Hugs & Kisses~

Sunday I got to spend a record, shortest that is, time at Winter CHA in Anaheim.  This is the second CHA I have had to sit out as part of the Scor-Pal team (shoulder issues make it too hard to demonstrate).  However, yesterday I was heading up to meet a slew of some of my favorite people for dinner and decided if I was driving an hour plus for dinner, then maybe, just maybe, I could get into the show for a couple of hours.  Well, 3-1/2 hours to be exact, so it was a bit of a speed race through, but fun none the less.  I was able to see many friends from the industry and some new product lines, tools, paper and such. I only took a few pics with friends and none of product and now I can barely remember what I saw.  Oh well! :)

I did learn an important lesson, I should have just tucked a few things in my pockets and left my purse at home.  My arms/shoulders were not feeling so great by the time I got home.

Anyway, I came home feeling inspired (somewhat rested and ibuprofend up for Monday) and knew my Mom was having her painting friends over for lunch and critique on Wednesday.  In the past I have made her little treat items to put at each place setting and know they she and her friends enjoy them.   These started out in a much simpler direction and sort of ended up here - lots of die cuts and extra doodads! 

How the bags were made:

• 2.5" x 4" Kraft bags are flat with a very small flap top  and are stamped with hearts from Wplus9's Heartfelt Mix in white pigment ink.  Bags were purchased at Michaels.
• In lieu of a doily (which I am out of), I die cut a regular paper napkin and separated the layers.  A bit of edge sponging and they fold over the top of the bag.
• Brown organdy ribbon just lays over the top, cascading down front and back.
• Medallion was made by Nestabilities Circle and Petite Scallop Circle and decorated with Wplus9's envelope and heart dies, the cancellation stamp, month and numbers are from Postmarked.
• Sentiment tag was stamped with a sentiment from a long ago retired SU! set, All Year Cheer 1
• Mini clothespins were painted bubblegum pink, dry brushed with a little white and tied with brown ribbon.
• Tiny heart charm from my stash from long, long ago was tied to the ribbon using fishing line.

The only pictures from the day:

 Melissa

Tina

 Cindy

 Jessica, Laurie, me, Cindy, and Tosh

Kim, me, Carole

 Have a great day!
V.~

Sending you Love~

And the final set of 10 for my friend's Valentine Card Campaign; a raspberry, black and white combo, simply delicious!

As much fun as this was, stamping 40 cards this week, I certainly learned my limitations as far as my frozen shoulder issues.  I am still not quite there yet, while it doesn't hurt to actually stamp anymore, which is a huge improvement, I have suffered more pain in the following days than I have in a while.  So I know that stamping a card or two a week is probably okay, but not 40!

Finished cards are 3.25" x 6.5"

V.~

Stamps: Heartfelt Mix and The Birds & The Bees by Wplus9

Ink: Tsunkineko Onyx Black and Vivid! Raspberry

Paper: SU! Melon Mambo, GKD Black Onyx, Neenah Solar White

Patterned paper: Bella! Wedding Tie the Knot

Other: Heart die from Hearts & Clouds by Wplus9, Nestabilities Circle Die, Fiskars trimmer scallop blade, Raspberry Satin ribbon, Corner rounder, Dimensional foam

Love always~

And yesterday afternoon's 3rd set of 10, a little red, white and blue Valentine.

I worked and reworked the navy base several times until I remembered an old Scrapblock from the defunct Cornish Heritage Farms* that was a perfect compliment to the small grid stamp on the image panel.  Distressed Grid was inked up in white craft ink and stamped on navy cardstock.

The sentiment and grid are from Wplus9's Sweet Nothings; the heart, white craft ink on red cardstock and cut with the coordinated die from Hearts and Clouds, is from Heartfelt Mix.

Finished card is 4.25" x 4.25"

V.~

Supplies not mentioned above:

Ink: Versafine Black Onyx, Vivid! Inky Blue, SU! Craft White

Paper: Neenah Solar White, SKD Lipstick Red, SU! Night of Navy

Other: Black and white gingham ribbon, 1/8" hole punch, Navy eyelet (to tie ribbon thru), Corner rounder, Dimensional foam

*The original Cornish Heritage Farms went out of business a while ago, however, I've recently read that many of the images have been purchased and that there is a new CHF website that offers them in a digital format:

Cornish Heritage Farms

Showering Love~

Second in the series of 10 card Valentine sets for the Valentine Card Campaign.

Finished cards are 3.75" x 5.5"

V.~

Stamps: The Birds & The Bees by Wplus9

Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Vivid! Raspberry

Paper: Neenah Solar White, SU! Melon Mambo, GKD Black Onyx

Patterned Paper: DCWV Madly in Love Stack

Other: Cloud die by Wplus9, Scallop rotary blade, Corner rounder, Dimensional foam

Postmarked Love~

I just discovered a new to me stamp company before the holidays

Wplus9 Design Studio 

and had several of their items in my shopping cart for a week or so before I hit the send button.  

This was my first major purchase in forever and it felt so good to play with new stamps today!

Well, I have to say I am impressed with the quality of their clear stamps, dies and their super fast shipping.  I ordered on a recent Friday morning from here in SoCal and had the items in my mailbox on Monday, all the way from Florida!  Impressive, yes indeed!

Heartfelt Mix, Postmarked and Love Notes Die were the products that I used to make 10 of these Valentine's cards for a friend who is collecting cards for a Valentine Card Campaign for the military.

I plan on making several more 10 card sets in different colors and layouts over the course of this week.

Cards are 4.25" x 4.25"

V.~

Supplies not listed above:

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black and Rhubarb Stalk, SU! Craft White

Paper: Gina K Designs Kraft, Lipstick Red and Pure White

Other: Corner rounder, Square punch (to make banner ends), Dimensional foam

You Rock!

 14. sigh. 

It happened so fast, my youngest is turning 14 in a few days.  He's having a few friends over on Friday night to celebrate with junk food, pizza and video games.  In all likelihood it will be his last "friend" party as he is in his last year of middle school.  Boys and high school parties just don't happen all that much around here. Now girls are another story.....

Anyway, I wanted to tie his card from us and his birthday invitation together, so I pulled the same images and added numbers and red as an additional color plus altered the layout a bit.  

Finished card is 3-3/4" x 5-1/2"

The hardest part of this card? Coming up with a clever, non-roll your eyes, inside verse, that is appropriate for a teenager.   Found one after a bit of googling. :)

V.~

Stamps: Live Life Loud by GKD, Collage Numbers (retired) by SU!

Ink: Memento London Fog, Tangelo, Bahama Blue, Versafine Onyx Black

Paper: SU! Going Grey (retired), Real Red, Neenah Solar White, GKD Black Onyx, Sweet Mango

Other: Distressing tool, Spatter tool, Black marker, Red mini brads, SU! Word Window and Designer Label punch (trimmed to leave just the top portion), Dimensional foam

Leaves, Anniversary and 14 year olds, Oh My!

I added a set of notecards to my sister-in-law's Christmas present; she is a landscape architect and I thought these natural, rustic cards would be put to good use for friends or clients.

Finished size 3-3/8" x 4-7/8"

Stamps by Hero Arts

Ink: Vivid! Olive, Ranger Distress Vintage Photo

Paper: GKD Kraft and Vanilla

Other: Spatter tool and marker, Linen thread, Distressing tool, Dimensional foam

My parents were married the day after Christmas and this is the card I made for them this year, last year we had the big party, this year, a much simpler celebration of their 51 years together.  Just the 2 of them.  This has been a rough year for them with my mom's broken hip and continued recovery; they exemplify "in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad" and continue to be such an inspiration to me.  

Finished size 4-1/2" x 6-1/4"

Stamps: retired sets by SU!

Ink: Vivid! Coffee Bean (discontinued)

Paper: GKD Pure Luxury Vanilla

Patterned Paper: Basic Grey

Other: Heart punch (retired SU!), Brown taffeta ribbon, Raspberry button, Linen thread, Corner rounder, Dimensional foam

My youngest son is turning 14 shortly and agreed that I could make the invitations for his friend party - an at home party; make your own pizzas and video games with 6 friends, exactly what he loves to eat and do!  The graphics of this set are perfect for that hard to stamp for teenage boy age.  They are addressed and in his backpack, ready to hand out at school tomorrow.

Finished size 3-3/8" x 4-7/8"

Stamps: Live Life Loud by GKD, Really Retro (retired) by SU!

Ink: Memento London Fog, Tangelo, Bahama Blue, Tuxedo Black, Versafine Onyx Black

Paper: SU! Going Grey (retired), Neenah Solar White, GKD Black Onyx

Other: Spatter tool, Black marker, Staples

 As I am currently just stamping for myself - gifts and such - and not doing design team work of any sort, I am questioning maintaining a blog......not sure where to take it at this point.  So until I figure that all out, my posts will probably be similar to this, an assortment (not really related to each other) of the things I have been making.

Happy 2012 to you, may it be a year of good health, happiness and crafting!

V.~