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'!

A is for Amazing...

Hi, everyone.

The card below was inspired by this week's Shopping Our Stash ABC challenge... and boy was this a challenge for me.

As some of you know, I'm crafting out of a 12" by 12" storage case and a mid-size roller. When I packed up supplies, I packed with the idea of being able to make cards for OWH -- only hoping to be able to join in a challenge or two. So, when I read the challenge and looked at supplies on hand, I had to get creative with this ABC challenge. Hope that's okay. Talk about shopping a stash!  :)



A: "amazing" in sentiment
B: blue and brown paper and ink colors; brad embellishments
C: clusters of flowers
Glitz sunshine in my soul paper
Winnie & Walter sentiment in Distress Ink walnut stain
Stampin' Up! petite petals and owl (for flower centers) punches
garage sale and Paper Studio brads

Looks like it's about time for dinner, so better sign off. Thanks for stopping and happy scrappin'!

thanks....

Hi, everyone.

Hope your week is off to a good start.

Did you watch the Emmy awards? Well, I did... while stamping sentiments. Today's card features a classic palette, a basic design, and a few of those stamped sentiments. Think the result is a set of classically masculine cards that received hubby's seal of approval. Hoping our heroes will approve as well.  :)

dp: Fancy Pants Design etcetera
Winnie & Walter sentiment in Distress Ink black soot
Stampin' Up! owl punch (for punched circles)

It's too bad Sandy asked us to limit multiples to 5 cards -- because I'm pretty pleased with the way these turned out and they were pretty quick to make.  :)

That's it for tonight. Thanks for stopping and happy scrappin'!

God Bless You for Serving

Hi, everyone.

Today's Any Hero card is inspired by OWH Sketch #237.

Bo Bunny liberty; Distress Ink core antique linen, Bazzill admiral and watermelon
Stamper's Best sentiment in DI walnut stain on Crate Paper rose cottage
??? corner rounder for tiny stars; ??? garage sale brads
adhesives: Recollection foam (to pop sentiment panel), Glossy Accents

The interesting thing about this card is that it is old, old school. The good news is that I officially retired from my day job a week ago yesterday -- and hit the road for a little travel. The bad news is that I was really limited on how much I could bring with me. I have one of those clear storage containers for 12 by 12 paper and one medium-sized rolling tote of crafting supplies. So, my crafting supplies are limited to some paper, punches, several stamp sets, favorite inks, and a few brads -- no Big Shot, no embossing of any kind, no ribbons... not even a crimper... well, you get the idea. Even then, when hubby carried my bags out to the car, my card-making bag was heavier than my clothes bag.  :)

When packing my craft supplies, I asked, "What is the one designer paper that I know I could use to make an Any Hero card regardless of the sketch?" Well, that's an easy one for me: Bo Bunny Liberty -- the first item that went into the to-be-packed stack.  :)

Being on the road also means being creative with the tools you've got. I used a post-it with two intersecting segments about 1/4 inch from the edges to judge my brad placement for today's card.

Being on the road also means not having that nice Ott lamp to light my pic. Hope today's photo is okay.

So, I have tried to pack sentiments and stamps to make general cards for OWH -- thank you, missing you, love you and happy birthday. Unless I get lucky with my packed items, I'm going to be sticking to these general themes and not joining in on any other challenges until this adventure is over.

Parting Thoughts

Still going through OWH withdrawal. I am soooo happy for our heroes and their loved ones... just missing those multiple-challenge weeks.


Our new challenge goes live
on September 1.  :)

Bobbi and I are very excited about September's Words 2 Scrap By challenge. We have some wonderful words, some crazy good sample cards, and a FABULOUS prize. Any Tim Holtz fans out there? If yes, you're really going to want to check this out!

Have a great weekend. Thanks for stopping and happy scrappin'!

We'll OWLways Be Friends

Hi, everyone.

Hope it's been a good week. Today's card was inspired by the current Cards in Envy challenge to make a card featuring friendship.

dp: MME Stella Rose, Crate Paper rose garden
cardstock: SU In Color 2014, Bazzill?, Distress Ink core
punches: SU owl and small heart; Paper Shaper circle
dies: SU word bubble and SU/Sizzix branch, Spellbinders scalloped circle
Paper Studio tiny brads; computer-generated font
adhesive: Glossy Accents

As I've mentioned in earlier posts, I fought buying this owl punch for the longest time. Now, I can't get enough of making these little owls. (When I look at all the owls folks have posted on Pinterest, I almost feel like these little guys have their own secret world -- kind of like Andy's toys in the Toy Story movies.) But, actually, the inspiration for these little BFFs came from the flap of paper-crafting sheet of wood.

Parting Thoughts

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

Thanks, Tim!

Hi, everyone.

Hope it's been a good weekend.

I have two cards for two challenges, both inspired by the genius that is Tim Holtz. Thanks, Tim!

Card 1: A Found Relative 

The card below was inspired by the current Shopping Our Stash challenge to make a project featuring an old image or an old-school tool/technique. This challenge cried out for one of Tim's Found Relatives, who apparently holds the key to the heart of an OWH loved one.  :)

challenge image: Tim Holtz idea-ology Found Relative card
Bo Bunny timepiece collection paper and rub-on
DCWV vellum quote stacks: expressions 
Really Reasonable Ribbon ribbon; Paper Studio brads
3L Scrapbook Adhesive black photo corner

 

Since this was a Tim-inspired card, I only used one photo corner -- because, as Tim would say, you would expect photo corners for all corners. While I was tempted to do the same with the brads, this is a card for Operation Write Home. So, I went with brads at all four corners to secure the sentiment.

 

Hooray! Thanks again, Tim!

 

Card 2: Thanks [dot, dot, dot]

My second card was inspired by a card posted a few weeks ago by SOS' fearless Leader Leslie and by the current OWH Mid-month challenge to make a gratitude/thank you card. Thanks, Leslie, for the inspiration.  :)

Winnie & Walter big bold you sentiment on watercolor paper in StazOn jet black
Bazzill black cardstock
watercolored inking in Distress Ink bundled sage
Stampin' Up! brads

Parting Thoughts

Thursday, the 21st, is the deadline for this month's Words 2 Scrap By challenge. Hope you will play along with our Education in the movement from darkness to light challenge.

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