Birthday Surprise from Marianne

Well happy birthday to me! I'm another year older, but

not deeper in debt like the song goes. Okay now I really am showing my age! 

I'm 58.....I feel 58.

Big thanks to my longtime dear friend Marianne. She made me these beautiful hand stitched cards. 

Just love them. Wait there is more......

and some more

and look....

she made matching envelopes for them! 

I have the best friends!!!!!

I'll be posting more gifts on tomorrow's post. Some I haven't opened yet as

I wanted something to open today, but since I'm typing this up on Friday night it's

not my birthday yet. Confusing....yes? 

Stamping trails

Karen

Fall card from Kat

I wanted to share this cool Fall card that I received from my

friend Kat this week. 

Looks good when it is folded closed, but really looks awesome when.....

it is unfolded. 

Great job Kat. Love this card! 

I also love the fact that it has finally cooled down here in Northeast Ohio. 

Went walking around the lake last evening and didn't feel like I was sweating to death. 

Ah so refreshing to have temps in the 60's again. 

Stamping trails

Karen

Hanging Witch Hat and Cloak

So slowly I've been putting up the Halloween decorations. 

I had an idea on what to do with my witch hat. 

The velvet cloak belongs to my daughter Sarah, but I found it 

in the closet and decided to put it on display. It is 

hanging under the witch hat. Of course what witch would

go anywhere without her broom. So I had to add that as well. 

There is also a little cauldron, and black boots on the floor. 

This helps make the front entryway fun, and tells everyone I'm 

not afraid to let everyone know that a witch is living in the house

along with her familiar Cherokee. 

We are finally getting a break from the heat! Thank goodness. 

Only in the mid 60's today, and I'm a happy witch! 

Stamping trails

Karen

Early Birthday gift from Kathleen

I got a little something from my crafty friend Kathleen. 

Thanks Kathy! Love the little mini album, and it is colored very nicely! 

Inside view. She put it together using my favorite color blue. 

She also made me this larger than life birthday card. 

I have always liked blue gingham. Thinking back I know 

it's because The Wizard of Oz was my favorite childhood movie, and I just

loved Dorothy's blue gingham dress.

Thanks Kathleen. You made my day! 

I also received a birthday box from my friend Connie and Lisa. 

I haven't opened it yet as I'm waiting till my birthday on Saturday. 

 

Thanks girls! 

So another hot day here in Ohio. We broke another record. I'm just waiting till Thursday

when we are suppose to have a break from all this heat. Come on its September and I haven't

even baked anything yet. I'm yearning for some pumpkin bread, but its been to dang hot

to turn on the oven. 

Stamping trails

Karen

The Witch is In!

Back again although I'm melting! Way to hot here!

So does this look familiar to yesterday's card? 

I used the same doll. This time I made her a witch with

her little black kitty. 

Happy with the way the boots turned out. After stamping, cutting them out I

ran them through a web embossing folder. Fishnet stockings were created using

a glitter black gel pen.

The cat is a Tim Holtz thinlit die. 

Spider web, spider, and greeting are from different sets that 

I thought would work well together.

Maybe if I start making snow themed cards it will

get cooler. Worth a try! 

Stamping trails

Karen

Mailable Monday #212

Yup that's me. Just read the greeting. 

The doll I used is called Jill. By Julie Nutting of course! 

This is one of the new dolls I got as an early birthday gift. 

I'll be posting some other things this week that hubby got for me. 

Legs, and arms colored with Prisma pencils. Her dress and boots are designer paper. 

So while I was making this card I had a bit of an accident. My coffee got a little to close

to the stamping area and picked up the completed card and the coffee cup at the same time. 

Well I dropped the card to the floor and the coffee splashed a bit out of the cup. 

So......in order to hide the wee bit of coffee I used Gorgeous Grunge stamp set and randomly

stamped around the white spaces. Problem solved! 

The greeting is by Dyluisions. After stamping it I colored it in with different

colors. Kind of a play on the greeting itself using different shades. 

Had fun at Sarah and Jason's house yesterday. Ate to much, and played with the pets

a lot, but had a great time. 

Stamping trails

Karen

Eat Me....if you dare Halloween Treat

Still working on Halloween goodies. 

The plastic mason jar pouch I got from 

Michael's several months ago. Pretty nice that

the jars are food safe. Makes them great for swaps. 

Greeting on the tag is a from last years October Paper Pumpkin

set by Stampin'Up. 

The spider web doily was also by SU. I cut it in

half and used tear tape to attach it to the front and back of the jar. 

View of the jar with the treat inside. 

The spiders are buttons. I may have to make

a few more of these. Although I'm not sure if I can still find the buttons. 

Going over to have a cookout at Sarah and Jason's later today. 

Still can't believe it is so hot, but it is a great day to cook outside.

Sending a shout out to my friend Lisa who is celebrating her

birthday today. Hope you have a wonderful day! 

Stamping trails

Karen

Halloween Memorydex Cards

Back with some more Memorydex cards. 

Of course I'm in full swing Halloween mode. 

I'm thinking about doubling back on this one and stamp 

the greeting (witching you a Happy Halloween) in cream

then popping it up on the black bat layer. I think as it is now

it is hard to read. 

Yup the wicked witch can be bribed with chocolate! 

The hat and greeting is a little set that my friend Kat got me 

a few years ago while she was visiting. They were being sold at Pat Catan's. 

I thought it would be a cute idea to use actual candy wrappers. These were miniatures.

The row of black rhinestones was not put on one by one. These are from a roll

of washi tape that I got at Target last season. Pretty handy having them on a roll as

you know they will always be in a straight line when you use them on a project. 

 

I'll be making a bowl of pasta salad today. Its been way to hot to cook anything. 

 

I swear it feels like July outside. We need some rain and cooler temps! 

 

Where are you FALL!!!!!!! I'm missing you!

Stamping trails

Karen

Have a Boo-t-iful Halloween!

So its going to be in the 90's today. 

I can't believe it! No end in sight for this Fall heat wave....by the

way happy first day of Fall. 

This is card was fun to make! 

Lets start with the background...

I was in a heat embossing mood the other day. I ran black, white, and

cardstock weight vellum through a spider embossing folder. Next

I lightly went over the raised parts of the web with VersaMark ink. 

Sprinkled on some iridescent ice embossing powder then heat set. 

The completed black layer was adhered to a white base card. 

The boots, and greeting were from a set that I bought some years ago. 

Now I can't even remember which company made them, but I know I 

bought them at Archivers. 

Colored the boots in with color pencils, and highlighted with a stardust gel pen. 

The greeting is popped up over the cardstock, as is the which hat is from a Tim Holtz set. 

Here is a view of the inside. The greeting is from a SU stamp set. 

and here is the card I made using the cardstock weight vellum.

It looks better in person as I don't think I had the camera angled right to pick up

the ice embossing powder. 

So I hope everyone is enjoying the hot weather on this first day of Fall. 

I'll be creating away in my craft room, and keeping cool! 

Stamping trails

Karen

Trick-or-Treat Banner

This project started out with a pre-made banner. 

It was just a plain one that said trick or treat. 

To spice it up I added a bunch of embellishments. 

Some paper rosettes, stickers, buttons, and other do dads. 

Placing the embellishments so some were above and below each letter

gives the banner more interest. 

 

Today will find me still working on more swaps. Since it has been so

 

hot this week I've been spending lots of time in the stamping studio. So

 

much cooler on the lower level. Love it! 

 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Cat Girl and Trusty Sidekick

Meet Cat Girl and her trusty sidekick Meow-Meow. 

I had such fun pulling this one together! 

The cat is just too cute!!!!!!!!!

The girl was colored with Prisma pencils, then the 

clothes were added with the help of designer paper. 

and the fishnet stocking I just couldn't resist adding. 

First I colored and shaded her legs. Next step was

to use a sparkle black gel pen to make the hatch marks. 

The photo doesn't show the sparkle, but it is there, and looks

fantastic! 

Kitty was stamped on designer paper first. Then I added some color

with Prisma penicls, and shaded using Gamsol. She was bit of a chore

fussy cutting, but worth the work. I had to stamp the cat on the black designer paper

then layer the cut image over it. That way I still had the detail of the whiskers without

 

having to cut those. 

 

Very happy with the completed card. 

 

Now the hard question.....who gets it? 

 

I have a busy day. Going to class so I can work at the voting polls in November. 

 

On the way home I need to do some shopping, and stop at the Post Office. 

 

Looking forward to doing some running around!

 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Little Miss Witchy Poo

This cute little witch is nothing to be frightened by. 

Little Miss Witchy Poo is a Julie Nutting stamp. 

I made this memorydex for an upcoming swap. 

Here is a closer view of the witch. I got to use

the gamsol I bought at the craft show on Saturday. 

I blends the Prisma pencils really nicely! I was able to shade her face, and

hat just using small circular motions with a paper blending nub.

It is easy to change color on the nubs. Just rub the tip over the

sanding block. 

You may recognize the black designer paper I used on this as I also used a scrap of it

 on the Mailable Monday

card I posted yesterday.

Stamping trails

Karen 

Mailable Monday #211

When cleaning off my desk yesterday I found some scraps that

I thought would work on today's Mailable Monday edition. 

None of the three pieces of designer paper had to be cut again. 

I just put them in a pleasing design stamped the leaf in red, and 

added a greeting at the top. Took a whole 3 minutes to put together. 

Gotta love that, and more importantly gotta love using scraps. 

I really don't like throwing anything away. 

Speaking of leaves......

coming back from our walk around the lake yesterday I snapped some photos of 

the changing trees in the neighborhood. 

Really hard to believe that Fall starts this Friday when

we are suppose to have temps in the 80's all week. 

Stamping trails

Karen

Adventures in Stamping Show at Strongsville

Me and my friend Betty got to spend several hours at 

the Adventures in Stamping show in Strongsville yesterday. 

Here we see Betty doing some shopping. 

We stopped at Linda's Stampin'Up! booth and we

did a make and take. 

Here is the card we made for Christmas. 

and the inside. 

Lots of great SU displays. 

stopped for another make and take. Betty was getting into it! 

 

 

Here is the card we made. Fun! 

Liked this display with the cards hung inside a decorative frame. 

Doll stamps. 

So pretty. 

Had to stop by the Tim Holtz booth. 

more

Got to meet Ted. He was telling me all about the company. It is based 

right here in Cleveland OH. He is the 3rd generation. His son was also there doing

 

demos. 

 

 

Ted made up this tag for me. I wanted to see the

new Oxide inks at work. 

He signed the back for me. Such a fun guy. I'll

be seeing him again in April for the the next show. 

Remember shinky dinks? There is a company that

has shrink plastic. After the images are shrunk down to size they

layer a matching button on top of them. I wish I would have

taken a photo of the one Betty did. She selected a blue bird. 

Betty got some dog stamps. 

I was pretty good with my purchases as I only spent 40 dollars. 

Got some paper dolls, and accent pieces from the Tim Holtz booth. 

At Inky Antics I got some stuff to use with my Primsa color pencils. 

Gamsol for blending, and eraser. Had to pick up some Stardust gel pens. 

Glitter tape, pop dots, embossing folders, and charms from 

the Darice booth. 

I think this display was at Our Daily Bread booth. 

this one too. 

I took 58 photos, but I'm not going to post them all. 

It was a great day! Of course I was to tired to work on more craft stuff

yesterday when I got home. I didn't sleep well the night before. My neck is still bothering me

 

and I just couldn't lay down for very long. Hoping its better today. 

 

Thanks bunches Betty for going to the show we me. Looking to our next

 

outing! 

 

Stamping trails

Karen