BLTS Challenge 2- Then and Now

First, just a reminder that Better Living Through Scrapbooking June challenges end tomorrow.  I see a few people jumped in this month but since they're from "anonymous", I'm not sure if it's any of you.  If it is, go and comment on the challenge posts because there's no way to know whose entries those are!  That would be bad when it comes to prize-drawing time!

Second.  Second challenge.  This didn't go quite as I planned but when I was part-way into it, I realized that I just couldn't comfortably get where I thought I was going.  Originally, I was going to do a 2013 column with wants/expectations but that didn't feel right.  However, that's why the title is just "Then" because it was going to be past-then #1, past-then #2, and the then of the future.  Instead it's more of a "now" without being in the title. 

Challenge:
Make a project showing you and a longtime friend, a family member, or a significant other and how you’ve changed together over the years.  Obviously, this is pretty much just me.  I honestly wasn't coming up with anyone else that I wanted to feature for this and I'm trying to exorcise some of my own demons this year and putting them to paper may help a bit so I stuck to myself on this one.


Use at least 2 of the following:
1. Include a playing card or game piece. (Scrabble tiles)
2. Make frames for the pictures on your project (out of paper, ribbon, etc)
3. Include at least 3 brads
4. Include a clock or watch (can be an embellishment, a sticker, paper, etc).  I thought I had a large clock stamp somewhere but I can't lay my hands on it.  I have some embellishments that would be nice but I LOVE the White Rabbit image and even without the pocket watch out, he's an indicator of time, always checking it, always in a rush.

Crayola Factory Layout

This is the first page of a 2pg spread... I'll get to the 2nd page tomorrow hopefully.  Sorry for the sun-glare on some of the photos- if it's not middle of the night and no light, it's middle of the blazing day.  *sigh*

Ingredients:
Paper: Prints: October Afternoon, Cardstock: Stampin' Up
Misc: Dicuts: October Afternoon, Large Chipboard C: Heidi Grace Designs, Other letters: Piggy Tales, Dimensional Glaze: Stampin; Up, White glaze pen

Challenges:
Sketches in Thyme: June Open Challenge
Apron Strings: My blues are more aqua and royal/navy but it's as close as I could come.

October Afternoon:

Meet Me on Monday

1. What is your favorite food?
Back to the wall, one favorite... Thai Red Curry.  It could be shrimp, chicken, beef, tofu, mussels... I don't care.

2. What color scheme is your bedroom?
We bought a house with 40+ cans of paint in the garage.  Yeah.  No kidding.  Luckily, the previous owner had GREAT taste in decorating.  Our room is a taupey-brown with a white ceiling so we added a brown and turquoise theme through curtains and bedspread.

3. Do you carry a donor card?
Yep- it's on my driver's license.

4. In your opinion, is the glass half empty or half full?
I'm more pessimistic than I'd like.  Most of the time I think it's shattered on the floor.

5. Vanilla or Chocolate?
Funny thing is, I don't like plain chocolate.  I worked at M&M Mars for 10+ years and when I worked at the office where the actual M&M's plant was, I HATED the smell.  I also was one of the original 13 Dove Chocolate at Home (Dove Chocolate Discoveries now) home consultants (should have stayed with that one, no?  Imagine the downline!), part of the reason I got out was I HATED the smell of melting chocolate.  That said, I will chew your arm off to get to a piece of chocolate covered fruit.  I love chocolate cake, rocky road ice cream, brownies... seriously dislike chocolate ice cream, can't stand chocolate chip cookies...  I wish I understood it.

Life in the Craft Lane site

You guys should check this one out.  Julie McGuffee has a site called "Life in the Craft Lane."  It's tied in with a webring- Designer Crafts Connection.  The participants have a range of creative passions from papercrafting to jewelry-making to altered art and mixed media and much of their work is just amazing! 

Once a month there's a giveaway that involves going around the ring, essentially a blog hop, and looking for a particular image, just picking out a project you like... each month the scavenger hunt is different.  This past month I was the winner and the prize was 2 awesome scrapbooking reference books.  Julie, the "ringleader" (sorry, I couldn't help myself) said she'd throw in a few page kits.  Ok.  I was picturing something that could make 2 or 3 pages, NOT 4 full Lisa Bearnson page kits that make 6 pages each PLUS a pack of extra goodies PLUS page protectors! 

The July giveaway is promised to be spectacular and I wouldn't doubt it.  I HIGHLY recommend checking it out!

CAS Birthday Card

Crafty Steals is celebrating their 2nd bday and posting a few challenges along the way.  One today was around a sketch that I thought would be perfect for a stamp I've been wanting to use and a bday card I need to make for a friend.

Ingredients:
Stamp: Verve (I bought the set for this one stamp... though the whole set is great thankfully!)
Ink: Elegant Eggplant, Pink Passion: SU
Paper: Whisper White, Pink Passion: SU,   Print...?

Crafty Steals Challenge:

Layered Poinsettia Card

Deets:
The poinsettia was stamped/embossed/colored/cut four times from kraft paper and each of the layers was popdotted to the next.

Ingredients:
Stamp: Poinsettia: Holly Berry House, Sentiment (Four the Holidays): SU
Ink: Gold: Encore:
Paper: Kraft, Very Vanilla: SU,   DP: Little Yellow Bicycle & Making Memories
Misc: Jeweled Gold EP: Stampendous, Copics, Dew Drops: Robin's Nest

Challenges:
Winter Wonderland: Christmas Flowers
iCopic: #35: Anything but White
The Emerald Faerie: #3: Petals
Veronica's: Part of CropStop Summer Hop: Make it pop/3D (Ok.  It's not summery at all but it pops!)
Pear Tree Designs: #54:

BLTS Challenge 1- What I do after a bad day

The first challenge this month at Better Living Through Scrapbooking was to scrap what we do to de-stress or what we do after a bad day. I wish my habits were a bit more positive... another thing to work on. I'll get to that eventually... maybe.

We also need to do at least 2 of the following:
1. Use a sketch for your layout. (below)
2. Stamp without ink. Use paint, glue for flocking or glittering, etc. (mist... still ink but a bit different than an ink pad for stamping. I wasn't wild about the result so I went back with a black pen to do more coloring)
3. Include a bird in your layout in some way, whether a picture, stamp, sticker, etc
4. Use an item you have laying around on your project. Anything at all, as long as it’s not specifically made for scrapbooking.

Ingredients:
Paper: Print: My Mind's Eye, Greens: SU, Journalling tag: October Afternoon
Stamps: Letters: Studio G, Crow: SU
Coloring: Basic Black: SU, Mist (to color crow): Log Cabin Smooch Spritz: Clearsnap

Challenges:
BLTS June Challenge #1
Sketchy Sunday: TG023

Better Living Through Scrapbooking- June Challenge #2

The 2nd challenge of the month was posted yesterday- Then and Now.  I highly recommend checking it out.  So far, no one has entered either challenge yet this month so your chance of winning is pretty darn good.

"Creative Girl" tag

I picked the Creative Girl stamp up for a few bucks the other week at the Unity sale.  I didn't know what I was going to do with it but I HAD to have it.  There's a lot more I've got to find to do with it (I'm seeing some cards in its future) but when I saw My Unity Place was having a tag challenge, I thought it would be perfect.

I actually used a panel I saw online as my starting point but I knew I wanted to use a lot of blue (I'm still there after the ornaments card last week.)  There are actually 5 copies of the stamp on this tag. 

1. her dress

2. her body/hair (the red heart is a separate layer)

3. the embossed silver swirl background

4. the edge sentiment (the red heart is a separate layer again)

5. the 1st blue background which I distressed the edge of

The last layer was embossed and the embossed areas were tapped with TH's Denim and Walnut Stain.  I didn't care for those- they didn't pop enough, so I went back and tapped them again with silver ink.  Better.  Much better.

Ingredients:

Paper: Home Collection: Deja Views, Brocade Blue, Whisper White: SU, Manilla Folder, Michaels

Stamp: Creative Girl: Suzi Blu/Unity

Coloring: Silver ink: Encore, Brocade Blue, Basic Black inks: SU, Tuxedo Black ink: Momento, Copics

Misc: Lg. eyelet, Elegant Lines embossing folder: SU,  Silver EP: Joanns, Misc ribbons

Challenges:

My Unity Place: Make a tag

Craft Your Passion: #63: Paper Piecing

Southern Girls Challenge: #21: Anything Goes

Non-traditional Christmas card

This has GOT to be one of most edited cards I've ever done.  It started out with nativity scenes, colored with Copics and mounted on scalloped circles on a b/w card.  This is what I ended up with.

Yeah.  A bit different than the start with lots of changes in the middle.  I like it though- not your traditional red and green.  I put a layer of black behind one side of the ornaments to play up the "shadow" even though they're pop-dotted and tie in some more similarity with the black paper layers in the background and on the sentiment.  I also clear-embossed the ornaments with 3 layers of EP to give them a bit of gloss and more depth.

Ingredients:
Stamps: Antique Background, Tree Trimmings, Four the Holidays: Stampin' Up
Paper: Whisper White, Brocade Blue: Stampin' Up  Black: Michaels
Ink: Brocade Blue, Whisper White, Basic Black: Stampin Up
Misc: Clear EP: JoAnn's  Pearls, Silver cord

Challenges:
Winter Wonderland: Swirls & Pearls
Pixie Dust Studios: #78: Let's Cool Down
Top Tip Tuesday: #38: Open Challenge
Sweet Stamps: #19: Embossing
A La Card Monkey: #60

Meet Me on Monday

1. What is your favorite yogurt flavor?
Hmmm... Key Lime? Raspberry? Lots of possibilities there.

2. Ankle or knee socks? and on the same theme, white socks or coloured??
White ankle socks. I'm much too casual for anything else. In the winter with my Sketchers, I will wear nifty cotton, colored, print mid-calf socks for a change of pace.

3. How is the weather right now?
This evening's storm finally broke the mid-90 degree temps we've had for 2-3wks. This week is supposed to be mostly low-80's. Still warm for someone who prefers 40-60 degree days but it's an improvement if only temporary.

4. Are you a fast typer?
I don't know my typing speed but after numerous college papers, a Master's thesis, and many years in documentation, to put it simply, yep.

5. Red or White Wine?
As long as it's not dry, pretty much anything. I used to like dessert wines- that sweet. I've backed off of that but I still like a touch of sweetness. And oaky/woody flavors... ummm... I may as well lick a tree. :)

Quick Graduation Card

I realized this morning that our neighbor's daughter was graduating from high school today.  Oops.  No card, no gift.  While they're not required, with these folks, it would be a nice gesture.  Enter quick grad card.  I actually CASED the basic card from a grad card I saw in Paper Crafts (May/June: Julie Masse's "You Did It!" card.) 

 

Ingredients:

Paper: Old Olive, Whisper White: Stampin' Up, Star print: Michaels, Chipboard scrap (for mortarboard)

Stamp: Studio G

Ink: Basic Black: Stampin' Up

Misc: Pearl-Ex Mists (Interference Bronze), WOW brad: Making Memories (?) Pastels: Stampin' Up

Challenges:

Apron Strings: Five for Friday.  Use 1 Sheet cardstock, 1 Sheet patterned paper, 1 Set brads, 1 Set chipboard, 1 Length ribbon.  Obviously I blew this one a bit with the use of a stamp, pastels, mist, and white paper but I stuck as close as I could to the challenge while accomplishing what I needed so I thought I'd throw it out there anyway.

Scrapmaster's Paradise: Lime-a-licious Challenge.  Sorry.  No lime, only Olive.

Better Living Through Scrapbooking - 1st June Challenge

I mentioned that I really like the Better Living Through Scrapbooking challenges. I'm struggling a bit over the first one this month but I wanted to share it with you in case you wanted to enter.  I highly recommend it!


What do you reach for after a bad day, a disappointment, or when a project or plan fails? Do you have a favorite comfort food or a preferred activity? Do a project showing what makes you feel better again.


Use at least 2 of the following:

1. Use a sketch for your layout. You must credit the artist that created the sketch in the comments section of this post. If you use an online sketch, include a link.

2. Stamp without ink. Use paint, glue for flocking or glittering, etc.

3. Include a bird in your layout in some way, whether a picture, stamp, sticker, etc

4. Use an item you have laying around on your project. Anything at all, as long as it’s not specifically made for scrapbooking (price tags from clothes, junk mail, etc).
Be sure to upload your project to the mini-gallery by May 31, 2011 to be eligible for this month’s prize. Happy Scrapping!

Happy Summer card

Flirty Anya was another stamp I picked up last week during my shopping spree (but wait!  there's more!)  I generally don't go girly (somehow I think you've heard that before) but I thought she was cute without being cloying and it doesn't hurt to have a girly stamp or three.  When I saw there were some summer challenges, I thought she'd be perfect.  As for the sketch, I took it rather literally for a change though I did have to move the sun- I realized I colored her highlights on the wrong side for the sketch to work as it was.  Oops.  The little things you don't think of right off the bat sometimes.

Deets: The light blue paper in the back was misted with the Interfernce Blue PearlEx mist I made.  The sun and crab have Crystal Effects on them and are pop-dotted (the crab is actually attached to the background on one side to make him look more like he's crawling along.)  Anya is paper pieced- the dress, flower and hair were all cut from different papers.

I actually did 2 of this card- 1 to keep and 1 to send to a friend whose teaching year is almost done.  I kinda prefer the Anya's placement on the 2nd- she isn't in the water quite as much.

Ingredients:
Stamps: Flirty Anya: The Greeting Farm   Everyday Flexible Phrases, On the Beach: Stampin' Up
Inks: Tuxedo Black: Momento
Paper: Real Red, Whisper White, Yoyo Yellow, Pink floral (hostess pad): Stampin' Up  Others: Michaels   Coloring: Copics, PearlEx mist (Interference Blue)
Other: Crystal Effects: SU  Sandpaper, Word Window punch: Stampin Up, Memory Makers tearing strips

Challenges:
Pear Tree Designs: #52: Summer Delights
The Corrosive Challenge Blog: #119: Summer Colors
Sarah Hurley Challenge Blog: #42: Summer
Sweet Stampin' Challenge: Playing in the Summer Sun
create: Summer cards with waves
Kraftin' Kimmie: #81: Cut it Out 
Playing in Paradise: #18: Paper Piecing
Card Patterns: Sketch #118

Rockin' Father's Day Card

This is the card for my husband for Father's Day.  I've been wanting to get a Kenny K stamp for a while now and finally did last week.  The inside of the card says "You rock my world."

The piece behind the pop-dotted Rock Chick is chipboard that was in a package I received to keep things flat.  It was a great weight, in perfect condition, and I knew I'd used it for something.  :)  I embossed it and spritzed it with mists.  The horizontal piece is the same minus the embossing.

Ingredients:
Paper: Kraft: SU, Print...? Chipboard: leftover packaging
Coloring: Black Momento, Copics, Log Cabin Smooch Spritz, Bronze Mist (made w/ PearlEx)
Misc: Diamond Plate embossing folder: Cuttlebug, Brown bling: Creative Charms, Brown Sharpie

Challenges:
Desert Island Crafts Challenge: #9: Use at least 3 of 10:

   1. Use glimmer Mist or similar
   3. Something recycled (chipboard)
   5. Chipboard
   8. Glitter or Bling (the button is actually glittery too)
iCopic Lover: #33: Brown hair
Craft Your Passion: #61: Anything Goes
Crop Stop: #22: Sketch + extra embossing challenge

Meet Me On Monday

Java's changing it up a bit and doing 4 questions now...

1. What is was the last piece of candy that you ate?
I actually just had a few jumbo jelly beans left from our Easter basket.  Yep, that's right.  My parents still load up my childhood Easter basket every year.  Let's not talk about Christmas stockings!

2. Do you "read" in the bathroom?
When else would I have a chance to look through PaperCrafts and Creating Keepsakes?!  :)  Seriously.  In a house with a 3yr old, you grab whatever private moment you have to call your own.  (Java mentioned that this is apparently National Bathroom Reading Month.  Why?  Would someone please tell me why?)

3. I can't stand when someone _________?
does something rude/stupid on the road and doesn't wave to acknowledge that someone else did them a favor of not rear-ending/t-boning them!  Is it really that hard to say, "Thanks, my bad."?

4. Do you do daily, weekly or monthly grocery shopping?
It's supposed to be weekly but it tends to be a few days in the week by the time I hit all of the appropriate stores having great sales and/or getting the things I forgot/didn't know I needed the first/second time around.