My quest

My quest to take better photos is in full swing.  On one of the blogs I visited recently the owners daughter made a light box out of a  clear plastic bin, interfacing, and poster board with two clip-on desk lamps.  Her pictures were awesome!  It follows the same principals of a cardboard box only sturdier.  I think I will give it a try!  Now to find a place in the house to take my pictures.  So far I have been venturing outside with a chair, some fabric, and my trusty tripod.  I can's wait to pick Lisa's brain for some more details!  Has anyone else had success with other light boxes?  I know Susanne Dean gave me some tips-Thanks Susanne!  I don't have Photoshop but do have another program thru Kodak that allows me to adjust my photos.  Now to learn how to use it! lol.

I have my other two birthday cards for my mom to show you.  Just waiting for the wet weather to leave so I can take the photos.  I may need yet ANOTHER camera battery.  Darn It!

I also have a steampunk spoon to show you.  We have a swap going on over at Art For The Creative Mind.  You should google it and check it out.  My link feature is giving me trouble or I would give you the link for the group.  It is a Yahoo group.  I never did any art in that style so it was a real stretch for me.  Everyone should take time to go out of their comfort zone and explore.  Which brings me to image transfers.  There are so many techniques to use.  Aileens Tacky Glue, Packing Tape, Lemon  scented Pinesol but I am going to be trying Gesso on Canvas.  You spread Gesso on your canvas about the thickness of peanut butter.  Place your image on top then leave it alone for a full 24hrs.  You can't touch it before hand.  Spray it with water then start rubbing the paper off with your fingers.  This will take a little bit but it is so worth it!  If some of the image doesn't transfer thats okay-we like it that way!  Give it a try.  Google or search U-tube for other image transfer directions.  Enjoy your day!  I'm off to play with the kiddies.  Love, Elle   

Happy Birthday Mom

I have been playing around with different images to use for a birthday card for my mom.  I want something to cheer her up after loosing my dad three months ago.  She deserves something cute and pretty.  Is this the card?  I will be posted a couple more in the next week or so and will let you decide.  Contructive critisism is welcome!  Love, Elle

Summer Fun

Today's card is my entry into TOMIC'S Challenge #3-Summer.  Tilda is wading into the water, not sure of whether she wants to go swimming or not.  Have your every done that?  Maybe the water is too cold or maybe she doesn't really know how to swim!  Her mom told her not to get her new dress wet but the water is too tempting.  Will she or won't she?  I'll never tell!  I colored her with Copic markers matching my colors with the colors in my dp.  I used some Crystal Effects for the water.  It makes it so real.  My ribbon is from PTI and the buttons are tied with yellow twine and are from my stash.  You should see my stash of buttons.  I must have hundreds of them all sorted by color in mason jars.  The shaped background is cut out using a Nestibility Die and my Big Shot.  I hope you like my card!  Love, Elle

Postcard to Paris

Today I am entering Tomic's #2 Challenge-Color Combo White + Pink + Brown.  I have been wanting to use this Parisian background paper for some time now and what better way then my Postcard to Paris.  I received this stamped image of Tilda in an image exchange and thought her perfect for this card.  I colored her with my trusy Copic markers and set her aside.  The postcard paper was from a pack of paper I bought at PTI (papertreyinc).  I oulined it with Star Dust stickles to "glamourize" it.  The flower was die cut using flower dies also from PTI, edged with distresser ink (along with my image), attached together with a brad then spritzed with water to make the paper more pliable.  I squished it and squished it until the flower formed to my visions.  I added some pearls and lace trim by the flower and hung my Eifel Tower charm so it just dangled down the edge.  I thought the lace trim at the bottom finished my card off perfectly.  I hope you enjoy my challenge entry!  Love, Elle

Happy Days!

Happy days are here again!  It has been a hard year so far and I decided to take my life back.  Yes I did.  I bought a beautiful placque at CrackerBarrel (restuarant) that says "Life Is Good".  It has a predominent place on the bookcase in my living room and is there to remind me that Happy Days are indeed here again.  I wanted to make a card that shows that same thing.  Did I succeed? I love the background paper and the sweet, sweet buttons on the bottom.  She looks like she is dancing the happy dance, doesn't she?  I hope my card today makes you happy and brings a smile to your day.  Love, Elle

Happy Birthday Challenge #2

I realized after I posted my first card that this was suppose to be a Happy Birthday project for Paulina!  I hope she likes little guys lol.  I then got to work creating a new card for the Magnolia Inspiration Challenge.  Today's card featured Tilda holding a birthday package.  I was buried in the bottom of my paper stash when I would this gorgeous background paper.  I used a cut-out from that paper for her party hat.  The sentiment "wrapped in love" was also cut out and popped up sitting atop a dainty doily.  The bow that I added was created by dying some white seam binding with distress inks.  Pretty, isn't it? I sewed the background paper to the cardstock for that "special" effect.  I thought her dress needed something extra so I added polkadots using my white gel pen.  A perfect match for her hat!  I'm not sure of the Copic colors for a lot of the project but I can tell you that her dress was colored using R81, R83, and R85.  I hope that you enjoy my efforts!  Love, Elle 

Happy Birthday Challenge

Today is my first entry into the new TOMIC-Magnolia Inspiration Challenge-website.  This weeks challenge is to create a Happy Birthday Project.  Yesterday I was playing around with Edwin catching butterflies-too cute!-and thought it would make a perfect birthday card.  Some of the elements in the design that I thought would put it together are my green bakers twine with the masculine brown button in the center.  Makes for a great item for your eye to travel to.  The next elements are the different contrasting paper designs that I stapled to the right side of the card.  I cut both of these using PTI dies.  I thing printed out my sentiment and also stapled that to the card using my Tim Holtz mini stapler.  I know, I am a gadget junkie lol.  Using design from both sides of your cardstock guarentees cohesiveness.  I hope you enjoy today's card!  Love, Elle

Patches and Pearls

Today I thought I would combine a few things to come up with what I call Patches and Pearls.  Tilda is from an older collection.  I just love her braided pigtails, don't you?  I colored her with Copic Markers and added some bling with a gel pin in clear for the wings.  The ribbon is from Papertrey Inc. and the background circle is from one of my Nestability sets.  I thing the kraft paper along with the lace is a perfect contrast.  Add some pearls and there you go!  I think I will add this card to one of the Magnolia challenges.  Love, Elle

Happy Spring!

Happy Spring!  I thought I would make a card honoring Springtime before it became Summer in the near future.  Leave it to me to procrastinate!  How is everyone today?  I'm stupendous.  Today's card shows Tilda licking her lollipop is all of her Spring finery.  I added a tiny clothspin-can't you just smell your sheets hanging in the breeze to dry?  The sentiment is from one of my PapertreyInc. sets.  What can I say-this card just makes me want to go outside and play hopscotch on the sidewalk.  Enjoy!  Love, Elle