Swan

Happy Saturday!  How was your week?  I'm always amazed that even though I'm retired, I seldom have time to create anything beautiful!  Today just wanted to do something simple and take a little time to sit down and create something relaxing...and what's not to love about this Swan from Angie's Digital Stamps.  The swan is from Angie - the pond is clipart from Clkr clipart.

The Rustic Stack

Hello, All!

I created this layout of my husband featuring DCWV's Rustic Stack.  I am making four scrapbooks for my in-laws and am using this collection for all the scrapbooks...I am in love with the colors!  The colors are amazing!  And they give a vintage feel to all the old pictures that have been thrown at me!  This pay is my husband at six months old and about eighteen years old.

My Arizona Layout

I'm back again today, sharing layout inspiration with Arizona as my topic. 

Who could narrow down such a wonderful trip to four photos.  So in the lower right corner is a little door hiding a Stkr.It which allows me to add hundreds of photos, videos, music through the use of a QR Scan Code.  If you haven't used these - check them out!

Taguled Neebish

Pretty much each morning I have my plans for what cards I need/want to make - and check out a few challenges for both ideas and to see how I can tweek my cards to meet the challenge.  I loved it when I checked out Challenge #338 at the Little Red Wagon with the theme "Text Me."  The card must include text other than the sentiment.  It's the perfect challenge for what I had already planned for today's make - Neebish Island cards.  I used Tagul to insert text to the shape of the island - with words that describe this paradise.

This is what the card looks like closed and ready to mail.

This is a cut-apart card - so when the card is standing, it looks like this.

Here is a close up of the Taguled island.

Unfortunately, life got in the way - I just finished the card - and the challenge closed today before I got to post it.  Hah!  My life story!

Happy Birthday, Mom

Tomorrow would be my mother-in-law's birthday.  We lost her about ten years ago - To keep her memory, I am in the process of making four scrapbooks - one for each of my in-laws.  Today's layout is inspired by the amazing sketch challenge from Stuck?! Sketches.  Check out their entries - they will bring some joy to your day.

Southwest Greetings from All Things Clipart

I created this card featuring Desert 12 from All Things Clipart.  I love the bold colors - and added a sweet window cat from Miss Kate Cuttables.  The Townhouse Window is from SVG Cuts.

Damien Charm

Scrapbook Generation Scrap Squad put out a great sketch today - so fun!

Here's my take on the sketch.

Plant a Tree

Check out this gorgeous svg file - Reindeer Winter Tree Scene by Miss Kate Cuttables.  My stickles are still wet in the photo - making the card look a little sloppy - photo doesn't do it justice.

Neebish Strong with Cut-Apart Card

Summer is coming soon, and one of the most beautiful places to be is Neebish Island in Michigan!  Today, I have a Cut-Apart Card for the strong ladies on Neebish Island.  

Celebrate Birdie Cuteness

Today I am once again featuring a pretty digi stamp set called Everyday Birdies, along with scraps from my stash.

More Fun with Doodle Pantry's Bird

How about a cute and happy bird to brighten your week?  Doodle Pantry has you covered!  This card, inspired both by Kittie747's Chickadees and Evergreen - and Simply Create Too's Challenge #107 (Use Stitching).  My version's elegance is far from that of Kitte's - but this bird is just so fun!

Sunshine Raccoon with Kadoodle BUg

I had fun making this card today.  Sunshine Raccoon from Kadoodle Bug is great!  So fun!

Precious Ladybug

Sweet Sketch Wednesday has a fun challenge this week - #2-87. I love how this showcases my little ladybug. I turned the sketch on it's side.

Debuting the Black Bear

Thanks for joining me for another set of cards for Fort Wilkins State Park!  Black bears feeding at the dump are an icon in Copper Harbor - here are a few simple cards to celebrate the black bears.

I'm entering these in Challenge #13 at Lemon Shortbread - Anything Goes.

Get Ready for Da U.P.

I am getting ready for Da U.P.!  The camping season starts soon - and I have the good fortune of selling my cards at Fort Wilkins State Park in Copper Harbor, Michigan.  Today's card was inspired by the Featured Stamper at Splitcoast Stampers,Cher.  So fun!

Also entering this card in the challenge at CCC Digi Creations - #46 Anything Goes.

Amazing Color Burst

Holy Land Flowers from Doodle Pantry is becoming one of my all-time favorite flower images.  I love how they layer and their quaint style.  It's been a while that I've had to fussy cut - but the watercolor background buckles when wet - so I figured rather than fighting to keep the paper on my cutting mat, I was able to quickly fussy cut them.

Yes - more Color Burst.  But I have so much going on, Color Burst makes creating ever so easy.  I figure I have enough paper left for another day or two.  LOL!

I'm entering this card in the Challenge #46 at CCC Digi Creations - Anything Goes.

Once Upon a Bird

Now, doesn't this happy bird just yell out Spring?  I love this absolutely cute guy from Doodle Pantry.  Fun! And he looks great in Color Burst!

Black Bear

I am loving Color Burst and the incredibly deep colors I get.  Here are five more U.P. cards - featuring campers' favorite character - the black bear.

Discovering Northern Michigan

It was fun to come across Challenge #39 at Scribbles Designs - themed A Song in my Heart.  I just happen to be working on cards inspired by the beauty of Michigan's Upper Peninsula - and my inspirational music for these has always been Mark Mitchell, a songwriter from Ishpeming (I believe).  For this challenge in particular, I'm inspired by his words in the song "Discovering."

There is so much to discover
When you're a long-time lover
Of Northern Michigan

What a fun challenge. Woo hoo!

Color Burst U.P. card

Michigan's Upper Peninsula bodes a rustic lifestyle - with a history of copper mining in the Keweenaw Peninsula.  With its rough winters, its people are resilient.  In the summer, who wouldn't enjoy relaxing in the beauty of Lake Superior - dessert for the eyes.

Join me over the next several weeks as I make cards celebrating the rustic lifestyle of da U.P. - my first card using Color Burst and some aged copper embossing.

Angel Kitty with Cheryl Seslar County Clip Art

Hello, All!

I've been working on pet-themed cards - after a while, they all begin to look the same.  Today I made a card featuring Angel Kitties by Cheryl Seslar.  I love how this one turned out. I made a pop-up heart frame, then accented it with clouds and stars in the same digitalfile.  It's a super simple card, but with a punch of color coordinated through the digital file. 

The black chevron and striped cardstocks are from Craftsmith's Natural Luxury...the white embossed cardstock is Tim Holtz.

Happy Easter - Get Creative Challenges

This is just a happy image from Angie's Cards & Digis - and I turned it into a happy Easter basket.

Want some more happiness?  Check out the Easter Challenge at Get Creative Challenges!

A Gorgeous Card in only 4 Minutes!

HAH!!!!! I could literally spend HOURS on a card.  Ideally, I should finish a card in a matter of minutes.  I thought when I bought this embossing folder by Darice, I could quickly make an elegant sympathy card (in this case - Pet Loss).  Hah!  We all know the size of an A2 card - why are these folders always just a little bit off?  And with the embossed frame so close to the card edge (only 1/8" smaller) - it was extremely difficult to center this embossed image on the card.  No such thing as finishing this "simple" card FAST!  Truly a shame - because it is a very beautiful embossed image - Clean - but NOT simple.

This cute dog is a freebie from Melonheadz.

Doggies and Things

I'm always in need of more pet-themed cards - and I love to send cards with fun, cute dogs and cats.  So today I have created a clean-n-simple birthday card featuring Doggies and Things by Doodle Pantry.

Simple Birthday Cards for Dog Lovers

Hello, All!

Long day today, so I wanted to create a couple fast-n-easy cards, so I used a couple dog images and simple matting.

Tulle Cards

My hubby brought me flowers for Easter - how sweet.  But even better - these flowers were wrapped in a huge piece of fabulous glittery tulle!  Today I'm sharing several cards I made using the tulle.  I love the textures!

For the first card, I used the glitter technique - using the tulle as a stencil.

For the second card, I glued the tulle on top of the card base for a textured background.

 I did the same for the next card - but glued the green tulle on pink cardstock.

 And just a fun bowtie for this little fellow!

 For the last card, I glued the tulle onto a cactus die cut - then embossed the cactus.

I have loads of tulle left - that was quite the haul.  Think I'll be saving the rest for some Christmas cards!