Celebrate a Friend With Her Bowling Ball!!

Happy Days!  This card was chosen as a

SPLITCOASTSTAMPERS FAVORITE OF

 WEEK ENDING - NOVEMBER 20, 2016

I have a friend whose birthday I will soon be celebrating by taking her to lunch and sharing a little gifting benevolence.  One of her favorite hobbies is bowling, so I thought I would make her a bowling birthday celebration card, using a little vintage framed image that I came upon a few months ago.  I saved it to my computer's vintage image stash of pictures for future use.

About a month ago, I pulled out the bowling lady image to get a head-start on my card and worked on it a bit to enhance the colors and remove some vintage writing that I did not care to include on my card.  I then re-sized it to fit my die-cut frame I planned to use.  Not having time to begin my card, I put it away for my return from my travels south to Oregon with my daughter.

Today was the day to get started on this bowling card for my friend.  While I was away for over two weeks, I couldn't do any crafting, but that didn't stop my mind from visualizing my vintage bowling picture and how it might look best in a card layout.  With those ideas in mind, I found some papers that would go well with the Fall season and the image colors, and then I worked on finalizing my design layout and got to work.

My bowling card is now done, and in retrospect, I wish I had introduced a bit more red into my card, because of my bowling lady's little red skirt and bow, but all in all, I think I'm pretty satisfied.  I hope my friend likes her card when she finally gets her birthday luncheon!

Take a peak below at my finished inside card design and little verse I concocted for my friend's late birthday card!

Ingredients:  Darice Kraft cardstock.  BasicGrey patterned paper--Pyrus: Cordata (both sides), Pyrus: Regul.  Authenique word paper--Strong: Clever.  DCWV Glitzy Glitter Stack: Antique Gold.  Stamps--My Favorite Things:  Essential Sentiments.  Dies--Spellbinders: Deckled Rectangles LG, Rectangles LG (frame);  My Favorite Things: Chevron Stripes.  Punches--WRMK Deco Corner Chomper; EK Arrow Border.  Recollection Pearls: Dark Red.  Fishtail Flags: hand-cut.  Colorbox: Chestnut Roan (edge distressing).  Size:  5" x 6".  (SplitcoastStampers Thread: November 20, 2016 #43).

Easter Bunny Rays!

I just finished another Easter card using my newly acquired stash of vintage Easter digital images that I have been finding online and sprucing up in PaintShop Pro.  I just love this little "top hat" Easter bunny.  He looks so cheerful as he goes about the business of painting and decorating Easter eggs.  I thought he would make a perfect card for the masculine members of my family, yet he is so whimsical that I think the female members would enjoy him as well.

Finding papers that would go with his colorful clothing meant not using traditional Easter paper that's for sure.  I decided a "coat of many colors" card would be appropriate and that would best be achieved by making a sunburst ray card.  I ended up using some old My Mind's Eye Stella Rose papers I have had around for over three years...their colors were perfect.  I added a few pieces of Stampin' Up papers as well to achieve the mix I was looking for.  Here is the card I ended up with:

Recipe:  Darice Kraft cardstock (base); MME Stella Rose: Gertie, Hazel, Hattie/ So Sophie: Brothers & Sisters; Adornit Vintage Groove: Polka Dot Green (back); Stampin' Up Print Poetry: red flower, green quatrefoil.  Spellbinders die: Big Scallop Ovals SM, Ovals SM.  Vintage online digital image.  Elmer's Adhesive Spray.  Stash: crystal fine glitter.  Stampin' Up Ink: Baja Breez (lightly sponged image background).  HugSnug seam binding: Serbin Brown (olive), Goldenrod (colored w-Copic: YR23).  Stampin' Up button.  Stash:  tan scrapbooking floss.  Faux stitching (fine brown pen).  Inside: EK Scallop Corner punch.

Again this week, I have decided to enter my son's Easter card in The Shabby Tea Room's Week #214 challenge: Easter Sweetness, which requires the use of stripes and/or polka dots.  The inspiration photo and the title of the challenge surely tell you it must be an Easter card:

Be sure to visit The Shabby Tea Room blog to see all the other exciting entries in this challenge.  Click on the link below to be transport to the tea room!

http://theshabbytearoom.blogspot.com/2014/04/week-214-easter-sweetness.html

A Vintage Mother's Day 2011...

John and I are both fortunate that our mothers are still with us.  His mother will soon be 96, but she is still alert and very much with us!  My mother never likes to tell her age and looks at least 15 years younger than she really is.  We have been thought to be sisters...good for her, but not sure it is for me???  

Here I go again with vintage thoughts for my Mom.  I bought and downloaded some images from Iralamija on Etsy, and I loved the vintage cake and cupcakes images, so I decided to use one for Mom's card.  I'm found some lovely My Mind's Eye papers that I thought were just right in both color and look for a vintage card and the image.  I hope Mom loves her card!