Just A Little More Vellum

Well I was able to sneak in one more card, one more Challenge before the year ends!  Join me as we head back to the Flourishes Vellum Challenge #251. 

 

It's not a spectacular card, nor is it fancy, but it's a solid okay kind of card.   I used the large sentiment stamp from Just My Type, available from Flourishes.  Love the Subway Poster look of this stamp.  I used the die also available from Flourishes, Perfectly Pierced Classic Frames.  I cut pink card stock as well as Vellum all at once.  I like the soft look that it gives to this card.  Added some eyelets and adhesive pearls, button, ribbon and twine to finish it off.

 

Thankfully I did manage to clean my house yesterday, now I can head into 2014 without anything hanging over my head.  Right???

 

Happy New Year all!

 



A Little Bit Of Vellum

Good Morning!  Here we are winding down 2013......I can not wait to 'turn the page' and welcome in 2014.  Don't get me wrong, 2013 was a wonderful year, I am just ready for a new start, a change in direction, clean the slate, a fresh start. 

But while there is still some time left in this year I entered another Challenge card at Flourishes #251 Vellum, to add a bit of vellum to your project.

This card was inspired by Pinterest.  What did we ever do before that site appeared?  lol

I used a little Vellum Envelope I had in my stash.  I think I originally bought them to send my garden seeds to people.  This particular one I added many stamped sentiments from various Flourishes stamp sets.  They include such sayings as; Happy, Thinking Of You, Shine, Happy Happy Joy Joy, With Thanks, etc. stamped in all different colors.  The designer papers are by My Mind's Eye; Stella & Rose, Mabel.

Flourishes stamp sets; Anemones, Autumn Blessings, Chrysanthemums, Dahlias, Mountain View.

Added some Baker's twine and some turquoise rhinestones to finish it off.

Okay now I need to go clean my house so I can get back in that craft room.

Happy New Year all!

.....these are a few of my favorite things.....

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens, brown paper packages tied up with strings, these are a few of my favorite things......and then there are all of the wildly talented card making friends I have met along the way.

Not sure you all know this but, my birthday is actually ON Christmas.  Now, before you start thinking, oh that's awful, you get gypped.....let me just say I have never known anything different, but I do feel quite special in sharing this particular day.  I was born 3 weeks early, apparently being the youngest of four, I was NOT going to miss out on this Christmas oh so long ago (52 years to be exact!).  There happened to be a blizzard that day, babysitters were called in to help with my 3 siblings, as our neighbor George plowed a way down the grassy hill, walking, while my Dad piggy-backed my Mother to the waiting police car below.  At this point in the story my Mother likes to say, and the policeman driving said aloud, how thankful he was to have the 'added weight' in the backseat!  How's that for a story?  :)

Now back to present day.  As we all know the Holidays can be a stressful time of year, making lists, checking them twice, cleaning and cooking and baking, making cards, and writing cards, and actually sending them all out in a timely manner, never mind the endless shopping and gift wrapping.

I just have to say how touched and amazed I have felt over the past few days (well ALL year long really) at all the love I have been finding in my mailbox.  I have 'met' a wonderful bunch of ladies who took the time and effort and added me to their card giving list.  Not only for Christmas cards but for my birthday as well.  Beautifully handcrafted cards made with love.  I would like to share a few of them with you!  So grab a cup of your favorite beverage, kick your feet up, sit back and enjoy!

Beautiful Triple Stamping Technique by Gerry Morse

 

One of my very most favorite stamp sets,

especially with a Red Cardinal, by Angie Schmidt

 

 

Fabulous commemorative dated card, complete with music and a cupcake,

by my wonderful sister, Carol Tague

 

 A fun and festive celebration card

made by the one and only Nancy Leppek

 

 

 

Who puts the JOY (my most favorite word ever!) in every card she makes?

Why that would be Barbara Campbell

 

And last but not least.........

 

 

This completely over the moon adorable card by Judy Woodland

I dare you to count those layers, another favorite technique of mine

 

 

You have all made me feel so loved with your kindness and talent.  Each card is so different and yet all so beautiful.  I know the time and talent and the love that went into each and everyone of them.....for that I am thankful.....I am lucky to have met you and I am blessed to call you my friends.

 

Thank you all so very much!  May the love you have shown me follow you throughout your days.  I wish you peace and joy, love and laughter, health and prosperity to you all (and to all who are reading this as well) in the new year and for all of your days to come.

 

Thank you!

xoxo

Donna~~

 



 

 

 

The Year In Review........

.......well not quite.  I found this awesome little table top scrapbook holder at Michael's the other day, of course I whipped out my 50% off coupon and got it for only $6.49! I thought it would be kind of FUN to make a little scrapbook like page for each month, turning it into a calendar......kind of.

The first month I created is December.  I am entering it into the Flourishes Challenge #251, to use Vellum anywhere on your project.

 

I used a beautiful image from the Holiday Topiaries stamp set, available from Flourishes.  I decided to make this a chilly looking month, as only December can be, hence all the blues, including the coloring of the image itself, which is layered on a doily.  The background is a piece of designer vellum laid on top of a pretty solid blue card stock.  I cut the DEC banner and letters out with my Cameo, man that makes life easier, aye?  I used a small snowflake punch and punched out 13 snowflakes, the 4 top ones have a layer of vellum over them too. 

 

  

Then I used a Sizzix die, Ornament Swirly, punched out twice in vellum, layered and topped with a smaller punched snowflake.  I thought it looked a bit like a snowflake.   White glitter corners and some blue and silver ribbon balance out the mini page, which measures 6x6.  Then I whipped out my "waterfall" blue Stickles and went to town!  It gives it such a sparkle!  A Sakura blue pen was also used on the "berries" of the tree.

 

 

 

 

Here's what it looks like on the stand.  They come in several sizes, 6x6, 8x8, and 12x12. And include 10 'sleeves' to get you started.   I thought I would start with the small size and work my way up.......maybe.

 

 I plan on doing one for each month, then 2 birthdays (his and hers), fur babies, engagement, home, and then I thought I would do an I Was Right Page and a You Were Wrong Page, just for laughs.  lol  I know my daughter will get a lot of use out of those 2 pages!  Wink, wink. 

 

This may be my last post til after the Holidays.....I am pretty caught up with all the planning and shopping and card mailing portions.....now comes the wrapping!

 

Thanks for stopping by!  May you and all of your family, friends and loved ones, have a most happy and healthy Holiday Season!

 

Merry Merry!

 

 

Mini Christmas Tags

Good afternoon! 

There is a lightly falling snow outside my windows, and I am okay with that, as I just finished decorating my house......all is right with the world!

I needed a couple of more last minute tags so I whipped a few up for the Challenge over at Flourishes, #259 Words That Inspire.

 

I used several sets of stamps available at Flourishes, Garden Picks, Pears, That's A Wrap.  My inspirational words are Just Because, and Believe, Wish, Dream. 

 

I love my mail, any kind of mail, yeah, bills don't even bother me.  So I plan on mailing even MORE cards and notes out, Just Because!  I figure if I love my mail, maybe there are others out there too!  Plus who doesn't love getting something delivered curb side, made with love, that will perhaps put a smile on their face, because of just another ordinary day???  Right?  I Believe others will love this idea, I Wish more people would do this, and I Dream of a day when it will happen!  hahaha

 

 

Ribbons, flourishes, and some Liquid Pearls finish them off. 

 

Now I can put them on the gifts and check that off my list.  Things seem to be moving right on schedule.  Hopefully you are doing well with your Holiday lists too.  May each day be less stressful than the last!

 

Merry Merry!

 





More Snow, Real And Otherwise

Good Afternoon!  Well we finally got our first snow of this season.  Thankfully it was only about an inch and all glittery--VERY pretty!  Wink, wink!

I have another snowy card for the Great Impressions December Challenge, to show off all things glittery and sparkly.  

Such a cute wintery image, Skating Penguin, by Great Impressions.....just a sweetie! I used a Sakura glitter pen to outline the skating lines and lots of chunky glitter to create snow, and lots of Stickles on the flourish frame and four corner tabs.  He's just so cuuuute!

 

The Challenge is going on through the end of the month, so lots of time to play if you're done wrapping! 

 

Merry Merry!

Flip It Sketch Part II

Well I had so much FUN with the Flourishes December Challenge the other day, I decided to pick the second Sketch and play again! 

 

 

I had a much easier time with the angles on the layers this time around.  lol

 

 

 

Flourishes stamp set, Garden Picks, were used for this card.  In the middle of the Holiday prep, card making and sending, it was nice to use some other colors and some fresh Spring images.  I added some clear embossing powder to the colored Ball Jar image, gives it a nice sheen and a 'real' look....well kind of!  I kept to the basic Sketch but did add an extra layer for the focal image, some ribbon, a tab and a little pink bow and I was done. 

 

Now back to writing Christmas cards......thanks for stopping by.

 

Merry Merry!