Papertrey Ink Blog Hop

At the last minute I decided to give it a whirl. The theme was Polka Dots. That's it - just polka dots. And here is what I created in the last 20 minutes. Simple, perhaps a bit crude, but fun none the less. Thanks for taking a peek!

Grateful!

The best way I know how to pull myself out of a slump is to do what I love to do. So I made a card! Big surprise there! I purposely used the First Fruits set by PTI because of the one simple word: GRATEFUL. And as I was making it, I thought about all the things I can be and SHOULD be grateful for. No, I'm not going to make a list of things of what I should be grateful for - that's not me - I know what they are and everyone who happens upon this blog has their own list for their own reasons. But I will share the card with you!

This is a small-ish size card - 4.25" square. And because I don't own any envelopes that size, I had to make one to fit using Lauren Meader's envelope formula. I am mathematically challenged, but even I can follow her formula. It works for ANY size card, so give it a try!

I'm not crazy about the green ribbon, but it adds a touch of color to the card and in real life is not so GREEN! The little charms are hung off of a cut out that I made with my Cricut using jump rings. A little secret for you from my jewelry making crafty phase - don't try to pull the jump rings apart by pulling it apart from the left and right. Just split them open by pushing one side forward (away from you) and one side towards you. Close the jump ring the reverse of the way you opened it. You will preserve the shape of the jump ring by doing this.

I first sponged around the outside of the cutout with SU! ink to give it a bit of dimension. Then I used eyelets to make sure my jump rings didn't tear through the paper. I stamped the leaves from the First Fruits set onto shrink plastic in several different shades of ink to give them a fall-type effect. You can see a close up here:

I love how they 'dangle' across the card front!! I also added two lines with my Scor-Pal. I know I'm not using my Scor-Pal as much as I could be, but I'm learning! I added the leaf in the back because I thought card front needed to be brightened a bit more.

And finally the envelope and of course, I had to make a sticker to make sure the envelope was sealed!

Thanks for stopping in! Until next time, I hope you create!

My Son.

My one and only child ships out tomorrow morning for his second tour over in Iraq. I've know since before he finished his first tour that he would have to do a second tour and he has been warning me all month that this would be the month they go. This is not a shock or anything, but it's hard to send your child to go fight a war. The worry, the close calls he has had, missing him, etc. etc. is very hard on me and I hate it. I don't hate many things, because it takes a lot of energy to hate something. Energy better used towards something productive, so for me to hate something doesn't happen often. But war - yeah - I hate it.

He chose this life. He has always wanted to serve his country. From the time he was 8 years old, he told me he was going to be in the Army. He has been to places I will never, ever go to. He has seen things I will never see. He has seen things in his young life that NO person should have to see. He is my son, and I support him unconditionally, regardless of my worries and fears.

I carry a piece of shrapnel in my purse that he sent home to me when he was on his first tour. I carry it to remind me that people are doing things and living through things much more difficult than what I'm doing and hopefully, they are making a difference. When my son sent that piece of shrapnel home, the note that came with it said something along the lines of, "Don't worry Mom, I'll duck quicker next time!". He has always been the optimist and doesn't sweat the small stuff.

So, as my son heads off for tour number two, there will be a count up clock like I had on my last blog. It will count up until I hear from my son. When I hear from him, the clock will be reset.

Things are better over in Iraq. A lot of change has happened and I'm hopeful that this tour that he embarks on is better. Better as far as war goes anyways. Thanks for listening!

Don't be 'Dragon' Me Down on My Birthday!

No - it's not MY birthday, but I made a birthday card for a friend's Mom. The Front and Back stamps from Art Impressions can be a bit tricky. But with a little imagination, you can make them do what you want. This dragon is supposed to be looking out of the right side of a card. I love the dragon, he is a friendly looking dragon, which is great for a birthday card. However, I'm left handed and we ALL KNOW that left-handers are the ONLY ones in their right minds!! (Just a quick factoid for you ---only 7 to 10 percent of the population is left-handed!) Alas, the dragon is right handed. What's a left-handed stamper to do?

The words were computer generated with my own thoughts on how to make this right-handed dragon work on a left-handed card! So I flipped him around to show his dragon wings and big belly show on the front side so he appears to be looking into the card. Isn't he a cutie looking in on the 'party' going on inside the card?

And of course, using CE, I made his eyes glass over in awe at the inside!

I also used PTI Kraft card stock as the main base of my whole card and Prisma Colored Pencils/Gamsol technique to color in my dragon. The inside also includes SU! papers and Favorite Teddy Bear stamp to do the confetti look on the inside. And to give the inside of the card a party look I used Ranger Stickles. You can get a closer view below.

Thanks for stopping it - I'm glad you came! Until next time!!

The Lack of a Blog Roll.....

I've been asked why don't I have a blog roll. Answered simply enough by the fact that I don't want to absorb other crafters 'looks'. I want to be ME and be inspired by the things around me.

I used to have a blog roll on my old blog, but I found myself checking them daily, sometimes multiple times a day. And after several months of doing this, I found myself absorbing THEIR creativity and not coming up with my own thing and just letting the mojo happen.

I don't have any saved in my favorites file or bookmarked specifically because of this. There are a few regulars that I visit, but I actually have to type in the web address to get to them. Therefore, making it more meaningful when I do visit. Below are a few that I find inspiring.

Waltzingmouse Makes: She is a sweetie that I 'met' on a forum that I frequent. Amazing creations!

Jak: Truly an artist!

Michelle Wooderson: She has the 'shabby chic' ~meet~ 'you-clean-up-good' look (at least that's what I call it!) that I love and can NEVER duplicate.

Lauren Meader: I call her the Packaging Guru. This woman lives in a VERY busy home, (compaired to mine!) and keeps it all in check. And all the while she is crafting and coming up with amazing things!

Kurtis Amundson: YES - he is of the male persuasion and he is a card maker! Very simple, yet elegant designs. Not a lot of flourish or bling, but he doesn't need it to make it happen!

So those are my top five that I frequent at least once a week. Who is in YOUR top five? I'd love to hear from you!

Birthday Card!!!

A friend at work asked me to make her a birthday card for a friend of hers. Whenever someone asks me to make them a card I try to give them three to choose from in my stash. Unfortunately, she asked for something funny. I don't have very many funny stamps, so I have to make three from scratch. I have this woman from Rubbernecker and she makes me laugh every time I color her in!

You can see in the picture below there is a lot of texture on this card. First by the layers of K&Co. patterned paper, second by the edges I inked, and thirdly I distressed the edges of the brown layer. I also added some brads, adhereing them using my little trick. And to top it off, I added a piece of old lace I found in my stash of ribbons.


Her eyeglasses, once again, have Crystal Effects on them. I can't help it! Any time there is some shine needed, I add the stuff. Love it! I used my Zig Painty pen to give her eyeglasses chain a silver look. Although in the picture it looks like they are glowing, but it's just the metallic silver of the pen.

Until next time!

Glad you visited!