Monday, December 31, 2012

My Wedding Anniversary!



Today is my wedding anniversary!  I feel so very blessed!!  The years just disappear - I can't believe it's been 24 years already!  Amazing how much you grow and change over the years and if you're lucky enough to live your life with your soul mate, he grows and changes right along with you!!  What a great man God gave me to share my life with. 

Here's the card I made for Carl!  We got married on New Years Eve so we went with Black and White and red accents for our wedding colors.  And then we had a massive, all out crazy Wedding Reception and New Year's Eve party that night. A night and day I'll never forget!

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!
  
 

Friday, December 28, 2012

What Is It???

 
So I'm hosting the IC again this weekend, and I had a website all picked out... card made and everything.  Turns out the website I picked out was already used for the Challenge awhile back!!  ACK!!  Panic!  So I quickly went on a search for another.

My 24th wedding anniversary [to the most awesome amazing wonderful husband on the planet ever] is coming up on Dec. 31, so I wanted something kind of romantically inspiring so I could make him a card.  That's how I found "Wedding Bells" dot com.  A very cool website with everything wedding and romantic.

As I browsed the very cool romantic website, I came across some hand fans.  GASP!!  Do you know I'm obsessed with Fan Fold everything??  (Probably not -- because I haven't yet posted all my Christmas stuff.)  But take my word for it, I AM.  Obsessed.  Period.  The end, no further explanation can make it clearer.


So my inspiration is this "D.I.Y. Accordian Paper Hand Fan".  I love this.  I love the blue and white.  I had to embellish and punch my final product, but it was this item that inspired my creation.  My creation that I don't know what it is -- but it's blue and it's white and it's a fan.  There.  I said it.  I have no idea what this thing is that I made.  It's not a card.  It's not a fan.  It's not an ornament.  It is just inspired.  Don't judge.  :)   I love making these fan things.  What can I say.



And here is how I made what ever it is I made ....

I cut a 3-1/2"x12" strip of DP.  Added some ink shading to the paper strip using Tim Holts' Tumbled Glass Distress Ink.


Then I scored it every half inch, and punched it with my newest and most fabulous MS border punch.   I folded up my paper strip so it was flat and ready to use. 







Next, I marked a tongue depressor stick at the half-way point (3"), glued up part of the stick, and laid my folded paper strip onto the stick at the half-way point.  I let it set for about 30 seconds before continuing. 






I then unfolded my paper strip and "opened" all the way until the other end was setting on the other half of the wooden stick.  



This is how it looked open, after the glue set (about 30-40 seconds).













Next I die cut two different sizes of round Dollie-style circles from Spellbinders "Blossom Tags and Accents" set.  I stamped the smallest one using SU "Think Happy Thoughts" stamp. 






I attached the two Spellbinder "doilies" circles to the wooden stick, and folded them under the stick. 










Adhered a white Recollections "Floral Embellishment" flower to the center to finish it off.

Whatever "it" is...

So there you have it.  But I have no anniversary card.  Rats.  Off to do more creating... :)

Many thanks for stopping by!!  Have a wonderful New Year!!  Please be SAFE everyone!!
 

Friday, December 21, 2012

Letterpress Snowflake

Hi Friends,

I saw this challenge over the The Paper Players blog and since I have some free time to myself for the next several days (see my previous post!), I am doing some random challenges today.


This challenge is for a CAS card that incorporates a snowflake.  When "simple" is in the challenge, I think of die cuts!  I used my Fiskars Fuse Letterpress machine to stamp, cut and press all in one pass - not just simple but a super fast way to make a card!  I then die cut a Spellbinders Floral Oval and embossed my card base all on the same machine.  Added a jewel and done - CAS - not to mention under 10 minutes!!


A tip for Letter Press fans: I spent the money to by paper that is designed for letter press techniques.  I purchased mine locally from a paper warehouse but look for it on-line.  The specific brand I got is called "Crane's Lettra" and I saw it on-line at Neenhah Papers.  The color is "Fluorescent White."  This is a close up so you can see how soft and thick it is -- it results in a gorgeous letter-pressed piece!! And it is not a heavy paper, it's actually very light and "fluffy"!


Meanwhile, I  hope you're all having a wonderful Christmas week and have some relaxing down time this season!!

Blessings to all of you! 

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!
 

Sunday, December 16, 2012

I Conquered Christmas This Year!

Sizzix "Owl #2" Die
Oh My... Where to start!

Today I worked on my first card/project that is not Christmas related.

All my spare time in my room over the last two months has been spent making crafts for two Craft Shows I did (my first ones BTW, what a blast!), plus my personal Christmas cards, and of course, lots of Christmas gifts for friends and family.  And you know what?  I'm done.  Yes. I said it, it must be real!

I have finished every project, wrapped every gift, mailed every card and gift that had to be sent out, and I am just euphoric today!!  I even organized our office Christmas party, our home group's Christmas party, and went to a Christmas production at our church.  I'm telling you.... I conquered Christmas this year!!!  I'm going to slow down now, take some days off from work, and enjoy Christmas and a brand new year.  That in itself is a gift!!

I'll be posting all the Christmas stuff I've been making over the next few posts.  I don't want to cram too many into one and bore you to death!!  Please come back to check them out!



For today though, this is my not-Christmas project!  I checked out my fav challenge over on SCS and Stephanie had the most awesome website ever for insiration!!  Loved it.... too much... my shopping cart runneth over!!  The website is called "House 8810" and I chose these "Swell Pot Holders" as my inspiration.




I cased Diane's Zechman's cute owls cards that I spotted on Pinterest. As soon as I saw her critter cards, I was on-line ordering the Sizzix die she used -- Sizzix Owl #2.  The die just makes it so quick and easy to create these guys!

Basically, all I did was fold my white CS base in half, then die cut it and positioned it on the die so the crease at the top does not get cut.   Made 3 card bases like this.


Then I die cut stacks of paper scraps and pieced them all together. I added a tiny bit of ruffles and fiber around the hearts, a few doodled stitch details with my Copic Micron pen and white highlights on the eyes with a white gel pen to complete them. These are just too easy and fun! I may be making them the rest of the afternoon!!



TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!