13 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN - Day 10

One thing you'll notice is I keep my cards simple. I want anyone to look at my card and say "I can do that... but here's how I want to make it my own.'

I made that Recollections moon-glow cardstock as the focal this time. The three small images are from the Michael's tower baskets eons ago.. back when they were $1 baskets. These came shrink-wrapped in sets of 2. 

The bats are from last year's SU Spooky Fun stamp set, as is the greeting.

For the greeting mat, I used the retired Curly Label punch from SU. I punched one each in the black and in the moon glow. the black one, I cut in half then clipped each one off again in the curve then off-set them on either end of the sentiment mat. The entire mat is set on pop dots. 

As I look at this I see my squares a bit wonky. I've been using more glue and less tape runner. I don't know about you, but it seems the tape runner doesn't have the same longevity it used to. I can put adhesive on something today and within a couple of days, pieces are falling off. My office is climate controlled so I know that humidity isn't a factor. One of my favorite liquid glues to use, aside from the Mono-adhesive from Stampin' UP! is the craft glue from $ Tree. They come in 1.5 oz bottles, I believe, with a blue cap. They squeeze out in a fine line.. or if you do like I did and manage to break the tip off, you can just squeeze it out the hole and smear it... or apply with a brush for good coverage. 

What's your favorite adhesive to use? 

Creative Blessings!

Kelly 

13 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN - Day 8

Bob came home on Friday afternoon - six days earlier than was expected. And as is the case, we have been on the go ever since. Friday we went out to dinner. Saturday we drove to Lowe's in Sikeston MO (about two hours away) to pick up a few things we needed towards getting the house back in shape. We were on the go for twelve hours yesterday!

Today, I begin pulling everything out of the office that isn't in place, add in two cubby units in the sewing corner then put everything back -TODAY! So up before the sun to get today's and Tuesday's post up. I haven't decided what I'm doing for the 13 days of Halloween - Mixed Media post just yet. I'll be thinking about that as I pull stuff out of the office ;-)

In the mean time, here's today's card:

One of the reasons I love this blog in parallel to my Stampin' UP! blog is that I can use retired and non-su products here. Forcing me to use from my stash.  This card is a perfect example.

I used all Recollections cardstock. This is a black base 4.25x5.5". After folding, I used my Martha Stewart spiderweb border bunch. I lined the inside of the card with kind of a moon-glow yellow/orange cross to pull the same color in the mat behind the cauldron image. That image is one of the new ones in the Michael's Tower Bins for $1.50. I colored the top in a Japanese version of Wink Of Stella in a sparkly bright green. The bordering papers are cut from last year's SU Pick Your Poison Designer Series Paper. 

I didn't notice the 'stars' on the card mat until after I'd uploaded. They dusted of. But kind of cool as an initial effect :-D

Are you making Halloween cards? Passing out treats? What's your favorite Halloween treat? 

Creative Blessings!

Kelly

WOYWW WEDNESDAY - #220

PRODUCT UPDATE!
Here is the link to the Menards website showing the tray I used. Even if you don't have a Menards in your area, you can always print out the picture and take it to your local home improvement store. I have yet to have anyone know what I'm talking about when I ask for a Gable Vent. LOL 

http://www.menards.com/main/building-materials/roofing-soffits-gutters/ventilation/static-foundation-vents/12-x-12-aluminum-gable-vent/p-1697307-c-13260.htm

I really love What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday. Hostess, Julia Dunnit atStampin' Ground has created this awesome web of participants that allows us to peek inside each other's studios every week. Just click -> WOYWW to see what it's all about.

Although my desk is not a disaster for a change, I haven't had time the past couple of days to really work on anything. Bob took the opportunity to work an extra week on the boat so we could afford to spend three days in one of my favorite communities - Paducah KY. They will be hosting BBQ on the River the weekend just after my birthday. I'll have 2.5 days to wander the art district, enjoy scrumptious bbq and do some research for my next novella.  All while my husband follows patiently, letting me do my thing. This Sunday will mark 29 years of marriage and we are as happy now as we were then. We're still best friends. So he left yesterday and will be gone an entire month. He'll come home just in time for his mom and her husband to arrive for a week-long visit.

Last week we spent three days in Sprinfield MO celebrating our anniversary early. He got the pool and hot tub he wanted and I got to poke through stores. We spent over an hour touring the gun museum at Bass Pro. Wow! Some amazing pieces of history in that place. Whether you like guns or not, if you love history you really need to put this on your Places to See list. We ate way too much food over the course of three days. Wednesday night we ate at Outback Steakhouse. Enough said. Thursday we ate at Hemmingways @ Bass Pro for lunch then Red Robin for supper. We'd never eaten there and enjoyed the food. I think I enjoyed playing Galaga and Ms PacMan more than the food :-) Friday before heading home we ate at Asian Garden. They do all-you-can-eat crab legs on their Friday and Saturday dinner bar.

For stamps I found this nice collection at Michaels...

I found this set at Hobby Lobby. Perfect for a writer, don't you think? 

And a better look at what those Halloween stamps are resting in...

This is an attic vent. I can pull the loose stamps from the drawer I want to use and sit them in here. No more having the stamps scattered across the desk in my way! This is a 12x12.

That's all my desk you get to see this week ;-). I'll be visiting 'round the neighborhood later this evening or tomorrow. 

Creative Blessings!

Kelly

MIXED MEDIA MONDAY - Whispers

I've decided my first focus in Mixed Media is going to be to finish the Whispers of Me that I talked about last fall. I started the book about four years ago when I taught my first Altered Book class at Michaels in Peoria. I never finished the project. But I am making a trip to IL for a week in April and will be meeting up with some of the girls from the class. I'd love to take the completed book with me. I have a lot to do but if I focus (there's that word again), I think I can accomplish it.

I have a rolling cart full of the papers, embellishments, etc that I wanted to use in this project. Once the book is finished, I can integrate those items back into my regular paper art supplies rather than in a separate space.

I taught the group (5 ladies and 1 guy) it was okay to 'rescue' a book. To breathe new life into something otherwise forgotten. One of the techniques was to create what I call stair-step pockets on one page. Great for tucking theater programs, love notes, photographs.

This one was just a double-page spread focusing on flowers in the same color tones as I'm using throughout the book. I love vintage tones, ephemera.

Whispers

What's On My Mind Wednesday

Okay... it's not Recycle Wednesday, but it sounded good. hehe

I took yesterday off to go into the city for the day. A long day which began with getting on the road by 8 a.m. and pulling back into my driveway a bit before 10 p.m. It was a relaxing day. I did some snooping, some shopping, enjoyed lunch with my sister and browsed mixed-media books at Barnes & Noble.

I started off heading for Ava, MO. Remember the blog hop I went on last fall? Dogwood Quilting is where I won the $50 gift certificate. I knew I wanted the solid cotton fabric for the sashing and backing for the butterfly quilt made from reproduction fabrics. We couldn't find a thing that worked! She had very limited supply of the solid cottons. Connie said she seldom has a request for them. Okay... plan B. I see a book for projects using the paint sticks. I've been wanting these but not enough to spend $35+ plus for a 5-pack. Guess what? They were sold out. So much for Plan B.

I did manage to find two quilting books I couldn't live without. One was the Pioneer Sampler by Eleanor Burns. I've recorded the series off of RFD-TV but wanted the book for a more detailed cutting instruction. I also picked up Burgoyne Surrounded - A Classic Quilt Plus Six Variations by Elizabeth Hamby Carlson.

Once I got to Springfield, I went to Hobby Lobby, Michaels and JoAnns. I found the perfect fabric for the sashing/ backing. I thought it was on sale. Turned out it wasn't, but it was a better price than I'd have found in another quilt store and exactly the color I wanted... a pale mint green. I also took advantage of paper being on sale. Slabs and individual sheets were 40% off and I had a coupon for an additional 20% off. I was disappointed they only had a couple of the new DCWV slabs in... and not the ones I wanted. I did buy a solid slab to use with one of my others for a DCWV scrapbook layout competition I'm hoping to enter this month. It dawned on me I probably didn't want to use SU cardstock for the layout hehe.

At Hobby Lobby, I picked up a package of the CB border folders with a coupon and they had the Paper Studio ribbon spools 50% off. Yeah, had to pick up 10 of those :-) You know, like I needed more ribbon! I've wavered back and forth about the CB border folders until I saw a card recently where the border folder was used to create a separate mat - not for embossing the edge of the card. It was one of those DUH! moments for me.

I didn't find a single thing at Michaels. That store was a disaster! They didn't have hardly any Easter crafting supplies and I really wanted paper mache eggs to do a project with Adrian while she's here. What 4-year - old doesn't like to tear paper and glue! The $1 tower baskets along the front of the store were empty and they didn't have a single new slab of the DCWV. I was so frustrated, I didn't even bother going back to the art department. I do know that for all the 'bad scores' the Peoria Michaels store ever got, our store NEVER looked like this one. I'm not even sure it's worth going back. I can always use an overnight in Paducah where the store is clean, well stocked and friendly staff.

After early dinner at Red Lobster for Lobsterfest with my sissy, I spent an enjoyable hour at Barnes and Noble browsing mixed media books. There were several new ones but I came home with only a Texas magazine and a wood tick! Yep, a tick. Thank you B & N!

I have a bunch of writing stuff due over the next couple weeks so I'm going to force myself out of the studio to get those projects out of the way. So for the next couple of weeks, probably the only posts will be the Magazine Monday. But I'll pop in to keep you updated on progress.

Creative Blessings!

DCWV

By now ya'll know my absolute favorite DP to work with is DCWV. Their paper slabs are so rich, well-coordinated themes you just can't help but flip through a slab while your creative brains spins wildly with the unlimited possibilities.

Last week I discovered their blog, DCWV Diary. WOW! They have been featuring the new slabs in both their namesake - DCWV slabs and their 'undercover' line, RECOLLECTIONS (found at Michaels). Today marks the release of their AWESOME spring slabs hitting Michaels shelves. Check out THIS YouTube video to see them up close. My favorite is the Garden Tea Party.

It will be another 2 weeks before I can see them in person but between JoAnns and Michaels, it's going to be a DP buying weekend! LOL

Today's post on their blog showcases the Top 10 of their February Sketch Challenge, as well as revealing the winner. I love the diversity of the take on the sketch. Incidently, they got their sketch from Sketch Savvy This is the 2nd time TODAY, I've been directed to Susan's blog so I had to check it out. She has some great stuff over there. Lots of cool inspiration. I hope you take a couple minutes to check it out while you're cruising.

Creative Blessings!

Artful Thursday.. Getting it together

Today begins a series of something I love to play with but don't devote near enough time to... mixed media art. I don't think I've very good but then again, being any good at art is irrelevant. Truly, 'good' is in the eye of the beholder.

Last fall I met a wonderful person on Splitcoast Stampers. If you look over under my Paper Bloggers Unite list, you'll see The Paper Dog. That would be Michelle. As soon as I found out she loved art journals, we started chatting. And something just clicked! I love when that happens. It's like you've been friends forever. In six months, that's the way Michelle and I have become.

We decided for our first joint venture, we would walk through Taking Flight By Kelly Rae Roberts. I'll talk more about the book next week, but actually delving into a long-term project prompted me to get my art together. I mean everything in my stamping studio is organized, my writing life is organized but the tools of the art trade seemed to be everywhere in the house.

Last week while in Springfield I found this soft-sided scrapbook tote for 50% off. It's brown, cream and black. There were just enough pockets to hold the basics plus space to add specific items for individual projects.

As you'll see from the photos, I have it well organized. I wanted to make sure I could get to everything easily. And if I ever attend an art retreat, I can keep my tools somewhat contained, not infringing on someone else's space.

The inside of the flap has three pockets. I've designated one for glue sticks, one for small punches, and one for my water color pencils and brushes case.

Each end has a big zippered pocket plus an open pocket.

Not shown, but the zippered pocket on one end of the bag is full of Tombo Mono adhesive refills and some cardboard sheets. Can never have too much adhesive on hand when working a project. That's why I order mine by the case from Penwa office supplies. Their prices are reasonable (about $1.85 per refill as opposed to over $2 -with coupon at the craft stores- when purchase by a case of 100). They also ship in a reasonable time frame.

The other end pocket holds my chalks and oil sticks in the zippered compartment and the pen keeper with all of my gel pens and fine black writing pen in the open pocket. I LOVE all the colors I have to work with.

There is a big zippered pocket across the front that for now is holding my small alphabet stamp sets. These are by Studio G and sell at WM and Michaels for $1 per set. They're the perfect size for journaling or small ring tags and ATCs.

But the real treasure is inside the big open compartment. I had this multi-pocket bag from my days as an instructor at Michaels. I emptied it when I had Bob build that sectioned compartment along the front edge of my work table to hold all my scrapbooking tools. It fits perfectly within the main storage space.

Within the parameter pockets I have a misting bottle, bottles of stickles in various colors, cutter replacement blades, basic office supplies, Mono applicator and dimensional glaze. The inside pockets are large enough to hold my containers of Gel Medium, White Gesso and Clear Gesso. I also have dry baby wipes, needle mat, various applicators like chenille balls and Qtips, and CS mats for tags and a container of Watercolor paper mats, clear stamps and acrylic blocks.

When this bag is stowed away in place, I can place my writing instruments book on top, as well as my paper trimmer. The writing instruments book is composed of Elmer's Pencil Pouches in various colors and held together - book style - with 3 ring clips. Each pouch holds something different. Twistable colored Pencils, broad tip markers and Flair Pens. This keeps all of the writing items together (and horizontal for longer life). Plus I can stand it up easel-style in front of me and flip the 'pages' to the items I want.

Wherever the creative journey takes you... go in style!