A Birthday Card with a Jolt!

I created this birthday card for The Stampsmith blog using the "Coffee Gal" stamp. She is the epitome of the 1950's housewife, with that June Cleaver twinkle in her eye. The background paper screamed 50's to me, with those starbursts that were so popular in wallpaper, drapes and clocks. She's got her morning java, and she's toasting your birthday with "Here's mud in your eye!".

Visit The Stampsmith blog to see more:
http://www.thestampsmith.blogspot.com/

Guest Artist for The Stampsmith!

I have been asked to be a guest artist for The Stampsmith blog, during the months of September and October. I am very excited to participate with such a great team of artists!

The Stampsmith, carries an exquisite line of rubber art stamps, including many vintage designs. Artists worldwide are featured on their website. Estelle, the owner, happens to live in nearby Huntington. She generously supplied me with stamps to create artwork to post on their blog. Here are just a few samples of cards created with these stamps.

" Wedding Bells" shows a romantic vintage couple who look like silent movie stars.

"Just Married" features an adorable newlywed couple in their old "jalopy"!

The Stampsmith blog:

http://www.thestampsmith.blogspot.com/

The Stampsmith website:

http://www.stampsmith.net/

HALLOWEEN GREETING CARDS

Here are a couple of Halloween cards I created last week for sale on Etsy, and the witch already sold!
Dreamy Witch Card
Monster Baby Card

Birthday Butterfly Girl

Over the summer, I created a card for my daughter's friend's birthday. I often use a rubber stamp that resembles my daughter when making cards or goody bag toppers for school. It sets them apart from everyone else, and there is no mistaking who it came from. The card recipient was a seven year old girl, so I created this adorable butterfly fairy who happens to look like my daughter.

Dance School Treasure Boxes

My younger daughter attends Steppin Out Dance Studio, owned by the lovely "Miss Kathy". When she learned of my creative endeavors and saw some of my card designs, she commissioned me to make a gift for each of her three graduating seniors. We agreed upon a decoupaged wooden box, where the girls could keep their treasured possessions.

I hand stamped various papers and book text with images that related to dance, and inspirational sentiments relating to their future journey in life. I then decoupaged the paper to the top and sides of the boxes, which I had painted in different colors. Finally, I antiqued the surface and applied a light mist of fine glitter. Miss Kathy was very pleased and has encouraged me to set up in her lobby, a display of my work.

California Dreaming

We took the kids to California in August, starting in San Francisco and making our way down the coast to San Diego. One of their favorite days, of course, was at Sea World. Both got to experience the dolphins up close! Overall, it was an exhausting trip, but worth every minute.

Summer Synopsis

Welcome back! Today is the Autumnal Equinox! It seems I took the summer off, although that was not my plan!

We kept pretty busy between camps, beach jaunts and vacation. My little one went to dance camp and culture camp, and the latter was featured on our local TV station, News 12 Long Island. My older daughter attended marching band camp, as an incoming freshman. She plays the flute, and in addition to football games, she will be performing at the Newsday Marching Band Festival at Hofstra University. It features the best local marching bands and will be available on YouTube.

In July, my husband decided for his birthday, to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. So we parked in Brooklyn, and walked across to lower Manhattan. We had a great pizza dinner in Little Italy at Lombardi's, the oldest pizzaria in the US. Zagat's says, "Best on the planet."