Simon Reminds Me

 Why do I only post when it's time for a Simon Says Challenge?  Because Simon reminds me it's time to make a card and put it up.  I make a lot of other cards but seldom get around to adding them here.  

Here's the one for the Wednesday challenge today, which is to highlight Hero Arts products.  I have a few Stamp and Cut sets from Hero Arts.  I chose to use the set titled PRAYERS today.  

I have made a background of blended inks using the ink smoosh technique.  The panel is a glossy CS but I put oxide inks over it.  So unless the lighting is just right, you don't see the glossy finish much.  

A friend of mine just found out her husband has bone cancer.  It does not look very good for recovery, so I thought I would send some prayers along to them.  Ethereal prayers will have more effect, but paper ones can't hurt. Just want her to know we are thinking of them.  

So, I said I have been making other cards as well for the past month.  Thought I would add a few to my post.   Just so I can keep track of actuallt doing something, when I start thinking I only sit and stare at the computer. My productivity wanes when I start down rabbit holes online.

It's always fun to try a new fold.  This was quite quick and I will probably do a few more of these.  The link to the video is here.  Make note of the one correction in the video, there is a change in the scoring measurements for the smallest block.   Stampin’ UP! Garden Poetry Sneak Peek Pop Up Block Thanks with Video | Stamps – n - Lingers

I had made some backgrounds from party napkins that I saved.  Finally used one of them for a birthday card.  The balloons seemed to be a good background for this old-style phonograph, an old Stampin' up set called Timeless Talk.

Easter is April 5th this year, so I made Easter cards for one of my cards for the class I lead each month. 

This is the second card we are doing for the class.  I loved that both were simple cards and we could get them finished in a reasonable amount of time.  We all get tired out if the cards take too long.  

I am creating more cards today trying to get ready for my next couple of classes.  maybe I can get another post made before Simon has to come and Remind Me.  

Have a great weekend.  It will be upon us soon.
   

 

It's Simon time again

 Yesterday I saw the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge again.  I get a notification each week for this challenge, but my emails get so bogged down that I didn't see it until today.  Yes, I get too many emails, and half of them are not even things I actually subscribed for.  Wish I knew how to get rid of them.  No matter if you unsubscribe, they keep coming anyway. . . the joys of computers.

This morning, I pulled out my one and only Pink and Main stamp set (Floral Sprays) to make this card.

I may have to go shopping at Simon and look for more Pink and Main stamps.    

I enjoyed coloring this with my alcohol markers and doing a little ink blending for the background.  

It's about lunch time, so I'll end now and go get myself something to eat.  

Trying to Start Off the New Year Right

 Last Year in November I won a stamp at the House Mouse and Friends Monday Challenge.

I received the stamp in December and then I saw the Challenge for January 5.   The stamp was perfect, with a few alterations for a card for the first  Monday Challenge of the year.  

                            This is the stamp set I won.  House Mouse - Noel by Spellbinders

This is the way I used it for the first New Year Challenge.

 I stamped and watercolored the bottom half of the stamp and cut around the upper part of the image.  Then I cut the numbers on my Scan 'n Cut out of mirrored silver card stock.  I have a pad of patterned papers that has a paper for every holiday of the year.  So, I found a sheet that looked like fireworks and put a panel of that on the card base, added the watercolored mice and the numbers.   But it just didn't seem finished.  I had a scrap of mat gold card stock barely big enough to cut a 4 x 5.25 panel.  That panel was turned into a frame with my paper trimmer.  I think that was just the touch the card needed. 

It was fun to use this stamp right away even though it is a Christmas stamp.  

I will be exploring other things that these little mice friends can hold up for cards throughout the year.  

Lots of thanks to Sue Kment for providing this stamp as a prize in the November Challenge.  

I think I will be checking out the Wednesday Challenge as well.

 

New Year - New Post

 Just wanted to say Happy New Year to all who might chance to see this.  This is always a good day to start to improve ourselves.  And however long we last at accomplishing those improvements is better than not starting to change at all.  

We had a beautiful morning view the other day - rather ethereal. 

There was even one loan boat on the lake.  I think the guy was cold.  This was the morning we had some pretty low temperatures overnight.  However, the water was still pretty warm as we had several days in the 70's last week.  Thus, we have a misty morning.

I spent a little time water coloring last night and decided it was good enough to actually make a card out of it.   I usually don't let too many people see my watercolors, except for people who I know are kind.  That group includes you.  Only nice people know about my blog.  So I'll let you take a peek.    It was painted from a tutorial listed on the splitcoast Stampers website. 

(528) 3 Colours to Paint a Simple Winter Scene: Full Watercolor Tutorial - YouTube

 I try to do the Watercolor Wednesday Challenge there whenever I can.  So here is my card. 

I've also made a few Christmas cards already to get a start on the ones 

I'll need at the end of this new year.

 This one was a lot of fun.  It has layers of openings. .  

                                                                      first the head. . .   

                                                                 then the middle body. . .        

                                        

                                                                                

                                                        And this is the bottom of the body.

                                                Here are a couple more Christmas cards. 

    

           I had fun water coloring this little bear, actually 4 of them.  I still have 3 to make more cards.

I've used the bargello technique of gluing strips of paper onto a piece of copy paper and then cutting that sheet into strips to stagger into different patterns for your card.  You just have to add a focal point to the card to complete.  I chose Ornaments for the focal since there are some on one of the papers.

So, nearing the end of the first day of 2026 I am feeling like this will be a great year.  I've already cleaned my house and had time to do a few things related to art. I intend to actually produce some more art later tonight.   But someone in the house thinks we should have some dinner.  

We do all have to eat.  Hope your first dinner this year is enjoyable and fills you.

Figuring out Challenge rules.

   I can't use the same link twice for posting more than one card.  I'm not sure how this all works.  So, I'll just add the picture of my Pink Snowflake card here and hopefully it will create another link, since it is a different blog post.  

 I actually used the negative from making this card and made another snowflake card.  

It is always good to get two cards for one!  

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge December 3

 I have such a hard time getting through all of my emails lately.  I didn't see the Wednesday Challenge until a day or two ago.  Trying to get all of my Christmas cards out, but I keep getting sidetracked making more cards.  So for this challenge we are to use Dies - DieCember - you get it.  

I used the Simon Says Stamp set called Gift of Christmas to get my little snowman. I colored him with Copic Markers and I used some dies purchased from Simon Says Stamp, but they are Poppy Stamp dies.  These are Wintertide Border Set and Nordic Rings.  I just love all the patterns in these.  

Then I took the Grand Pixie Snowflake Die and made another quick card.  It's plain and somewhat simple but really give a big WOW statement with the BIG snowflake! Next time I might use a piercing plate before I cut the snowflake.  With a border layer of the same color as the snowflake and a die cut sentiment in a purple glitter CS the card is finished. One of these two cards could land in your mailbox soon.  That is if I quit making cards and get the rest of them sent.  Better get at it!

So, if I don't get back before Christmas, for anyone reading this my wish is for a very                     Merry Christmas to each of you.  Share the joy with family and friends.

AnotherHouse Mouse Post

 I guess I have to post each picture separately in order to enter them both.  So I'll just put the picture her again.  

This image was a gift from a friend, Lisa, I think.  So, I don't know the name of the set, but I'm calling the card making Merry.