2009 November »

Thumb Prints!

Christmas, Graphic 45, Holidays, Just for Fun Rubber Stamps, Sewing/Stitching, Spellbinders, Techniques, Watercolor 21 Responses »

Nov 092009

I thought I would post this project last night, but I got a little . . . . clean the kitchen, make something to eat, clean the kitchen . . . .

My card today only took about 2 days to complete. On Saturday night I water colored the image and if I must say so . . . . it was absolutely fabulous. The colors were just right and quite frankly, it was the best water coloring that I’ve done in a long time. I set the image aside to dry and began working on the actual card base. After an extended length of drying time, I picked the image up and began sponging some ink onto the edges. WELL . . .

just a little speck of color not dry and a big old fat thumb and you not what you get . . . . red thumb prints right in the middle of the image . . . . between the stems. It wasn’t salvageable. I tried! So out came the distress re-inker palette and I tried again. Making sure there was plenty of drying time (because I could use the heat tool since I had gold embossing) I let the image set overnight. Much to my dismay there are still some thumb prints . . . but hey, we have to go with what we got.

The first go at water coloring was actually better than this one . . . the colors were lighter and not so dark. I got a little heavy-handed with this one. The background paper is sponged and sewn to another cardstock panel before placing on the card base. After I had my layout, I thought the top corners looked a little nekked, so I added some brads on each side to complete my triangle.

Stamps: D2615 All Good Cheer and G3177 Poinsettia from Just For Fun Rubber Stamps
Paper: Arches Hot Pressed Watercolor; Neenah Classic Crest Solar White; Prism Sunflowers Light; Riding Hood Red; Graphic 45 Christmas Past Collection – Deck the Halls
Ink: Ranger Distress Embossing, Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint, Scattered Straw, Mustard Seed, Worn Lipstick, Fired Brick, Aged Mahogany, Dried Marigold and Spiced Marmalade
Accessories: Spellbinders™ S4-230 Labels Six, S7-014 Grand 12” Classic Lace Border, and S3-030 Tag Shape 3; Ranger Queen’s Gold Embossing Powder; Brads; Vintage Button; Gold Cord; Ribbon; Foam Mounting Tape; Watercolor Brushes; Tsukineko Sponge Dauber; Tim Holtz Tonic Distressing Tool; Sewing Machine; Hole Punch

I think this is all I have for today so far. I have an appointment later this morning with the hand surgeon about my trigger thumb and hopefully with be back in the studio by this afternoon. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a great day!

Lavender Sentiments!

Lavender Sentiments 7 Responses »

Nov 082009

Lavender Sentiments is my local scrap store. I visited them once or twice when they first opened, but hadn’t been back for some time. A few weeks ago I was looking for something new to stamp with and decided to go back and see what had changed. Oh my BADness! They have a sampling of just about everything. Of course, there is tons of scrapbooking paper, and cute little kits, stickers, etc. that all scrappers love, but being a non-scrapper, I was impressed. They now carry Ranger, Tattered Angels, Spellbinders, Cuttlebug, and numerous other products. There is a small section devoted to stamps, both wood mounted and polymer sets from some of our fave companies.

I knew that they had been having classes, because one of my old stamp club girls told me. What I didn’t know was the extent of those classes. However when I looked down through the list I noticed that there weren’t any Ranger classes but alcohol inks. WELL . . . . . after numerous emails, etc., there will not be a class using Ranger products. Can you guess who the class instructor is? Huh, can ya? It’s me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I’ll be teaching the first Ranger class on Monday, December 14 at 6:00 p.m. We haven’t quite worked out all the details yet, but I do know that we will be focusing on some different techniques with Tim Holtz’ Distress products. Yes, that means we’ll be using Grunge Board, Distress Stickles, Crackle Paint, etc. I’m so darned excited!!

For more information on the Lavender Sentiments class schedule and how to sign up for any of their classes, check out their Classes Page.

I’ll be back a little later with some actual work to show you. I was just too darned excited to tell you this after coming back home from their Open House today. By the way if you’re local, their Open House runs until 6:00 p.m., tonight. You’ve still got time to visit today and do some make n’ takes and feast on their yummy treats!

I’m off now to finish up the project I started yesterday and to watch the race!

Tid Bits!

Just for Fun Rubber Stamps 5 Responses »

Nov 052009

Happy Thursday morning! Whoa . . . do you know how dirty a room can get when you don’t move things to dust for months and months and months? Like behind the television stand . . . those darn dust bunnies . . . well some were as big as my hand. Now what does that say about me? I would rather be creative and spend my time getting dirty with ink than getting dirty cleaning the house. That’s what I’ve been doing the last couple of days and only have 2 rooms done. But hey . . . it’s a start!

I have a couple of errands to run this morning and then I’m heading home to get dirty with INK! Do I have any ideas? Nope, we’ll just see what comes out of it. But before I leave, I just want to tell you that Just For Fun Rubber Stamps is on the road this weekend and will be at the Greater New York Art Stamp Show in Smithtown, Long Island. If you are in the area this is a great opportunity to meet Debby and Rick, the owners of Just For Fun. Pop in the booth, look around at the fabulous displays, say HI to Debby and Rick, and then tell them that I sent you! Who knows there might be a little surprise waiting for you.

I need to seriously hit the road now! I hope you have a great day.

Announcing . . . Just For Fun!

Holidays, Just for Fun Rubber Stamps, Sewing/Stitching, Spellbinders, Techniques, Thanksgiving/Fall, Watercolor, Wrinkle-Free Distress 25 Responses »

Nov 022009

Good Monday morning! I think I might be back on track and will be able to post more often than I have the last couple of weeks. I have a special announcement today!

A few years ago at Stampfest Orlando, I met the owner of Just For Fun Rubber Stamps, Debby. She is the organizer of Stampfest Orlando and I’ve had the opportunity to talk with her both times I was there. She also travels the show circuit, and Just For Fun is always at Stampaway in Cincinnati, giving me another opportunity to chat with Debby and her husband Rick. Debby and I have talked over the past year and a half about how she wanted to start a design team, blog, etc., and where she needed to start. Needless to say, with each of us having busy schedules, etc., the discussions never went any further. This year after chatting very briefly with Debby at CHA and Stampaway Cincinnati, Debby asked if I would put together a design team for her and be the Coordinator. This time, I said yes and here we are . . . Announcing the very first Just For Fun Design Team!

I am so excited to be working with this group of ladies, some new to the design team world, and a few you’ll immediately recognize as designers I’ve worked with before. So without further adieu, and in no particular order, I give you the Just For Fun Rubber Stamps Design Team:

Broni Holcombe – Splashes of Watercolor

Heidi Blankenship – Embellished Dreams

Linda Duke – Linda’s Works for Heart

Sandy Sandrus – CleverIdeas

Starla Nelson – Exploring Creativity

Be sure to visit their blogs today, as each of them will be posting with images from Just For Fun Rubber Stamps. I for one can’t wait to see what they’ve created for us today!

Here’s what I’ve created for today . . . a little Thanksgiving nostalgia.

The image was colored with Distress Re-Inkers and then the edges were sponged with Antique Linen. When working with a cornucopia image, I always think of the song “Over the river and through the woods.” If you are at least my age, you’ve got to remember it too! It was one of those standards we always sung in grade school. I found a copy of the words on the internet, printed them out, and gave them a little distressing with the Wrinkle Free Distress Technique. It was then tucked in behind the image. I made some frames using Spellbinders™ Oval and Square Nesties, and tucked them around the image as well. I always forget to tell you this, but after I sew the background paper to another panel, I go back and sponge the edges with distress ink. It tones down the white thread I use so that it appears more aged.

Stamps: G1624 Cornucopia from Just For Fun Rubber Stamps
Paper: Arches Watercolor; Prism Suede Brown Dark and Papaya Puree Medium; 7 Gypsies Market
Ink: Ranger Archival Coffee, Old Paper, Scattered Straw, Vintage Photo, Spiced Marmalade, Dried Marigold, Walnut Stain, Dusty Concord, Fired Brick, Aged Mahogany, Mustard Seed, Shabby Shutters and Peeled Paint Distress
Accessories: Spellbinders™ S4-128 Classic Squares- Small, S4-126 Classic Squares – Large, S4-Petite Ovals – Small, and S4-139 Petite Scalloped Ovals – Large; Watercolor Brushes; 7 Gypsies Paper Fasteners; Papertrey Vintage Button and Jute; Computer; Sewing Machine; Tsukineko Sponge Daubers; Ribbon