Rock Star

It would seem that my creativity is on an extended vacation. It has happened in the past so I know the duration of it's absence can vary from a few days to several months.  I'm a bit fearful that this round might be leaning towards the latter!

Unfortunately, the call to create reared it's ugly head despite the fact that notification was given that creativity is currently not available.  The Youngest Kiddo was invited to a classmates birthday party later this afternoon (Yes, I know.  Once again, I am trying to create with no mojo at the last minute!). I will also admit, that due to the severe lack of creativity, I once again considered buying a card.

And I wouldn't have felt any guilt.

But, I didn't.  All because of artistic ego.

You see, Youngest Kiddo has been attending this classmate's birthday parties for several years.  And every year I have made the birthday card that reflected the birthday theme for that year (as indicated by the homemade invitation and excited verbal updates by the birthday kiddo).  Last year, the creative mother told me that she always looks for the Youngest Kiddo's card because she knows it is homemade with the theme so she SAVES the card in her son's scrapbook.

Talk about pressure!

I'm not sure that this year's card meets the expectations that I have now exaggerated to myself.  I like the design concept in theory, but not sure the final outcome is what I had hoped for. It's close, just not quite there.

I recommend clicking on the photo for a larger view.  On my computer, the larger view IS in focus!

But, I'm not tweeking it.  This is the SECOND card made as the first had the misfortune of having the re positional stamp fall off the stamp block on the very last image being stamped, resulting in a wonderful blur of ink.  **Helpful tip:  if you are using a re positional stamp multiple times and cleaning the ink between each stamped image, I HIGHLY recommend that you check to make sure that the moisture from the cleaning did not loosen the bond of stamp to block.  Just sayin'. 

Basic creative (ha!) details:  Base: Gina K's Pure Luxury white, top fold.  Stamps are also from Gina K/Tami Mayberry Live Life Loud.  Distress Ink in Broken China and Peeled Paint were randomly applied to the stamp to create the mottled/tie die look.  The same inks were used to create the Wrinkle Free distress background, misted with Tattered Angel's Glimmer Mist Pearl.  The sentiment (same stamp set) was stamped with Distress Ink Gathered Twigs.  The sentiment was die cut and embossed with Spellbinders Label 12 and sponged along the edge with Broken China distress ink.  The sentiment was adhered using dimensionals.

That's about it for me today!  I'm trying to get motivated to tackle going through my craft area and PURGING, since creativity is out of town. I just finished the kitchen purge and am hoping that motivation doesn't decide to take a vacation too!!

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

Rockin' the Blues

Hey there People! Are you sitting down?  Yes, it's true!  I'm back with another post today!  Geesh! Is this the third post in 6 days?!  I highly recommend grabbing your cameras and heading outside.  Pigs are very likely flying right now!!

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Before I get to my card for today, I'd like to take this moment to thank all the men, women and families that have sacrificed so much for this country.  They are the ONLY reason we have the all these freedoms that we tend to take for granted. There are not enough words so I will stick to a simple THANKS for all that you have given to the rest of us. 

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This has been a crazy busy weekend for us!  In addition to the 90th birthday celebration, we also have the family celebration for the Oldest Kiddo, for which I am pretty much expected to make a card for!  His actual birthday is later this week, but bummer for him, it falls right smack dab in the middle of finals and then he has to help with graduation duties as an underclassman next weekend.  This just seemed like the better weekend to try and pull off the family party and we'll figure out a better time to plan a get together with his friends later.

This was actually a fairly quick card to put together once I came up with the idea. That was the kicker.  Coming up with the idea.  Making cards for teenage boys is very hard when their interests don't change much over the last couple of years!  I want the card to be relevant  , but not the same o, same o!!  I found my inspiration from this card of Susan's.  I liked the simplicity of only two colors and the grungy genre.   I think it took me maybe 10 minutes total, and that would include having to re stamp the entire card.  It would seem that somebody pulled a lazy stamper moment and did not stamp off or even pretend to clean the sentiment stamp the last time she used it.  This resulted in a completely different shade of color on the almost completed card.  

Basic details:  One layer card, top fold from Pure Luxury White.  Lightly inked the splatter stamp from SU's Extreme Elements with Distress Tumbled glass.  Stamped SU's Extreme Guitar with Distress Broken China and added a bit of shading with Copics.  The stars are from Extreme Elements stamped with Distress Peeled Paint.  The sentiment and the other grunge element is from Tami Mayberry's Live Life Loud set and were also stamped with Distress Peeled Paint. 

It would seem that I REALLY need to address the after effects of the creative tornado that has gone through this room over the last few weeks!  Mojo is finding it very hard to even think in this mess!  

'Till then, enjoy the simplicity of creating!!

Trying to Rock Kraft

Are you sitting down?  Yes, I'm actually posting a new project today!!  I'm still fighting the lack of mojo, but seeing as I had yet to make the youngest kiddo's thank you cards for his b-day, it was time to grit my teeth and try to buckle down. I used the sketch challenge on SCS to launch myself off the cliff. 



I always admire those who can use Kraft card stock.  I have a really hard time getting it to "work" for me.  So, of course, just to add to the frustration of not having any mojo, I pulled out my pack of Kraft card stock.  HEY!  I figure if I'm going to go down in flames, I may as well do a good job of it! LOL!!

I started by smooshing Distress Inks Vintage Photo, Shabby Shutters and Tumbled Glass in a random way on my craft sheet.  I misted heavily with Tattered Angel's Glimmer Mist Pearl.  Then I layed a piece of Very Vanilla card stock in the beaded ink to make my Wrinkle Free Distress Background.  The "glare" on the last guitar panel is actually the glimmer mist!  I then stamped the guitar from Tami Mayberry's Live Life Loud set using the new Gathered Twigs Distress Ink.

Allow me to interrupt here:  Let me just say that this now my most favorite brown ink in the Distress Ink line!  It is the ink that was missing between Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain.  I am already panicking that there are no reinkers for the new seasonal Distress Inks. What am I going to do when this ink pad has reached it's saturation limit?!!  Hello, Ranger?  We NEED the reinkers.  This is the ink that MUST be added to the Distress Line.  Just sayin'.  Thank you for listening to little' ol' me.

Back to our previously scheduled post.

After stamping the guitars (I did mention that I LOVE the Gathered Twigs ink, right?!), I distressed the edges of the panels with my distressing tool and then inked the edges with Gathered Twigs ink.  The sentiment, from the same set, was stamped and two score lines added with my Scor-Buddy. 

This is a bit more involved than what I usually like to make for mass produced cards.  But, seeing as I only had to make 6 cards, it wasn't too bad on the time.  As far as the Kraft card stock~~not bad, not great, LOL!

That's it for me today!  Have a couple of other projects that I need to get crackalacin' on!  Till then..........

Teenage Angst

Hey Peoples!!

Have you all totally given up on me ever posting again?  Between my psychotic computer (yes, yes, I know I need to do something about the stupid thing....but I'd so much rather spend money on other things!) work and life in general, things have been rather slow in the crafting department.  I'm thinking that with some recent changes that have been made in our household, that I may find myself with some more time to get back to my creative side.

Over this past weekend I made a couple of interesting discoveries.
1) I have been immersed in a home, surrounded with testosterone for so long that I've found my tastes in movies now seem to run along the lines of Transformers (haven't seen the newest one yet...it's on the schedule) Ironman (I and II), and the likes.  Still not as thrilled with The Three Stooges, but hey!  Give me time, I'm sure I'll start rattling off lines from them too.

2) While I still have enough estrogen in me to appreciate a feminine card, it would seem I have NO STINKIN' IDEA how to make a card for a teenage girl.

3) When one gives her mojo an extended vacation and then tries to force her mojo back for a card that is needed NOW, it would seem that mojo will dig in her heels and scream and fight every last step of getting the needed card done in under 3 hours. 

The oldest Kiddo needed a birthday card this past weekend for one of his classmates.  Who just so happens to be a 14 year old girl.

Have I ever mentioned that I am surrounded by males in my household?  Even the dog is male.  I have NO IDEA what 14 y/o girls are into (besides 14+ y/o boys).  Originally I thought to myself "Self (or mojo), just make a You Rock" type birthday card in girly colors, since all teenagers seem to have some type of music device forever attached to their noggins.

The the oldest Kiddo drops the bomb that this particular girl likes country music.

Uhhhhhh.  While I can do western themes, I don't do rockin' country themes. 

After literally 6 attempts at creating SOMETHING, this is the CAS card I came up with.  Seriously people.  Only give your mojo a couple of days off.  Much longer than that and things start to get ugly.

Base is a 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" piece of Pure Luxury that is folded along the side.  The circle collage, from my new set Live Life Loud (Gina K) was randomly colored with SU markers in Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Regal Rose and Melon Mambo. The sentiment is from SU's retired set It's Your Birthday.  I inked it up with the Melon Mambo marker, since I don't own that ink pad.  

6 attempts at this.  Sad, so sad!!

I'm hoping that after this creative struggle, Mojo will decide to come back to work and help me out with less of an attitude.  

Cross your fingers.  I don't know if I can battle both a psychotic computer and a temperamental mojo.  

Till then............................ 



All Star Birthday

Hey Peoples!!  I hope you are all having a fabulous weekend!! I finally found a moment to come up and breathe and thought I'd start sharing some of the goodies that I've been busy with!!

The kiddos started school on Thurs and I believe it was Tuesday evening when the Toad was looking at his schedule for a basketball PE class (he is one of the coaches) and saw that it listed the oldest kid's teacher (also, one of the coaches) having a birthday on FRIDAY.  Greaaaaaate.  So, called one of the other mom's in the class and set up a plan for a pizza party.  I got the cupcake and card duty.  Here is the card that I came up with:

I stamped the various sport equipment from  Melanie Muenchinger's Sporty Accessories using Archival Jet Black ink onto Gina K's 120# pure luxury white to spell out "ALL" and colored with various copics.  I know that there are those who list all the specific markers that they use when coloring.  That will never happen on this blog, I'm sorry to say.  I color like I create:  grab, try it, grab something else.  I have a color chart of all my copics and I look to see what colors I think I want to start with and then just keep grabbing until I get the look that I want.  There literally can be 20 markers out on my desk at one time.  Some used, some not.  And I can't remember which ones I grabbed for what!!

Anyhoos!! After coloring the main images, I cut out the football and adhered it over the hockey stick and golf club to finish off the  "A". Some light shading was done below and around the various equipment to keep them from floating in air.  I sponged a scrap piece of luxury paper with some Distress ink in Fired Brick and Vintage Photo.    I then used my Spellbinders Stars Five to cut and emboss the two different stars.  I sponged around the red star with some Riding Hood Red and matted them off center to give some depth to the "red" star.  I pulled out SU's retired "It's Your Birthday" and masked off one of the sentiments so that I just had the "birthday".  Using my every trusty stampamajig, I lined up the birthday and stamped using Archival Jet Black ink.  The main image was then matted on some Basic Black and Riding Hood Red.  The base is Pure Luxury cardstock and measures 5 x 5.   

Looking at the finished product, I realized that I matted slightly off kilter (I'm sure it had NOTHING to do with the fact that I was literally working on a pile of stuff!!).  Oh WELL.  I did not have time to risk ruining the image by trying to tear the thing apart and re align!!

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As I mentioned earlier, I also had cupcake duty.  I don't know what came over me, but I got the idea to make some type of "gourmet" type cupcake (since, you know, I have sooooo much time on my hands to experiment!!).  I found a recipe for Pink Lemonade Cupcakes on Confections of a Foodie Bride blog, but since I was making cupcakes for a male teacher, I didn't think that going pink was the way to do it.  So, I got the idea to make Limeade Cupcakes.  Let's just say that these cupcakes are refreshing.  I know that I will be making more of these in the future!

Limeade Cupcakes

9 oz Limeade concentrate, thawed

White Cake mix (yes, it comes in a box)

3 egg whites (I used the stuff you can buy in a carton.  Too lazy to try and separate egg whites)

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

In a stand mixer, add the cake mix, egg whites, vegetable oil and limeade concentrate.  Mix on low for about 30 seconds then increase to medium speed for about 90 seconds (make sure the batter is still a bit lumpy so you don't end up with dry cupcakes. My first batch was over mixed!!)

Spoon batter into cupcake liners that have been placed in a muffin tin.  The original recipe states to spray the liners with non-stick spray.  I did that for the first batch.  Skipped it for the second batch and my cupcakes turned out fine!  Fill cups between 2/3 and 3/4 full.  Bake at 350 for about 22-25 minutes (again~~my first batch, I over baked.  Go low and add time as needed!) or until a toothpick in the center cupcake comes out done.  Remove pan from oven and cool for about 5 minutes.  Remove the cupcakes from the pan and cool completely on a baking rack.

Now~~the original recipe calls for a Lemon Buttercream Icing.  I did NOT like the buttercream with the Limeade.  It was waaaay too sweet.  Even my kids thought it was too sweet.  So, back to the computer and this is what I came up with:

Sturdy Whipped Cream Frosting

1 (8 oz) package reduced -fat cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon Lemon extract (the original recipe calls for almond extract.  I wanted the citrus zing)

2 cups heavy cream (I used whipping cream)

Chill a large mixing bowl and beaters.  Combine cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and lemon extract in the chilled mixing bowl fitted with whisk attachment.  Mix on medium speed until smooth.  While the mixture is still whipping, slowly pour in the whipping cream.  Stop and scrape the bottom and sides of bowl a couple of times.  Continue whipping until the cream can hold a stiff peak.

Combine 1/4 cup granulated sugar with a couple of drops of desired food coloring in a food processor and mix until sugar is evenly colored.  Sprinkle over freshly iced cupcakes if desired.

Now, the whipped cream frosting is not like your regular frosting.  I think I could have whipped mine just a tad bit longer.  I would not use this recipe if the cupcakes are going to be sitting out for several hours (for a couple of reasons.  1) The whipped cream is likely to "fall"  2) The whipped cream is CREAM.  I'm not into having it spoil and someone getting food poisoning!!)

I wish I had a picture of the cupcakes. But, I did not have time to try and take a picture before I had to deliver the cupcakes and get myself to work.  Just take the recommendation of my 13 y/o son who said: "These look REALLY good" and later:  "The cupcakes tasted even better than they looked!" 

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I have a few more projects to share with you, but I'm going to spread them out over the next few days!! (ok, ok....kid is clammering for my computer as he has homework to do! Geesh!! Doesn't he know that I'm trying to blog here?!! hehe).  I appreciate you dropping by again!!  Let me know if you try the cupcakes and what you think of them!! 

Remember to find some creativity in your day!!  Till then.......

Notes from the Locker Room

Hey Peoples!  Have a quick post to share today (if I can keep from chatting too much!).  The Toad has been after me to make some thank you cards for all the coaches who helped with the our little school's participation in the city basketball league this past season.  As usual, I'm a couple of miles/months/years behind, but finally came up with a design. 

I got the idea to make a "locker room" with a hanging plaque.  The layout is fairly clean and simple as I have 8 of these to make.  And since I got the wild hair to cut out each and every one of the elements!! (I'm tellin' ya....sometimes I have to wonder at the twisted turns my brain takes in creating!).  The card base is 120# Pure Luxury cardstock from Gina K, with a top fold.  I LOOOVE this paper!! It is WONDERFUL for coloring with copics (smooth, no bleeding, so single layer cards can be made with it), but it is STURDY for building scenes like this without warping.  The images are from Melanie Muenchinger's "Sporty Accessories".  I stamped the tennis shoes using Archival Jet Black ink and colored with various copic ciaos.  The basketball was stamped with Memento Rich Cocoa ink and also colored with copics.  The lockers were stamped with Adirondack Slate ink and shaded with copics.  I tried to stamp the lockers lined up next to each other using my stampamajig, but somehow I managed to still stamp them "off" so EVERYTHING got cut out!!  The "plaque"  sentiment is from Papertrey Ink's Faux Ribbon.  I masked off the "with appreciation" under the "THANKS" as I felt it was kind of redundant and stamped it using SU's Real Red.    The "floor" is scored (with the debossed lines on the front) every 1/4" using my Scor Pal, but they are difficult to see in the picture.  All the images (except the plaque) are popped up on dimensionals.  Supplies:  Stamps:  Melanie Muenchinger's Sporty Accessories, Papertrey's Faux Ribbon.  Inks:  Archival Jet Black, Memento Rich Cocoa, Adirondack Slate, SU's Real Red.  Paper:  Pure Luxury 120# from Gina K, basic black

I still need to put the rest of these together, but since I've been really lame about posting lately, I wanted to take a moment and share something new with you!!  I'm off to take a little break and do some yard work before the predicted rain hits!!  Thanks for dropping by again today!! And remember~take time for some creativity!!

Don't I live in Southern California? and Some Framed Love and Supercraft show ramblings!

Hey Peoples!!  Didja think that I forgot about this poor little blog?!!  Heehee....

What a week we've had for the weather in Southern California!! First, it RAINS (which if you listen to the song, it NEVER rains in Southern California!). And I don't mean a little bit of rain, I mean RAIN!  Then guess what we woke  up too on Friday morning?

our backyard 7 am....snow still coming down

My courtyard fountain

cozy little spot to sit

what use to be large pepper trees on the bank edge

Can you belive this?!!  We are at about 3300 ft of elevation and we got about a foot of snow!! We also lost all electricity early in the am until about 4:00 pm.....luckily, we have a gas fireplace (not as warm as a wood one, but we kept warm) and a gas stove so food was not a problem.  Schools were cancelled (again, a snow day in Southern California?!! People, I moved away from this stuff for a reason!! LOL!) much to the neighborhood kids delight.  The streets and nearby hills were loaded with snowmen and kids using boogie boards and some snowboards.  I got the day off as I don't have a four wheel drive and was not able to get out of our driveway (or out of the garage for that matter) to try and make it down the hill. 

                                                           

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I did manage to get a card put together between breaks of  taking pictures of my kiddos and trying to keep my hands warm.  But of course, I couldn't upload!! Go figure!! LOL

*(Of course, I still haven't figured out the photo program that came with my new computer.  I think I just need to spend a little time and figure out what photo program I want to use and download so I can get some decent photo enhancements!!....'cause I have lightened this photo and can't figure out how to get the saved version for here!!)

I stamped the college heart from Just for Fun Stamps using SU markers in Real Red and Basic Black on Gina K's pure luxury cardstock.  I then stamped the different elements again cutting out and layering each one with dimensionals.  Here is a close up view that kind of shows all the different layers better:

I used the tutorial on SCS for the recessed window and figured out my dimensions to make a 5x 5 card base with a 3 1/2 x 3 1/2" window.  Now, the first window that I made, I used SU's whisper white.  I DO NOT recommend this particular paper for this technique.  Why?  It is not strong enough to handle the weight of this card.  My inside corners tore, the top edge frayed and the bottom portion bowed out.  I tore apart the card and made it again using Gina K's 120# pure luxury cardstock.  MUCH better. 

Now I'm going to confess my mess up on the embossing of the frame.  I acutally had planned to DEboss.  Which I did on my practice frame (to figure out my dimensions.....to make sure everything I had thought I had figured out~I actually did!!) and on the SU paper frame.  GREAT.  Guess what I did on my "final" frame?!!  I placed my embossing border the WRONG way.  Fine.  I'll just go with it.  THEN I realized that I had embossed the wrong edges first so that I couldn't line up the dots to continue down the sides correctly.  SOOOOO.  You have only the top and bottom embossed "on purpose".  BWHHAAAAAA!!!

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SUPERCRAFT SHOW!!!!!!!!!!!  Guess what I did yesterday?!!  I went to the supercraft show in Anaheim!!!! Now, before you get all excited wanting to see "new" stuff.....this is not the CHA retailer portion of the show.  This is the part opened to the public.  BUT!! I did get to meet sooo many of the SCS "stars"!!!! 

I actually met Daven and Jenn in the parking lot.  Jenn remembered my posting on SCS that I might not be able to get out of my driveway and come to the show.  I got a wonderful "I'm so glad you made it" hug from her and Daven!!  Then I met Beate (gorgeous smile all the time!) Lori, Jimmi, Heidi, Cami, Sharon, Jami, Valerie, Joan, Deb, Dawn, Lisa......AAAACKKKKK!! I'm forgetting names but can recall faces!!

Here are some pics:

OH WAIT!! Star struck me introduced herself but DIDN'T TAKE ONE STINKIN' PICTURE!! DOI!!! How stupid am I?!!! 

And, I finally got to meet up with CAKath, my online "workout buddy"!!!  (she worked out....I kept working out my chewing skills!)...What a blast that was to walk around and see so many "familiar" faces!!

Whew!! What a weekend!! 

Thanks for dropping by again!!  I'm going to throw in another "snow" load in the dryer and see if I can find some clean space to create something else (being around crafting all day helps the creative mojo to get flowing (wink)!!

Baked Alaska

The Toad's grandfather turned 82 last week. Believe it or not, I got a card done in time for the family celebration (notice~I did not say in time for his actual birthday!).

Hmmmmm......this is not the greatest picture! But obviously, the card has been given away and the so-called photographer cannot take another 15 shots to try and get something presentable!!

The image is from Gina K's "You know your old when...." set. I stamped the image in Jet Black Stazon then colored it with my favorite coloring medium of late~~my copic ciaos. Originally I had thought to do a single layer card, in the style of Hallmark's own "Maxine" (who, btw, I absolutely LOVE!! hehe). But I need to replenish my 120# Pure Luxury paper (also from Gina K) which is the absolute BEST for one layer cards (there is NO bleeding on the other side when coloring with markers). So I cut and embossed the image with my Spellbinders nestabilities die. I then covered my base of River Rock with a sheet from the Basic Grey "Granola" paper pack. The beginning part of the sentiment was stamped on a strip of Red Riding Hood Red in craft chocolate chip and the image layered on that.

Now, the buttons (which are also from the Basic Grey "Granola" line) are a hit/miss. I really felt that the whole layout needed SOMETHING and I've been trying to figure out how to use buttons. I sewed some red thread thru the loops and then adhered with glue dots (because, of course, I did not think about buttons and sewing until after my DP was adhered). I don't know. The buttons fill in the space but not in a WOW way that others use buttons. Maybe buttons are just too close to sewing and that is why I can't get them to work (because I AVOID sewing like a plague!!). Inside the rest of the sentiment "Your birthday cake looks like baked alaska" was stamped in craft chocolate chip. Overall personal rating: *** 1/2 out of *****. Supplies: Stamps: Gina K. Paper: Basic Grey "Granola", SU River Rock, Red Riding Hood, 120# Pure Luxury. Ink: Jet black Stazon, craft chocolate chip. Accessories: Copic Ciao markers, Spellbinders nestabilities, Big Shot, Buttons (Basic Grey's Granola), glue dots

Thanks for stopping by again today! I hope you all had an enjoyable but safe long weekend!