Hey Pumpkin 2

I don't know about you, but I am SICK of summer.  In Florida, it is the same everyday: Hot, humid and afternoon thunderstorms. We don't get Autumn here, but I am going to take a 2 week trip up into the mountains this October and I am really looking forward to it!  I absolutely LOVE everything about Fall.  Anyway, this in the Hey Pumpkin stamp set from Simon Says Stamp.  I used a printable paper and accents from my Silhouette for the card itself and colored in the stamp using Spectum Noir.

Sarah in the Sunshine

I fell in love with this stamp the moment I saw it.  I was looking through some Kristen Werner cards and spotted one she did with a front and back stamp from Art Impressions.  Loved it!  For this one, Sarah looks so happy with her face turned up into the sun!  It reminds me so much of my mother in law.  She just loves spring and those big hats.  Anyway, she gave us a VERY generous gift card for our 10th wedding anniversary and I wanted to send her a thank you card expressing how much it meant to us.  Time to use my stamps!

Looking down from the top, it's difficult to see there are basically 5 layers to the front of the card.  I stamped and uploaded to my Silhouette so I could use them as a print and cut file.  

I used the Sarah front & back stamp and the Curtain window stamp set, both from Art Impressions.  I colored in using my Spectrum Noir markers.  I printed from my Silhouette using the reg marks, colored the stamps, then ran them through to cut.  After I assembled the card, I ran a black marker around the edges to give it a more finished look.   I had the polka dot paper on hand so not sure what brand but it was part of an Easter pack from a few years ago.

Bon Voyage!

I'm not going to lie.  I am my own worst critic and I just love this card! 
I don't have a lot of money after bills (who does) and I always feel guilty spending it on indulgences.  Well, outside of the equipment I already have on hand, this didn't cost me a penny.  I got some free digital paper here: No Reimer Reason . This was the American Heroes paper pack. After I printed the different sections (print and cut feature on the Silhouette), I distressed the edges with Distress Ink in Vintage Photo. I found the passport stamps on google for the different places my parents will be going on their European/ Transatlantic cruise: England, France, Ireland, The Faroe Islands and Iceland. The cruise ship stamp was found at Free Vintage Digital Stamps . Finally, the inside sentiment was from a vintage, promotional postcard.  All in all, I am really pleased with how this turned out.

Mea Culpa

I have been in absentia for the beginning part of this year.  I would love to say it was because I was in mourning for the broncos (that didn't capitalize but I'm going to keep it because they need to be punished) but really it's because I let other things take some precedence.  You probably don't know me, but i am morbidly obese and my sedentary lifestyle was going to kill me.  When my wii fit board said I was too fat to use it...well, wake up call.  Since then, I have counted calories and worked out and I am down 43 pounds.  I have 140 to go, but it's looking possible now.  I feel much healthier and I don't hide in my house as much.  My husband had an injury at work and was out for a bit, so that also occupied my time.  OK, enough about me, on with the blog. 

Today's card will be used as a thank you card, but really it could be for anything.  I do not have Memory Box dies, but I cloned their Leaf Canopy on to my Silhouette.  I also found a generic leafless tree clip art for the trunk. I didn't want to use a sentiment mainly because I just want the motif to stand for itself.  Enjoy and as always, if you have any questions about supplies, let me know.

PS- I had to share this pic of my youngest kitty, Lady, "helping me".  When you see little grey and black hairs in my pictures, this is one of the culprits.  I would have a pic of my black kitty, Liberty, but she is currently hiding in the closet :)

Congratulations onYour New Home

This card was for my cousin's new, gorgeous, house! I found some colonial silhouettes and recreated them n my Silhouette machine.  The sentiment is from the Silhouette store. The only dimensionals used was on the sentiment banner and brads.  The photo doesn't represent the actual color as the motif was black cardstock, but it is close.

Just Bee-Cause

 

This is another card I made for a friend using the Bird's Cards mix and match free digital cut file.  I added a brad for a tiny bit of bling.

Home arts card

First off, let me start by saying how much I LOVE Susan Branch's work.  I am a huge admirer of hers and mean no disrespect by using her artwork on a card.  This is for personal use only and I would never try to gain from or sell her work as my own, EVER! This is a little appreciation card for my Mom (I hope she isn't reading this).  I have had to take care of my grandmother for the past couple of months while my parent's are out of town.  We've done it for the past few years, but this year....let's just say she has gotten very demanding.  My mother waits on her hand and foot and she's gotten a bit used to it.  Add to the fact that she has early Alzheimer's and she is mean anyway and, well, you get the picture.  I just wanted to give a little heads up to let her know that while I complain about having to do it, I know how much effort she puts in caring for Nana and how much of her own retirement time she is sacrificing.

Tiki Turtle

I found this free cut file at Bird House Stamps . I thought it looked a bit like waves washing up on the beach.  I have this stamp from my Fiskars "Island Fun" cling stamp set.  I'm  not sure I'm happy with the colors and as busy as it is, it still looks like it's missing something to me.  Ah well, I do like the frame.

Olive Juice

 

I LOVE MY SILHOUETTE PORTRAIT!  OK, now that I got that out of my system, I got a terrific sale on some Cuttlebug folders directly from Provocraft last month.  The 4 folder "Coolio" set cost only $1.99 :D.  I've been dying to use the folders.  I found a pic of a martini online, uploaded it and played with it a bit to make my little martini and the "Juice" font that comes on all microsoft computers.  That was a pretty intricate cut, too.  Overall, I am pretty happy with the card

Allons-y!

So, last Christmas my husband and i were unable to exchange the gifts we wanted to.  Due to a good month (and having 3 paychecks this month :D) we were finally able to exchange our gifts.  Hubby got his PS3 and I...I got my Silhouette Portrait!!  I cannot believe it!  I installed the software over a year ago and now I finally have it :D (Happy Dance.)  So this is a card for my hubby.  I found a random pic of the Tardis , imported it and cut it out on the Silhouette.  the background is embossed with one of the cards from the "Coolio" collection.