Birthday Sundaes



My friend Kristie runs a weekly challenge site (www.birthdaysundaes.blogspot.com) devoted to birthday cards. This week she challenged us to use the cupcake photo above as our inspiration. If you've read any of my past blog posts, you know I'm a pretty literal person, so I used the colors in the photo (blue, white, tan) as my inspiration.

My image is a digital stamp by Cuddly Buddly. I printed it onto Cryogen white card and colored it with my Copic markers. The tan card is by Bazzill, and the blue patterned paper is by gcd studios. The tan patterned paper was from my scrap bag. The background lace doily and the lace border at the bottom are both cut from Spellbinder dies. My white roses and the hat-pin are from Wild Orchid Crafts.

I am entering the card in Kristie's weekly challenge.

No Particular Reason

Today I got into the craft room with the sole purpose of using up some of the images that I have colored and restocking my card stash. I had no challenge in mind. I had no specific event in mind. I told myself not to worry about being creative, just create. So that is what I did. I ended up with three sweet little cards, a big mess, and some relaxing time.

I had to laugh, though. I looked around my craft room when I finished and thought, "What happened?" Not too many years ago, I was one of those organized crafters who always cleaned up after each project. If I made a layout or a card, I put everything away before I started on the next one. At the end of my crafting session, my room looked as neat and orderly as it did when I began. Not any more! If someone were to see my room right now, they might get the mistaken notion that I actually create something (grin). There is paper on several surfaces, packets of flowers overflowing in another area, rolls of ribbon, scissors -- so much not in its place -- and yes, everything does have a place.

I'm laughing even harder because it used to be that if my environment was a mess and unorderly, I could not function. The clutter would distract me, and I would have to stop and clean up. Where did this "sloppy" crafter come from? Surely there is an alien that has taken over my body. Oh well, whatever it is, if I can continue to be as productive as I was today (albeit perhaps not quite as creative), then we'll just let the slob alone. She's at least getting some cards made!

Pink and Brown

I was supposed to be making a card for my Mother-in-law. This week she turns 86 years old, and I need to get a card made and into the mail for her. However, the Birthday Muses don't seem to be in residence today. Instead, I made this card using another one of Sassy Cheryl's images. I discovered Cheryl's site the other day and couldn't resist buying several images. Her images seem to be a cross between two of my favorite designers, Mo Manning and Lili of the Valley. I have been experimenting lately with different color combinations using my Copics. They are wonderful markers, but sometimes can be a little tricky getting colors and shades. Anyway, saw a challenge on A Spoon Full of Sugar to make a card using brown and pink; thus, my little card above. Unfortunately, I created the card too late to enter it in the challenge, but it did make me look at and try something different.

Of course, I'm now getting further behind getting that birthday card made. Alas! When we are young, we take birthdays for granted and look forward to each one that comes along. When we get older, we no longer take them for granted and are thankful for each one that comes along. My Mother-in-law is the last parent (between my husband and I) still alive, so I want to make a special card (no pressure there, eh?). Think I need to go blog hopping for a bit. Maybe I can entice the Muses to come out of hiding!

Christmas in July

Several sites are having a Christmas in July challenge this week. A good idea if you are like me and wait to the last minute to get things made for the holidays. At one time I was very organized. I would have all my cards made and addressed, my shopping done and presents wrapped all before Thanksgiving. Somewhere along the line my organization got lost, and I've not found it since! (Alas, one of the side of effects of maturing, I fear.) So, by making this little card for the two challenges that I found, I will at least be one card a head of the game this year (LOL)!

The image is by Sassy Cheryl's Digis (www.sassycherylsdigis.com) and is called "The List." I printed it off on Cryogen card and colored it with my Copic markers. I used one of my Spellbinder dies to cut out the image and matted it on solid cranberry card.

I will be entering it at:
2 Sisters - http://2sisterschallengeblog.blogspot.com
Crafy Emma - http://ceschallenges.blogspot.com
The Craft Pad - http://thecraftpad.blogspot.com
Creative Inspirations - http://creativeinspirationschallenge.blogspot.com
Paper Sundaes - http://papersundaes.blogspot.com
Stamp Something - http://stampschallenges.blogspot.com
Simply Create - http://simplycreatechallenges.blogspot.com

Angels Among Us

The darling little image that I used on these two cards is by Bildmalarna. I bought the image at www.7kidscollegefund.com as a birthday present for a stamping friend of mine. She immediately mounted it, and before I left, I stamped off a couple of images for myself.

I truly believe that angels are among us. I think they come in all shapes and sizes, and we usually know them by the term "friend." They are those people in our lives who know exactly what we need (often before we do) and are willing to provide it. They are the people who stand beside us and help us weather storms or share joys. They ask nothing in return. We aren't necessarily aware of their angelic act, but they touch us. I have always been touched by the song Alabama recoreded that says, "I believe there are angels among us, send down from somewhere up above. They come to you and me in our darkest hour, to show us how to live, to teach us how to give, to guide us with the light of love." I do believe in angels -- and yes, I even believe that God provides each of us with unseen guardian angels who protect us in so many unknown ways. I experienced angles, both human and spiritual, when my younger daughter, now all grown up, was three years old. She was diagnosed with Wilm's Tumor, a childhood cancer, and during the 18 months she underwent surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, our lives were touched numerous times by angels of both forms.

Yes, I believe in angels, and I think that Bilmalarna captured the purity, sweetness and beauty of angels with this simple little image. I have also tried to capture that with the cards I made. I hope you like them.

Missing You

This is another of Mo Manning's adorable little children. When I saw it, I fell in love with it, but wasn't quite sure what to do with it -- kind of like a real toddler whom you love dearly but aren't quite sure what to do with when they are having one of their little temper tantrums. As I colored her, though, it finally came to me that she'd be a cute image for a "missing you" card -- you know those feelings of part angry and part sad because you are apart from someone you care about. In this more mobile society to which we belong, saying good-bye to family and friends is much more common than it was in the days prior to the 1960's. People grew up, bought homes, went to work and stayed put -- well at least a good portion of them did.

In my early years, my Dad was military. We moved several times while I was growing up. Then he retired when I started high school, and we stayed put. I graduated high school and then college and got married. The first house my husband and I bought and moved into was only one block away from the house my parents had bought. I even waited until my husband had served a tour in the military and was discharged before marrying him. I planned on having roots and staying put -- HA! As the Hubs moved up the corporate ladder, we started moving -- thankfully not as much as my parents had, but none-the-less, enough to leave family and good friends behind. My own three children live in three different states.

So, like Mo's little girl above, I sometimes feel like throwing my own temper tantrum because I miss those who have been part of my life. I miss those close girlfriends with whom I've shared the frustrations and the joys of our lives. I miss those children whom I raised, but had to leave the nest. I miss those grandchildren who are growing up without me. I really don't like change, though I know and understand it is a necessary and an intregal part of life.

Excuse me for now -- I think I'm going to go pitch a temper tantrum (or as we Southerners say, have a tizzy fit) for all the people in my life that I miss!

Challenges entered:

http://kbchallenges.blogspot.com

http://ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.com/

http://onestitchatatimechallenge.blogspot.com

Make a Wish

It is hot and humid outside, so the only thing to do is stay inside and create (grin). I've been doing a lot of coloring of late (some new images to try), so my stash is getting even larger than it already was. Consequently, I am putting myself on restriction (haha) and not allowing myself to color until I actually USE some of the images that I have prepared (sob, sob). If you've read previous posts to my blog, you know that I really enjoy the coloring part more than the card making part. I think that is a hold over from my childhood because I so enjoyed my boxes of crayons and my coloring books when I was young.

Anyway, in an effort to get myself motivated to actually make some cards, I toured some of my favorite blogs and challenges and found a nice sketch at Deconstructing Jen's page. She does have nice sketches, and I've found them very helpful in the past whenever my creative Muses are off somewhere else doing their "thang." (And yes, I did say "thang" because those Muses tend to have quite an attitude at times!)

I used a Lili of the Valley image on Cryogen paper for this little card. I colored her with soft colors using my Copic markers, but I added a little bit of "Star Dust" Stickles to her wings, wand and antenna tips. I inked the edges of the pink paper to make them stand out a little more, and I added Wild Orchid roses and some pearls to the top right corner. I've deliberately left off the sentiment (which I sometimes do) because I don't know how I'll use this card or for what. I'll add an appropriate sentiment to the front before sending/giving the card (either a circle on the top left or a banner at the bottom right to form my visual triangle.).

OK, off to my craft room again. See you later!

Entered in weekly challenges:
http://deconstructingjen.blogspot.com
http://flutterbywednesdays.blogspot.com

Get Well Soon

Wouldn't it be nice if we NEVER had to send one of these type cards? Or if we only had to send them for minor things such as ear aches or an occasional headache or just kind of out of sorts once in a while? Alas, our bodies don't work that way. Every so often something goes awry which requires the doctor to do more than just give us an aspirin and send us on our way. When that does happen, it is nice for our friends to think about us with a card, flowers or (better yet) chocolate (smile).

At any rate, this little card is only for a challenge and doesn't have a purpose (as yet). I will keep my fingers crossed that I don't have to actually use it, but should one of my dear friends or family fall ill, I'll be prepared (awk). Those little House Mouse mice definitely would make ME feel better. How about you?

This card is being entered at http://aspoonfullofsugarchallenge.blogspot.com/ as this week's theme is a get well card. I stamped the House Mouse image onto Cryogen paper using black Mememto ink and colored it with Copics markers. I used some old Daisy D paper on a white card base. The border design is punched with a Martha Stewart punch, and then I added three pearls (manufacturer unknown) to the corner. The sentiment is computer generated and cut with a Spellbinder nestibility die.