"Combining Three Stamps For A Scene"

Happy, happy Friday on this gorgeous April 28, 2017!
Ready for some fun and excitement as we enter the period called "weekend". 
Yes, the work week has come to an end and with the temp being predicted in the 90s for tomorrow...what a way to look forward to having some fun.
Okay, I'll be honest because I just heard from a friend who saw snow in her area and the weather is not as warm where she is.  I could still have fun in the snow if it was enough to ski or go sledding.  We can adjust and make the most out of anything.  For instance, the early part of the week for us was rainy.  Three and one-half day of constant rain.  What do you think I did....read some chapters in a novel, watch a little TV, played in my craft room and started cleaning my closet to donate to Goodwill.  Whew, wasn't that a lot (lol).
Today, I'm sharing a card that I attempted to make a scene using three different stamps.
I started with StampinUp "Beautiful You and used the lady with the umbrella.  I masked out the umbrella because I knew I would be adding the man from Tim Holtz "Life's Possibilities stamp.  He was a little taller and had an umbrella that I could place the lady under (have him to protect her from the rain/sun).
After stamping both the lady and man, I masked them with a stamped image I had done on computer paper.  I used the StampinUp Mediterranean Moments stamp (outside walkway) to have them appear as if they were walking down the pavement.  (My Richmond Virginia friends can relate to this if you have ever been to Short Pump Town Center or downtown in Old Petersburg, VA).
I used some brown and reds water color inks for the brick building and green for the greenery.  The ladies dress is an orange color  (wanting to keep the scenery a little light and airy).
Someone is having a "Special Day".  I'm not sure which one, the man or the woman  (you decide).

Entry for http://www.wordartwednesday.blogspot.com

Items used to make this card.  Starting from the left is StampinUp "Beautiful You stamp set;  Tim Holtz's "Life's Possibilities stamp set and lastly, StampinUp "Mediterranean Moments stamp set.

Your visit and comments are always welcome. 

Have a nice weekend.

Sending you a hug and LOVE,

Lois

"Let's Get Whimsical...Whimsical"

Hello friends, visitors, followers and viewers.  It's Thursday everybody...yay!!! One more day before the weekend.  Stay "on the grind" today (as my friend would say) ...because weekend joy is coming. April is almost over.  A new month and new adventures will start to happen on Monday.  Let's continue to enjoy these beautiful spring days.

Let's talk about being whimsical...just how whimsical (playfully quaint or fanciful, especially in an appealing and amusing way: acting or behaving in a capricious manner) can you get?  Are you always so business-like that you can't let your hair down for a few moments?  Are you afraid that if you do act playfully, your child or other adults will think something  is seriously wrong with you?

I love to come out of a staunch mood and just be whimsical for a pleasing effect.  Some days I just can't help from just having a good laugh at myself.   Try it sometimes...it will sure make you feel better.

My whimsical side is showing today. I'm using a flamingo die and Jolee's boutique coconut palm sticker.
 I specifically bought this die for that purpose (to get whimsical)  and also it was only about $2.00 (after the coupon deal).   By going to Florida often to visit our oldest daughter, you get an eye full of flamingos (real and plastic yard decorations) as well as palm trees.
Hint to my DH...does this card tell you that it is about time to make that trip again (lol)?
Anyway, here is a view of my whimsicality:

Steps:

I used the flamingo die on a piece of sticky back foam sheet to cut it out. I added a pink feather to enhance the "tail feather".

With some distressed paper left over from another project, I used a small circle die to cut out the "sun". The sun, flamingo and palm were put aside until I worked on the card front.

I used Recollections pink cardstock to cut out a frame ( 5. 25 x 3.75).

I backed the cut out section of the frame with a sheet of paper from Ki "Bright Geo paper pad.

This was layered to a piece of Recollections black cardstock.

I cut out another piece of paper from the same Ki "Bright Geo" paper pad (4.5 x 6) and matted this to a piece of the pink cardstock; then layered to a black piece of cardstock before mounting it to the Neenah white card base (6.25 x 5) . The frame piece was added to this piece.

I added all the focal images to the card.  Lastly, I used Recollections color splash stamp set to stamp the sentiment onto the card using black archival ink.

It was just so whimsical to make and to look at the finished result. 

Some of the items used,

starting from the left:

Ki Bright Geo Paper Pad

Sticky Back Foam sheets

Recollections cut and emboss flamingo die

Jolee's boutique coconut palms sticker

Recollections color splash stamp and stencil

Thanks for viewing with me today.  Let your hair down and just have an enjoyable whimsical day.  Come back again!

Sending you a hug and LOVE,

Lois

"Amazing Grace"

Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Hello friends, followers, visitors, and viewers.  It is already looking as if we are going to have a great day.  The rain has stopped and the temperature is rising toward a warm and beautiful day.  Tomorrow will be a better day to get back outside to plant some flowers I picked up on Saturday since the ground is still wet.

This is a special note to all who commented and reassured me that distress oxide on dark cardstock was suppose to look the way it came out on my project, yesterday.  You all are  awesome friends in the crafting world.  Thanks for your expert advice.  I will not list your names....but you know who you are.

For today, I've used cardstock from DCWV "The Far East Stack",  Heartfelt Creation "Botanic Orchid Collections, black Recollections and a striped blue piece out of my stash.
The stamp I used comes from American Craft "Bible Journaling.  The die cuts came from Spellbinders "ferns" and the flower is from Petaloo "Textured Elements".
The tag and butterflies are like the striped piece of cardstock...they were in my stash and I have no company's name to give you.

I'm getting back to my scriptural and bible journaling roots today.  "Amazing Grace" (death on the cross and after the resurrection)...Through the grace of God, the gift by grace has abounded to many through Christ; yet multitudes choose to remain under the dominion of sin and death, rather than to apply for the blessings of the reign of grace. But Christ will in nowise cast out any who are willing to come to him. (Ro 5:20).
Grace is amazing, don't you agree!

Entry for http://www.WordArtWednesday.blogspot.com

Challenge #280-281 - Anything Goes

Designer Cardstock

DCWV The Far East Stack

Heartfelt Creation Botanic Orchid Collection

Other elements used:

American Craft Bible Journaling Stamps

Spellbinders ferns dies

Petaloo Textured Elements "teal"

Thanks so much for your continued support and comments. 

Please visit again.  I enjoy your company!

Sending you a hug and LOVE,

Lois

"Using Distress Oxide Inks On Black Cardstock"

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Hello viewers, followers, visitors and friends.  Good Tuesday morning to you.  What's on your agenda for today?  If it is still raining in your neighborhood and you can't go outside to play, why not stay in and craft away.  That's what I'm planning on doing.

I was encouraged, back in early March, to purchase the Distress Oxide inks by my crafting sister who said, "they will work well with dark cardstock".  So I made a purchase.  I used some of them for a project on Tuesday, March 21, 2017, http://lilartsywoman.blogspot.com/2017/03/stenciling-distress-oxide.html.  This was when I used white cardstock and a stencil for my project.  That one turned out rather well.  I received many compliments here on this blog, Google+, scrapbook.com and Card-Making USA.

Today, I wanted to experiment with using the Distress Oxide inks with black cardstock and a stamp. 
Let me just say, I've torn up some cardstock that looked distressing to me (very unsatisfied with the results). 
The first card you see here (not the ones that went in the trash) was done this way:

• I cut a piece of black cardstock for the base 4.25 x 5.5
• I used a stamp from Penny Black's "petal party", Versa Mark ink and clear embossing powder to put an image (2) on the black cardstock
• I used I colored the top flower with worn lipstick distress oxide and the bottom flower with wilted violet distress oxide.  Both flower stems were colored with cracked pistachio distress oxide
• I sprayed some water down on a mat and mixed the left over worn lipstick with the water and splatter it over the card.  Some ended up on the flowers.
• After drying, I added three gems around the sentiment that had been stamp on black cardstock using jillibean soup "handwritten sentiments "and layered with green cardstock and a pink ribbon bow.
• The card you are looking at came out much better than the first one I did, but it is still doesn't present a WOW factor for me...the reason is, the ink went on in that pinkish color but when it dried, all I'm getting is the oxide effect or the chalky look which is a muted white and not the pretty vibrant color.  You really can't tell that I used worn lipstick and wilted violet.
• This doesn't impress me at all.  Maybe it does for you.

worn lipstick oxide for the top flower did not come out vibrant at all neither did the wilted violet at the bottom

The second card you see here (thinking it would come out better) was done this way:

• The black cardstock was cut 4.25 x 5.5
• The stamp from Penny Black's "petal party" was used with the worn lipstick, wilted violet and cracked pistachio (outline effect)
• I mixed some cracked pistachio with water and splattered it on the card.  This time I didn't let any of this mixture get on the flowers.
• After drying, I added the sentiment (jillibean soup "handwritten sentiments) which was stamped on black cardstock and layered on some pink polka dotted cardstock.
• Three gems were added around the card as well as a green bow made from Offray ribbon.
• This one looks 5% better than the first one. 
• I like the oxide inks much better on white cardstock than dark cardstock.

you can see a little more color of the worn lipstick and the wilted violet used for stamping

I even tried another color of dark cardstock to see if it would make a difference.  The only thing I can really say is, you can see a image but not unless you like that chalky look for your image on dark cardstock, then stay clear of using it.  On lighter cardstock, the distress oxide are beautiful.  (That's just my opinion).

here I used the Distress Oxide inks to stamp some flowers on a piece of Bazzill cardstock

I wanted to see if using a different darker color of cardstock would make a difference in the oxide color.  It is still chalky looking and not vibrant.  It is better on this purple than on the black cardstock.

I'm just showing and sharing my honest opinion about Oxide inks on black cardstock.  I 'm also keeping in the back of my mind that the processing of the material I received my not be 100% correct compared to what Tim Holtz was using.  Maybe this could be the reason my colors were not vibrant.

As always, "at first, if you don't succeed, try, try and keep trying until you master it".  I will try again.

Sending you a hug and LOVE,

Lois

"Hope, Dream, Believe"

Monday, April 24, 2017

Hello friends, visitors, followers and viewers.  Welcome back from a nice weekend.
I saw and felt rain on Saturday and Sunday.  The temperature dropped and I began to feel coolness to coldness. We were out and about on both days (the reason I felt the cold rain). 
My little "Sunshine" could not visit because she has the flu.  Her mom kept her out of school Friday because she had a fever and they had to take her to the doctor's office on Saturday because it still would not go away...conclusion...FLU for my little "Sunshine".  We instant messaged each  other when she could lift her little head off her pillow and check in.  I talked with her last evening and she told me she was feeling a little better.  She has meds so by tomorrow she should be back bumping and jumping around doing her gymnastic exercises for her class and getting better for her visit to see me and her grandfather.

Since she was not with me to play in the craft room, I waited until this cold, rainy morning to cut and glue paper to make a card.
It is mainly made with a Penny Black sticker sheet of images, cardstock with print and stamps from ART C stamps and stencils.

entry for http://www.wordartwednesday.blogspot.com

Challenge #278-279 - Anything Goes

 I used three of the stickers from the sheet and placed them on a piece of Recollections tan cardstock backed with Recollections black cardstock for the card base.
In the spaces to the side and below each image, I measured and cut out a piece of printed cardstock and adhered it to the card front...changing the direction to go with each image. 
Last, I used stamps from ART C to stamp out the words on top of the printed cardstock using black archival ink (hope, dream, believe).
Very simple and easy to do.

Penny Black's sticker sheet and

ART C stamps & adhesive stencils

Thanks so much for visiting with me today.  I hope you enjoyed your view and will come back again.

Sending you a hug and LOVE,

Lois

"Sending All My Supporters A Heartfelt Thanks"

Hello To Everyone,
Today is a gorgeous Friday.  The birds are singing.  The sun is up and shining brightly.  The weather forecast is calling for severe thunderstorms, hail and rain for this afternoon. 
I'm busy, busy, preparing for a visit from my little "Sunshine".  When she talked with her grandfather on Monday, she told him she would be coming to see him this Saturday.  So,  a lot of my "good stuff" in the craft room will have to be secured (lol).  I love for her to go in and play but there are some items I just cannot let her play with (she may hurt herself).
Anyway, you know what I usually do on Friday.  Yes, I keep it very simple by using stuff I already have on hand:

Here, you have

• Neenah white cardstock for the base
• craft cardstock for the focal area using Avery Elle "wonky stitch elements die"
• two die cut pieces from Tonic Studio "Sweet Melia die"
• three flowers (I don't know what company ...loose flowers in my flower container)
• three small hearts (probably left over from Valentine's day project and added to this card after the sentiment to tie everything together)
• sentiment from Penny Black "heartfelt "stamp set ( the only thing new this morning)

Wishing you all a fabulous weekend. 

Thanks for your viewing time and your lovely comments.

Sending you a hug and LOVE,

Lois

"Prima Doll...Camille"

Hello friends, followers, visitors and viewers.
Happy, happy Thursday, April 20. 2017.  What a beautiful day in my neighborhood!  The sun is brightly shining and the temperature outside feels good on my skin.  Yes, the pollen is still blowing but I'm dealing with it. 
I planted some flowers yesterday and will try to get back outside to do the same today.  Playing in the dirt is becoming a fun event.
Before playing in the dirt, I have something to show you while I was playing in my craft room for just a little while.
My sister got me very interested in the Prima dolls by Julie Nutting.  At first, I tried one and kept her in the far corner of my stamp collection.  Then, my sister kept talking about these dolls and she was investing in collecting them.  She wanted to know if I wanted them in my collection.  I purchased a few and have been working with them off and on.
Today, I played with "Camille".  I dressed her up in some white and green mulberry paper with a piece of die cut Cuttlebug "flower bramble" sticking out from the side.  I used a sentiment from Heartfelt "Botanic Orchid Collection" .  The cardstock is from Recollections mixed media paper pad, DCWV "The Old World Stack", Neenah white cardstock and Craft paper for the card base.

 

I'm going to enter this card over at http://www.wordartwednesday.blogspot.com for Challenge #278-279 - Anything Goes

These are the items I used to make the card.

If you have not invested in Julie Nutting's dolls, I encourage you to do so.  They will make great Mother's Day cards.

Dressing these dolls up will bring your childhood forward and remind you of your earlier days...playing with dolls.

I hope you enjoyed your time here today.  Come again.   You inspire me to continue playing in my craft room.

Sending you a hug and LOVE,

Lois

"DCWV Brooklyn Stack and Hipster Stamp"

Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Hello friends, followers, visitors and viewers.  Happy Wednesday to you.  We made it to "hump "day.  Now, let's see if we can continue with the love until the weekend. 
Recently I posted that during the month of April I have a lot of male members of my family with birthdays.  My DH just celebrated his on the 17th.  We were so busy with a lot of things to  do on Monday, I forgot to say anything about his birthday. 
Other than my husband, within these next few days left in April, there are three more birthdays to celebrate.  This card I'm showing you today is really for a "hipster" in his life style (a person who follows the latest trends and fashions, especially those regarded as being outside the cultural mainstream).

Enabler's List:

• black Recollection cardstock for the card base cut at 5 1/2  x 5 1/2
• DCWV Brooklyn Stack cut at 5 1/4 x 5 1/4 layered on top of the black cardstock
• cut another piece of the DCWV Brooklyn Stack (red strips) at 2 x 4 1/2.  Adhere to black cardstock and then to the triangle panel.
• Using black ink, stamp image onto white cardstock; color with American Crafts (or any other) colored pencils.  Adhere to red cardstock and then adhere to black cardstock.
• Using the Our Daily Bread Design stitched rectangle die, cut out a frame to fit around the colored image
• use computer and printer for my own sentiment ...printed on white cardstock and adhered to black cardstock.  I turned the ends up to make the sentiment "hipster-like".
• there are two versions of this card....one without the shades and one with (I will decide which one I will send and keep the other for the non-hipster next week.

Items used

DCWV Brooklyn Stack printed cardstock

Our Daily Bread Designs Double Stitched Rectangles

Tim Holtz Hipster stamp set

I hope you enjoyed your view today.

Come back again and see my latest creation.

Your comment(s) are always welcome.

Sending you a hug and LOVE,

Lois

"Four Dies And Some Cardstock Equals One Card"

Tuesday, April 18, 2017

Hello Everyone!
Happy Tuesday to you!  Hope your day is going well and you are involved in something great and meaningful.
What about that tax filing...are you still working on yours...have you filed an extension...are you some of the lucky ones who don't have to file?  I thought yesterday was the deadline but most of the TV reporters are saying today is the day.

The card I'm sharing today is an encouragement card...we all need some encouragement in our lives don't you agree.
In making this card, I knew I wanted to use flowers.  I decided to use die cut flowers instead of the ones from Prima or some other flower company.
The combination of dies I used came from Elizabeth Craft Designs "Victorian Flower Overlay Set 2" and Spellbinders "Marisa's Bouquet".
I placed the flowers from Marisa's Bouquet on top of the Victorian Flowers to make a flower.
I used Penny Black's "border edgers die" to separate the two colors of cardstock for my focal area.
My layers came from Kanban designer paper (behind the blue Recollections cardstock) and pink Recollections cardstock.  My card base is a piece of Neenah white cardstock.
The sentiment (from StampinUp "Beautiful You") was stamped on a butterfly which is another die cut from Hot Off The Press Paper Artist Cutting Dies "10 Tiny Things + Shadows".

Entry for http://www.wordartwednesday.blogspot.com

Challenge #278-279 - Anything Goes

Thanks so much for your viewing time.  Thanks for the comments you've made on my other projects.  Come again to see my new creations.

Sending you a hug and LOVE,

Lois

"ALTENEW Peony Scrolls Stamp Set"

Monday, April 17, 2017

Hello To Everyone!
It was a fantastic weekend for me.  How did you manage to enjoy yourself?

I did a little stamping and coloring for my share today.  I'm using Altenew Peony Scrolls Stamp Set as the main focus on my card.

• I started with a piece of  Bristol smooth white cardstock.  On this piece I stamped four of the flowers from this set using VersaMark ink.  
• Gold embossing powder was used and heat embossed.
• Using Akashiya Sai Watrcolor Brush Pen, I colored the flowers with pink inks and water.
• This stamp set comes with coordinating dies so I used the dies to cut out the flowers.
• I combined paper and cardstock from Paper House "Field Study paper pad", Recollections "Boho paper pad and Recollections black,brown and craft cardstock for layering.
• The sentiment from StampinUp (Avant-Garden) was stamped on craft cardstock and layered on top of brown cardstock
• Organdy Ribbon was used around the card with the flowers placed around the ribbon
• A few sequins were added  to the card

Thanks so much for your time spent here today.

Come again, you're always welcome!!!

Sending you a hug and LOVE,

Lois

"Bits And Bobs"

Friday, April 14, 2017

Good Friday to my friends, followers, visitors and viewers.
It is the Friday before Easter Sunday, on which the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ is commemorated in the Christian Church. It is traditionally a day of fasting and penance.

Some non-Christians as well as Christians may be wondering..."what's so good about "Good Friday"?  I'm going to be at a special "Good Friday" program this evening and this is the question I want to present to the audience.  I'm confident that many in the audience will already know the answer to this question, however, after listening to the other presenters, they will all know the correct answer by the  end of the program.
 
Look back at my title "Bits and Bobs" (an assortment of small items."weird bits and pieces of paraphernalia").
The title for today is one that was given to a project I entered on another website this week.  A comment came from a viewer and she called my card "bits and bobs".  Okay, my fair lady, you gave me a title I could use for my card today.  I did exactly as the meaning presented...I used bits and pieces from my stash (as I usually do on Friday) to created something .  Usually I would titled my piece as "Using My Stash" but I used her title instead.  Since my pieces were recent ones , I could tell what I used to help you out if you decide to CASE this project:

entry for http://www.wordartwednesday.blogspot.com

All pieces were previously done and placed in my stash.  Here is what I remembered doing:

• I used a piece of Bristol smooth cardstock for my focal area.  On this piece, I used Distress crayons to color ( yellow, pink, purple) as well as using stencils on top of the finished colored cardstock.  
• Using the bits (poinsettia flower, garden greens and romantic vines, I group them together to form the focal image.  
• I then cut a piece of tulle and added it to the group of floral pieces.
• I used NUVO "copper penny" drops around the tulle and in the center of the poinsettia flower
• The sentiment came from Recollections "mixed media" paper pad

items used for this project...starting from the top left...
Sizzix poinsettia die
Sizzix garden greens die
Spellbinders Romantic Vines die
Plaid stencils from Walmart
Ranger Distress Crayons #1 and #2
Offray purple tulle

I hope you enjoyed viewing my bits and pieces from my stash or my bits and bobs to make this card.

Your visit and comment are always welcome!

Have a fun-filled, enjoyable Easter weekend!

Sending you a hug and LOVE,

Lois

"Short And Sweet...Just For You"

Thursday, April 13, 2017

Hello!
It is a great start of the day at this moment.  It's going to be a busy one for me with the pleasant weather outside.  I'll be out and about.  What about you?  Will you be in stuck behind the work desk?  Will you be traveling for the long weekend and you're leaving today?  Let's make the best of it whatever you and I are doing.
Due to my busy schedule for today, I'm giving you something short and sweet (myself included).
I pulled out this paper pad from Paper House (Field Study). I wanted to do a mixed media type of card but changed my mind due to the time restraint.  So, I used three sheets of the paper, an image from the pad (it was actually on one of the sheets of paper) and some words from the sentiment sheet to put this card together.
The sketch is an old one that I had used before.

• I started with a 5 x 12 piece of cardstock scored in half.  This will give you a 6 x 5 card base.

 *You may cut your base any size that you choose.

• Next, I measured 2 1/2" from the bottom and cut that piece off and place it aside (you will use it again).
• I measured 1" from the cut line and cut this piece off.  *You will not need this piece for the project. You can save it for something later (sentiment if needed).
• Measure and cut out a piece of designer paper for the top fold piece and the piece you set aside.  The designer paper should be 1/8 " less than the base piece.  I use two different pieces...one for the top (diamond pattern) and one for the bottom (bronze mixed with green).
• The third piece of designer paper was cut @ 4 3/4" x 2 3/4" and layered on top of a black piece of cardstock.  This piece will join the top and the bottom piece for a full card.  There will be an opening for an image or for your sentiment where the 1" piece was cut out.

Here are pictures of the card.  Take a look and then come back to read the directions again:

Card showing the cut out from the front

Card  is place flat to show the sentiment and a better look at the 1 inched cut from center.

View of card from the side.  You can see how the third piece of paper/cardstock was attached.

Thanks for you viewing time today.  We have one more to see on tomorrow.  Come and view with me.  I enjoy your company!

Sending you a hug and LOVE,

Lois

"Time To Celebrate"

Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Hello friends, followers, visitors and viewers.  We've made it to the middle of the week again.  Are you happy about it.  Sure you are.  Two more days before the weekend begins...four more days before Easter Sunday...four more weeks before Mother's Day...you're happy and I can feel it.

Time to Celebrate...you decide on what you want to celebrate.  Here are some choices : birthday, anniversary, Easter, Mother's Day, job promotion, a new baby/child, etc.  Whatever you choose, celebrate and have a good time at doing it.  I imagine since we are so close to this Sunday, many of you thought about celebrating Easter.  If you are thinking a little bit far ahead in the future, you'll be celebrating Mother's Day.  Maybe today, next week or a month from now you will be celebrating your birthday....just have fun.
My card for today:

entry for WordArtWednesday
Challenge #278-279 - Anything Goes

I gathered some paper from Recollections Mixed Media paper pad and mixed it with a strip from DCWV The Old World Stack.  

I used the Spellbinders Gothic Strip die on the DCWV green piece and placed a pinkish piece behind the cut out.  These two pieces were adhered together and then placed on top of the beige (Mixed Media paper).  

I began to cut out flowers from the different dies (Tonic Studio "Beautiful blooms-Sweet Melia"; Sizzix "Garden Greens";  and Spellbinders "Marisa's Bouquet" using the Big Shot machine.  These flowers were placed along the green strip. 

Next, I used the Darice dress form embossing folder and fussy cut out one of the form and left it in the cardstock color (white).  I added some knitting yarn around the waist to look like a belt.  I added half of a flower at the top of the dress form for a hat.

At first I stamped out "Happy Mother's Day from Julie Nutting's "Mama's Day" but decide I'll use that for a later time.  Since Sunday is Easter, it reminded me of my younger days when we would get those pretty outfits for Easter because this was a "special" day.  All the older ladies would get those hats (Easter bonnets) and parade around at church on Easter Sunday.  Memories... (lol).

I thought about birthdays and any other occasions and the sentiment from Penny Black's "heartfelt thanks" stood out the most (Time To Celebrate).

To finish this card, I added the black and pink layer of cardstock to the focal layer and finish with the white card base.

same card with different lens

Pictures of items used to make this card:

Darice Embossing folder

stamp set used

dies for flowers and insert

paper pads used along with Neenah white cardstock, Recollections black and tan cardstock 

Your time is very important and I'm glad you used some of it to view my page today.  Please come again because I enjoy your company and comments.

Sending you a hug and LOVE,

Lois

"Mojo Monday 492...Flipped"

Tuesday, April 11, 2017

Hello Everyone!
I hope you had a great time yesterday either meeting with your siblings, calling them, or making sure you were thinking about them by posting pictures on social media. 
Hope your week leading into Easter is going well.  I'm in preparation for a program on Friday.  The topic will be "What Christ Said When He Was Crucified".

The weather outside is proving that it is spring.  Very nice temperatures to get outside and play in the dirt and soak in the sunshine.  Brighter days are here and we can enjoy them...allergies or not!
While the weather is warmer and brighter outside, we often think of people whose world appears to be collapsing around them... physical problems, mental problems, financial problems, loss of love ones, spousal abuse, etc.  We're happy but they are sad.  In my thoughts and prayers, I'm wishing everyone "brighter days to come". 

Here is a card I'm sharing today.  I used the sketch from Mojo Monday #492  http://www.mojomonday.blogspot.com.  As you compare the sketch to my card, it is the same.  I flipped it!  Yes, I did.  After using paper from DCWV (Cutting Machine cardstock with glitter), the sketch looked better to me flipped around.

Enabler's List:

• Die Cut With a View (Cutting Machine cardstock with glitter) and (The Old World Stack)
• Recollections grey cardstock
• Neenah white cardstock
• Ranger water color paper using blue watercolor ( Koi Sakura)   and a stamped image of a tree (Inkadinkado) in black Archival ink (Ranger)
• Sizzix (Detailed Butterflies) die
• Sentiment from Stampin'Up (Beautiful You) stamp set

Entry for Mojo #492  and
Entry for WordArtWednesday Challenge #276 -277 -Anything Goes

I'm going to enter this card at
http://www.mojomonday.blogspot.com  and
http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com

If you get a chance go over to each of these blogs and enter your creations.  It is fun and challenging.

Thanks for viewing and thanks for leaving a comment.

Sending you a hug and LOVE,

 

"Let's Celebrate Our Siblings"

Monday, April 10, 2017

Hello friends, followers, visitors and viewers.
Happy Monday to you!
Some of you are having a week off for Spring Break.  Some will have to wait until next week.  Some of you are into the Passion Week mode...reflecting, remembering and realizing what this week is all about.
Today is a great national day if you have siblings.  I have some and I'm glad I get to celebrate them today and everyday.  National Siblings Day (also referred to as Sibling Day) is observed on April 10.  It is a day created to honor our brothers and our sisters.

I have two cards to share with you today.  I couldn't decide which one I really wanted to show you so I posted both of them.

this will be an entry at http://www.wordartwednesday.blogspot.com

On this card, I used a piece of smooth Craft cardstock, the Suburbia Cricut cartridge and the Cricut Expression machine to cut out the three images of the man and two women.   I also cut out the two focal images (the ladies) using black cardstock.  I was going for the silhouette look for all the images.  I adhered the craft piece to a dark grey piece of Recollections cardstock.   I didn't want the two focal images to still be in the silhouette form so I cut out the outfits in various pieces of scrap paper and dressed them up (also from the same cartridge)

The sentiment reminds me of how we are as a family.  We all came from the same mother but we all can stand alone individually.  Together, we make a beautiful bouquet with our different ideas, knowledge and experience.  We do have our difference but we always have each  other backs in trials and tribulations.

 According to the outfits of the focal women, I found scrap pieces of designer paper to layer together.  The base card is a pale light grey and it measures 6.5 x 6 inches.

This card was actually the first one I made.  I  cut out the back images using a piece of  Neenah white cardstock.  I adhered this piece to grey cardstock and then decided to use the cut-outs and slightly offset them from the grey as if you could see a shadow (see the man in the middle)  I didn't like that for the women,  so I removed them. The focal images of the man (cut from the Cricut Art Deco cartridge) and the woman (from the Cricut Suburbia cartridge) were clothed in cut-outs using different pieces of cardstock and designer paper.  I added the lips, eye and hair to the woman and left the man with a blank face.  

*In our family, some of the women will wear that make-up regardless of the occasion (lol) and our men will stay "blank".  

items used

I love my siblings and I know you love yours also.  Make today a special day for them.  We're all in this together and there is nothing we can do about it.

Thanks for stopping by to view.  You may leave a comment which is always welcomed!

Sending you a hug and LOVE,

Lois

"A Twofer"

Friday, April 7, 2017

Hello friends, followers, visitors and viewers.  Happy, happy Friday to you.  Are you ready for the weekend...if not you, I am!
I started with an idea to make a card for Easter.  Eventually I ended up making the card and another one with the same format.
I'm  only going to share the cards without extra writing today.  I'm busy, busy, busy and don't have time to write something special to you:

He Did It For Me
an Easter card that will be going postal to someone in my family

I did the same format for this card and will use it  later when needed.  The sentiment will be added during that time.

Sorry for being so short and sweet, but I have so much to do and didn't have time to post a special topic.

Thanks for your time and enjoy your weekend!

Sending you a hug and LOVE,

Lois

"Using The Cricut Flower Market Cartridge"

Thursday, April 6, 2017

Hello friends, followers, visitors and viewers.
I hope you are out of the storm or have taken precaution to be safe from hurt, harm and danger.
We are still under a tornado watch until later on today.  

Other than Thursday, do you know what kind of day it is?
I'm sharing from http://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/2017/04/05/364895/
National Sorry Charlie Day is observed each year on April 6.  This day encourages us to think about the times we have been rejected.  Whether we’ve been rejected by a sweetheart or by a college, a prospective employer or by the bank for a loan, we’ve all been refused.  National Sorry Charlie Day also gives us an opportunity to reflect on how we survived the rejection and what we learned from it.  Do you remember Charlie the Tuna?  He was often rejected but would keep going with a smile.  “Sorry, Charlie” became closely associated with StarKist and was also a successful American catchphrase.  Charlie never let rejection stop him.  Do not let it stop you!

For all rejection reasons, "Prayers Are With You":

flower market container + white flowers + wildflowers
Neenah white; black Recollections; red Bazzill cardstock
Ranger water color paper for wildflowers

flower market container + white flowers

side view

Big Shot Machine

Cricrit Expression

Sizzix wildflower dies

CTMH Cricut Flower Market Cartridge

Hope you enjoyed your view.  

Please come again.

Sending you a hug and LOVE,

Lois

" Playing With Cricut Art Deco Cartridge"

Wednesday, April 5, 2017

Hello friends, followers, visitors and viewers.  What do you say to "hump" day?
Everything is okay at the present time but we are preparing for the severe weather headed our way. When tornadoes are in the weather forecast, we need to take precaution and try to stay safe.  We want you to do the same.

A Google+ friend has been posting a lot of cards made with the Cricut machine.  My machine stays parked for a while and then I'll pull it out to play.  Today was one of those days.

I've had a cartridge that I bought years ago just for the fonts and never played around with the other images until today.  My interest was also sparked by a TV show called "Create and Craft" in which they often show something about ART DECO ( the predominant decorative art style of the 1920s and 1930s, characterized by precise and boldly delineated geometric shapes and strong colors, and used most notably in household objects and in architecture).  Since I have a cartridge with that name, I decided to do something with the images today:

entry for http://www.wordartwednesday.blogspot.com

Supplies:

Neenah white cardstock; American Craft cardstock ; Recollections Mixed Media Carstock

Cricut Art Deco cartridge

American Craft Bible Journaling stamp

  

Cartridge used

Bible journaling stamps

Cricut Expression machine

I will enter this card @ Scrapbook.com for their challenge in using the Cricut for the month of April.  Today, I had fun cutting out the images and dressing them up.
I have other cartridges that I will find some inspiration from or continue to use this one.  Some beautiful ladies and men from this cartridge will make beautiful cards for Mother's Day and Father's Day.
If you own this cartridge, pull it out and find some inspiration.  I did!

Thanks for viewing...go forth and enjoy the remainder of your day.  If you're in the path of the storm, take precaution and stay safe.

Sending you a hug and LOVE,

Lois