2013 is Off to a Questionable Start

It is day 7 in the New Year and I'd say, 2013 has made it's entrance with an questionable start.

**Started feeling a bit "iffy" Jan 30.  Ended up taking a couple of doses of medication to take away the "OMG...are clothes suppose to hurt your skin with contact" feeling while at work New Year's Eve.

**Never rang in the New Year.  Instead, after work on NYE, I came home, slathered on a tantalizing layer of Vick's, curled up on the couch and shivered my way into a feverish sleep.

**The Toad and the Oldest and Youngest Kiddo also came down with the "bug".  We are all getting our "once a year sickness" out of the way early this year.  Which, is a good thing.  The bad thing is...the "bug" lingers.  We are all still overly fatigued, suffering intermittent fits of coughing (me and youngest kiddo mostly), stuffed up noggin's and disappointment in the fact that food has absolutely NO TASTE.  

The biggest change of the New Year affects my crafting.  New Year's Day had me moving ALL my crap,  craft supplies out from the spare bedroom so that a student at the small church school my kids attend could move in. This is one of The Toad's boys he has coached in the past.  His parents actually live out of state, but  his older brothers live locally.  But, sometimes, it is hard to have your big brother be your "parent".  And this Kid doesn't want to leave the school.  Which means that currently, what was in my craft room has now taken over the hallway and is piled up in a corner of my bedroom.  

This little change is giving me a very long overdue push to go through my supplies, weed out, purge and re organize.  

Have I mentioned how long over due this job is?!! Needless to say, until I get this nasty job out of the way, there will be no creating on my part.  As of right now, I don't know where anything has gotten shoved, LOL!!

BUT!! I still have a couple of projects that I haven't had time to share yet!!  One, being, the second mixed media canvas that I made for the Spellbinder's Explore Beyond challenge.  

This canvas is completely different from my first canvas that I made for the challenge.  I decided to try my hand at what is the more popular style of mixed media, such as you seen with mixed media journals, etc.

Of course, I had to do it my way! While I admire those who can add layer after layer onto their pieces, I find that for me, personally, mixed media can become too busy for my brain. I look at certain pieces, not sure where my eye is suppose to to focus; is it suppose to be on the stripes and polka dot border?  The layers of paper and paint behind the main image? The paper pieced, colored, painted, drawn/doodled main image? The added stamping, doodles, etc.?  Or, the funky font of the sentiment?

So, while I wanted to explore the different mediums and  layers that make up most mixed media projects, I did it with a clean(er) and simple(ier) version that made me excited to try something new, yet didn't overwhelm my senses.

remember, you can click on the images for a larger view

I began with a 9x12 canvas board (which means it is a "solid" canvas versus a stretched canvas over a frame).  I dug through my outdated paper stash and found a newsprint style paper for my base.  

glued it down and added a "frame" of gesso around the edges

randomly scribbled with watercolor pencils

added the water and blended the colors 

used Spellbinder's Paisley and Hearts to make my little song bird

added glimmer mists and pastel chalks 

dug out my paints and brushes

die cut lots of flower layers and emboss texture

add a bit of shimmer.....

Put it all together

I liked how this piece turned out and find it rather amusing that it looks pretty girly, which is SO NOT ME, LOL!! 

I am liking this different creative path from just making cards.  I feel like I'm starting to return to my roots of painting and drawing with a twist.  Hopefully, I'll figure out my creative space soon and will be able to explore some more canvas work!!

Linking this to the eP blog challenge Get Altered--Using Canvas

I have ONE more quick, easy little project to share soon!! Hopefully, by then, I will have made a dent in the purging, reorganizing of the craft area and will be able to start sharing again regularly!  If no one hears from me by the end of the month, send out the rescue troops!! LOL!!

'Till next time.................

Inspired for a Simple Embossed Thanks

Hey People!  I'm still having a hard time finding my mojo.  Yesterday, I spent the ENTIRE day trying to get a couple of technique ideas to work for the next E-Team hop, to no avail.  Frustrated does not begin to express my creative mind right now! haha!!

I decided to step away from that project today and focus on getting some very belated Christmas thank you's done.  Since I need to mass produce a few and considering the fact that they are to be from my kiddos (no girly girl stuff allowed by my boys!), I went with a CAS (clean and simple) layout.  I really liked the CAS Challenge for this week on SCS and used that as my starting point.  I was also inspired by Joan's Tone on Tone Dimension card and added my own twist. 

I spent more time trying to decide on what sized circles I wanted than I did die cutting and embossing the elements for 5 cards! HA! Go figure!! 

Deets:  Card base is Pure Luxury Ivory.  Circles are from scap PL Ivory and were die cut using Spellbinders Circle Nestabilities. Embossed with a Cuttlebug folder Diamonds.  The sentiment was die cut using Cuttlebug Olivia alphabet (this is a bonus die with the set). from SU's Taken with Teal card stock. 

EASY! 

I'm going to go finish assembling the rest of the cards.  Then take a deeeeep breath and go back to work on another technique idea. Make sure and check back on Friday to see if I got anything to work! haha!

'Till then................remember that not all ideas are destined to work.  Failure is the stepping stones to success.

S...T...R....E....T...C...H...I...N....G...

Hey Peoples!  Did you give up on me ever posting again?  I was beginning to wonder!  It is just rather weird.  I have ideas that I really want to try, but just lack the motivation to sit down and actually work on them.  Maybe I'm still burnt out from the mad rush of the holidays.  Maybe it's the fact that I still haven't finished getting my creative area back up to a level of where I have space to work.  I don't know.  Maybe it is just plain and simple laziness!!

Despite all of the above  (or none of the above, as the case may be) I got hit with bug to actually create last night.  I was cruising the various challenges on SCS and the sketch challenge sparked an idea.  In the flow of creativity, my third panel may be a bit of a stretch, but! I can see it clearly! haha

Deets:  card base is 5.5 square Pure Luxury white.  Red card stock was found in my scrap pile.  Design paper is BoBunny Timepiece.  Vintage Photo ink was used to distress all the edges.  Idea-ology Findings Timepieces and  Sprocket Gears were added with glue dots and dimensionals (under the clock).  

Somewhere I got the notion that I wanted to use the old style of label makers for my sentiment, which was going to require me to make a run to an office supply store to buy one. 

First:  Did you know that electronic label makers are now the norm?  I had to call the Toad at work to see if he would run to the office supply store by his office after my search failed.  He did find one, but called me back to say that for a little bit more, I could have a nice electronic one. 

Uhhh.  Thanks for thinking of me, but I, uhhh, already bought one of  those!  I just want the old fashioned one for a card.

  Silence.  "So, I'm spending $13 so you can make ONE  card? 

No.  You are spending $13 so that I will have it to make other projects in the future. 

And being the prince that the Toad is, he came home with my old fashioned label maker!

Second:  This is where the s...t...r...e...t...c..h...i...n...g  comes in.  I just happened to check out the Ways to Use It challenge on SCS this morning.

STICKERS. 

I decided that since I had to peel off the backing for my labels, and stick it to my card, that counts as stickers. 

Yes?! 

I'm sticking with the theory that they count!  BWHHAAAAA!!

I think that this will be the Toad's Valentine's card. I think it is only fitting, since he spent the $$ to make it! hehe.  Plus, I really do think it is perfect for a guy card!

Alrighty then!!  'Till next time............strrrreeeetttcccchhh  yourself creatively!!

Joyous Holidays

Hey People!! Are you sitting down?  Yes, I am posting another card!  Two days in a row! OH MY!  I don't believe the world is ending or pigs are now flying, but, I haven't looked outside in the last little bit either!! haha!!

I recently bought a Memory Box die from my LSS that I have had some ideas floating in my noggin' on ways I might like to use it.  Yesterday, I received a comment  on SCS from Miss Boo (aka Jen), which alerted me to the winter CAS DT search going on right now.  One of my ideas for using the die fit the first DT challenge, so I decided to LEAP and give it a go!!

My card base is 5.5" square Pure Luxury, with a side fold.  I die cut the wreath from Echo Park's Season's Greetings by Lori Whitlock.  TIP:  I usually place my steel ruled dies face down on my papers or metal so that I can utilize my paper space as much as possible.  I found that with this particular die, I had to run the die in the "traditional" way of having the die face up with the paper on the top.  I also had to use a thin carboard shim for my machine to cut the image cleanly.  I then cut some small pieces of SU's Real Red cardstock and cut out the largest of the flowers from the die again, adhering with a glue pen.  I then used my VersaMarker and inked the red flowers and embossed with Ranger red embossing tinsel.  I used my Fiskers stamp press to stamp the sentiment from Hero Arts Joy to All.  I then adhered only the larger flowers and some random bits to the matting with the glue pen.  Tied the ribbon along the side and she's done!!

I'm thinking that I will just try out for a guest spot on the CAS DT.  My work schedule in December is HORRENDOUS and I really don't know if I can commit to creating for each week's challenge.  Yes, I know that the CAS challenge is on Monday's, which would give me the weekend to stamp.  But I'm thinking that since I'll be working late hours everyday, that maybe my weekends should be FAMILY focused versus stamping focused!!

Anyhoos!  I've actually made a Christmas card before December 23! 

Maybe I should go look out the window after all.



Egg-cellent Challenge

Hey People!  Today the E-Team is introducing a new challenge that will be open to YOU to participate in! 

Have you ever watched the Food Network show Chopped?  The premise is 4 cooks are given a basket of ingredients (some that you would NEVER think of using or combining) and are given 30 min to come up with an appetizing dish that uses the required ingredients.  After each challenge, the "chef" who does not meet the requirements is "chopped" from the competition, until only one winner is left.

Daisy has issued as similar challenge to the E-Team and YOU!  We are inviting you to join us in this new challenge!

It's an Egg-clectic Challenge!!

To enter, you must use the following 3 materials in your project. 

Distress Inks

Any die from any manufacture of die cut machines

and an egg carton

Link your project to the eP blog any time beginning Friday, Aug 12 until Sunday, Aug 21st.  A challenge winner will be chosen and posted on the eP blog Monday, Aug 22nd.

Of course, there is still the chance for other goodies!  Just leave one comment, starting today, Friday, Aug 12 until Sunday, Aug 14, on the participating E-Team member blogs and two random winners will be chosen to win some of the new 6x6 paper pads that have arrived at eP PLUS some more surprises!  The winners will be posted on the eP blog on Monday, Aug 15. 

The E-Team

Daisy/eP blog

Broni

Latrice

Linda D

Micki

Sherry

Me!

Linda L couldn't join us this week.  But make sure to stop by her blog and see what she has been creating!

Ok!  Onto my projects!  Yes, I created two projects, using the same layout and techniques, but one masculine and the other feminine. To be honest, I had grand (dis) illusions of creating something "outside the egg carton", but it would appear that my mojo and I could not agree on the trial attempts.  So, I decided to keep the frustration levle low and make it simple. 

I began by misting the lid of a cardboard egg carton with water so that I could pull off the top couple of layers, removing the writing.  I then heavily misted a portion with Tattered Angel's Tattered Leather Glimmer Mist and Antique Brass Glimmer Mist.  I used Spellbinder's Classic Diamonds Nestabilities to cut my shapes and then ran the diamonds through a Cuttlebug embossing folder.  Here is a close up that (kind of) shows the glimmer and texture a bit better (I hope!)

To make my background, I used my favorite technique of Wrinkle Free Distress, randomly wiping Distress Inks in Weathered Wood and Brushed Corduroy along my craft mat and misting with more Tattered Angel's Glimmer Mist again in Antique Brass.  I then laid a piece of SU's Textured Very Vanilla in the beaded up inks.  In real life, the glimmer makes a subtle shimmer, that is not too obvious to be used on masculine cards.  The edges were sponged with Brushed Corduroy and then I just swiped the very edge along my Walnut Stain ink pad.  The sentiment, from Tim Holtz's Just Thoughts, was stamped with Walnut Stain.  The entire panel was then matted on Basic Black card stock and adhered to a 5 1/2" square base of Pure Luxury Ivory. 

The die cut diamonds where then mounted on a piece of basic black card stock that was misted with Tattered Angel's Pearl Glimmer Mist.  A thin mat of the textured Very Vanilla behind that finishes off the strip. 

And for the girly version:





Exact same technique, Wrinkle Free Distress, for the background but this time  I used Distress Inks in Victorian Velvet, Scattered Straw and Wild Honey. The mists used to bead up the inks were Tattered Angel's Glimmer Mist in Tuscan Sun and Cherub Pink.  The sentiment is from the same set, Just Thoughts, and was stamped using Vintage Photo Distress Ink. 

I left the egg carton the original thickness with the writing on it for the butterflies (cut with the Mini Butterflies die).  The butterflies were again heavily misted with Tuscan Sun and Cherub Pink Glimmer Mists.  I customed colored the 1/2 back, self adhesive pearls with Copic marker. 

The green card stock is SU's Kiwi Kiss.  The panel under the butterflies was stamped with Versamark, using the large stamp from Wendy Vecchi's Art Colors Life set.  Another misting of Pearl Glimmer Mist was applied for a bit of shimmer.

Simple, yes.  But think about it, eggs are pretty simple too, but can be the focal of a recipe!  I think these egg carton embellishments add that extra element that makes this simple sketch pop!

I hope you will join along and play with this Egg-celant Challenge!  Here's the positive on joining...you might win some goodies for your effort without having to worry about getting CHOPPED!!  hehe



Making the Years Count

Happy Monday Peoples! Yes, I am aware that the day is half over, and for some of you, drawing towards evening. But being as I was fairly productive on the home front as well as the creative front, the timing is what it is!!

Last night I was going through some of my papers just to remind myself what I had.  I pulled out a little 6x6 pad from 7gypsie's Gypsie's Market  and was immediately struck with the idea to make a flower out of the striped  paper.

While the flower did get made, you will not see it on today's project! Haha!  It would seem that after planning the whole card around the flower, I did not like the flower as an embellishment!  Soooo, I swapped it for a butterfly made out of the same paper. 

The layout comes from Verve's MoJo Monday Sketch Blog.  I'm not sure why, but sadly, I do not own any of Verve's stamps.  I think that this is something that I may need to change in the near future!  But lucky for me, Verve invites everyone to play along regardless of stamps used! Whew!



The card is actually pretty simple in product. The card base is a 5 1/2  square piece of Vanilla Pure Luxury.  All the  design papers are from 7gypsies.  The two strips of paper along the left side are fauxed layered.  I used a black marker and my small T-square to draw the lines.  The diagonal border is a Martha Stewart punch.  The sentiment panels were cut using Spellbinders classic circles and scalloped circle Nestabilities.  The actual sentiment layer is another piece of the Vanilla Pure luxury that was stamped with Archival Jet Black ink using a retired SU stamp set It's Your Birthday and spritzed with Tattered Angel's Glimmer Mist in Old Lace (nice shimmer IRL).  The leaves are Sizzix Branch w/Leaves sizzlet die.  The butterfly, from SU's Beautiful Butterflies, was cut twice and attached only by the body with a rolled glue dot.  The striped layer (from 7gypsie's again) was sponged with Aged Mahogany Distress Ink and both layers were spritzed again with Tattered Angel's Glimmer Mist in Old Lace. The 1/2 backed pearls were altered from a pearl color to the red with a Copic marker.

I rather like the color combination on this.  I'm getting much more at ease with combining different patterns of paper onto one project.  Of course, it helps tremendously when you use all the papers from a paper pack! hahaaa!!!

'Till next time.......................remember to take some time for creativity, in whatever form it may be!

The Future

How's the weekend going for you all?  While cruising through blog land yesterday, I came across Moxie Fab World's Grey is the New Black challenge.  And no, this will not be entered in that challenge!!

Why is it, that I own multiple ink pads in various shades of blue, red, brown, yet lack any grey ink pads?!! Actually, after I had stamped the main image of this card, I remembered that I did own ONE grey ink pad....Adirondack's Slate.  So I used that on the sentiment.  Which I stamped crooked despite using my stampamajig. 

Sigh. 

The base is a 5x5 piece of Pure Luxury card stock from Gina K.  The stamp is from PaperArtsy.  I stamped the image using Encore Silver metallic ink and embossed with silver embossing powder. There is light shading using my copic marker along one side of the cage and bottom to "ground" the image, which does not show up in this photo at all.  

 I then stamped the image again on a scrap piece of SU's Riding Hood Red and cut out the little birds and clear embossed them. I used a Quickie Glue pen to attach them over the first bird layers.  I then inked the sentiment (from the same set....Hot Pick 1004EZ) with Adirondack Slate and then used my SU Ruby Red marker over the word "one" to make it stand out. 

In all honesty, this card did not meet the expectations of the design idea in my head. I think it is the silver embossed cage. I don't know. Somehow, it just lacks the look I was going for. I may just have to redo it again since I have now found my grey ink. BUT! I made it, I posted it. I'm moving on from it!

Till then................remember, not all creative journeys are winners, but you will have a better idea as to which road needs some work if you are willing to travel.

WHOOHOO!! It's a COLOR THROWDOWN CELEBRATION!!

Happy Hump day Peoples!!  Today is an exciting day as it is the 100th COLOR THROWDOWN CELEBRATION!!  Talk about a PARTY!  Check out THIS list of companies that are sponsoring fabulous prizes!  Just for Fun® Stamps is one of the many proud sponsors of this party and will be giving away a $25 gift certificate, which can be found on Broni's blog!

Now, for the colors!!

Sitting on my desk is an invitation for my oldest  kiddo to attend a Luau theme birthday party this weekend.  When I saw these colors,  a TROPICAL theme got stuck in my noggin and this is what I came up with:

Now somehow, my "Regal Rose" took a brighter  pinkish-rose tone.  I think my subconscious took over on the tropical theme, hehe!!  I kept this a pretty CAS card as I think I will use it for the 13 y/o girl's b-day card (YIKES!! It looks like the mixed teen parties are about to begin!!).  The base is a 5 1/2" x 5 1/2 " piece of Gina K's pure luxury cardstock.  There is a slightly smaller layer of SU's Baja Breeze that has the same ink sponged along the edges.  Another scrap piece of the pure luxury was run through the Cuttlebug with the Swiss Dots embossing folder and sponged over with Baja Breeze ink.  I then stamped the Large Cherry Blossom from Just for Fun® onto some scrap pieces of the pure luxury paper with Ranger's Archival Jet Black ink.  The flowers were then colored with my Copic Ciaos and cut out.  The leaves were cut free hand from SU's Certainly Celery and then I took the certainly celery ink pad directly to the paper to add some subtle depth of color.   Both the flowers and leaves were then spritzed with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Pearl.  The leaves were taped to the card base, leaving the edges loose.  Two of the three flowers were adhered using dimensionals to add some more depth.  I then stamped the Happy Birthday (also from Just for Fun®....sorry, I cannot find the direct link at this time!!) onto a scrap piece of the pure luxury (have I ever mentioned how much I LOOOVE this paper?!!) and cut out the "flag" and sponged along the edges with the Baja Breeze ink. 

I played around with adding some more baddabling, but just couldn't get anything to tickle my fancy, so decided to call 'er done! (now you know the real reason this is a CAS card!! haha!)

Make sure you check out the other Just For Fun® Designers who are participating in this celebration!

Sherry Cheever

Kat Tucker

Roni Johnson

Glenda Brooks

Margarita Ybarra

And of course you don't want to miss

 BRONI!!

I hope you join in on the celebration and share your projects on the Color Throwdown Blog!

Thanks for dropping by again today!!  Remember to make time for some type of CREATIVITY in your day!!

And God Created Mothers

Happy Friday Peoples!!  It's time for another Just for Fun® Friday color challenge and today Sherry challenged us to use the following colors as inspired by Graphic45's Proper Gentlemen

Now here is where I'm going to let you on a little secret.  The Just For Fun® Design team gets to have a "sneak" of what the upcoming color challenges are going to be.  It would seem that yours truely had a major brain freeze for this week (yes, yes, I know.  TOTALLY out of character for me!! hehe).  I picked out my paper, the image I thought I wanted to use and was getting everything ready to go.   Divine intervention had me double checking the challenge colors this morning and LOW AND BEHOLD!! I was on the WRONG week!! GRRRRRR!!  Let's just say that I looked rather like a deer in the headlights for about 30 minutes or so trying to reverse gears and come up with something else!!  But!!  I think I did pretty good, all things considered! LOL!!

I started with the DP from Colorbok's Fresh Meadow pack and cut it slightly smaller than my textured Very Vanilla base of 6x6".  I rounded the corners with my corner rounder and sponged the edges with Distress Fired Brick and set these layers behind.  I then pulled out distress ink in Antique Linen and swiped it on my craft sheet and misted with water on a scrap piece of the textured vanilla cardstock.  After getting the depth of color that I liked, I spritzed the layer with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Antique Lace and Pearl.   I stamped my sentiment .....He Created Mothers from Just for Fun Stamps® with Distress ink in Fired brick.  I cut out/embossed that layer and the Cranberry Crisp layer with Spellbinders Labels 11.  Then came the really fun part! I used Tim Holt'z Tattered Florals sizzix die with some very vanilla cardstock and used the smaller 6 petal flower to make my roses (one of many tutorials can be found here).  After cutting my dies (I layered 3 pieces of paper at one time and ran them through my Big Shot) I sponged the edges and back with Distress Worn Lipstick and then just the edges again with Fired Brick.  I then assembled the roses using Art Glitter glue.  I die cut the leaves (Sizzix Branch with Leaves) from some scrap Very Vanilla and spritzed with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Meadow Green and Old Olive.  The roses were adhered over the layers with some dimensionals and a touch of glue. 

I hope you'll join the Just For Fun Friday color challenge!!  If you are in need of some more inspiration, check out the other DT members and see what they came up with!!

Sandy Sandrus

Terre Fry

Sherry Cheever

Margarita Ybarra (NEW to the team!! YEAH!!)

Kat Tucker

and

Broni Holcombe

Don't forget, you can use ANY stamps to play along with us!! Just add your name to Mr. Linky on the

Just For Fun® Blog so we can see your creations!

That's it for today!!  I am going to the Pasadena Design House with my mother in law this weekend and I always find so much inspiration from all the over the top designing!!  (cross your fingers I find some inspiration for Teacher Appreciation....some how May 4 snuck up on me and once again~~I'm about 2 steps behind!! Any suggestions would be welcome!! )

Thanks for dropping by again today!! I hope you are able to have a creative weekend!!

The Aim of Art

Happy Friday Peoples!!  And Happy Easter Wishes!! (for those who celebrate).  It's time for this week's

Just for Fun® Friday color challenge.  This week our colors come from Sherry, who found her inspiration in

Graphic45's On the Boardwalk and Fashionista paper. 

 DISCLAIMER:  THE ABOVE COLOR SWATCH IS JUST A BEGINNING SUGGESTION.  THERE IS NOT A SPECIFIC SHADE OF RED, YELLOW OR BLACK THAT IS REQUIRED.  THEREFORE, EACH AND EVERY PARTICIPANT IS FREE TO DECIDE WHAT COLOR FAMILY OF THE MAIN IDEA SHE/HE CHOSES TO USE. 

According to The Toad, I pushed the limites on my color choice.  According to me, I went with a more cranberry/rust shade of red and my yellow is more of a yellow green.  I'm just going to point out that if you go to paint store and look at all the red and yellow paint swatches, you'll see HUNDREDS of different shades. That's all I'm sayin'!! hehe

                                       

My project was inspired by something similar that Sherry did a few weeks ago.  I love her roses and have been wanting to try them myself but was waiting for my T!m Holtz Sizzix Tattered Floral die to arrive.  Then I got the idea to try it with some metal (hindsight:  I should have made a least ONE rose out of paper first, just to get the feeling of the process.  But that would have been the smart, easier thing to do.  I decided to jump off the creative bridge first and check the depth of the water later! hehe).  I cut out the medium 6 petal flower using some Spiced Rum metal from TenSeconds Studios.  I then flipped the metal to the backside (that is plain aluminum) and colored it using alcohol inks in Terra Cotta and Raisin.  Then I ran the flowers through the Cuttlebug Swiss dot embossing folder so that I DEbossed the dots.  Using really stickly red liner tape I put the flower together using this tutorial.  Now, one thing I learned is that metal is NOT paper! LOL!! While you can curl the edges, I realized that metal can curl much tighter and had to carefully unfurl some of the petals.  Which lead to some of the overworked edges showing more of the aluminum color. Putting the flower together was a little tricky as the metal does not manipulate like paper does and wrapping the red liner tape was a bit tricky.   The leaves were hand drawn to fit my rose on a scrap piece of metal and colored with alcohol inks in Lettuce, Pesto and Raisin.  Tip:  color your metal BEFORE you do the detailed embossing work.  That will allow the ink to get into those recessed grooves (ask me how I know this!! geesh!!)

Here is a close up of the rose:

                              

While not the perfect rose, I CANNOT wait to try this again!  (Yes, that is fair warning!! hehe)

On to the rest of the project!

I then painted the outside edges of my cheapo $1 wood frame from Michael's (found these  two years ago...Christmas time.  Idea was that I was going to alter the frames as gifts.  Obviously THAT never happened!).  Then I covered it with English Meadow paper from Colorbok using Tombow mono multi liquid glue.   I sponged around the edges of the paper and the inside of the window frame with Distress ink Aged Mahogany. Being on the T!m mode, I pulled out my Elegant Flourish die and cut two of the smaller flourish from grunge paper.  I colored it with Black Soot Distress ink and then spritzed it with Tattered Angel's Glimmer Mist in Pearl (that would be the "white" splotches" in the picture.  IRL, they don't show up!! Gotta love the camera!!).  The sentiment from Just For Fun® was stamped using Archival Jet Black onto a piece of Whisper White that was cut out (with NO embossing) using my classic oval Nestabilities. The edge was sponged again using Aged Mahogany.   The scalloped frame was cut out from Cranberry Crisp cardstock and embossed using the scalloped oval nestie.  I then took a strip of clear rhinestone accents and colored them using alcohol inks  again in Lettuce, Pesto and Raisin.

I have to say I LOOOOVE how this turned out!! (especially the metal rose, that is my favorite part! hehe).  I can see quite a few of these around my work area for "inspiration". 

 Speaking of inspiration:  make sure you check out all the other gal's creativity (and leave some special love to Linda.....sniff, sniff.  She has realized that while she may look like Wonderwoman (welllll, a blonde version, hehe) and creates like Wonderwoman,  she cannot do it all and wants to make sure she has time to spend with her grandkids this summer (gotta give her kudos for having her priorities in the right order!!)

Linda Duke

Sherry Cheever

Sandy Sandrus

Heidi Blankenship

Kat Tucker

Broni Holcombe 

and

Terre Fry

I hope you all have a FABULOUS weekend, no matter how you chose to celebrate it!!

Just a Fragment.....

......For Just For Fun® Friday.

Hey Peoples!! Thank goodness it is Friday!  This week has been one that I'd rather forget!! After pushing myself beyond what would appear to be my limits last week, I managed to drag myself into being sick.  BUT!! Being the dim bulb that I am, I continued to try to work 9+ hour days covering for my vacationiong boss. Well, on Wednesday, the girls in the office decided that they had enough of my trying to cough up my lungs and popping medication like it was candy.  They took it upon themselves to rebook and double book both our offices and told me to stay home on Thursday.  They are truely the best!! And, I admit that I sooo needed the rest!  I did nothing Thursday but sleep, sleep and tried to create something for today's Color Challenge! 

Broni  challenged us to use Kraft, Aqua and Teal as inspired by the papers by Graphic45 On the Boardwalk.  Now, I do not have any of this paper (gasp!) so tried to pull out the colors for an idea that has been brewing in my head for a while

Now, in real life, the colors are not this bright and the colors match the color challenge better. But I could be still in my deep medicated state of mind and don't know the difference!! hehe.   And for the life of my addled brain, I could not get this fragment to photograph well.  And to be honest, I got beyond caring! LOL!  I used the largest fragment from t!m holtz's ideology line and applied alcohol inks in Stream, Butterscotch and Epresso to one side.  When the inks had dried, I stamped the Queen Ann's Lace (F2716) with Archival Jet black ink and immediately wiped it off using a paper towel leaving behind my white silhouette.  I mounted the fragment onto a piece of white cardstock using glossy accents.  I then turned the piece over and stamped the sentiment "A moment's insight is sometimes worth a life's experience ~~Oliver Wendell Homes (D2531) on the front using Jet Black Stazon (tip:  if you mess up the stamping on a slick surface, like a fragment, grab your blending solution and wipe it off real quick! Works great!! (couldn't reach the stazon cleaner soon enough! hehe).  I then stamped the small butterfly (A3378....sorry, I could not pull up the link) using Archival Jet black ink onto a scrap piece of SU's Taken with Teal.  Cut it out very carefully and adhered only the body to the fragment using glossy accents.  I then mounted the fragment on a slightly larger piece of Taken with Teal and that to another slightly larger piece of Kraft.  Supplies:  Inks:  Alcohol inks in Stream, Butterscotch, Espresso, Archival Jet Black, Stazon Jet Black.  Stamps:  Just For Fun® Queen Ann's Lace (F2716), Insight (D2531) and small butterfly(A3378).  Paper:  SU's Whisper White, Taken with Teal, Kraft.  Accessories:  Glossy accents, large fragment from the

idea-ology line by Tim Holtz. 

Make sure you stop by the other gal's sites to see what they came up with!!

Sheery Cheever

Broni Holcombe

Kat Tucker

Heidi Blankenship

Linda Duke

Sandy Sandrus

Terre Fry

JFF Blog

Thanks for dropping by again today! I'm off to take another little nap, hehe. Seems that I'm more worn out from creating than I thought I would be!!  Take care of yourselves and take TIME for yourselves!!

STAMPEDE!!!!!

Got a stampede going on at the homestead.  After the cowboy rode off into the sunset (see this post for more details) it would seem that some critter decided that life was just getting too easy out on the range. So, that ornery critter started a stampede just to liven things up.  First, there was the herding of 3rd and 4th graders thru Legoland for a day.  Come sun up there were 12 sock horses that needed harnessing.  And tables and chairs had to be set up for all the folks coming for grub. Plus puttin' out the fancy goods so folks don't think we don't know how to put on a gatherin'.  Not to mention some pickin' up needed to be in some of the classrooms (wouldn't be proper for the Grandparent's to be seeing dust on the desks.  They might get the wrong idea that the young 'uns weren't learnin').

So basically, I got over whelmed by all the hoopla for Grandparent's Day and did not get my card done for today's Just for Fun® Friday Color Challenge #3.  Kat challenged us to use Creme, Black and a color of our choice. Great colors!! Just no time for the mojo!!

I PROMISE that I will post a project this weekend.  Just need a moment to let all the dust settle down!! hehe.   But!! By all means, we'd love for you to join in on the fun!! Grab your stamps and come play with us (remember:  if you've got some Just for Fun Stamps, we'd love to see your creativity in using them.  BUT! If not, that's ok!! We just want to give everyone a FUN excuse to stamp with us!! There is a Mr. Linky on the Just for Fun® Blog so that we can enjoy what you come up with!!

Make sure you stop by all the other gal's blogs and see what they came up with (I know I'll be taking a peek for some inspiration!! I'm afraid I might have used up all my alloted creativity for the week already! LOL!!)

Kat Tucker

Broni Holcombe

Heidi Blankenship

Linda Duke

Sandy Sandrus

Sherry Cheever

and

Terre Fry

Just for Fun Blog

Ok...Happy Trails to you!! 'Til we meet again!! Happy Trails to you!! (do you all have the Van Halen version running thru your noggins now?!! ROTFL!!) 

What's a Mom to Do?

Been a long week here. Between the long weekend, working unexpectedly and trying to put in some miles on the bicycle there really hasn't been much time to sit down and create. And when I did sit down to create~~ guess what?! Somehow the ideas (that were totally awesome, btw) in my head were MUCH MUCH better than what was coming out on paper. Totally frustrates the heck out of me when that happens.

Being the organized, on top of things Mom that I am (insert some dripping sarcasm here____), I needed to make some thank you notes for the youngest who celebrated his 9th b-day the first weekend of this month. Since I had used the Extreme Skateboarder from SU on his card, I had it in my head to continue with that same theme. Now~~ here is where it gets tricky. First off: I had it in my head to make this card as a double challenge card (mistake number one). The CAS challenge this week on SCS was to use pop ups or dimensionals on your card. Great! I can do that!! Then I had it in my head to combine THAT challenge with Thursday's Way to Use it challenge, which was to use red (mistake number two). In my wonderfully creative mind (haha) I had the skateboarder in front of a graffiti wall, grinding on a rail of "thanks". But in reality ended up with this:

First off: I forgot how SMALL this image was, which required the card to measure 4x4. I had in my "vision" a more realistic graffiti background, using some reds, blues, greens (you know....like a wall that all the taggers love). Obviously all of my attempts at that never produced something that I liked. So I just went with stamping the Gratuitious Graffiti background in versamark onto Whisper white paper. Like how it shows up kinda with a brown/dirty tint? That comes from having your stampin' scrub pad being dirty. What can I say? I felt it worked for the grungy graffiti wall so I grabbed a sponge dauber that had been used mostly with browns and lightly tapped it onto my Black Soot distress ink pad and sponged around the edges of the card.

Then I stamped the skateboarder in Black Soot onto some scrap Whisper White. And cut him out (Again....what was I thinking?!! This guy is TEENY TINY!! And I have EIGHT of these to make!! My hand just ACHED by the time I finished cutting out all those little guys!).

Then the sentiment. Here is where my "mom" dilemma comes into play. I originally stamped the "Thanks" in red. Using a different font. Great!! Fits both challenges. When I show it to the Toad and the boys, they say "cool, but that font doesn't really go with the whole look". Oooookaaay!! So I drag out another "Thanks" in a different font and try again. That particular font was too big. Not a great response from the critics. The Toad suggests using the same alphabet that I used on the original card (see above link). Sooooo, I drag out that set and stamp "Thanks" once again. DS (who, is very particular about how things should be in his creations/my creations for him~should be) says "It goes better with the background thingy, but I guess it is hard to read". GREAT. Now what?! Pull out yet ANOTHER "Thanks" and stamp. FINALLY!! Everyone says that that is the best one. BUT!! (you know there had to be a "but" in there somewhere!!) DS decides he wants the sentiment in BLACK. Ok....I personally think it has a little more "pop" with the red. But the Toad is looking at me and lifting his eyebrows says "They're HIS thank you cards. Make them how HE wants them". (sigh) Fine. So what is a mom to do? Make the card so that it fits "her" idea for challenges or make the card so that it fits her child's idea? Obviously, my child won.

I then popped up the BLACK sentiment on dimensionals and then cut down more dimensionals so that I could have the skateboarder "grinding" on the thanks (which, btw~The Toad just informed me that this "thanks" doesn't look like I stamped it, but rather that it is a 6th generation "copy" off the computer. GREAT. Thanks!! I am SO NOT doing those AGAIN!!

Overall rating: *** 1/2 out of ***** (because in my mind it was just SOOO much better!! hehe)

Thanks for dropping by. I really hope that it doesn't take me another full week before I come up with another card. Cross your fingers that my body adapts better this week to all the riding that I need to do. I've been coming home just worn out from the rides and have no energy/creative juices flowing (outside my head that is).

Have a good one and hoping I'll be back in the next day or so!!

Wacky Wednesday on Monday

YIKES!! Talk about cutting a deadline close!! I had wanted to do the Wacky Wednesday Challenge from Rubbernecker last week, but never got the time. Decided to try and "whip" out a card for the challenge (hoping that it will still be accepted......if not, oh well!! I still made a card, right?!). This week's challenge was to use Prism papers in Spring Willow, Intense Orange and Intense Yellow. Guess what?! I don't have any Prism papers!! But!! Luckily, the wonderful hostess Broni gave SU color substitutions in Old Olive, Summer Sun and Pumpkin Pie. SU I have!! Yippee!! I get to play! Here is what I came up with:

These colors seemed like sunset colors. And with a sunset, you need silhouettes. And probably my favorite set from Rubbernecker is Floral Silhouette. I first took a piece of Gina K's 120# pure luxury paper and using my favorite LARGE stencil brush, layed down a layer of Summer Sun. I then went over some of the area using Pumpkin Pie. Then, because I wanted the bottom corner still darker, I added some Ruby Red to the mix. I cut out the 1/2 circle using my old Creative Memories circle cutter. I then layered that over a small piece of black. The old olive piece is textured and the scallops made with my SU scallop punch. The Summer Sun layer has the new Flourish background stamped in summer yellow. The sentiment is also from the Floral Silhouette set and I masked it and used my stampamajig to stamp on the different layers. The layout was inspired by the FTL45A that can be found on the Clean and Simple Blog. My card measures 4 1/4 x 4 1/4 inches instead of the 3x3 that the sketch called for. But inspiration is inspiration!! Supplies: Paper: SU's Pumpkin Pie, Summer Sun, Old Olive (textured), Basic Black and Gina K's 120# pure luxury. Inks: Summer Sun and Ranger Archival Jet Black. Stamps: Floral Silhouette, Floral Background from Rubbernecker. Accessories: Black ribbon from Target, Circle Cutter from Creative Memories, scallop edge punch and stampamajig.

Thanks for stopping by again today!! I'm off to do some more cleaning that has been put off for waaaaay too long!