Dad has volunteered to participate in a Chemotherapy Clinical Trial at the Oregon Health Science University.  His hope being that someone else will benefit from what the doctors learn from this particular Clinical Trial. 

Dad's chemo treatments are almost everyday with the duration varying from 6-8 hours a shot. 

If possible I will share pictures of Oregon slowing showing signs that spring is on it's way.

Stamp on and with Aloha!

There are days when making a card does not seem all that fun.  That was not the case today.  Maybe the Sweet Pea DSP (i.e. pumpkin pie with white polka dots) is what help make the card making fun.  To me at least—there's something about polka dots—they usually give me a feeling of happiness.  Crazy, huh?

I was browsing through the various sketch challenges that are out there in the blog-o-sphere and really got inspired by Sweet Sunday's sketch challenge (SSSC58).   Once the craziest at the household settled down I huddled down in my stamp area and got busy with my take on the sketch.

To make the card I stamped a non-SU flower stamp with black ink on Sweet Pea DSP and cut it out.  Next I stamped the flower on Whisper White paper ( 1 3/4 x 1 3/4") with Pumpkin Pie ink and matted it on to Taken with Teal paper. The cut out flower was attached with a retired SU! flower-shaped eyelet and my trusty Crop-a-Dile.  Add some 1/4" Old Olive ribbon and Taken with Teal paper trimmed with a non-SU! border punch.  Surprisingly it did not take that much time to make today's card.  I embarrassed to say how long it takes me to make a card on some days.

Yesterday I felt in the mood to take an on-hand 5×7" low-cost spiral composition notebook and personalize it with SU! paper.  I chose my favorite SU! in-colors which are unfortunately retired.  

To cover a notebook is pretty easy and does not take that much time—unless you decide to get real fancy.  For me I like to keep the look pretty simple and without to much fuss.  

The front, back, and inside cover pages of the notebook were covered with DSP cut to 5×7" and punched with holes that correspond to the notebook spirals.  To do that I pull a page from the notebook and use dotto adhesive to temporarily adhere it to the DSP.  I use the torn page as my guide to know where to use my small circle punch.  After that is done I use my SU! scissors to cut a slit opening in each punched circle. The slits will allow me to gently thread the custom cut DSP to cover the notebook cover.  I used Tombow glue to secure my custom fit DSP panels to the notebook covers.

A non-SU! BigZ die was used to create the cover's flower.  A non-SU! border punch was used on the Pacific Point paper wrapped (2" x 7", folded in half, then border punch on the long edges) around the notebook's edge. 

I also used my SU! round tab to punch out several tabs from the leftover DSP and Pacific Point paper.  I'll attach these after I figure out for sure the specific use for my personalized notebook.

OK—now it is your turn to take an inexpensive composition notebook and make it your own!

Today's color scheme:  Sweet Pea DSP colors!  Old Olive (card base), Chocolate Chip (corduroy button), So Saffron, Taken with Teal, and Rose Red. 

You will notice there is minimal stamping here—just the sentiment stamped with Taken with Teal ink and punched out with the Modern Label punch.  The punch out was layered on to a slightly larger punch out (Taken with Teal Paper) created with my Magnetic Movers and Shapers die.

The flowers were made by running SU!'s Original die, Blossom Party (115971), through my Big Shot with three different paper colors:  Taken with Teal, Rose Red, So Saffron.

One sheet side from the Sweet Pea DSP was used to accent the card's front including using SU!'s Scallop Trim Border punch.

Here's a cute picture of my assistant (Alice the cat) taking a much need snooze… 

This is a note card (Not Quite Navy base) I made for a wonderful friend on the Mainland.  She needs some cheering up and since she loves cats this Penny Black stamp seemed the perfect ticket.   My note card dimension is 6 3/4 x 4 7/8" and then folded in half.

The Sage Shadow was texturized using SU!'s Perfect Details Texturz plate.  I used some leftover card stock as a shim to help ensure a good embossed look.  Spellbinder dies were used to create the scalloped ovals from Not Quite Navy and Whisper White paper.

I used my SU! write markers and blender pens to color in the stamped image.  Can you believe the inner tube was colored in with Bravo Burgundy?! 

Enjoy!

Ooooh, I just love it when a sentiment fits perfectly on a punch out!  This case it is the sentiment (stamped with Chocolate Chip ink on Whisper White paper) from Spring Song (115074 – $15.95) that goes perfectly with Lots of Tags sizzlits die (114508 – $21.95). 

The hummingbird stamped image was colored in with SU!'s Watercolor Wonder Crayons.  I used a blender pen to pull color from the crayon and then gently colored in the stamped image.  I also pulled out my Color Spritzer Tool (107066 – $12.95) and SU! Old Olive Write Marker to create a spattered look.  

Regretfully, the small flower embossing folder I used with Certainly Celery paper is not a SU! product.  My stamping buddy, Waimea Nancy, gave it to me several months ago.  I think the little flowers are adorable!

I added three 1/4" Chocolate Chip brads to help emphasize the stamped sentiment.

My hope is you are enjoying a spring like day wherever you call home!

Today's card (Bermuda Bay card base) gave my Big Shot a nice workout.  First, I embossed the card's front using Backgrounds I texturz plate.  Next  through my Big Shot was the "Lots of Tags" sizzlit with a leftover scrap of Dusty Durango paper. Another strip of Dusty Durango paper was used to create a strip of decorative flowers.

A strip of Razzleberry Lemonade DSP was added to the bottom of the card and then the Dusty Durango flower strip was layered on top.  I added some rhinestones for flower centers just because I felt in a blingy mood.  A sentiment from Whimsical Words (Sale-A-Bration) was stamped with Bermuda Bay ink on a scrap piece of white paper and punched out with the large oval scallop punch.  Did I ever tell you how glad I am that I finally purchased this punch???  The oval punch out was adhered to the Dusty Durango tag and then attached to the card front.

If I was to do the card over I would use a smaller strip of DSP.  Then again…  Do enjoy today's quick-n-easy card!

Please hang in there with me as I try to deal and manage with some heavy duty emotions and feelings.

Aloha Jan

Today's color scheme:  Rich Razzleberry, Crushed Curry, Melon Mambo, an Razzleberry Lemonade DSP.  Card base is Whisper White.

The card's completed dimension is 3 1/4" x 6" (6 1/2 x 6—folded in half).  The Blossom Party BigZ die was used to create the flower.  The Scallop Trim Border punch (Sale-A-Bration catalog – pg.9) was applied along the card's bottom front flap.  A strip of 1" x 6" Rich Razzleberry was adhered to the card's inside to help emphasize the scallop trim border.  A strip of Razzleberry Lemonade DSP was adhered just above the scalloped border.  Truth be told—I had stamped the sentiment there and made a mess of it.  OK—go with Plan B!  I added Rich Razzleberry polka-dot ribbon to the card's front, assembled my flower (lots of flower choices with the Blossom Party BigZ die!!), added couple dimensionals to back of flower and stuck it to the card's front.

Now came another moment of truth.  Did I feel brave enough to try stamping the sentiment from Of the Earth (Hostess stamp set) with Rich Razzleberry ink to the card's front?  Downside—mess up and I get to start all over.  I took the plunge and whew—it turned out OK.

Here's another photo of the same card except I added a butterfly made using my Beautiful Wings embosslits die.   The little butterfly was a leftover from another stamping adventure and thought what the heck—let us see what the card looks like with the addition of the butterfly.

Enjoy your day!

Today's color scheme:  So Saffron (card base), Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive, an Sweet Pea DSP accented with Old Olive 1/4" satin ribbon.

SU!'s Friends are Like Flowers stamp set was retired many moons ago.  I hold on to the stamp set because it has such a perky, happy, and lively look and feel about it. Plus, all the fun you can have using your SU! markers (or pulling ink from a pad with a blender pen) coloring an shading a stamped image.  For me, there is something soothing and comforting with coloring in an outlined stamped image. 

Last night was the monthly neighborhood Bunco game playing get together.  I am a little hoarse from squealing either with happiness or frustration with my dice rolls.  Let me just say 12 ladies can really rack the decibel count up when a Bunco game is in progress! 

My assistant, Alice the cat, has completely forgiven me about the visit to the Vet.  Whew!

Today's color scheme:  Rich Razzleberry (card base), Orchid Opulence, and Cottage Wall DSP. 

Then large plant stamp from the Kind & Caring Thoughts stamp set was stamped with Old Olive ink on Whisper White paper.  The sentiment was stamped with Rich Razzleberry ink on Whisper White and matted with Rich Razzleberry paper.  The Scallop Trim Border punch was used to create scallops along the edges of the Orchid Opulence paper.  I also tied polka-dot Rich Razzleberry ribbon around the card's front.

Here's a slight variation of the same card.  All I did was add a butterfly (Orchid Opulence) made using my Beautiful Wings embosslits die. 

I hope everyone had a great long weekend full of fun and laughter!

I used my Old Olive and Chocolate Chip markers to color the stamp and then "huffed" before stamping it on Whisper White paper.  The white paper was cut using a Spellbinder die.  I used a sponge to gently dab Kiwi Kiss (retired) ink around the stamped tree image.  The sentiment was stamped with Chocolate Chip ink. 

If this was not a sympathy card I could have added bling to 'jazz' up the card.  Instead, I chose to use 1/4" Chocolate Chip satin ribbon.

Hope you are enjoying the long weekend!