Using Maps

I get lost easily.  I absolutely have NO sense of direction.  While a college student, my "friends" would find it funny to lead me out a different door from the many buildings on campus and watch me try to figure out which way I needed to go.  

I swear I am the only person who can get lost while using a GPS.

But despite the fact that I have no idea where I am going (in more ways than one!), I have gotten better at knowing the general direction in which to head.

But I still print out maps and try to follow someone else if I possibly can.

I continue to be lost as far as having any "original" ideas for creating.  It is what it is.  Life is just too busy right now and I can't seem to push myself to explore a new direction.  I'm not really fretting over it.  I know the general direction that I would like to go. I just have to figure out which doorway I'm starting at.

In the mean time, I'm not above using what "maps" I can find to help me on my way.  I needed a birthday card for The Toad's grandfather and wanted something simple, as in, requiring very little thinking on my part!
I found this sketch from an old SCS sketch challenge (June 7, 2011) and it got me to a CAS finished project in time for the family celebration.

click on photo for larger image

Basic details:  Base is Pure Luxury Ivory, 5.5" square.  Timepiece Collection design paper from Bo Bunny. Some sponging along the edges with Distress Gathered Twigs.  Sentiment is oooold SU Warmest Regards stamped with SU's Cranberry Crisp ink.  After I took this photo and was editing, I decided that the card needed three more self adhesive black pearls under the "Happy" to balance the card better.  Just use your imagination on that.  I literally applied the extra pearls as I was putting the card in the envelope while walking out the door! LOL!

That's it for me today! I'm trying to take advantage of a rare day off from work to tackle the laundry and find my kitchen counters!!

'Till next time........remember there is no shame in using a map to reach your destination!!

Measuring Life

Hey People!  I'm excited to be posting today as a guest designer for the CAS challenge on SCS!  Today's challenge is to use stitching or faux stitching in our projects.

Now, it just so happens that I'm deathly allergic to sewing (my aplogies to my Home Ec teacher, Ms. D.).  While I can sew on a button, It will usually take me several months to get that chore done.  So, rather than keep everyone waiting, I went with the faux stitching!

  The Toad thinks I failed this challenge as I added embellishments. Personally, while I liked the card with just the sentiment panel, I felt that the flowers added bit of needed color. 

The card base is 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" Pure Luxury Ivory.  The sentiment panel is also Pure Luxury Ivory that I distressed the edges and inked first with Distress Antique Linen, then along the edges with Distress Vintage Photo.  The sentiment is from TenSecondStudios stamp set Life, which was stamped with Distress Gathered Twigs.  I just randomly poked holes along the edges with a needle and faux stitched with a SU Creamy Caramel marker.

The rolled roses were die cut with Spellbinders scalloped circles out of My Mind's Eye Madison Avenue.  I free cut the spiral and inked the edges with Distress Victorian Velvet before rolling the roses.  The leaves are Sizzix's Branch with Leaves die and were cut out of Basic Grey's Sweet Threads. 

A shout out to the weekly CAS DT gals for allowing me to be a guest designer this week!! Thanks girls!!

Well, I'm one of the unlucky ones who had to go to work today, but I hope that you get an extra day of creating!  'Till next time................look for moments that take your breath away today!!

Vintage Wishes

Hey People!  Are you all in full throttle for the holidays?  I have my large, formal tree done, but that is it.  Still need to put up the family room tree.  Not even going to mention where I am in the scheme of things as far as  holiday cleaning, baking, shopping or even making Christmas cards!!

Today work celebrated the December Birthdays (mine and one other gal) with lunch out.  The other crafty gal in the office made my card, but I was asked to make the other gal's b-day card.  Originally, I thought I would use a card I had in my stash.  But, none of them flipped my trigger for N.  So, in true Starla fashion, I decided at the last minute to make a new card!  I LITERALLY finished photographing just as I needed to be leaving for the eats!

I started with the sketch challenge on SCS for my inspiration. 

  While I stuck pretty close to the actual sketch, I could not get the large panel to work for my embellishment and sentiment.  Sooooo.  This is MY take on the sketch!

Card base is Pure Luxury Ivory (vanilla) 5.5" square.  All the decorative paper came from MME's Lost and Found Sunshine.  I sponged Distress Ink in Vintage photo on all the decorative paper edges and on the tag that was cut and embossed with Spellbinder's Label Eleven.  The b-day sentiment is from SU's It's Your Birthday and was stamped with Chocolate Chip ink.

The Flower.  sigh...........I love the flower!  hehe. I covered Clearly for Art Whiteout with Broken China Distress Stain.  Now, you have to realize that CFA has more of a slick surface.  The Distress Stain just wants to bead up on it, rather than absorb.  But, that was ok with me!  I covered both sides of the whiteout with the stain, then wiping off the excess.  I repeated 2-3 more times until the color that did absorb was to my liking.  I then die cut some with PaperArtsy's Grunge Flower and Grunge Flower #2 and #3.  I snipped between the petals to separate them so that I could heat and mold the CFA better.  Let me just say that I REALLY need to get me those thingamawhoppers that you put on your fingers to protect them when hot gluing or working with CFA film!  Trying to heat this stuff BURNS!!! Either that, or I need to get me some hemostats!!  After heating and molding my flower layers, I then sponged Distress Vintage Photo on the edges.  Again, the ink wants to wipe off the slick surface, but I just wanted a hint of the color and it seemed to stick pretty well through all my handling of the flower to assemble it!!  As I was running  a bit short on time, I used my hot glue gun (why not?!  My finger tips were already singed!) to assemble the flower and adhere it to the card.  Colored a 1/2 pearl with Copics and ran out the door!!

*******

I just wanted to let you know that blogging is going to be even more sparse than usual the next few weeks!  I'm going to be working full time, covering for the other therapists who are taking holiday vacations.  Add to that schedule are the Kiddo's ball games, Christmas concerts (multiple performances for the Oldest Kiddo) and just trying to get ready for the holiday's myself!  All in all, that  is not going to leave much time for the ol' blog!  I DO HAVE a couple of projects that I'm still hoping to complete and share and I know that there is one more eP blog hop in the works!  So, until then.............

Remember to explore some creativity!!

Merry and Bright

Hey People!  Yes, yes!  Your eyes do not deceive you!  I'm back with another project.  It is amazing how much crafting one can do when off work!

Well, I made it to the semi final round for the SCS CAS winter DT challenge!  Here is the card I came up with for this round.

Let me just say that in real life, the paper and metal match so much better!  You'd think that as much as I like to use metal in my projects, I'd figure out how to photograph the stuff better!! Haven't figured out how to avoid over exposing and glares!!

Base is Pure Luxury 4.25"x 5.5" top fold.  I started with some Barn Red metal and embossed it on TenSecond Studio's Christmas Kubka mold (Sorry, it must be currently sold out as I cannot find it in the eP store or TSS!!).  I used a small wire brush to remove the metal color to a matte finish for the background of the package and a decorative wheel for the frame.  Swiss dots embossing folder was used on the SU Real Red background.  The sentiment is from Hero Arts Joy to All, and was stamped with SU's Real Red.  Added the button and the twine and called 'er done!

Well, I'm off to go make the yearly requested cranberry salad.  I'm also thinking of making some Ooey Gooey Caramel Pumpkin Blondie's.    No one in the family is ever overly excited with Pumpkin pie.  Everyone will eat it (except my FIL), but no one is thrilled with it.  The last couple of years, I've been trying out different pumpkin recipes to take the  place of the pie. I'm thinking that you can't go wrong with caramel and chocolate added to the mix!! 

And lastly, but not the least:  I hope everyone has a safe, wonderful Thanksgiving tomorrow!  I know that I am very thankful for the visits, comments and friendships that I have made through this blogging adventure!!  

Mojo Motivator: Vintage Sage

Happy Monday People!  Did you hit the floor running?! 

Last night I happened to look at the Techniques Lover Challenge on SCS:  Mojo Motivator.  Hmmmm.  Sounded like a good kick in the pants for me!!  The challenge was to pick a challenge from a previous technique challenge, a color challenge and a sketch challenge that was presented over the last year.  I picked a couple that I thought I might be interested in and then put it all together this morning after walking the annoying pooch. 

Here is my Vintage Sage card:  TLC 263, Very Vintage, CC300 (pick a combination from the previous 299 challenges.....I chose CC168 of chocolate chip, very vanilla and sage shadow, and the sketch was SC227). 



I tried something new in photoshop.....quick fix.  Uhhhh.  I need to continue to work on that skill!!

Card base is a 5x5 Pure Luxury Vanilla.  Design paper is from Cosmo Cricket's Wanted mini deck.   The middle strip is a mat of SU's Sage Shadow that was distressed and a piece of Chocolate Chip that I stamped the smaller of Tim's Fabulous Flourishes on using chocolate chip craft ink and clear embossed.  The image panel is more Vanilla Pure Luxury that I did the wrinkle free distress technique on using Distress inks in Antique Linen and Old Paper.  Instead of misting with water, I added a slight shimmer to the panel by misting the inks with Tattered Angel's Glimmer Mist in Old Lace.  The main image is from Tim's Flights of Fancy stamp set.  I inked the image with SU's Sage Shadow then re stamped again, without reinking.  The edges were lightly sponged with Distress ink in Vintage Photo. 

The lace trimming was lightly died using a mix of Sage Shadow reinker in my small mister.  I sprayed, hit it with my heat gun, and spritzed again to get a bit more color.  Last but not least, I pulled out my forgotten Hodgepodge hardware from SU days gone by and attached a bit of chocolate ribbon. 

That's it for me!! I gotta kick it into high gear and get some major house cleaning done as I took longer than expected on this card!! 

I hope you will find something today that gets your Mojo Motivated!!  Till then..............

Christmas Bunny

Hey Peoples!!  I was just finishing the boss's Christmas card from all of us at work and lo and behold!  It actually fits the Try a New Technique Challenge!!  The challenge was to use sponging on our card.  Easy! I  have not had time to do a challenge in FOREVER so I'm going to make this short and sweet!

Inside:  To Wish you a Very Merry Birthday!!

Sorry, forgot to take a picture of the inside.  And I'm trying to get to bed at a some what decent time so I'm not going to take the time to set up again for an inside shot.  The inside sentiment is layered like the outside sentiment.

Ok!  Let me explain this Christmas card!! My boss ALWAYS gives us the wrong holiday card (like Christmas or Easter) for our birthday's.  Sooo, he will get a Easter/Christmas/Birthday card from all of us at the office!!  Twisted and Demented.  The BEST type of cards!! hehe

The details:  Once again, Bugaboo Stamps comes to my rescue for twisted and demented!  I sized the image and printed it off on Georgia Pacific 110# paper as my cheapo printer HATES my preferred Pure Luxury paper!!  I colored the image with copics.  I then used Breezy Blue sparkly fluff on the bunny jammies and slippers. I have to tell you that the Sakura Quickie Glue pen was PERFECT for this!! It is not like other glue pens where you have to push down or squeeze the body of the pen to get the glue to come out.  This pen literally just "writes" the glue!! Wonderful for smaller areas like the sleeves on the jammies! I used the same glue pen and some white fun flock (I have had this stuff for YEARS in my stash!!) for the tummy and the puff balls on the slippers and the tail. I sponged around the edges with Distress ink in Stormy Sky.

The sentiments on the outside and inside are computer generated.  I cut  and embossed the sentiment layers  using Spellbinders Classic Ovals.   While the sentiment was still in the die, I sponged the center, leaving a white border.  The front sentiment is adhered with dimensionals.

The base of the card is a 5 1/2 x 5 1/2 top folded piece of Pure Luxury.  The design paper is Basic Grey's "Mellow" that I have had in my stash for a couple of years, I believe!

I'm so excited I got to participate in the challenge!!  I'll be back again with some other projects that I worked on over the weekend. Yes, my holiday to do list has gotten a tiny bit smaller.  Till then.......... 



Asian Inspiration

Hey Peoples!!  This week is flying by and I am sooooo behind! (yeah, I know....that is nothing new!!)

This weekend we are leaving to do a bicycle ride in Solvang, CA., with my in laws and some other friends. I am looking forward to the time away.  My only "hmmmmmm" on the ride would be I haven't ridden my bike for a couple of months. Life, weather and many other excuses just kept me from riding.  I know that I can bluff my way through the 25 miles we are going to ride with the Kiddos, but I'm not sure what condition my rear will be in!! LOL!

We will also be celebrating my mother in law's birthday and the birthday's of two of the other friends who are coming along.  It's Wednesday evening.  I have ONE card done.  We are leaving Friday after I get off work.  Nooooo stress here!!

I will spare you the over played song and dance about the lack of light in my office at night and the quality of my photography skills.  Just trust me that this card has much more POP in real life.

While panicking trying to find some inspiration for this card, I went to my favorites on SCS.  Immediately I came upon this INCREDIBLE creation by Anne Ryan.  This is my take on her lovely card:

The base of the top folded card is a piece of 6 x 4 1/4" textured black card stock.  The DP from 7Gypies' "Gypsy Market" was layered onto SU's Taken with Teal.  The vase was cut and embossed using my classic Spellbinders Circle Nestabilities. The circle was cut in half to make my vase.  I then placed T!m Holtz's mini flourish mask on the 1/2 circle and covered the entire piece with my Versamarker pad.  Black embossing powder was then sprinkled over the versamarker.  I carefully removed the mask and melted the embossing powder, giving me the tone on tone texture of glossy and flat finishes. 

I pulled out some REALLY old prima flowers that I have had forever and threaded them onto some black wire, twisting a flat loop. I deliberately flipped the flowers to the back side, so the petals would curl up versus down.   Black 1/2 pearls were then adhered to the wire using Glossy Accents as my glue.  I then bundled groups of the flowers together and held them with a strip of the 7Gypsie paper and score tape.  I used the unembossed 1/2 of the circle to make the "back" of my vase, and used score tape to place my flowers.  Foam tape and score tape were then used to place the "front" of the vase over the back.  Hint:  I usually color the edges of my foam tape to match the paper (in this case, black) so that the white doesn't "pop" out when the recipient is examining the card.  The final touch was to add the leaf trinket pins by Maya Road. I used my copic black marker to color the silver part of the pin black so it would blend with the wire.  I then raided The Toad's tool box and borrowed some wire cutters to cut the leaf off of one of the pins and adhered it to the back of the flower with a couple of small glue dots.

Supplies: Paper: 7Gypsies 6x6 gypsy market, textured black and SU's Taken with Teal.  Accessories:  black embossing powder, Tim Holz's mini flourish, Scor tape, Glossy Accents, Maya Road leaf Trinket pins, -all from eclecticPaperie.  Black craft wire, Hero Arts 1/2 black pearls. 

Thanks for dropping in again today!!  I'm going to clean up this mess so I can start another one!!  Till then....

Music For Dawn

Happy Hump Day Peoples!!  I've been running around the last couple of days all over Southern California trying to get my kids ready for school (ok....slight exaggeration, but not by much!!).  I will spare you the details of shopping with two boys ages 13 and 10 (insert MAJOR eye rolling here___________)!!

Despite all the running around, I have managed to find some time to be creative.  I have a project that I have had brewing in my head for ages and finally got to paper.  BUT!! You are going to have to wait for that goodie!  Today is sketch day on SCS and I just had to do it as the featured sketch came from my long time cyber friend Dawn!!  Dawn's birthday was yesterday also, and it was just another push for me to make something to celebrate her day!!  Here is the sketch :

And here is my take on it:

I started with the background piece by doing the wrinkle free distress technique using Distress inks in Antique Linen and Tumbled Glass.  Instead of spritzing with water, I spritzed with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Old Lace.  I then stamped the Aged Sheet Music scrapblock from Cornish Heritage Farms with Distress Bundled Sage.  I distressed the edges and sponged with Distress Vintage Photo.  I'm sorry to say that CHF is closing and this stamp is no longer available!

My main image, Music Men, is from Just for Fun Stamps®.  I stamped the image first in Antique Linen then randomly stamped over it with Distress Tumbled Glass.  The Tumbled Glass over the Linen  changed the color tone to more of a sage, which then became my accent color.  After distressing the edges and sponging with Vintage Photo, I mounted it on a piece of SU's Sage Shadow card stock that had been punched with one of Martha Stewart's punches (sorry, never marked this punch as to it's name!) and sponged along the edges with some Bundled Sage and then Vintage Photo.  I will spare you the details of how many attempts it took to get the correct sized paper for my punching!! (geesh.....)

I made it easy on myself  as far as the flags went.  I printed out the sketch and cut out the flags from some retired SU design paper.  To make them more sturdy, I backed them onto some very vanilla card stock. The edges were all sponged with Vintage Photo.   I then used T!m Holtz's Music Mask and went over it with Bundled Sage, a bit of Tumbled Glass and Vintage Photo (nothing like totally changing the the original color of the dp!! hehe).  The brads were placed and the entire card was adhered to a piece of Gina K's pure luxury card stock in vanilla.  Supplies:  Paper:  Gina K pure luxury in vanilla.  SU vanilla, sage shadow and retired SU dp.  Inks:  Distress inks in tumbled glass, antique linen, bundled sage and vintage photo.  Stamps:  CHF  aged music sheet scrapblock and JFF music men.  Accessories:  Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in old lace, brads.

Thanks for stopping by again today!! Remember to take the time for some type of creativity in your day!!

'Till then......

Still Getting Dirty

Hey Peoples!! I hope you are staying cool this weekend!  Though we aren't suffering 116 degree temps like some areas, the 104 is still too hot for me!!  But!! It gave me a good excuse to stay locked up in my little cave yesterday and do some more creating!!

After I finished my Drab to Fab Soap dispenser (seriously People!  I really like this one!! The contrast of the metal against the colors for the alcohol inks is just WOW in  real life) I decided to take a look at some of the other Dare to Get Dirty Challenges and the IC challenge. When I looked at the IC site, Georgie Love, I was most taken with the little row of button flowers at the bottom of the Home page. It seemed the perfect jump start to the DTGD challenge by Ryann Salamon to Embrace the Space (again, the DTGD challenge details will be vague as it is a special forum for those who are Fan Club members on SCS.)  This is what I came up with:

This is a 9 x 4 1/4" card.  Making a card this size really shows how much I need a better set up to take pictures as it barley fit into my background area!!  Someday I'll make myself a photo box and do it like the professionals!

AnyHoos!! Onto the details of the makings of this!! Fairly self explanatory.  I started with a piece of Gina K's pure luxury as I wanted (and needed) a sturdy base of support for the flowers. I paper pierced a single row along the base of the card (actually, DS paper pierced it, he thought it looked like fun to poke holes with my piercer!).  I picked out some various buttons from SU's Playground assortment and then cut some grosgrain ribbon in various lengths in certainly celery and artichoke (or is old olive? hmmmm......).  The leaves were made separately and attached  with red liner tape.  I was going to try and figure out how to pierce the dotted line around the flowers and still keep it nicely spaced when I remembered that I had this wonderfully wavy sentiment from Just For Fun that would give me that  look without the headache of trying to line up my piercing!!  I then used a butterfly rub on from American Crafts and placed one on the card base and one on a piece of  a scrap acetate and cut it out and adhered it by it's little body to give dimension to the the wings. 

Easy Peasy!!

Thanks for dropping by again today!! I think my MoJo has decided to stick around.  I've got a few more ideas brewin' in my noggin and after I do a little bit of cleaning I'm going to see if I can get a couple of them transferred from my brain to actual creations!!  I hope you remember to take time for some creativity in your day!!  Later!!

Tassled Congrats

Hey Peoples!!  Anyone else going crazy with the last hoopla days of school?!!  Fairly quick post (because we all know I can't keep from babbling on and on) today. 

Needed a graduation card and the sketch challenge on SCS today was the perfect jump start to get it done.

Here is my take:

I flipped the sketch, putting layer 4 at the top and sttrrreeetched the layout to a 6x6 card.  The graduation cap is a bulletin board die that I modified so that I could hang a homemade tassel from (you'll be seeing more of these when I post the 8th grade gift bags!! This is an extra one).  The year was made using TenSecond Studios Bingo mold andRock Star black metal.  I filled in the back with some embossed metal backing paste to help prevent the metal from bending so easily.  The paste also gave me a hard surface to attach the year to the tassel. 

The colors are our school colors.  The red paper is Brazil (hmmm.....can't remember what shade, sorry!!) and I layered the b/w vellum swirls over some Georgia Pacific 110# paper. The "Congrats" are some OLD alphabet stickers that I have had in my stash from scrapbooking days.  A CAS with some POP!! 

Thanks for dropping by again today!!  I'm off to get some more items check off the ever growing To Do List!!  Remember to take time for some CREATIVITY in your day!!

Life is like a Bicycle

Happy Hump Day, Peoples!!  Today is a busy day as I have to work and my kiddos have their spring music concert this evening.  BUT!! I've got goodies to share first!! 

Last night I got a peek at the sketch challenge on SCS and it got the creative wheels turning using some new stamps from Cornish Heritage Farms that have been waiting to see some ink. It's been forever since I've been able to play in one of the daily challenges!  I was able to get most of the card layed out late last night and finished it up this morning.  Lucky for me, I don't have to be in to work until a bit later, which gives me time to get this posted!!

I "expanded" the sketch to a square 5x5 card with SU's Kraft being the base layer.  I then made a slightly smaller Certainly Celery mat.  The Chocolate Chip layer was scored using my Scor Pal (kind of difficult to see in the photo.....my excuse is that that "photographer" has a very poor set up for late night or early morning photo sessions!). 

The "newspaper" layer was made using the wrinkle free distress technique with Distress inks in Tea Dye, Old Paper and Antique Linen.  This is my hands down favorite technique!! I LOVE the fact that I can make "designer paper" to match any project with just some ink and water!!  The Newspaper Ads scrapblock was stamped with Distress Walnut Stain.  The edges were distressed and sponged with some more Tea Dye.  The bicycle was stamped with Distress Walnut stain and clear embossed (which again, the photograph does not show!!) on a scrap piece of  "design paper".  The edges sponged with Tea Dye.  The sentiment (both  are from Bicycle Life) was also stamped with Walnut stain and again sponged along the edges with Tea Dye. The bicycle was matted on Chocolate Chip and Kraft. The sentiment was matted on Certainly Celery and Chocolate Chip. The striped layer is from My Minds Eye "Bud's Paper" (I've had it in my stash for a couple of years.  That hoarding habit finally paid off!) and was matted on a piece of Chocolate Chip.  Both the bicycle and sentiment are mounted with dimensionals. 

The final touches were to add the idea-ology "gears and "game pieces".  Dimensionals were cut and glue dots rolled to adhere those!! Supplies:  Stamps: Bike Life from Cornish Heritage Farms. Inks:  Distress Inks in Tea Dye, Old Paper, Antique Linen and Walnut Stain.  Papers:  SU's Kraft, Certainly Celery, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla.  My Minds Eye.  Accessories:  dimensionals, Tim Holtz's idea-ology, Scor Pal.

I have to say I absolutely LOVE how this turned out!! In real life the colors are rich and the texture from the different embossing techniques adds that extra "pop".  I think that this will be either the Toad's or my FIL's Father's day card!!

I'm headed off to work now.  Thanks for dropping by again today!! Remember to make time to explore some creativity!!

Vintage Clean and Simple

I haven't done a challenge on SCS in FOREVER.  So, today I decided that I would check out the challenges and lo and behold!! I think I covered both the CAS challenge (to layer two different shapes on your card, but keep it clean and simple) AND the Try a New Technique, Very Vintage. 

This idea started with the flower.  I have been wanting to use my Spellbinders Daisies since I got them!!  I tried cutting them out on regular cardstock and embossing, but it just did not have the look I was going for (which is all the fluffy hand made flowers that I have been seeing on other's blogs!)  I finally remembered some wonderful coffee filter flowers that Sherry Cheever made, so I opened up my package of filters that were bought just for this technique!! I swiped distress inks in Tea Dye, Old Paper and Antique Linen across my pad, but instead of misting with water, I misted them with Tattered Angels Glimmer mist in Old Lace.  I used my heat gun to dry them then layered three on top of each other, folded the filters in half and cut using my Daisy dies.  I layered the different sizes and smooshed, lifted and worked the layers until I got a look that I liked.  I then pulled out a build a brad from SU and layered on a large 1/2 backed pearl from the Pretties kit and used that to hold the flower together.  I made a 6x6" base from a piece of textured vanilla paper from my DCWV neutral stack.  A piece  of  retired  of Spring Silhouettes dp from SU  was cut slightly smaller than the base and I sponged some Distress ink in Tea dye around the edges.  I then die cut Sizzix Flowers and vine and Scibbles Swirls from a piece of SU Wild Wasabi and then spritzed with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Olive Vine.  While that was drying, I die cut twice using SU's Top note, first in Soft sky then again in the base color from DCWV.  I sponged around the edge of the soft sky layer with Tea Dye and the entire vanilla layer with Old Paper.  I stamped the main image from Just for Fun Stamps® using Distress Vintage Photo and layered everything and finished off with the addition of some 1/2 backed pearls.  Supplies:  Paper:  DCWV neutral stack, SU Spring Silhouettes, soft sky and wild wasabi.  Inks:  Distress inks in antique linen, tea dye, old paper, vintage photo.  Accessories:  Sizzix Big Shot, dies Flowers and Vines #3, scribbles swirls, SU top note, Pretties Kit, Spellbinders Daisies S4-058, Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Old Lace and Olive Vine.  Stamps:  Just for Fun® A child's heart E3150

I think this card would make a great "Teacher appreciation" card!!

I enjoyed participating in the challenges again!  I need to try and make this a habit! LOL!!  I'm now off to find my desk top again...it would seem that while all the different ideas were trying to emerge from my brain, my hands forgot to put stuff away!!

A Purse full of Inspiration

Well, the day is almost over and I'm just getting the chance to upload my card for today's Inspiration Challenge on SCS.  I found several pieces that I had ideas for, but life is only going to allow ONE for today!!  Here is the piece that I used for my inspiration:

I just so happened to have some new rubber from Just for Fun stamps sitting on my desk waiting to be put away in a binder (A chore that I put off until I cannot stand the mess on my desk any longer!).   PERFECT for this challenge!  Here is my creation:

                            

These images have been presented at stamp shows but will now be on the web site for all you to enjoy too!!  I stamped the the three flower images (D3358 is the largest flower, A3350 is the small orange one and B3356 is the on the bottom edge) using Memento Rich Cocoa ink on Gina K's 120# pure luxury paper in white.  I then pulled out my much neglected copic ciao's and colored the flowers.  Cut out all the flowers and adhered them to a 8 1/2" x 3 3/4" very vanilla base.  I then stamped the butterfly (another new web addition, A3378) using the rich cocoa ink again on the luxury white and colored in using the same color copics as the orange flowers.  Cut that out very carefully and attached by it's little body only, gently bending the wings to add dimension.  Stamped the sentiment (also from Just for Fun) AND MANAGED TO SMEAR A BIT OF INK grrrrrr!!!! Sorry.  I am NOT going to tear this apart and start over at this point! LOL!! Grabbed a small wheel used to emboss metal/clay and made my line of dots that were (kinda) faux stitched using my old olive marker.

Thanks for dropping by again today!!  I've already started another new venture in creativity that I will have to share later on this week!  I'm sooooo excited as this is something that I've been "stalking" for a while and decided to take the first steps while at the SuperCraft show!! 

I'm off to get ready for my evening of watching my kiddos play city league basketball (back to back games....Saturday night entertainment at my house!!).  I hope you all have a great weekend!

DaVinci's Imagination

Hello Peoples!!  Hope you are all having a great weekend!!  I was itching to stamp yesterday as life hasn't allowed it at all this week (more on that later, for those who wish to read about it) . Stef is the leader of the Inpiration Challenge on SCS and BOY!! Does she EVER come up with some FABULOUS sites!! This week's inspiration comes from Nell Hill's.  Seriously....I have at LEAST two, if not three more ideas from this site!! LOVED it!!

Here are the two inspiration pictures for my card today:

And here is my card: 

WHAAAT? You don't see the connection?! LOL!!  Let me explain how my brain works (be prepared to be scared, very, scared!! LOL!!)

Believe it or not, I was cleaning up my stamp room and trying to finish the organizing that was started this past summer (what can I say?  I HATE cleaning and am easily distracted from it!!).  I had just put away this  DaVinci Cube set from Just For Fun Stamps and was kind of pondering some ideas to use with it.  Decided to take a break from the cleaning and peek what the inspiration challenge was (I told you I am easily distracted from cleaning!).  When I saw the pictures of the pears/apples, I was struck by the overall background and the wording.  It reminded me of someone's doodlings on a page.  LIGHT BULB!!  Just like DaVinci's doodlings!!! 

I took a scrap piece of Very Vanilla cardstock and of course decided it needed my favorite technique of late~~ wrinkle free distress!!  Seriously, Peoples!!  This technique allows you to make custom papers in ANY color combination that you might need!! LOOOOVE it!!  If you haven't tried it yet, put everythig aside, get out your inks and play with it!!! FUN, FUN, FUUUN!!!

Sorry, back to the subject:  I swiped some Brushed Corduroy, Tea Dye and Vintage Photo Distress inks on my craft pad and spritzed with water.  Smooshed the Very Vanilla cs in the inks~~just once this time, as I was wanting some of the Vanilla to show.  Stamped the images in Peeled Paint and then distressed the edges and applied Frayed Burlap and some more Vintage Photo along the edges.  Matted on a piece of Basic Black and Very Vanilla. 

I have wanted to try the Easel Card for a while now and Beate's video turtorial this week was the perfect nudge to give it a go.  I decided to make my easel card a 5x5 card so I cut a piece of paper 5x10 and scored at 5 and 2 1/2.   I had originally picked out Old Olive as my base but wouldn't you know it!! I'm out of Old Olive sheets and only have scraps.  Pulled out some retired Wild Wasabi and rubbed my Old Olive ink pad directly onto my paper.  I mimicked the front of the card with my sentiment (also from Just for Fun Stamps).  In case you can't read the sentiment it says:  Imagination is more important than knowledge ~~Albert Einstein.  I think DaVinci had this one down to a T!  I then finished off the card with some of

T!m Holtz's gears/wheels from his idea-ology line.  My subtle nudge towards the brain's gears turning with ideas!! (I warned you that the workings of my brain can be scary!!)

For those who wish to know the current life's happenings.....continue on below.  For those who need to get back to their own life's happenings~~Thanks for dropping by again today!! 

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  As you may or may not know, I am a part time Physical Therapist in my "other" life. I joke that this allows me to be creative in coming up with "tortureous exercises (per my patients comments) when I can't be creative in the artistic sense of the word.  I am usually the "on call" therapist for my boss.  I don't work a regular schedule, but get called in to cover for the other therapists/boss when they want vacation/sick time etc.  This allows me to still be involved in my kids school activities and volunteer in the classrooms or at the school.  On Tuesday, I got thrown for a loop.  It seems that one of our assistant therapists has been having some anxiety issues and it just came to a head and she requested a medical leave of absence.  My boss asked me if I could cover full time, starting Wednesday.  Being the great boss, he offered the assistant 4-6 weeks at minimum, more if she was responding to treatment and wanted to come back. Sooooo.  I will be working full time for a while.  This means that creating will have to take place either in the evenings~~ while trying to help kids focus on getting their homework done, music practiced and life requirements such as housework/laundry OR on the weekends.  I bought a new Ott craft light to help with the evening creations.  The weekends hopefully will give me at least one day. 

The good news in all of this (besides having some extra $$) is that I have prepared you for lack of posts by already being a flakey blogger.  No promises here Peoples!! But~~in all reality, posts might decrease to once a week.  I'm going to try and get more in.  BUT (there's that big ol' BUT again)....my family needs to come first in the evenings and weekends since I can't be there during the day. 

Soooo~~cross your fingers.  Who knows?  Maybe I'll get EXTREMELY organized and surprise all of us with even MORE creativity!! BWHHAAAAAA

Off to work on another idea (after starting a load of laundry and finding my kitchen!!)  Enjoy the rest of your day!!

Golden....

It has been forever and a day since I've done one of the weekly challenges on Splitcoaststampers.  So today I decided to combine the sketch challenge with the CAS (clean and simple) challenge which was a color challenge using white and ONE other color.  This is the idea I came up with while walking the pooch (hmmm....maybe I should try walking him more often! lol)

Did you notice the RIBBON?!!  I actually got this tied on the VERY FIRST TRY!! (yeah, I just about passed out!! I'm not getting my hopes up yet that ribbon and I can work out our differences...but I'm giving points to the ribbon for at least working with me on this!!) 

I stamped the Holly Swag from Just for Fun Stamps with Encore gold metallic ink and embossed using SU's gold embossing powder.  I filled in the stem using my new Krylon gold leafing pen.  Scored an edge around a piece of Whisper White using my Scor Pal and used the gold leafing pen to add an edge.  I then ran this piece  it thru my Cuttlebug with the embossing folder (ok, I'll admit...have NO idea what folder this is!!).  I cut out my squares (2 1/2 x  1/2 inches) and embossed an edge again using my Scor Pal.  Added gold leafing to these edges as well (gotta luv the look of lots of layers without the bulk!!).  I then cut out my main image using my Spellbinders rectangle nestabilitie and did the edge as the previous ones. 

Quick and easy!! LOL!! I will admit that the ribbon is a little more fru-fru than I consider my style (grunge to fru-fru...how's that for an ecletic collection?) Supplies:  Paper:  SU's Whisper White.  Stamps:  D2762 Holly Swag from Just for Fun Stamps.  Ink:  Encore metallic gold.  Accessories:  Cuttlebug and cb embossing folder.  Spellbinders rectangle nestabilities, Krylon gold leafing pen.  SU's gold embossing powder.  And the beautiful ribbon came from my friend Melody!!

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On an unrelated subject.  It would seem as if my outdated computer is wanting to die.  It is still (kinda) working, but I'm having major issues with pop ups, virus warnings and my every day applications not working like they should.  I think that a new computer is in the works.  But! Just wanted to let you kow  what was going on if I disappear for a while (oh yeah!! I've prepared you all for that possibility with my flaky postings already!!  Well, good.  At least this time I have an excuse other than my over scheduling of life!! hehe)


Thanks for stopping by again!  I really appreciate all your comments.  It helps the creative juices to keep flowing!
'Till next time!

Sorrow in Fall

Earlier this week I found out that a friend's brother decided that he could no longer face this life. I'm telling you this because I had a long discussion with *K and her feelings about this. She is a high school teacher and was wondering what she should tell her students (since they know that she lost her brother). We discussed talking about his mental outlook and how he could not see an alternative outcome when there were sooo many other options that he could have chosen (obviously, she would omit any "details"). I told her that I felt she should discuss this, his feelings, her feelings (including the anger) and the repercussions of his decision. That deep of a depression is something that most of us cannot fathom. But it exists. And so often young people (especially teens) face this, but are "brushed off" as being "moody" or are labeled as "just going through a rough time". I feel that if ONE person facing this type of mental battle, even 10~ 15 years down the road, can remember that a teacher shared her feelings and wishes that her brother had reached out for help just ONE (more) time, then maybe it will save THEIR life.

Sorry to have such heavy thoughts starting out the week! But, obviously, sorrow exists in this life and sometimes requires a special thought from us. So, here is the card that I made yesterday (on rather short notice as I decided to hand deliver vs. send it in the mail).

(Once again, I will apologize for the EXCELLENT photography of this card. Since the "creator" procrastinated until the last minute in making the card, the "photographer" was not able to re-take shots once the "proofs" were viewed on a larger scale on the computer screen)

I FINALLY broke down and bought a "sympathy" set. I have been wanting to make one of these tri shutter fold cards since it was a challenge on SCS. I went to the resources page and found the directions here. I have had this retired vellum from SU for about 3-4 years!! I wanted to use it as I LOVE the paper and I felt the leaves repeated the main image theme. I pulled out some wonderful dark metallic brown/copper paper, also retired from SU and managed to ruin one 12x 12 sheet by first making my slit wrong (I probably could have made it work, but that time crunch thing!!) and then scoring incorrectly (the Scor-Pal is wonderful...but if someone is rushing and scores incorrectly, it won't fix it! hehe) I then proceeded to stamp and emboss the main image using Encore copper metallic ink and copper embossing powder. I used my Spellbinders nestie ovals to cut out and emboss the main image (mind you, the above process was NOT a one shot deal. This took me at least 5 times to get right... I managed to rock the stamp a couple of times, ruined my embossing and cut/embossed the image crooked. Why is it what when you have a timer ticking, EVERYTHING goes wrong?!!). The vellum DP was layered over a small whisper white mat using vellum tape. The little scalloped edges on the two long panels have some piercing. The sentiment was also stamped and embossed using the copper ink and embossing powder and cut/embossed using one of my square nesties. I'm really bummed that the little details like the sparkle of the main background paper and the embossing details didn't show up in the photos. Oh well. Maybe someday I'll learn to get these things done in a timely manner so that I can take the proper time to photograph! (bwhhaaaa!! I crack myself up! That is SOOO likely to never happen!)

All in all I'd give this a personal rating of **** out of ***** stars. I like the clean and simple look, and IRL, the sparkle, and little details. And I gave myself an extra star for just getting it done! (wink!!)

This is one project of the three that are being worked on. Off to finish project number 2!!

Thanks for dropping by. And remember~~listen to your loved ones and friends. Take seriously the troubles they share as they may be reaching for help. And give them a hug. Each day is precious!!

Touch of Thanks

Finished another card for the Clean and Simple Design Team challenges. Quite by accident, this one covers the next two challenges: the color challenge to use monochromatic in shades of browns with a touch of red AND the theme challenge to make an autumn/autumn holiday card.

I had originally pulled out the retired SU set Country Blessings for my autumn themed card. Somehow, the monochromatic theme pushed it's way into the mix!

The card base is SU's kraft with Chocolate Chip and Riding Hood Red (which looks much brighter in this pic for some reason....I'm sure it has NOTHING to do with my "editing") for the other layers. The Leaves were embossed with Chocolate Chip craft ink and clear embossing powder onto Close to Cocoa card stock. They were cut out using my favorite SU paper snips (LOVE that those scissors can get into those tiny nooks and crannies) and adhered over the chocolate grosgrain ribbon at the base of the stem with a glue dot, giving some dimension. The sentiment (from the same stamp set) was stamped with the craft Chocolate Chip ink and clear embossed also. Supplies: Paper: SU's Kraft, chocolate chip, Riding Hood red Inks: SU's chocolate chip craft ink. Stamps: SU's Country Blessings. Accessories: clear embossing powder, heat gun, stampamajig, ribbon

Very simple. Overall personal rating: *** 1/2 stars out of *****.

I'm off to see about completing another card (Hey!! Why not? Kids are gone, DH and the pooch are gone~~and the craft room is already a disaster!!)

Blog Guest

Today is your lucky day!! In addition to my own card (yeah....surprise! I finally got another one made!), I have a card designed by my Blog guest~~my youngest DS, *C (8).

Some artistic background history on *C. My youngest can spend hours just drawing/doodling. Usually his pictures are of some type of battle (Star Wars, dragons vs ???, you know~~dark, lots of blood, swords, light sabers, those types of things that boys love and make mother's cringe when it is done for school projects). But he is very specific in how he wants his creations. When he stamps, he is no different. He gets an idea and that is how he wants it. I will pull out several stamp sets (or he will ask if I have something that is like "such and such") from which he will chose what he wants to work with. He will then pick out his papers and then the color of inks he wants to use. He is also very specific as to where he wants his images and if he "rocks" the stamp or it does not stamp correctly, he ALWAYS wants to re stamp.

*C needed to make a thank you card for his swim teacher. At first he wanted me to make it, but was giving me specific things to include. I asked again and sure enough, he wanted to do it (the first time I asked, it was going to interfere with something else he wanted to do. Mom just had to figure that out and tell him we could make the card at a different time). The stamps had to be something to do with "swimming" (duh). Soo, I pulled out SU's retired Silly Sealife. Then he was telling me how he wanted to use this stamp and that stamp, and make it look like this one was jumping and this one was swimming....etc, etc. Now, all these stamps were not going to fit on a regular sized card. I just happened to have a business envie on my desk and we decided that we would make this card 4x9. Perfect for all the stamps he wanted to use!!

*C does his own stamping (yes, this is the second one, since the first time he rocked one of the dolphins). I only help make sure the stamp is inked well, and give "overpressure" to make a good image (because I finally learned that my help in a good image is sooo worth not having to cut 4 more card bases due to poorly inked images!!) and to make sure he has the image where he wants it (occasionally, I'll make a suggestion as to image placement, but he has the final say. It goes where he wants it). *C then got out his pencils and markers and colored the image (I did make the suggestion that he not use the markers on the main part of the image, as they would cover up the "details"). He borrowed my watercolor pencils so that he could have a different choice in "blues" for his water.
I think it turned out really cute!! He was telling me what the different strokes the creatures were swimming (the turtle is doing breast stroke, the ray is doing the butterfly and the whale is doing freestyle. The dolphins are having fun!)
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My card is a HUGE step for me. Not in the style but in its purpose. I decided to try out for the CAS (clean and simple) Autumn Design Team on SCS. Now DH is dreading this. Not because he feels that I shouldn't try out, but because he is afraid of what he will have to deal with if I don't make it (it would seem that I have had "issues" in the past when I have created what I thought was a WONDERFUL creation and it got no love (or no comments/looks) in the galleries. All I can say in my defense, is sometimes creative egos who are lacking in self appreciation~~need HUGE acknowledgement and must learn to deal with reality. I'm learning to deal with reality), heehee.

This card is for the sketch part of the DT challenge. It's pretty simple. I colored my large Pretties flower with my copic ciao marker (because I really didn't feel like dealing with red reinker!!). I played around with different centers before settling on SEWING a button over a punched 1" black circle. Seriously. You should be impressed that a) I even have a needle and thread kit, b) I knew where it was in order to use it and c) actually sewed. Without someone begging me. Sewing is just something that I personally try to avoid at all costs (let's just say that the 12 weeks of "sewing" in high school home ec were very traumatic and that to this day I wish I had had the guts to take shop instead!!).
I then used the swirl from the Season of Joy set with Wild Wasabi (my favorite green that SU has made!!) and stamped randomly along the edges. The sentiment is a rub on from the Cherished Memories Rub Ons . There are score lines that the ribbon sits between, but you really can't see them even in real life as the ribbon is the exact same size! hehe. HEY!! It only took two tries to get the ribbon to look this nice. I'm improving on that bow tying thing!! Supplies: Paper: SU's whisper white, basic black. Stamps: Season of Joy. Accessories: Clear button (SU), Cherished Memories Rub On, red thread, needle, copic ciao, ribbon (Target)
Thanks for stopping by again today. I'm off to make another card for the DT challenge. (eeeaaakkkkk!!!)

Guess who is DIRTY?!!

.....with inky fingers that is!! BWHHAAAAA!!


I'm still trying to get all the Dare to Get Dirty Challenges done. Today, I had SEVERAL ideas in my head. Guess what? The card I made isn't ONE of them!! I don't know if I got stage fright from all the bright lights going off in my head or what~~but for the life of me, I couldn't get my FABULOUS ideas onto paper today. I had a TOTALLY different idea for the sketch layout that I wanted to use. But, finally, I just let it go and this is what came out instead.

(UGGGHHH!! Why does the pic look blurry here?!! Believe me~~it was sharp when I previewed it!!.....moving on......just move on.....)

This card is for the sketch challenge posted by Susan (aka Rainy). It also covers the make your own designer paper, using punches/dies and blue embellishments. For those of you who like to pretend you are the challenge police~~YES!! I know that I flip the sentiment layer. YES!! I know that I didn't put on the "ribbon" layer. But, ya know what?!! You will just have to give me a ticket because this is what came out after spending all day fighting my brain. Sooooo there (hehe).

I used alcohol inks on glossy white paper to make my background paper that I used to punch out the butterflies (the small butterflies are made using the Martha Stewart punch. The large butterfly was made using SU's exclusive Beautiful Butterflies die and the black layer is textured black paper). I then chose to use Tempting Turquoise as my base for my card, but I did some sponging with Distress inks in broken china. Since I used my sponge that had a little bit of peeled paint distress ink...there is a very slight tint of the green IRL. The make your own dp was then completed with the use of some Cherished Memories Rub Ons that SU retired (sometimes it pays not to clean up your area!!). I then dyed two half-backed pearls from the Pretties kit using the alcohol inks in a little zip lock bag. There is very slight sponging in the broken china along the edge of the textured white panel but it is hard to see in the picture.

The "twisted" sentiment is on dimensionals and is also a rub on from the same Cherished memories rub on set.

This is a little "busier" look for me, but I rather like all the subtle colors in this. And of course I like all the dimension (another card that will probably have to be hand delivered)

ok....off to get youngest ready for swim lessons (DRATS!! DH came home early!! Now, how in the world am I suppose to pretend that I was busy doing housework all day?!!)

hehe....have a good one! (I'm soooo busted! LOL!)

Happiness

I'm still trying to play in SCS Dare To Get Dirty challenges. While cruising blogs last night, I came across this wonderful creation on the Cosmo Cricket blog by Natasja. It was the perfect inspiration to get a few more challenges done!! This card combines a sketch, texture, non-traditional sized card, paper tole and a color challenge to use black and white with only about 15% red. And if I stretch....the challenge to use dies/punches.

This card actually started out to be a wedding card. BUT!! In all my "hoarding" goodies, I did not have ONE STINKIN' wedding sentiment that the style of this card. I even drug out some stickers~~but NOOOOO!!! All my stickers seem to be geared towards little boy layout/projects (go figure). So, I had to change this card to an anniversary card. Only I don't think that I would ever give this to my DH. Too frou~frou for us. Now to find someone who will appreciate all the pretties on this!! hehe

This is a 6x6 square card (good thing this would require a "box" to give....don't think I'd ever find an envie to fit it!!). I used SU's 12x12 textured white for my base. Then I cuttlebugged the background squares from more of the textured cs. I made my roses out of real red and whisper white card stock (I just drew my spirals like Natasja shows on her video). I had in my head three of each color to represent past, present and future joining together (you know, like the anniversary rings that you'll see in magazines?! This was when the card was still a wedding card. But I guess it could represent the same on an anniversary card). The leaves are free hand cut (that does not sound proper) from scraps of the textured CS. Then I got out my favorite embellishment of late~~my Pretties Kit (I'm going to have to buy a new kit pretty soon at this rate of use!!) and strung the pearls and baubles on silver 26 gauge wire. The scalloped black circle and large white circle were cut using my Spellbinders nestabilities dies. The sentiment is a rub on from the retired Cherished Memories rub on set. In all honesty, I will keep my eye out for another sentiment/style that I like better and will probably replace this. I really don't like it, but again~~I had nothing that was even REMOTELY close to what I had in my head for this!! Everything is adhered with glue dots.

Despite the so-so sentiment layer, I am pleased with how this came out overall.

Ok!! Now that I've totally made my craft area a disaster zone, I'm going to ignore this mess and try and get the needed fixings for dinner going in the crock pot.

Hope your week is starting out grand!!