Pirate Apron

Christmas brought a wonderful homemade gift to me.  I have a silly fascination with pirates.  A friend made me this apron that is actually double sided.  The other side is a reverse of the material.  I was wearing this side as I cooked on Christmas day since it had more red on it.  Along with the apron came two matching dish towels.  Let's hear it for crafty friends who know what you like!

Organizing

My craft room has needed a major rehaul for quite some time.  I have been looking at various storage items and love them, but until recently, couldn't quite figure out what all was needed or not.  But, for Christmas a friend gave me a gift certificate which I put to good use.  This time as I looked at empty containers, I could begin to imagine what could go in them.  As you can see, success!  The joy the top container is that there are two sides.  Flip it over and more of the same storage in on the other side.  So all my stickles, enamels, and liquid pearls are in one spot.   The second container has a tray in the top so all my paints and tools can be in one container.  Can't tell you how happy this makes me!  It also makes it easier to use and to take with me for classes and craft gatherings.  A start in the right direction!

Christmas craft item

Hope you all had a happy holiday.  We were the recipient of a very nice homemade gift that you see here.  Chalk paint was applied to these cups.  Then the words were added with chalk.  Hot chocolate mix and peppermint candy canes came with it.  So cute and clever! 

Sharon's Christmas card

As you can see, Christmas has not gone to the dogs at our house, it's gone to the cats.  Another friend sent this colorful card to me.  She did all the white parts with embossing folders.  Then used material cut and fused to paper.  I'm thrilled.  Hope it's a great day of love and joy for you all.

Gayle's Christmas Card

A friend of min found a stamp that looks a lot like my cat.  So, I got a very personalized Christmas card from her.  How nice that stamping enables that?

Christmas Card

Can you belive this was a hand made card?  The wreath is stamped and then the berries were stamped with a red embossing powder.  The bow and background were dies done on red mirror paper.  It's just simply stunning in the light!  This is a keeper.

Photos and Stamping

Loved this Christmas card from a friend.  Doesn't get any more simple yet affective as this.  She took a photo from one of her travels and mounted it onto kraft paper.  On the inside a Christmas message was stamped.  What a nice card.

January birthday

I have a friend who has the audacity to have a birthday early in January.  It's only taken me a decade or so to be cognizant of this fact.  After all, we are still getting over the holidays and coming to grips with the realization that it's a new year.  Happily, this year I am aware and I am prepared!  Well, at least with her card.  Now let's hope I don't lose it between now and her birthday.

Christmas Card

This card came in the mail yesterday.  How awesome is this?  Coloring was done with Copics and then vellum went over top of everything.  The message was stamped with a dye base ink.  Pigment inks never dry on vellum.  Hard to see, but a touch of red Stickles was added to each dot.  It catches the light and sparkles.  Love it!

Clean and Simple

This paper will look familiar.  I have posted several "thank you" cards using it  This time though, I've made a simple card focusing on one of the images in the paper.  Now it is a card ready for any occasion!

Hero Arts Thank You card

Was having so much fun with the penguins I did another card with even more of them.  This time I used words from a Hero Art "Thank you" set. 

Another Thank you

As you can see, I'm getting lots of use out of this Impression Obsession stamp.  More paper used from my stash, and some cute penguins cut out from printed paper as well.

IO Thank you

Here is a variation off of the card posted yesterday.  Same printed paper and words, but mounted onto a green card with white behind the printed paper.  The words show up better in person.

Impression Obsession Thank You

The paper here is from my winter stash.  Some brown was used behind it.  All of this was added to the white card.  Then the words were stamped in black.  Simple, but nice.

Button Snowman

My book club had our holiday "feasting and fun" meeting last week.  One of our members surprised us with these adorable little framed snowmen.  How cute and clever!  Had to share this great idea.

Thank you card

Had a stamping day with friends this week and I used the time to make some "Thank you" cards.  Some holiday paper helped with this card as well as some washi tape.  Then the words were stamped on the cream card.

Gelli Print Card

Received another nice card the other day.  I loved how she used the gelli prints in strips.  Then she embossed a butterfly in gold and cut it out and added it with foam mounts.  A little washi tape at the bottom, and then stamped the "thank you" on. Although it's a blue card base, this card is bright and cheerful. 

Dreamweaver Stencil

Let's finish the week with a completely different card.  This card is made with all one stencil.  Gold glitter paste was spread over the stencil.  It's hard to see in this photo, but the paste is very yellow and glittery and matches the gold metallic paper.  The red paper here is also metallic red. 

WPlus9 Deer set

Here is an alternative card to yesterday's post.  The trees were stamped with a white pigment ink.  The deer and bird were die cut in gray and white.

Deer Set

Sick of the candle?  Here is a completely different set.  The trees were stamped twice.  Two different birds were stamped in red.  The rest of the card is done in gray.  The nice thing about the white card is it makes it look like a snow scene.

Sweet N' Sassy Candle

Lots going on in the background here.  But, I think it works.  The printed paper makes a subtle addition behind the script.  The design die is by MemoryBox and one I like a lot.

Sweet N' Sassy Candle

The candle was combined with a dry embossed background.  The candle was stamped once, but die cut twice.  Once on the paper and colored in, and once on gold metallic paper which created a shadow effect.  Coloring was done with a Dove blender pen and dye inks.

Sweet N' Sassy Candle set

This week I thought we would take a look at "Christmas Past" and review some of the cards that were sent in previous years.  This set was one of my favorites becasuse  I was able to make a variety of cards from this one set.  That keeps me from getting tired of repeating a card multiple times.  Hope you enjoy the look back.

Graphic 45 Zebra card

As soon as this paper came out, I knew I had to make a birthday card out of it for a friend who likes zebras.  Sure was happy to find it today.  I am giving to my friend over a birthday lunch this afternoon.  It was made right after purchasing the paper and I tried hard to put is in an obvious place to find.  I've been known to make cards ahead and then make them again because I can't find them.  (Please tell me I'm not the only one.)  The background design is all one big stamp.

Memorybox Christmas Cards

It's the time of year again.  Time to send Christmas cards.  This is all one stamp so it made a nice easy card to do.  I stuck with pigment inks because they worked best with this large image.  Pretty much did half in blue and half in lavender.  Now back to getting them ready to be mailed.

PSX Thanksgiving Card

Any long time stampers will remember the great company, PSX.  Sadly, they are now a thing of the past.  I am (still) trying to bring some order out of my craft room, so I "bit the bullet" as they say, and purge out my fall drawer.  This is one of the stamps I gave to a friend.  She returned the favor by sending me this great card.  I loved how she has used it in a brand new way that I never thought of.  Love the dimension the layers give and how she added color to the card.  Very colorful without having to color each item.  So clever!  Hope you all had a good Thanksgiving.  It is one of my favorite holidays.  Sorry to see it crowded out by folks who are hurrying to Christmas.

Material Thanksgiving card

Hi folks!  Sorry I have been AWOL.  We were travelling over the holiday and then got home and started getting ready for Christmas.  I arrived home to a couple of nice cards friends sent me for Thanksgiving, so thought I would share them.  This one is from a friend who likes to make cards but is having hand issues.  She buys printed fabric that she can cut out and paste onto the card.  Then she stamps a message inside.  It means less stamping which is easier on her hands.  She must have used some stamp on the background though, as well.  It makes a more interesting back drop to the front of the card.  I'm glad she has found a way to keep doing what she loves.

Impression Obsession Coffee Card

This image is a little fuzzy, but that is rather how I'm feeling, so let's go with it.  Much around me seems to be in various states of disarray, but I'm feeling smug because I'm a head on needed birthday cards.  This one is for a December birthday.  It was stamped with a Distress ink.  On the side with the blue paper is another design stamp inked with the same color.  Pulled out the sequins again.  My application of them never seems as good as I see on other cards, but hoping practice makes perfect.  Inside was stamped with the message, "Hope your birthday is good to the last drop!"

Memory Box Christmas Die

So happy to say that Christmas cards are going pretty well!  I usually make more than one type of card, and this is the second type I recently started on.  It's a new die by Memory Box this year.  A very simple and inexpensive one that once run through your machine, cuts these openings in your paper.  After folding them down, I traced where the top and bottom pieces are in pencil.  Then the white paper is removed and washi tape is placed on the card.  Then the white paper is put back in place and the words are stamped at the bottom.  All done! 

Hero Arts Thanksgiving set

These images are all from one set by Hero Arts.  Think this set is the one I used the most for my cards this year.  Versatile and great fun.  I've shown several cards using this set.  On this card, printed paper was laid down and then the leaves, pumpkin, and words were added.  Coloring was done with Copics.

Red Rubber Turkey

Colored pencils filled in this turkey.  The words underneath the turkey were in a clear line.  The joy of this is they bend!  Liked the pumpkin  printed paper. A little bit of brown was sponged around the circle to help make it stand out.

Die cut Leaves

Hmmm, not remembering who made this die, but like how they look!  It's hard to see, but there are some dots and a screen image on the card.  Then the words in the box stamped on printed paper.  Simple, but nice.

Whipper Snapper

Remember this little fellow?  I made a card with him on it earlier this month.  I tried my hand at coloring him again with Copic markers.  Make the image a little darker this time.  Words are also by Whipper Snapper.

Artful Impressions

After this is posted, I'm off to have a craft day with a friend.  Looking forward to having fun and getting cards done!  What a great combination.  Still have a few Thanksgiving cards to do, but also need some more Christmas cards. 

This card is for a little friend of mine.  It is actually one of the "wobble" cards.  When you open the card,  you see the back end of the turkey on a spring wobbling, and under that it says, "Gobble till you wobble".  All coloring was done with Copics.

Impression Obsession Thanksgiving

IO carries several different artists.  I have always been partial to this artist.  He does very detailed stamps and usually has a cat image tucked in the picture. (Can you find it?)  Colored pencil was my pick of what tools to use for the coloring.  This is one of those times when more is better!  I kept going back and adding more colors and highlighting areas.  The more work was done, the better is looked.  Detailed pencil images like this one are best done by periodically stepping away to get some perspective.  This took some time, but I enjoyed the process.

Memory Box and IO

Was finally able to get back to some stamping today.  Sure felt good!  This is a card I am sending to a student in college.  I always enjoyed receiving letters and cards in college, so I thought I would return the favor.  The background was done with one of the "wall" stamps by Impression Obsession and a "tangerine" Color Box pad.  The image is by Memory Box and was colored in with Copics.  The words are from an IO clear set.

Art Journal for November

On Wednesday we will be working with paint.  Lots of brushes and tools to try and see how and what they do paint.  If painting is something that is new or causes you some stress, this class will help you feel more comfortable with this fun medium.  Call Angela's Happy Stamper store to sign up.

Hero Arts Stamps

Here is the last one done with the same template layout.  As you can see, this time the wreath was used again before laying down the paper.  Do you have a favorite?  I am still deciding

DC Flea

We were on the waiting list for DC Flea in November and I wasn't sure we were going to get in.  But, we got the call on Wednesday!  We will be there with all our whistles and bells and lots of goodies for the holidays. We are at the Dulles Expo in Chantilly.    Look for us in the back by the bathrooms.  We have booths 407 & 408.  They open at 9 today and goes till 6.  Then 11 till 5 on Sunday- and remember it is Daylight saving time on Sunday!  Will get back to stamping next week.

Hero Arts Set

Been getting good usage out of a great set by Hero Arts.  It comes with leaves, the pumpking, acorns, and sayings.  After coloring it in with Copics, it was cut and added to the strips of paper.  Some of the paper was printed paper, some were stamped and made printed paper.  The saying is from a Sweet n' Sassy set.

Die Cut card

Had a flash of inspiration the other day for a template for my Thanksgiving cards.  Over the next few days several varitations will be shown.  Feel free to vote on the one you like best.  My first attempt was this card.  A Hero Arts wreath was stamped first in the bottom right of the card.  Then the scraps were applied and some splatter images.  Then the die cut leaves were added with foam tape to make them stand out.  The message will be added to the inside.

Fall Card

Carta Bella has a 12X12 paper with lots of phrases on it.  Just cut and use on a card.  Die cut leaves were also added.  Stamped inside is a Thanksgiving message.

Grateful Card

A new stamp set was tried out on this card.  I think it's by Precious Memories.  After stamping the leaves with dye base ink, a Dove blender pen was rubbed over the ink to blend the color onto the leaves.  A splatter stamp added green and then gold.  A design stamp was inked with gold and stamped on the right side of the card and the leaves were overlaid on part of that. The words on the ribbon say, "Thankful and grateful".  Happy November to you.

Rubber Moon

It's the big day but I have already sent out all my Halloween cards.  Hope you all have a fun and safe night.  Here is another card I have made as I look towards November.  Coloring was done with Copic pens. 

Taylor Expressions

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There was a sample using this set that I saw last year.  I loved it so much I ordered it knowing it wasn't going to come until after the season.  Was so glad to pull it out and get to use it this fall.  This card is going to my brother-in-law who has an up coming birthday.  Inside it says, "You are the pick of the patch".  I combined the Taylor Expression pumpkins with a sun and hillside dies from other sets.

Thanksgiving Card

This card is a perfect example for my phrase, "Simple is good".  It was quick, fast, and easy, and simple without being plain.  It's also a great way to use up scraps!

Ferro Paste and Feather Stencil

The mail brought a pleasant surprise for me the other day.  A friend sent me an unexpected gift.  I used this large tag as a thank you card.  Ferro paste was placed over the stencil and allowed to dry.  The paste was done on printed paper so, before doing the paste, an extra layer of heavy paper was attached to the underside of the printed paper so it wouldn't curl from the paste.  As you can see, it worked quite well.  Once the paste was dry, the silk ribbon was added.  Because the tag is so large, I was able to write the note on the back.  Then "Thank You" was stamped on the front with Versafine black.  I like using Versafine black when stamping on a printed paper.  I find it is more opaque and distinct than using a dye ink pad.