Fall just fell in my lap

I must tell you that I have enjoyed each and every day of this summer. I was just telling my hubby yesterday that this was the greatest summer of my adult life.  Mainly I was referring to work.  I have gotten to do things with my kids, relax, and frankly enjoy every day.

However, time moves on, this week starts the back to school bash.  Can you believe it?  I have to taken Hannah shopping, Trevor is all ready practicing football, and well, let's face it summer is over!!!

Today's card reflect my desire to enjoy some fall colors.  This weeks CR84FN featured coral, brown and tan.  Perfect for a fall scheme.  I am making cards to give to my LOHS co-horts.  This is going to be a year of celebration, the last year of LOHS.  I am going to enjoy every day, give cards to those I appreciate and this weeks cards are where it all starts.

How to get the look:

Tim Holtz Sizzix flower die (I have fallen madly in love with this die)
Patterned paper by Recollections
Coral paper open stock from Hobby Lobby
Brown paper by Bazzil
Green patterned paper by MME
Script stamp by Technique Tuessday
Smile and believe stamp by Fiskars
You leave an impression on me stamp by CTMH
Gold Distress Stickles by Tim Holtz
All thread by DMC
Tan paper from my scrapbin
Walnut Stain, peeled paint and seedless preserves inks by Tim Holtz
Brown archival ink by Ranger
Spray mists by Michelle's Musings
Embossing folder by Tim Holtz Damask
Pennant punch by Stampin UP!
Happy Birthday stamps by Inkadinkadoo
brown ribbon from my scrap jar
Scallop die by Sizzix

Sunday afternoon

I haven't time to say much today.  We have spent most of the day on the Ohio River and visiting Superman.

Here are the cards that I made this weekend.  I will also share our photos.  We don't have much to offer here in Paducah, KY....here is one thing SUPERMAN!!!

Have a great week!!!

Def Leppard 2012

Just got back from another Def Leppard concert and while Joe's voice is a little rougher than it was 20+ years ago, their overall sound was BETTER.  I am certain there are enhancements, to Joe's voice, to the drums, but man it is a wonderful experience!

I do miss seeing them in the round, but that will never happen again. I am just grateful that they are no longer playing those tiny little places they played in the '90s.  They didn't seem to want to keep playing them.  Now they played a solid 2 hours.  Not as long as Bon Jovi, but the show was just as good.  And in my opinion, the music was MUCH better.

I loved the jumbotrons.  This is my first time seeing them use this many and it was a thrill to see their faces up close during solos and while singing.  And this time unlike others I took a camera with a pretty good zoom, so I got good shots. I haven't had good shots since 1988.  Now, these are NOT nearly as good because I wasn't that close.

To go along with a great show, I got to spend the afternoon and evening with 3 special ladies.  My 3 little concert buddies.  Tammy, Kristi, and Ginger.  Three girls that I met during my time at Olivet.  Three of the best things. These girls are there for you whenever you need them. They are there for laughs, fun and to tell you that you need to come down off that high horse.  Tonight was pretty much a perfect night, what would have made it perfect?  To chat with the band! 

A month of weddings

This summer was the summer of weddings and I made some canvases for the brides/grooms.  I usually charge $25-$35 per piece because of the extensiveness of the project. I spent many hours on each one of these, more than usual just because they were all special people to me.  Each canvas features many layers and a little bit of drying time.  Each canvas starts with stamping the canvas.  Some stamps will be done with archival ink, some embossing ink and some paint.  After those dry or after I have finished embossing them....then I start with the ink layers.  I will ink  the whole canvas with Distress inks and then throw water on the canvas. Once that dries I will do it again only instead of throwing water on I will spritz it.  Water will pool up and I will stand the canvas up and let the inks run together. I will use some of my misting sprays and let that ink run too.  I will then add stickles or crackle paint or both.  Once that dries I embellish.

Here is where each one gets it's own personality.  I will start with the black/blue one.

I really liked this one because the bride had a FANTASTIC invitation!  I HAD to cut it up and use it in the canvas. It was a black and white invite with blue accents and totally gorgeous.  I used her envelope as just a background paper.  On top of that I used a chipboard circle and covered with crepe paper and a white string.  I stamped a lovely couple with stazon and then I painted them with watercolor and sprinkled some salt on them for texture.  I used a portion of the wedding invitation behind a Tim Holtz fragment, for the tag, for a background behind the couple and for the card I made to give the couple.  I added many layers of STUFF, which is kind of my thing. 

The Blue one:  I used the whole invitation on this one.  A large flower folded in half, some giant letters and I strung beads onto a wire.  Since the bucket of beads are all colors I had to pick out the blue and white ones.  FOREVER!!! 

The last one was for my cousin. I spent even more time on this one rolling flowers myself and stringing green beads.  Brittany is sort of an old soul, so I made hers to reflect old Hollywood.  I tried to use items that you would have found then.  Tulle, movie posters, the couple, the gears, the beads, the design of the hearts and arrows, and the tag.  While they all make me happy, this one too reflects my style so it's my favorite. Sort of like Gene Kelly would have it hanging in his house. 

Cards created on 8 July 2012

Today was just a day to try out my new dies and new ink pads while using some paper scraps.  First up is the flower made using Tim Holtz's tattered flowers die.  I made many layers of the flowers and inked them using Fired Brick and Black Soot. I sprinkled them with water and dried them with a heat gun.  I then wet them again and curled the edges under then I started to layer them.  I really liked the way that this giant flower turned out. 

The next two cards were made using the Lost and Found paper pack by MME.  I LOVE this paper!!! LOVE love love.  The Bubble Gum solid paper is by Bazzil.  The chipboard is by House of Three.  The scallop oval is a spellbinder die.  The string is flower thread by DMC.  Camera is by K&Co. 

The Paris card is made using the same Lost and Found paper and the House of Three chipboard.  I added an Effiel Tower stamp from the $1 bin at Michael's, a prima flower and tulle from a wedding. 

So very sweet card uses K&Co patterned paper and Bazzil yellow cardstock.  The scallop is again a spellbinders die.  Chipboard by House of Three, the owl punch by Martha Stewart and the stickles are Distress.  The #8 is by 7 Gypsies. 
The last card is a manly card.  I used a Tim Holtz embossing folder, distress stickles, alcohol inks and fragment.  All the paper is the same paper from the other red/yellow cards.  The string was bought at CKC.  The punch was made by Stampin UP!  For the look on the fragment I took alcohol inks in cranberry, latte, and caramel and put a couple of drops of each on my felt pad.  I added a drop of blending solution then bounced the felt pad on the fragment.  It does not take long to dry at all!  Once it was dry I flipped it over and stamped "dream" using stazon!  I love the look!!!  I sanded the cardstock so the white core would show through.  I love that look too.