halloween!!! My thoughts----

I am posting two cards today for Halloween! I colored the images the other day and today felt like putting them into cards. It was short and sweet! The Edwin which I think is Dracula came to live at my house pretty quickly - he reminded me so of my oldest grandson. That kid was Dracula every year! He just loved being Dracula! I think it was the cape! Anyhow, I couldn't find paper that I thought went with the card so I ran the black cardstock thru this little machine I have that only embosses with one of the new Tim Holtz embossing folders. I have a set of two that I absolutely love - of course! So that took care of the background. Then I couldn't see it because there was so much white around Edwin. So I decided to cut him out - now that was a challenge as I started with giving him a white border - too hard to cut him out that way and then, I didn't like it anyhow, so I started cutting all over only on the lines!! What to do with the greeting? When in doubt, glitz!! And I decided it too was too white - Tim Holtz black soot with an applicator. Perfect - but now what? Some stickles - black - spread thin but glittery over the greeting. Now I like it! Used
Spica pen for the red, not enough glitz - added diamond stickles to the spear and bow tie. Hope you like it!

This photographed not true to color but not too bad either. I bought one of those cardboard enclosure things so you can spray items without getting it all over the place. Haven't tried that yet, but thought it might make for an easy way to photograph the cards. So the background of brown that you see here is that box! This is a very small card. Isn't the background just right? Now on to the next one. It is coincidentally a reminder of the granddaughter from the same family - she is younger than Dracula by about 8 yrs. I have the cutest photos of her at about 3 or 4 yrs old dressed up as the devil and yelling Arghh!!! Argh!! You guessed it, the pirate card I made this summer was for her!! She got such a kick out of the Argh!! Argh!!. Wait until she sees this one!! Because I have so many grandkids, I am just going to refer the two of them to my blog. Wouldn't be fair not to make them all cards, but lets face it, Halloween doesn't call for 15 cards!! (14 grands plus 1 great). So I colored Tilda, she is probably called Devil Tilda but don't know for sure, and then thought - now what? Again, I just couldn't find the right stuff for the card. So I thought maybe the black would be just right for Tilda, but this time, the image was much larger as I had made a scene, kind of. So I made it what I call a normal size - an even increment of 1/4" in both directions - much easier to add papers or do envelopes. I found some neat black ribbon - its a girl card! You have to have ribbon AND flowers! I punched out some leaves in black, added some i-rock gems, put some diamond stickles on her wings and silver on her trident. Lets not forget those little horns, either. And then decided it was wayyyy tooo white!! Again, I used the black soot. Only I was remembering a youtube video I saw recently about making lines kind of with ink. I didn't use any paper to mask the lines in - just the sponging tool. I really like the way it looks. Probably because it is "different"!! Can't believe how good the flowers matched in color - they are, by the way, more of my Wild Orchid stash!! You can hardly tell I have been using them!! So here she is!!

I am not even going to try lining them up - at least they are in here so you can see them!! Here are the copics just in case you are looking for colors. Edwin: YR07; E00, 11, 31, 35, 37; R20; B00, 02; C3, 5, 7; spica 21. Tilda: YR07, R05, 20; E00, 11, 31, 33, 35, 37; C3, 5; SPICA 00, 04.Please leave me a comment and tell me how you like them!! Hugs to you all - what a way to end a week! Barb F



Short and Sweet

 I am not fighting with this blog anymore today! The pictures will be where they are! Made this for a granddaughter who will be 2. It's as cute as she is, I think! The images are all from the same stamp set - sorry but I don't have that info - I used to just cut away the packaging and throw it out. I messed up on the list of copics and left some out - know that because there was no blue listed, so I am leaving that out. Please take a look at the previous post for today. I made a set for my daughter. Thought it came out pretty good. Wanted to find a use for the paper I used inside. So my colors where chosen to go with that paper. Hope you enjoy this. Hugs to you all, Barb F



Different stationary set

 This one is going to be a gift for the daughter who is in the hospital for when she comes home. I am hoping that will be soon. I hate being so far away from her when she is ill. Anyhow it makes me feel better when I can make something for her instead of just glooming along. This is pure crafting but I actually enjoyed it! You want directions for any of the crafting you see on my blog, chances are I got the instructions via Youtube.com from either StampTV or Splitcoaststampers. They will refer you to their blogs if there is a pattern involved, but they will show you how to put things together, what tools you will need and which supplies work best for them. If you want to know about inks, I learned it all from Jennifer McGuire as she did videos for Twopeasinabucket.com last summer. I do a lot of online buying as I adore getting packages (just ask my mailman!)! We have a Michael's, JoAnn's, Hobby Lobby and a scrapbook store all within a mile of each other - actually JoAnn's and Hobby Lobby are in the same shopping center! I thought I had died and gone to heaven when we  moved here! And going about the same distance in the opposite direction, I have about the same situation! So getting back to my gift - I had a great time making this, used my I-rock a lot. I will be posting a card as soon as I take photos - another birthday! Hope my daughter likes this set when I give it to her. Think I messed up on the box some and will probably make her another something to go with the set. I will give all 3 pieces to her. I just have to empty something so I can cover it to match!! Hugs, Barb F 

 

   

I have just spent a lot of time trying to move these things around. Not sure yet how it actually works but tired of trying. Sorry there seems to be an overlap - sometimes its different when I actually publish it. Off to photo the next card!

How about another birthday card?

This one is for a grandson turning 18! I somehow thought these were the images for him. Since he likes anything I do, I am sure he will like this! Nothing like being sure of something.  Officially I am ahead of the game - only one more birthday for October! There are lots of them in Nov and Dec. Actually we have two grandkids born on the same date in Dec. Guess that was bound to happen - there are just so many dates around. I am very partial to Edwin even though I adore Tilda. Hmm. Just thought I forgot the little white dots on Edwin's cheeks. Will have to remedy that one before I actually give the card away. Here are the copics:

YG63, 67; R32, 35, 37, 20; B93, 95, 97, 39; W1,3,5,7; E00, 11, 31, 29, 37. I used Tim Holtz's distress inks for the backgrounds - I actually went over the copics for the grass. I like the way it came out - do you? Hugs to you all, Barb F  I actually only did one photo since everything showed up so well.

Cute birthday

Hey!! I accidentally got both of them on the same line! Wow!! I made this card with blue instead of purple and somehow got glitter all over her face so I had to make it again. Wonder how I managed that one? 

I love all of my stamps but these Bildmalarna ones always bring a smile to my face. Not sure yet who is getting this one - its a toss up between two gals. I just had to use my corner punch. Its been a long time since I used one. This is just a regular card. Hope you like it. Copics are E00, 11, 31, 35, 37; YG23, V15, RV02, 04, Y21, 28; YR23; C3.  I have found that sometimes I only have one copic in the color I want to use so by waiting until it dries and adding more color, it gets darker. This doesn't work particularly well on Gina K's cardstock as the ink stays on top of the paper. I am using Simply Smooth. Cornish Heritage Farms carried it and now they are not doing business anymore? Well, I stocked up so it will be a while before I have to be concerned. You do need a light hand anyhow with copics unless you like to clean up a lot - it will go out of the lines all by itself if you get too much wet on any paper. I use stickles as my glitter as I love the shine and the ease of application. Its a Martha Stewart lace punch along the sides. Hugs to you all, leave me a comment? Barb F

In Advance?

Thought I could maybe get ahead of all the birthdays coming up. If that is a possibility? This card is for our youngest grandchild's first birthday. He is even cuter than the card - now what kind of Grandma would I be if I thought any differently?!! This card was so easy to make, it almost made itself! I love the Edwin images, but I think this one with the chicken is my favorite. I am deathly afraid of chickens, so I can't imagine why I am so crazy nuts about this stamp! I managed to find a good reason to put flowers on my "boy" card, so they actually look like they belong (I think so anyhow!). There is lots of glitz, as usual and I even got some glitzy ribbon! The letters of his name hold the card in the standing position. Colorwise, the letters didn't photograph as close to the background red cardstock as it is in real life. Guess its because of the shine on the letters. They are foil covered. I had a bunch of little animal stamps, but the cow was the only guy facing the right way. And they when I checked my sticker stash, I found this adorable sheep with the googly eyes!! I hope you enjoy this one. It is going to be hard for me to give it up when Grady's birthday actually gets here!! Hugs to you all, Barb F

Get well, or else!!



Made this card for my oldest daughter who is terribly ill at present. She is fairly far away from me and never wants me to travel there when she is ill as she says she wants to enjoy my visit. So I sit home and mope because "Mommy can't fix things anymore!". She is, after all a Grandma herself! I looked for an image that I thought would cheer her up. This Tilda always does that for me. I colored her awhile back before I came up with my post it plan. Of course my daughter loves color as much as I do, so this one is really colorful. I wanted to do something I had never done before on anyone's card. I came up with this faux mirror kind of thing. I could have put silver paper behind her, now that I think of it, but I can assure you, it would have been a nightmare to photograph! I did get to play a whole lot with my new I-Rock! I usually lace edge strips I add, but somehow I thought it looked better just as a stripes. This kid of mine loves stripes! I didn't photo the inside but I used Prang metallic pens to write a message with and there's a cute circle of a beaver I cut from the Green paper stack. He says "Because I said so!". I wanted to get this in the mail ASAP and ended up making an envelope for it. There is a video on youtube how to make an envelope - this one is super easy as you measure the card diagonally, add an inch = the square measurement for your cardstock envelope. I use cardstock to go thru the mail as it helps protect along with wrapping the card in bubblewrap (the tiny bubble kind). Anyhow, you turn the paper to be diamond shape, place your card as near to center as possible. I draw lightly the corners with pencil. Staying at least 1/4 outside of these lines, try to line it up on a score thing and score your 4 lines, cut the tiny corner overlap out , use scor-tape and you are in like Flynn!!



Now, about the post-its - I found that I always choose my copics from the color chart before I begin coloring. It is just less I have to have around me. I usually have my papers chosen so I can match colors. If I am in doubt, I have a scrap of the white paper I am using to try the markers on. Once I pick out all that I think I will use, I write them on a post-it which I stick to my surface. If I don't use something, I cross it out when I put the marker away. It seems like a good system as then I can stick the post-it to the back of the image. Then when I do make a card, I will know what colors I used. Or when I post it. Hugs to you all, hope this cheers you all up also!!! Barb F

Autumn

Well it's almost here - Autumn! Thought I would make a card special for the season. I also wanted to enter it as a possibility for a home page card for one of my groups. I thoroughly enjoyed making this as I do all the cards!! Here are the colors of copics I used:
YR07, 23, 68, 82; Y17; E00,11,08,29,31; R20; G21,28; YG67,03,11; V12,15,17.

Originally I had a little scene colored but had other things that I decided I didn't like so I cut it apart. This is the result! I just love this Tilda but for some reason I only see her in orange! My stamp stash is becoming awsome so I guess I will need to spend some time stamping and catching up my notebooks! You know I just can't get these pictures to go where I want them too. I am not really sure what I am doing here, so bear with me!  Hugs to you all, stay tuned as I have another card to post, just too late for it tonight. Barb F

Friend's birthday

This card is for a very dear friend who loves mice! I fell in love with the image ages back when I first saw it. I also got to use my new tool, that I-Rock! I just love glitz and making that such fun to use makes me use it all the time. There are a lot of stickles on this card. And flowers. And ribbon. What can I say?! Love all that stuff!! I really think my fur is improving - what do you think? This is a standup card (not sure if easel is the correct name for it or not.) I used Tim Holtz ink for the background. Shabby Shutters. I find that since they put the names on a sticker to download on their site and I made a bunch of tiny boxes to hold all the foams, that I am again using them like crazy. I will try to remember where I got the directions for this "tower". It is wonderful. I will also try to get you a photo. This is the second of 3 cards that I colored images for last week. Hope you enjoy, hugs, Barb F

Happy 16

Well, another grandson's birthday - we have a lot of grandchildren - 14 in all so far! This one has been working on a truck and dying to drive it! So he finally made it to his 16th birthday and gets his truck! Here is my card for him. I didn't use many colors as I didn't have enough time to research how to shade that truck. It was enough that I found a stamp for one! Here are the copics : B23, 29, W1, 3, 5. 7.. I added a lot of stickles! Hope you enjoy! Barb F

Love all the images I used here. Just forgot to write the colors down. I have become a huge fan of Bildmalarna as it seems I can always find what I need for a card. Maybe because they are so varied and I bought a set? I have since watched a hair coloring video by Suzanne Dean and my hair will be better next time. That lady is a wonder! Hope you enjoy my card. Hugs, Barb F

By the way this is the last of what I managed to do in August so my next post might be a bit.

Fairy Princess

So this is the first of the September birthdays.

I just couldn't resist this cutie! She is from Mo's Digital Pencil. I don't usually do digital as I really don't like coloring with copics on them - haven't found the right paper yet - if any of you have suggestions, I would appreciate as it really is a neat thing to be able to size obects! I am using the staples cardstock at present. I have an HP printer and the ink smears on all my other copic papers. So, back to this pink and red card. They are my granddaughter's fav colors (she is 8 yrs) so I just had to use them. The aqua (or whatever you want to call the blue) helps them to look good together. I used a lot of red stickles to glam it up and those cutesy gems are the new I-Rock ones! Just had to try that one! It is fun!!! The flowers are wild orchid ones. I bought so many that I am still working on them and I do use them alot. I punched my leaves to match thinking that the green would be too harsh. That lacy strip is a new double sided punch from Martha Stewart! I love it - all in one pass!! I didn't keep track of the copics - sorry. I was fortunate to get the card done. DH came out of retirement again this am. I put him on a plane to go to work so now I have some catching up to do! I am sorry I missed commenting on so many things all summer. Hugs to you all, Barb F

Just a quick one!

I had a real need for this project, other than it was fun to make, I needed to control the clutter on my nightstand! Gina K again at StampTV.com!! She has a passion for covering boxes and some neat tricks came out with her latest Christmas covered boxes. I used a box that used to contain coffee bags (the individual kind. When you look at your boxes before you add them to the trash or recycles, think about the size and what you could use them for. This one was absolutely perfect! It was very quick. Gina suggested coloring the fold lines on the inside with Copics to match the paper. Boy is that a wonderful idea!! Now they don't have to fit super perfect and you can still fold the pieces back like they were. So here is my result.

See how nicely it goes with my "decor"?!!

Wow! It's been a long time!!

My life has been super hectic what with a trip to Canada thrown into the mix. I have been watching Youtube and came across the cutest photo holders from Gina K (you make them!) so I made a few for the photos I already have awaiting a scrapbook as well as the ones I still need to print. I used a Bildmalarna image on one of them and I can't remember where the boat one came from. To make them go to Stamptv.com for the video as well as a pattern -- So nice when there's a pattern!!

This last one is what they look like when they are filled and stacked. It was a quick, fun project and you can decorate them however. You will need a slip on, slip off ribbon to hold them together. I have a couple more things to add but no more time right now. Stay tuned! Hugs to you all!! Barb F

Thank you!!

A great big hug and thank you to those of you who commented on any of my postings as well as those of you who have just emailed me!! I do appreciate your taking the time to "make my day"!!! Hugs to you all, Barb F

Stationary Set

One of my needlework groups meets in the summer and we have a nice dinner out. This is the door prize. All one has to do is attend in order to have a chance at winning. I wish the colors had come out better in the photos. I gauged it by the brown which is pretty close to looking like it really does. I haven't been active with any of my scrapbooking/cardmaking groups lately as I went to see my sons and their families. It was a wonderful trip and I came home exhausted with tons of stuff to catch up. So now I am caught up and thought I would share this with my super duper followers! I probably will also put it in my lists or whatever Yahoo calls them! I started out making two of these and colored two Tildas. I love this image and think it is perfect for what I made. The other box didn't get to have Tilda at all as I goofed up so many times it just didn't seem possible to make that many mistakes on one project!! So I am saving the other Tilda for something else. She is even cut out! I am not so enthused with cutting images out now that I can manage to stay inside the lines! I do need to give credit to the two people who posted videos and instructions for this box. One is Splitcoast Stampers (Beate Johns) and the other one is Dannie Graves (she has a pattern on her blog).They are almost identical but I did use both of them. I would like to thank them just in case I could get lucky enough to have them check out my stuff!! I wish I could remember whose paper this was as I adore the animal print!! I actually bought it at our one and only local scrapbook store! I do not usually pick pink for anything but it just jumps out at you when you look at the paper, hence the pink accents (ribbon, roses). So here are the photos - there is so much going on here that I did take more than usual.

I have gotten to the point where I am ready to pull my hair out!! Last time I posted it went so smoothly. They must have done something to "make things easier"!! Sorry that the photos are all out of kilter. Guess you can just zoom up on them if you want. Sorry. As for Copics:
E00, E11, E31, E33, E37, E53, E57, R20, R29, RV10, RV13, YG67, B0000
Please let me know what you think. The lace is a Martha Stewart lace punch. It does have a corner one that goes with it if you want to do the punch around the page. Hugs to you all, Barb F