Humorous Pop Out of Bed Card

Spritz, spritz, wipe, wipe… This post has been thoroughly sanitized with bleach and I know you’re staying 6 feet away, so we’re all safe. : ) I know we all need some humor to keep us sane in these stressful times, so I thought I’d share this cad I made last year to cheer up my dad as he started feeling the effects of the chemo….

Hahahaha! Both he and mom got a kick out of it.

Gotta love that exhausted rooster!

Googly eyes on the ‘toast’ and a nice enamel toaster add to the fun:

I love putting something funny in a delicate and delightful frame….

Supplies:

  • Art Impressions Fainted Chicken
  • Spellbinders Romancing the Swirl Ringlet Round die by Becca Feeken
  • Spellbinders Toast with Jam and Bread stamp and die set by Debi Adams

I hope you got a chuckle out of this sweet card! Since we don’t sleep in toasters and half of us are supposed to be staying in… no need to pop out of bed, ok?!

Take care!

~D.Ann

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Update on dad: Thanks to all of you who have been e-mailing your well-wishes while he has been getting chemo for pancreatic cancer these past 4 months! They did the preliminary set-up MRI and CTs at UM Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center Thursday. They hope to be up and running with the new MRIdian Linac machine by April 8, and afterward they will schedule his 5 days of radiation… barring further interference from the coronavirus. They’ve changed it so that only the patient can go into the hospital and all have to have their temperatures taken and maintain social distancing except the medical personnel treating him, so we feel fairly confident as they’re not near where the sick patients are. We were going to stay down in Miami during his treatments, as traffic is usually too thick and too exhausting for any of us to handle driving back and forth 5 days in a row. But with over 2000 of Florida’s 4000 COVID-19 cases here in South Florida, they’ve shut down all but essential business (and his treatments are essential) so traffic is MUCH lighter, cutting the drive down to an hour. I’ll probably go stay at their place and we’ll drive back and forth each day… that’ll be better anyway, since mom and I also have weak immune systems. Eight weeks after the radiation they will reassess his progress. Thank you again for your kind concern!!

 

Set of Humorous Art Impressions ICU Step Cards

Greetings, crafty peeps! Unfortunately, it’s that time of the year when folks are getting sick and ending up in the hospital. I started this set a while back and kept needing to send off a card, so I couldn’t get the complete finished set in a picture. Here are most of them… almost finished… right before I sent off the second one:

They just make me smile!! Hope they do the same for the recipients!

First, I colored the couples up, wanting to be able to choose from a rainbow of ladies with different colored hair. Next time I want to add in some olive and dark skinned ladies, too.

Then I added some glossy accents to the eyes, lips & earrings, and to the purse and shoes for a patent leather look.

Next, I matched each lady up with a matching cardstock for the step card base and found some decorative paper to match for the background. Then I sewed the ‘curtain’ to a piece of cardstock and attached everything to the card, added the heartbeat cutout and sentiment and the front of the card was done:

Here’s a side view:

On the back, where the heart is (on this particular step card die), I added the sentiment: “Hope you’ll soon be fully re-covered!” and one of the left-over hearts from the heartbeat die cut. The envelope says: “Sending a little laughter… it’s the BEST medicine!”

So here are the rest of them – just variations on a theme:

Materials used:

  • Art Impressions Get Well stamp set
  • Sizzix Card, Hearts Step-Up die
  • SugarPea Designs Heart Beat SugarCut die
  • My Sentiments Exactly Back of Card stamp set
  • Tsukineko Versamark Ink
  • Inkadinkado embossing powder – black
  • Memento dye ink – Tuxedo Black
  • Copic Markers: B05, 21,29; BG13,15; C3; E000,00,02; R24,29
  • Ranger Inkssentials Glossy Accents
  • Kuretake Zig Wink of Stella clear
  • Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L tape runner
  • Simply Defined ‘Stay Put’ Glue
  • Misc. Seafoam gauze material (Hobby Lobby), thread
    • Red card:
      • Core’dinations cardstock – red, white
      • Basic Grey Blush-Admire paper
      • Copic Markers:  B05, 21; BG13,15; C1, 3; E02, 51; R24, 29
    • Yellow card:
      • Core’dinations cardstock – red, white, yellow
      • K & Company Contemporary Papers
      • Copic Markers:  BG13,15; C1, 3; E00, 02, 23, 33, 51; R35; Y06, 08, 13
    • Green card:
      • Core’dinations cardstock – green, red, white
      • Frances Meyer Diva Stripes paper
      • Copic Markers: B02; BG13,15; C1, 3; E02, 51; G02, 05, 09; R29
    • Blue card:
      • Core’dinations cardstock – blue, red, white
      • Basic Grey Blush-Admire paper
      • Copic Markers: B02, 05, 24; BG13,15; C1, 3; E02, 51; R29
    • Purple card:
      • Spellbinders Conversation Bubble 1 die
      • Core’dinations cardstock – lilac, pale green, red, white
      • Recollections Blue Ditsy Floral paper
      • Copic Markers: B21; BG13,15; C1, 3; E00, 02, 71; R29
      • Sakura Micron pen 05 black
    • Pink card:
      • Spellbinders Conversation Bubble 1 die
      • Core’dinations cardstock – pale green, pink, red, white
      • DCWV Butterfly stack
      • Copic Markers: BG13,15; C3, 5, 7; E02, 11; RV02, 04, 17; V15, 17, 25
    • Orange card:
      • Core’dinations cardstock – orange, red, white
      • Frances Meyer Diva Stripes paper
      • Copic Markers:  BG13,15; C1, 3, 5, 7; E00, 02, 51; R29; YR 02, 04, 07

I’m entering this card in the following fun challenges… click on any of them for more information on how you can play along:

Thanks for stopping by! I hope YOU stay healthy and no-one else ends up in the ICU!!

~D.Ann

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2018 – The Year In Review

Here we are with another year having passed… where did it go?!! It was another rough year health-wise with that horrid 3 month migraine, then my surgery, and helping the folks after dad’s surgery. Health and family first = less crafting time. I was pleased to see I still managed to publish 63 posts during the year. I still have a few queued up as drafts that I just haven’t been able to finish off… hopefully I’ll get caught up this coming year.

There were over 2.570 visitors to this blog from 67 countries this year, including the 79 of you who are followers. And they kindly took the time to leave over 860 comments. Thank you all for your encouraging support! I promise not to bother your inbox any more this year. : )

I was pleased that a couple of my creations received special recognition this year…

20170720ArtImpressionsFor THIS card:

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for THIS card:

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Here are the three blog posts that got the most comments from you sweeties. If you missed any and want to see the post, just click on the pic:

You’ll notice they’re kitty themes… Us cat lovers tend to be vociferous! >^.^<  Of course the Cat Lovers Hop falls in October and that’s always the month I get the most visitors. There’s some adage about ‘birds of a feather,’ but I reckon cats go FURther! : )

And, the only non-paper craft project to draw top attention from y’all:

On Instagram I was amazed to hit 250 followers and have 2391 likes on my 77 posts there this year. Here are the top 9 with the most likes from y’all (22% of the total!)… actually there are 10, as the last two tied, so I squeezed them into one frame. : )

If you missed any of these and would like to see the posts, just click the link on the pictures below:

    

  

   

The post with the most comments on Instagram was this one:

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On Pinterest, the top re-pinned pin from this year (284x) was this one:

Again, you can click the pic to go to the post if you want.

I was floored to find out that, in the almost 4 years (coming up in March) that I’ve been posting on this blog, the 362 posts had 9,384 visitors from 92 countries. Once again, I cannot thank you all enough for your generous support of my crafting adventures! I’m looking forward to seeing where the whim takes me next year and having you come along with me on the journey!

Hugs,

~D.Ann

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Art Impressions Cat Twist Ties Cuddle Cats Group Hug Gate Fold Card and Construction Tips

Yes, another cat card! This one was supposed to have made the Cat Lovers Hop, but the company I’d ordered the stamp set from goofed and sent me the wrong set and the correct one didn’t arrive until after the hop was done. (FYI, it wasn’t Art Impressions, this was before they had this set up on their site) I still needed to make up the card I had planned, so here we are. : )

This stamp set is SO us, I just HAD to get it to make first and foremost for the other special folks in my favorite group hug pack! And, you know me… I’m a sucker for interactive cards…. This one is a doozy!!

This is a gate-fold card, where the two sides fold together and meet or overlap slightly in the middle. Only on this one, they’re tied together by the interlocking cats. If you push in slightly on the edges, you can slide them apart…

See… the orange tiger kitty is sliding away from the group.

Since the current Art Impressions challenge #245 is Washi Tape, I framed the outside with washi tape and lined the inside with a couple of layers of it, too. For those of you who don’t know what washi tape is a thin decorative adhesive tape; much thinner than masking tape… You can see the underlying patterned paper on the front of the card under the orange, and the row of hearts from the washi tape under the pink washi tape on the inside:

For the inside, I fussy cut the cuddly group and put them together exactly behind the ones in the opening so they’re still hugging on the inside when it’s opened and it says: “Does somebody need a cuddle?” Awww!

There was one part of the directions for this set that wasn’t quite clear. I’m going to jot down some tips and pointers both for my pea-sized brain to refer back to as I’m likely to forget next time I put one of these together, and FYI, too.

Tip #1 You want the stamp to hit the edges of the paper. I used a MISTI and put the paper in the corner to stamp it, which means there was a tiny space between the edge of the stamp and the edge of the paper, so it didn’t cut out completely. (also: Don’t ink up the corners in the stamps below the cats… they’re just there to help you place the cats properly… place the corner of the stamp on the corresponding corner of your card.

No big deal… it’s just 4 tiny snips with a scissors, but you COULD avoid it. Just sayin’.

The instructions say to ‘score a 9 1/2″ x 5 1/2″ panel of cardstock at 2 3/4″ and 7:”. Fold like a gatefold card with the left panel on top.’ Well, perhaps you’re smarter than I am, but I wasn’t sure which is the left panel or if it made a difference, so I did it both ways:

As you can see, the longer panel (2 3/4″) puts the finished product in the center of the card. (not to say that an off-center card isn’t cool, too):

Tip #2:  I clearly marked on my package that the wider 2 3/4″ panel is the left panel to TRY to help me remember next time. (We’ll see if it works! lol!) 

Tip #3: don’t crease your scoring until you have the cats stamped and cut out… that gives you a little wiggle room to adjust the folds, if needed.

Tip #4: you can cut off a bit more of the bottom edge if you want some of the foot from the cat in the back showing:

Since the cute stitched edging didn’t show up on my patterned paper, I decided to outline it with a lace heart. None of the heart dies I had on hand were the exact shape of this heart opening, but the Spellbinders Lace Hearts can be cut down and made to fit with a little finagling.

Supplies used:

  • Art Impressions Cat Twist Ties stamps and dies
  • Spellbinders Lace Hearts dies
  • Altenew Halftone Hearts stamps
  • Tsukineko Memento dye inks: Tuxedo Black, Rich Cocoa, Angel Pink, Rose Bud
  • Core’dinations white cardstock
  • Authentique Devoted pad: “Frisky” & “Affection” papers & Devoted Details stickers
  • Copic Markers: C1,3,5,7; E71; YR02, 24
  • Recollections Washi Tapes… various
  • Scotch tape runner
  • Aleene’s Original Tacky Glue

I am playing along with the following challenges, click on any one of them for more information on how you can join the fun:

Next, I hope to finally finish a post I’m working on with some jewelry inspiration for you. You know me… no promises on when I’ll actually finish it, so just stay tuned! : )

Crafty hugs,

~D.Ann

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Art Impressions Kitten Vanity PopCard

Popping back in with a darling pop-up card for the Cat Lovers Hop.

The current Art Impressions Challenge is Add Embellishments. My embellishing starts with paper… I chose this weathered wood paper to look like the exterior of a house.

Note to self: don’t tack down the bottom of the background paper on the front of the card  until AFTER cutting the slits for pop-up mechanism… BELIEVE me, it’s better!! : )

On the ‘wall’ I hung some Graphic 45 ‘pictures’ and there are ribbon ‘curtains.’ I love the realistic antics of these stamped kittens whether they’re getting into everything or snoozing away!! A perfect fit for the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Animal Antics and the Lost Coast Designs & Carmen’s Veranda Challenge #63 Cats & Dogs!

There is some twine to make the yarn ball more realistic. For the ribbed ‘wood baseboards’, I took a thin strip of kraft paper and scored along it every 1/8″, then shaved an 1/8″ piece perpendicular to the scoring.

Add a few well placed “meows”, including one for the extra kitty who’s managed to get in behind the vanity, climb up the back, and is mischievously about to bat at the roses!

Embellishing also means bling… foil for the mirror, glossy accents for the vase and eyes and loads of Sparkle Pen to add shine to the purse, fur stole, hat and roses. Oh, and don’t forget to embellish the envelope with a few stamps, too. : )

Here’s a video of the card in action *click in the middle of the picture on the white arrow)

Supplies:

  • Art Impressions: PopCards Kitten Vanity stamps & dies
  • Art Impressions 3D PopCard Template & Window dies
  • Spellbinders Conversation Bubble 1 die
  • DCWV boxed card set
  • Recollections turquoise wood plank paper
  • Recollections kraft & white cardstock
  • Spellbinders Platinum Pack 3 Poster Board gold
  • G45 Raining Cats & Dogs chipboard
  • Tsukineko Tuxedo Black & Desert Sand (env.) dye ink
  • Brutus Monroe Alabaster pigment ink
  • Copic markers: BG13, 72; C3, E25, 31, 55, 71; G24, 82 R02, 20, 22, 24; RV02; W1; Y13; YG 61; YR02, 24
  • Shuttle Art gel pens
  • Spectrum Noir Sparkle pen – clear
  • Ranger Inkssentials Glossy Accents
  • DecoArt foil transfer sheet – silver
  • Deco Art adhesive pen
  • E6000 glue
  • Simply Defined Permanent Plus Adhesive
  • Wyla lace
  • Misc. acetate from packaging & twine

I’m playing along with the following challenges – click on any one of them for more information on how you can join the fun:

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I always appreciate your kind comments! Thanks for taking the time to leave them!!

~D.Ann

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p.s. any ads on this page are placed by WordPress and are not endorsed by me.

Stay Pawsitive Catastrophe Card

I’m back with another Art impressions card for the Cat Lovers Hop and for the Art Impressions Challenge 219: Stamp a Scene.

CH

Since this is a get well card, I just HAD to put Nermal in there… he was given to me when I was in the hospital with a note: ‘Hope you get back to Nermal again real soon!’ How cute was that?!!

Now you can better see this cute little scene of kitty hobbling off carrying his catnip tea the handiest way possible. It cracks me up! Since dad broke his foot the cast is now off, but he is frustrated that the boot didn’t come off this last visit, so this card should cheer him up. I fussy cut the cat and the cup and added a little bit of shadow to the scene.

Then there’s this little cutie-pie on the inside:

Since I didn’t want this to bleed through to the back, I used colored pencils instead of Copics. Glossy accents help the eyes and balloon to look more realistic.

I also like how that Coredinations Black Magic paper sands down to show the inner color! The Paw Print embossing folder goes great with that sentiment!

Materials used:

  • Art Impressions Catastrophy stamp set
  • Spellbinders Butterfly Circles and Heart Circles dies
  • Darice Paws embossing folder
  • Core’dinations Black Magic cardstock (and Sand-It tool)
  • Core’dinations cardstock: orange & white
  • Tsukineko Memento dye ink: Tuxedo Black
  • Copic markers: B5; BG13,15; C1,3,5; E23,25; RV02; YG61
  • Marvy LePlume II – black
  • Spectrum Noir Aqua Blend pencils: Bright Green, Carrot, Fossil Grey, Parakeet, Persimmon, Petunia, Red Barn & Strawberry
  • Sakura Gelly Roll pen – white
  • Ranger Inkssentials Glossy Accents
  • Aleene’s Original Tacky Glue
  • Scotch tape runner

I’m playing along with the following hops and challenges – click on them for all the details.

Thank you for stopping by and for leaving your encouraging comments!

~D.Ann

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p.s. any ads on this page are placed by WordPress and are not endorsed by me.

With a Friend In the Garden – Art Impressions Cat Card

Well, the Cat Lovers Hop is purring right along and today finds us reaching the half-way point already!

My first card for today happens to use the prize set that Art Impressions is offering some fortunate hopper over on HerPeacefulGarden.blogspot.com: With a Friend. You can see the details over on the main hop page HERE.

Isn’t that scene just DARLING?!! It goes well with the current Art Impressions challenge: Stamp a Scene!

I embossed the stamp on the sweet Spellbinders shaped card base, then, to make the scene stand out, I stamped it again onto white cardstock and watercolored the image. When done, I popped it up with a couple of foam sheets and ran a black Sharpie across the edges BEFORE taping it down to the base.

It looks really cool in real life popped up like that! The sweet words say: “In the Garden with a friend is the best Place to be.” Awww! I’m sure they would’ve said ‘snoozing with a friend’ if they’d’ve had room! : )

Materials used:

  • Art Impressions: With a Friend Window stamp
  • Spellbinders Decorative Labels One
  • Tsukineko Versamark Ink
  • Inkadinkado embossing powder – Black
  • Tsukineko Memento dye ink – Tuxedo Black
  • Marvy Uchida Le Plume II pens – 2,5,8,12,15,37,75,77,87,90,97
  • Tonic Nuvo Crystal Drops: Gloss Carnation Pink & Gloss Dandelion Yellos
  • Core’dinations 110# paper: White and Ballerina pink
  • Fibre Creaft Creative Hands Peel & Stick foam sheets
  • Tombow Xtreme permanent adhesive
  • Aleene’s Original Tacky Glue

I’m playing along with the following hops and challenges – click on them for all the details.

~D.Ann

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p.s. any ads on this page are placed by WordPress and are not endorsed by me.

Another Art Impressions Humorous ICU Step Card

Hello and welcome back! I had my post-op follow up yesterday and all is proceeding well. I made another fun card for the surgeon and his staff…

This time I had a little more time to play around with the curtain to get it in shape. I think I like this version better than the one I showed you a few days ago. Even though it folds up uneven, it will probably be displayed open, so I made it come up even with the rest of the card – when open and looking straight on.

I gave the lady more blue hair as that’s the norm down in South Florida – as are both of their shapes. lol! And, of course, there’s lots of bling, glitter and gloss!

I love making him look embarrassed with red cheek and ears and his eyes bugging out!

Materials used:

  • Art Impressions Get Well stamp set
  • Sizzix Card, Hearts Step-Up die
  • SugarPea Designs Heart Beat SugarCut die
  • DCWV The Luxury Stack shimmer paper
  • Core’dinations cardstock: red, blue & white
  • Tsukineko Versamark Ink
  • Inkadinkado embossing powder – black
  • Memento dye ink – Tuxedo Black
  • Copic Markers: B05, 21,29; BG13,15; C3; E000,00,02; R24,29
  • Tonic Studios Nuvo Crystal Drops: Gloss Red Berry
  • Ranger Inkssentials Glossy Accents
  • Kuretake Zig Wink of Stella clear
  • Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L tape runner
  • Simply Defined ‘Stay Put’ Glue
  • Misc. Seafoam gauze material (Hobby Lobby), thread

I’m entering this card in the following challenges… click on any of them for more information on how you can play along:

20170720ArtImpressions

I appreciate you stopping by today!

~D.Ann

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p.s. any ads on this page are placed by WordPress and are not endorsed by me.

Art Impressions Humorous ICU Step Card

Hello, dear peeps!

I’m glad to be back home recuperating from my surgery. Thank you all for your kind wishes and notes!

I wanted to share with you the fun step card I made for the very caring nursing staff at the hospital:

Hahaha! Ahhh, those breezy hospital gowns!

(Oops, I see I took this pic before I took out the temporary gathering stitches on the curtain. Ha! I was rushing to get it done before I left for surgery, and the card’s gone on to its new home now.)

The current Art Impressions challenge (#212) is: Bling, Glitter or Glossy. Take a closer look at her glossy patent leather bag and shoes and glittery coat, eyeshadow and hair, and bling earrings:

She certainly makes a bold statement & fits Simon Says Stamp’s Monday Challenge: Red, White and/or Blue. 

To make the step card easily, I used the Sizzix Hearts Step-Up die, but folded the first two hearts back down and used the third to help hold the curtain. Easy-peasy! I was in a bit of a quandary about the curtain… With the card open, it looks taller, but folds up it’s even with the left side. I could have made it a smidge shorter when it folds up so that it sits even when opened… what you think???

Materials used:

  • Art Impressions Get Well stamp set
  • Sizzix Card, Hearts Step-Up die
  • Spellbinders Conversation Speech Bubble One Dies
  • SugarPea Designs Heart Beat SugarCut die
  • Lawn Fawn Perfectly Plaid Rainbow Petite Paper Pack
  • Core’dinations cardstock: red, blue & white
  • Memento dye ink – Tuxedo Black
  • Copic Markers: B21,29; BG13,15; C1,3; E00,02; R21,25
  • Pebbles, Inc. Chalk
  • Tonic Studios Nuvo Crystal Drops: Gloss White & Morning Dew
  • Kuretake Zig Wink of Stella clear
  • Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L tape runner
  • Simply Defined ‘Stay Put’ Glue
  • Misc. Seafoam gauze material (Hobby Lobby), thread

I’m entering this card in the following challenges… click on any of them for more information on how you can play along:

Thank you for stopping by today. I’ll be back as soon as I’m back on my feet!

~D.Ann

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Before and After Caffeine Ellen Hutson & Art Impressions Mix It Up Challenge

Sneaking this one in under the wire. This month’s Ellen Hutson Mix it Up Challenge is to use something from her line and from Art Impressions. I came up with a fun little interactive card:

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Here’s a quick video of how it works:

And now the stills:

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Without caffeine… yep! That’s how I look!!

The inside:

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Can you guess what the inside says? (Of course if you watched the video, you already know. If you don’t, you probably need caffeine!!)

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Yep! After caffeine I DO feel younger and can do crazy things faster! lol!

Supplies used:

  • Spellbinders Imperial Square die
  • Essentials By Ellen Envelope Sliders dies
  • Art Impressions Zoo Crew Feline & Mini Cat Spinner stamp sets
  • Poppystamps You Melt My Heart (snowflake stamp)
  • Memento London Fog dye ink
  • Copic Markers C1, 3; R20; RV02; Y28
  • Core’dinations cardstock – white & wine
  • Coredinations Gemstones cardstock – emerald
  • Coats Metallic decorative thread
  • Misc. adhesives

I’m playing along with the following hops and challenges… click on any one of them for more information on how you can join the fun!

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I think I need to go get some more caffeine to do some more crazy things! See you soon!

~D.Ann

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p.s. any ads on this page are placed by WordPress and are not endorsed by me.