Hello and welcome to my blog!
I am a freelance illustrator, artist and paper crafter. I hope you will set back, have a peek around my blog, check out my archives and enjoy!
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Some Of My Favorite Creations To Date

Thursday, October 25, 2012

My CDS Digis


Hi everyone!

I just wanted to share the fun new logo for Clear Dollar Stamps!


It is so bright and fun!
I would also like to invite you to head over to CDS and check out my digis, if you haven't been there for awhile. I have lots of Fall, Halloween, and Christmas digis. 'Tis the season! :)
CLICK HERE to head that way. Remember to click on "NEXT" at the bottom of the pages to see them all! 
Have a wonderful day!


Take Ugly or Oddball Buttons and Make Them Pretty!


Hi everyone!

It's my day to post over on the CardMaker magazine blog. I am sharing a simple way to alter the ugly buttons in your stash that never seem to get used.
Here's a peek at the card that I created with my altered buttons.


I hope you will pop over there and check it out! :)


Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Inky Antics Christmas Blog Hop! :)


Hi everyone!
If you are here from sweet Jovi's blog, you are in the right place.
If you just happened onto my blog, you will want to go back to the Inky blog where it all starts. :)
The girls have all created projects with some of Inky's latest Christmas stamps.
I know...it's not even Halloween and we are sharing Christmas cards. But, you know how it is when you are a card maker though. You have to start early! We are leaving you plenty of time to check out some of Inky's newest sets, get them ordered and still have lots of time to get your cards done. :)
I am super excited because this is the first hop that includes my stamps! My friend Tex (Bev) and I will be sharing cards created with stamps from my Punny Christmas Critters line, and the other girls will be sharing projects created with the wonderful Tammy DeYoung's new images.

My card was done with #11129MC Punny Christmas Pups clear set. It is also available as wood mount...#0095H Fleas Navidad.


This is what the entire set looks like.
You can get a link to it and the other stamps the girls have used for this hop HERE.

I loved "decorating" the tree, and thought I would share a close up. The glitter and rhinestones almost look like lights. :)


Card Recipe:
Designer Paper: KaiserCraft - Belle Collection
Cardstock: Discount Card Stock -  Posh Red Linen and Brilliant White
Ribbon: Really Reasonable Ribbon - Ruby Red Diamond Satin
Other: 
Want2Scrap - 72 Count Red Rhinestones
Art Glitter - D59 StarDance Hexus Grande Dazzlers
Prismacolor pencils, Gamsol, StazOn Jet Black ink, JudyKins Diamond Glaze, Beacon Fabri-tac, Scotch ATG, sewing machine with red thread, Bow-easy

The blog hop starts today and ends on Sunday, October 28th at midnight Central time. Please visit each DT members’ blog to view their projects and leave a comment for each designer. The more you comment, the better your chances are to win. (Limit one comment per blog, please). TWO people’s names will be drawn at random to receive an Inky Christmas clear stamp set. The winners’ names will be announced on the Inky Antics blog next Monday, so remember to stop back and see if you've won.

Your next stop on the hop is Michelle's inspiring blog. :)

Thanks so much for hopping by!


Tuesday, October 23, 2012

I LOVE Blitsy!


I Love Blitsy!
You will too! :)

Saturday, October 20, 2012

A Few Shots of Our Fur-babies


Hi everyone!

Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend!
I just took some sweet pictures of out fur-babies Zoey and Katniss enjoying this beautiful Autumn day. 
I thought I would share. :)





I made an anti-bully bully poster of my favorite one. :) Please feel free to share or pin! :)



By the way, if you didn't see my post the other day, please scroll down for a look at the disaster that WAS my craft room. Then I would love it if you headed over to the CardMaker Magazine blog to see the "after" shots! 

Have a great weekend! :)


Friday, October 19, 2012

Yikes! The World's Messiest Craft Room or Another Episode of "Hoarders"?


Hi everyone! 

Today is my day to share my crafty space over on the CardMaker blog.
I try to keep a half way decently organized crafty room, but lately it had gotten away from me! This is what it looked like the day before my "My Crafty Space" article and pictures were due in to CardMaker blog.


Please feel free to share this picture with your family so they will see that you are not the only crafter who gets "a little" messy.  ;)
Head on over to the CardMaker magazine blog to see the after shots. :)

Please leave a little love while you are there so I won't feel so bad. :)


Thursday, October 18, 2012

Cookies Shaped Like Spellbinder Dies!!!! " :)


Hi everyone!

A few weeks ago, I discovered an awesome place to buy cookie cutters and supplies called Karen's Cookies.
I saw some cutters that they designed themselves and knew I HAD to have them because they remind me of  Spellbinder Labels One dies.

Just after I received my order, they started a cookie decorating contest for cookies created with the frame cookie cutters that I had just bought. The prize is a $100.00 gift certificate!
I told hubby that I wanted to enter but didn't really have time. He talked me into it. I'm thinkin' not so much because of the contest, but because he gets to eat the cookies after I take the pictures! :)

Here are my cookies....


I discovered Royal Frosting a few months ago and love what you can do with it! :)


I bought both styles of the frame cutters in both sizes.


I had fun doing the "wet on wet" leaves! :)


Here is my order from Karen's Cookies. You can see the dies plus some other fun stuff I will be playing with soon! :)


See what I mean about it looking like the Labels One Spellbinder die?
I'm feeling a "decorated cookie treat bag" post coming on!  Maybe with some Labels One Want2Scrap bling!  ;)
I would love it if you left a comment. Not sure if it would help me win the contest, but what would it hurt...right?  :)





Wednesday, October 17, 2012

CardMaker Magazine Blog Metallic Inspirations Blog Hop


Hi Everyone!
Welcome to another fun blog hop with the CardMaker magazine blog design team! We will all be sharing shinny, sparkly, metallic inspired cards with you today. 

If you are here from sweet Kimberly's blog, you are in the right place. If you just happened onto my blog, you will want to head back to the CardMaker blog where it all starts.

Brooke asked  us to create a card using anything that is metallic, sparkly and shinny. Now...to be completely honest, I created these cards awhile back for a magazine submission, but they didn't make the cut. 

I thought I would save this first card for a special occasion, and boy does it work for this one! They just don't get any more shinny than this! LOL! :)



I used UTEE (Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel) and metallic accents to create the look of a bar-b-que grill. What dad doesn't like a shinny new red BBQ? :)

The next card has been published on one of my past design team blogs, but never on mine. I thought as a bonus card today, I would post it here as well. It too is very shinny and sparkly with metallic accents.



Here's a closer look.

Before you go, if you love the CardMaker blog team girl's work, you won't want to miss out on the beautiful new 2013 CardMaker calendar



I am so blessed to have my cards included in this wonderful calendar along side of cards by Kimberly Crawford, Carolyn King, Colleen Schaan, Anya Schrier, and Michelle Woerner.
It's super high quality, glossy finished, comes with stunning photography, and has full instructions plus supply lists for every card included.
Why not order one for yourself and several for friends and family? They would make awesome Christmas gifts! :)

Thanks so much for dropping by today. 

Your next stop on the hop is back to the CardMaker blog, where I am sure Brooke will have something beautiful to share with you!  :)

Here are the links to the rest of the girls on the hop, just in case you hoped in somewhere in the middle  :) ...

Trudy Sjolander (you are here)
Glenda
Jeannie
Brooke Smith (CardMaker blog)


Hugs,
"Dad" Card Supply List:
Stampers Anonymous - #CMS5079 Mini Cirque Alpha stamps by: Tim Holtz 
Discount Cardstock - Posh Red Linen, Silver Foil, Posh True Black linen, and Brilliant White cardstock 
Ranger Industries - Perfect Medium, ultra thick embossing powder, silver embossing powder, black ink, and Heat It tool 
Spellbinders - M Bossabilities #EL-D03 Patchwork embossing folder and die cutting machine 
Crop-A-Dile Corner Comper 
Beacon - Fabri-tac glue 
Helmar - Zap Dots 
Silver gel pen

Wedding Card Supply List:
Fiskars- Just Married Quotes stamps 
Discount Card Stock - Pearlized Porcelain Scored Cards and Envelopes, Silver Posh, and Bazzill White Wedding Pack 
Ranger's -Perfect Medium 
Want2Scrap's - White Pearl Scalloped Hearts Nestabling and Self Adhesive White Pearls, Spellbinder's - Heart and Scalloped Heart Nestabilities, Wizard, Prima's -Symphony Blend Andanta White flower, Martha Stewart's - Butterfly Stamp and Punch, EK Success - Petite Flower Punch, Ranger Ink's - Studio White Acrylic Paint, Silver Super Fine Embossing Powder and Heat It Tool, Really Reasonable Ribbon's - White Sparkle Velvet Ribbon, Helmar's Craft Glue and Zap Dots 



Monday, October 15, 2012

Baby Bump Photos


Hi everyone!
I am soooo not very good with a camera, and I only have a cheapo $100 one like 99% of us have but we had a little emergency.

My son and daughter-in-love had scheduled a professional photographer (who just happens to be my friend Kim) to take some maternity pictures. Kurt's work schedule got changed last minute so they had to cancel the shoot. I was disappointed and knew that they would be too, if not now...later.
Joseph could be born any day, so there was not another weekend option to re-schedule.
They came down for a visit and dinner last night. It was almost sundown when they arrived, but I grabbed my cheapo camera, and we all ran out the door and hurried to a pretty place close by that might work well for pictures.
I had been scoping out maternity pictures on Pinterest in case the opportunity arose, so I had a good idea of the shots people are doing now. So we tried some of throes poses. I think it worked! :)
I did have to do some major editing though because it was so dark, and the colors were pretty drab. :)
What do you think? :)


















I added part of a sweet little poem to this one. I think it would make a great poster for the baby's room. :)

Hope I didn't bore you with family pictures but I love them to pieces and just had to share. :)

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Another Recap of One Of My Favorite Fall/Halloween Digis


Hi everyone!
The other day I showed you some of my favorite Fall cards that I created with my Autumn Blessings digi stamp.
Today I am going to share another.
These projects were created with my Autumn Friends digi.
It comes in line art only
or
Pre-colored with digital papers. I also created a bonus with this set...3 fun ready to print squares that work great for treat bags, tags, or cards. :)
Here is an example of the treat bags. These were a major hit last Halloween at our house! :)

*** NOTE*** Click on any of the projects below to go to the original posts for details.

Here is another way to use the Pre-colored Autumn Friends digi and papers for a Halloween treat. 
What a great teacher gift! :)

Here is a fun little gift card.

The following cards were all done with the line art only version of my Autumn Friends digi and hand colored my yours truly. :)

This card was published in the September 2011 issue of CardMaker magazine. :)


If you would like my Autumn Friends digi, it's available for instant download from Clear Dollar Stamps.
Just $3.00 for the line art only version and $4.00 for the pre-colored with digital papers and bonus ready to print squares. :)

Thanks for dropping by today!
Hope you have a wonderful day!