Being Motivated is my Muse

I am happy... when I get a request to make cards!!!  It inspires me to create!

Recently, someone wanted to purchase a few creative greetings.... and I was over the moon!  I asked if there was a theme, or a style or a type of card she was looking for.... and she said yes.... she liked animal cards!!!

Wow!  I like this person!  Decisive..... so, although I had a few animal cards in my stash... it is a fun challenge for me to create some fresh cards.  Being motivated often is the muse I need!

Wild About You

There are a lot of new tv ads out there with this Pow Wow theme, drums beating in the background, woodsy at camp kind of ideas.... so this cute wild bear came to mind.

Cooper Hi

Dog and cat cards are the best for animal lovers.

Under the Weather

I've had a constant sore throat for the last few weeks.... everybody needs a pick-me-up sometimes.... perfect way is to send them a thinking of you card!!

Imagine

Awesome cutie little dragons are always the type of animal little 4 year olds get giddy to see.  Flying dragons... or ones that have puff's of smoke coming out of their nostrils are even better!!!

Kitty Hello

Peek-a-boo Just thinking about you, sending a hello!!

Doggie Cupcake

It's your birthday, I'll share a little nibble of your cupcake.  Yes, please!!!

Moo-Chas Thanks

Oh, the play on words, is always so darn cute!

Is there a type of card you like to send out?  Do you have a certain style or a theme? 

 Greeting cards are everywhere.... my push or plee to  you is.... when searching for a unique gift for someone special... take just an extra moment and reach out to an independent artist.... and support them.

The holidays are coming up!  How about a small gift of 4-6 unique Creative Greetings! I'm here to design them just for you!!!

Thanks you,

Peggy

prdesigns1@sbcglobal.net

Brighten Someone's Day

Local Artists Need Support

Hello and welcome to my blog!

I am a creative soul and love to make 'something' every day!

Layered HELLO card

For too many years, (more that I can count now, but I have a few cards I made for my husband almost 30 years ago...) I have made hundreds and even thousands of greeting cards.  

They are such a creative outlet for me.  

I love that God has given me a gift that I try and use every day.  I practice all the time to make progress... which in turn, has become my version of perfecting what I do!

Get Well Soon

I hand doodle all kinds of cards.  Doodle, draw, sketch.... paint, computer generate, ink/rubber stamp... and all unique, one of a kind cards!  Yes, I admit that I am a copy artist!!! Sometimes I get my ideas from other places... but I do not trace or use someone elses image... unless it is from the paper I get from one of the craft stores.

Smiling Frogs

I admit that sometimes I'm like a kid in a candy store... there are so many cute ideas, posting, blogs, Pinterest and other adorable things out there on the internet....and I am greatly inspired to recreate some of the cuteness!

And I feel guilty.  But, I am often reassured that it is okay to Steal Like and Artist. by Austin Kleon.  So, if he says it's okay... then it's okay?   Right???

Gift Pack of cards

Birthday Gift

Oh boy do I love to make money supporting my habit, I mean my hobby! My cards mostly start at $3.50 each.  Yes, according to 'some' people.... whomever you are... I sell myself short!  I am blessed and fortunate this isn't my only livelihood.... but it makes my living lively!

 It's my gift to you, if you like what I do!

I'm on a resurgence if you will, a big kick, on the bandwagon...on my soapbox... support local artist!!!!  If you know someone who is a creative, buy from them.

Come back and visit me here again at my blog.  On the left side you can click on any one of the labels and it will take you a post of my made cards. It gives you an idea of the variety of cards I can make!

Send out more FuN MaiL

Brighten Someone's Day

Peggy Sue
prdesigns1@sbcglobal.net

Dance Like No One is Watching

Well, in this case.... Tucker is watching...

maybe he is actually singing Dog Tunes!!

Ever have one of those days.... just a ruff one,... things don't seem to be going right?

In all honesty, only your loved ones care.... and (sad to say) that's debatable....

Just shake it off!!!!!

Think about it though..... if you have friends and family.... for a moment you can bring a smile to their face..... sending snail mail.... or as I call it FuN MaiL..... is a special way to let someone know you are thinking about them!!!!

No peeking!  I just might be dancing around the house searching for my muse.... and creating a card you didn't even know you needed!!!!

Now go and brighten someone's day!!!

Feelin Blue

I've been part of a challenge.  

And when prompted with an idea, I create a prdesigns creative greetings card!  

The idea here, started with an Umbrella theme.... then I came up with the rest.  

The way I do it.... come up with the rest?  I do a google search and go on Pinterest and look up quotes on Umbrellas, or look up umbrella doodles or images..... and I combine all my research and use my characters or slightly alter what I see..... and I doodle the imagine, color it in, add a sentiment and create a card....

So, from looking up UMBRELLA.... I doodled my dogs Cooper & Tucker and found a sentiment and then realized it would become a 'get well' card.

As always.... I make all kinds of cards and you can find them under the categories to the left over here <---- .="" p="">

Check back or keep clicking on different links to see all my creativity!!!

Feeling the Love

My creative time has gotten shorter and shorter, but I still can't help myself... I NEED to be creative every day.

After a normal shift yesterday on a hot Friday afternoon, I came home, kicked off my shoes ... and saw some cut belts that I'm making into bracelet cuffs and had to start the painting process.  Just dipping my brush into the paint and making swirls and dots ... helped me relax. Well, it really made me giddy .... just thinking what I could turn the cuff's in to!!

Creating something is part of who I am.

Last week I was working on prdesigns creative greetings for my stash (I keep all kinds of greeting cards in labeled bins so that I have them on hand to give as gifts, mail out for special occasions, or if people want to purchase them)  and I decided that it's not hard to make two cards at once.... using the same papers, colors and themes, but then switching up the sentiments and the layout....

 

I actually had my paint brushes sitting in muddy water and my acrylic paints near by.... decided to doodle daisies on the front of craft cardstock.  Once dry, I made these two cards, one is a happy hello, and the other can be a happy, but thoughtful get well card.

 

And then by using thin paper scraps from another project I had laying around (I really must clean the piles in my craft room)  I was able to create these two cards. 

 

Banners and ribbons are being used every where in paper crafting.  The card base is pretty much the only difference between these to cards.

 

 

I was taking to heart the other day, when I read a comment about buy greeting cards from the dollar store.  A penny pincher was doing that.... because the recipient of the cards (gift) just toss them anyway!

 

And then I'm uplifted when many of my friends 'hoard' their cards, send them only on the most special occasions.... because they are too pretty!!! Or they even frame the card!  Such a compliment ... but I don't think I could create a lesser card just because the recipient will 'toss' it out with the wrapping paper.

 

Those who receive whimsy from creative greetings feel the love that is behind the crafting!! What a great feeling to accomplish that!

On the Board

In between all the other stuff... I can't help it.... but I still need to create 'something' every day. 

It just makes me happy.

I'm still making greeting cards and as always ... my cards and paper crafts are FOR SALE!

Most all cards you see are only $3 each. (that includes shipping)

Plus I have more in my stash ... <-- ....or="" a="" amp="" be="" card="" cards="" check="" create="" d="" different="" happy="" i="" of="" out="" p="" personalized="" the="" to="" types="" unique="" whimsical="">
Here are a few recent cards:

 These two are the same, but different.... masculine birthday.

 

I love the stache!

 

And here are two more cards that I'm 'highlighting' on the board ....

 

Welcome in Spring and Feel Better!

 

Unique cards for the special people in your life!!!!

Don't Act, Do!

A little spark of kindness can put a colossal burst of sunshine into someones day.

 

Week #47 LIFE'S simple pleasures - RAKs

 

Practice random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty was first coined by Anne Herbert around 1982. A random act of kindness is  defined as a selfless act performed by a person or people wishing to either assist or cheer up an individual person or people.

 

Last week on November 13 it was World Kindness Day and Random Acts of Kindness week will be celebrated February 10-16, 2014.

 

Become a RAKtivist!!!

 

Hopefully you wont have to perform the act of reverse pick pocketing.... check out this YouTube video above.  These RAK's have a bit of extra work put into them!  It will make you smile.

During this time of year, most people reflect on what they are grateful and thankful for.  And sometimes they want to make the world a nicer place.  Our willingness to help strangers is flexible, and can be shaped in small changes of perception.

One way to do this is to actually go out of your way to make the world a kinder place. Do a RAK.
Brighten Someone's Day.

One small act of kindness may be the positive force that turns someones life around today. Be Kind.

PS: Often while doing research for my blog topics, I look through magazines and newspaper headlines, I reflect on something that may have happened in my own LIFE and I brainstorm, then I just type the subject idea into Googles search engine.  Although I work my topic around 'famous' quotes and sayings from others, by no means do I wish to pass that some of this very clever stuff is my own.  When I see that an author is part of the quote, I include that.  Sometimes there is no author name.  These quotes are normally written in larger italicized bold text.  Artwork that is my own will have my prdesign2013 watermark on it. So.... I'm just sayin'

Under the Weather

What a glorious feeling
I'm happy again....

Seems as if I have creative greeting cards for every occasion!!!

I certainly can understand if you get caught in the rain, sometimes it could be a bad thing.  Your hair gets matted to your head, your clothes cling to your body and your shoes squish when you walk. Not a pretty sight if going into a meeting or a party.

Not fun. 

But look how much fun Gene Kelly has just singing and dancing in the rain: (just click your mouse over the video... I'm sure it will bring a smile to your face, go on)




Week #30 LIFE'S simple pleasures - umbrella

It's amazing the choices we have.  Use an umbrella and stay dry or get all wet.

Getting caught in the rain for Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly) doesn't really matter because not even the weather will bring his mood down. He is happy and smitten and in love!

Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine ~ Anthony D'Angelo

With a huge smile on his face, a funny hello wave to some passersby, splashing like a kid in a huge puddle, and under the watchful eye of a curious officer.... Gene Kelly's character SHINES inspite of the rain.... as he hands his umbrella to an unsuspecting pedestrian.

Having an umbrella when it rains is one of LIFE'S simple pleasures, but bringing your on sun SHINE wherever you go.... is priceless!

 

Cute as a Bug

 Little red bug, oh so cute

Here's a black spot for your suit...

~ Susan M. Paprocki

 

Cute little bugs make great images for my creative greeting cards. 

 

Maybe you've received one of my cards over the years.  Business is slow, but I still love a good doodle bug!!!

 

From the fun facts I learned, Lady Bugs are really part of the beetle family.  There are over 4,000 types and their color can be the most popular red, to orange and yellow. Being the bright colors they are, they warn predators that they are not a tasty choice for dinner.  They secrete a stinky yellow puss from their knee joints to warn others to stay away!!  (Beetle Juice)

 

Sticky feet help them climb up stems of flowers and on the underside of leaves. As part of our circle of life, they eat our plant pests aphids. Farmers love to have ladybugs on their crops.

 

Unless you have a net to catch butterflies or a jar to catch fireflies... it's not really a good thing to catch a bug. 

 

I'm getting mixed answers doing a small bit of research, but there is a phrase some use I 'caught a nasty bug'. Is it a good excuse to use when you just don't want to go out?  Or did they really come down with some strange illness? 

 

Years ago before the study of microorganisms, people thought they got sick by infected little bugs that flew around.

 

Cute get well cards often use they phrase.... heard you caught a bug.... and the doodle is some bug with goggle eyes, thermometer sticking out of it's mouth and a cold compress on it's head.

 

Ladybug ladybug fly away home,
Your house in on fire and your children are gone,
All except one and that's little Ann,
For she crept under the frying pan.

Nursery rhymes are a nice way to learn stories, poems and how to rhyme, but when you really examine how they came to be, sometimes the stem from a terrible tragedy. Read more here.

 

Week #24 - LIFE'S simple pleasures - bugs (beetles) they help complete the circle of LIFE

 

Lady bugs all dressed in red

Strolling through the flower bed.

If I were tiny just like you

I'd creep among the flowers too!

~Maria Fleming

Busy Bee

A bee is never as busy as it seems; it's just that it can't buzz any slower.

 

Week #25 - LIFE'S simple pleasures - bugs

 

The buzz is that bees help spread pollen. Plants depend on them when the flutter from flower to flower.  One single bee that can be as long as a standard paper clip can collect enough nectar to create 1/12 teaspoon of honey.

One of the most notable onomatopoeia, a word that imitates the sound associated with object or action.... is buzz. Everyone knows the sound a bee makes! It's fun and annoying to say buzz.... buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz... buzz, buzz!!! Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee ~ Mohammed Ali

 

I'll admit that some bugs can be quite scary; huge ones that you see in movies that crawl out of drain pipe of a sink. They can seem creepy, especially if they have hundreds of legs and they zig and then they zag along a crack in the ceiling.... and then disappear!  If you heard a noise and didn't know what it was and all of a sudden something was crawling on you in the dark... a bug like that would certainly freak you out. 

 

All bugs serve some sort of purpose here on earth.  I'm just glad that I found the cute ones to add to my creative greetings... I think a smiling bee can brighten any one's day!

 

How doth the little busy bee

improve each shining hour

and gather honey all the day

from every shining flower

~ parodied by Lewis Carol for Alice in Wonderland

 

 

Some other day

Yay!  I'm almost back to a normal routine.  It's true, be careful what you wish for.  I wish for a cool million dollars, that I can share with a few who need it, go away on a nice relaxing vacation at the beach with no worries, save a little.... and then get something wildly fun!!!!!

I tried to play with the photo above, I should have just taken another picture, because it is NOT being shown in it's true color glory!!!  What you can't see is the most important thing.... crystal effects being used as rain drops!!!!!  Another Marisse Carrier inspired card. Doodles with water color pencils.  Easy paper layer frames.  No need for extra bling, just simple... and cool!!! Like the one I showed you earlier (or later... depending how you read my blog), below...

I don't have to tell the rain to go away today.  Bright and sunny day with blue skies... but it is much cooler, almost like 'normal' April weather.

I have a lot to get to, since I had been working full time for the past 3 weeks.  Almost feels like a relief to be back home.  Within 3 weeks the college boy comes back for the summer, and then there is a matter of what's next on our life journey.  My mojo came back over the weekend and it sure was fun to play in my creative office.  Sent any FuN MaiL lately???

Brighten Someone's Day!

February Frolics

Fuzzy playing in the new falling snow as it began yesterday afternoon.

This morning we had about 6" of heavy wet stuff on the ground.  This kind of snow looks pretty at first.  However, because we've been so mild as winters can get.....I think it's shocking the trees and the bushes from the water weight and they are droopy.  Here you go all the people who wanted SNOW!!!  The garage will be sloppy, and wet boots and paws leaving prints in the house.  Slip sliddin..... yes, I know it's still winter.... but I kind of liked it with no snow!

Simple and quick Get well card with left over paper scraps.  Now that I see it in the photo, the circle looks like a globe of the world!!!

 A snow view from the front porch.  Picture Postcard. Like I said, it looks real pretty!!!!

A little Distracted

A few more cards that went out this past week in an order.  Oh, and they are all Get Well cards.  I'm just loving this Martha Stewart butterfly punch.  On the top card it's just flat, simple and glued on to the get well card... 

 On this get well soon card, it's actually 3 punched butterflies to every one you see.  To make it dimensional you fold over the bottom two (like a book page) their backside gets glued down, so the wings on the top one pop up.

And this one, I just slightly inked  the edges  to give it some thing to pop!

Right now, at the very moment I type this, out of the corner of my eye I see something in the yard, it's two squirrels playing tag.  They ran across the back patio chasing each other, I could see them out the entire length of the window and then past the back door.  All of a sudden they round the corner of the house and run under the patio table, through the huge hostas that have beautiful fall sunshine beaming brightly on them, the leaves move as they run up the huge tree that we lost branches off this past summer.  And they literally chase each other in a spiral up the tree.  Little fluffy tails peaking out as they go around the trunk.  They can hang on facing up the tree, or facing down, amazing!  Then one runs down the tree, through the hostas again and together they leaping back and forth as they run over the rock, chasing each other to the back part of the yard.  Shhh.... they must be tired.... I see only one now as he creeps back around the corner of the house. What a cute view out my window.  Quit leaving those broken open nuts, I keep stepping on them and rolling in the yard!

That reminds me, I need to wash these back windows.

What's Perfect to You?

I still feel them buzzing around my head! Silly us... I think we need to go Geocaching after the first frost, look what we went headfirst into ( I mean we walked to this beautiful picture spot, but on our way disturbing hundreds of nice little buzzing bzzzzzzzz) .... breeding pools of mosquito madness! We did find two more 'cache' this past weekend on our journey across McHenry County.

Not perfect! Yikes! When I went back in my office I found a pretty button and twine embellishment laying on the floor. Looks like this picture is missing something!

I CASed this card from Homegrown Hospitality I think being perfect or the word perfect is overrated... it doesn't describe to me what it means. Doing things to the best to 'my ability'. Never doing a project or leading my life just partial.

I'm reading all the time and came across this:

Give up trying to be perfect- The real world doesn't reward perfectionists, it rewards people who get things done.

(I'll quote the author on another post)

The card isn't picture perfect, but it still looks cute!

Thoughts and prayers going out to all of my kids grandparents as they overcome their health "stuff". On to a happy and speedy recovery♥

Leaf Print

The work you do while you procrastinate is probably the work you should be doing for the rest of your life (pinterest quote) .... hmmmm true????

I really love these moss green cards.... reminds me, (REMINDER--->) I need to buy some more cardstock (order from SU!).... not that I'm running low... but running out of my favorite colors, moss green, baby blue, pink and yellow... then it makes me think outside the box to find a new color to create with... which is not a bad thing, but I do have my favs.

Pretty blue skies right now, and it's a wonderful 70 degrees, relief finally from the extreme, oppressive heat of the upper 90s with humidity. We (DH and I) were thinking we had more than 6 weeks straight of that icky sticky kind of weather, with out any breaks. We like a little weather variety here, please!!!

Change will be happening, sooner than later!

A Good Place to Be

- Sh!ne

- Title town USA

Here is a cute and simple card. Just used another yellow circle to make the rays shining off the 'here comes the sun' moment. I've heard in the card making world that grey is the new BLACK. Which means this card is all that! ha ha

The Packers win the Super Bowl!! How can you not know that? Exciting!!! It was a good game to watch! One of many of my observations, through the years has been how the mass media has changed, I used to think it would be great to be in the spot light, I'm not so sure now. Obviously, the Super Bowl is the MOST SUPER event in the sports world.... Everyone has a camera... EVERYONE has an opinion. Did you see all the players recording their moment! From every minute of the day we knew how players & coaches felt... ex players & ex coaches... non sports people, people portraying famous former coaches, big kids, little kids and even movie stars who can't throw a ball!!

There's something of a un-written story seeing the old clips of Coach Lombardi, his toughness..... we don't know every feeling he had. But we knew he had class! There is intrigue of movie stars and Presidents from the 50s & 60s because we didn't know them intimately. There is something to be said about the years before mass media, a sense of mystery they (footbal players, performers and politicians) were just doing their job and getting it done... Now, there is TMI.... too much information... I think there is a lot of pressure to be in the spotlight, everything you do and say is micro scrutinized and then spurted out, twisted and sadly shows our super heroes are just human.

I'm happy to let my light shine, in my corner of the world!!! I want to make a small part of this craziness, a good place to be! Sh!ne on