DIMENSIONAL SUNFLOWER

Here comes the <sun> second of the four cards I was pleased with from my World Cardmaking Day marathon:

I was playing around with a shape/color combination for a different card idea I had . . . when . . . hey! That would make a darling sunflower! So I grabbed sunflower colors: Crushed Curry, So Saffron and Soft Suede. 

Using two of the Framelits from the Floral Frames Collection, I cut the petals from the yellows. A circle from the Circles Collection of Framelits created the center of the flower. To give the center a little more dimension, I ran the circle through the Big Shot inside the Square Lattice Embossing Folder. NOTE: After having completed the card, I now wish I had sponged the edges of the circle. Well, maybe next time.

I then raided my button collection jars and dug out a variety of neutral-hued buttons in various sizes, and glued them in place to represent sunflower seeds. Uh huh. Use your imagination.

Unfortunately, the photo doesn't quite show all the dimension of the card. It REALLY pops! Including the buttons, it stands more than a half inch away from the card base. 

Anyway, I think it turned out pretty cute. Let me know what you think.

Sunny 

Smiles.

GENTLE BEAUTY

I would like to give you a gift. A gift of beauty.

I'm not sure why, but I seem to have noticed and enjoyed this autumn and its gentle beauty more this year than in recent years. Maybe it was because the weather was more conducive to being out and around our property. This fall is proving to be fairly rough for me on several levels, and I searched for and found solace in nature's wonders.Whatever the reason, I took a plethora of photos that portrayed the beauty that surrounds us. Perhaps, at times, we are so blinded by what is going on in our lives and our world that we miss a lot of the really good stuff.

And now I'd like to share six layouts of my autumn photos that I created in MDS. I hope that by sharing them with you, you too will experience the grace and gentle beauty of this season.

These photos are for your viewing pleasure only. Please respect my ownership of my images and enjoy them solely on my blog post. 

Grateful

Smiles.

HALLOWEEN HAPPINESS

Remember the four cards I was pleased with from my World Cardmaking Day creating? I would like to present to you the first of the four:

This is a hybrid card. I had purchased the Halloween Happiness digital stamp through MDS (My Digital Studio). I "painted" the image in MDS in the colors I wanted, then printed it out onto white cardstock.

After cutting it to size, I adhered it to a Basic Black mat. For the background of the card, I ran watercolor paper through my Big Shot inside the Stylish Stripes embossing folder from the new Holiday Catalog. I haphazardly painted each of the raised stripes in a pattern of green, orange and purple inks.

The image mounted against the striped background was cute, but . . . Hmmm. It needs SOMEthing! Buttons!!

I raided my button jars and grabbed buttons to match my stripes, adding a little white baker's twine tied in a bow to the central, larger purple button.

To me, this card definitely does personify "Halloween Happiness". sigh.

Smiles.

TURKEY CLUB

I have a big announcement to make. I am the new president of the highly esteemed Turkey Club! Yup. You heard it right. Would you like to know how I was appointed to this desirable post??

Well, you see, yesterday, as I'm sure you are all very aware, was World Cardmaking Day. And, how did you celebrate this (eighth) annual phenomenon??

I wasn't scheduled to work, so I decided to take full advantage of this wondrous occasion. By doing what, you may ask? I was going to use the whole day to MAKE CARDS!

It was a little bit of tough getting started. I was sort of at a loss as to how to proceed. I never have a whole day that is dedicated to creating. But, never fear, I figured it out, and was crafting my little heart out in no time, enjoying every minute of cluttering up my space even more.

This is actually what the area looked like when I was finished. Yes, I am a bona fide certified pig. (And, you can see that I often get distracted in the process: notice the spools of Christmas wrapping ribbon teetering on the edge). Where is that crafting fairy when you need her? Probably buried under all my supplies, I'm sure. Poor thing.

Back to World Card Making Day. I ended up making five cards, four of which I am thoroughly pleased with. The fifth one: not so much. It was actually the second card of the day that I made. I thought I had such a FABulous idea for it.

Uh huh. You got it. This is the card that guaranteed my spot of president of the Turkey Club. Can you understand why?

I thought I was doing everything just right. 

I chose fallish DSP for the big turkey feathers and created them from a form of tea bag folding. 

I then thought I was being really clever by making that red thing that hangs on his face . . . OK. I didn't think that sounded very good, so I googled "that red thing that hangs on a turkey's face", and -- THANKS, GOOGLE! -- his WATTLE and his little pointy feet from sections cut from the Tasteful Trim die in my Big Shot.

Hmm. Still not so great. Add some more.

Continue with the fallish colors throughout. Texture. Rounded corners on the sentiment done with my new Envelope Punch Board. Paper Piercing. Strips of texture rather than a complete sheet. Add buttons. Baker's twine. 

Well, when I deemed this creation finished, I had clinched my title for president of the Turkey Club. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go dig up my copy of Robert's Rules of Order.

P.S. I will share the other four cards in upcoming posts. I can guarantee they are better than this turkey.

Wattle

Smiles.

A NEW ROOST

A few days ago, my mom and dad moved into an assisted living facility. It was a very tough move to make, after living in their house for 59 years, but they seem to have settled in somewhat. Each day gets a little better.

Since I live over a hundred miles from them, and, although I saw their  new apartment empty right before they moved in, I have yet to see it filled with all their possessions. You know, all the things that really make a place a "home". I can't wait to see how they've made it their own.

I decided to make a "new roost" card to send to their brand new address as a little welcome.

In my card, I used a variation of emboss resist. After embossing the bird in our luscious Pewter Embossing Powder, I sponged on a fall color combo of Pear Pizzazz, So Saffron, Pumpkin Pie and Soft Suede. I then cut out the image with one of the Framelits from the Window Frames Collection and sponged the edges with Soft Suede. I cut another piece of Pear Pizzazz with the next larger size of Window Frames, embossed it with the Square Lattice Embossing Folder and sponged the edges with Soft Suede. 

The backdrop piece is of Soft Suede embossed with the Woodgrain Embossing Folder. I sponged the edges as well as some of the woodgrain with Soft Suede. I didn't want to cover up too much of the lovely woodgrain,, so I opted to place an elegant Antique Brad  below the focal point. Added to a sponged-edge card base of Naturals White set it all off perfectly.

I even used my new Envelope Punch Board to create a "matching envelope". I also created a seal for the back of the envelope by embossing in pewter the same bird, and using the smallest of the Window Frames dies to cut it out. Adorable, isn't it?

I hope my little card brings a smile to Mom and Dad's faces.

Smiles.