Sunday, October 18, 2009

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

20 comments:

Vanessa said...

First! Your posts are perfect with my morning coffee!! Love your fabulous Leprechaun card! I could never come up with such a clever design! The way it opens up and the circles... so cool! Oh, I wish I could have been there with you to have some fun crafting time! Sounds like tons of laughter! Your comments and posts already make me grin, what would it be like to meet you IRL??? Have a great day!

Hugs,
Vanessa

Kelley Eubanks said...

So cute Elise!! I love the peep hole!! :) So glad that you guys had a fabulously freeing weekend! :) BTW... fixing to go to bed... way too late and just saw that you are a super sixer again!! Woo Hoo!! You so deserve it!! You talented girl you! Congratulations!!

Vanessa said...

Sorry, I am back.... Congratulations on being one of Cardpatterns Super Six!!! Way to go girl, you rock!

Hugs,
Vanessa

Craft u Crazy said...

lovely work Elise, love all your stuff.

Hugs
Adele

Rosemary said...

Well, feelin' a bit o' the luck of the Irish, here, sweetie!! So cute and woody and green and well.. you get the idea! Oh and hey, YOU ROCK GIRL!!! Card Patterns Super Six, again!! Freedom was never sooo good, now was it??? {wink, wink}

Jane said...

Awesome card! Love it!

~amy~ said...

Such a FUN card Elise...love it...tons...and yes, I do still Coluzzle...old school, huh?! :)

Claire said...

How beautifully the card came out! Fun retreating with you!

3treescreations@gmail.com said...

Looks great!! Not sure what a Coluzzle is :S So I know I don't have one LOL Love the two challenges together!! You must be pooped after such a great "workout".

heidi said...

LOVE this card!! Love the design, the pic, everything!! Great job!!!

Heidi SP Diva

Linda aka Oz said...

I still Coluzzle on a daily basis. circles, ovals, tags and a rounded corner square for cutting out windows!!! Have them each on a key chain, with their foam cutting stuff,hanging on a hook at arms reach. But then everything in shrinky-dink land is within arms reach!! LOL Love the card, so cute how it opens and opens and .... Huge Congrats on the super sixers!!! Oz

Beth said...

Top O' the Marnin ' to ya! We're back, too! I'm glad you had a nice freedom weekend! We did, too, although we're gonna tweek it a little next time and make it a little more "custom" for us (read: shore house!)

Love your little Irishman!

Dotty Jo said...

Another brilliant card my crafty friend! How I wish I had been there for all the fun. I am usually a lonely craftin' girl so I am nearly as green as your little Irish guy at the thought of that gathering of card making, fun lovin' girls!
Big hugs to you special one! Jo x

Dana Gustafson said...

"You are a corker, Elise Durenberger" bwaaahaa ha haaaa! ;) This little card was super fun to see come alive IRL. I loved scrappin and craftin with some of the best girls on the block this weekend. Man-land will never be the same after this! Can't wait til our next event!

And heck yeah, I COLUZZLE! PC needs to pull this one out of the vault....

~kelly marie~ said...

So cute!! Love that woodgrain too!

Emily said...

cute cute cute...love the style of this card.

Emily-SP Diva

Anonymous said...

Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.. Love the little peephole.

Melisa-SP Diva

Kristina said...

What an awesome card! Love how it opens up to reveal more elements.

Stephanie said...

What a great card! I love your design! It is so darn cute! Great job with the SPCC colors!

Dora said...

This is great when you open it, the image is inside! Just great work! And thanks for playing and your sweet words!