Fall 2011

Oh my goodness, where has the time gone!  I have not posted since spring!  However, I did warn you I was not a summer post person.  There are too many great things to be doing outside, places to go and people to see.  I had a great summer.  We celebrated my mother's 90th birthday in May.  It was a wonderful gathering and I got to see several cousins I had not seen in several years.  My golf game seems to have gone down the tubes but I played as much as I wanted to.  Several tournaments (fortunately I had good partners), and a trip to Myrtle Beach in August with the girls.  School is back in session now, and I am substituting again about 3 days a week.  The weather here has been great.  We've had beautiful fall days, trees are turning, leaves are falling. I will get to posting more cards soon, I hope.  I took several pics of cards I have found time to make over the last several months, and mom's 90th card that I want to make sure and post.  Be looking for them soon.  Maybe it will rain, and I will be forced to stay indoors. :)

Happy Fall, everyone
Joyce

March 26, 2011 Embossed quilt blocks

Ok, here we are March 26, in Mid-Missouri, and it is still snowing!  We're supposed to get up to 5 inches today!  I'm ready for spring, so I thought a card in pastel colors was needed!

I feel really bad, because I cannot remember where I saw the directions for this card.  I know there are several on SCS, but this one was done with the tiny squares, embossed, and then put on an embossed card front.  I also looked through TJ Newsletter, but couldn't find it there, either.  Whoever you are, I love this technique!  I can even see the example in my mind!  The little beaded thingy on the ribbon was bought at Hobby Lobby in the bridal section.  Thought it was cute.  This is the perfect card for a friend of mine who is having knee replacement surgery on Friday, and her mother is quite the quilter!  It was a little tedious cutting out the squares, as I didn't have a punch the size I wanted, so I had to cut them on the paper cutter.  If I find the artist who shared this technique, I will come back and edit this post.

TFL

Joyce



March 22, 2011 Embossed Triple Cuts

 

Today's card is taken from TJ CD "Emboss or Die"  I've only had it a week or two, and really love it.  Remember how much I have used the TJ CD "Fancy Folds and Motion Paper"?  Well I think I will love this new one just as much.  As I start to collect these CD's I've noticed something.  Some of the techniques I've seen before, but can I ever find the directions when I need them?  No way!  Now everything is in one place and I know exactly where to look.

As you can see the technique gives you panels for two cards.  I learned how to do the flower on the left card

from Lynne-Reminisce A Colorful Life.  The flowers are made from circles!  I love the way the flower turned out. Her blog is great.  Thanks, Lynne, for the inspiration.

The flower on the right card is just nestablities scalloped circles.  I cut several, snipped to the center and stacked with pop dots, then "fluffed" (technical term) the petals. Nice little simple cards that can useful for any occasion.

Happy Blogging.  TFL

Joyce

March 21, 2011 Hidden Surprise

Hello fellow bloggers.  There has been so much going on lately.  I have not even been on the computer.  I've only had time to check my e-mail from my phone.  I really want to do a few more postings before March is over! 

My husband just went to the Dr. and he has walking pneumonia.  He has barely slept for several nights.  Doc gave him some antibiotics, cough syrup and an inhaler, so hopefully he will be able to get some rest now.

The weather here has finally turned warm.  We've had our share of rain at night, but I will take the warm sunshine during the day--anytime I can get it.

On today's post:  This technique is called Hidden Surprise.  All the little tags tuck into an "envelope on the card.  It was posted in the Dec. 2010/Jan. 2011 TJ Newsletter as a bonus on line technique.  I love it.  One of my golfing gals will be receiving this.  Two of the small stamps were from SU On The Green. Misc. cardstock from my stash, and distressed the edges of the little insert pieces.

February 22, 2011 Distressed Colorblock 1

Today I was with some VERY challenging 5th graders.  Fortunately, I was substituting in a classroom that had a student teacher.  The regular teacher was sick, so I really just observed and helped with classroom management.  They were a handfull!  So glad to get home to my stamp room!  (Which is a total mess, by the way)                                                      

Today's card is a technique called Distressed Colorblocking from the TJ Newsletter Feb/March 2011.  I love the bird stamp.  The background paper is from a Christmas pack, but it had great colors to go with the Tim Holtz distress inks, worn lipstick and fired brick.  The ribbon is from my stash, as well as the HB clear sticker.  I feel like it needs something...oh, I know, I didn't put any bling on this one!  Must re-think this card!

TFL

Joyce

February 18, 2011 Vertical Accordian Golf

Hello fellow bloggers!  I can't believe it has been 11 days since my last post.  I did admit in my intial post that I do tend to work in spurts!  Well, I had a "spurt" today and made some headway in some new creations. 

I hosted Girl's Night Out at my house last night along with co-host Bonnie.  We had a great time.  It is a group of ladies who get together once a month without children, husbands, etc....We also celebrate anyone having a birthday that month.  We had one February birthday and this is the card I made for Carolyn.  Happy Birthday, Carolyn.  It was a significant birthday, but I won't say which one...I will only say it starts with a six and ends with a five (giggle).  This is the card I gave to her.

The technique is the Vertical Accordion fold from the TJ Fancy Folds CD.  Love that golfing paper, but it has been in my stash for a long time, so I don't remember the manufacturer.  Stamp is a dollar stamp (I think).  I've also had it a long time.  Birthday clear sticker on the front of the card was also from my stash.  There was another stamp on the inside--a vintage of a girl and on the side it says "GO GIRL" but I didn't photograph the inside before I gave it to the birthday girl.

Hope to post again tomorrow.  TFL

Joyce

February 7, 2011

Today is hair day!  So happy to get it cut and colored.  Really looking pretty shabby.  Didn't blog yesterday...Dr. appointments.  Life is good....

On a cooking note, we are having guests the first weekend in March, so I've been scouring the internet and my cookbooks for new and interesting things to cook.  I found one this morning called Snickerdoodle Bread from http://www.letsdishrecipes.blogspot.com/.  Sounds yummy and can't wait to try it.  Love cinnamon! Put together an egg casserole and fruit salad and one breakfast is ready!

Today's post is a technique called "Hip to be Square".  Again it is from the TJ Fancy Folds CD.  Can you tell I have gotten a lot of good use out of that CD?  The paper is from Making Memories Whimsy collection.  The flower was some mullberry paper scraps I had and cut out with Sizzex Die Flower Layers #3.  The stamp is from the Flourishes set.  This card was made for a friend's BD, but she fell last week and broke her wrist while shoveling snow, so I better get busy on a feel better soon type of card.  Feel better Colleen!

That's it for today....have to go get worked on...(my hair, remember?)

TFL

Joyce

February 6, 2011 DH Valentine

WOW!  How did it get to be the 6th so soon???  The time has just flown by this week.  Well, we had to cancel our Super Bowl party.   Our street has only been graded with a small path large enough for one car to get through, so there is absolutely no parking available.  Then when I work up Saturday morning and saw MORE snow, I threw in the towel and let Old Man Winter win one.  Which led to what to do with an unthawed 9 pound pork loin roast.  Well, I sliced off a couple of chops for dinner, and cut the rest in to three smaller roasts.  DH smoked one on the Weber--He had to unbury it from the snow first, though.  I cooked one in the crockpot for pulled pork sandwiches and put that in the freezer, then I had one more small roast that I fixed in the oven and will dice it up for something...tacos, stew, etc....  So, I haven't left the kitchen too much in the last day and a half!

On to my post....  This is the card open.  It started out to be a verticle accordian card from the Technique Junkie Newsletter Fancy Folds and Motion Paper CD, but I made a cutting error and it turned out a little different.  I made a different one, and will have to post it later.  It's not quite finished yet.  I'm still happy with the way this one turned out.








This is the front when it is closed.  The paper I printed on my computer.  It was from the Seasonal Sampler collection, but I don't have listed in my saved files which site it came from.  Sorry...wish I could give credit.  Now that I am blogging I will get better of making a note of these things.

Have a great day and TFL.
Joyce

February 3, 2011 Smooshed Ink Flower

Another snowy day here--on the ground, that is.  Thank goodness the sun is shining!  This will be our third day indoors with DH....still can't get out of our driveway.  Our snow removal person has not shown up yet... I'm sure he's "snowed under".  (pardon the pun)  DH has a bum knee and my back goes out if you look at me crooked, so we're at the mercy of someone else to get it cleared this year.

The flower in the above card came from a piece of glossy card stock that I had done the alcohol smoosh technique (I think) and stored it in my "parts" drawer.  I then used the Sizzex Flower Layers to cut out the flower layers.  The pink layer was embossed with Cuttlebug EF Divine Swirl.  SU Rainbow ribbon and a little hat from my stash.  I then layered it on green CS and a black card.  Hope you like it. TFL

Joyce

February 1, 2011 Red Golfer

Well, here in the midwest we are in the midst of a blizzard.  We will have record levels of snowfall.  Probably 18+ inches.  My DH had a goal of shoveling every hour and a half to keep up with the cover, but his baby snow blower wouldn't keep up.  Well, that means lots of time for card making!  It was so much fun on Facebook this morning keeping up with friends and family around the country, and hearing the different forcasts and weather updates.  I got absolutely nothing done until this afternoon!

The post today was for a golfing friend's birthday.  White cardstock stamped with SU Going Gray as background with a Vap Scrap stamp.  Nestabilities scalloped oval.  The image is a brass stencil.  I pressed Versa Mark Ink on the stencil opening and then used Chinese Red ep from Antiquities.  The ribbon and clear sticker are my stash. 

BTW I just ordered and reserved my copy of the Technique Junkie new CD due out in March called Emboss or Die.  Just think, when I get the CD in March all this snow will be over!--Well, maybe a little spring snow, but they never last long!  I just hope I'm shoveled out by then!  Stay warm, stay inside, especially if your in the midwest of the USA.

Thanks for looking.

Joyce



January 30, 2011 Dinner Club

Well, dinner club last night was somewhat of a success.  The menu was:

Appetizers:    Pomegranet Martinis
                     Marinated stuffed olives
                     Nutty stuffed mushrooms (allrecipes.com)
                     Dried plum, cheese and almond crostini

Salad:           Spring Greens tossed with Garlic Maple Vinaigrette
                     topped with Craisens, and sugared walnuts
                     Sundried tomato and olive Fougasse (bread)

Entree:          Corn Flan with Spicy Shrimp
                     Glazed Brussel Sprouts with carmalized onions

Dessert:        Roasted Pears with Almonds, Dried Cranberries and White Chocolate Drizzle (Cat Cora)

I was pleased with how everything turned out except the brussel sprouts.  Now I am one of those weird people who love brussel sprouts, but this recipe called for carmalizing and I turned my back for one minute....Suger in a frying pan--not a pretty sight!  The pears were a big success, though.  I really meant to take some kind of picture of the evening and post it, but after the suger episode, my mind just went to making sure everything else in the evening went well.  After dinner, we sadly watched the second half of the Mizzou basketball game.  It wasn't the outcome we were all hoping for.
More snow called for this week.  That means more time for stamping.  The newest Technique Junkie Newsletter is chock full of great new creative ideas, and I can't wait to try them.
Until next time.......

January 28, 2011 Black Birdbath

Working today. I substitute teach about 3 days a week. Had great kids today. I even got to monitor a jazz band class led by Seth--one of the students. Great job, Seth! After I leave school today I have to make quick stop at the grocery store to pick up the last items for our dinner tomorrow night. Tonight I will start the sun-dried tomato and olive bread as it has to raise overnight in the fridge. The salad is under control,dressing and sugared walnuts--done. Tomorrow I get to play in the kitchen all day--which I love!
Today's post is another card I assembled from my "parts drawer". The beautiful birdbath stamp was from a friend so I don't know the manufacturer. But I stamped and embossed in black. It is stamped on background paper I made but can't remember the technique. It was done long ago. Some kind of marbling or maybe polished stone? I need to start writing the tech on the back.
I layered it on gold cs and mounted on a purple card. I thought it needed something else so I added the Cuttlebug fancy corners and a small bow made from SU rainbow ribbon.  Hope you like it.  I think the birthday girl did who received it.  TFL

January 27, 2011 Aged Tiles

Today I did battle with my carpet cleaner..trying to get the traffic area between the kitchen and bedrooms cleaned.  The cleaner was being a little cranky, but I think I won.  The carpet looks a little better.  I also started preparing for our dinner club meal that my husband and I are hostessing on Saturday night. 

There are 4 couples who get together once a month or so and experiment with tasty (we hope) dishes to serve.  I'll fill you in on my menu later...if it was a success.  All new recipes, so we will see.

On to today's card.  I love this stamp.  It is another one I borrowed from a friend, stamped a few images  and put them my "parts drawer".  I thought it was a good image to use for the aged tiles technique.  I always have to add a little "bling".  I had been looking for a reason to use these mega gem stones!

January 26, 2011 Brick Wall

Girl's night out was great last night.  A big thank you to Karen and Carolyn for hostessing.  What great food and fellowship.  I know at our table, we solved all the problems of the world--(if only!)  This card was one of the birthday cards I gave last night.

I was so thrilled after using Tim Holtz's Alterations Texture Folder--Bricked-- at a freind's house, that I had to go out and buy it.  This was a birthday card I made using that folder.  I first stamped white card stock with a stamp from SU set Definitely Decorative Ferns with TH Distress Ink Peeled Paint.  Then I used SU going gray and inked the embossing folder and ran the stamped card stock through the cuttlebug. The white piece was then mounted on SU Old Olive or Celery--not sure which.  The ribbon is a glitter ribbon, and the butterflies are stamped on DP, embossed with gold, and then cut out. Bling gems  for accent  on the butterflies from my stash.  Thanks for looking.

January 25, 2011 Simply White

I feel so bad that I cannot remember whose blog I visited that made a beautiful card that gave me then inspriation for the one above.  I shamefully admit I have cased it almost identically.  I just couldn't figure out how she got the double swiss dot embossing in the places she put it, but I did the best I could.  This card will be my DH anniversary card.  The paper is gemstones.  Cuttlebug embossing folders: Swiss Dots, Fancy Corners, and Butterflies.  If anyone recognizes this card please let me know, as I would love to give her credit.  I also made another similar one, but with all over embossing the same and a color butterfly, but it has been mailed already.  Girl's Night Out tonight, and I get to distribute some of my cards to the birthday girls this month--Phyllis, Debbie, Marlene, and Barb--all February birthdays.  There is a special one for Colleen (a January BD) because last month I didn't have time to make her a card, and had to resort to a store bought  (gasp) and she whined a little.  Will post it later.

January 24, 2011 Felted Cardstock

This card was made using the felted cardstock technique on SCS found at this link http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/results/ca262177bcd7bb1499a4015d2ce5c4b6/

I was at a friend's house for our monthly bookclub meeting and she had these beautiful napkins for us to use with our munchies.  I couldn't resist bringing one home and making it a background! Thanks Diane.

The stamp is from a SU set that is now retired, I think, called Oriental Paintings.  I was going through my drawer of  "card parts" and thought it went well with the background.  Embellishments from my stash. Tim Holtz Distressed Ink Vintage Photo.  When I get together with fellow stampers, we share our stamps and stamp images to save for future use--thus my "card parts" drawer.

I'm still working on my profile, revising, changing, etc.  I'm sure it will be a work in progress for a long time.

Thanks for stopping by today.

January 23, 2011 Tall Accordian Card

My first post on my new blog--my first and only blog! As my profile states, I am a stamper, card maker and love to cook.  I tend to make cards in bursts instead of creating daily.  We've had a lot of snow here in the midwest the last couple of weeks--and yes more snow today--so I've had some time to make a few cards for upcoming birthdays.  The picture below is a card I made for a dear friend's wedding anniversary coming up in February.  Their anniversary is the same as ours, and we usually celebrate together.  The technique is from The Technique Junkie Newsletter  Fancy Folds and Motion Paper Crafts CD.  I've been a subscriber to the newsletter for many years, and it has been the source of many inspirations.  The technique is called Tall Accordian Card.  The stamps are a new set I found at JoAnn's on sale!  They are clear acrylic, but sadly I already threw the wrapping away, so I don't know the manufacturer.  The paper was a new purchase also from JoAnn's DCWV The Black Currant Stack.  Lots of foil accents.  Ink used was Tim Holtz Distress Ink Dusty Grape and twine and charm from my stash.