Sunday, August 18, 2013

Handmade Harbour Stamps

I have recently been selected to be on the design team for Handmade Harboure!  Wow.  I was excited.  We were given the opportunity to select some images to get our creative juices flowing.  I looked at all the great choices and finally settled on a couple of stamps.

My first stamp set I chose was the couple who had been retired (199).  Here is my card!


Being retired has its advantages and disadvantages. This couple could be my husband and I.  I colored the people with my Copic markers, faux stitched around the edges and mounted the picture on photo mounts.  In the background, I colored grass and the sky with my gelatos.  It is a little hard see, but the grass is there, along with the sky and clouds.  I added blue pearl buttons on the side.  I faux stitched around the saying.  

I haven't decided on the inside of the card.  I initially was thinking it would say PARTY! with balloons all over.  I may still do this, but then I had another thought....why not say something like....."Let's go bug the kids!"  There are so many choices to be had.  I would appreciate some help...what would you put inside?  One of  my choices or do you have something else it could say.  Since I have many friends who are retired, or about to retire, I can see me using this set a lot!

Now for my second choice.  I chose the set tea and cake (069)  
 
This was a very simple card, but yet I think it says a lot.  The stamp alone tells you that as a friend, you mean something to me.  I colored the cup, then the dots on it were calling for bling, so I added some red bling to it.  The flowers are small little flowers, but flowers are for friends.  I put this stamp on a layered card...black, red, white, and black and finally the stamp.  I am sending this to my friend.  I have colored the other pictures from the set and will be using them shortly. 

I would appreciate a comment, if you don't 'mind.  I could use some help with coming up with the inside verse to my first card.  Also, don't forget, you can see many other stamps at Handmade Harbour.  Check them out.  See you soon!

Thursday, August 15, 2013

SuperStar L.I. Bloghop for August

Welcome back to our monthly Team L. I. Blog Hop!   Our Team L. I. (Linked In) Blog hop group numbers have dwindled and we didn't want to bring you a blog hop with just 2 or 3 participants, so we gave everyone a vacation and hope that participation will pick up again once school is back in session and people are back from vacations.

     We’re back from our July hiatus with a brand new theme and some really great projects. This month, our topic is “Super Star”, and we hope our interpretations of "Superstar" gives you some inspiration for your own superstar. The topic for this month  was actually a reader suggestion from our June Hop contest, and I was really excited to see it suggested because I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it!   I have a very special card to share with you.  If you hopped over from Laura’s blog, you are in the right place!  If you want to start at the beginning, you should head on over to Stamp-Patty’s.  Or you can start right here and we will cycle you around to the beginning. 


     Win a prize at each stop on the hop: This month, instead of choosing a single winner for the entire hop, each blog will choose one winner among visitors who left a comment using www.random.org. (We’d like it even better if you subscribed to our blogs and/or like our Facebook pages, but all you have to do to qualify is leave a comment.)


     Now, on to my Superstar card.  There is a young man who was in my classes when he was in 7th grade.  During the year, he had his problems with learning and completing his work, but he tried, re-did the work, and really put forth a fantastic effort.  Over the years, we have kept in touch and this young man decided to join the Army.  After a few years of trying one job, then another, this was his decision.  He left for boot camp a couple of weeks ago, and is looking for mail.  I have made this card for him.  


I folded the card in 2 1/4 inches on each side, making a gate-fold card.  I then took an embossing folder I had that was full of star and ran my paper through it.  Once the card was embossed, I took a sanding block and sanded off the top layer of paper, on top of the stars.  This allowed you to really see where the stars were.    Next I but out 4 stars using my Art Philosophy Cartridge from Close to My Heart.  I cut the bottom star at 4 inches, the red star at 3 1/4 inches, the next white star at 2 3/4 inches and the blue star at 2 1/4 inches.  I glued half of the star on one side of the blue embossed star paper and then I stacked the stars one of top of the other, using pop dots in-between each layer.  I added some lettering to say "You're a SuperStar" and placed it in the top right corner.  I wrote his name in the bottom corner.

I hope you like this card.  It was fun to create and it wasn't that hard to put together.  Our men and women who are serving our country are certainly SuperStars in my eyes.  Now, hop over to see Cindy's creation!  You can find her here:http://craftyneighbor.blogspot.com/2013/08/august-blog-hop.html

Be sure to stop at each blog and leave a comment.  Following us would also be great.  Thanks for stopping by.

Others who are in this Blog Hop are:


Patty Chenail