Magazine Monday...

... with a twist.

First off, I apologize for not posting last week. The week passed in a blur of trying to get the attention of a literary agent and making my house presentable for weekend company. Oh yeah, and hubby came home on Wednesday after being gone on the boat for 3 weeks. I didn't tend to any business at all last week.

Today's Magazine Monday isn't from a magazine layout. A couple weeks ago I took part in Virtual Stamp Night (VSN) at SplitcoastStampers (SCS). I had a blast! Over the course of the two days, I completed all 17 challenges based on the theme You Make My Heart Sing. Seventeen Hostesses took a turn at offering up a challenge based on the theme. I had a couple of favorites.

The first challenge asked us to create a card based on the layout of the 4 champers of the heart. For some reason, my mind went directly to Easter LOL. I made this card for the challenge and liked how it turned out so much I made 20 more for a Easter card front challenge for Ronald McDonald House.

I used a combination of Studio G stamps (carrot and sentiment) and the bunny/ basket from Hello Spring (Retired SU) I'm still trying to use up as much of my Valu CS as I can so I eventually work exclusively with SU. The cardstock was from the ValuCS Garden collection. I added texture with the CuddleBug Dotted Swiss folder.

But one card really surprised me. I was challenged to use a technique I'd never done before (well, not on CS anyway) and to make it for a guy. The Soot Technique required using a candle flame to burn off the glossy finish on Glossy Cardstock to give you a black/ sooty effect to dry-stamp into. I knew I had to use the STAG from Noble Deer (Retired SU) The scorched edges were an accident but wound up adding to the overall effect.

This card was chosen for the Honors Award! I was soooo surprised. One card is chosen from each challenge for the award. I didn't even knew there was such a category! LOL I think what surprises me most is that it was on a technique I'd never done before.

This technique reminded me of the old burnt paper bag technique I learned years ago from Aleene's Crafts.

Because my three-year-old granddaughter is here for two weeks, instead of a magazine layout next week, I'll showcase a couple more cards from VSN.

Creative Blessings!

All About Me

Back in January I applied for a staff position with Scrapbook News and Review, an on-line scrapbook magazine. Part of the application required submitting a layout showcasing ourself. It took me a while to figure out how to tell them about me in a scrapbook page. I referred to various idea books, including The Book of Me by Angie Pedersen and Scrapbooking your Adult

Years from Memory Makers . Finally it hit me. Everything I do stems from my love of COLOR. And I knew what the basis for the layout needed to be. I needed to include the color wheel.

I also needed to submit 4 other items that showcased my work - items I am the most proud of. I chose to use 2 additional layouts - 1 of a 2-pg spread and one of a single - as well as a card and a altered tag.

The 2-pg layout. It is a tribute to my late brother-in-law, Dan. A. Fellows. He was career Navy and served a tour of duty in Diago Garcia - his only unaccompanied tour. While there, we corresponded and I learned a lot about my brother-in-law. In the LO, I included a poem his wife (my sister) wrote about his leaving her and their 2 young children behind, called A Family Says Goodbye, which I chose as the title. I used a Christmas card he sent me from the island as a pocket to hold the letters I received.

Eventually I'll change the layout a bit to include the Navy insignia embellishment from K & Company. The military items were released after I'd created this for a competition.

The single page layout showcases a dear friend (and former daycare child/ Daisy Girl Scout troop member) She was only 6 in this picture. She's now 14! Man they grow so fast. But regardless of how old Kassie gets, I know she's always going to be very much like me.

Next week I'll have a springy layout to show you, introducing you to my very first daycare child. She recently became a mother for the first time. Remember what I said about them growing up so fast? Whether it be your own child, grand child or just a young one you have a fondness for, cherish each moment in your heart and on a scrapbook page. You'll be happy you took the time.

Creative Blessings!

It's in the Bag!

Last week I was able to surprise my secret sister at Splitcoast with a selection of goodies based on the Banishing the Winter Blues theme. Remember, one of the categories was to include 'Blue Jeans'. My husband and I came up with the same idea... to create a bag for Maggie.

I used a pair of my Old Navy jeans, cutting them off right at the top of the legs and putting a 3" gusset in the bottom. I didn't gusset the sides so it wasn't 'too' full. I lined the bag with the same bandana sytled fabric you see for the waist belt. To finish it off I removed the waistband and belt loops from a matching pair of jeans to create the handle. I added 2 belt loops on the sides - one on either side of the side seam and attached a D ring to run the waistband/ handle through. It had been awhile since I'd sat down to the sewing machine and the first time using the extension table Bob made for me last month before he left for the boat.

Next week I'll be showing off new kitchen and bathroom curtains... with a story to share :0)

Creative Blessings

Kelly