SpellBound....

....with Spellbinders.  At least lately I have been.  Specifically, the newer Borderability's.  I am just lovin' them!  I have tried two different shapes so far and really am having fun.  Today I tried the 'curved" one and it took me a while to get the card to fit together the way I wanted it to but all in all I am happy witht the results.  I think with more play I will discover a whole slew of different ways to use these dies.  Today's cards were made with the intention of using up scraps of colored cardstock.  I also have lots of oddly cut patterned paper that I wanted to use up and so experimenting with new dies was just the way to go.  I can see this design being used for an elegant anniversary card or wedding card with softer colors or even a monochromatic look.

This first card had some glue schlobbers along the purple die cut.  I find it really hard to properly adhere an intricate die cut with out the glue seeping out.  I current have bee using GA but if anyone has any other suggestions I would greatly appreciate it.  I have also used Zip but find it tends to dry shut between uses.  Anyways, to cover up the schlobbers I used a row of pearls and carefully followed along the seam of the cut.  I love how it turned out!

Both of these cards are a 5" x 5" card base but the die cut is significantly longer than I used.  It has convenient tabs on either side of the "cuts" to help one measure just how much of the die you need to use.    Both cards have dimensionals used to pop up the layers and both flowers have stickles on them although that is pretty hard to see.  The pink flower is one that I made....I am trying to get the hang of making my own flowers and it is not so easy!  I am sticking with it though as store boughts are soooo expensive!  Even on sale!  And I would much rather use my $ to pick up more dies hehehe!

Well, I have finally gone into the doctor for this nasty virus I have been lugging around with me for the last week and yesterday found out that I have an infection raging from my sinuses to my ears to my brochial tubes and back again!  Ugh....not what I need the week before my son's grad party....I so feel unprepared ;-(  I did get good meds though and, crossing my fingers, hope that I will be able to feel 100% by tomorrow so I can tackle what needs to be done!  Thanks so for stopping by.....I always appreciate your comments and if you have any advice at all for adhering small, intricate die cuts without leaving a glossy smudge please let me know!

Be well,

Sheila

Hey-Hey!

Life has been crazy lately....the last few days before my youngest has his high school finals.  The end of senior year is always so busy...fun for sure but very very busy.   We have held all of our kid's graduation party's on the Sunday of Memorial weekend so that also adds to the overall busyness of the school year's end.  Corm doesn't actually graduate until the 9th of June but I alwalys like to have the party done and out of the way so I can sit back and relax the for the rest of the grad festivities.  This year, well, this week however, I have come down with a nasty virus and that has thrown all of my well intentioned planning out the window.  How come illness can never come at a convenient time right?  So, for two of the last three days I have been in bed and today I am up and about albeit slowly.  It gave me the chance to finish up two cards that I had been working on and then realize that the third card, which was to have been mailed out last week, was sitting under a pile of scraps.  Ugh. Fail on my part. Anyways, I saw this card http://myshericards.blogspot.com/2013/03/justrite-papercraft-march-release-day-5.html on the JustRite Stampers site and imeadiately cased it!  I just love this layout and know that I will use it again and again!  The original is by Sheri Holt and above is her blog link....I urge you to checkout her work!  Gorgeous!  And here are my three cards.  One is a birthday card for my daughter's boyfriend Tyler and the other two are graduation cards.

What I like about this particular layout is that it works well for either feminine or masculine cards and also for many different types of cards.  I am just getting into JustRite Stamps and really like them a lot.  I also like that there are so many that  coordinate with Spellbinder dies that I already have making my cards appear a little more "custom".  I want to try a monochromatic wedding card in this style.....I think that whites and beiges would look really elegant.  The final "Grad" card turned out kinda dark....not sure why but the little medallion that hangs below the focal point reads "Breathe"  which I think is good advice for any recent grad.  This card is for a sweetheart of a nephew who graduated last week.  Thank you for stopping by....I promise to get back on track with my visits to your blog soon....soon as this party is planned and over and my son graduates.  Then it will be my time to "Breathe"!

Be well,
Sheila

A Happy Birthday...

...to my oldest child.  My oldest, Bessie, just turned 23 this last Sunday and it is really the first time ever that we haven't seen her on or right around her birthday.  Wow.  What a strange thing to do to hear about how your child celebrated her birthday!  She lives in another state and recently changed jobs so between her work schedule and our life schedule we weren't able to get together.  Well, I guess it will be all the more sweet when she comes home at the end of this month for her little brothers high school graduation.  I did make her a card....I tried a new design and am not really sure how I feel about it.  I really like using these little Samantha Walker/JustRite/Spellbinder Banner and Buntings dies.  I love this little row of flags and have used them before with a colored banner on an all white card and I really liked how that pop of color stood out.  I was looking for a fun, colorful "party" look to this card and I think that I fell more on the colorful but messy side!  Oh well.  I know Bess will love it and the accompanying giftie.  This is a look that I am going to work on though.  I have seen these banners used criss-crossed like this before on other people's cards and have just love the look but here it looks kinda cluttered and bunchy to me.  Any suggestions?

Anyhoo...thanks for stopping by. I have been a bit MIA lately and that is due to a small window of pleasant weather and the need to get my yard into some semblance of order in preparation for the hosting of my son's graduation party.  It seems like the time is just flying recently and there is much more work to do than I have hours to do it!  Isn't it nice to be busy?  Although, I am going to try to get a few moments to myself in the next day or two to try out some new goodies that have been sitting untouched for a few weeks (YES!!!! WEEKS!!!) now.  I can't wait to sit and play a bit!  

Be well,

Sheila