Be Strong...a Psalm stamp done two ways

Psalm 31:24, a beautiful stamp by Verve, was used on two different creations for these encouraging cards.

The first was made with bits and pieces of things lying about on my craft desk:  K & Co. butterfly stickers, a small bit of a doily, a smidgen of green "grass" (actually the negative left behind from a My Favorite Things Grassy Fields) and a stitched rectangle mat.

Ever so subtly in the background, you can see the lightly stamped Inkadinkado Floral Woodcut.

The next card uses shimmery paper from DCWV.  The photo below doesn't show the golden glint, but the next photo does.

I hope you had a good weekend.  Yesterday, I had my hair trimmed and highlights retouched.  Ah, nothing like fresh hair color to lift one's spirits!  I put away some more Christmas decorations, don't mind me, it's a bit slow-going.  :-)  My hubby and girls cleaned most of the house, which is a TREMENDOUS help to me, as I am still doing physical therapy for my herniated discs.  Bit by bit, I am getting better; so thankful!

Snowflake on blue

Hi there!  I'm trying to keep up with my Christmas card stash by making one here and there.  This one is simple but has a nice impact in person, thanks to a glittery snowflake, a strip of silver mirror cardstock, and silvery ink for the sentiment.

The sentiment, stamped in silver, is from Hero Arts' Winter Scene. The sequins next to it are silver, too.

It's a shame this was tough to photograph. The card is much prettier in person.
Thanks for taking a peek anyway!

Birthday Violets

Hello! It's taking me a bit of time to share the backlog of cards here on my blog. Here is a slightly vintage looking birthday card that may or may not still be for sale at Arts Plus Gallery.

The vintage frame stamp is from Inspired By Stamping, along with the sentiment. The violets are from Flourishes Sweet Violets set, stamped on scrap white cardstock, trimmed and added with foam dimensional tape at the corner of the frame.

There's a sprinkling of pearls and sparkling sequins on here, and a Colleen Bow made using Hug Snug "Mottle Brown" seam binding.

Thanks so much for coming by today!  Enjoy your week and God bless you!

Be Mine Always

Hi there! I wanted to share another Valentine card that I dropped off at Arts Plus Gallery recently for sale.

The polka dot heart frame stamp is from Papertrey Ink's Tag-Its #11 set, along with the pale pink heart stamp and sentiment "be mine".  I ran a gold marker around the edge of the circle die cut.  That ties in with a brushed gold strip of cardstock, and matte gold sequins.  The "always" tag is an oldie from Stampin' UP! Too Terrific Tags.

Today is Super Bowl Sunday.  We've had a yummy array of fun snack foods (potato skins, pretzel dogs, fresh handmade guacamole, with queso and chips, and hoagies (for those who live in other areas of the USA, they also go by 'subs' or 'hero sandwiches').

Hope you have a great day!

What to do with patterned paper scraps

Along with many Valentine cards I've shared on my blog today, I wanted to include birthday cards that are fresh and summery.  We've got some gray and cold weather here in the Northeast, so the colors on these cards feel like a breath of fresh air.

Most of the supplies (patterned papers, blue and pink cardstock, sentiment stamp, white twine) are from Stampin' Up! (all were included in a $1.00 Scrap Bag from my SU demonstrator).  The Sparkling Sequins are from Pretty Pink Posh, and the white cardstock base is Papertrey Ink's Stampers Select (the only white I use, because of its 'whiteness' and the heft).

Next up, more of the same patterned paper scraps, but used in a different way.  I lined them up vertically under some lace and topped them with a flower built from things in my stash.  The leaves are stamped, from Papertrey Ink's Ruby Reprise.  The sentiment is from Verve's Birthday Phrases.

So glad you could visit today!  Thanks for coming by!

From My Heart

Hello there!  I delivered this Valentine card to Arts Plus Gallery this past weekend for sale. It's got an elegant feel, a bit of drama (red, black, silver and white), and a slight nod to nostalgia (remember handmade fancy-cut hearts?) too.

I used Top Dog Dies Doily Hearts here as the focal point (red for the fancy part, brushed silver in the background), and topped it with:  Gunmetal sequins (M & J Trimming), Sparkling Clear sequins (Pretty Pink Posh), a Mini Delicate Doilies die (My Favorite Things) behind a Spellbinders Ribbon Banners die cut.  The sentiment is from 7 Gypsies Trousseau.

Thanks very much for visiting here today!  God bless you!

A Chocolate Bunny for Valentine's Day

Hello!  This is an atypical Valentine card.  You'd think it was for Easter, but with the sentiment inside (picture further below), "some bunny loves you", I thought I'd try it out for Valentine's Day.  It's at Arts Plus Gallery, if you're interested!

I don't own this bunny stamp, but it's an older Stampin' Up! chocolate bunny.  Wish I'd bought it.  It was stamped here on a small scalloped-edge die cut, and I added SU's French Script background.  Around it, I added a chocolate twine bow and button, Espresso sequins,

The sentiment is from Lawn Fawn's My Silly Valentine set, and the Baby Bunny inside is from Inkadinkado.

Thanks for taking a peek today!

LOVE U

Hello there!  Sharing another Valentine with you today, this one in soft, romantic, shabby chic tones of pink and linen.

This was in last year's batch of cards that went to the shop for sale, and it did sell.  Yay!

Below, you can see a closeup of a stamped sentiment from Altenew's Label Love. I covered it with Glossy Accents, and when it dried, I rubbed gold paste over it, then buffed off the excess.

A beautiful rose sticker from Anna Griffin.  Sigh.

A tiny bit of linen colored lace and a linen bow top a Pierced Traditional Tag (My Favorite Things) die-cut out of pretty DCWV patterned paper.

Little hearts (pink glitter, brushed gold), and tiny pearls. :-)

This card fulfilled the girly, romantic part of me, and it was so fun to make!

Je t'aime / I love you

I'm back with another Valentine card (or, just an "I love you" card) that I made a while ago, but never got around to sharing with you here on the blog.

This was actually a graduation card for our youngest daughter, when she moved up from 8th grade to the high school last year.  She takes French classes and is learning to speak it quite well. She hopes to visit France on a class trip in the next few years.

The fleur de lis, sentiment and Eiffel Tower images are part of the Technique Tuesday Mon Ami Paris set.

The tiny bird is from the Stampin' Up! set Bliss.

Wishing you a beautiful day, wherever you are!  Thanks for visiting!

I {heart} you

Hey there!  I'm popping in to the blog today to line up some cards to share that have been saved in Draft form for months.

This card is a fresh and modern Valentine, and I delivered it and many others to Arts Plus Gallery this past weekend for sale.

The background was created with Stampin' Up!'s Positively Chevron stamp, and A Happy Heart.

The glittered hearts are chipboard pieces from maybe Target, circa 2011?  The small brushed gold heart was made with My Favorite Things heart dies.

I'm still doing physical therapy for my back, and still working full time (but I have a standing desk now!  So helpful!).  It's a slow climb to get those herniated discs better, but I really don't want surgery as an option.

Take care!

Elephant & Chevrons for baby

I just wanted to say hello. It's been a while.

In mid-November, I was experiencing some discomfort in my back (I've had some back issues in the past).  I was visiting my chiropractor to be treated for it.  Usually, his adjustments help me. But, one day, my entire right leg (on the outer side) including the foot...went numb.

Scared the life out of me.
My leg was numb, and it was very painful to sit for anything more than 5 or 10 minutes.
In the months since then, I have spent many, many hours lying flat on the floor, took steroid packs to reduce the swelling, iced my back over and over and over again, and began physical therapy twice a week shortly before Christmas.  I'm still doing PT, and continue with my exercises to be done at home.

I've got a herniated disc or discs, and people ask, "What did you do to yourself??"
Honestly, I don't know what was the straw that broke the camel's Colleen's back.
Apparently, I've got arthritis in some of the discs on my spine.
I sit for almost 10 hours total each day, five days a week, working full time, hunched over a computer.
I have a hobby that involves lots of sitting (wink).
And, admittedly, I don't exercise enough.

Slowly, I am getting better, but it's taking a while.

I just wanted to say hello and let you know I have missed being in this blog space with those of you who visit.  I hope you had a beautiful holiday season, a blessed Christmas, and spent precious time with loved ones.

Planning to come here again as soon as I am able.
Until then, many blessings to you!!