RubberStampingDiva.com

Having been sick in bed for almost 2 straight weeks, I was FINALLY able to get back to work and back to the computer just last week.  One of the emails I missed was from one of my readers, she asked if I had ever made a paper pieced hospital patient.  Well, I haven’t  but oddly enough my father just had knee surgery and is in the hospital this week and I needed to make him a ‘Get Well’ card.  Here’s what I came up with: 

Yes, it’s a little…ummm…..tacky maybe?  But it made Dad smile and that was the point.  

With a gift box as unique as the one I created for my father-in-law, I needed a matching card.  But after all the time I took decorating the box, I was left with very little time for the card (isn’t that always the way?)

This was what I came up with…and it was surprisingly simple!  I found the center of the front of the card and cut a straight line about 2" down from the top, then I cut a small snip on the side fold.  I used a bone folder to angle the collar fold from the center to the corner.  The tie was cut from left over SU! DSP (Dashing – retired).  The bottom part of the tie was cut free hand (after cutting a sample from scrap paper), the "knot" of the tie is actually SU!’s Tab Punch. Note: I found that a small notch punched using half of the 3/4" Circle Punch, helped the knot to fit under the collar better.  Finally I added antique brads to look like buttons and help keep the collar down.

 A tiny "spirelli" accent keeps the envelope from looking too plain.

Happy Father’s Day to all those hard working Dad’s out there…and to the women who stand behind them

I hope I won’t lose some of my new fans by publishing something that’s not <<GASP!>> Punch Art…but I thought I should at least try and stamp (big mistake, apparently…read on)  My mission this morning was to make a heartfelt card for a dear friend of mine who recently lost her mother.  Unfortunately, I was having a "bad stamping day"…the stamp wouldn’t ink up in the middle and I kept getting an incomplete image, I couldn’t find the papers I had in mind, smudges, smears, you name…it happened on this card!  I’m still not sure that if in trying to make lemonade out of this lemon I didn’t just end up with lemon juice!  

The papers I ended up with are close but not exactly what I had in mind (and yes, that bugs me!)  The angel was originally just going to be watercolored but with a snafu here and a heavy hand there…the only solution seemed to be "add a technique"!   Paper Tole, when done well…adds a beautiful, subtle, three dimensional effect to a piece…here, it covers a mistake or two (shhh, don’t tell…I have a rep to protect and lends a subtle accent to the angel.  HINT: This technique is MUCH easier to do with a stamp with solid lines!  The greeting was a whole other disaster…I wanted just a little ‘pop’ of gold and with all the rain we’ve had, the embossing powder stuck to EVERYTHING!  I ended up having to cut a separate piece and then I got creative with the brads…<<sigh>>  Now, I know it’s the thought that counts and I’m sure Elaine will like it….but, me?  I’m still on the fence.  

And then I went a played with the site…I’m still on the fence about that, too!  What do you guys think…Comments???