Introspection

This page reflects some of the self doubt that I feel at times.  I think I’m seen very differently than the way I see myself. Doesn’t everyone feel that way sometimes?

The photo is a surprisingly good snapshot from a trip to the zoo. For once, I didn’t have my signature “goofy” look on my face.

The journaling is a segment of the lyrics to a Trisha Yearwood/Garth Brooks song., I used some random yellow tulle that I had lying around the studio (it came from a floral arrangement bow I think) behind the journal block to pop it up and give the page some depth.

Another Sketchy Thursday Entry

Sketchy Thursday also has a monthly guest design team challenge sketch. So I played along with the October challenge.

I love this photo, the blues are so intense. While I was doing some organizing, I found this patterned paper and cardstock that I had paper clipped together at some point in time. I still liked the combo today, and knew it would look great with my photo.

My original intent was to put eyelets in a nice line along the left side of the cardstock. Once I got the holes punched for the eyelets with my Cropadile though, I loved the look of the holes. So I grabbed the Big Bite and keep making holes. (It looks like I totally eyeballed the placement, but I actually used a ruler to try and line them up…as you can see, I had minimal success, but the overall look is pretty good). Its Art! Its Perfect Just the Way It Is! Right?

I really like these flowers. And guess what, they were a total steal! I got a 2 foot vine of these flowers, leaves, and some beads on the clearance rack at JoAnn’s a few weeks ago. The whole vine cost me 1.99 and I probably got 2 dozen flowers and  a bunch of beads. ( Now, I need a craft idea for those little beauties).  What a score!

Happy Scrappin!

Lovely Labor Day Weekend

I’ve had a fantastic weekend,with lots of craftiness involved. I shopped a little, organized a little more, and scrapped 3 of the 4 long weekend days. Awesome!

Here’s one of the pages from Friday.. I had a wonderful lunch with my babygirl that day and was feeling warm and fuzzy from out time together. So armed with a sketch from this week’s Sketchy Thursday I whipped up this page in less than 2 hours (which is a fast page for me, considering I was watching Criminal Minds at the same time).

I had a blast making the background. It was a happy accident. I was attempting to use Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist on a Maya Road plastic lacy overlay sheet. I decided to use the heat gun to help the drying process along. It worked but don’t get too close, I made one corner melt a bit. But when I lifted the overlay I discovered I LOVED the masking effect it had left on the paper I had underneath it in my misting box. TA DA! So I took the blue Bazzill I wanted to use and redid the whole process and I ended up with this lovely shimmery background.

More overlay love, on the photo, this time a little one. I can’t recall the manufacturer, only that it was a RAK gift from one of my Columbus Scrapper girlies.

The patterned paper is from an older K&Co stack, that I distressed the heck out of with the awesome Zutter Distrezz It ALL that my BFF Karen gave me for my birthday.

The title, made from sparkly Thickers and my Signo White pen, says it all, since my girl is my heart.

Happy Scrappin!

Sympathy Moments

Not every card occasion is a happy one…but sending comfort to someone who is hurting somehow gives comfort back to you in a way that just doesn’t happen with those happy cards.

I think these turned out very elegantly and they were very easy to do with a Cricut cart ( need to run see which one I used, since I forgot!)

 

Something’s Fishy!

I fell in love with this patterned paper from Cosmo Cricket’s Snorkel line (2009/10?) as soon as I saw it. Love the way this page ended up turning out too.

Had to add some dimension, so I popped up some of the adorable fishes

.

And pleating this sheer orange ribbon looks great, I think.

Baby Baby Baby

Funny story. I needed a baby card last week for a family member. I especially wanted a boy card. Well, I knew I had made a whole stack of them last winter….but can I find them? NO!!!

I searched the craft studio for an hour before giving up and making a new card. Man, was I annoyed! Then my BFF Karen comes in and I tell her about the missing cards and she says, “Oh, do you mean these?” as she walks to a shelf and pulls them out. Oh SNAP! LOL!

Notes to self 8/31

I had an idea this morning while shopping on scrapbook.com.

Bling up buttons. I could glitter them, maybe emboss them ( if they don’t melt) and glimmer mist them!

Things I’m thinking about doing…

I have a LOT of ribbon, that is like shoestring material, I don’t know what its called…but I’ve no idea what to do with it. It might be good to glue tiny buttons or smallish beads to it.  I may also try spritzing it with glimmer mist and see how that looks. Need more ideas…I have LOTS of it.

Saw an idea on Jenn Dove’s Blog for something to do with the Large buttons in my button jar. She glued a cute bow on top of them.

How about some scrap stuff?

I just got back from a scrapping retreat with my best scrap pals, and guess what? I didn’t create a single scrap page! I worked on some projects ( that I have yet to photograph), just no pages.

I have made it into my scrap studio since I’ve been ( once I caught up on my retreat lock of sleep, which only took 4 days). I’ve actually taken photos of several recent ( and found photos of some not so recent projects). So let’s see if I can do some scrap blogging!

I was still reliving the weekend retreat memories when I pulled out these photos of my scrap space in our first camper. If you have supplies you can scrap anywhere! Love those white felt Thickers. Wish I had an unlimited supply!

This tag, though simple, is special for three reasons. One, the tag itself was a RAK from one of my Columbus Scrapper Friends. Two, because the butterflies are from a Fiskars punch that my AMAZING Retreat Secret Sister gave to me. Finally, because even though the tag was a sweet,bright, pastel yellow, my beloved Tim Holtz distress inks allowed me to mellow it out exactly how I needed it to be! 

That reminds me, that all the flowers were also a RAK from a CS Scrapper as well. I am a lucky girl to be part of such a rocking group!

Keep On Scrappin’

Astounding me today is…

Becca, of Amazing Paper Grace  is beyond talented. She makes the most beautiful cards I have ever seen. Here’s a note to self on the  card she made today: She made this with Heart shapes. She used a new Spellbinders' die,  but I think I could make this with my own heart shapes from the Cricut. 

But it won’t be today, today I am off to the grocery to buy blueberries to satisfy my frozen blueberry craving, and dinner stuff to grill the fresh Lake Erie walleye given to us by friends we play cards with.  YUM! Then, with a little luck, I can escape to the craft room and organize all the new goodies I bought yesterday! Have to wrap some of them up for my retreat secret sister! ( I love one for you and one for me shopping!

I should really take some photos and post some of the things I’ve been making, but I never find time for that! Gheesh!

Mo Jo Madness

Today,  as I reading blogs, I am feeling especially inspired…so trying to document the ideas before they evaporate into thin air…

This photo made me want to grab chipboard, maybe paint/ink it, maybe not, and then stamp it with one of my background stamps and use it on a page.

This LO  by Crafty Chick, is one I need to scraplift the subject matter. Me and myself, we have a lot of talking to do :)

This one, also by Craft Chick, ties into reminding me that I need to get settled on some goals and write them down…maybe I’ll scrap them instead. I’ll have to hunt through my digi pages, because I did a goal oriented resolutions page some years ago. Think the goals have changed?

I want to make some funny cards. Maybe a set with riddles? Or sassy comments.

OMG!! This card by Ann at Just For Fun is gorgeous! I love the acrylic and the background being inside.

That’s it for now. Wish I had thought to blog the first 10 ideas I had this morning. Doh!

Things for today

I was pushed by myself because I have one rule, and that is that everyday I will run faster and try harder-Wilson Kipketer -

The miracle is not that I finished, the miracle is that I had the courage to start – John Binghart

 

A ship is safe in a harbor, but that’s not what ships are for – William Shedd

Notes to self 7/20

LOVE this Xmas card. Since Imaginicse’s snowflakes aren’t out yet, I think I could do this with a flake from the cricut cut on acetate (packaging) of which I have a bunch. Thinking  a few of these cards would be fun!

Notes to Self 7/10

Things to work on at the retreat:

-Check the spiral mini albums in the 2 drawer storage. Do I have a star one? If so, this idea is great: If not, I know there is a house one and xmas one that would be cool to do.

-What about embellishing a couple birdie houses to take to the cabin as decorations? What colors. hrmm…

-Make this frame: I’m thinking a photo of cindi and matt, or maybe me and Steve. I know I have a wide wood frame somewhere. Find it!

-What about xmas cards: I love this one:

-Love this idea: Create a Lyrics Album

-gather and print the photos of me that I like, and then begin again on the SFTIO themes.

Notes to myself 7/1-7/5

7/2 Joined the embellished die cut swap. Theme is summer. Ideas: something from Cricut..or one of my many unused dies. Should fit nicely on a 12x12 or 8.5x11 page. How to embellish…make look like a gummy with diamond glaze stuff? Make it 3d?

7/2 Love the look of the Spellbinder Borderabilities. USE the 2 I have. And check out what borders can I make with my Cricut carts. Should create that spreadsheet of all carts and include what features each has.

7/2 Add texture to LETTERS or TITLES with the Cuttlebug. OMGosh, this looks great!

7/5 IDEA: Take the rugged inside of cardboard, and PAINT IT! White looks great, kind of a white washed look..so maybe paint then wipe it back off.

7/5 I’m really liking the trend I’m seeing of adding paint to busy patterned paper to tone it down somewhat for use as a background. For a great example see the second layout here

7/5 I also love how Kat (same link as above) uses mixed fonts for her titles. Need to study hers some more to try and figure out what makes hers really pop like they do.

7/5 I am also loving the use of alpha beads on cards and layouts. Very cute! Gotta get me some!

Got Flowers?

This is the last of my draft blog entries. I have tons of new things to share in 20101 though. This is from a “Use Your Stash” challenge was to do a layout using many many varied kinds of flowers. Gosh, did I ever have fun building blossoms from a variety of mediums. Got myself a pretty layout of two of my favorite people  too. Enjoy!