Good for Chrisi & Good for the Environment!

Merry Christmas everyone!

I wanted to share one of the coolest gifts .... it's a machine that makes tap water selzer or soda pop. You use their bottles, a Co2 cartridge and it makes delicious fizzy drinks.

This will save me money and help me save a little of the environment .... no more bottles or cans to recycle or throw away. It also compliments one of my 2009 goals to try harder to conserve, re-use and think more about how I use things. You can find out more about it at www.sodaclub.com - I've made three bottles today alone and they are taste great and it's a blast to make!

I hope your holidays are safe and wonderful.

Smilin' Snowman!

Hello, sorry for the delay in posts .... my computer needed medical attention and is much better now!

So let's try to get spirited with a snowman or two! I'm working on my holiday cards right now .....

Enjoy -- Chrisi

Thank you!

Hello,

I'm back from a lovely Thanksgiving holiday with dear friends. We shared the shores of North Carolina and the beach is just beautiful.

I can't thank them enough for sharing their holiday with me and Jake. Their invitation each year is generous and great fun.

So I am back home and now thinking up great ideas for my Christmas cards.

Enjoy - Chrisi

Elves are funny!

Hello all,

I spent Saturday with crafty friends creating stuff. We participated in yet another VSN (virtual stamp night). This time we decided to do it in our own schedule - instead of being up all night. I did a few of the challenges then made a lot of holiday cards. Others did more of the challenges.

This is one that I made for a "Chorus Line" challenge - this elf is a single stamp - but I like him duplicated and then I color him with copic markers.

I hope you like this one! Enjoy,

Chrisi

A new beginning ...

This is my precious pup -- Byrdie. Sadly, she passed away early Friday morning from heart disease complications. She was comfortable and pain free - and that is a wonderful thing.

Now she is celebrating her new life with Mom & Dad, eating all the carrots she wants and chasing bunnies in heaven.

I have wonderful memories and stories.

Now Jake and I are making some new ones with just the two of us. He's already learning to be lead dog around the house - I'm sure I'll keep you posted with Jake shenanigans as time goes on. In the meantime, please remember Byrdie's love of life and how grateful I am that she picked me.

- Chrisi

One in a Million!

I like this card because it's plain, easy and turned out kinda cool. I hope you like it.

- Chrisi

Long Cards

I made this card for a swap. I love that it's a completely different size than those I usually work with - and it turned out pretty great.

The swap guidelines were to use pink, yellow and red in the card.

Enjoy - Chrisi

World Card Making Day/Weekend!

This is World Card Making weekend! Lost of paper people are celebrating. Of course we stampers celebrate all the time don't we?

This card is made with Memory Box bird and phrase. I added the flourish but can't remember the company.

I hope you celebrate by making and/or sending a card to someone.

Enjoy other World Card Making events through this link:

http://www.worldcardmakingday.com/

Thanks for visiting. - Chrisi

Pretty Pups!

This card is made with an A-Muse stamp. I made inchies with the stamp and colored it with Copic markers. Added a little bling and a ribbon and ta-da!

Enjoy, Chrisi

Fancy!

Hey there, here's another card I made for the virtual stamp night a few weeks ago. The theme was "fancy" - and got extra points if we used anything French.

This is what I came up with. I love this set of stamps from Stampin Up and the paper is from Memory Box.

Enjoy - Chrisi

Flockin' Fun!

This is another card I created during the VSN on Splitcoast Stampers. The challenge was to use felt or flocking - I used flocking. The stamp is from Club Stamp (www.clubscrap.com).

I hope you enjoy - Chrisi

This is one of my VSN (virtual stamp night) creations. The challenge was to use twine. This card is made with Memory Box paper and stamps.

Enjoy - Chrisi

Coming soon .....

I spent Friday night and Saturday with great friends crafting for Splitcoast Stampers VSN (Virtual Stamp Night). 15 challenges - 45 minutes per challenge. I haven't finished them all, I'm working on some of hte missed ones today.

I'll be posting some of them soon. Thanks for looking!

- Chrisi

Tea for Two!

Hello,

I made this for the Hero Arts weekly challenge. It was a sketch challenge - and you can see all the fantastic creations at this link: http://www.flickr.com/groups/heroarts/.

Friends and I are preparing for the Splitcoast Stampers "Virtual Stamp Night" (VSN) that begins on Friday. 18 hours and 18 challenges - it's always fun!

More soon - enjoy. Chrisi

A watercolor challenge!

Howdy! This card was inspired by a challenge my friend and pretty great artist, Laura, created for Splitcoast Stampers. The theme was watercolor.

This stamp set is made by My Favorite Things and I colored the image with Copic Markers. The background that is speckled is the watercolor part - spray watercolors.

Enjoy - Chrisi

City View

Hello,

I don't always love my creations. I love that I create - just sometimes it doesn't all come together. This one came together.

This is a new A-Muse Cityscape stamp. I stamped it in Memento black, outlined it with Copic markers, cut it out and mounted it at varying heights with foam tape.

I hope you like it. Enjoy - Chrisi

p.s. hi zen if you' re lookin'

Cowboy Up Penguin!

Another new penguin stamp from Memory Box. Love it!

Hope you do too. Enjoy!

- Chrisi

Glad Grad!

This is a card I put together for a friend's daugher who graduated from high school a couple of weeks ago.

I took a Cuttlebug embossed background and highlighted some key words in black (challenging so I had to practice beforehand a bit). I used a Cricut cap and diploma in a few colors as accents.

I think it turned out really great - do you?

Enjoy - Chrisi

Goin' to the Dogs!

This is a good phrase to live by! Happy July 4th to all!

Enjoy - Chrisi

A little birdie told me - Memory Box is great!

I love this card. It's a take off of a sample from Memory Box and I just love all the stamps - and the Memory Box cards are just wonderful!

Check them out at http://www.memoryboxco.com/ or check out Dave's blog at http://davebrethauer.typepad.com/

Enjoy - Chrisi

Special Day Card!

I made this card with a Stampin Up set. I was trying to not use traditional birthday colors - and I think it worked. What do you think?

Enjoy - Chrisi

My cards are back!

Whoo HOO - my technical difficulties are no more! So finally I can post some more cards that I have made.

This one was part of a birthday set I made for a friend. This one had a lot of cutting ... but I enjoyed it.

Enjoy - Chrisi

Thank you Andrea!

Andrea treated me to a Burt Bacharach concert tonight at the Strathmore Music Center in Bethesda, Maryland.

WOW - this man really has written most of the pop hits of my life - and many before my life began. He looks a little like a combo of James Coburn and Aaron Spelling with a bad back.

I didn't know he wrote "Close to You" by the Carpenters and "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence" and of course "What's New Pussycat" ....

If you get a chance to go to the Strathmore - it's lovely.

More soon - Chrisi

Stormy Weather...

Hello, boy did we have some storms yesterday. Crazy - even a tornado touched down a mile from my house. Well there must have been winds because this is my tree ... but my neighbor's garage.

I'm thankful no one was outside and the dogs were safe. How hard must the wind have been to just pull this 60 foot tree from the ground and actually snap fence poles?

Mother Nature is a force that is for sure.

Still have technical difficulties linking to my card scans - it's getting fixed this weekend. Please come back. Thanks - Chrisi

I see you ....

Le Faux Miroir (The False Mirror) is a painting by Rene Magritte -- and I love it. I took this picture of the painting when I visited the MoMA in New York City.

I thought I'd share while I try to fix some technical difficulties linking to pictures of my card art.

Enjoy - Chrisi

For Dora (finally)

And today is her birthday - Happy Birthday Dora!

I committed to making a set of birthday cards for her. I haven't been inspired lately. So finally I was able to finish a full set of birthday cards.

I'll be sharing them with you as time goes by.

Enjoy. Chrisi

Love a Lot

I made this card for a Hero Arts Challenge - the challenge was "pink" .... the poodle punch was a gift from Lauryne to me. I love it.

Enjoy! Chrisi

Collage Card

Here's a collage card I made for Terri's birthday last year. She enjoyed it - I hope you do.

- Chrisi

Great friends are a fun!

I have fantasic friends! Laura (the wonderful) http://stampart.blogspot.com/ helped me celebrate my birthday with some crafting buddies.

I came away with wonderful cards and as a small thank you - I made this monkey card for them. It's colored with Copic markers and I love them.

Enjoy - Chrisi

New Camera ....

I have treated myself to a new camera. It's a Canon Rebel XTI. I shot a few pictures outside today to see what they look like. These are a few flowers that bloom in early spring in my backyard.

I'm sure I'll be sharing more new pictures with you as I learn more. But if you want to see really good pictures, check out this link: http://thepioneerwoman.com/ You'll enjoy any time you spend searching around there for a bit.

Enjoy, Chrisi

A simple stamp ....

Sometimes a simple stamp is what you need. I highlighted this one with color and patterned paper. Cut out a separate piece of paper for the flower pot then added some bling in the flower centers. It's colored with Copic markers.

Plain and nice I think.

Enjoy, Chrisi

Chrisi's on Vacation!

At home! Yup, i'm vacationing at home this week and taking care of my recovering pup, Byrdie. She's doing great with new meds.

In the meantime, I'm learning how to use an IPod Touch I received as a birthday gift (thanks Carmie), doing laundry (a lot), crafting, looking for a kiln that will cook precious metal clay (I hear it calling to me and Laura as a future "thing") and hoping to learn PhotoShop Elements.

That's a lot for vacation - but I'm sleeping late and staying up late. I love that! So more crafting to be posted soon.

Enjoy - Chrisi

Another Challenge Card

Here is another card I made during the Virtual Stamp Night (VSN) last weekend. This is using the "cracked glass" technique. Cool eh?

I really love this stamp set by Dee Gruenig from her new, portable two-step stamp series. You can buy them at Angela's Happy Stamper http://www.ahappystamper.com/ and Dee is teaching classes at Angela's soon too! I hope to see you there.

Enjoy - Chrisi

Crafty Weekend!

Spent approximately 20 hours with friends this weekend creating cards based on one challenge an hour. So much fun. Sponsored by Splitcoast Stampers http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/?.

This is one of the 16 I completed (yes, i missed out on 2). This challenge wanted us to use red as the focal points (neutrals welcome). I love give my stamped poeple different clothes.

This type of speed certainly makes me think fast and I don't get hung up in options. Get a thought, get it made. I need to do that more frequently.

Enjoy - Chrisi

Washington Nationals - Welcome Home!

Spring has sprung! Many can tell by the Cherry Blossom's in Washington, daffodils in bloom and pollen in the air.

But I tell it's Spring by the long awaiting arrival of the 2008 Baseball Season. Yep - the Washington Nationals and Nationals Park has opened. It's a beautiful ode to baseball and all it's glory. Great food options, lots of neon, beautiful site lines to the field and of course ... the glorious game of baseball.

The photo above pays homage to the Nationals President's Race. I again hold out hope for Teddy to win in 2008. Enjoy a little Teddy fun at this blog site: http://blog.letteddywin.com/

Catch a foul ball for me - Chrisi

But is it too busy?

So I'm tasked with making a friend a set of birthday cards. This is one of them. I used the clear set of stamps from My Favorite Things. I colored the images with Copic markers in shades of browns and beige.

But is it too busy?

Oh and be sure to check out Laura's design challenge card at http://stampart.blogspot.com/ - very cool card!

Enjoy - Chrisi

Look What A Napkin Can Become

The very pretty striped background on this card is made from a dinner napkin. It was sprayed with glimmer mists for a bit of sparkle. I did run it through the Cuttlebug to give it some texture - but it seems that it didn't hold very well.

Add a ribbon and birthday greeting tag - TA DA - it's a card.

Enjoy - Chrisi

Cuttlebug Play!

Laura, Hare and I had a Cuttlebug play date. Many things were learned while we shared dies, embossing "folders" and ideas.

This is a simple card I made by using the same die and two colors of card stock.

I can make it quickly and use it for many occasions. I love that!

-Chrisi

New Nationals Stadium Countdown...

Opening day at the new Washington Nationals Park is Sunday, March 30th - 3 weeks away!

I was invited to a private tour of the new stadium that only increased my excitement! The construction wasn't complete - but you could really see the beauty in this place. Modern, great views, easy to get around and Ben's Chili Bowl is a vendor.

This is gonna be a great season! GO NATS!

Always in Style!

I shopped with an old friend on Leap Day last Friday. We had a blast - I had to make her a special card.

I made this with Stampin' Up set. I cut the dresses from funky patterned paper to make them stand out. The rick-rack paper was a bonus find in my stash.

Enjoy - Chrisi

My Blog Promise!

Today I promised Heidi http://www.loveembossing.blogspot.com/ I would update my blog each week! So here it goes - something new each week.

Today's new is a notebook/journal I made during the Virtual Stamp Night weekend in January. It's made from a composition book, Club Scrap ( www.clubscrap.com and mention me if you join) papers, brads and a ribbon.

Soon I'll learn how to make hyperlinks ... until then I'll spell them out. Enjoy - Chrisi

Strange card for January...

This card has a long story behind it ... I wanted to share it because I liked it. All the parts are from Paula's Kit Club www.paulaskitclub.com (from around August '07 for Halloween). The papers are amazing and it all came together great. I used this card to pay $20 to someone I owed and added a money wrapper to match. The skull bead on waxed linen was an afterthought that brought it all together.

- Chrisi

New Stamps!

One new stamp set by MY FAVORITE THING (I think that's who made this set). Two new cards. I'm totally in love with the awning. The one on the left is colored with pencils ane the one on the right is with chalks. The awning is patterned paper.

- Chrisi

Crazy Crafting Weekend!

I crafted with friends Friday, 6:00 p.m. - 12:00 midnight, Saturday noon-midnight and again Sunday for 3 hours. We created 16 of the 18 challenges from Splitcoast Stampers Virtual Stamp Night.

We impressed ourselves by not only finishing in the designated 45 minutes per challenge, but also by creating some great stuff. I've posted a few and you are welcome to check my gallery out on http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/ and my gallery is Art4Fun13.

I can't thank Laura, Tami and Jennifer enough for making it fun, and for sharing their creativity and supplies.

- Chrisi

Artist Trading Cards meets Movie Season!

It's that time of year where all the "good" movies are released in time for Academy Award consideration. I'm so very behind on my moving going (saw Atonement and loved it) .... but my crafting leans toward movie themes too.


This ATC (artist trading card) has a lot going on w/ the handmade paper, brads and stamping. But I love the crossover of my obsessions (too strong a word?)!

Seen any good movies - tell me about them - thanks - Chrisi