Thinking of You Card #1

I just heard some disturbing news, which had me scurrying, because I wanted to send a card right away.  A wonderful lady and friend, who happens to be the wife of one of my husband's many, many first cousins, just found out that her 90-year old mother has some serious health complications, and will be undergoing quite a number of medical procedures to try to help her.  I met her mother at her son's wedding several years ago, and I thought, "What a friendly person her mother and her twin sister are."  

At Liz Thayer's "shoebox crop," which I have mentioned a few times before on my blog, we made (or depending on our time allowance, gathered materials for) at least 15 cards, with many occasions and styles represented.  But, there were two particular cards with "Thinking of You" themes that I thought would be perfect.  On the first card, which I will send to Barbara's mother, I added another color for the cardbase, thus making the card a bit bigger and adding another layer.  On this particular card, I tweaked the layout just a big as well.  Now, I must put on my creative "inside" thinking cap and come up decorations and a verse to fit the occasion and my recipient.  I came up with a little poem about angels watching over her, which I think will be just right.  I hope Katie enjoys likes her card and the message is helpful to her at this time.

Recipe: Unknown Stamps: Calla Lilly, Thinking of You.  SU Products – Paper: Basic Black cs, Whisper White cs, Crumb Cake cs, Pattern: unknown.  Inks: Basic Black, Regal Rose.  Black mini brads.  EK Abstract Flower punch. (Inside: SU Crumb cake cs, Real Rose cs. EK Interlaced Corner Punch. Black mini brads. Verse font: Abbeyline.)

Sister-in Law Birthday #3!

I warned you that there were many!  Back in May you saw the first for 2013, and now comes a steady roll of them each month through October!  This one is  my "oldest" of the "in-law" sister-in-laws.  

You see we are categorized.  First, there's the sister-in-laws that are actually my husband's sisters, the "sister-in-laws."  Second, there are the sister-in-laws who are the wives of my husband's brothers and my brother, or truly the "in-laws."   I even have one sister-in-law that belongs to the "out-laws," and I am part of that too!  Don't even ask me to explain that one!

So, this sister-in-law belongs to the "in-laws" group.  I say she is my "oldest" of the "in-laws," because she and one of my husband's brothers married next after John and I, John being the first of the four brothers to marry.  (I guess that really makes me the "oldest!"  Yikes!)  But, I call her my "oldest" "in-law" sister-in-law because she was my first "in-law" sister-in-law.  So, on that note, she gets a vintage card for her birthday!  

Okay, with all that gibberish, now the card!  This card was originally designed as part of a card kit by my sister, Heidi Gonzales (mylilscrapcorner.blogspot.com).   But, wanting a larger card, I added a "Pool Party" cardbase, but the rest of the papers were used in the original card.  I re-cut the "word" trim, the eyelet dot trim, and the "graph" paper wider.  I was then able to spread the paper elements out more for a larger card.  I re-positioned the ribbon and added pearls to coordinate with the hat pin.  I do hope Dianne likes her card!  (Not so sure she will like the "oldest" bit though!)

Recipe:  Papers:  SU Pool Party cs, My Mind's Eye-Stella Rose (misc.).  Papertrey stamps: Button Boutique. Ink: Memento Cocoa Brown. Dies: Papertrey Beautiful Blooms II; Spellbinders Scallop Circles.  Seam binding ribbon/ blue dye.  Wood button/ gold glitter, Half pearls (stash).  Brown/White Baker's twine. Distressing: Colorbox Chestnut Roan. 

A Birthday Daughter Far Across the Miles!

My daughter, Michele, celebrates her birthday at the very end of June.  She is far, far away on the East coast and is planning a girlfriend birthday bash in Las Vegas to make it a birthday to remember.  I hope she has a GREAT time!!  

This is my daughter that loves to cook and is exceptionally good at it!  To be invited to dine at her table is always a treat that I looked forward to.  Now that she lives in West Virginia, I miss not only her company, but her lovely meals as well!  So, with this thought in mind, I thought I would make a card with cooking as its theme!  I found a little apron die from Cottage Cutz that I thought would do the trick. . .I hope she loves her card!!

Recipe:  Papers: Darice-Krafty cardbase; Georgia Pacific-White cs; Fancy Pants-Time-O-Spring/Gingham Dress (multi-color plaid); MME-So Sophie/Pretty Girl (SU-Wild Wasahbi sponged); Jillibean-Coconut Lime Soup (green gingham); Melissa Frances-Cherry; Gooseberry Patch-Cookbookin/Pantry (canister border); Ruby Rocket-Cook/ Medley (bingo card/ computer re-sized); DCWV rose mini dot. Dies: Cottage Cutz-Apron; Lifestyles-Scalloped Squares. 5/8" Green-yellow organdy ribbon (stash). SU Calypso Coral flower button. May Arts jute twine. Becca's Bowmaker. Edges distressed with Colorbox Chestnut Roan Cat Eye. 3D foam tape; glue gun; Scotch tape runner.

Sister-in-Law Birthday #2

My next sister-in-law's birthday is in late June; she is one of my husband's brother's wives.  She loves to putter in her yard, so I thought a card with gardening, flowers, and butterflies in mind would be just right for her.  I recently got a new "make it yourself" card kit designed by my sister, Heidi Gonzales (mylilscrapcorner.blogspot.com) that I just LOVE because of its rich and vibrant colors.  Its colors remind me of a garden full of wonderfully bright flowers!  After finishing this card, I designed a verse inside to fit the theme of the card.  I hope Thelma enjoys her card.

Recipe:  Papertrey die/stamp set.  Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin' Up Baja Breeze. Papers: Ivory cardstock, Crate Paper Farmhouse 6x6 pad.  Stampin' Up Beautiful Wings Embosslit (Sizzilit).  Colorbox Cat Eye Chestnut Roan (edge distressing). Hug Snug seam binding ribbon, Vintage lace, Stampin' Up Baja Breeze button, pearls-varied sizes, twine, bird seed (doesn't show up that well).  Inside verse: computer-generated.

Birthday Aunt Turns 92!

My husband's aunt, Joanie, turns 92 at the end of the month!  She is a delightfully, young 92-year old with a quick wit and a quick smile!  I decided to make her a card using a pink parchment cardstock that I had stamped at a "shoebox" crop almost a year ago.  I did not have a chance to make the card, but I love the butterfly stamp provided.  Unfortunately, it retired as far back as 2007!  At the crop, I had placed rhinestones on the butterfly as shown on the sample card, but that was as far as I got.  I can not remember what the rest of the card looked like so I decided to do my own thing and make a pink monochromtic card using embellishments from my stash.  I wanted to use the rose chiffon trim from my stash, which is so popular right now.  I incorporated a little verse inside to go with the sentiment on the front and dressed it up to match the front.  I hope my card brings one of Aunt Joanie's wonderful smiles her face when she receives it in the mail.

Recipe:  SU stamp: Reason to Smile (retired), SU cardstock: Whisper White, Pretty in Pink; Pink parchment cardstock, print from stash.  7/8" pink sheer scallop ribbon, 3/8" pink chiffon rosette trim, Colorbox Cat Eye: Chestnut Roan (distressing edges), Spellbinders Labels One (inside). 

A Father's Day Card Depicts a Favorite Hobby!

Many years ago (before children), my husband trained and received his private pilot's license.  He and his Dad bought an antique plane, a 1939 Funk.  It reminded me of the "Spirit of St. Louis" because it was silver and similar in shape.  I recall many flights to various places in northern California where we lived at that time. After John's dad was killed in a freak boating accident, children came along, job demands became more challenging and time consuming, including moving with different job assignments, we felt the needed to sell the plane (flying it from California to Virginia, from Virginia to Hawaii, and finally from Hawaii to Washington would have been challenging for sure!).  

It is a hobby that remains near and dear to John's heart, probably because flying was something he enjoyed with his father for a lot of his life from boyhood to his middle 30's.  With this in mind, I thought I would make a card that would be full of fun memories, and a bit of nostalgia as well, thus the card below came to be.  I hope he likes it lots!

I finally finished the inside, making a little verse about "flying" and Father's Day.  I think he will like it!

Recipe:  Papers: Darice cardstocks: Kraft, Ivory; Bo Bunny: Double Dot-Chocolate Vintage; Echo Park: This & That-Yardsticks; Graphic 45: Le Romantique-Sweetheart of Mine-2, Fashionista-Debutante-2; Recollections Portobello Road stack-Airplanes (greatly computer-adjusted color); DCWV Shimmer Stack-brown; . Sentiment: computer-generated.  Stampin' Up Distressing/ Sponging Inks: Chocolate Chip, Early Espresso, So Saffron. EK Arrow punch. Spellbinder dies: Circles SM, Petite Scallop Circles LG, Petite Ovals LG, Ovals SM, Big Scallop Ovals LG. Vintage online images. Stash: Woven Jute Trim, June twine. Stampin' Up Naturals Designer Button. 

A Little Niece's Birthday!

I had a yen to make a child's card and Audrey's six-year birthday provided me with an excuse to satisfy that whim.  I pulled out my "To Do Stash" and decided I really wanted to do a little coloring with my Copics as I had not done this in quite some time!  In my stash, I found a card kit with an uncolored Magnolia stamped image provided, which were designed by my sister, Heidi Gonzales, (mylilscrapcorner.blogspot.com), and I thought it would be perfect.  I did change the original card a little as I wanted it to be a bit larger and square, but loving the little ribbon embellishment, I kept it just like it was.  I took the papers provided and re-arranged their layout, added the orange below the argyle and added a kraft matting layer behind.  I also used Copic markers instead of the original woodless-color pencil technique provided in the card instructions.  I was pleased to find my coloring technique return and began to feel more comfortable again as I worked.  I think my little jumping rope Tilda turned out really cute. I hope Audrey likes her.

A 45-Year Catch-Up Visit!

As I mentioned in a previous post, while I was still in California, my husband surprised me with a trip of his own south.  I think he yearned for a little sunshine, because as you know, other than being a bit warmer and no freezing nights, Seattle doesn't really have much of a spring that provides sunshine.  I'm fond of saying we have liquid sunshine!  I think he was a little jealous when talking with me that I had been enjoying regular bouts of sunshine almost daily since my arrival in early April.  But then, it is possible he may have also missed me!

As mentioned, we headed further south to the Sacramento area and had a chance to visit with some very "old" friends of more than 45 years.  Though my husband re-connected with them several years ago and was able to visit them before, I had not been down with him because I had other commitments at home.  This was such a wonderful occasion for both of us as the wife, Marlene, had finally began to recover from a fairly serious health problem.  We had a great luncheon with them and wonderful, reminiscing conversations, plus caught up with stories of our lives over the last 40 years.  I surely hope we get to make another repeat visit very, very soon.

In remembering this wonderful time, I wanted to send a little card letting them know just how much we enjoyed this catch-up visit.

 I made this card at one of my sister, Heidi Gonzales', first Stampin' Up classes a few months ago.  She taught how to use Stampin' Up markers with stamps.  I love this Summer Smooch paper (retired).  It is so bright and cheery.  (Her blog, if you are interested in looking her up, is: www.mylilscrapcorner.blogspot.com.)

Recipe:  SU stamp: Bright Blossoms.  SU Papers: Summer Smooches, Daffodil cardstock, Whisper White cardstock.  SU Ink: Riding Hood Red, Lucky Limeade, Island Indigo.  SU Postage Stamp punch.  Summer Smooch fabric brads (ret.).

Fun Hospitality!

During my stay in California, I traveled south, making two separate visits to my sister-in-law, who lives in Carmichael.  She graciously provides a comfortable place to stay while there, and I must tell you, she is an excellent cook!  Because she is always so welcoming, I want to let her know how much I enjoy her company, and I always look forward to seeing her.  A little side attraction is that I get to spend time with her grandsons who are often in her company.  As I have no grandchildren of my own but worked around young elementary-age children until I retired, I find them delightful and full of fun.  Each has their own personality and sense of humor, bringing laughter and smiles to me.  I hope she enjoys this card I made for her:

It is fitting that I give my sister, Heidi Gonzales, credit (www.mylilscrapcorner.blogspot.com), as I lifted her idea from a card class she taught back in January 2011.  I used the same papers plus an additional pattern, enlarged my card, and made it square.  I added sewing stitches to several layers, and also popped on a bright turquoise pearlized button to liven up the flower.  I think it turned out very appealing!

A Yen to See New Vistas!

I'm finally BACK home!  It was certainly a longer vacation/ visit to California than expected!  My plan was to head home right after Mother's Day, but about that time, my husband surprised me with the decision to head south himself.  So, we extended our stay almost two week to makes visits to his family and some friends in the Sacramento area, as well as mine in Redding.  He was also able to accomplish my mother's honey do list.  He was a big help, replacing electric switches and replacing worn-out fan controllers and even her battery in her car, which decided to fail while he was there!  

Toward the end of my planned visit, I began thinking of summer coming and wanting to take a vacation to see scenery other than my regular stomping grounds in Washington or California.  I'm thinking that is what made the Tim Holtz Texture Fades Eiffel Tower embossing folder by Sizzix so attractive!  

I bought a 4-card making kit from the Rock, Paper Scissor store in Redding with one of the four cards a "bare bones" set of three papers:  a cream card base,  a piece of black card stock, and the straw-colored embossed card stock.  The challenge was to make and embellish it to your own liking. . .no sample or ideas provided.  I looked at the papers included and decided it would be very plain without something more even if I tried cutting and layering the papers into different sizes. It needed some color and pattern added to liven it up and some ribbon and embellishments were a must.  I tossed the cream card base and decided on an Antique Gold instead.  I also decided to enlarge the card size just a bit; it ended of 5" x 6-1/4."  I kept the black card stock to use as one of the background mats and added a black/ gold pattern from the Graphic 45 Birdsong collection.  I tried a little black sponging on the embossed piece to help bring out the Eiffel Tower/ Paris patterns.  This was my final design that I came up with.

After making this card and because I have a daughter-in-law who loves everything "Paris," I decided I needed to purchase this embossing folder for myself.  Now, that took a bit of doing to actually acquire it!  It took up over five visits to the Redding JoAnns store, who normally have it in stock,  and two visits to other stores in different towns.  Several weeks into this wanting to make this purchase, and after much conversation and questioning on my part, I finally found out they actually had not ordered more to re-stock.  It was not clear if that was intentional or not.  The "cards" remained on the wall as though they were in stock, but to get one, you actually needed to do a special order.  This information was finally forthcoming on my fourth visit after lots of questions!  The entire process took over four weeks!  I'm determined if nothing else. . .like a dog with a bone!  I will certainly treasure this embossing folder. . .it turned out to be a whole lot of trouble! (As you can probably tell. . . there is a lot more to the story.)

Recipe:  Papers: Bazzill Starburst, Blackbird, Straw; Graphic 45 Birdsong Joy Luck (back). Extras:  Sizzix TH Eiffel Tower Emb. Folder; Recollections Black pearls, Fleur de lis; Memento Tuxedo Black Ink (sponging/ distressing); Trims: 1" black lace, 3/8" gold sheer/ satin edge ribbon, 1/4" Black satin/ Metallic Gold edge ribbon.

Mother's Day!

I was able to be in California to celebrate Mother's Day with my Mom and my sister, Heidi.  We had a lovely early dinner out with the three of us and my sister's husband.  Mom and I finished off the evening playing Mexican Train, and I actually won!  My mother is a master at most card and board games so to actually win is certainly a novelty!  But, win or lose, we don't care, we just enjoy the camaraderie of playing the game and gabbing as we go.

While we were in Mt. Shasta on our family crop retreat-vacation in April, I brought my "To Do" stash along. . .it could keep me busy for several weeks for sure!  I had joined Becca Feeken's Amazing Paper Grace monthly kit group back in September 2012.  I had kits from the beginning through February that I had not even started on ~ shame on me.  I was determined to catch up and finish some, and I did.  My mother fell in love with one I was making while there.  I had no intention of giving it to her, because I would not make one in front of her that she could see if I was actually going to give to her.  She kept "oohing and aahing" because she REALLY loved it, so I decided after the fact, that it would be her Mother's Day card.  I generated a computer verse to fit the inside diamond created by another set of filigree die cuts like those that grace the front.  

This was a lovely design that Becca Feeken came up with as one of the four projects in the October 2012 kit.  This card was quite a challenge because the dies are so intricate and there were 12 of them to deal with!!  They did not cut or punch out unless you used wax paper on each die cut.  That little trick certainly helps a LOT!

I apologize for the picture focus.  I did not have my scanner in California, so I resorted to taking a picture with my cell phone.  It is not one of the "new" phones with all the bells and whistles; thus, the pictures are not the best, but I think you get the general idea of how pretty this card really is.

A note to my dear readers and friends:  I will be out of commission for a bit as I make my return travels to home in Washington.  Then, I will have loads of stuff to sort, unpack, and put away, not to mention, oodles of stuff to catch up on of those mundane chores of everyday life: laundry, house cleaning, yard work, etc.  See you when I get back to catching up with my blog.

Recipe: Amazing Grace kit, Neenah White Cardstock 80#, Spellbinder dies, Button w-round pearl center, pearl stick pin, flat-bottom pearls, Prima mini roses, white seam binding ribbon, Beeca Feeken bowmaker.

Sister-in-Law Birthdays Begin for 2013!

I have a total of seven sister-in-laws!  I'm sure someone else on the planet has me beat, but that's a lot to be sure.  Their birthdays start in May and go through October; therefore, there will always be at least one sister-in-law birthday card for each month for six months of the year!  I never have the excuse that I have no birthday card to make that is for sure.  I only have one brother, so only one of the seven falls on my side of the family...the other six belong to my husband's side of the family!  

My first sister-in-law birthday card to start off each year is in May and is for my brother's wife, Diane.  This year, I made her a "flower" card, featuring a stamp that allows the two-step stamping technique.  I then cut the completed stamped image out with a Spellbinder Label die, and finally, I sponged its surface lightly around the edges before removing the Spellbinders die.  I love the white edge this leaves around the sponged image, almost making it a frame.  I hope Diane liked her card.

Recipe:  SU Stamp: Flower Fancy (ret.), SU Cardstock: Whisper White, Not Quite Navy, Baja Breeze.  Pattern: scrap. SU Ink: Marine Mist, Garden Green, Baja Breeze (sponging).  Spellbinder die: Labels Three. Ribbons: 3/4" White ruffled organza, 3/8" Marine Mist satin-edge organza. Turquoise rhinestones.

Brother Mike's Birthday!

At the beginning of May, my brother, Mike celebrated another birthday!  I was so busy visiting with Mom that the time got away from me and our planned visit to celebrate with him snuck up on me!  I had to delve into my stash to come up with a card really quick!  

I made this card several years ago in a class taught by my sister, Heidi Gonzales (her blog: mylilscrapcorner.blogspot.com) with an emphasis on learning to color images with woodless-colored pencils and paper-piecing (Ed's umbrella is paper-pieced and the rest of him is colored).  I thought these stamps were so darn cute.  I'm glad I had a chance to given "Ed, the umbrella man" away to someone who would appreciate him.

Family Scrapping Retreat #2

If you follow my blog, you know that I make two long trips to California to visit my mother and my sister in Redding, California.  Of course since I am a "wuss" when it comes to hot weather (over 80 degrees), I try to make my trips in the early spring and fall each year!  My purpose is not only to catch up and have fun doing "girl" stuff, but to spend time making papercrafts with my two favorite ladies.  

I think that we have established a family tradition, in that we like to take a trip away together to do all of the above.  With that in mind, we decided the Mt. Shasta area would be our destination and picked "Cold Creek Cabin" for our lodging.  Everything about the house was perfect, except I would have like to be out a little further out in the "country," as we only 4 blocks from the downtown area.  The woodsy pictures were a bit deceiving with its little creek in the backyard.  I included a few pictures of our little house, which I'd like to pick up and move to the actual woods a mile or so outside Mt. Shasta City (a little town of about 3,400 people).

But, we did have a week full of fun cropping, staying up all hours, sleeping in, shopping at local boutiques, going to the movies, playing Mexican Train, laughing, and just plain gabbing!  We even enjoyed some eventful weather with heavy winds stirring the old-growth cedars surrounding the house and a day or two of light snow that didn't really have a chance to stick with the sun peeping in and out!

For My Wonderful Daughter!

My lovely daughter, who is diligently studying to be an R.N.,  celebrates her birthday in April.  She has wonderful style and absolutely loves umbrellas and goulashes.  I made up this little card for her birthday, taking special care as I won't be there to celebrate with her and will miss having time with her on her special day!

Recipe:  Stampin' Up Whisper White cardstock, BoBunny Double Dot Cool Mint, Bazzill Swiss Dot Cornmeal, Doodlebug Flower Box (woodgrain/ flowers), Core'dinations White Glove Glitter, DCWV Shimmer pad (sun). Dies/ stamps:  MFT-Sunshine, Papertrey-Scattered Showers. EK Scalloped Scallop punch. SU stamp: Bootiful Occasions. SU-Chocolate Chip ink, 5/8" satin ribbon. Technique: Paper piecing.