Another Better Late Than Never Post

Here is the Mother's Day card I made for my sister. I masked off a frame with blue painters tape, and then sponged blue distress ink on. I then stamped the hero arts image with the same blue distress ink. Quick and simple :)



I made a couple more of these in other colors for two other mom's cards :)

Card for my Dad's Retirement

I made this using SVG's from files created by Vicky at Clips-n-cuts. I used the picture cut file from the newest die-cut freebie file called 'film set'; I used the watering can from the freebie file called 'gardening'; also the guitar, musical notes and treble clef from the freebie file called 'music set'; also a tree from the freebie file called 'trees'.

Thanks Vicky for all the wonderful free SVG's! I love how this card turned out, and can't wait to give it to my Dad tomorrow at his retirement party.

I'm entering this into the digital challenge over at:

Lily Pad Card's

If you have any question on how this card was put together leave me a way to get in contact with you and I'll get back to you :)

Here are some more pic's:

Entry for Lily Pad Cards Embossing Challenge

Here is a card I made for my sister-in-law's birthday. I started by dry embossing white cardstock using the 'Tulip' Spellbinder Impressabilities with my sizzix big shot. I cut a strip of blue cardstock (the same color as my card base), and then I used my sewing machine to add some decorative stitching to the top and bottom of the strip. I stamped a flower from the 'In Bloom' Papertrey Ink stampset onto some My Mind's Eye patterned paper from the lime twist collection using Versamark ink. I added some orange embossing powder and heat embossed. Then I cut it out. I stamped two leaves from the In Bloom set onto some EP paper from the Springtime collection (Grass) also using Versamark ink, and added some green embossing powder and heat embossed (and cut them out). I added some shading with some prismacolor pencils to the flower and the leaves, and then I attached everything to the card base.

I'm entering this into the following weekly challenge at:

Lily Pad Cards

Entry for Hero Arts May2011B/Card for my Mom's Birthday

I started with some craft cardstock and stamped all four of the HA Color Me Flowers stamps with versamark ink and embossed with black embossing powder. I colored the flowers in with prismacolor pencils. I then stamped over the top of everything with the HA Cling Dots stamp using blue ink. I used a circle punch to remove a portion of the corners of the craft cardstock. I adhered the craft cardstock to some cream cardstock and added some blue brads. Then I attached the whole thing to the card base. I cut a oval out with a spellbinders nestability die and sponged on some blue ink with the die still over the cut. Then I stamped 'happy' with some of the same blue ink (I used a 'happy father's day' stamp and only inked the 'happy'). I attached the oval to the card front with some foam tape.

Bad experience at Craft Warehouse

I know this is a different post than I usually make but I thought I would pass on my recent experience while shopping at Craft Warehouse (Gresham, Oregon). Here is the message that I sent to the corporate office today describing my experience:

I was in your Gresham, Oregon store on 5/12/11. One of the items that I purchased was marked $4.99. I got out to my car and saw that I had been charged $5.99, so I went back in to get a $1.00 refund. The cashier proceeded to process the transaction as a refund and told me that I needed to give him my information (i.e., name, address, phone number, etc.). I asked him why he needed that information, and he told me apologetically that it was store policy and he had to have it for this transaction, and I said I didn't understand why in this particular instance he would need all that information. He then called for his supervisor, who fixed it so that it was a refund/re-ring, who then stated that besides the information he had requested before they would also need to see my drivers license. I stated that I would prefer not to give that information out unless absolutely necessary, and she stated that it was new store policy. I asked her why she just couldn't give me my dollar back, as I had paid cash for my purchase and she said that because of store policy I would have to give them my information. I complained again and she called up her store manager who could possibly override the system so I wouldn't have to give my information out. While we were waiting, the supervisor proceeded to tell the cashier that when he was done with me, that he should go back to the aisle where the product was located and change the prices. He asked why, they cost $4.99? I explained to him that there had been a mark-up and the prices hadn't been changed on the package. He then understood what his supervisor wanted him to do. (as all this is going on, I'm wondering WHY the supervisor didn't wait for me, the customer, to leave before telling the cashier to go and change the prices, or as she put it to remove the little white stickers from the product. What BAD customer service! When I worked retail, we would make the price adjustment, wait until the customer was gone, THEN go and fix the problem. You don't drag a customer into store business. I think that makes BAD business!) Anyway, when the store manager arrived she said it was now new store policy that they would need all my information for this transaction, but that she would override it for me this time and pass on my concerns about the new policy at their next store meeting. I pointed out how I thought it was unfair that they required all my personal information for a mistake THEY made in not putting the correct price on their merchandise, and how I had paid cash for my entire purchase (not like I used a debit/credit card, then I could see them needing my information to perform a credit). Also, seeing as it was only a $1 I needed returned to me, I thought it was kind of overkill to ask for all this information.

This situation has caused me not to want to return to shop at your store for a LONG time, maybe never. It left a bad impression on me and I thought you might want to know of this situation concerning new store policy and how it affects your customers. You may lose more than just my business.

Anyway, just thought I would pass this along and see if anyone else has experienced this. Also, on a funnier note, while I was there I asked an associate in the scrapbook section about a problem I was experiencing with my Sizzix Big Shot and the Spellbinders Nestabilities (problem- my shape (circle or oval) is embossing, whether I want it to or not, just in the cutting process). She said she didn't know much about the machine or the dies and she would go ask their 'EXPERT' if she knew how to prevent this. Her co-worker, the 'EXPERT' came over with a spellbinder die and asked which direction I was cutting it in (face up, or face down). I told her I didn't think it mattered in the cutting only in the embossing process after the cutting. She was surprised that the die could also emboss (she had NO clue, that that is what they are designed to do) and was wondering how I had found out about this. Pretty sad for an 'expert', huh?

Card for my nephew

I cut a solid stamp with my big shot using my oval spellbinders nestabilities and some thin fun foam. I stamped the oval with some blue distress ink and then used a bird stamp from one of the Tim Holtz visual artistry stampsets. I covered the birds with clear glossy accents. I then stamped a scrolly looking stamp around the oval using green distress ink.

Card for my Dad's Birthday

I wanted to try some masking and sponging. I think it turned out pretty cool! I ripped a piece of paper to use for the skyline and the ground line. I masked off the ground line and sponged blue distress ink for the sky (I added a circle mask for the sun before sponging the sky). I removed the circle and added the paper the circle was cut from so that I could sponge the sun color. I used the mask for the skyline and sponged the ground with green distress ink. I removed the mask and stamped the tree (which I colored the trunk and some of the branches with brown colored pencil). Then I stamped the birds. I used some colored pencils to make it look like there was wild flowers in the grass area.

Better Late Than Never?

Well, here are some shots of my Christmas cards that I made for December 2010. I made a couple of different variations on the same design, just used different patterned paper. I used a cut file from My ScrapChick for the ornaments. I typed up the lyrics to 'Joy to the World', and copied it enough times to fill up my card base. I printed the song onto my craft cardstock card base. Any questions? Leave me a message with a way to get back to you :)

Birthday Card for my Cousin

Here is a card I made for my cousin Julie. I made the dog house for the front. For the roof I used my Martha Stewart embossing board to add some texture. I cut a circle for the sun and trimmed it to fit the corner and then I colored some rays on with a prismacolor pencil. I cut a door with my spellbinders nestabilities and made a fold line so you can peek in through the hole cut in the card front also cut with my nestabilities. Any questions? Leave a comment with a way for me to get ahold of you :)

Papertrey Ink Contest

Here is a card that I made for my cousin Melissa's birthday. On the front of the card I cut a circle with my circle spellbinders nestabilities. I made a circle frame and used strips of paper to make a lattice design. I then attached the frame and lattice to the front of the card. Then I added a hero arts butterfly stamp I colored and cut out.

On the inside of the card I used two stamps from the In Bloom set. I stamped the flower and then made a mask of the flower so I could stamp the leaves. I placed the paper that I cut off from around the flower mask to mask around the flower so I could use some milled lavender distress ink to color the flower. I then added some shading to the flower and colored the leaves with some prismacolor pencils. Then I went around the outside of the flower and leaves with a grey copic.

Here is the link to the Papertrey Ink card contest info:

Inspired Papertrey Ink and Nichole Heady

It closes tomorrow at 7am EST, so hurry and get your entry in. They have an awesome prize!