Thursday, February 28, 2013

Big Shot Techniques!

My class this week is showing a variety of techniques. One such technique was two different ways to use the Big Shot- but one of those techniques can be used with a square or pennant or heart punch too!
First of all, I used an embossing folder for the Early Espresso piece.
Then, I used the point of the third-smallest heart to cut the notch out of the sentiment strip!
And finally I rubbed the edges of the Vanilla card stock across the Espresso ink pad, which is probably my most commonly used technique!
Three techniques on one simple card! And, monochromatic cards make excellent masculine cards, which seem to be very difficult for many of us! *grin
Supplies:
Stamps: Feeling Sentimental (Sale-A-Bration only!)
Ink: Early Espresso
Paper: Very Vanilla & Early Espresso card stocks
Accessories: Natural Buttons, Linen Thread, Woodgrain Embossing Folder, Big Shot

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Emboss it!

Last summer Stampin' Up! retired both of my go-to sets for heat embossing with the catalog change. With my most recent order, I have found a new stamp PERFECT for such a technique!! I was creating samples for my upcoming class and tried it in black and then in white and just wanted to keep going! I need more embossing colors and more pieces of card stock laying around already cut to card-front size!! And more time... haha..!

so here's my playing...
 Here's one completed card that is very simple....
 And here's what we'll make in the class!
Supplies:
Stamps: Swallowtail
Ink: Versamark, Daffodil Delight, More Mustard, Pumpkin Pie, Cajun Craze
Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black & Daffodil Delight card stocks
Accessories: Black Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Regal Brads, Mat Pack, Stamping Sponges

Monday, February 25, 2013

Busy Busy!

Ugh! I was so busy this past week I did not create one single thing! Unless you count this fun collage I meant to post of our Valentines Day, haha....

I did however get many things accomplished last week, soooo I suppose I'll take it. I am still plugging away at my goal of mailing off cards and letters this month, and have a long list of catch-up weekly scrapbook pages to do. In the meantime, I thought I'd add a follow up that Sherri tagged me back on the Liebster Blog award. Here are my answers to her questions...

1. How would you describe your creative style? Quick and simple. I don't spend a lot of time fussing over details and I don't spend a lot of time worrying about it. I'm not a perfectionist, if you hadn't noticed....
2. What inspires you? All sorts of things. Music, nature, my kids, color, my faith...
3. If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?
New England or the British Isles.
4. Do you like to cook...and if you do, what is one of your favourite recipes to make? I don't like to cook, I don't think I'm very good at it. I cook because we need to eat. I am spoiled rotten in that my husband loves to cook and is more than happy to do so any day of the week. I have a recipe blog tho, listed on my sidebar, and I like to make treats. a lot.
5. If you use pinterest, how do you find new pins? (ex. pin directly from the internet, repin from those you follow, specific searches, review popular posts, etc)
I don't use Pinterest a lot, but I am on there. Mostly I see things that people have pinned and I check it out, but I don't repin very much, I tend to bookmark something if I really love it. I do search for things when I need an idea, like a Halloween costume or something.
6. What is your favourite decadent indulgence (food/beverage related)? cheesecake!! Any kind!
7. What is your favourite way to pamper yourself or a friend? Hmm. I guess for myself painting my toenails, eating bad food and craft time... I really don't know?
8. Do you journal? If so, what is your method/frequency/what inspires you to write?
I started keeping a diary/journal when I was about 8 and did so til my early 20's. I quit writing in my journal a few years ago tho, and blog a lot instead. In addition to this blog, I have a private family blog where I record almost everything going on in our house. But then I have a separate private blog that started out as a healthy living {weight loss} record, where I keep things I don't want anyone to read at this time, such as my struggles. So that works as a journal as well.
9. Where would you like to retire?/What would you like to do in retirement? I don't know where, but with my husband, and probably near our children. I would like to travel the country and serve a mission with my husband.
10. Who is someone you admire and why? Well here's a long list...! I admire my closest friends, which is why they're my friends. I admire my husband, my in laws, and several other family members. I think for this I'll focus on my parents. I admire my father for his testimony, his hard-working attitude and his love for his family. I admire my mother for her dedication to her family and her responsibilities. My parents are very generous and willing to give of themselves to just about anybody. This is a trait I need to work on in myself.
11. Do you have any unusual/off-the-beaten path blogs/websites that you visit? Could you share one or two and what you like about them. The three blogs I check every week day are Meg's, Sarah's and Shawni's, but they all have tons of followers and are not off the beaten path. Just not stamp related, haha! I love these blogs for their lessons in parenting, their photography skills and their story-telling.

Who else is going to play along with the Liebster Blog award? *grin
.

Sunday, February 17, 2013

Snow Day page!

More scrappy time!!
This page mixed up two challenges- YEAY! I used the MDS Monday Sketch and THIS VSBN challenge to use 3 different patterned papers with a common color theme. (I have the background, and the two in the hexagon shapes) I love the white space on this page that is all about the fun of 18 inches of new snow, lol!
Supplies: My Digital Studio, Lemonade Stand Sale-A-Bration Disk

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Vintage Scrapbook Page

Kinda.
These pictures were taken while my son was interviewing his grandfather about what life was like when he was 9. That would be the year 1932, and of course things have changed dramatically. It was a fascinating evening learning about things I'd never thought about and other things I simply didn't know.
I used this retired DP that goes with the sweetly vintage Forever Young stamp set, along with the sketch found HERE from the Virtual ScrapBooking Night last weekend. And I am very pleased with the result!!

Supplies:
Stamps: Forever Young
Ink: Crumb Cake, Basic Gray, Chocolate Chip Marker
Paper: Basic Gray textured card stocks, Very Vanilla card stock, Timeless Portrait DP (retired)
Accessories: Vintage Trinkets, Natural Ribbon

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Valentines for my love!

Yep, I had to make him two! Our Valentine tradition stems from the Easter basket tradition- we have little gifts at our seat at the table waiting for us when we wake up in the morning. I've seen a few people use this telephone box for Dr Who themed cards, and I pictured that too when I saw the set in the Sale-A-Bration brochure. My husband loves Dr Who so I couldn't resist...even if its corny! So this is the one he woke up to...

Supplies:
Stamps: Feeling Sentimental (Sale-A-Bration)
Ink: Midnight Muse
Paper: Crumb Cake card stock, Parker's Prints DP
Accessories: Mat Pack, Vintage Trinkets, Natural 7/16 ribbon

Annnd since I also got this new set, I had to make him another one that he'll get another random day and surprise him,*smile. And it mostly uses the current Retro Sketch.
Supplies:
Stamps: Million Dollar Moments
Ink: Basic Gray, Real Red
Paper: Real Red & Very Vanilla card stocks, First Edition DP, Red Glitter Paper
Accessories: Hearts Collection Framelits, Big Shot

Valentines for my kids!

Happy Valentines Day! I finally got to create and I made four cards yesterday - all of which will be shared by the end of today, haha!

This valentine is for my son who's favorite color is orange. It was based off the MFTWSC111, which I only recently discovered is on Splitcoast...I get the sketches emailed to me and finally read the fine print, haha! minor detail... Anyway...I think the satiny ribbon works ok for a boy in small doses, and he'll love it- he knows I use lots of accessories in my card classes so he appreciates details on cards.
Supplies:
Stamps: Candy Conversation (retired)
Ink: Tangerine Tango, Primrose Petals, Gumball Green, Rich Razzleberry, Summer Starfruit
Paper: Whisper White & Tangerine Tango card stock, Sycamore Street DP (Sale-A-Bration)
Accessories: Sycamore Street Ribbons & Buttons, White Bakers Twine, Pennant Punch, Hearts Collection Framelits Die, Big Shot

And this valentine is for my daughter, who likes all colors, but for a long time her faves were pink and yellow...so she still gets that sometimes. I used the Freshly Made Sketch from last week, lol.
Supplies:
Stamps: Happy Valentine Heart (retired)
Ink: Melon Mambo
Paper: Melon Mambo & Whisper White card stocks, Sunshine and Sprinkles DP
Accessories: White Taffeta Ribbon, Hearts Collection Framelits Die, Big Shot

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Class Valentines!

At my Sale-A-Bration workshop, I featured this cute little valentine project...
Supplies:
Paper: Pretty in Pink & Real Red card stocks
Accessories: Hearts Collection Framelits, Big Shot, 1x8" Cello bags

I had purchased the little Valentine gift-kit (it came with a single heart stamp and a package of cello bags) that was available for a limited time in January, thinking it would be a fun project for my kids to make their class Valentines.
Wow what a project this ended up to be, haha!

First the kids stuffed the tubes with various candies.
Then, I used the Framelits die and my Big Shot to cut out each. heart. twice. A stamped front, and a plain back to be written on from each child.
Then we taped all the hearts to the tops of the tubes! They're ready to go! And somebody else can enjoy the sugar high! ....you could use valentine pencils or a single Twizzler instead...
Supplies:
Stamps: Happy Valentine Heart (retired)
Ink: Cherry Cobbler, Basic Gray
Paper: Real Red, Pretty in Pink, Pink Pirouette, Regal Rose, Pixie Pink (retired) card stocks
Accessories: Accessories: Hearts Collection Framelits, Big Shot, 1x8" Cello bags

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

I missed...

Another week, another sicky, darnit! This is really throwing a wrench into the plans I have, lol. Oh well, what can you do but eat well, wash your hands and hope for that early spring? haha!
I was trying to participate with the Virtual ScrapBook Night this weekend, on Splitcoaststampers.com (click to find all challenges) but I missed.
I decided to start with challenge #1. I chose a sketch and an inspiration challenge to work with and meant to find more challenges...but then I had to walk away. When I came back I fiddled with the sketch and made this- which has nothing to do with the Insp. Challenge I picked....and definitely was missing any others, LOL. Buuuut, here's another page done! haha!
Supplies:  My Digital Studio

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Liebster Blog

We interrupt this regularly scheduled crafting to get a little personal. *grin.
Jill nominated me for this little game and I agree with her- I rather like talking about myself from time to time, haha, so sure! I'll play along too! {This took me about three weeks to complete! *sad! Turns out I don't like talking about myself in a public forum quite as much as I thought, haha!}
In order to do so, I am supposed to
  • Post 11 random things about myself.
  • Answer Jill's questions for me
  • Come up with 11 questions I would like people to answer
  • Nominate 11 more people to play along!
This one is the hard part: random facts about myself...

1. I do not like the phone. I will always email or facebook or instant message to contact a person before surrendering to calling them on the phone.
2. I make up new lyrics to songs as a way to tell my kids what they need to do. ie: Jingle Bells: "Brush your teeth! brush your teeth! brush your teeth right now! Then you need to comb your hair so you can go to school!"
3. I could read when I was 3. I cannot remember learning how to read.
4. I don't mind laundry but I seriously loathe washing dishes by hand. I will avoid making certain meals if I know it means I have to use something that can't go in the dishwasher.
5. I love carbonation. I love Pepsi and Dr Pepper but it isn't the caffeine I crave, just the carbonation. Sprite or grape works too, lol. Can you be addicted to bubbles?
6. I love to go for walks. Mosey-ing nature walks, hikes, fast exercise walks, whatever. I enjoy the non-strenuous activity and it just makes me feel better!
7. I like DIY projects in my head. I want to do them until I realize how much needs done. then they just sit...I am hoping to change that in coming months, because I have a LOT of projects I'd like to accomplish!
8. I like to cut my hair off because I love putting my hair in a pony tail. I never keep up on hair cuts/styles because I hate spending the money on myself (unless its for my business-lol) but if my hair is long enough its in a pony tail before dinner is served- almost invariably!
9. I remember the weirdest things. I remember conversations for years, birthdays waaay past knowing a person (classmates from elem school?!), and all sorts of little odds and ends details. But if its something I need to do, I have to write it down immediately or I forget..
10. I love to have my toenails polished, but I cannot stand that extra coating on my fingernails. Right now my toes are all different colors because my daughter did them for me one evening when she needed a distraction. I'm going to paint them soon with a new shade of red I bought for Valentines!
11. I am a night person. I used to regularly stay up til 2am. And I love sleeping in late. I was blessed with two morning people for children...not to mention the rest of the world starts in the morning, so now I go to bed early: about 11pm.

 Jill's questions for me:
 
1. What is your favorite breakfast cereal? Reece's Puffs. Yep, really.

2. Do you like camping? Why or why not? This is a totally complicated question, haha. For me, camping involves a tent and a firepit. And if that's the case the answer is - I think so. I have never gone as the grown up, except one little overnighter in a tent last summer, when all I had to do was help set up and take down a tent. I have camped with my kids and my parents in their camp trailer, but having a fridge, freezer, stove, oven and shower is not the same to me. That makes it too easy, haha...which may change my opinion if I ever go camping with children the way I think people should camp. confused yet?

3. If you had a super power, what would it be? To clean house while I slept.

4. What music motivates you, gets you going or cheers you up? My first thought to this was "the stuff on the radio" which doesn't answer your question and its not completely true either. Lately I'm digging Train, Neon Trees and One Republic for "getting going" and "cheering up".

5. Do you have any nicknames past or present? Please share. Just baby names. I called myself Nana (naw-naw) when I was little and my dad still calls me that. My sister called me Chawna and sometimes my dad calls me that. *grin

6. What was the last movie you saw? What did you think of it? In a theater? The Hobbit. It was my first 3-D movie ever and shockingly did not give me a headache! I don't like "scary" (read: intense, violent, creatures, etc) movies so I closed my eyes when I knew things were getting to be too much, haha, but I thought it was a well-done adventure movie. And I would like to read the book...!

7. Would you rather live in the city or in the country? Where I live may very well be classified as country. I do not want to live in an actual city, but I need people nearby so lets just say the suburbs.
its a blurry shot but its about 3 blocks from my home, capturing the fall colors

8. If you could visit any country in the world, where would you go? The British Isles have always interested me, except I don't like flying...and the idea of traveling across water (boat) is even worse.  
9. Do you have a favorite book? What is it? I have thought a lot about this and I don't know the answer. I was constantly reading books as a kid, and really up until I became a mother. I get too sucked into books and forget about things like mealtime...do people need to eat? Now that my kids are older I keep thinking I need to read again, but there's so much else I need to do that I just don't read. but I have a biiiig stack of books next to my bed that I would LIKE to read, I've even asked for books for Christmas in recent years...only to sit and collect dust. ...do I love that the dust shows up in the picture??

10. What is your favorite word? Least favorite? I should have an answer to this question because its something my kids comment on a lot. I like words that sound like what they are- musical, twinkle, sparkle, wonky, magical, ...I like words with the hard K sound? haha! Dislike: "can't". I use it, but I don't like it.

11. Are you an introvert or an extrovert? Pretty sure we'll go with introvert. I can be an extrovert if I'm with people I'm comfortable with. Very shy introvert if I'm not.

My questions:
1. What's for dinner at your house tonight?
2. What talent or skill do you wish you had?
3. What is your favorite way to travel? Where to?
4. What did you want to be when you grew up? Are you anything close to that?
5. What started your passion for your favorite craft?
6. What is your favorite movie?
7. What technology do you use even tho you hate it?
8. If you had a weekend completely free to spend exactly how you like, what would you do?
9. What is your favorite holiday, and favorite memory of that holiday?
10. What kind of blogs do you enjoy?
11. Why do you visit this blog?

annnd my nominees for blogs I really enjoy are....


(this part was hard too...I can't tag-back Jill, 97% of my irl-family/friend blogs are private, the mommy type blogs I check daily are super extremely popular, and a lot of my fav stamping bloggers haven't blogged in a long time...miss you peoples! So the last few are new-to-me, but I definitely enjoy them! And if you weren't tagged, feel free to play along anyway!! I'd love to see anyone's answers!)

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Week 4!

So, after a week of no posts, I have returned!
I was doing so good with scrapbooking and blogging and everything...and then I got sick. Worse than that, both of my kids got sick a few hours before I did- so all three of us literally just laid around for two days. UGH.
Now I'm playing catch up on every aspect of my life, LOL!
I'm behind on mailing letters, how are you doing?
I'm behind on my weekly pages...
I have sooo much to do around my house and work to catch up on too...

But for today, I will leave you with my Week 4 page! And one day I'll move away from soft blues, I promise, hahaha!
Supplies: My Digital Studio, 2013 SAB Content Disk
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