TRULY, happy we're friends!

Sweethearts of my blog~life: this is for you!




It had been a few days, and I've been thinking A LOT about the beautiful and talented friends I have made, since signing up for "life with blog" not all that long ago... *happy sigh*! With some of you, I have had delicious opportunity to get to know you a bit {or A LOT!} better, and others just make me smile with kind {and sometimes downright hilarious comments} and/or the sheer delight of seeing your shiny image in my beloved followers medallion (I don't know what you call that!?! Doh!) Anywhoo, I've been giving a lot of thought to my blogging and crafting here in cyber space, lately~ and just feeling all swoony and thankful.... And, apparently, a burning need to share that! HA HA! Hope you don't mind.

Anywhoo, another burning desire I've had... is to participate in this fun color challenge by Lauren Meader. I haven't had the time to make it to her challenge to quite sometime, and these colors just called to me in a way that I could not refuse.... Oh, and then there's my ROCK STAR, IRL friend, Miss Dana G. from Paper Daydream! {Yipee!} She's one of Lauren's talented designers and SHE made a JUICY sample that just had my stamps JUMPING from my work top, THROWING themselves towards these colors... and what's a stampy girl to do...? Get inky, SISTAS! Speaking of color:




Mmmmmmm, I smell me some fall! I made the rounds of what the D/T had done with these and ooooow, me oh my! Lot's of interpretation, indeed! What a fun and tantalizing palette and I got a little more excited and added a skosh bit more color! And, for little old me... A trip WAY out of my box!




Can you see the absence of drop shadow!?! And what about those eyes! No touch up with fine tip markers.. *gasp! I left them... AS IS! This is me TRYING to be crisp and graphic: letting stamps dance and show the beauty of the chosen colors! {Note the LACK of extra materials/ no stacks of card stock, stamped, embossed, inked or sewn... this is sort of... au natural!} Big, big, BIG exit from my box! Seriously big. When I say simple is COMPLEX in my weird brain, I'm NOT kidding.

(Did we discuss blogging being cathartic? Fo-gitaboutit!)




I know a little somethin' about man's best friend.., but I digress... "Man's Best Friend", the set from Stampin' Up! NOT retired, btw.. It's DORMANT, but you can still order it... (same as Sip by Sip, just in case you were still scratching your head about where that one went... ) I, for one, love this set! I used nearly every piece (sans fire hydrant) but added this great tree, once again, from "Forest Friends" because it's just so fun!

Speaking about "Man's best...." WHAT!?! How 'bout "people's best friends!" Here are some of mine, IRL!


Nacho (center) and Oatmeal (aka ~ Oatis, Oatie, Oatster.... you get the nickname drill...)


That's Scout peeping from behind Oatis with her devastating eyes! Such a great dog! Oh, they all are! But boy has Scout taught me the value of good Germans! Heee Hee Plus, she made lil' Joe (as seen in this post a ways back - scroll down once you get there, if you're interested!)


I'm thinkin' that this picture of the "three amigos" does an excellent job of illustrating why I love this set sooooo much!



Whoooopeee! This is what I call, HAPPY stamping! I hope you've had some lately! Stamp on!

xo-

Elise

Supplies:

C/S - Stampin' Up!
Ink - Stampin' Up!
Sizzix dies/machine - Sizzix/S/U!
Stamp and Write Markers - S/U!
Ribbon - Making Memories

Season of the PSL!

That's PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE, friends! I'm not, officialy, endorsing Starbuck's, as I am soooo, incredibly loyal to my local coffee store/chain, but this time of year... there is a little coffee, cinnamony, nutmegish, vanilla treat that becomes a coveted and most treasured afternoon pick-me-up, when I've "been a good girl!" {Oh, I'm ALWAYS a good girl!} Sadly, I don't have a picture of my favorite caffeine slice of faux pumpkin joy... {because I drank it before I thought to take a photograph, sorry!} but trust me, when I saw the colors for this week's Color Throwdown I had an epiphany: PUMPKIN SPICE is comin' to town! (Today, I confirmed my suspicion as I enjoyed my first PSL of the season!)

Here's a card that's a salute to my feelings about my special coffee treat... My TRUE feelings....

These colors, by the fun and sassy Throwdown gals, are as follows:

Also, I thought I'd celebrate the use of these dynamic autumnal colors by incorporating these sketches from Caardvarks! The first sketch is what I used for my coffee lovin' owl card:

Sketch One~

Caardvarks is featuring a sketch challenge this round and there are THREE to play with! Here's number TWO:

Sketch #2~

And the card that incorporated this sketch! A nice WESTERNY Thank YOU!

Sketch #3~

And some more fun with the "Deer Friends" stamp set and some tree work, to give sketch #3 a turn!

Isn't this the CUTEST lil' bunny! I'm usually so powerless over that DEER.. but this time I let the bun-bun out to play! It was fun to just GO FOR IT! Tackling all three sketches with one color challenge! I know......: life on the edge with the "E"... {It's all the caffeine! Hee Hee} Hey, go an play with these sketches and fantastic colors and by all means... treat yourself to a PSL! Have fun!

Supplies:

C/S - Stampin' Up!
D/P - Stampin' Up! and M/M (orange polka dot strip on card #3)
Stamps - Stampin' Up!, My Cute Stamps, TJ Designs & O'Scrap
Ink - Stampin' Up!; Ranger (Alcohol Ink for Metal "Thank You" sentiment)
Ribbon - Stampin' Up!
Corner Rounder - Stampin' Up!
Embossing Folder - Cuttlebug (Argyle)
Metal - (Metal rivets and sentiment) Joanne's
Scallop Circle - Sizzix
Circle Cutter - Coluzzle

"Stay Golden, Pony Boy...."

What a wise and wonderful quote from the "Outsiders" movie from the early 1980's.... Ahhhhh. I love this saying. I must have heard it recently, because I find myself assuring my children with this line "you're golden" instead of "you're okay" or "that's fine".... Isn't it crazy how these little sound bites get stored in the old noggin... {I wonder what useful piece of information was lost to make room for that bit of trivia...} Anywhoo, THAT'S what pops into my head when I see the color swatch for the current color challenge by the always inspiring, and USUALLY pink-based, choices from Dawn McVey...

A gentle nudge and oh, can you feel the AUTUMN breeze! What a perfect slice of inspiration!

Not a difficult transition for me at all: I love fall! I mean, WHAT'S not to like! Today was the first TRULY fallish looking day here in Sonoma County and I can't believe the coincidence! I had this day to crank out my offering for Dawn's lil' challenge! THEN, I thought to myself: SELF! Combine this challenge with the current Card Patterns Sketch! I've missed them the last time or two so HERE GOES!


I just don't get tired of this darling deer from Stampin' Up!, so she (yeah, I'm pretty sure she's a she: at least for today!) had to take center stage, once again. Unfortunately, due to my use of these gorgeous colors I couldn't grab her from the prolific herd-o-deer I made WAY BACK, because I was using Very Vanilla as my background. Instead I stamped Creamy Caramel Craft ink on Creamy Caramel card stock and I was delighted! I had to, of course, highlight the eye and hooves with a Chocolate Chip marker... {I LOVES me the little touches!} Such a cute deer!

And here's how it ALL came together! FUN colors! Seriously, SUCH A GOOD TIME FOR ME playing with these materials and making happy use of some creative time today!


The only perplexing part of this card was a sentiment choice. Sometimes my brain just seizes up when I'm thinking of an appropriate sentiment {yeah, I KNOW, it's because all of the Movie SOUNDBITES hogging my hard drive! DOH!}... Anyway, my hunt for nice words was fruitful: celebrate today is from Stamin' Up!'s "Starring You." I just thought it really worked! Yeah.

The only thing better, would have been a stamp that said, "Stay GOLDEN!" {heh heh}

Hey, now! YOU stay golden, too!


Supplies:

C/S - Stampin' Up!
D/P - Stampin' Up!
Stamps - Stampin' Up! *EXCEPT* woodgrain, background stamp, by Inkadinkadoo
Ink - Stampin' Up!
Markers - Stampin' Up!
Opaque Marker - Stampin' Up!
Leaf Punch - Marvy
Fourishes - Tim Holtz
Brown Glitter - Doodlebug
Raffia - My stash

This entry should be about a SNAIL!

But it's not. It's about a last minute entry to Kristina Werner's color challenge #50! I'm probably the last one to "link-up!" But what the heck! I'm still extremely "green" here in blog land, but one of these days I'll figure out where and when all of the challenges take place! *sigh* At least I'm having fun! I sure hope you are, too! So, for your consideration:

And the palette of the day (challenge) is:

If you only knew how much it scares me every time I insert a graphic, off a super-star, like Kristina Werner's blog, and I do it... RIGHT! Urrr, or at least it SHOWS up where I intended! Wahoo! It's just one of those little victories that keep me in the game! Anyway, isn't that a juicy photo of that darling pin-cushion! Ceee-ute!



Here's a shot I took of my card, trying to look artsy! Ha! I just can never get these quite right! Check out my ROCK STAR (sing it, when you read it!) friend and blogging mentor, Dana from Paperdaydream: she's having just a wee-bit of success (total sarcasm there: the girl's on FIRE!) right now, and I am in awe! Anywhoo, besides the fact that her paper crafts are A-mazing, she has long floored me with her ability to photograph them in a way that looks 100% professional and all Martha Stewarty! She's my SHEro!




So, there are about 17,000,000,000 entries into this color challenge (that might be a slight exaggeration..., but I'm just sayin', there's A LOT!) and Kristina says that she'll be looking at them ALL! Holy Moly! You go girl! Here's my offering, thank you FOR providing such cool inspiration and breath taking design! I appreciate you sharing all that you do and thank you for letting me join in the fun!

All C/S and Patterned Paper - S/U!
Billboard die-cut letters - S/U! and Sizzix
Small dot patterned embossing plate/ woodgrain embossing plate - S/U! & Sizzix
Stamps - (Forest Friends & Paisley Back Ground) S/U!
Chipboard "A" - S/U!
Vellum - S/U!
Scallop and circle punch - S/U!
Ribbon - Offray

So, that about wraps it up for today, folks! Thanks, AS ALWAYS, for taking a few minutes out of your day, to MAKE MY DAY, by reading my little blog! I am always honored to think that you might enjoy what you've seen and if you have an extra second to leave me a comment, just know that it makes me feel a little taller in the saddle, and a little more joyful ALL THE DAY LONG! Have a great Saturday!

True to FRAGMENTS and friends!

Good morning and welcome to what might possibly be the last day of "my own, personal" T!m Holtz fragment challenge.... Some of you might have read in some of my earlier, excitable posts that I'm signed up to take a class with the man himself TOMORROW at Scrapbook Territory, here in the Bay Area! Whoopee! Since I might be too goofy to get anything done between now and then, this might be it.... I know. Sad. Or NOT! Fun is more like it! I have about seventeen more ways I want to play with these things, but here is another "looking glass" type of use:

I wasn't ready to be done with colors and materials from a card I made back in March: It's in the air! Where I played with this new S/U! set, "Forest Friends" from the Spring Mini and got all excited to share some technique ideas with customers.... Anywhoo, I had so much fun making those deer and explaining how I always try to make multiples.... Needless to say: I had some leftover! A couple of sweet deer, one GIANT fragment, a dash of spring color and YEEEE HAW!



All paper and ink is from S/U! including the sentiments, stamps, etc. This sentiment is from the "True Friend" set, which is one of my many FAVES! Plan to use this one A LOT in the coming weeks: I want it to feel loved so S/U! won't retire it! (I'm superstitious that way!) I inked most of the words, except "friend" because it would have not worked with my composition. THEN, I used the sentiment from "Friends 24-7" (not SO worried about them retiring this set anytime soon, btw!) and just used "friend" without the "s".

I stamped with black "staz-on" on regular transparency and then cut the part of the sentiment and word I wanted out with detail scissors, flipped it over and painted the back with some pale yellow acrylic paint so it would pop! When dry, I glued it to my little forest with Crystal Effects... I have this tiny flower punch, but it doesn't have a name on it anymore, so I can't give the darling thing credit.. sorry, punch. Since I was too slow, and never bought that multi-mini butterfly punch from Martha @ Mike's... they are currently sold out! Snooze you loose! So I adapted a VERY old dragon fly punch by ALL NIGHT MEDIA (OMG! Remember when it was all about the dragon flies!?!), punched some bashful blue and card stock vellum (LOVE THAT STUFF!) and layered them for a 3D effect... I painted some tiny polka dots with leftover acrylic paint, inked the body of the little thing and glued that sucker right on top of the giant, round fragment... along with a couple of deer and lil' flowers for some depth and perspective in my forest!


What fun! Man! Those deer are A-dorable! I gave one a pink nose and a little more shading on its body, then inked the hooves of the other guy (or gal) just to give them some individual personality! Like REAL friends! The scallop border at the bottom of the card was made with the S/U! border punch: I couldn't live without that thing!

Hope you have a joyful, crafty day, ya'll! Thanks for visiting my lil' creative SPOT!

It's in the air!

Spring is in the air! For those of you with allergies, I'm so sorry. I sure hope there is some GREAT medicine available so that you won't miss a minute of this glorious season! But just in case you need to hunker in for a while, I have a great, allergy proof way of bringing a little spring indoors....

This fun little card!

I'm teasing you a little bit, by using a set from the "Occasions Mini Catalogue" from Stampin'Up! that starts from April 1st and runs until June 30th, 2009. As a demonstrator we can get our hands on products a little early, so if there is some drooling going on... just be patient...

I was NOT patient, so I grabbed this set, "Forest Friends" immediately! Just like the Leprechaun from "Pinch Proof", nice bold images! I LOVE the artwork and design. They are stylized, but classic, in my opinion. They remind me of children's images from the 1940's with their big, sweet eyes and bold image. Very versatile! I plan to play with these a lot! Maybe you will too!



Darling!

To make this card I stamped "little deer" with "Close to Cocoa" Classic Ink on "Very Vanilla" C/S (card stock). I inked the eyes and nose with a black "Stamp and Write" marker and used a q-tip in "Blush Blossom" chalk and just lightly swirled it on the cheek of the deer. I added a smattering of "Dazzling Diamonds" glitter to the baby spots on the body with some "Crystal Effects" and then just cut the little cutie out with my FAV detail scissors (shockingly, also from S/U!).











When silhouetting an image, I almost ALWAYS cut out six or more. I believe in making multiple cards for many reasons, but most of all, I think it's the best way to "re-coup" your time investment of developing a card composition... That's the time sucker, right there! So if you work in multiples, you then have cards to send, submit and maybe even sell! If for some reason I don't use all the cut images, I save them for quick labels & tags, mini cards or scrapbook embellishments... Great ways to make your creative energy pay you back!!!

The "Delicate Dots" paper assortment from the current "Sale-a-bration" from Stampin' Up! is quite a pleasing palette, I must say! So, I used the stripe, flowers and polka dot patterns to liven things up a bit for this little card. S/U! has brought back window sheets and even has thick transparency (20mil) for your crafting pleasure, offered in the new spring mini! I used the thinner gage (7mil) to make a window over the chipboard frame and then covered it with those "polka dotty, polka dot" paper and placed it OVER the Certainly Celery polka dotty flower print... You may think it's a shaker card.. It's not. Here's why: I used the window sheet to support the deer, so that he could cast an interesting shadow (without pop-dots/dimensionals) and keep his little body "safe!" In photography, I was able to catch a nice shadow and it was worth the effort. You could ALWAYS have made that a shaker box, but I wasn't shopping for that effect here. I glued the stripe paper to "Sahara Sand" C/S and ran it though my Sizzix with the Top Note die and HELLO, spring! "Happy"and "Day" is from the "All Holidays" sentiment collection and I just omitted the "Father's" day portion of the image... Yeee Haw! Mi likey! I hope you do, too!



I do, I do, I do hope it's a happy day for YOU! If you have any questions about this card or techniques used, please contact me! I love YOUR feedback, good or bad! Have a HAPPY DAY!