Triple Stamping

Saw a thread on Splitcoast Stampers today and had to give the triple stamping technique a try -- love the results!

Click on the link above to see lots more beautiful examples!

Betty

CASEing Cards

I found lots of pretty cards that had been pinned on Gerry Brow's Pinterest page. I had to CASE this card and this one. I don't know you, Gerry, but I sure do thank you for the inspiration! Here are my cards.......

The "lattice" die is from Papertrey Ink and the background paper was made with shaving cream and reinkers. This card is for my daughter and grandkids.

This unusual layout caught my eye -- I put one large rhinestone on the front of this Christmas card and I had to show you the inside where I added several smaller ones, in the stars above and below the sentiment.

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. Ours started out with the soccer game that I posted about earlier, then we played Mexican Train with five other couples Saturday afternoon. Lots of laughs and good food. Then, this morning, we had a wonderful morning at church and a delicious grilled hamburger lunch at the American Legion with two other couples from church. Something happened that was so cute -- there was a sweet dog there who was enjoying her 15th birthday party -- her mom had brought a cake and was sharing a slice with everyone there! After burgers, cake dessert, and enjoyable conversation with our friends, we spent the rest of the afternoon playing Hand and Foot (cards) with another couple. Just call me a Social Butterfly!!

Adios, Betty

Mexico Football Gold Medal

We're all excited here in our part of the world today. This morning we watched Mexico win the gold medal in football (soccer) against Brazil. Final score 2-1. This was actually the first soccer game that I've watched and what a game it was! Mexico scored a goal in the opening minutes of the game which gave them a wonderful momentum for the remainder of the game. We met with friends and many others (Mexicans, Americans, and Canadians) at a local restaurant to watch the game and had a wonderful time. I've never been much of a sports enthusiast but it was an honor to be able to take part in our adopted country's victory -- Viva Mexico!

Turquoise Birthday

I'll be entering this card in two different challenges: The Designer Choice Color Challenge by Patti J. Gilliam at the Repeat Impressions Stamps blog, "The House That Stamps Built" and Helen Dooley's For Fun Challenge which is to make a birthday card.

For some reason I have never been able to master the Bow Easy. This time, even though my bow isn't exactly perfect, I made it with the Bow Easy and it looked good enough to use on a card!! And I love this sparkly, sheer turquoise ribbon.

Patti's color challenge was to use black, white and one other color. The layout is from a download from Paper Crafts magazine's online site; there were many different ideas for birthday cards and this one just yelled out for me to use it.

Hope you all had a great day today and have a fabulous Friday tomorrow!
Betty

For You

I made this card for the WHAT IF? Wednesday Sketch Challenge A812 at The House that Stamps Built (Repeat Impressions Stamps). Here is the sketch:

The papers I used are from an older Basic Grey paper pad titled june bug. The stamp is also one that I've had around for a long time; it came from the dollar bin at Michael's. Image cut out with a Nestability die and a light green pearl was added to the flower center. I was pleased with the papers and colors -- at first, I thought they might be a little too busy, but decided that they're "just right"!

By the way, the title of my post made me think of an old song by Ricky Nelson. Does anyone else remember it? I think it was one of the first 45's that I owned as a young girl -- listened to it over and over and over again. If I've made anyone want to take a walk down Memory Lane, click here for the link to You Tube.

Betty

This and That

Several things to share with you today.....I realized that it's been a while since I shared a sunrise or a sunset picture with you. Here's one from yesterday -- it's a sunrise as viewed from my front porch.

If you're wondering what the little "hanging thingies" are underneath the electric lines, I really don't know what they're made of but the purpose is to keep the lines from hitting together when it's windy. Our development is called Brisas de Chapala (translated Breezes of Chapla) and it is aptly named -- we get very strong breezes here!

I decided to try the technique that Dawn McVey demonstrated at Make it Monday this week. The technique is using ink from stamp pads to watercolor stamped images. I used a Momento Tuxedo Black pad to stamp the images and they did not bleed at all when the watered down ink was applied.  I thoroughly enjoyed this technique and will have to share it with our first Saturday cardmaking group in the near future.

Finally, did you see the tutorial at Beccy's Place this week? She has a really neat tutorial on drawing and coloring pieces of round candy. I don't have copics and didn't have a white ink pen, but I tried the technique using colored pencils. My candy is certainly not as vibrant and "shiny" as hers, but I was pleased with the result anyway! Click on the link to go to the tutorial.

Beccy's Candy                                                                                       My Candy

Christmas Cards

I have two Christmas cards to share today and they were both inspired by the gals at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown. My first card is for their current sketch challenge:

You have until Friday, August 10 to enter this challenge -- why not join in????

My second card was inspired by an example from Patty, a member of the design team, for a previous challenge. Here is her card.........

And here's mine......

Thanks to my friend, Alice, who allowed me to use her embossing folder (and her Big Kick) at our card making group yesterday.  My Big Shot jammed up this past week and the handle wouldn't turn. My husband took it apart, straightened out a bent piece, and put it back together again -- you've probably seen where there were leftover parts at the end of the process -- that happened to us, but the thing is still embossing and cutting dies!!!! I can't take it to our stamping group any more because it has to be handled just right, but thank the good Lord, it's still working! I use that thing on almost every card that I make and it's going to be awfully hard to replace since I can't just run down to Michael's with a coupon and replace it -- no Michael's here in Mexico!!

Bye for now,
Betty