Whew, took two days but here is the latest.  This is a sketch from the blog Mojo Monday. Not pleased with the choices of my modest collection of stamps I decided to try a downloadable stamped image, this version of Anya from The Greeting Farm fit the order. I decided to use my water based Close To My Heart markers and aqua brush to do the coloring. Well, ink jet print is water-based ... scratch that plan. Luckily my partner David came to the rescue and printed her at work. With the CTMH markers out on the project I shifted to a new set of Bic Mark-It's that I purchased over the weekend. Perhaps they are the poor man's Copic's but they work pretty darn good -- would be nice if they did a bit more with the pastels.

After some research I discovered a site The Frugalcrafter's Weblog that offered an easy approach to lighting up the Mark-It's in the form of Prismcolor's Colorless Blender Marker. This is my first time attempting marker to paper and using the blender -- it's okay but has it's frightening moments so beware. Might be best to enjoy this card from a distance :-)

The rest of the details, cardstock is from one of the DCWV pads, patterned paper is Garden Party by Making Memories, markers by Bic Mark-It's, ink Graphite Black by Brilliance, punch scalloped circle by Martha Stewart, and finally scalloped border punch by Stampin' UP.

Thanks for taking a look and yes HE stamps.

Dad's 71st Birthday

Friday March 27th will be my father's 71st birthday. At this point of his life he has Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinson's. Last week my mother said the doctor confirmed he is in the final stages of the alzheimer's disease. Although the medicine my father has been taking for the past three years allows him to remember who we are -- something is missing. It's in his eyes a vacancy exists. Sometime ago, I went to visit him in Kentucky and after the initial greeting he asked me to leave his room. My very presence agitated him, it hurt but was what he needed.

Since the onset of the disease birthdays are so hard. Gift giving just seems ridiculous. I wanted to make him a card but finding a design, paper and stamp was way overwhelming. The card needs to be simple but festive.  For design of course enter Splitcoaststampers and the always wonderful Card Sketch of the week.  This week's sketch fit my birthday card needs perfectly.

My patterned paper choice was from the Snowed In collection of My Mind's Eye.  I believe the cardstock is one of the DCWV cardstock pads but don't hold me to it.  The stamp is from the Birthday Whimsy set of Stampin' UP.  Ink is Tulip by Close To My Heart.  There was a tremendous amount of measuring that went on with this card.  I'm pretty good at the measuring and cutting but not so with the placement.  There's some uneven edges and placement but I'm willing to forgive it this time.

I know that this card isn't the most beautiful, but it represents the best that I am able to accomplish given the subject matter and time.  

Thanks for taking a look and yes he stamps.

Love Ya Bunches From the Folks

Over at SplitCoastStampers one of the many challenges they give each week is a "Limited Supplies." In the challenge SC220 for last week (yes it took me a week to complete) this particular challenge other than calling for the aforementioned limited amount of supplies one could add green. Since I normally like to do the "Card Sketches" challenge (more on that later) I decided to take on the "Limited Supplies" challenge. Additionally, there's a blog Tailored Expressions which issues challenges, last week's was this card design.


Of course Basic Grey being my favorite paper I went to the little used Urban Praire paper line. I knew before starting the challenge that I wanted to use Penny Black's From The Folks stamp. I didn't really want to do a traditional paper border so I got the idea to carry the flower theme from the paper and made a border overlay from flowers on the Cricut using the Accent Essentials cartridge. There were many versions of this card before the final one ... I won't go into all that, lets just say I did a whole lot of sponging. Well, that's about it please keep an eye out for this blog as I complete my projects I'll show them on here ... or at least I hope to. Thanks for looking and yes HE stamps.