Monday, September 23, 2013

Holiday Lights

image
Hi Friends! Another Christmas card for you today.  It looks so CAS doesn't it but really there are quite a few steps packed into this one.  The one that makes it unlikely for me to ever mass produce is the embossing using the cuttlebug and spellbinder's rectangle.  Next I masked the sides of the rectangle and stamped the light string from PTI's Holiday Lights.  Next come the little light bulbs in red and green.  Add a layer of coordinating stickles and a matching sentiment.  Punch some holes in the side and tie on some fancy silver ribbon.  Way to much trouble for mass production! LOL!

Saturday, September 14, 2013

A Little More Christmas

Untitled
Hello friends!  I made this last Monday while I was home enjoying some peace and quiet.  The second of the Christmas cards for this upcoming season.  I've got Love Lives Here Holiday, fancy silver ribbon, silver cardstock, new leaf ink, red stickles, encore silver ink.  Embossed with a spellbinder die.  I hope you like it!

Monday, September 09, 2013

Monday, Monday

Now that school (aka work) has started back up I am back to loving Mondays.  Why?  Well I don't work on Mondays.  Unfortunately there is not enough funding for a full time science teacher so I work Tuesday- Friday.  I used to be sad about it but not so much anymore.  Now I embrace my free day.  No kids (they are at school), no work, just me and my crafty supplies.  So anyway here I am today with a Christmas card I made this morning.  It uses PTI Love Lives Here Holiday.
Untitled
Pure poppy base, stampers white panel, Encore silver ink, new leaf and pure poppy ink, specialty silver ribbon.  I hope you like it!

Friday, September 06, 2013

Grief

I have to admit I don't know a whole lot about it.  I've had people pass away in my life- my grandparents, my aunt, some acquaintances, but as much as I loved those people it was not grief like this.  This grief hits me like a tidal wave, pulling me under, making it hard to breathe, making it hard to push to the surface.  Sometimes this grief sneaks up on me- tiny and insidious- feeling me with anger and rage.  Making that anger spout out into my everyday life in ways I didn't even first realize were connected to this grief I feel.   Sometimes the grief sits like a sad, pathetic hungry little bird on my shoulder.  It picks at my skin and makes me feel all prickly and weepy.  Sometimes it snakes up my side in the midst of happiness and then lays there covering everything with a thick gray cotton.

I don't know how to make it go away.  Maybe I can't make it go away.  It may be that I just need to wait.  I am not used to feeling this way.  So much feeling roiling right under the surface of my skin waiting for the opportunity to break through.  It makes me edgy and jumpy.  It makes me feel "wrong".

Why I am putting this out on my blog?  I don't know.  I really don't know what to do with all this feeling.  I feel like maybe if I just cast it out there I will feel a little freer and  I can let go of a little more.  I am sorry if you came here looking for cards and got my bleak heart instead. 

Edit:  I've had a couple of people email asking what had happened.  You can read about my very good friend here.  http://iamderby.blogspot.com/2013/08/a-tribute-to-my-friend.html Thanks for the love via the comments and my inbox.  I appreciate you stamping friends. 

Monday, September 02, 2013

Floral Gift Set (Inspired by...)

Hi friends!  I have a new gift set for you today.  I got the idea for this set after watching this video from Kristina Werner.  I fell in love with that envelope.  In fact, I made the envelopes before I even had an idea of what to do with the cards.
Untitled
I used PTI's Floral Frenzy and Fillable Frames for these cards and envelopes.  The sentiment is from Mini Blooms.  Floral Frenzy is an older set and I have certainly gotten my money's worth from it.  A great addition to any collection. 
UntitledI
The color pallet is New Leaf, Harvest Gold, Summer Sunrise, Berry Sorbet, and Hawaiian Shores (all PTI).  Cardstock and ribbons are from PTI as well.  The cards have diamond stickles on the centers of the flowers.
Untitled
A close up of the back envie flap and the front of the card.
Untitled
All sets need great packaging.  This set is seriously on its way out the door today so I needed a quick package for it.  I am using a clear box that some PTI stamps came in.  I used Washi tape (doodlebug) to cover up where the sticky from the belly bad was.  I used some May arts twine to tie on the tag.
Untitled
Back side of the gift set.   The tag (in the previous pic) was made from an Ad Sense die that I cut in half (it was blank and laying on my desk and got pressed into service! LOL).  Thanks for stopping in today!

Sunday, September 01, 2013

Sending Smiles

Untitled
Hello Friends! Quick little card for you today.  It uses PTI's button bits and Darcie's Some Birdy Loves You.  A little copic coloring and a few buttons and you are all done!  Thanks for stopping in today!