Get Well Sketch

My husband's uncle has been unwell so it is time for a bit of happy mail. Thought I'd keep it simple and found a nice, simple sketch to follow, Freshly Made Sketches #271. Thanks for looking!

Stamps: Papertrey Ink: Make it Market Kit, Don't Forget to Write and Walk by Faith; Dies: from Don't Forget to Write; Ink: black, (PTI) Hibiscus, Raspberry, Spring Rain, Limeade Ice, Sweet Blush, Summer Sun, Tropical Teal (Ranger) Peeled Paint, Fired Brick; Paper: Kraft, PTI chartreuse paper pack, random pink scrap, white; Other: two sided sticky tape, Recollections fine glitter

Make it Monday Sympathy

I get so sad when I have to make sympathy cards. I want it to be pretty but appropriate and I'm never sure of myself. I almost didn't add the sequins to the one card but it looked so blank it needed something. Placing them below the heart, they reminded me of teardrops. I left the centers of the hearts empty on purpose because there is a mom of my acquaintance whose heart is empty this week, one of these is going to her. Hug your family and loved ones close and tell them you love them every day.

These also made me realize I need some deeper, richer toned inks to work with on occasion so I'll be remedying that soon. My daughter likes the card with the purples and blues but I work with those colors so much I felt I needed to use a different palette, so I matched the colors in the patterned paper and added a die cut element to one.

Thanks for looking and thanks to Melissa for a nice challenge for Papertrey Ink Make it Monday #272, Masked Heart Wreaths.

Purple and blue card--Stamps (PTI): Keep It Simple: Sympathy Mini Set, Birds & Blooms Anniversary Set; Dies (PTI): Heart Prints Die Collection; Paper: PTI linen (white), black and soft stone patterned paper pack, random silver; Inks: (PTI) Spring Rain, Stormy Sea, Winter Wisteria, Amethyst Allure, Smokey Shadow, Dark Chocolate (Ranger) Weathered Wood, Other: butterfly punch.

Patterned Paper card--Stamps (PTI): Keep It Simple: Sympathy Mini Set, Birds & Blooms Anniversary Set, Borders and Corners Square set; Dies (PTI): Heart Prints Die Collection; Make It Market Nostalgic Notions; Paper: PTI linen (white), black, random patterned paper; Inks: (PTI) Smokey Shadow, Dark Chocolate, (Ranger Distress) Antique Linen, Tattered Rose, Peeled Paint, Weathered Wood, archival Jet Black; Other: butterfly punch, sequins

Blues in Winter

I've been messing about with my blog layout and as a result it IS a mess right now, but I'll figure it out eventually. I'd like to change the email associated with the account and having no success. Any ideas? :)
Anyway, I've had fun with ink and paper again lately and have a few things to post. I seem to gravitate towards blue, white and silver this time of year. I think with my next set of cards I need to mix it up! Also been playing with square layouts lately.

Without further chatter, here's my latest:

Top uses Papertrey Ink Baker's Dozen stamp set, Ranger distress inks and prismacolor pencils.
Bottom uses an old Elzybells stamp, still one of my winter favorites, distress markers, Ranger distress inked sponged on the ourside, and a Spellbinders diecut medallion.  I did a bit of paper piercing too.

These fit the Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge, "Chill Out" and
Die Cuttin' Divas #300 Photo Challenge for silver and blue with a die cut.

Hope to spend a bit more time this week figuring out the new things in blogger.
Thanks for looking.

Blues for Make it Monday #241

Wow, its been so long since I posted it took me half hour to remember how to log into my blog.
So rusty and out of practice, but it feels good to get inky again. Started by coloring some random images that I still need to figure out how to get on a card.

This is for the PTI Make it Monday challenge. to use ombre coloring. I pulled out a stencil and selected some Ranger distress inks to try an ombre effect. Not too successful! Used the Garden Variety set from PTI. Needs help on composition and colors...but like I said, rusty. Hoping to find more time to putter about with ink and paper in the future.

Been knitting a lot. Knitting is portable. Anyway, here it is.

#52in52 Getting creative again

Been a few weeks since I posted, but I am continuing with one change per week. Last week I gave up diet soda, soda in general actually. I am CRAVING a diet Pepsi right now, but I have to wait until...May of 2016. :)

I've been slowly pulling out my stamps and ink to get crafty again. I'm pretty slow, but I always enjoy it. This all use Ranger Distress inks to make a watercolor background. You can tell I'm still rusty because I've been out of practice, but I did have fun. The cake stamp...not sure. The scripture card uses Papertrey Ink A Cheerful Heart. Thanks for looking.

52 in 52 .... Week One Challenge

I haven't been blogging in a long time; over a year. Lots of changes in our lives and a full time job have kept me from this space I used to love. I want to return.

Today I turn 52 years old. I had an idea that for the next 52 weeks, I am going to institute one change in my life that will be better for my health, whether that is emotional, spiritual or physical. And once I implement that change, whichever week that might be, I am going to try to stick with it for the remainder of the 52 weeks until my next birthday rolls around. Sort of my own personal 52 week challenge. And it doesn't matter if anyone else reads this, I need a place to keep myself accountable, so this is going to be it.

For the first week, which starts tomorrow (since today was a lovely day of celebration thanks to family, friends and my wonderful husband), the kitchen closes for me at 9:00 at night except for water, hot tea or medicine if ill. It can always be pushed to an earlier time in a later week, but for now, we'll start with 9:00.

My daughter challenged me to give up soda. Mmmmmmmmmm...what would life be like without Diet Pepsi? I will consider that for a later week....perhaps week 51! :) But for week 1...no more snacking or food after 9:00 at night.

CAS Mojo Monday

Its been a bit cold, a bit icy and a long time since I stamped but the door is creaking open and I think it would be fun to get inky again. This is for the Mojo Monday challenge on the Papertrey Ink blog. I pulled out a sunflower because flowers and green things always seem far away in the Midwest in mid-January. Sunflowers always make me smile.

I stamped it in charcoal gray on white, did a bit of shading with gray prismacolor pencils on the vase and to create a shadow so the vase wouldn't 'float' on the page, then colored in just one of the sunflowers and fussy cut it out to have it pop. Can't see the shading on the flower very well, this is a poor photo, but the best I'm going to get using my phone late at night.

Embossed the white layer for a bit of texture, added a ribbon and there you have it!