Frogs & Birds

Here's a cutie pie bird chirping away a happy holiday song. 

He is one of my CASe Study projects of the week.  Bright colors are from my new BIC markers.  They almost work like Copic markers.  If I go over the color multiple times I can get that darker shading and it looks like the objects have more dimension. I got 24 pens for $12 at Sam's Club.

Title Frog... you may wonder what that means.  I scored this week while shopping at M's.  Oh the excitement I have I'm sure y'all can't quite understand... but for at least 3 years I have been casually looking for the needle circle thingy that is holding the card up in the photo above Flower Frog.  It is mainly used for fresh floral designs, putting the stems of the flowers in and submerging this in water. 

And for years I have seen card makers using this as a way to display and hold their cards while taking a photo.  I thought I'd have to find one on EBay.....and for $3.99 at M's I saw the last one on the hook and grabbed it with giddy excitement.  It is to me like a little treasure.... to be LIKE all those other 'cool' crafters.  Ta-da!!

Brrrr.... sunny and 16 degrees out.

Small Subway Art

A few weeks ago I took an online Photoshop class and learned to make a grungy piece of word artwork that you might see on a poster in the subway. If you're interested scroll down to find the original poster that I made.... if I followed the instructions, the poster size print would be 16" x 24".  I adjusted the size to print at home on an 8-1/2 x 11 and put it in a frame.

I love the look and the technique and tried to figure out another way to use what I learned in the class, and brought it down on a much, much smaller scale... a drink coaster.

Lots of different fonts, sizes and color blocks.... the giftee's name a ton of times and fun things about them, with a little scruffiness on the edges make this 15 cent tile a great personalized gift.  Found the original tile coaster idea on Pinterest.  After a few coats of Mod Podge I laid my printed copy on top of an almost dried layer and then added multiple more coats of the glue on top to seal the paper on to the tile.  Finished off the top with a clear sealant spray and glued felt circles on the bottom to ease any rough-ness.

I actually found lots of extra tiles under our basement stairs.... Free!!!  Knock on wood.... no floor tiles or back splashes or shower surrounds have broke in the past 5 years..... so, I can use a few of the extra tiles, for crafting can't I????

Flakey Snowman

How do you like the new Christmas colors and layout for my blog?  It's still a work in progress.  I may change things up if I'm feeling 'more' crea8tive

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Another day and another punched art snowman.  Can't get more simpler than two circles and he looks adorkable! Snow gals would certainly have eyelashes!!!

Just pluggin' along, decorating the house, purchasing Christmas presents, talking to friends near and far, crafting in my cre8tive space, cooking new dishes.... life is good!  Stay tuned for any unusual things... I'm due for some excitement, change, balance... winning the lottery? Waiting for opportunity to knock so I can fling open the door!

Color Blocking

Although it's Christmas time, it doesn't mean that all other holidays or special events stop happening. Every day is someone's birthday, or a couple celebrates their anniversary, or a baby is announced or someone should be thought of ... so I keep cre8ting and continually find new paper crafts for my CASe Studies, so I have plenty of FuN MaiL and whimsical gifts ready. Plus, it's so much fun to cre8te!

The color blocking card above could be any color combination (red & green with a Holiday wreath)... with any stamped image... with any sentiment. I'll probably make more cards with this same layout. This one happens to be a birthday card in purples and grey.

Helped the economy and did a little shopping today, and am pleased to report that in most all stores that gladly took my money, I encountered happy and personable sales people. It was almost like they've all been told to be super nice to 'our customers' because it's their money that supports us and gives them a job. Be happy!!! Well, I noticed... and it really made my day!! Maybe it was the shopping high??? Okay, I'll stay home and clean today!!!

Lookin' Up

I found this snowy guy again.... so cute from this view. Punch art circles and ovals. I tried to use the snow flake pieces for his arms, but it looked like he had tiny dinasaur hands, and that was a bit funny.... so I just cut out some twig looking shapes.

The snow on Friday melted later in the afternoon. That was okay, but I know it's not the end .. it's just the snowy beginning.

Need to start working for Santa today and be his little shopper's helper.... let's see where should I start.... just push one little button.... send----> so easy!

The Snow was gently Falling

Here you go, my home Christmas postcard.
It snowed light and fluffy flakes last night
All perfectly laying on the grass.
No need for anymore snow.
How can you beat this perfection?

Who let the Owls out?

These two cards make me giddy with excitement and happy!

It's not hard to believe but I have not purchased a Hallmark greeting card or ShoeBox greeting or purused the card aisle at Target in probably over 10 years!! But I do peak from a distance and I think my cards hold their own to the mass produced and manufactured card. Oh and yes, I get a view of my competition when my family 'buys' a store card, or I'm celebrating an event and friends from all over the country send me a 'real' card. At times some are so tempted to send me my own card back. (Because they've either purchased a variety pack or gotten some as gifts from me)

My cre8tive greetings are bold and colorful and some have very cute sayings. They have sparkles and baubles and bows. The thing with my cards is that you have to think a bit a head of time of the events that are coming your way... especially if I have to mail them out to another state (or you get a variety pack and have them on hand) ... or like one friend who is kindly purchasing 20 birthday cards, personalized & whimsical greeting cards for those who want to celebrate extraordianary events and remarkable people in their lives.

I think these cards are special. And I have more fun each and every day I learn a new tip or technique to cre8te them. It saddens (yet makes me happy in a way) when I hear that people don't know who to send them to, so they just keep them in a drawer to look at them (hoarding?). The whole point is to send out FuN MaiL!!!

I have almost 1400 posts on this blog, most with at least one cre8tive greeting, and that doesn't even count the cards that don't make it to 'show off' here. That means in the past 5 years I've created a minimum of 1500 cards (that sounds better) and although I pride myself in not mass producing the same card over and over (except for invitations or real estate cards) that's a new piece of artwork each time. Awesome!