Tuesday, December 31, 2013

It has been 5 months since I have posted.  Sometimes life gets a bit hectic and priorities change for the moment.  My Son and his family moved from Hawaii back to Boston.  My Grandson Max turned 3.  I recently tripped and fell on asphalt on my left side and gained a few fractures here and there, but luckily I'm a healthy woman with strong bones.  I am healing and will return to work after this holiday break on January 2, 2014.  You can't keep and old broad down !!

But, I have been thinking of writing here and posting my work  Thinking about things is better than a blank mind.

I actually have made lots of cards and thought that I would post a few of the ones I like the best.  It is difficult to type (and keep correcting) with one hand available with the other one in a wrist cast, so no comments today  Enjoy!















































There are more but for now, these will do. 
Wishing Peace & Love to all!
Happy New Year,
Lois

Sunday, July 28, 2013

A long hot summer

It's only been a week or so since the heatwave ended.  Now it is typical Long Island warmth and humidity.  I can live with warmth in the high 70's - low 80's, but the 100's is a bit much!!  This said, working at my desk to make cards, practice my coloring skills and keeping cool has been difficult.  All I have in this room is a ceiling fan and a floor fan.   It helps, but it wasn't easy to work here for weeks!
  But, here I am, finally in the mood to post.
  I have a few goodies to display...

  Here is another attempt at collage.









The two above are a variation of a theme.  They are die cuts with embossed backgrounds various flower embellishments.  The kimono on the left is cut from an alcohol inks design on paper and the one on the right is a stamp of the same kimono cut by the die and then colored with Copics.



 The baby shoes stamp is one of my favorites to use for a baby card.
This card was made for a gal in my office who had a baby Girl.



 Found an old picture of a golfer for my boss'           
Birthday.  He is an avid golfer.

The card on the right is a stamp of a vase with flowers. Simple with no greeting yet.



This is a get well card for a friend.  Embossed, ribbon, peel-offs, liquid pearlss and a piece of bling.








This is a simple card with patterned paper, ribbon, peel-offs and bling.




I love this stamp.  It was attached to a magazine I receive monthly from England called "Craft Stamper".  Every month there is a new clear stamp with ideas how to use it.  This is one of the best magazines for tutorials and examples of various techniques for paper crafting.  There is much going on outside of the USA in paper crafts and stamping.  (My only problem with this magazine is that the advertising is all in Great Britain! LOL)


 The following cards were photographed because I knew that the scanner would not do them justice.





I have been having fun with embossing, die cutting and coloring.  When appropriate I love the look of peel-offs to enhance a picture.


Well it is time to say good nite.  Work tomorrow.
Be well and enjoy!
Lois...

Sunday, May 19, 2013

It's almost the end of May!

There just is not enough time in the day for me to do everything I want to do.  Working full time really cuts into my play time at home.  I love my private time here at my craft desk making cards.  I've made a few cards but have not had the time to post.  Now I will make up for lost time.

Here are a few of my favorite cards that were produced since I last posted:

The red card is made from a fun stamp.  Washie tape seems to be a big hit theses days and I have used some here behind the picture. This card was for my grandniece Julia for her 14th b-day.  My how times flies!!


This Tea Party card is showing so lightly.  This is a stamp I bought at the Heirloom Stamp show in Allentown in April.  It is part of a grouping of EZ mount rubber stamps by Mulberry Wood.  This scan of the card doesn't allow you to see the sparkly roses.  Oh,well...










Oh, this cat card is so pretty but my scanner just doesn't pick up the nuances.  This is another cling mount stamp but by Another Stamp Company. I gave this to my hubby for his birthday in April







Oh, this picture is so pretty live.  It is a butterfly tree.  There are lots of glitter and colors.  This is another stamp stamp from the Allentown show but this time by Prickley Pear.














This stamp is another Prickley Pear stamp.  I gave my hubby this card for our anniversary.















This was a fun stamp.  I've had it a long time ad never used it.  The paper is beautiful specialty paper with an Asian motif

I think I have used this design and stamp more than once over the years but there is always a bit of a twist to each one that makes them unique.  Here we have the patterned paper and the washie tape and some bling to make the card pop!

This is a simple thank you card with pattered paper and some bling on the greeting.











I think that I'll end for now. There are other cards  to be posted at another time.
Spring has sprung here on Long Island.  My white dogwood tree out my window is started to lose its flowers and I had one lone daffodil that bloomed until it could bloom no more! LOL
   Life goes on....hopefully for a long time
Lois...

Monday, April 1, 2013

Ok, so I skipped a month...

I have been wanting to write and post pictures of cards, but instead I have just been busy making cards!  LOL  But procrastination and making time has a lot to do with my not blogging.   So, here are a few new ones:

 I think I may need a new scanner.  These pictures are coming out so light.  The colors seem so much richer to see with your eyes and not thru the scanner.
 I love these cards.  I have been going thru all my patterned paper and have found some wonderful papers that have inspired me.


  
The card below was for Selma's 89th birthday.  She is amazing!


 There are others, but these are my current favorites.
I'm looking forward to Spring and warm weather.  My feet need to be aired in sandals and not in hot stuffy shoes!! 
Lois...

Monday, February 25, 2013

A Turning Point

Today is my 68th birthday.  So much has passed before me and there seems to be so much more to come.  I feel my creativity just beginning to come naturally.  With some positive feedback from my dear mentor Diana Kovacs, it seems that I'm a pretty good card maker after all. But,  I'll always feel like a student.  There is always so much to learn and so many new trends, new products, new paper, new stamps, new inks, and exciting techniques.  I may not be in the same league as Diana, or Kim Bell or Beverly Sizemore or AJ Otto, but, I'm having such a good time making cards.  And I'm here to share my card making journey.

I've been busy...
Here are a few new cards:

These next two cards were colored in Prismacolor pencils.
 



I wish my scanner could pick up the craft paper of the next too cards.  The cards seem more dramatic live. 
 



This card is so much prettier live. I'll have to photographic it.


 An Asian motif with peel-offs and beautiful paper.
 


Ah, a photo! I'll see how many others I can find.
 












These cards are all a little different.  I use stamps and I also use embellishments.  There is dry embossing and also heated embossing with powders.  You'll find stamped and colored pictures as well as pictures I have found on the web or from a book.  Patterned paper is one of my weaknesses.  I love beautiful paper!  I also love to make a card sparkle with Stickles and pearl pens.  Bling is also great fun to use to make a card POP.  There is so much I can do to design a card that sometimes I get a bit overwhelmed and have to step away from my desk for a while and come back to get some direction.  But, it works...I make cards and share them with friends and family for all necessary occasions.  Need a card?  Email me!
 Life is short...never stop creating!
Lois...
ps...I still need to learn how to take a decent photo! LOL


 

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Long Winter

First it was Bronchitis and then the following week it turned into the flu.  Then Ron finally gave into his symptoms and he came down with the flu.  For a month, I have been coughing but I am almost all better. Ron is still just tired.  He hasn't gotten his full energy back.  This has been a rough Flu season and I even took the flu shot in late November. OY!
  But, everything will be ok.  Or, as the old adage goes:  this too will pass.
  Meanwhile, I've made a few cards.
  

 The card above is a large card made for a young man at work whose wife is due to have a baby any day now.I need large cards to have room for everyone to sign the inside.  I used pictures from patterned paper, along with some gold peel-offs to give the card some sparkle.


 I have so much patterned paper that just flipping thru the pads I get inspirationThe card above also has some paper lace, a button with ribbon and some gold peel-offs to enhance the design.



 More patterned paper with a paper doily to add dimension to the card.



 I love this cat stamp and have been waiting for the right inspiration to use it.  What you can't see is that each paw in the circle has Stickles gold glitter on it.  I used Washi tape and some cat ribbon for the background.


I love this card.  It has  the embossed patterned paper with ribbons and a gold  shiny butterfly.  The stamped sentiment  with gold bling dots help enhance the card.

Due to my illness I had to miss a card making class with Diana Kovacs.  Her classes are fun and educational with new techniques to try first hand.  Her designs are original and easy to follow.   But most of all her classes are fun! 

Well, Here's to another good month coming up with good health to me and to you!
Lois...