Tee Inspired

Today's SCS Inspiration Challenge involved the silkscreen from Harrilu (shown). Very interesting shirts. I loved the color and design on this one. I also loved the silhouetted bird. Although I started out needing a birthday card, this didn't seem to fit the recipient, so I will save it for another occasion.

I kept viewing this, pondering other embellishments, but, honestly, like the shirt, I think simple makes a better impact. So...no ribbons, no brads, no bling. Just bird and flourish.

Size: 4.25 x 5.5 inches

Stamps: SU! Baroque Motifs and Cornish Heritage Farms Pretty Birds

Paper: SU! Sahara Sand

Ink: SU! Basic Black and Bliss Blue

World Cardmaking Day

What a great day for cardmakers everywhere, yes? This is actually the first time I have sat down and made a card today. I have several to make, so I thought I would wait until I could really dig in. I spent some time hanging with my peeps at Karen's event. I helped Kate with making her box, but I am so card heavy here that I thought I better not make some. I still wanted to be social, though. It's my life's calling. :) Plus, the cause was a good one... read up on it via the link above.

My first card was for the Splitcoast sketch for today. Loved the sketch (pictured). It was quick and easy. This card is for my brother's birthday, which is tomorrow. Dang, and I think he's 45. Crazy how time flies.

So, this card is pretty masculine. No ribbon, a little "lift," and a little texture. I love it, though, as Always Artichoke has to be one of my favorite SU! colors. And how could you not love Prints DSP? These scraps were around from my miniscrapbook adventure of last night. [FLASH OF MEMORY... Did you every think back to what your Friday and Saturday nights in college were like? I think I would have laughed myself out the dorm if you told me in 20 years I would spent the weekend scrapbooking and stamping. Small digression... just popped into my head.]

Size: 5.5 x 5.5 inches

Paper: SU! Sahara Sand, Always Artichoke, and Prints DSP

Stamps: SU! Enjoy Every Moment and Teeny Tinies

Ink: SU! Always Artichoke

Accessories: Silver brads, Stamp-a-majig, and Dimensionals

My Life in a Night

It all started last night.

I was so excited about Cathy Zielske's class starting that I decided to do some bloghopping to some of my favorite peeps. Cathy, Becky Higgins... they had this project to which I was immediately drawn. They had gotten the "Realize Your Life" idea from Stacy Julian.

Take a look at Becky's blog(Oct. 2) and Cathy's creation. Cool. Below is a slide show of mine. I used an acrylic tab book (Cover to Cover Tab Book by Midnight Oil Scrapbook Designs) that I bought at CKC Kansas City last year. I did not have the cute little Bazzill book to use, so this took a bit more time, but I will really enjoy it over the next year.

It's here!

I got my November/December issue of Paper Crafts from my mailbox today. It's official! I am published. Woo hoo!

On page 80, my card entitled "Life Moments Card" sits next to two other cards using the two-step stamping technique. It looks like they moved my sentiment panel slightly for the shot, which gives me a weird fung swei feeling. Plus, it's a bit hard to see the word "Life" that I stamped in blue. However, they liked the card, I like the card, and now everyone gets to see the card in print. I must say, that's a nice feeling. Hopefully, I will have time to submit more.

Page 1

In my last entry, I mentioned that I was taking a class with Cathy Zielske. Big Picture Scrapbooking has given permission for me to post my creations, provided I give them and Cathy the appropriate credit. So, without further ado, here is page one:
We are using a Kraft paper base for the 12 x 12 projects in the scrapbook. Cathy asked us to create a 9 x 9 grid on a page that expresses who we are at this moment. In her sample, she gave us various examples. Hers was a lot less "busy" than mine, but, let's face it, "busy" represents me pretty well. Since I am such a crazy lover of order, I used two different colors of the same DSP from the Stampin' Up! Prints line (River Rock and Blue Bayou). I also used some brown Thickers and some hardware. Mainly, I doodled. Words are so much a part of me that leaving out words was not an option.

I can't wait to see what we do next. She has us using various page protector sizes in a 12 x 12 scrapbook. Who knew? I'm such a creature of habit that I never even thought to mix it up. Very cool.

Does a bigger geek exist on the planet?

I am pretty pumped to be starting a twelve-week online class. No, silly, not for my CAREER or anything. It's a class with Cathy Zielske, scrapbook design goddess, called Design Your Life. You might remember a card challenge long ago (on National Scrapbooking Day), for which I used a layout of Cathy's. She has been a longtime idol. I believe she has been an idol of Karen's for even longer. It was Karen who reminded me that the class was starting this week, and Karen who's probably shaking her head wondering, "What have I created?" I've become a bit... fanatical...?... about getting ready. I am just soooo excited.

My biggest source of excitement is that Cathy is really a designer... my career choice in my parallel universe. The class will focus on using the basics of graphic design as you develop your own scrapbook style. I call mine "ordered chaos." Yes, an oxymoron.

Anyway, I am going to look back in my info to see what I can and cannot post of my work, since the class has a fee and such. She's worth every penny (and it's really a steal).

I have already created my first page. I have e-mailed Big Picture Scrapbooking to see if I can post it or if that would violate Terms of Use. We shall see! Stay tuned.

Christmas Time Is Here

You cannot make a Snoopy Christmas card without humming that song. So, for an added treat, here's a link to some samplings from the "A Charlie Brown Christmas" soundtrack. Just in case your humming is as off-key as mine.

I completed the Limited Supply challenge earlier today, but my Snoopy stamps kept beckoning me. This one is one of the first stamps I purchased. I knew that year I wanted to stamp Christmas cards, but, honestly, I had little idea how to mas produce them. My stamping was also hit or miss. This stamp takes some skill to get a complete image.

At first I just had it stamped on a piece of white. The white just seemed to overshadow the image's impact, so I decided to paper piece the tree for some depth. Well, that turned into paper piecing the tree and Snoopy onto DSP. The largest circle punch I have is 2 inches, so it was time to break out the Cricut. I love that machine, I tell ya.

I had this GREAT brass frame for the sentiment, when I realized that we are asked to limit our embellishments to ribbon only. However, imagine "Merry & Bright" in an antique brass frame, will you? Nice, yes? I inked it instead. Still a nice effect.

After photographing two cards on my mantel today, I decided that I might use cards in more of a decorative manner on my mantel. For example, here comes Halloween. It would look great with some Halloween images here and there. Christmas cards would be especially festive. So, a great idea that I have little time to accomplish. No sweat. My kind of pressure.

Size: 4.25 x 5.5 inches

Paper: SU! Always Artichoke, Old Olive, and Holiday Thyme DSP, PTI white

Stamps: Stampabilities Snoopy's Tree, SU! To You & Yours

Ink: SU! Almost Artichoke and Basic Black

Ribbon: Bobbin Ribbon

Punches: 2 inch circle punch, scallop punch, Cricut