From our home to yours... Wishing you a Merry Christmas!

More cards for the nursing home. We are going to pass them out on the 16th, so just a few more days to add to the total. The die is  'horizontal stitched cover up' from My Favorite things. What a versatile die! As you can see, I used the die with both the larger or smaller window at the top. I don't think it matters. The top card is a shaker card with sequins at the bottom and stars at the top!

 

This one is patterned paper and a Penny Black Peony stamp that I colored with copics and fussy cut. Those are hearts in the lower part of the card.  
Thanks for looking!
Mary

First of all since it is December 7th, let me just take a moment to say 'Thank You' to all of our Armed forces. Thanks to the coast guard and law enforcement, all of you who work everyday trying to keep the American people safe.
 I won't ruin this 'thank you" with what I am really thinking. Oh, there I let it out of my mouth.... I am sorry that you have to work with a corrupt administration. All we can do is pray. And oh, here I go again... Some people won't let us do that!

Let's play with some pink! Just a nice change. These are cards for the churches. I liked some of the ideas and re-made them. I will put up the original source. Hope it feels like spring!

Penny Black collage stamp. Ideas from Peet  http://scrapalbum.blogspot.be/2015/04/birthday-flowers.html

Made with the Minc machine & foil. Lovely idea from Becca at
http://www.amazingpapergrace.com/blog/page/5/



New Spellbinder center step with 'birthday' embellishment dies

 



Easy scallops for that soft touch. Petaloo flowers.
Thanks for looking today!
Mary

Silver Bells border from Crafters Companion

Here are more cards. I used the Crafters Companion border dies. They are listed Die Sire. The one right above shows two versions of the Bethlehem die. Couldn't help making that shaker card!
 

Thanksgiving week!  Al & I went to Ralph Jones again this year. Love the Christmas displays. Took lots of pictures, although I am not sure they liked it. I had always asked in the previous years and they said yes. I don't think they meant it, from a conversation this year . She asked what we were going to do with them, and added that she hoped we wouldn't open a store! Have you been there and seen the inventory?? Anyway, do take a trip downtown and see all the pretty displays. We got to visit  this week with family and friends from out of state. Actually played a board game one night. It was 'really' late for us, but totally enjoyed the time together. I know, we need to get out more!

 

 

 

Black & Gold was very striking!

 


  the North Country paper  again, and below is the greeting inside.

Memory box Merry Christmas background die and the Bell and tree are from Elizabeth Crafts. They are called Icons. There is a gingerbread man, a dove, and more. Really nice.

 

Our month of November is halfway over for 2015. Wow! I try to post, but I keep on surfing, so I don't get as much done as I should. Love Pinterest, Google and all the wonderful artists I visit for inspiration. Since this is the month of Thanksgiving, "I thank you beautiful artists, bloggers and crafters now!! "
I still am making cards for the nursing home. Just a little over 100 now. Usually we try to do 150 & several years we have done 250. Kind of depends on how many patients are in residence. I know I could do more that one home a year. But then I do cards for a church ministry. And I have ideas for kids in hospitals. Just need to work that out.  Here are the last 7. I used the same paper as I managed to buy it two different times! Ever do that?? I could do ALL the cards with this paper I think. It is called North Country. So the 'deer family' is memory box. The tree did is Joy crafts, and the verse is from Kaiser Crafts.

 

 

Thanks for looking!

 

More of that Orange & brown. And more of the Side steps to decorate.

Two posts in one day. I used the Spellbinders side step, and I think the leaves are a Sizziz die. I had them cut out. Nice! I will leave this short and sweet & go take more pictures!
Thanks for looking,
Mary

OH OH, just 248 pieces of orange paper to use. Since it is fall, halloween, thanksgiving & we do about 12-15  cards  at this time of year, it should only take me about 16 years to finish it up. That doesn't count the brown or lime. I need help! Ohhhhh. Here are my side- step cards for this year.

 

The side- step is a Spellbinders die, the Cupcakes, ghosts, witches legs, are from a Cottage Cutz die that I got last year. The big spider web is from Cherry Lynn .  The spooky & boo are stickers!

Add  one Center Step. The die is Cherry Lynn, the rest is pretty much stickers.
 

Good Morning! Suprise, it is raining here. I did have more pictures to photograph, but that will wait until tomorrow. Maybe I should look at the forecast. It never rains here enough! So, for today I will show you some cards for the nursing home.


The large opening or 'ornament' is cut on the front of the card. I used either Spellbinder nestabilities Heirloom Ornament 2010 & 2011. It depends on the shape. I used the Holiday Heirloom Reflections for the next 3 cuts. The silver, then the teal and last the silver filigree. I used the small corners from the Marvelous Squares set. The inside is another ornament and a Christmas Verse. Almost forgot the card base is 51/2 x 51/2. That large ornament is really close!
Thanks for looking,
Mary

Another of my many loves & blessings is Photoshop. Yes I love to manipulate, move and maybe mutilate some photos! PS. I scan absolutely everything too. So this technique is from Shadowhouse Creations. His website is absolutely awesome. Here is the link 

http://shadowhousecreations.blogspot.com/2012/09/antique-white-action-walk-through.html#more

This is the WHITE WALK,  the step by step way. Always good to know how to manualy do something. Certainly gives you an appreciation for an ACTION.  

Original print.

Love the effect, yes it is different, but a good different. Took me 20 minutes ... 8 steps.

Original print

Shadowhouse creations offered an Action for the White Walk. This last picture took all of 3 seconds! Take a look and Enjoy!

 

 

It has been an exciting month! It will be a month tomorrow since we moved into our house. We have unpacked & bought alot of things.The refrigerator and stove is sort of a necessity! That was fun for me, as we had never picked one.  We bought other things like a wall mount for the TV, a couch (that was completely unplanned), but I loved the 12 pillows and the orange and prussian blue colors! Gave the leather couches to Diana. She has MS and she desperately needed a loveseat with a place for her pepsi. Hopefully, it will be easier for her. Al is working on the garage now. What else?? Just want to mention that we had the best realtor! If you are in Las Vegas, or Henderson Nv. consider Joanie Bunker. She is with Realty one. She is so personable, and efficient.

We used the same company to move us 3 times in the last 4 years, and we had issues this time. When we tried to resolve the issues, the office person was extremely rude. Warrens homework. One of the google comments was that the lady in the office was rude. So true. I am glad we won't be moving any time soon, but then we won't recommend them. With all this out of the way, let me include some of the cards I made while unpacking! Al did put up my the shelves in the 'stamp room' pretty quickly!





All these cards are made with the set 'Abby' Spring or something like that. It is from Simon Says stamps. And yes, it is too cute!

Just looked around and realized we are finally about halfway  unpacked! The movers came & went, we continued moving & cleaning for all of last week. It is over. Yesterday we put a couple pictures on the walls and lights in the garage. Trying to remember what I posted and what should be next.. It has been nearly a month.

 

 

 

Halloween is getting close!

 

Just had our Son Doug and Grandsons here for the weekend. Hope they had a good time. We did. Took them to a movie. It is really hard to find something to do when it is 110 degrees! We used to have a pool, but we don't anymore. Ugh. We went through our new house, and some other big expensive models. Told the kids not to get to excited, ours is about half that size! It was hot going up and down the stairs of the new ones. Luckily ours is a one story.  We are looking like the garage in the house here, with all the boxes stacked up. Supposed to have 12 days to go. 


Yum Krispy Kremes with Zach & Andrew!

I did have a really nice birthday this year. So far it has spanned about a week and a half! I got some beautiful cards, crafty stuff & 3 (yes count them), 3 lunches with 3 friends. Talk about blessed!! The explosion card was a suprise in the mail from Dawn. Love it!

 

This is just too adorable! All the girls came and thought it was beautiful! I wish my pictures were better.

 

Yesterday Em came and we sorted out OLD stuff in the garage. Sure hard to part with some things! It was hot so even if we weren't out there long, it seemed like forever.

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Today I want to share a couple cards Linda F, Em, and I did a few weeks ago. Sometimes it takes me that long to photograph (or actually) find something. We played around with foil.

Both were made with the strips of tape. Fun & easy! I did one with the adhesive, but I was slopppy, so stay tuned for more sparkling foil goodies!
Thanks for looking!
 Mary