Perk Up! Card and Suncatcher

It’s time for the 2020 Fall/Winter Coffee Lovers Blog Hop!

As I’ve been overwhelmed with family health issues, I haven’t done much crafting this year, but I did make one fun project that I’ve saved for this hop:

This sweet faux stained-glass suncatcher is hidden inside this card:

Nice, bold fall colors!

Ever since I got the A Jillian Vance Grandpa’s Glass: Cup of Love die and stamp, I’ve wanted to make a stained glass suncatcher. I learned a few things while making it….

I used StazOn to stamp on the plastic. I could have re-stamped it, but it was enough for what I needed. JudiKins cleaner does a good job of removing the ink and the stain left behind will not affect the stamp.

Nuvo Crystal Drops in Ebony Black, Gloss served as the ‘lead’ outline.

I was excited to try Nuvo Jewel Drops, but was disappointed to find that that only the Strawberry (more orange), Orange Marmalade (more yellow) kept any color… Lemoncello, Periwinkle, Rosewater and SeaBreeze dried practically clear, so I switched to more opaque Nuvo Crystal Drops for the cup (Navy Blue and Midnight Blue with Apple Green mixed with Woodland Green for the green tea look)

I solved the problem using Copic Markers to color the clear areas. Better! But there was one problem I hadn’t foreseen…

! S – D – R – A – W – K – C – A – B

Oops! Solution….

Just cut off the bottom!

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I hear it’s still hanging in the green-tea-loving recipient’s window, so the colors must be ok and the Nuvo Drops haven’t melted off the plastic after several weeks. So, despite a few set-backs, I’m pleased with the end result.

Have fun with the rest of the Coffee Lovers Hop!

~D.Ann

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Superhero Thank You Cards

Welcome back! That’s both for you and for me! I finally made a couple of cards for the first time in weeks! It only took three days and several do-overs, but it sure felt good to be transforming plain old paper into something fun and beautiful again!!

I started out fairly simple, but wasn’t happy with the watercolor sky. (nor that I managed to get some on the inside. Fortunately, the recipient won’t mind.)

I like how shiny her little gold crown turned out!

The next one got a little more challenging with an animated inside, as you’ll see in a bit.

I like the blended Distress inks for the sky better, don’t you?!

Here’s the card in action (click on the image below to start the video):

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I also love that amazing holographic paper… just perfect for a South Florida vibe!…

 

Supplies:

• Altenew – Cityscape A & B cover dies
• Altenew – Signature Words dies
• Spellbinders – Palm Trees die
• Motion Crafts by Uchi’s Design – Super Friends stamp set (SMS)
• Motion Crafts by Uchi’s Design – Rotary animation set
• My Favorite Things – Peek-a-Boo Circle Windows, Jumbo
• The Ton – Most Interesting Cardmaker stamp set
• Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black ink
• Gina K Designs dye inks: Black Onyx, Lipstick, Sweet Mango, Wild Dandelion
• Marvy Uchida Le Plume II markers: 53, 103, 8, 94, 67, 49, 83,  87
• Ranger Tim Holtz Distress inks:  Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade, Worn Lipstick, Barn Door, Broken China, Chipped Sapphire, Dusty Concord
• Copic Markers
• Brea Reese Metallic Pens – Gold
• Kuretake Zig Wink of Stella clear
• Hunkydory Holographic Mirror paper – silver
• Core’dinations cardstock blue and white
• Sookwang Scor-tape
• Aleene’s Original Tacky Glue

Obviously, I’m still puttering along, but I have a huge backlog of cards I need to make, so maybe I’ll get back in the groove and you’ll see more posts soon! Thanks for stopping by and for sharing your thoughts!

~D.Ann

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How to Color Your Hair When Quarantined Card

Hello, all you poor, bedraggled peeps!

I was ecstatic when my hairdresser finally was allowed back to work! They have a huge retail space that’s broken down into individual salons and everyone has to stay in their cars until called. She is very fastidious, so with both of us wearing masks, we felt safe. I don’t color my hair, but thought these cute free digi stamps by Impression Obsession stamps (HERE) would give her a chuckle – So I colored up one for her and one to give to a friend. She like them both!

I started out easy, getting back into coloring with Marvy Uchida LePlume II markers, and Faber Castell Polychromos colored pencils with Pebbles Inc. chalks.

 

It’s always restful to take some time to sit and color — no matter what your age!!

While the markers are brighter, I had a hard time remembering how to blend and the paper kept wanting to ball up on me, so I switched to the colored pencils…

Hope this brought a smile to your face!

Hang in there and be very careful out there!!

~D.Ann

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You Have Survived 100% of Your Worst Days Card

When dad got home from the hospital yesterday, I had a special card waiting for him….

I like the sentiment so much, I made one for myself to hang on my inspiration board!

I especially like the part inside that says, ‘I puffy heart love you’ as I always sign my name with a puffy heart!

Materials used:

• Tonic Studios Topnote Trellis dies
• CAS-ual Fridays stamps: Doing Great & Puffy Heart Love
• Park Lane Paperie 110# paper – jewels and pastels
• Tsukineko Versamark ink
• Stampendous Beach – Sky Blue embossing powder
• Recollections Encrusted Jewels – Detail Peacock embossing powder
• Misc. adhesives

Thank you all so much for stopping by and for your well-wishes for dad!

~D.Ann

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Thanks, Health Heroes Card

Just dropping in today with a quick card. With dad back in the hospital for emergency surgery and an unidentified infection, it has been heart rending not to be able to visit him! The past few days have been particularly rough with severe pain and today he sounded so down, I make a quick card for him and also one for the nurses on his floor caring for him, I was hoping to stop and pick up some flowers for him and a bag of chocolates for the sweet nurses. I called first to see where to take them and was surprised that the operator said they wouldn’t allow anything in, not even a card! How frustrating!! Later, I went to their website and found they have a way to send messages to the staff, so at least I got to thank them. It’s the thought that counts – and they are greatly appreciated!

Here’s the card I’d made for the nurses:

Materials used:

• Waffle Flower Free Printables to Thank Health Heroes (HERE)
  • Thanks, Waffle Flower! I’m not much of a Digi person, but that made it fast and easy to get this card together!!
• Sizzix Scallop Hearts dies
• Hero Arts Window on Love Confetti Die
• Park Lane Paperie cardstock
• Pebbles, Inc.Pearlescent Chalks – jewel tones
• Misc adhesive

~D.Ann

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An Adventure with Dried Morel Mushrooms and a Thanks So Mush Card

Ahhh… Morel mushrooms (genus Morchella)! I inherited my love of them from both sides of the family. If you haven’t had a chance to try them, you don’t know what you’re missing!! Part of the fun was hunting for them and there’s nothing that compares to a fresh batch of them fried! Not being able to go to our old stomping grounds in Southern Indiana was disappointing in more ways than one… I greatly missed seeing family, spring flowers and the chance to find some of these delicacies. I remember tromping through the woods and coming back with buckets full when I was little. (You saw my post about some of our finds in previous years HERE.) When some of my cousins posted and sent pics of their finds this year (one was as big as my cousins’ hand!), I said I was extra jealous. Imagine my surprise and delight when a few days later a care package arrived with a mess of dried morel mushrooms!!

This was going to be an adventure… We’d never tried them dried before. After doing some research on-line, we found out it was easy to rehydrate them… just cover them in water, wine or broth at room temperature, so as not to make them tough and soak them 15-20 minutes or more. We chose to use some beef ‘Better Than Bouillon’ broth. Stir them a couple of times so any leftover debris in the crevices can come out. When they’ve plumped out and are soft and pliable, no longer brittle, drain them in a colander. (You can run the broth through a coffee filter to remove any sediment and use it as a delicious base for soups, sauces, etc.)

Now you continue just as with fresh picked mushrooms… We like them rolled in a pan of flour (we didn’t add salt since they were soaked in bouillon) and then fried in oil (with a tablespoon or so of butter added both for flavor and to keep down the smoke).

The little ones quickly became crunchy chips, and the larger ones were the next best thing to eating them freshly picked and fried. Sooooo good!!! Nom-nom-nom!! We were extatic!! What a wonderful reminder of home!!  Thanks cuz!!

I sent them this card with “Thanks so mush!” written inside:

Materials used:

• Power Poppy Wild Mushrooms stamp set
• Spellbinders Annabelle’s Trousseau die from the Chantilly Paper Lace collection
• Core’dinations cardstock: white, purple, kraft
• Tsukineko Memento dye ink: Rich Cocoa
• Copic Markers: B02; C1; E31, 33, 51G02, 82; Y000, 02, 13; YG17, V04, 06
• Pebbles, Inc. Pearlescent Chalks – jewel tones
• Misc. adhesives

Thank you all so mush for stopping by today!

-D.Ann

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Special Delivery… Little Stinker Tag for Baby Gift

Hello, sweet peeps! I hope you are all staying well in these crazy times!

I was finally able to finish up another post that was sitting in my drafts from last year for you… this cute little tag for a baby gift:

It goes just perf with those cute little stinker baby socks from Hobby Lobby! Doesn’t that sweet little baby boy blue bunny from the Dollar Tree look just darling wearing them?!

By carefully cutting apart the stamp, I was able to get it to say “your little stinker” instead of HB “you little stinker.” I folded it above the tail and kept the top part of the die off the edge of the second cutting plate when I die cut it…. That left room for the fold to hold it together and to punch a small hole to use it as a tag. I colored and cut out the paws and glued them over the sign once I’d stamped the “Special Delivery” sentiment, covering where it overlapped the paws and adding dimension, too.

Materials used:

• Neat & Tangled Little Stinker stamp and die sets
• Neat & Tangled Sweet Treats Sentiments
• 150# white cardstock
• Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black ink
• Copic Markers: B21, C3,5,7; R10; RV 24, 63
• Gelly Roll pen white 08

Stay safe and enjoy the rest of your day! Thanks so much for stopping by!!

~D.Ann

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Bear’s Paw Succulent and Hugs, Thinking of You, Paw-some Friend Cards

Hello all! I’ve found another old post in my ‘drafts’ folder and have finally gotten it polished off for you… These were some sweet gift sets I made up last year when I found some ADORABLE Bear’s Paw succulents and put them in some cute cactus shot glasses from Dollar Tree and paired them with some stuffed bears and a handmade card to make some sweet and encouraging gift sets for some beary pawsome friends. First up a set for a special couple needing encouragement:

Awww! That sweet Pink & Main bouquet on the front of the card is colored with some fabulous shimmery Shuttle Art Gel Pens and a hand-drawn edge.

The inside has some cute Pink & Main stamps to match the gift, too…

I’m just head-over-paws in love with those darling bear’s paw succulents (Cotyledon tomentosa)! Aren’t they just TOO cute?!!

Of course, this post was done in March last year (I TOLD you I was backlogged!). Today I stopped by mom and dad’s and saw how much they have grown in such a short time:

This set went to a single friend, so there’s just one bear inside…

 

Supplies used:

• Pink & Main stamp sets: Fur Ever, Grandma’s Lace, Mini Faces Set 1, and Thinking of You Always
• Shuttle Art Gel Pens

And, I had this darling interlocking ‘hugs’ card for another friend:

Supplies used:

• Concord & 9th Hugs Card die
• Concord & 9th Cuddles & Hugs stamp set
• Essentials by Ellen All Inside stamp & die and Bear Hugs die
• DCWV The Butterfly Garden stack cardstock
• Hero Arts ombre ink pads: ombre dolphin ; pink to red;
• Tsukineko Memento Rich Coocoa dye ink
• Copic Markers C1 E 13, 33, 71; R20

I hope you enjoyed these Pawsitively darling little treats!

~D.Ann

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pps: UPDATE: Dad finished his radiation treatments Friday. YAY!! Doc said it’ll probably take a couple of weeks for the side effects to resolve. She’ll see him in 5 weeks and then order tests – likely a PET scan – to be done at 8-10 weeks. Meanwhile he’s to exercise, eat well, exercise and stay healthy so his body can clear out all the irradiated cells. We’re looking forward t a good report!

Hope you’re all staying healthy and sane in these crazy times.😉

 

 

 

2019 – The Year In Review

Phew! Another year and another decade have slipped by! Here’s hoping the upcoming year and beyond are WAY better!

Despite only being able to do 20 posts last year, I was tickled pink to have 3766 visitors and 82 followers from 78 countries visit and leave scores of comments. Thank you all!!!

Despite my limited activity, I did have a couple of special honors last year:

• On September 12, 2019, I was pleased to be featured in the ‘Caught by Altenew‘ Instagram post for this project (Blog post HERE; Instagram post HERE):

• June 28, 2019 I was surprised to be featured as “Caught by Quietfire” in the Suzanne Cannon Fan Group Facebook page for this card:

Here are the top nine from the 1150+ likes on my 34 posts on Instagram:

Looks like cards with beaches, cats and mice rule!

For the year ahead, I have some posts in draft that I wasn’t able to finish and I HOPE to get to do more crafting and posting this year. My health problems continue, plus now I’m battling the insurance company to reinstate my disability.  Dad is still doing chemo and his pancreatic cancer markers have fallen considerably, so that is good! My 5 year blogiversary is coming up this year, too. Thank you all for sticking with me and giving me so much encouragement as I continue to craft wherever the whim takes me!

Hugs,

~D.Ann

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Fall/Winter Coffee Lovers Hop: Your Friendship Warms My Heart card

Hello, hello!

Due to all that’s been going on this year, I was sad to miss the Spring Coffee Lovers Hop for the first time in over 5 years. Now, the Fall/Winter Coffee Lovers Hop is in full swing and things are still crazy, but at least I can get to crafting once in a while.

As I was recovering from a procedure on my legs, I had to take short daily walks. Since it’s still blazing hot here in Florida, I chose to do my walking in stores… DANGEROUS!! Lol!! I came across some wonderful royal purple ultra soft and snuggly pjs, robe, blankie and shoes – all on sale – that I would have loved to have if I lived where it gets cold. The few winter things I have haven’t been used in the past few years as it doesn’t even get cold for a few days like it used to down here. (I see a bunch of you sticking your tongues out at me right now!) But I immediately thought of a dear friend up North who is very sensitive to the cold, so I decided to send them to her along with a Ghirardelli chocolates, cocoa and brownie treats and Laura Childs’ latest tea shop mystery to snuggle up and enjoy on a couple of cold winter days.

Hence the need for a darling little cocoa card and this one fit the bill perfectly. Some day I’ll tackle using Copics in creams for fur, but I didn’t have the time, so stuck with standard brown…

Supplies:

• Lil’ Inker Designs Cocoa Bear
• Spellbinders Card Creator A2 Divine Eloquence
• Memento Tuxedo Black dye ink
• Copic Markers: C1, 3; E11, 33, 79; R20, 22; RV17; V04, 09
• Pebbles Inc Pearlescent Chalks Jewel Tones
• Gelly Roll Glaze pen
• Park Lane Paperie 110# cardstock for base
• Core’dinations 65# cardstock purple and white
• Scrapbooking made simple adhesives

Unfortunately, this will be my only entry in the Coffee Lovers Hop this time. Perhaps next spring I’ll be back to crafting more. Enjoy the rest of the hop!

-D.Ann

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