Desk Day and Boo Box Reveal

Hello My Fellow Desk Sharing Friends And You Other Folk! I'm going to cheat a little today and show you my desk from this past weekend for WOYWW. That's because my desk right now is so clean it only has a magazine and two dies on it.  Dull!

This is much more interesting. I was making something with bright neon colors and circle punches (the neon flowers got rejected). Previously I was working on black and white iris fold samples and there are a lot of random stamps and stamp sets on the desk because you need randomness when creating.

I finished the two cards in a box. The one on the right is the one I will be teaching this evening. I will tell them to stick that Boo Moon higher up than I did (live and learn). The one on the left I will send to my friend who started this whole thing off.

After making this box, I still maintain that the hardest thing about the card in a box is deciding what to put in the box. I tried all sorts of things for this one and ending up with the ghosts and the bats; lots and lots of bats since they matched the greeting! The broom riding witch is a sneak peak as she isn't available to the public until October, which I guess is only tomorrow....! It's hard to fathom that it is almost October when it is 102 F outside.

The Fine Print: Stay tuned for tomorrow's post if you want to see the neon punched circle card. Large ghost die by Sizzix, small ghost die by A Muse Studio, bat punch by EK Success, Bats in the Belfry greeting by whoever was making House Mouse stamps at the time, spooky fence and pumpkin punch by Martha Stewart, witch on broom and costumed kids with matching dies by A Muse Studio.

Nothing to See Here

Today's blog post has been cancelled due to the lack of sanity.

And words. We ain't got them either.

The Fine Print: Nothing is wrong so please no panicking unless, of course you've really been craving a good panic. It has just been super busy and super crazy later.  Card from my friend, Helen, who was saying it was hard to find the words for a nice surprise I gave her. I'm pretty sure those are Stampin' Up stamps.

A Visit from Wildlife

A friend of mine recently complained that she looked all over my blog and couldn't find the pictures of the javelina that visited our apartment complex not too long ago.  Well, that's because they were on my Facebook, but I have rectified that now.

These guys look like they are wild pigs but they are called peccaries which is a different family. They came up from the river we live near. The river is dry most of the time and is like a freeway for wildlife. People really make a stink about how dangerous these guys are, especially with young around. They have terrible eyesight so I think the danger is mostly that they will accidently run into you when they are trying to run away from you. Still, you don't want to try to give one a big hug.

Oh, and a card.

The Fine Print: Papa Peccary was around the corner lounging in the mud under some bushes.  There were about a dozen javelina in this herd. They are one of the many reasons people don't have outside pets. Cars, coyotes and bobcats are the main reason. Just Because by A Muse Artstamps, all other stuff from my stash including the fun velvet coated paper. 

Where's the Beach?

I just realized that the cards I shared yesterday were all lighthouse and no beach, so today I shall rectify that.

The Fine Print: Same song, different verse. Club Scrap "Cape Cod."

Shine On

It's the weekend and I don't want to think, so I guess I'll just show you more of those beachy lighthouse cards.

The Fine Print: Don't worry I only have another dozen or so of these to show off.  Stamps, toppers, and most stuff by Club Scrap "Cape Cod."

Purty Flowers

I said to myself, "Self, you haven't shared that pretty floral butterfly card yet, you should do that. And so I did.

The Fine Print: All products by A Muse Studio.

Wild Thang, Wild Card

Are any of you familiar with Wordsworth's Wild Card Templates? They were by Wordsworth Stamps, long defunct, and were plastic templates of oddly shaped cards that you traced and cut out. The templates included matching oddly shaped envelopes.  They are definitely a thing of the past but if you are like me then you have some stashed away in a drawer somewhere.

I pulled one of the templates out the other day to make a card from it.  This one isn't as oddly shaped as some of their cards. This one basically looks like a tri-fold card with some interestingly shaped flaps. It was fun to make.

The Fine Print: The card template included the cutout for the window and I used an very old Wordsworth rub on word (which still worked!), flower punch by EK Success, paper flowers from Prima and all the other stuff from my stash.

Workdesk Wednesday #329

Spotted on today's workdesk are some stamps, a card in a box in progress, cards I've received, the directions and kits for the cards in a box hiding under some Halloween papers, my glasses, scissors, bits of cardstock, and stitched leaf dies.

As I mentioned last week I was volunteered to teach the card in the box. The version that set this in motion is larger than the one I have directions for but it is easy enough to scale up. I started by making the one on the left. I didn't really like the look of the black gingham paper for this so I abandoned it and went to the polka dot version.

I'm working up 12 kits for this that include the cardstock, directions, and die cuts. Since the focus is on the box and assembling it I'm pre-cutting the dies. Besides the moon and the ghost there are 6 little costumed children to include. So let's see 6 x 13 is.....  a lot of die cutting. Yes it is 13 because I have to finish my version of it too! I don't have the greeting that my friend used on the original box but I wasn't worried about that; however, my friend generously stamped out enough greetings for all of us to use with some to spare.

And here is a gratuitous photo of a cat by the fireplace. You can tell this is crafting related because of all the paper and stamps. Below is the original box that started this all off so you can see what we're basically aiming for. Next week I'll have the finished version to show you. I'll finish off the gingham one too but it will be different.

The Fine Print: Costumed children stamps and matching dies by A Muse Studio (my friend doesn't have the dies), all ghost die cuts by Sizzix, and whatever else by whoever else.

An Unhappy Witch

I made this card a couple of weeks ago when I was on my Halloween kick. If you've noticed anything about my H'ween cards this year it is that they are all witches. I think that is very telling because I think I might be turning into one. I already own a broom and black cat so I'm almost there!

I went to my dentist yesterday and he made me cry. It is pretty obvious that he's getting crossed off my Halloween Card List!

The Fine Print: Stamp by Julie Nutting/Prima, web die by Memory Box, designer paper by Penny Black, and foam Boo from my stash.

Houseplants

Remember when people used to give houseplants as gifts? I don't think that happens so much anymore because it is like handing someone a great big steaming pile of responsibility and that ain't cool.

But here's a plant to brighten someone's day and it doesn't require watering, sunlight or fertilizer.

The Fine Print: All products by A Muse Studio. Stamps--Today and Always (greeting) and Houseplants; Cardstock-Bermuda polka dot (retired) and Apricot; Other products-Houseplant matching dies. Flowers die set, and clear Twinkle Stickers.

Stripy Cards

I applaud those people who love to make their own backgrounds. I find it time consuming and tedious. I try it out every once and awhile to make sure it didn't magically get easy and fun. 

Since it didn't, I pulled out a stripy piece of background paper for this next card. That was easy. That was fun. That's way more my style.

The Fine Print: Stuff from Club Scrap "Cape Cod." I can't figure those eyelets out. They deform no matter how gently you tap them into place. No wonder brads rule the market these days.

Lighthouses

For the last several weekends I keep hauling out this one kit and vowing this will be the weekend I finish it off.  But somehow I just don't seem to get it done.  They say that slow and steady wins the race so if I keep chipping away at it, one day it will be done.

I may opt to duplicate some of these cards that I've already made. That first one I can't copy because it was made using a card topper. The original greeting was something about a father so I chopped up and pieced on a different greeting. In person it doesn't look as piecemeal as this photo shows.

The Fine Print: Cards and parts mostly from Club Scrap "Cape Cod" with a little bit of this and that from my stash.  

Fevered Dreams

This is a scheduled post. I'm telling you this up front because by the time you read this I may have already died a slow, itchy, snotty death. See, I've not been allowed to have any antihistamines all week so I'm not sure I'm going to live until Friday.

If I'm not dead then I'm at the allergist being tortured with with itchy and snotty things. It has been over a dozen years since I last got tested for allergies. I mean I already know if it grows on God's Green Earth I'm allergic to it so I'm not sure the purpose of further testing, but they who hold the needles make the rules, or something like that.

This past week has been hell with allergies, more allergies, itchiness and snot. One of the side effects of not taking allergy pills is I'm not in a drug induced sleep at night anymore.  That means my brain is free to conjure up all sorts of weird and fevered itchy dreams. It'snot a pretty place.

The Fine Print: Lookie! More of those weird "Dream in Color" Club Scrap cards. I swear this is the end of this kit! I can't wait for this allergy testing to be over with so I can dope up again. 

Sketch Challenge

I run across challenges all the time that sound like so much to join but then I never seem to join. I'm always up to something else instead.  However, sometimes I actually do get it together in time to join. This is one of those rare times.

Above is the current sketch challenge from The Crooked Stamper and below is my version of this card. I have been looking for an excuse to pull out this border set and use it. Since I've made this card I have had a couple more idea using this sketch but I'm not sure I'll have time to execute them. You'll just have to stay tuned and see!

The Fine Print: Simple Sweet Borders by Stampin' Up, Butterfly punch by Martha, and other supplies from my stash.

Workdesk Hump Day

I hope you didn't come here looking for thrills, chills and excitement because we ain't got them kind of shenanigans here. What we have is a really dull workdesk.  You may notice the two different stains on the blotter.  One is from me smacking a teardrop inkpad down to see if it had been sullied by a darker color (the jury is still out) and the other is an inky paw print.  Not sure where that came from....

And here's a long view of the crafty side of the room. I'm still pondering where that inky paw print could have come from.  I guess sometimes mysterious things happen.

My friend sent me this fabulous card in a box.  And I made a mistake of showing it to my others friends and saying they aren't that hard to make.  Guess who is teaching a card in a box card later this month? <grin>

The Fine Print: Why yes, detective that very cat in the photograph was seen exiting the scene of the crime right after the inky paw print appeared. Further inspection of the cat revealed an inky foot.  He says he was framed...  Kid stamps "Costume Parade" and polka dot paper by A Muse Studio.

Boo Bats

Here is another one of those parts is parts unfinished cards from my desk. This was when I was in my DeNami kick. I actually found several unfinished cards but so far this is the only one I got done. I thought this one seemed a little more timely.

Yes, I know it is only September! But it will be October and Halloween before you know it. Mark my words!

The Fine Print: Stamps by DeNami Designs and punches by Marvy. Boo! Aren't those the sweetest blood sucking little bats you ever did see?!

Simple Birthday Stuff

This weekend I made some simple little birthday treats and a card for a coworker of mine.  You have to keep this kind of stuff on the low down otherwise everyone you've ever worked with wants in on the action.

And shh.... don't tell them this, but I don't like them all enough to make them goodies or give them chocolate. This candy wrapper die is made to hold those nugget sized candies. I found you can put some of the other small morsel candies in them too.  The mini Twix bar sticks out a bit, but it's all good!

The Fine Print: All products by A Muse Studio. Stamps--Birthday Icons; Dies--Birthday Icons and Candy Package Wrapper #1; Cardstock--Papaya and Bermuda petite polka dot, Fern, Shell, Heather, and Sugar; Other products--Clear Twinkle Stickers, Sugar polka dot and Shell sheer ribbons.

More Black and Tan

Those four black and tan cards I shared yesterday weren't the only four we made in that card class. It was a lovely class where we were to make eight whole cards! (they don't make 'em like that any more!)

These cards have parts that are popped up on foam tape and that is why they ended up coming home unfinished. I didn't have enough foam tape to finish them off--I like plenty of foam tape so much cards won't collapse on themselves while being mailed. Taking unfinished class cards home with me is always a kiss of death for the cards. Somehow I just never get to them again. Hopefully this means I can break the cycle. Oh sure, it took four years, but it is a start.

The Fine Print: Like yesterday these card toppers are either color copied or computer generated. The top two dies are Spellbinders, the third card is Memory Box and the bottom I don't know (but wish I did). 

Black and Tan Elegance

I have been digging deep into the nooks and crannies in my craft area lately. I keep frightening myself with the sheer amount of crap I have.  But, as all crafters know--it's all good crap.

I also embarrass myself at the age of some of the unfinished objects I find, like these black and tan cards.  They were from a card class taught at my big stamp club back when we met at the Hometown Buffet. I know that doesn't mean anything to most of you so I'll enlighten you that we haven't met there for at least three years, possibly four.

The Fine Print: The focal point of these are either color copies or computer generated, the die cuts are most likely Spellbinders. They are very elegant cards and for once I didn't even feel like I was cheating since they lacked stamping.

Smells Like Baby Powder

I'm headed off to a baby shower this afternoon. I thought that was going to be the highlight of the day and then I remembered that today is payday.  That's more exciting than a baby shower.  Although I just learned that if you are having a baby you basically need a payday every day.  How the heck does anyone afford those things?!

The Fine Print: Noah's Ark stamp by Stampin' Up, papers, ribbon, and flower from my stash. Babies cost more than cats and cats never borrow/wreck the car or go to college.  People need to think these things through!

Witchy Halloween

Last night I got to play with some good crafty friends and we made a Halloween card, which now has the whole lot of us hankering to make more Halloween cards. We plan to get together soon and do just that.

The Fine Print: All products by A Muse Studio.  Stamps--Spooky Girlfriend with matching dies; Cardstock--Pebble, Lemon Whip, Sugar, and Seattle petite polka dot; Inks--Lemon Whip and Marigold (sponged through a circle to make the moon); Other products--Orange Twinkle Stickers and Candy Corn sequin pack.

Workdesk Companions

After last week's post showing my desk in various stages of disrepair as I emptied and moved it, I can now show the final result for this week's Workdesk Wednesday.  But before I do, let me show you what is happening all the time now....

CATS! Taking over my desk! They aren't so hot on sharing either.

I managed to push them all to the side long enough to make these little treat holders last night. They fold over one of those those nugget sized candy bars. That's it for this week!

The Fine Print: Supplies for treat holders by A Muse Studio.  Stamps--Ghostly Greetings; Cardstock-Orange, Seattle, and Onyx petite polka dot; Other Supplies--Candy Package One and Onxy, Orange and Lime organdy sheer ribbon.