Friday, May 31, 2013

Bon Voyage!

My world traveling sister has new trip planned! We are polar opposites my sister and I. I'm totally okay with sticking close to home. A trip to Hawaii every 10 years or so suits me just fine. Donna, on the other hand, can't wait to see far-flung parts of the world. She is definitely not your average all-inclusive beach resort type of traveler. Her recent travel destinations include: Turkey, Venezuela, Vietnam, Bhutan, Thailand and Greece. She'll be off again next month so I made her a special card!

Any guesses where Donna is going?



I have an old world atlas from the 80s that is no longer relevant so I used the appropriate page as my patterned paper and matted it with the Lawn Fawn paper.

blessings,
nancy

(Tanzania and Rwanda are on Donna's itinerary for this trip)

Thursday, May 30, 2013

You Shine!

It's good to be inspired to play in a challenge again! I saw Donna Mikasa's fabulous card for CAS(E) this Sketch challenge #30, this morning and immediately had an idea for this week's sketch!  I saw a layout by Wilna on Two Peas earlier in the week and got inspired to use her "string of sparkles".





I didn't have sequins so I made my own by gold embossing a chunk of Versamark on cardstock and punching 1/8" and 1/4" circles along with die cutting the tiny star from Summertime Charm Lawn Cuts. I used crochet thread in cream as my "string". The paper is Studio Calico (I'm sorry I don't what collection as I just have random sheets :)


Here's the sketch for the challenge this week:

blessings,
nancy

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Trying a little Art Journaling

I took the plunge and got an art journal. I looked around alot and I finally settled on the Dylusions Creative Journal by Ranger. I liked the size and the plain cardboard cover. It has a manilla pocket envelope inside to hold sketches, ideas and bits and pieces to create with. I also got some Distress Paints, Dylusions Ink Sprays and a couple Hero Arts Stencils. I already had some Claudine Helmuth Studio Paints and Multi Matte medium so there was no more excuses not to get started.

Here's the new loot:





I wanted to just play with this first page, I really had no plan for what this would look like when I was done. Probably not the best start, ha! I'm hoping my process will become more refined and the final pages will look more polished but for a first effort I think I'm pretty pleased.





I did lots of doodling. I found it's hard for me to just let go and doodle, my need for perfection is very strong and doodling just doesn't fit the mold. So as a first attempt I'll give myself a passing grade and hope to play with more abandon next time! And yes, there will be a next time! The title, a favorite Bible verse was computer generated with a freebie font called Pea BMad.

Supplies:



If anyone is interested, I will be adding a step by step photo tutorial to a new tutorials blog page soon. I'll let you know when I get it done.

blessings,
nancy

Saturday, May 25, 2013

Heartfelt Gratitude this Memorial Day Weekend

It's with pride and gratitude that I send my thanks to our country's brave veterans this Memorial Day weekend! Both my father and my son served in the Marine Corps, my dad in Iwo Jima during WWII and Ben in Iraq.

This weekend I'm taking the time to consider the sacrifices of our brave men and women serving in the military currently and to remember those who gave their all for our freedom, to make life safer for others and to preserve our way of life. You may not know but our military does so much good in our world. When Ben was serving in the Pacific in 2007 his battalion was sent to help the many Asian nations devastated by natural disasters.


I hope you will join Stamp Fever this weekend for the Operation Write Home Memorial Day Weekend blog  hop to thank and honor our veterans and those currently serving!

Have a blessed holiday weekend!
blessings,
nancy

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Attack of the Gnomes!


I love making cards, really I do! I love that I get to use Lawn Fawn stamps to make sample cards. Even coloring 40 gnomes and 40 bees and assembling 40 cards is a blast. But when it's late at night and those gnomes seem to be multiplying.....


......well you get the picture....



You just may find this card in your favorite Archiver's store....



  


May all your cardmaking adventures be FUN!

blessings,
nancy