Stylish Blogger Award - Who would have thought?

This came as quite a surprise...

Turns out Christine nominated me.  Thanks so much, that was so sweet of you.  I have to admit I'm still quite new and a bit clueless when it comes to blogging but I'm working on it. 

According to the rules, I must list 8 things about myself and must pass on the award to another blog that I follow.  Here are some facts:

1. I am a Christian. 

2. Love making cards for people - last summer I started a card ministry at my church. I send a monthly card to all the elderly members of our church who are either home-bound or in a nursing home.  Inside the card is an encouraging and uplifting sentiment and scripture verse.  

3. I've been stamping/card making since 1998.  Have not purchased a card from a store in over 9 years.  Although I'm quite certain I've spent way more on supplies.

4.  I've been married 10 yrs, to the sweetest man, Mark, who is my best friend.  We met at work - 2 jobs ago for me.  He moved here (WI) from Ohio and I relocated from MN so we started going places together.

5.  No kids or pets

6.  We have 5 nieces and 2 nephews, plus gained 2 nephew-in-law's last summer, age range 10-25.  Both my nieces who married last summer were in our wedding 10 years ago.   

7.  I have 2 older sisters and 1 younger brother.  We are all engineers of different disciplines.  There is a 8 year gap between my sister and myself.

8.  Favorite book (at the moment) is: The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus.     

I saw that Christine had posted about this award, but I guess I did not read down to the last line.  Good thing Christine mentioned it in an e-mail or I would have totally missed it.

Love Laurie and Jen's style too Christine.  It is really hard to choose just one, so I will pick 2.

Angela Kelly - you must check out her blog.  Everything she creates is Fabulous!

Chris Franco - So many amazing ideas, love your blog.  I have so much to learn {sigh}

Have a Blessed Day,
Deb

Card Ideas - Birthday & Baby

Happy 2011 Everyone!

This weekend has been a productive one.  With the half price paper sale I've taken inventory and organized.  It is good to have all my paper in one place again.  

It seems like when I go through my papers (or stamps) I see them again and thankfully was inspired.  That is a really good thing because my niece's birthday is coming up.   

This card uses Miss Moxie - SWIC, cardstock and hardware.  The stamp set is "Tail Feathers", such a cute set, especially for a girl who loves to dance.

I used Copic markers from Caboodles sets C and G...

Y32, 35, 38; YG11, 13, 17; YR12, 15, 18; and R29

I used a 1" circle punch to make the cut out for the eyelet.  The background sky and ground are pastel chalk. 

Inside, I used another image and Happy Birthday from the Tail Feathers set.

I have a second card idea for you.  This one for a baby shower next week.  Yay - baby shower!

This was inspired by a card created by Laurie Willison.  Check out her blog for inspiration, she has an amazing simple-elegant-clean style.  I changed a few things...papers, colors (from girl to boy), added the crimped paper (Laurie used patterned paper with a white scallop edge) but overall the layout is the same.

I particularly loved the details on the image, those I copied...the one rounded corner on the image, the button wheels and brads at each end of the pull.  Great detail, which adds so much.

This is a great stamp set - an all season called Everyday Events.  The image is colored with Copic markers B91, YG93, N1 and N4. 

Hope you enjoyed these card ideas.

Abundant Blessings,
Deb

 

Spring/Summer Thoughts

Hi All,

Last weekend, I was organizing my stamps and mounting a few new sets. With the snow and cold weather I found myself drawn to some new spring and summer sets I've been wanting to use - Peony (Fall Supplement) & Outdoor Adventure (Base catalog).  I was actually coloring these while watching Miracle on 34th Street - weird I know.  I have a feeling it is going to a long winter.

I love peonies - they bloom around my birthday, the pink ones are so sweet and a sure sign summer is on the way.  I used Caboodles Set F, Copic markers and papers.

I was looking through some samples which had rounded corners and thought I haven't used my corner rounder in ages so I pulled it out.  I also pulled out my Cuttlebug and embossing folders. 

Copics: R32, 35, 37, G82, 94, 99, YR21, 23, 24

I love how this card came out.  A great one for upcoming Spring birthdays.

The second card uses Outdoor Adventure.  This fisherman was so fun to color.  I used Copics from multiple sets on this one - Set F with the reds and skin tones from G, blues from set C.

Copics: G82, 94, 99; E55, 57, 59; YR21, 23, 24; B41, 45, 37; R29, 59

This is such a fun set.  If only fishing were this easy, that they jump into the boat.  I'm not sure who this card is for but I'm sure I will find someone to send it to.


Hope you enjoyed some spring images with Christmas just a few days away.


Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
Deb

  

Brayer Blog Hop

Hello Everyone,

Today is the December 11th so for this blog hop, we are experimenting with brayers.  I've had my brayer for years but probably can count on one hand the number of times I've used it.  Sad really, because you can get really beautiful backgrounds and it is really easy.

This is what you need to do a very simple brayer background:

Glossy paper, VersaMark pad (I used "Dazzle Frost"),

 Brayer, Kaleidocolor ink pad (Blue Breeze)

Stamp set - "Ornamental Snowflakes" by The Angel Company

Stamp your snowflakes using VersaMark ink

 My glossy paper is covered with snowflakes

I used Kaleidacolor ink - Blue Breeze. 

I store them separated so the inks do not bleed into each other.

For this brayer technique I slide the pads together.

Ink up my brayer, roll, roll, roll, till the wheel is covered all the way around.

Then roll the inked brayer over our stamped image, back and forth,

until you like the background blending. 

The VersaMark ink acts as a resist, so the Kaleidacolor ink does not stick

and your stamped Versamark image shines through. 

I found, once you like your blending of the background, 

If you roll the brayer on scratch paper to remove ink,

then roll the brayer over the image again,

 you can really remove any residual ink laying on top of the VersaMark

and the image really pops then.

For this card I want to add some ribbon.  This is one of my favorite bow techniques, because it lays flat.  Great for a card you plan to mail.

I'm showing the fold with a scrap piece of ribbon.  The one on the card used a 12" piece of ribbon.  I use a little adhesive to tack down the back loops.

 Then I wrap a scrap piece of ribbon with adhesive on it,

 across the front and around the back.

This is card #1 - Simple Brayer Background with Ribbon Accent

Then I added an image colored with Copic Markers. 

You know I had to do it.

"Cuddly Penguin" a Free gift with purchase stamp from The Angel Company.

The Copic Markers used:

BG01, 05, 09 & BV02, 04, 08 from Caboodle set B

YR 61, 65, 68; Y32, 35, 38 & N1, 4, 7

I used a pointellism technique for the shading.

Base card is Caboodle B Cardstock.

Hope you enjoy the rest of the Brayer Blog Hop!

Christmas Blessings,

Deb