Vintage Mother's Day Card

In my last post I vowed to get busy again..... and I did, but not so much with cards as I had hoped.  I actually went to work parttime at a lovely boutique here in Branson.  Three days a week, on my feet for eight hours, took more out of me that I was prepared for.  And I still struggle with the loss of my mom.  Nothing in my life has been so hard.  The support from online and real life continues to remind me how blessed I am.

When Mother's Day came along I was missing Mom so much.  I knew she would want me to keep busy and to celebrate the day in her memory and with our dear friend, Norma, my "other mother".  So this card was for Norma.

I wanted something with lots of flowers and a vintage feel.

A variety of one-of-a-kind flowers blended better than I imagined they would.

The image is from my collection I've acquired from many sources over the years.

I found the poem on the web and it was just perfect to express  how I feel about  "Mama Norma"
Last week I made a few other cards which I will be posting in the coming days.  Thank you for coming back and taking a look at my new creations.  I just hope I haven't lost my touch.  Despite my absence from my own blog, I have been visiting all of my favorite bloggers and you all continue to inspire me.  Thank you for that!

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!

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!

A Birthday Card for a Special Lady

This time of year brings lots of birthdays in my little corner of the world, so this weekend I've been working on several cards for these occasions.  Some are done and ready to mail so I thought I would share one of them with you today.  The special lady who will be receiving this won't see it for a few days, but since there are a few I'll just keep them all guessing.

There is no stamping on this card, but three different Nestabilities die cuts were used (one is cut in half and placed on the sides) and a butterfly punch. All of the papers are from the DCWV Mariposa stack.  That is one of my favorite dp stacks and I just want to horde it!  That's part of my problem, papers are so gorgeous I hate to part with them.  But it really is much more fun to share them in cards with people we love!

The image is from my collection of vintage postcards and greeting cards.  Some of them come from generous ladies who share their antique treasures on their blogs.  This is one that was shared by Bumble Button.  It's hard to see in the photo but I coated the image with crackle for more vintage feel.  This is such a beautiful image, the flowing sheer overlay on the dress and the lovely movement portrayed --- and those teeny tiny feet!!

Sideways view shows the double layers of the butterflies, the top being gold-flecked vellum that will pop up once the card is opened.  Otherwise I kept the card quite flat for mailing.

The sketch I used is from the magazine "Card Ideas for Paper Crafters".  I think it is still on the shelves, but it is full of great sketches, each with several cards made to show the versatility.  I often start with a sketch but end up with something quite different, though this time I stuck pretty much to plan.

Well, I've been writing this post between errands and phone calls, now I have to go pick up my freshly groomed dogs.  Thanks for stopping by! More birthday cards to come!

Busy Day In the Studio

While sipping my morning coffee, I made a list of cards I need to make, not just for challenges but personally. I was stunned at how long the list became.  So I got busy in the studio and now I have six cards done!  I was able to get pictures of only a couple of them before the natural light faded, though.  

 The first one is a quick "Thank You" note that my step-dad needed to give someone who volunteered to do an enormous amount of "DVD burning" for the office. It is simple yellow cardstock embossed with Stampin' Up Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder.  The image is from a collection of vintage art that I found in free downloads.  A couple of Martha Stewart daisies and a sentiment tag was all it took to finish it. 

This sympathy card is for family friends who recently lost their father/father-in-law.  Mom and I will both be sending cards and this is the one I made for Mom to give them.  Again using vintage art I matched up scrapbook paper I've had in my stash forever, then added a pearl swirl. 

I have another sympathy card to send them, but the photo I took just didn't do it justice so I will post it later.  I actually made two sympathy cards nearly alike.  Kind of depressing, making so many sympathy cards in one day.  On a more cheerful note, I did get my card done for the Bah! Humbug! challenge that will be posted on Friday.  This Wednesday is the Design D.I.V.A.S.  Oldies But Goodies blog hop and I have that card ready, too!  So, all in all, it was a very productive day.  Believe it or not, I still have three birthday cards to make and a few challenges that I want to participate in.  Looks like tomorrow will be a busy day, too!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you have a wonderful week!

For My Aunt's 90th Birthday

On September 7, 1921, Lorraine Quinn was born in South Dakota.  Ninety years later she just recently celebrated 70 years of marriage with my uncle, Earl Anderson and the 55th birthday of their son Larry.  In two days my mom and I will be in Iowa to celebrate the 90 years of this wonderful lady's life.  She has been like a second mother to me so I often call her Aunt Mom. 

I wanted a very special card for her, something vintage and loaded with beautiful things.  Lorraine is probably my biggest fan when it comes to my cards and often keeps them sitting out for months.  I hope this one sits out for many more years to come.

First I have to thank Louise at Bumble Button for sharing so many exquisite vintage photos and images! This image came from a Jane Austen era post she did a few months ago. Though the era is before Aunt Lorraine, this beautiful face reminds me of her as I see her in early photos.  Also, there are so many goodies on this card, many of them pieces I've had in my embellies stash for a long time.  I found the crocheted lace in an antique store. Often my cards have lots of layers and fancies, but I think this might just be over the top for me.

 I have to give credit to a very talented cardmaker for the layout and inspiration, however, I forgot to write down the blog name.  If you recognize this layout please accept my thanks for the inspiration and my apology for not giving you proper credit.  When I saw it I knew it would be perfect for this occasion.   

Thanks for letting me share this with you.

Happy birthday, Aunt Lorraine!

Sneek Peek for a Secret Sister

For the past few weeks over at Design D.I.V.A.S. Facebook we have been busily creating cards for our Secret Sisters.  We've had a new theme every week for five weeks and Monday we will get our final theme.  Then we will have a package of treasures to send out.  It's been so much fun to make cards with our secret sister in mind.  Then it dawned on me --- I'm someone's secret sister, too!  Woohoo! I can't wait to get my package and see who has been creating for me!  How fun is this?

Well, in the cards I've been posting are a couple reserved for my secret sister, but I haven't revealed which ones.  But, in a break from tradition, I am going to say that this card IS for her.  It was based on our Vintage theme. 

The dp is Daisy D's double-sided cardstock.  The reverse side is the lovely pink that I used for the frame and the inside of the card. The photo is from the "Ladies in Hats" collection from Joanna Sheen.  After printing on semi-gloss photo paper I brushed it with Ranger Crackle to further age the picture.  The flowers are Prima and the lace is some I found at an antique shop.  Die cuts are all Spellbinders.

Here's a closeup of the photo.  I would love to wear a hat like that! But can you imagine the looks I would get?  I guess I was born in the wrong century!

Thanks for stopping by today.  In a couple of weeks the identities of our secret sisters will be revealed.  It's like Christmas!!  So if my secret sister who is making treasures for me is reading this, let me say thank you in advance!  If the sister I am making this and other cards for is reading this, I hope you like it!

Bah! Humbug! Challenge #3 --- All That Glitters

It seems our pleasant "heat wave" was short-lived.  Now we have cold winds and snow flurries, with a forecast for snow in a couple of days.  So, making a Christmas card in January doesn't seen so unusual.  Actually, I like making Christmas cards anytime, which is why I love the Bah! Humbug! challenge blog.  This week the theme is to make a glittery card.  I can do that!

This card came together quite fast, with no mess.  Like Max on the BH design team, I like the free samples from Dover Publications, and chose this lovely vintage illustration of children decorating a Christmas tree with the music for "O Christmas Tree" behind it.  For the glittery part I avoided the mess and used glitter paper background and glitter ribbon.  The card blank is Kraft paper.  Easy and elegant!  I can do more of these!

If one of your New Year's resolutions was to get a head start on Christmas cards, you will love Bah! Humbug!  Imagine, one card per week beginning now and you can have 45 cards done before December 1!  Besides, it's fun!

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope your week is off to a great start!

Happy 4th of July!

Have a safe and Happy 4th!

God Bless America!

Earth Day Card

Last Wednesday, April 22, was Earth Day.  I decided to
take note of the day by making a "recycled" card.  Over the years I have saved nearly every greeting card, mostly Christmas cards, and my aunt recently sent me card fronts she had been saving.  So I took one of those older cards and made this simple all occasion card.  The card front with the branch and beautiful red bird was actually larger than my typical 5 x 7 size, so I trimmed it just a bit.  I placed it on a striped DP and attached that to Bazzill CS.  To highlight the pretty little bird I cut an opening in vellum with my Nesties and folded a margin around to the side and attached it to the back of the card. 

On the inside is a quote I found in a collection of Vellum Sentiments.

All was very simple and, best of all, reused a wonderful old card.

Whiff of Joy Challenge #16 --- Valentine Card

The Whiff of Joy Challenge for this week is Valentine Card. Since I had already posted some Valentine cards earlier I made a new one for this challenge. It gave me a chance to try a different style of coloring, too. Instead of using Copics (which I love) I used water color pencils, which are terrific, too. Just one rule for me, though: except for the hair and skin I could use only one color. So I selected carmine and my Koi Waterbrush. I also went even more vintage on the card design using some ephemera and more embellies.

Here it is! I'm liking it the more I look at it, but I did edge out of my comfort zone. What do you think?

I do want to thank two amazing cardmakers who were my inspiration for stepping out of my comfort zone to try something different. Tina at Tina's Kreativblog creates beautiful cards and papercrafts using interesting embellies, always accenting her main image, never drowning it out. And Aija at Kerttulin Paja whose coloring technique is nothing short of superb, uses just one or two simple colors with amazing depth. Thank you, ladies! Be sure to look at their wonderful blogs --- you'll be glad you did.

Now, for some details of the materials I used in this card. The paper and scroll are from Basic Grey collection pack; the rose picture is from a collection of ephemera; and the flowers, pearls and clip are from my stash of odds and ends. I used my Cuttlebug and Nesties to cut and emboss the hearts and long scalloped rectangle.

Thanks for stopping by! Please let me know you were here with a comment. I always return the favor.

If You Love Vintage.......

If you love all things vintage like I do, you will love Sharon's My Vintage Studio! I found her by browsing Allison's Newly Discovered and immediately added her to my list of favorites, even starting a new category for vintage and retro blogs. Sharon makes beautiful gifts, shops antique stores for ephemera, offers free downloads of vintage images, and is in the know on lots of blog candy.

Look at this sample of one of her free scanned images! Adorable!

You've just got to pay her a visit!