MY STAMPING SOIREE

Hot Chocolate and Tea Set

2011-06-12T20:14:00.000-04:00

Used the rest of the premade cardstock and did a couple for hot chocolate and tea....

Coffee and Friends Card Set

2011-06-12T20:12:00.000-04:00

The cardstock itself was premade already...I just added to it...It's a bit of an off purple...I used mostly Concord Grape distressed ink for stamping...

Goldfish Fun

2011-06-12T16:21:00.000-04:00

Stamped Goldy twice...Colored with Copic Markers...Cut the big tail out and mounted it with foam tape...used chalks around the fish...mounted on Origami paper onto white cardstock...

Single Koi Card

2011-06-12T16:18:00.000-04:00

Stamped the fish twice and colored with Copic Markers...Colored just the tail and fins on the second one and cut them out....Took chalks and pounced around the fish and added the verbage...Mounted it on Origami paper and then white cardstock...

Koi Fish Card

2011-06-12T16:15:00.000-04:00

This was stamped twice...I colored the base card with Copic Markers....colored 3 leaves on the second one and cut them out...Attached the leaves to the first card with a foam dot..The picture itself was then mounted on Origami paper and onto white cardstock...

"Lace" Swap

2011-06-12T16:02:00.000-04:00

This swap was to be a tag and had to include "lace"...I don't normally do a lot with lace so this was interesting....Had no clue as to what I wanted to do, let alone do it on a tag!...Anyway here it is...

"Food" Swap

2011-06-12T15:56:00.000-04:00

This was a lot of fun...Didn't know exactly what I wanted to do...Since the swap was all about food I figured that included just about anything!...I folded the corner down and attached it...stamped all the fruits then made the "Especially for You" triangle...When you open it I put a piece of ribbon with the word "Recipes" on it...added background paper and a couple of recipe cards....

"Letter" Swap

2011-06-12T15:50:00.000-04:00

This was a fun swap...We had to pick a letter and then stamp something that begins with that letter....Just so happens I have a couple of "apples" laying around so used one of them...The stamp was colored with Copic Markers....Can't see in the picture very well but the bowl is slightly raised....On the reverse side I took a stylus and gently rubbed it out...

ATC Swap

2011-06-12T15:44:00.000-04:00

The theme for the June swap was birds...

More SWAPS

2011-06-11T20:17:00.002-04:00

This is a tag for a swap showing front and back....The "Spring" is done with stickers...the flowers are down with Origami paper...I folded it in half a few times then cut a rounded end....unfolded it and placed it over a button...I added a "really" small clear rubber band to hold it in place...

SWAP Time

2011-06-11T20:15:00.000-04:00

For one of the groups I belong to I signed up for some of the swaps....They have different areas and I chose ATCs with a bird theme...The other one I chose was a color theme of gold, red and turquoise.

Bad Suzy Cards Set One

2011-06-04T16:15:00.001-04:00

This is a set of stamps I've had for quite a while....She has quite the attitude!...It's a little hard to read them...Guess I should have done them one at a time....Anyway, all were colored with Copic Markers...

The extra card was done using left over scraps of paper...The flower is a sticker.

ATC Swap

2011-06-04T16:15:00.000-04:00

Oriental was the theme for the May swap...

Bad Suzy Set Two

2011-06-04T16:14:00.002-04:00

This is the second set of Bad Suzy...Again colored with Copic Markers...

MORE CARDS for CHURCH

2011-04-24T16:45:00.006-04:00

The last set of cards I made for the church...All cards were colored with Copics...

2011-04-24T16:40:00.003-04:00

Cards that I will give to our Director of Care and Concerns at church...

MORE CARDS

2011-04-24T16:36:00.006-04:00

Again these are cards I'm making for a friend...She loves to send out note cards to friends...The backgrounds are Washi paper. All were colored with Copic markers...

CARDS MADE

2011-04-24T16:30:00.004-04:00

These are cards I'm making for a friend...All were colored with Copic markers...

ATC Swap

2011-04-24T16:27:00.002-04:00

The theme for the month of April is Western...Here is my take on it...Everything is colored with Copics...Really like them the more I use them!

Last Craft Show Picture

2011-04-09T20:40:00.003-04:00

This was my display...Also me at the table "coloring" with my Copics...I also did a couple of altered clipboards...While doing this show I was invited to do a show the following Saturday at another local church.....Which I did...

Still More Craft Show Items

2011-04-09T20:34:00.005-04:00

These are my "30 Day Journal in a Jar" journals...I didn't put the "questions" in the jars before I took the pictures...anyway there were 30 questions in each jar...each day you pick a questions and answer it....this is good if you're new to journalling and don't quite know how to start...plus if you don't like the question for that particular day you could always throw it back in the jar and pick another!....of course that question would then haunt you the rest of the day....

Even More Craft Show Items

2011-04-09T20:28:00.006-04:00

These are just a few of the stamped tiles I made...Your run of the mill tumbled tile that I colored the backgrounds with alcohol inks, baked them, then used Staz On ink to stamp the images with....Some I added embellishments to, some I colored with markers and some I left alone...They were all sealed...I did not make these into coasters as I have done before...

More Craft Show Items

2011-04-09T20:13:00.009-04:00

I had a lot of fun making these puzzle pieces...I got them when I was helping our Pre-K teacher and I were doing some "spring" cleaning in her room...this paticular puzzle was missing a piece and told her I'd take them since I was SURE I could find something to do with them!...

Craft Shows

2011-04-07T20:12:00.010-04:00

WOW! What a busy 2 Saturdays I had...My church decided to do a Spring Vendor Show...I wasn't going to do it but everyone said I should...So I got busy and made different craft items.... Here's what I made: These are small, medium and large (respectively) Prayer Board...I'm showing two of the 7 I made...The medium board shown was an order by our Pre-K teacher and the large one is the one I made for the "tweens"....The tags stay on and then you put your prayers on tags and hang them on the board...

Another Prayer Board

2011-04-07T20:03:00.003-04:00

I was asked to make another Prayer Board. This time it was for our Pre-K class...Ms. Nan wanted pastel colors...This is the medium size (14x16)...There's also a cross on it that I painted on with Metallic Champagne....you can't see it unless you happen to be standing in the right light...

PRAYER BOARDS

2011-02-28T19:53:00.002-05:00

The above is of a prayer board (small version)...It's an 8x11 canvas board that I did a direct to canvas application...Let it dry then stamped the swirls...Made the coordinating tags....Took Sharpie markers and colored the 3M hangers and put them on the canvas...It can be left this way or if you have a prayer request write it on a tag and place it on the board...When your prayer gets answered just take it down...

This is the large version of the prayer board...Made it for the 4-5th graders for youth group at church...It's a 16x20 canvas that I applied acrylic paint to....I then went over it with a metallic pearl...Made the tags....Used clear 3M hangers..

TEA TIME

2011-02-27T20:45:00.002-05:00

I started with an 8x10 canvas...Used some of my Asian material I had found a while back...Covered the canvas and stapled it to the back...The top lady was stamped on cardstock, colored with markers and then I put a gold Stickles design all over the kimono...The second lady was a stencil I have...I used that wonder stuff known as "Spackling Paste" and let it dry overnight...Colored it with markers...Attached it to the fabric with Modge Podge...

WOOD SIGN for CHURCH

2011-02-27T20:31:00.003-05:00

I made this for our Pre-K teacher at church....After coming up with what I wanted to do and deciding on the colors I went to buy the wooden letters and discovered that I NOT only can't spell but can't count!...How many letter "s" are there?...3....How many did I get?....2....I REFUSED to have to go back to the store...Now to make it work....Well....IT WORKED...THEN I saw that not only did it say, "Jesus Loves You", it also says, "Jesus Loves Us" and the word "Joy"...Anyway, Miss Nan loved it...

NON-CARD MAKING ITEMS

2011-02-27T20:25:00.003-05:00

I made one of these dogs for a friend of mine. She has a beagle (Miss Dixie) who I used as my model for the bottom dog...I used acrylic paint on wood letters then hot glued them together...The top dog (didn't realize that was coming, "top dog", really!) is fashioned after my 2 fur babies - a full Border Collie and a rescue that looks to have Border Collie and Dalmation...

More Cards I Made

2011-02-27T20:19:00.007-05:00

Cards I've Made

2011-02-27T20:12:00.004-05:00

LONG TIME NO POST....

2011-02-27T20:03:00.006-05:00

Apparently because I have been in the winter doldrums!...Well I guess it's time to come out!...At least my muse didn't leave as I have been creating...So I'll not waste anymore time and get on with what I've done since December...

ATCs for Dec, Jan and Feb...

Wedding Gift

2010-11-19T20:31:00.003-05:00

I made this as a wedding gift for Liz and Dan. They go to the same church as I and she is in charge of the Cafe Team that I volunteer on. They are getting married 29 Jan 11 at Disney World. They are so excited and such a cute couple. Her colors are "Cinderella Blue" and cream. So I tried to find some paper that would have those colors. The tag is in a little pocket and can be reversed. On the other side it says, "To Have and to Hold". I put the picture of the Disney Castle until they can get one of their own. Which, by the way, they should be able to since they are honeymooning at Disney World. On the back of the frame I couldn't resist putting Cinderella.

ATC Swap

2010-11-19T20:27:00.002-05:00

Our ATC swap them for November is "Ornaments". I made my ATCs so that they could hang if so desired.

Welcome Cards

2010-11-19T20:25:00.003-05:00

Got to make some welcome cards for 3 new members to one of the groups I belong to. It's always fun to welcome somebody new to the group.

Care and Connections Team - Belize Grp 5

2010-11-19T20:17:00.006-05:00

The last group of cards for the Belize team..

Care and Connections Team - Belize Grp 4

2010-11-19T20:12:00.005-05:00

Group four of the card for the Belize team.

Care and Connections Team - Belize Grp 3

2010-11-19T20:07:00.006-05:00

Group three of the cards I did for the Belize team...

Care and Connection Cards - Belize Grp 2

2010-11-19T19:56:00.007-05:00

This is the second group of cards made for the Belize team...

Care And Connction Cards - Belieze Grp 1

2010-11-16T19:56:00.007-05:00

I was really busy making the cards for the Care and Connection Team. I got a special request for cards that are going on the trip to Belize with the International Missions Team. As a matter for fact, they are leaving this Saturday and will be gone a week. This is actually our first mission and over 30 people are going! Anyway, I would made the cards (42 to be precise!) and then other people were writing "special" letters to put with them. Then as any of the team members were feeling fearful, homesick, depressed they would be given a card. I think I will break this down into groups..So, this is the first group...

Welcome Cards

2010-11-16T19:48:00.003-05:00

WOW! Can't believe it's almost Thanksgiving! Where has the time gone. Can't believe I haven't posted in a while but then again I was busy making cards. I'm going to start with the Welcome Cards that I made for members joining one of the groups I'm in. I stamped on glossy then "dabbed" color onto the tree. Added the embellishments.

ATC Swap

2010-10-09T19:41:00.004-04:00

Ahhhh! Fall weather is FINALLY upon us. Love the fall weather. Love the fall colors also. Probably my favorite season of the year. Our theme for October was Thanksgiving. Here are mine.

Last Church Cards

2010-10-01T19:59:00.007-04:00

The last group of cards I made for the Care and Connections Team...

More Church Cards

2010-10-01T19:55:00.005-04:00

Here's another group of cards for Forest to send out to someone for their birthday.

Cards for Church

2010-10-01T19:38:00.009-04:00

At church the person in charge of the Care and Connections Team (his name is Forest) asked me to make him some Birthday cards for him to send out. Here are some of them that I made chosing different sheets of paper and then coming up with a design for it. I have a few more to show.

2010-09-03T20:18:00.005-04:00

Well, more cards for the church...In the second pictutre are the cards I made from the "large" group of foil tape background...The third picture is from the "small" group...Can you see the originals in the prior posts about backgrounds?...

FOIL TAPE Backgrounds - Large Cards

2010-09-03T20:13:00.005-04:00

These are the large background cards I did using the foil tape/alcohol ink procedure...again some I layed on flat and others I crumpled....

FOIL TAPE Backgrounds - Small Cards

2010-09-03T20:03:00.004-04:00

I was trying to figure out what to do with some brown "ready to use" cards. Saw this technique in a magazine and decided to give it a try....Instead of attaching the tape to seperate cardstock I just stuck it to the cardstock I was usng....I laid the tape down...on some of the cards I kept it flat and on other gave it a "crumples" look....Next I took 3 different colors of alcohol inks and dropped some all over....took felt applicator and "pounced" it all over...set aside to dry which didn't take long at all...These basically are the background "before" pictures....

"FRIENDS" for a Friend

2010-08-28T19:44:00.008-04:00

My friend's birthday was Aug. 21st. Her birthday has passed and I've still got her present!..At least it's ready finally ready to be taken to the post office for mailing..I told her in keeping with tradition I would once again be fashionably late!...Oh well...it's the thought that counts...right?

Tag Swap

2010-08-26T19:51:00.006-04:00

Back

Front

On one of the groups I belong to we were to do a tag swap..The only criteria was to use a HIT (Hearts In Touch) stamp..I chose the animals..The back is green cardstock stamped with leaves (VersaMark)..The border and letters are stickers..The front is a paint chip called "Kenya" (sorry it's blurry)..Paw prints are stickers..

Boxes For Babies

2010-08-26T19:41:00.005-04:00

These are boxes I made for the church to give to new babies...Inside will go a "Onesie" and a card....Figured I would just use the colors blue, green, pink and yellow so that they can be used at any time!

2010-08-26T19:37:00.003-04:00

My favorite time of year....FALL!...wish the weather would start cooperating...still hot and humid...anyway...our theme was fall, fall leaves etc...the leaves were to be embossed...I embossed a leaf border, added stickers and leaf embellishments.

Card Box

2010-08-20T20:04:00.000-04:00

This is the box I made to put the cards in...

Cards For Church

2010-08-20T20:02:00.002-04:00

And the last set.....

Cards For Church

2010-08-20T19:59:00.001-04:00

Still another set...

Cards For Church

2010-08-20T19:54:00.002-04:00

And yet another set...The bottome cards is from a pattern I saw in a magazine...It's very simple yet quite effective...

Cards For Church

2010-08-20T19:51:00.003-04:00

This set I used my bible stamp in two different browns...I colored in the flowers using gel pens...

Cards For Church

2010-08-20T19:43:00.002-04:00

I recently started helping our person in charge of the Care and Connections Team. I'm making the cards for him to use to send or take to people....This is my first set...I had found a packet of paper that was "inspirational" and was wondering what to use it for....This set I used the "stained glass" paper and used my church stamps...

ATC Swap

2010-08-20T19:37:00.004-04:00

July's swap was sunflowers.

As you can see I added buttons at the center for 2 of them...The bottom 3 I cut leaves out and used glue dots to raise them...Used colored pencils on them...

ATC Swap

2010-07-24T21:05:00.004-04:00

The ATC's that I did for a swap. I decided with my new found skill of water coloring I would give it a try. I stamped the watercolor paper with black StazOn. Once dry, I used my watercolor pencils and a REALLY small brush. Also used one of those "water brushes". I probably should have photographed them seperately but didn't. Maybe next time as it is rather hard to tell some of the differences.

Watercolor Pencil Week 9 - 12

2010-07-24T20:25:00.010-04:00

Week 9 - and the end is coming nearer and I don't want it to because I'm learning so much. This week we learned about shading. Our project was to do the tulip. As an added "fun" project we did our own version of a sample that was provided. So below is my version of "Castle of Dreams."

Week 10 - we were to finish our "Daisies". We had drawn them in a earlier lesson and learned about "masking". We used masking fluid to cover them so that we would do the background and add the water to the vase. This is my finished product.

Week 11 - and we were left to our own devices. So I began with "The Nest". I went back and redid a picture that we did in the beginning. If you go back to an earlier lesson you'll see the first one I did. Some improvement but as with anything "practice, practice, practice!" The next picture I did was the same method when I did the "fish". This time I went for the desert. I think my cactus needs a little work. I never said I could draw! The 3rd picture I thought I would attempt a birdhouse in a tree. The more I drew the tree the more it looked like something under water. Went with fish. Again. The last picture of the butterflies was a little more involved since I used some masking technique but it was a lot of fun.

Week 12 - and sadly at an end. It was such a good time and I learned a lot. We didn't really have a project to do so I decided to take some of the things I learned plus some suggestions given and put them together. I did "pouring, saran wrap, candle resist technique". I only wish I had gone a little darker in color.

And that my friends was my watercolor pencil experience.

Watercolor Pencil Class Weeks 5-8

2010-07-23T19:58:00.013-04:00

Moving on with weeks 5 - 8, the 5th week found us doing more techinques. We created a wash then added salt or saran wrap to it. We let it dry and removed the salt and saran wrap to see what kind of impressions they made. What you see is my "salt impressions". Next we got to add a background to our butterfly picture we had already done. I chose to use salt again.

Week 6 - found us learning our colors or rather how to mix them to get more colors. It was explained to us a Kings (primary colors), Queens (secondary colors), Jacks (tertiary colors) and then a "family" picture. It was fun learning how to mix colors from just the first three (red, blue and yellow).

Week 7 - we broke down our colors into cold and warm. We had to paint our bears using only those colors.

We also got to make this really cool chart and how to mix them to get the colors.

Week 8 - and we got to do this really cool picture where we took our paper and tore it into strips. Then we did a wash in varying shades of a color on each strip. After they were dry we taped them to a piece of watercolor paper. The sample we had was of birds in the sky. I chose to use a blue and the more I made my different shades the more I decided it looked like "ocean". So I did fish and added the birds.

Online Watercolor Pencil Class Weeks 1-4

2010-07-23T15:51:00.012-04:00

One of the groups that I belong to, ARTISTS OF THE ROUND TABLE, always has something exciting going on. They have some really good workshops where you might complete lessons from a book and usually the author of that book becomes a part of the "group" so as to help out and offer suggestions. I thought I would give the watercolor pencil class a try. It was a 12 week course and the materials were provided to us by the "artist/teacher" Marilyn Harris-Miller aka Maer from Canada. I think I will break this into 3 posts. So here are some samples.
Week 1 - learning about brushes, pressure when coloring and just getting used to the "equipment".

Week 2 - learned about techniques. This sample is using "dry on dry". Then we tried our hand at a birdhouse.

Week 3 - learning the "dry on wet" technique. Then we moved on to doing a bird's nest.

Week 4 - we learned the "wet on dry" technique. We got to do a butterfly.

On Being So Quiet

2010-07-23T15:18:00.007-04:00

WOW! Couldn't believe how long it has been since I last posted....Well, a lot has been going on....Had to have left wrist surgery (right handed...yeah!) so that put a minor crimp in things....Wasn't anything major and it wasn't carpel tunnel...it was diagnosed as (are you ready!) Dequervain's Tenosynovitis...here's the "official" explanation compliments of Mayo Clinic: "a painful inflammation of the tendons on the wrist side of the thumb. Pinching, grasping and other movements of the thumb aggravate the pain."....tried therapy for about 6 weeks but it just didn't work....had the surgery and working just fine..!

And yet another reason for being absent: we moved....I wanted a bigger kitchen and ended up with a whole new house!...Plus the master bedroom is on the first floor....So here's a picture of my new kitchen (before moving in)

The view out this window is down to the lake!...Yes, we have lake front property!..I love sitting at my kitchen table and looking down at the water....Next is a view of the porch and deck...Love it!....Of course can't really enjoy the outside as much with the 100+ degree weather....but we did get to on the 4th of July....

I did take an online watercolor pencil class while doing all this....That'll be my next post...

PERGAMANO

2010-03-28T15:19:00.003-04:00

Practicing my parchment. Found this on the internet and thought I might be able to use it. So I transferred it using my light box then did the outlining. Colored it on the backside using colored pencils.

GIFT CARD GIFT BOX

2010-03-28T15:10:00.003-04:00

Made this from a pattern in a magazine. I used double sided paper to create a "gift card" holder and matching card. I altered the lid a little because I thought the original was a little big and I wanted a bit of a tighter fit.

CRACKLE CHALLENGE

2010-03-28T15:06:00.002-04:00

These were done for a swap that called for using Smooch or Crackle Paint. I used the paint. I know you can't tell but there are cracks behing the stamped image. I used tags because I thought they would be thicker. Put the paint on and let it dry then stamped the images over it with black STAZ ON. The top one I applied a little color to using pencils.

LAST CHALLENGE

2010-03-28T15:02:00.003-04:00

The last cards I used with 12x12 sheets of paper. The first grapes were stamped on white mulberry that I swiped over with Milled Lavender. The second grapes were stamped on a transperancy.

THIRD CHALLENGE

2010-03-28T14:56:00.006-04:00

Again using 2 12x12 sheets and coordinating scraps. Do you think I was trying to use up exisitng paper so that I could purchase more paper? Just maybe!

SECOND CHALLENGE

2010-03-28T14:51:00.005-04:00

This time I used 2 12x12 sheets of paper and some coordinating scraps from the scrap pile. I was able to get 6 cards doing this.

CHALLENGE

2010-03-28T14:42:00.004-04:00

I decided to "challenge" myself and see how many cards I could make using 2 12x12 sheets of paper. For this set I used from a paper packet by Martha Stewart that was double sided. I had seen a pattern for making cards from a 12x12 sheet and as you can see I got four. The only thing I don't have pictured is the bookmark that you can get out of it also.

ATC SWAP

2010-03-28T14:32:00.003-04:00

Where has this month gone? I can't believe it's pretty much over and now it's time for school! My how time flies (or not) when you're having fun! I figured I had better get some updates done on projects I've been doing before I become slightly encapiticated next Wed. They are going to operate on my left wrist (yeah! I'm right handed) to help with a tendon/surrounding sheath problem. It is NOT carpel tunnel. Soooo...anywho...the swap for the month of March is "things that bounce"..umm..very interesting. It took me awhile to think of things that bounce. You can see what I came up with! It will be interesting to see what I get in return.

Get Well Panda

2010-02-02T14:00:00.002-05:00

Just a little "get well" Panda. This is for a member of HIT group who is recovering from knee surgery. Panda was stamped on cream cardstock, masked then the bamboo was stamped. Colored the Panda's bamboo stick with a sparkly green gel pen. Bamboo tree was done in pencil then gone over with a gel pen. Stamped "Long Life" in red in corner.

Pergamano Swap - January

2010-02-02T12:02:00.004-05:00

January's Pergamano swap was winter flowers. I chose to do the Amaryllis. That's the first picture. Second picture is from my swap partner Kay. The background doesn't show through very well, but it's a beautiful green paper. The next layer is the flower only and the top layer is the beautiful frame. I so can't do the intricate cut out work. I guess I should practice more!

Cards Made / Welcome Wagon

2010-02-02T11:50:00.006-05:00

WOW! February is here. Not sure were January went. Anyway, I did these cards as part of my Welcome Wagon for a group I belong to. I thought I would just do something simple. I stamped onto plain cardstock using HIT (Hearts In Touch) stamps and did a little coloring on them with pencils. Found "borders" I liked and added those. Went through my chipboard letters and found corresponding letter to animal and attached those.

Another New Year

2010-01-04T19:43:00.007-05:00

Can you believe it's 2010 or 2k10 as I've seen and heard. Hard to believe another year has gone by let alont 10! Got the Christmas decorations all taken down and put away. Spent the day getting the house back in order. That also meant I could clean my little craft corner in the bonus room. Then I decided to share it with the rest of the blog world. I decided what better way to start the new year than with a clean work area because it probably won't stay that way for long! There are a couple of things that still need to find a home - like my new Xyron machine. Can't wait to try it out.

Last Present

2009-12-24T14:54:00.007-05:00

I made this for my friend's birthday that's on the 26th. This is a CD holder that was sent in the mail and was very sturdy. I covered the front/back with Japanese Washi paper. On the inside left used cardstock and inside right more Washi paper. I stamped on the cardstock. The pink Geisha I stamped on washi paper and cut her out. I used H2Os to color her hair, Obi and tea carrier. Then I used glitter pen for the tea cup. Cut her out and mounted her. The other 2 Geishas are a 3D cut out I have. Boy, some of those pieces were small!

Another Christmas Present

2009-12-24T14:07:00.018-05:00

I decided to make a present for my Bible Study gift exchange. We held it at the home of one of the leaders. Each of us was to bring a gift and our favorite salad or dessert. I'm all about desserts! Anyway, I created a book of "recipes" for Joy, Peace, Strength and Love. I used a scrapbook and then used stamps etc. to embellish the pages. I have a couple sets of little inspiritional cards in boxes that address those 4 things. So I used some of them by putting them on the computer then printing them out. Cut them up and stamped on them and mounted on the pages. Even made little places where they could write there thoughts or answers down to some of the questions. Had a lot of fun creating it. The person that ended up with it told her friend she hoped nobody would "steal" it from her as she could really use something like that in her life right now. I felt it was in the right person's hands. I only photographed the first set as the rest are pretty much the same. A little variation in the stamping but I used all the same 3 sets for the "recipes".

Christmas Present

2009-12-18T20:24:00.012-05:00

This is a Christmas present for a very good friend.

Pergamano

2009-12-18T20:18:00.002-05:00

Our swap for this month was to have some sort of Christmas theme. I really like the wreath I found so used it. I mounted it on Christmas paper that has similar leaves as the wreath ad flakes of snow (which you can see in the wreath's center).

Christmas Cards '09

2009-12-18T20:12:00.003-05:00

I decided I wanted to use a Christmas tree for this year. I got this one when I was at the Heirloom Pro Convention in Greenville, SC in September. This one is by Impression Obsession. I just love their stamps. I used different colored cardstock and papers. I used some paint chips that have little windows in them and put a little tree or snowflake in it. The paint chips all had the word "snow" or "silver" in it. I stamped the tree and embossed it. Went back a colored the garland with sparkly pens. Some of them I added a little snow flake at the top of the tree.

ATC SWAP

2009-12-18T20:08:00.003-05:00

Gosh it's almost Christmas! Time is rushing by so fast! Have you finished your shopping yet? I think I'm finished, at least I hope so! Anyway, the theme for the December swap was "snow" and anything to do with it. So, here are mine.

Parchment Swap

2009-12-06T19:48:00.003-05:00

Out theme was stained glass. I still need more practice! My partner for this one is from Australia and still waiting for her card. I found this as a picture and thought it would be fun to try.

Christmas Card

2009-12-06T19:42:00.002-05:00

This Christmas card was sent to a little boy who had been diagnosed with cancer. The doctors had done all they could and told his parents to go home and enjoy what time they had left. The celebrated Christmas in Nov. and he wanted to receive Christmas cards.

ATC Swap Nov

2009-12-06T19:36:00.004-05:00

WOW! Where has the year gone? Can't believe that Christmas is almost here. Have you finished your Christmas shopping? I'm almost done......I think......I hope! Anyhoo...our swap theme was about trees. Had to have a tree of some sort.

Parchment Swap

2009-11-06T19:21:00.004-05:00

The theme for the October swap was "flowers". I'm sooo not as good as these women but I do try. Anyway, the first picture is the one I did. I'm just not experienced enough yet to do any of the cut work that you see in the second photo. The second was the swap to me. I think "white work" is beautiful.

Parchment Swap

2009-11-03T15:18:00.004-05:00

September's challenge was to make something with ribbon added. I've had thus fan pattern and had been wanting to try it. It was already encased. I used brown cardstock for the base. The background under the fan is Japanese washi paper mounted to the cardstock. The other card is what my partner sent me.

Parchment

2009-11-03T15:08:00.005-05:00

(ooopppppssss!! A little chopped on the side)

Well, it seems I've neglected to upload pictures of what I've done. We've been doing a monthly swap with themes. So here we go....
This was an open theme. Whatever you wanted to do. Just FYI, I don't have many patterns so I used a rubber stamp! On a rather humorous note here is what my swap partner sent me and we didn't even coordinate! Is somebody ready for lunch!

Pineapple Welcome

2009-11-03T14:58:00.003-05:00

I have a very good friend who retired from the Army after 30 years of service. A while back we had gone on a road trip to Charleston, SC. Everywhere we went there were pineapples. She kept asking why there were so many. Her, being from the north (New York) didn't understand the southern sign of "hospitality". So I explained it to her and ever since it's become a joke whenever we see pineapples. SO...I thought she deserved a "Welcome Pineapple!" I used distress inks to board and rubbed it in with a paper towel. Stamped the pineapples in brown all over. Used coordinating colors of cardstock and put letter stickers on it. Scratched out some of the color on the letters and it made it look a little more worn.

Red / Green Swap

2009-11-03T14:49:00.003-05:00

I joined in a swap on one of the groups I'm in. The challenge was to use red/green. I thought I'd try to see what I could do without making in "Christmasy". Here are my results.

"Vintage Girl" was stamped on green and mounted to a red floral background. The corners are a small white doily that I did DTP inking with distress ink, rubbed off with a paper towel then cut into fourths and mounted with glue. "Tree" was stamped on green and mounted on red. The red has some gold glitter in the corners. It was then mounted on Japanese washi paper. "Girl was stamped on white and color dusted in brown. Mounted on green cardstock then mounted to Origami paper. "Chimp" was stamped in brown on red, mounted on green and then mounted on green Origami paper.

The Rest Of My Self Paper Challenge

2009-11-03T14:40:00.003-05:00

These were the last ones made using the 2 papers. I was going for a "quilt" effect. You can't tell but the solid color cardstock has been stamped with leaves in Versamark. This was actually a lot of fun. The only part I didn't do was to apply some sort of "stitch" effect. The next time I try this I think I will go for a softer effect. Maybe using flowers....ummm...how about a beach/seashell type theme!?

Welcome Cards

2009-11-03T14:33:00.003-05:00

Ok, here's my challenge to myself - to see how many cards I could make from 2-12x12 pieces of coordinating cardstock. Well, here's the first 2. These are going to be sent out to newcomers in a group I belong to. I really need to get them in the mail now that I've received the addresses. The leaf and plaid were the papers I chose.

Last Church Cards

2009-11-03T14:29:00.003-05:00

Stamped these on white cardstock. Colored the first church with colored pencils. The second was done with inks and pencils. Mounted on cordinating cardstock.

More Church Cards

2009-11-03T14:24:00.003-05:00

I stamped these on white cardstock. The top card I colored with pencils. Color dusted around the scene. Mounted to green cardstock and then mounted to a card. Stamped the expression on white mulberry paper. The second card was the same except for the expression which was stamped on vellum.

Cards for Church

2009-11-03T14:14:00.005-05:00

My friend and I met with our pasters wife so that we could volunteer our card-making services. We are making cards that will be sent out to those who are having illnesses, hard times or just need a little "thinking of you". I'd given her some earlier but forgot to take pictures!....DUH!....So here's the newest batch. Need to get busy with some more. Guess that goes on the list with "things to get done!" along with those Christmas cards.

I stamped these on white cardstock in brown. Painted in the flowers with Twinkling H2Os (bottom) and Glitter Pens. Color dusted around the images then mounted on cardstock.

ATC SWAP

2009-11-03T14:06:00.002-05:00

Can't believe that Halloween has come and gone and that the holidays are getting closer. Guess I'd better get to working on my Christmas cards!

In the meantime I did an ATC swap for this month (Nov.). The theme is Thanksgiving. Here are my 5.

ATC Swap

2009-10-02T19:40:00.003-04:00

It's that time of year! Fall is in the air and the leaves are starting to change....a little...That means holidays are just around the corner! It also meant our ATC swap was all about Halloween. It seems I have accumlated quite a few cut outs so decided to use some of them for the ATCs.

PRAYER/STORY BOARD

2009-09-04T10:11:00.003-04:00

For this board I used acrylic paints in cream, light turquoise and apricot. I painted little dabs then rubbed in with a paper towel using each paint seperately. Stamped the backgrounds once the paint was dry. Used the premade tags and used the DTP with coordinating inks. Stamped and layered the words. Stamped a flourish on the backs. Colored the self adhesive hooks with markers.

PRAYER and/or STORY BOARDS

2009-09-04T09:56:00.008-04:00

This is a prayer board I made as a possible project for the kids at my church. I scaled it down from a possible 12 to 3. I found the project in one of my MANY books. For this one I took an 8x11 Artist's Canvas and did DTP (or canvas) using distressed inks. I used a yellow, an orange and a red. Once it was dried I took swirl stamps (in brown) and stamped in the cornors. I used tags (the ones already made!) and did DTP with the same inks. When they dried I stamped and layered the words to the front then applied the flowers. I used self adhesive "hooks" colored with markers and wiped off.

KIDS VBS ART CAMP

2009-09-04T09:49:00.003-04:00

This project was done by the K-5 kids at my church. This was the sample that I made for them. The kids got to paint their frames the blue. I made the flowers/leaves with colored ink and embossed clear. Then I cut them out. Once the paint was dry the kids got to glue them on. The picture was something I had and just put in the frame. They had a lot of fun.