New Designs

New ideas come around whenever they feel like it - guess they felt like it!  Here's a bunch of new designs for all types of occasions.

Sometimes, the inspiration comes from the phrase.  Once I found "You are a gem", it was easy to design the card.

This white on white card with black lettering looks very elegant.

Stick wedding figures and the perfect font made this card a breeze.

The spirelli inspired background makes the hand-colored roses really pop.

After finding the right butcher's twine, I made this "lollipop" by gluing it down to a circle.  Lots of sticky fingers, but worth it!

I think the sizing of the tags needs more thought.  I'll redo this someday.

Found a set of flower dingbats that went well with this sympathy card.

Figuring out a wine glass was tricky, but a clear plastic sheet and a white chalk edger solved my dilemma.

Love the way this one turned out!  Just the perfect papers and more of that butcher's twine.

My favorite one for this long weekend.  I think it needs just one more small element and it will be fabulous!

Need to work on the placement of the stars. 

It's slightly mind-blowing to realize that a tone can be set with just a font.  The 2nd line is a very "young" style.

My least favorite card.  It's funny how when designing the card, the image in my head looks so much better.  Maybe next time!

Along the theme of "The Sound of Music" for this retirement card.

Finally made a shaker card that works!

I just hope the nails stay glued to the card!

Love this sentiment.  The inside finishes it off by stating "You are the candle".

 

Colorful congratulation card.

Another encouragement card that has a great sentiment.

 

I've had many hours of fun designing and creating these cards.  Hope you enjoy them!  Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Coloring - Not Just for Kids Anymore

While waiting for my shoulder to heal from surgery, I pulled out an old set of colored pencils.  I found a ton of drawings online and concentrated on flowers (since I like flowers!).

 

 

Then I discovered Gamsol, odorless mineral spirits.  It works with the pigment in the pencils and with a blending stump (tightly rolled paper), you can move the pigment!  You can spread it or blend it with another color.  The results are amazing!  This iris was my first attempt at using the Gamsol.  I'm in LOVE!

 

 

I hope this will inspire you to rediscover your colored pencils and get online to find something to color.  Google "coloring pages" to get started.  Or if you have a more artistic bent than me, draw something to color.  Above all, have fun and get creative!

 

 

I'm Back!

After more than 2 years, I'm finally back to making and selling cards.  We've had major changes here - new job, new home town, new house - and it's all wonderful!  My hiatus was due to shoulder wear-and-tear.  Not only did I have rotator cuff repair surgery, but had to compound it with frozen shoulder twice!  I can finally move well enough to make cards again - and I'm loving it.

While I was recuperating, I discovered coloring again, after 45 years!  So much fun!  And the colored pencils are amazing.  Add Gamsol and a blending stump, holy cow!  So I just had to get back to cardmaking - just to use the amazing colored drawings.  Here's some examples:

                      
                                      

                                                






















I've been working very hard each weekend getting cards made and I finally will finish a full carousel and will be selling cards online and at the Allure Salon in Montrose.  Please feel free to contact me if you'd like any cards.