Shoe Snippets

I've truly been slacking at this blogging thing lately. But what I haven't been slacking at is paper crafting. In fact, I'm ahead of the game with this 3D layered paper tole card. It is for a card exchange that isn't until late June. Trust me when I say I'm not usually that on top of things.

However, this weekend I was puttering around my craft room and found a stash of these layering images in a random place which reminded me how much I used to love that technique. Then I found the already pierced parchment paper along with a hunk of leftover ribbon and this card was born. Since I used so many odds and ends that had been languishing in my room I'm going to join in at Pixie's Playground.

The Fine Print: It feels good to use up the odds and ends.

It's the Little Things

I was just thinking the other day, which is a dangerous hobby no matter how you slice it. Anyway, I was pondering what it is that suddenly made me care about the little things that don't really matter. I decided it was moving to a new house and having everything be neat and shiny.

Now that I care about the little things that don't really matter I have to do annoying chores like get my truck washed. That's right, for the first time in over a decade my truck got a bath! And no, it was not the dirt holding the thing together. Next up, I'm going to get me some new, non-scuffed up shoes. Then I'll probably sit down and rest for a few weeks.

The Fine Print: Stamp by Taylored Expressions, designer paper by DCWV, paper flower, brad, and zig zag ric rack from my stash.

What a Corker

I found this scan of a card I made back in 2012 and it doesn't appear I ever shared it with you, so today is your lucky day! It is an old technique where you use cork.

I heat embossed the image on cork and then colored it with chalk and a wet brush, or maybe Q-tip, or maybe a water brush.  You get the idea--I used a damp thingy not wet chalk.

The Fine Print: Image by Copper Leaf, cork by Magenta, faux brads by Candi, papers from my stash.How about that? Heat embossing and chalk all on one card! Whoo Whee!

WOYWW-With a Question

So....Here I am late to the Workdesk Wednesday party (hosted by LLJ). In fact, it is probably already tomorrow but you know, we'll just go with the flow. Here is my desk with a few odds and ends on it. The left side has cards I made and cards I received while the middle and the right sides have things I plan to work on when that mythical "Someday" gets here.

The project I worked on recently was organizing my ribbon. You can see here it is housed in nicely labeled boxes (plain ribbons) or on my wall shelf (patterned ribbons and large rolls of twine). These locations are the same places my ribbons were before but there was no rhyme or reason to what was where. Now things can be easily found.

Here is a bright and cheery card I received from a friend. It is one of those fun fold ones made with dies (and not with craft knives like in the olden day). That bright strip is glittery washi tape. It drove the camera crazy as you can see.

Here is my question for all you WOYWWers and readers. I have a friend who wants to teach a class for free. She is asking people to bring every single thing you need for the class from your basic kit of tools to the embellishments to the cardstock. I told her that didn't sound like much of a class to me. However, since then I've seen a couple of other folks offering classes where people have to bring basically everything. Is that the wave of the future? Would you take such a class? It sounds more like a crop with a focused project to me, but it could be that I'm behind the times.

The Fine Print: I really got nothing for here today except to say I have too much ribbon (and not enough time).

HB Notecards

I tend to forget that notecards (3.5 x 5) are an option. Here's a quick and easy one I pulled together to pop into the mail.

Since I used some random pieces left on my desk from another project, I'll be joining in at the Snippet's Playground this week.

The Fine Print: Notecard base from A Muse Studio, caning background punch by Martha Stewart, heart punch by EK Success, and greeting by DeNami Designs.

Snow Globs!

Yeah, that title is supposed to read snow globES but I'm less than satisfied with my Merry Monday card this time. It was all fine and dandy until someone lost an eye covered it in glitter. Then it sort of lost definition.

Probably that base is overwhelming my globe too. I confess that snow globes aren't my thing. I don't have a phobia against them but if they ceased to be a thing I'd be all right with it.

The Fine Print: Stamps by Stampin' Up "White Christmas." Until next time...

Tropical Island: No Shoes Required

I was going to write this whole post about shoes and how I hate to buy them. No, really, I hate shoe shopping. It has gotten better now that I have a brand I stick to (Merrill) but it is still often frustrating. You have to find a shoe you like, you have to find it in your size, you have to convince the salesman that no, really you want your correct size, and you often have to wade through random substitutions that the salesman brings you.

Anyway, I hate it so much that I put it off for months and months until all my shoes are worn out and I can't put it off any longer.  Then I have no choice but to drag my happy ass out and buy a bunch of shoes and wouldn't it be nice if you could just buy shoes that fit off the internet?....

And that's where I decided I can't write that post because duh, you can buy shoes that fit off the internet. In fact, that is where the ones on my feet right now came from. Apparently some old habits die very, very hard.

I'm telling you though, if something happens to that internet thing, I'm totally moving to a remote tropical island where shoes are not necessary.

The Fine Print: I have a friend who swears you can tell a lot from a person by their shoes. Mine say I was expensive, but now I'm well used, worn out and scuffed. Stamp by Stampendous colored with cheap grocery store markers, designer paper by Paper Salon, other stuff from my stash.

Special Purpose

I made this card a while ago for a purpose. However, somewhere along the way I forgot what it's purpose was. So it still sits on my desk. Maybe one of these days I'll remember its purpose or maybe someday it will have a new purpose.

The Fine Print: Stamp by Great Impressions, dotted paper by Lasting Impressions, other goodies from my stash. 

Writing for the Web

Today is part 2 of the writing for the web training that my employer sent me to (yeah, that's right, they are silly enough to think giving me access to their website is a good idea). This has really opened my eyes and now I realize that I am writing my blog all wrong. I should be writing things in quick bites, bulleted lists, keywords and not in a chatty conversational tone. So it should be more like this:

Card I made:

* From a kit

* Club Scrap

* Haberdashery

See, isn't that so much better?! 

*snort*

The Fine Print: This may or may not be a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, and incidents either are the product of the author's (that's me) imagination or maybe they really happened but are being used fictionally, and any resemblance to actual persons, living, dead or living dead, business establishments, events, locations, and situations is entirely coincidental. Tax, title, license not included, valid only when Mercury is in retrograde except where prohibited by law, good taste, or moral upbringing. Gluten free.

CAS HB

Sometime you don't need or want a lot of fanfare because it might distract from the message. In this case I think there is no question what I am trying to convey.

The Fine Print: All products by A Muse Studio. Stamps-Mini Blooms and Hola Amigo (greeting), Cardstock-Sugar and marigold.

Confetti Happy Birthday

I'm not the only one with a May birthday. As it turns out I share the month with lots of other folks. That means it was time to put on the creative hat and start making some birthday cards. Except my creative hat was a little wilted at the time so I used an idea from the super creative Susan Itell and made a couple of these fun confetti laden cards.

The confetti is printed right there on the paper so people don't have to curse your name over the mess, so that is a bonus. Sorry about the glare across the card. Let's just say Mister Sunshine is doing his thing today.

The Fine Print: All products by Stampin' Up except for the ink (Memento Rose Red for the greeting and kiddie washable markers for the cupcakes). Party Wishes stamp set, Party Punch Pack punches, and It's My Party designer paper series. Party on!

Happy Kids

I celebrated my birthday today. My birthday was actually this past Monday, but who celebrates anything to do with a Monday?! I couldn't celebrate before my birthday because it was one of those holidays where everyone and their mother comes out the woodwork.

So here's a photo of all the fun Joe and I had today.  Okay, I confess, those are stunt doubles, but you get the idea.

The Fine Print: Happy kids stamp by Imaginations.

Booty-licious!

Remember when butt cards were all the rage? They were all done up wearing thongs. Then someone realized that they made nice decolletage cards too. Soon there was lacy lingerie everywhere. It's only a year or two later, so I figured I'd jump on the bandwagon.

I thought I'd go for a much more modest version being as my card had to have pocket on it. I have to tell you that I could not find a template for this card to save my soul and I had to invent my own. So if my butt is a little less than curvy, I blame the cellulite.

The Fine Print: Denim and bandana papers from my friend, textured paper from Club Scrap.

Extra Merry Monday

I thought I'd better post something before y'all sent out a search party looking for me. I've been right here, puttering away at cards and life. Seriously I did not have the energy to take any photographs with my crap camera. That's where I've been.

But I've been staying up on current events. I know Donald Trump still thinks he can be president, the Blues whupped the Stars in game 7, frozen veggies can kill you, and I know that woodgrain, kraft and white is this week's Merry Monday challenge. You know, the important things.

I was even on top of things last week too, but like I said, just couldn't bring myself to pick up a camera. Here's my last week glitter and ombre card. I think I used all my available energy just trying to find that darn gold glitter paper.

So there you go, a fresh serving of Merry Monday with a side of leftovers.

The Fine Print: Yeah, that lack of energy thing turned out to be a cold creeping up on me. Pfft!  Top Card: woodgrain cs-A Muse Studio, glossy cs-from my friend, tree die-Tyalored Expressions, deer die-Memory Box, glitter-Art Impressions pearlescent white. Bottom card: all cardstock-from my stash, big star die-A Muse Studio, little star punch-EK Success, greeting-A Muse Artstamps.

Garden Boot Hedgie

Do you ever have one of those days? Do you ever have one of those days all week?! That is kind of what is happening in my world these days. However, this card is one of those exceptions. I had a vision of it in my head with these colored papers, using diamond shaped cut outs and this particular stamp. It came out just like I imagined!

The Fine Print: Garden Boot Hedgie by Penny Black, diamond dies by Quickutz, border punch by Stampin' Up, and designer paper by DCWV.

Quick 'n Easy Butterfly Card

I was invited to do a make and take at a craft fair this past weekend. Since the target audience of the craft fair was people looking to buy hand crafted items and not necessarily be crafty themselves I knew I had to do something simple.  I was stumped for ideas but Carol of Our Little Inspirations posted THIS card and so my version was born.

I provided many of the pieces in different colors so folks could have some say in what they made and mix and match as they wanted.  They also had a choice of greetings.

Quite a number of people stopped by and made cards. The work involved was mostly just assembling the card using roller adhesive and glue dots. People did get the chance to roll the white layer (with the butterfly already cut out) through the embossing machine and stamp the greeting.  Many who participated already had some experience with paper crafts.

The Fine Print: Large butterfly die and embossing folder by Provo Craft/Cuttlebug, solid and ornate butterfly dies by Memory Box, greetings and cardstock by A Muse Studio.

Kitten Please

This weekend hubby took me to see a movie about a gangster cat named Keanu.  Originally we invited our cat Charles along but decided that as responsible parents we needed to preview the movie first before letting him see it. We've decided that Keanu is not a good role model for an impressionable young cat like Charles, so he'll have to wait for it to come out on Netflix when we can dialog about it.

Meanwhile, back in the craftroom this just-as-cute, non-gangster cat was born. The inside greeting says "Beware of the cat" just in case though.  The Kitten Please movie just goes to show you that you never know when a cute cat will start doing 'nip and embracing hood life.

The Fine Print: Punch art cat idea from someplace on Pinterest (way worse than the hood), punches by Stampin' Up, designer paper by DCWV, paw print ribbon from my stash.