October Queen

 

This is a birthday card fit for an October Queen. I am just not sure who the Queen is (mine isn't until next month). The colors were just fitting and the crown was a last minute thought to add to the card. I love this pad of designer paper. It is Lost & Found -Two from My Mind's Eye that I got 50% off from Hobby Lobby.

 

I feel a little bad because there is very little stamping on this card, but it it a great way to make a quick gorgeous card. Look for designer paper that has images or panels like the one I used today. The only thing that is stamped is the birthday sentiment which I embossed with copper embossing powder. I am not sure who makes the birthday font. It is a cling that I have in with all of my wood birthday stamps, but any thing would work. The brown swirls are a Memory Box die called Scroll work and I cut them out of bronze metallic paper. The other swirls are part of the design in the paper. The flowers are some from a dollar store. The crown is a package of diecuts from Kaisercraft called Lost Icons.

 

 

Below is a better picture of the scrolls. I just love this die because it can be added in a small area or behind something to fill in yet it doesn't overtake the card.

 

 

Another beautiful fall day here in Michigan. I wish this meant it was going to be a mild winter but I'm not putting any bets on that one. The leaves have passed their pretty colors and there are a few bare trees now. We will have to wait to see what the next few weeks brings.

 

~Have fun and enjoy!

 

A pretty corset

 Another quick week has flown by. It seems like just yesterday I was in my studio for the entire day last weekend. I had the house to myself (and you all know what a vacation that is for me) so I just spent the time doing what I enjoy most. Not only did I do a lot of die cutting but I managed to make a few cards as well. This is a stamp that I bought at a stamping convention back in August made by Stampendous called Rose Corset. I had these ivory panels that I picked up at a sale the YMCA was having when they were moving to a newer building. My son Elliot was working there at the time and I was able to buy quite a bit before the sale started. I don't think I will ever run out of envelopes. Most of the stationary items had been donated and several were unopened. Before anyone starts asking what embossing folder I used on them let me tell you that the panels came already embossed. If you click on the images you can see the detail a bit better.

I got out my Prisma colored pencils which I don't use as much as I should. The blending with Gamsol didn't work as nice on this paper as it wasn't very smooth. I used the following colors on the corset- Jade Green 1021 and Slate Green 936. The flowers were done with Blush Pink 928, Spanish Orange 1003 and Yellowed Orange 1002. The leaves were done with Marine Green 988 and Zest De Lime 1005. I added some glitter to the flowers and silver pearls for the buttons. I didn't add a sentiment because I didn't have much room and I wanted the image to stand alone.

 

 

 It has been raining most of the day but I am just happy it isn't snow. We have had a few nights that were a bit frosty, but the plants still look good. The leaves are still beautiful but it won't be long before they are all on the ground. It is going to be windy tomorrow so I am sure the lawn will be a pretty color of red and orange. Every thing is calm on the home front. My son did 8 more days of high dose radiation. The margins of the tumor they removed were clean, but when they dissected the tumor, it was still very healthy inside. The tumor board at U of M suggested radiation but said it was his call. His cancer is rare so the treatment plan isn't routine. They said there is a high chance it will return in two years, but we will deal with that if and when it happens. We just have to get through this first. I don't have the time or energy to be worrying about something that we have no control over. I just saw a quote that said the other side of fear is freedom and that is what I choose.

~Have fun and enjoy!

Doily Squares

 I am on vacation in my own house. I have it all to myself to do whatever I want, but you won't find me dancing naked on the table. It is a perfect fall day and the colors outside my window are absolutely beautiful. I fell like I should be posting something more for fall but this is one of my favorite creations that I made lately.

I used the dies from Quickutz called Nesting Doily Squares. The designer paper is from ColorBok-Sweet Summer which is a brand that Walmart carries for only $5 a pack. The card stock is of course from SU- Buckaroo Blue (old color) and Lucky Limeade. The leaves on the flower are from MS punch called Frond and I punched them out of SU Pear Pizzazz. The flower is from Trico that is a brand at the $ store. The white floral trim is exactly that - satin trim from JoAnn Fabrics and it is on top of a panel that I punched out with MS Deco Fan edge punch. If you click on the image above, you can see a crystal stick pin which is from Maya Road. The main image is from the SU stamp set called Punch Potpourri and I went over the flowers with a Sakura Gelly Roll Clear Star pen. I put some blue rhinestone gems on the flowers and the corners of the white doily square.

My friend Carol sent me home with her beloved case of Memory Box dies to use this weekend. I felt like I needed an armed guard to follow me home with such a prized possession. I am very lucky to have such a wonderful friend in my life- not just because she shares her things with me, but because she is just such a beautiful person. We are always there for each other and when she hurts I hurt, so I am sending my love and prayers to her today.

~Have fun and enjoy!