Another Lame Blog Post

Hi, remember me? The Olympics are killing my craftiness, so I am a little glad they are almost over. I wanted to start out today's post with this photo, so show you I actually DID put ink to paper this week. This is one of the stamps from the set I won from the Fiskateers giveaway on Twitter, and my plan for using the stamp came together quite niceyl:


Okay, it's not actually part of a card, yet, but I'm working on that. That part seems to actually be tougher than the inky part. I think my mojo took a long, long, looooong vacation.

Anyway, I stamped the image with Versamark on glossy card stock and embossed it with black EP. I originally used white on white, but I didn't like the look - way too tame (read: boring), so I went with black instead, and I really, really, REALLY like it! I used the same reinker-on-a-wipe technique I used on this card to apply the three colors of ink over the image. Me likey!

Okay, that's it ... KIDDING! As any good stamper knows, there is nothing better to jump-start the mojo than some NEW STUFF, am I right? So I called BR#2 yesterday and told her I was headed to Angela's and did she want to come along. An hour later we were on the road, over the river into VA.

I must tell you that our dear Angela is an enabler of the first degree. It's not that she talks you into anything (as if that would even be necessary), but she fails to talk you out of it, which can actually be worse. I once asked her if I really needed to take the Copic plunge, and she said she was the wrong person to ask, as she was in pretty deep. See what I mean? Sigh.

The other thing about Angela and her staff is they are fantastic shoppers, and they really know how to stock the shelves so when you see something, you need one in every color. Case in point: the new Graphic 45 papers. Let's take a look, shall we?

Here is the 12x12 pack of Le Romantique:

I mostly got this one because it reminded me of my dear Pea (@BrownEyedPea on Twitter). As most of you know, I am not a vintage-y gal, so why do I buy this stuff? Dunno.

Next we have A Proper Gentleman:

... and last we have On The Boardwalk:

Oh, did you know it comes in both 12x12 and 8x8? And guess what? I couldn't decide, so I got both:

The thing I like about the paper companies' smaller paper pads (not just Graphic 45, but Basic Grey, SU, DaisyD, all of them, really) is the smaller papers are not just pieces of the larger papers; rather they are the exact same papers, but on a smaller scale.

I like the 12x12 size for cutting the pages apart to use the individual images. Here you can see the different scale of the two. Check out the back of the pages, just peeking out at the top of the photo. I like the smaller scaled patterns for background layers. And heck, since I have BOTH now, I am set, probably for a second lifetime.

Here is a sample of the 'guy' papers:

Okay, enough with the Graphic 45. This next paper pack was the fault of MaryDawn over at MyPinkMexico. Once I saw it on her blog, you just know I had to have it.

Then I saw a pack of Road Trip papers by KaiserKraft:

Do I scrapbook? No. Have I taken a road trip lately? No. Do I ever do anything travel-related with my cards? What's your point? I ask you: are these not my colors?!?! I had to have them for that reason ALONE!

I only got three stamps this trip - seriously! This one spoke to me because the flamingos have attitude:

hee hee

Then I saw these two and walked past them, but when BR#2 stopped and mentioned them to me, I sighed heavily and went back to grab them.

I immediately started to recite from AA Milne: Christopher Robin had sneezles and wheezles, they bundled him into his bed; they gave him what goes with a cold in the nose, and some more for a cold in the head. Yes, I am weird.

Lastly, I got some "cute" papers that have shimmer and are very fun colors:

The end.

In other news, I actually had my camera with me and loaded the other night when Koshka was doing her "I need to be in your lap" routine.

First, she climbs between me and the laptop to check out the lay of the land (my lap):

Then she half-way lays down:

And finally wraps herself around the laptop:

When she finally settles in, she faces more to the left, and my left arm, in an attempt to actually reach the keyboard, is under her neck, and she has either both front feet on my forearm, or she rests her head on my forearm. It's really quite sweet, though it makes it tough to type, plus the keyboard is once again full of cat hair.

Okay, I really, really need to became a productive member of society today. There's cards to make and laundry to do and I may even clean the bathroom if I get really desperate. Or not.

I hope to have something crafty to show you one of these days. Until then, I do thank you for stopping by!