For he's a Jolly Good Fellow (MFTWSC103)

....and he really is!  Our latest fellow, Andrew, headed home to England yesterday after a 6 month rotation with us.  It was down to the wire in making his card but this week's MFTWSC103 came through, although I did rotate the sketch once. 

I stamped PI World's Best Doctor in Memento Tuxedo black ink and coloured him with copics.  With my job, I have used the two PI Doctor images over and over,  but this time I wanted to make him a little more festive, combining Andrew's Christmas card with his goodbye card!

The pattern paper is Lilybeedesign Christmas Cheer along with some SU Riding Hood Red and Old Olive.  I paper pieced his lab coat and then fussy cut him out and popped him up on a piece of Old Olive that I used the Perfect Polkadots embossing folder on.  His Santa hat is from Cool Yule and I added some liquid applique with a bit of glitter on top for sparkle.  I love that it fits his head perfectly!  If you look closely you'll see that his clipboard has instructions for a Merry Christmas, which I wrote on with a micro-fine pen.  I added a piece of SU Riding Hood Red pleated ribbon along the side.

On the inside I used a tiny alphabet set to stamp out the sentiment and then used Fishtail Flags Stax die-namics and Fishtail Flags Layers Stax die-namics to cut it out.  It is THE perfect sentiment for Andrew at this time of year....he really is a jolly good Fellow and he will be missed!

Well, that's my last Christmas card for this year done.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!

Cheerio.....Leslie

Bellariffic Friday...on a Sunday!

My stamping mojo went missing the last two weeks but I think it just might be back - phew!  I couldn't get it together for Bellariffic Friday but today things seemed to work out.  Bellariffic Friday was a sketch, the last one of the year -  Sketch 25.

I stamped Hannah with Wreath in Memento Tuxedo black ink and coloured her with copics.  This is for Christal, who works with me, and I have to say that Hannah looks exactly like Christal, right down to her black curly hair!

The pattern paper is Authentique Wonder.  I used a few die-namics - the Fishtail Flags Layers for the Merry Christmas sentiment from PI Holly Girl and the Monarch Border in green layered with some gorgeous Riding Hood Red pleated ribbon from SU.  Sweet little Hannah has rhinestones for her buttons and on her coat and hat.  I added some Xmas Red Stickles to the holly berries on her wreath.

On the inside I used the negative from the Monarch Border die-namic and added a little strip of co-ordinating paper on top.

I have one more Christmas card to make for this year so better get on with that!

**Christal loved her card!


Cheerio.....Leslie

Happy Hanukkah

StampingBella has a perfect stamp for Hanukkah and oh so perfectly named Menorahbella :)

I stamped the image in Memento Tuxedo black ink and coloured her with copics.  I love that Bellas colour up so quickly.

The base card stock is Baja Breeze paired with some pattern paper from BoBunny Snowfall Collection.  I used my Snowflake embossing folder for those lovely big snowflakes and I misted the paper with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist (Marshmallow).  I matted the oval image with a Baja Breeze oval and then a silver oval.  The silver ribbon and tinsel are both from SU (retired) and add sparkle.  For even more sparkle, I covered her outfit in glitter and added some to the candle flames.  The snowflakes are a mixture from my stash and I was thrilled to find these two that were already glittered - I just added a bonbon on top!

I love these colours and all the sparkle on this card.

Cheerio.....Leslie

Birthday Wishes for the Nurse - SSSC173

Karen's Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenges are fun to play along with every two weeks.  I was all set to make another Christmas card because the sketch (SSSC173) had a snowflake on it, but at the last minute I changed it to a birthday card for one of the nurses at work.

I stamped Best Medicine in Memento Tuxedo black ink and coloured her with copics.

The card base is Crumb Cake and I embossed the pink striped paper with the Perfect Polkadots embossing folder.  The pattern papers and blue card stock are from an old TE KI kit (love those!)  A circle nestie was used to cut the image out and and I sponged around the edge before removing it.  I paper pieced her apron and her cap and added lots of shine to her shoes with my clear glaze pen.  The fishtail flag was made from Fishtail Flags Layers Stax and I popped up the circle for some dimension.  I added a big pink button with a loopy bow behind it.

I liked this sketch and just may have another go at it, making it Christmas!

Cheerio.....Leslie

Christmas Bliss

There is no better way for me to start my day than with a Starbucks.  I love when the Christmas cups come out and this year's cups are some of my favourites.    

My local Starbucks is fantastic (they know me by name and drink) and I wanted to make them a special Christmas card.  I used this card and personalized it for them.  I copied one of their cups this year so Frosty could start his day with a Starbucks too!

You know when you made a card and it just makes you SO happy?  This is that card for me!  I am super excited to give it to them!

Oh, and if you're thinking that cup is a bit big for Frosty....well, it IS a Venti!  :)

Cheerio.....Leslie

Bellariffic Friday - Sketch 24

It's Friday and that means it's time for another Bellariffic Friday challenge.  This week was another sketch - #24.  Even though my Christmas cards are already done and in the mail - please don't judge me :) - I couldn't resist using another one of my new Stamping Bella images.

I stamped the adorable Frostier in Memento Tuxedo black ink and coloured him the copics.  The great thing about snowmen stamps is there is so little to colour and yet they always look so cute!

The card base is SU Cherry Cobbler and the pattern paper is Echo Park Winter Park with a tiny bit of SU Old Olive tucked in behind the mitten paper.  I did stray a little from the sketch, but I think that's okay - it's allowed :)

I used circle nesties to cut and mat Frostier and First Place Award Ribbon die-namic for the little banner behind him.  I added a little red baker's twine tied into a bow on one side of the banner.  Oh and a tip - the banner wasn't long enough so I just cut it in half and hid the cut ends behind the image.  The sentiment is from Fred Bear Snow Bear.  Frostier has sparkly red berries on his cap courtesy of my red atyou spica pen and his scarf also sparkles.  I added some crystal effects to his buttons to make them shine and then made the snow glisten with lots of glitter and some little random dots to look like pretty snowflakes falling around him. 

I love making snowmen cards - they whip up so quickly! 

Cheerio.....Leslie

Ski Girl - MFTWSC100

I was double checking the Christmas cards I still need to make and knew that this little cutie was perfect for friends of ours - they're both skiers!  The sketch is this week's MFTWSC100.  Wow, 100 - hard to believe!

I stamped Ski Girl in Memento Tuxedo black ink and coloured her with copics.

The paper is one of my favourite from last year, BoBunny Snowfall Collection and I paired it with SU Early Espresso.  I paper pieced her little ski suit and added a bit of glitter on her hat.  I really did follow the sketch, although it might be hard to see at first - LOL.  The Simply Scallops border and some SU Baja Breeze pleated ribbon filled in for the piece along the bottom.  I added a chocolate felt snowflake made from the Let It Snowflake die with a button and a hemp cord bow for the bit in the top corner.   I love MFT's felt - they cut like butter in the die-namics!

I didn't add the two dots from the sketch but did add her two skis - so that counts, right?!


Cheerio.....Leslie

Baby Rosalie

Congratulations to Tom and Kailynn on the birth of GORGEOUS baby, Rosalie!  Isn't she precious?!

Rosalie had to have a very special card for her arrival!  I didn't have a sketch to work with so thought I would give the SSSC171  sketch another try but I went a little off course :)

I inked up an old Stampin' Up! stamp in Memento Tuxedo black ink.  This sweet little lamb stamp is so old I don't even remember the name of the set.  I coloured it with copics and added a bit of sparkle with a pink atyou Spica pen.

The paper is retired SU Pawsitively Prints DSP paired with So Saffron, Certainly Celery and some sweet pastel pink glitter card stock I got at my LSS.  I fussy cut out the lamb and mounted her on the pink circle and added a Certainly Celery Lacey Circle nestie behind.  I really wanted it to look like a pull toy, so added some pink striped baker's twine knotted and two pink rhinestones to the wheels.  Rosalie's name was stamped with a tiny alphabet set and cut out using Fishtail Flags Stax and Fishtail Flags Layers Stax die-namics.  I added two little paper roses to finish it off.

I did the inside too and stopped myself from using Fishtail Flags Stax again - LOL.  This time I used Simply Scallops die-namic to cut out a strip of matching paper.

Welcome Rosalie and I think you'll agree - she is one beauuuutiful baby!

Cheerio.....Leslie

So Strong - MFTWSC99

It's been a few weeks since I've played along with the MFTWSC and this week's sketch (MFTWSC99) worked well with a card I needed for a friend.

I stamped one of the four sentiments from Vertical Greetings in Early Espresso ink on vanilla card stock and used the matching Vertical Greetings die-namic to cut it out.  I cut another in half and used just the top and bottom to mat the sentiment.  The papers are all from an old TE Key Ingredients kit and that's why it all matches perfectly!  I was stumped by the little tab on the sketch and was almost going to leave it off when I tried a bow and it seemed to work.  I have to say, I used my Bow Easy and I usually "don't" find it easy :) but this time it really was and turned out quite nicely.  I added some Lippy Red rhinestones for a finishing touch.

Cheerio.....Leslie

Ready for Christmas?

One month to go!  Are you ready?

This is what happens when you make Christmas cards all year long!  I am SO happy I have them done, with even a few spares.  Honestly, it is so much less stressful - the toughest bit is going through them all and deciding who gets which card!  I find that after December 25 I don't want to let go of the Christmas feeling - the carols, the decorations and of course, the baking :) .

So I keep the carols playing and the cookies nearby and start right after Christmas making cards for next year.  Why not join me?

Have a great weekend.

Cheerio.....Leslie

Bellariffic Friday - Winter Wishes

Today's Bellariffic Friday theme was "Holiday Wishes" and I have a whole bunch of new rubber from Stamping Bella that was itching to get inked!  I LOVE the new rubber - it stamps so beautifully, nice and crisp and as an added bonus, the rubber is a pretty pretty blue colour!  For today's card I used Ramona Loves to Glide.

 

I stamped the image in Memento Tuxedo black ink and coloured her with copics.

The base layers are SU Tempting Turquoise and Old Olive which I embossed with the Northern Flurry embossing folder.  I sprayed it with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist (Marshmallow) which gives it a lovely shimmer but is hard to see in the photo.  I used the Jumbo Fishtail Banner Stax to cut out another Tempting Turquoise banner topped with Reminisce Frosted Over pattern paper.  This paper is so pretty and sparkly I regret not showing more of it.  The banner was a bit short for my card so I just cut it in half and then lowered the bottom bit which got covered up with the oval image!  I sponged around the oval and popped it up on another oval for a bit of dimension.  I added some rhinestones for her buttons, even on her cuff.  The snowflake is one of my favourites - a ghost snowflake topped with a donut and bonbon - LOVE these ghost snowflakes!

The finishing touches were glitter on her hat, around the image and the red dots on her scarf.  It really is such a sparkly card - I wish you could see it in person!

Cheerio.....Leslie

Christmas Stockings

Here's another card from the assembly line production this past weekend. I saw this last year on someone's blog (sorry, can't remember where) and I saved the photo. 

I made two colour combos and will admit this one was a bit more fiddly with gluing the little silver stocking bits but I love the sparkly silver paper!  The stocking is from SU Stitched Stockings stamp set and it has a matching punch which made it so much quicker than cutting around each stocking and it's tiny silver bits!  I added a little bow with red bakers twine and a real jingle bell to the top of the stocking and a rhinestone in the middle of the stocking.

I used my red copic to colour the rhinestone on the silver/blue combo.  The sentiment is from Seasonal Sentiments and I stamped it in either Cherry Cobbler or Baja Breeze depending on the card.  I made a border with the Simply Scallops medium die-namic and topped with a bit of SU Cherry Cobbler Scallop Dots ribbon.  The bottom bit is embossed with SU Stripes Folder.  I'm not sure which colour combo I like best but I'm happy I have 16 more cards to add to my box :)

Cheerio.....Leslie

How to assemble a Snowman

Hee hee, that title cracks me up :)

I have several people at work wanting cards this year so I dedicated this past weekend to mass production!

While I love making "one of a kind" cards (with lots of detail, sewing, etc) I also enjoy mass production - crazy, I know!  This was a card I designed for a recent Christmas card making session I attended with some of my very special stamping friends.  Denise was the hostess and she LOVES snowmen so I made this one especially for her.  She loved it....but really, what's not to love about snowmen?!

I stamped the snowman in Memento Tuxedo black ink and coloured him with copics.

The snowman is from SU Snow Much Fun set.  When mass producing I look for a simple layout, one that doesn't need all the same pattern paper or embellishments.  For this card I used Crumb Cake as the base paired with Cherry Cobbler that I ran through with the Perfect Polkadots embossing folder.  The pattern paper is from Authentique Wonder collection and I used several different strips.  The sentiment is from the same Snow Much Fun stamp set and I punched it out with the SU Decorative Label punch.  You can see from the mass production photo above that all the snowflakes are different as I used a variety of punches, brads, donuts and bonbons on them.  You know the saying.....no two snowflakes are the same!  I added some glitter along the bottom for the snow.  For my assembly line I usually work in even numbers either 8 or 10 - after that I get bored - LOL.  I started with 10 Crumb Cake bases, then embossed 10 Cherry Cobbler layers, then cut 10 strips of pattern paper, then 10 sentiments punched out, then 10 images stamped, 10 Crumb Cake layers and then I get started on the colouring.  I colour 10 hats, 10 noses, etc - that way I'm not picking up my copics too many times.  Then I make little piles of each element and get to work gluing everything down.  Once they're all glued I apply the glitter.  The final step was the snowflakes and I will admit I used a mixture of ones I already had punched out from previous projects ( I NEVER throw out a snowflake!) and then each one got some sort of bling embellishment.

Of interest it took me about 2 hours to make these.  Don't know if that's good or bad but I enjoyed making them so it's all good to me!  I'm sure it could be done faster with some elves helping, but they all seem to be unavailable right now - hmm :)   

Cheerio.....Leslie

Bellariffic Friday - Sketch 23 - BFF's birthday

This is the card I made for my BFF - it's her birthday and so you can imagine it had to be perfect - oh the pressure!  I used this week's Stamping Bella, Bellariffic Friday sketch 23.

I stamped Victoria and Juliette's Night Out in Memento Tuxedo black ink and coloured them with copics.

The pattern paper is Basic Grey Kioshi paired with Grape Jelly and Grapesicle cardstock.  I really like the sketch as I knew I could use my Fishtail Flags Stax and Fishtail Flags Layers Stax die-namics.  I used oval nesties to cut out Victoria and Juliette.  Eeek, had to cut off some of their lovely long legs and a bit of dress but that was easily fixed with a sweet paper pieced dress on top.  I textured the strip of Grapesicle card stock with my Perfect Polka dots embossing folder.  I found some perfectly matching Mulberry paper mini roses to add along the edge.  A bit of glitter on the dresses and several coats of clear glaze pen to the wine and these gals are ready to celebrate! 

I did the inside too.

I keep a list of my BFF's likes and dislikes, much to her amusement.  As I said, the card had to be perfect so let's recap:  she likes the "long skinny leg girls" from my assortment of stamps - check.  She likes purples - check.  She likes wine - check.  Perfect card - uh, perhaps not.  See, she likes flowers but my list says she doesn't like roses but, really, on closer inspection, I do think those are Mulberry paper mini "carnations".  So?  Yes, I do believe it's the perfect card for her!

Happy, happy Birthday BFF!!

Cheerio.....Leslie

Sweet Sunday Goodbye - SSSC171

One of our residents has finished her rotation with us and I knew I had to make her a very special card!  I have known Karen since she was a medical student way back when and now she's almost ready to start on her own - it's like one of my children moving out!  Karen has been a big fan of the cards I make and I knew the MFT Girl Doctor was perfect for her.  I can't tell you how much use those two MFT Doctors get from me!  Today's Sweet Sunday Sketch (SSSC171) was lovely, so I got right to work but rotated the sketch once to the left for my card.

I stamped Girl Doctor in Memento Tuxedo black ink and coloured her with copics.

The paper is MME Miss Caroline Dolled Up and, as always, I had to paper piece her lab coat.  I also used SU Pear Pizzazz and Baja Breeze card stock.  I used a small doilie that I cut the outer ring off and topped it with a little circle of Pear Pizzazz card stock.  A card doesn't seem to be complete unless I use the Fishtail Flags Stax die-namic :) .  Her buttons have tiny twinkles on them and I used another one on her stethoscope.

I also did the inside using more Fishtail Flags - just can't get enough of them!

Here's a picture of us both on her last day.  I will miss Karen - she was one of our BEST residents ever!

Cheerio.....Leslie

Bellariffic Friday - Sketch 22

Time for another Bellariffic Friday card.  This week it's Sketch #22 and you know how much I love a sketch! 

I stamped Cupcakeabella in Memento Tuxedo black ink and coloured her with copics.

The cardstock is SU Pear Pizzazz and Cherry Cobbler and the pattern paper is Simple Stories Happy Day.  The sketch had a polka dot background and I went a bit crazy with the polka dots - from the pattern paper and then embossing even more polka dots on the papers with SU Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder.  I added rhinestones along the bottom edge and on the top of the cupcake.  Tim Holtz Distress Inks are everywhere in blog-land so I gave it a try, sponging the edges of the Pear Pizzazz piece with Tea Dye....hmm, not sure about it though.  The cupcake has a generous amount of crystal effects on it - mmm, lovely butter cream icing, I think:)

 Have a good weekend!

Cheerio.....Leslie

Happy Birthday Denise - SSSC170

This is a super special birthday card for my sweet friend Denise - it's her birthday TODAY!!  She adores anything from MFT so I chose the adorable Mouse in the House character.  I used SSSC170 sketch but rotated it once to the right.

I stamped It's Your Birthday (such an appropriate name!) in Memento Tuxedo black ink and coloured her with copics.

The paper is MME Lime Twist Happy Go Lucky paired with SU Rich Razzleberry.  Her little shirt is paper pieced.  I added a tiny twinkle on the flower on her head, clear glaze pen to the icing on the cake and glitter to make her candle sparkle!  Denise loves all the little extra things on a card so I added lots, using MFT Scallop border die-namic with pearl baubles on top and then the gorgeous Royal Rose die-namic to make that rose out of Bubblegum felt .  I made two Leafy Flourishes with Spring Green felt.  I added another pearl bauble to the middle of the rose.

I also decorated the inside 'cause she loves that too!  A trio of banners made with Fishtail Flags Stax die-namics and I very bravely stitched a zig-zag across.

Happy Birthday Denise!!

Cheerio.....Leslie