I found these little Post-It pads at Big Lots for $1 and thought they'd make great little stocking stuffers if I altered the front of them.

I had some self-adhesive paper from Autumn Leaves which worked well to cover the front and back. This second one has a stamp from American Art Stamp.

4x4

I've been wanting to create something on a 4x4 canvas so finally joined in on yesterday's challenge at 4x4 Fridays.

After inchies, this seems enormous.

Their theme this week was faces. My stamp from Stamp Francisco just about takes up the whole square. I think she just has a lovely face and sweet, gentle smile.

One Of My Favorites Cards

I'm off for a long weekend, so I'll leave you with one of my favorite cards EVER! This is a revised edition of a card I made last fall. The reason I'm so fond of it is because I used one of my mother's recipes in the background. Just seeing her handwriting brings back so many memories. This is one of those cards I'll never send. I just like looking at it. The image is from Daisyd's. The flowers are from Prima (actually, they are an RAK from Jacki, but I think she got them from Prima). I honestly forget who makes the paper, except for the strip at the bottom which is from Daisyd's.

Have a great weekend!

Sweetest Day

I'm really surprised by the lack of Sweetest Day cards on blogs I peruse. I guess it's pretty much a U.S. holiday, but still.....Anyway, here is my contribution to the holiday.

Stamp is by Stampington. Other than that it's just patterned papers and one-half of a flower from Prima.

Wednesday Stamper

The theme this week at Wednesday Stamper is Children. I made these two ACT's for the challenge.

I created the background color with chalk pencils.
The tree background is by Northwoods Rubber Stamps. Children stamp by Rubber Stampede. "Magical" by Art by Moonlight.

The little girls are from Art Impressions. The friend definition is from Rubber Stampede.

Flowers by Prima and Heidi Swapp.

Sunday Arch Challenge

Here is my take on the "party" theme this week at Gothic Arches.

I went with a somewhat private affar.

Gothic Arch

I've lots to catch up on I was gone for the weekend for the wedding I mentioned previously. Because of that I missed a lot of the World Cardmaking Day challenges and fun. I don't want to miss the Gothic Arch challenge as it's something I look forward to every week, so here is this week's entry. The theme was flowers. Lots of possibilities there. In fact I just bought some new flower stamps from Stamping Day & Night, a great stamp store I visited in Fort Wayne, IN, which is where the wedding was. It's the apple blossom one I used along the border of the arch. The girl and doll is from Inkadinkado.

Wedding Card

My husband is best man at a wedding this weekend. The groom happens to be a fan of my cards and has often asked me to make cards. It was so nice to be able to make this card for him to celebrate this very special occasion in his life.

I was afraid my husband would be put off by the flower and lace, but he was quite happy with it. I think the deep brown in the background paper balanced it out some.

Wish Upon a Star

This card was created from K&Co's Maison pad by Brenda Walton. No stamping here, just ended up with a card that I thought was extremely pretty.

The second card from the magazine cover below is mine. Now, if they had asked me which of my cards I would like to see on the cover, I'm sure I would have picked something else. But it probably was more the case that they were doing a purple cover and I had submitted a card with purple in it.

The card was created for a challenge Stamper's Sampler put out to show how you use chipboard in your stamping projects. I inked my chipboard tag with eggplant ink and then stamped my flourish with white ink. The little bird is from Rhonna Farrer which I stamped onto background paper and then cut out.

Gothic Arch Challenge

The challenge from Gothic Arches is one I am really starting to look forward to every Sunday. There's something about working on this size canvas that is very satifsying. Their theme this week was something very universal -- family. I went with a tribute to Mom.

Take Ten

I mentioned yesterday I was thrilled to see my work that had been published in the newest Fall Take Ten. I had 15 cards published in total. These three were some of my favorites. I found the vintage images in a very cool retro/vintage antique shop near my home. I just fell in love with all three of them. I didn't know what I would do with them at first, but when I did decide to make cards with them I was very pleased with the results. Marcia commented on some of my previous stamped cards that the little girls had such big bows on their heads, they must have had very strong necks. Here it is in real life, Marcia.

I just knew when I saw the picture of these three friends they were in Paris in the springtime.

This vintage bathing beauty makes me not so fearful of putting on my bathing suit.

I've got more to show tomorrow!

Gift Card Holder

Once I had constructed this little gift card holder I just could not think of a thing to stamp on it. The Basic Grey paper is just too lovely and complete in itself. So I left it at adding a couple of bright Prima flowers with a bronze brad. I used a doily just peeking out from under the flower.

I will add a ribbon sort of as a purse strap also, but it just did not photograph well so I left it off for the time being.





That is not an actual credit card -- do not attempt to click on the picture for an enlargement! It's one of those that comes with junk mail but suits my purposes here. The gift card you might want to include sits very nicely between the fold of this card and two little slits I made in the two upper corners. I then added a little bit of velco to keep the top closed.

I did manage some stamping on the bottom here. Sentiments by PSX and Hero Arts. Flourish stamp by Making Memories.

I've had requests for the template, so if you'd like a copy e-mail me or leave a message where I can e-mail you.

My First Arch Card

I've been seeing these arch cards all over recently and had yet to try making one. So I gave it a whirl today. Hero Arts has a template up on their web site which I used.
I added this darling image of two little girls that Jacki sent me. Don't know who makes it. Maybe she'll let me know when she gets settled in. I colored them in with my Primsacolors.
She also sent me the large purple (imagine that) flower from Prima.
The "Family" is from Rhonna Farrer.
The vintage photo is actually a picture of the main street of the town where my mom was born, found it in one of their travel brochures.

Happy Birthday

I made this birthday card for a cousin, but I used the Sketch for this week from over at Two Peas. Very versatile sketch. Thanks, Stacy.

I used my new stamp from Inkadinkado once again. I stamped it with Brilliance Pearlescent Sky Blue ink on Bashful Blue cardstock. I restamped the flowers with blue chalk ink and then cut them out. Colored in the leaves with Prisma colored pencils. The Happy Birthday is from PaperTrey. First time I used Liquid Pearls -- for a border around the scalloped edge.

Memories

I have been trying to take better pictures. I have a new printer/scanner and picture software program. I even went out and bought some white board so I could have a solid white background. So I guess I need to figure out why the background in this picture is green! Very frustrating.

Anyway, this card's background was created using shades of red and light brown distress inks direct to paper. The flourish stamps and bird stamp ( both from Rhonna Farrer) were also stamped in red and brown distress inks. The picture is from Crafty Secrets. Aren't those three ladies sweet?

A Baby is a Blessing

I like the watermelon cardstock that I used for the backing in this card. It matches well with the pretty flowered paper. Makes me think of wallpaper. The booties stamp is from Stampabilities. I colored the shoes in a bit with watercolor pencils and a Dove blender pen. The words were from Making Memories magnetic words which I cut out and backed with the watermelon cardstock.

Color Challenge

I submitted this card for the color challenge over at Two Peas. It called for a red, green and white card -- but no Christmas cards. This was my first color challenge. With the challenge I did for Wednesday Stamper last week, that makes two firsts in one week! Since I've started blogging, I've delved into some new territory --one of the reasons I'm glad I started a blog. Another reason is I've met new people on-line, been exposed to new art through other bloggers, and felt a sense of being part of a community. I've been trying to explain this to DH who keeps asking me, "Why are you doing this? I mean what's the purpose of it?" I imagine if you are reading this, you get it.

With all the tagging going on (no one tagged me, but I'm playing anyway!) I thought I'd share a few things about myself : 1.) I have never participated in a swap. 2.) I have never made an ATC 3. ) I head a card ministry at our church where we make encouragement cards for our members. 4.) I am a frustrated collage artist (for lack of a better word). I love the art form but my mind tells me it has to make sense. 6.) I have restless legs which means it's hard to sit still at night, so I don't watch much TV or read. But when I am creating something my mind is completely engaged and I can sit for hours with no problem. Which is really a good thing.

For this card I used paper by Basic Grey. The female image is by Art by Moonlight. The script and text is by Stampington.

Rejected....

Yup, this one came back yesterday (along with a **few** others that were rejected for publication as well). Well, I like it. It's one of my Cuttlebug cards.
I used paper from DCWV's Pocketful of Posies and then sanded it down so the white core of the paper came through. The ribbon slide is also from the CB die cuts. I just colored that with a brown ink pad, added a bright ribbon, a couple brads and a flower and there you have it. (Copy that formula and you can have a card rejected, too!)
I don't send my "rejects" on to other publications. I always feel that the cards I send in are specific to that publication's style, so I just leave it at that. But, hey, now that I'm blogging my rejects will find a place to show themselves off! That should take care of posts for a while:)

And the winner is....

Congratulations to the winner of the Michael's $1 acrylic stamps! My DH picked the number and the winner is: kathymcd. Thank you all for taking the time to list your blogs likes and dislikes. I really appreciated the many comments. Check back -- I like the blog candy thing as well as all of you!