Hello There and a Favorite Product

Aren't these fish fun? They are from Memory Box's Fish Tales. Rather than color in the images, I added drops of dye reinkers (and some gold paint) to watercolor paper and sprayed with a water bottle.  Let dry, then stamp (making sure to leave some white spaces), and hand cut.  So easy and fun.

Now about that favorite product. Love a black card because it provides a ready made border. But only if the inside of the card is white. Memory Box makes a variety of premade A2 cards with color on the outside and white on the inside, including the one I used here (Licorice).  Love how professional this looks. These cards can be hard to find, but Impress Cards and Crafts carries them. Not that you NEED them or anything....

MOOD WHEN DONE = Great! Had a good weekend seeing friends and crafting. Today (Monday) I turn my attention to a growing list of chores that I've been avoiding. I was much more efficient with my time when I was working full time, mothering, and taking care of my mom! Hope you have a great week!

Sympathy Cards

Decided to make a few sympathy cards for Karen's Card Shop (collected by Susan Rahaila).

I usually buy sympathy cards because I don't want to send anything that reeks "arts and crafts project by a woman with a lot of time on her hands and not enough talent".  So I tread carefully here, selecting soft colors, a simple design, and no bling.

Used Altenew Watercolor Wonders (lining up those layers is not easy), and a sentiment from an old Papertrey Ink set, Botanical Silhouettes.  The cardstock is custard by Memory Box. Inks by Altenew.

MOOD WHEN DONE = Learned that two women with whom I went to high school died this week. I did not know them well, yet it struck hard.

When he shall die,

Take him and cut him out in little stars, 

And he will make the face of heaven so fine

That all the world will be in love with night

And pay no worship to the garish sun.”

William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet

Happy Crafting, Graphic Style

I've got 3 fun cards to share, all using Flora and Fauna's Texture 2 and Altenew's Crafty Friends.

First, I went with bright colors and added some white dots with Tonic Glossy White Nuvo drops.

A bit more muted, but still fun and trimmed and placed on a Memory Box licorice card (inside is white).

And, finally, I went pale, with some gold ink and gold drops.

Do you have a favorite?  I like them all!

MOOD WHEN DONE = Really enjoyed making these. My son was visiting for a long weekend, so today was the first day back in the craft room.

For those following the medical stuff, I cancelled my surgery in Boston and will be going to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota in the fall. I'll keep you posted!!

A Card for Cardmakers

Altenew has a fun set just for cardmakers called Crafty Friends.  Love it!

Sentiment stamped in Versafine black and clear embossed onto a watercolored panel. Made the panel by coloring the inside of an embossing folder with markers in a rainbow pattern.  Spritz the watercolor paper and then insert, close, and press with hands.

MOOD WHEN DONE = Happy!  Looking forward to the weekend.  Our son is visiting!

Lovely Lilies

Paired this gorgeous set of lilies, designed by Claire Brennan, and sold by Gina K, with a sentiment from another set designed by Claire and sold by Gina, Fine Feathers. I think it is a great way to say thank you.

MOOD WHEN DONE = Let's not talk about how many version of this card I went through yesterday, ok?

Stamping on Patterned/Digital Paper

Started with a lovely digital paper that I printed out on Neenah Solar White. The pink flowers on white paper is from The Lovely Studio. You could easily stamp your own pink flowers on white cardstock instead or just use patterned paper.

Stamped flowers from the Stamp Market's Watercolor Bouquet in yellow and orange onto the patterned cardstock and embossed in clear. Carefully colored the white portion of the patterned cardstock with a black Copic.

A close up of the embossed yellow and orange flowers.

Two more cards made with the same paper.

MOOD WHEN DONE = Fine! Hope your weekend is a good one.

Top Ten Tips on Getting Ready for Surgery

Since surgery is pretty common, I thought I'd share my super successful (so far) top 10 tips on getting ready for my heart surgery. And because we all differ, I'm offering options for each tip.

You're welcome.

1a. You can choose to be afraid, or you woman up and face surgery like the warrior you are.

OR

1b. Drugs. Start them now. Screw the opioid epidemic.

***

2a. This is an opportunity to get into the best shape possible. Eat healthy. Drink lots of water. Get outside and move.

OR

2b. Since you are going to die anyway, treat every meal like your last meal. Water is polluted; stick to diet coke, or better yet frappucinos. Stay inside -- a plane can drop on your head while you are outside.

***

3a. It's not all about you. Give something of yourself to others every day.

OR

3b. You only have one life. Grab everything you can while you can.

***

4a.  Medical care is expensive. Be responsible. Quit spending money on craft supplies.

OR

4b. HA HA HA

***

5a. Stay off google!!!! It's full of information that is going to scare the crap out of you. Just listen to what your doctors say. They know what they are doing.

OR

5b. Did you know that you can get weekly Cardiac Practice Updates sent right to your email? I wonder if they'll go radial first when they do the caths or use the typical groin approach?

***

6a. Leave your docs and nurses alone. They are busy. Quit asking questions. And don't include citations to journals when you do ask questions. It really aggravates them.

OR

6b. Your docs and nurses are busy and don't have time to keep up on the latest developments. They really appreciate it when you reach out and keep them up to date on the latest research.

***

7a. Shut up. Your medical issues are putting your friends (and blog readers) to sleep.

OR

7b. Talk about the surgery all the time, particularly when out with friends. Keep your blog readers posted on every detail. Your medical issues are fascinating.

***

8a. Make lots of healthy meals in advance and put them in the freezer. 

OR

8b. See tip #2b. Dead men don't eat. 

***

9a. Be a "compliant" patient. Do what your doctors say.

OR

9b. It's your body!! Don't let "the man" tell you what to do. Experiment! What do you have to lose?

***

10a. Being a caretaker is worse than being the patient. Treat your caretaker well.

OR

10b. Being a caretaker is worse than being the patient. Treat your caretaker very, very, very well.

Yellow!!

Love yellow. If I had my way, the inside of our entire house would be yellow. In fact, the interior of our old house was a kind of creamy pale yellow, until the realtor walked in and pronounced it old fashioned -- "your target buyer will hate this. Repaint!" And we did, and it sold in a day.

Was inspired by an illustration by this artist. Scroll to find the black flowers with the gorgeous yellow paint splotch.

Used 3 Altenew sets -- Adore You, Hibiscus, and Halftone Circles.

MOOD WHEN DONE = Super happy!

PS. Didn't mean to post this today! 3 posts in one day is more than I want but I hit the wrong button!!

Colorful Christmas

Sneaking in another Christmas card. Loved the idea of using some non traditional colors.

Paper, say hello to just ink and stamps.

Sentiment from Concord & 9th's O Christmas Tree, and the branch and sparkle from Essentials by Ellen's Brushstroke Christmas.

MOOD WHEN DONE = I'm good!!

Using Watercolored Panels

Here's two fun cards using the entire set of Waffle Flower's Greenery dies.

Die cut white cardstock and adhered (using spray adhesive) over watercolored panels. I have a lot of those panels lying around and this is a great way to use them.

MOOD WHEN DONE = I'm good. Hope you are too!