Wednesday, November 26, 2014

My husband and I had a Holiday Craft Show this past Saturday selling my handmade greeting cards, and his hand-etched glassware and handmade chocolates.  Usually, I am pretty tired the next day and do not get much done.  Not this time.  I spent all day Sunday in the craft room working up cards that were colored months ago and needed to be put together.  I didn't write down supplies used, so this will just be a picture show. I will note small details/bling.  Here we go....



Fake snow on puff ball of red hat with a little glitter mixed in. Fake snow on hat brim, but no glitter.  Blue snowflake brad.




Snowflake paper punch on right edge.  Colored glitter glue for snowflakes. Fake snow.




Dazzle silver snowflakes with red bling. More fake snow on hat.





Two gold ornament dazzles and silver music "ribbon".




Holly brad.




Gold ribbon & red holly sticker ribbon. Instead of handcolored, I "colored" the rubber stamp and then stamped design.





Fun base paper....




Silver and white embossing paste Candy Cane & Ribbon.  Green bling on ribbon.





Wreath brad and silver ribbon.




Candy Cane ribbon. So difficult to find shaped ribbons.  Fake snow with glitter.





Blue snowflake brad.  Glitter ear muffs and fake snow hat puff balls.


Vintage Holiday greeting cards are also quite popular, so I made another batch:




Customers love the kitties!




Remember the Gold Bells sticker ribbon on the first card above? This is the white backing paper. Looks great!  Blue bling added.




Poinsettia brad.




Glitter gold matt fits this perfectly!




3 small blue bling in upper right.


The Seattle Skyline die-cut (impress) greeting cards are popular as well:


Love the layered look!









Really loving the Black & White cards!


Have a safe & Happy Thanksgiving!


Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Time to do a birthday card:


Base paper is The Old World stack (DCWV), starburst diecut in metallic moss green, two shades of Green Pearls (cloverleaf of The Netherlands) and For You dazzle (130 tiny words set, hot off the press).  The Seahawks die-cut we bought specifically for this card from a vendor at the CKC Convention earlier this month.

Sorry, this card is NOT for sale -- it is a birthday card for a family member.



I also needed to do a Thank You card for Sue Coccia of Earth Art International for her excellent customer service.  My husband and I have enjoyed her products for years.  Sue designed this Camel years ago, but recently brought it back and put it on t-shirts, rubber stamps, calendars, trivets, cutting boards, cards, etc.  Pop over to Sue's site and see what she has that you need for a holiday gift -- or something for yourself!

My husband colored the camel and I turned it into a card.  Base paper is Taj Mahal stack (dcwv), Green Lace Ribbon (the paper studio), and India Journey bling (dove of the east).


Wishing you all a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!

Thursday, November 20, 2014

Trying to finish the last couple of Christmas cards I had set out to make.  These are the last of the 3-D Foil layered cards, and they will be available at our Holiday Craft Bazaars.



Base paper for Santa & Sled is Very Merry Christmas (echo park). The matt is from The Luxury Stack (DCWV) and a Let It Snow ribbon completes the card.




Musical Santa sits on basic green cardstock matt with base paper from Very Merry Christmas.  Christmas Noel washi tape (recollections) and 2 Music brads complete this card.




Santa is edged in Frost White ink (cats eyes) and on base paper from Very Merry Christmas paper pack.  Ribbon is from Christmas Cottage set (teresa collins).

I took these photos from an angle so you can (hopefully) see the foil 3-D effect.

These cards are all 6½ X 5 inches or 5 X 6½", are blank inside and come with matching envelope.


Lastly, for all you Seahawks fans out there, 




Seattle City Skyline die-cut and layered (black on bottom, metallic green on top), gold glitter starburst die-cut with a real state of Washington postage stamp.  This is the smaller card size.


For those of you who have not heard, my favorite scrapping materials designer, Teresa Collins, lost her husband this week.  Our most sincere condolences to the family.


Monday, November 17, 2014

Here is the list of our remaining Holiday Craft Bazaars:

November 22 (Saturday)
    Order of Amaranth Holiday Craft Fair
10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Edmonds Masonic Lodge
515 Dayton Street
Edmonds, Washington
A limited amount of etched glassware will be available as space and packing up time is very tight (takes a lot of time to pack up unsold glassware properly).  Full compliment of Greeting Cards and Chocolates will be available.



November 28 - 29 (Friday & Saturday):
10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Edmonds Masonic Center/Lodge
515 Dayton Street
Edmonds, Washington


December 6 (Saturday):
Edmonds-Woodway High School Holiday Arts & Crafts Fair
10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Edmonds-Woodway High School
7600 - 212th Street SW
Edmonds, Washington

Full line of etched glassware, greeting cards and chocolates will be available at these last two shows, so come on out and see what you need for the holidays!


Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Finishing up on the last few inexpensive greeting cards.  The pictures are from the Children's Christmas collage pack (tj designs):



The Carolers on base paper Christmas Traditions paper pack (the paper studio) and three Pearls (clover leaf from the Netherlands).




The Girl & Bear is edged in Sweet Melon ink (cats eyes); White Lace Ribbon and Candy Cane Brad complete the design. Same base paper as above.



Girl Ice Skating is edged in Brown ink (cats eyes) with Candy-striped Ribbon (queen & co) and a Silver Snowflake brad completing the card.

These cards are 4¼ X 5½ inches, blank inside and come with matching envelope.


This past weekend, I changed direction a little and started working on Holiday 3-D Foil greeting cards.  Each card has 3 to 4 layers.  Yes, very tedious work, and fragile.  Photos just do not do these greeting cards justice!



This lovely Village & Poinsettias sits on Frosty paper (Christmas Wishes) and basic Holiday ribbon.




I just love this Holiday Antique car!  Base paper Festive Collection (authentique), complete with Christmas Cottage ribbon (teresa collins). Sentiment (stampin' up!) on metallic cream die cut (spellbinder) adds a nice touch.




Holiday Cathedral is just stunning in foil! Base paper Home for the Holidays paper pad (recollections), moss green ribbon and 3 felt Flower pieces with Rhinestones and Pearl centers.




I love Horses, so this card was fun to create! He sits on The Traditional Holiday stack (dcwv), holiday striped ribbon and Poinsettia brad.

These cards are all 5 X 6½", blank inside and come with matching envelopes.

Now, I need to work on my regular medium Greeting Cards.

Looking forward to seeing you at our Holiday Craft shows this year!


Sunday, November 9, 2014

Not quite finished with my $2.50 greeting cards.  On to good ol' St. Nick!  All pictures are from Vintage St. Nick collage pack (tj designs):


St. Nick in a Blimp on base paper from Sparking Holiday paper pack (dcwv) with Candy Cane ribbon.




Again, I used Sparkling Holiday paper pack (dcwv) for this Santa and Reindeer card. Green holly paper ribbon (art talent of the netherlands) and 2 square Studs.




Santa & Carriage on Christmas Memories paper stash (tim holtz) base paper. Poinsettia washi tape (recollections).  Simple, but classic.



Santa and his Angel Bell on Christmas Memories paper stash (tim holtz) with a white metallic matt. 3 small Square Studs finish the card.

All these cards are again 4½ X 5¼ inches, blank inside with matching envelopes.

I have more of these cards I want to do before my first holiday craft fair, then I will start working on my regular type of Christmas, Holiday and Hanukkah cards.


This weekend is the Creating Keepsakes Convention in Bellevue, Washington.  I will be attending with my husband and one of my greeting card class students. Thank you DCWV for the free tickets! Who knows what treasures we will find this year.  Have a great weekend!


Saturday, November 8, 2014

Continuing on with my new, more affordable, greeting cards:  Christmas!  These designs (pictures) are from the same Merry Christmas collage pack (tj designs).

Pair of Bluebirds on The Juniper Berry stack paper (dcwv) edged in Mowed Lawn (tim holtz).  2 Star studs (gold and bronze) and white ribbon.



Love this Dove in a Basket on Christmas paper bloc (the netherlands) with matching gray paper ribbon.  Design edged in Picked Raspberries (tim holtz).  3 Pearls (kaiser scrapbook) to left center of vertical ribbon.



Love the 3 Kittens in snow!  Some of our kitties loved the snow when they were younger, but after age 7 -- forget it!  Christmas Paper bloc (the netherlands) base paper.  Picture edged in Mowed Lawn (tim holtz).  5 Rhinestones in center of (dry) embossed flowers.

Again, all these cards are 5 X 4½ inches, blank inside with matching envelopes.

Friday, November 7, 2014

What do you do if you had previously (like two years or so ago) embossed the edges of some greeting card stock to try out some new embossing folders, then set them on the back shelf and forgot about them?  Well, turn them into real greeting cards!



Background on this Dove card is from Christmas Traditions paper pack (the paper studio), spellbinder die behind using metallic white and 3 green Rhinestones to finish.  Perfect with the embossed bottom section.



The background paper for these two lovely Ladies and Snowman is from Christmas Candyland paper pack (the paper studio).  A Gold ribbon and 2 Fabric Roses (the netherlands) complete the card.



And for the Gentleman in your life, this Christmas Auto sits on Christmas Candyland paper pack (the paper studio).  The card is edged with Lipstick Red (cats eyes), and a Red Snowflake ribbon completes the card.



For the family Matriarch who loves Roses, the background paper is also from Christmas Candyland paper pack.  Green with red foil dots (art talent of the netherlands) and 3 buttons complete the card.


The main pictures came from Merry Little Christmas collage pack (tj designs).  The completed cards are 5½ X 4½ inches in size, come with matching envelope and are blank inside for your personal message.  I started doing these quick and easy cards this past summer to provide an inexpensive greeting card for my customers.  As long as I keep the cards simple, I can sell them for $2.50 each.

Stay tuned, as more cards are coming.



Thursday, November 6, 2014

Worked on some of my more popular greeting card styles this past week -- 3-D/layered foil cards.



The background paper on this Pup & Shoe card is from Modern Chic stack (recollections).  Paws ribbon and 3 Star studs (made by me) complete the card.




Background paper is from The Heirloom Stack (dcwv) on this Pup in Basket card (love the timepiece background).  Paws ribbon and 3 Triangular studs (made by me) complete the card.




The Old World Stack (dcwv) is the background paper on this Pups & Umbrella card.  Green/white ribbon (mary arts) and 3 buttons complete the card.

These cards have 3 - 4 layers on them.  They are time consuming to cut out/separate the pieces and assemble the cards. They sell quickly at $10.00 each, and are often treasured by the recipient (or buyer if buying for themselves).


Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Our first Holiday Craft Show of the year:



Hope to see you all there!