Sympathy for a Dear Friend!

A long-time friend of mine just lost her father.  I really wanted and needed to send her a sympathy card to express my sorrow for her loss.  I also wanted her to know my thoughts and prayers are with her, and that my hope is she will take comfort in the good memories that she will keep with her for her lifetime.  In time, we are able to think of our lost love ones with fond and joyful memories that brings them back into our hearts again and again.

I designed this card several months ago knowing that it would back a beautiful sympathy card, and this was just the right card for my friend.  I made the flower from a word printed paper and spritzed it with gold metallic along with the black crocheted paper trim. I also added a bit of sewing machine stitching and zigzagging that I think always enhances a certain style of card, especially those with a bit more of a vintage look.  Today, I added my own sympathy verse to the inside with coordinating embellishments to tie in with the front design.

Recipe:  SU Basic Black cs; Paper Co.: Kraft cs; Graphic 45: Curtain Call-Moulin Rouge feathers, Tour de France-stripe.  Punches: EK Fleur de lis border; SU Modern Labels, Word Window, Blossom (2-3/8”).  Sizzix Sizzlits die:  Birds & Blossoms-1-3/4” large flower/ 1” medium flower.  Homemade shimmer mist: Folk Art Metallic Inca Gold acrylic paint (flower + black cs borders).  Colorbox Chestnut Roan-edge distress; Charcoal-flower distress.  Joanns: Ribbons-5/8” Shimmer Sheer Black, 3/8” Picot Edge Satin-Antique Gold; Black Sparkle Tulle; Signature Multi-Tone thread-Sandy Hues.  Queen&Co.: Black pearls.  Sewing machine stitching.

Whoo's Under the Weather?

A very, long-time friend of my husband just had spinal surgery.  He will have a long recovery and therapy process, which will probably run into months.  My husband wanted me to make a card to send back East to let him know he was thinking about him and wishes every good thought for his complete and speedy recovery.

I remembered an owl card designed by my sister, Heidi Gonzales (My Lil' Stamp Corner), that I made several years ago in one of her Stampin' Up classes that I thought I would work really well as a Get Well card by using "whoo" in the sentiment.  I then designed the inside to coordinate with the front of the card and composed a get well verse to suit the occasion.  Here is my little card that I re-created.  My sentiment and its shape is my own choice.

Recipe:  Stampin' Up papers: Pumpkin Pie cs (base), Baja Breeze cs, Everyday Enchantment dsp (SAB 2012).  Stampin' Up stamps: Aviary.  Stampin' Up Ink:  Lucky Limeade, Chococate Chip.  Everyday Enchantment Ribbon: Calypso Coral/ Lucky Limeade. Stampin' Up Punches: 1-1/2" circle; 1-3/4" Scallop Circle, Dotted Scallop Ribbon border.  EK punch: Medium scallop photo corner, Journal Plate (modified). WRMK Corner Chomper: Deco.  Colorbox Chestnut Roan distressing.

Traveling: Coming Closer!

On the final leg of our journey, we put in a 12-hour drive.  Typically, we drove from six and one-half to seven hours each day, but as we got such an early start on our final day, we decided to just come all the way rather than stop one more night.  

We really timed this journey just right.  The freeways were bare and dry most of the way with filtered sunshine to full sun, though cold and windy in the Midwest.  We did experience one night with a short snow fall overnight in Rapid City, South Dakota, but by mid-morning it was 38 degree weather, with filtered sun, and a well-tended I-90 roadway.  During the rest of the day, it continued to get sunnier, warmer, and greener as we traveled west.  It was a balmy mid-50's by the time we reach Idaho, and the scenery became more like home!  

Here are a few more pictures taken on this final leg of our travels:

Grand Tetons - Wyoming (from East side)

Last leg of Montana - approaching Idaho

Welcome to Idaho!

Welcome to Washington!

Passing Spokane, Washington

Traveling Across Country!

Michele and I started our journey from West Virginia at about 1:30 p.m. on Friday, March 7th, after loading up the little U-Haul to transport Michele's work computer, files, and office equipment needed to set up her home working office.  She will set up in their vacant Auburn home until their furniture arrives some time in April, meanwhile sleeping at our house.

For our travels, we also had numerous dog paraphernalia to bring, and Michele wanted to transport her china and crystal herself, as well as the garage shelving, which was broken down for re-assembly back in Washington.  Both the little trailer and her vehicle were full to the brim.  The SUV contained not only Michele and I, but two large dogs in the rear, a cooler, water, snacks, dog food, and luggage!  Sadie, a 75-pound half Australian Shepherd/ Golden Retriever mix, and Remi, a 38-pound Merle Australian Shepherd, were as good as gold on the drive.  Remi slept most of the way and Sadie dozed and got up for a view every now and then.  Both dogs were somewhat exuberant when given the chance to escape from the back hatch during much needed stops and breaks in driving, but they jumped right back in when urged.  After all, they weren't about to be left behind!  

Sadie got more and more excited as she began to recognize the terrain and smells of Washington.  She has always had a sense of when she would soon be arriving at our house when traveling back for a visit miles before her arrival.  Their last residence before transferring back to West Virginia was actually about 10 minutes from our house.  Remi was only eight months old when they left Washington, so he didn't have years of instinct to guide him as Sadie does.

Her husband, Don,  begins his leave before his military retirement in mid-April and will travel to the Northwest with their 5th-wheel trailer and truck at that time.  This month gap in their arrivals back home will allow Michele to have some home renovations completed, such as re-carpeting the entire house, refinishing all wood floors, installation of stone floors in the hallway from the garage entry to the family room and laundry room areas, garage floor finishing, and some wall painting all before the furniture arrives.

Following are a few snapshots I took with the IPad as we traveled and stopped along our way:

Mt. Rushmore (Keystone, South Dakota)

Crazy Horse Monument in the making - in progress since 1948!

Dinner at historic Alpine Inn, Keystone SD

A Good Friend's Birthday!

One of my long-time friends, a friendship that started way back in the early 1990's, is having her birthday.  We worked together for over six years and then she transferred to another school.  We try to keep in touch, along with a few other ladies, with at least a quarterly "girls' night out," which we are presently behind on with each of our many family obligations.  But, for sure on her birthday, I want to wish her the very best day and the very best in the coming year until her next birthday, when I will renew my birthday wishes again!

I made this card several years ago from a card kit my sister designed when she owned her scrapbooking store.  It was done with Progresso Koh-I-Noor woodless-colored pencils, set with mineral spirits; those were the days before I learned how to use Copic markers.  It's fun to look back on those colored images.  I am amazed with the coloring job you achieve with just 24 different colors by coloring lightly, adding more pressure, and adding shadings and shadows.  Even looking at it now, it was a pretty good coloring job, if I don't say so myself!  I thought this little bundled up Magnolia stamp Tilda would be just right for a birthday during our cold, rainy winter months in the Seattle area.  I think Carla will like her card.

Recipe:  Bazzill cardstocks: Tangelo, Saguaro.  Basic Gray: Pyrus.  Spellbinder dies: Scallop Squares LG, Long Scallop Rectangles LG, Labels Four.  Magnolia stamp.  Koh-I-Noor Woodless Colored pencils.  WalMart Mineral spirits.  May Arts Twine.  Computer-made sentiment.

Birthday for a Game Connoisseur!

My son, David, was born in the window that put him in the fore-front of video gamers!  When he was only seven years old, the Atari Game Console was brand new on the market, and we purchased it for family entertainment.  David loved his Adventure game where you searched for the treasure chest hidden in a cave with a labyrinth of tunnels, and where the wrong choice would allow the dragon guarding the treasure to come out and attack you.  His next favorite game was Space Invaders.  From this start, he has now progressed to online gaming, the X-Box, PlayStation, etc, and more that I'm probably not even aware exists!

One of his favorites right now is Mass Effect, so I decided to try making him a card with that theme in mind.  My first goal was to replicate the X-Box game controller, which I researched via the Internet, and I was able to make a plausible replica, I think.  Next, what kind of paper could I possibly use?  I certainly didn't have anything along the lines of current-day games.  When I'm stuck, I usually try to find resources via the Internet so that is where I looked.  I found some wallpaper prints depicting the binary code with an abstract flair and leaning toward the Matrix-look and a Mass Effect IPhone wallpaper, both were the right colors to work well together. I downloaded these and pasted them in Microsoft Word to manipulate their size for cardmaking.  Here is my finished card for David.

Recipe:  Stampin' Up Basic Black cs (card base), Basic Gray cs.  Digital online wallpapers.  DCWV Generation Tech Stack (Dimensional).  Papertrey Ink die: XL Rickrack.  Stampin' Up EFolder: Square Lattice.  WRMK Deco Corner Chomper.  EK Circle punches + Spellbinder die Circles (smallest circle). Scotch 3M foam tape.  Glue Dots.  (Inside only: EK Scallop Corners).

Time for a Birthday Hello!

One of my husband's good friend's wife had a birthday in February.  I first met Fran through my husband, who was friends with her husband through a working relationship.  After retirement, this couple graciously invited us to go out camping with them and taught us how to "clam" for Razor Clams on our Washington beaches.  These were fun and enjoyable times and her birthday afforded me the opportunity to wish her well on her special day by making her a card.

One of my Stampin' Up stamps from a set from SAB 2013 had remained in its box, and I really wanted to see what I could do with it.  It depicts the interesting red phone booths that you would find in London on a visit to the British Isles.  I am wondering if this English version of  a phone booth is still as plentiful as they once were or if they, too, have disappeared as ours have in the United States for lack of use with the advent of common place personal cell phone usage.  I hope Fran enjoyed her card and had a happy birthday!

Recipe:  Size–5-1/4” x 5-3/4.”  SU Stamp: Feeling Sentimental (2013 SAB)/phone booth.  SU cardstock: Cherry Cobbler, Night of Navy. Pattern: MME/American Made–Petticoat Plaid/ Celebration Banner. Copic white cardstock.  SU Basic Black Embossing powder. Copics markers: R46/ R29. SU Inks: Midnight Muse, Cherry Cobbler (sponging/distressing). Uni-ball Signo Gel Pen (windows/ very lightly)WRMK Deco Corner punch. Dies: Lifestyles 3/4” circle. Spellbinders Pinking Circles SM/ LG. Computer-made sentiment. SU Adhesive pearls (B99 Copic color). 3M foam tape, 3M tape runner. Hot glue. Stash: 5/8” Navy/ Red stitch ribbon; Pocket watch brad.

My Travels Begin!

A few days ago, I flew back to Washington D.C. to meet my oldest daughter, Michele to keep her company on her drive cross-country to move home to Washington State from West Virginia because her husband is retiring from the Coast Guard after 26 years of service.  

After picking me up at Dulles International Airport, we are staying in Washington D.C. for a little four-day sightseeing trip, weather permitting.  We will visit some of the sites and museums in and around the city.  We are staying in a hotel, where all we have to do is buy a train ticket and speed away underground to arrive in the heart of D.C. in about 12 to 14 minutes.  The highlight of our trip will be a tour of the White House today, which Michele was able to set up with the help of her West Virginia senator.  I'm sure it helped that she was able to say that this was our only opportunity before she made her military move back to her home state of Washington with her husband military retirement after 26 years of Coast Guard service.  Whatever it took, we are delighted!

The White House - North Portico (considered entrance)

Entrance Hall

Family Staircase

Cross Hall (leaving Entrance)

The Library

The China Room

 The Vermeil Room

The East Room

The Green Room

 The Blue Room

The Red Room (Nancy Reagan's favorite)

The tour was self-guided, but there were Secret Service or historical guides in most rooms to give information and answer questions.  Several of the rooms had very thorough and interesting "guides," who gave lots of information without even being asked or prompted.

We did not get to see the Lincoln Bedroom, because it is located in the family private area along with all other bedrooms in the White House.  It was traditionally used several decades ago as a guest bedroom for visiting dignitaries until the use of Blair House became more commonplace.

Security to actually begin our White House tour was very thorough I must say.  We had to produce our identification for review and matching at three different Secret Service checkpoints, plus a "pathway" through a dog-sniffing area and into an airport-type screening device, with the very few things you could have on your person going though the machine scrutiny.  We were allowed wallet and car keys on our person only.  No water, lipstick, cosmetics, and the list goes on.  It's good to know they are that thorough!

Valentine Girl!

My third Valentine friendship card that I made was also for a cardmaking buddy!  I decided to use another card kit provided by my sister Heidi Gonzales: My Lil' Scrap Corner (blogspot.com).  Fortunately, I had the patterned paper used on this card because I really wanted to make it a 5-1/2" square card from its original A2 size (4-1/4" x 5-1/2").  To do this, I had to make a new cardbase, so I decided to switch it to brown and add a mat layer in Flamingo pink BoBunny Double Dot.  I had to add another piece of the patterned paper below the brown cardstock belly band.  I got out my Copic markers to color the little Magnolia stamp.  I thought my card turned out well, and I really like the change in cardbase color and the added Double Dot.  They seemed to bring out the colors in the background pattern my little colored image popped better.  I hope my friend, Charlene, liked her little Valentine Magnolia card.

Recipe:  Stampin Up Chocolate Chip cs (base), BoBunny: Flamingo Double Dot, My Minds Eye pattern.  Magnolia stamp.  Memento Ink: Tuxedo Black.  Michaels' Celebrate ribbon.  Recollections pearls.  Copic markers.

Be My Valentine Cupid!

My second Valentine friendship card I made was for my friend Sandy.  I decided I wanted to use the Stampin' Up cupid stamp on her card, and my new Pretty Print embossing folder.  Again, I used patterns from Echo Park's Yours Truly collection.  I was pretty happy with my little card with its perky pink satin bow!  I hope Sandy enjoys her card.

Recipe:  Georgia Pacific White cs (base), Echo Park: Yours Truly.  Stampin' Up Stamps: P.S. I Love You.  Stampin' Up Embossing Folder: Pretty Print.  Stampin' Up Ink: Melon Mambo, Basic Black.  Stampin' Up Punches: 1-3/8" Circle, 1-3/4" Scallop Circle, Modern Label.  Stash: Pink Double Satin ribbon.

Be My Valentine!

I decided to send friendship Valentine cards for three of my cardmaking buddies.  My first card was for my Stampin' Up friend and mentor, Liz.  I decided to make a kit card I had in my stash that was a designed by my sister, Heidi Gonzales: My Lil' Scrap Corner (blogspot.com), and that I purchased from her a few years ago.  The kit featured four very cute Valentine shaker cards, and they got buried in my "To Do" box.  It seemed like a good time to bring out the kit pieces, and put them together from the pictures provided.  This was such a cute card, and I thought it would be perfect for Liz.

This card was a bit larger than the A2 size that Heidi was normally designed at that time, so the only change I made was to add one more layer by adding a white cardbase.  The original red base became a layer, but I made it about 1/4" larger than the original red base.  This white base and the new red layer not only made the card a little bigger with more color layers, but it also created an eye-appealing red frame to bring out the lovely red/black dot ribbon and to enhance the original card design just a tad.  Of course, it always makes me happier when a card is larger than A2, because as many of you know by now, I prefer my cards a bit larger than the traditional A2 size.  I hope Liz enjoyed her card!

Recipe:  Paper--Georgia-Pacific white cs base; Stampin' Up Real red cs; Echo Park-Yours Truly.   Papertrey Stamps: Button Boutique. Stampin' Up punch: Heart-to-Heart, Postage square.  Maya Arts ribbon.  Stash: metallic hearts, clear heart button.

Valentine for Hubby!

I completed this card in a card class offered by Misty Bradley about two years ago, and I have not used it.  Because of the sentiment, I love the "u" in us, it is a perfect card for a couple, and thus, my husband got this one.  I love all the geometrical layering that Misty used, and I had the chance to use Perfect Pearls, which was all the rage at that time.  I'm not sure how I got those little red dotted pearls so perfectly round...I've never accomplished it again on another card, and so, alas,  I've resorted to just using regular half-pearls.

Recipe:  Paper-Georgia Pacific white cs base; Bazzill cs-Blossom/ Kisses; My Mind's Eye: Love Struck.  Stampin' Up stamps: P.S. I Love You.  Stampin' Up Ink: Real Red.  Stampin' Up Punches: 1-3/4" Scallop circle,  1-3/8" circle, Modern Label, Word Window.  Lifestyles Die: Nesting Hearts.

Jar Full for A Valentine!

My next Valentine card was for my brother and his wife, and it is from that shaker kit of cards from my sister Heidi Gonzales (My Lil' Scrap Corner.blogspot.com) noted in my daughter's card post earlier this month.  Again, as in my daughter's card, I wanted my card to be larger than the traditional cardmakers A2 size (4-1/4" x 5-1/2"), so I decided it would be a 5-1/2" square card.  I re-cut the base in a darker shade of pink to match the seam binding ribbon provided.  Again, I was able to spread the embellishments out on the card front.  I added an extra red heart on the jar lid just because I had an extra cut off the red heart border trim.  Because I had the same paper, I was able to cut and add to the gray and white patterned mat layer below the ribbon and the border.  I was very satisfied with the enlarged design...very similar to the original design yet more space to admire each feature on the front of the card.  I hope Mike and Diane enjoyed my take on their sister's design and my cardmaking.

Recipe:  Papers - Stampin' Up Pretty in Pink cs base; Echo Park Yours Truly.  Papertrey stamps/dies: Friendship Jar/ Jar & Lid die/ Jar Toppers die/ Fillable Frames #10/ Heart Border die.  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, SU Real Red.  Hug Snug Seam Binding ribbon. Stampin' Up punch: Heart to Heart.  Zutter Corner Rounder.

Welcome Little One...& a Shabby Tea Room Challenge!

One of my daughter's long-time, best friends had her first baby recently...it's a boy!  She was eight days overdue, and they were considering inducing her if she didn't get busy over that week-end on her own.  Guess what, it seemed the baby heard the ultimatum, and a trip to the hospital began at the crack of dawn that Monday morning, and it was apparent this new little person was on his way!  This coincided nicely with a challenge at the Shabby Tea Room #206, so I decided to play along.  Here is the inspiration photo for the challenge.

For information regarding the Shabby Tea Room Challenge #206 and to see my entry, click on the link below: http://theshabbytearoom.blogspot.com/2014/02/week-206-baby-shower-party.html 

I volunteered to make a baby card for my daughter to send welcoming this little guy into the world.  I've so enjoyed making the sunburst rays background card for my niece's birthday last month, and I just had to make one more and with the machine stitching added on this one.  I found a cute little colored digital image online, which I dropped into PaintShop Pro to clean it up and reshade here and there.  I then began looking for blue and green papers to compliment his room colors.  After my search was underway, I remembered that I had bought a DCWV stack full of little boy papers, and guess what...the whole pad was in blues and greens!  I was stoked and ready to begin.  I've just finished and my daughter rejuvenated her long unused poetry talents for the inside verse.  We hope Sarah likes her little guy's welcoming card shown below.

Recipe:  Papers: Recollections-Cape Cod pack-periwinkle/base; Frances Meyer-Baby Boy; DCWV-Baby Boy Stack. Spellbinders Scallop Rectangles LG, Classic Rectangles SM.  Stampin'Up punch: Modern Label. EK punch: Fancy Corners. Stash: 5/8" Baby Blue Satin ribbon, 3/4" White Crochet Lace. Vintage online digital color image.  Computer-made sentiment (Font: Christine).  Machine stitching.

Cupids Arrow for a Son!

The next card I made was for my oldest son.  I decided to go a little vintage and used a kit I had purchased at Paradise Scrapbook Boutique in Chico, CA on my travels.  This card uses a paper that features a collage of old-fashioned Valentine's of earlier decades (about when I was of elementary age in the mid-1950's) and seemed to still be around when this son was an elementary age child in the 1970's.  Since the patterned paper features mostly boy Valentine images, I decided it would be perfect for my son, David.  

The bow & arrow and hearts were cut using Accu-Cut dies with glitter paper and backed with lightweight chipboard.  I decided the card needed a bit more framing to enhance and make the words pop on the paper and the ribbon, so I added a black mat between the patterned paper and the white cardbase.  Other than this change, the card remains true to it original design.  I think David liked his card...a bit of nostalgia!