A Thanks Fit for a Hero

Hi, everyone!

Hope your weekend is off to a good start.

Wish the U.S. Ryder Cup team were off to a better start. It's not often that I watch golf at 8:00 in the morning, but the Ryder Cup being played in the UK is one of those times. Anyone else remember watching the U.S. Olympic Hockey Team in Lake Placid on a Sunday morning?  :)

Now for today's Any Hero card that was inspired by OWH Sketch #240.

Bo Bunny Anthem; Distress Ink core; Bazzill admiral
TPC Studio sentiment on Crate Paper rose garden in DI walnut stain
Cuttlebug embossing folder
punches: Paper Studio star and ??? corner rounder (for tiny stars)
garage sale brads
adhesives: Zig glue pen, Recollections foam squares

After I stamped the sentiment and triple matted it (for emphasis), I decided to tweak the placement of the sketch's top two rectangles. Next, I chose to place some brads around the sentiment -- again to draw attention to the sentiment. However, I really struggled with the sketch's bottom rectangle. Just couldn't find quite the right ribbon. Hope the stars and strips look okay. (BTW  The little blue stars were a last-minute to cover a sanding oops in the bottom left corner.)

Parting Thoughts

Played a little with embossing/modeling paste for the current Shopping Our Stash challenge. What a cool medium! Hope to have a chance to play with it a little more for an OWH WCMD blog hop idea.

A new challenge goes live on October 1!
Hope you'll join us.  :)

A quick Words 2 Scrap By Update: Julia Aston was the winner of our September challenge. Congrats, Julia!

Thanks for stopping and happy scrappin'!

You Want Us To Do What?

Hi, everyone!

So, here's the scoop. At Shopping Our Stash, the DT wants us to create a card inspired by our shower curtain.

Yes, my initial reaction was, "You want us to do what? Really?!" It would surely be much easier if we had a cute, trendy shower curtain like the ones the DT showcased. In our case, we've had the same shower curtain for about 30 years. When we were first dating/married, we used to laugh at our parents' homes -- two homes that had looked exactly the same as long as either of us could remember. Who's laughing now?  :)

Distress Ink core paper; Crate Paper rose garden
Paper Smooches sentiment in Distress Ink Victorian Velvet
SU/Sizzix embossing folder; little leaves sizzlit
flowers: My Art C brass template and modeling paste on Victorian Velvet paper, inked with Distress Inks
garage sale brads; flea market lace
adhesives: Recollections foam squares, Glue Dots, Zig glue pen
Creative Memories oval cutting system

Our So-Old-It's-Retro Shower Curtain

I used the colors, the lace, and the flowers in our shower curtain as the inspiration for my card.

This card is a big change for me because it is more involved than my typical card. And, it is definitely a card that is going to need to be hand-delivered since it has two layers of foam adhesives and die cuts hanging over the edges.

This was also my first attempt at using embossing/modeling paste on my own. Thanks to the wonderful instructors at Simon Says Stamp CREATE for introducing me to this cool medium.  :)

Welcome, Junele

I'd like to welcome Julene as a follower. Julene blogs at Julene by Design. Her talents have earned her multiple recognitions and at least one DT gig. She has a gift for using sketches to spark her creativity. Welcome, Junele!

Parting Thoughts

Looking forward to an OWH sketch, blogging about a couple of cards I've worked on this past week, and watching some football. To top it off, our weather is supposed to be FABULOUS!

A new challenge begins on October 1. 

A quick Words 2 Scrap By Update: Julia Aston was the winner of our September challenge. Congrats, Julia!

Thanks for stopping and happy scrappin'!

Thanks Sew Much

Hi, everyone.

Since we spent the last few weeks at the beach, this was the first "typical" day of retirement. So, what did I do you ask? Wipe down cabinets with Murphy's soap!

The first 26 years of my career, I worked in schools. During summer months, I recharged my batteries, took a class or two to learn new tricks of the trade for the upcoming school year, and caught up on all those household chores I had neglected during the school year.

However, life in the publishing world didn't include a summer break. Sadly, there were so many things that I neglected these last 8+ years. Not sure how long this feeling of euphoria over doing household chores will last, but I was as happy as a clam today wiping down those cabinets.  :)

Now Today's Card...

The card below was made for the current Cards in Envy challenge to use twine. I loved the DT cards -- the CIE ladies really rocked their twine!

I had two goals I wanted to achieve: 1) create a card that could go to Operation Write Home or a friend, and 2) make the twine an integral part of the card. When the phrase Thanks Sew Much came to mind, I knew the path I wanted to take.

SU Just Add Cake dp; Distress Ink core
SU Indigo Island Twine
Word clip art used as template for needle
Imagine Crafts shimmer spritz
SweetlyScrappedArt.blogspot.com template for spool
SU/Sizzix button embosslit; Recollections foam square adhesive
computer-generated sentiment

Once I came upon the idea for the card, the execution was a whole other matter. Design decisions included: choosing just the right patterned paper that would give the appearance of fabric without overwhelming the spool, finding just the right templates to fussy cut the spool and needle, and spacing the piercings to frame the card and allowing for a bow in the bottom right corner of the frame.

Parting Thoughts

Thanks to everyone who joined in our September Words 2 Scrap By challenge. The cards and projects were fabulous! And, we are really excited about what we have in store for October. Thinking ghosts and pumpkins? ...Not so fast, my friends. :)

Need to box up some cards for Operation Write Home. Even though I'm cutting back on Christmas cards, I still need to get those to Sandy by October 10.

As always, thanks for stopping and happy scrappin'!

OWH Day 2014 at Scrapbook Art

Hi, everyone!

It's good to be back home -- especially when you get to spend the first day back at Scrapbook Art's 2014 OWH Card-Making Event. Jeri and her group are such wonderful supporters of our troops. Moreover, Terri, the owner of SBA, is a wonderful supporter of Jeri and her gals.

Jeri's team meets weekly to make cards and prep card kits for days like today. With their last shipment, they have sent over 9600 cards to OWH. During last year's event, participants assembled over 1900 cards. With the drawdown, a mere 1200 cards were assembled today -- some of which to be delivered to other local organizations. Only 1200... LOL!

Regardless of the number of cards assembled, a great time was had by all -- even our male participants. Thanks to everyone for a fun day! Special thanks to Carol for offering complimentary seated massages to muscle-weary card makers for the third straight year.  :)

A Two-Card Day for OWH

Hi, everyone!

Still at our home-away-from-home home for a couple of more days. And, I thought about entitling this post Our Pal Sal. Yesterday morning, I spotted one of those little lizards that are so common in the Carolinas and Florida in our living room. As soon as I moved, he ran behind the couch. Despite our efforts, he remains at large.

When I did an Internet search on how to catch one of these little guys, every article I saw was written from the point of view of wanting to catch one to keep as a pet. Guess we're the only people who ever wanted to remove a little lizard from their homes. I once asked hubby what was the natural enemy of one of these little lizards. His response -- four-year-old boys!   :)

Today's Cards

I have two cards for Operation Write Home: a masculine birthday card and an autumnal-colored miss you card for the current Mid-Month Throwdown challenge.

Authentique original, SU cherry cobbler
SU retired image on Crate Paper rose garden in Distress Ink vintage photo
TPC Studio sentiment in DI walnut stain
Paper Studio brads and star punch

SU 2014 in-color papers
SU Too Kind stamp set on watercolor paper
TPC Studio sentiment in SU blackberry bliss
Paper Studio brads; EK corner rounder

I actually stamped images and sentiments for five of the birthday cards about a week ago and am just now getting around to putting them together. A friendly reminder that Sandy has asked us to limit multiples to five because of so many of our deployed troops coming home.

This Stampin' Up! stamp set is so pretty. And, I really like adding a little extra to the inside of the cards using second and third generation images of these lovely flowers.  :)

Parting Thoughts

A Tim Holtz autographed
goodie is this month's prize!

This is probably my last post until the 21st, which is the deadline to link up cards for our September Words 2 Scrap By challenge. The prize for our To every thing there is a season challenge is an autographed Tim Holtz assemblage clock. If you haven't already linked up a card, we hope you will join us.

Thanks for stopping and happy scrappin'!

A Patriotic Thanks

Hi, everyone!

Hope it's been a good weekend. It's been kind of a lazy one around here. Had a good laugh when walking the beach. A jack russell pup decided to charge a group of sandpipers. Fortunately, all of the sandpipers escaped unscathed. So, it was sure a fun sight to see. 

Today's Card

The Any Hero card below was inspired by this week's Operation Write Home sketch. Still loving that Bo Bunny Liberty paper...and very glad that I hoarded as many 6 by 6 pads of it as I did.  :)

Bo Bunny Liberty; Bazzill admiral; SU cherry cobbler
Unity image in Distress Ink vintage photo on Crate Paper rose garden
TPC Studio sentiment in Distress Ink walnut stain on Crate Paper rose garden
SU large oval punch; garage sale brads

Parting Thoughts

the W2SB September prize --
but ours is autographed! 

It was really great to see yesterday's OWH challenge. I sure do miss the weekly Sunday sketches.

In case you don't know, Words 2 Scrap By has an autographed Tim Holtz assemblage clock up for grabs this month. This month's words are, "To every thing there is a season." Cards/Projects can be linked up through the 21st. Hope you will be able to join us for this seasonal challenge.

Have a great week! Thanks for stopping and happy scrappin'!

Your Coop or Mine?

Hi, everyone!

Happy Friday! Hope the day is going well.

A Tale of Two Photo Shoots

Spent a little time on the beach yesterday morning and early evening. In the morning, there were 4 or 5 families having professional photos of their little ones taken on the boardwalk. All the kids were adorable and well behaved. The photo crew did an outstanding job. These shoots were a huge success.  :)

In the evening, I attempted to get a do-it-yourself photo of me with our little pup. Let's just say our pup was a little more squirmy than the little kids. The one photo in which our little guy semi-cooperated, my head was cut off. While I laughed the entire time -- and there's a lot to be said for laughter, this photo shoot was not nearly as successful as the morning ones. We didn't quite get the blog photo I was hoping for. :(

Today's Card

This week's challenge at Shopping Our Stash is to make a project featuring a chicken or, if need be, another bird. Well, there's not a chicken to be found in my on-the-road stash.

So, what's a girl to do? Go to her handy-dandy Stampin' Up! punch, of course.  :)

paper: MME stella rose, Distress Ink core paper -- featuring tumbled glass and scattered straw,
Stampin' Up! cherry cobbler, Bazzill black, Recollections white
punches: SU owl and small heart; EK corner rounder
original handwritten sentiment

Can't help but smile looking at these little chicks, if I do say so myself. Love the chick's collared dress and fascinator. The chick's dress collar is a layering of the tops of two small hearts. The chick's and rooster's head feathers and the chick's wings were made using owl feet.

I made the chick and rooster first, then the sentiment panel. I struggled with the card's design until inspiration hit to place the little rooster on top of the sentiment.

The one thing I'd change is the handwritten aspect of the sentiment. Unfortunately, there aren't any other options here. Should I decide to send this to Operation Write Home, I'll have to replace the sentiment.

What really pleases me these last few weeks is that I've found a way to enter several challenges -- including this chicken challenge -- by going to my mini-stash and making it work. Tim Gunn (of Project Runway fame) would be so proud!

Parting Thoughts

Cards/Projects can be linked up
until the 21st.

We have a fabulous prize this month at Words 2 Scrap By: an autographed Tim Holtz assemblage clock! This month's words are, "To every thing there is a season." Hope you will have a chance to play along. 

Still have some masculine birthday cards to finish for OWH. Images and sentiments have been stamped. Just need to get around to assembling the cards themselves. Maybe tonight?!

As always, thanks for stopping and happy scrappin'!

A Card with a Flourish.... yes?

Hi, everyone!

The amazingly talented Darnell, who is busy with her very own NBUS Challenge #2, just told me about the really cool challenge blog A Vintage Journey. Turns out this is a challenge blog that embraces vintage, shabby, mixed media, and all things Tim Holtz.

Though you probably wouldn't know from the cards I usually make, I am a huge Tim fan... and a closet Tim wannabe. I had the great fortune of attending the Simons Says CREATE event -- during which Tim taught three classes!!! I can't begin to describe how much I loved Tim's classes, and I love the three projects I created with Tim's guidance. Moreover, I am constantly hearing Tim's words of wisdom when I am crafting away in the menopause room. But, the idea of creating Tim-like works of art on my own.... Well, let's just say that's a bit intimidating.

Glitz Sunshine in My Soul paper
Winnie & Walter Big Bold You stamp set
string

So, when Darnell mentioned this challenge blog to me, I just had to check it out. The current challenge at A Vintage Journey is to make a card/project with a Tim or Tim-like flourish.

However, I am actually crafting away from home for a couple of weeks. I brought a 12" by 12" clear storage case and a medium sized rolling bag of supplies with me -- bringing basic supplies to make some cards for Operation Write Home.

My Tim stash is restricted to: a blending tool, some Distress Inks, a Tim mat, and some 4.25" by 5.5" Distress Ink core paper.

Q: So, what's a girl to do?

A: Make do with the most-Tim-like materials on hand.  :)

Tim-Inspired Elements:
Base paper featuring bird with unexpected crown
Tag- and chit-chat inspired word strips
Tim-like ephemera cut from a sheet of dp
Floral flourish cut from another sheet of dp
Layering of elements, but in parallel/perpendicular arrangements
Inking with Black Soot
Use of string to serve as a book-like binding

So, I hope this card has a vintage Tim-like feel to it. I felt a real sense of accomplishment creating this shabby, happy card. I know just the friend to whom this will be sent. Thanks again to Darnell for letting me know about this wonderful challenge blog.

 

A Blog Prize for Tim Fans of All Ages

In addition to wanting to inch out of my Tim closet, I wanted to let the fans of A Vintage Journey know about a prize currently being offered at Words 2 Scrap By.

This is a monthly challenge blog started in January with a fellow OWHer that uses words as the challenge inspiration. September's words are, "To every thing there is a season." And, this month's prize is an assemblage clock that was autographed for us by Tim at CREATE.

This clock would make a great keepsake -- or an amazing gift -- for a Tim aficionado. If you're interested in this wonderful prize, please feel free to link up a card or project. All styles and genres are welcome. Entries can be linked up until September 21, and challenge rules can be viewed by clicking on The Rules of the Road tab.

Parting Thoughts

Looking forward to future Vintage Journey challenges. Hoping to get some masculine birthday cards made for OWH.

Thanks for stopping and happy scrappin'!

NBUS Challenge #2

Hi, everyone!

So, what's NBUS, you ask? Well, it's an acronym coined by the amazing Darnell Knauss, who blogs at djkardkreations, that stands for Never-Before-Used-Schtuff. Not only is Darnell a fabulous card maker, she is a super sweet lady who has nurtured a wonderful community of card makers. It goes without saying that Darnell has been a huge supporter of Words 2 Scrap By -- joining us as a Guest I-Teamer... and leaving the very first comment for our very first post.

So, it is with great pleasure that I'm playing along with Darnell's second NBUS challenge.  :)

NBUS: Stampin' Up! Too Kind stamp set
Fancy Pants Design etcetera; Bazzill black; Crate Paper rose garden
SU Too Kind flower stamps and TPC Studio sentiment in StazOn jet black
Paper Studio tiny brads, SU neutral brad

I wanted to create a classic palette -- making a card for OWH that could be sent by a man or woman to a female loved one at any time or season. So, I stamped the flowers using a first/second generation technique to create a black and gray silhouetted image.  On the inside, I stamped a third-generation silhouette image in the lower left corner. I went with a Miss You sentiment because it is the most commonly requested card by our troops.

Parting Thoughts

September words:
To every thing there is a season.

In case you haven't heard, we have a FABULOUS prize for this month's Words 2 Scrap By challenge -- an autographed Tim Holtz assemblage clock. Tim was so kind to sign our clock during the Simon Says CREATE event in May. Believe me, it's been tough to keep this special prize under wraps -- and it's even tougher to give it away! We sure hope you have a chance to play along with our September challenge. Cards/Projects can be linked up until September 21.

Hoping to work on some masculine birthday cards for OWH this week. And, Looking forward to seeing lots of entries for Darnell's NBUS Challenge #2.

Thanks for stopping and happy scrappin'!

Be the Star You Are

Hi, everyone... and a special welcome to OWH friends!

I was so excited to see the OWH ODBD challenge posted yesterday. (Still going through some OWH withdrawal.)

Recollections white, SU blackberry bliss and hello honey
SU Be the Star stamp set in SU blackberry bliss
punches: Paper Studio star; ??? corner rounder and SU owl punch (for tiny stars and circles)
stamped background: Distress Ink scattered straw and mustard seed
adhesives: Zig 2-way glue, Recollections foam squares

This month's OWH Our Daily Bread Design challenge is to make our own background. Hmmm... My on-the-road supply stash does not have any embossing folders or background stamps -- two of my favorite go-to options. So, I decided to use the little tiny stamp of stars in the new Stampin' Up! Be the Star stamp set to make a star-filled background. The stars were stamped using the first/second/third generation technique in two different inks.

Think this little card would make for a great teen card.  :)

Parting Thoughts

September words:
To every thing there is a season.

In case you haven't heard, we have a FABULOUS prize for this month's Words 2 Scrap By challenge -- an autographed Tim Holtz assemblage clock. Tim was so kind to sign our clock during the Simon Says CREATE event in May. Believe me, it's been tough to keep this special prize under wraps -- and it's even tougher to give it away! We sure hope you have a chance to play along with our September challenge. Cards/Projects can be linked up until September 21.

Starting my fourth week of retirement... and still loving it. Not sure the pre-retired me would have taken the time yesterday to watch a little group of ants work so hard to carry an itty-bitty piece of a corn chip to their ant hill. Boy, talk about amazing team work!  :)

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday. As always, thanks for stopping and happy scrappin'!

congrats

Hi, everyone!

Today's card has two inspirations: the current school color challenge at Cards In Envy and a card posted about a month ago by Leslie Hanna at Shopping Our Stash.

The colors for the school team I live and die with each football and basketball game are scarlet and gray. However, purple is the school color of choice in my neck of the woods. Our town's first high school had colors of purple and white. When the town became a city and a second high school opened, its colors were purple and black. So, I chose to make a purple, white, and black card that could be given to a student at either high school. And, I decided to go with a classic design that could be given to either a male or female student.  :)

watercolor paper; Stampin' Up! blackberry bliss; Bazzill black
Winnie & Walter sentiment in StazOn jet black
Distress Ink seedless concord, washed with Ranger water brushes
Stampin' Up! brads

Okay, I've come to this water color trend so late that it's probably not even a trend anymore. So, when I was making the card, I had to smile thinking of something my mother-in-law used to say. Years ago -- during the summer rerun season, NBC used the line, "If you haven't seen it, it's new to you."  My mother-in-law would turn to me and say, "You know, that's true." While this water coloring thing may be old hat to many, this is only my third or fourth water-colored card.  Maybe I'll try some of that new fangled embossing paste in the next couple of years.  LOL....

The photo above doesn't really show the card's two background layers. I used SU blackberry bliss and Bazzill black to complement the inks used on the card. While the picture at the right is blurry, it does a little better job of showing the papers used.

Parting Thoughts

Think I'm going to like this retirement thing. Last night, Turner Classic was airing films selected by Guest Programmer Richard Linklater -- including a 12:45-4:00 viewing of Bergman's Fanny and Alexander. Oh my gosh, I was soooo excited to be able to stay up late to view a film I'd heard about for years but had never had a chance to see!  The pre-retirement me would have been getting up at 4:45 to get ready for work.  :)

This month's W2SB prize is an
autographed Tim Holtz clock!

Speaking of being excited, we have a wonderful prize up for grabs this month at Words 2 Scrap By -- an autographed Tim Holtz assemblage clock. This month's words are, "To every thing there is a season".  Cards can be linked up until the 21st. We really hope you will join us for this month's W2SB challenge.

Hope you have a great weekend! Until next time, thanks for stopping and happy scrappin'!

W2SB #9: To Every Thing There Is a Season

Hi, everyone.

I love the inspiration for this month's Words 2 Scrap By challenge. There are so many ways to go with this challenge. For my card, I used a 4-season interpretation to commemorate a life-change event.

Those of us in the There's Always the Other Side Stampin' Up! stamp club learned that our wonderful demonstrator (and fellow W2SB I-Teamer) is moving to Colorado. While we are thrilled for Bernadette, we are very sad for us. Thanks, Bernadette for everything. We miss you already.  :(

Distress Ink core paper; Core'dinations and Recollections white cardstock
Stampin' Up! owl punch, with lots of Pinterest inspiration
SU/Sizzix embossing folder
computer-generated text (Andy font?)
American Crafts trimmer for wavy strips
adhesives: Tombow foam squares, Glossy Accents

Did you happen to notice this month's AWESOME prize: A Tim Holtz assemblage clock, like the one shown at the right. But, the W2SB prize was autographed by Tim Holtz at the Simon Says CREATE event in May!  :)

Hope you join us for this month's challenge. And, as always, thanks for stopping and happy scrappin'!