Grow Your Blog

Hello, world!  My name is Dodie, and I enjoy blogging.  It's been a real learning experience to figure out how to make some of the features work here at BlogSpot.

I also enjoy creating cards and multi-media projects as well as reading other people's blogs for new ideas.  I've had my crafting blog for about two years, and, as you can see, I have only two followers, and I am one of the two since I was checking it out to see how it works. (Update:  now I'm up to five followers!) 

I'm so fortunate to be part of Vicki Boster's Grow Your Blog party, and I'm looking forward to making friends from all over the globe, both from being followed and by following others.

Why do I blog about my creations?  I do it to share my work with others and (hopefully) to get some validation that my work is worth noticing.  After all, I can only ask my husband once per creation to let me know how he likes it :).

NEW! JUST ADDED! NEW! JUST ADDED! NEW! JUST ADDED!

If you would like to receive two three cards from me (shown below), just leave a comment.  I will pick the winner on Sunday, February 15, 2015 at 12:00 noon E.S.T.

 

 

So, let's enjoy this blog party ... I'll see you around the blogosphere!  Please feel free to email me directly at pajer4004@comcast.net if you have any questions or comments.  Thank you.

 

Happy Valentine's Day

I haven't participated in a Mojo Monday challenge for quite some time.  This afternoon, though, I looked at this week's sketch (Challenge #381), and I decided that I had to participate.  Here's the sketch:

 

And here is my interpretation:

Thinking of You

I am having so much fun making cards this weekend.  Of course, don't ask about the chores that I should also be doing. Here's another watercolor background card that I cut with my Spellbinders Fancy Postage Stamps die. The die atop that is my Tim Holtz Courtyard Frameworks die.

Isn't the little ladybug the cutest?  My mother-in-law passed away last year, and all of her costume jewelry came my way.  I finished taking apart everything yesterday, and this was on one of the pieces.  I hope the recipient recognizes it!

Watercolor Hello

This is going out to a friend who is in the hospital.  I had so much fun trying out the watercoloring techniques I've seen online recently.  I colored some paper with several colors of Tim Holtz' Distress Inks a few weeks ago, and it was sitting in my stash.  I decided to use my new My Favorite Things' Snow Drifts die that I purchased last month at Violette's Scrapbook Store in Lakeland, Florida.  (If you are in the Tampa/Orlando area, it's a quick trip ... I promise you won't be disappointed!)

Then, I layered on the Simon Says Stamp Big Hello Die which I highlighted with my Wink of Stella Clear Brush.  Love it!

I am entering this into the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Inky Background.

A sparkling white thank you

Well, this card certainly shows my love for dies. Cheery Lynn Designs Lace Corner Deco I die.  It's intended for corners, but it also makes a unique focal point in the middle of my card.  I am entering this into Cheery Lynn Designs blog challenge #166 titled Winter Whites.

I also used Simon Says Stamp Thanks Craft Die S202. Doesn't that thanks add just the right amount of sparkle to the card?  I also filled in the spaces in and around the corner dies using a clear Wink of Stella pen.  If you look closely, you might see the glitz there! I am entering this card into the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge blog Anything Goes challenge. Everything sits on top of the Spellbinders Fancy Postage Stamps die that I used for the background.

January 2015 Tag

Well, it is officially 2015.  I haven't made any resolutions ... never do (not that I'm perfect, it's just that I'm not perfect and could never keep up a resolution for more than two days).  Rather, this tag highlights some words and concepts that are important to me and should be at the forefront of my mind throughout the entire year.

I love looking at the tags that Tim Holtz makes each month.  They are such mouthwatering tidbits of creativity.  Although I don't participate each month, I do enjoy all of the ideas as well as the creative process.  I frequently call upon those ideas on my own projects.  This month, however, decided to use Tim's tag while still making it my own. Check out his by clicking on the picture below.

 

I have to say that he does an outstanding job explaining each step in the creative process.  I also like how he doesn't expect an exact duplicate of his tag; instead he suggests using it as an inspiration (although it is okay to recreate his tag). I don't have many of the products he used, so I improvised.

 

 

Doesn't this tag sparkle? I used several Perfect Pearls for the edges as well as flicking them over the entire tag since I don't have the spatter brush.

 

I cut the word happy three times (and stacked them together) from my Mama Elephant Happy Die. Happy is my word for this year.  I painted it black and then added bronze and brass stains with white outlining.

Finally, here are some closer views of the top and bottom portions of the tag.  I love this tag, and I think it will sit on a counter where I will be able to see it every day.

Here's wishing you and yours a very Happy New Year.  I hope that it's the best it can be!