Ode to the 1920's.....and the '80's?!!

Windows are open. Cherry trees are blooming.  Short sleeves are becoming the norm.

Somehow it is hard to fathom that most of the country is blanketed in snow when it would seem spring has sprung here!!  While I looove the warm temperatures, we are so going to regret not getting any moisture this winter once all this new growth starts to brown and burn!!

I really didn't pop in today to gloat  talk about the weather we are having.  I actually made a card.

Twice, in ONE month.  

Miracles never cease!!

Oldest Kiddo once again needs a birthday card for a classmate's celebration later this evening. Once again, it would seem the card request is for a young lady.

I'm beginning to think that only girls at this age have birthday parties.  It would appear to me that the guys just pound on each other, give a fist pump and figure that meeting at Del Taco is a good enough celebration.

Or, maybe, it is because 17 year old boys can not be bothered to "plan"  events.  Events would require thinking beyond what their next meal/snack is going to be. And possibly moving from the sprawled position on the couch.  

I digress.

 I usually try to make birthday cards for the young ladies a bit more CAS (clean and simple) and not overtly girly, so that the Kiddo doesn't cringe in giving the card.  Now, "A" is a young lady who likes the drama. Not drama as in "roll your eyes AGAIN" drama. But as in, the theatrical presentation of everyday life.  One can count on "A" to not be afraid to step out on the stage and PERFORM! LOL!

Case in point.  Tonight's birthday theme is the 1920's.  Everyone is to dress from the '20's and be prepared for a dinner/mystery party.

"A's" catch?  She has assigned each guest a role to play.  BUT! The guest isn't suppose to dress up as that role. They are to dress up representing the 1920's.

Example:  Oldest Kiddo is to pretend for the evening that he is an '80's hairband rock star.

Yeah.  Not sure how that is suppose to work, but I'm not 17 any more so I expect I'm not suppose to figure it out!!

So, I had the idea to step out of my little CAS girly box and be a bit more dramatic in the presentation.

I must have succeeded. I got a "Whoa!  Now THAT's cool!" reaction from the Kiddo himself.

This card is a collection of hoarded supplies.  I've challenged myself to use up my vast supplies versus buying new stuff that I no longer have the space to store. While it pains me to cut into papers I just love to look at and use embellishments that other's might not appreciate, it is beyond ridiculous that I fight using it.  Plus, if I actually use the stuff I already have, that means I can buy NEW stuff, right?!!  

This paper pack, from Graphic 45's Curtain Call, is probably one of my all time favorite lines from this company.  I am so sad to be down to only a few scraps.  I actually combined it with a couple of hoarded sheets of Bo Bunny paper for the background and flower. I have had this paper stashed away for so long that I no longer recall the paper line as it would seem I had trimmed off that information at some point in time. I even dug out an old antique brad from my SU days and used my treasured film strip ribbon.  

The feathers?  Another hoarded craft supply from who knows what kiddo project!!

I'm going to go finish another card that uses more treasured supplies.  I just might need therapy after this weekend to get through this painful trial of letting go! 

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

Creative Brain Strains

Hey there Peoples!!  I thought I had better pop in before you all assumed I had fallen off the face of the earth!!  Actually, as crazy as life has been around here lately, falling off might be a much needed little vacation! haha!

Creativity lately has been sorting through HUNDREDS (literally) of pictures I have taken of the girls and boys varsity basketball teams this season and editing photos for collages for the coaches and seniors.  It continues to amaze me how many BAD photos I take, LOL!!  I need to take about a million more pictures to figure out my camera settings for the awful lighting in gyms and action shots.

Last weekend I did find the need to create a card for another one of the Oldest Kiddo's classmates. Yes, I said last weekend.  It's been one of THOSE weeks.  

Did I mention that it was for a young lady?

Did you know that  lack of creating + having to make a girly card that isn't too girly for a teen age boy to feel comfortable in giving = major creative brain strain?!!

Despite my incredibly rusty wheels, I managed to get the card done before the Oldest Kiddo needed to leave for his party.  I began by pulling out my Chevron stencil and taping off so that I'd only ink a designated portion onto my card front.  I was trying for an ombre look, so I used a combination of blue and green Distress Inks.

Then I dug out some Pink Paislee, Coffee Filter Words by Christy Tomlinson and die cut several flower layers.  A little sponging of ink, a blingy center brad and a sentiment stamp and I called 'er done.   And yes, it is beyond pathetic how long it took me to get this accomplished.  Seriously People, I spent more time trying to figure out an idea than the actual making of the card took.  Pathetic.  That's all I can say.  Pathetic.  

I should take this moment to apologize for the less than stellar lighting of this card.  I finally finished making the card after dark and was just too dang tired (and lazy) to dig out my photo tent and lights.  Trust me.  I won't let that happen again.  

A little side note:  when I showed the Oldest Kiddo the card (after struggling with it for quite a while) he didn't look that thrilled.  When I questioned further, his response was "Would it be really hard to change the colors to purple and gold?  The party is a combination birthday/Superbowl party and her favorite team is the Vikings.

Uhhhh.  Sooooo not happening Kiddo!! 

That's about it for me today.  I've actually have another project sitting on my desk as I type, just waiting for me to finish up.  Hopefully, I'll have that up and posted before the month's end, LOL!!

'Till next time!!

2014....and Now, for Something Completely Different

(and if you are a Monte Python fan, you will get a bonus giggle out of that line.  Compliments of my kids who LOOOOVE to quote it often!!!).

Welcome to 2014!! It's been a little bit (okay, more like quite a bit) since I've posted last, but one of my strategies for surviving the hectic holiday season this year was to let go of those "things" that did not add to my holiday spirit.  So this year I skipped putting up my large tree (sniff, sniff....but that's just a one year toss, I hope!!), I did not send out ONE Christmas card (GASP!!), I forgave myself for not making each high school teacher a baked treat aaaand  I put aside blogging.

Guess what?!  The holidays were still crazy hectic, but with just a little less "extra" stress I had a little more time that allowed me to sit down on the couch with my family and enjoy time together, which, is what the holidays are suppose to bring about!

With a New Year, there are always thoughts about goals and what word is going to best describe what you hope to achieve in the next twelve months. I made a comment on Susan's blog  that the only word I could come up with was last year's word.  But, in my ramblings while writing my response, I actually came up with a word.

New.

As in a New Year.  New ideas.  Wanting to try NEW techniques.  New goals for health, home and creativity.  Taking the leap and trying NEW things. Sharing New ideas, thoughts, recipes?!!

So, to begin this New Year, I'm sharing a NEW type of creativity with you. I've been long fascinated with the idea of making jewelry.  Which, is rather ironic, as I really don't wear much myself. Nevertheless, I am drawn to the process of being able to create something that connects to the person who chooses to wear it.

This past Thanksgiving I traveled to Colorado with The Youngest Kiddo for a family celebration that combined Thanksgiving, a young cousin turning 4 and my sister celebrating her first year of being cancer free. I wanted to make something special for my sister that marked this blessed milestone.  Obviously, I needed to attempt something very basic.  Thanks to YouTube and this tutorial , I was able to come up with a simple bracelet and matching earrings.

My sister has an incredible outlook in regards to cancer.  She calls it her "health opportunity".  She has taken a very unconventional treatment plan, choosing to change her lifestyle versus undergoing radiation and chemo.  And because of her choices, she has had the opportunity to meet and teach others (including her doctors!) about what she has learned on this journey.  You can read a bit more about her journey on her blog  .  Just a heads up:  poor blogging habits run strong in this family!! My sister has proven even worse than I about updating her blog!  I have sent her fair warning that I am linking to her blog and maybe she should update soon, LOL!

I wanted to use pink beads for the obvious connection they have to breast cancer. I like the fact that the beads are varied in color, just like everyone's battle with cancer is varied. I also like that the beads are not the "traditional" light pink that is associated with the pink ribbon of breast cancer.  Fitting, for a sister who has chosen not to go the traditional route of treatment.

And lastly, I like that the beads are only held together by the links.  I think it is symbolic of how the link of family, friends, doctors and others that you meet make the whole of the journey.  

So here is to a NEW Year!! I hope our link continues!

Birthday Vine

Hello there Peoples!!  I hope you had a wonderful Day of Thanksgiving yesterday!! I actually spread out Thanksgiving over the past week.  Youngest Kiddo and I went back to Colorado and spent 4 days with family.  Got home late Monday night, and have been trying to play catch up since!!

I missed my chance to say "Thanks" to those of you who stop in, browse and comment. But, I believe it is never too late to say "Thanks" so please know that I appreciate each and every one of you who do take the time from your busy schedules to visit this little ol' blog!!

Today's card is the last of the cards I made a few weekends back.  I'd like to say that I got out of my stuck in a rut, stuck in a rut layout, but alas!  I'm afraid that this layout is just a CAS (clean and simple) version of cards One and Two!!

Details:  card base is Gina K's Pure Luxury Ivory, 5.5" square.  Design Paper is My Mind's Eye Madison Avenue that was sponged along the edges with Distress Ink in Vintage Photo.  The flourish is Sizzix Flourish 2, that was die cut from SU Chocolate Chip and spritzed with various Glimmer Mists (sorry, it was a grab and spray type of thing and I forgot to note which ones I grabbed and sprayed!!).  The little flower petals were punched from an old SU punch (has 3 little flowers on in).  I sponged slightly in the middle with a Q-tip with Distress Ink Warm Lipstick and shaped with a stylus and mouse pad.  The little 1/2 self adhesive pearls are from my stash. The sentiment is from SU's retired stamp set It's Your Birthday and was stamped in Memento Rich Cocoa. 

That's about it for me today!! I have the goal of starting to put out my Christmas decorations this weekend and need to do some preparation cleaning first!!

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

Having Hindsight

After completing my Gelli Print Meets Metal Roses card I immediately had to buckle down and start creating another card needed for a birthday celebration.  I pulled out some older paper packs and found inspiration from one of the papers in My Mind's Eye Sunshine 6x6 pack.  I started die cutting, assembling, spritzing, panicking because I spritzed the wrong color, spritzing some more, over spritzing, became frustrated and them almost ruined the whole thing by trying to remove hot glue from a wet petal.

Then I discovered that I had basically re-created my Gelli Print Meets Metal Rose card, but with paper.

Which, would explain why I liked it, but I admit I started to chant stuck in a rut, stuck in a rut, stuckinarut.

Details:  Card size is 5.5" square. Paper: Gina K Ivory, basic black, SU Wild Wasbi. MME's Sunshine. Mustard paper is scrap paper.  Ink: Distress Old Paper, Vintage Photo.  Stamps: Unity Bold Insight. Dies: Spellbinder's Label Two, Rose creations.  SU small flower punch (sorry! I don't recall the name of the punch!). Sizzix Branch w/Leaves.  Other: Tattered Angels Glimmer mists.  Sorry, I don't recall which ones I used!! I was grabbing left and right to try to fix my mistakes!

 A CAS version to be revealed next!! stuck in a rut....stuck in a rut....stuck in a rut........ 

Gelli Prints and Metal Roses

I had a very creative weekend as it seemed everyone and my mother in law celebrated birthdays!!

Okay.  That is a slight exaggeration, but I cranked out 3 cards in one weekend.  And if you have visited this blog much in the past, you know that makes up more creativity than I usually manage in a month!!

I, of course, will only share one card today!! I am going to take advantage of having a "stash" of work to share over the next week or so!! hehe

While I was on the creative endeavor to make my father in law a birthday card a couple of weeks ago, (the card that actually came to be can be seen here ) I actually started out with the idea for a Gelli Print on the sticky side of a self laminating sheet.

Allow me to digress.  Making Gelli Prints on packing tape or the sticky side of a self laminating sheet is probably one of my most favorite Gelli Print techniques.  While I love the "unknown" outcomes with the more traditional methods of making monoprints with the Gelli Plate, I really, really REALLY like the process of planning out what what direction my print will take.

I might have a little issue with control.  Or just letting my art F....L...O....W....

ANYHOOS!!  I made this wonderful turquoise and copper print a couple of weeks ago and for the life of me, could NOT figure out how "finish" the card without taking away from the print.

Sometimes, walking away is the best way to complete a creative project.

So, I started with the background.......

Gelli print made with some turquoise and brown acrylic paint (stash) brayered over the TCW's Mini Gears stencil. Copper Pearl Ex was then applied on the "clear" area of the print. 

And rediscovered my love of working with metal.......

Roses were die cut from Ten Second Studios Dark Chocolate Metal with Spellbinders/Donna Salazar's Rose Creation dies.  The leaves are from Spellbinder's Foliage and the flourish is an old Sizzix die.   

Finished with  a little extra wire and bling ! Who needs a sentiment?! Not this card!!

I will admit that this card ended up being more than what I had envisioned.  But I thoroughly enjoyed working with the metal sheets again and have vowed to pull out that medium more often in the future!!

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

Gelli Circles

Yesterday I was needing to make a card for a 13 y/o boy's birthday.  I had a very CAS (clean and simple) idea floating in my head and was certain that making the card would be quick and easy.

Don't you just hate when reality decides that you need to be brought back down to earth?!

First, I discovered that I didn't have the correct sized sentiment stamp for the visual impact that I was wanting to achieve.  Then I wasted  spent an absurd amount of time going through my stash of junk supplies trying to find something else that might make the original idea still a possibility. 

The good news: I "found" lots of supplies that I had forgotten I had and look forward to pulling them out and playing with them!

The bad news:  I own NO SUPPLIES to make teenage boy cards. 

Okay.  That was a lie.  But, keep in mind that I was on a time deadline to get the card done in just a short amount of time so that the Youngest Kiddo could give it to his friend after school let out. And Fridays are always half days.  Time was a tickin' !!!

I had just come to the conclusion that I had forgotten how to make cards, specifically cards for young teenage boys, when inspiration hit while thumbing through my file of "possibilities" (the file that I keep of technique prints that didn't make the cut for some project, but I liked enough to file for another day). 

Ahhhh!! I so love it when an idea comes together!!

I pulled out a bright "fall" colored Gelli Print and actually garnered up the nerve to cut it into circles using a variety of sizes of Spellbinders Classic Circles.

Then it was a matter of arranging, rearranging and just commit already! 

I debated on the sentiment for quite a while.  I REALLY  liked the card front without it and thought about just stamping the sentiment inside. But, somewhere I got this ridiculous notion that a card HAS to have a sentiment on the outside.  

I need to get over that.

Luckily, the different height of the circle layer on the base layer only caused a little blip with the stamping of the sentiment.  It rather annoys me, but I highly doubt that the birthday boy will even notice it!!

Geometric shapes with the slight patterns of a Gelli Print.  PERFECT combination for those cards needed for teen boys!! 

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