Curt's Best Shots Slideshow

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

THE WEDNESDAY EVENING POST FOR NOVEMBER 10, 2010

Hey All!


I hope this post finds you well and happy!  You look absolutely incredible by the way!  It's time for another edition of my Wednesday Evening Post.  I got to thinking the other day that Christmas is only a little over 6 weeks away!!!  I can't get over it. . .where did the time go?  If you throw in that you should mail your cards at least a couple of week in advance, you only have about 4 weeks left!  So, with this motivation in mind, I got started on my Christmas cards this week.

The first one is actually for a challenge!  Can you believe it????  I actually am participating in a challenge.  I've discovered ANOTHER MALE card maker!!  There are so few of us.  His name is Ted and he is a teacher.  He dose great work, and his writing is wonderful.  He has a great sense of humor and is very creative.  You can visit his blog HERE.  His challenge is to look in your pantry for inspiration.  I thought this sounded fun and had a ton of possibilities.  Here is my "pantry inspiration":


I wanted to select something that I could make a Christmas card with and I thought this would be perfect.  Here is the card it inspired:


I love these gingerbread people!  The gingerbread man stamp is by stampabilities and the sentiment is from Hero Arts.  Those red brads were perfect for that cranberry in the inspiration picture.  I stamped the gingerbread man 3 times on kraft card stock and cut them out.  I used distress ink to give them their browned look like they were fresh out of the oven.  I used Stickles for their frosting and buttons.  The sentiment was stamped with Versamark and white detailed ep.  Kinda looks like frosting.  This was such a fun challenge.  You should give it a try and enter.  He is giving away a set of his cards and a gift certificate to a lucky winner.  So, if you want to play along, you can find the post HERE.  You have until the end of the month!


Here is my next card:


This has to be one of my all time favorites when it comes to Christmas stamps!  I just got this stamp in the mail this week and I was so excited.  It is by Eat Cake Graphics.  I made the sentiment list scroll using Word, printed it off and cut it out.  The image is colored with distress inks and an aqua brush.  Look at his little tail wagging. . .OMGosh he is adorable.  Can't you just hear him rattling off that list super excitedly?  LOL


My final card is this one:


This is a stamp from Northwood Stamps called Birch & Cardinals.  Colored it with distress inks and stamped an extra set of the birds, cut them out and set them up on dimensionals.  The trees are really sparkly, but once again, I couldn't get it to photograph.  Errrrrrrr.


Now, on to the "Picture of the Week":


This is a "woolly worm" I found yesterday crossing the path that we were walking on yesterday.  These are supposed to portend what kind of winter we are going to have by how thick their coats are.  Looking at this one, I think we are going to have a CUTE winter!  LOL   The poor little thing was so frightened that it never did come out of that fetal position.  Hope I didn't scare him too bad!

OK, 3 down, many more to go!  LOL  Hope you enjoyed your visit here tonight.  I'm off to take a look at what you've been up to on your blogs.  I'm actually going to fix dinner, then bring the plate right to my computer and dine while looking!


Thanks again for coming to look!  It still amazes me to think that you want to.  It is so appreciated.  


Hugs to all of you!


Best,


Curt O'Brien


"God, please let me be the person that my dogs think I am."

29 comments:

Divinewoman said...

Curt,
I love all the cards you made. I love gingerbread also. I decorate my kitchen, during Christmas with them. Thanks for sharing your cards.

mudmaven said...

OMG these are just so cute! I love them all, but the gingerbread men are my fave! So sweet! Ted's blog is really great too - thanks for the referral! That little thing in your palm is very cute, but makes me squirmy and ready to say "eewwww" - hopefully neither of our winters will be too awful - we got our first snow yesterday and that's really late for us so I'm hopeful. All the best to Jay and hug those gorgeous balls of fluffy deliciousness for me too! ~chris

Ted said...

Curt! First, thanks for the kind words... so thoughtful! Second, I love this card! Not only did you make gingerbread men, but you captured the colors of the box of mix. I love the cranberry brads and the icing and white embossing powder --- such a perfect idea! Just great! :) Thanks for playing along!

Heide said...

What perfect inspiration, I love how you were inspired with the gingerbread to make the cookies! You guys are few and far between, I think it great to find another guy out there crafting and blogging.

Stacie (craft-princess) said...

All the cards are wonderfully beautiful!! I adore the one with the pup giving his "wishlist" to santa!! I can so picture that in real life! LOL!

Serendipity Stamping said...

Hi Curt, finally my computer is up and running again. Whole operating system was corrupted. What fun. I so enjoyed your cards tonight. What a great inspiration for card making. Well off to check out Ted's blog. Night.

Tertia said...

A very good morning to you too. I just love your cards and that little puppy is so CUTE!! If you picked up that little worm in my gaeden, it would have been bald - we are having a heatwave and tha earth is being scorched! LPL
I have not been very creative I am afraid, because its final exams at school and I am drowning in exam papers to mark. (only two more weeks, Tertia, only two more weeks -then I can craft as much as I want) Have a great day, 'see' you soon.

Joan Ervin said...

Curt...your cards are all sooo cute!!!! The Santa image cracks me up...tooo cute, and I love the sweet little gingerbread men!!! The birds are beautiful too...you have inspired me to get busy on my cards!!!

Gail said...

Hey Curt!
I think you've outdone yourself this week!
The cards are all great....love the puppy on Santa!
Going to check out Teds' blog!
I think all our caterpillars are dead or hibernating or whatever they do up here in the winter!?

Sue said...

Hi ya Curt
fabulous selection of cards as always, i luvs gingerbread men, yummy scrummy in me tummy, great card. I luv the ickle doggie on santa how cute is that, luv how you have done his wish list, beautiful bird image, as ever your colour work is gorgeous, aww cute little wooly worm, hope all well with you n yours, hugs sue,xx

Becky said...

What a fabulous challenge, and you did a fabulous job with it with those delicious gingerbread men.
I just love that second one also, great Santa list. :)
Love that stamp from Northwood, you did a fabulous job with this.

Ila said...

All these cards are all Fabulous Curt!!..The puppy Santa card is just the Cutest!!...Christmas is coming much too fast!!..Have a Great Day!!..Hugs, Ila

Anonymous said...

Well let me say, you look absolutely amazing too!!! LOL I was thinking 'Curt, you obviously really can't see me this morning' LOL
LOve these cards, the little puppy on Santa's belly WAY TOO CUTE. If my dog did that santa would have cracked ribs.
Hugs my friend
I will go check out Ted right now

Bonnie Weiss said...

Those little gingerbread look so happy (probably because they are made from paper and no one is going to bite their heads off!).

That little puppy is soooo cute! And the scroll you did .... great idea.

It's a good job my Lily didn't come across the Wooly Worm ... it would have been a Wooly Snack!

Linda said...

I love that Puppy and Santa card. Great sentiment!
I thought it was the strip that told about winter. The first snow may be cute. After the inch. pile up it is now cute anymore. LOL

Anonymous said...

LOVE YOUR "WED. POST", ALL THE CARDS ARE GREAT. NOW I WANT A "WOOLY WORM". GOT TO GET MY FUR COAT OUT. GREAT POST..LOVE YA, MOM

Myrna said...

Curt
All three cards are just wonderful.
We used to see those caterpillars a lot when I was a girl, but it seems the poor little guys are very few and far between now. Was so glad to see him in your warm palm.
Myrna

Gina Wrona said...

Well, guess which one is my favorite? The puppy on top of Santa's chest! It's the Best!

Hugs,
Gina

Sharli Schaitberger said...

Hi Curt! Great cards - I love them all for different reasons. The challenge one should win - you've hit the nail on the head! Your fuzzy friend is very cute - a "cute" winter. Oh dear.

I've added you to my blog-list on my blog and that makes it so much easier to come when you've posted something new! Why didn't I do that months ago?!?!

Hugs!

Patti J said...

Hey you - I got here by Friday this week!!! Another couple of posts and I will be here on time!!!!! Sir, I want to come play in YOUR pantry! Mine is full of things like Healthy Choice, Weight Watchers, etc....yours looks like SO much more fun! Your cards are wonderful! Love that first image - just darling, and of course, I love the cardinals card, as they are the Missouri bird! Heck, as always, I just love em all! I am going to need extensive couseling and therapy after being here though, and reading about how close we are to CHRISTMAS!!! Great work again today - so glad you are here and patient with my getting here to see you! Have a fabulous weekend!

Lee said...

Oh WOW Curt,more amazing creations.I love the Gingerbread men card.What a GREAT idea by Ted.You have interpreted the mix so well.clever you.Love that gorgeous little dog soooo cute,great card.I love the trees on the next card, they look sooo real,the bark is amazing,like how you have 3d the birds.Oh that cute little worm i love him,pity he would not let us see him lol.do hope all ok with you,Jay and those gorgeous furry boys.Don't forget to give them both a HUGE hug from meeeee.x

Janine said...

Hey Curt!! I think all your cards this week are magnificent!!
Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!!!

lisa808 said...

Your gingerbread people are so cute. The Santa stamp is so fun and I love the 'wish list' you created. The red/white paper and ribbon look great on the two cards.

Guess I better get moving with my Christmas cards! You just scared me with the 4 weeks notice!

Erica said...

All three are beautiful and the different themes are nice. I try to do assembly cards at Christmas, never quite succeeding, always changing each one somehow. I've made a dent for my short list and will check the pantry tomorrow. Hmmm, I know I have lots of canned soup for sure.
Thanks for visiting my blog & commenting and the heads up on Ted's blog too. So far, That adds up to four gentlemen craft bloggers I visit...every one of 'em is T-riffic.

Lorraine said...

Love the gingerbread peiple Curt, the cards are super.

Carol's Ink Spot said...

Just discovered your blog through Ted's challenge. What a fabulous gingerbread man card! Great take on the challenge. Love the stamp image with the dog on Santa's tummy. And did I read that right in your column? You design for House Mouse! I LOVE those stamps.

Wendalyn said...

Your cards as always are absolutely gorgeous. I love the Eat Cake Graphics card they have the cutest stamps.

magic boxes said...

Hi Curt - I love your challenge card so cleverly linked to your 'inspiration item'.

How cute is that dog, I can just imagine him delivering the list to Santa. It looks a lot like the list my two make!

Your last card is gorgeous. The decoupaged birds are the perfect finishing touch - beautiful!!!

Hugs'
Elaine x

PS I've never seen a 'woolly worm' before, he looks a lot like a miniature hedgehog curled up like that, love him.

Anonymous said...

Gentlemen crafters make great crafts like gentlemen chefs prepare great selections. We can always learn from them. Thankfully they have some blogs from which we may hop to gather some tips, techniques and timesavers. That includes ideas from the pantry translated to the crafting table. Ginger in family bodes well in this season of economic strife. Wonderful project, Curt! Anticipating your 250 mark! with curious eye candy delight. You always outshine your already high set mark.
Keep Looking UP!