Excessively Easily Easel

At some point in my life I bought a set of decoupage fancy-cut easel cards to put together.  So I finally sat myself down and finished them off.  That was easy.

I stamped the greetings onto the pieces provided and added some of my own embellishments to finish them off.  After that I couldn't really decide how to photograph them except for excessively.

 

The Fine Print: I don't remember where I picked these up at except it was some fabulous on-line place that is housed in Canada but they will come across to New York to mail to the US.  It is probably a good thing I can't remember who they are as they are hard on the wallet and I already have an excessive amount of stash. 

Mmm... Sushi

I'm going to have sushi for dinner tonight.  

I hope it doesn't stare at me like that. But if it does, I'll just eat it eyes first.

Take that, sushi!

The Fine Print: Stamps by Paper Smooches.

Workdesk Wednesday #321

Hello and Welcome to this week's version of What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday!

Last week Shoshi commented that she always thought my desk was up against a wall.  This week I decided to show you that it is indeed up against a wall.  It is just a small wall though, great for outgoing mail, a candy jar, and cat butts.

I know you came here to see the front view of the desk and I shall not disappoint! Except that I might be disappointing in that it is basically the same as last week.  I pretty much ignored the top of the desk this past week.  I did putter around in the drawers some and get things behind the scenes more organized.

I also finally got around to labeling the drawers on my newest desktop organizer.

I feel so much more organized now!

The Fine Print: If you truly must know what's on the desk it is the same finished cards from last week, containers of doo dads I'm not sure what to do with, stamps I need to work with, pills, silver flowers in a jar, a receipt, a card that should have been mailed already, dazzle stickers, the newest Tattered Lace magazine, and the usual basket of random papers.  Last but not least, a cat named Charles.

Kittens, Kittens, Kittens!

What could make someone happier than a cozy cat?

Well, TWO cozy cats!

The Fine Print: Charles just loves it when you carry him around like the girl in the card. No really. He shows his appreciation by squeaking and squirming around.  Digital image from some company that doesn't exist anymore.

Dream in Color

One of the kits I recently picked up to finish off was called "Dream in Color." It has glossy white cardstock and vibrantly colored papers and card toppers to go with it.  It has the weirdest surreal stamps though. I guess that fits in with the dream part.

I started with the big card first.  This 6x6 card was made to be turned into a pocket card like you see here. I used one of the enclosed tags to be the pull tab and decorated the inside piece. I decided not to make the rest be pocket cards. Instead two of the swing open on the side (regular card style) and one has the front lift up.

They were fun to make and come with bright pink envelopes to mail them in. The stamps that came with these look a lot like those weird shapes and things you see on the card toppers. You'll see some of them in action soon.

The Fine Print: Cards, papers, eyelets, stamps and toppers by Club Scrap. From my stash: small green bling and sequins (A Muse Studio) , cupcake punch (Stampin Up), and paper flowers (Prima).

Mysterious Postage

My stamp club does a monthly mystery item swap. You agree to make a card with said item, but you won't know what it is until you get it.

Last month we were given some brightly colored British postage stamps to use.  This is what I came up with for the card swap:

The Fine Print: Main stamp by Penny Black, air mail banner by Lawn Fawn "You've Got Mail," designer paper by Provo Craft, and postage from Jolly Old England.

Too Much Kindness

I was hanging with my smaller stamp club the one day when one of the members said to me, "How come you never bring us anything you are trying to sell or give away like you do the big club?"

Well, let me tell you about this club.  After we all arrive, settle in and inquire about each others' health, the next topic of conversation is along these lines:

• "I bought some new things I was to show you, but I really shouldn't have because I have so much stuff."
• "I still can't get into my craft room because I have so much stuff."
• "I wanted to bring this thing to show you, but I couldn't find it because I have so much stuff."
• I can't believe I didn't bring anything to play with given that I have so much stuff."

I looked her in the eye and said, "Because all you guys ever talk about is how you have too much stuff!"  They assured me that would not stop them from acquiring more so the next time we got together I brought some freebie items for them to look through and take if they wanted.

Right away I encountered the second reason I don't like to bring stuff this group:

• "Are you sure you want to get rid of this?"  Repeat this question several dozen times throughout the night, including these variations: "I'm sure you didn't mean to get rid of this." "I can't believe anyone would part with this, are you sure?" and "Do you really mean you don't want this?"
• "Are you sure these are free?"  Repeat this question 8-10 more times.
• "Surely you need this?"  Repeat this question several dozen times and stop calling me Shirley.
• And then there is the invariable faux-squabble as someone comments favorably over something someone else took, making the first person try long and hard to get the second person to take it instead, while the second person insists, "Oh no, you saw it first."

I mean I get it. There is this thing called Kindness.  It is good to double check that someone meant it was free and it was supposed to be gotten rid of. However, this is the other thing called Too Fucking Much. It is so overly polite that it is rude.

The Fine Print: Stamp by Penny Black, blue dot washi by Trendy Tape (I think that means Queen & Co.), all the other stuff from my stash.  I'm selling or giving away any of the things on this card but yes, my opinion is free and I'm more than glad to share it with you!

The Same Old, Same Old

Do you ever get tired of having the same conversation over and over again?  I don't mean the one with your senile Aunt Fran who tells you for the 50th time about how she met her husband at the high school dance when he rescued her from that awful neighbor boy who was trying to take liberties.  Nor do I mean the one where you say "NO!" 400 times a day to your kid/cat/dog/spouse/etc as they go about their day causing naughtiness.

Round 'n round we go

No, I mean the one like where your friend with the history of dating serious losers calls you up to tell you all about the new man she met and includes stories of all the same warning signs that the last 6 boyfriends and 3 husbands had.  Then when you point that out to her she tells you that you are silly, you are wrong, and that it will be different this time.  Then you sigh and say whatever because it is the just the same old song, the same old dance.

Yeah, those kinds of conversations.

Anyway, this gal is tired of it and while I might appear to be playing along on the surface, I'm not. Don't be overly surprised if you find out that I've tuned you out in lieu of gluing pretty pieces of patterned papers together.

The Fine Print: That's my story and I'm sticking to it. I'll repeat that ad nauseum. Stamps by Lawn Fawn.  Enjoy the Ride!

Comfy Chair

I had every intention of going to work after my torture session with the dentist on Monday morning, but on the way there I realized that wasn't a good idea given how much I hurt.

So I went home, took a pain pill and fell into unconsciousness instead (an act that was cheered on by three cats who promptly joined me [the other two could not be bothered]). Once I woke up I ignored the cats' suggestion to have another nap and decided to do some low brain crafting.

That meant fussing around with some kit cards. It turned out that these required a bit more brain power than I planned on using because they were so huge (5.25x 8"). I opted not to follow their serving suggestions and made these instead. I added in some embellishments I had lying around.  It was very productive but now that I think of it, a second nap would have been nice too.

The Fine Print: Cardstocks, toppers, and ribbon by Club Scrap "Welcome" kit.  Epoxy heart stickers and wooden signs by Freckled Fawn.

Workdesk Wednesday #320

Recently when looking through some old What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday posts of mine I discovered that I used to take more long shot views of my living room (where I craft).  I thought it was time to revisit that practice.

Here's the view from partially across the room. You can see more of the goodies and supplies I have at hand near my desk.  That door is the front door to our house so when you come in, there I am! Oh my, look at that time! I gotta get a move on so I'll make it work on time.

But first, a shot of the desk.  It is rather uninspiring today.  From left to right I have some cards I made over the weekend on top of my pink princess box, next to that are some large cards I made on Monday, above that are three greeting stamps that I used on some cards that are still unfinished (they are tucked up under the desk overhang). There is a card from my friend, and under that one I need to send, two rolls of ribbon I am going to part with, receipts to three large bills we've had this month, two containers of double stick tape I want to use up and a grouping of glitter glue that may or may not be duplicates.  The bright pink bits on top of the desk are cards to be made and the bright yellow/orange thing in the bowl is a roll of party streamers, fun for using on cards!

I leave you with a closeup of the card on my desk that my friend made and for the you who remember my birthday cabinet that lacked drawer pulls, well now it has some fun and funky knobs on it!

The Fine Print: Nope, sorry, I don't know who makes the horse and horseshoe stamps. And for those of you wondering where in the living room the birthday cabinet is, it isn't. It is in the hall closet. You never know, someday somewhere that piece of furniture may be out in the open!

Sketch Challenge

I thought I'd better put up a post today so y'all know I survived the first of many tortures* by the dentist.  I had a productive weekend in that I actually used up some of the random long time residents on my desk and made a card to fulfill the Crooked Stamper sketch challenge.

I've had this butterfly image tucked into one container or another on my desk for a very long time, possibly years.  I got all fancy dancy one day and tried blending colors on a stamp with misting. I don't think the misting went too well but I really liked how it came out. I've never used it because I never quite knew what to do with it.

Luckily this sketch challenge came along and showed me the light.  Oh yeah, you have to turn it on its side, but it's all good.

The Fine Print: *My dentist keeps saying "We don't like to use the word 'torture'" but a euphemism by any other name still hurts. Butterfly stamp by Penny Black, scallop border die by A Muse Studio, ribbon 'n such from my stash.

Howdy!

This is a scheduled post since I'm starting off my Monday morning at the dentist.  This is the beginning of a long and expensive relationship together.  I mean, we've already had some very expensive flirtations together, but I told him we couldn't get serious until I got the better dental insurance through work.  That happened as of July 1 and I've already had my specialist consult.

So today this princess is getting her crown ripped off.  It isn't happening just once though.  Nor it is happening twice.  There are going to de-crown me THREE TIMES.  Once they pull out all that expensive hardware then they will know the extent of the surgery they have to do.  I will get temporary crowns until I get the surgery.  Then I'll get the surgery and then in theory I'll heal (I hope he remembers that I do that really slow) and then once it is all healed I'll get brand new crowns.

Doesn't that sound like a lot of fun?  Don't you wish you could partake?  I know you do!

The Fine Print: Covered wage die by Joy! Crafts, Howdy die by Frantic Stamper, and black photo corners from Recollections because black photo corners are retro and cool. Ever since I was little kid I was told all my asthma medicines would lead to me having rotten teeth later in life.  Unlike the Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny that was not a lie.

Sunday's Cards

I would say that these are the last of the cards from this kit but there was one more on my desk that wasn't finished.  It has mysteriously vanished though (something about me picking everything off it to oil the wood). I'm sure it is somewhere and will resurface again sometime during the next few years.

The Fine Print: Cardstock and toppers by Club Scrap "Pure and Simple" and all the other stuff from my staff--flowers by Prima, embossing folder by Cuttlebug, curly die by Memory Box.

Bright Sympathy

Here are some more kit cards.  I have to say that I found this top one very eye-opening. No, it wasn't the bright colors.

 It was the "I am sorry" statement. I often see stamps that say 'I'm sorry' or 'So sorry' and thought. "Boy they think we screw up a lot and have much to apologize for."  I never thought of them in conjunction with a sympathy card.  Indeed, sorry for your loss. That makes sense.

I don't know why I didn't see it before.  I wouldn't normally pick out bright colors for a sympathy card but these work.

The Fine Prints: Cards, toppers, and stuff from Club Scrap "Pure and Simple" kit.

Round 'n Round

I guess I'll share my round step card today.  I have confession to make.  When I make things I want them to work. I don't like to fuss about trying this and that and seeing how it goes. Experimentation is not for me.  If I am to try something new it is because someone else mastered it first and is now showing me how to make it.

That said, my big stamp club's card exchange theme was "Round and Round" and you could interpret that however you liked. I figured there would be a few round cards but most of them would feature polka dots.  I wanted to do something different.  So I spent an afternoon poking around on the Internet.

I found this tutorial on how to make a round step card.  I traced and cut out a large round circle and following the directions to immediately put together a mock up of this card.  Hey, that was easy and why don't I do that more often?  Well, making the actual card didn't go as well and I loused up several tries, but here's my final card. It was fun enough but don't see me jumping on the experimental band wagon. I don't have time for that stuff!

The Fine Print: Circular step card (official name) tutorial from Splitcoaststampers, designer paper by Basic Gray, stamp by Penny Black, circular dies by Spellbinders, ice cream cones hand cut, tops made with SU cupcake punch, and flowers from my stash.

Bee Happy

I made this card.

Really, that's all I have to say.  

The Fine Print: All products by A Muse Studio. Bee happy! Or not... I suppose you can be blah and morose if you really want to be. Just do it someplace not near me.  

Workdesk Wednesday: Workdesk Friends

Birthday card from Eliza (& Yoda)

It is a somber, rainy, gray day today here in the desert; a fitting day to say goodbye to our dear on-line friend, Eliza. Like my other Workdesk Wednesday friends I never met her but I got to know her and dear sweet Yoda through her weekly posts, messages, and private emails.  She was always so full of creativity and life and will be sorely missed.

Something not full of creativity and life is my desk.  It is full of this and that. I've also subscribed to the tried and true method of shove it back out of the way. I'm working on some little thank you gift bags but there is way more stuff on my desk than that. It must multiply in the night.

Folks keep asking me why my kitties haven't made an appearance on my desk lately. I don't know about the other days but today it was because it was breakfast time.  Poppy was in this picture but scooted away as soon as she saw the camera (she is convinced it will steal her soul).  Cindy was busy watching the birds and the thundery clouds out the window.

I had some other crafty things to show you but that can wait for another Wednesday. I have it on good authority that there will another one next week.

The Fine Print: I feel my post isn't complete without fine print, but really I got nothing to write down here. Do you like the cats' fancy place mat? They have two, one of the dry food and one for the wet food.  Hubby and I have none.  What does that say?

All Must Bow

Oh yeah. Hmm... I guess I am supposed to update this thing from time to time, huh? Well, here's a card I recently finished and since it has reached its destination I can share it with you.

Despite all the desk tidying and reorganization I do I've managed to constantly have the same few unfinished cards on my desk for many, many months.  I decided I should just put the darn things together already and call it done. Apologies in advance if this sets off some cataclysmic events.

This card, except for the top layer, is one I assembled with friends at a informal make and take get together.  The black bits are printed on acetate and the blue is shimmery cardstock.  The top layer was to be finished off with a stamped image of a door done up in architect/blueprint style. I felt the door was too small for the space and didn't like the look of it stamped on the shimmery paper, so I took the card home without completing it.

There it sat until I pulled it out recently.  I substituted the top piece for a non-shimmery piece and stamped one of my more collage-y stamps on it. I felt it fit the rest of the card really good so I called it done. It really was that simple.... it just took me all those months to do it.

The Fine Print: Top stamp by Stamper's Anonymous (I think), all other parts by Club Scrap. And by "months" I just might mean years.

Bright Birthdays

Today brings us another scheduled post with the same kit.  This time it is all about the birthday cards.

The Fine Print: Most stuff by Club Scrap, except what isn't

Special Hello

This weekend is my 30th high school reunion.  No, I didn't graduate in July thirty years ago; it's just that no one could get a shindig together before now.  Besides, who doesn't want to come visit Tucson, Arizona in July?!

Here are a couple more cards from that wonderful bright green kit I've been playing with. I'm going to miss this color once it is all used up.

The Fine Print: All stamps, papers, and supplies by Club Scrap except snippet of chevron ribbon by A Muse Studio. Hubby asked if he had to dress up like a grown up.  I figure why bother? Actually it's his birthday, maybe he should wear his birthday suit??!

Round and round

I really knew what the heck I was doing today. I've done a whole lotta running around and gotten nowhere. I sort of feel like this guy:

The Fine Print: Stamps by Lawn Fawn.

Shameless CASE

Last night when I was sleeping someone or something broke into the house, snuck into my room and stole all my energy.  I don't know how that happened but it is so weird to wake up more tired than when you went to bed.

I got to bed a little later than normal because I was up with my pals making this card, which is a shameless copy job from another A Muse consultant. She totally nailed it with this card though. It shows off some of the new stamps and dies, some older overlooked dies, the new pattern of paper, and the fun new tool a|s is selling!

This card was a big hit among my pals and several of them had to order stamps and dies from me--oddly enough none of ones shown here.  Ah well, you never know where creativity will take you.

The Fine Print: All products by A Muse Studio. New stamps with matching dies-Hooray (bear and greeting); overlooked dies-mini banner die set and balloon set; cardstock-orange, sugar, Bermuda petite polka dot, cobalt, and the new petite hexagon pattern in melon; other products-new tiny attacher staple tool and mini star twinkle stickers.

Gone Scannin': A Workplace Tale but no Desk

Oh Pshaw! I forgot that today was Workdesk Wednesday. Don't laugh, I really do say "Oh Pshaw!" from time to time because it makes people laugh.... oh, and here I just went and told you not to laugh. Well, laugh all you want; it is good for you.

So no workdesk today---and no camera so I can't even show you the workdesk where I earn my paycheck at which today is actually just an MFP because I have this huge scanning project that has to be done by July 1.  Yeah, that date is in the past, but in my defense my boss didn't tell me about it until the day before I left for my vacation (and I wasn't back until this week).

What I do have for you (besides my silly tale of workplace woe) are some more of the cards I made from old ATCs. These ones all seem to have a nautical bent. This was when I was trying to make up some masculine cards for my friend.

I guess it is back to the scanner for me.  If you want to read a story with a real life lesson in it, check out Dio's Storie from yesterday.  I miss my workdesk pals but hopefully I'll remember it is Wednesday on Wednesday next week.

The Fine Print: And since you are going to ask how my vacation was I was sick the first few days because of course that is how you want to spend your vay-kay and then I had an out of town family obligation.  Despite all that it wasn't bad. I'm glad to be home even if it does mean standing and scanning all day.