One sheet wonder

I need to find another place/way to photograph

these cards.  This one is very washed

out.  The orange and yellow are much

brighter in person.

This is called a one sheet wonder

because you cut one sheet into multiple

sizes and shapes and make sets of

cards using all the same paper.  I was lazy

and only made 4, but out of a 12 x12 sheet 

of paper I've seen people get 15 gorgeous

cards.  I've tried that and find

it's overwhelming for me to try

to make so many cards all at once.  Each

one is different, just using the same

paper.  Today sometime I'm 

probably going to make a box I

found on someone's blog that they

can go in.  She calls it a "book box"

because it really does look like a book

when closed.  I've never seen anything 

like it.  It's very unique and looks very

easy. 

My friend, Dianne, is headed home (finally).

They stayed in Lexington last night and will

be home today.  So if you're reading

this, please say a quick prayer

for their safe return.  I've missed

her a lot!    I Can't wait to

see her next week and hear all

about her vacation!

Ocean view

Ok, so maybe the seaweed and

this particular fish don't go together,

but I consider it artistic license!

I've been thinking about getting

this stamp for a while since I've

seen cards using it.  I'm glad I

got it as it lends itself well

to guy-cards when paired

with this fish.  I have lots of

little kid stamps I could probably

use it for as well.  I'm not good

at little kid cards either, but

that's OK as I don't have

too many little kids in my life.

I've been thinking of donating

some cards to "Gray Matter Foundation".

They support people with brain tumors.

I think they mostly want

blank cards and cards that

are encouraging.  Since I have a 

cousin who died from brain cancer

and John had a tumor in his brain

(which was actually lung cancer that had

metastasized)  it's kind of close to my 

heart.  I donated some cards to

them several years ago.  It's a worthy

cause and something to channel

my creativity into.

Inspire

I think I need a little inspiration

myself, but this card turned out OK.

I was going to put a different

sentiment on it, but none of the

ones I had looked right.

I have had these little metal

embellishments for forever.

I like them, but just forget about them.

I have LOTS of things I have

forgotten about and keep buying

more....  John would not have been

happy about having a hobby

lobby right down the road!

I also haven't used this die

in a while since I was having

so much trouble getting my machine

to make a clean cut on the

intricate dies.  I must have

worn the other one out.

I have a friend who asked me to

make her some cards to

send to her daughter who is in college

and in return she bought me lunch a 

couple times.  About two weeks

ago we went to pizza hut for

lunch and she handed me a card

that looked kind of familiar...

I'd been kind of down then and

I guess she thought I needed a lift.

Inside was a gift card for Hobby lobby.

No particular reason, just because.

What a wonderful surprise!

I used that to buy a new die

cutting machine and I'm happy that I'm

getting better cuts on most of the

intricate dies.  They're beautiful

but a bit frustrating with all

the tiny cuts.  

I made these panels a few days ago and

while I love them so much, I'm not sure

what to do with them yet.  They're kind of

bulky because they have a product

called crystal effects on them which dries

raised and leaves a gorgeous shine.

I suppose it wouldn't be much more

bulky than a couple of layers on

a card, but I also don't have a

clue what kind of card to make

with them!  Maybe I'll get some

ideas soon.  My muse is still on

vacation with my friend who

is at this time in Charleston, SC. 

I miss that place so much!  I lived

there for 3 years and it's an amazing

place to live!  I'm so jealous of

her, lol.  She went last year, too.

Lighthouses

 

One of my favourite things to

do is stitch on paper; also called

paper pricking.  I've had this

pattern for quite some time, and 

thought I might make some up to

go on Etsy.  Not that that's

going anywhere....

I changed the card from yesterday

to  "Deepest Sympathy" as

a friend just lost his wife to

cancer a couple of days ago.  I

found out yesterday.  Actually, he's

not really a friend exactly, I used

to wait on them  at my sister in

law and brother in law's restaurant.

I've known them both for years.  

They are wonderful people, 

had been married for probably

60 years and I know he's

going to be lost without her.

It's so hard to lose someone,

but if we know the Lord as

our Savior, then they aren't

really lost, are they?  We know

exactly where they are.  That

doesn't take away the pain, but

it makes it just a little easier

to bear.

Just a note

This little stamp has been used

so much I have trouble keeping

it on the clear block.  It's well

loved, for sure.  I found some

awesome musical score paper

at hobby lobby the other day

and after looking around, got an

idea of how to use it.  Lately my muse

has been on vacation.  I think she

took off with my friend Dianne.  

At any rate, I'm pleased with

how the card came out.

We are supposed to get thunderstorms

today!  I'll believe it when I 

see it, but it would be really

awesome!  I love thunderstorms.

Heath's first professional pictures

at one month of age.  Daddy, Tyler,

Mommy, Caitee, and beautiful little

baby Heath!

Happy Birthday!

Three birthdays in a row.

Yesterday was our Pastor's birthday.

Since I am new, I didn't know,

so I'm sending him a belated

birthday card.  they had a video showing

him in high school playing basketball,

and as he got older, got married, had

his three girls.  It was very nice.

 

This picture is kind of washed out for some

reason.  The brown is much richer.

Today is also my mother's birthday.  She

turned 79.  Hard for me to believe,

but time marches on.  We have a 

rocky relationship, but I know

she's done the best she could 

through the years.

Tomorrow is a friend's birthday.

I'm getting some experience making

masculine cards with him and the pastor.

This is a copy of a card I made for

 my cousin's son.  I liked it, so 

I made two and besides, I was

too lazy to make something

different!!

playing with ink

I have probably said this

before, but I'm not too good at

shading and blending inks.

I made the mistake of putting this

on a textured piece of cardstock

which I wish I hadn't done.  But other

than that I think it turned out

pretty good.

Every time I go outside I 

despair that it will never be warm

again.  But they are predicting

warmer weather this weekend!

While the jury remains out on

this (I'm from the show-me state)

I am hopeful.  Meanwhile, unless

I have to go out-which I have to

do later-I remain in a hibernated state.

I know.  I complain about the

cold weather.  I should have

been born in a warm part of the country.

The older I get the harder it

gets to cope with this weather.

It could have been worse, though.

I'm very grateful I'm not in DC, NC

or any other the other places that

got dumped on last week!    :)

I guess I just don't have anything

else of interest to talk about!!