THE WEDNESDAY EVENING POST FOR JULY 20, 2011

Hey All!

How the heck are ya?  I hope this post finds you well and happy.  I have to start by apologizing for my little rant in my last post.  But all of you came to my rescue to try to help me.  Alas, I had already tried most of everything you all suggested to no avail.  I have not revisited the machine, but plan to this coming week.  If I can't resolve the problem, it is going back.  I have 60 days with receipt.  Nuff said. . .

To make up for the lack of projects last week, I worked really hard this week to provide you with stuff to look at, so here we go. . .I hope you like!


See this little tiny stamp?:

And yes, that is ink on my finger. . .Anyway when I saw this tiny little stamp a card set popped into my mind.  So I brought this little fella home and it created all of this:

This is the box I created to hold the "note" card set created by that little stamp.  The box is one of my favorite projects from Gina K. Designs and you can find the tutorial for it HERE.  Now, let's open it up:

Let's see what's inside. . .

See what one little, tiny, single stamp can do???  LOL  This is my "Just a Note" set.  And this was pretty much what was in my head when I picked up that little guy.  Here are a couple of pics of them:

These were quick and easy to do and incorporate the clean and simple style.  The single stamp is by Stampendous, the music page stamp is by Hero Arts, the sentiment is by Stampabilities, and the piano keys stamp is by Stampabilities, (yes, the little guy needed a little help).   Hope you like my set and that it gives you some ideas for that little stamp that is sitting around in your collection waiting to help you with your cards!

Next on the agenda. . .get ready. . .it's coming before you know it. . .prepare yourselves . . .

EEEEEEEKKKKKKKKK!  Hey!  If people can post Christmas cards already, I certainly can start my Halloween cards. . . .right?  LOL  Now I know that this looks really simple and doesn't look like much. . . ahhhh but that is the intent.  For when you slip off the belly band, this is what you will find:

What do you think???  This is a "pop-up stage" card which was the highlighted technique on SCS last week.  You can find the tutorial HERE.  I so love how this turned out!  I used a combination of stamps/sets here.  I made the floor from scratch by using a piece of mottled paper then scoring the "planks", and then drawing the lines and "nail holes".  The wall paper is DP, the chair (stamped on DP and cut out), the picture on the wall, the fireplace, the witch's hat on the bear's head, and jack-o-lantern are all by There She Goes Stamps.  The bears are all from one stamp from the Gruffies line.  Everything was colored with my cheap colored pencils and oms.  You can count on more of these to come in future posts.  I have a ton of ideas for this card style!

Now to a couple of cards that have sad stories. . .

This is a Mo Manning digital image that I just love.  It is really the only "cat" image that I have to use for "cat" cards.  I was at my local Archivers store this past week and found out that one of the young ladies that works there had to put her cat to sleep.  So I made this one for her.  If you are reading this Kacy, this card is on its way to you.  (Myrna, I wish you would get yours soon!) My very sweet blogging buddy Myrna also lost their sweet cat as well, and I sent her a card weeks ago and it still has not arrived (she is in Canada).

And on the dog side. . .

Our very sweet neighbors across the street from us lost their beloved "Jake".  He was the sweetest dog, and became ill very suddenly.  I wanted the card to be simple and only highlight the sentiment.  The sentiment is a Northwoods stamp that a friend of mine got for me awhile back.  I took the card over to them and talked about Jake and cried.  Jake will be so missed by many. . .

OK, that's it for this week's post.  Hope I made up for the "bitch fest" I laid on you all last week.  LOL  I still sneer at that damn machine each time I walk by it!  But I thank you all for your wonderful attempts to help.  With or without the machine, next week's items will incorporate fabric!

Until next week, take good care of yourselves and be happy!  Thanks so much for stopping by.  Wish I could serve you some "cyber beverages" while you are here!  Thanks for always leaving such awesome comments.  I cherish them, I really do.

Pic of the Week:

Such a sweet little beauty stopped to pose for me this week.  Love that it casts a shadow on the leaf.


Hugs to all of you!


Curt O'Brien


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