Puppy Love

Aloha dear ones,

Have you heard of the My Favorite Things Super Star Challenges going on? I thought we had more time, but I will try to enter a CAS style. They also have a Coloring as well as Innovation Challenges. Alas, 3 hours more left. You know how hard a time I have to keep something CAS. My brain and hands start itching if I stop too soon lol! Did you get to play along this year?

Here is the link: My Favorite Things Annual Super Star Challenges!


Stamp Set: My Favorite Things "You Have My Heart"
Color Pencils (Prismacolor this time)
Clear and Bronze Embossing Powders; Kraft Cardstock.

Keeping it CAS -- that, in itself, is a challenge.

Mahalo for taking a peek at it!

Autumn in Montana

Aloha!

Not us -- one of our daughters. She moved to Montana, loves the country life and is looking for a house. I've been thinking of what kind of card to send her when I saw this design by Angie Blom at Unity Stamps. Our daughter loves coffee and we'll tuck a gift card to Starbucks in here.

This is a photo of our daughter, Amy. It's about 5 years old or so but I can't find a more recent one. They're likely in my phone. She's our youngest and is 36. Wipe the tears from my eyes - how did all the time fly so fast?

Amy has a new beau after her husband died a few years ago. It was so unexpected during heart surgery. We are still and will always miss such a generous, kind and intelligent man.  But after several years, we are so happy she has a new love in her life and wish them the very, very best. 

I couldn't get the hair color right with the color pencils but right now her hair is a little shorter - I think she might like this! I layered three of the sentiments together. 

Stamp Set: "Brystl Girl" by Unity Stamps; MFT "Romantic Script" (background)

Cardstock: GKD Faded Brick, Black Onyx; Hammerhill Color Card white

Ink: GKD Warm Glow, Black Onyx

Color Pencils

Distress Oxide Inks and Diamond Stencil

Photo Corner Punch

"Love" die from Poppy

Black Twine, Crystalline Drops (don't you love this product?), Adhesive Foam

Perfect Pearl mixed in water in sprayer

Thank you for taking the time

to stop by and say "hello!"

There's No Place Like Gnome

Aloha,

We found a super lawn care person! Living in a tropical jungle, good, dependable lawn care people are appreciated like gold - especially if they don't gouge you with charges! I just had to make a thank you card for our new guy!!!

I enjoyed making a very simple Lawn Fawn scene for our "lawn" guy. And what a surprise for me? I made it in time to give it to him as well as enter it into the September Lawn Fawnatics Challenge !!! Whootie whoooot! I usually miss a challenge deadline by a month or more. How I thought about making it into an interactive card, but I've been too tuckered out lately.

September Lawn Fawn Challenge

Stamp Set: Lawn Fawn "Gnome Sweet Gnome; sentiment from "Jump for Joy" Lawn Fawn
Cardstock: Lawn Fawn, Hammerhill Color Card
Dies: Lawn Fawn "Sitcthed Hillside Border"
Inks: Memento Sahara Sand (image outlines) and Blue Sky (sky)
Lawn Fawn Trimmings in "Peppermint"
SSS Cloud Stencil
Copic Markers; Color pencils in brown and dark gray
Ranger "Liquid Platinum" Embossing Powder
Crystalline Drops (over the bee's wings, mushroom windows and the little gnomey's belt buckle)
Corner Rounder; foam adhesive by Scotch

Thank you so much for stopping by!

May your week be filled with sunshine ♥

Living Hen and Chicks

Aloha!

It's a new month, a new week, a new day! Welcome!

Don't you love the sweet little succulent Hen and Chicks? I do! But here is a confession: I have killed every single one I've ever purchased. Why, oh, why? I love them.

I've tried leaving them alone, in indirect sunlight, in bright sunlight, in shade, with light water, no water, in nature, in the house, in the kitchen, ignoring, talking to, and begging it not to die. It's one plant I feel a total failure in trying to grow. Any hints?

I had a friend in central Oregon and she had one she completely ignored, rain, sun, snow. That thing was living in a dead oak barrel with millions (okay, hundreds) of little chick babies sprouting all over the thing. She even gave me some and I killed it right off. UGH.

This is the next best thing for me - color it. Marcella Hawley has this in her online, digital collection located here: Hen and Chicks in case you would like this one to print off and color!


Digital Stamp: Power Poppy, "Hen and Chicks"
Copic Markers (mostly G's, BG's, YG's and R's, and mostly lightest to mid colors)
Prismacolor White and Dark Brown Pencils
Cardstock: Hammerhill Color Copy 110 lb (white), GKD (color)
Crystalline Drops (GKD) for the water droplets on some of the little petals or leaves or whatever those are called on succulents :D
Corner Rounder

I cannot think of a sentiment to put on here yet.

Mahalo for stopping by ♥

Blossoming Trees

Aloha dear ones,

This is a simple card but took me a long time to make. It's a die cut of a cherry tree on a foam layer, the petals filled in with color pencils and Wink of Stella on top.

It's going to the owners of Scrapbooking Made Simple. Stacey's hubby is facing a very challenging health issue. Most of the products used for this card are made by them.


SMS, Stamps & Die Sets: "Beauty, Cherry Blossom Orchard" die frame (front); "Spring Fling, Good Times Ahead" stamps (interior sentiment); "Must Have" Oval dies set and "Must Have" Rectangle dies set (interior); Vintage Garden Floral Flourish stamps (envelope)
Cardstock: SMS white and pink
Inks: Memento Angel Pink; Rosebud; Desert Sand
Prismacolor Color Pencils
Wink of Stella
Perfect Pearls in Buttercup (the centers of the flowers)
Crystalline Drops GKD
Corner Rounder Cropadile
Stick It double sided adhesive
Foam sheets
Stays Put glue

Wishing each of you and yours

the best of health.

♥

Daydreaming, Doodling, Zentangle

Aloha dear friends,

Sometimes it clears the brain to just sit and doodle. Listen to some gentle music, see how puffy the clouds are, feel the wind (or in my case, the fan) in your hair. It's that time of the year when the summer sun gets less strong and the evenings get that familiar crispness in the air.

I am in an online mini class called Whimsical Patterns taught by Sandy Allnock. You can watch the free introductory video to the class HERE.

The first lesson is just to get your brain and hand loosened up, less rusty, and remember to let the ink flow. Notice how the lines are not straight, not much is even, and the solid leaves are not so solid. Just have fun 🖍 Then you can turn it into a card!


Cardstock: GKD White, SMS Black
Pilot Gold and Silver markers with extra fine points
Gold cord, sequins, double stick tape

"Seeing Leaves"

See you again soon 💕

Honey Bears

Aloha again!

Remember Winnie the Pooh? I love that story! In the 80s (I think) one of our daughters fell in love with the classic "Pooh" style of coloring. It was very soft and pastel. That's a little bit of what I tried to do here using color pencils. I miss when our kids were very little, loved and hugged us all the time, and thought we could fix everything :D  Here's to YOU, Winnie the Pooh!


Stamp Set: "Curious Forest Friends" by W Plus 9
Color Pencils "Crayola) no kidding, just the 16 pack I think
Stamped with Memento Sand Ink
Crystalline drops by GKD
Larger opaque drops by SU
Oval dies by Hero Arts and Gina Marie
Bee from Jolee's Boutique

Thank you for visiting!!!

The Fetching Hibiscus

Aloha friends,

If you are fortunate enough to have a hibiscus or the Rose of Sharon or any of the "mallow" family of plant, then you have some real beauty treats to see. We have only one hibiscus bush in our backyard. But boy, is it a GIANT. The stems can grow up to 10 feet high or more and we have to keep these trimmed back. It is covered in yellow/red big, dinner plate size flowers. It's such a treat to see them. And thank you for stopping in and not forgetting about us. PS Bruce broke his arm :/  I am seriously thinking he doesn't want to go back to work LOL!


Stamp Set: "Hibiscus Bouquet" by W Plus 9
Watercolors: Daniel Smith
Arches Cold Pressed 140# Paper
Stamped with Stazon black ink
Spellbinder Square and Scallop Square dies
Corner Rounder

Mahalo for stopping in ♥

Done Adulting

Aloha, friends,

I'm back. It's been rough for several months with Bruce's health. But he's better and back to work  🎉 !   And I'm here ♫ !!

Needless to say, there were plenty of days I felt done with adulting. Here is a little penguin just playing in sand, building igloos. May each of us have days when we don't have to adult.


Stamp Set: "Waddles Beach Fun," by Your Next Stamp
Cardstock: GKD (my favorite of all)
SSS Curved Border Die
MFT Diagonal Background Stamp (turquoise layer)
Stamped with Memento Desert Sand & Summer Sky (perfect for a beachy scene!)
Colored with Copic Markers
Foam Strips (to pop the umbrella and star fish)
Spectrum Noir Glitter Pen (water and shiny things)
Pretty Pink Posh sequins; sparkly mini stars; cut a curvy paper to sponge the clouds

I've sure missed playing.

Thank you for stopping in 😊

Eggplant Waterfall

Aloha!

Sounds like Alice in Wonderland: Eggplants flowing over a cliff into a pond full of the purple critters floating all over...

It's a waterfall card, made with eggplant purple card. I didn't know what else to call this. Pull that gold cord and each of the four eggplant purple sea shells slip up and behind each other revealing the secret message. After all pieces disappear behind the strip, you can gently slide the whole strip upwards and the pieces will easily fall right back into place. I used sturdy paper for everything here. It should take quite a beating and still be ok!

Below is link to a YouTube video showing the steps to make a simple one. Of course, my cards are seldom simple. They must be harder than imaginable and needed asap. And the harder, the better. I wish there was more time so that I could have added bling and 2 layers to each square piece, to make it more special. And I don't have a stamp that says "Pull Here." Homemade is good enough.

Waterfall card simple video tutorial

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Stamp Set: By the Seashore, Stampin' Up
Cardstock: SMS White 110#, Stampin' Up Eggplant Purple & DP (thus, the eggplant waterfall)
Inks: Hero Arts & Memento (if it matches, I'm-a using them. Takes me forever to find all my ink pads ♥ )
Square Hand Punches & a Score Board w/tool
Soft gold brads and eyelet w/Cropadile punch
Gold cording and a gorgeous rounded silvery wheel shape covered in crystals.

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I wrote some sweet little words on the backs of each square piece that flips backwards. As you pull the strip down, a final hidden message is shown :D Squeee - funnnn!  The strip in original place creates a secure place to stash some cash or gift card right behind it. Folded bills show up on each side of the main strip. Great gift card with an action piece!

***SPECIAL HELPFUL HINTS: Use really stiff cardstock for the base as well as the strip you use for pulling. They will take a beating. Use Scor Tape or similar double stick tape for adhering the pieces together. Make sure you add each square piece of the waterfall so that the top edge of each square lines up "just under" the score line. That helps the pieces flip up and over easier.The brads and eyelet are nice touches. 

Hope you enjoyed the idea of a waterfall card!

Mahalo for coming by ♥

The Offset Top

Aloha, friends!

Is it spring yet? (Don't throw anything at me.)

Do you remember what this type of card design this is called? Is it Offset Top? I remember Gina making a similar style years ago, but I don't even know where to begin looking to find the name of this.

When I made the "open heart" bear card, I stamped this one, too. I really enjoyed Gina's design of setting the focal image on top of her card and that is who I CASEd. My brain is stuck when it comes to the design name.

Stamp Set: "Baby Bear" by Stampin' Up
Cardstock, inks, ribbon: GKD
Inks: GKD, Distress; and Tombow markers
Embossing folder: Swiss Dots by Cuddlebug
Dies: MFT (stitched circle and scallops); SB (sentiment, cut in 1/3)
Sequins: Pretty Pink Posh
Craft foam, Scor Tape, micro glue dots
The Bow Easy :D

Mahalo for stopping by to visit!!!

And for helping me out with what this is called :)

A Waddle of Penguins

Aloha!

I was late finishing a group of penguin cards, but loving each one. Aren't penguins just precious to look at? Even the way they walk makes me SMILE! This one is holding hot cocoa with five marshmallows floating on top. And he's wearing a dottie sweater.

The penguin and scene is a digi image designed by Crissy Armstrong for Whimsy Stamps. She has a large collection of penguins and many other cute critters.

The card bases are stamped with VersaMark then heat embossed with a sparkly embossing powder. I colored the scenes with Copic markers and color pencils. I also stamped and colored the envelopes with a little girl in a parka and narwhal. It was very pleasurable to color these while watching old movies or listening to books. Let's see if I can be on time with summer cards :P


Image: "Penguin Coffee Break" digi by Crissy Armstrong at Whimsy Stamps; Avery Elle "Polar Pals" (little girl and narwhal); Polka Dot background stamp by MFT
Cardstock: GKD White 120#, Neenah white 80#, Black
Inks: Gina K. Designs, Hero Arts, Memento (metallic inks) VersaMark
Dies: Gina Marie
Copic markers, color pencils
WOW "Clear Sparkle" embossing powder
Glossy Accents
Snowflakes Toner Sheets by GKD
Irridescent foil by GKD & Minc machine; Nuvo Sparkle Pens; clear gems and sequins
Envelopes (very smooth) Stampin' Up

If I could send a handmade card to every 

person I know, my heart would sing long passed when

 the cows come home, or longer.

Mahalo for stopping by :*

Triple Stamping Teddy Bears

Aloha, friends!

A dear friend of ours went through a second open heart surgery recently. Talk about worry. I will never forget the first time I worked in an ICU and we received an open heart surgery from the O.R.

When I saw this teddy bear stamp, all I could think of was putting a sweet little red heart on it in case I needed an open heart surgery or other surgery card. If you lift up the top flap of the heart, it has a special, mini sentiment in there. Then you can lower the front of the heart back down. All I needed was a mini bandaid to stick on the heart, but we don't have one. Instead of triple stamping this, perhaps I dozen-stamped this bear in order to get the 3 colors and depth to the fur. I also used some markers and pointalism to get the shading. But he has the right amount of fluff now!

Our friend has arrived back from the east coast yesterday :D I think he's going to be fine. I hope he likes his teddy bear card because after all, he is a big teddy bear himself.


Stamp Set: "Baby Bear" (for adults, too, ☺) by Stampin' Up
Inks: Gina K. Designs; Tombow Markers
Card: Gina K. Designs 120# Ivory and Red
Stitched and Rectangle dies by MFT
Mini Heart paper punch, Glossy Accents, Scor Tape, Soft gold round metal gems, ribbon by GKD

Mahalo for coming by!!!

"Black Parrot" and "Green Wave" Tulips (Ugly version vs pretty version)

Aloha, all,

Part 1 of 2: The "Black Parrot" Tulips (or

as I view these: Ugly & Pretty)

Did you know there are tulips that are almost all black or deep, deep bluish purple? I've seen pictures but I don't recall seeing them growing. North of Seattle, Washington are tulip farms! Each spring, as far as your eyes can see, are rows and rows of solid colors - one row red, another yellow, another white. You can turn around in a circle and see colors, in perfect rows from anywhere you look. It is breathtaking!

I didn't want to just use blacks and navy to color flowers, so I added pinks and lavenders, too. First I Masked the bottom or first layer of flowers and using the new-to-me "Life Changing Blender Brushes" from Picket Fence Stamps. Yup, they are even easier to use than Clarity brushes or sponging tools. I sponged pink and blue distress inks into a rectangle, ever so slightly. Then I colored the flowers on the card base.

After printing another digi of the tulips onto cardstock, I colored and fussy cut the flowers and leaves. Finally, I popped them on fussy cut pieces of foam. It's sort of like the old decoupage 3D look. I regret adding the Spectrum Noir sparkle marker over the flowers but I'll just tuck that bit of experience into the deep cobwebs in my mind. I'll also add the "don't use super dark blues on flower edges even if they look black in real life" because they just take too much attention from the rest of the flower and scene.


Stamps: "Tulips" digital from Power Poppy (Tulips (and Peonies) are each on sale now for $2.49)
Cardstock: Neenah Solar White 110#
Copic Markers, Color Pencils, distress inks
Adhesive Foam, Scor Tape, Spectrum Noir Sparkle Marker, Sequins from Pretty Pink Posh

I'm sorry, these are ugly to me. But I'm posting them

just to show what not to do. Blech.

A ton of work ends up yucky.

Part 2 of 2: The "Green Wave" Tulips

So these turned out more eye pleasing. Seriously, what a long weekend of trying to capture realistic colors in a tulip LOLOLOL!

Same digi, different colors, Copic markers, no pencils, no sparkly marker. 

Don't say I'm not brave LOL. I'm even

posting ugly up there.

Mahalo for stopping by ♥

Rocking Horse

Giddy up, partners!!!

Yay, I finally need a Welcome Baby card! Don't wooden rocking horses bring back nostalgic memories? Handmade wooden rocking horses are a true work of love and heart!

The rocking horse image below warmed my heart and made me smile. I hope you like it, too. It's in a stamp set that is on super sale right now at Paper Smooches for just (ready?) $6.50!!! They have quite a bit on sale right now. Just click on the "sale" link -- dies start at $2.15! Lots of stamp sets are under $8.00. I just missed the February card challenge but enjoyed coloring this cutie in neutrals and as CAS as possible (for me).


Stamp Set: Knick Knacks by Paper Smooches
Cardstock: GKD 120# white and Neenah Desert Sand
Ink: Memento Tan
Wonky and Stitched Dies by Gina Marie; Heart die by Paper Smooches
Prismacolor and Crayola Color Pencils
Sakura Clear Sparkle Gel Pen, Glossy Accents, Score Tool (for the wood floor) Gold Mirror card, plain twine, craft foam & Scor Tape

Mahalo for coming by the blog!ra