High Hopes - Fisherman

My friend Murray is a fisherman and avid outdoor's man, in fact he even built a beautiful house on a lake so he'd have better views and access!  I found as well that when I prepared to do this post that when I don't use a stamp very often I have to go look and see who the manufacturer is of those that I seldom use!  In this case the High Hopes image - which although very nice is one that I don't go to that often. I see by my stamp cupboards that there are a fair amount of stamps that fall into this category - I must force myself to use the zillions of dollars worth of stamps I have moldering away in there!
Materials:  Image: High Hopes Rubber Stamp; Background Weeds (barely visible) Inkadinkado;  Sizzix Embossing Folder; CS: SU: Sentiment: CTMH: Colour by Copic

A Car for Gerry - Ippity

One of my colleagues has a birthday at the end of September, and although he doesn't have a red car; nor has he ever, to my knowledge expressed a desire to have one, I liked this car so decided to make Gerry's card with this stamp.  I also got to use my tire track SU wheel to mark up the background.  Just by itself the card looked a bit bare so I added the two stripes on the side to try and fill it up.  That's sometimes the trouble with stamped images I find - they are kind of small so you have to do lots of stuff on the card front to fill it up!
Materials:  Ippity Rubber Stamp (I think); Sentiment: SU: Tire Tracks: SU: CS: SU: Colour by Copic

Art Impressions - Golfers

I love these Art Impressions images - from their Golden Oldies collection.  My friend Barb, who had a birthday a couple of days ago, also has an anniversary in September, so this card is for her and Al.  I found a digital picture of a golf ball, so copied it, sized it and cut it out as my background.  The card is 5.25 x 5.25 square and I love square cards!  The grass is a Memory Box die --- I'm really happy with how the whole card turned out and can't wait to send it to them!
Materials:  Art Impressions Rubber Stamps; Sizzix/SU Cloud Embossing Folder; Memory Box grass; Colour by Copic

Balloons and Bunny - For Livia

House Mouse designs are beautiful, whimsical and fun.   This little bunny from their Happy Hoppers collection is very sweet.  So, I chose this image for my friend Livia.  Livia just returned to work after a year's maternity leave -- and it must have been hard for her to leave her little guy at home!  I thought this little bunny was sweet and although juvenile, got into the spirit of having a new baby in the house.
Materials:  House Mouse/Happy  Hoppers rubber stamp; Sizzix/SU Cloud embossing template; Sizzix Dies; Sentiment: CTMH: CS: SU: Colour by Copic

Art Impressions - Vera - For Barb

My friend Barb is an avid golfer - and this year she turns 64 - over which she is quite depressed!  I think she should be celebrating and revelling in every year that has worked to make her the fabulous woman that she is.  I first met Barb at a golf meeting and rapidly enjoyed her company, her friendship and her golf savvy.  She doesn't look remotely like Vera here, but I think she'll get a laugh out of the card, which is what I'm aiming for -- although if my aim here is anything like my aim on the golf course, I'll be way off target!
Materials:  Art Impressions Rubber Stamp; Sizzix Embossing Folder/SU: Sizzix Dies; Sentiment: CTMH: CS: SU: Colour by Copic

Stampscapes - Cabin by the Lake

This card is for one of my colleagues, Nicki, who is an outdoorsy woman, who loves camping, fishing, snowmobiling, and possibly hunting!  Whenever I think of her, I think of the woods and camping, hence this Stampscapes image.  I also decided to use the wood-effect Sizzix embossing folder to maintain an outdoorsy look.  The card looked a bit bare to me so I added the picture corners.  Doing the reflection in the water was a bit easier this time - I think I'm improving!
Materials:  Stampscapes Rubber Stamp; Sizzix Die and  Embossing Folder which is Sizzix/SU: CS: SU; Sentiment: CTMH; Colour by Copic

Elizabeth Bell - Peekers - For Jill

Usually when I sit down to do my cards, I do a series - like all the birthdays I have to do in September for instance - so usually I do about 9 or 10 at a time.  I choose the images I want for each person, either stamp or print them out (this is a stamped image above); colour them then make each card.  And, because I do them in tandem, I seem (it is now evident to me) to maintain the same sort of background and templates for each -- this was obviously the month of embossing folder backgrounds -- looks nice though I think! This card is for my fried and colleague Jill.  She and I have worked together for many years, and she has received a number of cards from me - so again I don't want to duplicate.  Jill is outdoorsy and loves to garden, so this little girl peeking into a bird bath seemed appropriate.
Materials:  Stamp:  Elizabeth Bell - Peekers; Butterflies: MS Punch; Sizzix Embossing Folder and Dies; CS: SU; Colour by Copic

Miles the Mouse - Kraftin' Kimmie

It looks like Kraftin' Kimmie doesn't carry or have these Miles the Mouse stamps anymore - originally created by Steven Leary -- too bad because I love Miles.  In this instance, I've been making my friend Mona cards for a number of years and don't want to duplicate anything - which as I think of it is kind of hard as I appear to seldom duplicate any card - like all the people who get cards are going to get together and accuse me of lack of imagination!  Regardless, I really like this little Miles one -- we've all (or I console myself by thinking everybody has) consumed a little too much birthday cake in our lives. This little Miles has definitely had his fill!
Materials:  Stamp:  Kraftin' Kimmie; Flowers by Prima; Embossing Folder:  Sizzix/SU: Sentiment: CTMH: CS: SU: Colour by Copic

Sorry Shanna - Mo Manning

As you can see, I really, really love Mo Manning's images.  I think it safe to say that for most occasions, I can find a Mo Manning image that shows what I want to demonstrate, or says what I want to say, graphically.  This little girl looks so sad -- and that is what I wanted the recipient to know, that I was sad she was leaving our ministry (government not religious) but happy that she was going to another.  This young woman has CF - a terrible lung disease, yet she soldiers on.  Her sister has already died from it, and one of her brothers also has the disease.  She is quite the inspiration - plus she's very nice, talented and generally great to know.  I hope she does well. And, I hope she liked the card!!
Materials:  Digital Image:  Mo Manning; CS: SU: Sizzix embossing folder; Sizzix Dies; Colour by Copic

Baby Fairy Butterfly - Mo Manning

My little granddaughter Katie just turned 2 and she looks a lot like this little fairy - minus the wings of course!  In fact, her mother says she's quite a little devil, so perhaps horns would have been better!  Regardless, I love this image so thought it would be perfect for the little princess.  And, as usual with children's cards, I hid a toonie under the circle/butterfly.  When Katie opened it she immediately looked for the money. Doesn't take long!
Materials:  Digital Image: Mo Manning; Butterflies: Martha Stewart Punch; Sentiment: CTMH: Sizzix Dies; Colour by Copic

Ragged Romeo - Mo Manning

My eldest daughter and her husband have now been married for an incredible 12 years!  Where has the time gone.  They are a great couple, and I think they are quite well matched. They've also produced a couple of beautiful daughters for whom I am extremely grateful! This Mo Manning image is quite romantic I think and sweet so I chose it for Sarah and Steve.  I also got them new frying pans - their old pans were the pits --- I suspect she'll now start leaving things I hate around her place so I'll see them, be disgusted and replace them!
Materials:  Mo Manning digital imate; Corners by SCACD; CS: SU: Colour by Copic

Gonna Miss You

One of my colleagues and friends is leaving to take on another job for a few months, and if she likes it, will stay with her new employer --- I'm pretty confident she's going to like it!  We, her colleagues left behind decided to send her a card and some flowers -- this is the card I made for all of us to sign - on the inside (!) and send.  I quite like how it turned out!  The girl and suitcases are 2 separate images.  I guess you can perch her on just about anything!
Materials:  Digital Image:  Tiddly Inks; Sentiments:  CTMH: Colour by Copic

Fairy Princess - Mo Manning

My next door neighbour's granddaughter Kiera is a lovely little girl - who usually comes to visit and do crafts with me when she's visiting.  We have both agreed (Kiera and I) that it's nice to sit with a friend and see each other's work and say it looks beautiful!  She is a chatty little thing and a joy to be around.  So, every year for Keira's birthday I send her a card.  This year Kiera is 6! She loves rainbows and fairies, so this year a fairy is what she got.  The toonie is hidden under the flowers.
Materials:  Digital Image:  Mo Manning; Sizzix Die and Embossing Folder; CS: SU: Flowers by Prima; Glitter: MS: Colour by Copic