Hey Friends, We're Moving

That is my big announcement and what I've been so busy getting ready for this past week. For the past few years my husband and I have been casually looking for a house near my daughters school.  Now that the kids are getting bigger the idea of getting our house ready to sell doesn't seem so daunting and we decided to start seriously looking.  We've been through many houses over the years coming across only one a few years ago that really met our criteria (we are very picky).  We passed up the opportunity because we just weren't ready to take the plunge and we had certain family members that were not supportive.  Now that we've finally come across the next best thing we made an offer and hope to move by the end of July.  But if it doesn't work out that way it wasn't meant to and my current house will be really really clean!!!

Anyhow, the moving postcard was meant for the Etsy Inspired Challenge with the inspirational store being  Isabell's Umbrella.  The owner's goal is to renew the lost art of written correspondence by creating fun stationary to share.  My goal was to create a one layer announcement that I could fill in and send out in the mail.  As will probably be the case in the future, I'm late in posting this but still thought I would share with my friends.

Hope you are all having a fabulous week.  And I hope to share my favourite room in my house with you on Sunday.  Take care friends.

Count Your Blessings

Hello friends!  It's been a while hasn't it?  I feel completely out of tune in both blog land and my creativity has taken a back seat.  Which is really too bad because I was on a roll.  Oh well, life happens and there is only so much of me to go around.  It's a long story and one I'll share with my post tomorrow for the Etsy Inspired challenge.  Hopefully I finish that. 

Anyhow I just wanted to share a card I made last week using a Go-To-Sketch for Betsy Veldman's first Go-to Gal Designer challenge. Of course I'm late posting it but I thought I would share it anyhow since it uses two things I don't use very often: Sheet music and vellum.  The Kamloops Symphony was having a used book sale and I picked up so old hymn books and even sheet music for Foot Loose!  How cool is that? Well for this sketch I decided to make a vellum bird flying carrying two hearts with the hymn Count Your Blessings in the background (it's one of my favourite songs).  The card doesn't have a sentiment but could be used for many occasions.

So sorry that I haven't been able to keep up with all of those wonderful challenges going on right now or to follow all of your lovely blogs and creative ideas.  I miss all of you....and to a couple of my blog friends who I promised a little surprise to...it's still coming just be patient with me.

I thought I'd also share with you how I take my pictures.  As some of you know I don't have a light box and while I was planning on making one time has suddenly become an issue.  My set up is simple and I still manage with decent pictures throughout the year.  I've got huge windows in the front of my house.  Lots of light but still shaded from the sun.  So I use my sturdy coffee table and shears that have become useful for something. (I really don't like them but they are there until my MIL is no longer).  The only downfall is that it still doesn't work for really overcast days which is why I need that light box.

Steps:

1) Make card out of CS

2) Trim, ink edges of sheet music and adhere to card

3) Draw bird parts on vellum and cut; erase pencil marks

4) Sponge bird in bashful blue, ink edges with Soft Suede.

5) Adhere bird to card

6) Draw bird eyes and adhere beak

7) Thread button and adhere to card

8) Die cut 6 hearts same size and glue 3 together for 3D effect

9) Adhere linen thread to hearts and wrap thread around button

10) Adhere hearts to card.

Elements:

Paper: Bashful Blue, Sheet Music, vellum, Real Red, Summer Sunrise (PTI)

Ink: Soft Suede, Bashful Blue, Brown marker

Accessories: Pure Poppy Button (PTI), linen thread (DMC), heart nesties, bird paper pattern (Scrapbooks etc.)