12 Days of Tags, day 7

I have totally gone shabby with on this tag...Tim's day 7 was lovely in it's simplicity and invoked for me this very Victorian style.  My siren song these days is using what I have and as far as the glassine paper, I'll have to wait until we go to our favorite doughnut shop on the weekend...honestly I'm going to get the glassine bags they put the doughnut INTO...not the yummy crunchy, slightly burned apple fritter my husband dearly loves!  Opps, off track...

The base of my card is a 7 Gypsies scripty paper that I rubbed the Distress Stain (Picket Fence) all over.  I stamped the heavenly angel (Tin Can Mail) image directly onto the script paper.  She was colored with a combination of Copics and Dewent watercolor pencils.  That STAR has starlight Stickles laid over the top.  These beautiful beaded wings were a gift from across the pond. Flowers actually that I thought would make wonderful wings...perfect color and dimension.  The book is a Stampington image which I inked onto vintage sheet music paper from the '30's. I backed it with grungeboard adding the vintage German scrap foil along the edges.  The scripture from Luke 2 is a JRL Design stamp.  It was inked with VersaFine Onyx Black and embossed in clear.  I added 'oh happy day' (Wordsworth) along the upper left side of the tag.  Trims to match and a Tim key that has love written on the base.  The number 7 is an epoxy tag.

I shouldn't have favorites, but I think this one is mine.  It tells the whole reason for the season. It speaks of great love and indeed...it was a happy day~o.

Hope your day is filled with blessings,

Susan

12 Days of Tags, day 5

I  loved the vivid color in Tim's tag today, which used reverse stamps, a transparent sheet and alcohol inks.  Amazing is what I say.  And I do hope to play around with the techniques when time allows...just not in the midst of a tag making session.  What that said, I let my Basic Grey Mistletoe and Pear paper stand in for the background. I love the scale of the pretty damask pattern.  The Gloria sentiment is from Wordsworth, inked in VersaColor and embossed with clear ep.  The trims on the right were 'built' with scraps from a decorator book cut with the Ornate Alterations die. I left one side frayed.  The black scallops draw the eye to the sentiment, don't you think?  The tiny wise men is a Rubber Monger stamp that I placed on an acetate panel using Stazon Jet Black.  I really like the scale of the image.  And then a red sticker for #5.

5 days, 5 tags..I must admit I am having such fun bringing my vision to life.  While this one is more of a CAS style, I am happy with the 'weight' of the elements.  Thank you for your encouraging comments.  And I do hope you are playing along.

peace, imagine that...

Happy New Year, one and all.  Just what would our world be like if peace prevailed?

Possibilities...

 

What do you see in the Moxie Fab Tuesday Trigger 'All that Glitters' this week?  I see my favorite color in the whole world...since I was 5...a very long time ago.   It's my Daddy's and my oldest son's too.  I think of it mentioned in the Bible, the color of royalty.  The hue made from plant material.

                                                         

It's the beauty berry outside my kitchen window that feeds the birds all winter.  And as spring arrives the berries hue fades and it's time for the crocus to burst from the frozen ground...I am surrounded. And I love it!  Just in case you can't read the plaque among all those luscious berries, it 'tis:  TODAY is a gift, that is why they call it the Present.  So creating a card was joyful play for me this week.

 

I loved the varying shades of the photograph and decided to bring those in with papers from various Basic Grey groups.  The ribbon is a silk striated trim.  My sentiment from Wordsworth was inked with VersaMark and then Nick Bantock's Damson Plum, embossing with clear.  I stamped it on a shimmery silver and then cut another mat from a more opaque silver paper.  Vintage German scrap was placed under the circle and then along the edge of the two purples. The card base is Brazzill linen.

Thanks so much for stopping by to visit, please tell me what your favorite color is.

Blessings for today and the 'morrow.

Enjoy the show...

Happy end 'o October. And onto November. I am not Halloweenie, but I just had to combine this freebie 100 Proof Press image with the lovely Wordsworth sentiment. It was one of those just had to do's! My card uses the Tim Holtz alterable rustic fence die which I inked with various ChalkBox inks and stapled to the dark night panel. The slim beautiful collage panel is from Memory Box 'Twilight' collection. I paper pieced the skeleton with Basic Grey's Sugar Rush. The sentiment is cut with one of the *umpteenth* labels from Spellbinders.

I am blessed to say my husband sees through all my protective layers and love me when I am unlovable. I suspect he is far more saintly in that way than I. And for that I am blessed. How about you?

I am praying for you...Momento Mori

I couldn't resist creating a card for this weeks Tuesday Trigger Challenge over on Moxie Fab World. The inspiration photo was of an old gravestone. I loved the slightly out of focus image and the shape of the focal. I also wondered about the person whose final resting home was under that stone marker.

I used a fabulous paper from Memory Box 'Twilight' collection which really set the scene! Stampington's Triptych Arch with it's spires seemed just the right home for my praying angel. I added bits of vintage lace trim in the arches. The angel (Diva Impressions unmounted) was stamped three times. Once for the base, again to pop her out of the frame and lastly for another set of wings (this time stamped on vellum). She is colored with Copics. I added copper staples at the bottom, another set of three. Don't you think the sentiment, from Wordsworth belonged in my cemetery?

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by. Have a blessed week.

Inspired Prayer

I've wanted to do a Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge for quite awhile. And this was the week. The scripture was Matthew 6:9-13, which contains the Lord's prayer. This prayer is considered a model of how we should approach God. There are many types of prayer just as there is times for prayer. I truly carry everything to HIM in prayer.

Mona's Joy

I love Mona Lisa. How about you? I think she's got lots of moxie, even being over 500 years old! So I had to bring her out today to pair with the Browning quote from Wordsworth. It took Da Vinci over 16 years to complete her portrait...your smile just might be off kilter, don't you think? Well, it's my quote that looks off balance. When I picked up the stamp, part of it was still on the rubber. So I carefully laid it back down to rub again and now I am seeing double!!!

This sketch is SC303 over at Splitcoast Stampers today. I picked from 'Lime Rickey' Basic Grey papers for my card. The felted black panel is a die from PTI. .

Wouldn't it be a blast to time travel back to 1503? Peaking in on a session with Leonardo...that would be wild joy!

where do those YEARS go...

I decided I would be on time this Father's Day with a card to honor my Daddy (no matter how old a Southern gurl gets, she always calls her father...Daddy)! The thoughtful Emerson quote seemed perfect to use, especially since the 'baby' in our family just crossed the mid century mark. We can't believe we could all be that old...sure don't feel so.

The challenge on SplitCoast today was to create a one layer card. I used Memory Box paper, the Wordsworth stamp and dry embossing with the Cuttlebug.

Thanks for stopping by, hope you're off to a fabulous start on the week.

Living is Joy Enough

it's not that I haven't been creative while I've been away from my blog...we've recently completed remodeling our home and girl oh, girls...the decisions, colors, choices, compromises I've made! Now for months, my art 'studio' was buried as you might imagine with work taking place in every room, on every surface. I'm slowly getting back in the swing of my creative life. And the Free for All today on SCS and Pam's Peep-A-Boo challenge at 365 Cards were to use the inside of your card as the fancy showy part.
I think Emily Dickinson's (Wordsworth) quote about living was the perfect launch! Thanks so much for stopping by and I'd love to hear about your joy.

Signs

What a fun challenge today, Pam! Signs are springing up all over at 365 Card Blog. I couldn't resist using this cool image from Stampers Anonymous! I inked it with VersaFine black and lightly embossed. My words are assorted positive reinforcements. The 'oh, happy day' is a Wordsworth. The 'believe' a K&CO. Hope was taken from an Impression Obsession sentiment. The rest are unmarked. I used a My Mind's Eye discontinued paper for the double layers of grass. Think I'll use this a bookmark in the latest book I'm reading.

Thanks for your comments...have a OH, Happy Day~O!

motherload

No design work here today, either. But I just had to share my mother load score at a "by appointment only" art sale. My neighbor and thrifty gal partner had a blast going through a whole single car garage full of all kinds of art supplies, but can you image our hearts when we got to the back and saw drawers and drawers of stamps labeled by theme? I have wanted the PSX Queen Anne's Lace for a very long time! And the other, oh, I can't wait to play with them!!!

Check out that lefties stamp!!! I asked if I could have a volume discount...and wanna know how much all this goodness set me back??? $30. That's 22 stamps and an unopened Nick Bantock ink pad. Thanks neighbor...keep scouting out those Craigslist ads.

Hope ya all have found bliss in your day.

it's a freakin' party

Oh, do excuse my slang today, but we're havin' a bit of a party over at MotherMarks. She's celebrating her week 52 teapot challenge and well, you know how it can be when the gurls gets together. MotherMark has even lined up the Queen to teach proper teapot etiquette~~~which of course is polite social behavior~~~who knows what this bunch of gurls will do! I hear she's even brought in those big brown hatted guards just in case...

This card for MotherMarks' challenge also fits the 365 Card Blog Challenge to paper piece and the Color Challenge on SCS. Girls, oh, girls is it ever fun to load up on challenges. I used Basic Grey's Two Scoops paper, I mean ya just gotta have balloons at a party and fancy teacups.

So have a look, join in the fun, and if you get a chance, tip a cup or pint our way!

gratitude

I can remember when I was little and would be in a sulky mood, my mother would always say, "there goes Susan with a black cloud right over her head."  I am so glad I can choose to be positive, to see the Silver lining in all the clouds and know it is within me to be joyful!

Pam's challenge today over at 365 Card Blog was a sing-a-long, with Jason Maraz's Rainbow Connection.  I couldn't wait to ink up this awesome Wordsworth Rainbow Swoosh.  My card also happens to fit with the SCS Inspiration Challenge,  lovely packaging, of which I picked this box of chocolates.  I designed the bottom to include punches as the fun gals at Our Creative Challenge issued a call for border punches.  I used SU scalloped punch and a Marvy 3/4 circle punch.

Now if you think about it, doesn't the sight of a rainbow just bring a smile to your face?  It

is a reminder of a covenant promise...I am grateful indeed!

Birthday redux

I had to bring this card back, first of all to complete the idea my brilliant DS had for his own birthday card, and second to enter it into the Gallery Idol 2009 that Paper Craft Magazine is hosting.  I posted this last Saturday and thought it was a great card, but when Andy opened it on Tuesday, he almost immediately said, "oh Mom, it would have been cool if you had the #13 dropping off the back of the truck"!  Now of course, I was thinking, 'now why didn't I think of that'.  So when he was occupied with opening presents, I slipped away to my studio and popped those tiny #13 rub-on's just under the front of the truck. ...to be crushed on first roll.  Thanks DS for your input, it was most welcome!!!

finding joy

 I have long admired this Emily Dickinson quote. In our world today, with it's pulls and holds, these words ring true. I knew I wanted to make the quote stand front and center.  I couldn't resist the tropical plaid ribbon and Basic Grey hot, hot colors.  I used the Swiss Dots embossing folder for more texture, along with Cornish Heritage Farms flowers and lace background. The sentiment is stamped on shimmer white paper using the Labels2 from Spellbinder.  I added an scalloped oval and a glossy black larger mat.  

The sketch is from 2 sketches 4 you. 

to B 14...

...do you remember when you were 14?  I do, it was mini-skirts and Yardley make-up...white lipstick.  I especially remember my 13th birthday as I got a new pocketbook (a Southern term for sure) and inside there were 13 new dollar bills.  I thought I was rich!  My DS, Andy turns 14 on Tuesday.  He's longing for a long board...over 10x's  $13's! But then that is what birthday's are for. 

I thought I would bust out a birthday card for him and make it fit the 365 Card Blog Saturday Challenge, to have everything front and center. I used my favorite pick-up truck image from B-Line Designs.  It was inked with ColorBox Raven Black onto DoubleMates merigold paper. I embossed it in clear ep and colored in the chrome bits with a silver gel pen. It is popped on foam mounting squares.I added an Andy name stamp, #14 rub-on's from Making Memories and the fab, "OH, Happy Day" (Wordsworth).

Health Peace and Sweet Content be yours

Today's Limited Supply Challenge was right down my alley, to use only a sentiment stamp.  I am fond of this Shakespeare quote  from Wordsworth stamps.  And today I am rejoicing with a friend who has come out of three weeks in ICU!  And into a regular hospital room.  The road to recovery is going to be long, but I am so very thankful for these improvements in her health.  And I know she has that contentment that can only come from the Lord.

Our health is our greatest treasure.  Guard it well, my dear readers.