Reindeer Riding Sticks

Remember Stick Horses? I've taken the general concept of a Stick Horse and applied it to my 

Reindeer Riding Sticks

Supplies:

pool noodle (from Dollar Tree)
brown knee high sock (found mine in Men's section at Walmart)

tacky glue

2" red pompom

duct tape

ribbon

1 1/2" google eyes

hat or yarn for hair (I used hats from snowmen ornaments from dollar tree)

hot glue

foam sheet (Michaels)

brown felt (Michaels)

embellishments (optional)

Add tacky glue to end of pool noodle. cover that end with the sock. press toe of sock down on the glue so that it doesn't move around. Pull sock down over noodle. Bend noodle at the heal of the sock. Duct tape the shape in place where the ribbon will go.

Cut out antlers from foam sheet and two triangular pieces for ears out of the felt. Going forward, everything from this point will be hot glued. Glue ribbon over the duct tape, don't worry if a part of tape is exposed on the inside and sticky. It's fine. hot glue nose and hat in place. slide the antlers through the folded head section (you may have to wiggle them through if the space ended up being too tight). Glue to the long port of the noodle. Glue on hat or yarn for hair.

How to make the ears: you'll glue the bottom corners of the triangular ears together.

Decide if you want the ears on top of hat or underneath sticking out sideways. If your antlers seem to be leaning forward, then glue the ears under the hat so that they are sideways to hold the antlers back. Then glue both sides of the bottom of the ear in position. Glue embellishments to ribbon if you want this. Then peal sticker off the back of the google eyes and hot glue the eyes down. I did eyes last so that glue strings wouldn't get on them and mess them up.

Halloween Card 2023: Falling Witch

 HALLOWEEN 2023!

"Falling Witch"

There are about six different backgrounds used from Whimsy Stamps's "Haunted Graveyard" Paper. The ghost is from Gerda Steiner Designs "Ghosts" collection. I knew I wanted to use the witch falling off her broomstick die cut. I was flipping through some card images for inspiration when I came across the ghosts. I thought it was a perfect match of the ghost scaring the witch. I used vellum for the ghost. Strangely, I glued around the edge of the ghost and for some reason, this made the edges of the ghost appear see-through. I thought it would go away once dry so I kept it as is. Guess what!. It remained clear. UGH. Wish I had known, I would have covered the backs of all the ghosts with glue to make them appear more clear. I always learn something new each time I make a card.

 

Birthday Cards 2023 (favorites)

Birthdays! 

We all have them. 

I love to celebrate everyone with a special card. 

Here are some of my favorites from 2023. 

This is one of my absolute favorites. The stamp of Fester is from C.C. Designs "The Family" set. It was this very set/card that popped up on Facebook that first introduced me to C.C. Designs. I fell in love with the card and just had to replicate it! It is such a hoot to sent to folks. I plan to make tons mor of these for the future. In fact, I used a poster board and sprayed it from top to bottom with the Tim Holtz shimmer greens so that I can cut the poster board down to card sizes and then add fester to them. 

This next two  cards were part of a special order. 

I had ordered a reclining chair to be delivered a put together. Of course, the chair was for my craft room. The delivery person was blown away with my craft room. Even though he is beginning to make cards himself, he special ordered a couple of cards for me. The first was for his son turning 21 who likes to fish. It was a little harder for me to think outside of my cutesy "tackle-box" so to speak, but I think this turned out great. He was blown away with it. (Fish paper is from the Craft Constortium's "The Riverbank" collection). 

 

The second card for this gentleman was for his wife. She's a florist. That's all I had to go on. So, I made a potted plant of flowers for her. Originally, I cut the pot to be slimmer but thought it was too thin. I wish I had kept it instead of the version I used. I'll know that for the next time. This card brought the man to tears. The card actually stands up. 

 

On another page of this blog is a set of cards I did as a guest designer for Gerda Steiner Designs. I designed three cards for them. My absolute favorite (and simplest) of them all was this little mouse making a wish. Such an easy card to make. I have a star die cut that makes the swirl of stars. I just glued glitter paper from the Dollar Tree behind the flap of the card. Best of all, I can customize this card with different colored stars.