Recycle Wednesday

I started this project last week but just could't get the time to finish it until this morning. I rearranged an entire bookcase unit to accommodate my excess mixed media toys - you know the ones that wouldn't fit in that rolling bag I bought earlier this year. I wanted to have the  items I used frequently at my finger tips, not stashed in the bag.

In looking at the May/June issue of Paper Crafts magazine, a storage idea caught my eye... something they would be showing in their special publication Practical Solutions. If you can get a copy, look on page 34 - Found Objects for Mother's Day. They took a variety of empty cans and turned them into a decorative storage unit for your desktop.

So here's what I started with:

 I spray painted them all white. I didn't want the traditional colors I'll be using in the studio. I wanted something more about the 'artsy' side of me. Well... I picked up on my witchy colors and came up with this:

I left approximately a 1/4" of the white showing above and below the edge of the base of the deep wine ValuCardstock. Then I reached for the folder containing homemade papers. The green layer is almost tissue paper weight with a bit of leaf pattern through it. Then I added the heavier orange/ purple/ silver handmade papers.I adhered each layer with ModgePodge.  The can in the far back (hard to see) and each of the two cans flanking it (fabric markers and smaller brushes) are glued to another inverted can with E6000 to stagger the levels. 

Now I have my large OneStroke burshes in one can - great for spreading modge podge or gel medium, a can for a variety of smaller brushes, one for fabric markers, another for a variety of texturing tools and one for pallet knives. I'm not sure what I'll use the tuna can in the very front but it helps fill the space. They are not glued to the lazy susan but appear to be stable. 

Next week I'll have a storage solution I designed based on a sample I saw on-line. I saw a storage unit for Stickles and decided I could make one of those. Well, like most of my projects - though I could make it - I design it and hubby builds it. Can't wait to show you!

Creative Blessings!

Magazine Monday

Squeaking in under the wire tonight.


This week’s Magazine Monday challenge comes from the May/June 2012 issue of Paper Crafts Magazine. They showcased a Designer Challenge of creating a Feminine and a Masculine card using the same product. I knew I wanted to use DCWV Once Upon A Time. I fell I love with this slab when it was first introduced about six years ago. With a mixture of lights and darks, burgundies and deep purples with a mix of fairies and dragons, I knew this would be an easy challenge.

I paired the DCWV papers with SU Very Vanilla. For the feminine card, I also added SU Cherry Cobbler. With a few antique pearls and a rich double-layer flower, a bit of vintage lace and decorative ribbon is all I needed to pull everything together. I used the SU Vintage Labels for the sentiment.

The guy card came together just as well. I have very few ‘guy’ images. (I can work on fixing that problem when I go to the convention in a couple weeks) But with the blues in mind, I flipped through my binder of UMs to the Coastal/ Maritime collection by InkaDinkaDo. I chose the small sail boat and a sentiment from what I believe may be a Gina K designs collection. I created a pendant flag to stamp the sentiment on. The backgrounds of both mats was inked with SU Baja Breeze.

 I then stamped both the image and the sentiment by first inking the stamps with Baja Breeze then over-inking with Perfect Plum. The ribbon is from Michaels.

This one I’m going to sneak into my husband’s suitcase when he goes back out on the boat in a couple weeks. He knows I made him a card but I told him he never knows where it will show up. I’m ornery like that.

Magazine Monday

I tried to get this card up last night but I needed to wait for the glass effects to dry.

The card I chose this week came from a Go-To Sketch design in the current issue of Paper Crafts Magazine and fit a challenge on the All Occasion Card Challenge (AOCC) at SCS. I seldom take time to combine challenges but this one just seemed to fall into place.

As you can see in the pic, the Sketch LO was originally set vertical. Becky Cowley was one of 2 designers to flip it. Where I have ribbon, she used SU patterned papers. But I knew it was perfect for the AOCC12E challenge to use a minimum of 3 pieces of ribbon. I used 10 plus a piece of vintage lace.

The ribbons were from SU seam binding and from my ribbon drawers. The background paper is from Paper Studio called Mirabella Floral. I LOVE this paper any time I want to create something vintage. You might recall I used it on one of the Altered Books I did a couple months ago. The die cut and the butterfly are from a kit I got as part of a Quacker Secret Sister swap from Maggie last winter. It's from Hot off the Press (division of Paper Pizazz) I accented the butterfly with glass effects.

Hmmm just noticed my business name is on the cards. Need to remember to change that :-)

Magazine Monday

Until I got out of bed this morning, I didn't think this post would happen. We've been told for days to expect strong thunderstorms today and tomorrow with added rain through Thursday. All of this meant no computer for most of the week. Agh!

Imagine my delight when I woke up to no rain or storms. The skies are a bit overcast and the temperature about fifteen degrees cooler than past mornings. But it was pleasant while I was out filling the bird feeders and saying good morning to my dogs.

With tomorrow being the first day of spring and Big Bird's Birthday, I thought I'd show you one of the birthday cards I made for VSN this month. The challenge was to showcase spring.

I found a 5-step card by Designer Lana Lepinski called Within Your Heart in the April/ May 2006 issue of Paper Crafts magazine.

Lana used Stampin' Up product layering Always Artichoke on Mellow Moss. She did a running stitch border. Then she tore the right edge of a Bordering Blue and Whisper White cardstocks, layering the white on the blue and adhered them to the stitched mat. To the left side of the white, she stamped flowers from SU Fresh Fields in Mellow Moss (leaves) and Bordering blue (flowers). She stamped the Dreams sentiment in Basic Black to the right of the flowers. For an accent, she added a rustic wooden button with linen thread centered over the sentiment.

Her quote: Within your heart keep on, still, secret spot where dreams may go. ~ Louise Driscoll

I thought that quote would also work well as a Sympathy card.

Here is my interpretation of Lana's card. I made two of these. One using Bashful Blue and the other Pink Pirouette.

I used GP white and ValuCS for the base (still trying to use up that stuff). Because of the 45 min time limit per card, I opted not to set up the machine for stitching. The tulips are from SU Simple Florals. After stamping them with the markers, I added a soft color with the Derwent wc pencils. For the sentiment mat, I used SU Bashful Blue. The sentiment is printed off the computer: Youth is happy because it has the ability to see beauty. Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old. ~ Franz Kafka

The butterfly is by Co-Motion. I stamped it in the Bashful Blue then brushed it with Iridescent Stickles to catch the sunlight as it flies. The antennae are highlighted with the black Glaze pen.

I have a couple of options for tomorrow's Teapot Tuesday card. I started deep cleaning the office side of The Studio last week and my work table is still a bit cluttered. The other thing will be determined by the weather. Let's cross our fingers I get to stop in.

Creative Blessings!

Teapot Tuesday

I jumped right into this card on Saturday after getting the 'cheater' email about this week's destination. Not only did I know I had all the components to meet the requirements but because I felt deeply with the recipient. I don't ever want to be in her place. I've thought about the situation a lot over the past couple of years as I've addressed my own mortality, and those around me. Thinking of being without my best friend of 29 years sends me into a panic attack. Something else I seem to experience more as I get older. So this card is close to my heart and I hope it gives Teapotter Robin a bit of smile in what is a very dark time for her.

A quick overview, Robin's husband died in February from shock after experiencing an explosion while mixing rocket fuels. You can read her entire story HERE. Aside from finding peace at the ocean, she loves her yellow mustang. She's had it for years and it's full of memories for her and her husband. We were asked to think beach and bonus goodies if we included a yellow mustang.

Well, I didn't have a mustang - a clear stamp from Paper Crafts is all I had to work with but I made it bright yellow and parked it right on the sandy beach.

I used the red tape for the beach, coating it in sand. The shells, sentiment and gulls are all from a Sea Breeze clear stamp collection by InkaDinkaDo. The shells were stamped in Iridescent white on SU Soft Suede then triple embossed with Translucent EP. Sea Breeze is stamped in SU Pacific Point and the gulls in SU Baja Breeze. I colored the car with LePlume Lemon Yellow.

My heart goes out to Robin at this difficult time and hope all the cards she will receive in the coming days let her know how much she is loved and thought of.

Creative Blessings!

TeaPot Tuesday

What a fun card!

I looked at the challenge last night and by the time my eyes opened this morning I knew I wanted to do a black and hot pink card for John and Jane. I mean really, aren't those the colors that come to mind when you hear the word DIVA?

The Diva Cats are what John and Jane lovingly call their two very spoiled kitties. Diva also means bling so I made sure their collars were all decked out!

John is in Stage 4 of lung cancer. Through it all, John and his wife have remained the same upbeat, fun couple their family and friends know they are. You can read more about their story HERE at our Teapot Tuesday Destination Station post on Splitcoast Stampers.

Although it doesn't show up well in the pic, the black panel is run through the Swiss Dot CB folder. I layered the black ric-rack over a hot pink sparkly ribbon. The jewels on the color are set with clear glaze. Don't want those girls losing those precious stones in shipping!

The cat is a stamp I got on a freebie sheet in a Paper Crafts. I think she is so elegant and perfect for this destination.

Because John and Jane have 2 Divas, I had to make sure there were two on their card. Animals are like kids and you don't dare leave one or the other out of anything. I'm speaking from personal experience. I also know they are sometimes best separated so I placed one of them inside out of claws way.

I hope this card brings as much pleasure to John and Jane as I had making it.

Tomorrow... you get to see the tornado that hit my work table (and my quilting table). Well, not really, but it sure looks like it!

Creative Blessings!

Kelly