Rudolph Days

Just this morning I was bemoaning that August isn't over with yet but that's a good thing because that gives me time to squeak in a card for Rudolph Days. I've had this random piece of plaid paper on my desk for weeks so I thought I'd use that and this birdie stamp was on the top of my Christmas stash. I thought about adding die cut pine boughs or some sort of flourish to this card but I decided to keep it simply simple (KISS) instead.

Dio wanted you to know that he was very helpful in making this card as he worked on his supervisory skills. He even got another underling to come and help me tie the bow. He here is posing with my card. That's my Copic marker bin that Dio is sitting on. It's become his favorite place to hang out, which makes it hard to color.

The Fine Print: Birdie stamp by Penny Black, designer paper by DCWV, gold embroidery floss from my stash, and dies by Spellbinders. 

Pretty Kitty

Here's something about me that you may not know.

I like kitties.

These guys are pleased with that announcement.

The Fine Print: Pretty kitty stamp by Stampin' Up, paw print paper by Penny Black, and gingham ribbon from my stash.  

Life Imitates Life

The other day Carol made this cool double fold gate card that she copied from Wendy who learned it from Dawn's tutorial or you can see a static version on Dawn's blog. Of course I had to jump in and check out all those links and the tutorial and make my own.

All those nautical themed cards I've been making lately have lead me to wanting to make a lighthouse card. I poked around in my stuff and found this really, really, really, really, really old lighthouse stamp set. Not only was it old, it was Never Before Used Stuff!* To go with it I found some really, really, really old double sided paper. In hindsight, the differences between the two sides is probably a little too subtle for this technique, but I'm happy with this card anyway.

This is an easy card to make so check out Carol's, Wendy's and Dawn's cards and try one yourself!

* In my defense, not that I really have one or need one, this stamp set was housed in a CD case and for the longest time those weren't in my craft room or by any of the crafting stuff (it was with the CDs).

The Fine Print: Stamps by The Angel Company, designer paper by Stampin' Up, and the technique, well now you know all about that! 

Boat-henge

Here's some more of my flotilla.

These boat stickers came already cut into grids. I just had to stick them down with some spacing between them. If you think that was easy I've got some beachfront property down the street from me to sell you.

The Fine Print: Anchor die by Cheery Lynn, everything else Club Scrap "Sail Away." Hope you like boats! 

A Bunch of Boats

I was wondering if there was a fancy word for a bunch of boats like there is for cows (a herd), crows (a murder), or cats (a glaring). I think the word I'm looking for is flotilla, which sounds like a tortilla that flopped.

Here's the start of my flotilla. It's quite extensive, almost 30 cards strong. You saw my large sailing ships on Wednesday. Here are a few smaller personal pleasure crafts today.

The Fine Print: Card toppers and most parts from Club Scrap "Sail Away" except for the fancy background papers from my friend. They are quite fancy too, the top one is velvet and the bottom one feels like homemade paper with glitter on it. 

And Stop.

The Friday of the first week of school is always such a let down. We've been running full blast, talking to hundreds of students, and running around like mice being chased with a broom. Then Friday comes along and it's all western themed music and tumbleweeds blowing across the student center.

Don't get me wrong, it's nice to be able to breath, pee, and eat during the work day, but it is such an abrupt let down after the previous days of mayhem. We're all kind of on edge because we don't know how to suddenly just stop and be calm.

So for giggles and grins this morning we chased a mouse around the student center with a broom, a box, and some student handbooks. Those suckers are fast and boy can they jump! We were promised that humane traps would be set, but frankly I'm the one that called the thing "vermin" so I can't say I care one way or the other.

The Fine Print: Stamps, card toppers and all the parts except the embossing folder (Cuttlebug) and green ribbon (my stash) by Club Scrap "Sail Away." 

Pretty Cool

Doesn't it seem like a good day to grab a little dog and go for a bike ride over the rolling hills?

The Fine Print: All products by A Muse Studio. Stamp set-Basket Case, dies-Basket Case and Landscapes, and cardstock-azul, sugar, and wasabi petite hexagon. 

Whiny Ass Wednesday

It's the first day of school where I work. Here are some truths about the bulk of college students today:

• They didn't bring anything to write with and they didn't bring anything to write on and we should supply both (but scrap paper and golf pencils are beneath them). 
• They didn't bring their class schedule and expect us to magically know where they should be (but it's a writing class!). 
• They are shocked when being called out for being late to class because we should understand that they didn't know where the campus was let alone the building and room (advance planning is for wussies). 
• They are actually a bunch of fun kids full hope and anticipation. Without them I'd be out a job (but I have this fabulous blue shirt with golden yellow and white lettering that would fit in at Walmart real good).

The Fine Print: Boat die by Tattered Lace, stamps, card bases and parts by Club Scrap "Sail Away," embossing folder by SU and wavy designer paper from my stash. 

Triple Time

My stamp club is doing a card exchange and the theme is "One Little, Two Little, Three Little _____." They alway leave the theme up to your interpretation so I rather focused on the three part. I didn't ignore the one or the two as they are represented on my card, but I went for a triple flip card.

I have one lonely bunny and then miss bunny gets a boyfriend so there are two. Whoops, well, now there are three little bunnies, because bunnies do that kind of thing. As a giggle I made a matching envelope and that has four bunnies on it.

I used a die to cut this flip flop card shape. I have directions, knowledge, and experience on how to cut these kinds of card but I went for the easy peasy run it through a die method. Really, why go through all that work when you don't have to? Plus the die has the coordinating layers to go with it!

Inside I put three large matching hearts. I started out putting one, two and three hearts but it didn't really do it for me. This all folds shut into a nice A2 sized card.

The Fine Print: Flip card die by Spellbinders, bunnies by DeNami, heart die by A Muse Studio, papers, ribbons and paper flowers from my stash. Yes, I fussy cut those bunnies. Fussy cutting is not dead!

Pix or It Didn't Happen

I've made several cards with the new cute kitty set from Stampin' Up, but apparently I don't remember to take pictures of them. You know that saying, "Pictures or it didn't happen?" Well. this card happened. So there, nyah!

The Fine Print: Notice now that everyone has cell phones with cameras the UFO sightings and encounters have really dropped off? No pix cuz it didn't happen! Stamps by Stampin' Up "Pretty Kitty" and other stuff from my hoard.

More Birdie Happiness

Do you remember that yesterday I said I tried a messy technique and liked it? I liked it so much I had to try it a couple more times and then try it again in a different color scheme. These cards are the result of that. The middle card has an added messy technique on top--a couple of spritzes of shimmer spray. Go me!

The Fine Print: Embossing folder by Darice, greetings and twig stamp by Club Scrap, shimmer spray by A Muse Studio, fibers and brads from my stash. 

Birds on a Wire

For some reason embossing folders aren't something I think to use often and I certainly don't think about using them for a focal point or anything but a background. Sometimes you have to get adventurous and try new things though.

 For this first card I couldn't let the birdies be, I had to color them in to make them pop out a bit more otherwise they got lost in the overall design. For the second card I inked up the embossing folder, spritzed it with water and then embossed the design. Yes! I actually tried a "messy" technique!

Guess what?! I like that messy technique. So much so that I had to try it a few more time. Stay tuned!

The Fine Print: Embossing folder by Darice, greetings, cardstock and ribbon by Club Scrap "Take Wing" kit.

Take Wing

This is a scheduled post because I'm in one of those all-day in-service forced-social situation thingies all day. I think the goal is get us motivated for the upcoming semester but really all it does for me is zap my will to live.

Here are a couple of cards from a kit called Take Wing, which is what I'll be dreaming of doing all day. It called for brayering on glossy cardstock and then stamping in black. Since I dislike the brayer almost as must as in-service days I oped to sponge it instead. The top card was my first attempt and I wasn't overly happy with the stamped image so I tried it again a second time. In the end I decided both were passable and made them into cards.

The Fine Print: TGIF (sorta), cardstock, stamps and parts by Club Scrap except that funky shaped paperclip from my stash.

Hair Today, Still Hair Tomorrow

If you're me, and you're not because I'm me but you know what I mean, when it comes to hair I pretty much ignore mine for months on end except for chopping off my bangs every few weeks because who wants to be mugged in the face by their own hair?

So when I do get something done to my hair it is usually pretty dramatic. Then as soon as I've done it, I regret it, but not for the reason you may be thinking. It's not the change in color, length or style; it's the fact that everybody and their mother has to comment on it forcing me into chit chat social niceties that I could do without (yes I cut, colored, or changed my hair why do we have to discuss it for the next 10 minutes?!).  Luckily, after a couple of days that all dies down and I can go back to my true misanthropic self.

Unless, of course you are me and for the purposes of this post we are pretending you are me (kinda dull huh?), then randomly for no reason some 4-5 months later everyone suddenly thinks you've done something to hair and starts the round of comments and conversations all over again.

That one really boggles me because nothing has changed.  Randomly, for no reason everyone I've run into this week has commented on my hair, but they do seem a bit perplexed as to what I've done differently to it. I'm perplexed too. I wonder what it's up to up there?!

The Fine Print: All products by Stampin' Up "Vertical Greetings" and other stuff.

Have a Swinging Time

When I first discovered this mosaic tiled designer paper I had to buy like 14-zillion* sheets of it so it's no surprise that I keep finding more and more of it to use. As much as I like it I find it a bit too busy to work with most times. I think this one worked out though.

* Perhaps a small exaggeration

The Fine Print: Stamps by Stampin' Up (retired), dies by Spellbinders, no clue on the DP.

Wait, What?!

Does anyone know what I'm doing today? 

Does anyone know who am I today? 

Does anyone know anything? I'm pretty sure I don't know anything.

Oh, wait. I do know one thing. I'm not on a beach.

The Fine Print: It is waaaay too cold in here to take off my shoes. I could be contracting frostbite. Embossing folder from Cuttlebug, card topper from Club Scrap, dimension flop flop stickers from my old stash (possibly Recollections).

Just For You

Since I'm always working on old stash and kits from 13 years ago I never feel like I get to play with anything current unless there is a workshop involved (either I'm giving one or going to one). However, I pulled this out to have a play with it and thought to myself, "Wow! This is only from last season."

How's that for being current?!

The Fine Print: Stamps and designer paper by Stampin' Up "Botanical Blooms" and "Botanicals for You." By the way, I might be making up that 13 year number. Or not. 

Flourished HB

This card uses a mere snippet of the red vellum to get the job done. You'll see that this is a much better use the variegated ink pad. I like how this came out. I made have already sent this card to someone or it may be languishing in the dreaded card stash.*

* I actually pulled out and used several cards from the dreaded card stash this weekend!

The Fine Print: Card topper, card base and cardstocks by Club Scrap, fiber from my stash, variegated ink pad by Kaleidacolor. 

Today

Here are a couple more cards I made with red vellum. For these cards I opted not to stamp anything behind the vellum, but just use it as a layer.

That cutout piece from the second card? Yeah, that will turn up later on another card. We're not done with this kit yet.

The Fine Print: Except for ink and flat bling (Dazzles) all products by Club Scrap "Take Wing." 

Red Vellum

These are a couple of kit cards I made that came with some sheets of red vellum to use. The neat thing about vellum is that you can see through it. The neat thing about colored vellum is that, well, it's colored!

I don't think I followed their directions exactly but I know these are in the ballpark. It I had to do it again I wouldn't use the variegated inkpad for that top card because the variegation got lost behind the vellum and it just looks weird.

TGIF!

The Fine Print: Everything except ink from Club Scrap "Take Wing" kit.

I Scream, You Scream, We all Scream...

for Halloween!

Yeah, I know it is still a bit mature but I can't help but get excited by the latest collection from A Muse Studio. It's all about that spooky time of the year. I showed you the coffin treat box (to die for--ha!) and now here is the "You're Legendary" stamp set.

I made one ultra spooky card and one more lighthearted card for the weak-kneed of you.

Enjoy!

The Fine Print: Most products by A Muse studio except bare tree die (Memory Box), fence and graveyard border punches (Martha Stewart), button die (Impression Obsession) and pinking edge (honest to gosh pinking sheers). A Muse products used: "You're Legendary" stamp set and matching die set, pumpkin, Sleepy Hollow print, onxy, Seattle, kraft, sugar, hibiscus, lime, and orange petite hexagon print cardstock.

Thoughtful Flower

Unless you live in a Stampin' Up free zone or under a rock you've heard of the limited time only, while supplies last stamp and die bundle of the month called Thoughtful Branches. It is a cool set of different tree branches with separate leaves for different colored stamping. Since there are dies you can also do layering.

I was lucky enough to go to a SU workshop and get the chance to play with it. We opted to go a different route and not make a tree. Instead we made a hydrangea flower and glittered the heck out it.  Well, my heck wasn't quite as glittered as some of the other ladies, but I was still pleased with my card.

The Fine Print: All products by Stampin' Up, "Thoughtful Branches" bundle and "Lovely Lace" for the embossing folder. 

Spot of Rain

We're having a spot of rain today. That's cause for celebration here in the desert.

Although one does need to limit their celebrations and not get excessive. You can tell that's water all over the cafeteria floor and not just a really shiny floor wax, right?

Maybe this photo shows it better.

Never fear, this gal doesn't melt in the rain and knows just how to deal with the situation.

Okay, fine. Here's a card, appropriate for today.

The Fine Print: Sailboat stamp by PSX. Rain by God (it's Him crying because there are bad cats in the world).

HB to Excess

I read other blogs and maybe I even read yours! I notice quite a number of folks will show off a card and say, "I made this because my birthday/anniversary/get well/sympathy card stash was running low."

Mine never runs low because I rarely use the "generic" ones I made and have lying around. Whenever it is someone's birthday/get well/sympathy* I make a fresh card with them in mind.  Now, I don't always do that as sometimes those occasions sneak up on you so I have to quick like a bunny get a card from the stash, but usually I make a new card.

That means I end up with too many cards in my stash. Then I have to pile them up and parcel them out to those who can use them. Many go to the stamp club's sunshine lady and the rest go to a friend who works with the elderly (they still love their mail).

This is a fresh card I made with the idea of putting it into my stash and then using my stash. Then I realized it was so-and-so's birthday next weekend, so out in the mail it went. One of these days I'll use that stash. Just you wait and see!

* You'll notice I don't have an anniversary stash. That's because that's between you and your honey.

The Fine Print: Products by Stampin' Up "Vertical Greetings" and Fruity Fresh paper (I could be wrong on that name as it came from a friend). I just mailed out a big box of cards to lessen the stash but never fear, there are still cards in there for me to use or ignore as I see fit. 

OMG It's Almost Halloween!

It turns out that I may be a bit premature (the only kind of mature I ever am) about my call for Halloween. Luckily, that isn't stopping A Muse Studio as they have brought out a fun and fabulous Halloween collection this month.

OMG! They have a some really great stamp sets and dies. Since I'm on a strict stamp budget I had to pick and choose carefully. I don't usually make things that aren't cards, but I HAD to have this coffin shaped treat box. HAD TO.

I'm sure you can see why. It has some other dies to decorate it with besides the traditional skull and crossbones. There are bats, stars and the number 31. My little stamp club is going to make some of these next time we get together. We might even have actual Halloween candy to put in it. I heard rumors that that stuff is already out there for purchase!

The Fine Print: Creepy Coffin Die set from A Muse Studio, available as part of the August monthly collection (meaning this month only).