Memories of yesterday... literally!

To all of you visiting from the "December Daily Inspiration Group - Anything Goes", this is your weekly prompt...

 

Using wrapping paper, tags and/or ribbon from some of the gifts opened yesterday, make a journal card and write down your best memory of the day.

 

I hope your Christmas season, and your journaling of it, has been a joy and adventure to you all.  What you document today, will be priceless to you in days to come...



Guess what day it is!!!

The Ernman likes me to make Christmas cards for all his office peers out in Ohio. BUT, he wishes each to be different.  One of the guys, in a cubicle down the hall, always plays the Geico commercial every Wednesday, without fail, for everyone to hear.  It makes the Ernman over-the-top happy!!  Anyway, he wanted the card he gave him to bring him as much happiness as he passes on to Ernie. every Wednesday.  What do you think?  Won't he love this???

 

The camel and star are a Silhouette image.  The Santa hat was hand cut, as were the hills.  The sentiment was made on the computer (following Linda J's lead) and printed on the card stock.  And we can't forget the googly eye, recommended by Ernie's youngest, the Benjamin...

Last minute Christmas cards...

 How is it that it's December 2nd and I don't have enough Christmas cards???  WHAT?!! 

I'm in panic mode now...

 

I CASE'd this from something similar on Pinterest because it looked relatively simple to do.  However comma, that branch kicked my butt!  It was cut on my Silhouette and it took several tries before I got the cut right, ie: not ripping between the leaves.  Anyway, those are done now but I'm still too many behind.  WHO put December in the middle of August???

Another Christmas kit completed...

I made up four Christmas card kits to take to my friend Susan's a couple weeks ago and I'm finally completing them with this one.  This is a Memory Box stamp and die that I've had for five years or so and have made before using my Copics.  THIS time I colored in with my new Zig Clean Color Brushes.  I really enjoy using my Zig's but I still need practice to not leave a water line.  I made six of these and then accidently destroyed one by adding White Wink of Stella to the blossom.  Now, don't laugh... I didn't know it would turn it white.  I SAID DON'T LAUGH!!  Ok, you can laugh, I'm an idiot... :)

Christmas is just seven weeks away... what?!!

This is the last month of my personal challenge to do five Christmas cards a month, as NEXT month, they all need to be on their merry way (see what I did there?  "merry way"... geesh, I crack myself up!)  Anyway, with just seven more Fridays until Christmas, this month will be spent getting our personal cards done.  I put these ten together today from a kit I had prepared to take to a friends house a couple weekends ago... yay!

Using my MISTI, I had stamped the Dasher and the Medallion stamp (both by Stampin' Up) on all ten middle pieces at once.  I embossed, then distressed the under panel and added red twine which can be found in my Etsy shop HERE.  If this IS our personal card, I'll need to make another twenty more... I better get crackin' :)

It's as lovely as a tree... it's Autumn!

I wasn't so sure about this but boy, has it grown on me!  I absolutely LOVE it...

 

Using my MISTI, I was able to stamp two different stamps from the Stampin' Up "Sheltering Tree" set in several colors to achieve the look of a real tree in Autumn.  The colors of Autumn are so warm and inviting.  And on this 4th day of November, where the temperature here in New Jersey will reach an uncanny 72°, let's all celebrate before we start complaining again... LOL

What I did on World Card Making Day...

Yesterday, on World Card Making Day, I spent eleven hours at my friend Susan's house, making all kinds of a mess... :)

 

 The first thing I accomplished was replenishing my envelope stash that has been depleted since June.  I made eighty.  Not all are seen here because they wouldn't fit in the picture.  All the orange and black ones will be used for those twenty Halloween cards I made two days ago...

 

THIS, was a major accomplishment!  Susan, a Mixed Media Artist, helped me do my first ever Mixed Media page in my Dylusions Creative Journal.  OMG!!  What fun, fun, fun that was to do!  I've been admiring it all day.  There are so many layers and details of which to look.  I cannot wait to do my second page... :)

And this is a CASE of a card Susan received.  The "Crazy Bird" was colored with my brand new Zig Clean Color Pens that arrived from Japan on Friday.  They are so easy and fun to use!

 

So, I'll happily say, World Card Making Day was incredibly successful for me... :)

It's WORLD Card Making Day peeps!!

In honor of the day, I made a dozen of these puppies.  I had intended to make twenty and send twenty until I remembered, all the grandbabies got this card LAST year.  So, I only made a dozen.  Now, I have to make something different for them, right?!

 

So, I found this previously purchased image in my Silhouette Library.  Perfect, eh?!!  Needs a sentiment though, I think.  Well, maybe, maybe not?  Thoughts?

 

I'm off to craft all day with a friend.  Of course, that is if I can get all my stuff in the car without getting completely drenched.  It's a great day to be inside.  Just not a great day to get all that stuff inside someone ELSE'S house... LOL.  We may not be making cards but I'm sure I'll come home with LOTS of things that will become cards... :)

 

Have a GREAT Card Making Day peeps!!

October's Christmas card...

I haven't made a Christmas card for the five a month challenge since JULY... ouch!  Now, if you've seen the previous post, you know August got eaten up with another project so I think I'm off the hook for August... but September?!!  No excuses for September!! 

 

I decided to be ahead of the game for October.  I made five of these.  I wasn't overly happy with my Copic coloring of the cardinal but it takes SOOO much time to get "great" at Copic coloring and I just haven't given it the appropriate time...

 

I am hoping that I'll complete a few more Christmas cards this month, as I don't want to get caught with my pants down come late November... :)

Reunion Invitations...

I took on an incredible project that consumed most of my August.  It was making 500 invitations for our 40th High School Reunion coming up in October.  Hence, why I haven't been seen on the Blog since the end of July... :)

 

I started out, once I got the go ahead, by cutting all the pieces.  I was able to use three different blue cardstocks that I had originally purchased for Zack's "Any Hero" project from four years ago.  The rest of the blues needed, I purchased from Michaels during a sale.  I then, packaged all the parts into 50 card packs to keep the "like" blues together.

 I stamped all 500 of these pieces using my MISTI.  Thank  GOD for the MISTI!!  Each piece was then partially embossed...

 

 This part was actually really fun.  The pieces were first cut on my Silhouette and then assembled...

 

 I had 167 done when I headed to Ohio with everything in tow at the end of August.  I started to panic that I wasn't going to meet my deadline of August 31st.  Making the first half had so many issues, like; the ribbon sticking to me and not where I wanted it, gluing the wrong side of the tassel and ripping the embossed piece with the tape gun.  However, by the time I got to the second half,  everything went like clockwork...

 

I spent day after day in Ohio, putting the rest together...

 

 

 

Then they were put on the heavy card backs.  And no, you're not seeing all 500 at once.  They were done in sections...

 Each one was then put in an envelope, along with a response card and envelope, and a commemorative stamp on the outside.  There were 146 invitations for those outside of Connecticut.  There were 240 invitations for IN Connecticut but outside of West Haven and 114 invitations for those who are still in West Haven...

Most of the out-of-state invitations were sent from the main post office in Columbus, OH on August 26th.  On our return trip to Jersey on August 28th, we stopped at the main post office in Harrisburg, PA and sent another 150 or so.  Saturday, August 29th, another 100 hit our local post office in South Bound Brook, NJ.   The last batch was in the mailbox by 4pm, ONE hour before closing so I could happily say that I made the deadline... what a task!

It was quite amazing to me, to learn that the majority of graduates never left the state.  I'm clearly an odd-ball...

The final result...

 



All the printing inside, all the envelopes and the response cards and envelopes, were done by the Ernman, who btw, is also a graduate of this class.  A joint effort for sure...

 



And the back blurb, designed by Ernie, to let all our classmates know who made their invite.

 

It's taken me a whole month to regroup but I'm back in the saddle... yay!



Last shipment to OWH... :(

This is the last box of cards made exclusively by me that will be arriving in Seattle today for Operation Write Home.  They are not accepting donations after August 1st as they conclude their "Finish Strong" campaign, see HERE.  Their mission is complete.  It is certainly a bittersweet feeling for me.  Years of searching for a way to support our troops before I found OWH, culminated in a match made in heaven.  In the five years that I've been donating cards, the quality of my cardmaking has grown exponentially .  What I learned from tutorials, OWHtv, Sandy Allnock and other cardmakers has been one of the best educations I have ever received.  Thank you Sandy, from the bottom of my heart, for passing on your expertise...

 

Although the focus is different now, I do not intend to give up making cards and certainly will be on the lookout for other organizations in which to donate.  However comma, I do LOVE sending to family and friends... {insert BIG smiley face here}  :)

Rocket, headed back to God...

My "Not So Secret Sister" Sloane K, just lost her dog Rocket of 11 years.  Having just made a sympathy card for my mom's cat a month ago, I thought I could do the same layout for a dog.  Once again, I reached out to my fellow cardmaker friend, Linda J,  for a digi of a dog.  This was perfect.  I'm so sorry for the family and send my best thoughts and prayers their way...

The twine can be found in our Etsy shop, found HERE.  The sentiment is from the Stampin' Up set called Watercolor Trio.  The blotches on the envelope are from the Stampin' Up set Gorgeous Grunge...

Christmas in July...

 I missed my five commitment Christmas card challenge for June so I made TWENTY for July... that works, right?!!

I finally used my MISTI that I've had since my birthday.  To say I'm mad crazy about it, would be an understatement!  What the heck took me so long?!!  This tool is da bomb!

 

This stamp set is by Stampin' Up and one I kicked myself in the butt for not getting when you could get it.  However, while at Cozy Crop, my new friend Jan, swapped me her set for several rolls of Burlap Twine that we sell in our Etsy shop, link HERE.  To say I was happy would be another understatement!  Thanks Jan for making me ecstatically happy!  As a person who spent all her childhood summers in Ocean Park, Maine, well, this just brings me back... :)

Neon butterflies...

 How on earth did I not Blog about this card LAST month?  Have I lost my mind?  Don't answer that, it's rhetorical!  Anyway, I received what seemed like a gazillion of these various shaped neon butterflies in a Secret Sister "reveal" back in the beginning of May.  It took me a little while to figure out what to do with them but when it all came together, this was the result and that was at
the end of May...
 

Every one of these cards was sent out to someone on my Correspondence List.  The majority left the house on May 26th.  I got a little embarrassed when, in one of my groups, they all started posting the same card.  They must think I don't make anything different.  Oh well!  I do LOVE to make multiples and I do LOVE to send cards, so I guess it's inevitable.  I also sent one to the woman who sent all these neon butterflies to me and I've yet to hear if she got a kick out of it...



HAPPY Father's Day...

I CASEd this from something I saw on Pinterest for MY dad... :)

Amanda's Art...

 I received this wicked fat envelope from a pen pal's daughter the week before my husband and I left for vacation.  I knew exactly what I wanted to do with some of it, so here we go...

 This was what was enclosed.  Eight sheets of her artwork AND a letter signed, "Your New Pen Pal, Amanda"...

 I fussy-cut the girl labelled "Elsa" and the orange flower.  I did a Google search to see what Elsa's coloring was and used my Copics to color her gown, hair and eyes.  She had what I think was a showflake in her hand and I couldn't cut around that very well, so I chose a punched snowflake to be in her hand instead...

 Found a frame I wanted to use from our stash...

 

 And started Mod Podging napkins, monoprints, punched stars and snowflakes and some red mesh from a nectarine case.  Since Elsa is from FROZEN, I added the label from my beverage of choice, Sparkling Ice.  Clever, eh?!!

 Almost finshed...

Added her name and the year and it's going back to her tomorrow with a letter from me...

What d'ya think?

Christmas in May...

I almost didn't make it... only one day left in May.  AND I didn't get my five done to meet my challenge... :(  But three is better than none, right?!! 

 

These cards are all made with napkins and Mod Podge.  The one on the far left is from a package I have.  I'm not pleased with the sentiment chosen but I wanted something oval and could not find anything "Christmasy" to fit the bill.

 

The one in the middle is a collage of deli paper prints, napkins and mesh.

 

The one on the right is from a napkin I received from Peggy B... it was so lovely without a sentiment.

 

Although very fun to do, I felt very limited as to what I can turn into a card with a napkin...



Memorial Day Blog Hop...

Although there are still troops in the field, the original mission of Operation Write Home will be complete at the end of this year.  Final cards need to be OWH by August 1st.  To commemorate my involvement, I'm sharing some of my most favorite "Any Hero" cards that I've done over the last five years during MY involvement with the organization...

 

 This is one of the first I ever made while visiting a childhood friend who became my mentor, teaching me all kinds of wonderful techniques during a week long visit to her home in October of 2010.  Thanks Barb for your inspiration and guidance back in the day...

 

 

 This card was featured by my hometown paper in a Christmas piece they did on me back in December of 2011.  The article can be read in the upper right hand corner of this blog...

 

 Then I learned about Copic coloring... OMG!!  Loved it...

 

 

 One of many that were made during Zack's campaign to have everyone in his high school write an "Any Hero" note to our troops.  He succeeded to get 710 notes in March of 2012, which later earned him a four year scholarship for his efforts...

 

 

Another of my favorites that I've enjoyed coloring...

 

Although OWH is closing down it's doors, my efforts will not stop.  My direction, over the last year, has been to send random cards to people in my circle of friends and family.  The education I have gained from my involvement with OWH is and will ALWAYS be, priceless.  Thank you Sandy and thank you OWH.  I will miss you...

 

 

Cards for Donna...

Donna has a friend back home in South Carolina named Glenda, who enjoys sending my cards to some of the shut-ins in her church.  This is the collection Donna will be returning with to give her next week... :)

 



Kitty is gone... :(

The cat my mom took in a couple years ago from a friend just passed away this week of cancer.  I've never made a sympathy card for a pet owner before so I asked for help from my crafting peers.  I received a couple "digi's" and decided to use this one from Linda J.  Having never used digi's before, I was confused about how to size them.  After giving Cora a good laugh, she guided me the right way.  I gotta tell ya, as quick as this was, I may have just fallen in love with digi's... who knew!!

 

And a little Glossy Accents on the heart and nose gives this little guy some depth.  Maybe this will bring a temporary smile to my mom's face.  It's tough to lose a kitty companion... :(

Napkin Cards...

This is my attempt using Mod Podge and a pretty napkin to make a card.  I'll be sending these two cards to the two clients I cleaned on my birthday, Upstairs Paula and Downstairs Paula.  Both left goodies on their counter for me.  Upstairs Paula left a cupcake and Downstairs Paula left a cupcake AND a bottle of wine... I enjoyed it all!!