Running With Scissors...

Embracing the White Space

I spent some time over the weekend working on the 22 card order I recently committed to, six of which are sympathy cards.  This is one of them.

I don’t charge a lot for my cards.  In fact, the price is too embarrassingly low to mention, and because of that, I’ll frequently keep them clean and simple.  Not always, but a few CAS cards balance out the cards I put more work into as I charge the same price for all of them.

Now, the thing is, I love this card – no bows, buttons, brads, designer paper.  A length of pretty lace and an embossed border are all that enhance the stamping.  Quick, easy, and very mail friendly.  When I was done with it I felt good.  I’ll be making more CAS cards and, in fact, have already finished several in the time it normally takes me to make one of my cards.

The floral image is a Hero Arts solid rubber stamp which I inked up with Stampin’ Up! markers in Always Artichoke, Ruby Red, and Basic Black.  After stamping I partially edged the image with the fine tip of the marker in the same colors, then went over it with a Tombow blender pen (NOT the same as a Copic colorless blender pen).

The sentiment is one of my newer sets – Stampendous Sincere Sentiments.  Lots of ideal sympathy and thinking of you–type sentiments for inside and out.  I’m happy that I’ve finally given it a good dose of ink.

Enough about this card.  I shouldn’t spend longer writing about it than I did making it, right?  I hope you enjoy it.  Have a lovely day!

Stamps:  Hero Arts flowers (old), Stampendous Sincere Sentiments  Paper:  Flourishes Classic White  Ink:  Always Artichoke, Ruby Red, and Basic Black Stampin’ Up! markers, Memento Tuxedo Black  Accessories:  Lace, Cuttlebug Textile embossing folder

A Little Sparkle for the Holidays

Hello!  It’s been a while, I know.  I found it easier to set the computer aside and concentrate my attention on LuLu’s training.  Just like Wally was, she’s an amazingly good puppy.  She hasn’t torn anything up yet, she listens when I speak, sits when I tell her to.  She’ll potty when I tell her to, also, but, believe me, I’d better be there when she runs for the door.  Bladder control is not one of her strong points yet.

Stamping happens when she sleeps or right after a potty break.  I took advantage of that one afternoon and made another Christmas card for my meager collection.

I used Flourishes’ Holiday Sparkle.  Five stamps from the set on one card made me feel as though I’d given it a good run.  It would be lovely to think I might play with it some more before the cards go in the mail, but I’m makin’ a list and checkin’ it twice to be sure I give all my new sets a chance.  By the way, the sentiment is in one of the new Tailor-Made for Flourishes dies by Spellbinders – Classic Keyhole Die Set.  It was just the right fit for the sentiment, and though I don’t yet have the gorgeous companion stamp set, I know I’ll find plenty of uses for the dies.

I colored the icicle ornament, bow, and evergreen bough with these Copic markers:

I applied Stardust Stickles glitter glue to the icicle, Frosted Lace Stickles to its snowy top and to the evergreen bough, and Platinum Stickles to the cap just under the bow.  The pink snowflakes were embossed with glittery powder which may be more apparent in the next photo -- more so if you click to enlarge it. 

The scene in the following photo is what I like to see when I feel like stamping:

Ahhhh… peace on earth!  Have a happy day!

Stamps:  Holiday Sparkle (Flourishes)  Paper:  Flourishes’ Classic White, Rose Red textured, Memory Box Yuletide designer paper  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, ColorBox pink pigment ink, Rose Red, Copic markers for coloring  Accessories:  Stickles glittler glue as mentioned above  Accessories:  Rhinestones, Martha Stewart edge punch, Flourishes Classic Keyhole Die set by Spellbinders

Christmas Card Progress

I’m crawling forward on my Christmas card production little by little.  I’m not pushing myself to handcraft all my cards this year, but if it happens I’ll be pleased.  I’m more focused on trying to use all the new Christmas stamps I’ve acquired recently because once the season passes I won’t see them again for a year.  There’s no sense kidding myself about starting on Christmas cards in the middle of summer.  It’s just not likely to happen.

So today I’ve brought out one of the sets JustRite released this year.  It’s called Warmest Wishes.

I’ve used Tombow Markers for watercoloring on 90 lb hot press watercolor paper.  A resin brad holds a glittery gold sprig in place – my only embellishment as I was trying to minimize bulk.  The designer papers are from the BasicGrey Jovial collection, but I also worked a little more of my sheet music into the design.  This time I smudged it with Adirondack Sandal ink to tone down the white.

These are the markers I used for coloring:

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.  I’ll catch you back here next week.  Take care!

Stamps:  JustRite Warmest Wishes  Paper:  Red, cream Bazzill textured, 90 lb hot press watercolor, BasicGrey Jovial designer paper, old sheet music  Ink:  Palette Noir, Adirondack Sandal, Tombow Markers for watercoloring  Accessories:  Imaginisce resin brad, gold glitter branch, Spellbinders Labels Eighteen (S4-310), Classic Ovals Small and Large, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Does it Look Like They’re Getting Along Okay?

First, here’s our little LuLu.  Isn’t she pretty?

Wally thinks so, too.  He looks happy in this picture.  Hanging around outside while Mom and Dad work in the yard is a whole new and better experience now.

A little inside playtime.

A little cuddling.

And finally – sleepy time.

Yup… life just got a whole lot better.  Have a happy day!

It’s the Season of Thanks

I was beginning to wonder if I’d ever finish this card!  Since we brought LuLu home I’ve been inexplicably tired, dragging through the work day and spending the rest of my time establishing a routine with Wally and LuLu.  I had a headache for three days, and (ahem) some other discomfort, but it wasn’t until the chills and achiness hit me Friday night that I realized I had a mild bug of some kind.  Darn those bugs!  By Sunday I was feeling a little more perky and I managed some time in the stamp room.

It looks like this may be my one and only Thanksgiving card this year.  I’ve used Flourishes’ A Season of Thanks and watercolored on 90 lb hot press watercolor paper with Tombow Markers.  Every image in this set is simply wonderful, and if I had my druthers, I’d color every one of them.  In reality, however, I had to choose one for starters and leave the rest to chance.

It’s hard to not spend all my time following Wally and LuLu around with a camera.  They’re so cute together!  More photos of them in a day or so.  For now, I think I’ll go indulge myself in a little more of that puppy love.  I have a lot to be thankful for.  See you soon!

Stamps:  A Season of Thanks  Paper:  Dark brown Bazzill textured, More Mustard, 90 lb hot press watercolor, 7 Gypsies Gypsy Market designer paper  Ink:  Palette Noir, Chocolate Chip, Adirondack Sandal (for sponging edges of image panel), Tombow Markers for watercoloring  Accessories:  Silk ribbon, copper nailheads, SU! Modern Label punch, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Wally and a Little Something Extra

I was pretty busy this weekend and didn’t get a chance to finish the card I was working on.  We took a trip out of town to pick something up and, of course, Wally went along.  He loves road trips and all the neat places we stop along the way.

He’s always pretty tuckered out when we get home and likes to curl up with a blankie and a toy for a nap on the couch.

But, what’s that “little something extra” I mentioned – the something we went out of town to pick up?  Well, it’s very little…  Here’s a hint:

Can you guess?

It’s probably a pretty good hint, isn’t it?

Okay, here she is!

I’d like you to meet Wally’s new baby sister, LuLu!!!

She was pretty tired when we got home, too.

I wish I had better pictures but, believe me, I’ve had my hands full just working out the Wally/LuLu routine.  I need to make LuLu feel loved and welcome without disrupting Wally’s routine and making him feel uncomfortable or slighted.  LuLu has bonded with me like Super Glue, but she also thinks the sun rises and sets with Wally.  On Sunday, when she first joined us, Wally wasn’t too sure about her, but as I write this Monday night, he’s already decided she might be pretty fun to play with.  The two of them are trying to figure each other out as to how far they can go.  There’s such a huge difference in their sizes, but Wally has been very gentle with her.  He’s going to be a wonderful big brother.

We’ve been planning this for a while, but once our decision was made, we had a hard time finding a litter.  LuLu is from Washington state.  The breeder was making a delivery in Portland, OR and agreed to meet us in Eugene.  He said he actually prefers doing deliveries because he likes to see the prospective home of his pup.  That was reassuring to me, too, knowing our little LuLu had been so well cared for.  I sent him a link to the Wally category of my blog and that was reassurance enough for him.

So here she is, asleep at my feet:

And Wally is happy and relaxed at his usual spot on the couch:

There are going to be good times ahead.  Thank you for being here to welcome LuLu into our lives.

Comic Relief

Okay.  I don’t have a Christmas card today.  Or a beautiful floral.  What I do have is three old geezers.  Or the same old geezer three times.

I bought this Art Impressions guy and the sentiment to go with him at my local scrapbook store quite some time ago.  I’m hurting for guy stamps of the sort the guys I know might like to see on their cards, so I cozied right up to this one.  Are you guessing I know a lot of old geezers with a sense of humor?  Well, you’re right!

I sat right down and colored four of these, but I just last weekend finished the last of the cards.  No more buying stamps and tucking them away to be forgotten.  I’ve got quite a list to check off and I'm just getting started.

The first card is the one I had the most fun with.  It uses the Art Impressions sentiment I bought to go with the geezer guy, but what I got the biggest kick out of was the sheet music I used in the background.  It’s real sheet music which was very graciously sent to me by a blogging friend, Linda, after I’d commented on her card here.  Wasn’t that nice?  Thank you, Linda!  I mean, it’s perfect!  There he is, dancing and singing “Doodle oodle oodle, doodle oodle oodle”.  I really hope no one’s watching who can have him committed.  The song is “A Bushel and a Peck” from Guys and Dolls.  This may not be what I visualized doing with the sheet music, but it was too irresistible to pass up.

Stamps:  Art Impressions  Paper:  Bermuda Bay, Flourishes Classic Ivory, Tangerine Tango, old sheet music, My Mind’s Eye Out of the Blue designer paper  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Bermuda Bay, Copic markers for coloring  Accessories:  Bermuda Bay ribbon, Spellbinders Standard Circles Large, Classic Scalloped Circles Lg S4-124, Cuttlebug Swiss Dot embossing folder, Fiskars Paper Edgers (scissors), Scotch brand foam mounting tape

The next card is the most simple, made in minutes considering the image was already colored and cut, and the designer paper is scraps left from the first card.  I think it works, though.  Love those simple cards.  I was surprised by how many sentiments I have that work with this stamp.  This one is from a Stampin’ Up! set called Edgy Eloquence.  The white cardstock is Flourishes Classic White.

Finally, I made two of this last card.  One was for my husband’s birthday and the other was for a friend who wanted an identical card.

Stamps:  Art Impressions, Stampin’ Up! Smarty Pants sentiment  Paper:  PTI Pure Poppy, Flourishes Classic White, My Mind’s Eye Out of the Blue designer paper  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic Markers for coloring  Accessories:  PTI Pure Poppy twill ribbon, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

I think I can put him away for a while now.  Moving on.  I hope you enjoyed!  Have a great day!