Card Patterns Sponsor!

I forgot that I was the sponsor this week over at Card Patterns! Eeck...so many sketches so little time! I'll be back later with my own take on it but I hope you join in on the fun and play along with this great sketch!



My TAC website (http://chris.ismyangel.net/products) seems to be down right now but don't forget if you find something you "need" this week (tee hee) just send me an email and mention Card Patterns for a tax free treat from me!

This is my second post for the day so be sure to scroll down - I love this card. I think it's elegant even though it's honestly quick and easy!!

A Joyful Note

Today I bravely cut into my organ music to make a card...I think it's okay though since I haven't taken organ lessons in about 30 plus years. My practice book was still sitting inside the bench and made a perfect background for my Joyful Ornaments. Looking at the notes, I'm sure I never mastered these anyways! tee hee...

This card is for the sketch challenge over at Our Creative Corner blog...I hope you like it! I think it would make a great card for mass production.

I layered the sheet music on a piece of cream cardstock before the black layer. And, the ornament is embossed before I stamped the "second" generation of it. The beautiful red cardstock is from The Angel Company and I love its deep hue.

All stamps and papers (other than my sheet music!) is from The Angel Company.

Scor Bug vs. Bow Easy

Now that sounds like a Wrestling Mania match up, eh?! Hey, sometimes titles are hard to come by!

So, in my last post I mentioned my new "toy", the Scor Bug. If you know me well, you know that I do not "push" my wares unless I think they are really, really great - and if you can't find it cheaper at Michaels with a coupon. tee hee. When Deb asked what it was, I thought this would be a good time to tell you more about it.

The Scor Bug is made by CutterBee and you may have seen their other tools that score and perforate (they look like little red ladybugs). This tool lines up with the groves on your Scor Pal and gives you a great embossed dotted line. Now I do have an old sewing gadget that you use to trace a pattern onto your fabric...it has a notched wheel. I wanted to compare the Scor Bug with this and no luck. The notched tracing wheel did not stay in my groves and ended up darting all over my paper. Honestly, I think the Scor Bug is the best bet for this look.

Lately I have seen a lot about the Bow Easy...and I went to investigate. I thought it looked pretty cool but I wanted to try it first before I bought it so, I thought I could try and make my own version with a blank coaster. I just snipped a little here and there and it worked great!

I used my home made Bow maker for this card...I have to say that the bows stayed nicer with the thicker grograin ribbon so I may have to use a dot of glue to hold things in place on sheer ribbon in the future. Still, it was fun to play around with it!

The colors were difficult to capture in this photo but that's a navy blue and kraft panel and the ornaments are Pink Grapefruit Versamagic ink that match the coral strip at the top perfectly.

All stamps and papers from The Angel Company.

New Toys

Last post I talked about dragging out old, long neglected tools. Today's card features new toys! :)

New stamp set - Merriest Wishes (these are such cute snow people!)
Scor bug - just got it (love it!)
Sizzix die snowflakes - hey, they were on sale!

For the snowflakes I die cut them out of the white cardboard included in a Reese Cup package - then I mushed them into the Essential Glue Pad and coated them with Prisma glitter (these are both products carried by The Angel Company). They are incredibly sparkly!



I had originally planned to have the snowman on the left side but I stamped the saying slightly crooked and rearranged the layout accordingly. Honestly, I love it this way!



Card Materials: all stamps and papers are from The Angel Company
Stamps: Merriest Wishes
Accessories: Kraft paper, blue bazzill, fiskars border punch, sizzix, prismacolored pencils, scor bug

Isn't this saying so cute?

Pressing Leaves

Do you have a long forgotten, dust covered "tool"? Over 8 years ago I bought a microwave flower press and did a lot of work with it...but then, I just shifted gears and stopped using it. Last week I mentioned that I thought the turkey head would look neat on top of a leaf - and while I was out running a day later, I saw the most beautiful red maple leaves. That started it all again and so on my walks, dog in tow and in the rain, I was in search of some tiny leaves too.

It felt good to use the press again and I am so excited about the results!

These "hinges" are from the free Level A hostess set that you can pick from The Angel Company when you have a workshop order. I thought they were perfect for this wood grain technique background. The Scor Pal makes for especially realistic looking panels.

This technique has been around for a few years but I hadn't used it in a while. The dark panel was starting with a "mustard" colored piece of cardstock and then I used White Brilliance ink and a dark brown dye ink. The light panel was cream cardstock and I used the white with a Haystack palette ink. I scored my lines first though!!

My mom loves more "natural" cards and I think this is one that she would enjoy sending out to her friends.

Switching gears...tomorrow is Halloween! I wanted a quick and easy "treat" to throw together and remembered making chocolate covered popcorn at Christmas time. I had a bag of white chocolate candy disks and added some food coloring to make it orange...

It may be too late for you to make this now but it really only takes about 15 minutes or so - I made it before my son left for school this morning (including the tags and photo!). And if you plan for it now by buying this super cute but limited edition, Bone Appetit stamp set, you'll be already for next year.

Chocolate Covered Popcorn

2 bags microwaved popcorn (popped)

1 bag chocolate candy disks (melted)

Mix together until popcorn is well coated and then spread over waxed paper covered cookies sheets to dry. Store in an airtight bag and try to make it last! tee hee...

Have a super weekend! I'll see you back on Monday - the kids are off for two days and I hope to have some fun with them!

Ping Pong!

I feel like I'm jumping from Halloween to Christmas to Thanksgiving and back again! Not many more chances to post a Halloween card but I had fun putting this together with the free downloadable papers from The Angel Company. (You can find the link in my sidebar)

I was totally inspired by a card Loretta Lock did for the Our Creative Corner blog this week and I immediately thought, "hey, I can do something like that!"

The cat is actually embossed but we've been having rain now for several days so it was tough getting a decent photo. This is a 5 inch square card that I plan to hand carry over to my sister's on Friday - may have to add some googlie eyes before then since I don't have to worry about the mailman destroying it! :)



Card Materials: all stamps and papers from The Angel Company
Stamps: Happy Haunting
Papers: orange/black misc scraps, Black/White both sets of TAC downloadable papers, MS punch, ribbon, embossing powder

I just love mixing all of these different patterns together. If you've made any cards with this paper too, be sure to leave me a link with Mr. Linky!

A Country Christmas

Although my decorating style isn't "country", there are so many instances where I just love the simplicity and the colors that go along with that look. To me, this is a perfect example!

I fell in love with the Vintage Santa as soon as I saw him in the Inspiration Avenue that recently came out...here I embossed him with clear Versamark and then went to town with my Haystack inkpad. At first I just sponged it on but in the end, I just dragged my ink spot around the entire area... Remember that "bad" punch I picked up? Well, I returned it and instead of getting money back, this new punch came home with me! I hope you like it!



Card Materials: all stamps and paper from The Angel Company
Stamps: Vintage Santa, words (retired)
Accessories: Kraft, black and cream cardstock, ribbon (Big Lots), black button, twine, Nestabilities (I used walnut spray, also from TAC, to distress the paper first)

I can't wait to play some more with this whole set ... there are some many great pieces in it, from the snowflakes to the vintage text ... my head is swimming with ideas!

Thanks - giving

I love the set, Give Thanks!

You've seen this pumpkin several times and now I created this easel card for my Hostess Club ladies. We all think that the recipient will be happy to display this card - and what a great idea for place settings! I can just see this turkey head decorating a mint pattie covered in a scalloped circle...or as I look out my window at the changing leaves - I think it would look super on top of a maple leaf (so that the leaf becomes the feathers...are you with me?!) :)

Here's my card using the Amelia Soar with it Collection from The Angel Company. I love these rich colors - it really looks elegant in real life! (May I boldly insert a sales pitch here?! Every time some one sees these papers in real life, they say, "wow - these are so much prettier than in the catalog!". Honestly, it's true. Even Juliet says that and she is one tough critic!).

Just show us the card, Chris!! I know, I know!

I found the idea for this card over on Trudy's blog who pointed me to this tutorial. The best part is that this card lays flat so you can easily mail it!

Lastly, I just wanted to share that even more items have popped up on sale over at The Angel Company...it's almost like a warehouse sale! These items do count towards a workshop party with rewards so if you think you will reach $100, PLEASE contact me by email. You will be able to earn free stamps and paper if I place your order for you!

SPECIALS include a Big Shot machine for only $80, paper keepers, albums, kits and of course the chipboard (yum!) and paper sales I've been telling you about...check it out HERE. It's while supplies last.

Have a super weekend! Another football game this weekend - and more rain! But the good news is, we remain (knock on wood!) undefeated! woo hoo...and I'm finally beginning to understand this game after 3 years. tee hee....