snowed in....again

This has been a brutal winter...I feel bad for the folks in the Southern states and NYC who aren't used to this type of weather. But it is a good time to stay home and create some cards...

Use it up

In my quest to use the MOUNTAIN of background papers I have accumulated over the years, I started created small thank you tags to include with my Ebay sales. Sometimes I create a background that as a whole looks like crud but when I tear it into smaller pieces I get some very unique and beautiful papers to use...throw in some pieces cut with paper punches and some cute string or ribbon and VOILA....change the sentiment out and you could make gift tags!

Take Ten Magazine!!

Run to the store and grab the new issue of Take Ten magazine(from Stampington & Co.)...flip to pages 72-74 and you will see some of MY CARDS!!!!! I am beyond thrilled that the lovely editor, Amber Demien, contacted me earlier this year and asked me to submit some things. I am making it a point in 2011 to submit more often.
Check it out..

couple of cards

I ran across a piece of sequin waste so I used it as a stencil for the background of these cards.sorry for the crazy bad photos, I seem to have lost the exclusive rights to my own camera, my daughter has it most of the time and when I do the chance the use it 9 times out of ten there won't be any charged batteries.

Flutter

I finally found a use for those Smooch Inks from Clearsnap(those ones in the bottle that looks like nailpolish)...marbling paper! It could not be an easier..fill a shallow pan with warm water,touch the brush(built into the cap) from the Smooch ink to the water gently-it will float, layer another color on top of the first color by touching another colored brush in the center of the first color,repeat with as many colors as you wish. Take a chopstick, a toothpick,whatever and gently swirl the colors(you can also use a straw to softly blow the colors around)-then set your paper down on top of the water-don't push it down,just gently set it on the top then lift it up. DONE! The colors are a lot softer than they appear on the bottle but the results are just beautiful.
For this card I stamped a few butterfly images from Memory Box and cut them out. The phrase is from Inkadinkado, the clear gems are from Hero Arts.
If you are unable to find the Smooch Inks I would be happy to order them for you.

breaking it in...

I really have been messing up my studio studio,trying lots of stuff but just not producing any finished pieces...hopefully that will come in time....
and check this out, one of my cards is being used in an ad for Take Ten magazine...this big one with the leafy branch is mine.

mini studio photos

From the hall-it is still a guest room,plenty of space and Cooper thinks it is pretty spectacular!(that is is stuffed tiger in the middle of the room)
A display wall that i will add to as I find interesting things.
My table-an old enamel top farm table(needs a paint job)-above it is an old metal basket Mark found for me in the woods! A photo of downtown Pittsburgh taken by my nephew and a few favorite things.
There are three aqua metal cabinets in here-something my Dad got for me when the place he used to work was shutting down one of its buildings-the nurses station had these and they were going to throw them in the dumpster!
So this is my new space...so far so good! There is a closet in the corner that has some storage space for paper and misc stuff,room under the bed for things and I still have the big room in the basement for messy work and TONS of storage.