Stamp convention entry

The stamp convention is coming to town!  Yippee!  I always enjoy hunting for new products and must-have stamps.  The theme for Sunday's card contest is "The Long and the Short of it".  I created this card based on a scrapbook page sample I saw on Pinterest.

 What do you think?

 I think it still needs something but I am not sure. Leave me a comment if you have an idea.

In memory

Yesterday my beloved father ended his battle with congestive heart failure and dementia. He was a simple man with a huge heart. He lived life out loud. Life was not easy for him but you wouldn't know it from the magnitude of his laughter. He managed to make the best out of what life gave him. I took to heart all that my father taught me. He was devoted to his wife and only wanted the best for his children. Although he was not a scholar, he strived each day to learn something that would better our lives. (Oprah and Dr. Phil were a daily ritual. :-) ) He had a difficult time communicating his intentions but I was able to feel his love each day. I am so blessed to have felt that much love and so sad to have lost him. Yet, I am find joy in knowing that his suffering and struggle these past few years is over. He is my hero.

Yesterday's post had been done and pre-scheduled by me over 3 weeks ago. It talks about women catching their dreams. I know that my father would want that for the women in his life..my mother, my sister, his granddaughters, myself and all the others. I plan on honoring his memory by living my life to its fullest while always caring for others.

Catch your dreams

I just love this Unity stamp!  The image of a woman reaching to catch her dreams is so meaningful to me as I parent my teenage daughter.  It is so important to help her strategize and plan so that she can have the best chance of accomplishing her dreams. 

Anyway, I was inspired to create an intense background for this image.  What better than some acetate and Ranger Adirondach Alcohol inks?

We will be making this card in my March Fast and Fun Technique class.  I am hoping that class attendees will give their cards to the young women in their lives who are pursuing their dreams.

Alcohol inks and acetate

 For this card I had fun using up all the ink on my applicator. First I colored a piece of acetate. I then colored a button. To finish it off, I dabbed the applicator onto to plain white card stock.

Here's a close-up of all three elements layered on a card.  Notice the difference in intensity on the card stock when compared to the acetate and button. 

Update on my Dad

My father has been on the Hospice ward since Tuesday.  He rallied at first and we had 3 wonderful days with him.  Lots of family came to town and we enjoyed meals with him.  He was so happy to be able to eat anything that he wanted.  Saturday he took a turn for the worse and has been agitated and very disoriented.  He has not had a full meal since Saturday morning.  The doctors keep him sedated so that he won't hurt himself or others.  It has been the hardest thing to watch him suffer.  My family and I have come to terms with his coming death but our hearts are breaking as we watch him deteriorate in front of our eyes.  If you are able, please pray for my father's peace. 

Thanks to all of you who have brought meals to the hospital.  The meals have been greatly appreciated during our time of mourning. In fact, we have been able to share the food with other families who are supporting terminally ill loved ones.

Alcohol inks and glossy paper

During March, I will be focusing on how to use Ranger Adirondack alcohol inks to make easy but stunning cards.  Alcohol inks will stain any non-porous surface like plastic, metal or glass.  Glossy paper comes alive with the inks.  Ranger also makes mixatives in metallic colors and pearl.

Here is an example using glossy paper, alcohol inks and silver mixative.  Once the glossy was dry I stamped some fun backgrounds and then punched the butterfulies.

Notice the "time" metal tag is the same color as the butterflies. That because I used the same inks and mixatives to color the tag.

Sad News

Just wanted you all to know that my father is entering the last stages of his life.  He has had Congestive Heart Failure for over a decade and it has finally gotten the best of him.  The doctors see no hope for improvement so they are moving him off the ICU to a room where he can be comfortable and not have all the dietary restrictions.  As the doctor said, sometime life without pepperoni pizza is just not life.  My father's mood has been sassy and lively.  Thanks to all of you who have been there and supported me and my family. 

I had blog posts pre-scheduled for the next week or so, just in case you were wondering how I was posting while going through this ordeal. 

Blessings to all.  Love each day like it your last.

Fabulous Friend

I met Donna through a SU swap club. We hit it off right from the beginning and have been crafting together on my days off during the week. Look at the clever card holder she made for me. It looks like a little purse.

 The "bones" are actually a photo sleeve converted into a lovely card holder. Here's a close up of the flower on the card holder.  

Inside she placed three cards for me to give to my fabulous stamping friends.  She is so thoughtful.

My new favorite owl

When I saw this owl in the Hero Arts catalog, I knew I just had to have it.  It was so fun and easy to make this card.  I stamped the owl in Versafine ink on black paper and then used three shades of Distress Inks (wild honey, brushed cordoroy and tea dye) to sponge some color on him.  A Marvy marker was used to color the beak and feet.  I used black pearls for the eyes. I cut him out and layered him with pop dots on blue cardstock that had the image stamped in brown.  I used another Marvy marker to color the leaves green.  The ivory card base was stamped with a Hero Arts background stamp using their Soft Stone shadow ink.

Card redesign

Charlene at the Hen House is now carrying Hero Arts ink pads.  I just had to try them out so I redesigned one of the cards from my February class using the inks.  Here is the new card.  I also added a leafy background.

Here's the old version...which one do you like best?

Hen House Swap Club

I wanted to share the fabulous cards that the Hen House swap club gals made in January.  If you are interested in joining us this month, we meet Tuesday February 21 at 10:30am.  You can register at the Hen House Paperie class registration website.

 Barbara was new to the group and to stamping.  She made this lovely card using Unity stamps.  Well done, don't you think for a new card maker?

 Donna used another Unity stamp to make this  fancy fold card.

 Kimber used HHP paper and embellishment with her SU stamps to make this gorgeous card that also is her favorite fold.

 Liz printed out the sentiment since the stamp she had didn't fit on her layout.  She also used babyoil and pencils to color the little girl.

 Mary used sticky back canvas and a canvas tag to make this beautiful card.

 Sandy cleverly used her scraps to make this funky birthday card.

Trish layered some nestability dies with fun paper to make this cute card.