THE WEDNESDAY EVENING POST FOR DECEMBER 19, 2012

Hey All!

Well, here we are less than a week from Christmas.  We have had a very mild winter here in Indiana so far.  No snow and none in the foreseeable future, so no white Christmas for us.  I haven't even used the fireplace yet!

I hope this post finds you warm, safe and happy.  I would be remiss if I did not mention the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut.  What a very sad day for this country.  I was heartbroken for those families and can not imagine the grief that they are enduring.  They have been close in my thoughts with every news piece I've seen or read.

Here are the last of my Christmas cards for this year to share:

Aren't they sweet?  They look so cold!  I made this card for the House Mouse Monday Challenge and their theme "snow".  I used to be on their design team and hadn't colored up one of these images in awhile so I thought I would play for old times sake.  I used colored pencils and oms to color it and the snow is done with liquid applique.  The star was given a squirt of gold Stickles.

I love the simplicity of this stamp.  This is one of those "negative image" stamps.  The only way I know how to use them is to ink them up with Versamark ink and use embossing powder.  I used white ep on this one then used a marker to color in the birds.  Embossed the white panel behind it to continue the "falling snow" look and done.  Quick and easy.

I love gingerbread people and this stamp and die set from Hero Arts is one of my favs.  I love the little stitching lines around them.  And may I say, the person who invented the stamps and matching dies needs to be nominated for sainthood!  This is the first set I've had and I could have sets like this for every stamp!

I had one little gingerbread guy left over so I made a card just highlighting him.  He looks happy about it doesn't he?  Not much explanation needed here other than I drew in the white with a white gel pen and the buttons are done with red liquid pearls.

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SCHNAUZER REINDEER!!!

Since this is the last post before Christmas, I want to take this opportunity to wish you all the Merriest of Christmases and the Happiest and Brightest of New Years.  I hope that you all get everything you hope for and then some, and that you are surrounded by those you love the most.

Love you guys!

Curt

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

THE WEDNESDAY EVENING POST FOR DECEMBER 12, 2012

Hey All!

Happy 12-12-12!  Countdown to Christmas: 13 days  Countdown to End of World: 9 days  Christmas card count as of today: 27   Ah, the numerology of it all. . .

I hope this post finds you all well, houses decorated, goodies baked, shopping done, cards made and sent, gifts wrapped and trees trimmed.  If it doesn't find you this organized, then I hope it finds you with your choice of beverage in hand still believing strongly that it will all get done.  You know the policy here on my blog is BYOB.  Keep the faith Kiddos!

Seems like this post has an animal theme. . .Here are my cards for this week:

I wanted to make a "manly" Christmas card and I think I did that here.  Believe it or not, all pictures of my cards this week were shot in direct sunlight outside, and it still didn't make a difference on photo quality.  The outside mat on this was ran through an embossing folder then I went over the raised elements with a silver sparkly pen.  It looks awesomely frosty in real life.  I used a Memory Box die for the deer then colored them with marker.  Set them against the snowflake paper and then matted the whole thing.  The inside reads "Wishing you peace at Christmas".

Next. . .

I so love this frolicking reindeer complete with festive sweater.  I used Stickles on the dots for a little shine and he is colored with markers (Bic).

Again, the sun was no friend to this photo.  I created a scene using another Memory Box die (country landscape) and it is super sparkly.  The rooftops, snow, and outline of the big moon are all glittered up.  I like doing witches flying across moons for Halloween so I thought this stamp would be fun to do that with as well.

And lastly. . .

Sometimes I like to do "self-imposed" challenges.  When I'm stuck for an idea for a card I try to think outside the box.  So my "self-imposed" challenge was to use an image that is in no way meant for Christmas and use it to make a Christmas card.  So that is where this came from.  The image is a digital image from Doodle Pantry.  I bought it a long time ago and never used it.  So it became the target. I even challenged myself to use a pun for the sentiment.  I drew the Santa hats freehand with a white gel pen and cut them out and glittered 'em.  Everything is colored with markers.

Well, that's it for another Wednesday Evening Post.  I hope you enjoyed your time here.  I sure have enjoyed visiting you all and seeing your wonderful work.  I sure do have some mega talented blogging friends.

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Hugs to all of you!

Curt O'Brien

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

THE WEDNESDAY EVENING POST FOR DECEMBER 5, 2012

Hey All!

Can you believe it is DECEMBER already???  And that Christmas is just 20 days away!!!!  I've been producing cards like a crazy person.  I was up until almost 2 AM this morning working on cards.  I figure if the end of the world is going to happen on the 21st, then that leaves me even less time to get these in the mail!  LOL  Great, just what we all need, more pressure!

Here are my cards for this week:

Is this little guy the cutest snow person ever???  This is a new image from artist Stacey Yacula in red rubber.  This one I colored in with water color pencils, but I've done several versions of this card also using markers too.  He's fast and fun to color and just puts a smile on my face.

Another new Stacey Yacula image.  I have a new found favorite artist for sure.  This image was colored with my colored pencils and oms.

Yes, this too is a Stacey Yacula image.  The sentiment is computer generated and I used this line from 'Twas the Night Before Christmas because it is what came to mind the first time I saw the image.  I created the brick background using an embossing folder then rubbing it with Fired Brick Distress Ink.  The image is colored with a combination of markers and colored pencil.

My last card was unfortunately necessary this week.  A friend of a friend of mine suffered a very sad, and tragic loss.  I have never met this person, but was touched by the tragedy of her situation so I felt compelled to make the card.  It was also nice to be able to get away from red/green/white/blue for awhile.

Well, that's it for yet another post.  I hope you are all well, warm, and happy and that your excited about the holidays.  Every since my heart attack, I view many things differently.  For example, I really didn't get excited about Christmas, but now it is fun and I realize that every holiday is a milestone in our so very short lives.  They should all be celebrated. . .

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Hugs to all of you!

Curt

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