Late, but here

This is not the post I wanted to share but need to update you on where I've been - again. I went to my sons for Thanksgiving and all but two of us are sick. I got sick on Saturday after the holiday and so did my son, grandson, his two children, my granddaughter and her boyfriend too. Of course, it is in my lungs and I can't believe another attack so soon. This one really brought me down just when I was feeling so much better and getting things done. The coughing is really brutal.

I have several Christmas cards made but I'm feeling not so excited about how many more to do and afraid it may not happen. It takes so much energy to just wash, dress and fix a meal. 

That's why today I want to share the card I was going to share on Thanksgiving to thank you all for being the wonderful friends I've made online. I'm so grateful for all of you that comment, visit and lift me up so much lately.

I'm terrified of elevators and I'm taking steps to avoid them.

Be kind to one another.

Textured backgrounds using die cuts

Here it is the 28th of November. Didn't we just have the 28th of October several days ago? I can't keep up with time. I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving and give thanks for all of you.

This is a fun technique done with die cuts for our group this month. I die cut a snowflake from Gina Marie about ten times and arranged them on a white panel. I then glued them down and cut some pieces from the extra ones to fill in the panel. I mounted the panel on a piece of silver sparkle paper and added a silver embossed sentiment on white cardstock and used dimensionals to add it over a strip of the same sparkle cardstock. It's hard to get a good picture of sparkle so this is my best one.

Water is heavier than butane because butane is a lighter fluid.

Be kind to one another.

Blessings

I got another card made. I think this is six since the end of August. I am in such a funk and I've used everything I've seen posted about getting out of a slump and it hasn't worked. I've looked through Pinterest, challenges and instagram and just can't get moving. This is the 22nd and I've made two Thanksgiving cards and one Christmas card. I can't identify my mood and I feel guilty because I have so much stuff and I'm not using it. Yesterday I got out my Christmas products and looked through them. Some things I haven't used at all so they need love.

I used pattern paper for the background and a white rectangle to stamp the image and greeting on. Sponged color around the edges of the mat to define it.

Before Mount Rushmore was carved, it's beauty was unpresidented.

Be kind to one another.

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Glitter painting on acetate

Many years ago I swore off of using glitter. Because this is Group of Seven Cardmakers I wanted to participate and make a card with this technique.

 It went wrong from the start. I cut two images with white cardstock. Glued one on the acetate and got glue everywhere. Then I glued the second image to the first so I would have groves to add the glue. The frame was so thin that was another chance to get more glue everywhere I missed the first time. Now to the glitter. That wasn't hard but there was a new issue. People with COPD cough sometimes out of nowhere with no warning. When you have glue in one hand and glitter in the other, you don't want to cough. Do you see where this is going?  Yep, I coughed and glitter went everywhere. There is still some left on the acetate that I couldn't get off. That's where this card ends. I added it the GO7 so you could see things don't always go smoothly when making cards. Now I remember why I don't use glitter.

If a plant is sad do other plants photosympathise with it?

Be kind to one another.

Owl be watching you on Halloween

Not me, the owl will be. 

I sponged the background after masking off the moon, then stamped the Lavania tree stamp. Added a bit of gray ink the give the moon some definition. I masked off two of three owls on a DeNami stamp and stamped that little owl. After coloring him I cut him out and added him to the tree limb. I also colored and cut out the two pumpkins and glued them at the bottom of the tree. To finish off the card I found some tiny gems to add to the owls eyes and added the panel to a black card base.

I'm always disappointed when a liar's pants don't catch on fire.

Be kind to one another.

Foundry Wax

I've started my Halloween cards and made this one using an older embossing folder on black cardstock. I used Distress Foundry Wax over the embossing and added a gold embossed the sentiment on black cardstock. I like the soft look the wax gives and a subtle shine.

As a kid my bedtime was nine pm. I couldn't wait to grow up and go to bed whenever I wanted. Turns out that is nine pm!

Fall leaves

This is a card using Distress Sprays. I sprayed through a stencil of small leaves with yellow, orange and green to make a background. I tried to make the edges fade out a bit. The die cut green leaf is from Poppy Stamps and the sentiment is Lawn Fawn. 

The oldest computer can be traced back to Adam and Eve. It was an apple but with extremely limited memory. Just one byte then everything crashed.

Be kind to one another.

Shine

I'm happy to report I am feeling better and stronger. For the last two days I haven't had a nap.

This is a card that I will give to my great granddaughter. She has so much fun every day and brings such joy to everyone she meets. I used this gold sparkle paper with stars on it that was in my stash and added an arch die from Spellbinders to the front center. I embossed the sentiment from Reverse Confetti in gold and added some gold stars. I think she'll like it since little girls love sparkle.

For several weeks I haven't been able to load pictures from my phone or camera. My friend came over last week and got it working. Let's see if I can get this card on my blog. It is hard to get a good picture of sparkle without shadows.

I wonder how policemen on bikes arrest people. Do they just say "Alright, hop in the basket"?

Be kind to one another.

Surprise

I made a card! It took me several days again but that's okay. I used pattern paper from a 6 x 6 Crafters Companion Delightful Daisies pad. You can't tell that I ran that paper through a We R Memory Keepers quilted embossing folder, I don't know why, then cut out the panel with a Lil' Inkers die. I also used a Lil' Inker die to cut a circle from yellow cardstock and added a Ragged Daisy die from Poppystamps. I inked the daisy a bit and stamped the greeting with a Denami Design stamp.

Still have some issues but doctors and I are working through them. Hoping to be fully back soon and not so tired all the time. Daisy is loving all these daytime naps cuddled up with me.

I don't know who needs to hear this but you are a great gardener. That plant should have tried harder.

Be kind to one another.

Thank you

I want to thank you for the wonderful, uplifting cards, comments and calls since I got home. It is so fun to get them. Don't worry that it takes me so long to thank you. My neighbor is bringing in my mail and she has been sick, so didn't come over with it right away. 

I have had four doctor visits, four more blood draws and a CT scan since I got home and I am wiped out. Getting in the car to go someplace is so tiring and a new wrinkle is low hemoglobin. Well Duh. When you take blood several times a week and every day in the hospital what did you expect! I am glad to know the reason for me being so tired all the time. 

This coming week I have nothing going on and I can't wait. Maybe even get to make a card. I hope it comes back to me.

Daisy was thrown out of the casino. She totally misunderstood the meaning of the craps table!

Be kind to one another.

Update

Hi to all my sweet friends. I am having an OK day and want to tell you I have been in the hospital. My sodium dropped below acceptable levels and we couldn't seem to get it up and they wouldn't let me go home. They gave me the wrong medicine, didn't have a kidney doctor treating me and no one came to walk me around for exercise. My bed was alarmed for chance of fall so I couldn't even get up without someone being there. Of course, Daisy, my dog was here by herself with people coming in and out to let her out and feed her and put her back in her crate. She was in there all day and night by herself for several days. My son came down to get her and take her to his house to keep her until I got out. She escaped from him and was in a place she had never been before. She was alone in the 90 plus degree heat for five and a half days and had walked four miles before a man cutting his property found her curled up in the very back of his lot. any longer and she would have been gone. He had to force her to drink, then took her in his house and gave her more water. He took her to the Humane Society and they called my daughter in law and sent a picture. Everyone in their community was looking for her. I had gone to stay with my son and daughter in law when I got out of the hospital so we could go look for her. I truly never thought I'd see her again and the trauma on top of everything else was terrible. We are both home now and she is back in her routine after sleeping non stop for four straight days. I am starting to recover but so tired all the time. Due to a miscue with hospital meds I was taking three steroids and two antibiotics and my heart was hammering all the time and I couldn't even walk. Now that is straightened out and I hope to be back to myself soon. Making no cards with four family birthdays this month! Hardly any computer time either but I will join you all as soon as I can. 

Be kind to one another.

Vellum

There are so many ways to use vellum and this month's Group of Seven Cardmakers are showing their cards using it. 

My first card uses a panel of vellum embossed with a Spellbinders embossing folder over a panel of three different greens of Distress Oxide Inks. The vellum softens the colors under it so I wish I had made them darker. I added a Simon Says die in green mirror cardstock.

Going back a long time, I used a metal stencil pumpkin from Lasting Impressions from 2000. Gosh I've been doing this a long time! This is done by putting the vellum over the stencil and following through the openings with a stylus. This makes the image raised on the other side of the vellum. That panel was added over orange cardstock. That is only two ways to use it by dry embossing and stenciling. I hope you will check out the other cards and ways of using it.

No one told me when you get a husband the ears are sold separately.

Be kind to one another.

Finally

I got busy and made a card. It took me three days but I got it done! After being idle so long my brain didn't want to create so I had to start simple. I smooshed three inks on a watercolor panel and embossed it with a Spellbinders die on day one. Day two found me using die cut feathers new from Paper Rose and day three I got the sentiment done. 

Then came getting to post. Since I still can't just upload from phone or camera that takes some doing. It's amazing what patience can do and I did manage. I'm using the inking for Darnell's I.D.E.A.S this Monday. I'm also playing at NBUS with Paper Rose feathers.

Marriage is grand. Divorce is one hundred grand.

Be kind to one another.

Kaleidoscope

I haven't been away for the last few months. My computer has been having fits and still isn't fixed.  I have jerry rigged a way to download pictures from my phone in a very indirect way that only works sometimes. So, here we go.

This months Group of Seven Cardmakers are creating Kaleidoscope cards. The cards have the look that we used to see in a Kaleidoscope when we were kids. It's exciting to see how they come out. 

My first card used a pattern paper with white flowers. I was able to find a very old Hero Arts stamp that looked just like those flowers so I stamped it in Versamark and embossed with gold embossing powder.  After cutting into half inch strips I added them to a card front. Then I stamped the same stamp with a matching color and added a sentiment.

My second card was made using a Simon Says background stamp and embossed it in gold embossing powder. Then I lightly water colored the background in a soft green and cut into strips. I glued half of the strips to the top and half to the bottom. I added a leaf stem die from Poppy Stamps cut from gold cardstock along with a greeting. 

I accidently drank invisible ink and now I'm at the hospital waiting to be seen. 

Be kind to one another.

Monochromatic

It's Group of Seven Cardmakers for June with Monochromatic as the theme. Our ladies have posted some great cards for you on the website and I hope you can stop in.

On the first card I stamped in dark brown ink using an Altenew stamp over a card panel. Then I cut the same image with the matching die and dark brown cardstock and added it over the panel. I embossed the Hello in white embossing powder over the same brown cardstock and cut it out with a Poppy Stamps die. The panel was added to a dark brown card base.

The second card used a Paper Rose die that I sponged over with two blue inks and added to a panel. I added a Mama Elephant scalloped frame sponged in the same two color of blues. The thanks die is a sizzix die and done in the same two inks, making it darker at the bottom.

Should I call you or should we resolve this in 200 texts?

Be kind to one another.

An exciting time

for my grandson. He turns twenty one this month, the age all teenagers look forward to. I thought since he is in the Marines I would make a camouflage card. Now I can't make those funny little shapes camo has so I tried to make it with colors. There are quite a few different looks and colors but I think this is close to what he wears. Just a simple card since he is a guy!

In other news, I have been working around the mess in my house and trying to tidy up other rooms. It takes me so long to do anything, then I have to rest so the days aren't long enough to do everything. I try to do one big thing a day. Some days getting up is that thing! Signed contract to get started with kitchen but won't be until at least second week of this month.

My favorite thing about humans may be our ability to drench potatoes in mayo and call it salad with a straight face.

Be kind to one another.

It's the 28th

of the month and time for Group of seven cardmakers. This month we are making Bokeh cards and I hope you visit the ladies to see what they made.

I made my cards by using blending brushes to add color to card panels. I used white ink through a stencil to create bokeh circles. I added die cuts to the cards and a few sequins. This is such a busy month and I'm short of time and made these very simple. I love how quick they go together and give such a soft background. 

Turns out you can buy a birthday cake and eat it anytime. Nobody checks.

Be kind to one another.

Still here

I wish all the Mother's today a Happy Mother's Day. My mother is no longer here, along with so many that are gone, but it's still a day to celebrate them. 

I'm still here but somewhat stymied. I can't seem to move forward until this mess is cleaned up. I am one thing at a time person and this is making me crazy. Well, crazier. I made one card because I needed to. It is my granddaughter's birthday and, of course. I would make her a card. She is coming today with my sons to help me do some cleaning. I requested that for Mother's Day since there are things I cannot do myself. I'm looking forward to it and maybe it will kick start me.

She loves chocolate so I thought this would suit her to a T. I used the Waffle Flower postage die and rub-ons from Stamperia. So easy and so perfect for her.

I seem to be missing the "zippity" part of my "do-dah" day.

Be kind to one another.

Cornhole fun

Thankfully it is not mold under the sink.  The water seeped under the flooring so that has to be replaced too. They hung a heavy plastic curtain across the kitchen and left five power blowers for two days to dry it out. The sound was deafening! Daisy was not a fan! The blowers are gone as well as the curtain now. The kitchen is still in disarray. I'm waiting for the construction people to come and take measurements and put me on the schedule for rebuilding the cabinet. Then the flooring company will come with samples and take measurements and put me on the schedule. We are moving along in the process.

My card today is for a guy who loves cornhole. If you don't know it, it is a game using small bags filled with rice or sand and tossed from a distance to the opposite board in order to get the bag through the hole. It started as a backyard game and has evolved into tournaments on TV. These are actually stickers because that is the only thing I could find that depicted cornhole. I used brushes to add in sky and grass and added a sun. I think he'll like it even though it is so simple.

I'm on my third guardian angel. My first one quit and my second one is in therapy. 

Be kind to one another.

Elegant Writer

This month our Group of Seven Cardmakers are using an Elegant Writer pen on our cards. It gives amazing results and I want to try other colors than just black later on. Please check out all the cards the ladies made this month. I think you will enjoy them.

I used a Penny Black tree stamp for my first card and just outlined some of the wider parts of the stamp, then touched the places I outlined with a wet paintbrush. I should have outlined a few more places to get more color to spread. I added a small die cut bird in red cardstock.

The second card uses a Woodware stamp with a bit more outlining. Then I used the Elegant Writer to color in the stamp.  I did use a touch of red on the berries and lightly touched it with the wet paintbrush. My first Christmas card and I haven't put sentiments on the cards yet. 

I hope you'll join us and add your cards too.

The farmer lets walkers cross the field for free. The bull charges.

I am so sorry about not adding my cards to my post! With everything going on around here I just spaced it. I wanted to make sure I got the cards made and on the group of seven blog. I haven't spent much time online lately. Thanks for all who emailed and mentioned it to me. Love you all.

Be kind to one another.

Anything Goes

This is the title of  Darnell's Ideas motivational for the fourth week. I made this card 

 for a sweet friend by using pattern paper and a Kat Scrappiness cover plate. The greeting is Simon Says embossed in SU copper embossing powder. The flowers on the paper are copper, I don't know why they look so gold in the picture.

My housekeeping style can best be described by "there appears to have been a struggle in here".

Be kind to one another.

Quick update

Hi friends,

I just wanted to tell you what's been going on lately. It was a wonderful Easter with a huge surprise. I went to my son's house and after I got inside they said there was something they wanted to show me. We went to the back door and out popped out my grandson. He got leave to fly home for four days and it was so great to see him.

Things went downhill from then. First, I found out several of the Easter cards I sent didn't get there and that makes me sad.. Postage is going up again but they can't deliver a few letters! Then I have been researching how to cut the cable since they raised my monthly bill $38. However, life intervened and I haven't had to chance to do it but I did call and they lowered the monthly fee. That sounds so simple but I had to call so many times to get a real person to talk to to get that done. 

I'll recap quickly - I have had ants in the kitchen and had to go get spray. Toilet handle broke and had to go back to home improvement store and get a new one. Garbage disposal backed up and that was nasty. These are things I never wanted to know how to do. Spent several days cleaning up that mess. Yesterday after I ate lunch I went to rinse off my plate and heard dripping. Opened cabinet under sink and had three inches of standing water and a covering of black "stuff". I called a plumber immediately and he was here within an hour. Disposal was leaking and I don't know how long. He replaced it and called a mold remediator and he was here within thirty minutes! He took scrapings and will let me know if it's sludge or mold. Cabinet will be rebuilt either way and that will take several days. It caused me to miss my monthly zoom with dear friends.  He came back this morning to take air samples and the machine wouldn't work so he will be back this afternoon to try again. We did not sleep well last night because of storms and one of us is afraid of storms and has to be held.

I have made no cards and may not make one today. I have decided NOT to get out of bed tomorrow.

Sweet old lady? More like a battle tested warrior queen!

Be kind to one another.

Happy Easter

A beautiful day here before storms this evening. I hope you all have a great day celebrating with your family and friends.

Today's card again uses an older Stampin' Up wood mount set called Hey, Chick. I used the small egg stamp and a larger Poppy Stamps egg die.  For the sentiment I used a mom unknown stamp and a Lawn Fawn question mark die and speech bubble die.

With all this rain we need an ark. I Noah a guy.

Be kind to one another.

Cover Die Eclipse

This month our Group of Seven Cardmakers are making cards using cover dies over a stamped image. The look is great and so easy. I went to some older Stampin' Up red rubber stamps for my images. The first card uses SU Wonderful Romance colored with Copics. The cover die is from Gina Marie that comes with two cover dies but I only used one. I stamped the image on two panels and colored both, then cut one with the cover die and matched the design and glued together. The second card is a SU  stamp called Blessed Easter. I stamped it in black ink and cut with a cover die from Frantic Stamper, matched it up and glued over the first panel.  The sentiment is from Poppy Stamps. I will add a sentiment to the first card when I use it. 

Don't let other people rain on your day. It's your day, rain on it yourself.

 

Be kind to one another.