Two New Cards

I shared on my "Betty's Ramblings" blog last week that I bought myself a new toy, a mini sewing machine made by Janome. A blogger friend of mine has one and uses it on most of her cards. I like the way her cards look when she adds stitching to them and wanted to do the same on my cards.


Unfortunately, the machine had a problem with the tension. Regardless of where I set the tension, the stitching was not correct. So yesterday, after spending a good part of the day and watching a couple of tutorials, I asked Gerry to box the machine up for me. This morning we returned it to Hancock Fabrics where I had purchased it. I took a sample of the stitching with me so they could see what the machine was doing.


This is the card I wanted to put stitching on. I was going to straight stitch around the two pieces of designer scrapbook paper and then use a zigzag stitch around the image. I finished up the card last night and thought it came out okay. I used my Copics to color and then the flowers were part of my first prize that I won at our card swap in February. I put a pearl sticker in the middle of the flowers. Here is another card I just finished. The stamp is one that I have had for a while. I think it was among the first stamps I purchased when I first started making cards. I used Copics to color it and tried to use the same color scheme that is on the picture on the stamp itself. I think I should have used a lighter gray on the wheelbarrow or another color for it. I daubed VersaMagic Gingerbread chalk ink all around the image to cover the white cardstock. It doesn't really show up very well. Not real happy with the end result. I finished it off with some sheer black edged ribbon from A Muse.

I need to come up with card samples for our next card swap which is April 10th. I have some other new stamps that I will be playing with and will post whatever I come up later.

Two New Cards

I made this card last week. I needed to mail a check to the person hosting our next Shoebox Card Swap. So made a quick card to send. It is all A Muse except for the scallop punch which is by Fiskars and the white cardstock is Neenah Solar White which is great to use when coloring with Copic markers. I stamped the images using Chalk ink. This is the card I made for my sister Eke's family. The products are all by Memory Box which I had just gotten in the mail. I used two different colors of Stickles glitter glue on the flowers. I was quite pleased with the way it turned out.

Hannah's Birthday Card

Hannah Marie Strempke celebrated her 16th birthday today with a pizza party at Round Table Pizza that is located close to their house. She is the middle daughter of our oldest daughter Elizabeth. Her actual birthday is March 4th.

Hannah loves pandas so I made this card for her. I've used the same image on cards for her on other birthdays.

I CASED the layout, sort of, from one I saw on Splitcoast Stampers. The CASE had a couple more layers and an inchie was used as the image. I stamped a bamboo stamp on the red layer using Versamark ink. I think I need a new pad because it does not show up very well. The only coloring I did was to color the bamboo the panda is holding. I used Copic G85 Verdigris (a dark green) for the bamboo and C1 Cool Gray to create a highlight around the panda. A chop stamp and some gold cord around the fold of the card finished it off. I will have pictures of her party on my other blog later, if not tonight then tomorrow.

Sympathy Card

I made this Sympathy card this afternoon to send to Mrs. Hotoke, the widow of Mr. Shigero Hotoke who was my former choir director at Kailua High School. I've used this card layout before. I cut a piece of burgundy cardstock 5 1/2" by 4 1/4". It is just one layer. Then I cut the white layer 4" by 10 1/2 inches and scored that piece at 5 1/4". It is adhered to the top of the burgundy layer. The cherry blossom stamp is by Stampendous. I used Copic markers RV13 Tender Pink and R11 Pink to color the cherry blossoms; E15 Dark Suntan for the stems and YG23 New Leaf for the leaves. After I colored the flowers, I used a clear gel glitter pen and went over them for a little sparkle. It doesn't show up very well. The sentiment stamp is a generic one. I used a small Marvey scallop oval punch (yellow) for the sentiment and then edged it with Rouge Chalk ink. The butterfly is a Martha Stewart punch. I used a scrap of designer cardstock to punch it out. I used a pop dot for the sentiment and a tiny piece of foam tape for the butterfly to pop both of them up. The wings of the butterfly are folded up too so it looks like it is in flight. Then the ribbon is some that I got from Ellen Hudson LLC in Seattle, WA. Whenever an order is placed, she includes some ribbon. It is a beautiful burgundy satin ribbon.

I love the way the card came out and I hope Mrs. Hotoke likes it.

Nor-Cal Paper Crafters Shoebox Card Swap on Saturday

Saturday started off as a stormy, ugly morning, however 9 of us gathered at Candice's house in Rancho Cordova to make cards.

In this picture is Karen, Candice and Joyce. Candice is the coordinator for Nor-Cal Paper Crafters group. Karen is hosting the next swap in April. She lives in Folsom. This is Pat. Pat does Dove Chocolate tasting parties. Yum!!

And Julie. She and Pat are close friends.

Unfortunately I neglected to get pictures of the other ladies. Sorry, ladies. Also attending was Michelle, Linda who lives in Galt and Joyce brought her daughter, Janet.

This is Julie's card. We used bleach on the center image, however I think I didn't get enough bleach on the image. It is suppose to turn white. So I will have to do it over. She used Versamark and stamped the image on the card. I really like this card.

This is Karen's card. The frog was done by using different punches. At the swap that we did in August of last year here at the mobile home park, Karen did a Frankenstein Halloween card and it had goggly eyes and lots of pieces. I think Karen likes cards with lots of pieces. Cute card!!

Candice's card is called an easel card. I loved the color scheme, kraft paper, olive green and white. Super card!

Here is a side view of her card.

Linda made this card. Another super card and great color scheme. Olive green, blue, black and white.

Michelle made 2 cards. This is her Mother's Day card. She used a clear gel glitter pen on the butterflies for a little sparkle. The butterfly punch is one of my Martha Stewart punches that she used. Absolutely love the card, told her I'm going to have to borrow the stamp.

This is her Easter card. She told everyone she used things from "Betty's store" to make her cards. :)) The card base is cardstock that I have, the ribbon is from my vast supply and the corner punch is one of mine. The card base has a little bit of sparkle in it. She used the clear gel glitter pen on the flowers surrounding the cross adding more sparkle. I think it is a very classic card and I love it even if she did visit "my store". :)

Joyce also made 2 cards. The color on this birthday card is brown, pink and white. I like this one too.

This is Joyce's Easter card. This card is so sweet. I can see this image being used for a baby shower, invitations or thank you cards.

Pat's Easter card. The Easter eggs were all punched out. She cut the basket using the Cricut die cut machine. There were other pieces to decorate the basket and I neglected to get them. Oh well, its okay. It looks fine as it is.

Everyone did an excellent job with their cards.

This bag of goodies was at each person's place. Reese's peanut butter pieces, Hershey kisses and a stamp. I got a butterfly.

I've included the cards I made again for a reason.

And the reason is because --- drum roll --- I won 1st place. I was totally shocked. I don't ever win anything. Here's what I won: 2 Martha Stewart punches and a tube of Prima flowers.

Thank you, ladies, for your votes. I don't have these 2 punches so I am happy to have them (I really need more punches). LOL!! The tub I have them in is overflowing.

So, in spite of the rain, we had a great time. The rain did stop by the time we all left. I forgot to take pictures of our potluck. Karen made chili, I had my hot dish and fruit salad, Pat and Michelle brought brownies, Joyce brought a tossed salad, Julie had a vegetable tray, Candice had a spinach dip with some bread. I'm not sure what Linda brought, although there was another vegetable tray and a bundt cake.

Can't wait for the next one in April!!

Nor-Cal Paper Crafters Shoebox Card Swap

Nor-Cal Paper Crafters Shoebox Card Swap was originally known as Sacramento Area Shoebox Swap. A shoebox card swap is being held tomorrow, Saturday 2/27. Those attending could make a St. Patrick's Day card, an Easter card, a Mother's Day card or a Birthday card.

I chose to do a Mother's Day card and an Easter card. Here is my sample for my Mother's Day card. The stamp is by Savvy Stamps, the card base is SU and I used 2 different pieces of designer scrapbook paper. I used a Martha Stewart border punch on the bottom piece of scrapbook paper. Copic markers were used to do the coloring. I used Coral, R35 to color the flower on this sample, the center of the flower is YR21, Cream. The leaves are YG23, New Leaf. The ribbon is from A Muse Art Stamps.

The "Happy Mother's Day" stamp is also from A Muse. I used a piece of foam tape to pop it up. It was suggested to me that I use this blue, B34, Manganese Blue to color the flower. So I stamped the flower on a separate piece of white cardstock and colored it with the blue marker. I took this picture with the card laying on the table so I could place the blue flower over the Coral one. It has a completely different look. I did not color the stamped flower in the kits so the ladies could choose the color they wanted to use.

Here is my Easter card. The cardstock, stamps and ribbon are by A Muse. The grass was done with a Martha Stewart border punch. I used Copic markers to color: Y17, Golden Yellow for the scarf; YR07 Cadmium Orange for the carrot; G09 Veronese Green for the carrot top; 110 Special Black for the tires; C1, Cool Gray for inside the tires and BG10, Cool Shadow to outline the clouds and the bunny carrot car.

I believe there are 9 ladies signed up. We always have a potluck so I am taking a "Five Cup Salad" which is pineapple chunks, mandarin oranges, coconut, miniature marshmellows and sour cream for the dressing. I'm also making a hot dish which I usually do as a casserole. I think tomorrow I am going to prepare it and put it in my crock pot.

There's really no recipe for it. Years ago my former sister-in-law made this dish. You brown hamburger meat, add half of a chopped onion then add corn kernels, sliced green olives, stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce and season with salt, pepper, and oregano. Stir this all together and simmer for about 30 minutes or so. Then combine this mixture with noodles that have already been cooked. I use egg noodles sometimes, large macaroni or rotelle (the corkscrew looking pasta). Then I put it in an oblong Pyrex dish and sprinkle lots of cheese on top. Put it in the oven for 30 minutes or so until it is bubbly and the cheese has melted. It is yummy!!

Oh, I am also going to set up a Facebook page for both of my blogs. So look for that if you are on Facebook. I'll send an invitation to join to those that are my friends on Facebook.

Birthday Card for Liberty Grace Williams

Liberty Grace Williams is the daughter of Andrew and Michelle Williams, very dear and special friends of ours. Liberty's birthday was on Wednesday, the 27th and she turned 4 years old. This afternoon Andrew and Michelle had an open house birthday party for Liberty from 1 pm to 5 pm. We didn't go over until almost 3 pm.

This is the birthday card I made for her. Michelle and I discovered later that last year I used the same stamp, only a different layout. Michelle said Liberty wouldn't realize it so it was okay. I thought it was so funny. I must say I love using this stamp set for little girls because little girls think they are a princess anyway. :) I used one of my Cuttlebug embossing folders on the light pink layer and the white piece. The border punch is one from Martha Stewart. The coloring was done with Copic markers. It is pretty girly girl!!