Goodbye 2010...Hello New Year!

I have to be honest I'm pretty happy to see 2010 go. It has not been the best of years for me on a number of fronts, but I'd rather dwell on the new year ahead. I'm not one who goes out to party on New Year's Eve but I look forward to it as a time to consider all the things I'd like to do in coming year. Among those things will be to post here more often and to include more then just card photos... maybe some challenges, tutorials and well you can never have too much blog candy can you?

I wasn't on vacation this week and while I checked in on all the OWH S&S Challenges, I wasn't able to participate. I did get a chance to do some card making...

I'm may cry the day this Disney paper is discontinued. I have bought it so many times in the last couple of years I am almost convinced JoAnn's stocks it just for me.

This one was inspired by the R's Challenge to celebrate that ® mark that OWH has received.

And this will absolutely be the year I use up all those odds-n-supplies I have managed to accumulate in the last 3-4 years. Okay, I'm going to use up at least HALF before I go shopping again.... A THIRD? Wait... I have a coupon for Michael's tomorrow... so much for resolutions. :)


Happy Crafting and Happy New Year Everyone!

Sketch Challenge #48

I don't know about you but the crazier my schedule gets the more I crave down time to craft. I managed to get a few cards made tonight (something that rarely happens on a weeknight for me) including this one based on Sunday's Sketch Challenge at OWH Stars & Stamps.

I started out following the sketch pretty closely, but then decided I wanted to go with one big focal point so I decided to use it as background and added the scalloped oval on top.

Happy Crafting Everyone!

No Heart

I'm working on some Valentine/Love cards for my next shipment to Dixie and decided to take up the challenge to work on some that don't include hearts. Here's one with an adorable wintery image from Elizabeth O. Dulemba (go checked out her great work and bookmark her site!).

This one use an old Stampin Up! stamp and in both cases the papers are from my seemingly endless stash. (Yes, I confess I have quite a lot of paper... too much of it to keep track of where I get it!)

Happy Crafting Everyone!

Special Delivery

As hard as it may be to believe I don't make many cards to send to friends and family. I made all my Christmas cards for a couple of years but haven't for the past few years with one exception, I do still make a handmade card for my aunt Patty and aunt Rose. Here's this year's card.

These are actually 5x7 and while it's nice to have some extra real estate to work with it can be overwhelming once you get so used to doing the smaller 4.25 x 5.5 size I typically create for OWH. It may be difficult to perceive in this photo but the stamp is actually heat embossed in copper. The papers are from my ever growing stash and the edge punch is Fiskars.

Happy Crafting Everyone!

S&S Sketch Challenge #45

It's that time of year again... when the the to do list gets so much longer then the time you have to do it all. I had fully intended and hoped to send a November box of cards to Dixie, and include some Valentine's for the Archway Cookie Challenge...but...well...you know  that old saying about the road to hell being paved with good intentions? I sure hope that is just an old saying! :) I actually have gotten some cards made (but not enough to fill a box, which makes the most sense in terms of shipping costs) so that November box is just going to have be a December box instead.

This card was based on last Sundays S&S Sketch Challenge and  I struggled with it a bit until I finally realized that what I was missing was a focal point so it looked too plain and unfinished.  Ultimately, I added the round flower piece and liked it much better. I may even go back and try this sketch again.

Happy Crafting Everyone!