QUICK UPDATE

Hey All!

How the heck are ya???  Better than me I hope. . .I thought I better post a quick update because several of you have sent emails worrying about me.

I'm on injured reserve" at the moment.  I have a condition called "tennis elbow" and for those of you who have had it or have it, you know how painful it can be.  The only "fix" for it is either to not use it for several days until the tendons calm down, or go to the doctor and get a shot of cortisone in the elbow area.  So, for the first few days, I tried to rest it.  Mine is almost debilitating and unfortunately, it is in my dominant arm.  So it stops me from doing just about anything.  However, I was feeling much better, and then we got some snow yesterday. . .So like a dumb *#!, not only did I shovel our driveway, I went and shoveled a neighbors for her, then drove over to my sister's and shoveled her driveway (and it's a big one!) so she wouldn't have to do it after working all day.  As you can guess, my elbow is not only hurting, my forearm is swollen and sore as well.  So my plans for getting a video up this week are completely dashed.  I have not even been able to use a pair of scissors today, and typing felt like sawing off my arm (I've been using my left index finger for this) LOL.  So, that's what is happening and that is why you haven't seen me on your blogs commenting. . .it would take me months at this rate!

Until I learn to let it heal, I'll hopefully be able to finish projects this weekend and have a video for you next Wednesday.  Thanks to all of you who have emailed me worrying.  You are the sweetest!

See you next Wednesday! (I hope!)

Hugs,

Curt

THE WEDNESDAY EVENING POST FOR JANUARY 11, 2012

Hey All!

Glad to see you came back for another video edition of the Wednesday Evening Post!  Good News!  I figured out the "grinding noise" problem!  Now, can somebody figure out why I keep using the word "basically"?  I've got to break that habit, so excuse me for it this time. . .Here is the video!

Here are the still photos of the cards:

The digital image for this card is Whimsie Doodles.  Click HERE to go there.


The video for the magic trick and how it is done can be found HERE.  

Pic of the Week

This sweet bird just sat there watching the boys on the path a couple of days ago.  Believe it or not, this is not a "zoomed" photo.  I was actually this close to this wonderful little guy.  It didn't seem afraid at all.  It actually seemed fascinated with my boys.  It finally flew away.

Have a great rest of the week!  Thanks so much for stopping by!  I'll see you on your blogs!

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 JANUARY 4, 2012

Hey All!


Happy New Year!  Welcome to the first post of the New Year and welcome to the new format!  Here is my very first video!  I apologize for that slight "grinding" noise, but it gets better.  It is the gears working in my camera as it tries to auto focus.  If you all like this format, I'll think about getting an actual video camera.  Enjoy the video!



Hope the grinding didn't bother you too much. Sorry too for all the stammering, but I was a little nervous. Here are the still shots of the projects:

My inspiration for this card here:  http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/2107997

Pic of the Week

NEW YEAR'S EVE FIREWORKS

OK, that's it for this post!  Again, thanks so much for stopping by and be sure to let me know what you think of this format. . .I'd really appreciate it.


Hugs to all!


Curt O'Brien


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

THE WEDNESDAY EVENING POST FOR DECEMBER 28, 2011

Hey All!

The last post of the year, and I'm taking it off!  LOL  I wanted to make sure though that I at least posted my wishes for you for the coming New Year, and to let you in on something that I'm planning for the blog starting the first post of the New Year.

I'm going to try an experiment and start "Vloging".  For those of you who don't know what that is, it is "video blogging".  Instead of writing everything so you have to sit there and read, all you have to do is watch and listen.  What do you think?  It will be just like a tutorial, however I'll just "show" you the cards.  I'll still post the pictures of the cards under the video, I'll still post a pic of the week, and a video of the week.  There just won't be a bunch of writing.  Would love to get your thoughts. . .please?

Do you have any New Year resolutions?  I've kept my list small. . .

1.  Get and STAY organized (especially in the craft room)
2.  Get cards done way in advance of when they are needed
3.  Do something new (Vloging)

Short and sweet.  I think it's doable.

Pic of the Week

BLUE HERON ON A CHIMNEY 

Video of the Week

I love videos where different animals interact with each other.  It makes me think that humans can learn a lesson from these two!

Wishing you all the best that the New Year can bring.  May it be filled with joy, luck, love, and happiness.  Thanks to all of you for being such great blogging friends this year!  See you next year!

Best,

Curt O'Brien

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

THE WEDNESDAY EVENING POST FOR DECEMBER 21, 2011

Hey All!!!

Happy Holidays to all of you!  It's really nice to see you here right before Christmas!  I'm honored that you took the time to stop by in this busy time.

I've decided to do this post quick and dirty!  LOL  I'm going to post only pictures of the last of my Christmas cards that I've finally finished with.  If there is anything you need to know like stamp, technique, etc. just let me know and I'll get you an answer.  Just make sure your Blogger account is set up so that I can reply to your comment.

Here are the photos!  If you click on the first one, you will be able to see all of them in the new slide show format that Blogger has now tied to photos in blog posts.

OK, that is the end of the Christmas cards for 2011.  Will you let me know which are your favorites?  I'd love to know if your favorites differ from mine.


I have to share this as the Pic of the Week:

These are the Christmas bandannas that Bonnie made for my boys!  Are these not adorable!?!  They have little felt bow ties on them.  And instead of tying at the back, she has sewn clip on attachments like you find on collars.  Thank you so much Bonnie!  The boys love them!


Here is a picture of my living room decorated for Christmas.  I made that wreath about 20 years ago and it is still going strong!

And now this is a MUST SEE video (very short).  It tells the story of Mary & Joseph but as if the Christmas story were happening today and how it all would be handled.  Not only did I think it was really well done, I marveled at how well they captured what it would be like today!  Double click on the video itself to get a larger view.  Please watch:

Was that not amazing!  I've watched it 5 times because there is so much you miss watching it the first time.  Whoever did this was amazingly creative!

Finally, I want to wish all of you the Merriest of Christmases and I hope the New Year brings you all luck, love, happiness, and all of the things you hold most dear.  Thank you to all who have sent me your beautiful Christmas cards.  I'm honored that you spent the time to send these beautiful works of art to me.  I treasure them!

Love you guys!


Best,


Curt O'Brien


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

THE WEDNESDAY EVENING POST FOR DECEMBER 14, 2011

Hey All!!!

PLEASE READ THIS:  For this week's "Video of the Week", I decided to install a fireplace for your enjoyment while you are here to keep you nice and cozy.  Just click the play button over there on the right and the fireplace will magically start burning.  Enjoy the warmth!

 OK, for those of you who were trying to send me snow. . .please either try harder or stop what you are doing because all I'm getting is frigging rain!!!!  And to top it all off, it was nearly 60 degrees here today.  As I write this post, it is raining so hard that you can hear the rain hitting the windows.  It's so hard to make Christmas cards when you are too warm and watching it rain.  I'm now changing the words to Christmas songs:

"It's beginning to look a lot like flooding. . .everywhere I go"  or. . .

"Big Puddles Big Puddles. . . puddles all the way". . .    or. . .

"I'm dreaming of a dry Christmas". . .  You get the picture. . .LOL

But Christmas cards I have made and I'm on a roll and getting quite a few done!  Take a look:

I do very few "clean & simple" cards because I'm not good at them.  However, I'm liking how this one turned out.  I actually hand crafted the pine branch by stamping it end to end 4 times to get the length and once to the left and bottom to make it fuller on that end.  It is just a small one branch stamp.  But before stamping it, I cut out a rectangle with a die and used the negative as a mask to create the little rectangular blue space.  The snowflakes were stamped with Versamark before sponging on the distress ink.  It gives such a nice, subtle look to the flakes.  The "ornament" is simply a button with a gem glued to it.  Tied the tiny bow with my Bow Easy, added a piece of embroidery floss for the string, stamped the sentiment and done.  I've made several of these because they are pretty quick.

Next card:

My blogging friend Karen sent me this great stamp last year and I just think he is adorable.  Colored him with colored pencils and oms, cut him out and placed him on the background paper.  Stickled his buttons, berries etc, popped on a couple of glittery snowflakes and done.  Then image is by High Hopes and the sentiment is from a Tim Holtz set.  (Yes Mark. . . Tim Holtz).  TIP:  I had the snowman all colored and cut out and went to pick him up and got a big ink smudge from my thumb on his bottom section.  Instead of throwing it away and starting over, I stamped the image again on a piece of paper and cut out that section and paper pieced it over his bottom half!  Worked perfectly!!!!!

Next card is a very different kind of Christmas card. . .

This is more of a manly card and I do like how it turned out.  When I first bought this stamp set, I had other things in mind for it, but I never have used it until now.  I simply did the sentiment on my computer and printed it out on regular paper.  I have a very old paperback dictionary so I tore out the page that had "Christmas" on it, distressed it with Antique Linen distress ink as well as the typewriter stamped image.  I cut the typewriter out and cut a slit in it to put the paper in, taped it to the back and popped it up with dimensionals so the paper stands up from the card.  Put it on some plaid background paper, added a ribbon with twine bow, and the "typewriter keys" are stickers.  The ring around the numbers/letters is actually metal so they feel like keys.  The image is by Hero Arts.

My last card for tonight is this one:

I had to take two pictures of this to actually show you what type of card it is.  From this photo it simply looks like the tree is on a panel, but it is not. . .take a look:

See!  It's a card with a punched out window.  No big deal, I know, but I wanted you to see it was a window card and not just one of my standard panel cards.  I don't make these much either!  This image is from Mark at Deadbeat Designs (a very talented and funny guy).  This is his tree stamp (large tree) and I added the birdhouse and bird from Artful Inkables.  I added liquid applique to the branches for a snow effect.  All the little snowflakes were punched out, Stickled, and hand applied inside and out.   

Pic of the Week

Since I don't have any snow yet this season, I had to post a pic of snow from last winter.  This is the park that the boys love the best and is in the "walking videos".  This was taken last February.


So that wraps up another edition of the Wednesday Evening Post.  Hope you enjoyed your stay and that the fireplace kept you nice and warm.  Can't wait to see you next week.  I'm on my way around to see all of you!  Hope you are getting all the stuff done you need to get done!


Love you guys!


Best,


Curt


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

THE WEDNESDAY EVENING POST FOR DECEMBER 7, 2011

Hey All!

How the heck are ya??  Any snow yet?  Here in Carmel, not a stitch. . .we've had some flurries but that's been it.  Hard to be in the mood for decorating but I'm forcing it.  I've invited my Mom over tomorrow for a "Christmas decorating lunch".  I'm putting up the tree and decorations right after lunch with her help.  I will have wine in hand!

OK, on to the post.  All Christmas today with a couple of fun techniques.  Here is the first which is my favorite:

OK, pretty boring I know. . .until you slip off the belly band and get this:

This is another one of those pop up stage cards.  Here is a side view:

You know me and scenes.  I created one of these for Halloween.  These images are from Recollections cling stamps.  The bear took a LOT of fussy cutting but it was worth it.  I colored the images with Bic markers.  The "ice" is a cut out piece of patterned paper that I used diamond glaze to look like it was "real ice".  I then used liquid applique around the little pond to look like snow.  Not sure who the paper in the background is by.  SCS has a great tutorial for this card HERE.  So there is the first technique.  Here is the second:

This is an origami folded Christmas tree, and it is so easy to do.  I love how it looks, and I've made another one which I will show you next week.  You can find a great video on how to fold this tree HERE.  The embossing folder I used on this one is a new one from Sizzix.  It is pine branches and it is beautiful.  Here is a side view of the card to give you an idea of depth:

I used same embossing folder on the next card with another technique:

No matter how many photos I took of this, I could not pick up all the glitter.  I made the mats totally glittered by using ScorIt tape around the edges then loading it up with glitter.  It look so beautiful IRL.  I double stamped the pine cone and cut one out.  I colored both with markers and on the one I cut out, I cut out individual pieces and pulled them up for a ton of 3-D.  Then I glittered all of the prongs of the pine cone for more sparkle.  Here is a close up:

You can see a little more of the sparkle in this photo above.


Well, that's it for this post!  So glad that you stopped by.  If you have snow where you are, can you send some this way to help me get into the mood???  Thanks!


Pic of the Week

MY REINDEER!!!!

Video of the Week

This video is one of my favorites for Christmas.  If you've not seen it, you will LOVE it. . .watch for the Giant Schnauzer. . . 


Again, thanks for coming by and taking time to see my stuff.  Hope you've enjoyed yourself!


Love you guys!


Hugs,


Curt


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