Card of the Day-- gecko

One of my goals was to do a card a day. Simple things, maybe. This one is a paper casting-- started last night, let it dry all night. Then this morning I spent TWO HOURS on the background and the casting. I used Michael Strong's Cloisonne gecko stamp. There are tutorials out there, google "paper casting" and you will see. I used toilet paper, but you can use tissue paper too. The background is distress inks: peeled paint, wild honey, and broken china. I rubbed the gecko on peeled paint to highlight and distressed the edges.

So if I do a card a day it will have to be simpler than this one, LOL

I finally ordered a spellbinder's tag die. So when it comes I think I might have to do the tag over again.... ;)

DONE!!!

Finally!! It is now in my daughter's possession. happy birthday sweet daughter Olivia!!!

Almost finished....

not quite, I'm still embroidering its label.... made for Olivia by her mother....

I am SO EXCITED that it is almost finished.... last night, my mom and I finished the hand sewing... doing a happy hop.... can't put a picture up until Liv gets it, as soon as possible...hopefully not too long after her birthday, which is Tuesday. I fixed my mom's sewing machine in exchange for being able to use it. I was hoping to take "it" to Liv today, but it was raining so hard, and it would have been an extra hour and a half of driving, and I didn't want to come home in the stormy dark. Good thing, because my windshield wiper broke on the way home and I shudder to think of me driving on the freeway in the rain without a wiper. And because I forgot to take the embroidery floss with me to my mom's, I am doing a marathon embroidery session tonight.

So now have I given enough hints so anyone knows what "it" is?

paper addiction

Paper, rubber stamps, clear stamps, embellishments, markers, pencils, ink... they all leave me weak in the knees, LOL. But this set of stamps by Melanie Muenchinger is absolutely breathtaking!! I can imagine all sorts of beautiful cards and layouts. This set is being introduced tonight on Gina K Design's site... Here is a link to Melanie's blog:

http://melaniemuenchinger.blogspot.com/

My favorite set out of the ones that Melanie has designed is "Gifts from the Sea". I can just see a set of cards made from her stamps. I often do sets of cards for Christmas presents and this would be perfect for my mother in law. I am also very partial to butterflies, and there's a border with them....

card set

Made a card set today. Got the template for the box from Gina K Designs.... find it here.

Her idea was for pictures until you get them ready for scrapbooking. I like that idea too-- but have been trying to figure out what to do to sell sets of cards. The cards inside all have the same colors and graphics, although they are slightly different. It is an image painted with perfect pearls. The scalloped square is made with nestabilities.

I got a Martha Stewart scoring board. Although I liked the Scor-pal and Scor-buddy, I liked the way this one was grooved every 1/8 inch instead of somewhat randomly. This box was simple with Gina's instructions and Martha's board... only took me a couple minutes. And doing the cards assembly line style made them go quickly. I usually only do ONE card at a time and rarely do two the same, but I figured for a set it might be nice to do them the same. Although, each card layout is slightly different! Can't stand not doing "unique" stuff.

I have some transparency sheets that I am going to try to make a box with. I am thinking that for card sets it would be easier than decorating each one. Who knows where I am going with this...

Tina Gilliland's blog

I've never entered a contest for blog candy before but I ran across this blog:

http://www.tinagmemories.com/

The trouble with going to blogs for ideas is... I get ideas! Then I covet things. Like Copic markers, and a Score Pal or Buddy, or GinaK Designs card stock... or her lovely stamp sets... or Tim Holtz' masks... and on and on, LOL.

Then I start thinking realistically, how can I sell more cards to fund my crafting habit? LOL

I like Tina's blog. I especially loved the Country Thanks card. Of course, the blue caught my eye, and the flowers. I love both. And I love GinaK stamps-- she has wonderful designers, and her stamps are such great quality. The little pocket card is cute too, and I just might have to do one...

Tina's cards are clean and crisp... unlike mine which tend to be a bit messy-ish. Still trying to find my "style" I guess. Thanks Tina-- and thanks Karen for sharing a link to her blog on the making greeting cards yahoo group.

Hallowe'en....

more cards. I do not celebrate Halloween, but people do, and I was making birthday cards for my grandson so I made a few more. The first one was with some Mickey Mouse paper I got ages ago, in a pad, and had never used. I then actually bought some paper at Memories for the Making, a scrapbooking store near me. There are NO rubber stamp stores here that I know of... you can get some at WalMart or if you want to go to Stockton, there is Michael's, and on the other side of the freeway, JoAnn... some time I am going to have to go to Sacramento and see what I can see. Guess I'll have to take Lorna, I think she will know where places are. She knows everything... :)