Birthday Tri-Shutter Card

So, I've been trying some of the many wonderful tutorials on SCS (there should be a national holiday for Beate's contribution to stamping.) My latest attempt is the Tri-Shutter Card. It was quite simple to make but difficult (for me at least) to get the folds consistently correct (lots of duh moments.) I made this card for the birthday of a very dear friend.



Not being fond of many of the current designer papers from Stampin' UP! I had turned to Ebay to find retired ones. The DSP I used for this card is from the 2007 Fall IB&C and is titled Porcelain Prints. The combo of the retired Blue Bayou, River Rock and Wild Wasabi are irresistible on this collection. I would recommend you check these papers out if you can get your hands on it.


Recipe:

Stamps: Savvy Stamps Outline Swirl Cake, Inkadinkadoo Blue Skies, SU Noteworthy
Ink: SU Classic Basic Black, Blue Bayou, Barely Banana
Paper: SU Porcelain Prints DSP, Barely Banana, Blue Bayou
Accessories: Cricut, Sure Cuts A Lot, KutUps Dingbat from Clever Someday blog, PaperPups cartridge, SU Eyelet Border punch, SU Apricot 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon.

Thanks for looking and yes HE stamps.

A flip album

Well, the project without end ... was completed yesterday. I finished the vacation flip album that was long overdue for my mother's birthday. I spent so much time making this little book and I know my poor mother is not going to look at much other than her great-grandchildren's pictures. I've gotten requests to make two more of these little "beauties." Hopefully I will find ways to improve the process and get it going at a quicker pace. I couldn't post all the pictures here on the blog but created a slideshow on Flickr that you are welcome to take a look at. Be warned some of the photos aren't the best, but the album has been mailed off and it's all I have to show at this point.

I'm going to skip listing all the details of the products used in the album - there's just too much to list. If there is something that you can't identify just drop me a note.

Thanks for looking and yes HE stamps!

Flip, Embellishing and Confessions

So my poor mother's birthday was August 31 and I've yet to finish her gift. I decided to make her a flip album of the kids on our recent vacation. I envisioned it to be so simple, something I could breeze through. Boy, was I wrong. It's like pulling teeth to get me to sit down and actually work on it - I loose focus like a first grader. I don't know what is the problem ... well, actually I do. Confession time -- I am a horrible buyer of embellishments ... I stand in the store or look at them in the cattie and think I could make that cheaper, which of course I CAN'T. Right now I would give my right arm for some On Board Batch of Blooms, So Tweet, or Essentials ...

Meanwhile, I plug along, finishing one page every day or two ... pathetic I know. I'll post something when and if I ever finish this project.

Thanks for looking and yes HE (sometimes) stamps!

Birthday Whimsy #2

Awhile back I used a Card Sketch (SC220) from Splitcoaststampers and it turned out very nicely so I thought I would give it another go.

This card is created for my partner David's sister. She has been ill for awhile now and is looking at a possible bone marrow transplant. I wanted the card to be upbeat, feminine, beautiful and have a sense of home (belonging.) I used Raspberry Tart Designer Series Paper with Kiwi Kiss, Rose Red and Regal Rose cardstock and inks. Uncharacteristically, I am proud to say that the card turned out wonderfully. The added bit of Black Gingham Ribbon adds the home feeling I wanted to achieve. I hope that it brightens her day in the tiniest way possible.

It's interesting how easily this card came together, I am sure that it helped to have worked the design previously. To go out on a limb I would say that it transcended the paper cardstock and ink. The purpose of this simple little card is bigger than me. My hope is that Eileen will feel "it" too.

Thanks for looking 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.