Packing

As things move toward the day when I move to a new house, I'm busy packing.

Empty paper storage shelves

Paper & Ink pads in boxes

These things came off my work table.  Yes, the margarita salt is a craft item.  I brayer dye ink onto cardstock, then sprinkle the salt and it causes a fun pattern on the card.

My plants have been as confused as I have been this past few months.  My Christmas cactus has decided to bloom now.  I have 3 others that are getting buds, but this one is blooming.

Deepest Sympathy

I regret having to make this card for my dear niece, who lost her husband this week.  It is so hard to lose someone you've loved for many years.

This card was partially many a couple of years ago, but I finished it up today.  The sentiment is computer generated, then embossed with 2 Cuttlebug embossing folders.



Desert Rain

We are having a rainy day in the desert.  These photos show rain on the window.  The gray background is bare tree branches and the brown background is a wooden fence.  I take these photos on macro setting and focus on the glass, not the background.

Later, I will print these photos on cardstock and use them for backgrounds for my cards.

I'm getting the urge to make some cards, but my cardmaking supplies are packed for moving.  I will begin moving into my new home in mid-February.  Once I get my craft room set up, I hope to begin making cards for Operation Write Home.  Our deployed troops in Afghanistan really enjoy having handmade cards to send home to their loved ones.  It's been far too long since I'm made cards for them.

See through glittered rose

I finally made a card.  My inspiration nearly always is the recipient of the card.  I must be honest.  I made this card partially a couple of years ago.  The image is actually acetate that has the image stamped on it with Memories black ink.  On the back of the acetate, I used glue and glitter to color the image.  The glittered back of image is then covered with laminate and the image is placed between two layers of cardstock with an opening cut out of them.  This allows the light to shine through the card.  The photo does not do it justice.  I wrote a tutorial on this method several years ago.  You can see it HERE. 

I made a lot of these cards a few years ago.  I actually made the images and inserted them into cards.  I have a whole stack of these with no sentiments.  This way, I can personalize them as I need them.  I sold all my glitter a couple years ago when I started making cards for Operation Write Home.  I didn't want to endanger our deployed heroes by getting glitter on their uniforms.

I added the sentiment on the front and inside the card for a special friend.  I will hold this message and post it after she has received her card.

Just got the message that was received.  Happy Birthday, Patricia!

Improving

I'm recovering well from my surgery on December 23.  I passed my tests yesterday and have a little more freedom.  I will gradually increase my activities and hope to be back to 'normal' in a month or two.  Thanks for all the support during the last 6 months.

2011 in Review

There are parts of 2011 that I don't wish to remember, but OWH wants us to show some of our favorite cards that we sent to our heroes in 2011. 

I must begin with this card from the OWH Design Seminar held in January on the Stars & Stripes blog.  This was a makeover to show ways to create a focal point on your cards.

 Next, I moved on to Father's Day.  I was learning to use digis from Stamper's Best.

After this, Sandy taught us a class on coloring digis with the cute little bunny.

After reading a tutorial on an OWH bloghop, I tried my hand at making a correspondence card.

OWH held a Virtual Cardmaking Day on Facebook, when I learned to make vest cards.

In March, OWH held another Design Seminar.  This one was where we learned to use Texture & Dimension on our cards.  Remember, this is when we first learned about Sandy's huge roll of foam mounting tape and we all bought them.  I still have lots on my big roll.

I remember how we all fell in love with the Ruffle cards and made lots of them.

Our next excitement came from the shirt and tie cards.

How can we forget the hamburger cards.  Lots of texture and dimension.

Remember all the pinwheel cards?

I really love the message conveyed to our heroes with the digis from Stamper's Best.

It appears that I have surpassed 10 cards, so it's time to move on.  I don't really want to remember the rest of they year any way.  If you would like to see all the other entries showing favorite cards from 2011, click HERE.

I'm rooting for a much better 2012.

Healing

Thanks to everyone for the good wishes.  I'm feeling stronger each day.  I'll see the doctor on January 2 to see how things are healing.  I know I'm feeling better and wish I could get out of the house.  I just can't drive yet and don't want to get dressed.  Robes are so comfy!

Home again

I had surgery on December 23 and returned home on the 24th.  It was a quiet Christmas, but it's good to be home.  I enjoyed some nice phone calls and plan to take it easy until I see the doctor on January 2.  Things are going well and I should be much stronger when all this heals.  Hoping for a better 2012.

Christmas cheer

Merry Christmas to all of you.  This is a little tree that was made for me about 15 years ago by my late sister-in-law.  It is made with a frame of clothes hangers, wrapped with a string of lights and green garland.  I added a few small ornaments to make it more festive.

I don't feel like celebrating too much this year, but needed a few decorations.

The satin balls were covered with needle tatting several years ago when I was teaching tatting classes.  The candle was made by my granddaughter a few years ago.  These bring back happy memories.

I made these trees with beads many years ago.  They are sitting on battery operated tea lights.

Tomorrow morning, I will be in surgery and will report back after I return from the hospital.  It will probably be after Christmas before I feel up to posting.

Happy Holidays to all of you.







Merry Christmas!

With this card, I think I will give up on making Christmas cards this year.  The creativity just isn't in me.  I finally unpacked some ink and embossing powder to add some gold to the card.  I just wasn't pleased with my first 2 attempts.  This set of stamps is by Inkadinkadoo.

Since I will be preparing to have surgery next week, I need to get a few things ready so I won't have to do them while recovering from surgery over the holidays.  As a good friend said, "This will be a distraction from the first Christmas without my dear husband."  I do miss him a lot all the time.