Card for a dear old tea-loving friend

My muse has been away for so long (sigh). While she's been gone, I've been stitching at least, and have collected a nice little pile of card fronts to play with. This 5 1/2 X 5 1/2 card is hand-stitched (with all its flaws) with metallic thread on mauve pearlized cardstock, then the corner design was embossed (with a light box) using a Marianne Design stencil. Parts of the embossed area were then cut out with an exacto knife, and mounted on gold metallic cardstock. I used peel-offs on two sides, and embellished the tea pot with Swarovski crystals.

Earrings...

I made these for a dear friend's birthday. They're fashioned from malachite and sterling silver.

Those voices...

Birthday card, Paper Artsy Stamped on acetate with StazOn, alcohol inks dribbled on reverse, sentiment computer generated, Swarovski crystals added to the sentiment.

Inside reads: "...and then they told me to make you wait for your present. Mean 'eh!?"

This card is nearly a YEAR late, and I have THIS year's card ready for her as well. We're having lunch tomorrow. She really IS a good friend (lol).

Sign of our times?

So here it is.

I can hardly believe I'm constructing a blog.

This will not be a "bore-you-with-the-details-of-my-mundane-life" kind of blog, but one to share some of my arsty efforts, particularly card design. I notice that several card creating sites I visit are getting less and less busy, and I wonder whether that's because of the proliferation of blogs. Once I saw the wonderful blogsite created by my eleven year old grandson Logan, I succumbed, so here I am "getting with the times." Oh my.

I'm just building this site, and given my technical challenges, I'll be slow, so please be patient with me.

All advice gratefully received as I learn!

Stars and Smiles...FIRST card on my new blog!

I used two stamps for this one. Those gorgeous swirly stars came from Heather's Stamping Haven in Ottawa Ontario. This stamp is from her own line. That beautiful calligraphy sentiment came from Suzanne at Quiet Fire Designs in British Columbia. I just LOVE her collection! I used some special papers and Swarovski crystals too, and, of course, pink ribbon.

I created this card for a friend who's fighting Inflammatory Breast Cancer, an advanced and accelerated cancer usually not detected by mammograms or ultrasounds. IBC requires immediate aggressive treatment with chemotherapy prior to surgery and is treated differently than more common types of breast cancer. If you're a woman, please take the time to educate yourself by starting here http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/inflammatory-breast-cancer/DS00632

I also entered it in a ten day spree of card challenges over at Caardvarks, and it won for Day Eight. Check their challenge galleries to see wonderful and inspirational work from fabulous artists! http://caardvarks.blogspot.com/

Finally, this card is also one of several, in sets, that will be auctioned off at a fabulous, outrageous fund-raiser for local women living with breast cancer here in Halifax. It happens every fall, and is called "Titz 'n' Glitz." You can read a little here http://www.titznglitz.com/halifax_home.htm This was started here in our little province by Margo Kerr, and will soon be taking on a national identity! It's an evening for women only, to celebrate women and their breasts. HONEST! The evening moves from "in-your-face" to naughty to sheer heartache. You can even see a ten minute video at the website.

My own involvement in all of this stems from a friend's current battle with Stage 4b of IBC. She's a strong, brilliant, beautiful, young doctor, married to her soulmate, a cute little hottie-in-a-Mustang, and she was the keynote speaker at last fall's Titz 'n' Glitz. Please keep Debbie and Jamie (wedding photos here, just so you can put faces with names: http://twopeasinabucket.kaboose.com/pg.asp?cmd=display&layout_id=1148509) in your prayers.