For My Teacher.

As you would imagine, with a brood my size, I have had to make a fair swag of teacher's Thank You cards for various teachers over the years.  This card is one of the more recent ones I made to go out in the last batch.  I have been meaning to post it on my blog for yonks, but, but, but.  You know how that goes:  Best laid plans of mice and men...

Nothing too flash about this card using all of the Vintage Picnic accouterments from Papertrey Ink, but it turned out rather homely which I quite liked.  I glossed up the apples for good measure, using Glossy Accents after crudely coloring them with Copics.  The die-cut picnic basket was then stamped and heat embossed with Zing! embossing powder in Gold.  The other bits and bobs were from Spellbinders. I used their Nestabilities dies from the Postage set, Classic Squares, and Doily Motifs.  I cannot recall which DP I used, but I am willing to take a punt and say that it was a page from Basic Grey's, um...er... Hello Luscious perhaps?  To be honest, I cannot even begin to recall what the other papers are.  I just used my scrap box (yep, the one that is bigger than all get out) as a bit of a Lucky Dip and away I went.  Nothing like a little "surprise chef" cardmaking to get you under way.  Not much more to add, save making a Note To Self to use the various Vintage Picnic odds and sods a bit more because I do find them rather sweet.

Thanks so very much for for stopping by.   It's a treat as always! 

Autumn Down Under Style.

  Even though I have lived in Australia for the better part of 22 years, I still get homesick.  In Australia we are 27 days into Autumn now (but who's counting?) and I couldn't be happier.  I find the summers here to be oppressively hot and humid most days (and nights) and the older and more crotchety I become the more I seem to be even more blessed with an abundance of humidity.  Somebody please remind me what a good hair day is?   Oddly enough though, in some places, the leaves do change color and the temperature does drop some.  So, with the making of this card, I momentarily transported myself to the wonderful New York Autumns that I so fondly recall.  The crunchy leaves, the crispness in the air,  the piles of raked leaves and the beautiful autumnal array of colors that abound.  Just lovely.  This card is a tribute to those very days.  Even with the soon to be defoliated trees few and far in between here, my eyes and senses are trained upon them for their rare showing during this super short season.  I can't wait.

For the most part, this card was put together from various doodads from Papertrey Ink.  I love their Autumn Acorns set for obvious reasons as just described, but it is also a cherished set for the font used for the sentiments.  Gosh, it's a goodie.  The lattice rectangle is from Spellbinders and is a die set of the same name.  The mustard color background stamp is a nifty Cover-A-Card from Impression Obsession called Round Floral. Love their big squares of red rubber fabulousness. It may be worth mentioning that the splotchy acorn bottoms were made deliberately so by choosing my most splotchy dye ink and tissueing some off only ever so slightly.  I had hoped to get the unevenness to resemble texture.  Well, that's my story and I am sticking to it. *wink*  As for the rest, feel free to let me know if you want to know more.  It would be my pleasure.

...And that's that card done.  Thank you for stopping by.  I appreciate your visits so.  To colorful and crunchy leaves! 

Frippery?

Now there's a word you don't see everyday.  Frippery.  Frippery.  Frippery.  There, I bet that is the most I have ever said and just a few short of ever having seen that word in my life.  According to the dictionary, Frippery denotes the following:

frippery |ˈfripərē|noun ( pl. -peries)showy or unnecessary ornament in architecture, dress, or language.• a tawdry or frivolous thing.ORIGIN mid 16th cent. (denoting old or secondhand clothes): fromFrench friperie, from Old French freperie, from frepe ‘rag,’ of unknown ultimate 

Funny word, ay? Come to think of it, I may have purchased this newest released Waltzingmouse set not only because of its superlative images, but also because of this word, but unfortunately I cannot confirm nor deny the exact percentages as to which was the true mitigating factor, especially where anything tawdry or frivolous is concerned. What?  Like you didn't know I was a bit wacky in that way?   The flower was made by stamping the four pointed image from Florentine Frippery.  There is a spellbinders die that directly corresponds to this shape, but I cut out three of the stamped images by hand as I don't have the dies (yet). Too easy.  In fact, it was so effortless, it kind of has me wondering why on earth did I even bother placing an order for these exact dies?  Oh well, better to have them and not need them, then to need them and not have them, right?  (Sounding like a true craft tool hoarder, aren't I?)

The background was stamped with another of the beautiful stamps from the sets just having been released by Waltzingmouse.  It is called French Country.  Très, très jolie!    The sentiment on the tag is also another Waltzingmouse goodie.  It comes from a classy and oh so handy set called Fancy Phrases.  I know according to this weeks sketch there is supposed to be a rectangular layer under the flower, but the inner rebel in me just didn't want to. Busted.  Do you ever have those days when you feel like it would be nice to just go the less is more route with your card?  Sounds funny coming from someone momentarily obsessed with the word frippery doesn't it?   I just thought that my choice to go with the three layered "Fripped Out" flower, vintage lace, hefty swing tag and white double wrapped wax string was enough. Fingers crossed I don't get kicked out the challenge for being a tad cheeky in my interpretation of the sketch.  Oh wait, I could go with that additional layer in invisible cardstock.  Do you think they'll buy that?  Me either.  Oh, well, what about a promise to do better next time?  That I can live with.

Thanks so much for allowing me to share my (mis)adventures in papercraft with you.  As always, it's been a blast!  Here's to a stellar, fun, and frippery-filled day!      

Hello...My Fabulous Flutterby Friend!

I saw a video during one of Jennifer McGuire's most recent Online Card Class where she made a butterfly shaped card using this Memory Box die called Maribelle Butterfly.  I was instantly captivated by her gorgeous card with its regal wings outspread and all the lovely detail embossed across its span.  So I scoured the Internet until I found this die to purchase and could be shipped reasonably and expediently to Australia (Simon Says Stamp).  Talk about being happy to see the post man on his arrival a couple of weeks later.  Sadly though, my glee was rather short lived when everything went pear shaped once I lay my hand to recreating Madame McGuire's masterpiece.  (I know, I know, alarm bells should have started ringing then, even if video was provided!  Sigh.)  My card is the end result of just layering all the die cuts I made in attempt to CASE her card.  But my die cuts were just of the butterfly in silhouette with its wings in various states of disrepair.  Whoopsy! Eventually, admitting defeat,  I decided to just stack all of the butterfly's bits on top of one another, slightly overlapping, and paint random sections of the wings with iridescent acrylic paint in varying shades of red, blue and violet then alighting it on the side of my scrolly sentiment tag.  I am not altogether unhappy with the end result, but my flutterby is definitely different to what I had originally imagined.  I sure would appreciate any tips if you know the how-tos and wherefores of Jennifer McGuire's shaped butterfly card.  I am definitely up for a take two.  What do ya reckon? 

Thanks so much for stopping by.  Here's to a wonderful day, friend!

Happy Birthday Man!

Have you had a look at the fab colors on the menu at The Play Date Cafe? They have on offer a very cool serve of Charcoal, Ash, and Butter.    Love this trio of colors.  Needless to say, it was light work to whip up this masculine birthday card with such a spunky color combo.  Seeing that I am still crushing hard on Watzingmouse's Plaid building stamps (Pic-nic Patterns and Offbeat Backgrounds) it was a "no brainer" to go with them.  Masculine Motifs from Papertrey Ink is another of my go to sets when it comes to a bit of butch beauty.  So those "good ones" paired with Waltzingmouse Stamps Vintage Labels 18, and the Tim Holtz Texture Fade in Burlap on the Soft Stone cardstock (from Papertrey Ink), some crazed pinking shear action on the plaid layer, a few licks of ash colored acrylic paint to the card's edges,  some guy ribbon, and that was this bad boy done. No fuss no muss.

Thanks so much for popping by.  Here's to a fantastic day!

Love-N-Chain Mail?

Look, I am not even going to start to make excuses for this card.  I think it's a weird one and I cannot even begin to justify it nor can I honestly say that it looks any better in person. Ha! All I know is I wanted to play along with this Week's Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge for no reason other than for the very true challenge being that I could not think of a darn thing to make from this sketch that was even remotely clever or insightful. Nada. Zip. Zilch.  All I could think of was to play it straight.  Then I started crafting this card "playing it straight" and next thing I know I have got chain mail in my hand and Spellbinders Labels 4 Grand dies in my sights.  Uh oh.   So not playing it straight.   I just went with it and next thing I knew I was doing my best (or possibly my worst) Edward Scissorhands impersonation and that, as they say folks, was that. Maybe cards are like what is often said about people:  "That it takes all kinds to make the world go round." *prays*

Um, er...I did warn you.  But really, thanks beautiful folks for swinging by.  I hope your not too traumatized by what you've just seen here.  *wink*

Supplies:

• Stamps:  Waltzingmouse's Wanda's Pantry (Love Potion #9 Label) and Hero Arts Designer Woodblock in Canvas Stripe.
• Ink:  Tim Holtz Distress Inks in Shabby Shutters, Victorian Velvet, Tattered Rose, Old Paper, and Antique Linen.  Memento Rose Bud, and Papertrey Ink's Fresh Snow.
• Paper:  Papertrey Ink Cardstock in Spring Moss, Stampers Select White, and Vintage Cream,  and Basic Gray DP. 
• Accessories:  Spellbinders Labels 4 and Grand Labels 4 and Floral Motifs dies, Provocraft Embossing Folder in Roses (then flattened), Paper flower and vintage chain mail ribbon both from stash, Acrylic paint in Silver, Pale Pink, and Bubblegum Pink.  WRMK Corner Chomper in Scallops.     

Aloha! Surf's Up!

This was a fun little retro number I whipped up for this week's The Play Date Cafe, featuring my interpretation of what they have fabulously called Mojito, Peony, and Sand.  I had such fun fishing out and using a stamp set that I completely forgot I owned.  Crazy huh?  It really is a blast to use a set that I must of had grand ideas of using when I purchased it originally from Papertrey Ink called, funnily enough, "Aloha".  It has mainly sentiments in the Austronesian language of Hawaii that I had no idea what they actually meant and images (being the non-surfer that I am) that really had me thinking...what was I actually thinking when I bought this set a couple of years ago?  I am fairly certain that I have only ever used it once before in fact.  But, I do see the potential even now.  I must say that I love the font used in the set and that surfboard is pretty darn cute.  I also don't think I have a Hibiscus in my stamping arsenal either or at the very least, one as lovely as this one.  It was also kind of fun looking up the meanings in this sentiment set as well.  I had no idea the depth behind the true meaning of Aloha.  Very cool, indeed.

My interpretations of this week's colors were fairy literal which was actually kind of cool.  After all, what better color for sand than Sand?  (Golly, how I can complicate things)  I used my Peony-like in color Copics for the surfboard and so much Glossy Accents on the deck that Mr. Zog would be proud.  I thought it best to leave those darling unadulterated Hibiscuses in their pristine outline form save the smudge of white pigment ink on each pistil and stamen.   So, they were stamped quite simply in Papertrey Ink's new dye ink in Kraft.  I stuck my dunes in place, propped up my stick, nipped at the corners of the card, and that was this baby done.  Nice.


Thanks for stopping by the blog, it's always a pleasure to know that you have visited.  Gosh, does it ever make my day.  Aloha! 

A Corrugated Dogwood?

Corrugated Dogwood blooms aren't something you see every day, that is for sure.  And with a bit of luck you won't get to see them again any time soon.  Not sure if it's the prettiest of blooms, but it is different, I'll give it that.  I created this card for this fortnight's CR84FN Color Challenge showcasing Yellow, Kraft, and Gray.  I cannot tell a lie, Kraft and gray combined was a mega challenge for me.  It just looked wrong and kind of jarring placed together when I pulled out swatches of the colors in cardstock when constructing this card.  But somehow, out of my great big load of "no idea" emerged this card.  I decided to focus on mostly gray and yellow together and just accent with the Kraft.  But low and behold, the Kraft just took over and dare I say in a kind of a "so grotesque that it's groovy" kind of way at that.   I had initially intended to have only the touch of Kraft be in the wee bookplate, but stumbled on a bit of cardboard (and was obviously mesmerized by it) when looking for scraps to cut out my intended "yellow and gray" Dogwood bloom.  Crazy, huh?  So I just went with it and totally forgot that the bloom was meant to be wholly different and what do you know, "There she blows!"...a corrugated Dogwood bloom!  Go figure?

I love that about crafting.  You really (more like I really) don't know what I am going to end up with until I end up with it.  What did Forrest Gump's mother say? "Life is like a box of chocolates.  You never know what you're gonna get."  Well, I think the same can safely be said about card making for me.  Love it!

Thanks so much for stopping by.  Here's to a mega inspired day for us all.  To chocolate! 

How Lucky Am I?

Thank you so much for the wonderful nods I have received in regards to the Liebster Blog Award.  Just know I am nodding right back at you, ever so crafty, folks with much esteem.  Hugs.   Some time early last year I was kindly awarded the Liebster Blog Award by the crazy talented Amber when she had originally received it way back in the day when she had less than 100 blog followers...so we know how long ago that was.  *wink*  Then, with an amazing stroke of luck,  I have received this blog award again, most recently from the uber talented Gayatri, Cathy, Kelly, Euna, Ang and Carol!   I know! I know!  How lucky am I?  Thank you all so very much.  You have no idea how thrilled I am that you all have given me this tremendous acknowledgement and shown me such crafting love.  And yes...in case you are wondering, I still have that silly, pleased as punch grin on my face.  *happy dance*

So what's the Liebster Lowdown, you say?

Liebster means "dearest" in German.  This award is a share-the-love arrangement given to inspirational bloggers with less than 200 followers.  The to-do list of any Liebster award recipient is to:

1. Thank the giver and link back to the blogger who gave it to you.
2. Reveal your five blogger picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.
3. Copy and paste the award on your blog.
4. Hope that those you honor forward it to their favorite bloggers.

It gets even better, because now I get to have even more fun and honor and award this cool bit of crafting love to several of my crafting muses (in no particular order), who continually inspire me no end:

Gayatri 

Cathy

Cindy

Michelle

Denise

Life is good. Thank you so much lovely ladies and do know how much I, absolutely, appreciate all of your encouragement, inspiration and kindness. Always!  x