Triangle Card

Happy Autumn everyone!  It's the end of September and autumn is finally here.  I love the cool temperatures and the changing of the leaves on the trees. Mother Nature's color palette is beautiful this time of year.  We can use if for our card making backgrounds; and that is just what I did this weekend. We have a very good friend who is in the hospital and I needed to make a get well card for her, and here is what I came up with.  It is also my first attempt at a triangle shaped card.  It turned out a bit small, but I think cute.  I also made the flower myself from scratch.  I got the instructions from a pin I got off of Pinterest!!  So, here it is:

Here is the front of the card.  The tag says "thinking of you." I used three scraps of paper to cover the front, ran through an embossing folder, covered the joining edges with gold satin ribbon then added the flower, tag and butterfly.  Butterflies are my latest craze!  I just can't seem to make a card without finding a spot for one somewhere!


Now here is my homemade flower! It was pretty simple to do.  I cut the shapes from my Cricut using the George cartridge. Now I can custom make my own paper flowers for each card that I want one on from now on. YEAH!  Woo-Hoo!!!!

And, last but not least, is my little butterfly! Isn't she a cutie?  She sparkles and shines!  She has two layers for dimension.  I rollered the top one so it would look like she was flying.

Hope you like my card, or at least get some inspiration from it.  I got my inspiration from Card Creations magazine, they had a section on triangle cards. Thanks for looking.  Have a great week.

Hugs,  Barb

Happy Monday?

Happy Monday everyone!  I'm home with a migraine, had one all weekend.  I've got to call and go see my doctor soon.  But enough about  me! 

My co-worker who is also my friend, and I went to a scrapbook store in Wichita Falls, Scrapbook N Such,  recently and spent the day there taking some super classes there put on by Bazzill Papers.  We learned how to make 9 cards in 90 minutes, an album and 3 scrapbook pages.  We had so much fun learning things and spending the day together doing what we love to do in our spare time.  We both have so much passion making cards, that we went back to the hotel room and spent two more hours working on fine tuning our cards and making another couple more!  We picked up some quick tips and some new techniques.  That is what we hoped for along with just getting away to do what we love to do .... CARDS!

I need to make an auction item for our chamber's upcoming "country fair" which is their annual fund raiser.  I have made a set of cards for the past several years now and included them in a really nice gift box, luggage type looking case, with pen, stamps, and address book.  So, I've got to get inspired to work on that real soon!  It usually will sell for around $50 which makes me feel really good!  I have a couple of weeks to work on them, so get after it....

I will get some new pictures posted as soon as I get my cards made for the chamber gift.  So, stay tuned!  :)

Hugs,

Barb

Summer End?

I can't believe it's the end of summer already.  I think everyone has wished it away in my part of the world because of the extreme heat and lack of rain.  We had a busy enough summer though for us!  In June we had a mini family reunion on Scott's side of his mom's family.  We met in South Lake, Texas at a family member's home and had a great time. Most of our kids were able to come home for a week in June too and we got to enjoy them running around the house.  I loved hearing them when I came home from work.

In July we had a swim party for the families  that I work with.  We had so much fun with all the kids there. We cooked hamburgers and hot dogs and enjoyed watching the kids swim like little fish!  I'm amazed at the little ones and how they are not afraid to get out in the deep end.... WOW!  Susi and Heidi came the last few days of July, spent a week and left a day or so after my birthday.  Had another pool party for Heidi's former work friends and had a blast with them too.... We ended the season last weekend with one more with our dear friends the Fulton-Park families.  That's the largest party because they have so many kids and grandkids... We laugh and laugh and laugh when they are here... they are not afraid to pull pranks on each other, and that's just the adults! 

After all of that, here it is the end of August, school has started... but, we are going to a Texas Rangers baseball game this Saturday.  It's my first major league game of any kind.  I'm anxious.  We bought our t-shirts yesterday, got them washed and ready to go.  Our seats are just passed home plate towards first base.  Sure hope I don't get hit by a foul ball, or a fowl ball either!  (pun intended!!!!)  Scott is taking his glove in anticipation of catching one.  I was to have a doctor's appointment on Monday, but got a call today saying, sorry, but he won't be in the office... WHAT??? Off one of my meds since May and he's not going to be able to see me until the middle of next month... but the good side is I've lost 30 pounds since then!  And, still having frequent headaches.... surprise surprise surprise!  

But this blog is intended to share my ECLECTIC Cards that I'm making...

I have made cards lately, so let me upload one now....I am trying to see if I can't find an outlet or retail place to market my cards locally.... but, I guess I actually need to take some time off at lunch and go ask someone if they will let me put them in their place of business!  Duh!!!!

I really enjoyed making this simply card. I think it is very pretty and classy looking.  I made another one like it and put pearls in the side openings of the label.  That dressed it up for the wedding that I made it for.

Well, off to get ready for our weekend adventure at the baseball

game.... talk to y'all again soon, now that summer is over!

Hugs,

Barb

Memorial Day Weekend - THANK A SOLDIER - PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE. REMEMBER THEM ALL.

I cannot believe that Memorial Day is here upon us!  This month has been so busy. Earlier this month Susi graduated from Tarelton State University, so we were all gathered together to celebrate with her. I followed it up with my quarterly doctor appointment.  He is taking me off of one of my meds that has been causing me severe heart issues.  Now I know why I've been having problems!  :)  Well enough  on that...

I have made a couple of really cute cards that I have CASED from a magazine.  I think they are unique and they are not hard to do either. 



Cute little his & hers towels

I am hosting my first fundraiser for our local volunteer fire department this coming Saturday.  It will be most of the day. We will have door prizes and food.  It's going to be very small this year, but I am not disappointed at all.  I will not give up.  I will do it again.  But, not on a holiday weekend, not on graduation weekend, but on a better - nothing going on - weekend!!!  It will still be so much fun.  I am going to do a few demonstrations, we'll make things, do our own things, eat and just have a good gal-time day.

Well that's all I have to share for today.  Have a safe and wonderful weekend.  And, PLEASE, remember why this holiday is....Thank a soldier, a veteran, a reserve for what THEY do for us, what they did for us.  For allowing us to live FREE.  REMEMBER.... REMEMBER.... NEVER TAKE IT FOR GRANTED.  IT DID NOT COME FREE.



My Red Thinking of You Card

Hi everyone, hope you've been well since the last time we've been together.  I've been okay. 

I wanted to share another one of my contest cards that didn't make it this time.  I really liked it, but I really like all of my cards!  I'm suppose to, aren't I?!  Hee-hee! 

 

I made this card on a black cardstock base, then found some black and white designer paper for the next layer. I embossed the red layer with my dotted swiss CuttleBug folder to give it some texture. The white part is a Spellbinders Shapeabilities Pendants die that I also embossed.

Here is a close up of the red and the embossing on it.

This is a close up of the Thinking of You tag that I attached to the front. On each scallop, I "dolloped" a bit of black glaze from a pen that I had on hand. I inked around the white cardstock to tone it down a bit so it didn't stand out so much on top of that red.  Tied it all up with the black sheer ribbon, black brads in the corners, and white paper inside to write a sentiment on.

Thanks for looking and spending a few of your precious minutes with me today.  Hope I might have inspired you or given you a new twist on an idea for a card.  I'm not into coloring much, so I do more of the layering....



 Hope everyone has a great week and hope to visit with you again this week.

Hugs....



 

Hoppy Easter Everyone!

Happy Easter everyone.... Hope everyone has their Easter baskets ready for the Easter bunny to come...I bought a small ham, sweet potatoes, rolls and a very tiny egg shaped cake for our Easter dinner. That should be pretty traditional, right?!

We had a really nice trip this past week to College Station and Austin.  Scott had a seminar for a week in Austin, and Heidi had parents week in College Station.  We were never able to coordinate making it for Travis and could this time for Heidi. We got there in time to watch a football game, have a few beers (cokes for me) and baseball game on Saturday, eat pizza for supper and hangout at Heidi's.  Then on Sunday, the usual parent's "duty": fill the fridge and fill the pantry!  After that, we headed to Austin for Scott's seminar. Monday was his birthday and we ate at a really nice restaurant on the side of a hill on Lake Travis called The Oasis.  We sat outside on one of the patios to eat and watch the sunset.  It was a really nice evening and drive out there.   My next adventure was on Tuesday mid-day to Salado to go visit a stamp store called Stamp Salado.  We had a great trip, I had lunch with two of my Texas LOSTie friends, Suz and Mels, had supper with my sister and her husband, and rekindled some old friendships at Scott's seminar.  It was a great week.

While I was gone, my pharmacy called to say that my new prescription had been approved.... YIPPEE!  So as soon as we got home yesterday and had unloaded the truck, I ran (drove!) to the drugstore, got my prescription and it was NOT the one I thought it was going to be.  It is a type of medicine like I was on in the very beginning of my migraine history that quit working on them.  Needless to say, I was VERY disappointed. I took them and will try them, but am afraid that they won't work since the others in their "line" didn't work in the past.  I'm afraid I might have reverted back to year one in my meds.  That is a year in my life that I remember nothing about.  I don't want to lose another year in my life. 

Well, on another note.... Remember those cards that I mailed off to the Papercrafts Stamping Royalty contest?  Well, they released their winners this week.... and, guess who was NOT on the list.... yup, little ole me!  So, I can upload my cards here... I was so proud of them too.  Guess it's my opinion against theirs!  So today here is the first one.

This is a thank you note that I put together one day, just playing around. I over-stamped some designer paper that I had and it came out really nice, at least I thought so!  I stamped the Eiffel Tower and some postage stamps on the paper, tied brown ribbon around the paper and added the merci tag to the front.

Well, that's it for today.... I've got to go do more laundry!  It seems like it takes much longer to wash it than it did to get it dirty.... why is that? hmmm!

Hugs to everyone and have a Happy Easter!

Tuesday is a great day...

I hope everyone has had a great week so far.  After my weekend and Monday, Tuesday was a great day for me!  I tried one of my new sample migraine pills yesterday at work, and IT WORKED!  I didn't have to go home, I did have to close the blinds, wear my sunglasses, but it all passed within an hour and I could continue to work!   That is such a wonderful thing.  YEAH for me!

Now to show you the beautiful (I think it is anyway!) card that I made for my wonderful friend who turned 60 yesterday. She loved it too... 





Left inside.



Front of Card, tied with at tuile bow and the

paper is from DCWV, Mariposa.  I love the butterflies that are in it.  It is so happy and cheerful.  The insides are done with scraps from other pages in  the collection.  Thanks for looking.



Right inside

I was very proud how it turned out. I embossed the front with one of my cuddle bug folders and then sanded the part that is on the black to give it a weathered look. The left inside was scraps of papers left over from other   projects too.  The solid green got run through a cuttle bug folder too and the right side was just corner punched and then stamped with the scroll and the phrase.  The spratic little butterflies were cut out from scraps and glued on too. Hope you enjoy and get ideas ....  Thanks for looking.

Hugs all around,

Barb

Altrusa's Annual Spring Style Show Today

Just a quick thought or two before I need to get ready to go to our annual Style Show.  My part this year was to make chocolate dipped strawberries and sugared grapes.  YUMMO!  We are doing desserts this year instead of a brunch to see if it will help our numbers in the audience increase.  It appears to be a sort of dying event... not too many are interested in this sort of thing anymore, but we keep trying.  Our other fundraiser, Soup with Mrs. Claus, is a BIG hit at Christmas time.  We do it in conjunction with the downtown Christmas parade and it starts the Christmas season here.  It's a family event too. We serve two different soups and the kids can have their picture taken with Mrs. Claus. Well, it's just about time to head to the church and get my strawberries and grapes to their appointed showtime!  I'll be back later to write some more for the day and hopefully upload a new card too.

Well, the weather played it's trump card on me and I did not make it to the style show.  Had to call one of my BFFs to come get my items as I was in no shape to attend. Scott was even called out for mutual aid in Lefors on a fire.  I took my third layer of meds and they whipped my butt today, but now it's been 5 hours later and I am beginning to feel a bit human again. This is the first time I've had to wear my sunglasses inside the house!  The sun is just too bright for me and I don't have curtains on most of our windows, but do have the shades pulled where I can.

I almost feel like making a card though... At least I'm thinking about  it!  That really was my full intent of this blog when I began it several years ago, but it has almost become a journal for me to release my frustrations about my health issues when there isn't anyone around who knows how I feel. It's not my life anymore for a while. Okay, enough already! 

Hugs,
Barb

It's me, still pluggin' away...

Hello everyone who is keeping up with me... I have made a few cards lately.  Sent eight off to the Papercrafts magazine for their 2011 Royalty contest!  Like I have a chance, but you won't know if you don't try, right?! So, after that is all settled, then I can post pictures of those cards, I don't think I should before hand.  I have made some for sale, and when I can get my eyes not so sleepy, I'll get them uploaded for y'all to see.  If I'm not too windy tonight, maybe I'll do one or two tonight yet.

Update on my headaches... I've missed alot of work this past month and so my doctor wanted to see me in his office last week before my next scheduled appointment... so off we trecked to the doctor!  He had blood taken and ordered an MRI.  I told him I hope that something shows up, somewhere, because this has been going on 3 years now and it's no fun anymore!  But I did learn a little secret about when to take my night-time/evening meds so that I don't wake up in such a fog.  So, that was exciting! No results yet, but I don't expect any for several days.  He also tried increasing one of my meds and one of the rare side effects was an increased heart rate.... well, guess what I got?  Take a WILD guess.... YUP! The second time in my life that I can remember that I got one of the odd/rare side effects!  My rate goes from it's normal 60-65bmp to 96 first thing in the morning to 122bmp when I get home from work and have done nothing strenuous all day.  Go figure! I quit the extra increase.   I figure I will suffer the headaches vs. a heart attack.

Okay, back to card talk... I'm so stoked up about making cards, I love to send them and I'd  love to be able to make some extra money selling some... still working on that angle... gotta find my outlet on that part.


 Here is the one I made for a co-worker in Amarillo that has been out after having surgery. I love it so much and wish I had more of that paper to make more!  I even cut out one of the butterflies and glued it over one on the bottom and made it three-D.  This paper didn't need much help to look super on it's own!  It's called The Mariposa Stack by DCVW,  so bright and cheerful papers.


Well, guess that's all for this time around.  Thanks for stopping by and have a great evening.   I am, with what's left of it!  I'm going to finish a couple of cards I have started....

Hugs all around,
Barb

3 Days Straight....

Here it is the 11th day of March and I've been suffering with a  migraine for three straight days with no relief.  I have taken everything that my doctor has instructed me to use and in the order to use them.  I came home from work early on Wednesday, worked all day Thursday (because I thought I HAD to!) and then decided this morning that I needed to stay home and try to self-induce myself into a type of coma to sleep it off... but nothing has worked.  I called my doctor, but he had nothing new to offer today.  It's late evening as I am writing this and still no relief.  My hubby is such a good support for me.  He is super about understanding my pain and issues.  He tries really hard to be super quiet, and keeping the kitties and puppies quiet too, which sometimes is a BIG challenge!  Thanks Honey.

But on a lighter side, I took some pictures of some cards that I am making to try once again for another card contest that I've been mentioning in previous posts.  They are due in the mail by March 23rd.  I've got one final one to do and then I'll get them off in the mail.  I am really satisfied and proud of the way they have all turned out. I will post pictures on here when I know that I can, as of right now, I am not sure if I can or not.  I sure don't want to jinx any luck that I might have!  I sure wish I could make enough money to make cards full time!  I enjoy making them so much.  It's my therapy!  My "habit", my "fix", my "need"... I just LOVE making cards! Can't you tell?! 

I guess I better get ready to head to bed and see if I can sleep tonight.... Hope to have some new cards that I can post here this weekend.

Hugs all around.... Barb