Happy Mother's Day!

Ok...so I'm a little late. I had the cards done on time but didn't see my mom until Wednesday night (I took her to see Grease on the stage). And I needed to send my niece's.

Sorry. I can't tell you who designed the stamp. Couldn't find any markings on it. The papers are Graphic 45. Colored with my aqua painter. I placed a small piece of wash tape over the word 'Love' before sponging color over the rest image.

Pink for my mom (and me).

Blue for my niece who celebrated her first Mother's Day as a new mom!

The Stamper's Samper Catch-up Issue

I only stop for the mail every couple of days - I'm lazy and I don't get much mail so why bother?


'Cos there might be a complimentary copy of the next STAMPER'S SAMPLER CATCH-UP ISSUE in the box!!! Yep..published again.
I just flipped thru and only saw this card - a romantic card using Graphic 45 papers and Memory Box stamps.

My 50th Birthday Travel Album

I finally finished it!! Last September my mom and I took a "family heritage" trip to the Madison Wisconsin area. On and off over the last 15 years, I've spent a great deal of time doing family genealogy research. My mom's family is "easy" because they all came from Norway between 1840 and 1850 - and settled in two counties (Dane and Green) Wisconsin. Thru Ancestry.com I've meet cousins 5 and 6 generations removed. Some still live very near the original homestead of the ancestors I've researched the most.

My greatest 50th birthday wish was to have my picture take at the grave of our common "mother", Birgit Halverson. She died on my birthday (83 years earlier). Despite 6-8 months of research, contacting EVERYBODY I could think of, sending my newly met cousins out to area cemeteries - we still haven't found Birgit's grave. But in the end I cherish meeting those cousins and sharing a common background! In addition, I wanted to visit the Wisconsin State Historical Society to gather records I could find online, but cost $15 a copy to get.

So here is my travel/birthday album from that trip. I started with a Graphic 45 Kraft envelope album. Covered a great deal of it in Graphic 45 Steampunk Debutant paper and added some additional mini envelopes for additional storage. Other supplies used: Primas, Glimmer Mist, rhinestones, Slice, washi tape, Memory Box stamps, and some Tim Holtz stuff.

Closed it's a pretty small album.
Just under flap is a picture (a bad one) of the birthday girl - ME!

Each "page" is an envelope. Inside I put a journal card and a photo for that day.
The small envelopes also have journal cards and hold "ephemera". In this case my pass to the UW library.






On my birthday I used this numbered paper and "highlighted" my age!



I decorated some of the inside flaps.

GC58: Transparencies ROMANCE

The job hunt continues...

I don't think I'm depressed but I sure am suffering from MAJOR boredom and lack of UMPH! No MOJO to stamp either (although I've been working on some class samples with the hopes of teaching this fall).

Just under the wire - for Gingersnap Creations TRANSPARENCIES challenge ending today!! I have a couple of transparent things here.

Now and then when I order something I get a "goody" bag for a thank you. This image of the bride on ACETATE was one of those goodies. I've also been wanting to use microscope slides in these charm frames. The papers are all from the Graphic 45 LeROMANTIQUE paper line. Her pink "dress is a rose under the acetate.

GC57 - WINGS

I wanted to do something different for the Gingersnap Creations WINGS challenge. I had pulled out some clip art of cemetery angels but the wings were so small. Then I remember my gargoyle clip art sheet. I'd already used the gargoyle with the big wings - so I used this guy.

The rest is scraps of "Paris" and Eiffel Tower paper. No real stamping here (just a "postmark").

Stamps: 7 Gypsies
Paper: Graphic 45 scraps, clip art by COLLAGE STUFF
Ink: SU! Real Red
Accessories: brads, metal photo corner, glitter, metal fleur de lis

CoC #2 - Fragments Basics

Week Two at Studio L3 'COMPENDIUM OF CURIOSITIES' Challenge is Fragment Basics (pg62). Which in actual fact is very easy! Just gluing Tim's Fragments to bits of paper.

I'm using goodies in the stash lately and found these great 7 Gypsies tags. I think they are for journaling - but have great graphics. I highlighted the green areas with very fine glitter. The Fragments I glued on parts of Graphic 45's DOMESTIC GODDESS papers. I liked the cherry motifs. The girl and her mother are clip art.

To challenge myself (since this is a pretty basic) was to make a double sized tag. the check print is a AMuse paper that was distressed with Old P aper ink.

The left side.

The right side.

Tuesday Tag Challenge #46 - Sketch: BOARDWALK

I love sketches! I think the biggest trouble I still have in card making is breaking out of the box with format. I have a thousand ideas about content. Kard Krazy's Tag Tuesday Challenge was a sketch!

All these clip art images are from GRAPHIC 45's Boardwalk collection. The middle image was covered with a Fragment and then highlighted with gold pearls. The half circle from the sketch comes from a scrap of paper covered in shells. The scallop was the perfect size. I put some glitter on it to give it some dimensions but that detail doesn't show in the photo.

Stamps: none
Paper: tag, Graphic 45
Ink: brown chalk
Accessories: Gem brads, MS Sand Castle border punch, Fragment, rope twine, gold pearl rhinestones, glitter.

Stamper' Sampler - Diary of a Desperate Housewife

WooHoo! I came home last night to my new copy of Stamper's Sampler and I had another card published!!

This was one of the "Tempting Template" challenges.

I printed Marie and the "eat cake" sentiment. She was framed with a rhinestone border. The roses are German Scrap. The "M" is Grungeboard covered with copper paint. Around the edges of the apron card I stamped pink flourishes.

Stamps: Stampin Up! COMPLIMENTS TO THE CHEF; Memory Box BAY FLOURISH
Paper: My Mind's Eye
Ink: Distress Ink, Colorbox Chalks, Brilliance
Accessories: Grungeboard letter, ribbon, rhinestone border, paper roses, primas, pearls, clipart image

Stamper's Sampler has a new look inside. I have mixed feelings about the new format, but there are some LOVELY cards in there this time.

And this is the template card that didn't make the cut!

I put a Carmel Pear Butter recipe under the flap.

Stamps: pear image & Magnolia sentiment (recipe)
Paper: Graphic 45
Ink: Colorbox Chalks
Accessories: button, Scrapper's Floss, gold pearls, ribbon

Gingersnap ROMANTIC

One of my new favorite sites to visit is GINGERSNAP CREATIONS. The girls there have a weekly challenge. This card is for ROMANCE.

Being a single lady of a "certain age". My romance comes mostly from the occasional novel (though, I mostly read suspense). So when I say I was scratching my head over the ROMANCE challenge...well you can understand. THEN! My new Graphic 45 Le Romantique papers came - including this beautiful bride clipart. The roses are also part of the Le Romantique line. I cut them out and highlighted with glitter and my favorite glitter pen.

The green paper is done in Technique Junkies FAUX DESIGNER PAPER. I used several small image stamps, so the details are hard to see in the photo. I stamped the light pink cards stock with the same butterflies in darker pink.

Stamps: Memory Box FIRST FLIGHT and BAY FLOURISH
Paper: Graphic 45 LE ROMANTIQUE
Ink: Distress Ink
Accessories: tatted ribbon, pearls, and pearls.

The last Grunge Tags

Last night my SCS stamping buddy, Joanna, invited me to go to Archiver's with her for the Saturday evening crop. She told them that Friday was my birthday and they went all out. When I arrived I found a bunch of balloons tied to my spot. Later they gave me a huge cupcake and sang Happy Birthday (much to my embarrassment), and we had a GREAT time laughing and creating. I worked on cutting apart my niece's wedding invitation inserts and later my last two grunge tags (and a little shopping...).


This is my last number tag. I started with another "happy accident" background. This time I used Fired Brick, Pine Needles, and Old Paper for the base and CANDY APPLE RED Glimmer Mist over the mask. The rest of the tag is collaged starting with the Graphic 45 Santa and stamps from Oxford Impressions.

Stamps: Oxford Impressions WINTER SNOW
Paper: tag, Graphic 45
Ink: Distress Ink: Pine Needles, Fired Brick, Old Paper
Accessories: Glimmer Mist: Candy Apple Red, flower, Stitcher's Floss, silk ribbon, acetate overlay, and number beads.

This is my last alphabet tag - L is for LEAF. The tag is crumpled up gently to distress it. Then rubbed with a Distressed Ink (Vintage Photo) and misted with water. The ink runs into the distressed crevices and leaves a wonderful rumpled look. After it was dried, I ironed it to smooth the tag. Using Mustard Seed and Spiced Marmalade, I stamped maple leaves (both a line stamp and a solid stamp) randomly. Over that I layered stripes of brown and print paper. The chipboard leaf was covered with another tag I had distressed in the same manner as the background tag. After cutting out I sponged the edge of the leaf. The "L" is grungeboard covered with a copper dauber.

Stamps: Stamp Oasis (Rubbernecker) LEAF GROUP
Paper: tag, paper scraps
Ink: Distress Ink: Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade, and Vintage Photo
Accessories: Grungeboard, rub-ons, ribbon, chipboard, Paint Dauber: Cooper, velvet leaves, and brads.


And finally last week I did this spooky tag for #31. The background tag is my favorite water spritz background. Stamped with the TRICK OR TREAT web. The skeleton was stamped and sponged on another tag and cut out.

Stamps: Stampers Anonymous: TRICK OR TREAT
Paper: tag
Ink: Distress Ink: Mustard Seed, Dried Marigold, Spiced Marmalade, Black Soot, and Vintage Photo
Accessories: metal numbers, metal photo corner, ribbon, and staples.

More Grunge Tags: 5 o'clock and 9 Lives

Two more grunge tags! The Nine Lives' background is from my original Happy Accident paper, where I put masks over previously inked paper and then used Glimmer Mist to spray. I could not get a good picture of the color on Nine Lives - but it's a rich cranberry and blue/green. Yummy!
The cat is an Inkadinkado stamp stamped in Archival Black. Archival Black will stay on "top" of the Glimmer Mist background so it's a sharp black. I used rub-ons for the black swirl patterns and the LIVES letters. The nine is grungeboard sprayed with Glimmer Mist: Patina.

The paw print tag is another Tim Holtz technique from Day 11 of 2008 Christmas Tags. The fragment is sanded on one side. Sanded side is stamped and embossed with clear EP. The EP side is placed down against the colored paper.

Stamps: Inkadinkado CAT SET
Paper: tag
Ink: Archival Jet Black; Distress Ink: Pine Needles, Fired Brick, Old Paper
Accessories: Glimmer Mist: Candy Apple Red and Patina, Grungeboard, rub-ons, Fragment, clear EP, rhinestones, and ribbon.

"It must be 5 o'clock somewhere" is my next tag. It's just a collaged piece - no Tim Holtz goodness! (grin) I started with another Graphic 45 paper (the clocks). That paper is double sided so I tore a strip off and used the reverse side (under the lady). The lady is also cut from a Graphic 45 paper (Fashionista). All edges were sponged with Brushed Corduroy. I printed the title on my computer. If you notice none of the clocks on the tag are pointed at 5 o'clock. The five is a metal number from Making Memories.

Stamps: none
Paper: Tag and Graphic 45
Ink: Distress Ink: Brushed Corduroy
Accessories: Metal number, clock face, Prima flower, brad, and corner brad.

Route 66

Here's another tag for my Grungy Tag challenge on SCS. This time I did a number - 66. As in Route 66. Quite a few paper companies have put out lines of "travel" paper. Maybe because a lot of people are driving on their vacation this year instead of flying. Anyway, Graphic 45 has a sheet of different spots. I used the "apple ad" on yesterdays tag. Another spot was this class car on top of an old map of Route 66 between Needles, AZ and Los Angeles. I cut the car out and put Glossy Accents on the window and headlights. You can't really tell in the picture but it adds a nice detail. The background paper of cars pulling campers is from Cosmo Cricket's HAPPY CAMPER paper. It seemed like the perfect background for my collage. I stamped Saquaro catcuses in Shabby Shutters over the paper and "Road Trip" in Old Paper. Finally I stamped a Route 66 sign on another tag in Walnut Stain; cut out; and layered with a pop-dot. Last touch is an Idea-ology Philosophy tag (Journey).



Stamps: Artistic Outpost ROUTE 66
Paper: Graphic 45 paper; Cosmo Cricket paper, tag
Ink: Distress Ink: Old Paper, Shabby Shutters, and Walnut Stain.
Accessories: Glossy Accents, Idea-ology: Philosophy Tags and brad/rivet, and twine.

Finally, I had to share this picture of Jasmine - my 10 (almost 11) yr old Lab. I work from home 2-3 days a week. Today I got up to get something and found Jazz *RIGHT* behind my chair sleeping. She's so close that her head is almost under my chair. It's good to have somebody watch your back (while they snore up a storm)! (GRIN)

A is for Apple

One of my first posts was T is for, a tag for my grunge tag swap on SCS. A is for APPLE is the next tag in the "series". This is another Tim Holtz technique (found on his DVD An Altered Journey) using alcohol inks on flashing tape. Flashing tape can be found in the hardware store. It's a 2 inch foil tape with a very sticky back. The night before I had used cranberry, raisin, and wild plum AI and blending solution to give the flashing tape agate look. I let it completely dry overnight. The chipboard A went under the tape and was brayered on. Rubbing or burnishing will remove the color from the tape. Once the letter was "raised" I gently tried to remove the color with blending solution.

The fragment is another Tim Holtz technique. Glossy Accents is spread over the back of a Fragment and then placed over a patterned paper (in this case Graphics 45 paper). It dries quickly and then is cut out. Collaged elements and stamps are added to the tag to finish.

Stamps: swirls stamps
Paper: tag, flashing tape, paper scraps, Graphics 45 paper
Ink: Distress Ink: Fired Brick
Accessories: chipboard letter, Tim Holtz fragment, Ranger Alcohol Inks (cranberry, raisin, and wild plum), AI blending solution, brayer, felt dauber, button, twine, and Glossy Accents.