Card Patterns #154

I've been on a mission lately to use the supplies that I have on hand.  I happened upon a new challenge called Card Patterns and decided to give it a whirl. 

And so the pattern . . .

I find with sketches it is all in the interpretation.  The toughest part for me on this one was that swirly black border under the ribbon.  Here is what I came up with for my design:

My "black swirls" ended up being Staz-on stamped on a piece of clear acetate.  I had some Staz-on in other colors, but I thought the black would really make things pop and add a bit of elegance.  All supplies are Stampin' Up except for the acetate piece that I had leftover in my stash. 

The card would be great to give to someone who has learned they are expecting.  It's a cute stamp.  I definitely want to try stamping on the clear sheets with a scrapbook layout in the near future.  It's a great look!

More of the Same

The other day I pulled a "kit" of papers and made a few cards for some challenges.  I wanted to carry through using those supplies for a few more cards, and the Unity Monthly Kit Sketch Challenge seemed to be a perfect fit.  If you missed the first two cards, I will post their photos below. 

Here is the sketch for February . . .

 And here is my design using Bazzill cardstock, Basic Grey pattern papers, some coordinating ribbon and my Kit of the Month from Unity (January kit, as the February one has not hit my mailbox yet) . . .

 I wanted to stamp my image on the gold Basic Grey pattern paper, and still have enough of the reverse side to get the print for the birds and flowers, so I cut my design a little short and moved my sketch up to just the square.  My interpretation of the hearts was that one was more defined than the other, so I stamped one image straight onto the gold paper, and then stamped the flower image on pattern side of the paper and cut and popped to get the more defined image.  

I made two cards . . . which I will put with the cards from earlier this week (shown below) . . . and I'll have a set!  

Yeah!  I'm using my stash! 

Play Date Cafe #120

Who can resist the awesome color palette in The Play Date Cafe Challenge #120 photo?  Certainly not me.  Not only does it scream of Spring, but is that a plate of cheese cubes?

Forget the cheese cubes, it is a gorgeous color combination.  And here is my design . . .

 

The product here is all Stampin' Up . . . my thanks to my friend Mary for sharing her stamp set with me.  I stamped on the card base before building the card . . . just barely visible on the sides.  

Fun colors, indeed!  

Freshly Made Sketches #23

I don't know how I happened upon Freshly Made Sketches.  It was likely while I was perusing blogs one evening looking at other crafters' inspiring work.  I love a sketch challenge, because I grab supplies I have on hand and put them to good use.  I actually had a few sketches I was working on, and I pulled a "kit" from my supplies.  It contained two pieces of turquoise cardstock and some Basic Grey pattern paper. 

So . . . with the sketch on hand . . .

. . . I got to work.  First order of business was that I had a sheet of Basic Grey with bands of different patterns running through it.  I decided that paper was perfect to use in place of the blocks in the sketch.  (Thinking outside of those three little boxes.)

I then used some of the other Basic Grey pieces for the mat behind the stamped design and to paper piece my phone.  I am a HUGE fan of paper piecing stamped designs.  Love the technique. Here is the result . . .

Hmmm . . . love the zig-zag border stamp . . . but in this photo, my ribbon looks black (and it was most definitely brown).  Isn't that phone adorable!  I put a jewel in the center to add some bling. 

I used these same supplies for the Mojo Monday sketch challenge and produced the card below (a great example of stretching your supplies to make a whole set of cards) . . . 

Loving this stamp set!  And while these would not normally be colors I would choose, Basic Grey knows how to coordinate colors because they work.  

I think there will be at least two more cards made using these supplies.  Perhaps a boxed set? 

Mojo Monday Challenge

I created the card below for the Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge #229, and let me tell you . . . I got it in right under the wire (with literally less than ten seconds to spare). Even if I had not made it, I still love the card.  Here is the sketch . . .

And here is my design . . .

 

I used cardstock and pattern paper that were part of a kit I had received.  It included Bazzill Cardstock and Basic Grey pattern paper.  I added some Unity Stamps and ribbon and came up with a really cute creation.   

Stay tuned . . . as a I used these supplies and stamp set to make another challenge card (assuming I make that deadline).  

Purr-fect Challenge

I love the collage photos that challenge blogs post.  A myriad of interlocking photos that come together to create a beautiful canvas to inspire.  I spend more time looking at them than I do creating, which is not necessarily a bad thing.  I find them comforting. 

The Jay Gee's Nook Challenge photo for their current challenge was so inviting.  I spent the last 18 days just gazing at the beautiful colors . . .

Yet it wasn't until tonight that I felt the urge to create a little something colorful. 

Blue Bazzill Basics - White Bazzill Smooth - The Twinery Twine - Market Street Stamps (Cool Cats and Pawprints on our Hearts - edge die cut from Stampin' Up - ink and markers - dimensional tape.

Purr-fect! 

Splash of Hot Pink

When I saw that The Play Date Cafe Challenge was "splash of color" and that the splash of color was hot pink with black and white . . . I had to play along.  Here is the inspiration . . .

And so I used a recently purchased stamp . . . which I absolutely love . . . to create the card below.  Hot pink was perfect for a marshmallow peep bunny.  And since the challenge was just splash of hot pink, I colored only one of the peeps and then gave it a nice "sugar" coating of Stickles (looks yummy enough to eat).  

And while I love the stamp, I also love that I used a white seam binding that I could stamp on.

Supplies include Bazzill Black and White Cardstock; edge die and emboss folder from Stampin' Up; Stamp and Seam Binding from Close to My Heart; Stazon Black Ink;

I see more peep cards in my future.  Love the peeps . . . to look at . . . but not so much to eat!  

Weekend Getaway

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Imagine a little weekend getaway cottage.  It seems foreign to me, the woman with two jobs, four dogs and two cats.  Let's face it, the dogs are the real anchor.  Cats can fend for themselves, and jobs can be left behind.

But if I had a little weekend cottage that I could run off to . . . it might look a little like the Saturday Collection from Little Yellow Bicycle.  

I had this little wooden birdhouse, and I painted it white.  And it sat for perhaps a year awaiting the perfect paper.  And then there it was . . . Saturdays.  I cut and pieced, almost like laying one board at a time.

 I was so careful to keep the designs in line and not lose the look of this great paper. 

 

Cut, trim, align, paste . . . repeat . . . 

 

One side at a time . . . 

Until it was time to move in.  

The only thing missing is the rocking chair on the porch.  

CAS-ual Fridays - All About Tom Hanks

I'm always up for a challenge involving a movie.  So when I saw CAS-ual Friday's challenge was a movie inspiration, I just had to jump on board with that one. 

I tried to go with one favorite, and before you know it I had conjured up a little set of four cards using similar stamps and the same product.  What was really shocking . . . three movies with one thing in common.  Tom Hanks! 

There is the "You've Got Mail" inspired (in two slightly different designs) . . .

Then there is Sleepless in Seattle.  "It rains nine months a year in Seattle."  

And then a little bit of Forrest Gump.  "Life is like a box of chocolates.  You never know what you're gonna get." 

A little trimming . . . a little stamping . . . a little paper piecing . . . a little reminder of some of my favorite Tom Hanks movies. 

What's not to love?

Creative Blocks

I have seriously had a creative block lately.  Creative blocks for me usually stem from being way too busy at my 8 a.m. to whenever job (the term 9 to 5 job is ridiculously off base).  But there was this one project set before me that I was completely stoked about.  It was a challenge to figure out how to do it, where to find the product to do it . . . but I couldn't wait to figure it all out.

I think one of the reasons I was super stoked about this project goes back to my sewing years . . . many, many years ago . . . I made this cloth covered wreath.  It was a solid white wreath base with Velcro where you would attach different pieces.  Each month you remove the old and replace with the new.  There was a ruffle you would attach to the back with a braided hanger.  There were three or four decorative pieces that you attached to the front.  You would swap everything out and you'd have a whole new look each month for years to come.  My velcro pieces didn't hold up to well over the years, and that awesome wreath is probably in a box in the basement.  So sad.  I didn't realize I missed it until this project came along.  Here is a little sneak peak . . .

Creative blocks . . . a set of tags . . . and you swap them out whenever you want!

I am in love!  I cannot wait to create another set of tags. 

My creative block is solved by a set of creative blocks. 

We'll be offering this at workshops at my LSS, New England Scrapbook Co. in Canton, Connecticut.  So exciting!

Positive Realist Project - Take 6

Did I quit my Positive Realist Project?

No.

I have just been so incredibly busy that I've not been able to make any blog entries.  But I've continued my quest to put things in perspective.  My Smash Book is looking great as I continue to document "my best" and "my worst." Let's go with the bad news first . . .

My very worst "worsts" in the last few weeks were centered around death . . . attending a military funeral for a friend's father, learning of the death of a co-worker's infant granddaughter, and experiencing the one year anniversary of my brother's death.  Difficult?  Indeed.

Some of my other "worsts" . . a paycheck in the amount of $0.00, a bad hockey game, a half a jar of Mod Podge spilled down my carpeted stairs and work stress, work stress, work stress.

My answers to all my problems:  

• Work stress?  You have a job girl, so quit it. (EDIT . . . Don't quit the job; quit the whining!) 
• That single bad hockey game is not so bad, considering that the team has (as of tonight) lost their last nine (9) games.  Talk about putting things in perspective. 
• The Mod Podge on the stairs . . . it dries clear, and since the husband was the one who dropped it, the husband was the one who cleaned it up.  My stairs are not crunchy, so he did a good job. 
• $0.00 paycheck . . . not finding the bright side to that.  It is actually a bit of a funny story.  Employer goes to new payroll process, warns employee that with the transition, their first check of the year will be for only one week's pay instead of a half month's pay.  They offer a "supplemental pay" that you can opt to take (which of course just gets removed from all future checks for the year) and I turned it down.  A few weeks prior, an actual person contacts me . . . live . . . not a recording . . . not an e-mail . . . to warn me that my check could be less than 10% of my normal pay.  I still opt to not take the funds.  I get said check and am searching for the net pay.  Where is the net pay . . . net pay?  Oh, here it is . . . $0.00.  It begs the question.  Is ZERO really less than 10%?  Couldn't they have said, "You are going to get NOTHING!  A big fat ZERO! 

Now for some of my positives.

I did say that the anniversary of my brother's death was a negative, but it was also listed as my positive.  I was lucky enough to be able to spend the evening with family and friends celebrating his life.  My sister-in-law is the most incredibly awesome person in the world (I just love her!).  We visited a few of his favorite spots, and this beautiful tribute to the attacks on the World Trade Center was one of them.  

This sculpture was made by a Windsor, CT artist who makes sculptures from scrap metal.  He was inspired to make it to assist Windsor High School's Special Ed Class back in 2003 who were tasked with a project to improve community and school.  The artist sculpted the metal pieces and cut the outlines of the towers.  The Special Ed students drilled the individual holes which represent each person who died in the attacks.  My brother assisted the class with the drilling of the holes.  Is that not an awesome thing to see and hear about?  Note to self . . . need to take another trip down in daylight to take a photo, and perhaps an evening photo without the "holiday wreath."  

There were other positives, and many of them at work.  When I think there is too much stress, I am reminded of those I work with who make it worthwhile!  That one particular trainer who never stops thanking me for everything I do for him and makes the most awesome salsa which he brings with him from Texas.  Heaven in a jar!  The coordinator who, when hearing a rumor that I was leaving my job, but then finding out it was just a joke said, in a sigh of relief "In complete seriousness, if you left we would be screwed."

I blush . . . how awesome is that!  

And on the creative side of life, it has been tough to find time for creativity.  I have just been so busy on the 9 to 5 front.  But I do have a little class coming up at my LSS . . . working with sketches . . . 

What a great message:  Surround yourself with splendid things.

Indeed.

I have to say, a splendid thing for me right about now . . . or tomorrow . . . would be an awe$ome paycheck with $ome actual fund$!

Mojo Monday 222

I'm scrapping from my stash!  The Mojo Monday Sketch is noted below. 

I did a few interesting things with this sketch, the most interesting was a little twist I added to highlight a few words on my "word pattern paper."  After cutting my strip for the banner piece, I wanted to high the words "Make a Wish."  So I took some baker's twine and wrapped so the words would show.  It's definitely something I would try again, as it's a great use of the paper.

I also distressed the edges of all the elements except the card itself and the 4 x 5 1/4 background piece. 

For the stamping and the die cut tag I used a die and stamps from Clear and Simple. 



And here is the inside of the card. 

Orange is not just for Halloween!  So glad I could use up some scraps.

New Year's Resolution - NOT!

I tend to make a resolution or two every single year, and then I tend to lose sight of most of them.  So I thought this year about making a resolution not to make a resolution . . . but then I'd be breaking it right off the bat by having made a resolution at all. 

So I'm not making a resolution this year.  I'm not setting myself up for failure.  I am just going to try to be the best that I can be each and every day throughout the year.  And I must believe in myself.   

Whimsical Wednesday Challenge - Favorite Project

The Whimsical Wednesday Challenge this week was to upload a favorite project from 2011.  I have to admit that it was a tough choice.  I've done some super-cool things in 2011, so in reality this is only one of many favorites.

Below is a layout that I did using some old photos and telling the story of my sister, Tammy, who was severely mentally challenged from birth. 

These photos are from the sixties (dating myself here), and it is always difficult to scrap the old photos . . . especially those polaroids which are so thick and really should not be cut apart.  I'm so glad that I got these photos down in a layout.  You really just have to not stress about it and do it!

And I really think this layout is perfect!  Look at those gorgeous eyes and that beautiful grin. That's my baby sister (may she rest in peace).

Positive Realist Project - Take 5

Do you know what you realize when you write down your best and worst things.  You realize that your problems are very small in the scheme of things! 

Yes the holidays were difficult with the loss of my brother, but you do the best to move along and keep his memory strong.  That, indeed, was the best and perhaps the worst of Christmas Day. 

But now for the best of the week . . . it's a crafty thing . . . a little company that I love called Clear and Simple Stamps . . . I found them back in the summer of 2010 at the Stamp Expo in Massachusetts, and I bought some of their stamps.  What I love about them . . .

• Their stamps are Clear and Simple (just like the name says).
• When I order from them and my shipment arrives, it comes in a great box and is enveloped in tissue paper (their signature color!).
• Sometimes they include a complimentary copy of a magazine, and they put a post-it note on the page that has their advertisement!  
• And sometimes they send me a magnet or post-it pad with their logo.  
• They have an App for the iPhone that is awesome and keeps me inspired. 

It's that personal touch that I love!  And so on the 23rd I got a holiday card from them, and it included a free sentiment stamp set . . . not just one stamp . . . a stamp set!  And so for two years running, I've gotten an awesome stamp set for being a customer.  It just arrived in an adorable card.   

It's the personal touch that is just awesome! Their adorable card made it into my Smash Book.  It made me smile.  It was "my best" for the day.  

I Forgot I Was Crafty

Wait . . . I think I said I had not been crafty.  But wait . . . I was crafty.  I forgot.

I made these boxes and tags with my Stampin' Up stash and stamps.  (I love making boxes.)

There are five boxes (the picture shows six, but one failed inspection because it was too small to hold a gift card).  They are in graduating sizes and will be filled with gift cards and then filled with each other as well.  A box with in gift card, in a box with a gift card, in a box with a gift card, in a box with a gift card, in a box with a gift card! 

Hmmm . . . I spot some American Craft brads in there too!

And then with the leftover scraps and some additional cardstock, I made these little gift card/chapstick holders using more of my Stampin' Up stash. 

I forgot that I had been crafty one day!

Phew!

Back to those Christmas cards.

Positive Realist Project - Take 4

I may be a day late in posting, but I have a completed spread in my Smash Book!  Check it out:

Anyone who knows how I scrapbook knows that I'm all about clean lines.  It has been said that I am LINEAR in my scrapbooks.  My house could be all off-kilter, but my pages are linear. 

a (1) : of, relating to, resembling, or having a graph that is a line and especially a straight line : straight (2) : involving a single dimension b (1) : of the first degree with respect to one or more variables (2) : of, relating to, based on, or being linear equations, linear differential equations, linear functions, linear transformations, or linear algebra c (1) : characterized by an emphasis on line <linear art> (2) : composed of simply drawn lines with little attempt at pictorial representation <linear script>

Need I say more.  I'm linear.   So this whole Smash technique is very new to me.  I have to tell you - it is fun stuff! 

And what did this past week have in store . . .

There were a lot of little surprises.  I think the most exciting was watching Extreme Makeover Home Edition and seeing my friend's work at Queen Vanna Creations featured on the show.  How awesome.  Click on her link if you want to see her work and hear about the shenanigans of when Hollywood calls!  And you can even watch on-line.  Note that her little reminder card that she gave to all of us is smashed into the book!  Super cute! 

I was not too crafty over the week . . . and I need to be because there is work to be done (including my Christmas cards which I started early but will finish late, as usual).

And I think I wrote a lot over the last week about having too much work.  I have a 9 to 5 job that is more like 7 to 6 and has nothing to do with craftiness at all!  I supposedly have two weeks off, and in the first two days of being off, I have worked about ten hours.  What is up with that!  It is definitely something I need to work on for the coming year, so stay tuned!  

I

Positive Realist Project - Take 3

Week 2 is in the books!  Well, it's in the Smash Book!

I am loving this Smash Book idea for day to day.  If there is something that you want to save, you literally just smash it in the book.  I am saving little things that would normally hang around my house.  Now they have a place.  This week I saved two things in the book . . .

1) A rubber wrist bracelet purchased for charity;
2) A printed Facebook post that just brightened my day;

I put them into a little envelope to save, and I included the date.  How super cool is that!

So let me mention my best of the best.  The Facebook post was the absolute best.  My daughter wanted some random ridiculous item that she saw.  I don't know if she would have bought it for herself.  But because I knew she wanted it, I ordered it on Ebay for her 26th birthday.  And this was the post that brightened my day . . .

That was on December 10th.  On December 12th "my best" was to pause and reflect 26 years earlier on my first child's arrival.  No sappiness . . . just amazing surprises for 26 years!

Another "best" was spending the day on Sunday, December 11th taking a class from the amazing Cheryl Mezzetti!  Love her classes . . . look at the little St. Nick book I made (needs some finishing touches):

My worsts were somewhat boring.  The usual.

But I will highlight a purchase I made . . . my weekly donation went to Love for Lokomotiv.  On Sept 7, 2011, 44 lives were lost in the worst tragedy in professional hockey history. A plane carrying crew members, hockey personnel, coaches and players of the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl hockey team went down, breaking the hearts of their loved ones near and far. In a united effort to show support for the grieving families, hockey wives and girlfriends from around the world created a website and have been selling bracelets to support their friends.

And so another week is in the books.

If anyone is interested in joining me on the journey, feel free.  Or . . . just post your "best" and "worst" for the week in the comments.  

Happy Smashing! 

Unity - Let it Snow Challenge

I was sitting down ready to create something for Unity's December Challenge - Let it Snow - and I still had scraps on my table from the Mojo Monday Challenge.  I decided to use the same stamps and papers.  Let's face it, I'm a Girl Scout and felt the need to "use resources wisely."  Truth be told, I loved the combination of papers to create the jacket, scarf, hat, and mittens for my snowman.

So here is a second take at some of the same supplies and the same stamps.  I used Unity's November Kit of the Month - the snowman stamp.  For the sentiment I used the "We're all just a little flaky" stamp from the Jolly Good Fun set.  I again paper pieced the elements onto the cream image (I love this look!).  The design of the card itself is completely different from my "Mojo Monday" card.  I used a border punch embellished with jewels and I framed my main image with that red pattern paper. 

That snowman and is little jacket and scarf are just as stinking cute the second time as the first!

And indeed . . . we are all just a little flaky!

Mojo Monday 218

I absolutely love a good sketch, and this one doesn't disappoint.  I love anything that combines different shapes . . . pleasing to the eye! 

My first order of business was to turn this sketch on it's side, as I knew I was going to use a wider design for my main image.

I used two different Unity Stamps, the sentiment from the Jolly Good Fun set and the snowman stamp from the November Kit of the Month.  I stamped that snowman image on cream cardstock, onto a red pattern paper and then onto a striped pattern paper.  I then went to work cutting out the pieces of the pattern paper so I could paper piece the pattern paper pieces onto the cream image.  I used other pieces of the pattern paper for the elements of the sketch.

With the paper piecing finished up, I used my Copic Markers to color the bird, the bird house, the musical notes, the nose and to add shadows.  I then added some flower soft white for the hat and mitten cuffs.

I love that darn sweater and scarf!  It just makes me smile.