Mr. Walrus Says Happy Birthday

Hi all - today I'm sharing a birthday card headed to a former coworker &, for a while, my boss! We have kept in touch for years, even after he moved to a new office & later retired.

Supplies: Paper - Park Lane A7 card; Neenah Solar White;

My Favorite Things Sand, Surf & Sky; scraps

Dies - Spellbinders Shipmates (DOM-Jun25);

Poppystamps Happy Birthday Streamer Script

Stitching Dies - Spellbinders Ahoy Matey (DOMST-Jun25)

Stamps - Hero Arts Kiss for the Sun (retired)

Other - foam tape; white gel pen; Copic Markers

We all know I'm not that timely when getting to new stuff. However, when I saw the Spellbinders June Small Die of the Month, I knew I wanted to make Steve's birthday card with the walrus. I die cut the pieces and assembled, adding googly eyes. I had a navy/white sentiment in the bits box & decided these elements needed the space of an A7 card. 

Added a background of patterned paper, matted with white. I fussy cut along lines in the wave paper to make two pieces with a spot to tuck in Mr. Walrus. Seemed like something was missing so I die cut an anchor from another June set, tied some heavy string on it, & added it. I was off to photograph when I noticed a smudge upper right - ugh! Tried to erase, no luck - so I stamped, colored and fussy cut a sun to pop onto the scene. 

I really like how this turned out & I know Steve will enjoy it as he always loves my cards. He's the guy with a talented chef wife who loads him with food but he never gains an ounce!! Hard to hate him when he's soooo nice! I'll add my card to Darnell's July NBUS #76 since my June small die set is getting first play here.

Thanks for stopping and have a wonderful weekend (holiday for the USA)! I'll be busy with family but will catch up with you later. Happy crafting!!

Last Day to Shake it Up with Die Cut Divas

Hi everyone - my goodness, February is passing so quickly!! At Die Cut Divas today the end of month team is providing inspiration on the last day of our February Shaker Challenge. Card one below is my part of that inspiration post; details & a bonus card follow only here.

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Solar White;

Park Lane A2 card; Recollections yellow;

Lawn Fawn Watercolor Wishes Petite

Stamps - Hero Arts Togetherness Flower Bouquet

Dies - Hero Arts Secret Garden Fancy Die

Other - Recollections Gemstone shaker mix;

Kat Scrappiness A2 Full Front Shaker Card Pockets

Our fabulous sponsor is Hero Arts, an inspiration to the crafting community! They've donated a $25 credit to their online store for our randomly drawn challenge winner - thanks Hero Arts!!

I die cut the cover plate, including the free standing flowers in the center. Took an A2 purple panel from LF's Watercolor Wishes and formed the shaker pouch with a mix from Michael's. Adhered the cover plate and the other flowers over top, then glued to an A2 card. Stamped and fussy cut a sentiment then added to the card with foam tape. Glued some of the shaker mix gemstones to the flower centers for some extra interest - done!

Ready for a bonus? This time I've watercolored a gorgeous cover plate & made a shaker!

Supplies: Paper - TH Distress Watercolor; Neenah Solar White; 

Park Lane A2 card; Poptone Blue Raspberry; 

Lawn Fawn Rainbow Ever After Petite

Stamps w/Dies - Hero Arts Message Strips Stamp & Cut XL

Dies - Hero Arts Birds and Flowers Cover Plate &

Wood Frames Infinity Dies

Other - Hero Arts Liquid Watercolors & reinkers;

Distress reinkers; Recollections shaker mix;

Kat Scrappiness A2 Full Front Shaker Card Pockets;

Hero Arts White Iridescent Shimmer Mist

The process was same as for card one, except on the bonus I used watercolor paper & painted the scene with various liquids. Once dry I gave it a liberal overall spritz with shimmer mist - so pretty in real life!!

I'll add card one to Darnell's February NBUS Challenge #71 since the flower cover plate is getting first play here. I'll add the bonus card to the February Stay Crafty with a Blog Named Hero Challenge where they're doing floral projects.

Thanks for visiting and we hope to see you in the February Diva gallery by 9pm Pacific time today!!

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Happy Valentine's Day wishes to all my blogging friends!! Here's a virtual card to you all:

Supplies: Paper - Spellbinders A2 card; BoBunny Dotted;

My Favorite Things Colorful Canvas; Neenah Solar White

Stamps with Dies - Hero Arts Jan 2024 My Monthly Hero kit &

Smile Friend

Dies - A Jillian Vance Design Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set

Other - Altenew Tea Party enamel dots

And here are the handmade cards I've received to date for my birthday - thanks everyone!! Special thanks to Rosemary who stitched the sweet pillow and to Gundi for the bookmark and stamp-offs. And yes, Gundi - I waited until today to open your card! :)

Had lunch with friends yesterday & I'm off to have lunch with more friends today, plus 3 more lunch dates planned. This bday celebration continues on & on - I love it!! Thanks again if you sent a card & if I didn't receive it yet, I'll enjoy it when it arrives!

Hope you have a wonderful Valentine's Day and Ash Wednesday! If you've made a non-traditional Valentine which includes use of a die cut or embossing folder, be sure to link up to the February Die Cut Diva Challenge with wonderful sponsor Hero Arts!!

Thanks for stopping!!

Happy Birthday Dad with a Fun Tool Caddy Card!

Hey friends - we celebrated my dad's birthday this weekend - 92 years young! Here's the card I made him featuring new goodies from My Favorite Things:

Supplies: Paper - various scraps;

Tim Holtz Metallic Kraft Stock; Paper Studio Wood Cardstock

Dies - My Favorite Things Cool Caddy, 

In the Toolbox Set 1 and Set 2

Tim Holtz Sizzix Sidekick Starter Kit (numbers)

Stamps - My Favorite Things Tool Talk

Other - Michael's Recollection bday sticker

Isn't this just the cutest little box card? The tools look so realistic! I added the age #s to the paint brush and used a strip sentiment from the coordinating Tool Talk stamp set. A pre-fab dimensional sticker finished the sentiment. I put a rectangle on the caddy's back with the bday message. I cut two of the handle for strength - just glued the center as you can see from the top view.

Here are a couple more views (folded flat & from top):

Here's a photo of Dad & me with him holding his card:

My sister-in-law made the cake - it's called Wacky Cake & tastes delicious!! Donna doesn't frost it because my Dad loves to plop Cool Whip on top. We had a game of Phase 10 which Donna won this time, although Dad was a close second. My brother and I trailed by a lot, oh well. 

I'll add this card to Darnell's October NBUS Challenge since all my tool caddy stuff was used for the first time here. I bought the entire bundle so there are dies to do a craft caddy too - so fun!!

Thanks for visiting and have a crafty day!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hey everyone - it's that special day for romance, candy & flowers. Yes, Valentine's Day! It's also my birthday & that of my friend, Lynn. I made her this card to celebrate: 

Supplies: Paper - Park Lane A2 card; Neenah white;

Tim Holtz Kraft Stock Metallic Classics gold cardstock; 

Lawn Fawn Watercolor Wishes Petite

Dies - Hero Arts Heart Flourish Cover Plate &

Nesting Hearts Infinity Dies

Stamps - Hero Arts All Occasion Messages (retired)

Other - Hero Arts Hugs and Kisses Hero Transfers

Process: Die cut background from gold cardstock. Trim & mat onto A2 card. Die cut 3 hearts (5th one in the Infinity set) - one in lilac, two in heavy white cardstock. Trim the rub-on to leave off "day" and one heart; apply to lilac heart. Stamp Birthday below the rub-on and apply the trimmed off heart, plus one more (it has an outline square on the sheet but I trimmed that off too).  Adhere to gold heart.

Had to laugh, the rub-ons work so well, I dropped the little trimmed heart onto the diecut heart and it stuck at a wonky angle! Oh well...there it stayed! A tip from years ago: Use the backing paper from the rub-on to help "set" it. Place it over the rub-on you've applied, slippery side down and gently rub over it. Stack the lilac heart onto the white ones for dimension and add to the heart on the cover plate - done! 

Very quick and easy, yet so elegant! We're doing GOLD for our February challenge over at Die Cut Divas (hope to see you there!!) so Lynn had to get something with gold on it - LOL. I'm adding this to Darnell's February NBUS Challenge since my cover plate got first use here. If you're just here for the card, you can skip the rest of this photo-heavy post with birthday stuff.

Our friend Linda (birthday on the 7th), Lynn & I enjoyed a fun lunch at a Red Lobster restaurant on the 10th. Here we are sipping our celebration margaritas:

The sweet server (she took our photo) also has a February bday! She treated us to a jumbo sundae in a margarita glass:

I received many birthday cards, including from card-making friends around the world; here's a quick photo as of the 13th's mail delivery:

Special thanks to Cindy and to Gundi for some extras in the package - oh my, what bounty - thank you!

Thanks everyone for making my birthday special; I loved all the cards and goodies!! If you stop back for my Diva post on the 21st you can see what I gave Linda and Lynn. 😍 I'm off to enjoy lunch with my friend Connie later today and will probably find more cards in the mailbox!

Happy Valentine's Day & Happy Crafting!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hi everyone - hope you're having a wonderful Valentine's Day!  I enjoyed my day soooo much, starting at 6am with a call from dear friend Heather; she called from Ireland to wish me a Happy Birthday - how cool is that?!  I also received several other special birthday phone calls - dear friend Ferne called from California, sister Tami called to sing, Aunt Carol called to sing, Mom & Dad called and sang a duet.  Heather wouldn't sing but we nattered (her cute word) for about an hour before I had to race off to do Singing Valentines. 

The past few years I've been out of town on my birthday so I've missed doing the Valentines.  I have so many great memories of amazing experiences we've had over the years.  My chorus, City of Lakes Chorus, does these as a fund-raiser.  Quartets, either organized (like I've been in over the years, including Chord Company with whom I sang for 16 years) or pick-up (listened to by the chorus's Music Team to find a good blend of voices), go out into the community to sing for the gifter's loved one.  We bring a card and a box of chocolates and sing two songs:  "Somebody Loves You" and "Cuddle Up a Little Closer".  Today I had a pick-up group with my former tenor from Chord Company, Elaine, and two ladies from chorus who've sung together in a quartet, Ellen (on lead) and Mary (on bass).  I sang baritone, as usual.  We also send Valentines by email or telephone but it just isn't as much fun as the in-person visit.

We did two Valentines in Minneapolis - one at a paint company and one at a nursing home - and one in St Paul at a school.  Then, since we were out and about anyway, we swung over to Mary's mom's assisted living home and sang for Betty and some of the other residents.  Hey - found a birthday twin, one of the students at the school (we were singing for one of the teacher's aides).  We sang Happy Birthday to her and she enjoyed it so much!  It's always such fun to see the smiles and sometimes tears of the recipients.  Betty used to sing in Sweet Adelines but can't anymore - the look on her face as she heard our harmony was just precious.  Here's our foursome at the school - the staff had made this little photo booth with balloons and things for the students - well, we borrowed it for this quick snapshot :)

L to R: me, Ellen, Mary, Elaine

Can you see Ellen's shoes?  They have hearts all over them!!  Plus she had glittery jumbo heart earrings too - very glam! As the Valentine Birthday Girl, I think I need both of those fashion accessories!  Speaking of birthdays, my friend Lynn has her birthday today too.  She tries not to rub it in that she's a year younger than I.  Well, here's the Valentine Birthday card I sent her.



It features a Decorate It! set LP269 by Hero Arts that I found at Target last year (with the little heart cards and the Valentine sentiment, among other stamps and a couple inks).  I stamped the heart with the Hero Arts cling Canvas Background using Sugar Distress Ink for a soft texture.  I stamped XOXO on the inside then punched a hole and tied it shut with some May Arts ribbon.  The birthday sentiment is from a new Hero Arts clear set Messages with Flourish.  I white embossed it and added a few dots with a white gel pen.

Hope you had a wonderful Valentine's Day!  Thanks for stopping!!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!  Just love this holiday, don't you?  What's not to love - beautiful cards and flowers and yummy chocolates.  Bonus for me - it's my birthday, so have always have had a special day even when there's no boyfriend - LOL.

I'm enjoying a lovely day - can't help it when I'm with family and away from snow!!  Dad made pancakes for breakfast, Mom took us out for lunch at Red Robin (love their burgers), visited my sister Tami and her hubby this afternoon, then we had a heart shaped pizza for dinner.  Here I am with my birthday pizza:

Mom also made smoothies with a bag of frozen fruit pureed with a cup of white wine.  They were a bit thick so we added some 7-Up.  Delish!  Then the neighbor stopped by with some chocolate covered strawberries she made.   Yummy!

 

Now for a card - I didn't bring any Valentine stamping supplies with me but found some Hero Arts clear sets which fit the bill.  CL351 Friends has a little heart flower and I cut the love out of a Christmas sentiment from CL543 Very Merry Christmas!  Voila!  Dad hates to buy the store cards (too expensive) so this is the card he gave my mom.  Inside it says "You Mean the World to Me".  Guess that was enough since all he did was sign it - men!

Mom decided she wasn't giving Valentine cards this year but I did get a lovely birthday card.  Also received a fabulous package from my friend Heather Maria - just have to share this:

I was so excited to get one of Heather's Hero Hostess Blog Hop cards - so gorgeous in real life, you have no idea - all that stitching, amazing!!  Lots of fun gems, ribbon and stamped images, including some hearts and musical notes.  Love the stamps and embossing folder too - I already stamped out and colored one of the village scenes.  Unfortunately, it doesn't look as great as the label in the photo above - oh well...  I used watercolor pencils and I have a limited number here.  Maybe with Copics at home I'll get a better result and share it sometime.  Thanks again for making my day, Heather!

Sister Kari made me a pretty white and silver bracelet; she and Tami must've had a jewelry making day when she was here in January.  Thanks Kari!  I wore it to the neighborhood dinner the other night:

They had a Valentine theme, including a Barbershop Quartet "Time Was", to sing for us.  Appropriate for me, eh?  Hope you all had a wonderful Valentine's Day!  Thanks for stopping!!

Happy Valentine's Day! They say it's my birthday...

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!  Yes, my favorite holiday of the year since it's my birthday!  Also that of birthday twins, Brenda U - a Hero Arts Flickr group friend - and Lynn, a friend for many years and a sister Drum Corp alumnae.  I had a lovely birthday starting with my Dad making me pancakes for breakfast.  Then we all exchanged Valentine cards and chocolates (then we ate a few chocolates as our breakfast dessert - ha, ha). 

I made this Valentine for my parents:

The little woman and man are from a wooden Hero Arts set called Three People (the third stamp is a girl). So cute! I have them holding hands like my parents still do.

And here are the birthday cards for my birthday twins. First, for Brenda:

I used three of the heart images from the Four Hearts set by Hero Arts with some patterned paper from Basic Grey's Kissing Booth 6x6 pad.

And here's Lynn's card:

I just love this Newspaper Cupcake by Hero Arts!  I topped it with a conversation heart from their fun clear Sweet Hearts set with bunches of conversation hearts.

My sister Tami and her hubby Dave joined us for my birthday dinner.  Here I am with my heart-shaped pizza:

I'm wearing thermal gloves as it just came from the oven!  It looked a whole lot more like a heart prior to baking - LOL.  Pizza came from Papa Murphy's and tasted delicious!!

You can't have a birthday at our house without cake.  Here I am with my cake:

Yummy cake from Sam's Club, though even the frosting lovers agreed it was a bit too much frosting!

Hope you had a wonderful Valentine's Day and didn't eat too many sweets (like me!).

Inspiration and a Birthday

Hi all - the Hero Arts Blog announced a great Friday inspiration yesterday and I had a chance to play with it last night and this morning.  Here's the card:

Just love the Hero Arts Large Canvas Stripes and the Lace Background stamps and the sentiment is from Find Joy, a clear set with a wonderful assortment of phrases.  Added some punched circles of various scraps and a few flowers and punched butterfly - done!  Hope you like it!

Here's a photo of my dear brother and me taken at his birthday party on Thursday.  His actual birthday is today - Happy Birthday, Junior!!  His wife had the party at Claddagh, an Irish pub in town.  On Thursdays they have a trivia contest but we could only stay for half of it.  We did win the best team name of the night - a long one but so fitting for the birthday boy's team - "I see the hill and I'm going over it".  The in-laws thought of that one - he, he.

We're both sitting but I'm behind & leaning in so look lots shorter - really it's only a few inches...My poor brother, growing up with three sisters - hope we didn't torture him too much!