Sketchy Sunday {TG017} - only 1 week late

Yeah, I'm a full week behind now, and I don't see things getting better any time soon, as my markets start this Saturday, so I'm back to one-day weekends. I know, I know. I LOVE the markets, but I did like having that extra day all Winter to do some of these cool challenges. Hey, maybe I'll get my act together and find time during the week. HA! I crack myself up.

Here is LAST week's Sketchy Sunday challenge over on Tiff's blog:

And my take on it, which I also call "it seemed like a good idea at the time":

Now let me explain... Sometimes my ideas come in complete cards, and sometimes they come in fragments. This card is the result of a fragment, and I'm not so sure it worked. It started with an idea to make that SU flower out of First Edition papers. That's all I had, people. The whole idea stopped there.

For a background paper, I thought I'd rummage through my bag of papers from my last trip to the LSS, and I found that piece of Graphic 45 and thought: Kraft + black. So I inked the edges of the flower with Crumb Cake ink and matted a piece of the Graphic 45 paper on black.

Then I decided it needed some yummy black satin ribbon, and I did a two-sided approach to the wavy ribbon thing I showed you last night on my quilt card. Here's what I did:

See how it left a nice flat area to receive the flower? :) I found an old old old antique-y brad in my drawer and used it for the center of the flower. I like.

But then when I put that finished piece onto the Kraft card base, it was boooooring. THAT is when the Washi tape came out and I added a few strips of it to the card base.

I left off the sentiment because Tiff said we could change up the sketch if we wanted to, and I wanted to.

That's it. I might make a couple more of these since I've already cut up the paper. Then maybe I'll think about this week's sketch. ;/

Thanks for stopping by!

A Quilt Card

I have seen several "quilt" patterns in the Blogosphere the past few weeks, and I just knew I had to give them a try. Here's one I finally finished tonight:

Once I got the math right (grrrr) it was easy. I was going to look up the actual math formula to dazzle you, but it sounded like work, so you have been spared. Most quilters already know this math, and the rest of you will just want me to tell you how to do it. Not tonight. I've been waking up at 5 am for 4 days now, and I'm too tired. And anyway, I didn't take pictures.

Check out that ribbon at the bottom:

It's called "wavy ribbon" and you can see how to do it here in Mary Dawn's most-excellent video.

In other news, I acquired weights for my tent this evening. I went to the big box hardware store to buy bags of sand and buckets to hold them, when I discovered they only had 50-lb bags of sand, which I know I can't lift. Not more than once, anyway. They didn't have 25-lb bags, so I pouted. I finally asked a guy where else I might find sand, and then I spied CINDER BLOCKS! OMG, SO SMART! I got 4 of the skinny more-solid ones and I spent only $4.50. WHOOT! I WIN! :)

Okay, I must go find something crafty to do. Thanks for stopping by!

Jingle Belles Rock - Week 18 - NO DSP!

If there is one thing I have in abundance (besides ribbon) it's patterned paper. This week's Jingle Belles Rock challenge is to make a Christmas card with no patterned paper! ACK! I've been chewing on this one for a few days, which is really the whole idea of a challenge, right? It makes you spin your brain in a different direction and try new things.

I knew I needed to create my own background. I could stamp it, or dry-emboss it, or ... something. My idea finally came to me Sunday morning: Rubber Band Background! I haven't done this in FOREVER!

First, here's my card:

Now for that brayer thing, here's what you do: Take an acrylic brayer attachment (the clear one), wrap several rubber bands around it, then put it in the brayer handle. It should look something like this:

You don't want to cover the attachment - space is good. Roll the brayer 'round and 'round on your ink pad until the rubber bands are inky - they don't have to be perfect, just mostly inked. Then starting from before the card stock, roll the brayer across the card stock and don't stop until you are past it (this is the standard wheel technique - you start before and end after your card stock). You now have wavy lines! Ink it up again if you don't have full coverage - my brayer didn't span my 4" piece of card stock so I inked it again and rolled it a second time on the other edge of the paper.

I took the attachment out of the brayer to clean it, and I found I got almost all of the ink (SU dye ink) off with a paper towel and I didn't need to wash it or replace the rubber bands. I repeated the steps above with Cherry Cobbler and again cleaned the attachment.

For my last step I ran my brayer across an Encore gold ink pad, ran it across the card stock, and then heat-embossed it with gold EP.

Let's look at the card again:

You can see the background has wiggly green and red and some embossed gold lines.

I started out with the scallops at the bottom, but I decided to flip it, I guess because I could. I colored the mousie with a combination of Copics and SU ink + blender pen. I finished it off with a souffle pen for the white parts of his sweater, and some shiny glitter on his scarf fringe.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go fondle some pretty paper. This was rough.

Thanks for stopping by!

Stuff I used:
Ink: Glorious Green (much misunderstood and under-appreciated), Cherry Cobbler, Encore gold, Memento black
Stamps: Hero Arts mousie, sentiment (I forget)
Card stock: Very Vanilla, Glorious Green, Cherry Cobbler, Kraft/Crumb Cake, Brushed gold
Tools & Accessories: brayer with acrylic attachment, rubber bands, gold EP, heat tool, Nestabilities, ribbon, MFT scallop border die, souffle pen (sweater trim), glitter pen (fringe on scarf)

New Blog on the Block

There's a new challenge blog coming very soon to the Blogosphere, and it's called Shopping Our Stash.


The plan is to challenge us to use our hoarded goodies. You know: the stamps that have never seen ink, or the embellishments you just HAD to own but are still in the package. Or, as in my case, in addition to all of that stuff, I have 700 miles of ribbon and 3584632 pieces of hoarded 12x12 papers. Uh-huh. I think this one will be QUITE motivating.

Last I saw, they plan to have some launch candy that you can enter to win - details are in this post on their blog. (Psst: I spied some Basic Grey papers in there. Sweet!)

There is also a DT call (details here), so if you're interested, check that out, too!

And because I've been blathering about using neglected stash, I thought I'd dig through some of my cra... er, treasures and make something. You know me, always being an example for others. Though I must admit, where I normally act as an example of what not to do, this time you should do it. You should use your stash.

Let me ask just one quick question: WHO MADE MAY 1ST A SUNDAY?!?!?!?! Do you know what this means?!?!? It means Mother's Day is the second Sunday, which is NEXT WEEKEND, PEOPLE! And next Saturday, the 7th, is the first day of our farmers market, so that means I have one day - ONE DAY to sell Mother's Day cards. IT IS SOOOO NOT FAIR! I deserve at least two weekends to do this. I mean, if I have to store these things for the rest of the year, I should have more than one shot at selling them, right?!?!? Sigh.

I grumbled under my breath and went to my cache of "you only get one day a year to sell these" cards, and pulled out ... wait! How can I have only 2 Mother's Day cards in there?!?! ACK! I have ONE WEEK! ONE WEEK!!!!!

So in light of this crisis, I dove into my paper stash and used a few pieces of DSP to make the following Mother's Day cards.

First up: Some current papers that just happened to be already cut to the right size. I made three of these:

Next up: some retired DSP and I have maybe 3 packs left. Whole packs. I used one sheet of paper from the open pack to make 6 of these:

In addition to the DSP, I used some retired and hoarded Groovy Guava card stock and ribbon. Yes, I am very proud. Oh, yes, there are two cards here, because I wanted to show you that when you hack a piece of 12x12 paper into 6 pieces, depending on how the pattern runs (perfectly even and repeated, or random, like this one) you could get different designs for each piece. I used this to my advantage and placed the ribbon and sentiment where it looked best on that particular piece of DSP. It also kept me from going stark-raving mad making 6 of the exact same thing. I am so over mass-production.

Last, I found a piece of this DSP:

and I got two cards out of it. I love this paper. I've hoarded this paper (no big surprise there.) BUT, I've just used all hoarded papers and ribbons and made 11 Mother's Day cards in no time flat. I think I'm going to like this new blog. I do.

So come on over and join the fun!

And thanks for stopping by!

More Bright Colors

I don't know what's come over me, but my customers may need to bring their shades to the May Stamp Camps. I wanted to CASE this card by the Uber-talented Mary Fish, but as usual, I went off on my own. Go check out her card, then come back. I'll wait. ... ... ... Okay, now please look at mine, then we'll talk:

I resisted using the turquoise. I did. I wanted to resist, anyway. I wanted to find another color that "popped" to use with the Rich Razzleberry and Pumpkin Pie. I tried reeeeeeal hard, for days, to find another color that worked as well as turquoise, but alas, I decided it really was the best color. But I didn't want as MUCH turquoise as Mary used, so that's why it took me for-EVER to make this. Finally today I started playing for serious, and this is what came out. I'm not sure it's the final pass, but it's the first one that worked all the way to a whole card.

I'm not sure that flower works - maybe it's too small? And I'm not sure about the stark white base. I'm open to suggestions. (Sure, I'm using "sure" a lot. Sure am. :) Okay, sure, I'll stop.)

For my next trick, I opened my package of Beyond The Garden DSP from the new Summer Mini (starts tomorrow!). I fell in love with the blue & green, so I tried this:

I am sooooooooo happy they brought back Pacific Point as a permanent color. (The only thing better would have been if they brought back Kiwi Kiss instead of Wild Wasabi. Just sayin'.) The colors in this DSP are Pacific Point and Wild Wasabi. I'm afraid both of the patterns on this DSP are too busy for that also-busy peacock image (Proud Peacock stamp set, also from the Summer Mini), but I was determined to try and make it work. I may need to add a bit of orange or red or something to the feathers. Or maybe some silver smooch paint. Again, ideas are welcome.

In other news, I retrieved my tent and standing card rack from storage today, and everything fits in my car so far! The only thing I still need to do is make tent weights. In years past I've used empty kitty litter containers filled with water, but alas, I no longer have those. :( I'm thinking buckets with 40-lb bags of sand in them (left in the bags.) I can't believe the farmers markets start next weekend. I can't believe TOMORROW IS MAY ALREADY! But it will be good to sit outside again and get fresh air and talk to my farmer and crafty peeps. Can't wait!

Thanks for stopping by!

Pink + Orange

Tonight I was just playing with some of my new SU schtuff, desperately trying to come up with some ideas for my May Stamp Camps. There has been a plethora of red + orange + pink on the Interwebz lately, and I'm trying to work with it. I took my first step with this ribbon wreath, then I ordered the Sweet & Sour Specialty papers from SU to give them a spin. I also wanted to somehow incorporate the leaf image from the Fabulous Florets stamp set from the upcoming Summer Mini (starts tomorrow!). This is what came out:

The polka dotted paper is embossed in spots and is all shiny (it comes that way, which is why it's called 'Specialty" paper); the fleur is embossed with some Melon Mambo EP (available starting tomorrow); the ribbon is Pumpkin Pie taffeta; the leaf is stamped in Pear Pizzazz; and the pink layer is also Melon Mambo. If I use this project for my Stamp Camps. I might just use up the remaining 3 or 4 sheets of Melon Mambo I have. ;)

ETA: I forgot to add that I broke out my gold Smooch paint and added a few specs around the flower's center. (good demo moment)

I have a bazillion more ideas floating around in my head, and I hope to actually make some of them this weekend. Right now, though, I need sleep. I woke up at 4:15 am, and not on purpose, but I still couldn't get back to sleep, so I got up and watched the wedding on the Royal YouTube Channel (for realz - they have one!) Tomorrow I get to retrieve my tent and standing card rack from my storage unit and try to fit them into my new old car. My markets start NEXT weekend. Whoot!

Thanks for stopping by!

PS: I don't think there is one single thing straight on this card. Just sayin'.

An A-Musing Evening

I have a new love. My new love is the Eucalyptus color of paper and ink from A Muse | Studio. I am also impressed that I can actually spell it.

When A Muse decided to pull out of retail stores, I was sad. Then they announced they were going into the Home Party Model biz, kinda like SU. I figured I'd never see A Muse again. Then, one of my bloggy and tweety pals, Mary Dawn, signed up as an A Muse | Studio Consultant! SHE DID! That meant I actually knew someone I could contact and ask questions and ... and ... I was soooo happy.

Then I placed my first order with her. THAT was when I discovered the Eucalyptus paper and ink. They arrived a few days ago, and tonight I went into the craft room to introduce that rubbah to some ink. Here is the card I've kinda had in my head for 2 days:

I wanted to make it 100% a|s (A Muse Studio), but I blew it with the branch punched from some SU DSP with an SU punch, but everything ELSE is a|s. What do you think of those teeny clouds?! DIES! Teeny cloud dies. Love them!

Here is the second one I made:

So fun!

While I was messing with the supplies, I had a happy little discovery. Lookie:

Those light blue remnants are parts of some SU Lattice die-cut pieces I've been playing with (with which I've been playing), and I think SU's Baja Breeze will coordinate with a|s Eucalyptus just fine!

Also in that corner heap are some poppy-colored fleurs I made last weekend using some clay I had laying around and molds I got on etsy. I'll blog about those when I actually use one. ;/

So if you need to scratch your A Muse itch, head on over to Mary Dawn's blog and check out her schtuff. While you are there, check out her card stock shares. You want to do this. Why? Because *I* am in that Shimmer Couture Damask Share, and we need more peeps to fill it up, that's why! I WANT MY PAPER! (heh heh Sorry about that. )

You will probably be seeing some more of my a|s haul over the next few weeks as I use 'em, then put them away. I might even use some of the SU Baja Breeze die-cut parts, and one of those poppy fleurs. Then I won't have to put them away. :)

Thanks for stopping by!

WOTT & WOYWW (my crafty desk)

(I accidentally hit publish before I actually WROTE anything, so I apologize if these shocking photos landed in your Reader or email without any words to explain them. Please click through to my blog for some blah blah blah. I thank you.)

Good morning! Once again I'm taking two for The Team. When we left my desk last Wednesday, it looked pretty much like this, but I've added a bunch more stuff since then. Lookie:

I need a moment of silence.

...

...

Okay, let's do those numbers:

1. One of the many failed attempts to "trim" my Hambo kingly image for this card.
2. Copics and glitter pens used to color the one kingly image that finally worked for that same card.
3. Embossing powder (old old old) used for one of many failed coloring attempts for a kingly image.
4.1., 4.2 and 4.3. Punches and stamped images I'm playing with for a card I'm CASEing for my classes next weekend.
5. Another kingly image.
6. Remnants from the sock I used on my Jingle Belles Rock card.
7. The container of embossing powders from which I retrieved #3. (Told you they were old.)

This is bad, people. Real bad. I actually need to put something away in order to have a 6x6 space in which to work. That means tonight I shall clean this space and see if I can get it back to maybe even 12x12. Hey, it could happen.

I'll be posting these at both WOTT and WOYWW so more people can feel better about their own crafty spaces. Hey, it's what I do.

Thanks for stopping by!

We Have A Weener!

Last Friday marked the 4-year anniversary of my entry to the Blogoshpere, and I posted a list of questions for you to answer for a chance to win a pack of two embossing folders. That post got 21 responses - TWENTY ONE! And most of you got the answers right, even. Am I that transparent? Were the questions too easy? :)

Here are my responses, or at least the ones in my head when I made up the questions:

1. What is my favorite thing to put on a card? RIBBON!
2. What do I do every Saturday in the Summer months? Farmers Markets
3. What's my favorite kind of card to make? Irreverent/snarky
4. What is my favorite color? green
5. What is my favorite snack? (trick question - I don't snack.)
6. What is your name? (most of you got this one right)

Okay, just to be clear, for those of you who answered "jalapeno poppers" for my snack, that was a good one, but when I make those, they are "dinner", not a snack. Close, but no cigar.

Luckily for you, though, the answers do not even matter! Nope! I decided to use random.org to pick a number from 1 to 22*, and here's the result:

Comment #4 belongs to ... drum-roll, please ... Mary Dawn! Woo-hoo! (The crowd goes wild.) I shall get that off to you shortly. :)

I want to thank you ALL for playing, and for sticking with me these past four years. THANK YOU!

But wait, there's more. heh heh I have to show you a little something I made last weekend. Remember how I said "okay, just one more" ribbon wreath? Well, I tried to disappear some of my Every Color Pink Ribbon But The One I Need hoard. It didn't work, though I will say: as much as I don't like pink, I do use it for little girl cards.

Here is my girlie pink ribbon wreath under glass:

The photo is crooked and poorly lit, sorry. I'm pretty sure the letters are mostly straight. ;/ The letters are wooden, and colored with my new-to-me white acrylic paint marker. I kinda like this, even if it is GAH pink.

Okay, that is all. Thanks again for playing, and I hope to be back soon with something other than a ribbon wreath. It just might be possible for me to get tired of ribbon. ... ... Or not.

Thanks for stopping by!

* Luckily for me, random.org didn't select #22, because with 21 responses, that could have been awkward.

Hambo Hoedown - Announcing

Time for another episode of Hambo Hoedown! This week we played with the following image:
and we were told to use it to announce something. Well, when I first spied the image, I immediately thought it would be great for my milestone birthday cards. Last year's design didn't fly off the table, so it's time for a new idea. THIS, my friends, was IT.

First, here's my card:

and now I'll go into the weepy blow-by-blow. This took me ALL DAY to make, people. ALL DAY! ONE CARD! And it's not like I'm a perfectionist or anything. Seriously. No, my challenge was a hair-brained idea to try the "outside the box" technique, which is where you trim your image and use a die that is actually too small for the image. The trimmed part sticks out from the die shape, thus the "outside the box" name.

Let me try to explain. Check out this Failed Attempt #5:

See how the end of his robe sticks outside the rectangle die cut shape? THAT side worked. What didn't work, you might ask? Well, when *I* get a hair-brained idea, I take it to another level. I wanted to have not only the robe sticking out over the die cut, but also the trumpet thing. Uh-huh. Not as easy as it looks. I did say this was Failed Attempt #5, right?

Allow me to illustrate. See that handsome red circle? --> See:

As I was fussy-cutting the right side of the die-cut image, I got a little carried away and cut into the die cut part! It was ruined! RUINED! I tried 1 or 2 more times before I just gave up and cut out the whole dang image. Sigh.

Okay, for my next trick, I needed Copics that were close to SU's Rich Razzleberry. I thought Razzleberry would be a good "royal" color to use. Trouble is, I don't have a Copic marker that color*. My reds were too red and my purples were too purple, so I got creative and combined two of them, coloring the red first, then going over it with the purple.

I used these two colors:

That's R39 and V17, which is way less blue than this poor photo shows. You can see in this next pic that it's pretty darn close in color to the Razzleberry card stock layer:

Next crisis: gold patterned paper. I just knew I had some old old old SU paper. You know, the ones we once sold in DSP and matching vellum? Yeah, those. I found two packs of Silver and two packs of Copper (what part of "hoarding" has not been clear to you?) but no Gold. None. Boo. Heck, maybe we only sold Silver and Copper. Who even remembers back that far?

I resorted to going through my room full of DSP until I found some retired SU Christmas papers with gold:

Poifect!

I cut the oval layer and the numbers (Cuttlebug Olivia Alphabet) out of SU Brushed Gold.

For my final touches, I colored all the white "fur" with a white Souffle marker:

and those shoes are colored with a black Sakura Glaze pen (Oh, shiny!) sent to me by my tweep and bloggy friend, Libby. She's the BEST!

Once again, my finished card:

So there you have it: one kingly 50th birthday card, or a 50th anniversary card. One of these days I'm going to get a clue and figure out this two-sided "outside the box" thing, but not today, and probably not tomorrow, either.

Thanks for stopping by!

* Yeah, I know, I could have used the Rich Razzleberry marker, but that would have been too easy. And I wanted it less opaque than the marker would have been. And using a blender pen sounded like work.