Internet, cards and busy stuff

I want to start by saying that I have recently had internet issues.  We lost our DSL for 4 days.  Apparently 65 people in my area were on this DSL box and something happened to it.  Once it was working again, it only took two calls to get everything completely back in order.  The tech department at AT&T was helpful and friendly.  And their help as well as their attitude, was very much appreciated!

The first card I want to tell you about today is for my best friend Brenda's daughter-in-law.  She's expecting a baby girl in mid-July, but decided to have an early shower.  I wanted to be sure to make a quilled card to include with the gift.  The baby buggy seemed like it would be a bit of a challenge, so that's what I went for.  The card is pink card stock with a second card stock on top.  It has the word "baby" written in multiple colors which I thought made a nice background.  I used a MS punch to create the scalloped top.  I then used shades of pink to create the buggy.  I made a pink heart with a smaller white heart for the center of the buggy body, then used "s" curls and small circles to fill in the interior of the body.  For the top I used small tight circles, V scrolls and "S" curls to fill in.  The handle is an uneven "S" and the wheels are white open circles.  Overall I like the way it turned out.


My second card is a birthday card that I like the way it turned out.  This one is being listed for sale, but I thought I would show it here anyhow.  This card is on white linen card stock and has green swiss dot card stock with a yellow patterned paper on top of white linen.  The smaller message is a pop up with the square foam pieces.  Happy Birthday is stamped in black ink.  I like the way it pops off of the yellow when you use black.  Three daisies are quilled and I added the "S" scrolls to match the print pattern in the yellow paper.

This weekend is the Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival.  Some of you may know of it, others probably don't.  Its a huge weekend long affair held on Amelia Island each first weekend of May.  Many artists and local clubs take the opportunity to show their wares and make some money.  It is a long running festival that used to be mainly for the local people to celebrate the beginning of the shrimping season.  But it has grown and is very popular and visited by people from all over the place now.  So it is going to be a busy weekend!

I hope all of you have a great week and weekend.

Mother's Day and Something Abstract

Well, as we all know, Mother's Day is coming in just a couple of weeks and I really needed to get a card made for the moms.  I had an idea of what I wanted it to look like, but alas, I couldn't find the stamps I wanted.  But I did find this one and I like it. It has an element of fun about it!
I started with my new white linen cardstock and cut an oval for the stamp to show through.  The text sheet behind is a very pale yellow.  I used the Design Runner for the wording.  That worked very well, but took a test run to get it right.  Then I added the quilled flowers and shapes.  Behold, a very personalized Mother's Day card.

 And, while I had the time, I made this abstract piece.  I'm trying to incorporate more elements into my cards.  This uses layering (white linen, peach and printed papers), quilling (royal blue, carmel, coral, red and white 1/16 inch) and embossing powder.

Both cards turned out really well and I'm glad that I took the time to play with some new ideas and elements.  I hope that you enjoy looking at them!

Birthday card and holding boxes

I didn't want anyone to think I had been lazy the last few days.  I have been creating.  I have played with the stamping a bit more and I've been showing off everything I have created.  I visited my old friend Marilyn yesterday.  She loved my work, which I greatly appreciate.  If I'm ever going to turn this into a business, I've got to understand what people want and need.  I bought some boxes with clear covers to hold the cards that are quilled so that they don't get messed up.  If too many cards sit on top of each other the very thin quilled paper may get pushed to one side by the weight of the others.

The card I have pictured here is going to be for a niece.  Just a single beautiful flower with a simple message.  I think she will like it!

It's Spring Break here and I've been busy with my grand-daughter.  Keeping her entertained is a full time occupation!  But it's fun.  I wish everyone reading this a pleasant week and weekend.

Shelly

My new punch works great!

I know a lot of card makers use punches and stamps.  And I'm probably excited over something many others have enjoyed doing for a good while now.  But I don't care!  I'm excited about how this card turned out!  I made it for a friend to give to one of her friends, but I wanted to share it here.  The stamp is Happy Birthday with a really fancy font for the H and B.  The punch is a MS lattice fence.   I chose to space it so that it appears to have posts as well.  Then I quilled and put tulips, a pink daisy and a sunflower in front of the fence.  The inside says "Bouquets of Birthday Wishes."  So now that I've had fun using a stamp and a punch I think I'll incorporate them more often.  They go well with my quilled flowers, don't you think?  
Have a wonderful Easter Sunday everyone!
Shelly