Melted Lollipops

I spent the afternoon at my mother's today... I sometimes wonder if she alone isn't responsible for global warming - from inside her house. I swear it was at LEAST 90 degrees in her house - maybe even 92 degrees - one for every year of her age. I forgot to wear my summer clothes over to her house! Geessshhhh it was HOT! I am happy to report that we got her printer/copier working. (It was probably over heated from ambient temperatures!)

I needed to have a COOL down in my Bubble - so put together a quick card. Challenge over at Crazy 4 Challenges (C4C22) was to use a lollipop. I had a card I made in December that really fit the bill but thought I should put together a FRESHER lollipop card.

Hello Lollipop
~Base card PTI
~Design paper - kimemories
~Scallop circle hot pink cardstock
~Circular punch of design paper
~Layers of cardstock topped with sentiment from the good 'ol dollar bin at Michael's
~Sentiment topped with glitter
~Lollipop stamp - Stampin' Up Very Punny - colored with Copics topped with Stampin' Up Crystal Effects
~Edges curved with punch

I've finally cooled down from the motherly visit. I don't normally work with pastels - wonder if my brain was melty while I was working on it! That's it for this weekend. I hope to get home early enough from work one day this week to grab some more Bubble time!

You can get up close with the card by clicking on the image.

All good wishes,
Nancy

Back in the Bubble

I rewarded myself, after slogging through student re'sumes, with more BUBBLE time and a cup of decaffeinated Earl Grey tea!!! I won't go into the quality of some of the re'sumes but suffice it to say I now have a dull headache.

I colored in this image while struggling to come up with the elusive five garden images for friend Mary Lee. I'm not complaining - I may not be coming up with actual garden cards - but I am getting flowery cards made! I suppose this COULD be a garden card - and it may have to be included in the group of five - it has flowers...it has a bird...it has a flower cart...

I used the color challenge over at Whimsical Wednesday.

Garden Cart
~Base card - PTI
~Layer of My Minds Eye Out and About
~Vertical layer of same collection
~Assorted ribbons
~Image by Stampin' Up Love Ya Bunches, colored in with Copics, highlighted with Stickles and Stampin' Up Crystal Effects, used a black eyelet for the hub center, layered on teal and red cardstocks with edges curved and smudged with black ink

Thanks for checking in! You can get up close with the image by clicking on the card.

All good wishes,
Nancy

Dreaming of a Return to the Bubble

I'm taking a break from the Mary Lee garden quest with a non-garden card. Paper Garden Projects posted a challenge to feature a love or valentine theme, include ribbon and buttons. Another challenge that guided this card was over at Our Creative Corner with their challenge to incorporate a music theme. The layout is a sketch over at Splitcoast Stampers SCS263.

I used the buttons under the rhinestones to complement the wheels on the carriage. The carriage is printed on PTI Vintage Cream but I printed the sentiment on white to compliment the white buttons.

Princess Dreams
~Base card - PTI
~Layer of purple card stocks topped with DCWC Once Upon a Time
~Sheer ribbons and blue, purple, and gold metallic threads
~Image (freebie from BirdsCards) - colored in with Copics, Stickles added, rhinestone brads for the wheel hubs
~Three white buttons, topped with flower rhinestones
~Sentiment is typed - notes are Webdings

Now, I must sign off and step away from the 'card-table' and attack a few student re'sumes. Big sigh.... If I'm a 'good girl' and finish a couple reviews maybe I'll reward myself with more Bubble Time and decaffeinated coffee.

You can get up close with the card by clicking on the image.

All good wishes,
Nanc

Thirty Acres

In the time I've spent searching for garden (not just floral) digital images online I could have tilled up thirty acres and planted the perfect quintessential English garden. Oh WAIT, no I couldn't - I don't have thirty acres and even if I did - there is the matter of the THIRTY inches of snow outside!

I am happy to report that I did find one image online at KLM Digital Designs. What's up with no garden images? I can't be the ONLY one willing to purchase and use a garden digi! I did have a nice blog follower send me a note suggesting a few Stampin' Up stamps. Now THAT is a nice lady!

Today along with the cards for Mary Lee I was the Transfer-er in a Transfer-of-Crap event! Oh Yeah - I got rid of stuff this time. Sissy Gail is the recipient of a box of 'crap'. Ha Ha Your turn to mull over the contents and determine if they are 'keep worthy' or 'dump worthy' (or heaven forbid RE-Transfer-of-Crap worthy).

I looked to Mojo Monday for the perfect layout for the image and was not disappointed. And I can use this for the Dutch Dare challenge because the call there is for Summer in the Winter. Now for the card info...

At Long Last
~Base card PTI
~Layer of My Minds Eye Wild Asparagus
~Horizontal layer of same paper - on top of a layer of cardstock
~Twine
~Corner button
~Image Garden Shed colored in using colored pencils and Copics; flowers topped with Stampin' Up Crystal Effects; image area cut out, smudged with Distress Ink Old Paper; layered onto PTI with the edges roughed up
~Prima flowers with tiny buttons and petals topped off with a smidgen of Stampin' Up Crystal Effects

I have to admit - this one REALLY is better in real life than in digital-photography-uploaded-blogworld-life. It is not nearly as washed out as it appears here.

I can't believe it! I didn't even get the chance to hit "Publish Post" and I receive a text message from Sister Gail stating that my husband is on his way back from Omaha with - wait for it...wait for it...ToC!!!! I can't win!

P.S. I fixed the 'recieve' typo. My bad!

You can get up close with the card by clicking on the image.
All good wishes,
Nancy

Missing: One Garden Muse

I haven't nailed the Mary Lee garden theme project yet. Is it all this SNOW and ICE that is causing a lush green and dramatically colorful muse from popping into my head?

Here is what I've managed to come up with for Mission:Garden....I know, I know....they are not really garden-like and florals do not equate with garden. These are my 'warm-up' cards.

In an indirect sort of way - I suppose one could say that at some point flowers originate from a garden... but what about hot house flowers? They never had to struggle against elbowing weeds or enjoyed direct sun on their flowery little faces. Technically they are NOT from a garden. I get it - flowers do NOT necessarily = garden.

Maybe I'm over-thinking this.

I know! I need to spend some time surfing the net for garden theme digital stamps. YES, that's it more one-on-one time with my laptop! I can get sucked into the vortex of the net and push back that little voice suggesting I go chip ice from the sidewalk.


Elephant in the Garden
This card gets its name from the sketch challenge #50 over at The Pink Elephant.
~Base card - PTI (Paper Trey Ink)
~Layer of olive green cardstock
~Layer of blue, green stripe (Miss Elizabeth - Dollar Tree)
~Horizontal rectangles of blue then olive green cardstocks and coordinating Miss Elizabeth blue/green checked print
~Ovals cut using Spellbinders and Cuttlebug - two shades of green cardstock
~Image colored with Copics; flower coated with Stampin' Up Crystal Effects, leaves coated with ~Crackle Accent
~Blue/green plaid ribbon (Archiver's) 'just cuz' gift from Sissy Gail (She said not to refer to her as sister Gail because it sounds too nun-like.) She then corrected herself and said that would be "Sister MARY Gail". We have a familial 'thing' about nuns...let's just leave it at that!
~Garden rake is a ToC item from sissy Gail

Garden Fairy
~Base card - PTI
~Layer of DCWV Pocket Full of Posies
~Image - Stampin' Up Fairy Nice, colored with Copics, topped off with Stampin' Up Crystal Effects
~Stickles Diamond added to 'water' flowing out of the watering can
~Mini daisy punch (Michael's Dollar Bin) - two layers with Stickles center in fairy's hand
~Three edges of image punch with Fiskars corner punch
~Lower edge of image curved using corner curve punch
~Left and bottom edge of image cardstock smudge with ink - Cotton Candy
~Layers of green leaves punched with Martha Stewart punch
~Layers of mini daisy punch with Stickles glitter centers

Herb Garden
~Base card - PTI
~Layer of Basic Grey Wassail collection (toile print)
~Purple brads
~Filigree sticker is from Basic Grey Wassail collection
~Layers of off-white cardstocks - edges smudged with Distress Ink Old Paper and Peeled Paint
~Image (another Gail-gift: a bulk order of used stamps from e-Bay) colored in with Copics and colored pencils
~Black brads and twine added to the drying rack


Now - I'm on the hunt for REAL garden images - otherwise Mary Lee will be stuck with these.

You can get up close with the card by clicking on the image.
All good wishes,
Nancy

Mission:Garden Birthdays

Bubble goals...REALLY... I have goals for this weekend's Bubble time. Mary Lee has requested garden themed cards. I'm not sure I REMEMBER what a garden looks like...today it is a large LUMP of ice encrusted snow - about ten feet of it. I will do my best to conjure up memories of green.

Second goal: birthday cards for a couple more of 'my' special college students. I was just trying to figure out what makes some of the kids 'card worthy' and others merely get a hearty birthday greeting in the hall or a Facebook 'happy birthday'....I'll have to give this one some thought.

Quick upload for the first (of five) of the garden theme cards. Thank you to the challengers over at Our Creative Corner for just the right layout inspiration to use this wreath that I colored and top coated on Wednesday. I wasn't a sloth during the week...I was creating 'pieces parts' for cards. When I don't have time to sit in the Bubble or have time to make a card - I try to squeak in coloring time because it is so portable. (What's next? Paper dolls?)

Garden Tools
~Base card - PTI
~Stripe layer of My Minds Eye design paper
~Horizontal layer of coordinating green from same MME collection (at the bottom of the card under layer of dots)
~Two horizontal layers of dots from MME collection
~Narrow ribbon - giftie from sister Gail
~Image stamped with Memento's Tuxedo Black colored with Copics and colored pencils - then coated with Pearlescent acrylic paint
~Individual blades of fake grass glued to back of wreath (yes...I know I'm nuts!)
~Wreath is attached with double layers of dimensional foam
~Petaloo Gypsy Flower with rhinestone (also a sister Gail surprise 'giftal'.
I'm off to make cards for Ashley, Trayna, and CeCe, and mentally create four more garden cards...maybe I should download that Ricky Nelson tune for inspiration.

You can get up close with the card by clicking on the image.
All good wishes,
Nancy

Bubble Time At Last

Two items to take note of prior to reading this posting:

1. I MOSTLY make blank cards (I give away - not as in address to someone - groups of cards - to family and friends). I get complaints about this from a couple of my dearest sisters...but I figure this makes most cards multi-purpose - and hey - write your OWN sentiment on the inside - somebody tie a piano to your right wrist?!

2. (This point is VERY important!) I am NOT a night person!

Last night at 8:45 my husband asked me if I could make 'either a christening card or a baby card'. This was VERY curious as he has NEVER asked for one of my cards. I looked at him, I admit rather suspiciously, and said, "sure, when do you need it?"

He replied, "in the morning, I'll be leaving for church around 8:15."

REALLY?

Start a card at 8:45 PM? Me? I don't think I could even put together a 'quickie' cheater card at that time of the day!

Plus this is a pretty special baby and parents - not worthy of a 'quickie' card. Baby Frances was born in a timely fashion while daddy is home from Iraq. I couldn't think of sending a 'last minute-throw-together card for Mary Grace's new little sister. Now mind you I've only met Daddy and that was very briefly. These are church choir acquaintances of my husbands. (I can't sing and in fact could curl tiles off the wall if I attempted to sing in the shower. I attend mass on the campus where I work - so my path never intersects the BIG church choir.)

It is obvious husband John has no idea how much time goes into making a card especially when you considering drying time for coatings or glittery gluey stuff. God love him! Okay, maybe it's partially my fault for RARELY letting him into the Bubble. He probably thinks - paper - cut, ink stamp - DONE!

Well I did manage to stamp a baby sentiment into what I thought could be an appropriate baby card (refer to point #1 above...) I used "Make Mine a Double" (posted Dec. 29). Baby also got a 'rag-time' pastel baby quilt...now THAT I CAN'T whip up with only a few moments notice!

My Bubble time has been too limited lately so I really enjoyed the time I got to spend making cards today. Plus I bought four stamps while they were on sale over the holidays over at Kimmie's Stamps and I couldn't wait to crack them open!

Double Dare Card Challenge sketch DDCC #69


Margarita Button
~Base care - PTI
~Layer of Colorbok Eggplant and Sage (transfer of treasure from Amy and Jennie!)
~Scallop circle using Cuttlebug die cut
~Layers of cardstock dotted with Stickles glitter
~Image - long-ago purchase from the Michael's dollar bin - colored with pencils - glitter for the salt rim, the rest topped with Stampin Up Crystal Effects
~Button tied with metallic thread (ToC from sister Gail)
~Horizontal lime green with two brads


One of my 'regulars' (student on campus) has a birthday coming up. She is in a 'penguin' phase (penguinie - if you are Mary Lee's grand daughter). There are a few students who I make cards for just because they are especially special. Sherin is a sophomore and is one of my 'floor kids'. Because she likes penguins I was able to hit a double whammy with card blog challenges. Stampin B's challenge was to make a card with winter fun and the challenge over at The Pink Elephant was a birthday theme.


Cup of Birthday Joy~Base Card topped with blue cardstock
~Layer of Daisy D's Winter Fun Pad - over stamped with Hero Arts Snowflake Border using Versamark and clear embossing powder
~Layer of blue cardstock, layer of yellow glittery cardstock, layer of red cardstock - and then Oliver from Kraftin Kimmie Stamps - colored in with pencils, and Copics, topped with Pearlescent acrylic - marshmallows puffed up with Liquid Applique (Isn't he CUTE???)
~Snowflake brad
~Metallic threads - metal printed tag
~Snowflake ribbon





The challenge at Kraftin' Kimmie was to use pink, red, and chocolate - just in time for Valentine's Day. This is another stamp I just ordered from Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps - she has the cutest stamps!!!!

Mug of Hearts
~Base card - PTI
~Layer of Making Memories Cosmopolitan Collection (this is from my - I bought this WHY? pile - but look - the challenge called for pink and chocolate...and here it is)
~Image - Kraftin' Kimmie's Piper. Stamped Piper is actually holding a mug - I stamped a heart using Versamark and red embossing powder and attached it using a dimension foam square. Image is colored using pencils and Copics. There are other darlin' little girl stamps over at Kraftin' Kimmies...I am SO going to make a wish list!
~American Crafts heart ribbon
~Assorted bunch of ribbons







Crazy for Challenges posted a sketch challenge (c4c20)


Bloomin' Hearts
~Base card - smudged up with several colors
~Layer of MME Out & About
~Layer of card stock
~Another layer of MME Out & About
~Image Stampabilities Heart Tree colored in with Copics - hearts topped with Glossy Accents
~Horizontal layer of MME Out & About with a red heart brad
~Sentiment - Stampin' Up Small Script stamped on a paint chip sample

Time to sign off for now - another busy week ahead.




You can get up close with the card by clicking on the image.
All good wishes,
Nancy

Polka Dotted Apothicary Elephants

Just in case you are thinking I don't get ANYTHING done except make cards...you will be happy to know that I did manage to get the Christmas decorations put away. Oh, that reminds me...I still have to get the circular wooden ornament from the front porch. How many years ago did sista Judy give me that?

I know the appliqued quilted tree skirt she made me is from 1984 - because she wrote the date on the back. Of course it looks like new being used only once a year - and as you can see I don't leave Christmas 'stuff' up for very long. I think it's genetic. I remember my mother and her brother calling each other every year around the holidays. The first phone call would be to claim dibs on cooking the first batch of peanut brittle, divinity, and fudge. The second annual phone call would be to claim the honor of being first to take down the Christmas tree. I also remember a year my mother won resoundingly. It was the year the Christmas tree got knocked down (can't seem to remember who or what knocked it down but I think it had to do with a dog or cat) late Christmas eve. Luckily all the gifts were already opened. So as you can see I come from a family of 'put all the stuff away' kind of folks.

Don't get me wrong - it's not that I don't like Christmas and all the trimmings...it's not having my usual 'stuff' sitting out that puts me on edge. I like my usual 'stuff' (decor). Plus working in higher education with the week off between Christmas and New Years - it only makes sense to put that down time to good use. I even switched to snowmen instead of the 'traditional' Christmas decorations thinking I would/could leave things up longer. What was I thinking...we are SURROUNDED by snow - all I have to do is look out the window!

Even with my burst of packing energy I was able to log some Bubble time.

Over at The Pink Elephant there was a choice of layouts to choose from. I chose the second sketch because I found this blue/white print rectangle with the green ribbon/bow already on it. It came in the ToT (Transfer of Treasures) from Amy and Jennie. {Transfer of Treasures is NOT to be confused with ToC Transfer of Crap} Crap vs Treasure has nothing to do with the transferer - it's just that Amy and Jennie sent me all their card making stuff... now really how could I possibly lump all those wonderful goodies in with everyday 'transfer of crap'?

Back to the The Pink Elephant sketch. Here is the down-low:


Blue Elephant
~Base card - PTI white - edges smudged with Stampabilities Lime Green
~Layer of lime green cardstock
~Layer of print paper from Miss Elizabeth - edges smudged with Stampabilities Baby Blue
~Narrower layer of same lime green cardstock and print paper - blue polka dot brad added on right
~Layers of blue, white, green cardstock topped with the 'found treasure' of blue/white floral and polka dot ribbon
~Two green corner brads added
~Sentiment - Stampin' Up Warm Words - stamped using Baby Blue then embossed with clear powder - edgles smudged with Lime Green and layered on blues and green cardstock - attached using dimensionals

One of the first places I clicked into today was the Crazy 4 Challenges blog. The challenge was to use polka dots! I LOVE polka dots! Since I had so much fun with the "Joy-folded card"yesterday I decided to make another one. Plus - using the fold card I could use lots and lots of polka dots!




Fold Out the Polka
~Base card - PTI white
~All the polka dot cardstocks from DCWV Nana's Kids~Three brads upper left flap
~Bottom left corner - ribbon slit circle brad - with a variety of polka dot ribbons threaded through










Inside Sentiment: Stampin' Up Very Punny "Like No Udder"
I just HAD to use my friend the spotted (or in this case) the polka dotted cow.







Clean and Simple was the Saturday challenge at Our Creative Corner. The simple part was cutting up an adorable get-well card that niece Linda sent to her Aunt Gail. This is where the REAL ToC gets a little dicey...while it is traditionally called Transfer of Crap - HOW CUTE IS THIS CARD and aren't I glad that Gail 'transferred' it to me. Maybe we should rename the tradition "Repurposing Transfer".... I doubt that name would stick as ToC is ingrained in us all. I think someone needs to make a jar shaped punch...hmmm...maybe there is one and I don't know about it. As daughter Amy would say to me, "Get on the Google Mama!"




Simply Linda
~Base card - PTI Vintage Cream
~Layer of grey - embossed using Cuttlebug and embossing folder - metallic ink rubbed over the top using Brilliance Starlite Silver
~Horizontal strip of silver grey/white grosgrain ribbon





And...To quote my very dear friend Sharon Loo, "That's it and that's all!" Gail, I'm sure, will be very happy I'm finished as she is the proof-reader of all this nonsense. If you find a gaff....tell her not me!

You can get up close with the card by clicking on the image.
All good wishes,
Nancy

Atlanta Treasures

The challenge at Stampin' B's , is in honor of the new year, "we should celebrate both OLD and NEW, so..."Use your oldest Stamp and your newest Tool on a card".

Well, this snow angel is the oldest in my collection. It happens to be the first time I've ever used it too! The story of this stamp is linked to one of the many, annual, 3/5's Club trip. Sister Gail and I flew to Atlanta to see sister Judy. One of the annual events, within the annual trip, incorporates an opportunity to see nieces, nephew, grand-nieces, grand-nephews, and niece/nephews-in-law. While visiting niece Linda's 'new' house (the basement wasn't even finished yet) she showed us some of her handiwork. At that time she was designing images for 'Chunky Stamps' and for cross-stitch. She gave me several of her designs including this snow angel. Linda: You may want to think about designing rubber stamps or digi-stamps...(Just a thought...)

With snow angel and a variety of Chunky Stamps in hand, I didn't run home and start making cards but I did hang on to the stamps - just because Linda designed them. So while this isn't the first stamp that actually pushed me into the vortex of card making mania - it was one of the very first stamps - which was to become my stamp collection.

My newest tool is a snowflake punch.




Angel Linda

~Base card - Paper Trey Ink Aqua Mist
~Layer of brown cardstock
~Layer of Daisy D's Winter Fun Pad Collection
~Image - Duncan Crafts Snow Angel Chunky Layers
~Wings and halo stamped with Versamark Ranger Gold and Enchanted Gold embossing powders (hand-me-overs from Amy - lucky me!). All three stamped and cut out separately.

~Snow body:
1. Stamped with Stampabilities Baby Blue and over-stamped with Versamark using a Stampin Up snowflake and embossed with Tsukineko Turquoise powder
2. Eyes dotted with Stickles Black Diamond
3. Nose stamped, colored with Copics, coated with Ranger Crackle Accents, cut out, and attached with Glue Dot
4. Mouth dotted with black pen
5. Buttons
6. Twig arms are from long stem roses I dried and hadn't done anything with yet - attached using Glue Dots (I don't normally dry flowers but these were from someone special, received very unexpectantly, during a difficult time - WHAT am I TALKING about??? I don't NORMALLY receive long stem roses - period!!!)
7. Body attached to card using Scotch Pop-Up Foam Squares

~Snow mound is hand drawn on white cardstock smudged with Stampabilities Baby Blue overstamped with Hero Arts Snowflake Border using Tsukineko Turquoise and dotted wit globs of Ranger Crackle Accents
~Upper right corner: three snowflake punches with metallic star centers and aqua star brads - edges of snowflake cardstock punches dotted with Ranger Crackle Accents

I'm not sure what took longer - making the card or writing out the 'recipe' for it...

The metallic 'stars' on the snowflakes were part of a sweet package I won! Here is a photo of all the goodies!
I was the lucky Blog-Hopper at Paper Garden Projects Thank you Catherine St. Clair for hosting Winter Wonderland Garden Walk!

So, technically, my Stampin' B's challenge actually includes my first stamp, my newest tool AND unexpected treasures!

You can get up close with the card by clicking on the image.
All good wishes,
Nancy