Handmade with LOVE

Welcome to my blog!

I'm a card maker!

I create greeting cards.... and all sorts of crafty fun stuff!

to Brighten your day!!!

or

to Brighten Someone's Day

who is special in your life.

You can check out any of the card categories to the left of this blog post to see what I make.  Most cards are doodles (drawn by me) or they are a mix of stamped images, embellishments, computer clip art, water colored... pretty much anything!!!

I can recreate something or be uniquely original and whimsical just for you!

You just have to think slightly ahead to get my cards.  But I promise the special people in your life who love hand made, heartfelt and unique things.... know that you really thought of them when you got one of my cards!!

Contact me @ prdesigns1@sbcglobal.net

Brighten Someone's Day

Thumbs Up!

I needed some quick, one dimensional, simple.... yet cute cards!

I used ink and my thumb print... and then added a few doodles with pen or marker, to make these quirky:

 tweety birds.

funny frogs.

silly snowman.

and the rest.

Doodle cards are the most fun!  

Simplicity is great.

Stayed tuned, more cards to come!!!

Wanna Build a Snowman

Well it's a fine day here in Chicagoland.

Not the kind of day you would build a snowman outside, it's raining!

I probably say this every January.... and some of my best friends are flakes.... but I love me a cute snowman!  Mostly, doodled snowmen!

It's 2016!! Have you set new goals?  New challenges?  Words to live by?  My one little word for the year is Cultivate!  Part of cultivating a good life is.....to find and learn new ways to be creative .... for instance.

If you go back anywhere in my blog, you will see that one of my top postings is about learning new things.  I love to learn!  I noticed through my horoscope as well, that a Aries trait is one to love learning!!!

We will see if this works.  I am learning how to do a video with my snowman doodle.  I'm quite excited if I was able to make this work. I set up a video clamp, lighting, made the video, edited the video and added music.  If I come back with red text to the post, it means I had to EDIT.... because this attempt was not a complete success.... yet!!!!

Do you wanna build a snowman.... on paper.... with video!!

Party On a Card

Tiny master pieces!

I'm not looking for a way out, but I want to do my work and get it done.

Get er done!!!

The reason I like making greeting cards is that I can create something fun, whimsical, meaningful and concise ... in just a matter of minutes.

I'm getting better at it, but I think it took me longer to set up the card for a photo, upload it to the computer and turn it around to make it visible on my blog, than the time to actually create the card.

That.... is no longer the case.  Bottom line... each process in creating and computerizing was a big challenge at first... but I made PROGRESS and learned what I needed to do.... to get er done!

I admit that I love my cards!!

I still hoard a few that I don't ever want to sell or give away, but I make my cards so that I can share with others.

I gave cards as gifts over the holidays.  

I am the cardmaker.  

One friend admitted that she loves my cards, and doesn't want to give them away!  If I had a nickel for every time I heard that.... I'd have about $1.

I've tried to make them simpler, and cheaper and less masterpiece like.... it seems friends like even them even more!!!! Depends on the occasion.

Share, share, share.... I can make more!

The more I think about it and the more I read about entrepreneurs opening their passion business... I can't say for sure that I want to create and send my cards nation wide.  That would be awesome... but I don't know if I could take the pressure of a full fledged card business.  

It's my hobby... would I want it as my job????

For right now, I'm content in my office (creative space) learning new techniques, every now and then obtaining a new tool, and using my blog to show what I've doodled.

Would I like a little more business?  Heck yeah!  If you guys get my cards and like them.... tell your friends.... a 4 pack of handmade cards is a great gift!!!

I'm happy creating little parties on a card.  

My friends, don't hoard the cuteness, pull them out and write a note and...

brighten someone's day!!!

Bring on more Men

Every year at about this time, it's quite obvious that I'm obsessed with a certain man. 

Really, there are all kinds of these men everywhere.  And I am pretty much in love with the cuter ones!!!!

Snowmen .... of course!!!

I like to make them.  

This time round I saw a metal spoon, pounded flat and painted with a fluffy figure.  So, I had to go get my own cheap spoons, flatten them (tiny sledge hammer and metal bar from my jewelry making) and paint them.  Then I added a few important accessories to his image, heart, earmuffs, scarf and bird house.... and then a little bling to the handle,..wire, bead and bow!

Oh, I can't make just one!  

And, there might be more in my future.

Add to the gift..... a tag, of course with a stamped snowman and the present is all ready for giving!

These kind of men melt my heart!!! And Brighten my Day!

Worth Melting For

Sometimes, many times .... I don't believe in myself. I'm learning how to correct that!!!

I love to doodle.

I love to cReatE.

And sometimes I am shocked when things actually turn out.

I get giddy with happiness when I can turn this ....

Into this!

 

I still am amazed 30 years later after creatively making my own greeting cards that I can turn a blob of something .... into something else.  And I really love the process and the results.

And of course, I will always admit that a lot of truly creative artist have led the way.  The top left snowman is a version of Olaf from the Disney animated movie Frozen.  Just turning the carrot nose, having a few sprigs on top of his head and popped out eyes .... just makes him adorable.

 

..... I never met a snowman that I didn't like.

 

When I finished these 4 small pages (approx. 4" x 6") .... I'm like a little kid.... see what I did???

 

I can't wait to finish them and send them off to Brighten Someones Day!!!

Snowball Fight

I know it's coming... too mild of a December to not think we're going to be hit big time with snow!  This snowman is ready for a good old fashioned snowball fight though!

I used the Cuttle bug to emboss the bubble pattern on the background.  I think it's a bit too much, but it sure adds dimension to the overall card.  I love the bright colors of his hat and scarf... he sure doesn't look like a boring snowman!

You get another look at my card stand, my treasured Flower Frog!

I think it's time to start wrapping some of the Christmas gifts or I'll forget all my hiding spots and then people wont get their gifts.  Taking the Pommy to the vet... he's just seeming to be his old cranky self.

Having the Blues

 Using a mish mash of different techniques and styles I created  a unique one of a kind Christmas gift for a friend and her two daughters, all things match in hues of blue.

Above are two personalized gift card holders. They are about 2-1/2"H x 4"W.  I have a lot of the very large chip board letters laying in my stash so I added some of the patterned paper, roughed the edges and then inked them.  Added them to the top of the white inked tag and topped that on the gift card holder.  I Glimmer misted the white ribbon so that it would coordinate with the blue color scheme.  Topped each letter with the perfect Martha Stewart snowflake punch. The gift card holders close together with velcro.

 When I make a mini scrap book after I use directions fro Following the Paper Trail with Laura, I have gotten in the habit of making  a matching card from the left over scraps.  That way, if I give the mini scrap book as a gift, I don't have to scramble to find a similar card.... one already matches from the scraps.  A snowman who has the blues. You've seen this snowman in a recent post.

Front cover view of the 'stacked' mini album.  I'll show the guts on another post.  I really love how all the elements came out on this mini made with small envelopes.   Topped with ribbons and bows, snowflakes an lolly flowers, tulle and beaded charms and a whole lot of inking going on.

So this is really a gift with a mix, but everything matches.  Gotta love that!  And it's made with a whole lotta loving going on!!!

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

.

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!

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!

Let it S...

NO! I can't say the word... yet. Cute sentiment on a card with adorkable snowmen but I can not talk about the white fluffy stuff. Not gonna do it. Just keep coming back to view all the cute guys, in all shapes and sizes. Hats and twigs, hearts ♥ and stars. Oh the blog isn't going to become snowmen 24/7... they just might be poppin in a lot, since it 'tis the season.

Had a great day to hang holiday lights outside. Hubby is taking a much need week of vacation and helping me with the Honey Due list. It was even sunny and about 50 degrees hanging garland, wreaths and twinkling lights from the gutters. Perfect day for it!

In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life... it goes on. ~ pinterest

Big Ole Heart

Hello Everyone.... waves the cute snowman.

He is one happy dude!

Don't you think? I got an order for some snowmen cards and I want to create the very best and most cutest snowman cards in the world.... that's what I like to do.

There are so many ways to create them, one circle, two or three, top hat or stocking cap, scarf/no scarf, stick arms with or without mittens, carrot nose, coal for eyes or google eyes, snowflakes falling, more than one snowman, holding bells, with a bird on his hat, with a gift by his side, a great big red heart on his chest... as you can read the possibilities are endless. One thing is for sure.... more snowmen to come!

Sunny and blue skies today 38 and the wind is whipping around. Our major tree on the back patio that got hit by storms this past summer just lost the last of it's leaves. So I was raking them up yesterday. Darn, I should have waited one more day and they would have blown away.

Thank you to those who stop in and check out my blog. I hope that on most days your visit to my blog brings a smile to your face.

Snowmen Melt My Heart

It's that time of year .... all kinds of snowmen!!!

And the holiday season has officially begun. Thanksgiving next week and then Black Friday and every day after that is chaos, mayhem and craziness.

Just running my normal errands the stores are busier.

More fun cards, crafts and happy opportunities on their way!

No two can ever be alike

- What's not to love
- we love copy cat foods

Have I mentioned that I LOVE snowmen. They are so cute! I have a ton of them. You could say I'm a collector..... well, I was more of a collector years ago... now, today they collect more dust! Did you know that they can stay out much longer than other ordinary Christmas Decorations, especially if they are winter snowmen vs. Christmas snowmen. Cute carrot noses, top hats, stocking caps, mittens, hot cocoa mugs, scarves, fake feet, bird friends....

Please note that all of these cards are Winter snowmen. Dressed in winter garb, with snow flakes instead of Christmas elf hats and holly. Wow, I made all three cards with the same monochromatic Burgundy and tan papers. I love when this happens, getting 3 cards the same, yet different!

It's a fantastically cold day again today. But I will bundle up and take the boys out. I got so much done yesterday. No more pitty parties for this girl. It's only stuff I can see. Daddy had a dinner meeting with the secretive Italians at a seafood restaurant near O'Hare airport. (More to come on that... some day....) but the rest of us had a delicious Rainforest Cafe Chicken Salad copy cat recipe. Yum, what makes it special is Chow Mein Rice Noodles and Shoestring potatoes and of course the Hoisin dressing.

I got two card orders... I'm excited to create!