WOYWW #82 - The 5th Day of Christmas

Since I haven't made a card since Sunday my "workspace" (aka my kitchen counter) is cleared off and not very exciting. I do however have a new workspace that I have been using since Monday night; my sofa and coffee table.






I figure since I'm off this week (our corporate office shuts down for the holidays) why wait until January to attack the office and craftroom. Well, I finished the office Monday and have been attacking the craftroom with some amazing aggression. I have shown no mercy and tossed out things that have not fallen into the "Have I used or needed this in the last six months" category. Of course this category excludes seasonal items and all papers, inks, embellishments, ribbons, so on and so on.

So now I've begun the task of reclaiming space. Before I can reorganize, I need to free-up what space I do have and one way I'm doing that is by removing the rubber stamps from their wood backing. I'm only doing this to my SU sets as they are the largest space hog. I've been watching my favorite movies while I sit and break the sets apart. (I have purchased some thin cling backing that I will put onto the SU stamps. But that will probably happen only as I need/use them.)

The previous pictures are of the sets earmark for todays separation and the sets already separated. the following pics are of a container of wood blocks that will be taken to the curb tomorrow (I've already tossed one box of equal size) and the before and after of the first bookcase that has been reclaimed. :) However, this bookcase will follow the box of wood blocks to the curb because its warped.

It's such a great feeling to get in there and actually make progress on that nightmare. If I'm lucky, next Wednesday I'll have my drafting table back up (it's folded against the wall right now) and be able to share pictures my actual craftroom. Here's hoping that next weeks workspace is cluttered with multiple projects. :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!





Thanks for stopping in. :)

Mojo Monday 170 - Last Minute Minnie

As usual I was not happy with the Christmas card I made for my best friend; so last evening (1am) I took it apart and started over. I was up until 4am making it right but have to admit it was worth it. I know she will love this card.

I'll be heading out shortly so I wanted to take a few minutes to get it posted.

Merry Christmas to all the friends I've made and to all those that will become friends in the new year.

Mojo Monday Sketch 170:







Supplies:
Stamps - SU! Hugs & Wishes; Christmas Collage
Paper - Cherry Cobbler; Almost Artichoke; Basic Grey Wassil
Inks - Encore Gold; Always Artichoke; Cherry Cobbler
Other - Prima Poinsettia; SU Seam binding; gold embossing powder; gold beads; MS leaf punch.

Thank you for stopping by,
Carole

WOYWW 81 - I have An Excuse!

This is my first post for "What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday". I found this blog last Thursday and spent a couple evenings looking at ALL the links. I just loved seeing the areas that the ladies all used to create. I also felt very happy that I was not the only one that did not have that perfect tidy work space that I always seem to come across at SCS or on YouTube. I don't know if I could function in that much organization; I think the stress to keep it neat would be overwhelming. LOL

So here is my workdesk for Wednesday, December 22, 2010. The actual tiny workspace currently has paper, pads and stamps for SCS sketch challenge. I set it out last night before I went to bed. If you would like to know a bit more about this chaos, I'll have more write up after the pictures.

The Close-up:


The Tunnel Shot:


The Long Shot:



So I think it's pretty obvious this is my kitchen. The sad part is that I do have an entire craftroom but it's completely unusable. Here is my excuse for using the kitchen.

Last year in late November I began the project from hell called Remodeling. This was a full gutting remodel that should have only taken two months, three on the outside. So instead of packing everything up and sending it off to storage, I used my office, craftroom and garage (even some of the master bedroom) to house all the displaced household goods. Unfortunately, the project did not finish until late May. MAY!!! Because I work full-time (and then some) I don't have a lot of time during the week to do normal chores, let alone special projects. It took me until early August just to get the kitchen, dining room and living rooms back in order. Since then, I've had no time (or even the will) to address my seriously abused and cluttered office and craft room. Somehow while all the household junk was stored in the office and craftroom, it multiplied. I swear I have put everything away, but there are still boxes filled with junk in both those rooms. Can you hear the whine in my voice? Pathetic, isn't it?

To add to this problem, do you think I stopped buying supplies, stamp sets, DP or anything while the remodel was in progress? Oh H-E-Double-hockey-sticks NO!!

So .... if I want to craft, I have to go digging in that craft room to find what I want (and most times I don't find it); or go digging through the boxes of new stuff that's just tossed in the craftroom ..... then I work in the kitchen or dining room.

So that is my lame, very lame excuse for using my brand spanking new, gorgeous kitchen as a craftroom. Good thing I live alone; I imagine if I had anyone living here they'd be very unhappy with half the kitchen always covered in paper, ink pads, ribbon, bling ................

New Year's Resolution: CLEAN THE FLIPPING CRAFTROOM!!! LOL

Peace - Penny Black #131

Todays card is for this weeks Penny Black Saturday Challenge.

This card started out very differently this morning. I thought I had the brush stroke holly stamp, but if I do, its nowhere to be found. So I pulled out the PB poinsettia stamp and began coloring it in and cutting it out to make layers but it just refused to gel. :(

So I popped back over to SCS and flipped through todays Featured Stamper's gallery and found some new inspiration in this card by Lisaadd.

My cased card is 3.2 x 6.0 and instead of a one layer card, I did white on white layering. The top layer is dry embossed using Cuttlebug's Holly EF; then I heat embossed the "Peace" sentiment in Real Red.

I used Martha Stewart's large holly branch punch for the leaves; cutting the leaves from the branch. I dabbed Old Olive along the edges to give it some depth, then used my embossing tool to make leaf stems. I dabbed a little more color into the center of the leaves (very lightly), glued all the paper elements down and then added the berries.

This was a super easy card and I actually like how it turned out. I hope that this still qualifies for PBSC even though it only has one stamp on it. :)

Thank you for stopping by.

Happy Holiday - SCS CC299 and SC310

First I'd like to say I do NOT like this card. I don't like the way it turned out and I can't decide if it's because I struggled with the sketch; the colors or if it's the glitter I added. I think it's the glitter. The color combination doesn't invite glitter.

The only reason this is getting a post and not tossed in the trash is because my BBF just went gaga all over it. She is standing over me now making sure I put it out here. Of course this is the same woman that thinks Steven Segal is an Oscar calibre actor, so clearly her sense of what is good and what is trash is warped.

Also, I have to mention I might not like this card because of the Dasher stamp. I've had a love hate relationship with this stamp since I bought it. I could never get the body to stamp out completely onto the cardstock, and if I did then I'd get extra ink from the poor trimming of the rubber. I finally ripped the stamp off the block and backing, trimmed all the excess rubber and have had more success with it. :)



SUPPLIES:
Stamp: SU! Dasher; Sentiment Hero Arts
CS: Old Olive, River Rock, Real Red
Ink: Old Olive, Real Red
Other: SU Buttons, Glitter, Twine

Easy does it Sunday

It's cold outside today so I am using that as a very lame excuse to ignore chores and make cards. The cards below are for SCS Featured Stamper Challenge #201 (Lisaadd).







The first card is slightly different from Lisa's card found here; the second is the same only using different colors and stamps. Where as Lisa used black and white, I went with Pacific Point and white textured card stock. Though it looks as if I used two different blues, it is indeed Pacific Point in both cards. My photography skills leave much to be desired, which I'm guessing is why they look different. The main stamp is from Hero Arts and both sentiments are from Verve's Great Friend set. These were very simple cards to make but look so nice IRL.

Many thanks to Lisa and congrats on her induction into the Featured Stamper club. :D

SCS Featured Stamper 200 - Casing Faith

This weeks Splitcoast Featured Stamper challenge was a breeze. A new member's gallery was not selected to case, but instead the challenge was to revisit and case one of the 199 prior featured stampers.

Being that I'm all stamped out, I wasn't going to play. However, earlier this weekend I had contacted Faith (Markie's Mom) to ask if she would mind if I cased one of her lovely cards, (to which she kindly said yes) as I still had 30 cards to make and get in the mail by yesterday. When I saw the rules for FS200 I checked over the master list and found that Faith was one of the prior members honored. Yeah!! Her wonderful poinsettia flower on an all white card had wow and could be mass produce with some ease.
Link to Faith's lovely card: http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/1852024
** not sure why I can't get the link feature to work today. :( So to see Faith's card you'll have to cope and paste the link manually. Sorry.




Having made 30 of these yesterday there was no way I was going there again today. So, the card in the picture is actually the sample card which has a few ugly spots about it.

The final card was glittered on all of the raised embossed snowflakes. The center of the large snowflake is a bit mangled in this picture because I kept ripping off rhinestones trying to determine which one I liked best; in the end I went with the one seen here without all the patching with glitter and color. Also, I very lightly dabbed the edges of the raised sentiment piece with ink before adding the glitter. I doubt it would have shown up in a picture, but it added just a bit more life to the glitter edging.

Thanks for stopping in......

EDIT TO ADD: I had to pull together another card so I took the time to take a picture of it. This single card differs from the 30+ that went out earlier in that I did not glitter the raised snowflakes on the background.




Supplies:
Stamp: Seasonal Sentiments
Ink: Distress Inks - Tumbled Glass and Broken China
Other: Stickles - Broken China and Star Dust (snowflakes & edge of sentiment); Memory Box rhinestones; Dazzling Diamonds Glitter (raised embossed areas)
Tools: Spellbinders Oval dies; SU!'s Northern Frost; Cuttlebug embossing folder

Two Challenges, One Card

This card covers two challenges; Splitcoast Stampers Sketch Challenge 309, and my first ever submission for the Penny Black Saturday Challenge (#130). I was going to make this a three challenge card, which would have included SCS's color challenge, but I couldn't find the correct supplies in order to qualify. I went ahead and used two of the three challenge colors, replacing River Rock with kraft; I think it turned out ok.

For the SCS sketch challenge, I had to flip the placement of the pieces in order to accommodate the stamped image (see below). Not sure if thats allowed, but if not, they will let me know. :D

The Penny Black challenge today was to stamp on anything but white. I tried out a couple different stamps this morning and settled on PB's Xmas Constellation that I've had for a couple years. I first stamped the tree using SU!'s craft white and then embossed with clear. The image seemed a bit flat so I used the Versamark marker to create shadows on the underside of some of the tree lines. I then added Liquid Pearls (ruby red) to the dots already part of the stamped image, and finished it off with Ranger Stickles (star dust) on the stars. I don't think the Stickles show up very well in the photo, but it looks very nice IRL. The sentiment is also Penny Black, though I don't know what set its actually from.

I used Real Red, Old Olive and kraft card stock. The kraft is some unknown manufacturer that I bought up when Recollections was having their close out sales.

The pretty red button is from Basic Grey and the hemp ribbon and twine from Michaels.

Thank you for stopping by.

Clean and Simple .....

I don't often make CAS cards, in fact this might be only the second one I've ever done and liked.

This card is for Splitcoast Stampers Clean and Simple challenge #95. The challenge was to use a flower, though I think I messed up because I used two flowers. I used SU stamp set Watercolor Trio; with Old Olive craft, clear embossing powder and Melon Mambo ink and card stock.

I punched out a row of flowers using an SU punch called Triple Flowers (at least I think thats what its called). I dabbed up the edges of the flowers with Melon Mambo and then crumpled them up a bit. One bud was folded in half with a dab of glue set in the center to hold the fold. The other two flowers were stacked with a pearl added to the center. I added smaller pearls to the tips of a couple of the branches to give it a bit more life.

I tried something else new with this card; after cutting the center piece (whisper white) I taped it back into the die and dabbed the exposed inner edge with Melon but only barely. You really have to look to see it but it adds a softness to it IRL.

I utilized the polka dot embossing folder by Cuttle Bug and Spellbinders square dies.

I tried to add ribbon but it looked out of place and made the card feel heavy/awkward. It's feels strange to not have ribbon on it, but I think it looks so much better this way.

So this was my attempt at a CAS card. I think its still more work than CAS cards are supposed to have, but its a start. Ya know ... old dog, new tricks and all. :)

Mojo Monday 167 - Mistletoe & Oliver

I must really like this weeks Mojo sketch because I couldn't stop at one card. I think thats a first for me to make two different cards in one day. Also, I can now add to my accomplishments the making of a round card. I looked all through my notes and gallery and was surprised to discover I hadn't made one before. I have to admit that it's pretty darn easy to make a round card with the new Spellbinders Grand Nestabilities.

Thank you for stopping by ..... :)



The first card is a Christmas card that I'll probably make a few of. I'll definitely use larger inner circles on the next ones I make. This one is too top heavy and that big dead space on the bottom left is screaming at me to "fix it"!!





The second card is for my nephews' birthday. He won't care that it's handmade, but my lovely sister-in-law likes my cards so I make them for her. The jury is still out on this one; I think it came out too busy with all the different DP's. Since Nic's birthday isn't for awhile, I might take it apart and change out the lowest layer (trains) and replace it with a solid in a complimenting color.




SUPPLIES LIST:
Christmas Card= Stamp-SU Best Yet; CS-Cranberry Crisp; DP-Memory Box Mistletoe; Other-Memory Box Pearls, Prima Holiday Poinsettias, Spellbinders Grand Nestabilities.

Birthday Card= Stamp-SU Well Scripted; CS-Bazzill Simon; Ink-Blue Bayou; DP-Basic Grey Oliver Collection

Ribbon, ribbon ... I need ribbon

I've been sick with a nasty flu for three weeks and am finally feeling better. I finally got out yesterday and made my way to the Container Store to buy some storage bins for my craft room; but came away with some beautiful ribbon and gift bags. I never knew the CS had these huge racks full of Christmas gift wrapping and embellishments. I will have to make a point to go there every year.

The ribbons really caught my eye because some were card-making quality. Heaven forbid I ever walk away from ribbon, even if I have no clue what I might actually use it for. That being said, I have yet to regret a ribbon purchase. I may not have a use for it now, but eventually I'll be working on something and squeal with delight knowing I have the perfect ribbon in the drawer (usually purchased eons ago haha).

Yesterdays short adventure really took it out of me so I didn't get much done after I returned. Today, however, I'm really feeling great and once I get all my neglected chores out of the way, I plan to finish several challenge cards that I have started over the last few weeks, but had no energy to finish. I have two Mojo's needing only some minor touches and assembly, a Featured Stamper Challenge from SCS and a couple Clean & Simple challenges to put together. If I finish those up tonight, I'll get them posted in the morning. :)

Thanks for stopping in..... C

A Mojo Monday and Teapot Tuesday

I've had such a great weekend making cards. I did four challenges since Friday night but only have time to post one right now.

This card covered two of the four challenges I completed; Mojo Monday and Teapot Tuesday.

I struggled with Mojo Monday all week and every idea I had was ehhh. On Friday night I decided to look at the Inspiration challenge on SCS, but that really didn't do anything for me. Then jumped over to Teapot Tuesday (hosted by the fabulous Cindy Mothermark) and Yeah!! there it was. My inspiration. This weeks teapot was a black and white damask and the minute I saw it I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I changed the rectangle card to a square (not sure if that means I'm disqualified) but with the lovely set I wanted to use I had to go square.

Thank you for looking in.





Ooops ... forgot to post supplies:

Stamps: Penny Black Background Word; Fancy Pants (actually I'm not sure what this set is I've had it for ages and lost all the identifiers)
Card Stock: SU! Whisper white; Bazzill Raven and Heidi
Ink: Memento; Distress Ink Milled Lavender
Embellishments: Ribbon and tulle netting from fabric store; Karen Foster stick pin; SU! pearls

Mojo Monday 162 - Life's Moments

This is my first posted Mojo Monday. I have been following the blog for about a year or more, but usually don't post my cards as they tend to be last minute creations that immediately are given away. Not so today.

Just about everything conspired to keep this card from happening today; starting with not being able to locate the paper I wanted to use, right down to the nasty cut on my hand from setting up the photo tent and lights.

I really liked MM162 and knew right away what I wanted to do with it. The final product is off only by the pearls. I have larger pearls that match the smaller ones, but can not find them, which I was going to add to the top of the brownish strip.

Oh and I tried to use the new seam binding ribbon ..... ROFL!! Clearly it's hard to get nice results, even if all the mega talented ladies out there make it look easy! I'll revisit the ribbon some other day. :)







Stamps: SU! Elements of Style
Paper: SU! Soft Suede, Cherry Cobbler; Basic Grey Wassail
Embellishments: Memory Box Pearls; Recollections Boutique Fleur

Well it's been forever since I posted. My camera broke and then the computer went. A couple months back I finally bought a new computer and hopefully with my birthday coming up I'll get the gift certs I've been begging for and can finally replace my camera. I can log on at work and look around, however the filters would not allow me to "log on" to my blog or even SCS so I've been playing like a ghost; just watching and not interacting. :(

Card making has been on hold for many months while work takes up 12 to 14 hours of each weekday. The weekends have been chore filled and used for making up on lost sleep. By mid-September the budgets will be in and I can get back to a normal work week (10 hour days!! - gotta love Corporate America). Actually ignore that snarky remark, I am more than grateful to have a job in this current climate. :)

I placed a huge SU! order a couple weeks back ..... I probably should have used that money for the camera, but my priorities are not always in the right place. ;) It was a two box order and although I have opened the box and checked everything over, I have yet to actually put it away and begin using my new toys. If I can get that camera before the budget season is done, I'll take a picture of this haul ..... it's the largest order I've ever placed.

So here's looking forward to mid-September when I can reclaim my personal time and get back into the hobby that gives me the greatest pleasure.