildren. I sanded the edges of all the photos. I used Cosmo Cricket - Oh Joy papers. The top and bottom borders are punched with a MS punch, then layered on a striped piece from the CC collection. I added white faux stitching lines between the photos for framing. The title work is a sticker (Christmas) and four tiles with the year in rubon numbers. I added some faux zigzag stitching on the top and bottom borders. The holly was stamped, colored with Copics, cut out, and placed on pop dots. The little ticket tag on the right was cut from a very old DaisyD card, inked and doodled on. A very simple layout...but I managed to include 14 photos from our get together. Journaling is tucked behind the large photo at the top.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Your thoughtful comments are much appreciated! Until next time...

Hugs!