Card-a-Copia: Throw Down Card #1

Yesterday, I mentioned my goal of creating five new designs this week.  Here is the first of the five.  The image is a digi from Nate Owens, and I had so much fun coloring it!  I'm sending this one to a former student for her 21st birthday.

Stamps:  "Cat Talk" digital stamp (Nate Owens - Squigglefly)
Papers:  Ivory (Stampin' Up! Naturals), patterned (Poppy "Fleur" by Lasting Impressions), lined (unknown), Poppy (Lasting Impressions)
Inks: Copics
Misc.: twine (unknown), chalks (Stampin' Up!), CK Becky font

I know I'm tempting the Fates, but I'm headed back to the stamp room to try my hand at one more before the night is done!

The Yadda Yadda Buffet: Grr...

I just can't begin to tell you how really pissed off I've been at the misdirected anger and subsequent political policy from some Americans - leaders of state governments, no less - toward public sector union employees.  I especially hold Tea Party members in disdain for their attitudes toward the very people who are the core of this nation - middle class police, firemen, teachers, and the folks who help out the poor, elderly, and disabled.  (Don't tread on me, indeed!)

I am appalled that those responsible for the very mess - and a worldwide mess to be sure - that led to infringement of some of my colleagues' collective bargaining rights have not faced prosecution. 

How long did it take before someone from Enron paid the price for what they did to the working man in America?  Why did my taxes - and yes, I pay all of the taxes I am required by law to pay - go to fix problems caused by people who have suffered no consequences for their actions?  Why are we so slow to punish the real perpetrators of  the economic downturn?  

Let's shine a spotlight on the real bogeyman and mete out punishment where it belongs: Big Business that has been for too long under-regulated and running unchecked through this great nation.  Tea Party members should take a long look at these 'leviathans' rather than gloating about gains made by crushing collective bargaining rights of those who are backbone of our nation, because everyone suffers when Big Business is allowed to rampage through the economy unchecked.

Thomas Hobbes, Enlightenment philosopher, notes that humans are essentially self-interested and incapable of doing the right thing without a strong government acting as enforcer.  I completely agree with his theory.  Now if we could only find the firm but fair leadership Hobbes says is necessary for all to live to the best of their potential.  One that doesn't tread on the rights of some of its citizens to the explicit exclusion of others.

Card-a-Copia: Long Live Summer Break!

This as a stampin' weekend - yesterday I stamped with the Creative Saturday group at the public library and today I puttered around in the new-and-improved stamp room that will soon be featured in pictures for all to admire!

This card was a match-made-in-Heaven between unrelated digis.  I fell in love with the Nate Owens image and ran across the sentiment I'd tucked away months ago.  I rarely use my purple Copics and thought a bug/monster would be the perfect image to try them on.

Stamps:  "Bug" digital stamp (Nate Owens - Squigglefly), "Be Yourself" digital stamp (Papiersalat)
Papers: White (Georgia Pacific), patterned ("Whoo-Ligans Batty" from BoBunny), Basic Black and Lovely Lavendar (Stampin' Up!)
Inks:  Copics
Misc.: brads (Stampin' Up!); ribbon (Stampin' Up!)


Since my grandmother passed away in February, I have fewer people to send cards to each month.  In the past, I created a new design for each month because I wanted her to know someone was thinking of her - even if she didn't always remember who "Kelly" was.

I'm slowly getting back into making cards based on holidays and making sure to get them into the mail for others in my family.  This is my Fourth of July card for this year.  (Since I hate how America has perverted this very special holiday, cardmaking is the only pleasure I take from the event!  And you know I'll be standing out in the lawn with the hose next week, waiting for the stupid neighborhood teenagers to catch something on fire!)

Stamps:  "Funky Prim Annie" digital stamp (Sassy Cheryl)
Papers: White (Georgia Pacific), patterned (Yankee Doodles "Circle Doodle" from We R Memory Keepers), Summer Sun and Not Quite Navy (Stampin' Up!)
Inks:  Copics
Misc.: star punch (Stampin' Up!)






And this concludes the first week of Summer Break.  I intend to continue a good thing by finishing the stamp room and designing at least five more cards this coming week.  All the easier if it rains so I feel no guilt about that thing called a "lawn" that festoons the front of the house!

Card-a-Copia: Father's Day 2011

I thought I'd try something I hadn't attempted before for my dad's Father's Day card this year, and the main image and sentiment really lent themselves to an easel card.  I modified the instructions found on Splitcoast Stampers to create a slightly larger card and paper pieced the shirt, skirt, and hair bow. 

Gotta love the ease and flexibility of digital stamps, and since I was already at the computer, I typed up my own sentiment to match the image!  

Most of the stars are popped up to add some dimension. 

Stamps:  "Annie Cheers" digital stamp (Tiddly Inks)
Papers: White (Georgia Pacific), patterned (Alphabet Soup "Little Man" from My Mind's Eye), orange (unknown)

Inks:  Copics

Misc.: star punch (Stampin' Up!); ribbon (WalMart), brad (Dollar Tree), "Clementine Sketch" computer font

Card-a-Copia: Jellypark Design Team, please?

I made this sweet little center step card - go here for directions - for a woman who works in my classroom with me.  And it only took me four tries!  Oy!  This is what happens when you go renegade and change the size of the card, My Friends!

This is also one of the designs I've created to "strut my stuff" for the Jellypark Design Team challenge.  Cross your fingers for me!

Stamps:  "Girl with Sign" digi stamp (Jellypark)
Papers: White (Georgia Pacific), patterned (Animal Bash "Animal Babble" from Prima Marketing), Forest Foliage (retired Stampin' Up!), Meadow (Core'dinations)
Inks:  Memento Tuxedo Black, (Tsukineko), Copics

Misc.: flower punch (Stampin' Up!); ribbon (Michaels), brad (Stampin' Up!), "A Red Bucket" computer font

Card-a-Copia: Never Before Seen By Human Eyes...

I uncovered this card while in the process of remodeling my craft room. (One would think remodeling a craft room would be a fun project, but the bottom line is that I want it done yesterday for little to no money!  And my yesterday was 6 months ago!)