Sylvia's Stamping Corner

JUNE IS FOR GIVING!...FOR THAT SPECIAL TEACHER....NEW STAMPIN'UP STAMPS...

Summer is here but there are still some schools in session. If you are one of those moms who has children still in school, here is the card for you! Whether you drink coffee or tea, there is always room for one more card like this. Sending cards is a lost art, but giving them isn't. It is always so nice to walk up and greet a friend with a card in hand for a friend. You never know when you just might lift a spirit!

The nicest prize I ever won during a Coffee Lovers Blog Hop was the die I use all the time from Top Dog Dies. Once I found dies, I became a shopaholic....This card has a soft blue card base and is matted with layers of card stock and designer papers. The belly band is white cs embossed with the alphabet...the rest of this card is just pieces of this and that. The new stamps are the apple background, I love the way the apples were used, they almost resemble the word stamps. Add a cute tag and you have a wonderful teacher card.

I used so many dies on this card, but the bird is fussy cut! I think he is cute, telling his story. My scaredy cat, Tigger is intimidated by a Blue Jay that seeks him out and torments him with his squawk. I meant to post this last night, but I was up really late watching the College World Series where my team, the Texas Tech Red Raiders, beat the #1 seed Florida. It was a real pitching duel, but the outcome came with the bats and lots of errors! It was an exciting game to watch, thank you Red Raiders! Well, that is why I posted this afternoon instead of last night I was literally falling asleep at the computer when I finished up last night. Hope you had a wonderful Monday...thanks for stopping by for a visit. Yea for teachers and drink more coffee!

 

HE WAS QUITE A MAN....HAPPY FATHER'S DAY DAD!

Happy Father's Day to all who celebrate. Today will be a quiet day, unless the storms make some noise. It was clear earlier but the clouds are getting heavy and rain on it's way (I hope). Father's Day was always a special day at our house, my father was special, well aren't most dad's to daughters?

I made this card for Father's Day earlier in the year, one of my favorites, I love the 50's theme. Men wore hats, elegant clothes and the cars were just like this one, before color made a splash. This card uses mostly card stock and designer papers, a very little bit of stamping, but the mix of different papers makes this card special.

Well, there is World Cup, Baseball, College World Series...Texas Tech plays tonight....US Open Golf to watch, although the golf is painful at this venue. I am not a fan of ugly golf and every year I want to just leave it off as it is the worst golf tournament of the year. The players are so frustrated that you can almost see them turn gray. But on the bright side, there is so much good sport to watch and there is a choice for dad's today! I will be right in there as well...soccer is on as I type! Have a wonderful day, hope it is bright and sunny, a quite lovely day!

JUNE...SUMMER IS HERE...CREATIVITY VERSUS SUMMER HEAT!

Happy June...I seem to visit and post less this year. It is not because I am not interested, but because there don't seem to be enough hours in my day to do everything I need and want to do. We have just started a new year and catalog for Stampin'Up. I am still a demonstrator but do not hold events any more. My Etsy shop has spurts of selling with Etsy throwing more crap at us. Etsy has gone through so many changes and is now becoming the new eBay, increasing fees, charging monthly fees, and making it more difficult to make a profit while not increasing our visibility. I am annoyed with all the changes and money spent needlessly by Etsy, which not made it a better selling place. I am not a computer genius, I so not have the time to market an independent website devoted to my items for sale. With that said, bear with me as I try to re-establish communication with all of you who have visited and enjoyed some beautiful designs and also some not so good.

I love making banners, it is a wonderful way to use up the vast amounts of card stock I have accumulated over the years of crafting. But I know most of you like to see stamping and cards. A card using a retired blue card stock, has flowers and leaves water colored with a blender pen and ink. This stamp set is new but very similar to one in years past. I love framing cards this way, adding a sentiment as requested. I am still using the Work of Art stamp set. This is one of the most versatile sets Stampin'Up! has ever made. You can view all the latest items listed in my Etsy shop or on Google+.

I know the weather is not warm everywhere. My son and wife are off to a wedding in Sweden today then on to Norway where it is expected to be rainy and cool, a change from 115 in Arizona where they live. Wishing everyone a beautiful Thursday, thanks for stopping by for a visit.

 

 

HAPPY MAY...HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY DAD...LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU!

The first day of May...this day has always held a place in my heart. It is, was my dad's birthday. It is cloudy and looks like a rainy kind of day, but the sunshine is till in my heart. I worked in the garden for almost 4 hours yesterday. It did not go fast as alas I am not able to stand for long periods of time. So with my walker and my wheelchair with standing in between I managed to prune, water, and fertilize two large rose bushes and one smaller on. I planted Daylilies and got the area cleaned up of leaves and put down pecan mulch. The work is tedious, by the time it was finished I was glad I could go inside. 

Working outside reminded me of the days we spent outside working in the yard. We always had a beautiful garden full of all the flowers anyone could imagine. My dad's favorite was whatever he had blooming. I made this card some week's ago. It has a rich card base and is matted with white cs. The orchids are colored like some I have. Orchids grow in my window, the brighten the space with color. I fussy cut all the petals and stems then molded them. They don't quite bend like mine, but they are still lovely.

If dad were alive, I would have sent flowers and this card. That was his favorite birthday gift. Happy Birthday to everyone who has a May birthday...joining my dad, my husband, my brother, and my blog friend Kirsty...and a host of other relatives have May birthdays. A Ginormous Happy Birthday to all of you....and to the rest of you, have a beautiful day!

IT'S THE END OF APRIL...HOPE YOUR DAY IS MAGICAL!

Another month is almost gone and you might wonder what I have been doing, certainly not sharing. I am sorry, time just gets away from me. I enjoy short naps as my Tigger comes and gets me out of my craft room in the afternoon wishing me to hold him while he sleeps. I am happy to oblige as he is such a sweet kitty. On the other hand I lose work time, but I am managing to sty so busy.

I have done ever so many cards and things since last I posted. Friday I pulled out some stamps and paper that have lain idle for several months. I made three shaker cards using stamps from this set and the matching paper. It said shaker card to me, so here is what I did with the first card. The card base is soft blue and it is matted with a wonderful piece of designer card stock...notice I did not say paper as it is thick enough I could have used it for the card base. I made an oval die cut window, using a piece of designer paper for the background...adding sequins from my Etsy Shop. I also added a stamped and water colored mermaid and tiny seahorse. Don't you just love the wave of sequins?

Every day should be magical, little girls seem to love mermaids, why not adults as well! The weather has been perfect, but I only get out occasionally. The flowers continue to be beautiful and with the weather getting hotter, they will need more care. I solved the problem of something eating my Basil....I bought more and the pots come in at night! Fooled that critter! LOL! Have a wonderful Sunday...hoping someone will pass by and see this post and feel the magic!

HAPPY EASTER....WISHING YOU SUNSHINE AND HAPPINESS ON THIS BLESSED DAY!

Happy Easter everyone! Nothing says Easter and Spring like flowers in bloom and the birds singing. It started out a cool Saturday, but I potted up new plants anyway. It turned out to be a beautiful and warm afternoon. We went with Amy to her favorite garden store and bought more plants. We have been blessed with lots of rain, so the flowers are really lovely. In the craft world, I love to do flowers and the ever special Daffodil is an Easter favorite.

This card has a soft green card base. I used the new Stampin'Up! Daffodil stamps with some of my favorite go to background stamps. I love how simple this card is, it sends joy to the person who received it. Growing up we always had lots of bulbs in our winter spring garden. Pennsylvania was the perfect place to welcome all the glorious tulips, grape hyacinths, and daffodils! Easter is a time for renewal. May your day be wonderful, hopefully spent with family. Happy Sunday and just ignore that it is also April Fool's Day.

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY TO YOU....THERE MUST BE A LITTLE IRISH IN EVERYONE!

Top of the morning to everyone...Happy Saturday! I have been watching March Madness...for those who are clueless...the NCAA Basketball tournaments are going on and it is really mad this year...lots of seed going down! I am having a hard time working as I don't want to miss a game. A Shout out to my team, the #3 Seeded Texas Tech Red Taiders who escaped the first round and play tonight against Florida. Good luck Raiders, as always my Irish eyes will be watching.

I made a card for St. Patrick's Day, but alas this one did not sell...oh well I will be ready for next year...LOL! It is a beautiful white card with green shamrocks.I love white on white and the lacy butterfly.

This card is surely as lucky as I am...I will enjoy it all day! Wishing all of you a wonderful Saturday...my husband is putting up a greenhouse, one my daughter bought from her neighbor and gave to us. Wonder if we will do any better with our garden? Thanks for all the shout outs from wonderful blog friends....you are truly awesome to send kind thoughts.

Here is a green card for all my coffee loving friends!

Love you all!

BLUE FLOWERS FOR SPRING!...IT'S A BEAUTIFUL SATURDAY...

I thought I would give you a look at some of the things I have been working on. Today's look is at the latest garland I made for spring. I get a lot of people looking for blue garlands, so this is my latest blue, a flower garland sold in my Etsy shop. Unfortunately there is only one in this color as I have used the last of this fabulous card stock.

Photo First:

There are 9 feet of these beautiful flowers...and I love the leaves. This is a machine stitched garland so if cared for may be used over and over again...that is if you want to take it down! The color is amazing but unfortunately retired.

Now for you coffee lovers....

This card uses my Top Dog Die that is my favorite, a coffee cup shaped card. I love using this shape as the cards are all so unique. I used Graphic 45 cs to fill up every possible space. I love the scene, all the flowers and the tiny cup which I would have for coffee or tea.

Well, it is time for me to get to work. I am working on some Easter rabbit garlands...there are even some carrots in the first one. Have a wonderful and beautiful day. We were expecting rain, but low and behold we have lots of warm sunshine. Thanks for stopping by for a visit. Thanks to all of you who have given me encouragement in the last weeks. Happy Saturday!

SENDING SMILES AND SUNFLOWERS TO EVERYONE!....BACK AFTER A LONG WINTER!

Yes, I am really posting...sorry for the long absence. I had a long fall and winter, but have gotten through and am much better. Thanks to everyone who has checked on me and sent messages showing that in blog land there are real people and they care. I have crafted while away trying to keep busy at least when I could, filling my Etsy shop. I finished this card yesterday and as always, I love sunflowers.

I used a kraft card base and matted with white and a designer die cut frame. This paper is new this spring from Stampin'Up! The sunflowers are Stampendous, stamped, water colored with blender pen and inks, then fussy cut and glued to arrange. You know, over the years I have saved a lot of money using my blender pen and inks, instead of buying every new marker that came along trying to make flowers look real. I also love the accidents that happen which make flowers look even more real. A thought for today!

I feel the love reaching out in these sunflowers...another of my favorites! Happy Friday to all, especially those of you who work outside the home. Thanks for looking in today, I am sure most people have moved on but I am grateful for those of you who check in just to see if I posted today!

COOL NOVEMBER WEDNESDAY....WARM WISHES...IS IT TIME FOR COFFEE OR SOMETHING ELSE?

Gray and cool days are here, although that doesn't always mean cold. We have had the air conditioner on all week...it's warm and muggy most afternoons.I really don't mind the gray, the sun usually pops out late afternoon. So how about you, what is the weather doing in your part of the world today? I made a card that should warm your heart, if only for the moment.

This Christmas card has a green card base and is matted with a white embossed tree background. I was tempted to color some of the background but wanted a white background so I refrained. My cups are Stampin'Up! dies, I stamped a scene then die cut the cup out of the portions I wanted to use rather than stamp the cups. I love doing it both ways, so today everything was done before cutting. Next I stamped, water colored and fussy cut the bird and pine cones. Adding the sentiment to the tag was last. Images used are Tuesday Technique and Stampendous. Are we having tea, coffee or something else? Your choice.

This makes a beautiful Christmas card...but I could always use it for one of the many Christmas birthdays I have. But for now it is on sale in my Etsy shop. Have a wonderful Wednesday...hope your November is going well!