Birthday Balloons

Here's are the cute birdies of "A little birdie" set, one of my favorite oldies.  The balloons were cut on the Cricut using SCAL and painted with some homemade shimmer paint using Crystal Effects, Ranger's Perfect Pearls and ink.

Lots of little birdies are visiting my feeder this winter along with a pesky squirrel we have been trying to run off.  He's a clever little thing and last week he even brought along a friend!  I know he is out there because Jasper goes crazy running to the window, tail flapping a 100 mph.  He's a good alert cat but ineffective when it comes to chasing the squirrel away.  He runs in the opposite direction of the squirrel.

Thanks for visiting!

Ingredients:  Cardstock:  Pacific Point
Stamps:  A Little Birdie from Stampin' Up!; Polka Dot basics from Papertrey Ink
Watercolor crayons, markers and Crushed Curry ribbon also from SU!
Twine:  Doodlebug

2012 Free On-line Classes

It's a new year and many of my favorite instructors have free video based classes going again this year.  Here's a weekly rundown of things I've seen so far:

Monday's - Memory Keeping Mondays (love that title!) at Two Peas in a Bucket.  This class is taught by a different Garden Girl each week.

Over on Kristina Werner's blog, she continues Make A Card Monday each week with inventive cards.

Wednesday's - Nichol Magourik has her Scrap it Weekly series on her blog this year.  She takes you through a layout from product selection to the final embellishments.  (This is similar to her From Start to Finish series she did at 2P's last year.)

The Adventures of Glitter Girl  is new at Two Peas in a Bucket.  The mysterious Glitter Girl and her even more mysterious male narrator tackle a different problem each week.  Last week she shared tons of ideas on how to scrap memorabilia.

Friday's - Kristina Werner has Friday Focus which is typically a series of videos on a different topic per series.  Right now she is doing Valentine cards for 6 weeks.

Also, Two Peas in a Bucket does a card instruction video each Friday as well called Finally Friday. I'll update this post with a link when I find one.  I usually just see it on their YouTube channel.

I'm not sure there is a schedule for these, but they are great anytime.  Mary Fish at Stampin' Pretty has 1 Minute to Wow videos which are short, terrific tips for cardmakers.

So many wonderful regular videos.

Speaking of video, I've recorded several things I want to share.  I just haven't had a chance to edit them yet.  So keep an eye our here on my blog for a Valentine's Day card, a tip using embossing powder, a scrapbook sketch and pages, and a couple of scrapping tips videos. 

Thanks for visiting!  Happy learning.

the Installer

My husband, the pinball repairman, is also everyone's installer whether it is window treatments (for me) or a new DVD player for my Dad.  Here is the journaling for this layout:

 The installer...

of all electronic devices in tight space with no light. 

The reader of the instructions for the new DVD player his wife swore her father would never use.  

The trainer of those who are technologically challenged.  

The coach to bring the technologically challenged into the 20^th century at least.  

The repeater of instructions – over and over and over again.  

The responder to all questions.  

The interpreter of ‘this button in the middle.’ 

The on-call tech for late night television emergencies when his mother-in-law sits on the remote and turns off the satellite.  

The most patient one of all.

In other words… the son-in-law.  

My husband finds his in-law's challenges with learning how to use their DVD player humorous.  I'm so glad he is so patient with them.

The layout is based on Artfuldelight's sketch of the month.  You can find it here.  There are still a couple of weeks to get in a layout for a chance to win one of LeeAnn's wonderful monthly kits.

I used several papers from the Artfuldelight January kit on my page.  The gold and white paper from Studio Calico was a bit bright so I distressed it heavily with Antique Linen from Ranger - a wonderful ink to turn anything vintage and basically anything with a white background to a cream color.

The little yellow triangle embellishment has a particular significance that my husband will recognize.  When we setup the DVD player, my parents had to manually change an option on their television to switch modes.  This was my Mother's job- we call her 'Vanna.'  I think you can change it on the remote but for some reason, Lenny thought it would just be easier for them to press the button the TV.  The problem is you can't see the button on the TV!  So we took a piece a sticky note and taped it to the TV in the spot they were supposed to press.  It is now the 'little yellow button.'

The 'don't forget' embellishment was in the kit.  It was perfect bit of irony as everyone including us is always forgetting exactly what button you push to do what thing.

I love the background paper for this layout from My Mind's Eye.  It is kraft but with faint yellow stars so it doesn't look so flat.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Ingredients:  DSP:  Kraft Funday collection from My Mind's Eye;Cupboard and Book Jacket from Studio Calico; ledger paper from October Afternoon
Brad:  Stampin' Up!
Sticker:  Kraft Funday Happy Days stickers  by MME

Savor = Smile

Slowly I'm remembering to 'savor' moments as this is my word of the year.  Each time I do, I find myself smiling such as last night when I was killing time waiting on the debate to come on.  (My husband refers to the Presidential election as his soap opera.)  I found myself staring at the garland still on the mantle and smiling at how pretty it was.  The night before I'd smiled at the night sky and the full or nearly full moon and how the light played on the clouds. Or when I stop to think about people I love, I smile.

This morning I smiled at the sunrise and then remembered to find the camera and catch a photo.  I'm liking this 'savor' thing a lot.

Hope you savor your Sunday traditions.

Misty card for Mother-to-be

My cousin's daughter is expecting a baby boy in a few weeks.  Before she is head over heels in baby boy blue clothes and toys, I thought she might like a girly card in her favorite pink and brown combo.

I remember when the Mother-to-be was the Baby-to-be.  I was in college and my crafts were knitting and crocheting.  I knitted her Christening gown and made a little slip to go underneath. She and her younger sister wore the gown and it is now preserved.  Since this baby is a boy, I don't think the gown will get used this time around.  I think her shower is to be after the baby arrives so I'll have to figure out a gift.  What sort of papercraft could I do for a baby boy?  I've been out of the baby gift business for awhile - just at that stage where none of my friends were having babies anymore and too young for grandchildren.

For the card, I used some products new to me and so I'm submitting it to Scrap our Stash's January challenge. I learned about this from Sue's blog.   My new products are Studio Calico's mask and Cameo Mister Huey mist which were in Artfuldelight's January kit found here.  The butterfly stickers were also from the kit.  I may be the last papercrafter in the world to use bloomers but they are new to me.  I got them on sale over Thanksgiving weekend.

In addition to misting the background using the mask, I did a bit more misting with some Baja breeze and Perfect Pearls mixture I'd made up awhile back.  The little butterflies look misted but they are actually stamped with white ink using a background stamp that looks like paint splatter.  I also sponged a little Melon Mambo ink on the edges of the background and the large butterfly.  That butterfly is cut on the Cricut and then embossed and inked.

It was a fun card to do.

Thanks for visiting today!

Ingredients:  Cardstock:  Naturals Ivory from Stampin' Up!
Mist:  Mister Huey Cameo from Studio Calico
Inks:  Whisper White, Melon Mambo, Bermuda Bay from Stampin' Up!; Tumbled Glass from Ranger
Trims:  Webster's Pages
Ribbon:  Chocolate Chip Taffeta from Stampin' Up!

Happy Hearts

Monday night I took down one of the Christmas garlands and just put the boxes in the attic.  I'm thinking about adding another New Year's resolution to cut my grocery store trips down to once a week.  I'm just not sure I'm that committed, but I'd really like to be!

And here is a Valentine's Day card already.  Oh well, I get bored easy and have to move things along.

Actually, I made this in December when I tired of Christmas cards.  This is an easy one.  You don't need any stamps, just a heart punch or a die cutter with a heart shape.  All the twine is from one of those Doodlebug variety packs.

Hope you have a great day!  Thanks for visiting.

Ingredients:  Twine:  Doodlebug
Cardstock: Naturals Ivory from Stampin' Up!
DSP:  October Afternoon Farm Fresh and Cherry Hill

Tuesday's Tip: Printing small photos

Leaping Lemurs!  We had such fun seeing the Lemurs at Duke University's primate center in April.  With all the layers of cages (most necessary) it is tough to get good photos.  More about the layout below, let's first talk about the photos...


Most of my layouts stretch the page.  I have a lot of trouble leaving white space.  One of the reason is that I use so many 4x6 or sometimes larger photos.  Many times though I just don't need a photo that big.  I've found that it is typically less expensive to print my photos at home and certainly at a photo processor in 4x6 format.  Here is how I print 2, 3 or even 4 small photos on one 4x6.  I'm using Photoshop Elements version 9 but the idea can be applied to other versions of Photoshop or other photo processing software:

watch at  YouTube
(I apologize for the camera shake.  This was my first effort at videotaping something from the computer and I'm going to have to work on the method.)


For the layout, almost all the product is from Artfuldelight.com's January Kit.  What a bargain!  I got so much great stuff in this kit.  These kraft background papers are perfect for the theme here as is circle garland all from My Mind's Eye.  I liked getting the kit because it gave me a chance to try product I might not normally purchase.

One thing I do typically purchase that was included was the raw chipboard from American Crafts.  Most of my undressed chipboard is from Basic Grey.  I was delighted to see American Crafts add this to their Thickers and in a cool font of both upper and lower case.  It can really handle the finishes, too. First I misted this a beautiful color that came out too pink, so then I inked at least 3 coats to get a color I liked.  Then I tried some white paint around the edges and got too much so back to the ink.  Yeah, this stuff can really hold up to experimentation.

Oh and if you live in the Raleigh/Durham area or are visiting, call ahead to Duke University to schedule a tour of the Lemurs. We just lucked out on an opening.  They are usually booked out a couple of weeks.  It takes about 2 hours and is a really different experience.

Thanks for visiting today!

Ingredients:  From Artfuldelight kit:  MME Happy Kraft papers, American Crafts  Thickers, MME Happy Fun Days Garland and Stickers
Cardstock:  Riding Hood Red from Stampin' Up!
small letter stickers:  Jillibean Soup
Black Thickers:  Marquis from American Crafts

Savor 2012

Happy New Year! How did you ring in the year? I spent part of my day taking a walk as it is the last semi-warm day we are expecting for awhile.  It was gorgeous out.  My husband cleaned out the garage on New Years Eve to get a head start on his resolution to be more organized.  I didn't even have to ask!  It looks fantastic.  We lead exciting lives around here, I tell you.

As for my resolution, this year it is a word. Until a few days ago, I'd missed the idea of having a single word as your motto, mantra or whatever for a year.  I like this concept as it is so simple and easy to apply to many situations.  The word that first came to mind when I read a post about this was 'savor.'  I often live much of my life thinking about what has already happened or worrying about what is going to happen or what I need to get done.  Not nearly enough of my life is lived in the moment.  So in 2012, I vow to savor more of my life.  When my husband is rubbing my feet, I will not think about what I am planning to cook for lunch the next day.  You know I'm bad off if I can't concentrate on a foot rub.  :-0

Last year, my resolution was to "get moving."  I did increase my exercise level though in a completely different way than I envisioned and not as consistently as I'd hoped so I was semi-successful.

'Savor' fits in with some ideas I have for crafting this year as well. Here are two of my crafting objectives:

1. At least twice a month, re-use an old Technique, Tool or Product, or Training Resource.  Some of the training resources I have are materials from classes I've taken in the past and old scrapbooking magazines.  So I'll be 'savoring' my existing resources while still using new products as well.
   
   
   
2. Create at least 2 videos per month for the blog and YouTube.  I'm delighted with the number of subscribers I've picked up via YouTube.  I have 38 and probably had less than 10 a year ago. That doesn't sound like that many but I have to admit I haven't put much effort into it so far.  Imagine how many wonderful people I can connect with if I do a little more video sharing.  All of my videos have been cardmaking and technique so far.  I'd like to do some on scrapbooking.
   

For my bookmark, I used some older product and a training resource.  In one of Shimelle's classes last year, she had us take scrap paper and organize it into packets for page kits so you could just grab an appropriate one, some photos and start scrapping.  I did the organizing but never really used these for scrapbooks.  They are great though for cards and small projects.  The word Savor is cut on the Cricut with the Plantin Schoolbook cartridge using the end cap feature.  I glued different designer paper behind each letter using spray adhesive. Since bookmarks get a lot of handling, I like spray adhesive or Tombow Mono glue because they really hold up.

Thanks for visiting today!  I look forward to visiting your blogs in 2012 also!