We'll Always Have Paris

Of course, in my case Paris looks rather industrial and grunge-worthy. I was doing some experimenting of stamping on patterned paper.  It is what it is.

The Fine Print: All supplies by A Muse Studio: "C'est la Vie" stamp set, Haunted House designer paper, Pebble and Slate cardstock with a clear jewel sticker.

There's Magic in the Air

Actually if there is magic in the air, it is black magic, bad ju-ju magic.  And smoke. There is a lot of that in the air too.  This was a photo shared on Facebook last night of one of our local mountain ranges. I like how it looks like an erupting volcano but it is just an average run-of-the-mill forest fire.

It is also the first day of school for the public schools (yes, already), the city bus drivers are on strike, and there is rain in the city (but not in the mountain where we need it).  It is making for a really odd day thus far.

This is one of the cards I made awhile back where I took an ATC I received in a swap and turned it into a card. I still have a whole box of ATCs but haven't ventured back into playing with them since that first sit down.  You know, one of these days...

Updated to add: Photograph by David Boulton

The Fine Print: I got nothing for credits, no idea who took the photo or made the stamp. I do know the originally ATC was made by Mark G.  The other bits came from my stash.

Workdesk Wednesday: Messing with Shelves

Here is what is on my workdesk on Tuesday, which my husband says is just illegal and wrong to show you Tuesday's desk.  But really either it will be cleaned off by Wednesday (boring) or it will look the same.

There is a pile of cards, my pink princess box, more cards, a floral box that holds label tape for my P-Touch, a dollar, some A Muse orders, drugs, doilies and the new RSM magazine (as of yet untouched).  What I fussed with lately is this. These two are the before shots.

And these two are the after shots. Maybe it didn't make a huge difference in the realm of things but I thought it looked a bit more tidier. I took all the white units with white fronts and put them on the shelf near my desk and the other white furniture. I took all the black units and made all their fronts black and put them on the big shelf with the darker furniture.

I switched the drawers around so the same stuff is in the same place. I also changed the labeling so it is black lettering on clear tape.  When I was messing around I came across these two black and white patterned paper pads:

One my hubby gave me for Christmas and the other I picked up from my friend's crafting estate. For a brief moment I thought about deciding which pad to part with. Then I remembered that I am doing an Iris Folding class in October to a large group.  Guess what? They will be doing black and white cards!

The Fine Print: There is one cat in one of these photos so don't be saying I left them out. Do you want to play 'Where's Charles?' I'll be by later to see what's on your workdesk!

Mermaid on a Monday

Yeah, I know it isn't Monday, but I mailed this card out on a Monday. It was for my on-line stamp group.  We have this thing where you mail a card to your partner every Monday all month long.

When I'm not trying to use up kits I have plenty of other random things around for me to try to use up. Apparently I am very good at starting projects but not so good at finishing them.  That leads to lots and lots of piles of UFOs.

UFO = UnFinished Object.

I had several stamped images, cards with papers, and random card parts on my desk for an embarrassingly long time. So for my Monday Mailers in July every card I sent was made by finishing off those undone cards.

This card was one of them. The colored image and the designer paper were paired up with a white card base. I decided to change that to a shimmery blue and add a wave die cut, twine and eyelets. That was so easy I don't know why it took me *mumble*mumble* years to do.

The Fine Print: Stamp by ERA Graphics, wave die by Taylored Expressions, shimmer paper and twine by A Muse and other stuff from my stash.

Happy Hedgie

A couple of my pals retired recently (aren't they the lucky ones?) so of course I had to make them some relaxing happy retirement cards. It didn't take me long to decide to use my fishing hedgehog stamp to show a laid-back scene.

I've had this patterned paper scored and folded into a large square with a flap for quite some time. I no longer remembered what project I had intended it for, so I cut it up to make backgrounds for my two identical cards.  That strip of pattern is just the reverse side of the same paper. I was quite pleased with myself for using up that bit of left-overs and amazingly here it is a week later and I still don't remember what the original project was.*

I've decided to link with Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge because I'm so tickled with myself for using up that piece that has been lying around for so long.  It isn't like I'm hurting for patterned paper and have to deconstruct other projects for it. Oh, no!  See, these four bottom drawers are filled to the brim with patterned papers.

The Fine Print: *I was totally convinced that once I chopped up that paper I would remember the original project so I'm extra pleased that I still don't remember.  Stamp by Great Impressions and designer paper by Stampin' Up. And no, those 4 drawers aren't the only patterned papers I have!  I'm so excessive.

Dream in Color Three

Here are the remaining kit cards from the Dream in Color kit.  I'm not saying that is the rest of the kit; it is just the end of the set cards they sent. I still have a very large selection of card toppers, cardstock and scraps that I can play with.  Apparently I bought a double serving of the scrap pieces so I have plenty more opportunity to play.

The dark piece on all these cards is beautiful bright purple mirricad cardstock.  You can kind of see it in that last card.  It made for some stunning cards, all bright and shiny.

The Fine Print: All parts and pieces by Club Scrap except for the sequins I added from my stash. This kit suddenly called to me recently and I honestly think it was because hubby and I went on a Hannibal binge watch. That show is so odd, surreal, and confusing... much like the stamps and backgrounds in this kit.

Dream in Color Pt 2

Earlier this week I shared the large square cards I made from this kit and now I'll show you these matchbook style cards.  Do you remember when the matchbook style suddenly became a thing? Suddenly all cards were done in that style.  Then just as sudden, none of them were.

Only the bottom card has the flap piece tacked down so you have to tuck the main front of the card in behind it.  I suspect that bending to tuck it in is what diminished the popularity of the matchbook style. For the rest of the cards I just used it like a short flap.

The Fine Print: All parts and pieces by Club Scrap "Dream in Color" kit.