From the Heart Stamps - January Challenge

I've just started playing with digital stamps, and found a great site with adorable images:  fromtheheartstamps.  This image, Cozy Kittens, is perfect for a valentine for my granddaughter.  I'm no coloring expert, but enjoyed trying.  I hope she likes it.



Check out other cards made with this image at:  From the Heart Stamps Free Stamp of the Month Progressive Challenge

February 2016 Card Class

I love the cards we're going to make this month!  Don't forget, Saturday February 6th at the Barkman Library, 2:00 PM.

Technique:  Stamping Off "Ombre" - Marina Mist and Crushed Curry

Technique:  Emboss Resist - Early Espresso and Mossy Meadow

Technique:  Watercolor "Smoosh" Background - Pacific Point

The Abandoned Blog

Oh my! I just realized I started a blog years ago...and then abandoned it.  I look back and realize how much my stamping style has changed.  The last time I posted I had just started using my Cameo.  I still love it!  Seems like a lot of folks are switching to the Scan and Cut, but I'm recently retired and don't think I need to spend the extra money.  I have too much "stuff" already!  In fact, one of my informal "resolutions" in 2016 is to slow down on buying more, and start using what I already have.

My New Obsession

I recently purchased a Silhouette Cameo, supposedly so I could create a vinyl wall mural for my soon-to-be-born first grandchild's nursery.  Now I've found I can't stop!  I love that I can create my own designs and cut vinyl or cardstock.  I recently learned the cut and print feature, so I have piles of cute cut-outs on my stamping desk.  And then I decided to try pairing the Cameo with my other obsession er, hobby, Stampin' Up.  This card is the result.  I stamped the flowers and leaf, then scanned them, brought them into the Sil software and traced them, then printed a whole sheet.  I colored everything with Copic markers (OK, OK - so I have THREE obsessions!), and sent it through the Cameo.  SO MUCH FASTER and EASIER than cutting them all out with tiny scissors.  I used a file from the Sil store to cut the opening in the mat, and finished up the card with a traditionally stamped sentiment. 

Dog Days

I've started trying to design cards for a friend of mine who raises Spinone Italiano. I'm not the greatest artist in the world, but I think this may get me working to get better! It's amazing how different the various dog breeds are, and there are NOT many spinone illustrations out there on the web!

Here's a card I designed with a stamp I purchased at a scrapbooking convention. It's not a spinone, but....

The Forgotten BLOG!

I had completely forgotten that I even started this blog 3 or 4 years ago!! Maybe it's time to get back into it again. I'll post some *bad* pictures of my current project...and try to get my iPod figured out so I can take some decent photos of future work.

This project is one I started about a year ago. I made the folders with retired SU paper, and had planned to fill them with sets of cards to use as gifts. WELL....I'm just now getting around to making the cards. The good thing is, I'm using up a lot of retired product, just in time for the new Stampin' Up catalog with great new things to play with.

Here's the folder, made of two envelopes that were left over from some larger "store-bought" cards from my far distant past. I'm using Cameo Coral, Ruby Red, River Rock, and Groovy Guava....all colors that I hated to see retire!


These are some of the cards I'll put inside the folder.

More 3 x 6 cards

This size gives me four cards from every sheet of 12 x 12 paper. (And I have PLENTY of 12 x 12 paper since I've never managed to get into scrapbooking.)