THE WEDNESDAY EVENING POST FOR MARCH 19, 2014

Hey All!

Welcome to another edition of the Wednesday Evening Post.  I'm happy to remind you that today is the LAST DAY OF WINTER!!!!!!  I've actually seen signs of Spring, so I know it's coming and it has been a very long wait.

I hope this post finds you well and happy.  Tonight's post (BTW, I've used a larger font-what do you think?) contains more thank you cards.  Seems like I have been thanking people left and right lately.  That makes me a lucky guy to have so many out there doing stuff that deserves thanks. 

As most of you know by now, I have a brand new set of choppers.  The dental staff has been wonderful, and I wanted them to know how much I appreciated them.  Here are the cards I made for them:

FOR MY DENTIST

FOR THE HYGIENIST

FOR THE FRONT OFFICE 

The first two are of course House Mouse images and the last one is Gruffies.  That is one of the many reasons I love these stamps, because they have an image for just about anything you would want.  On the second one, I created the "crocodile skin by running it through the CB with an embossing folder, then covering it with Versamark and embossing it with clear embossing powder (twice).  It gives it a leather look.  On the last card, I created the background paper using clip art.

I also needed a "manly" thank you card for someone else who helped me recently.  Here is another "guy" thank you card:

I actually got the inspiration from a card from one of my old House Mouse buddies Patricia Rose HERE.  I liked her two-toned oval.  So I changed it up a bit by running it through a wood grained look embossing folder, then using distress ink to make it look a little more like wood.  I added the copper square brads and then a banner greeting all on some DSP for background.  You are going to see a lot more square cards from me.  I've never really liked the A2 size card.  The square just gives more room to do stuff and is more impressive in size.

Pic of the Week:

I think these Canada Geese are tired of this crappy winter too.  I love how they were standing on just one leg while trying to keep the other one warm.

Well another post is complete.  The next post will be written (wait for it. . .wait for it. . .) IN THE SPRING!!!!  LOL  I've still got just a few more people to visit then I will be all caught up.  So hang in there those of you who haven't seen me yet. . .I'm coming!

Hope you all are doing great. . .

Hugs,

Curt

PS. . .there were a couple of you who asked for the instructions for the gift card holder I made last week.  Your blog is not set up so that I could reply with it so here is a link in case you were interested:  GIFT CARD HOLDER

THE WEDNESDAY EVENING POST FOR NOVEMBER 16, 2011

Hey All!

Can you actually believe that it is a week before Thanksgiving????  Didn't Halloween just end last week???  Where does time go?  I feel frazzled but like always, you all look incredible and calm.  Amazing!


OK, on with the post.  I ADDED A NEW VIDEO TO THE SIDE BAR!  Many of you said you enjoyed the walk with Shotsy & Gunther that I did last Winter and asked if I'd do another one.  So, I now have recorded an Autumn walk.  So, if you are so inclined, go take a hike. . .err I mean a walk with us!  LOL

Now for my cards and project.  Take a look:

These are small boxes that I created to sit at each setting at the dinner table for Thanksgiving.  I wanted them to be functional, so each contain chocolate dinner mints (Andes) for after the feast as well as a decorated toothpick!  How's that for functional?  The two boxes on the side were done with DSP (don't know, didn't look) and the middle one is done with plain cardstock and decorated.  I stamped the turkey and colored it with Bic markers then attached it with a dimensional.  The leaves on the other two were cut with Nesties and the CB, added Stickles, a button, and some twine.  Filled each box with natural shred then added the mints and decorated toothpick.  Each mint was painstakingly wrapped with matching DSP.


Here's a card:

Another one of my beloved House Mouse images.  This one is new to my collection.  I splurged and bought it at Hobby Lobby.  I got it for 40% off!  Colored with my colored pencils and oms.  The sky was sponged with distress ink.  I did a lot of fussy cutting of the leaves on this one so it would look like he is throwing them out of the picture and onto the card.  I also cut out the 3 above him and popped them up with dimensionals for a 3-D effect.  I really do love how this one came out.


Last card:

My first Winter card!!!  Yikes!  The snowman and sentiment are by Crafty Clear stamps.  Colored with a combo of Bic markers and colored pencils/oms.  There is lots of glitter on this one, but you can't see it unless you click and make it bigger.  The white background is also embossed with the Swiss Dots ef, but you can't see that very well either.  Oh well. . .you are probably tired of looking by now anyway!  LOL


Pic of the Week

I just loved this shot when I got it uploaded.  I believe that this is an Ornamental Pear tree sprout coming up wild in the field.  Even the "sprout" was dressed for Fall in the midst of the browns and beiges.


Video of the Week

This video makes me laugh every time I watch it.  And who says dogs don't have feelings!?!


OK, that's it for another post.  I hope you are all well and happy.  Again, I'm so pleased you joined me for another Wednesday Evening Post and I hope you have enjoyed yourself.  It's always good to have you here and you are always welcome!


Love you guys!


Curt


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

THE WEDNESDAY EVENING POST FOR JUNE 30, 2011

Hey All!!!

Happy Wednesday and welcome to another edition of my blog.  I'm nervous about this because I am showing my first SEWING projects!!!  I have been practicing so much, and I'm learning a lot.  However, the stitching isn't absolutely perfect but it is getting close.  I've got a ton to share with you in this post, so let's get to it!

First, as promised, it is time for MY BLOG CANDY GIVE-AWAY!!!!  Since I'm all excited about my new sewing machine and all the possibilities it has added to my paper crafting, I thought I would give away something that is related.  Drum roll please. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

It is a We Are Memory Keepers Sew Easy prize package!!!!  The retail value of this prize is $50.00.  As you can see from the photo, here is what you'll get:

• (1) Sew Easy Mat
• (1) Sew Easy Tool with a straight stitch head and handle that holds a needle
• (2) Additional Sew Easy stitch heads with various stitch patterns
• (8) Sew Easy spools of colored floss for a total of 24 different colors

How's that??  I had bought all of this at various times thinking that I would not make the plunge and get a sewing machine.  But once I got my machine I didn't need this system any more so I thought it would make the perfect blog candy.  So, how do you win????  You know me, I don't make you jump through hoops to get it.  All you have to do is leave a comment on this post to be entered.  It would be nice if you followed me, but it is certainly not required.  I will use Random.org to select the winning comment at Noon, July 6TH, and will post the winner's name on the 6TH's Wednesday Evening Post.  I wish all of you good luck!

OK, on with the projects I would like to share.  Here is my first SEWN card!!!!:

See the stitching???  My first zig-zag stitched card!!!  I thought this House Mouse image would be perfect for it.  I paper pieced the little mouse doll with the same background paper.  The round sentiment was created in Word on my computer.  I, of course, colored the image with my cheap colored pencils and oms.  Here is a close up of the stitches. . .

I'm honestly shocked that the stitches measured perfectly to each corner on all corners.  Talk about beginner's luck!  LOL  I'm learning so much about the machine. . .for example, who knew your bobbin thread color doesn't have to match your spool thread color?????  I bought a bunch of bobbins thinking that I would have to have one for each color I used. . .LOL  Such a newbie!!!

OK, my second project:

This photo isn't the best, but it was the best I could do. . .This is a bookmark that I made for a neighbor who loaned me a great book (Merle's Door - about a man and his life with a very special Golden Retriever - made me cry several times!!!).  I've finished it, and wanted to return it with this handmade bookmark.  The background paper is all the dark black print.  It was the glare on the paper that makes the bottom part look dull.  I looked up "book quotes" on Google and picked this one and generated it on my computer.  I cut the top of the bookmark with a Nesties set by just doing the top.  Added the brads, eyelet for the ribbon, and then stitched around the two sides and bottom.  Don't look too close. . .I still need practice with my straight stitch!  But it wasn't bad.  The bookmark itself is very sturdy because I stitched 3 layers of card stock together so that it wasn't flimsy.

OK, last card is not a sewn card, but it is an experiment. . . 

Know what this is????  It is a piece of paper thin tree bark from a River Birch tree.  Here is the tree. . .

When I picked this piece up off of the ground, I couldn't get over how much like paper it was.  Then of course the idea came to mind . . . hmmmmmm paper. . . .

I know it is a simple looking card, but it is kind of unique.  As you can see, I stamped right on the paper thin bark.  This image is the large tree from my friend Mark's stamps at Deadbeat Designs.  I used distress inks (rusty hinge, mustard seed, and walnut stain).  Once I was finished stamping on the bark, I tore around the edges to get a rustic kind of feel.  I used glossy accents to glue it down to the card stock.  To dress it up a bit, I used a wonderful little trinket that my good buddy America sent me and some natural hemp cord for more natural accents.  This will make a great Fall note card.  Kind of fun, huh?  Once I had it done, I wished I had used my wood grain embossing folder for the dark brown mat.  That would have made it look better I think, oh well. . .Just goes to show that if you look at things differently, you can come up with some really unique stuff!

I also wanted to share a couple of other things.  Here is the new place in my craft room for my sewing machine:

I know. . .don't laugh at the two chairs on either side. . .I like my barrel chairs (they were in my office when I was a manager and when they closed our division, they let us keep some of the furniture).  I just don't have any where else to put them and they have always been up there.  Next week, I'll show a pic of the full room so you can see the configuration.  But I think this little table complete with large drawer is perfect for the machine!  I got it from my Mom. She is moving in with my sister this week until my sister's house sells, then they are going to buy a house together.  So Mom's getting rid of some of her stuff.

Finally, a special Pic of the Week:

This is my beautiful oldest boy, Shotsy.  He celebrated is 10TH birthday on June 24TH.  He looks a little blurry because I used the "low light" setting on my camera and you have to be really still.  It turned out cute anyway.  That is an Oreo Ice Cream Cake.  Every year, we have always gotten the boys an ice cream cake to celebrate their birthdays.  Of course, they just get a small slice and we get to eat it as well.  He is such a good boy.  He posed with that cake in front of him for 3 or 4 shots and posed for each one.  Never once did he try to eat the cake.  He really knows the rules and loves to pose for pictures.  He is truly the sweetest dog and such a love of my life.  This was taken with him at the coffee table in our living room.

OK, I've taken way more time of yours than I deserve.  I hope you enter for my blog candy!!!  I also hope you all have a wonderful, safe 4TH.  Thanks for stopping by, I love having you come and hang around with me.  Can't wait to see what you've been working on. . .See you on your blogs!

God Bless America!

Hugs,

Curt

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

THE WEDNESDAY EVENING POST FOR MARCH 16, 2011

Hey All!

Top 'o the day to ya!  For those of you who are visiting on St. Pat's Day . . .HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY to ya don't ya know!  For those who aren't and the day is over, may good luck be with ya!  Sorry I'm so late with this post, but some ornery little leprechauns were playing some dirty little tricks with me blogger. . .I was getting to the point of wanting to stick a pot of gold up their little . . .Oh, sorry!  I got a little carried away with me self!  LOL  On with the post then lads and lassies. . .

Since it is after 1:00 AM here, it is technically St. Patrick's Day, so I'll start with a St. Pat's card which I am entering into Ted's challenge (HERE) which is to use the colors of the national flag of Ireland.  Here is my card:

I don't know if Ted will disqualify me for this, but I think he said we needed to also use a shamrock.  I believe these are clovers, but what the heck. . .I say close enough.  And if you disqualify me TED, I'll have to hit you upside the head with my sheleighly!  And don't ya think I won't be a doin it either!  This is a House Mouse image colored with my colored pencils and oms.

Next is a get well card for a friend of my blogging friend Patti at Cherish Each Precious Day.  Patti asked me to give a shout out for her regarding cards being made for this poor woman.  She sounds like a very sweet wonderful person going through some rough times, so I wanted to help.  Here is the card:

This poor woman broke her femur (OUCH) and has so many complications.  I knew what stamp I was going to use the minute I read her story HERE.  So if you'd like to send this dear lady a smile, won't you hop over to Patti's and get the scoop?  Thanks!  This card is on its way Patti!


My last thing to share is a 3-D project.  I saw this on Splitcoast and just went crazy over it.  I think it is the cutest idea and I had to give it a try.  Take a look:

It's a box/card that holds one of those travel size tissue packets.  Yes, another House Mouse image (one of my favs - I LOVE that baby bunny)  The image is colored with colored pencils and oms as well.  Here is kind of a side view:

For the deets on how to make this clever creation you can go HERE. 


Well that does it for another Wednesday Evening Post.  I hope you've enjoyed it.  I'm so glad that you stopped by and I hope I made it worth your while.  And in honor of the day, let me leave you with an old Irish blessing:

May the road rise to meet you

May the wind be always at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

and rains fall soft upon your fields.

And until we meet again,

may God hold you in the hollow of His hands.

I hope you are all well and happy.  Please keep the people of Japan in your thoughts and prayers.


Love you guys!


Best,


Curt O'Brien


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

WEDNESDAY EVENING POST FOR NOVEMBER 3, 2010

Hey All!

Welcome back to another edition of my Wednesday Evening Post.  Well, Halloween is over for another year.  Mine was uneventful, how about yours?  I want to thank those of you who sent me fabulous Halloween cards.  I LOVED each and every one.  It was very thoughtful of you!

OK, on to this week's post.  My Mom asked me if I had any stamps that had a theme of "dentistry".  She wanted to give her dentist and her hygienist a card to thank them for all they do for her.  She wanted them to be House Mouse if possible.  I didn't have any in my stock, so I jumped online and found two that I think were perfect.  Here is the one for her dentist:

I have not done a House Mouse card in quite awhile, so I was glad that I got the chance to do these.  THIS IS MY FIRST HOUSE MOUSE IMAGE THAT IS COMPLETELY COLORED WITH DISTRESS INKS AND AN AQUA BRUSH!!  I love how vibrant the colors are.  This stamp is called "Toad-ily Open".  I try to make the House Mouse cards fairly simple so that I can highlight the image.  I made the background paper by running it through my CB then using distress ink to darken the spots so it looks like frog skin.  I added a green "raindrop" on that little piece below his eye to give it a shiny look to enhance it.

Here is the card for her hygienist:

This stamp is called "Floss Boss".  Again, totally colored with distress inks and an Aqua Brush.  The background on this one was done exactly like the first only with a different CB folder.  This looks so much like alligator skin.  I added an orange "raindrop" on his eye for more realism.  The ribbon and bow are kind of weak, but it looks better than the embroidery floss I tried to use.  I hope my Mom likes them as well as her dental staff.

My last card for this post is one that I'm sort of disappointed with.  I had a card in my head, but what was created didn't even come close.  I hate it when I have something in my head, but the card takes on a design of its own due to size of stamps and area to work with.  Oh well, I'll stop whining and show it anyway:

Couldn't get a good photo either. . .It really is warmer looking in person and very "manly" even with the gingham ribbon LOL.  I stamped a woodgrain stamp (All Nigh Media) on some kraft card stock then used distress inks to darken it a little.  The acorns are a stamp by Inkadinkado which I colored with a combo of cheap markers and colored pencils.  I had to color the ribbon again with a marker to make it more closely match the other browns.  I just wanted a Fall note card that I could use for whatever I need at the time I'll use it.


OK, that's it for this post.  You guys have been doing some wonderful work.  I've enjoyed my visits to your blogs!  BTW, thanks to all the new followers and welcome to my blog.  I hope my blog is worth your effort!  LOL  Remember, I'll be doing another BLOG CANDY as soon as my followers reach 250.  I'm almost there!


Here is the "Pic of the Week":

This is one of two horses my Mom and I feed near a trail we take the boys for a walk on.  I buy them organic carrots and they love them!  I just love his beautiful face and eye lashes.


Hugs to all of you!


Best,


Curt O'Brien


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

IT'S A HOUSE MOUSE CELEBRATION OF 2 YEARS OF CHALLENGES

Hey All!

Happy Monday, and welcome to the 2ND Anniversary of the House Mouse Blog!  To celebrate, we are having a blog hop with some really awesome prizes from our very generous sponsors.  There's lots going on, so let's start the party!!!!

The challenge for this blog hop is two-fold.  First, you have to play the challenge, secondly you have to visit each design team member's blog to pick up some cheese.   What mouse party would not have cheese???  LOL  I'll explain in a moment.

First the challenge. . .It is a combination of "celebration" and "sketch".  You can pick really any theme but you must follow the sketch.  Here is the sketch:

This is a great sketch by our super talented Lorraine.  As always, you can flip it, rotate it, etc. as long as you stay with the sketch details.  Here is my take on the sketch:

When I think of the word celebration, I always think of Mardi Gras and New Orleans.  The traditional colors for that celebration are green, purple, and yellow so that's what I went with here.  I love these little mice peeking out from under the party hat trying to avoid all of the confetti.  I colored it with colored pencils and oms as always.  The ribbon I dyed with markers to match, and I used a Marvy balloon punch to create the balloons.  I outlined them in glue and added MS glitter in matching colors.  I also created my own background by stamping directly onto the card base with the color coordinated inks with a little stamp that was part of those little sets you get at Michael's.  I then colored stick on pearls with color coordinating markers.  To add a little more zing to the card, I dyed embroidery floss to also match the colors of the balloons and tied it to the bottom of each balloon.  Put it all together and done.

OK, now for the second part of the blog hop.  You need to go to all of the DT's blogs to pick up pieces of cheese.  Each blog will have a different number of cheese pieces for you to collect.  Once you have visited each blog and have the total number of cheese pieces you need to go back to the main blog and leave a comment as to how many pieces of cheese you collected.  We have turned comment moderation on, so no one can see your answer.   So to recap:

1.  Visit Each DT To Leave A Comment And Collect Your Pieces Of Cheese
2.  Go Back To The Main Blog And Leave A Comment As To How Many Pieces Of Cheese You Have
3.  Play The Sketch Challenge By Uploading Your Card With Mr. Linky On The Main House Mouse Blog
4.   You'll Have Two Weeks To Participate In The Hop


Ok, here are your pieces of cheese from me:

Your next stop on the blog hop cheese gathering is HEATHER!  She has more cheese waiting for you!


Thanks for stopping by and have fun.  You'll see the list of prizes on the main blog.  Enjoy your cheese!


Best,


Curt

BIRTHDAY BLOG CANDY!!!!! WEDNESDAY EVENING POST FOR JUNE 16, 2010

Hey All!!!!  Happy Hump Day, and welcome to another edition of the Wednesday Evening Post.  As I explained to you all in last Wednesday's post, I'm celebrating a birthday on Saturday, and in honor of the occasion, I thought it would be fun to give YOU a chance to win some blog candy.  I also missed my 2 year Blogaversary in April, so I'm celebrating that too with this post and candy give-away.  The blog candy that I'm giving away is valued at about $85.00!!!!  So read through the blog and see what you can win and all the details regarding my birthday give-away!

I'd like to start the blog as I always do by sharing a couple of cards with you.  Besides June being the month of my birth, it is also known for the "month of weddings".  I have a friend that said she needed a wedding shower card so I made her one.  This is what I came up with:

I got this great dress and tux template from Lynn Pratt's blog HERE.  She is so talented and was so kind to share a downloadable template.  As with her card, mine is a gatefold too, but as you can see I altered mine to have a sentiment on the front and the card is square and bigger than hers.  I bought the wedding dress paper special for this card.  It is by The Paper Studio and you can see the beautiful scrolling which is done in silver.  The paper itself is sort of like felt, but it is a really gauzy see through material.  So see through that I mounted this paper onto white card stock so that it was really white.  It really does feel like cloth.  The front flaps are separate pieces and attached with dimensionals so they stand out from the dress.  I added a small ribbon to the waist and added a row of pearls for more detail.  For the tux, I simply added white pearls for the buttons that I colored black with a marker.  Here is the inside:

The sentiment was computer generated and the scrolly brackets on the inside were stamped with Versamark and then embossed with Silver Tinsel ep.  It sort of matches the dress scrolls.  This was a fun card to make and I plan on making more variations of it in the future.

June is also followed by July, and July 4th will be here before you know it.  So I thought I would get a jump on those cards.  Here is my first for the holiday:

Aren't they adorable???  This is a birthday present to myself.  LOL  This, of course, is a House Mouse stamp and it's called "Patriotic Wrap".  I made the red and white background paper by cutting strips of white card stock and glittery red card stock and piecing them together and securing them to another piece of card stock so it became one piece.  The glittery red really makes the card pop.  I colored the image with my colored pencils and oms as usual, but colored the background stars with a silver glitter pen and then added little lines coming from each star as if they are exploding behind them.  You can see them better if you click on the picture.  I added a bow and done.  The background paper is really dark navy blue IRL but in the picture it looks black.  The sentiment is inside on this one and simply says Happy 4th!

OK, now for the blog candy . . . . . .drum roll please. . . . . . . . . . .

Here is what's included:


Stampabilities Happy Hoppers Stamp (Buzzy Friends)
325 sheets of 6 X 6 papers! (big block with the bow on it)
1 bottle of Robins Nest dew drops
1 package of square metal embellishments
3 packs of mini brads in taupe, turquoise, and yellow
1 package of Nestabilities Long Classic Rectangles Large (valued at $25.00)
1 package of Nestabilities Long Classic Scalloped Rectangles Large (valued at $25.00)
1 Rubber stamp from Paper Pretties

How's that?  Would you like to be the lucky winner of this loot?  As I told you in my last post, I'm not going to make you jump through hoops to win it.  All you need do is leave me a comment on this post.  That's it, NO posting a pic on your blog, NO becoming a follower, NO clicking your heals three times, NO standing on your head and reciting poetry.  LOL  Although, I would love to see a pic of that!  LOL  There will also be no long wait either.  You will have until MIDNIGHT (EST) Sunday, June 20th to get your comment posted to be eligible for the drawing.  A winner will be randomly selected by Random.Org, and I will post the name of the winner on next Wednesday Evening's post.  Good luck to all of you!  I wanted to do this to say thank you for all the wonderful support that you all have given to me over the past two years.

Don't forget the pic of the week below!  I hope you are all feeling good and doing well.  I'll be seeing you on your blogs this week!

Love you guys!


Curt


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

HOUSE MOUSE MONDAY CHALLENGE BLOG HOP!!!!

Hey All!  Hope you are all well!  Today is a really special day for House Mouse And Friends Monday Challenge Blog.  For the first time ever, we are having a BLOG HOP!!!!  There is so much that is "new" today.  Not only are we going to see the creations of our brand new designers, our blog has changed to a new look too.  Wait till you see the blog hop candy!

It is awesome.  PLUS, some of the blogs have even MORE HIDDEN BLOG CANDY!  (You can see the pics of those prizes on the main blog)  So much fun!  The theme of the challenge this week is "Saying Good-bye".  Here is my card for this week's challenge:

We are heading into the official vacation season here, so I thought this was a good card for saying "good-bye".   Don't those little mice look perfectly comfy and ready for their long road trip?  The stamp is called "Are We There Yet?"  I colored this image with my colored pencils and oms.  I sponged the sky with light blue Colorbox ink.  I've never used the teal and chocolate brown color combo before, and I kinda like it.  The sentiment was stamped with Versamark ink and then embossed with detail ep.  That's why it looks so shiny in the photo.

OK, time for the blog hop directions.   

1. Enter a card or creation for this week's theme and link it on the main blog as always.
2. You need to sign up as a follower of the House Mouse And Friends Monday Challenge blog if you are not a follower.
3. Leave a comment on each individual design team member's blog as well as the main one!
4. To be eligible for the "Hidden Blog Candy" (pictured on the main blog - you just don't know who's blog it comes from) you have to have left a comment on that person's blog who is giving it away to win it.
5. The main blog candy winner will be selected by Random.Org and will be announced on the main blog on June 7th.  If you are a winner of the "Hidden Blog Candy" you will be notified by that design team member.

If you came to me first, then you need to start at the House Mouse And Friends Monday Challenge blog HERE.  If you came here from Christine's blog then you are right on track, and your next destination will be Heather's blog HERE.  

So off you go!  Thanks for looking!  Have fun and good luck to all of you!!!


Best,


Curt O'Brien

WEDNESDAY EVENING POST FOR MARCH 17TH, 2010

Hey All!  HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!!  I hope the luck of the Irish has been with you all day and for the rest of the year!  I have a lot for this post tonight, so I'm going to get right to it!

I've been on a creative streak these past couple of weeks.  I'm still working on my "easel box" and will have it ready for next Wednesday's post.  However, there are other things that I have designed that come from my head and ready to share with you tonight.  Here they are:

Coffee Bag Holder

This is the front of it.  To give you an idea what it reminds me of, it's like a giant matchbook.  Here is the side view:

And here is the view when it is open:

You may notice that the "open" picture has a different punch border!  LOL  It is a picture of another one that I made that will be shared below.  Here are the other two that I made:

They are really quick and easy to make.  I simply measured the bag of coffee and then cut a piece of card stock to cover it with enough of a flap to bring over the front.  I then decorated the fronts, used various border punches to make the border on the flap, and then used a hole punch to punch a couple of holes to run a piece of ribbon through to keep them closed.  The coffee bag itself is adhered to the inside with glue dots to keep it in place.  I love how these turned out and how easy and fast they were to create.  These would make great items to put into a gift basket

The next project I wanted to share was a note card set I made.  Remember the physical therapist who sent me an email with help with Gunther's injury?  Well, I wanted to do something to thank her for her help.  She had mentioned in  a comment about how much she enjoyed my House Mouse colored images, so I decided to do a note card set with them.  Here is the set, the box, and each individual card in the set:

I did the card set in Spring colors.  Again, I used that "Memory Box" found on Gina K Designs' that I highlighted on a previous post.  This once again proves how very versatile this box is.  All four of the note card image panels are raised with foam tape.  So even with the thickness of the combined cards and envelopes, they fit perfectly.  Below is the card I sent along with this gift.  In it, I played on the image and said that it was thanks to her that Gunther was on the "Mend".

I just got an email from her that she received them and she was so pleased with them.  I was happy that she liked them.

That's it for now.  Next Wednesday, I'll be showing a ton more, including highlighting a very generous blog friend that blew me away with her generosity.  Part of what I have to show you next week is what I made for her, so until I know she has received them (should be tomorrow) I'll wait to do it all at once!

Again, thanks so much for coming by.  I love that you come here to see me.  I know how much effort and time it takes, and I am humbled that you think my stuff is worth it.  I'll be by to see what you've been doing in the next couple of days.  As always, I get my inspiration from all of your wonderful work!  Can't wait to see what you've done.  Don't forget the "Pic of the Week" below!

Stay well and take good care of yourselves!

Best,

Curt O'Brien

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

HOUSE MOUSE MONDAY CHALLENGE #62

Hey All!  I have an update on Gunther at the end of the blog for those of you who want to know what's going on with him.

Well, it's another Monday and that means it's time for another House Mouse Monday Challenge!  Since we are so close to Valentine's Day, my teammate America has challenged us to use "Love" as the theme of our cards.  Anything goes as long as it has to do with love.  So, here is what I came up with:

OMGosh I love this image so much and was so glad I could finally get to use it.  I originally bought it just to have in case someone got married or someone wanted me to make a card for a wedding.  Well, that has not happened, so this was the perfect opportunity!  Are they not the sweetest little couple?  This House Mouse Stamp is called "Playing Dress Up".  I took some of the great suggestions I got from you all for coloring "black" things, and I really am pleased with how his little tux came out.  Here is a close up of the image:

I had to hold the card at an angle for you to see the glitter on her dress.  I used a glitter gel pen and just dotted her dress to make it look like it had sequins on it.  You will also see that I put a little pearl headband on her veil.  I used colored pencils and oms to color them.  His tux is colored with a black pencil and then blended with oms.  So just the one pencil did it.  I used a MS punch for the lacy border.  I wanted the card to reflect both feminine qualities and male qualities so I made the upper half with swirly paper and the bottom half with a formal "tux stripe".  LOL  I then punched out the heart and attached it with the little silver chain and stamped the word "love" on it.

I really hope you have time in the next couple of weeks to join in the challenge over at House Mouse Monday Challenge blog.  I would LOVE to see what you create!  If  you don't have time for the challenge, at least hop over to see what my fellow design team created.  They are an amazing group!

OK now for a Gunther update.  After the accident and the initial xrays, the vet said that I could walk him for a short walk five days after he had total rest.  So that's what I did.  I guess "short" is a relative term.  I walked him for what was a way shorter walk that he normally gets. . . just around the block.  He started out OK, but by the time we got home, he was having great difficulty.  It set him way back.  As of today (Sunday) he is at an 8 on the limp scale of 1 - 10.  I'm so disappointed.  So now the vet says no exercise for two weeks!  He is going to go nuts!  And poor Shotsy.  I'm going to have to get over my guilt and take Shotsy for his romp in the park without Gunther, and that just breaks my heart.  Gunther is not going to understand, but on the other hand, Shotsy shouldn't have to suffer two weeks of not going to the park.  God I can't wait until Gunther heals! So, that is the scoop.  He is off pain meds and on to Ascriptin.  It seems to take the edge off for him.  So keep those good thoughts coming his way!  Thanks again for all of your sweet comments and support for my beautiful boy.

One last thing. . .I'm working on Valentine's Day cards for Pat over at The Rubber Maid.  Every year she takes the donated cards to the kids over at the Children's Hospital in Michigan.  This is such a worthy cause and I participated last year as I am this year.  I'll be posting the cards on my Wednesday Evening Post along with other stuff.  So, if you would like to help, here is the link to the info.  There is blog candy involved!

Thanks so much for stopping by.  I love you guys!

Best,

Curt O'Brien

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