2012 Christmas Wishes for a Vintage Aunt!

My husband asked me to make a homemade Christmas card for his aunt who is in her 90's, and I thought it was a great idea.  As I get more practiced in cardmaking, I was intending on increase the number of homemade cards that I send.  Where better to start than to add Aunt Joanie to the homemade card list.  My card for her is using a very subtle paper in browns, reds, and whites.  I love the little cardinal birds scattered hee and there about the paper.  I hope Aunt Joanie likes her first homemade Christmas card from us.

2012 Christmas Wishes for a Friend

I wanted to make a Christmas card for one of my friends that I worked with for many years and now try to see as often as time allows from both of our busy schedules.  I think hers is busier than mine, as she still works and I'm retired and just busy visiting and making cards!   I was remembering Carla coming in from recess duty (at an elementary school) and going in to get a cup of hot chocolate or tea to get her hands warmed up so she could type again, so I thought this little stamped image of hot chocolate was just the thing for her card.  I wish her and her family a very merry Christmas and hope it is full of good cheer!

2012 Christmas Card for #4

I chose this little vintage snowman card for my son, Mark and his wife, Ginger.  I started this card also while in California at the Christmas Card Palooza.  Our instruction and original card design was Sara Moreno.  As I began to make this card, I decided it needed a bit more in embellishments and color, so I waited until we cropped at Mom's before finished it.  I decided to add a red mat between the kraft cardbase and the green damask.  I added the little snowman dimensional and gave him a popped snowflake on his hat and pearl buttons, as well as the two tickets. 

2012 Christmas Card for #3

My youngest two children are next on my list.  I chose this little Mr. and Mrs. Gingerbread card for Jackie.  Last year she was busy baking lots of holiday cookies for family and friends, and of course, gingerbreads were part of the mix.  This card design was taught by my sister, Heidi Gonzales (My Lil' Scrap Corner) and I re-created it in a larger and square card.  I also added the little rhinestones in the upper left corner.  You ask, why remake the same card only larger, and that would be because Jackie places the cards she receives in shadow box frames according to the season or holiday time at hand.  Her cards need to be 5-1/4 inch square to fit her frame.  I know she will like Mr. & Mrs. Gingerbread to add to her frames.

2012 Christmas Card for #2

Card number two will be for daughter and her husband, Don and Michele.  They get all the Christmas traditions on their card!  Again, this was another card taught by my sister, Heidi Gonzales (My Lil' Scrap Corner) at a Stampin' Up party class while I was visiting in California.  It uses the Stampin' Up Scentsational framelits in a peek-a-boo window fashion.  What's really clever is the diagonal ribbons that made up the tree, the candy cane, and the gingerbread man. . .a simple card but very stylish.  I think Don and Michele will like it and feel they have been wished a merry little Christmas.

2012 Christmas Cards for Family #1

A tradition in the family with the kids was to have hot chocolate on Christmas Eve before bed.  As David is the oldest, I decided he should get the honors of a Christmas card depicting this long-standing childhood Christmas tradition.  I made such a card at the Christmas Card Palooza while in California this fall.  The instructor and designer for this card was my sister, Heidi Gonazles (My Lil' Scrap Corner).  It is a clean and simple vintage card if there is such a thing. . .LOL.

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.

My Fall 2012 Trip to California!

I have been a bit out of commission for posting to my blog, and I do apologize.   Plus, I am extremely behind keeping up with my favorite cardmaking blog friends; therefore, I have not been posting comments either...shame on me!  I think I was just having too much fun!

While away, I attend several cropping events and retreats...oh how enjoyable!  I've already told you about my family crop retreat in mid-October at a small town north of Redding, staying at the rustic Trout House...that was scads of fun...just my Mom, my sister, and me this time!  Regressing: in the first two weeks of my arrival, we went to two one-day crops south of Redding: one was private crop hosted by Teresa Barnett in Red Bluff, and the other was an anniversary crop at the Paradise Scrapbook Boutique in Chico (our favorite vintage-decorated shop).  Of course, we stayed away overnight and shopped before we start home at any quaint little shops we found as well!  In the last part of October and early November, we went to a one-day crop at the "Rock Paper Scissors," a new Redding scrapbook store, and another most-of-the-day event called the Christmas Card Extravaganza.  We made 18 cards by six designers in 7 hours!  Needless to say, I brought a few unfinished ones home to complete.

To finish off my trip, we traveled east to the tiny town of Weaverville to a four-day crop retreat, called Trinity Scrapbooking Retreats.  We had a blast with our papercrafting, but also enjoyed this small town's Halloween evening festivities.  It was such fun to see how a rural town celebrates the holiday with costumes worn by shop owners and restaurant employees and each business giving out treats to passersby.  But while there, I did manage to get a little crafting and cardmaking done too.  Some of the cards are from kits provided by my sister, Heidi Gonzales (www.mylilscrapcorner.blogspot.com), who designs and teaches cardmaking at Redding's "Rock Paper Scissors," plus holds her own events and is a Stampin' Up demonstrator, as well.  Here are my "sister cards" with a few modifications if a whim struck me while making them:

Following are some cards I made from ideas I got online or at various events or stores, as well some of my own designs.  I left off the sentiments on most of them so I could decide later what I wanted to use them for, and here they are:

Now that I am home, I must get started on Christmas...I will be sharing a mini album I started in California and some cards I made as well!  Hope your late September, October, and early November were as enjoyable as mine!

Halloween 2012 Has Arrived!

On my little vacation retreat to the Trout House, I was busy getting family Halloween cards ready to mail.  I just love all the fun papers, stamps, and embellishments available for this holiday.  With no computer access, I had to wait to finish my inside verses after I got home.  Here are a couple of samples of what I was up to:

 Enjoy...Happy Halloween, Jackie!

This ones for Mark & Ginger...

enjoy all the creatures that come visiting with your card!

Fun in 2012 - A Family Scrapping Retreat

We had the very best time!  Ladies in the family took a week-long papercrafting retreat to a wonderful vacation rental in northern California.  The house to aptly named, "Trout House!"  All of the furnishings and decor are a fishing motif, right down to the wicker fishing basket on the back of the toilet with the bear peeking out in the midst of lotions and shampoos!  Here is a look at what is becoming a ladies favorite for a little rest and relaxation while we indulge in our favorite hobby...cardmaking!   Of course, we have to move a bit of furniture to set up our cropping tables, but it doesn't take away from the cute decor, the rushing river sounds below the backyard embankment, the train whistles across the river bed below, the chirping birds, or pitter-patter of squirrels moving about in the trees!

Motorcycle Man for a BIG 2012 Birthday!

Our youngest son, Mark, has always loved to ride motorcycles since he got on a bike with his Dad as a very young boy.  By the time he was eight years old, Dad had bought him a small motorcycle that he loved to ride around and around our shy-acre yard.  He so loved the feel of the wind on his face as he zoomed every which direction on the property! (Note:  It kind of scared the heck out of me!)  He progressed to dirt-bike riding as a teenager and has been going strong every since.  

On that note and for his 30th birthday, I thought it appropriate to make a birthday card depicting this major hobby in his life.  Mark recently replaced his old dirt bike with a bright red-orange one.  I found a cartoon digi image that almost looks just like Mark's tall, lanky, 6 ft. 2 in. frame jumping on his bike to go for a fast ride!  I didn't like the way he was facing, so I flipped the digi on my computer before re-sizing and printing to get started.  Copic markers helped bring the whole image to life!  As I finished putting it together, my first looked said, "Darn! Why didn't I stitched the outer plaid paper edge with my sewing machine...I think it would have added a lot to the look of the finished card, but I just wasn't willing to take it all apart to get down to what should have been Step 1...LOL!!!   I hope Mark likes his card...it is so him!

Happy Birthday Mark!  Enjoy your day!

Sister-in-Law Birthdays in October 2012!

Yes, you can believe it...TWO of my husband's sisters have birthdays in October and only one day apart, but several years between!  I so love fall cards, and I am thankful that I have a reason to make cards for this season as I do not send them for Thanksgiving!  I made the following two cards from a card kit designed by my sister, Heidi Gonzales (www.mylilscrapcorner.blogspot.com).  Heidi is a wonderful teacher, as she lets her "students" tweak and personalize their cards to fit personal preferences.  This first card became a square rather than a rectangle by enlarging it and adding a cream edge and ribbon embellishment.  The front sentiment has been changed to fit a birthday greeting.  I decorated the inside to coordinate with the front and added a personal verse or poem using my computer.  I hope my sister-in-law, June, likes her card.  Her birthday is special, because she shares the same birth date as my son, Mark!

And, the inside verse:

Happy birthday June...hope your day is very special!

Next is Judy's birthday...one day later!  Again, I was able to use a fall card from the kit Heidi Gonzales designed!  I only tweaked the size, making the card square instead of rectangle, and changed the front sentiment to fit a birthday.  The card's design remains true to the original...such a wonderful design!  Once again, I decorated the inside to coordinate with the front, adding a personalized verse.

And, its inside verse:

Happy birthday Judy...I hope your day is wonderful!

Memories...September 2012 Brings Their 8th Anniversary!

Happy Days!  This card was chosen as a

SPLITCOASTSTAMPERS FAVORITE OF

WEEK ENDING - AUGUST 19, 2012

Wow!  It is absolutely difficult to believe this is my daughter's 8th anniversary  (and her husband, too)...LOL!  She was such a beautiful bride, making new memories for September 11th!!  It is good to have this date represent something good and wonderful and not just a memory of planes colliding into the Twin Towers in New York!  For their anniversary, I traditionally purchase a dinner gift card, but as they have just moved to West Virginia, I'll have to do some research on what restaurants are available in their little town!  (I'll figure something out of that I'm sure.)   In the meantime, I hope they enjoyed the card I made just for them, which uses a digi image with Copic coloring and a little stencil sponge daubing.

Happy Anniversary Don & Michele!

Papers: old DCVW pad/ Bazzill cardstock; Tiffany Doodles digi: dogwood; Copic markers; SU Framelits/ Spellbinder Oval;  Inks: Momento Tangelo; SU Choc. Chip; Joann's ribbons/ lace; THoltz: button; Recollections rhinestones.  (SplitcoastStampers Thread: August 19, 2012/ #58).

A Sister-in-law Birthday Following Mine!

Another of my sister-in-laws celebrates her birthday in early, early September, but this one is special...her birthday is the day after mine!!  I made her this little card using my new Stampin' Up flower stamp set with lots of glitter added to match my glittery paper.   A card by Liz Thayer at a shoebox crop I attended inspired me.  I adapted a similar fold idea, but went with a deeper 3/4-fold, added a background edge to the flower stamp, used the Dotted Scallop ribbon border on the flower and the sentiment added to the front.  I finished off the card with inside decorations and a personalized verse.

Happy Birthday June. . .hope your had a delightful day and you enjoyed your card made just for you!

Recipe:  Stampin'Up stamp: Blooming with Kindness.  StampinUp Ink & Markers: Stazon Black; Midnight Muse, Wisteria Wonder.  Paper: SU Midnight Muse; DCWV-Plaid/ Stripe Stack.  SU punch: Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border.  SU Ribbon: Taffeta Midnight Muse. SU Button: Vintage Faceted.  Computer-made sentiment.

My daughter-in-law's birthday to celebrate!

Ginger's birthday follows on the heels of Mom's; therefore, it require a lots of cardmaking busyness all at one time!  When my son, Mark, married Ginger, he inherited a menagerie of pets...a dog, 3 cats, and 4 birds.  He seems to have readily adopted them as his family, and it's fun to watch.  It wasn't too hard to figure out what theme to use for Ginger's birthday card, and it gave me a chance to use my new Stampin' Up Bird Builder punch...so cute!

Happy Birthday Ginger...hope your day is very special!  As it's on a Friday, maybe you can make a three-day weekend of it and enjoy it to the fullest!

Recipe:  Papers: SU Perfect Plum cs/ dsp stack, Whisper White cs, stash papers.  SU Build-a-Bird punch.  Recollections purple brad. Sizzix Daisy die.  Stash: white lace, purple ribbon..

Moving Day Came... -:)

My daughter has made her move and I am already missing her!  I wanted to send her a special card about moving, settling in, and making her new house her home no matter how temporary.  I sound as though she needs help with this, but this is actually her fourth move to be where her husband's Coast Guard duty station has taken them.  The difference is that this move is across the country; whereas, her first three moves were all on the west coast either in Washington or Oregon...so at least within driving distance of not more than 7 hours!  So, maybe this card and what it says is more a reflection of knowing who she is and what she does each time they move!  I, of course, am already looking three years in the future for when she will return to Washington!

And, following are my thoughts for her and how I know she has handled being a military wife who has had to pick up and move...the process she goes through!

Dear Daughter:  I have named my card "An Ode to a Military Wife;" a fitting title for my message!  We miss you already and look forward to getting on a plane and making a visit soon.  The East Coast has some beautiful landscapes, and you will enjoy taking your 5th-Wheel out in search of the very best places!

A Dear Mother's Birthday!

It's my mother's birthday next week!  It will be nice to be thinking about her on her special day having loads of fun!  She and my sister are taking a four-day girls' scrapping retreat that Heidi is hosting in a small town with a cute vacation rental house where you can hear the sound of the river flowing and train whistles in the distance.  They plan to crop until the wee hours of the morning, sleep in if they want, laugh, have fun with good scrapping friends, take time out to visit local boutiques, and do whatever they want...what could be better than that!  Oh, I know, if I could be there too, that would surely be lots better!  My mouth is almost watering just thinking about it!

Happy Birthday Mom...I'm so excited you get to go away for your special day to gab, crop, have fun, and rest?? (Not too sure about that...LOL!)

Recipe: Papers:  SU cardstocks: Midnight Muse, Baja Breeze; "Stash" papers. Computer-made sentiment.  EK Tulips border punch, SU Petite Pennants punch, Recollections brad, Sizzix Daisy die, Spellbinders Scalloped Ovals, Midnight Muse stitched ribbon, "Stash" ribbon. White twine.

My Kansas sister-in-law has a Birthday in 2012!

As you might expect, I have a sister-in-law with a birthday in August.  With eight sister-in-laws, there's got to be one almost every month of the year, though I do think I miss a few.  But, if I start making cards for brother-in-laws, I know I will certainly hit every month for sure!  I am trying to get better at sending birthday cards since I am now retired...my work has become cardmaking, LOL!  Do you ever think, "This is crazy, I'm stressing myself out because I have too many cards to make!  It's supposed to be fun...not work."  I find it kind of funny at times!  So, here is Joanie's card adapted and inspired by a card design by my sister, Heidi Gonzales (My Lil' Scrap Corner).

Happy Birthday Joanie...have a great one!

A Little Thank You

Here's a little card I made as a thank you for gracious hospitality sent my way.  I also need to thank my sister, Heidi (My Lil' Scrap Corner), for lending me inspiration from a card she had made several years ago using a similar idea.

I used Mind's Eye papers, Bazzill cardstock, Papertrey stamps, and twine.

An Anniversary in the family!

A wonderful couple, my son, Mark, and his beautiful wife, Ginger, celebrate their sixth anniversary on July 22!  Wow, how time flies.  Today is a cool gray day in the Seattle area, but remembering back to their outdoor wedding, brings the vivid memory of an unheard of 95 degree day, full of blistering heat and lots of sunshine!  For their anniversary, I had to make a card meant just for them, and as they have three birds, a birdcage seemed just the thing!   For these two special people in my life, and in my usual cardmaking fashion, I decorated the inside with matching papers and a unique verse!  And, here is their card: 

A very Happy Anniversary, Mark & Ginger.  We love you!

I was asked to see the inside decoration/ verses.  Very easy, using front papers, computer for verse, and Spellbinders die...so here it is:

My special sister...celebrates her birthday!

My sister, and cardmaking mentor, is having a birthday!  It is almost mandatory that I make her a card...right?  It is surprising, though, that both of us find we miss each others birthdays in cardmaking because are just so darn busy making cards for everyone else.  This year, I was going to a shoebox card swap, so I used the opportunity to make a card just for my sister for this event.  Here is what I came up with...hope she enjoys it!   (It was so three-dimensional that I had to send it as a package...LOL!)

Happy Birthday, Heidi, Sister Dear...Luv you!

Paper: Joann's openstock/ cardstock; Helen Grace; Minds Eye.

Sizzix: Daisies Flower Bigz Die; MFT Homespun Birdhouse Die-namics; Spellbinders Elegant Posts.

Offray Ribbon; Recollections brown mini pearls; pearl brad.

My son-in-law celebrates a birthday!

Don has decided to celebrate his birthday today by going camping one last time in Washington before their move to West Virginia!  I don't think the West Virginia humidity will make camping as much fun there, but in Washington, July and August are the very best months to camp...no humidity, of course.  The weather is generally in the low to mid 80s...can't ask for anything better that's for sure!  To celebrate his birthday, I thought a card about camping out be perfect, and here it is:

Happy Birthday Don...enjoy you camping trip!

Sister-in Laws with July Birthdays...

I have two sister-in-laws with birthdays in July--what can I say, my husband is the oldest of eight, plus my own family--makes for a lot of sister-in-laws!!

Dianne's birthday is TODAY, and the wise owl sends birthday thoughts her way!  I just love using owls in my cardmaking!  (Again, this card was taught by my sister, Heidi Gonzales (My Lil' Scrap Corner)...it was fun to put together and use all of the Stampin' Up tools and the Smooch paper line.)

Happy Birthday, Dianne!

All the way in Colorado, another sister-in-law celebrates her birthday later in July.  Again, the card I chose for Jeanie was made as part of a class taught by my sister, Heidi, using the Stampin' Up Smooch papers.  I changed the front sentiment using the computer with Razzleberry-colored ink and the Fling LET font.  The card I chose for Jeanie follows:

Happy Birthday, Jeanie!

Recipe: SU cardstocks, Smooch paper, SU button, SU stamp: Aviary, SU ribbon, Daffodil seam binding ribbon.

A Daughter's Birthday!

Happy Days!  This card was chosen as a

SPLITCOASTSTAMPERS FAVORITE OF

WEEK ENDING - JULY 15, 2012

 

Daughter, Michele, celebrates her birthday today!  I had to get my creative juices flowing to make her a special birthday card that said, "Yes, this card was made especially for Michele!"  For the past year, I've been thinking about making a card for her using a vintage seed packet, depicting gardening, because she so likes to work in her yard.  She has been wanting to plant some roses...especially Mr. Lincoln (a blood red with a delicious smell) to commemorate her late Grandfather Bill, his favorite.  But with their move to West Virginia in the near future, that will have to wait three years until their return as roses need careful tending here with all our rain and cool weather!  But meanwhile, her new rhododendron garden is looking beautiful...so fitting here in the northwest where they grow wild!  Here is her card that evolved from perking slowly for almost a year...LOL! 

Happy Birthday, Michele...enjoy!

Ingredients:  Papers: Backround/ Aqua: Mind's Eye (Laundry Line/ Breaking Free); Paisley/ Red dot (behind seed packet): K&Company-Classic K Balley pad; Tools/gloves: K&Company dimensional stickers; Butterfly: Martha Stewart (sponge daubbed); Fence: Die-namics (My Favorite Things).  (SplitcoastStampers Thread: July 15, 12/ #9).

HUGE Congratulations in Order...

This post is bittersweet for sure!  My son-in-law has been promoted to Warrant Officer in the Coast Guard...that is absolute GREAT news!  Now the bittersweet part, they are being transferred from Washington state to West Virginia!!  That is just a bit of a distance...approximately 2,700 miles or 42 hours of driving!  Hmm...right now I drive to Michele's house in 10 minutes...that will be a HUGE change for three years, and who knows after that!

To celebrate and congratulate Don on this GREAT promotion and wonderful milestone in his career, here is my card: 

Ingredients:  Night of Navy/ Cherry Cobbler/ Baja Breeze cardstocks (Minds Eye stripe/ stars unknown).  Embossing Folder:  Square Lattice.  Stamp set:  The Open Seas - gold embossing lightly applied/ heavy to anchor.  Denim/ Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine.  Applied faux patina process to Baja Breeze embossed with Square Lattice, using stamp pads:  Crumb Cake, Cherry Cobbler and Not Quite Navy: sponge daubbing followed by Versamark/ heat-set Gold Embossing powder.  Sentiment: computer-generated; Stampin' Up Modern Labels punch.

Father's Day 2012 is almost HERE!

Several weeks ago I returned from a loooong visit to California, and I've been trying to get my car full of scrapping tools and materials back into the house and put away.  Of course, not only did the old stuff come home, but lots of new goodies as well!  It is taking a lot of creativity to get it all stored away, but not the kind of creative juices I really wanted to employ!

 In the back of my mind, I've been fermenting an idea for a card for my husband for Father's Day.  Over the last several months, I've seen several cards using maps, and with that idea in mind, I just had to see what I could come up with.  The other day an overwhelming urge drove me to get started (even though my room's still a mess...LOL).  After much "that's good" and "no, not good" attempts, here it is.

Father's Day card...June 17, 2012

I had blues and browns in mind and some sort of vintage car, depicting traveling and a journey.  Internet surfing brought me this little 1930 Austin in just the right color, and I was on my way.  I only had two papers with maps and neither would work...so again to my computer.  I found several maps and passport stamps and downloaded them; tweaking their colors to get just what I wanted, even sponge daubed Canada...it was too white!  (I really liked the shades of blues on an Antarctica map, but didn't see John traveling there, so had to discard that thought...but, I really like the colors...oh well...another day!) LOL

And here is the finished inside...

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: