Unscripted Happy Birthday

It's Sunday, and I started out doing what I do every Sunday: nothing. I wandered around aimlessly, feeling guilty about all the things I should be doing, but that I couldn't be bothered to do. Did you ever notice that once you actually DO do something, it's like a kick-starter, and you want to do something else? Well that happened.

One of my most detested chores is emptying and refilling the dishwasher. I tend to work out of the dishwasher, using all the nice clean stuff, until the sink fills up and reaches critical mass, but by then there's not much left in the dishwasher, so it all works out. I was sick of the sink being full, so I emptied the dishwasher and refilled it. I was energized.

Next I the tackled the pile of mail on my table, triaged it (90% junk), weeded out the bills, then went online and paid the bills. I know, my life rocks.

Then the cat decided to bury his litter box with what was in it, and made such a mess I was forced to change everything out and vacuum.

I was awake.

Then I got stampy! I must be feeling the effects of the latest CAS2 Online Card Class, because when I saw the current Unscripted Sketch:

I immediately thought I wanted to use the cute flower image from the Paper Smooches FOLKal Points stamp set for the three squares, and of course a sentiment in the longer image area. AND, instead of using pretty paper, I flicked ink onto a piece of white card stock for the background.  I tried to concentrate it more at the bottom to give the sentiment something as a background. Anyway, this is what came out:

There's actually three colors in there: Peacock Feathers, Ripe Persimmon and Weathered Wood. I'm also pretty proud that I used two Inktense pencils to color the flowers. :) I really like how this turned out.

There's only one down side to CAS: you don't use much of your s-crap. This is fine for people who start out with CAS, but for reforming hoarders such as myself? Not so much.

I other news, mark your calendars for the weekend of Feb 15-16, because there's an OWH Virtual Card-Making Party (VCMP) with challenges issued via the OWH blog, and I'm one of the hostesses (squee!). I hope you can play along.

Thanks for stopping by!

InLinkz.com

CAS2 Homework - Day 5

I finally got to my homework from last night's Clean & Simple 2 Online Card Class. The topic of this session was One Stamp, Three Ways. They gave us lots of ideas, then sent us out into the wild with an assignment to use one stamp three different ways.

For my first card, I used my chosen stamp and just stamped it in three different colors on a white card base:

It's neon, it's bright, and there is a lot of white. I added black pearls to the centers for masso contrast, then decided it needed to be matted on black. The bursts lend themselves to a not-often used category of stamp sentiments, so I used the Surprise + ! from my Paper Smooches Birthday Sampler set.

Next, I went for emboss resist:

I stamped the image on white card stock with Versamark ink and white-embossed them. Then I took three colors of Distress ink and blended them over the images. For the centers here I used Enamel Accents, and the blobs kinda flattened out. At least the color is still there. I resisted (heh heh so punny) adding the black layer, even though I really, really, REALLY wanted to.

For the third card, I tried water coloring with my Inktense pencils:

I stamped the image on watercolor paper, scribbled orange, red-orange and red diagonally, then went over the scribbles with a wet brush to blend and intensify. Meh. I'm not feeling the love.

I did have a minor craftastrophe, though, so there's that. I had a dollop of white Enamel Accents in the center, and somehow managed to smear it all over the card front, the image, and myself. I wiped it off, but some stayed behind. I needed a save because I was NOT re-making that water color part. I chose to seal it with some matte Multi Medium. Then I needed to put something else in the center, and I ended up with the wrong green enamel dots.

That second card with the emboss resist is definitely my favorite.

I think I'll go ponder my Bonus Day homework next. :)

Thanks for stopping by!

PS: You are not seeing double. I've re-upped with Inlinkz, the better to enable you. I'm linking to both Ellen Hutson and Simon Says Stamp because I know some people have preferences, and the two stores don't carry all the same items. You're welcome.

InLinkz.com

CAS2 Homework - Day 4

Hello. Yes, a day late and a few cards short of a full deck. How's that for a mixed metaphor?  :)

In Thursday's classs we learned some more great techniques, and this one survived my crafty attempts while under the influence of my OMG, WHAT A DAY brain:

An earlier attempt of this card had much less-zealous spritzing, but it also had a mystery black spot that covering with a white gel pen only made worse. Other than that IT WAS PERFECT, so I had to start over and this is what came out.

I probably broke all sorts of rules by adding that washi tape, but the sentiment looked ungrounded, and I was still inspired by the lessons. Yes, another one-layer card, and I'm very proud.

Okay, then, I'm off to watch tonight's videos and learn some more good stuff.

Thanks for stopping by!

Products used:
Hero Arts Fabulous Flourish (SSS|EH)
Paper Smooches Birthday Sampler stamp set (SSS)
Distress Peacock Feathers ink (SSS | EH)
Distress Ink - Ripe Persimmon (SSS|EH)
Distress Black Soot (SSS|EH)
Neenah Solar White card stock 25 sheets (SSS | EH) ream (SSS | EH)
Teflon bone folder (SSS | EH)
Fiskars paper trimmer (SSS | EH)
Copic R05
Hero Arts Pearls Medium (SSS|EH) and Small (SSS|EH)
Washi
Corner Chomper 1/4" & 1/2" (SSS | EH)