First is last

Actually this birthday was the first one in May, but my "policy" is not to post until after I give the card. I do have another to make and that's my own anniversary card.  So here is the card:

The copics I used are" RV10, RV13, C2, B00, R20, E00, E11, E31, E35, E37, E18, E21, E25, E29, RV02, RV04, YG13, YG17. I have been dying to use that cute "meow" ribbon and somehow this seemed the place. The butterflies are from the Hero Arts combo set (stamps and dies) That pretty light pink flower came from a Simon Says Stamp monthly kit. I hand delivered this card so I could do pretty much whatever suited me!  I thought Tilda's pants came out rather interesting to say the least! This image is from a kit exchange about 2 years ago from the Magnoliaicious (not so sure I spelled that right) yahoo group. I used some of the items in one of those exchange kits. Wasn't too sure of the paper I was coloring on so I didn't want to use too much ink.  I sure hope the ones I sent inspired whoever got them to use them. I just wasn't very good at making use of things someone else had picked out for me. When I looked at the kits not too long ago, I decided that they were just so nice I had to use at least some of them. As I colored this Tilda, I really enjoyed it. Think I might just have to add her to my ever growing collection! Here is the inside:

That is a border sticker over the ends of the front ribbon. I loved this pattern paper and figured I could showcase it on the inside. What do you think?

And you will never guess what I have been up to. I actually cleaned out my "sewing" room! Took me 4 days!!! I am getting rid of anything I am not or will not be using. I guess I have enough stuff to see me through the rest of my life!!! I still have a lot of needlework left and of course my papercrafts but have eliminated all my quilting stuff. I do still have a lot of sewing stuff but not nearly any next to what I had!! So now I can actually vacuum the floor and move my chair!! I am going to put a filing cabinet in a corner as I love storing my stamps that way. I am hoping that I can fit the 12 x 12 plastic containers that I keep the wooden stamps in the drawers. That would give me that much more "clean" area. But if not, I will find another way. Probably my next post will have a lot of cricut stuff on it as I haven't played with my new art philosophy cartridge yet - I had made myself a promise to clean out my stuff before doing anything else. It's way too hard to do that if you are in the middle of something. Guess that is what I love about card making - you finish them!!! Hugs to you all, Barb F

Happy Birthday Guy

I picked out a bunch of papers and then matched up my copics. I wanted to use a bunch of papers and this is what I ended up with! This strawberry cupcake is from a newer stamp set - oh, my old age keeps showing up! I love this image and as you all know, I adore Edwin no matter what he is doing! That is a Tim Holtz ticket - funny story about that. I am signed up for the Simon Says Stamp kit of the month done by Kristina Werner. The tickets came with the first set and I misplaced the whole shebang set of decorative elements! Finally gave up looking for them and even made my own tickets! So of course they just turned up - just laying there!! Wonder what was on top of them that I moved! That button is from my real button stash. I never buy buttons. I have so many from saving them through the years so I always had whatever color on hand (I have 4 grown kids). I cut the shank off and thought it was just too plain and a perfect place for my stickles to land!  That newsprint paper was so perfect with the baking powder ad!!  It was a little difficult to get it so you could read it without destroying the entire sheet of paper. The "twine" is from that scrapbook sewing tool. I am going to get gutsy and try it real soon!!! In the meantime, all the colored twines are coming in handy!  My grandson really raved over this one. It's his first Edwin card!! And here are the copics I used: E00, E11, R20, BG09, Y26, R17, YG23, E31, E35, E37, C2, E51, E57, E53. I drew in a bench for his to sit on and as you can really see, I can't draw either!! But it serves the purpose of giving him something to sit on. I usually use the other big cupcake stamp I have, but that would have looked stupid!!! Two cupcakes!!  So here is the inside

I used all of the tickets that I thought appropriate that I had left thinking that I would probably lose them again in my room!!! I really like the way my insides of cards have been coming out.

And for the people who asked, I went back to youtube and found some videos for the foam pads boxes and the tower. I did work out my own dimensions in the end. I didn't keep any figures, but the next time I have to add a row, I will be sure and post the dimensions for the tower pieces. Look at my previous post about the tower for that info. Recently Tim Holtz came out with his spring colors and once I gave it half a thought I pre-ordered them. I now only have one empty box but am having a problem figuring out my ink pad storage. I have one of his tin storage boxes which I love. I saw his cargo box at the Megameet I just went to - that one just might have to be in my house!!!! I am still  not sure but it does hold one heck of a lot very compactly and the chipboad is really thick. I just have so many plastic containers from changing from one method to another because I outgrew the first method. I am about to buy a file cabinet - once I figure out what I can do without on the floor space. I love storing my stamps the way I am and I just filled the container I am using!!! Seems like all I do is organize and clean up the messes!!!! I have two more May cards and then I can slow down a hair for June and pick back up in July!! Hope you enjoy this one!!! Hugs to you all, Barb F

Rope 'Em

Happy Birthday to my cowboy loving friend! How perfect this Tilda is! I also had this cute little horse that I knew just had to be the object of Tilda's attention! How fortunate I was to find this great sticker (the greeting) in my stash! It has raised letters, no less! I am finding that I use Tim Holtz vintage photo distress ink for most of the card edging I do ever since I bought it. There are a few red gems and amazingly no stickles!!! Also no flowers!! I did this on a kraft background as it just fit. The copics I used are: BG10, BG13, BG15, R27, R29, E53, E57, R20, E00, E11, E31, E33, E35, E37, E29, E18, C2.

And here is the inside.   I hope you will take a minute to look at my last post as it shows you how I store all my little foam pads for all my distress inkpads. It takes up very little room and is very lightweight so it moves easily.    I got the opportunity this week to go to the Megameet in Novi, MI!!!! Wow was that spectacular!! I know that I will plan things differently for next year and include lots more than I could this year!!! Got me some major goodies!! So hugs to you all!! Will be posting another card real soon. Barb F    

A Little Extra

I thought I would show you how I store the foam pads for my Tim Holtz distress inks. This little "tower" is two sided so you are only looking at one side. The tower is made up of tubes with each tube holding two little boxes. The tubes are just big enough to slide the little boxes in and out easily. The little boxes are made from 5 1/2" squares of paper. It is a very simple origami fold so that there is no glue to hold the box together. There is a youtube video called origami simple box done by vysokova that is very good. There is room for 40 boxes and I have 39!! The labels are printed directly from the Ranger site. I printed 2 of them so I could label the bottom front side of the ink pads. Here is a side view of the little tower.

I am not a crafty person, and I am sure that the gal I got this from on youtube (you will need to search for ink blending foam chest and it is done by paperpatti), was much neater with hers. Since I am not out to win any award and just wanted a lite weight, easy to use place to keep those little foam pads, mine is a bit wonky! I used score-tape to put the tower pieces together ( the tubes), so they are really secure and most of the time, I just pick it up from the top! The last time I added to the tower, it was up only. It was important to me to only have two boxes in each tube. That way you can read the name at a glance. I also used the ink pads direct on the labels so I would have an instant idea of color. I have them arranged by general color. The dimensions are loose - but it sure does the job and doesn't take up much room and is real easy to move. Hope you can use this for your stuff!! I bet yours will be neater than mine!! Will be posting cards real soon and quite a few. Hugs to you all, Barb F

By the Sea

I got the idea for this card when I saw this digital stamp from Squigglefly. The stamp has the girl looking at a crab and it was perfect except for the crab. I did a search for shark stamps but didn't find what I was after. My little granddaughter loves marine life and for some reason has an infinity to sharks! (She also loves dinosaurs and whales). Well, I just used that free "Gimp" program and removed the crab, making me a new stamp without it. There is a gal whose online shop is "Make it crafty" and through her youtube tutorials, I learned how to work with digital stamps. By the way, she has some super adorable ones as well as really cool things if you are in Australia. I also learned the finer points of shading with my copics from her! So to go on with this post (you all know that I am not a professional and no one gives me anything for raving or even just mentioning them?) - I couldn't find a shark stamp, so I decided I must have something on my cricut! Out came the Gypsy and of course I found the shark! I then laid out my stamp in Microsoft Word to the size I thought I wanted and printed it. Now I could figure out the exact size and orientation of the shark! I think it came out ultra cute! I even stickled the shark to make it blend in better colorwise. Are you ready?

 I used the May Kristina Werner card kit from Simon Says stamp and a few other things. The greeting of course is digital! I am not the best cutter when you have to leave some background. Tim Holtz' Tumbled glass to the rescue here!! I punched a few hearts out of glittery paper and isn't that cloud just too cute? From the kit.

The greeting on the inside is from a new set, but I am not 100% sure whose set it is. Just a different layout with scraps from the front.

I cut these all out on the cricut using the gypsy. The "Above rubies studio" has magnificent cd's for the cricut and the gypsy! Got them both and my cricut got a new life!! I took a photo of the back so you could see the back of the ticket which is made on white paper!! I wanted to show you how shiny green the dinosaur is. They  make the perfect bookmarks. Just cut one and its mirror image and stick them together.

The copics I used are: R17, R20, B93, B95, BG72, E31, E35, E18, E00, E11, V91, V95, C3. Since I signed up for the All things Tim ticket swap, I have been making tickets to go with every card!!  I have one more card done, but not sending just yet and two more colored and the papers chosen. Hope you enjoy this one as I hope my granddaughter does!!! Any day now for another new grandchild!

 Hugs to you all, Barb F