Couple of Cards from Last Year Used This Year

Just had to send off a couple of cards to friends for a variety of reasons including illness of and chemo treatments for husbands and the death of a cousin and last link to our hometown in Newark, Ohio. Very sad occasions but glad that I had cards set aside for such occasions. As usual, I forgot to take a photo of the card with a ladybug stamped and painted red with a marker.  I used Inkssentials Glossy Accents to make the ladybug's clear, glossy hard shell.  Nice trick!

One of the other cards used vellum that had been embossed with a Stampin' Up

embossing folder with a tulip pattern. I had made an extra at a Stamp Camp

last year and came home to make my own card using the "found" piece.

Here's the card--

A close up of the corner shows the tulips embossed as a frame on the vellum,

oral print beneath, and the textured paper with Martha Stewart border punch

(used just once in center of the top and bottom of the green placard)

and embossed double layer butterfly with pearl accent.

Inking the sentiment with markers allows you to choose a different color for the dot over the "i" and stamp only once for perfect alignment without using a Stamp a Ma Jig alignment tool.

The other card is a pansy card I made with a petal punch borrowed from a friend. I made a lot of variations with this punch including dogwood and cherry blossoms.

The pansy center has some yellow flock on it and an orange pearl.  The background papers are green and white polka dots and lilac and white plaid.  The Stampin' Up punch and stamp set allowed me to stamp some pansy faces on the petals and frills on the petal edges and vein detail in the leaves. Thanks, Bonnie for loaning me the sets.

Mother's Day Cards

From an idea on  Pinterest

Made these Mother's Day cards--

Kaleidoscope Photos

Sara's Firecracker Rose

Just learned to do this technique with photos.  I heard about it through a local arts center, Marlborough Arts Center  At a recent photography exhibit, I found the works of a favorite local photographer, Stan Malcolm.  On a web site he records daily activity along the Airline Trail, a walking and bike path that passes through town.  It was a former railroad bed of a line between New York and Boston.  Now it is a greenway and a state linear park.  I have seen Stan's nature  photography but was surprised to see his kaleidoscopes.

Stan's web site gives directions for the kaleidoscope technique using Jim Bumgardner's "Make your own Kaleidoscope" software available free online at http://www.krazydad.com/kaleido/. Stan also offered a workshop on how to turn your own photo into a kaleidoscope.  Amazing images possible!

Mountain Laurel

Luggage Grips and ID Tags at Anything Goes

Just dropped off some new luggage grips and ID tag sets made with Amy Butler fabrics at Anything Goes in the East Hampton village center.

The set of tags includes a reversible luggage grip with Velcro closure to wrap around handles of luggage, portfolios, briefcases--or even baby strollers--for easy identification when traveling.  The identification tag is made from coordinating Amy butler designer fabrics (Honeycomb and Sunspots)  with a grograin ribbon tie and a clear plastic pocket for an identification label or business card.  The luggage grip in this set is wrapped around the handle of the display basket and the ID tag is securely tied on the handle to show how the set works.

The display includes a variety of colors and patterns:

Blue Buttercups and Laurel Dots

Lacework and Happy Dots

Martini and Happy Stripe

And I did a custom set of Paris-themed luggage tags and grips from vintage fabric.  I had leftover fabric from making several sets for a friend who took her granddaughters to Paris in April.

Ooh La La!

Uplifting Card Design

Tried a new card design recently that combines a couple ideas from some Pinterest cards I pinned on my papercrafting board.

Here are the supplies I used to make them.

Bright cards and envelopes from K & Company, Designer Papers from Amy Butler and K & Company, and Berry Sweet papers from K & Company

Punches: Corner rounder from X-Acto, Balloons from Martha Stewart, and real estate sign from EK

Stamps from ditto, StazOn black ink pad, and twine from The Twinery

Tote Bags Make a Comeback

I've been using leftovers from the yoga bags yardage to make some tote bags.  I sold one recently at Anything Goes and that inspired me to make a couple more.  They are reversible and some have pockets and D-ring flaps.  A stiff interfacing on the bottom keeps it upright when in use but no interfacing in the body allows it to be folded when not in use.

I  used this combination for a tote I donated to the Kentucky Derby Auction this coming weekend.  It is a fundraiser for the community where I reside.  I hope someone enjoys the colors.

Peas in a Pod Yoga Bag

By request, I've been making larger yoga bags for thicker yoga mats from masculine fabrics. This larger yoga bag returns to lighter, brighter colors. I nicknamed it the Peas in a Pod Bag. A look inside will show you why.

The olive green Sunspots pattern by Amy Butler looks like

peas in the pod or quiver portion of the yoga bag.

The outside of the quiver uses Amy Bulter decorator fabric in an enlarged version of Garden Maze with some Sunspots or "peas" in olive green.  Look familiar to anyone?

My new labels--and price for the larger bag--give the embellished bags more presence in a display.  This one went to Woodbridge Body Works to display new summer colors.