New Toys

It doesn't matter that I am 47... like a little kid I still love to play with the new treasures that Santa brought me.

Here is the toy I happily discovered this Christmas morning: a the Wacom Bamboo graphics tablet. I've read that if you're going to get a tablet and you're not really a professional graphic artist, Wacom is the way to go. But they are hard to get, at least up here in Canada, so I really doubted I would be lucky enough to get this puppy:



The best part about being off work for two weeks (yay!) is that I get some time between meals, dishes, laundry, house cleaning, and taking care of the sick and infirm (actually all are on the mend now, thank goodness), to draw and digitally paint.

Here is my first attempt using the tablet. Of course I had to choose the furriest creature in the house (what the heck was I thinking?):



Now that the laundry is done and I have another week off work, you know what I'm going to be doing for the next few days -- continuing to learn the features of the tablet and software and paint, paint, paint.

At least I don't have to worry about cleaning up after THIS.

49th Birthday Card

For hubby, whose favorite animal is a wolf...

Get Well Card

I offered to make a get well card for a co-worker who had her tonsils out a few days ago. I wanted to try the butterfly technique I saw on Craft TV Weekly, so I made that first. It's made from a magazine page, stamped and embossed with gold. The black backing is also stamped and embossed in gold. The wings were cut out with tabs that fit in slits made in the black backing.

I chose some Imaginisce "Black Tie Optional" paper, cut and scored it to fit the envelope and attached the butterfly with gold matting on the front. I colored in the centers of the flowers on the patterned paper with gold pen, printed out her name on the computer and cut it out. Inside, I added a plain white area so co-workers can sign the card and send their personal greetings. Gold matting and a brad complete the inside of the card.




I hope it makes her feel better!

Father's Day card

Here is the card I made my Dad this year... now that I have given him his gift, I can post pics!

I used Basic Grey two sided paper for the base, added some Bazzil cardstock with embossing, vintage stickers and ribbon. So easy to do! The lines on the inside card made it easy to add our own love and wishes for a very special man... the one who taught me patience and how to draw and paint ... my father.

Inspired by Mika

If you're a reader of my other blog Stale Coffee, you'll see a post about a new artist I have come to love by the name of Mika. His first CD is great, and it actually inspired me to do the layout about my vintage Spirograph toy:


Ah, the good old days of 60's psychedelia....