4 variegated cards

4 different cards using different mediums to get a verigated color. Sunset and garden was done with chalks, uninhabited island was done with a ruler, masking and different colored inks sponged on, the butterflies were done with Joseph's Coat technique where you add color to the paper, emboss and then cover with a darker color, and lastly my little monkey card has variegated green inks for the background of the jungle.

Card for Harvey

I made this for my brother Harvey. He is going through a tough time right now. He has been trying to get his dream job for months, and found out yesterday that they gave the job to the other candidate. He is devastated. I stamped the praying hands to let him know that I am praying for him. I stamped the scripture to remind him that he will be blessed if he keeps on trusting. This card is for the sketch challenge and for the clean and simple challenge. I colored the hands with my prisma colored pencils. I used gold thread to sew around the edges. On the inside I included the lyrics to the song that Natalie Grant sang called HELD.

If you would like to see the lyrics, you can HERE.

6 challenge card

This card was for 6 different challenge. RED DIVAS, SC241, CAS27, DDC,CCEE, and for MOTHERMARKS teaparty. I started to stamp the flowers with bleach but it didn't work. I did find out though, that you don't want to put bleach in a ziplock baggie. I put some in one to bring it to work so I could stamp with the bleach. By the time I got to work, the bag was hot to the touch. Some kinda chemical reaction!!! And on top of that it didn't work on my cardstock. So I decide to stamp the flowers with white ink. I added color with my chalk. I punched little flowers for the top panel. I added rhinestones. I colored the bird and vine with prisma colored pencils. I added a little bee and added glitter to his wings and then I added glitter to the big flowers centers.

TWO BEE or not TWO BEE...

This is my second card for Cindy's teapot challenge hence the title of this card. I used my border punch to punch around him and frame him. I added quilled flowers around the edges. I used prisma colored pencils to color him in. He has Glamour dust on his wings. His name is Brian. He was going to join the other bees, but got sidetracked in this garden in Arkansas. He decided that it would be better to stay there and not have to share all the flowers that he has found. He is a little bit selfish.

Mothermarks Tuesday Teaparty 59 BEE TEA

I really like how these trifold pocket cards look. Today I made one for Cindy's Teaparty Challenge.
She told us how Uncle Beeford needed more bees to repopluate the hive. I tried to bring as many bee's as I could without beeing stung. There are 7 bees on my card. That should be a lucky number. I made another paper hibiscus to go on the outside. I added glamour dust to the bee's wings. I stamped the flowers and masked them to stamp the leaves. I stamped the leaves in two different colors of green. I have had it on my heart to do a stamping fellowship for the girls at my church. I have been trying to think up ideas that I think that they would like. I think this little pocket card would be something that they would like.

Second tri fold pocket card

I really liked how the trifold pocket cards looked so I made another one. This time I kept it simple and added rhinestones to have it qualify for the Clean and Simple challenge to use bling.

Trifold double pocket card

This card was made for Lynn's Splitcoast Technique Lover's Challenge I really struggled with this card because the measurements were a little off. I had to kinda eyeball it. I made a belly band to close it. On my belly band I made 2 blue paper flowers. I added glass beads to the centers. I added 2 leaves and a porcelain paper butterfly. I made more paper flowers that I put on the outsides of the pockets. I stamped monarch butterflies on the inserts for the pockets. I also put panels of blue and light green with polka dot dp to dress up the insides.

RED POPPIES in a butterfly vase

Today's Splitcoast Inspiration Challenge, was to be inspired by Bellacor Vases. I was inspired by this Butterfly Vase. Well, to be truthful, I was more inspired by the flowers and thought that I could make the vase work. I used my deckle scissors to cut the petals and leaves out. I used chalk to add the yellow. I used a circle punch for the black centers and my ek success snowflake punch for the green leaves on the 2 partial flowers. I used versamark ink to stamp butterflies on black cardstock. I heat embossed with silver embossing powder. I glued everything to a turquoise base becuase I thought that it complimented the poppies.

Hibiscus Happy Birthday

This card was made for the Splitcoast Ways to Use it Challenge. We were to use pleats on a card or project. I decided to make pleated leaves. I used my scallop punch. I pleated using the scallops to help guide my folds. I saw a tutorial on making hibiscus flowers on VALITA'S BLOG. I made one last night and I loved how it turned out, but it was so big I would need a box to mail the card. I decided to put it on a FANTASY BOX. I used some more of my precious, hoarded Wild Saffron paper for the box and for the card. I altered the directions from Valita's because I didn't have the sun punch that she used. I substituted snowflakes. I used my EKsuccess snowflakes on the hibiscus on the box and I used my Stampin UP snowflakes on the one on the card. The centers of the flowers is fringe quilled. I used the marker water coloring technique on the flowers. With these flowers around there had to be a butterfly. I added another of my porcelain paper butterflies to the card.

If nothing ever changed...

I made this card for the Splitcoast Sketch challenge. I made this using my comfort colors. Turquoise is one of my favorite colors. I have to cut most of my circles out with scissors. I have a circle punch, but it is only 1" in diameter. When I saw this sketch I knew I was going to distress the edges. (hint... distressed cut out circles really hide any imperfections.) I love this paper by Wild Saffron. I have been hoarding it, because I love it. It was calling my name today. I had the sketch put together and it still felt like it needed more, so I stamped my flower 2 times. I used marker water coloring technique to get the same light turquoise of the flowers on the dp. I took several shades of blue and green crayola markers and scribbled on my acrylic block. I dipped my paint brush in water and went over the scribbles. I experimented on a piece of scrap cardstock until I got a color that was close to what I was looking for. After I painted the flowers, I cut them out and layered them. I have dimensionals in between the two layers. I joined the flowers with a gold brad. I used the porcelain paper technique on my butterflies. I looked at my card and still felt like it was missing something. I decided to stitch around the edges. I wanted to use gold thread, but I didn't have any in my stash of goodies. I did have a piece of gold cording. I unraveled it and pulled out the metalic gold threads. I stitched them around the edges of the card. I used my computer to print this sentiment.

California Makeover

Marla, the Guernsey cow, went to California to try and make it big in the Happy Cow commercials. She was turned down because she was not a Holstein. The casting agents were only looking for one breed of cows. She was devatated. She was in a depressed state of mind and wandering around. Before she knew it, she was standing on a cliff overlooking the ocean. The view was awesome. She had never seen the ocean before. The way the light reflected off of the waves was beautiful. She sat mesmerized for several hours. Just relaxing in the California Sun did wonders for her temperment. She decided that she would not give up. She went to the closest cow beauty shop, had her hair and makeup done. She got an agent who suggested she go get some headshots taken. Because everyone knows you need to bring headshots to your auditions. The photographer she used suggested that she get her photo taken in a field of BUTTERCUPS. She also changed her name. Marla is a great name, but not a HAPPY enough stage name so if you want to vote, vote for FELICITY.

This is my second card for Cindy's teaparty this week.

MARLA MOO

I would like you to meet Marla Moo. She isn't like most midwest Guernsey cows. She came with me to my friend Cindy's teaparty. Now Cindy had a Holstein cow teapot and card. She also linked to a website for Happy Cow Auditions. I don't have anything against Holsteins, but who says that happy cows can't be any other breed? Marla thought that the rest of the cows auditioning were a little boring they had almost no talent. She once came upon a book by Glen Wexler called The Secret Life of Cows. She was amazed at all they could do. It was shortly after this that she got a job as a carhop at the local diner. She intertained the customers as she skated to 50's music. The economy in the midwest caused the diner to close down and so she has decided to travel to California to do her auditions for becoming a Happy Cow. So if you remember, VOTE FOR MARLA!!!

Little Backpack with roses

Today's Splitcoast Technique Lovers Challenge was to make these little backpack boxes in honor of going back to school. This was very challenging for me. Having made one though I think next time would be a lot easier. I used blue ribbon for the handle and straps. I used twine for the front closure. I used velcro sticky dots on the two flaps. I faux stitched around the edges of the flaps. I added quilled flowers.

Thinking of You!!

I made this for my friend Cathy. She has a wacky sense of humor and I think she will appreciate the juxtaposition of the sign and the outhouse. I made this outhouse several months ago, but couldn't find a use for it until today. The Splitcoast Limited Supply Challenge was to use a die cut. Since I don't have a die cutting machine, I used my flower punches. I made my flowers using 2 different sizes of flower punches. I added rhinestones to the centers and made paper crimped leaves. I cut a fringe for the grass. I chalked clouds in the sky and drew in a couple of birds. I stamped the Thinking of You sentiment on a piece of white cardstock. I added brown ink and drew in lines with my prisma colored pencils to make it look like wood. This is all on a school folder.(Gotta love the back to school sales when these are really cheap!!) I opened the folder up and folded down the top half. I then punched holes in the sides to attach the twine closure. I am going to fill it up with stamped images.

I'ld pick you

I made this guitar shaped card for the Splitcoast Ways to use it challenge. I killed some file folders this morning and had to resuscitate one to make this card. I swiped brown ink over the file folder. I sponged yellow and orange. The result really looks like my real guitar. I added black cardstock, gold brads and wire. The wire was extremly hard for me to use on this card. I would have had an easier time changing the strings on my real guitar!! Note to self... next time use gold cording. I think I am going to glue a guitar pick on the inside and I am going to write... When it comes to choosing friends... I PICK you.

Seeing RED in the office

I made this card for the Splitcoast Ways to Use it Challenge. We were to use office supplies. My original idea was a total failure. I ended up killing 2 office files, may the rest in peace. I altered this office clip. I covered the clip with blue cardstock. I quilled 3 roses and added some crimped leaves. I have a good friend Anne, who loves Red. I made this card for her. It is about as CAS as you can get.

Bluebird of Happiness

I made this card for the Splitcoast Stampers Sketch Challenge. I was inspired by this photo on my friend Lorraine's blog. I wish I could get a photo like hers. I have seen a couple of bluebirds in the past week or two, but never when I could catch them on film. The words Bluebird of Happiness went through my head as I was making this card. Wikipedia had this to say about bluebirds and happiness: "It is a widely accepted symbol of cheerfulness, happiness, prosperity, herth and home, good health, new births, the renewal of springtime, etc. Virtually any positive sentiments may be attached to the bluebird." I am sure that this must be true, because they are such a beautiful creation of God. They make me happy to see. Maybe that is because blue is my favorite color.

I got this image in an image swap. I colored it with prisma colored pencils. I masked it and used chalks to make the greenery behind him. I quilled a flourish in the corner.

Ollie ollie oxin free..

OLLIE OLLIE OXIN FREE. Remember playing hide and seek and calling all the players in? This is what my sister and I used to say. I am saying this now so my little froggy will know it is safe to leave his hiding place...

After being promised that no-one is going to eat him, my little froggy came out of hiding. You can see why he hid in the first place, he is so little. He is only 1/4" big.
I just had to make another card for Cindy's teaparty challenge. This flower went togther much faster and easier than the first one. I punched three flowers. I used a 1/4" punch to punch the centers of the flowers. I then cut from one edge of the flowers to the centers and wrapped each flower around my quilled fringe coiled center. I made my lillypad using a 2"circle of green. I punched the little froggy with my frog punch. The water is done with bubble wrap. I frayed the ribbon to add interest. The wavy shape just happens to be the shape of my acryllic block. I just traced around it and cut it out. I used my itty bitty background for the lilly pad andthe base of the card. After making my first card I realized how close it was to the colors for the Splitcoast color challenge. I changed this card to comply with the challenge (as long as my water is a neutral color- well most of the time it is clear that is neutral right?)

Close up of the little froggy and quilled water lilly.

These are the punches I used for the flower and the little froggy.

I'm Hiding!!!

Close up view of the flower

Today is Teapot Tuesday on Cindy's blog. She had the cutest little froggy teapot. Today we were to bring our little froggies and a come to her lilly pond. One lilly pad per person. I had a little froggy all made and he decided to hide. He heard that last week teaparty ladies were talking about eating escargot in France. He figured if they were crazy enough to eat snails that he wasn't safe. So he has decided to stay hidden until the teaparty is over. I quilled this water lilly. The inside is a fringed coil made of pink, yellow and white cardstock. I then cut little white petals that I glued around the edges of the coil. I made my lilly pad out of a circle of green cardstock. I cut a ragged edge around the outside and I cut a v shape towards the center. I stamped the top of the lilly pad with my itty bitty backgrounds. I put the lilly and pad on a piece of paper that my friend Peggy gave me. It looks like it has water droplets on it. It seemed perfect for today's card. I added a ribbon and a black base. Do you think it looks at all like the photo I took on Sunday?

CAS thinking of you Sabrina

I made this card for the Splitcoast Clean and Simple Challenge. It was a sketch. I had this designer paper scrap on my desk from a card that I made last week. I added a ribbon, stamped a sentiment and added two little flower embellishments from my friend Sabrina.(hence the title of this card) A very simple and a very quick card, but I really like how it turned out.

Quilled Sampler and porcelain paper butterfly

The Splitcoast Stamper Technique Lovers Challenge today was quilling. This is right up my alley. They even used one of my older quilled cards as an example. What an honor. I was so excited. I called this card a Quilling Sampler because it has several different quilling techniques. It has coiled, fringed, punched and quilled flowers. I used a piece of designer cardstock that had flowers on it and I used that as my guide for my flowers. I used the porcelain paper technique on my butterfly. I hope to post some quilling tutorials and the porcelain paper tutorial sometime this week.

Some new photos to share

This is a photo that I took of lillies on the Mississippi river. We were taking my oldest son to scout camp. These lillies looked so pretty that I had to pull off in a scenic pull of to take a photo of them.

This is a photo that my oldest daughter took yesterday. We have a heard of deer (Is a group of deer a heard? I don't know.) that live in the woods near our house. This one was just standing by the edge of the woods yesterday and she grabed my camera and shot this really quickly before he got away.

Faux Bamboo tutorial

Here is the bamboo tutorial that I promised last week.

Joy-Tulips

I made this card for the Splitcoast Stampers Inspiration Challenge. I choose to take my inspiration from the tulips in this room. I stamped the tulips and scored 3 lines on either end of the panel. I colored the tulips with prisma colored pencils. I added 3 little rhinestones to each side. I matted the tulip panel with yellow and green the colors of the room. I also tied two ribbons. I stamped the sentiment with black stazon ink. I was going for a Clean and Simple look.

Long-Tall card with NO stamps allowed

I made this card for the Stampin B Design Team challenge. Vicky challenge everyone to make a long-tall card without using stamps. It also fit yesterday's Ways To Use it Challenge to use charms. I made my charm out of a chipboard flower covered with dp, pink beads, and pearl beads and wire. I hung my flower charm on a pink ribbon. I made my base using paper lace technique. I punched little flowers and added pearls. I also punched a big flower. My sentiment was a sticker that I have had for so long I forgot where I got it. I am going to send this card to my friend Anne. I was thinking about her the whole time I was making this card.

Farm Inchies

I made this card for the Splitcoast Stampers Limited Supply Challenge. Today's challenge was to use something that has a motor. I thought of this little tractor. I scored frames for my inchies. I stamped the images using black stazon ink. I made my own paper lace. I used my computer to print out a template. I traced and cut out the lace and used my paper piercer to make the holes in the lace. I tied a red gingham ribbon at the top of the paper lace panel. I did faux stitching around the edges.

Old School Charm

I made this for the Splitcoast Stampers Ways To Use it Challenge. It was to use a charm on the card. I have only a few charms in my collection of embellishments. It just so happened that I had sorted through my embellishments so I knew right away where my charms were. I had this little bow. I tried it on several images, but I liked it best on this one. This image is one that I recieved from my friend Ginny. She sent me a package this week with all sorts of new images to play with. I printed the sheet music with my computer on cream colored cardstock. The base of the card was made with a piece of designer paper that my secret sister at church gave me. It has a lacy printed design at the bottom. I cut along the edge of the lace and made a pocket to stick the sheet music into. I taped it back together on the back. I added the little pearls, a cream colored ribbon bow. I used my paper piercer on either side of where I wanted the bow charm to go. Then attached it with a small piece of wire. The image was colored with prisma colored pencils.

My son's boyscout photography merit badge

My son started working last night on his photography merit badge for boy scouts. The two of us had been discussing the requirements. As we were driving home, we saw this tree out in a field with the evening mist rising from the ground and the sun setting behind it, silhouetting it. I always carry my camera with me. I turned the car around and my son jumped out. He ran through the field and took this photo. We talked about with photography we never know when the opportunity for a photo will occur, so it is good to be prepared. We were both very proud of this photo.