December Inspiration Station

I'm struggling with eye problems post cataract surgeries and fussy cutting which I normally not only enjoy doing and usually do quite well was a  real challenge this week!   It may be one of the drugs I'm on as part of my cancer treatment as well, since it wasn't a problem until this last couple of weeks    For my card I decided to feature a night sky and tree after studying the photo Prompt at Inspiration Station.  I couldn't resist using these 2 little fox cubs who are not only posing for a Christmas photo but also  waiting  so patiently to open their Christmas presents!  Thanks for stopping by and head on over to the  Inspiration Station Challenge Blog and see what inspires you, make a card and share with it us, and if you tell us how the photo prompt inspired you and you may win a nice gift.   Thanks for stopping in.     Smiles,   Kathy

 

Regency Park flower Card...

For this card I used SU Regency Park papers and an SU sentiment.    The inspiration photo inspired me to put the "fussy cut" flowers in a row.  These rows of tulips are just so beautiful and vivid,  but I do love the soft colors I used on my card and the sweet design..  My neighbor's tulips are blooming and they are so gorgeous!  The panel on my card is not perfectly straight, so hopefully it can serve as an inspiration to another crafter, even if it's not perfect.   I've never trimmed paper and put it on the inside of my cards, but decided to do that today. Thanks for stopping by and may you be blessed this Easter.     You are all invited to participate over at Inspiration Station this month!        

The Singing of Birds...

Since today is the first Monday in March we have this beautiful photo to inspire us.   I loved the beautiful green grass tress and water.   It's say "spring" is coming.    This verse is from Song of  Solomon 2.12  and it kept coming to my mind as I looked at this photo and  thought about the beautiful habitat for wildlife, especially birds in the trees and such beautiful grass providing for the sheep a wonderful place to graze... Not just this winter but the last few years have been tough on so many of us.   So I need and love this reminder from God's Word that Seasons change  and in His grace and mercy He sends times of refreshing to the whole earth and to His children.   I tried to add a lot of texture with embossing folders and I love the softness of this hem stitch embossing and die cut set from Spellbinders.   The bird and branch are from SU Friendly Hello (last spring I think Occasions)   I used water color pencils and SU blender pens for the outline images and the solid leaves I stamped a second time in Evening Evergreen and cut and glued to the popped up image!     Thanks for stopping in and please join the fun over at the Inspiration Station Challenge Blog this month.   Smiles,   Kathy  Design Team

Participating at:

Can You Handle the Pressure

used two embossing folders on this card

(twist things with wings)

Cut it Up Challenge

use a die cut and keep it clean and simple

#653  week one (stamp act)

the Bible verse is digital but the bird on branch is stamped

Whimsical Valentine

 

It's time for the February Inspiration Station Challenge and the photo inspired me to create a valentine,   (I think the hearts got to me).  But the photo can inspire wedding, engagement and anniversary cards just as easily!  I think my card will work for the young and the "young at heart" also.    After all you never outgrow valentines, for sending or receiving.    This little guy came with the CTMH Smitten that I bought last year.  I have used several stamps from the set and its' definitely a keeper.   I layered a good bit so since that is the challenge at the Paper Funday Challenge right now, I'm linking it up over there!  Since the theme at Allsorts  is love I'm joining the fun over there also. This card inspired me to use green foliage  on my card. The foliage is my take on Eucalyptus.      Thanks for stopping in and I hope you will join us with a lovely creation during the month of February, for the chance to win a lovely gift REMEMBER to tell how the photo inspired you!         Smiles,  Kathy

Winter Mug of Spring flowers,,,,

It has been a pleasure and a privilege to be a Design Team member at Inspiration Station Challenge Blog for the past few months and I'm looking forward to more fun in 2023.  I love seeing all the beautiful work created by all of you wonderfully talented artists.   I've been looking at today's photo for a few weeks now, since I don't like to wait until the last minute to do "my design creation."    I must admit I was struggling until I ran across this "winter woods" mug at Hobby Lobby this past Monday (day after Christmas).  In addition to card making and paper arts I love to do floral arrangements.  If you are interested in seeing some of my work in this category click here.   When I found this mug,   I knew it was perfect to create a "promise of spring" arrangement for my dining room...so while the color isn't the same I did buy some flowers that were similar in shape to the ones in the photo.  Like the cat I needed some indoor cheer.   The outdoors around my house for the past few days has looked like the outdoors in the photo!     My daughter just loves the arrangement but will not let me give it to her.    However,  she come home (her dad and my house)  frequently so she will get to enjoy it here.   I am so glad you have stopped in and I would love to know what you think.  May your New Year be a fun time of crafting.   Go on over to the Inspiration Station Challenge Blog and check out the Design Team creations and then make your own creation (cards, flowers, anything artistic).   We would love to see your take on this "interesting" photo.  I used to be afraid of photos, but now I really enjoy them.  If you tell us how you are inspired you may win a "goodie."    I am also linking this over at The Outlaws Challenge the paper ala mode (anything but a card).   The challenge is what get's you started and for me, I needed a "floral pick me up."  Again thanks for visiting me.     Smiles,  Kathy

 

"Skating in a Winter Wonderland""Snowman....

 

I'm loving this last photo for 2022 at the Inspiration Station Challenge Blog.   Gotta love this brave marshmallow snowman venturing out into a "hot tub."    I guess marshmallows are used to the heat.   But my snowman decided it would be safer to go skating.      My sweet daughter bought me this adorable little die cut snowman. He was on sale at Hobby Lobby and is a Spellbinders item # S3-455.   I had seen him a few days ago and thought he would be too small.    But he turned out to be a good size,, this card is 4 1/4 by 6 1/4.    I really love this greeting (from an SU paper pumpkin kit) and the paper is from SU Peaceful Cabin (retired).  The small snowflakes are also left overs from a past SU Paper Pumpkin kit as well. Only his head and body are glued down, His arms and legs are free.  It was fairly challenging putting him together with such incy bitsy pieces.  But since he is so cute I will do it again, I think I figured out what to do to make it easier!    Hope you'll head on over to the Inspiration Station Challenge Blog and check out the Design Team Creations.  As always we would love to see your creations and be sure and tell us in what way the photo inspired you for a chance at a free goody!     I'm linking this to 52 Christmas Card Throwdown, where this week the theme is "Snow."   Merry Christmas to all of you!    Smiles,  Kathy

Christmas Stocking Cookie Card....

The Inspiration Challenge Phtoto captures the essence of Christmas Eve.  I  was inspired by the stockings hung by the chimney with care.   I really think Santa might appreciate a plate of Christmas Stocking Cookies this year!   I'm not much of a baker so we'll see how that goes!   This is a card I plan to give a special friend who "bakes" wonderful goodies for the season and I'm on her list.  My family and I just love to get a box of her goodies!   I'll be giving her something kind of boring "money."   But she seems ok with that (even though it's not very personal).  She not only bakes for her friends, she also decorates her yard and those of us who live on her street, get to enjoy all the lights and blow ups as we are out and about each night.  A couple of years ago a gift was left on her porch before Christmas with a card from a lady who thanked her for working so hard in her yard.   It seems that she and her children drove around looking at all the lights during the days leading to Christmas  and then they would vote on whose yard was best and thank them.   My friend still doesn't know who it was, but I agree with this family her yard is super!    So money really is a good gift for her with baking expenses and electricity costs!       She is such a dear friend and she will love this card, especially since I made it with her in mind!        I thank you for stopping by and I really would love for you to come on over to the Inspiration Station Challenge blog and check the design team's beautiful creations and then create something and link it up so we can enjoy what you create!    Don't forget to be eligible for the prize offered you need to share how you were inspired by the Inspiration Photo...        Smiles to all of you and may the LORD bless you this Christmas season.

A Grateful Heart Card...

It's time for another challenge over at the Inspiration Station.   When I see the inspiration photo I feel like bursting into song "Food Glorious Food" from the musical Oliver Twist.   A few weeks ago I ran across "Fall Notes" digital stamp set from Jan's Digital Stamps and I decided it would work perfectly for this challenge.   I printed the image twice and took the png sentiment and saved it as a jpg so I could turn it to fit in the note portion.  My computer is messing up so I ended up printing the sentiment separate separately and running the cs back through to add the "Notes" image. I used colored pencils in fall colors and cut the harvest fruits to pop on the "Notes" panel.   I added some nuvo glitter pen to the grape leaves.  The checked base is a piece from Riley and Friends that I had left over from a kit and since I'm very partial to plaids and checks I love the way it turned out.   Below are the links to the challenges where I am sharing my card.

Inspiration Station Challenge

(to be entered for the giveaway, you will need to share your take away from the Inspiration Photo)

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge

TIC TAC TOE #188

(center vertical)

The Paper Funday Challenge

(optional twist--colors of Autumn)

Jan's Digital Challenge Blog

Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by and may you be blessed this Thanksgiving!           Smiles,   Kathy

 

Connie Fong Sunflower in Pot

 

Wow, what a beautiful sight,  a field of sunflowers!   The beauty of fall has taken me away this year.  I am purposefully enjoying the vast array of colors.   As everyone has experienced, the past few years have been rough and many are still facing unimaginable hardships, so I don't want to take anything for granted any more!   I was inspired to choose one single sunflower for my card!   When I made today's card for the Inspiration Station Challenge, I had no idea how soon I would use it!   This past Saturday I attended a memorial service for Heather Bruno, a co-worker and a friend from my hospital days. Following her passing there were many facebook posts and in one I learned that her favorite flower was the Sunflower, so I gave this to her son Tyler and his family at the service.   She was a wonderful caring person who made a difference in the life of others.    Today's card for Inspiration Station highlights an image and sentiment from the Sunflower in a Pot digital bundle set  by Connie Fong. A wood with lace paper from Shabby Chic  Flowers created the perfect base for this beautiful flower.   I use this digi paper a good bit, it just works for so many occasions.   I love this farmhouse look. The entire image was printed on watercolor paper and I fussy cut it out, cutting through the leaves to trim it close to stalk, then ran it through my Xyron and attached it to panel.   The stalk was painted with watercolor pencils.  The image was printed a second time on regular white CS and  the individual pieces fussy cut  to pop on top of the bottom image to create depth.   I used Castle Arts soft touch colored pencils.   SU rich razzleberrry sequins complete the look~

Thank you Suzanne Reynolds for inviting me to participate over at Double Trouble...I don't know how you all keep up with all that is going on over there, and I would have posted sooner, but I wasn't sure my card met the requirements.    Again thanks so much, you all ae a great team!          Smiles,  Kathy

"Pumpkin to talk about"

 

When it comes to pumpkins at this time of year, we definitely try to "out pumpkin each other."

My card for today showcases a nostalgic digital set from Jan's Digitals called "Fresh from the farm."   I remember riding around in a pickup truck like this one when I was a little girl!  And after seeing it used by several very talented card makers I decided to add it to my growing Jan's digital Collection.      It's great for me to have the already colored option.   Along with my multiple myeloma I have a tremor and sometimes I can't color very well or at least not as well as I want too.   I've made this for the current challenge over at the Inspiration Station Challenge Blog,   Jan's Digital Blog Challenge . The Current Inspiration Station Challenge photo spoke pumpkins to me, the biggest and best, which the sentiment on my card also points out!    I would love for you to join us in this challenge.   You may do any creative project, since you are not  limited to a card.  In order to qualify to win the gift offered, you need to tell us how you were inspired by the photo.    Thanks for stopping by!            Smiles,   Kathy

 PS  I made an insert for inside the card and also some other cards similar to the above design card!  It is a "user" friendly fun stamp set...Check out Jan's Digital Stamp Website

Fall Wreath

my front porch and door  (I guess the banisters remind me of the inspiration photo!

 Today's card is not a card but a wreath, for the current challenge at the Inspiration Station Challenge blog.  The porch in the photo reminded me of my front porch.  The leaves in the photo grabbed my attention.  There is something so special  about the colors of fall leaves.  To make my door wreath I attached individual leaves to a styrofoam wreath using t pins, and the little owls came from a local craft store.   There are so many ways to express yourself artistically and I would love to see what this photo inspires you to create, and if you share what you found inspiring from the photo you will be elegible to win a prize!   Thanks for dropping by,  Kathy  

I am also sharing my fall wreath creation over at the 

Paper a la mode challenge

The Outlawz

Thank you Katrina Brown   (Scrappy Horses) for inviting me!

 

Pumpkin Pal at the fair....

For today's card I used the Harvest Scarecrow set from Jan's Digi Stamps.    One of the things I most like about her collections is the beautifully colored images she includes for use.  Wen you are making lots of cards...it's great to have a this option.    I made six of these to share with the stamp club-swap I belong to locally.   I find that digi images are much easier to cut than trying to cut from designer paper (which I have done to make some really pretty cards.)   I have mentioned many times how easy they store on a flash drive so they don't take up space and you only print what you plan to use.    The above photo inspired me to create this card using one scarecrow with the fall words as the background...perhaps it's a backdrop where they are making pictures of families and children who come to the fair for their scrapbooks and they asked him to demonstrate "an appropriate pose."     Such a cheerful card and fun to make.    I am linking the card to Jan's Digi Stamp challenge for this month and and at Inspiration Station Challenge.  I would love to see what you create and share what inspired you from this adorable photo of  "Scarecrow Row."     Again if you share what inspired you, you will be eligible to win a prize.   So please join us,   I am enjoying such a great variety of art that is shared for each challenge!         So head on over to Inspiration Station Challenge.

Thank you for stopping in and Hugs and Smiles to each of you!         Kathy

 

Hope card....

 

Time for another photo challenge over at Inspiration Station Challenge.    I just love the fall colors and the beautiful and majestic deer in this photo.   For my card I used the Nature's Beauty Stamp Set (SU retired).   I think the deer is a doe...I really don't know much about deer to be honest.    We have lived in our current home for about thirty three years and our subdivision has always been in the city limits of Mauldin, SC.  When we first moved here within a few miles of us was mostly wooded areas, but subdivisions have continued to multiply crowding out the woods.   One morning this past spring my husband called me to the come into the kitchen where he was looking out the window.   In our backyard was a doe and a fawn on the other side of our fence.  We watched them for quite awhile, not sure where they could go actually.     In the fall when the leaves fall from the trees we can see the house on the next street over behind us.  There is just a small narrow strip of wooded area that separates our house and the neighboring houses from those behind us.   I guess their natural habitat is disappearing around them.   This fall, when we separate our hosta, we are going to plant some on the other side of the fence for the deer to eat if any more find their way to us.   All of creation matters so I chose the word Hope.   I would also send this to a friend with breast cancer and October is Breast Health Awareness month!        Thanks for stopping in and make your way over to Inspiration Station and check out what the design team has made and I hope to see your work in the next couple of weeks as well...Be sure and tell us how you were inspired to be elegible for give aways!       Smiles,   Kathy

Vintage Swim Team Birthday Card...

It's been two weeks since I posted a card.   I was at my daughters last week, helping her clean and get rid of stuff since she is going to be sharing her apartment with a room mate starting the first weekend in September.  She is in graduate school, so this will help her with expenses for that.   We are storing some items for her so I decided to go through and do some paring down of my stuff.   But I have plans to make several cards this week...This past challenge at Inspiration Station was my first one as part of the design team and I enjoyed it so much.   Such wonderful cards were shared, it was very exciting!    The photo (above) for this week inspired me to look for a vintage photo of girls in swim suits.   I have often jokingly replied to friends inviting me to come over for a swim that I really wish I could but my swimsuit has a hole in the knee, so I'll have to pass.   I have this thing "lately" about vintage clothing and so I went hunting on Etsy for a digi download.  The sentiment is from a retired CTMH stamp set "You're Not Old."  Below is a photo,  a friend on facebook shared last week.  It's her mom (born in 1900) swimming at the beach with friends.     She said I could share this!  Anyway I hope you will go on over to the Inspiration Station Challenge, the team designers have come up with various takes on the sketch and we would all love to see what you come up with.

Thanks for stopping by,    Smiles,   Kathy

 

Hello Little Friend...

Whatever part of the world you live in, I hope you are comfortable and safe,  and thanks for taking the time to visit my blog.   Your comments are always so appreciated and I feel like I know so many of you through our blogs and common love of cardmaking.   Today is my first day participating at Inspiration Station Challenge as part of their Design Team.   Last fall one of the design team artists left a comment on my blog and invited me to participate at Inspiration Station.   I had never heard of this blog and for the most part I only did sketch challenges,  I found "photos" very intimidating.  But, I kept being drawn back over there and found it wasn't as hard as I thought!...You actually have lots of freedom to be your own kind of creative!  For instance my first impression of today's photo was Noah's Ark (that includes all created life)so I had to narrow it down  and  this adorable digital stamp "Hello Little Friend" turned out to be just right.  By Connie Fong (you can click here to see it on ETSY.), this little bunny and butterfly are just the cutest and I think they  will bring a smile to the face of my card recipient.   To print the images I used a 4 on 1 label program in Word.  You can choose transverse or horizontal labels.  I  print 4 images at a time (not always the same things).  For this card, I printed 2 of the same and used one to color and fussy cut the bunny so I could pop him up on my card!  Using both water color and colored pencils I Colored it all in.   It may be overdrive but I used matte SU retired green enamels for the circles on the mushrooms, to create different depths and textures!   I also used the SU basket weave embossing folder over the green gingham plaid (from We are Three Etsy store).  Connie Fong is the sponsor for the current Inspiration Station challenge and is offering a substantial discount to entrants.   For more details  go on over and  check out the artwork by the Design Team while you are there.    I would love to see you there!         Smiles,    Kathy

 

Psalm 91.4

The photo at Inspirartion Station was the start of today's card.  The card base includes Psalm 91.4 that I printed on a 4 on 1 Word label program.  My printer doesn't always print straight (photo below) so I often need to use a die cut to straighten up my verse or sentiment!    Inspired by the bright stripes and a picnic where I might see some beautiful birds and such, I chose the bird on branch from the Hello Friend set, and the bright plaid cross piece from the SU Ring of Love Papers.   I stamped the bird image 4 times, 3 in black and 1 in Soft Succenlent . I then cut the 1st outlined image with a  stitched oval  (did not color it, just needed the bird there for position on the oval).  Next I  fussy cut the entire bird, branch and flowers and only colored the bird and the branch.    Thirdly I fussy cut the green leaves and glued to the bird piece, and finally fussy cut, colored and attached the flowers to the bird piece. The entire bird piece was then popped on the oval (that been embossed with dotted swiss) black oval and then black oval popped on the card panel.   The pearls were added as a sweet embellishment!  Thanks for stopping in, and smiles to all of you.  

Linked to:

Inspiration Station

Can You Handle The Pressure  twist "summer"

Word Art Wednesday

.   

 

Little bear's birthday card...

What were my thoughts when I saw the above photo at Inspiration Station--birthday and candles. I really didn't have anything with candles and since  every so often I like to buy digital images when they are on "sale,"  I bought this cute  Lili of the the Valley digi stamp off ETSY.   They are having a 70% sale, so the image only cost 93 cent.     I fell in love with it and a couple of others (to be used one day).  My intention was to make a child's birthday card for an adult to give.  But the longer I looked at it, there seemed to be something that just wasn't quite right, finally. it dawned on me--too many candles,   and I was thinking of a 5 or 6 year old.   So I changed the plan and decided to make a card that a kid could give their papa.   Papa's love to get cards from the grand kiddo's (I guess since I don't have grandkids.)     I also found a place to download free fonts (not google) so I got this one called dark crayon and printed it in the blue ink in a label program.   As it turns out "little bear" also talked his mom into letting him run the panel through her embosser since papa would like it better that way!  If you are interested, there's still time for you to create a card and link it over at Inspiration Station.     Thanks for stopping in,    Smiles,   Kathy

 

Summertime-Playball

 

Paper Funday Challenge

June 2022 Challenge #42 - Anything Goes with Optional Twist: Masculine

This is the Father's Day Card that I made to give to my husband along with our adult children, We are giving him a very generous gift card to buy shoes at his favorite Running Store here in our town.  He an our kids are all runners.  He loves all things sports and the kids have gone to all kinds of sporting events over the years.   Sometimes they were praticipants with dad in the stands and sometimes they were all spectators.  Dad nor son either one card for hunting or fishing.  But they do enjoy getting outdoors for a good run, especially when it's not blazing hot, like right now here in SC.   I am playing along at Try Stampin on Tuesday (sketch), Inspiration Station (photo) Double Trouble (masculine and sketch at Try Stampin On Tuesday) and at Paper Funday Challenge (masculine).  And with all this DSP I've used I just have to enter at Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge.   I've never played over at CardzforGuyzs that I recall so since their theme is Father's Day, I'm going to link this card there.  For all of you moms out there and wives as well with husbands often playing on work or church teams, you know how dirty they come home...so I just gave in to the grunge with my image...My Husband has been a lifelong LA Dodger  "FAN" so I used masculine papers and enamels that fell in line with their colors.    I bought the above digital paper set for .99 cent on ETSY and I can see using it for other projects as well.   The Image and top sentiment is from Power Poppy "Baseball vignette"   The Happy Father's Day is from SU Celebrating you...  Thanks for stopping in, Smiles Kathy