Cell Phone Stands

Good afternoon.  A couple of weeks ago I was on the Deco Art Facebook page and an artist had made some beautiful cell phone stands.  So, I inquired where to get the blanks, and ordered a few to make for my girls for Christmas.  I will put the link here, but they are now more than double what I paid for mine...just so you know.  Creative Arts Lifestyle 

 

So, they came, and I got out the acrylic paints, some stamps, and some ink.  I painted mine so they are double sided...gives you two surfaces you can interchange. 

My granddaughter likes camo and cats, so that was easy.  I chose 3 pinks, a gray, and some silver foil and made some camo.  I stamped her name using a Stampin' Up alphabet and Gina K Amalgam ink. I love this ink and used it on all the images.  When dry, it doesn't smear or bleed, so it's great for coloring with alcohol ink markers or watercoloring.  It's my new go-to ink.

For the other side, I painted bright colors and stamped one of the Tim Holtz Crazy Cats along with the fish bones, milk and ball of yarn.  I used a stamp positioner to stamp the images, then I painted them with acrylic ink, then stamped them again to make them pop.  

The white part can be removed and the back turned around, which is why I left it white.

For the next holder, I used a Stampin' Up mermaid stamp and free-handed the fish and kelp.  Again, I used a stamp positioner to stamp the mermaid, painted her with acrylic paint, then stamped her again, for a crisp image.

There is glitter on the mermaid tail, and glitter on the bubbles.

The other side of the holder I painted white, then stamped the flowers (Gina K, I think), dragonfly (Stampin' Up), and leaves (Ranger Dylusions).

I painted the images with acrylic paint and then stamped again when it was dry. I put glitter on the dragonfly for some sparkle.

I'm not a great artist, but I am happy with the way they turned out.  I have a couple more to make and will share them at a later date.

Hope you are staying cool.  It's still hot as blazes here.  I am waiting for late October for some relief from the heat.

Happy stamping...

Using Household Products to Make Cards - Part 2

Good Friday morning!  Happy to see you here.

I've been playing some more with other household products to make cards.   Here are some of the results.

The above card was made by pouncing cut up rubber bands into dye ink then pouncing on cardstock. 

This is a picture of the rubber bands that I cut up to do the previous card.  I secured a handful of the rubber bands with a rubber band to form a little handle.  I cut the other end off to make the pouncy things.  It was easier to just take a photo than try to describe it.  :-)

The next two cards use household bleach in two different ways.

For this card, I stamped the background onto white cardstock with a large background stamp in purple ink.  Then I sponged the same color ink on the background to cover the white. I stamped the flower image with Versamark ink and heat embossed it with black embossing powder.  Then I brought out the household bleach.  I bleached the flower and leaves.  I wanted a little contrasting color, so I colored the leaves back in with an alcohol marker. I like how it didn't totally remove the background stamping.  I think it gives the flower some texture.

This one was stamped on yellow cardstock and heat embossed with black embossing powder.  I used the household bleach to remove the color from the yellow cardstock flower.  I used alcohol markers to add a little bit of color back to the flower and to the leaves. 

So, these are a few more ways you can use household products in your stamping. 

My daughter sells Thirty-One, so we are going to a Christmas in July event tomorrow in Riverview Park (outside).  It's brutally hot here, so I hope we don't melt.  If you are local, stop by and say hello.

Hope you have a great weekend.

Inky hugs,

Using Household Products To Make Cards

Good afternoon.  Spent last week visiting my sister in Georgia, and had a great time. I took my youngest granddaughter, Emilie, and we had a blast.  Her first time in the mountains.

I belong to an online group of international ladies, and every couple of months they have a challenge where we do different things.  A couple of months ago it was faux postage.  The challenge this time around is to use something on your card, either to make it or to embellish it, that's not normally found in the craft room.

So far I have come up with three cards. 

Table Salt

This card was watercolored with pink, green and blue, and while still wet I added table salt. The salt wicks the color, and when it dries you have these lovely patterns of texture. The salt easily brushes off.

Coffee

For this card I saved leftover coffee every day for about a week.  You don't need much each day.  I put it in a little plastic pallette and let the water evaporate.  Then I would add more the next day and let it evaporate.  When the water evaporates, you are left with a rich brown color.  When you are ready to color your image, just add a little water back to the well and paint away.  By varying the amount of water you use, you can get some really pretty tones.  Let each layer dry and add more color to intensify the colors.  I stamped the image in the lightest brown I had, and the lids and sentiment were stamped with a dark brown.  Other than that, the card was watercolored with coffee.

Dish detergent and food coloring

For this card, I mixed food coloring and water (you could also use dye reinkers) in a small cotainer that would allow me to dip the cardstock.  Then I added a little dishwashing soap and blew bubbles with a straw.  I took the cardstock and laid it on top of the bubbles (it's heavier and wants to sink, so hold on to it - you don't want the cardstock soaked, just laid on the popped bubbles). When the bubbles pop you are left with a nice background.  You have to do each color separately, but it's well worth it.  Vary the amount of food coloring you use to vary the intensity.

I have other ideas, but haven't had time to work on them yet.

Please leave a comment and tell me what is the most unusual thing you have used to make a card?  

See you soon.

Hero Arts Seas The Day

Good afternoon.  Hot and sunny here.  Summer has definitely arrived.

My friend was supposed to order the Hero Arts My Monthly Hero kit for me, but due to some miscommunication, I don't have it. And probably won't be able to get it.  Meanwhile, I liked the add on stamp set Seas The Day, so I ordered it.  Needless to say, it came Saturday and I had to make a few cards.  It's a bummer that I didn't get the full kit, though.  I really liked it.

Anyway, no use crying over spilled milk. 

Here is the first card I made:

These little seagulls are so delightful.  The first card up is a shaker card.  I added some die cut coral/seagrass. The background water/sky is sponged.  I colored the fish and the seagull with alcohol markers. I really liked the way it turned out.

Next up, 

I colored this card with colored pencils.  I cut an anchor with the Scan N Cut and you can't see it here, but I added Smooch inks gold.

This set was so much fun to play with.  I look forward to making a lot more cards.  :-)

#HeroArts 
#SeasTheDay

Keep crafting!

Wedding and Retirement Cards

Wow!  It's been awhile since I got to post here.  I've been extremely busy, but having fun along the way.  Hubby got bit by a spider, and since we do not have any health insurance (unaffordable), I was forced to become a doctor/surgeon.  I was really worried about his toe, but it's on the mend and almost all better now.  It has been a long time since I was Dr. Mom, but I still have it.  :-)

I was recently asked to make a retirement card and a wedding card.  Now, I don't make a lot of these type cards, so I was kind of at a loss.  The wedding card was to be whimsical, so that took a little bit of the pressure off.  I'll share what I came up with.

I recently got this House Mouse stamp, and by adding a hat to the mouse on the right, I was able to turn it into a groom helping his bride to get ready for their wedding.  I think I might need to add a veil or something to the bride.  I'll figure it out.  There is glitter around the edge of the card.

Then I remembered I had the HalfPint Hero and Heroine stamps sets (Gina K. Design), and decided I could put the bride and groom in a car.  Perhaps honeymoon bound?  I wanted it to be bright and cheery.  I think I achieved that.

On to the retirement card.  I love this Stampin' Up set called Sitting Here.  It's available here. What better way to start retirement than to be able to relax on the swing with nothing to do?  That would surely be heaven to me.

I made a few more cards that would be appropriate for retirement, so my friend will have to choose.

Happy to share my creations.  Till next time....

Do something crafty.

Kindness and Challenges

Good afternoon!

I recently entered a couple of challenges.  The first was to use only kraft, black and white colors, and the other was to make a card having to do with kindness.  I am about to share my cards.  :-)

First up we have Kindness cards:

I love the bright colors.  The letters are die cut and glitter applied.  The colorful background peeking out from behind the die cut front was made with Distress Oxide Inks.

I used an embossing folder and smooshed blue/gray ink on the debossed part. Then I applied Versamark to the raised parts and heat embossed with white ink.  I stamped the sentiment and die cut it then used die cut blue birds for a pop of color.

I love this die cut front, can you tell? I think it's a Tim Holtz die by Sizzix. There are 4 dies that cut out parts of the page. This is my favorite.  This card I entered in both challenges.  

Another card that fit both challenges.  The flower and sentiment are from the Daisy Delight Stampin' Up stamp set.  The patterned paper is Gina K. Designs.

Another card in kraft, black and white. The stamp set is a retired Stampin' Up set, but one of my favorites..

And my final card done in kraft, black and white.  I used the Nuvo Crystal Dew drops to make little "water droplets" on the card front.

Hope you have enjoyed my cards.

Christmas cards

Wow, I didn't realize it had been so long since I posted.  But I've been a busy bee.  I made 150 cards, which I sent to Ronald McDonald House, and then there was Christmas and all the shopping and family time.  And at work I had year end and getting things ready for the accountant.  But I'm back now and hope to post a little more often.

I did want to share with you my Christmas card this year.  If you remember, last year I made a card featuring 3 French hens:

This year I made 4 calling birds.  I only made about 20 of these for special friends.

I'll be back later with some more cards....

Inky hugs,

Galaxy Background

I recently needed to make a galaxy background for a group I'm in.  I love making these backgrounds, so I made a few extra. I'm glad I did...this is the cute card I made using the Half Pint Heroes stamp set illustrated by Claire Brennan and sold by Gina K. Designs.

The inside of the card says, "love you to the moon and back."

This card went in the bag of cards that went to Ronald McDonald House of Central Florida - Nemours.

With Sympathy...

Good morning, friends. Still waiting for cooler weather.

Nobody likes to have to send sympathy cards, but occasionally it's necessary.  I found myself in that position this week.  A friend from a card swapping group I'm in lost her husband, and so I found myself having to make a sympathy card.  Since this card is going overseas, I didn't want a lot of bulk.

I grabbed some spray inks and spritzed white cardstock.  Then, when dry, I ran it through an embossing folder.  I liked the texture it gave.  I added some silver pen highlights to some of the embossed flower centers.

Next I got out some Stampin Up!™ flower stamps (Flower Shop #130942 and Petite Petals - retired) and stamped them in a light blue on white cardstock, punched them out and adhered together.  Added some Nuvo Crystal Drops in the center. 

I needed some leaves, so I got out my Gina K. Designs Stitched Leaves stamps, and die cut and stamped the leaved. 

The With Sympathy stamp is also Gina K. Designs, but I can't find the name of it, so it may be discontinued.  There is a beautiful sentiment for the inside that goes along with it.

Happy with the results, but sad for the circumstances.

Inky hugs,

Love from Ronald McDonald House

I received the nicest note from the director at Ronald McDonald House at Nemours Children's Hospital in Orlando.

They won't have long to wait....I have over 100 cards I have made to send them the end of October when my granddaughter goes for a checkup.  

Another Orange, Rust and Gold Card

Love these fall colors.  Here's another one.

This one uses a stamp from the Stitched Leaves mini kit by Gina K. Designs, along with the "you" die.  The "did it" is from an unknown stamp. Lots of gold shimmer on the leaf and die.

Orange, Rust and Gold...

Orange, Rust, and gold are the colors of fall, but not in Florida.

However, I made an autumn card using those colors.

The daisy stamp is from Stampin Up and the sentiment is unknown.

This is the first time posting from my phone, so I apologize if it doesn't turn out right.

Becky

Half Pint Heroes and Heroines

Hello, and welcome to my blog.  Lots happening since last I posted, so I'll get right to it.

Last time I posted we were waiting on Hurricane Irma.  She was supposed to be a Category 5 hurricane when she hit the east coast of Florida.  We prepared (mostly I prepared, hubby is incapacitated), and decided since we have cats and chickens that we would ride out the storm at home.  I could probably find a hotel that took cats, but I don't think they would like my chickens (I only have 2). Irma lost a little steam and moved a little further to the west before she came roaring up through the state.  We were very lucky. Very lucky.  For the very first time during a hurricane we didn't lose power, during or after, and had little yard waste to pick up.  No damage to our house, so we got off very easy, unlike a lot of folks, who had major damage.  I can't remember a hurricane covering as large an area as Irma did. She impacted all but 3 counties of Florida, and they were in the Panhandle.  Some people in our county still don't have power.

Took hubby to an orthopedic doctor this morning, and his ankle has a fracture, so he's wearing a boot. I wish the insurance company would have sent him to this doctor in the first place, instead of letting him walk around with a fractured ankle for a month.  The kind of fracture he has didn't show up on an x-ray, but it showed on the MRI.  He has to go for a CT scan to see if the fracture is healing, and then physical therapy for the sprained ankle.

And Emilie, my granddaughter, seems to be on the road to recovery with her platelet count.  They are now over 100,000, so we are all pleased.

And now we come to the reason for my post.  When Emilie was at Nemours Children's Hospital in Orlando, FL, her parents stayed at Ronald McDonald House.  They were so impressed with the staff there, and so I wanted to do something for them.  Since I love to make cards, I figured that would be a great solution, and I called the Ronald McDonald House there and asked if it would be okay for me to do that.  They said "Yes!"  It would be great for their guests to have handmade greeting cards to use.  So I got busy and whipped up some Thinking of You, Thank You, Birthday Cards, etc.  But I didn't have many children stamps.  Time to go shopping.

I looked at many stamp sets, and decided on the Half Pint Heroes and Half Pint Heroines, designed by Claire Brennan and sold by Gina K Designs.  These stamps fit the bill exactly.  The 2 sets are interchangeable, so I get more bang for my buck.  And they are adorable.

You can use either the girl heads or the boy heads for the car, which is in the heroes set.

Again, you could have the boy riding the elephant.

The fish and turtle are from a Stampendous set, and the sea grass, shells and coral are dies.

Love this elephant.

This is the only stamp in the set that isn't interchangeable.

I die cut a circle and sponged gray ink in spots to recreate the moon.

So far I sent 25 cards the first time, and my daughter will be delivering 35 more cards to them on October 8th.  I have had so much fun using these stamps, and for such a good cause.  I plan on adding to that total before the 8th.  These cards are mostly encouragement for the kids.

I hope you've enjoyed seeing what I have created. They are simple, with simple coloring, but I think the kids will enjoy them.

See you again soon.  Unless Hurricane Maria comes to town.  :-)