Birthday - Cute Koala card

Recently, I had the fun of teaching marker techniques, using the professional Touch Twin art markers made by ShinHan and distributed by Close To My Heart.

These are fantastic markers that have been designed for the vibrancy and consistency of their colors. Frankly, because of that intent -- and ShinHan's primary market in Anime art -- these markers don't blend as well as Copic markers, in my opinion, and require a different technique than I learned in Copic Certification classes.

I'd love to teach these techniques to you! Can we schedule a workshop?

I colored this cute koala in the class, and recently turned it into a card:

 

Supplies used: Close To My Heart's "Cute Koalas" stamp set (D1642, $17.95), Memento Tuxedo Black stamp ink, ShinHan Touch Twin markers, leaves cut from a Silhouette Online store and applied with Bonding Memories (CTMH) glue; mounted on Black and Glacier cardstocks. Sentiment stamp by CTMH.

Happy Birthday to the Krazy Crafting Crew!

I have been honored to be one of the original members of the Krazy Crafting Crew (KCC) which came together to virtually craft together and to show our projects in monthly blog hops. Well, about a year ago at this time of year, the group became "official" with its name, thanks to our founder, Lissa Marie. 

We've been together -- supporting one another through thick and thin, living pretty much drama free (thank goodness!!), and inspiring one another with challenges that have made us each reach our personal goals.  Thank you all for the time we've spent together in this fun group.

So this month, we were asked to make anything "birthday" or anniversary related. And since I'm a cardmaker, that's what I made. Let me tell you a little about this simple card, and why it represents where I am in my life, at this time.  Here's the card:

For this card, I used a beautiful paper from the GCD Studios' Kathy Davis Scatter Joy line called "Journeys."  I stamped the cardstock with a sentiment from Close To My Heart called "Card Chatter - Birthday". The dragonfly was fussy-cut from another of Kathy Davis' papers in the same collection (shown at right). These papers are distributed exclusively at Joann Stores nationwide and online. I drew the dragonfly's flight path, and dabbled the centers of the flowers using CTMH's Stardust GLITZ.

So why does this single, simple card "represent" where I am in my crafting life today?  It incorporates many of the new paths I'm exploring ... with Close To My Heart as a business and lifestyle; with Joann Stores, teaching crafters of all ages.  And today, I will be having coffee with Bill Lessa of Kathy Davis Studios to see how I may be involved in teaching at their studio and possibly volunteering with them, to follow their dream to develop a community art center!  

Life is so good. Enjoy the journey.

Leave a comment here ... follow if you care ... and one day, you may find a Random Act of Crafty Kindness coming your way. RACK it up and pay it forward. It is so good. It is so kind ...

Follow along on the hop, below, to please wish my fellow members of the KCC a very happy birthday! 

YOUR NEXT STOP

is my very good friend,

LORI

who is the newest member of the KCC!



Your Host:

Lissa Marie So many crafts, so little time!

...and the full line up, following Lissa Marie:

Katina Martinez Loving Life's Little Blessings

Lucy ~ Love 2 Create it all

Janet ~ Janet's Creative World

Ellen ~ Card Monkey's Paper Jungle

Lori ~ Scrappin' my stress away

Liz ~ Tryin' to Craft

Miranda ~ Nana’s Scrap Spot

Robin Lane ~ Create-a-Latte

Pam ~ Scrapple Tree

Cicily ~ Pink Dalmatian Scrapper

Jearise ~ Lorby's World

Jessi ~ My Life in Arts n Crafts

Robin Scott ~ Scrap and Chat

Zenita ~ Scrappin' with Z

DeFiaNtLy DiFfeReNt & CreAtiVeLy Yours,

Happy Birthday, Stephanie!

I am amazingly blessed to serve on the Lovebug Creations Creative Team (think: Rumple Ribbons!!) with some tremendously talented and simply GREAT women. 

One, our gal Stephanie, is turning 40 today!  Welcome to this side of the "hill", Stephanie!!

Here is the card I've sent:

I used a fun "paper bag" technique for this card. I folded a small white paper bag and used the inside of the bag to hold a greeting tag that's reusable by our birthday girl.  (That's the cupcake.)  Inside are some flowers that I cut from coffee filters and colored using Copic's Air Brush System.  The outside greeting was reverse-cut using a Silhouette file, and garnished with Prima roses. And of course, there's Rumple Ribbon to make it jolly!

  

Happy 13th Birthday M&DD's Emily - Blog Hop!

Hi everyone!! Thank you for joining us today as we celebrate the birthday of the daughter of my friend, Beth McGee. Beth's daughter, Emily, is the other half of Mother and Daughter Designs. I "met" the precious duo when they started making banners for special needs children.  

Emily's turning 13 today, and so friends of Mother and Daughter Designs have gathered here to celebrate the life of a sweet, talented young lady. 

Here is the card that I made to celebrate Emily's special day:

These fun papers are from the
"Cakewalk" collection by October Afternoon.

Now, what's a birthday celebration without cake, candy and game prizes!?  We've got the Prizes for sure ... Be sure to check out our Hostess' Blog (Beth) to see how to qualify to win the following prizes:

• Cricut Cartridge "Jubilee Celebration" donated by Beth of Mother and Daughter Designs

• 5 Digi Stamps ~ Eureka Stamps http://eurekastamps.blogspot.com/

• Digital copy of "Creations by Crafty Card Gallery Issue 2" ~ Sponsored by Jennifer Restivo.
• $10 gift certificate for Close to My Heart products ~ sponsored by Lucy Kelleher, Close to My Heart Independent Consultant:  http://lucyk.ctmh.com 

Move on to see the next project for Emily. The next stop is with CONNIE at Connie Can Crop.  In case you get lost along the way, here is the full blog line-up:

1. Beth ~ http://motherandaughterdesigns.blogspot.com
2. Shawnee ~ http://quiverofangels.blogspot.com
3. Rachelle ~http://creationsbyRachelle.blogspot.com
4. Lucy ~ http://love2createitall.com
5. Christine ~ http://hotberrydesigns.blogspot.com/
6. Miranda ~ http://www.nanasscrapspot.com
7. Mickie ~ www.littlescrapcorner.blogspot.com

8. Ellen~ http://cardmonkey-business.blogspot.com/
      (YOU ARE HERE ... so go to CONNIE [# 9] below next)
 

9. Connie~ http://conniecancrop.blogspot.com
10. Suzanne - http://www.zannieberry.blogspot.com
11. Ashley~ http://thebloghopprincess.blogspot.com
12. Janis ~ http://pausedreamenjoy.blogspot.com/
13. Amanda~ http://craftsbyamanda.blogspot.com
14. Lori ~ http://scrappinmystressaway.blogspot.com/
15. Anita ~http://anitaandbugs.blogspot.com
16. Jennifer~http://craftycardgallery.blogspot.com

.... and Happy 13th Birthday, Emily!

DeFiaNtLy DiFfeReNt & CreAtiVeLy Yours,

Honoring my dearest friends....

Happy Sunday to you!

This weekend, Hubby and I had a dinner visit from our dearest and I dare say, most long-term friends, Star and Bernie. I've known this fantastic duo since 1979 when Star and I worked together at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children in Philadelphia. 

They've stuck by me through thick and thin -- including during a time when many friendships get lost, my divorce in 1994. And they lovingly welcomed new Hubby John into my life and circle of friends not long afterwards. 

John and I cherish them!!

Star has been making cards far longer than I, though I may be a bit more of a nut about acquiring and hoarding supplies. I don't know if Star and I could really craft together because I am ... ummmm messy oh let's say creative.  Star is much more meticulous than I. 

Star's birthday is just 8 days after mine, so here is the card I made for my dear friend. 

Yes, I try to incorporate a "star" into the cards I give her -- it may be corny of me, but she's truly a STAR in my world, and that is after all, her given name. 

And Bernie -- well, he used to own a rubber stamp company that he's now passed on to his sons since he retired. I mean, he did rubber stamps pre-laser days and when businesses bought most of them, not crafters. So I guess we were just destined to have our planets collide! 


Bernie's birthday is within a week of Star's, so I have the fun of coming up with something masculine for him ... but also funny. Here's his card:

We've always had that sort of relationship, Bernie and I -- if you ever meet him, be sure to ask him about the time I almost drowned in Punta Cana while swimming with him, because I came up from the water laughing so hard. Trust me, ask him!

Star and Bernie winter in the Florida Keys, and I'm sorry to say (sad for me ... happy for them!) that they're heading south soon.


So while I have their attention (Star checks my blog every morning!), I just want to say: Thank you, dear friends, for all you do for me, for all you mean to us, and for just being you.  

When I look up Friendship in the dictionary, I see a picture of these friends. (Just that it's the picture that Star took of Bernie at my wedding to DH John ... when you see Star, ask her about it!  Just be careful not to ask when you're underwater, or you too might almost drown!)  ♥ you guys!

Gorgeous -- the Monster.

Sometimes I just totally amuse myself ...

This card was one such time. I made it for my brother. In my family, my bro, "Freddy" (his real name is Ed. I call him Fred; he calls me Nellie. Long story.) is the only boy of the four kids in my family. Oh my, how we took advantage of that fact ...

I used a Pollycraft digi-image called "Gorgeous" for this one-eyed monster; colored him with my Copics. You may not be able to tell in this image, but I put a piece of acetate for the eyeglass, and dimensionally popped all of Gorgeous using foam tape. 

Here's "me", inside. The image was fussy-cut from paper, and I hand-drew the leg.