Blog Candy

Kathy at The Daily Marker is celebrating her 2^ND
Blogversary with a lovely give away. Head on over and check out her wonderful blog. She shares such brilliant ideas. 
Good Luck!

Blessings
Bernie

Blue Christmas

Hi There
Hope the weather is treating you well, summer has arrived here.  It's gotten very warm.  We have really been spoiled thus far.  Although we aren't setting any records it feels like we are.  When you're hot, you're hot.

As I said before I LOVE Father Christmas.  I've got a small collection I look forward to bringing out ever Christmas, like seeing old friends.  One of my favorites wears a blue velvet coat and hat.  He inspired me to watercolor my lovely stamp again.  This time I used my pencils and paint brush with water instead of a blender pen.  I added some Crayola glitter glue to the fur on his coat.  Layered on to Spellbinders Lattice Rectangles and on to my card base and rounded all corners.  The gems and ribbon are from my stash.

Have an Amazing Weekend

Blessings
Bernie

Sisters at Heart

Hi There

Hope you are enjoying your day and looking forward to a lovely weekend.

I made this card for my dearest friend. Susie is my forever friend. She has known me forever, well since high school and beyond. She knows all my secrets, where all the bodies are buried and she loves me anyway? And I love her. Susie reminded me recently that we will soon be celebrating the 50^th anniversary of our friendship. We met on the first day of high school and have been the best of friends ever since. Susie loves all shades and hues of purple.





The frame was made using a MS daisy border punch. Becca at Amazing Paper Grace has a wonderful tutorial on how to
Punch A Perfect Border Frame here.

The little hearts were already embossed on the pink card stock when I found it. I made the white flower from organza ribbon. The sentiments is a Michael’s $1 rubber stamp. Everything else is from my stash and you know was either found in a thrift shop or yard sale.



Don’t know why I can’t get a decent photo of it but the inside says:

Not Sisters At Birth

But we knew from the start

God put us together

To be Sisters at Heart.

Cheap Trick:  Becca of Amazing Paper Grace has an amazing talent for looking at her punches and coming up with fascinating new ways to use them.  Use the link above to go to her YouTube channel.  Unlike others Becca cuts to the meat of the subject and gives simple to understand directions without endless chatter.  Be warned you maybe there for a while as she has many tutorials.  Not just on the use of punches but all things Spellbinders and ribbon as well. 

Thanks for visiting. I appreciate your comments.
Have an Amazing Day
Blessings
Bernie

Flower Tutorials

Second post today, please scroll down for my earlier post.
I have two quick and easy tutorials on how to make your own flowers.

The fabric, the number of petals and the size you use will give you a variety of end results for each of these.

Poinsettia

Cut your ribbon or fabric in to squares, one for each petal. For my poinsettia I used five petals of 1 ¼” red craft ribbon.

Fold each square in half and then in half again.
Straight stitch along the raw edge of each petal. Two important points to keep in mind: Keeping your folded edges all facing the same direction will give the most pleasing result.  Your stitches should all be the same distance from the edge of your fabric. This will result in your petals being all the same size.

After stitching all your petals onto your thread gather them tightly together and tie into a circle. You will need to fiddle with it till you get it looking 'just right'. Glue on to a small circle of card stock appropriate to the size of your flower. I used hot glue but you could use any strong adhesive. Decorate the center. I glued yellow seed beads to the center of my poinsettia and added some green grosgrain ribbon for leaves.

Organza Flower

Cut your material in to squares. For this flower I used five petals of 1 1/2” organza ribbon. 


Fold each petal in half and straight stitch around the two raw edges. Keeping your stitches the same distance from the edges will result in all petals being the same size. After stitching all petals onto your thread gather them tightly together and tie into a circle.  Adjust your petals till you get them looking 'just right'. Glue on to a small circle of card stock appropriate to the size of your flower. I used hot glue but you could use any strong adhesive. Decorate the center. I stitched a few beads to the center of mine.


For each of these flowers you could add more petals and make a fuller flower or you could also make a second layer of smaller petals and layer those onto the larger layer.

If you have any questions I'll be happy to try to answer them.
I hope you will have fun with these and share what you come up with.
Have an Amazing Day
Blessings Bernie

Father Christmas

I LOVE Father Christmas. When I found this 1996 Hero Arts Stamp in a thrift shop a few days ago I just had to have him. I did it Di, I colored him! I used my watercolor pencils but when I used my blender pen I lost all my shading. I watched a few videos on YouTube and learned what I had done wrong. I should have watched them first. I’ve since picked up some paint brushes and will soon be trying it again. Not sure if I enjoy coloring but at least I didn’t hate it.

He turned out well enough that I layered him on red then green cardstock. I finally got to use my snowflake embossing folder and paper from the DCWV Christmas Combo Matstack. I found both on clearance last Feb. I believe the little snowflake came from that same sale. I made the poinsettia. Love this little flower so easy to make and the results are so different depending on the materials used.

Cheap Trick: Shop the after holiday sales. After each holiday the retailers must move this years stock to make room for the next holiday’s stock. He could store things but he knows the producers are working hard to come up with new colors, styles, patterns etc. for the following year. He also knows his customers want those new items and will likely pass over the previous years stock. So he saves himself the headaches and slashes prices.   As they say 'eventually everything old is new again'.

Thanks for visiting. I appreciate your comments.
Have an Amazing Day
Blessings
Bernie

Snowflake

Hi There;

With everyone complaining about the weather I almost feel guilty that we have been enjoying perfect weather here.

I have a wonderful neighbor who brings me ‘pretty things’ she thinks I may be able to use on a card. Recently she gave me a bit of torn paper with 'sugar' on it.

I trimmed it to size mounted it on some pretty blue card stock and on to my card base. The snowflake is recycled from a Christmas card I received last year. I tied on a matching ribbon. The ribbon didn’t hide a little blue blemish so stamped JOY directly on it, no more blemish.

Cheap Trick: Save your old blades. When your blade no longer gives you a nice crisp edge save it. Use the old blade to cut thru any damaging material then if needed go back with your good blade for that crisp edge. I also save my worn paper trimmer blades and use them when experimenting on a new project. Just a little way to give your blades a little longer life.
Thanks for stopping by. Your lovely comments make my day, thank you.
Have an Amazing Day
Blessings
Bernie

Quick!!

Hi There;
I do hope you are having a wonderful day.

Yesterday afternoon my neighbor came over and asked if I could make a graduation card for a young man. Sure, When do you need it? In an hour or so. WHAT! She had totally forgotten about a party she needed to go to and had to be there in two hours.

I rushed to the closet, stamped some white card stock with my Inkadinkado graduation background stamp and layered it on some red then black card stock and mounted it on a card blank. I had the template of the mortar board in my file, I quickly traced it on to a shiny black scrap, cut it out and added a sad little tassel. It was done in record time.

She picked up the card on her way to the party and was pleased with it.

I don’t think I’ve ever made a card so fast. I’ve had no mojo for several days but this sure brought it back.

Thanks for stopping by and thank you for your lovely comments, they make my day.
Have an Amazing Day
Blessings
Bernie

100 Followers Giveaway!

Michelle at Scrappin for Kenzie has cleaned out her scraproom and found a HUGE pile of stuff she has decided to give away to one lucky winner when she reaches 100 followers. She has such lovely cards, scrap pages and wonderful projects I think her blog is well worth following. Click on the picture on my side bar and go check her blog out for yourself. Good luck! 

 
Blessings
Bernie

Three Wise Men

Hi There!  Hope you are having a wonderful Saturday!  Any Plans?  None here, just a quite day in the craft closet. 

Today's card is a quick and easy recycled Christmas card.  The entire back ground was actually a large card I just cut down and adhered to my card base as is, velvet ribbon included.  I had enough of the green patterned portion to use on my previous recycled card.  The image was from still another card.  I ran Versamark around the edges of some white cardstock and embossed with gold EP then layered on my image and sentiment.  Can't see it here but it really sparkles IRL.  Both are lifted off the base with pop dots.
Thanks for visiting today.
Have an Amazing Day
Blessings
Bernie  

Free Mammograms

At the moment my daughter is going thru the final stages of treatment for Breast Cancer.  We are very hopeful that she will make a complete recovery as it was caught by mammogram very early.  
With the state of the economy many women including my little sister are without insurance and can't afford to get a mammogram.  But YOU can help and it's free.  The following is taken directly from the Breast Cancer Site.


What is The Breast Cancer Site?


The Breast Cancer Site is an online activism site that offers simple ways to help mothers, daughters, sisters, and friends in the fight against breast cancer.


Clicking is Free
In just a few seconds each day, visitors can click on the pink "Click Here to Give - it's FREE" button on the home page and, at no cost to them, help fund a free mammogram for a woman in need. The mammograms are paid for by The Breast Cancer Site's sponsors and distributed by the National Breast Cancer Foundation.


100% of sponsor advertising fees goes to our charitable partners.


The Breast Cancer Site was founded on October 23, 2000. Since that day, tens of millions of site visitors have given more than 16,000 mammograms to women in need via a simple and free daily click!


Who pays for the mammograms?


Site sponsors purchase small ads on the Thank You page for a certain amount of time. The Breast Cancer Site then tabulates the number of people who click during that time frame and bills the sponsors for the appropriate amount. The Breast Cancer Site then sends 100% of advertising fees to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.


100% of sponsor advertising fees goes to our charitable partners.

I have the pink button on my side bar.  This is very important to me so I've decided to also add a link after my signature each day.  Hopefully this will make it easier for you to click each time you visit.  Every click helps and I like to think I am helping my sister.  Thank You!
Have An Amazing Day!
Blessings 
Bernie

Lost & Found

Hi There!
Last October 2010 I mailed a card to my girl friend Diane in Alabama. A few weeks ago I found it my mail box.  One can only wonder where it had been. The envelope was a little dirty and the stamp was missing but otherwise it was fine.  I checked to be sure the card was unharmed, took a photo of it and sent it on again.  I'm happy to say this time it actually got to her.

I didn’t have a rectangle die so I used my Spellbinders Big Scalloped Squares LG and cut thru the center, over lapped the center scallops and used my ribbon to hide the cut. I stamped the corners in green chalk ink then embossed with Sparkle EP. I printed the sentiment on Word then cut and embossed with Classic Oval Lg. I used Crayola glitter glue around the edge and layered on to a Classic Scalloped Oval Lg. The Ribbon and Lace were thrift shop finds. The flower and dragon fly were in a blog candy from Pam of Smiffy’s Cards.   Thanks Pam!

“Cheap Trick” I found some EP in a yard sale grab bag but didn’t have a heat tool. I tried the microwave, the oven, holding it over the toaster, and even heating up a skillet. I wouldn’t advise any of those. 
What worked beautifully was my iron. After stamping with Versamark or chalk ink and sprinkling with EP I held my paper with a clothes pin or tweezers.  One area at a time, I gently rubbed the back of my paper against the iron in a circular motion,  just until the EP melted then moved to another area. Until you can afford a heat tool or if yours dies you can use this method in a pinch.

If you do this please be very careful.    To prevent bumping into it, set your iron well away from your work area on a solid heat proof surface.

Thanks for stopping by today and thank you for your wonderful comments.Have an Amazing Day.
Blessings
Bernie

Recylced Christmas

Hi there!  I hope you are having a wondeful day and the weather is being kind to you where ever you may be.  It is a lovely day here.  

Fingers crossed, I'm flying solo on this one with no help from my Late Night UK Teck Support Di.  I've gotten myself an album on Picasa and hopefully I've done everything right so you can click on the photo to enlarge it. 

I always save the Christmas cards I receive and whenever possible I recycle them into new cards for the following year.  The pattern paper on this card came from one card and the image came from another.  I used A DecoColor Gold Paint Marker on the edges of the red card stock and the image.  The image is popped up on foam dots.
Thanks for stopping by, your comments are much appriceated.
Have An Amazing Day!
Blessings
Bernie

Trash to Treasure

I bought a pack of papers at Michael’s and received this junk mail envelop and challenged myself to make a card with them.

I used the envelop to create a layer. I cut the various colors into strips and ran them thru the Cuttlebug in assorted EFs. I used Spellbinders Jumbo scalloped Border Petites to round off each strip, sanded each and adhered them to the card front. Not having wide enough brown left I used two narrow strips then hid the center cut with a bit of grosgrain ribbon. The flower was hand cut from the same paper layered on to some silk leaves. The crochet flower was another blog candy win. The sentiment is an old SU stamp.

Thanks for visiting today. I appreciate your comments.
Have an Amazing Day
Blessings
Bernie

A Whale of a Birthday

Happy Tuesday!
Today I have quick and simple card. The photo of the whale came from a whale watch flyer I picked up on the ferry last week. I printed the sentiment with Word. I put a few scraps of card stock in an EF and ran it thru the Cuttlebug. I punched the edges with an EK Success scalloped border punch and layered them on my card front. I tucked the whale behind the waves and added a star brad. This will soon be on it’s way to my grandson Kekela for his birthday.

Thanks for visiting today. I appreciate your comments.
Have an Amazing Day
Blessings
Bernie

There & Back Again

Hi There; I do hope you've had a wonderful weekend and you're looking forward to an amazing week.
I mentioned last week I’d be spending Thursday with my 10 yr. old grandson Sean. 

Up at 4 AM, shower, dress, pack the cooler and Sean into the car.  We left Yakima and were on the road to Shelton by 5:30. We drove 4 ½ hours to visit with my sister.

Sean and Aunty D had never met but bonded instantly. It was fantastic seeing them together. They each have a wicked sense of humor and it wasn’t long before they were pulling things over on me. I truly enjoyed our visit although it was far to short. 2 ½ hours later we were on the road again. An 1 hr. to Bremerton and on the ferry to Seattle.

Sean had never been on a ferry and enjoyed ever second of it. ‘Grandma, look at this!’ Front to back, side to side, ‘Grandma, what’s that?” Up a deck, down two decks and up again. We walked across the Puget Sound! LOL!

I finally gave him some money to play video games so I could sit for a while.

Thanks to a number of detours I was lost for quite some time but eventually we found a gentleman who knew where I wanted to go and gave me precise directions.

The Hiram M. Chittenden Locks in Ballard are surrounded by beautiful gardens and lush lawns which were a welcome delight and relaxing to this weary soul.

Sean was fascinated by the locks. We watched the boats come in, tie up and either rise or lower depending if they were entering from the Puget Sound and going on to Lake Union and Lake Washington or the other way round.  This yacht was being lowered on it's way out for an evening dinner cruise on the Sound.

At the fish ladders we watched salmon swim up stream to deposit their eggs in the river and in the spot where they’d been born. The salmon were migrating so we saw a great many of them.

Here Sean is looking thur a magnifying glass at vials showing the development of Salmon eggs from fertilization to birth.

Back at the Locks more boats were coming and going. The men who operate the Locks were ready, willing and able to help the boaters and to answer any and all of our questions. What a great way to learn how men and fish travel from fresh water rivers and lakes, thru the Sound, out to the Pacific Ocean only to return home again.

And now it was time for us to make the 3 hour drive and return home ourselves. Thanks to erroneous directions I managed to get us lost again. Eventually I did find a lovely young lady who was able to give me correct directions and I was finally on the right road home.

Sean had not taken to being lost well but once he knew we were safely on the right road he curled up in the back sit with his pillow and blanket and was soon sound asleep. He didn’t even notice when I stopped for gas.

Two hours late, exhausted and nerves more then a little frayed but we were home safe. Except for the time we were lost we really did have a wonderful day.

Thanks for stopping by.
Have An Amazing Day
Blessings
Bernie
 

Cherry Blossoms

Hi There, Gosh the weather here is glorious. It's not expected to last long, the high heat of summer is just off the horizon so we are enjoying it while it last. 

For my card I stamped my back ground with a clear back ground stamp from a Fiskars’ set called Asian Inspired. I stamped it with brown ink then colored the flowers with chalk. I used versamark to stamp a Studio G rubber stamp dragonfly then embossed it with Jewel Gold transparent EP. I need to get some Gold EP without so much sparkle. The studs are more of those jean-e-ology iron on studs which I glued in place. A bit of pink grosgrain ribbon to finish.

Thanks for visiting today!
Have an Amazing Day!
Blessings
Bernie

Lace Flower

Hi There;  I do hope everyone is having a lovely day. I will be spending the day with my grandson. Should be a lot of fun.

For my card today I tried a few things new to me. I die cut my pattern paper with my trusty Sizzlet branch with leaves. It’s actually a very heavy cardstock from Girl’s Paperie. It proved to be a little to heavy for this die. I shimmed it and actually got the impression of the outer edge of the die but wasn’t able to completely cut thru the cardstock. I couldn’t bare to toss out such lovely paper so used my craft knife and carefully cut out the areas that the die hadn’t cut thru completely. I’m really pleased with the result but that took an incredibly long time so I wont be doing it again with such heavy cardstock.

The lace flower is also new to me. I gathering the lace with a needle and thread. The bottom layer was gathered on the very edge of the lace while the top layer was gathered thru the center and folded in half lengthwise.  A button holds the layers together. I made the pearl flourish myself.

“Cheap Trick” I can’t fit pearl or rhinestone flourishes into my budget so I made my own. I printed a few flourishes I found on line. I made a template by laying a transparency film over the printed flourish and pierced the film where the gems should go. I then laid the templates over my card until I found the placement I wanted. My templates are reversible and reuseable allowing for several options. I used a straight pin to make tiny prick marks thru the holes in the template. I found the pearls on discount at Michael’s. It proved to be easier then I expected. Since the pearls are on a strip of adhesive, I placed one end of the strip at the beginning of the flourish and slowly lower the rest in place over the remaining prick marks.

Thank you for visiting and for your comments. Your encouragement makes my day!
Have An Amazing Day!
Blessings
Bernie

200 Posts Candy

Di is Celebrating 200 Posts with Candy!  She has five packs of three Pro Marker Ultra-Fine Nibs that clip onto the finer pointed end of Pro Markers and magically transform them to an even finer tip.

Di is giving away one pack of three to each of five winners. So hop on over to the Pixie’s Crafty Workshop and while you are there check out her lovely cards.

Good luck!
Blessings
Bernie

Blessings

Good Morning!! I do hope you are enjoying a wonderful Sunday.   

OH MY GOSH I am so very blessed!! I have been following Sweet Cindy of Creating With The Heart for about a year now. When she offered her Birthday Blogaversary Candy I didn’t think I’d win. When I did win I was excited to receive my box but I Never expected THIS!! Look at all this amazing lovely crafty stuff!!!

　

Paper, dies and loads and loads of stamps! Several items were on my LONG wish list. I was so excited, as I pulled out one goodie after the other my Jim said; Calm down, you’re an old woman, you’re going to have a stroke. Isn’t he sweet.

I plan to spend the day in my craft closet. I need to find homes for all these lovely goodies and I really need to make a special thank you card for Cindy.
 
Have An Amazing Day!
Blessings
Bernie

I'm a Great Aunt

Hi There
I learned today my niece has had her little boy, mother and child doing well. I made this cute card for Kristy and Brand.

I found the instructions for this adorable onesie card HERE. I thought is was so cute I couldn’t wait to make one.  Lisa's insturctions were quite easy to follow. 
I stamped and pieced a Michael’s baby buggy dollar rubber stamp. Then cut and embossed with Spellbinders Big Scalloped Squares Lg. I wanted to layer it but the next size up was a bit to big so I taped down the same size die to my paper and cut around the outer edge with my craft knife.  I finished with a rickrack. 


Thanks for stopping by today and thank you for your lovely comments.
Have an Amazing Day.
Blessings
Bernie

Purple Fairy

Hello Blog Friends
I do hope you are all enjoying a lovely weekend and the weather is comfortable for you.  A few days ago we were in shorts and running the A/C this morning we are bundled up and the heater is on.  It is supposed to be a comfortable weekend but the heat is on the horizon.
I needed a birthday card for my granddaughter Callie, who loves fairies. I had the fairy and the background  but couldn’t  make them work together.   When I saw Di’s card HERE a light bulb went on. I had the beginnings of the shadow box card in my “Well that didn’t work” file so I pulled it out. The fairy was on the corner of a note pad. I adhered her to some card stock and cut her out.   

For the front I cut my pink card stock using Classic Scalloped Oval Lg. then Classic Oval Lg. and adhered it around my window. I used pieces of a Sizzlit branch with leaves to form a branch over the window then added my rope swing.  Why wouldn't a fairy be tempted to take a swing on a rope.  I couldn’t allow her to actually swing as her back is blank, I glued the tip of her wing to the edge of the window and her hands to the rope.            

  

I adhered my background to the inside then made a pocket for gift card on the back.

I love shadow box cards they are quite easy to put together really looks striking but lays flat for mailing. 
Thanks for stopping by today and thank you for your wonderful comments.
Have an Amazing Day.
Blessings
Bernie

Thank You Becca

Today I have a special Thank You to Becca for the lovely Girl’s Paperie papers she sent me.

These papers are so pretty I didn’t want to make that first cut but what good are they just sitting there. I found this little piece of pleated lace and thought it went beautifully with these papers. I aged a half doily then layered on a feather a leafy branch and my crochet flower. 

I was having a sleepless night so I watched several YouTube videos on how to crochet flowers. Somehow I came up with something of my own. I have no idea what I did but I like it. I’d never made stick pins before but somehow this card called for them. I didn’t have any floral corsage pins so I used some quilting pins. Lot less intimidating too.  The beads came off a Dollar Tree Eyeglasses Cord. The sentiment is an old Stampin’ Up stamp. I finished with a velum MS Butterfly which I sponged with some gold ink and some pearls from my stash.

Thank you for stopping by I appreciate every comment.
Have an Amazing Day
Blessings
Bernie 

Blog Candy And A Card

Hi There
I’d like to wish Congratulations to Katharina of Whiff of Joy   for reaching 1500 followers! Katharina is offering candy to celebrate. 5 Wiff of Joy summer stamps of your choice! Hurry only 3 days left to enter.

Today’s I have a simple anniversary card. I let the paper do all the work. It’s from DCWV
Linen Closet mat stack.  I finished with couple MS Butterflies, a few pearls and some ribbon from my stash. 
Have an Amazing Day
Blessings
Bernie

Pink, Pretty, Girly

Hi There Blog Friends! Last night I got a call for a card. Pink, pretty, girly and oh yeah she loves butterflies. What do you think, will this fill the bill?

I layered my lacy patterned paper then pierced and faux stitched with a Marvy white gel pen. For the medallion I punched a MS Butterfly then centered the negative in Spellbinders Petite Scalloped Circles Lg. I was able to cut and emboss the white and pink card stock in the Cuttlebug at the same time. I layered the white on the pink then on to a doily. The doily seemed to blend into the pink background so I added a pale green circle under it. Next I replaced the butterfly into the negative space and added pearls for the body.  

The lace and ribbon needed something.  I am not sure what those pink plastic flowers are, what they are called or how they were meant to be used. You guessed it, it was part of a grab bag found in a thrift shop. I have a full spool of if but no label. They seem right so I glued them in place then just to be sure I tacked them down with a few stitches.

I realized the flower and bow were a bit to high. I’ve lowered them so they are in line with the ribbon. I forgot to take another picture before I dropped it in the mail. This card is going to Maui where it will be mailed to it’s intended recipient in Honolulu.

Thanks for stopping by. I appreciate your comments.
Have an Amazing Day
Blessings
Bernie

Melissa's 3rd Blogaversary

Melissa is celebrating her 3^rd Blogaversary with a Mega Giveaway! I’m blown away with this amazing giveaway.

 

A $150 Gift Card to Michael's Crafts!!

~ Spellbinders GRAND Labels 11 (This is the big one)

 

AND a....

~ Spellbinders Grand Calibur Machine

I’m sure when I win  :) it will take me some time to recover. Happy Anniversary Melissa!

It's on my side bar.  I'll wish you all Good Luck but you know I do plan to win.  While you are there check out her lovely cards and projects.

Blessings
Bernie