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:

Graduation Owl Contratulations!

Very late last night, my son contacted me with a brilliant idea (he knows I'm a night owl, LOL).   But, the catch was he needed help with his idea!  Hmm...the question is, should I say yes or no, which is the right answer!  Dumb me, I just don't know how to say no!  Lo and behold...it was a graduation card needed for the daughter of an old friend.  The catch was he needed it by 8:00 a.m. the next morning because that was when they were leaving for Idaho for the graduation.  Guess who was up all night getting this wonderful card done...but, I am really happy with how my little graduation owl turned out:

Your welcome, son!

And, here is the card's decorated inside with verse:

Working on June Birthdays!

I have several birthdays in June, so I am diving into my stash of cards I made during the last month and tweaking them here and there to suit these special birthdays.  One of my signature traits is to always decorate the inside and compose a verse or poem to suit the person who will be receiving the card.  So far, here is what I've come up with. . .

This card will be for John's mother's birthday TODAY!

She IS 97 ...WOW!

This card was taught by Amy Muhly at a Stampin' Up workshop.  

I loved learning this embossed brayer technique...very elegant!

I tweaked my layout a bit and my sentiment ribbon is a birthday, 

but the flavor of Amy's design is retained.  Stampin' Up Beautiful Wings Embosslit (Sizzilit die) die-cuts the butterflies.

And now the inside decorations and a verse for a wonderful lady...

Happy Birthday Alice!

This little girl will be a birthday card for John's aunt...her 91st!
The card's techniques were taught by my sister, Heidi Gonzales (My Lil' Scrap Corner):  tri-fold card design, coloring with woodless-colored pencils and paper-piecing (skirt).  I enlarged the card from its original design.

And now its verse...Happy Birthday, Aunt Joanie!

I think this is the perfect card for my sister-in-law, 

who lives in warm and sunny California.  I'm sure they must be at least 20 degrees warmer than our northwest Washington location!

(Card class by Heidi Gonzales to introduce Stampin' Up Smooch papers.)

And now a verse for my newest sister-in-law...Happy Birthday Thelma!

Get Well Card for Niece./ Cheer Up to Niece!

My three-year-old great niece just had her tonsils and adenoids removed yesterday...a bit of surgery!  My family wanted to send her some get well wishes along with a DQ gift card for ice cream...what better way to get well!

Taylor's get well card

(sample card seen in a current card magazine)

And then a little verse inside to help with recovery!

I made a little card to let my niece know we are thinking about her during this bit of a stressful time. . .

Shauna, we have you and your family in our thoughts and prayers...
keep your chin up!
(Card made during Amy Muhly Stampin' Up card club.  I tweaked the "Thinking of You' sentiment from original design.)

My inside card design and sentiment (Stampin' Up products used: Top Note Die, Butterfly embosslits, Itty Bitty punch.)

And Mother's Day came in 2012...

While in California this spring, my sister, Heidi Gonzales (My Lil' Scrap Corner), gave several card and embellishment classes, and I thoroughly enjoyed them.  I always learn so much from my sis!  Mom, sis, and I traveled to several crops and a three-day scrapping retreat in Chico, Red Bluff, and Shingletown.  We had an absolutely GREAT time...I caught up on my lots of my "To Do" stash and kits; some I bought and they sat waiting for several years!  One night I scrapped until 2:00 a.m., but another scrapper took the grand prize, and stayed up until 5:00 a.m.!!  The retreat crop room was open 24-hours a day...what a great place to get away!

One of the classes my sis taught was a flower-making.  We made four different styles flowers:  a Gerber Daisy,  a Carnation (with iridescent glittered netting), a small Rose, and a Peony.  I decided to use my new flower skills to make a Mother's Day card for Mom, which was a challenge with her sitting right by me cropping away!  No, Mom,  the card really wasn't for Michele's birthday, as you found out!

Mom's 2012 card...love you!

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.)

Thank You for the Visit!

It is not often that both my husband and I are in California at the same time, but we did manager to do that this spring.  We were also able to make the jaunt to visit John's brother and his wife who live away from the Sacramento area, heading toward San Francisco.  We had a wonderful catch up visit and were able to stay to have lunch out at their favorite Mexican restaurant.  It was so nice for me to be able to spend time with them and get to know my newest sister-in-law better.  She is a very friendly, gracious, and outgoing lady, and I find her delightful company.  I decided to send them a little card after returning home to let them know just how much we enjoyed our visit.

Recipe:  MME papers, SU Chocolate Chip cardstock.  Papertrey stamps.  Decorative Brad (stash).  5/8" White Satin Ribbon (stash).  Papertrey Tag punch.  (Original design by Heidi Gonzales - My Lil' Scrap Corner.  My card is enlarged, layout rearranged, striped paper added.)

2012 Birthday for Danielle. . .

While visiting in California this April, my niece (in-law) celebrated her birthday.  It gave me the excuse to make another card.  I've been toying around with the vintage look, so I decided to try it out on a birthday card.  I found a colored digital image of chocolate ad depicting a lovely little girl in a big brimmed hat.  She was so cute, I was sold, and went to work.  I didn't have the right colored button, so I colored some pearl white ones with Copics.  I was surprised how well that worked, and I could get the color just right to match the papers.  Here is my finished vintage feminine birthday card.

2012 Birthday for Nephew, Parker!

I bought a cute little turtle riding a bicycle from CC Designs several months ago to use for Parker's birthday.  With his little bike helmet, he reminded me of a Ninja turtle, so I colored him with Copics so that really did enhance the idea in your brain.  I'm always a little uneasy when coloring with Copics because I have not done a lot of it, and I'm always worried that it just isn't going to go well.  But, this little guy went very well, so I was stoked.  Then, the search was on for papers that would work with my coloring job.  I don't usually color first and then find paper.  I find it is usually easier to find the paper you want to use with the type of image and then color the image to coordinate with the paper, or at least that works best for me.  But, in this case, I knew I wanted him to be greens and almost on army camouflage idea for his shell.  I did wait to color his bicycle, basket, and pavement until after I had the papers chosen.  I think Parker will be really please with his little turtle.

A 2012 Birthday following Easter!

Our daughter, Jackie, was born on Easter Sunday, a number of years ago!  Her birthday sometimes falls within a few days of Easter, as this year--the day after, and sometimes it's several week before or after.   Research tells us that from the time of her birth until 2023, she will not celebrate another Easter Sunday birthday!  Wow that's amazing...over 40 years from her birth!

For daughter Jackie's birthday...the girl with the green thumb.  (Sprout:  Mo Manning digi...perfect for Jackie.  Original card design by Heidi Gonzales).

2012 Easter Whimsy!

My last four Easter cards will be for my kids and their spouses if married.  They get to have the whimsical Easter cards depicting baskets, bunnies, and chicks.  I have a card full of whimsical stickers from BoBunny that I think will be perfect to building on.

My first whimsical Easter card will be for the oldest of the children. . .David.  So, not too foofoo for sure, so I chose the Easter basket sticker.  I found a wonderful polka dot paper that had all the right colored dots to coordinate with the eggs in the basket.  I did pop off a bow on the basket, but in thinking about it after, I should probably have used a ribbon knot. . .oh well, maybe next time!

My second card will be for second sibling, Michele, and her husband, Don.  I decided this one would go to the feminine side and my next card for them will be toward the masculine style.  They will get the cute little golden chick sticker.  I used a doily to set the chick off and popped him up off the patterned circle.  I also added a little machine zigzag stitching and pinked the edges of my second mat layer.  I was really happy with they way he turned out and I think they will like their card, especially Michele.

The third in line is Jackie, and she will get the little pink bunny for sure!  I decided a pink scallop frame for the little bunny and a double floss twine bow for her ear.  She is just so cute with her little blue nose matching her bow!  I think Jackie will love it!

The fourth and last of my urchins is Mark, so this last card will be for him and his lovely wife, Ginger.  I had this little yellow chickie paper with had a shimmery look setting them off from the matte background.  One of my stickers was a puffy yellow chick that went perfect with this paper.  I thought yellow feathers tucked behind the popped up chick would add the final touch, and here is Mark and Ginger's Easter card:

2012 Easter Card for Hubby!

It's Easter, so what can I say. . .my husband will be getting a card that is not as masculine as I usually try for.  I had this Easter Wishes stickers that I really wanted to use.  I search for papers that would coordinate with the blues and deep violet frame on the sticker.  I decided to add a little dotted knot tie for a 3D effect on the sticker, plus some popped green leaves.  I also used netting instead of ribbon.  I've been wanting to try that, so this was a first.  It turned out pretty well, and by chance, I just the perfect color so how could I not!

Vintage 2012 Easter!

Next, I decided to make my Mom's Easter card.  As I do love to make vintage cards, I decided she would get my attempt at that style.  Again, I found a softly colored digital image that I loved and then found papers that would show it off without overwhelming it.  I loved the crackled pink cardstock I found that worked perfectly for the image frame made with Spellbinder dies.  I had the pink and green ribbon in my stash and it is almost a perfect match to the green and pink flower paper.  Next, a row of buttons on lace finished it off nicely.  I think Mom will love her card with it's lovely muted colors.

Religious - Easter 2012!

Easter Cards can vary a great deal in their style. . .from whimsical to vintage to religious.  As my first card will be for my mother-in-law, I knew religious was the right choice.  I had this beautiful chipboard cross that I recently bought with Easter in mind, so I went searching for just the right papers to show it off.  Though the picture does not show it off, I embossed the white background mat, and it really looks great with the flocked aqua patterned paper I used to mat the cross and the sentiment.  I know Alice will love her card.

Grandma Alice's Easter card

2012 Birthday for Son, David!

YAY!  I'M SO EXCITED!!!!!My birthday card for son, David, was chosen as a SPLITCOASTSTAMPERS FAVORITE OF THE WEEK for theWEED ENDING JULY 15, 2012

David loves to go to the movies. . .it's almost like a hobby to keep up on the very latest releases.  He even likes to go to the midnight sneak previews!  Also, his favorite snack is popcorn and his favorite drink is Coke Zero, so of course, they are a must whenever he goes to the movies.  

I found a stamp/ die set from My Favorite Things that depicts those things. . .movies and popcorn. . .so I had to buy it to make David's card.  But, they did not have a drink cup, so I came up with a great idea to find a Coke Zero colored image and size and cut it out to use on my card.  I was pretty pleased with myself.  Then, I even found popcorn paper at Joann's in their open stock scrapbooking papers.  The popped corn kernels were gigantic, so I decided to photo scan the paper and drop it into WORD so I could reduce the image size. . .that worked pretty well and I was much happier with my corn kernel size!  Here is how the card turned out. . .I was very happy with it and I know David will get a chuckle out of it.