random.on purpose.

A Miraculous Season

Sorry I've been away for a few days - busy, busy!  Being Sunday, there's a new post up for this week's 52 Card Pickup challenge.  Given my epiphany earlier this week, it should come as no surprise that the trigger for the challenge is miracles!  Not in the same way as in the article I referenced, but you'll have to click on over to read about it.  Here's what I made, though:

You'll have to click over to the other blog to read about it, too, though... (what a stinker I am, eh?)  Hope your weekend was marvelously wonderful, and that Monday starts your week off well... Ta!

Moments to Memories

A new post is up for this week's challenge on 52 Card Pickup.  This week is about "all the small things" we can do to make the holidays memorable.

We've all heard the phrase "We do not remember days, we remember moments." What moments will you create this holiday season that will be happy memories later? When your loved ones reflect back on this Christmas - or Hanukkah or Kwanzaa or whatever holiday you celebrate - what will they remember?

I made a card with one of the truest sentiments I know to remind me that "it's the little things that make life BIG".

And here it is:

Stamps: Stampin'Up! Happy Harmony; Ink: SU! Purely Pomegranate; Papers: SU! Raspberry Tart dsp, Purely Pomegranate; Accessories/tools: Nestabilities Labels Four, Martha Stewart border punch, ribbon, vintage button

Come join the challenge, if you'd like!  Hope your weekend is going well,  see you next week (maybe even on Monday - shocker!)  and thanks for stopping by!

Tutorial: CD Clock

As promised, here's a run-down on the clock-making project:

Materials needed:

• CD (preferably one you're up-cycling)
• Scrapbook paper of  your choice
• Sandpaper
• Decoupage medium (I used Royal Coat; others like Mod Podge)
• Washer (more on this below)
• Adhesive that will glue metal to plastic (I used E6000)
• Clock works (available at craft stores - look by the unfinished wood)
• Stamps and inks, if you want to add more to your paper
• Computer and printer, if needed (more on this below)

Before we start actually making the clock, it's necessary to do some preliminary layout with your paper of choice:

If you want to print a quote on it like I did, then play around with the font and spacing until you get it how you like it.  I used the high-tech method of printing it off on regular printer paper ("fast draft" option to save ink), then held it up to the light with the CD behind it to see where everything would be on the finished project.  Keep in mind that it needs to stay contained within a 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" area, and that some of the edges will be cut off because the CD is round - plan accordingly.  After you get it how you'd like, send your actual scrapbook paper through on the regular print option to finish this step:

Alternately, you could stamp a quote or sentiment.  In this instance, you could just trace the outline of the CD onto scrap paper and play around with that until you get it to your liking.  This is also what you will do if you're stamping additional designs.

You also need to prep the CD.  First, "scuff sand" the CD with the sandpaper to give it "tooth", so the paper will adhere properly.  Otherwise, you might be able to peel the whole thing right off, and then where will you be?  Also, you'll need to glue a washer to the back of the CD.  The center hole on the CD is larger than the post on the clock works, so find a washer with an opening the appropriate size and glue it on (make sure it's centered).  I used E600, but you can use whatever works for you.  Here are pictures of these two steps:

Now that you have your paper and CD prepped, you're ready to move on.  Spread an even coat of decoupage medium onto the face of the CD, being especially careful to ensure that there is good coverage around the outer and inner edges, so they don't lift up when you add the clockworks or do the next step.  Smooth the paper on, making sure that it's centered properly.  Let the glue dry before moving on.

To get a nice, smooth edge all the way around, first do a rough cut to trim excess paper away, then use the sandpaper to file away the rest:

You'll also need to carefully cut away the paper covering the center hole.  I used a craft knife.

I wanted more of a finished outside edge, so I used a stubble tool and Black Soot Distress Ink to add some ink around the edges.  It's up to you if you want to do this or not. 

Now just put together the clock!  My clockworks didn't come with any instructions, but I did track down this diagram online:

And there you have it!

You can hang your clock on the wall with the built-in hanger on the clock movement, or set it on a small easel, or whatever floats your boat!  Have fun, and please send me a link if you decide to give it a try!

New Stuff

Hello again!  I know - another lapse in posting...  I've been a busy, busy girl, and no time for share-worthy stuff until yesterday!  I made two cards this weekend - one for my challenge blog, and one for a challenge on Splitcoast Stampers (first one in quite a while).

This week the inspiration on my challenge blog was provided by Jewel - her video for Hands.  I've always loved that song.  I especially love the refrain at the end: "We are God's eyes, God's hands, God's heart..." I have long held the belief that we answer each others' prayers - that people are placed in our path, and we in theirs - to help each other through this life.

With that thought in mind, I decided to acknowledge that I am ready and willing to take on whatever is next in my role as a kindness-sharer, joy-giver, or prayer-answerer:

Stamps: Inkadinkado Maison Frames, Close to My Heart Romantic Backgrounds; Ink: CTMH Garden Green, White Daisy; Paper: DCWV Mariposa Mat Stack, black, Stampin'Up! Naturals Ivory; Accessories/tools: SU! Decorative Label punch, ribbon

I only needed to add a card base, sentiment and ribbon to one of the gorgeous pages from DCWV's Mariposa Mat Stack to make my card.  The black card base was a bit too stark to coordinate well with the motif behind the sentiment, so I stamped a script background stamp in white dye ink on it to soften it a bit.  In real life it looks more closely-matched.  The white pigment ink was too bright for the look I was going for...

Yesterday's challenge on Splitcoast was a "Featured Stamper" challenge, and the stamper being featured was jazzytobi.   There were a lot of cards in her gallery that I liked and thought CASE-worthy, but I settled on this one because I liked the circle with an accent, the rounded top corners of the panel, and the ribbon across the bottom of the panel.  I changed it up by making an A2 card instead of a square, adding layers and details, and changing theme, colors, and stamps:

Stamps: Whippersnapper Sugar 'n' Spice, Close To My Heart 'Twas the Night Before Christmas; Ink: Stampin'Up! Riding Hood Red, Memento Tuxedo Black; Papers: SU! Riding Hood Red cardstock, SU! Bella Rose, Ski Slope and Sweet On You dp; Accessories/tools: Bic and Prismacolor markers, white gel pen, Cotton Candy Stickles, Michael's ribbon, Wilton doily, Martha Stewart doily lace edge punch

The card is pretty straight-ahead, but the paper piecing was a bit finicky.  I'm pretty pleased with it, overall, though - turned out pretty much like the picture in my head, which is both rare and welcome!

I'm about two-thirds of the way through one of my "big projects", and less than halfway through the other one, so I'm not sharing there, yet.  I'm hoping to polish off the other third today, so maybe tomorrow or Wednesday I can manage a post on that...

Off to start on the business of the day!  I've done some domestic/financial stuff already this morning, but nothing that will move me closer to my career goals or improve our situation, so I'm going to move ahead there now.

Thanks for dropping by, have a great day, and make some time to nurture your creativity!  I'm doing my best to follow my own advice there :-D

 

Missing In Action...

Yes, I know...  You've all probably moved on, since there's been little to no action here of late!  If you're still out there and you're still stopping by, thank you!  I've been working on some BIG projects lately which, by virtue of their largeness, require T-I-M-E.  I'm getting close to the finishing line on a couple of them, though, so there will be sharing soon, I promise!

On Sunday another inspiration went up on my challenge blog, so I could at least have posted that information here, along with this:

Stamps: Close to My Heart Homestead Alphabet; Ink: Versamark; Paper: Paperbilities black cardstock; Accessories/tools: Gold embossing powder, sheer black ribbon, small frames

I can't remember where I purchased the frames (probably WalMart or Dollar Tree), but they're small.  The openings in them are for 1 1/2" x 2" pictures!  Fortunately for me, the letters in the Homestead Alphabet from Close to My Heart measure about 1" x 1 1/2", so it was a perfect fit!  I attached them to a strip of sheer ribbon and added a bow at the top - done!  I used a really high-tech method, too - masking tape!  Yeah, nobody will see the back of this project and I know me well enough to know that this will get changed around from time to time...

Off to do some sewing and to finish the BIG projects so I can share...  Thanks for stopping by!

Later That Day...

I'm back, as promised!  Sorry if I offended your sense of humor with my earlier post...no, actually, I'm not sorry at all...  I subscribe to the line delivered by Natalie Portman in the movie Garden State:  "If you can't laugh at yourself, life is gonna seem a whole lot longer than you'd like."  Words to live by...

On to other things!  Today, being Sunday and all, there is a new post up on my other blog.  This week we're getting comfortable with being Perfectly Imperfect.  Click on over to check it out if you're so motivated...  Meanwhile, here's what I made for the challenge:

Stamps: The Cat's Pajamas Puppy Love and Love Mew; Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; Paper: Basic Grey Urban Prairie dp, DCWV pink and white textured cardstock; Accessories/tools: Fiskars threading water border punch, Marvy dimple corner punch, Corner Chomper, Stampin'Up! decorative label punch, Prismacolor colored pencils and colorless blender pen, Michael's ribbon, unknown gems, Bon Bon turquoise glitter nail polish

It's next to impossible to see in the above pic, but there are tiny sparkly "gems" in the crown and the lady's hat (no idea what that type of headgear might be called).  I made them by dipping the end of a toothpick into nail polish and touching it to the image where I wanted it.  Ta da!

Wondering what that card has to do with Imperfection?  Inside it says "We're the perfect couple - warts and all..."  Relationships can be perfectly imperfect, too, and usually are!  A work in progress, along with the folk involved in them...

I'm going to share with you an amazingly wonderful discovery:  Prismacolor or Copic colorless blender pens work as well (or, in my opinion, better than) mineral spirits and blending stumps for the Gamsol Magic technique!  I read it on a thread in one of the forums on Splitcoast Stampers and tried it out for myself, and HOORAY!!!  I also tried the regular blender pens (like you use with markers and/or ink pads) to see if they'd work, but not so much...

I've had questions about how I color my images, so there's one answer for you.  The other answer is "poor man's Copics", meaning Bic MarkIt markers.  They work in a similar way to Copics, I'm told, but I'm sure that Copics blend a bit better, and I KNOW that they come in waaaay more colors!  Some day, some day...  Right now my preferred method is the colored pencil/blender pen method that I just told you about.  Pencils are cheaper and easier (at least for me) to layer to get the look I want.  Sometimes I use both (markers and colored pencils) on the same image!  That's what I did on my beast card - stamped in Memento Rich Cocoa, then colored the beast with brown marker, the "collar" outlines and eyes with black marker, and the background with colored pencil.

One last thing, and then I'm out:  you still have a few more hours to grab a free ghostie digital stamp if you want one.  Thanks for stopping by, and I'll be back soon!

Quick Check In

On the fly again today, but wanted to post a couple of quick things.  First up, yesterday was World Card Making Day (instituted several years ago by Papercraft Magazine - go figure), and Sherry came over to play for a bit.  She made a couple of cute cards - one Christmas ( she made two of this card) and one Halloween.  I made one card for a challenge on Splitcoast to make a pink holiday card:

I've been carrying the idea around in Odd Brain for a while to make a toile pattern by stamping some similar-style stamps in one color on a neutral background, so I opted to execute that particular idea in pink for a Christmas card.  All items for this project are from Stampin'Up! except the book image, which is from Close to My Heart's Night Before Christmas set.  I used the dove and cottage images from To You and Yours and a little pinecone-and-needles stamp from Lovely as a Tree along with the book image for the design.  The sentiment is from Peaceful Wishes.  They're all stamped in Pink Pirouette dye ink on Very Vanilla cardstock.  The border is a scored double line sponged with the ink.  All the edges of the card base and image panel are also sponged with ink.  This isn't the greatest pic in the world (soft colors don't photograph especially well), but you can get the idea...

I also started a big project that I've been trying to execute for four or five weeks now.  It's still a work in progress, but here's what I have so far:

I used Stampin'Up! products here, too.  The die cuts are all done with the Top Note die, and all of the papers are from the Bella Rose collection.  I also used Pink Pirouette, Riding Hood Red and Kiwi Kiss ink and cardstock.  The letters and frames are from Tattered Angels, and the scalloped edge die is a Tim Holtz Alterations die.  I used various embossing folders on the cardstock Top Notes and glued them onto Top Notes that I cut from cereal boxes, so they'd be sturdier.

This project ties into this week's 52 Card Pickup challenge, too.  If you'd like to read about it, click HERE.  I'll post photos of the finished project if/when it finally gets accomplished!

Okay - gotta go snag groceries so we can eat!  Thanks for stopping by, and I hope the rest of your Sunday is perfect!  See you later this week for some fun Halloween projects...

Simplify

Because of all of the reading I've been doing lately and the resonance I've felt with what I've been reading, I have begun a major purging project.  Although I have no intention of getting down to only 100 possessions, I do feel motivated to get rid of those things that I do not use nearly every day.  I'm attempting to simplify my life in other areas, as well - relationships, emotional issues, etc.

Some of the thoughts floating around will be in today's post on my other blog, but in the meantime here are a few quotes I found and tapped out.  If you want the files, I've saved it three different ways - as a Word document, a pdf file and a jpeg f ile.  Links for all three are listed beneath the pic (click on it to make it larger):

   


It's only a half-page document (I figured this was enough to go on...) and I didn't crop the picture so you could see what you're getting.  I did everything in basic black, but you can switch things around in either Word or Photoshop - not sure about pdf as I haven't played around enough to see what you can do there...

Word file is here

PDF file is here

JPEG file is here (or just click on the pic above, right-click the image when it opens in a new window, and select "save" or "save as")

I hope you find these useful!

White Space

Another challenge up on my other blog!  This week we're discussing "white space" as applied to our lives (very Zen).  Check it out HERE, and this is my creative effort for the challenge:

 
Stamp: Close to My Heart For Every Occasion; Ink: Versafine Onyx Black; Paper: CTMH White Daisy; Accessories/tools: Cuttlebug floral fantasy embossing folder. Prima and unknown flower, ribbon, bling brad, Corner Chomper

Hope you're enjoying your weekend, and thanks for stopping by!

Change Your Mind

New challenge up on my other blog!  Here's this week's project:

Go check it, if you'd like - I'm off to watch football with the hubster!  Ta!