2008 May 29 »

Tag It

Challenges, Rubbernecker, Tag Art 10 Responses »

May 292008

Good afternoon! I wasn’t going to stamp this morning. I had big plans in the yard. However, as I was cruising online this morning and checked in with the daily challenges at Splitcoaststampers, I saw that the Ways to Use it Challenge was all about packing today. In general, we can use packing/shipping products such as bubble wrap, shipping tags, packing tape or spin the challenge the other way and use a travel theme such as luggage tags, vacation theme stamps etc. I decided to spin the challenge, being the rebel that I am.

When I started downstairs to stamp, I had something in mind for the challenge. Needless to say, once I got started what was supposed to be cute and fun turned into something entirely different. The mojo took over and I was lost in creativity. I know, I know – I’m in a stamping slump or at least I say I am. Anyhoo, bear with me. It will probably take me longer to write this post that it did to make the darn tag.

I think what I’ll do first today, is actually show you the picture of the products used. That way when I mentioned something, you already know what I’m talking about.

I started with a plain manila shipping tag. The Travel Background was dabbed with the Copper Acrylic Paint Dabber and then stamped on the tag. Cool Peri, Salmon and Juniper were then wiped across the tag. Using a paper towel, the excess ink was wiped off and since the acrylic paint works as a resist, the ink wipes off the acrylic paint. The remaining images were then stamped in black. The rectangle postmarks were stamped on another tag, cut out and inked. They were each distressed in varying degrees, and mounted on the tag using Glossy Accents. The fragment piece was inked on the back using Alcohol Inks and then a postmark stamped on the front. The fragment was also attached with Glossy Accents. I had a 7 Gypsies passport tag in the stash, and cut out pieces of the tag, ink and distressed them. They are both attached to the tag using a brad. The Grunge Board Key was painted and inked and then tied together with a piece of an old earring with black hemp twine and then tied to the tag.

Stamps: Rubbernecker Travel Collection Travel Background SKU:44-08, Hotel Du Palais Paris, and Montreux Palace Luisse; Old World Collection Cote D’ Azur Postmark SKU:193-09, Eiffel Postmark SKU:193-08, Eiffel Tower SKU:193-10, MC Postmark SKU:193-04, Mk Postmark SKU:193-03, Moutier Postmark SKU:193-11, P2 Postmark SKU:193-02, and Paris Postmark SKU:193-07 from Rubbernecker Stamp Company
Paper: Manila Shipping Tags, 7 Gypsies 97% Complete Passport Tag
Ink: Ranger Adirondack Salmon, Cool Peri, Juniper, Archival Jet Black, Tim Holtz Vintage Photo Distress Ink, and Copper Mixative, Lettuce, Stream and Wild Plum Alcohol Inks
Accessories: Ranger Copper Acrylic Paint Dabber and Glossy Accents; Tim Holtz Idea-ology Grunge Board Elements and Fragments; Tonic Tim Holtz Distressing Tool; Tsukineko Sponge Dauber

Well, that’s about it for the day. I need to go out and dig some holes!

The Accident

Garden, Her Badness 16 Responses »

May 292008

There was an accident yesterday in Jeffersonville. It was a horrid event which occurred around 3:30 p.m. and caused much distress to Her Royal Badness. I was out working in the yard. I made up my mind a few days ago that I truly needed two starts from this snowball bush in the median strip.

I planted this bush close to 10 years ago from a start that a friend gave me. We cut the bush down for the first five years or so. The bush as it is now having not been cut down during the winter for four or five years. I can’t really remember. Heck I can’t remember what I did yesterday! Anyhoo, at the same time I planted this bush, I also planted one in the side yard.

This bush we have cut back every winter and kept under control. You can definitely tell the difference in size. The one in the median is absolutely beautiful when it blooms. I particularly love the way headlights hit it at night – it is just stunning in early summer with those big white blooms.

So here is my thinking. I have a spot in the backyard that is in desperate need of help. Since we did the remodel, we haven’t paid much attention to the backyard. This summer it is our goal to get more grass to grow, add some vegetation that we lost in the remodel, and in general make the area aesthetically pleasing. I am going to dig up three starts from the bush in the median. Two for me, and one for a neighbor that has been wanting a start for a couple of years. While out there today, I moved the bush to the side and spotted a huge mass of Naked Ladies. Now I don’t know what you guys call them, but around here, Naked Ladies is the name. I truly don’t know them by any other name. In the spring they are a mass of green leaves that die back, and then in the fall a stalk with a single pink bloom comes up. Okay, I just did a Google Search and this is what I found at Wikipedia: they actually are: Amaryllis is a monotypic (only one species) genus of plant also known as the Belladonna Lily or naked ladies. Well, I did not know they were an Amaryllis. We learn something new every day!

Anyhoo, I decided that these needed to be transplanted too. I had planted two groupings, one on each side the bush. I quite easily got most of the first bunch dug up, and moved around to the other side of the bush. These were actually easier to get too. However, this is when the accident happened, and here is the scene.

I stood there in dismay, not knowing what I was going to do. I picked up my tools, and pulled my little wagon into the backyard. Speaking of the wagon, this is the very wagon that I got for my first Christmas. This wagon is now 49 years old and in desperate need of a coat of paint and some tender loving care. It does serve the purpose I need it for – pulling gardening utensils and plants around the yard. So now in my backyard I have this wagon loaded down with Naked Ladies.

And sitting next to it on the ground is the victim.

My shovel!

My favorite (and one and only) shovel died yesterday. It’s poor little handle just gave out and snapped right in half. It has given me close to 25 years of valuable use. We’ve been together digging holes, breaking up sod, busting through roots and moving dirt and plants from area to another. My husband even informed me last night that this particular shovel was his favorite tool to use while cleaning up after the dogs. Hmmmmmmm, little did I know!

As of the writing of this article, I now am the proud owner of two more shovels. I called my mother to inform her of the accident. You see my dad gave me the shovel when we bought our first house. He had it for years and decided to pass it along to me. I thought there might be another old one up at the river that I could grab so that I could finish my planting today. Luckily, my mother had two in her garage that she was going to get rid of. I know they won’t be the same and I probably won’t like either one of them, but until I can get the handle replaced on my old one, these two outsiders will have to work!

As I leave you today, here are a few photos of things growing in the flower beds right now.

My favorite blue Columbine.