Non-Traditional Christmas

We have been having some beautiful, sunny warm weather here this last week and so I’m REALLY NOT thinking of Christmas and snow!!  But, honestly, after spending the day in 88 degree weather with my son’s high school marching band yesterday, I was truly in need of  “something” cool!!  Lucky for us all, ice cold WATER was all that was available at the time! Ha!!  Still… I’m sharing another one of the cards I made while we had our little Christmas card making day at My Studio.    I added a strip of Lemon Drop and then applied my DP to it.  I stamped my image from

For this card I didn’t have to look far to find non-traditional colors!  My DP did it all for me!!  I apologize for not remembering what paper pack it came from (I, like many other of my crafty friends, am a paper horder!!!), but when I’m back at My Studio and I find where it came from, I’ll post it for you later.
 
I started my card base with Pure Luxury Cranberry Tart which I ran through my Vagabond using the Snowflakes Cuttlebug folder.  I added a strip of Lemon Drop card stock and applied my DP to it.  My image is from Nina Brackett's set, "Winter Mittens".  I cut the mittens out using my Nested Mittens from Spellbinders.  I stamped my sentiment on more Lemon Drop and added a few self-adhesive silver nail heads to the ends.

I hope you are enjoying a few more days of nice weather before you're in need of the mittens.  Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!!! *smile*

RAIN!!!!

Today we got RAIN!!! The first time we’ve had rain in forever, or so it seems!  I just realized this morning when I was taking my son to school that he and I were alike in that we both LOVE it when it rains!  Not many people seem to, or so I hear, but I think it makes everything seem clean and fresh! 

 

Today was also a bit sad for me.  Twenty-two years ago I received a call from my father telling me.. “I want to start my own business.  How do I get started?”.  *sigh*  I have an extensive background in 1) accounting, 2) law, 3) insurance and at the time was working for the Director of Human Resources at Blue Cross and Blue shield.  So… needless to say, he came to me to figure out how to begin.  He started very small… two employees (himself included) and me.. part-time.. taking care of the books, billings, and office.  He grew… quick… and until he had a heart attack a couple years back, he worked hard and never slowed.  It didn’t take six months before I truly needed to be there full-time.  Like any job, it had it’s ups and downs.  And honestly… I NEVER thought I’d be there working alongside my dad for TWENTY-TWO years!!!  No, it wasn’t my dream, but it was his… and because of that, it was important to me. 

 

My dad is one of the toughest persons I’ve ever worked for.  But I should have known he would be.  I remember when I was a teen he gave me two pieces of advice that I never forgot and that shaped my work ethics my whole life.  His first piece of advice.. “If you’re boss wants 100%… you give him 110%.” and… secondly… “Do you best.  You can ALWAYS be replaced.” .  He never fired me and I strived to give him 110% every day.  And though my dad never said I did a good job, I will “assume” he was happy with how I handled his office. 

 

I will miss him and his work ethics and hope that the new owner has those same ethics because I am VERY proud of the company my dad built and I want nothing more than for him to continue to be proud of it as well.    I will miss him being there.

 

My card today seemed appropriate.  I’m not sick but I love these Magnolia images and well.. I did feel a bit down with all that is going on in the business.

 

My card base is Pure Luxury Innocent Pink .  I added a layer of Sweet Mango which coordinated with my DP from My Minds Eye.  I colored my image with my Copics, of course… practicing never ends.    A few crystal flourishes and a bit of ribbon and flower and my card brought a smile to my face. 

 

I hope you are having a great day and I’m going to try to keep it together when my dad meets up with me today to make my final transaction as his “financial officer” of HIS business. Wish me luck! 

 

Keeping Up With the Jones’….

Don’t you just hate it when the stores start putting up their Christmas decorations before Halloween???? ME TOO!!! Soooo… at My Studio… we decided “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em!!!” LOL  We spent last weekend making our Christmas cards!!!  Ok… we got STARTED on them!! I mean between drinking our hot cocoa, eating the cookies and listening to the Christmas music we put on… we couldn’t begin to finish! LOL
This is one of those cards I made to send out this Christmas season. 
My card stock is Pure Luxury Blue Raspberry from Gina K Designs.  I used one of the newest stamp sets from Gina called, “My True Love Gave to Me” for my main image.   I colored the birds with Copic markers and cut them out using my Labels 8 Nestabilities.  I then mounted that on top of a Labels 9 Nestie in Little Boy Blue card stock.  I added a few Waves Flourish punches and tucked them under and added a little Stardust Stickles to them.  All of it was mounted to my card base using Pop Dots. 
My card base was heat embossed in white using an older set by Nina Brackett called, “Vintage Borders”.  I stamped my sentiment on more Little Boy Blue and used my Lacey Pennants Nesties. 
I have many many more cards to make to get enough for my HUGE family, but it was definitely a fun day working with the other ladies and feeling festive!
Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!  *smile*

The Adams Family… Wednesday Child!

Well… it’s time for Halloween soon AND another new Copic practice card!! LOL  Yep.. I’m a good student… I follow the teacher’s advice!!
Today I wanted to do a “Fall” card in a fold other than a regular A2 card style for a competition I am entering on the Outlawz group. 
I chose this sweet Magnolia image and decided to try my hand at an all black/grey Copic coloring style.  This was my VERY FIRST attempt at this so for those of you who are well versed in this technique, excuse my clumsiness.   
I decided to make her rose and stockings with orange to tie in to the whole Halloween motif. 
Though it’s not perfect, I really enjoyed giving this a shot and will definitely try it again. 
Thanks for stopping by and have a GREAT day!! It’s FRIDAY!!!  *smile*


Copics Used:
C00, C0, C1, C3, C5, C7, C9, YR00, YR02, YR04, Y407, YG00, YG13, YG17, YG67, E15, R11

Lady in Waiting….

Happy Thursday everyone!!!  Today is a good day for me because I get to head to My Studio and play with my Copic markers once again!!!  As I told you yesterday, when I took Suzanne Dean’s class a few weeks back she gave us strict instructions to “practice, practice, practice” and I am doing just that!! 

The image I’m sharing today is from my friend, Anary Baumgarth’s adorable collection called Gilli Stamps.  I used the cute RENAISSANCE GILLI for my card today.

I think reds are by far the hardest color to work with and I must say I did LOTS of blending to get her dress right where I felt it was acceptable but I must admit, it’s not the color I truly wanted.  Seems burgundy is just as hard to create.  At least for me it was. LOL  I refuse to give up though… I’m definitely going to keep trying.  My hair is a bit more “grey” than I’d like as well and I will probably go back today and add a bit more black to it… I really want just a highlight and again… practice! 

My card base is from Gina K Designs, Pure Luxury Red Hot card stock.  The DP is some I found in my stash and I mounted my Gilli on my Spellbinders Lotus Pendant which I cut out of Black Onyx card stock.  I used Pop Dots to prop her up and give the card some dimension.  As usual, I used my self-adhesive rhinestones which I colored with my Copic markers as well.  LOVE using the clear rhinestones and matching them with the colors of my paper and inks using Copics!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!!! *smile*

 

Learning from the Best!!!

Do you know Suzanne J. Dean???  I do!  And… do you know how AWESOMELY talented she is??? I DO!!!!  And… I spent two weekends ago learning from her!!  I headed on down to Shawnee Mission, KS where I was able to attend Suzanne’s Beginners and Advanced Copic Color Me Creative Classes! 

 

I was sooo impressed with not only Suzanne’s talent but with how much compassion and genuine care she takes in teaching all that want to learn how she has mastered the skills of Copic coloring.  Suzanne touched each and every person in those classes and she took the time to look at and help offer suggestions and tips on person’s project they were working on.  NO ONE was skipped.  If you have an opportunity to take any of Suzanne’s classes, you will NOT be disappointed… that “I” guarantee!! 

 

My card today is one I spent some time trying to apply what I learned at those classes.   I used the “Wonderful Tilda” Magnolia stamp along with the packages I propped her on. 

 

My sentiment is from Theresa Momber’s “Aloha” set.  My card base is Pure Luxury Ocean Mist from Gina K Designs. 

 

If you are interested in taking any of Suzanne’s classes… you can find the information at her Color Me Creative Classroom online.  I’m sure you’ll be seeing more of my practicing in the next few days. That IS one of the rules of taking Suzanne’s classes… practice, practice, practice. 

 

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!!!  *smile*