Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Holiday tinkering....

Okay not your average Christmas card, but a lot of fun. I love humorous card, and adore these stamps by Stampotique artists Daniel Torrente and Jill Penney. One flaw is that they are "long" which does not lend them to the smaller cards easily. this image (Noelle) is one I am using for my cards this year. They also had the phrase stamp. The problem was making it fit. I decided to make the words look like ornaments by punching each out with a circle punch and adding a stickles top to them. Now I am going to "tame" them down by changing the "d" word to "darn" for most of the ones I will send out. However those that truly know me, and can tolerate my dry, sometimes sarcastic humor will laugh and know right away who sent the card before they even open it. I told my friend Linda, I was in a "cranky" state of mind when I decided to make these cards, but that isn't really true. I think they are funny, and to be honest who doesn't occasionally feel a bit "Scrooge-like" running around for the holidays. I played with my sewing machine and added some stitching, they are distressed and made to look a bit battered. It matches the rough and gritty feel of these images. They are so neat, I have a wish list for more of them!
Inside I used a sentiment from Stampotique (bla bla) and one from Archivers ($1.99 stamp Merry Christmas). I love it, I think I will make some birthday and other cards like this. It made me chuckle, I am notorious for "skimming" sentiments when I get a card. They can be a bit syrupy for me at times. Being a "get to the point" kinda gal, I think this reflects that feeling as well as my sometime off-beat humor.
What else have i been doing? Well, I am still soldering away here. Have been lucky enough to have a few orders for some vintage Santa charms. Also playing with some ideas of my own. Feeling in a festive mood I sent a few out to some of my fellow "Bloggers" (you know who you are) who still visit my blog. I should have taken some pics of them to share with you here, but hopefully they will like them and perhaps share them with you. the truth is it doesn't matter as long as it brings a smile to their face. After all who doesn't like getting a nice surprise in the mail?
I will share the one charm I made for Suzi blu. She has been trying her hand at soldering. (I had also made her a bracelet a few years ago when her beloved cat "Pooh" past away). I decided I would include her in my list of people to surprise. Using a couple images(and for her charm only) of her work, I decided to make a shadowbox. I added some little glitter stars and dots that float around inside. Although I know I posted that these are a pain (and they are). I think I am starting to get the hang of them. It was fun, and I hope she likes it.
On the back I placed another of Suzi's artwork. I added a bit of "bling" with glitter and a beaded accent in pink and pearl.
After a rough Thanksgiving (our daughters car broke down the day before, in Kalamazoo. My husband and son had to drive up and tow the car home that night. then my husbands truck broke down while towing, and well from there it doesn't get better.... we are fine now, broke, but okay. I am ready for an "uneventful" Christmas.

11 comments:

Lollyrot said...

what a great Christmas card!!! love the background .really nice paper and you know.. your charms are FANTASTIC!

Basement Stamper said...

Great Christmas card, I love that sentiment it always cracks me up. Those images are perfect for longer cards, but I know what you mean about making them work on standard cards. Thanks for joining us at Stampotique Designer's Challenge!

Willy said...

Funny and beautiful Christmas card. Great text! Thanks for joining us at SDC # 20.

Kaz said...

I love this card, well done on making use of lots of stamps!
Thanks for joining us at Stampotique x

Karen said...

Fantastic Christmas card! I love it. I love that it is so non-traditional and who doesn't feel that way at one point or another during the holidays. I wish I had the balls to put the blah blah blah stamp in my cards this year instead of writing the boring usual. So clever.

Vicki G said...

LOVE the sentiment on your prettty card! Thanks for playing with us this week!

Vicki

Kim said...

hahhahah..awesome!!! Thank you for playing with us this week!

Valerie H. Marshall said...

Ok, I want to send THIS card out to my entire mailing list!!! LOL!!! Simply fantastic! Thank you for sharing it with us at Stampotique this week!
Cheers,
Val :)

Thelma-Art said...

Fantastic, they're great!!

Renee said...

Just found your blog today through Stampotique. I have the same Christmas sentiment through a different company- see, you are not alone in finding the humor in our scroogy moments. But I really wanted to comment on your soldering pendants. I love them!!!!!!!!!!!! That's the danger in cruising the cyber galaxy- the potential for more craft items grows exponentially. I am tinkering in metal right now (in addition to paper and clay)and I LOVE your soldered pendants. I love the loose elements in addition to the stamped images! Keep posting and I will keep looking. - Renee

biba3006 said...

Very cool christmas card!!!
I like using Stampotique stamps, and I love this kind of humor ;99

Hugs
biba