The digital nativity

Such is the age we live it...have a look, I would love to know what you think!  I am amazed at the creativity...reaching peeps my simple card never would.

Paper from wood, ink from plant material, a sentiment:  Simply Grateful for the priceless gift of Jesus.

Blessings to you, 

under the golden gate...

I have found a new challenge that takes me back to my beginnings of paper crafting, thanks to Jean, who's blog is BlueBird Paperie It's called Tag Tuesday's Challenge sponsored by Kard Krazy (Louise) blog. My very first work was with tags and I thought I would never get the hang of creating cards!

The Inspiration Challenge today on SplitCoast was an amazing artist who uses a sewing machine as her tool. Myuki Sakai inspired me to dust off the Golden Gate image from Inkadinkadoo for my tag. I've long wanted to create something that I could use this photo of my DH, old long board surfer dude. I took the original into PhotoShop, resized the image, enhanced the 'oldish' picture and printed it for my tag. The wavy paper (October Afternoon) as the photo scene paper of hills and sky (WUBE) on the front and the vintage postcard on the back add to the '60's vibe, don't you think? Rubber Souls' hippy bus was a no brainer! I craved the windows out to take advantage of that gorgeous view over the 'gate.

I had a great time working out this creative challenge...I'll be looking for them on Tuesday's.

The Color of Winter

To say I was inspired by the Moxie Fab World Trigger Tuesday this week would be an understatement. I loved the monochromatic color palette, the texture of the sweater, and the quirky dressmakers form. It did have to grow on me until I could create. But wouldn't you knitters (too) out there agree with me...the fun with knitting is watching your work grow with each row.

I knew this Dawn Houser (Inkadinkadoo) dress form would be a good stand in. I have a great vintage light bulb from Gumbo Graphics that I used on top of the form. It was popped on dimensionals. The lace for my sweater was from my stash. I cut it apart and used the top for the arms and the rest for the body. Those tiny yellow buttons are from the vintage button stash. I had drew and colored the sweater collar. The sentiment is the last part of a neat saying about spring being the color of flowers. Thanks Nicole at Prickley Pear Stamps for the RAK. It was inked with Tim Holtz DI in Walnut Stain. Mulberry paper is underneath. The card base was stamped with Stamp Francisco's lace image in VersaMark and embossed with clear ep. A Tim Holtz postage diecut runs up both sides of the main image.

The Color of Winter is in the IMAGINATION. I agree with Terri Guillenets! I can close my eyes and be on my favorite beach in Kauai...then winter would be all turquoise, sea glass, and ocean green...how about you, what is your color of winter?

the reward...

Yeah, I love to combine challenges! And the Inspiration Challenge on SCS and the 365 Card Day 237 Stamp on a Card and Envelope matched up perfectly tonight. When I saw Leah Giberson's series of travel trailer posters, I knew I had to give it a go using stamps and paper to recreate her wonderful work.

I used the Inkadinkadoo clear Travel Trailer set for my envelope flap, a border stamp of 5 different trailers and the largest trailer for the card. The lawn lounge is a Stampa Barbara image that I cut down from the chaise I used in my 'As the leaves turn'... card to make a chair. It is always nice when a stamp can serve double duty. If you are interested in the specifics of products used on

this card, please go here.

There is a wonderful blog that has showcased the Sisters on the Fly. They are a group of women who have restored travel trailers and have joined together to celebrate a love of fishing. Check out this blog posting, you won't be sorry! Or how about the 'We Can Do It, Ladies'. These gals have me thinking...maybe we could start a group of stampin' artists pulling up trailers all 'round the country. I can think of only one real limitation.....space for all the stuff we need to create!

Happy Weekend, dear readers.

Futtering from the Autumn Tree

Happy Friday all, I don't know about you, but that last look of the night round the challenge blogs, often leaves me burning the midnight oil. This was just the case today with Sharon's ssnotime160, Back to Nature. I am definitely in my element once the calendar hits September. Just as Emily Bronte said, " Every Leaf Speaks Bliss to me fluttering from the Autumn Tree". I love this funky font from Dawn Houser/Inkadinkadoo. Now it has been quite awhile since I've played in Pam's 365 Card challenge, but I couldn't resist the opportunity to create a flip flop card with the video tutorial over in the resource center atSplitcoastStampers.

It was easy to reach for Basic Grey's Indian Summer 6x6 pad. I used the Cuttlebug Leafy Branch to dry emboss the front panel. The bit of chenille trim is wrapped at the top with a vintage lucite/rhinestone button. For the 'swing' sentiment panel I put 7 Gypsies black music paper behind.

For the back, I chose a wonderful rake image from Portifolio, inked with Tim Holtz Frayed Burlap and colored with a silver gel pen and Copics. The small punched leaves are from a HY-Glo 6in1 punch. I used more of the BG Indian Summer.

...and do you do your best creating in the wee hours of the morning or the opposite? Have a wonderful weekend, I hope it is perfect leaf crunching weather!

it's a hullaboo

continuing on with yesterday's lament...here's another card that is late, late, late!  And for my dearest friend, no less!  I enjoyed your sharing your traditions and comments about being on the ball, on time, and some even like me, always behind!!!

The 365 Card Blog challenge for Day 111 was Say it with Stripes.  Well since it is also Cosmo Cricket Week, I had to use this stripey circle paper from the Hello, Sunshine group.  I love the retro '50's patterns.  I added my sentiment (Amy Symthe~Inkadinkadoo) stamping on a glossy green oval cut and dry embossed with the Spellbinder large ovals. The 7 Gypsies red arrow points to the hullaboo.

Writing about hullaboo's reminds me of the teen dance club of the same name.  We wore white patent leather go-go boots and danced the summers away in the  innocence of the late '60's. From Otis Redding to the Herman's Hermits and that slow dance favorite, Whiter Shade of Pale by Procol Harum.  It was a party then and in my heart, I am still that young girl who wants to raise up a hullaboo...

Thanks for having a look and let me know some of your summer favorites...I'd love that!

boy, oh boy, oh boy...

gotta love those boys whose energy seems limitless, not stopping until they collapse in bed at who knows what time.  It's happening again at my house...and do I ever need a nap...or a holiday off to the shore....

My card today is for the 365 Card Blog's challenge to make a boy card.  It's also Cosmo Cricket week, so I had to bring out the Oh Happy Day collection of papers and sentiments.  I tore portions of the paper to make you think of waves, added Inkadinkadoo's cool surfboards, and Art Impressions sentiment and palm trees.  

I'd love to hear what you think...you did survive those days, right????   Anybody~!!!!

another road trip

~~~ down memory lane, to the very first time I saw the Golden Gate Bridge.  It was 1981 and I had come to Northern California on business.  It was July, I had to make a stop in Berkeley for warm clothes...purple cords and a sweater.  And I, forever, identified with Mark Twain, when he said, "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco". Needless to say, I froze sitting at the North Tower vista point hair in my face from the wind and fog.   I've loved that bridge ever since, reading books about the construction, walked over it, sailed under it, driven over it more times than I can count and of course, photographed it.  So today, I add another, create a card to honor it!  

The Friday challenge on SCS is limited supplies...today Judy issued a call for create a card that celebrates some occasion in May.  When I saw the Golden Gate opened in May of 1937...I just knew I had to ink up the Inkadinkadoo image with Tim Holtz's distress ink in Spiced Marmalade!  You can find other details over in my gallery.

Happy Friday, all!  Another full weekend with Babe Ruth games, Mother's and our special day!