Little Donkey in the pasture...

Last week I had decided to make "manly" cards on Monday...I picked this little donkey out yesterday  but didn't get it done until today.   I give cards to my sister since she and her husband send out so many birthday, graduation, you name the occasion and she is always needing more masculine cards.   They aren't as much  fun to make.   But this little guy captured my heart. The sketch challenge is 573 over at Just Add Ink and it worked to well for adding color and texture to my card.     I wanted to emboss the base and I was flipping through my folders and found this one,  I think it works well, since I'm sure when donkey gets his run on he can kick up some dirt!  I used "plaid tiding" SU and the base is ctmh (I love how embossing it gives a sanded appearance.  I used markers for coloring, but I have ordered SU water color pencils and I think that will be easier and look much nicer.  I always use Intense Black from CTMH to stamp my images with, it just works so well for me!  It really is quite simple, but I think it's fun!  
  Thanks for stopping by,   Kathy

 

A cat and her Mini Farthing...

 

I am far from a genuis, but somehow a few days ago, I stumbled onto the Einstein Inspiration Challenge Blog.

where the inspiration #14 photo shows  a cat circling a bike.    The focal points are the bike and the cat, now what you do with that, oh well, let's see..   I ran across a set of acrylic bike stamps and sentiment at Hobby Lobby by Bo Bunny (on sale) and I borrowed an SU Cat stamp set complete with punch from my SU Demonstrator/Friend.   I chose a bicycle with a super huge wheel and a tiny wheel and proceeded to do research finding some interesting facts.  Also known as a high wheeler, the penny-farthing was the first machine to be called a "bicycle." Popular in the 1870s and 1880s, it had a large front wheel, where the rider sat, and a much smaller back wheel. It got its name from the British penny and farthing coins, with the former being much larger than the latter.   I needed to come up with a cover story for why the cat I'm using is only slightly smaller than the Bicycle,  So I put the card together using some fall colors, because my niece April was our family's sweet sweet  September baby.  OOPs I will need to use a belated birthday wish in the inside of the card.   But now the back story....A reliable British source states that there is cat Phoebe living in London with an interesting lineage.   It seems that about 25-50 greats back (even though they have 9 lives - their mostly short ones and there are other circumstances of demise) back to the story,  she had a grandmother who's owner made her a mini penny farthing bicycle and she performed in circuses all over Europe, becoming quite famous and the bike was handed down from mother to daughter until becoming Phoebe's prized possession.   Sadly dear Phoebe's Circus Riding was short lived after she tore her ACL attempting a death defying jump over the clown car  After surgery and weeks of therapy she only rides for pleasure and  will never see the bright lights of the big show again. I think my niece who not only enjoys biking but also loves cats, will find her card amusing and fun.. Her  card is going in the mail today!   One more point of interest.   It was AFTER I had the card completely made that I decided to a search on cats riding a Penny Farthing and that's when I discovered the bottom Photo....so just maybe,  Phoebe's story is not so far fetched after all!    

Hebrews 4.16 Floral card

This is the first time I have attempted both challenges over at TSOT..  The verse is Hebrews 4.16 and  I rotated the sketch because of the shape of the verse, a stamp from Verve (no longer in business).   The Dahlia and leaves are from Fun Stampers Journey (I think they are now a part of Spellbinders).   The DSP is from the SU collection Penguin Playmates.  I used SU Markers for the flower and leaves and added the new fresh freesia gems.    Thanks for stopping by, Kathy

 

Warm Winter WIshes

My box from CTMH containing the slimline card bases and envelopes arrived just in time for this sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches # 504.   The DSP and Cut-Outs are from SU Penguin Playmates.  This DSP is just so adorable!    Plan A had me placing the DSP  halfway up the card and the sentiment being stamped on the white part,..but when you smear the sentiment, then you go to plan B.   It turned out sweet,  I just love these little critters and fussy cutting them out of the paper was easy   I brushed their cheeks with Nuvo glitter gloss aqua shimmer and added ribbon (shaded spruce) from a paper pumpkin box a couple of years ago!   I will send it as an encouragement card this winter!       Thanks for looking!   Kathy

 

Psalm 126.3

Using DSP papers from my stash I created today's card for Tuesday Morning Sketches and WORDart Wednesday., using one of the verses that I have saved on my computer.    Using the pattern on the backside of the print I made the green tabs folded back under to look like loops.    Thanks for stopping by,   Kathy

 

Pink Daisy Card

 

A few days ago I discovered the Retro Rubber Challenge, which is perfect for some of us who have stamps that retired long long ago!     Today's card features the SU hostess set "Bloom with Hope."   Such a sweet set I have used it on numerous occasions through the years.   Everything used on my Daisy Get Well Card is retired except for the SU Polished Pink and Soft Succulent markers and the Soft Succulent cardstock.    Thanks for visiting,   Kathy

Diaper Pens Boy Baby card....

 When I looked at the sketch over at Paper Craft Crew, I kept seeing diaper pens, I decided to make this card for a baby boy, but I just now remembered a girl in my church life group who is having a daughter next March, so I will have to make one in pink now!.    The paper is twinkle twinkle SU DSP.   My SU demonstrator friend had given me tow sets and 1 die cut set for babies (includes these diaper pins and onesies and such and my favorite the little baby hanger)   I used the pool party striped ribbon in the new occasions book and the Hello Baby is from a set So Sentimental with die cuts (SU also retired)... I have trying to use up my stash, although we all know that will never happen, I have a good bit of stuff I've just purchased.     It came together fairly easily and pretty quickly...I think it is a very nice baby shower card.   Thanks for stopping by and comments are very appreciated.     Kathy

 

Vintage Airplane Birthday...

 

As of today, every Monday is officially "Manly Monday."   I am going to post a masculine card each Monday.  Because, creating a masculine look is  very challenging, or at least for me, if I am going to have any cards to send to the guys in my life and  guy cards to share with my sister, I am going to have to be intentional about it.   I am "kicking" things off today using the latest sketch over at TSOT.   All that I used is truly vintage (retired) from CTMH (not in current books but may be on website).   I just love this plane set and used vellum to stamp the clouds (this set came with dies, which was so helpful-I used another birthday stamp set for the sentiment.   I am not sure of the colors but the blue worked for the sky, kind of telescoping the bird's eye view of the plane. The embossing folder   It is always fun participating over at TSOT, it's an opportunity to hone my cardmaking skills...Thanks for stopping by.  Stay healthy and have a great week,    Kathy

Cut Out to be Friends...

Fabric is so appealing to me, so when I saw this sketch at Freshly Made Sketches for this week, I immediately thought of swatches!    This led me to an SU set that is now retired, Crafting Forever and the paper from CTMH is also retired.     for the bow on the scissors I used some actual thread from my sewing basket and the dots are from the current SU catalog pg 31.    The embossing folder I think is supposed to be waves on the beach, but it also works to create the look of fabric folds.    I've been making cars all this week and have visited lots of challenge blogs.   This hobby really keeps the gray  matter active!    Thanks for stopping by,   Kathy

 

Turquoise Flower...

I discovered a new interesting challenge card blog this morning, The Flower Challenge and the current challenge #60 is the color Turquoise.  The above picture shows what I found to work with, a retired  SU marker tempting turquoise and some thread from a past SU Paper Pumpkin kit and some glimmer dots that I colored with a sharpie. I used Beautiful Place DSP from the current SU Occasions catalog (just love it).

The sentiment is from Needle and Thread and the flower is from Petite Petals (both of which are retired).   I enjoyed the challenge and came up with a sweet card!    Thanks for stopping by, stay safe and comments are so welcome.     Kathy

 

Floral Swag...

Just sharing the process of making this card.  The sketch at Tuesday Morning Sketches appears to be a slimline card, a style that CTMH is making popular this year.  I just ordered some of their cards and envelopes.    I made the base for this card by cutting basic white cs 7 x 8 1/2 to get an 8 1/2 by 3 1/2 size.   Inspired by my night dress I had hanging up after laundering, I cut a misty moonlight piece that completely fit the slimline card base and put it through my big shot using a large dot folder (turning it and matching dots on other end and putting back through.   It matched up very well to do this.   My watercolor pencils need to be updated and I knew I would not get a very deep color for the flowers so I thought it would look better on blue than a white background (maybe, maybe not)   The sentiment is from Loads of Leaves SU a set which I really am enjoying using (love the font).    I topped it off with three jewel look embellishments from last years SU catalog.     I did discover that a long card was harder to crop and so had to leave it like I took it!     Also I am linking to a challenge that I have never done before, but it's over at Pammie's Inky Pinkies where "Anything Goes"  PIP challenge2137.   Another place to get ideas!   Anyway thanks for stopping by, stay safe!   Kathy

 

Hope changes everything...

 

When I saw the TSOT sketch for this week, I was puzzled, what did I have to use?    Then I was inspired by this card  submitted by Laurie Unger over at Addicted to Case code word LEAF.    I pulled out a current SU set and dies and absolutely one of my favorite,  Loads of leaves and Stitched Leaves Dies.   I followed the sketch and kept it clean.  Using my SU trees folder, I embossed the card base.   The DSP paper was from CTMH (don't recall the name).  To give added texture, I used a pinking shear edging die for the white panel, the leaves came from turning over the striped dsp and using the other side.      I went with Hope Changes everything because of a remarkable truth one of our elders shared in His online teaching of Eph 15-23 this past Sunday.   Paul in writing these verses uses the word hope in verse 18, "that you (Believers) might know the hope of His calling."    The word hope speaks of the certainty of God's promises, not wishful thinking we often say to people such as hope you get well.   So the sentiment "Hope changes everything" is a reminder to me to all believers in Christ as well that my trust in God is where it needs to be despite how things are going on around me and the circumstances of my life, even when especially when I don't understand,  My hope rests in God's promises and His love for me.     An old song but a good one is  On Christ the Solid Rock.    If you have time listen to this Acapella Virtual choir of around 300 voices children 6 to seniors 73 so beautiful and how artistic to bring it all together---it would require more time at the end of the song John Wesley tells about how it came together.

Now back to the card.   I tried adding some enamels, sequins etc and as I looked at possible choices.  I realized the best choice was to put nothing.  It's been a hot summer and I am so happy the weather is cooling where I am, and I love  how beautiful the trees are when they change to the reds, yellows and burnt oranges.  But I get saddened as the days get shorter and winter is approaching and the leaves are falling.   But   "Hope Changes Everything"     Please feel free to comment with tips etc. if you see something I might to think about next time.   I confess, that almost every time just when I get my post completed, I think of something else I could have done to add more interest to my work.   Thanks so much for stopping by,        Have a good week and stay safe!

Kathy

Vintage Birthday bling!

Humor and bling are two things that challenge me in cardmaking.   But since I have 2 CTMH stamp sets, I haven't used very much I decided to make this card.    It came to mind when I was looking on the Less is More blog #451 Sparkle challenge.   Just Add Ink challenge is to Just add Lines (so I chose squiggly ones)

Let's just say that since I wear glasses, if I were sewing without them, this is what it would like (probably like this even if I had them on.)     I am also linking to Seize the Birthday Challenge "anything goes.     Three fun challenges!   The color is polished pink from the new SU in color collection.   When I first saw this color with my Demonstrator/friend, I commented that I would never use it.   I got all the ink pads anyway and so far it's the only color I have used out of the collection.  Including this one I have made 3 cards (click to see the other 2).      Thanks for stopping in and be safe!          Kathy

 

Grays with Pop of Red

Poinsettia again, love this old SU set!    I think it worked well with the SU Peaceful Place DSP.   I stamped the poinsettia on a piece of the DSP and then for lack of another option I dotted the berries with glossy elements and sprinkled with prisma glitter!  The card opens vertically.  It's design is this week's sketch at FreshlyMade Sketches and I am also linking over at CAS Christmas  (plaid).   This is the second card I have made for this challenge today.    Thanks for looking,    Stay well!

Kathy

 

Joyful Christmas

The poinsettia is such a beautiful symbol of Christmas.   I have had this SU Joyful Christmas stamp set for several years now and it remains one of my favorites.   The poinsettia is large so I decided to do a 5 x 7 card...It's been so long I don't remember making this size card ever.   I am participating at Tuesday Morning Sketches and Addicted to CAS (leaf) and Christmas Card Challenge Blog (plaid).   I used the Peaceful Place papers from the current SU occasions catalog.    To stamp my image and the poinsettia I used Intense Black from CTMH, it is my favorite permanent ink of all time!      Thanks for looking, and stay safe by wearing a mask, we are not there yet, but hopefully someday Covid will be in hand.     Kathy

 

Several shades of yellow...

Today's card follows the sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches.   Their sketch was perfect for what I had in mind to do.   When I saw the vertical birthday sentiment in the Celebrate with Flowers stamp set in the current catalog I knew I had to have it.   A long time ago I owned a birthday set from CTMH that had a smaller vertical birthday sentiment, but I have not seen another one since that set.    I love a monochromatic look and I think the papers are crushed curry and bumblebee but there may be another color in there somewhere.   I'm also linking the card to Seize the Birthday challenge "anything goes."   Thanks for stopping by,  comments appreciated!            Kathy

 

Birthday Bouquet

Today I'm playing beat the clock, trying to get my card linked to Tuesday Morning Sketches before the link closes.    I found the sketch a bit of a challenge and didn't get my card made until just now (less than 30 min. to post).      Thanks for looking have a safe week!

 

Colorful Thank You Card....

Creating with color is a challenge.   But for this card, I decided to pull out all the stops.   The verdict is out....the only new product is the Evening Evergreen SU card base.  I computer generated the panel with the horizontal stripes.   I really wasn't sure what colors it would be.    The sketch is from Try Stampin on Tuesday and I used a sentiment to meet the criteria over at Global Design Project.    Thanks to all of you for stopping in.  Comments are welcome.     May all of you stay safe and healthy!         Kathy