Classic Birthday

I'm back again today with another Birthday card. This one came to me in a vision.



I had bought the truck stamp for my favorite brother-in-law's birthday card and just haven't gotten aroung to making it (his birthday was in November, I'm just a little late!) Then the DH asked me to make a joint birthday card for a husband/wife couple he knows. That was a challenge; a birthday card that was masculine and yet ok for a girl...I guess ribbons were out and bling. Then, I got to thinking about this truck, it's an American Classic. So what if I add the sentiment "Hope you age as gracefully as an American Classic". I was so proud of myself. It wasn't mushy and yet I would be ok with receiving this card.

I took a deep breath and brought out my prismacolor pencils and put Paula's coaching in my mind. Then I started to color and blend. I think it came out pretty good but what do you think? Can you keep this a secret though, because now I have a card to duplicate for the dear brother-in-law. Actually, I think it would make an excellant birthday stash card. Woo Hoo.

The sentiment was computer generated and the star was made using a Paper Shapers punch. I again used my Neenah Columbia Crest Solar White cardstock and AC cardstock for the barn red. The DP was a scrap in my stash, so I'm sorry to say I'm at a loss for the manufacturer.

Well that's all for today.

Thnaks for stopping by and have a great week.

Cath

Bella Birthday

Hello Everyone! Hope you all had an awesome week. I am very thankful that today is Saturday and that I get to play. I started my day making this card for my 18 year old niece Katie.



We did this in my advanced coloring class last week but I was taken with Allboxedup Bella that I just had to buy her and try her again. I'll confess that this is my second time at coloring the image and I think it's much better than my first. You'll notice that one of the differences from the beginner images I showed you last week to the advanced Bella is that there is alot more shading. The colors are built with 3 - 4 different shades and then you top it all off with shades of grey. I love it! The images become so much more real. Then we top it off with some glitter and she just glimmers with happiness. I added a Bella birthday sentiment on a Nestabilities tag. Of course not much has changed in the way I ink - I use my Neenah Columbia Crest Solar White and Memento Tuxedo Black ink. Then you color using Prismacolor pencils, gamsol, and coloring stubs. Once you get the hang of the blending and how much pencil to use this is quite fun.

Since I've seen many posts using paper scraps (and since my stash is growing) I pulled out a random piece of blue that would compliment Bella's shirt. I then used a scrap of Bazzil brown cardstock and paired it with some yummy Wild Asparagus polka dot paper to compliment the circles on Bella's package. The sheer ribbon has been in my stash for years...I just knew it would come in handy some day.

That's it for today folks. I've got more to share and another day to create. Woo Hoo!

Stop by again soon.

Cath

A New Kitchen at last!

We finally have cabinets and painted walls so I thought I would share what's been keeping us busy since Thanksgiving.

Here's the new microwave placed over the stove so I can gain some counter space. You can also see that we are still lacking our granite counters. One more week though and then this can been finished up.



This is a better look of the upper cabinets on the right side of the room.



These are the cabinets on the left.



Here's a look at the back wall of cabinets that surround the refrigerator. It sits in the area that used to be the small bathroom.



and lastly look, we have a pantry that doesn't have a refrigerator in it. I love this. When Shaun put the shelves in I immediately filled it and just stood there admiring it. I love this!



Once I get the counters in I'll show you the completed project. Can't wait.

Have a great week!

Cathy

Color my world with pencils...

Hello everyone! I know it's been more than a while since you last saw anything new from me. But, I just couldn't wait to show you some cards and tags I made using the techniques I learned in Paula Tracy's Beginner and Advanced pencil classes yesterday. I have told a lot of you about Paula's (Paula Bella) work on my blog before. My son Justin gave me a super Christmas gift - the chance to take both of Paula's classes at Scrappin and Stampin in Livonia, MI. The trip was only about an hour and 20 minutes away. Blue skies and 38 degree weather made for a smooth sailing trip. I'm embarrassed to say that I didn't recognize Paula at first but her artwork gave her away. She's as fun and bubbly as she appears on her blog. The beginner class was a breeze but the advanced class was hard. I learned the most from this class though. Coloring and shading take many layers of color to achieve Paula's fabulous style. We were supposed to color 4 images in each class but we only finished three in the beginner and two in the advanced. That left us with homework.

The store had lots of Bella's on hand for us to purchase, especially the images from class. I couldn't resist the splurge and bought a few to try out at home. My first project was Pookie Lollipop.



She was fun. I really liked the glitter accents and the shading. Once you get the basics down you can build. Faces are always shades of Peach. Cheeks are always Carmine Red. Hair is Chocolate. Flowers are pink and Carmine Red and the flower pot is aptly Terra Cotta. Amazingly, some colors only need a small line of pencil that you pull out and across your image. I made this into a tag to top a baby girl present I have to send out. Here's a closeup so you can see the glitter accents.



I still used my Neenah Columbia Crest Solar White paper with my Memento Black Tuxedo ink. My new set of Prismacolor pencils were a necessity for the depth of color that Paula achieves. I have always used odorless mineral spirits I obtained using my company discount from LumberJack but I did purchase a small bottle of the real stuff called Gamsol. The most notable difference was the lack of odor even though the ACE brand says it's odorless. The DP is Small Wonder Girl by K&Company. The solid green paper that highlights my image is Martha Stewart and the pink is AC cardstock. The ribbon is from my Mary Maxim stash. I purchased a really great micro glue drop pen to attach the SU! Dazzling Diamonds glitter.

Here's the baby boy tag...



This uses the Birthday Boy, an image designed by Cristy Croll. I'll confess that this was much harder. Paula did not get to this image in class so we were left to do this on our own using the techniques she taught us in class. I'll tell ya that my hair is a little shaggy compared to hers so I'll have to practice some more but I'm sure that the recepient of thi tag won't notice at all. I loved the shades of green, blue and aqua. I paired this with green Martha Stewart paper, DP from Cosmo Cricket's Mr. Campy, and Bazzil cardstock. A doublesided satin ribbon finishes it off.

Here's a closeup for you...



Check back later for some pictures of our new kitchen.

Thanks for stopping by,

Cathy

Are we ready yet?

Are you busy running around buying last minute gifts, wrapping presents, making cookies or the last minute card? I know that this weekend has been time to pull a lot of things together for me or "out of the hat" so to speak. I've got MOST of the wrapping done - had to make sure I could get everything back to NY so the DH called a friend and we have borrowed a covered trailer so that I could be sure that my bows wouldn't crush and my paper wouldn't get soggy in the ski carrier. I didn't want to wait until Chirstmas Eve to wrap - that's when I start to relax and enjoy. So, I've had the Christmas cd's going and plenty of tape on hand to do my Martha thing.

I also fit some time in to stamp and thought I would share a few projects. I'm gonna be brief on the supplies so that I can do a few more things before we head to a Christmas party tonight. First up are some Christmas cards. I had to wait until they made their way to mailboxes but if they haven't, sit tight - I was a little late this year.



I loved my Papertrey Ink September release sets. This card was deisgned by one of the design team members. I found it as I cruised through their blogs looking for ideas on how to use the stamps. This tree is so pretty. It's from the Tree Trimming Trio set. I love the swirls and pointed boughs. The buttons were easy to place as the stamp has outlines to help guide you. The set had some pretty ornament stamps that could be used there as well. I chose to follow the sample and used dark buttons (most liekly rescued from an old shirt). The Noel sentiment is also in this set but the background is from Peaceful Poinsettia. I added a silk ribbon bow and antiqued the image using Tim Holtz distress inks. The music note paper was in the Fa La La pack by Making Memories (I think, I've lost the label) but I know I found it at Target last year.

Next up... Vervealisious



This card uses the Ornamental Christmas set from Verve. Tiffany got it for me last year for Christmas and I can't tell you I how much I've used this. It's making it's way onto my gift tags this year and the sentiments found their way onto a few cards throughout the year. It's that versitile and the ornaments are just so elegant. I choose to make this a little more rustic so I picked the solid bulb but paired it with the flair of the cursive sentiment. I then added a picture hanger at the top so I could loop some hemp and "hang" it from the boughs I made. Yes, this stamp is in the set as well. See, it's got lots of neat things for you. The little holly and berries used to adorn the ornament was made with a small punch I found at JoAnn's this year by EK Success. Of course, I had to drive to Detroit to find it because my small store just doesn't have much stock but I did get it on sale and used it on a few things this season. The design paper is Christmas Cheer by K&Company and again, I bought it last year. Do you see the pattern here...I buy (ok, hoard) and then I get around to using. The ribbon was bought with Chirstmas cards in mind. It's just more of the bargains I found at Mary Maxim's this summer. I passed it by at first because it was so dark and then a light bulb clicked off that it would be the perfect color to pair with Christmas red. I scurried - yes I was a bit frantic that it would be gone, and was relieved to find it in their tent sale. See, it just takes me time to find the usefulness of my supplies.

I again softened the edges with Tim Holtz distress ink, this time I went a little darker with Vintage Photo so that it gave the apperance of being in the woods.

Next up...

They're here. Yes, the cabinets have finally arrived. They were a few days late as the manufacturer had to close the plant due to an ice storm but they got in late Thursday night. The staff at good 'ol LumberJack stayed late to pull them off one truck and load them onto one of ours so they could be delivered early Friday morning. I had hoped that some of them would have been installed but no - they apparantly need to acclimate to the termperature of the house before they can be hung or they are likely to crack. Soooo, on Monday the hanging begins. Our kitchen and living room are filled with the unboxed cabinets and I was thrilled to see the color and design. I am VERY pleased. Last minute Shaun and I switched to a Burgandy Cherry and we are so happy we did. They look great check them out...



This is a view of the cabinet that will go over the refrigerator. It's 24 inches deep and it looks like it will hold a ton. I now need a step stool so that I can reach in the way back without the DH's assistance. You also get a view of one of the open shelves that will sit on either side over the sink.



This is a view of one of the smaller cabinets that will sit on either side of the microwave over the stove. At first we were going to have open wine racks/shelves and last minute we switched to enclosed cabinets so that I could fit more in and have less visible clutter. You also get a view of the wall color - a soft earthy mutted yellow. For those of you who know us, it's the same color as our NY kitchen. Also in this view is the tile. What an improvement over the stuff we had before. You'll notice that the base moulding is not up yet in this location as they are waiting for the cabinet to be mounted next to the refridgerator. Here's a look at that...



It's massive. I couldn't even fit it all into the picture. Wouldn't you know that I painted most of the back wall thinking that I didn't know how high the cabinets would go and this is almost 3 inches shy of the ceiling. That means once the crown is installed it will be just skimming the top. Oh well - better safe than sorry. You can see in the background that I skimped on the corner wall because I didn't want to waste time and paint where a cabinet was going to be. I also thought it might be fun for the next person that redoes the kitchen to see a little of the history of it's changes throughout time.

Ok - gotta go finish some wrapping.

Have a great week as we enter the Christmas season. We'll be heading to NY on Wednesday so I don't know if I'll have time to get back to you before then. Thank you for your support and kind words as I journey through the world of paper arts. While I wish I could create side by side with all of you, it's been fun to share my creations and inspirations via the net.

I wish you Peace and Happiness for the coming year.

Love, Cath

A Cheery Greeting

Hello Everyone!

Hope you are having fun preparing for the holidays. I have visions of Christmas cookies baking, cards being mailed, and presents being wrapped. I'll have to settle for the presents bought and the kitchen being primed and painted. Our new cabinets will be delivered next week and I can't tell you how exicted we are and ready. Living out of boxes and seeing white dust everyday is getting a little old. On a good note, the bathroom demolition was a great improvement along with the tile floor and new casings for all the windows and doors. Pulling the refridgerator out of the closet and finally exposing a pantry is pure bliss. Our goal is to finish painting that this weekend so we can start to put our food in there and off the hallway floor. Keep your fingers crossed that I have the energy to complete this.

Knowing that I had lots to do in the kitchen today, I was up early again so that I could create. Early was 3am because I couldn't sleep. The creating consisted of a new card that I cased from Amy Sheffer. I bought the Cosmo Cricket Early Bird 6x6 DP when I visited my sissy this summer and I haven't really used it. Amy created this card using the papers and I just had to give it a try. Her ability to combine colors amazes me. I would not have come up with this combo on my own and yet I love it!



I added a heat embossed birthday sentiment and some Martha Stewart punched butterflies. A few stray buttons (I'm learning to recycle these off shirts that won't cut it for the Salvation Army) and a ribbon bow make this a done deal.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend and thanks for looking.

Cath

A Christening

Yes, I'm alive. Thanksgiving preparations, kitchen renovations, and Christmas shopping have left me with very little creative time. I made sure to get up early this weekend since we were staying in town so that I could relax in my craft haven. Shaun doesn't understand why I would get up at 6am on the weekend, but with so much to do, I wanted to make sure I found some time for me. I had two projects this weekend. First up is a Christening card for my newest nephew, John Patrick (Jack). The whole family headed to DC for the special event but the DH and I just couldn't swing another trip. After hearing about all the snow they got - way before we did I might add - I'm not so distraught. That would have been a treacherous trip through the PA mountains. Can't believe they actually got snow before we did!

Ok, on to the card.



I know this looks a little grown up for a baby but I loved the navy and copper color combo and decided to make a go of it. The DP is from SEI's Moravia pack. It was a steal a few weeks back on Michael's clearance rack. I love the rich colors and mix and match patterns. I thought a Nestabilites Label 4 frame for the cross image would lighten the mood up. The Celtic Cross stamp is from Inkadinkadoo and was stamped with Encore Ultimate Metallic ink in Bronze. It shimers so much in real life but I don't think you can see it in the picture. If you click on the picture, you can blow the image up and see it a little better. You can even see that I cut a second image out and popped it up with dimensionals to give it a little more depth. The sentiment was created on my computer using the LD Adornment font and it was cut out with the SU Word punch.

Note: The font was a freebie I got on scrapnfonts. If you haven't been there yet you should check it out because they always have fonts in the freebie basket. I just went there to confirm the site address for you and they in fact have five fonts that I haven't got yet, Whoo Hoo! This site used to have lots of fonts for the Creative Keepsakes publication and they start with CK. I've used quite a few of those on my work as well.

Tags to treasure...


My second project is an adorable snowman that I colored using my Copics. I then added some Polar White Flower Soft for the snow and Ultra Fine Glitter Snow on the snowflakes. Again, the picture does not do this justice. I think my light might be part of the problem. Too many chores during daylight hours meant that the picture clarity was sacrificed. Sorry guys. This stamp is by Art Impressions and I used scraps from Linda and John's print sample paper to make these. It makes a difference on the way the Copics are absorbed but I reasoned that it was a tag and would be hardly noticed. While I would be hard pressed to throw this out, I know that only so many things in life can be saved.

That's all I have for today folks. The DH is putsing around in the kitchen which means that he wants dinner so I had better get moving before more than his stomache is growling.

Thanks for stopping by and have a good week.