I managed a little free time last night and this afternoon to complete the sketch and create a second page using most of the remaining pictures. This was a fun layout, and I may just use it again with a single large photo, but I'm pretty pleased with this composition. My scanner made the patterned paper look different, and I hadn't noticed before I posted in my gallery, so I opted for a photograph of the entire DPS here, click on it for a closer view. Hope you like it!
I have been called upon to host the sketch challenge this week on SplitCoastStampers. I did it last week as well, and will be hosting a few more over the next few months. You guys know how much I LOVE sketches, so I will be posting some of my own creations, but for this week I simply did not have the time. My girls have kept me craZy busy lately!
However, I would be lying if I told you I didn't even try, but I wasn't happy with where it was going and haven't had a chance to get back to it and prefect it. So here's a sketch that I had saved on my laptop for a rainy day. Unfortunately I can't give credit to the person that created this sketch, I have NO idea where I found it. It's not fancy schmancy, but it has interesting angles and the user should decide how to make it their own with all the little extra details that will make it truly FABULOUS! Check back soon, because I will be scrapping this one to post here over the weekend!!!
I wanted to share this with you for Technique Tuesday, but instead will call this the "technique of the week!" ;)
If you've never seen this before, it's one of my all time favorites and the effects can be downright breathtaking!!! I felt it was the prefect compliment for this stamp set, which happens to be on promotion this month for 30% off, contact me if you'd like to know more about the promo!
The technique is called POLISHED STONE
Supplies:
Glossy white cardstock
1 metallic reinker (or a metallic craft pad)
2 or 3 classic reinker colors
Stazon Black ink pad
Acrylic sealer
Rubbing alcohol
cotton ball
On your glossy cardstock drip the metallic ink in several places, or if you are using a pad "smudge" it onto your paper directly. Either method works fine, in my example I used a reinker.
Then soak a cotton ball with alcohol, not "dripping wet," but well saturated, and apply a dot of each additional color to the cotton ball - not the paper!
Now things get a little messy...
"Pounce" your cotton ball all over the paper until you are satisfied with the ink coverage, there is no right or wrong to this. Just keep pouncing until you like what you see, and be careful of any stray cotton fibers that may want to stay behind on the paper!
I generally allow the paper to sit a few minutes and then I seal it with an acrylic sealer. This is important because the craft ink will smudge if not sealed on the glossy paper. You may also elect to do this step outside or near an open window...peeee-eeeeww!!!
Give the sealant a few minutes to dry, and you can tell by the way it looks, and then stamp an image with Stazon right over your polished stone! I love the way these colors blended together!!! Then simply trim any excess, if desired, and finish into a card or scrapbooking masterpiece! :D
| STAMPIN' SUPPLIES: Stamps: Thoroughly Thankful |
| Paper: Chocolate Chip, Ruby Red, Glossy White |
| Ink: Stazon, Copper, Vintage Violet, Close to Cocoa, Cranberry Crisp |
| Accessories: Antique Brass Hodgepodge Hardware (brads & ribbon slider), brown grosgrain ribbon |
On Monday we were enjoying the holiday as a family at the park. As I watched my girls playing I realized my baby girl is going to be 3 next week, and we hadn't planned a thing! We were at the Frisco Commons, and it dawned on me...we should do it here!!! The girls LOVE to go to that park! It's HUGE, it has a nature trail and a great playground. They call it the castle park! So with this in mind I had to figure out the details, I was running out of time.
We decided since Natalie loves Dora the Explorer so much, that would be the theme. We're having the party on the 15th, so I started working out what to do for invites on Wednesday thinking I'd have time to do them and get them passed out today. My dear friend Donna suggested Backpack..."oh I LOVE that idea," I told her, and then what did she do? She linked me to an example of one and it was perfect. Thanks Kelly for posting this simple design!
I had a plan, and I stayed up until 12:30 last night making 17 of them! I didn't use my SU! card stock for them, and I had forgotten how flimsy other stuff can be...WOW! I had to use 2 different shades of purple, but they both work! ;) I used my sewing machine for the stitching, but without thread...it was faster. Then I just drew the "stitches" on with my white gel pen. I think I saved a ton of time doing that. For the inside I was going to just type the info and print on white card stock with a Dora image, but when I looked for one on Nick Jr's website I found a free printable invite and it gave me a GREAT idea! I personalized them and then ran them back through the printer putting a simple map to the park on the back. After cutting and rolling them up I added Map's face and voila! Not too shabby for a rush job!
I love 3x3 cards so much I cut down full pages to make them sometimes. I was playing around a few days ago and decided to share this for "Technique Tuesday!" (Sorry about the picture, not sure why I couldn't get my camera to focus right)
The card base is Very Vanilla card stock cut to 3x6 and scored/folded down to 3x3. Of course I smeared a little Creamy Caramel around the edges, and then I made the pinwheel.
Using double sided paper I punched six tags with the small tag punch, and simply folded them down one side using one of the "peaks" as my guide. I threaded a button with hemp and taped it all together. Too easy!!!
I snapped up several pocket folders when Staples had them for a penny, but didn't have our school supply list yet at the time. I thought I was cool bringing 2 of each color to the counter, but my dreams were quickly shattered when I found out I could only buy 10, and I had 14. :( *poo*
Well the supplies list came out weeks ago and we didn't need white, but I use those for SU! parties anyway, so it's all good, and I was glad orange (yuk) was one of the colors I discarded. But OH NO, I'd put back the blue ones in lieu of the purple!!! If you know me, you know I LOVE PURPLE, but sadly the supply list called for yellow, green, red, and blue.
Today after work I zipped over there with my *snif, snif* purple folders to exchange them for blue, and they did NOT have any with brads! *totally shocking* So what could I do!? I decided to exchange the purple anyway and get 2 more white ones...
I got these giant clothes pins from Oriental Trading a while back and had only covered one with paper, so I decided to do another. After using some scraps I had from that last DPS I decided it needed more than just a little piece of ribbon as an accessory, so I added one of these cool little buttons...new from Stampin' Up!® :-)
All I did was use some clear drying adhesive and I glued a paper scrap (pretty side up) to the underside of the button. Then I poked through the holes with my paper piercer - a straight pin would do it! I cut around the button when it was dry, and sanded it a little to make sure it was flush. Then I just adhered it to my project and voila!!! I like to use these clothes pins to display scrapbook pages...they are especially great for little 6x6's! Maybe that's my cue for scrapping another page, and 6x6 pages are quick and easy!
Since I've been on a roll with pages, I took some time to do a layout today using my yummy new SU! designer paper "Outlaw." It does have a western flair, but you don't have to limit yourself to western themed pages, I didn't!
You may remember a few of these pictures from a frame I did earlier this year. That was the purpose of these photos, and it was such a challenge to get Sydney to stay still and smile, not to mention LOOK at the camera! *sheesh* Natalie was just a bit fidigity and several of her pictures were blurry, and she doesn't always "smile on command." That experience makes me REALLY appreciate the pros!!!
I totally LOVE the On-board Lowercase Simon Alphabet. It is way easy to cover with paper and stamp on. I like to smear craft ink on them too...Who am I kidding? I like to smear craft ink on EVERYTHING! ;)
I also used my Scallop punch for the first time -- love it too! It's fun to add the little punched circles around your "petals," and yes I smeared craft ink on it too! Another technique I used was rock-n-roll. The smile stamp was inked in Mellow Moss and then I "rock-n-rolled" the edges of the stamp with chocolate chip ink before stamping. You can do it a lot, or just a little like mine!
What fun I had scrambling to complete as many of the 12 posted challenges as I could possibly manage! My oldest hosted the kids challenge early on Saturday!
This is her with her page!!!
I got warmed up by doing a double page spread (Naked Butt!) and then because of the normal-crazy activity level at my house, I did a digital page (Thinking About Tomorrow).
Sunday I did my favorite page which features my mom and my sister in 1968, and then I did another DPS! Can you tell I'm an addict? hee hee
On Monday I did a planned page (I gathered my papers and photos I would need the night before). My oldest has Tae Kwon Do on Monday nights, so I sat at a table during her class cutting patterned paper and taping it down with pictures! By the end of class I was just a few pieces shy, so as soon as the tooth brushings were done, stories told, and jammies were on, I stamped the title and added a few flowers!!!
Tuesday was a "free night" and I honestly was given some time to myself to scrap (throwing some leg quarters in the oven bought me an hour!! *wink wink* I completed the "Stapers Club" page in about an hour and a half. I was really on a roll...
Ahhh, it's Wednesday. The deadline for uploading was today at 4:00. I took my lunch break today and left about 11:10 AM...made it back to work by 12:20 and my page was done!!! Is this pathetic? Well I did kinda promise the hostess I would give her challenge a try. Not the best page I've scrapped in this bunch, but it has it's good points.
I managed to participate in 7 challenges, and I got 9 pages done. It feels good to have some pages completed and the more I scrap, the more I want to scrap! Maybe I should start a few more planned pages...hmmm, there's a crop coming up!
This is the little "shrine" in my kitchen with pictures of my girls. It was a Christmas present for myself one year when Sydney was still pretty small. You know the type, your gift shopping and something strikes your fancy...so you get it for yourself and wrap it up. It was under our tree, "for Mom, love Gloria & Sydney." Hey if I hadn't done it, no body else would. Gabe is just not a shopper.
I was admiring it yesterday, but also thinking maybe an update is needed. Maybe add a little paint to the frames? But then I don't want to distract from the wallpaper. Maybe I should change out the photos for something more current? The little picture on the end of Natalie was an add on after all, and it's too dark anyway...
I completely missed out on the wildflowers this year. Having a job so close to home, I rarely venture outside of Frisco, and most of the bluebonnets and other wildflowers line the Texas highways! :( So I'm not sure what I would replace these with, gotta have outdoor pics! ;)
I still LOVE the picture of Gloria and Sydney together, but since Natalie's missing I feel obligated to change it out. There is a similar problem in the main hallway of our house. I have a big collage of photos and little Natalie will point and name names, and sometimes stop and say "is that me?" I have to say "no baby, that's Gloria."
So I guess it's time for a change. I can still display these pictures if I want to, or maybe I should just scrap them together on a layout. Decisions decisions, where is a field full of flowers when I need it!?! And as I type this we have more rain yet again!
Happy Tuesday!!!
I want to share a cool idea for "Technique Tuesday" with you!
Sunday was not only the day of my most awesome card workshop, but it was also the preview party for our next Virtual Scrapbooking Night (VSBN). As always all the challenges were great, but one in particular caught my attention, and I had to do that one FIRST!
If you have an old hardcover book you don't mind altering, give this a try...
Cut an opening in the front cover and use a strong glue or adhesive to cover the book with patterned paper. Then from the inside of the cover attach an overlapping piece of card stock to create a pocket you can slip a photo into. It's that easy!!! Stamp on it, embellish it to your liking...whatever. I thought this was a unique project and if I had been online Sunday myself, I would have finished mine much sooner!!! Visit my Splitcoast gallery for more details on what I used to make mine.
I'm having a Stamp-a-stack!!!
On Sunday July 22nd from 11:00 - 3:00
7500 Preston Rd., Frisco, TX 75035
(Kroger - in the community room upstairs)
Make the three cards pictured above in sets of 4 for a total of TWELVE cards to take home!
I decided to post about being tagged on my other blog. If you want to read my "confessions," click on the link at the left, and if you're not on yahoo 360, feel free to leave any comments here!!!
I have been considering a project for kiddos to do at my open house, and found this cute and crafty idea on Family Fun (it's a great website!). Of course I changed it up a little from their suggestion, but I think it will be something fun for all ages. Well OK, my youngest pictured above didn't make one...yet, but she was instrumental in getting the sample done!!!
Actually all
three girls pitched in to help me get these drink coasters painted, I used ModPodge to adhere white cardstock
to the other side. Stamped a star...cut it out, stamped another star on one of the scraps, and put that on with a pop dot! Believe me, they were watching closely...that way they can each make their own at the open house on Friday night!!! My 10 year-old will be my Jr Assistant, in charge of this activity, and ready to lend a hand to those who need it!
For more information on my Open House, visit the Events page of my website!
Went to my sister's open house yesterday, and did these three cute projects. My open house isn't until the 29th, so I've only created two projects so far, and surprise, surprise, I'll be using one of the same stamp sets! It would be hard not to though, Baroque Motifs is so NEW, everyone that got their hands on it early is using it like CraZy!!!
hee hee
Well if you saw my Teacher Appreciation post, then you know I did a paper bag book for Sydney's pre-K teacher. I guess she really loved the book because she showed it to all the other teachers. This resulted in a special request from another teacher, Miss Sara! She LOVED the book too and contracted me to make her one to give her mom and one to give her sister, I had a lot of fun putting them together...maybe next time I'll make one for ME!
Here's the sister book:
Well I made the time to scrap my April/May sketch -- YAY me! ;)
I got into the bleach again and stamped flowers along my background piece. Then I stamped over the bleached out images and also added layers of other stamped and punched flowers. Three of them are embossed with silver and then watercolored.
The pictures are from a trip to Cancun, Mexico 2001. My oldest daughter, my father, and his wife.
To see which colors and stamp sets I used, visit my SCS gallery!
