ODBD His Gift --- Twice

One of the loveliest spots of color this time of year is the red poinsettia.  I like the white ones, too, but the red is my favorite.  When I saw the gorgeous "His Gift" set at Our Daily Bread Designs, it quickly became my favorite poinsettia stamp and I just had to have it for this year's card collection. 

I used this set for two commissioned cards but couldn't decide which one to use in this post.  So, I am showing both of them.  The cards are nearly alike, but like all handmade cards should be, there are some differences.

His Gift #1 --- This one stays true to vintage with an off-white doily and ivory pearl swirls. 

His Gift #2 --- I ran out of off-white doilies so this one is white and the pearl swirls are white and placed differently than the first card.

The verse inside both cards is part of the set. 

The coloring is done with my favorite Copic reds, golds and pine tree green.

Here's the question to ponder for this post:

As the Christmas season approaches, what song is it that you just can't wait to hear?

For me that would be "O Holy Night"

Have a wonderful weekend!

More Card Sets

As I mentioned yesterday I've been able to make some cards, even with all the unexpected events of the past month.  Here are more of the card sets and a few singles that have come from my studio lately.

This was super simple! The digi image is Sassy Cheryl's "Better Not Pout".  The silver cardstock is from a package of fabulous report cover paper that I've had on hand for years.  I practically hoard it!  Same with the Santa Buckle ribbon.  I'm down to my last few inches and desperately looking for more.  I think I found it originally at Hobby Lobby or Michael's. It's so perfect for Santa-themed cards.  I made six of these for a card set.

This image came from the Dover Publications Vintage Christmas CD that I have been making very good use of this year.  This was for a commissioned set of six cards.  The red card stock and black gingham dp are from my stash, as is the red velvet ribbon.  The holly sprigs are Martha Stewart punches, topped with a few red rhinestones.

This is the same picture as above but with different embellies.  I made just one of these cards for the gift shop.

Also from the Dover CD is this charming traveling Santa that I used for a commissioned box set of six cards.  We were on a gingham kick when we chose the papers for these cards, but what is more vintage and versatile than gingham?  The card base is Kraft and I love the way it accents the tattered suitcase in the picture.  Accented with twine, a Christmas brad, and a couple of rhinestones, it was another simple design. 

This is a single card I made using the Dover picture.  Slight change in composition, the background red card stock is embossed with Cuttlebug folder and a poinsettia added for the finishing touch.  

I do still love to color amazing images and make single cards that are "Made For Keeps", and will be showing off some new ones soon, but these vintage CAS just might come to the rescue for my own cards as time runs short this month.

Thanks again for stopping by.  Now for the question to ponder for this post:

Who is the most famous person you have ever met?

That's an interesting one.  Living here in Branson I've had the chance to meet many famous entertainers and they are all great people:  Mickey Gilley, Bill Medley of the Righteous Brothers, Paul Revere and the Raiders, The Oak Ridge Boys.  Just a few of the reasons I love living here in Branson!

Enjoy your day and the joy of preparing for the joyous celebration of our Savior's birth!

November, a Month of Ups and Downs

November was a month of so much activity that I actually never got around to changing the page on my kitchen calendar!  

At the beginning of the month I started another round of physical therapy for my neck, this time three times per week.  I have one more week to go but won't know if it has to continue until I see the doctor next month.

In the early morning hours of November 7 my mom was rushed to the hospital with severe pains in her chest area.  Quick response and comprehensive testing ruled out any heart problems but pointed directly to her gall bladder.  Surgery was recommended --- ASAP.  We are grateful to the ER staff at Skaggs Hospital in Branson for their competent and caring treatment.  Top notch!

So, the day before Thanksgiving mom had gall bladder surgery, which went very well.  I brought her home within just a few hours and she rested comfortably.  

In the wee hours of last Thursday Mom once again had an emergency.  She fell in her home and suspected a pelvis or hip injury.  Sure enough, she cracked her pelvis --- very painful.  Our Branson ER was full so the ambulance had to take her to Cox South in Springfield.  A 45 minute ride on a back board, not comfortable.  Unfortunately, I can't give the same kudos to this hospital ER that I did for Branson Skaggs.  Not by a long shot.  Her husband and I brought her home and had quite a time trying to get her in the house and into bed.  She was so medicated but still in severe pain which made it very hard to move her.  But Mom is home and beginning to move about with help getting up and down.  I live two houses away from her, plus my sister came down from Iowa for the weekend and my hubby was off the road for a couple of days.  I am sooooo grateful for their help.  

Somehow in between all of this I did get quite a few cards made but haven't gotten them posted.  I'm going to start by showing you some boxed sets that I made for a little gift shop here in Branson.  All of the images are from a Dover Publications Vintage Christmas CD.

Each box has six cards of the same design and have been pretty popular.  I'll have more to show you soon.  As it does every year, Christmas approaches very quickly.  This year it seems to be coming at warp speed!

I hope you all are having great fun making creative Christmas and holiday cards and decorations.  I have been visiting many blogs and there is so much amazing ingenuity out there!

To continue the little feature I started a few weeks ago, here is the question for contemplation for this post:

What is the best $100 dollars you have ever spent in your life?

For me one thing would have to be the first $100 dollars I spent on Copic markers.  They have revived my coloring and painting passions.  I'm finding so many new artistic creations to use them with.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Two of a Kind Vintage

Isn't she pretty? Love that hat and muff.  (Yes, Stef H. I had a muff, too!)  I'm on a vintage kick this week because I found a BUNCH of images I had printed last year from one of my Dover Publications CDs.  Also because I love vintage.  I actually have two cards to show you using this lovely lady.

This is somewhat simple using dp from The Paper Studio, some new selections and some from my stash.  The green border edge is a Martha Stewart punch and the pearl accents are probably Recollections from Michael's. 

This one is also somewhat simple, again with dp from a new Paper Studio stack.  The tag is from K & Company 2011.  On both cards I cut out an extra image of the woman and did a 3-D lift for dimension.

Thanks for stopping by today.  While you are here, take a stab at this question of the day:

Forget about soft sounds like babbling brooks, gentle showers, and warbling birds.  What is your favorite loud sound?

The first loud sound that came to my mind was the roar of the surf on either coast and Hawaii.  Let me know your favorite loud sound in a comment.  Have a great night!

Vintage Christmas Greetings

There's just something about vintage pictures at Christmastime.  I guess they just remind us of simpler times, away from the hustle and bustle of shopping malls and e-shopping;  picking out a fresh tree and boughs for the mantle; baking cookies and goodies for two months only to be gobbled up in just a few days.  Ahhhh, good old-fashioned holidays!

Here is a sweet scene of two children bring home the tree:

The image is one of hundreds available at Dover Publishers on CD-Rom.  I actually printed two then cut out the little girl for a 3-D effect.  All of the papers are from A Cozy Little Christmas stack by Paper Studio that I found at Hobby Lobby.  The card base is Kraft.  A little bit of ivory pearl swirl finishes it off.

Here's a close up of the image.  They are just so cute!

Now for the question of the day.....

What thought or sentiment would you like to have copied and put into one million fortune cookies --- or Christmas cards?

I'd love to see your answers!

Thanks for stopping by!

Scruffy and Tinkles by Make It Crafty

What would Christmas be without elves?  After all, they make the toys, find the prettiest decorations, and spike the eggnog -- well, mine does, anyway!  So when I find adorable images like Scruffy and Tinkles by Make It Crafty I just can't resist adding them to my collection for Christmas cards.  Here are a couple of cards I've made with these cuties!

This is Tinkles!  She looks so happy, how could someone not smile when they open this card?  The dp is some fun peppermint candies I've had for a couple of years.  I kept the embellies pretty simple with a little bit of baker's twine, pine boughs by Martha Stewart punches, and little red buttons for berries.  

I colored Tinkles with my favorite shade of red and green, among other colors.

Now here is Scruffy.  He looks a bit exasperated, doesn't he?  I think maybe he landed in a cold pile of snow.  That sort of bruises an elf's ego.  Keeping a card CAS is not easy for me, but since I wanted to show off Scruffy I was able to pull it off.  The card base is red card stock, the white background is embossed with Cuttlebug snowflakes, and the candy stripe ribbon is a staple I keep on hand each year.  

Here's Scruffy's close up, all colored with Copics and fussy cut so it looks like he is sitting in the snow.  He won't be grumpy for long -- it's just not in his nature!

Here it is November and I have lots of cards to make.  I think the CAS will be the way to go, well, for many of them!

Here's the question for this post:

If you were making a list of the five things (not people) that make you happiest in your life, what five things would you write down?

Wow, there are so many things in life that make me happy.  How would you answer this?  I'd love to see your comments!

Have a great week, everyone!  USA friends:  Remember to vote on Tuesday!

A Christmas Prayer for All My Friends Who Visit Here

I pray your heart is merry

I pray your joy is bright

Throughout this special season

Of peace and hope and light!

--- Jennifer Byerly

My son and new daughter-in-law will be arriving in a couple of days. We will be enjoying treasured Christmas traditions as well as making new ones.  I hope that you all will have family close and that your celebrations will be warm and joyful. 

Thank you for all your visits and lovely comments and support this year.  I'm blessed to have met so many wonderful and talented friends here in our blogging community.  Until 2012...........

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Seasons Greetings and to a prosperous and blessed New Year! 

Sassy Cheryl's Challenge #93 --- It's Santa!

Just 16 days before the Big Buy starts his annual trek around the world, jumping down chimneys, chomping on cookies and stuffing stockings!  Paying tribute to this bearer of glad tidings is Sassy Cheryl's Design Team with the challenge theme "It's Santa!".

I think I have finally caught on to the clean and simple style of cardmaking, but now my challenge is FLAT cardmaking.  I have lots of cards to mail so I really need to keep them within the one-stamp per envelope range. I do so love layers and embellies, but those will just have to be saved for those cards hand-delivered or attached to packages. With the card for this challenge I managed to keep it flat and with a minimum of embellies that could get into the hands (or noses) of little ones.

I used Jen del Muro's December sketch for this card.  Her sketch is below and I will enter this in her challenge, too.  It's a great sketch and I turned it on its side to accommodate the shape of the image.  All of the papers are from the Jolly and Bright mat stack by Recollections at Michael's.  The shapes are all cut with Nesties dies --- what would we do without them?

Santa is colored with Copics and I used Stickles for the dots on his coat and the swirls.

Now, what would Santa do without his elves?  Since I was making all these clean and simple FLAT cards I thought I might as well show them off here, too.  It's not often I have so many new cards made in such a short time! 

Gotta love Cheryl's new character Polly and she is all decked out to help Santa.  I just can't bring myself to color her pigtails anything but red/orange!  The papers are from the same Jolly and Bright mat stack.

She is also colored with Copics.

Noah is a helpful little elf, handing out the ornaments for the tree.  This card is really simple with the circle die cuts creating an ornament-type layout.

Again with the Copics and dp from the Jolly and Bright mat stack.

Now, this one was really simple!  The Christmas Tree Elves, looking very much like the Marx Brothers, are taking more ornaments to the tree.  The background dp is from the Jolly and Bright mat stack. (I don't know why this is so dark, but the paper is really bright and pretty.)

I embossed the Nesties die for the border around the group.  They are all colored with Copics and I used Stickles to add the sparkle to the ornaments.  I really love this image and just might make a couple more cards like this.  It is so simple and festive.

All of these images, and so many more, are available at Cheryl's store here.  

In case anyone was counting, this is my third post today.  Whew!  I do have more cards to make yet, but will probably have a bit of a break from posting for a couple of days....... maybe ;-)

Thanks for stopping by.  Be sure to pay a visit to Sassy Cheryl's Challenge Blog to see some very fun Santa cards by the design team.  

Sketch and Stash Challenge 76 --- Chrissie's Sketch

[Yes, indeedy, this is my second post of the day!  Scroll down for first ever Sugar Creek Hollow entry.]

It's been awhile since I entered the Sketch and Stash Challenge, but when I saw my lovely friend Chrissie's sketch, I just had to take part.  I love the sketch and had just the right new image to use on it.

The rich deep reds and greens come under my favorites for Christmas colors, especially when I am wanting a vintage look.  The Christmas Cheer stack by K & Co. has been my go-to selection for a couple of years, but I am down to just a few sheets of it now.    All the dp on this card is from that stack.  The ribbon is velveteen and the flower is from Prima.  

A new-to-me site is Waltzing Mouse Stamps and this image called "Harriet" is a freebie from the digital products section.  They have a super selection of stamps from which I already have quite a long wish list!  I colored Harriet with Copics and layered it on Nesties die cuts.  

Here is Chrissie's sketch.  The next new challenge will be on December 19, so you still have time to jump in with your project.  Be sure to check out the design team's projects, too! 

Thanks for stopping by again today!  I hope you are having a wonderfully creative week!

Sugar Creek Hollow Challenge --- Non-Traditional Christmas Colors

This is my first entry for the Sugar Creek Hollow Challenge.  My uber-talented friend Peggy is one of the new design team members and when I saw that this challenge features vintage, shabby and primitive designs, I was hooked!  So I hope to be here every week!

For this week the challenge is non-traditional Christmas colors. This gave me the chance to use a piece from a package of K & Co. Vintage labels and to try an easel card made from the Spellbinders Label Ten.  

I like how this came out.  Label Ten is so pretty and the large size makes it just right for a non-rectangular shape.  I used Kraft card stock for the base and layered on the light blue and a crackle dp by The Paper Studio.  The tag with the reindeer is from the package of K & Co. tags.  It has just a touch of gold glitter on the borders.  The poinsettias are little silk picks I found at Michael's and the pearl swirls are Recollections by Michael's.  

A little closer look at the top half of the card.

The sentiment is a stamp from a Cornish Heritage Farms collection. 

I just might use this as a decoration here at home instead of mailing it out.  I know just the place for it!

Thanks for stopping by today!  I have been busily making cards this week so there will be more posts to come.... maybe even another one today!  If you haven't visited Sugar Creek Hollow yet, be sure to hop on over.  You will love what the design team has to inspire and excite us this week!

Bah! Humbug! #47 --- Cute Christmas Critters

When the last Bah! Humbug! challenge of the year is upon us, Christmas is not far behind.  And this week is the last BH challenge of the year --- Yikes!  But if it wasn't for Ann and Max and all the guest designers during 2011 I wouldn't have nearly as many cards done as I do!  For the last challenge of 2011 the ladies of Humbug Hall have us seeking out Cute Christmas Critters.  I'm glad they specified "Cute" or we could see another invasion of the ugly spider critter from last September!  EEK!

So, what would Christmas cards be without a House Mouse stamp or two?  There are so many and they definitely qualify as "Cute"!  

I was going through a stack of stamps and images I had already colored and found this angelic pair that I colored last year.  There was even a sticky note attached reminding me to do white-on-white with candy cane ribbon.  So, that's what I did!  Dotted Swiss embossing on the bottom layer and a Nesties frame around the image which is mounted on a piece of red card stock.  And a simple candy cane bow with Martha Stewart snowflake punch.

I colored them with Copics, but I don't remember what I used to make them shimmer.  I just love the humor in this scene and I get the feeling that the bugle is not only loud but off-key as well!

As sad as it is that we won't be seeing Bah! Humbug! for a few weeks, they will be returning in January with even more challenges to get our creative juices flowing for 2012.  In the meantime, hop on over to take a look at the inspiration by the design team and participants.  

To Ann and Max, thank you for another great year!  Love and hugs and Merry Christmas!

Sassy Cheryl Challenge #92 --- Winter

Today has been a very wintry day and there is the threat of a rain/snow mix tonight.   For southern Missouri that often means ICE.  We have to drive to Fayetteville, Arkansas tomorrow morning, but hopefully we will encounter only wet roads.  In this part of the country there is not a single road that is straight or flat.  That makes for s scenic drive --- on good days.

All of this fits well with Sassy Cheryl's challenge this week --- WINTER.  

Cheryl's image "Winter" just says it all!  Getting all bundled up in boots and mittens and a muffler to run outside and catch the snow flakes of the first snowfall.  Paper like Michael's Recollections and snow flakes from a Martha Stewart punch help to put that first scene of winter right in someone's hands. 

The image is colored with Copics and the snowflakes are Stickles.  

I'll soon have all the cards made that I will need for Christmas and holiday greetings.  Then I'll move on to the next few seasons and should stock up on birthdays and other sentiments.  But in the meantime, I'm loving all the new winter and holiday images by Cheryl.  Be sure to hop over to the challenge blog to see what the amazing design team has created.  

Thanks for stopping by!  If you are experiencing winter weather, please drive safe and keep warm!

Mo's DP2 Challenge #111 --- Great Outdoors

This week Mo's DP2 Challenge is sending us outdoors!  This time of year there are lots of things to do outdoors:  building snowmen, caroling, searching for the perfect Christmas tree, sledding, and all sorts of winter activities.  (Can you tell I'm in the winter/Christmas frame of mind?)

I am actually getting in on the challenge pretty early this week because I had just made this card but hadn't gotten it posted yet.  I used Mo's new image "Shall I Play for You".  When I think hear the song "Little Drummer Boy", which I love, I think of the little lad standing near the manger, softly drumming, his only gift to give the child.  

When I made this card I had imposed my own challenge --- sepia with one color.  I always think of little toy drums as red in color, so that became my theme. The card base, border bunch and corner punches are made from Kraft paper; the punches are Martha Stewart.  The dp are scraps and worked really well with the Kraft.  The card is simple, no bling or flowers.  I know a couple of little boys who will like this and they are young enough that I wouldn't want to put on little pieces that could end up in little mouths, noses or ears!

The image is colored with Copics.  Those corner punches, as I mentioned, are Martha Stewart.  I really like the way these punch out and fold over, giving it a clean photo corner look.

Well, as I said, Mo has lots of images to meet the challenge of the "Great Outdoors", so if it is cold and wintry where you are, you can warm up your work space if you build a card with a beach scene or a backyard barbeque.  However you do it, there is plenty of time to get in on the fun at DP2 Challenge!  You really have to see what the DT came up with, too!

Thanks for stopping by today!  Have a terrific weekend!

Bah! Humbug! Challenge #46 --- Fabric

My goodness, the weeks are flying by!  Here it is Wednesday already and I just realized I haven't made a card for this week's Bah! Humbug! Challenge.  The ladies of Humbug Hall have thrown another great challenge at us.  This week they are looking for fabric! 

 Now the first thing I thought of was to stitch some lovely material onto a card base and add a stamped image, or something.  But my sewing machine has been packed away for years and is probably frozen from lack of use anyway.  It would be just as useful sitting at the bottom of the Humbug Hall moat!  But I have this gorgeous piece of fabric that I want to use sometime, somehow....  

So I cut off a chunk and wrapped it around a piece of heavy cardboard.  I didn't realize how much would be covered by the image, so I guess I will just have to keep that fabric handy and use it for another project.  Any hooooo.... The stamp is by Northwoods from 2005 and it is such a pretty wreath.  I don't know why I haven't used it before!  To keep it all pretty simple I embossed the stamp with gold embossing tinsel on red card stock. Then placed it on a piece of very glittery gold paper.  The bow is fabric trimmed with gold and wired so it stands up nicely.

Here's a close up of the stamp.  I added a just few red rhinestones. 

I don't know that this card will remain intact.  The fabric isn't taking to the adhesive well, and the glitter paper doesn't seem to want to hold the red card stock, either.  It could just fall apart on me.  Well, then I will just have to use the card parts in other ways!

Thanks for stopping by today, but for some solid inspiration and gorgeous projects hop on over to Bah! Humbug! for a look at the DT's offerings.  You won't be disappointed!

DP2 Challenge #110 --- Elves, Fairies, Santa, or Snowmen

Happy Monday, everyone!  I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday and much success with your shopping trips!  The countdown is on to Christmas!

This week's challenge at DP2 is much more challenging than it would appear.  Why?  Because Mo has recently created the.most.amazing digis of Elves, Fairies, Santa, and Snowmen!  The challenging part was choosing which one to use!  I finally decided on the craziest Santa I have ever seen --- Ragged Santa!  

He is just soooo jolly and cool, even in his ragamuffin clothes.  I stayed with the traditional colors here, but I have seen him colored so beautifully in a variety of hues.  True to my attempt to use up old papers and scraps before buying more, I used, well, old stuff!  Even the buttons have been in my button drawer for a couple of years. Evergreen punches (Martha Stewart) and red rhinestones finish off the cluster of buttons and twine.

The image is colored with Copics, my favorite rich reds!  A bit of gold metallic gel pen on the bell and silver on the belt and shoe buckles.  Pretty easy layout, all in all.

There are so many more gorgeous elves, fairies, Santa, and snowmen over at DP2 Challenge.  Be sure to hop on over for a look-see.  Thanks for stopping by! 

Bah! Humbug! Challenge 45 --- Bags and Boxes

Bah! Humbug! Challenge is the best friend any crafter could have for Christmas preparation!  Every week of the year the ladies at Humbug Hall challenge our creativity and by this time of year we have healthy stacks of cards and paper crafted projects.  Now what better friend is there than that?  Keeping Christmas alive all year long while giving us a head start every week we participate.  This week they are getting serious and jumping right to the gift wrapping phase of holiday preparation!  The theme is Bags and Boxes.   To be honest, cards are more my bag, but I shouldn't let myself get boxed in a rut (ugh, sorry, had to do it!).  Actually, another favorite blog gave me an idea as well as a trip down memory lane.  

For this project I made a box similar to the one featured at Whiff of Joy Tutorials and Inspiration this week. It reminded me of the little paper boxes we made in elementary school, usually out of smaller sheets of construction paper.

This project allowed me to use a 12 x 12 double-sided patterned paper that would normally go untouched for the smaller card projects.  This sheet is from the popular Christmas Cheer collection by K & Co.  I am quickly running out of this stack, but not to worry.  K & Co has beautiful new ones on the market.  I just can't get them till I use up what I have....... well, we'll see about that! ;-)

I used really glittery wired ribbon around the top edge of the box and for the handle.  It is stiff enough to stand up on it own.  Pearl brads hold the handle in place.  

The sticker on the front is a coordinating piece in the collection. This project was so easy!  Done in fifteen minutes!! It took me longer to get photos of it!

This handy little box pales in comparison to the gorgeous projects by the Bah! Humbug! DT so be sure to hop over for even more inspiration!  Thanks for stopping by!