He Restores My Soul

I recently got this Bible verse and had a Church from Stampscapes so decided to combine them.  I thought I would add some snowflakes using embossing paste and a stencil.  Not sure I would add them again or at least not as many.  I did very little coloring on this.

Also wanted to pop in to say Happy New Year to all!  Be safe but have fun!!

Until next time, happy trails to you!

Sheri

Merry Christmas

I wanted to jump on today and wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!  A lot of my cards this year were religious based but this one was just a fun one.  I love these little stockings from Memory Box.  Let us always remember the true reason for this celebration even if we do put some fun into it as well.  Thank you all for being faithful readers of  my little blog and yes, I have a lot to be grateful for.

Sheri

Trees Trees and More Trees

Here are some more cards I made.  All tree cards.  All were colored with sponges and distress inks.  The dies for the top two are from Memory Box and so is the snowflake border on the first card. I hope you are inspired to make some tree cards.  I would love to see them so let me know if you make some!

Until next time, happy trails to you!!

Sheri

More Christmas Cards

Here are a couple more of the cards I made this year.  The first one has glittery paper for the snowdrifts and then I cut doubles of all of the dies so I could put a dark shadow behind them.  The second card is a shaker card that I made for a friend.  Just something fun to do! 

Until next time, Happy trails to you!

Sheri

More Christmas Cards.

I am way behind!  My original intent was to put a new card up daily.  Well, you see how that worked.  So I think I will put two up at the same time!  The first card with the pinecones is a Taylored Expressions stamp set.  The second card uses Memory Box mittens   I have had fun making lots of different cards this year .

Our weather has been splendid!  Beautiful warm days making you think it is late September or early October.  Well, today was still nice but not nearly as nice and tomorrow and Monday we will have lots of rain and then the temperatures will be cold!  All good things must come to an end but gosh it was a good run!  I think it is time for me to wrap Christmas gifts!

Until next time, happy trails to you....

Sheri

First Christmas card

I thought I better start to show my Christmas cards I made this year.  As fast as the time goes, it will be over before we know it.  I used a die from Impression Obsession for the presents and then put some shiny red paper behind them.  I then punched some sprigs of evergreen with my MS punch and finally put a strip of embossed paper beneath it.

I have finally started my shopping and have made a dent, I think.  I need to pull everything out next week to see what else is needed.  Tomorrow my family and I are going to A Christmas Carol at the community playhouse.  It is always a great production. 

I will be back soon with another Christmas card.  Until then, happy trails to you!!!
Sheri

Happy Thanksgiving!

Just wanted to hop on here and wish everyone a very happy Thanksgiving.  Be safe if you are traveling!  Sorry for the lousy picture but I forgot to take one before sending it out! 


Until next time, Happy trails to you!
Sheri

Cozy Quilts

A friend of mine and fellow church member fell and broke her wrist recently.  She had surgery a week ago.  She is quite a talented quilter as well so I made her this card.  The spool of thread and sentiment is embossed with platinum embossing powder but I could not get a good picture of it so show.  Very pretty in person. 

We are still having beautiful weather.  57 and sunny today and again up in the 60's soon.  I could certainly learn to live with this year round!

Until next time, happy trails to you!

Sheri

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

HAPPY HALLOWEEN TO ALL AND TO ALL A SCARY NIGHT!

AUTUMN

I did some more ink smooshing on the background of this card and then die cut the leaves and inked them as well.  Pretty simple straight forward card.  Why are leaves so much nicer on paper than on my lawn?!  Our weather has been in the 50's and 60's lately which is crisp but sure nice for walking.  They are forecasting some 70's soon but that will feel nice. 

Oh remember I said I would let you  know if I read a good book?  Well I have two of them for you today.  Blueprints by Barbara Delinsky and Dashing Through the Snow by Debbie Macomber. The snow one is a real quick fun read to put you in the Christmas spirit.  I get them from the library so may read them very early or in March or July!  LOL 

Until next time, happy trails to you...

Sheri

Birthday Greetings

Did you wonder where I have been?  Gosh, I didn't realize it had been so long since my last post.  My second bathroom and closet has been completed with a remodel and I was clearing out the family room and bedroom so the carpet cleaners could come.  Then of course things had to go back and the bathroom and closet put together.  Still not finished with the little stuff but it is livable now.   I made this card for our pastor's wife for her birthday.  I really like the Open Studio dies from Memory Box.  I just used Distress inks behind it and blended them with fall colors and voila, a simple but I think pretty card was born. 

Until next time, happy trails to you...

Sheri

Butterfly Sympathy

While I was still smooshing my Distress inks, I made this card as well.  I really do like this technique.  I paired it up with a butterfly I found that I have had for years.  It is a rub on.  I really like them and went to find more and they don't make rub ons anymore - or at least that I can find. 

Today is my youngest daughters birthday!  Happy birthday, Michelle! 

Thanks for visiting!  And until next time, happy trails to you!

Sheri

Spooky October

Well, it has been awhile since I have been here.  Things have been crazy around the house.  I am putting in a new bathroom and this week has been filled with cleaning up the dust and dirt from that that seems to filter everywhere in the house.  I have washed walls, hauled boxes, etc. Tomorrow the carpet cleaner comes so if the contractor comes today he could finish up!  Have my fingers crossed!  Anyway, I thought I would kick off October with a spooky card I made in September.  I used distress inks to blend the background and then dies for the rest of the card.  I hope you like it and don't get to scared! LOL

Until next time, happy trails to you...

Sheri

Exploring Watercolor Mediums

I am taking another Online Card Class and this one is all about watercoloring and exploring different mediums.  I used Distress inks on Tim Holtz watercolor paper for this one.   I make cards for church and these cards are going to the college students.  The class was perfect for this card.  I really love the effect "smooshing" makes.

We have had lots of rain in the last 24 hours.  Just under 5 inches at my house and it is raining again.  

Thanks for looking.  Until next time, happy trails to you...

Sheri

Thanks

 

 A couple of weeks ago I was invited to an annual event at a beautiful golf course.  No, we didn't play golf, there were hot air balloons there and also dinner and some speakers.  The weather was perfect and we had a wonderful time.  I made this card to thank them for inviting me.  My daughter  and son in law, and grandkids and even a girl friend came along.  A perfect evening.  Of course this is colored with my Copics.  

My friend Stephanye and I went to see War Room today.  We both enjoyed the movie alot.  The cast was very good and there was a lot of humor mixed in the movie.  

Until next time, happy trails to you!!

Sheri

Whispers of Your Heart

My group had a color challenge recently that called for us to mix gold and raspberry.  I made this card.  The gold cardstock was the beginnings of a card.  Then I stamped the flower with Versamark on vellum and then used gold embossing powder and heated it.  I then colored it with my Copic markers.  I used a verse that I had and liked using the gold embossing powder as well.  A scattering of sequins and gold stars finished the card.  I was pleased with the turn out of this card.  I really love the sentiment.

Well, September is here and fall is around the corner.  School has started, meetings at church have resumed, Bible study is soon to start and the fall and winter will be here soon.  It was extremely hot here yesterday but now it is nice and I am trying to soak up all of the nice weather I can before the winter chill. 

Until next time, happy trails to you...

Sheri

For Marj and Max on their 60th

I have cousins who celebrated a very special anniversary and this is the card I sent them.  These stamps are some of the very first I ever got and they have not been used in years.  I did some masking to get them on the page right and then had a little hummingbird 3 dimensional sticker that I added.  I meant to put this on my blog on the day of their anniversary but it didn't happen.  At least they received it on time!

We have had beautiful weather for the last couple of weeks but now the heat is returning.  This is the time we need to bottle it for the uncoming cold weather to come. 

Until next time, happy trails to you...

Sheri

Survivor

 

A friend of mine, Judy, has completed her chemo and radiation for breast cancer.  She finished up in the spring but I waited until she really started to feel good again before I sent her this card.  I punched the butterflies with a Martha Stewart punch and watercolored them with my Peerless watercolors.  

I do believe fall is in the air.  The nights are cooler which is nice but I am certain we will have more hot summer days and nights ahead.  This is just a little teaser.  

Until next time, happy trails to you...

Sheri

50th Anniversary

A good friend of mine asked me to make a 50th anniversary card for her to give to a church member of hers.  I came up with this one and am pleased with how it turned out.  That is gold shiny cardstock over some shimmery  white cardstock. I used the same shimmery cardstock on the front panel and then used gold embossing powder for the writing.  Then I decided to add some vellum leaves to complete the card.  I hope the recipient liked it!

Until next time, happy trails to you...

Sheri

Heaven's Garden

I recently needed a sympathy card and had found this stamp set by a new to me company called Dare 2B Artzy.  I really liked the simplicity of the set and loved the sentiment.  Colored the image with Copics and added a tiny butterfly by Little B and popped it in the mail.

Did you notice the real little flowers?  My friend Stephanye brought them to me and they were so sweet.  Thank you again, dear friend.

I am hearing the weather is crazy everywhere.  We have had some big storms lately and this morning it feels like fall.  There is a chill in the air.  Sure not ready for that!

Until next time, happy trails to you...

Sheri

Friend - inspired by Laura Bassen

This is the last card I made for the Online Card Class.  It was inspired by Laura Bassen.  First I inked my cardstock and then I used embossing paste and over the whole card front.  I really like how it turned out.  Lastly I added a die cut word .  Mounted it on black and a card was born!  Hope you like it!

Sheri

Day 5 Online Card Class

Laura Bassen showed us how to just put a blob of embossing paste in the center of the card front and let it dry and then ink it up.  Who knew that it would take ink that well.  Anyway after that was finished, I added the sentiment on vellum, put embossing powder on it and heat set it.  I also added some hearts from a WPlus9 set of tiny little embellishments.  I will be right back with the last card I made for this class.

Sheri

Class Assignment Day 4

Today Kristina and Laura talked about ink blending through a stencil.  I came up with this card.  I used my distress inks for it and I really do like how it came out. The die is from Memory Box and the sentiment is from My Crafts Meow which is no longer in business.  Loved their sentiments!

Thanks for looking

Sheri

Class Assignment Day 1 Spooky Halloween

As I was ink blending I thought it could be fun to make a Halloween sky so I got out some dies and went to town.  I spritzed the inked background with water after coloring it.  I love the effect you get when you do that.  Ok, back to the craft room!  LOL

Sheri

Class Assignment Day 1

I am on a roll!  Here is another card from Day 1 of class using ink blending.  I used Tumbled Glass, Peeled Paint and Mustard Seed.  I wish the picture showed it better but this was as good as I could get.  The sailboats are from Impression Obsession and the waves are from PTI.  Thanks for looking

Sheri

Class Assignment Day 2 Card 2

Laura Bassen showed us how to make several plaid backgrounds.  I loved this.  I applied my stripes using Papertrey Inks Distressed Stripes set.  I didn't have any really soft grey inks so made do with what I had.  After putting my stripes down, I then did some ink blending over the stripes and I really do like how it turned out for a first time try. The Online Card Classes are amazing.  You really do learn a lot.  Thanks for looking. 

Sheri

Class Assignment Day 2 Card 1

One of the techniques we learned today in class was to apply ink to our paper by blending colors together and when finished and dried to go back and add a background stamp with Versamark ink and then heat set it.  I was hoping my Versamark would show up a bit better but it is surely a cool technique.  I zoomed in on the second picture so you could perhaps pick up the background stamp easier.  Thanks for looking!

Until next time, happy trails to you

Sheri

Night Sky Online Card Class

I am taking a new class called Background Check - another in a series of great classes by Jennifer McGuire, Kristina Warner and Laura Bassen called Online Card Classes.  I have taken several of these classes and always learn something new.  Today I am sharing a card I made using Tim Holtz Distress Inks, Antique Linen, Victorian Velvet, Seedless Preserves, Chipped Sapphire and a little Black Soot.  After I got them blended, I splattered water on it to take away color in some spots.  Very cool effect.  Then I added my Simon Says Stamp roller coaster, my sentiments, and then some white dots for stars.  Then I found some dimensional stars and added them.  I love this night sky look with the roller coaster in the foreground.  Brings back many memories. 

Until next time, happy trails to you

Sheri

Happy Birthday Aaron

I forgot to post Aaron's birthday card!  Aaron is the youngest of my 5 grands and he turned 11 on the 19th of July.  I intended for this to be up on that date but was busy and completely forgot to post that day.  Anyway I put a ton of Crystal Effects on his glasses and colored the rest in with my Copics. 

Until next time happy trails to you!!!

Sheri

Happy Anniversary Michelle and Brian

Today my daughter and her husband are celebrating their 16th wedding anniversary.  Time sure flies by.  It doesn't seem that it can be that long already.  I made this card for them to celebrate the occasion.  I can't wait to see what the next 16 years will bring them.  Happy anniversary, Kids!  I love you!!

Until next time...
happy trails to you..

Sheri

Missing Riley

My good friend Kris had to put her beloved dog, Riley down last week.  I made this card for her from MFT stamps and dies and the sentiment is from PTI.  I can't even imagine how hard it has to be for her.  He was her companion for 16 years.  Remember the song, Love Hurts?  Well, by golly it is true, it DOES hurt.  The price of love is high but it is so worth it.

My kids and grandkids came over yesterday and helped around the house.  I had a broken gate and needed some branches trimmed way up high.  All done - couldn't love them more.  Thanks guys!  You're the best!  It was perfect weather wise.  It has been nice all week.  But now the furnace is working again and we are in for a very hot week ahead.  Starting Saturday the temperatures will be in the mid to high 90's.  Time to stay inside and stamp and read.  I love it but really feel lazy when I can't get out.  We are fortunate we have not had the storms that other places have had. 

Until next time, happy trails to you!

Sheri

Sizzling Summer Colors

When I was in Des Moines I cut this flower from Memory Box out of gold paper. I was not sure what I was going to do with it but decided to use some summer colors with it so I grabbed my Distress Inks and started blending.  I really liked how the colors turned out.  It is almost magical to watch them blend together.   

I am finishing up a book titled American Wife by Taya Kyle, the wife of the American Sniper, Chris Kyle.  It is very good seeing their life from her side. 

I can't believe it is almost the 4th of July already!  The summer is going way to fast!  What happened to the lazy hazy crazy days of summer????

Until next time, happy trails to you!

Sheri

Group Gathering, Aaron and Misc

 It has been a busy couple of weeks here.  First on the 3rd, my friend Harriet came from California and stayed with me until Sunday morning.  We spent the majority of our time at Georgia's house stamping.  Harriet is the one with the shopping bag in her hands and Georgia is next to her in the flowered shirt.  On Sunday we went and met up with the rest of our group in DesMoines Iowa for a fun filled 3 days of stamping, laughing, and shopping.  It is an annual affair and we have so much fun!  I got home on Tuesday evening and then on Friday I went to Kansas City MO. for lunch with a friend.  Love Strouds restaurant and well worth the 6 hour drive for lunch! 

 On Sunday my grandson Aaron came to stay with me for a week while he attends Camp Kindness at the Humane Society.  He did this a few years ago and really enjoyed it so he wanted to do it again.  We are having fun so far.  We went to the store today and stocked up on groceries that he wanted.

Last but not least I made this card for Georgia for our card swap this month.  I was happy with the way it turned out.  The flowers are from MFT. and of course a card is not complete without sequins!

Until next time, Happy trails to you

Sheri

With Sympathy

As you probably all know, I make cards for my church and had a little extra time this week so I thought I would make a few sympathy cards so I would be ahead of the game for a change.  I love these Penny Black stamps for all kinds of occasions, however I think they make beautiful sympathy cards.  Hopefully they will sit for a very long time before I have to use them! 

We have had lots of rain and clouds.  We really need some warm sunshine for awhile. 

Until next time, happy trails to you...

Sheri

A CHEERFUL HEART

I made this card a while back and forgot to post it!  I used distress inks to watercolor the background and then a friend sent me the Diamond die from Memory Box and I added that on top.  Then a die from Papertrey Ink and a sentiment from Papertrey Ink's A Cheerful Ink set.  I love this set of stamps!  A few sequins from Pretty Pink Posh and it's a wrap! 

We have had a rainy spring.  No big storms but lots of gray and drizzly days and some pretty decent rains too.  I am ready for sunshine for more than a day or two.  I've been inside way too long now. 

Until next time, happy trails to you...

Sheri

RUBBERNECKER!

I have had these Rubbernecker stamps for several years and used them when I got them and just unearthed them again.  Don't know why I never picked them up again but that dry spell of theirs is over!   They make such pretty cards with very little effort.  I used Momento inks on these and spritzed them before stamping.  I left the front of this plain with no sentiment.  When I decide what I will use it for, I will add a sentiment.

We have had a LOT of rain lately.  Good time to sit inside and play.  I did get all of my containers planted before the last rain.  I still need to clean the deck and then I am good to go!  Bring on the summer! 

Until next time...
Happy trails to you!
Sheri

Happy Birthday Joanne!!

There is a lady who is very special to me.  She is not a blood relative but even if she were it would be a second cousin.  She and her husband, Lowell took my girls for a week every summer when they were small so that that could experience a week on the farm.  They loved it!  And when I was a child my sister and I would stay for a week with Lowell's parents.  Lowell was my second cousin.  It was a time never forgotten.  Now as time slips away so quickly we only see each other about once or twice a year.  I wish it could be more often though.  Joanne has a birthday today and I wanted to take time to wish her a very happy birthday and to also let her know how very much she means to me.  So, without further ado, HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOANNE!!

Until next time, happy trails to you!!
Sheri

A Bit of Encouragement

Last week I was looking for a stamp and ran across a few that I had from Rubberneckers.  They have been neglected for way too long so I got them out and started to play.  Oh why have they been neglected?  They make such beautiful cards. I made this one for a friend who is going through cancer treatment.  She is almost at the end and needs encouragement.  What a difficult journey it is.  But to come out on the other side makes you a changed person forever.

We are having our April showers now.  It has rained the last two nights and supposed to have rain on and off all week.  I want to do some planting so I hope the sun comes out and dries up all the rain during the day.  Do I sound like the itsy bitsy spider?  LOL

Until next time, happy trails to you...

Sheri

For You

A very simple card but I love the colors!  This is a Memory Box die that I used with a scrap of paper underneath it.  The sentiment is from Avery Elle.  The flower is a sticker that I have had forever! 

I will enter this card into the http://southernchipboard.blogspot.ca/2015/04/april-challenge-anything-goes.html challenge.  It was a month long challenge so figured I could squeeze one more card in time.  

A rainy day here so I will read my latest library book.  It is a Danielle Steel book called Prodigal Son.  So far it is really good! 

I hope you are having a wonderful Saturday wherever you are.  Do something fun

Until next time, happy trails to you

Sheri

Graduation Time

At church we have 9 kids that are graduating from various schools and colleges.  I was asked to make cards for them.  I did each one in their particular school colors and enjoyed doing them.  I popped up the focal point  so as to give it a bit of dimension.  This school year just flew by!  Seems these kids were just settling into their classrooms to get started.

The stamps are all from Papertrey Ink.  

I plan to enter this into the Southern Ridge Trading Company Challenge.

I have been able to read a bit with the rainy days - if I could just stay awake with the cloudy rainy dreary days.  I pick up my book and before long I am asleep!  Won't be long before we will be planting our summer flower beds.

Until next time, happy trails to you...

Sheri

FOR YOU!

So I have a real hard time with some of the paper pads I buy.  I love them but then can't figure out how to use them.  My friend, Stephanye over at http://pocketpapergarden.blogspot.com/ does beautiful cards with paper and very little stamping.  So I went to her house one day and we played with my paper packs and this is what I made, with her help.  I really liked it!  The piece of paper had all these jars all over it and I just didn't see how to use that paper.  Ok, now I get it!  Thanks Stephanye!  Ok, back to the craft room!

Until next time, happy trails to you...

Sheri