2012 Christmas Cards to Make for Moms!

I was fortunate to be able to start my Christmas cards before journeying to California and while in California for my fall trip to visit Mom.  It is so much fun to make these two annual trips because both my mother and my sister live in the same town and they are both cardmakers so we have a delightful time!

I decided to start my Christmas cardmaking with my Mom and my mother-in-law as they both have to be mailed to California.  This card is for my Mom, using Stampin' Up products stamp: Snow Much Fun; Paper: Always Artichoke, Regal Rose, White Vellum; EFolder: Perfect Polka Dots. SU markers used + Dazzling Details.  Card idea from Liz Thayer.  I enlarged my card and added a pink card base.  I changed the sentiment and added a pink mat behind it, and made vellum layer one unfolded piece.  I also elevated the ribbon rather than place it in the middle.  Thanks, Liz. . .I love the embossed dotted vellum.  It's such a nice touch.

Alice's card is one I made at a Christmas Card Palooza while in California.  It is a card taught by my sister, Heidi Gonzales: My Lil' Scrap Corner, and just love it.  It has the vintage flavor that I love, and the felt poinsettia that we made with a dies and Big Shot is absolutely beautiful.  Heidi's card designs are also so creative and a delight to make.

Another Graduation Owl...

I soooo love this little owl punch!  I needed to make another graduation card for John's great-nephew, Tim...I just had to do another card using this lovable little guy.  I really got myself involved in this one.  School colors were forest green and silver and it had to be a guy card, too!  I just wasn't finding  paper I liked or in the right shade of green, so I decided to make my own.  Out came the green cardstock--I composed a Word document with definitions of all things graduation to make my star paper, and then I was on a roll.  Didn't have gray thread for the tassel, so out came the Copics...love how you can use them to color embellishment, even ribbon, the right shade!  Here is my new little star owl:

Congratulations, Tim!

And then, I finished the inside:

2012 Birthday for My Brother!

Mike celebrates his birthday in early May.  I had a card kit that I like the papers and had not put together.  After working with it a bit, I decided it needed to be larger, as I seem to like them better.  So, I started tinker with the design.  First, I decided to emboss the background mat.  Then I split it vertically so I could spread it out to make the card wider, turning it into a square card.  I add another border layer to give it more color and added two circle layers under the sentiment.  Now, I was more pleased with the results and it was ready to send to Mike.  (The original card inspiration was from Misty Bradley, and I thank her for getting my creative juices flowing.)

Easter 2011...Behind the Eight-Ball!

I was visiting in California, and we had so many things planned, as well as busy helping my sister in her store that I did not get my Easter cards done.  Shame on me.  I'm feeling very guilty...here I am enjoying my vacation and the wonderful spring in California with lots of sunshine, and my family has no one to cook for them on Easter and its raining (surprise...sarcastically) in the Seattle area!

But salvation came along...my sister, Heidi, was teaching a card technique so I took her class, and I, at least, got one card done for my 95-year old mother-in-law.  The new technique is called image crackling, and I applied it to the colored digital image and placed it on this Easter Card!

For John's Mother at Easter