Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Some colors......


Some colors are harder to put together for me than others. I had the hardest time with these colors for the SCS Color Challenge -- Marigold Morning, Pretty in Pink and Cool Caribbean. Starting next week, MM and CC will no longer be available -- new colors are here! So it took me all day to figure out what to do with these. I love the Color Challenge, because it usually groups colors together that I would not normally use! What combinations do you like that are different?

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Tall and Retired



I love tall and long cards. I don't make them very often, but this challenge got me going so that I will make more! This card fits is a business sized envelope. With the postage rates changing, and being a little wacky, I may make more of this size -- I know how much it should cost to send!

This is my submission for Monday's SCS Technique challenge -- making a long card with retiring stamps~

I chose A Measure of a Life -- one of this year's hostess sets. I stamped in Basic Black on watercolor paper and then used a combination of colors to paint the butterfly (Marigold Morning, More Mustard, Brilliant Blue, Bravo Burgundy). I wanted a Tapestry look. I distressed the edges of each of the papers (you really can't see this in the photo). The butterfly piece is mounted on Elegant Eggplant. The end of the ribbon was heated for texture and to keep it from fraying. The 'thank you' sentiment was stamped in Basic Black on a piece I watercolored as well. This is so much prettier IRL ~ but what can I do? :) Have a great day!

Monday, June 25, 2007

Celebrations

Busy month -- Father's Day, and a week later my dad's birthday, and a week later my parents' anniversary!! They are celebrating 54 years of marriage this week, and this is the card I made to send to them. On the inside, it says, surprisingly, "Happy Anniversary!" I pierced three parallel rows along the top of the card -- it may be hard to see that in the picture. I stamped the flowers (More Petal Prints - Stampin' Up!) on watercolor paper and then used my Aqua Brush to soften them. Did the same thing with the swirls (Rhonna Farrer), added the ribbon, a designer paper mat (it looks like watercolor, but it is the paper), and attached it to my black base. I hope they will like it! They are moving here (from 1500 miles away) next month and I am super excited!

Sunday, June 24, 2007

Promises to keep

“You see, I have set my rainbow in the sky. This will be the sign of the covenant I have made with you and all creatures, never again to destroy the earth by a flood. It will always remind us of the promise between you and me.” (Genesis 9:12-16; paraphrased)

This picture was taken a few days ago while I was standing on my back steps...
One of my favorite poets is Robert Frost. His words create such beautiful pictures in my mind as I read. One of his most familiar poems is also one of my favorites:

Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

So what does all this have to do with stamping? Nothing, really! Except that I promised myself that I would stamp a card today and update my blog! I just like poetry and photography and stamping~

As artists we should promise to always give credit to the ones who give us inspiration for our work -- whether that be poetry, photography, music, or stamping! I was inspired today by our Featured Stamper, Cambria Turnbow. You can see the card I cased here (as long as the SCS site is working, anyway!). I changed the colors and sentiments, but kept everything else similar, as Paint Prints is my all-time favorite set!

Saturday, June 23, 2007

Stamped Lollipop Shopping List

Ok, gang, here is your shopping list for the Lollipops we are going to make this weekend!! Get your stuff ready~
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup white corn syrup
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon oil flavor
coloring for mixture (squeeze bottles work best)
citric acid (optional)
lollipop molds, clips, sticks
flat cookie sheet
non-stick cooking spray
small sauce pan
wooden spoon
blank foam rubber stamp pad
food coloring paste
RUBBER STAMPS!

STEP ONE: MAKING THE LOLLIPOPS!
1. Wash molds before use. Place molds on flat, heavy duty cooking sheet. Spray with PAM or other non-stick spray.
2. Place clips over tabs of molds and insert stick between them (about halfway into the mold).
3. Combine sugar, corn syrup, water in small sauce pan. The mixture may burn if a large pan is used.
4. Cook on medium high heat to 300 degrees (hard crack stage). Remove from heat and cool to around 275 degrees.
5. Add coloring and flavoring. If you want to add tartness, dissolve 1/4 teaspoon of citric acid in 1 teaspoon of water and add along with the coloring and flavoring. Use a wooden spoon and stir until blended.
6. Pour mixture into molds. To avoid rough edges, use the spoon to wipe off drips as you pour. If mixture gets too thick while pouring, reheat mixture, stirring constantly.

For pastel colors, add 2-3 drops of white coloring. 15-20 drops will make the lollipop white. Make sure that the stick is covered completely when pouring, otherwise it might fall off the stick when licked!

STEP TWO: STAMPING YOUR DESIGN
If you want an "embossed" look, stamp on the lollipop when it's warm (when you can see a light impression of your fingerprint when touched); you can also stamp on a cooled lollipop.

1. Spread food coloring paste onto stamp pad evenly.
2. Stamp your image onto the pad and then onto the lollipop. Press until you feel it give a little, then pull up. The cooler the lollipop, the more force you will need to create the embossed look. If it is totally cooled, it will not give at all.

STEP THREE: FINAL TOUCHES
1. Remove clips from molds, remove molds from lollipop. Slide them up/down to remove and be careful not to bend them out of shape.
2. Place lollipop on a flat surface to cool - approx. 3-5 minutes.
3. Wrap them in small plastic bags and seal with tape or twist ties or ribbon at the base of the candy.

Be sure to wrap as soon as they are cool to the touch and store them at room temperature.
You can make lollipops in any color and flavor with any design - so you can match them to any holiday or theme!

BE CAREFUL. LOLLIPOPS CAN BE DANGEROUS. Do not touch or lick them until they are totally cooled off. Rough edges along the sides can cut your tongue, and they are extremely hot until cooled. If a batch burns, do not hold under running water. The candy mixture can explode and could burn you. Take the burned batch outside and pour over a piece of foil. Soak empty pan in hot water. It helps to spray the pan with PAM first. I am not responsible for injuries! :)

Recipe makes 10-12 lollipops.

This is a fun activity for older kids - under supervision - and great gifts and favors for parties and showers! Enjoy! Oh - and don't forget to clean your rubber stamps!

Friday, June 22, 2007

Coming Soon!

Stamped Lollipops!!!!

Neglected...

I am alone. I am never held, or looked at. I feel left out of the fun. No one wants me. I think they want to give me away - or even sell me!! I never see the light of day. I want to be used!

I AM DD BRANCH AND MY DREAMS CAME TRUE TODAY!!!

Ok, so much for the drama! :)
Today's SCS Challenge was to use Neglected stamps - those that haven't seen ink in months or even years! Those poor stamps that you don't want to get rid of (but you were thinkin' about it, weren't you?), that are at the back of the shelf, or the bottom of the bin. And today, out of the many that fit the bill, came DD Branch and a few others - Designer Greetings and one I can't even remember the name of because I have no sticker on the case! Argh!
I made a pop-up card -- I haven't done that in AGES, and a little scene inside, using retired colors even (yes, I still have Baroque Burgundy, Forest Foliage, Mint Melody, Marvelous Magenta, Eggplant Envy and Bliss Blue!!
The clouds are made from a stencil I hand cut. The birdhouse is a pop-up - I tried to take the picture so you could see that too, from the side. The sentiment on the front is embossed. The inside sentiment is from a retired SU set too -- can't find the name of it (no sticker!) but will edit when I do. It reads "When lives entwine, hearts are bound together by little gestures of kindness."

I think I better pay more attention to this old set.....sometimes neglected things can be beautiful if you pay attention. Take this door, for example.
No one even knows it's there, but I took the time to climb up a hill behind an old run-down building and find it! I love the look of it -- like it's guarding a secret or hiding something special. Kind of like the front of my card today-hiding the inside until it's opened~ Enjoy!

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Simple is not "Bad" ~


Yesterday some of my friends and I were talking about how busy our cards sometimes get, so today I decided to make a very simple card. Simple is not bad. The dictionary defines simple using many words, some of which are: unassuming, sincere, not elaborate, and modest. That describes my card today. I used the Polished Stone piece that I had made earlier this week (see tutorial below), added images from the Happy Harmony set, tied and heated the ends of my white grosgrain ribbon, and I was done. And I even like it! :)

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Stamping on Designer Paper (DP)


Sometimes I am slow to pick up on an idea - well, ok, a lot of times! I used to just stamp on plain cardstock or color it in -- lately I have been trying to stamp on patterned paper for more depth. I tried it with the Nice and Easy Notes mouse card (see below) and I liked it. Today I wanted to make a patriotic card so I would actually have them done in time to send out! I loved this Karen Foster paper, and decided to use it for the SCS Sketch Challenge today, which you can see here. I moved the circle piece over a bit so you could see Lady Liberty. The sentiment says "Honor and Liberty."

Since organizing my stamp room, I have about a thousand brads and eyelets I didn't know I had, so I am determined to use them every day! :) And I love the Mat Stack with the pattern template for piercing!

I am hoping that there is a new patriotic set in the new catalog. Speaking of which, my catalogs are coming soon! By Monday! Only a few more days to see what I will NEED. (Uh huh....)

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Congratulations!

Congrats go out to DENISE of Paper Ponderings for winning the B/W blog candy!! Thanks to all for playing! Denise, please contact me (leave a post here) and we will figure out how to get your stuff to you!

Polished Stone Technique

First of all I want to say that there are many many ways to do this technique. Some people use alcohol inks and felt; others use reinkers and cotton; others metallic leafing pens; and there are even some that use stamp pads to do this technique. But this is the way that I do it -- probably because it's readily available -- I already have the reinkers in many colors and cotton is cheap! :) And - this works for me! If you are not satisfied with this tutorial, and are not getting the results you want, there are many resources out there for Polished Stone -- just google it! (I apologize for the glare in the pictures -- glossy likes to shine!)

Supplies needed:
Glossy paper

Reinkers in 2 or 3 colors (more than 3 turns muddy)- These are regular dye ink, not alcohol inks.

Cotton balls

Rubbing alcohol

Start by choosing 2-3 colors that you like together. At the end of this tutorial, I will be listing some of my favorites that you can try. I love blues, so I chose Taken With Teal, Bordering Blue and Metallic Gold. Saturate your cotton ball with alcohol. I put 2-3 drops of each color in a random pattern on the cotton, alternating colors (think of the pattern of the number 5 on dice).

Quickly begin pouncing your cotton all over the glossy paper randomly. (I don't cut my glossy until after it dries.)
If you move too slowly, the alcohol will dry too quickly and you won't get the meshing of colors like you want.
Continue pouncing until the area is filled in, even pouncing on top of previous areas.
Next step is easy! Let it dry!
If you are using a metallic pigment ink, it will take longer to dry than if you are just using dye inks. Dye inks will dry within a few minutes; pigment metallics added in (like my gold) may take overnight. I never use my heat gun to dry these, it sometimes takes the vibrancy of the color out.


Once it has dried, I cut it to the size I want and it is ready for a card! If you move it under the light, you will be able to see the gold better. Check back tomorrow to see what I made with this piece of Polished Stone!

Check out the slide show (scroll down to the bottom of the blog) for a few other pictures of this technique using different colors. Sometimes I want a definite contrast and will keep dark and light separate, and sometimes I want a more subdued subtle stone look and will blend the colors more. I don't always have a metallic in the colors either -- just depends on the mood I'm in and what I want to make! Have fun with this! Practice makes it better. And don't throw any away! Trim them, put them away for a day, try them with different cardstock colors, and you may end up liking everything you made!!

POLISHED STONE COLOR COMBINATIONS to try -- and then make up your own! Any good ones? Let me know!
1. Only Orange/Really Rust
2. Green Galore/Garden Green/Gold (looks like real marble)
3. Only Orange/Really Rust/Bravo Burgundy w/Gold
4. More Mustard/Barely Banana/Gold (very nice)
5. Old Olive/Mellow Moss
6. Creamy Caramel/Close to Cocoa
7. Real Red/Summer Sun
8. Pale Plum/Perfect Plum/Almost Amethyst
9. Lavender Lace/Almost Amethyst/Platinum or Silver (very nice)
10. Summer Sun/Mellow Moss
11. Taken With Teal/Bordering Blue/Gold
12. Elegant Eggplant/Old Olive/Gold
13. Bravo Burgundy/Regal Rose/Silver
14. Handsome Hunter/Creamy Caramel/Platinum (looks like real marble)
15. Handsome Hunter/Bravo Burgundy
16. Bashful Blue/Green Galore/YoYo Yellow
17. Lovely Lilac/Taken with Teal/Brilliant Blue
18. YoYo Yellow/Tempting Turquoise
19. Real Red/Elegant Eggplant (gorgeous)
20. Mellow Moss/Bashful Blue
21. Cameo Coral/Close to Cocoa/Black (vintage look)
22. Pretty in Pink/Going Gray/Silver (very nice)
23. Elegant Eggplant/Real Red/Goldrush (gorgeous)
24. Summer Sun/Cameo Coral

Expectations and Truth

So many times my husband and I have been working on something and when we're finished we will say, "Wow - that took WAY longer than I thought it would." "Good grief! That took WAY too long!" or "That shouldn't have taken as long as it did!"

Have you ever said that? It's funny the time limits we put on things and how it's never what we expect. Like yesterday, for example! Those two cards I made came together in 15 minutes -- total for both! I must have been inspired subconsciously. Today's card on the other hand? Well, "That shouldn't have taken as long as it did!" Sometimes the ideas are slower to come and I guess it's that kind of day.

Here it is already almost 2 P.M. and I haven't accomplished anything much! Like where is the Polished Stone tutorial?? I have about half of the pictures done so it really will get here soon! And I haven't yet drawn a blog candy winner, but that will definitely come later today....

But I did find my missing debit card (think of all the money I saved since Sunday when it went MIA!!), and I did eat lunch...lol...and I talked to my lovely mom and sister on the phone! I am excited -- I think my parents will be moving here soon - (we are 1500 miles apart now) and that will be fun for me and also my kids - to be nearer at least one set of grandparents!

And I made this card. Today's challenge was to use Real Red, Creamy Caramel and Barely Banana -- perhaps not a color combination that comes readily to mind! But I loved it! I made this card for a wacky friend whose birthday just passed, and who also just retired -- a subtle hint to her that she is going' out to pasture! She will think it's funny, I know!

I also organized my stamp room this week (I had FUN even!) and found about a gazillion eyelets and brads I didn't know I had -- so I told my sister I was going to try to put a ton of eyelets on some of my cards to use my embellishments! And here it is. Enjoy your day -- and check back for the winner!

Monday, June 18, 2007

Comfort and Care

You know, most people just want to know that someone cares about them. A simple card, arriving at an unexpected time, can bring sunshine and cheer to an otherwise heavy day. We all have burdens to carry - some heavier than others - but everyone has "something." You know that saying about walking in someone else's shoes is so true!
Today's SCS challenge was to make "Speedy Cards for Good Causes" -- spending more time sending more than making "one" masterpiece. It's funny, because I was making my little 4.25 inch square card when I found the challenge and it fit exactly! I had already decided that I was sending a card to a friend who needed a lift ~ and there was the challenge! I had this lovely paper on my desk already from yesterday's challenge and just put together something from that. It took about 5 minutes to cut and glue! The flower is cut in four layers and each is mounted on dimensionals. It's kind of hard to read, but on the fabric tag in the oval it says "friend."

And yes, it only took five minutes -- cutting paper is so fast - no stamping involved on this one!

I have always liked the mouse from Nice and Easy Notes -- with the wheel it makes a super quick cheery card. This one took a little longer -- almost the full ten minutes - I color slowly! I wanted to color the whole wheel of mousies and thought after the main one - no way will I make it in under 30 minutes (LOL), so I decided to roll the wheel on paper instead. I used two coordinating DP's, glued them onto Whisper White, attached the ribbon - the scallop was already punched (yay, Charlene!!), added Dimensionals and.... Hooray!
Now go make a speedy card and send it to someone who needs a hug!

Sunday, June 17, 2007

Blog Candy is Here!


Hey all you readers of my blog (and thank you so much -- I appreciate the comments and visitors!) -- it's time for blog candy!!

I am over 1000 visitors now -- and I don't think all of those are just my sister (love ya!), so here is a little something to say "thanks!" for reading. In keeping with yesterday's inspirational cake (YUM), I chose all black and white candy for this drawing. Notepads, eyelash fibers, wonderful zebra organdy ribbon, sponge daubers, sequined flower appliques, alphabet stickers, and in honor of the Chef (in my card), who is also a Baker (obviously, since he has a cake!), a BAKER'S DOZEN of black and white papers from DCWV! And as a special surprise, a little teensy rubber stamp (not shown!) ~~~

Winner announced soon - TUESDAY...... read below for more information! POLISHED STONE TUTORIAL COMING TOMORROW!!

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Sweet Treats!!

If I had a choice between cake and pie, I would almost always choose pie (cream pies excluded!). I love the variety of tastes and textures in pie. And the toppings can be so different too. My favorite pie is rhubarb -- just plain rhubarb. I love the tartness of the fruit with the sweetness of the glaze. Raspberry/Blackberry is a close second. I hardly ever want my pie warmed up. But ice cream is good!

I like cake, but what I really like is the frosting. Take a look at this fabulous cake (and check out their website for many more awesome ones!):

It looks like it has that scrumptious frosting that is full of yummy cream and butter and sugar. I might choose that frosting over pie....

This was our Inspiration piece for the SCS Challenge today. I love this challenge because it brings out such unique ideas from everyone. Here is mine:

I flipped over the patterns from the cake. The bow around the Chef's neck is reminiscent of the bow around the cake. The three large panels are all on Glossy White, then mounted on Real Red CS. The center panel was done with alcohol on a cotton ball and a Pink Passion reinker. I tried to color the cake in the card like the Inspiration Cake. There are Stickles on the bottom of the tray, because the actual cake plate was shiny silver. No stars, though! Oh well, my Chef is the star because his cake is so yummy!

And for more yummy treats: Post a comment to my blog through Monday, June 18th and your name will be entered into a drawing for blog candy!! Check back tomorrow to see exactly what is included. Have a sweet day!

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Polished Stones

We used to live in Northern Arizona and Utah, where there are running streams of water everywhere. It was a common occurence to see rocks in the water that were smooth, flat, and of varying sizes. We didn't think anything about them, really. Oak Creek Canyon in Arizona was full of them. East Canyon in Utah was full of them. Nebraska does not have many running streams close to where I live. We have a river, the Platte, but it has sand bars instead of rocks like creek rocks (and not much water, either!).

I miss those rocks! When we were in Wisconsin last month, we could watch the waves of Green Bay wash against the shore. I went rock hunting one morning, and found these rocks.
Nothing much to look at - they are mostly white, kind of boring, but to feel them---you'd think you were touching silk. They have been smoothed and polished from constant movement of the water. I brought them home (the one in front is about the size of a quarter) -- to remind me of the places I have lived, where I used to fly fish, and of vacation, of course. I keep that small one in my pocket most of the time, or my purse -- whenever I get upset or stressed, I feel the texture of that velvety rock. It's calming. And if I stay stressed, I suppose I could always throw it at something.....I'm kidding!

Since late last night, SCS has been having some problems -- and I couldn't get on to talk to my friends or look at cards, or upload mine. That was (and still is!) stressful. I have my rock in my pocket.

So - rather than do any number of household things that should have been done, my rock and I made Polished Stone backgrounds. It's one of my favorite techniques and looks, and it is so simple. I think I must have made about 40 different color combinations. Here is one of them, using today's SCS challenge (which I did get on long enough to read).
We were to use flourishes of any kind, anywhere. This style is very popular right now, and just about every stamp company has some kind of swirls and flourishes. I stamped mine (from Rhonna Farrer) on watercolor paper and then swirled it with an Aqua brush to resemble waves. The seagulls were stamped right on the Polished Stone background in Basic Black ink.
We still have rain today, so no good light again for pictures. I guess I should go build a light box! I will post a tutorial for the Polished Stone a little later today. I have done enough rambling for now...

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Listen to the rhythm of the falling rain....

Today is a beautiful day; I love rainy weather with misty air and cloudy skies. But it's not so great for taking pictures of cards. I like natural light, but there just isn't enough today!

I made this card for the SCS Sketch Challenge, which you can see here. It was a lot of fun to make and a great sketch for using your beautiful designer paper.
Here is how you make the cuts:
1)Cut your first patterned paper to the size desired.
2)Line it up on the paper cutter corner to corner.
3)Now to make the second cut I taped the piece back together on the back side with a very small piece of removable tape and repeated the first cut. Repeat for the other patterned paper or plain card stock.
4)Separate and assemble your little puzzle!
It helps to tape it back together and treat it as a one piece of paper/cardstock.

Tip: If you have a hard time holding it steady on the cutter just use repositiong tape or even a post it to hold it in place.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

And the winner is.......

.....and I really hope we can send this out.....so contact me ASAP.....and the winner is....CLAUDIA F. (scfranson)!! Thanks to all who participated in helping to find a home for my unclaimed blog candy. Congratulations, Claudia! To claim your prize, send me an email or post here and I will get in touch with you and send it out.

For all of you non-winners, check back later today.....I will have something else that's yummy!!!

Monday, June 11, 2007

Grout and About


What a fun SCS Technique Challenge today -- Grout Free Tiling (Faux Tiles). You can read about it here. I had a lot of fun with this challenge.
I wanted to use the new Palette O' Prints papers and I made my "frame" first, by punching out 1/2 squares of each of the colors I have now (more in the new catalog!). After the squares were laid out, I colored and stamped by flowers, then glued down the squares. I layered this piece on the Certainly Celery piece and then on the Amethyst Prints paper. Finally all of that was attached to a piece of Almost Amethyst cardstock. After adding the flower brads and the Prima flower, I used Crystal Effects on each square to make it look like a shiny tile. It dries pretty quickly, and I was able to then add my tag with a Dimensional.
There are some great examples of this technique in the Gallery. Check them out and give it a try!
Now to go out and about running errands....

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Changed in a Moment

Life is precious.
Change can take place in a moment...in the blink of an eye.
As many of you have read, my sister was in a terrible car accident at the end of April (see May 3). It was an accident that could have changed her life to death...in a moment. It didn't, but she is still changed.

This week one of my friends and her husband lost a baby in utero at 18 weeks. Their lives changed in a moment with that news from their doctor. Our lives have changed by seeing how they have responded to and encouraged us in the midst of this sad situation.

Yesterday morning we received word that our sister church, 110 miles east of us in Lincoln, had burned to the ground. Today they were to have had a ground-breaking ceremony for a new addition. Changed lives. Refined with fire. Pressing onward.
(I don't know the photographer of the pictures; they were sent to me by a friend.)



It was easy to choose the card to case for the Featured Stamper Challenge, as many refining and defining moments have been in my mind and on my heart. September 11, 2001.

I need to remember every day - not just in times of tragedy - that I am being changed daily, to press onward, to be refined.
"He is consuming my soul..refining me, making me whole. No matter what I may lose, I choose the Refiner's Fire." (~Jon Mohr and Randall Dennis)

Saturday, June 9, 2007

Dragonflies through the mail~


Yesterday I was out in the yard - finally a day without 50 mph winds! - looking at my roses, thinking I should be snipping off the old buds. A dragonfly stopped by for a moment, and then went on his way. The mailman also stopped by, dodging the sprinkler as he left our mail. The mail has been, for as long as I can remember, one of the highlights of the day for both my dad and me. We love to get the mail, see what's there, and look at the stamps on the envelopes (my dad is an avid collector). Well, there weren't too many interesting stamps (have you seen those triangle-shaped ones about Jamestown? They are really cool.), but there was an interesting stamp of a different kind! I got several dragonfly images from A Measure of a Life, stamped and sent to me by Kelly Middleton. Thanks, Kelly! I thought it was so interesting that I had just seen a dragonfly, and then get several in the mail too! So, off I went to make this card. I hardly ever watercolor -- I don't really get it! - but I had just bought three Aqua brushes from Hobby Lobby yesterday, so thought I would give it a try. Not too bad of a result, but I need some practice! I used Green Galore on the wings (just because I love GG), with some Elegant Eggplant on the main body, and into the wings. For the rest of the square I did a wash with Sahara Sand and Elegant Eggplant, but the light of the evening washed it out in the photo. I used up some designer paper I had, and added black organdy ribbon.

The roses still need to be pruned.....

Friday, June 8, 2007

This and That

I am getting ready for a garage sale -- you know those sales that are supposed to make your house cleaner and more organized? The process certainly does the opposite. I have piles of stuff to get rid of, piles to sell, piles to throw away, and piles to pack away for another season. Hopefully, the means will be worth it in the end, because right now I just want to throw it all out! It is so much work. It does make me feel like I am accomplishing something, though. I want to have a productive summer, where I can look back in September and say, "Oh yeah, I did that and this and that!" (substitute all the things I got done!) instead of "I just sort of whittled away the time doing.....uh.....this and that" (actually using those words).

I did accomplish making a SCS Challenge card -- and it's a quick one, but I like how it turned out. It was for the Limited Supplies Challenge - using non-background stamps to make backgrounds. I made mine using two retired sets (isn't that all I have now? haha!): Everyday Expressions (love the font) and Flower Factory. I have always liked this flower set because it is so versatile and the images are so different. So, I am off to do "this and that" and hope that you accomplish something you want to do today as well.
.

Thursday, June 7, 2007

An Open Door....

Today I am featuring one of my favorite stampers, my sister, Nancy! She has made some beautiful cards for me (and she is hoarding a lot more), and this is one she sent me for my birthday last year (yes, get busy on my card for this year -- only four more weeks!!). It says "How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are?" I think our all-time favorite set is Paint Prints (we each own more than one so when they wear out we will have another one!), the one she used here. Nancy used watercolor paper as the main panel to stamp on, thus giving the flowers more texture. She reads my blog, and will be surprised to see one of her cards! She is very creative and artsy. We have a great time when we stamp together (and are good at making a mess), but it's not very often, since we live 1500 miles apart! So I am opening the door, so to speak, for people to see what she does!

So let's hear it for this week's Featured Stamper!!


And speaking of doors, thanks for all the kind words about my photographs. Here is one I took recently (in my town). Not a "pretty picture" like the others, but an artsy one. I love the weathered, worn look of these doors!

Wednesday, June 6, 2007

FREE stuff!

The Wooden Porch is a great blog to visit -- check it out and you might win a $25 Gift Certificate to JoAnn's Fabric Store!

Check out Miss Trish for great blog candy too!

Blog Candy Revisited

I never heard from my winner of my last blog candy post, so I am going to randomly draw a winner from anyone that posts on here about stamping (anywhere, not just this post) starting today through June 11th. Check the archive (May 11) for the picture of the goodies! It's a card, ribbons, beads/wire, and I will of course have to add something else fun......off to Hobby Lobby to see what sales there are!

Here are a few (of the 300!) of my favorite pictures from our Wisconsin vacation. I realized that I had said I would post pictures awhile back and never did! I made a slide show with some of the pictures. Scroll all the way down the page -- it's at the bottom! It is so beautiful there, and the sunsets were amazing!
This one is my beautiful daughter:

And on another night (see the seagull?):

And yet one more -- all three of these are taken from the same place -- right next to the dock at our friend's cabin, on the Green Bay side, where we stayed:

This was such a sweet sight -- Moms and their babies out for a morning snack -- there must have been over 40 geese all together! The little babies were so fuzzy! This was taken near a town called Sturgeon Bay, WI. We were on our way to the Maritime Museum, where there was a special Pirate exhibit. We had just seen "Pirates of the Caribbean 3" the day before and thought it was appropriate to visit the museum to see artifcats from real pirates and their ships. It was fascinating -- stuff from famous pirates' ships (like Blackbeard) and not so famous -- but ALL interesting stuff!


And one of my favorite flowers (Bleeding Hearts) that I happened to find everywhere in the town of Fish Creek (and aren't they a lovely shade of PINK!):

I finally got a card made today -- I made it for my sister and she has already seen it in my SCS Gallery, but I didn't tell her it was for her!! I couldn't come up with ANYthing for the SCS Sketch today, which is weird -- it was simple. But I made this instead:

I put in seed beads in the middles -- man, that stuff goes everywhere! I had to get out the little vacuum just after I opened the bottle! Sunflowers remind me of summer~

Tuesday, June 5, 2007

Ziggy Imagines.....


Here is my Father's Day card for my dad (without the watermark, of course!). He lives 1500 miles away and Ziggy is imagining how fun it would be if it were only one mile! Inside I stamped "Happy Father's Day....I miss you". The sketch is from a SCS Challenge and the colors are from today's Color Challenge (Elegant Eggplant, Certainly Celery and Ruby Red). I was glad I had just gotten my Earth Elements cardstock, or I wouldn't have had any red, and I love that color! I used twine my sister sent me awhile back, and the round tab punch to make the "imagine" tag. The Cuttlebug was right there, and I had to emboss! I NEED more of those folders.....

I don't run very fast, so I was tagged!

I have been tagged by Debi and Flossie and Amanda ~~check out their blogs! This is the one word answer tag, and I am tagging new blogs that I have found. Please visit them (see below)!
Yourself: cheerful
Your Partner: smart
Your Hair: short (and dark! Just last week from long and blonde!)
Your Mother: creative
Your Father: collector
Your Favorite Item: magazines
Your Dream Last Night: nonexistent
Your Favorite Drink: DietCoke (had to make that one word)
Your Dream Car: Beetle (I know, weird....)
Your Dream Home: mountains....
The Room You Are In: family
Your Fear: spiders
Where You Want to be in Ten Years: thinner
Who You Hung Out With Last Night: dogs
You’re Not: grumpy
One of Your Wish List Items: stamps!
The Last Thing You Did: create
You Are Wearing: clothes!
Your Favorite Weather: rainy
Your Favorite Book: Outlander
Last Thing You Ate: yogurt
Your Life: joyful
Your Mood: happy
Your Best Friend: husband
What Are You Thinking About Right Now: stamping
Your Car: Van
What Are You Doing At The Moment: thinking
Relationship Status: married
What Is On Your TV: off
What Is The Weather Like: sunny
When Is The Last Time You Laughed: today!

I am tagging:
Debbi
Laurie
Melissa

Monday, June 4, 2007

Nautical Wishes


I made this card for the Featured Stamper challenge this week. Tosha's Gallery is full of wonderful, amazing cards -- with lots of layers! I CASEd (stamper talk for Copy And Steal Everything) her card found here. I couldn't fit all those layers on, and I wanted to use some of the stamps I had found in Wisconsin (Nautical Cube by Northwoods), so I ended up with this card. I will be sending it to my father for his birthday later this month!

Sunday, June 3, 2007

Blue Blue My World is Blue...


For Friday's SCS bonus challenge, we were to make cards that were Monochromatic with Flowers. I thought Heartfelt Thanks was retiring (it's not, thank goodness!), so that's what I ended up using...oops!
I used Cool Caribbean, Tempting Turquoise, Not Quite Navy, Taken With Teal, and some blue designer paper (unknown vendor) to make my family of blues. The small square panels are mounted on Dimensionals (I need to order more of those!).

So far the tour is going great -- two shows down, more to go! Today they are on their way to Portland for a show tomorrow night. Here is a picture of my son's band (it's called "Hey Sandy" - my son is second from the right, crouching down):

They have that "look"....... (whatever that look is!)

Friday, June 1, 2007

Ticket punches and ticket sales...

I really NEED a ticket punch. At first I thought it was kind of a silly punch, since I had a corner rounder, and I thought doing the opposite would be kind of dumb. But of course, then you see cards made with this or that and you have to have it! I love the look of the ticket punch. It makes room for eyelets and brads, which I love almost as much as ribbon! So yesterday I substituted (again) my scallop scissors from Fiskars, and made faux ticket corners! It's a little tricky to line it up (and it has to line up exactly, of course!), so today on my order - guess what will be first?
I made this card for the Ways To Use It challenge on SCS. We were to use retiring stamps -- not hard for me -- since I will only have nine sets left that are SU current after June 30!! But hard to choose which set! I let a wedding this weekend and some designer paper determine my card. I love the Copper Dotlets by Doodlebug -- I got these at a closeout sale at a LSS for 10 cents a package -- (regularly $2) -- at the time I thought $2 worth was enough, but I should have bought all they had. When I went back, they were all gone, of course. But I have 19 1/2 packages left (Not all copper) after this card!!
My son leaves today (after only being home two weeks) for a tour with his local rock band. They will be in CO tonight, then OR, CA, AZ, NM, TX and back here to NE after two weeks. I hope they have a good time. It's great to be a teenager -- everything is possible and your dreams are all out there, waiting to be fulfilled~