Freedom!

It was an extremely FREEING weekend, friends! I spent some super fun time with wonderful crafty gals, makin' stuff! Oh, yeah, you read that right ~ local RETREATING! A super awesome workshop, custom made for PAPER CRAFTERS! Lots of room, lots of light, GREAT MUSIC, hilarious conversation, and shameless enjoyment of our favorite "sport" - wish you had been there, too!

Here's a little somethin' I made:






Ummm, are you wondering why you're seeing a Leprechaun in the middle of October? I know! Crazy, huh? Well, that's where my little mind went there as I tried to answer this, fun challenge:




Samantha, at Scrapmaster's Paradise, sure knows how to mix things up! I wasn't sure I could pull this off, until the little Leprechaun inside of me spoke up! {tee hee} My inspiration was reinforced by this cool sketch from Get Sketchy!



You MUST check out the DT samples on this baby! All of them were so cool, and I was especially inspired by those that opened in a "gate" format! Sprinkle in Samantha's electric colors and THAT BROWN! I was somehow transported to Ireland! {Or the Kingdom of "Far Far Away" ala SHRECK!} Okay, so I was thinking of something that lived in a knothole... woodgrain, brown... Come along with me and we'll spy a Leprechaun...











Ta DA! Here he is! Complete with GREEN BEER! How festive is this lil' guy!?!



Do you get the peephole thing that's happening here? I couldn't do it without a dear, darling, supportive and totally capable old friend - COLUZZLE! Do YOU coluzzle? I know there are so many circle cutting options out there, and I'll probably get them ALL at some point or another, but good old, recently departed... ur, discontinued.... Coluzzle, will always be my friend. I have THREE sets! Ha HA! One that lives in my Mother Tote, one that lives in a drawer, right in the heart of Scrapland, and AND an EXTRA ONE, to get me through my next thirty years! (Just in case!)



The GREAT Get Sketchy sistas tossed in this additional challenge for this week's offering, asking that we try to incorporate a DOODLE/handwritten sentiment - I did both! OVER the stamped sentiment, enhanced with a little marker magic! Not a bad way to add some hand writing ~ blech! I'm not a fan of mine, all by it's little self!

I think it's safe to say that there are A LOT OF WAYS to have a ball with your paper crafting! If you're looking to push up the fun a notch in your own crafting.. I highly recommend some inspirational challenges, gathering with great friends in an environment where you can TRULY be yourself, AND "solving" the creative challenges in your life here in BLOGLAND! Yipee! {Yeah, like you don't KNOW that, already! DOH!}

Well, wherever you got crafty this weekend, I hope it was FABULOUS fun! Can't wait to see what YOU made!

Supplies -

C/S - Stampin' Up!
Stamps - The Paper Company Studio, All Night Media
Circle Cutter - Coluzzle
Scallop Circle Die Cut - Sizzix/Stampin' Up!
Scallop Edge Punch - Martha Stewart Crafty
Water Color Work - re-inkers and aqua brush