A very Happy New Year!

Wishing you and yours a very happy and prosperous New Year!

I know in my heart I live with honesty and integrity and never wish malice towards anyone and wont start now.  I know people point fingers saying I have, and I can only say that isn't true and when we point our finger we have four pointing back to us.

I find it amazing that I could apologize before anyone realized there was an issue and still be punished for being shocked and pouring out my feelings.  Lessen learnt that only popular crafty kids have feelings.  C'est la vie.  I have never wanted to be a popular kid, however, I don't think it is too much to ask people to be respectful of everyone equally.

New Year! Same ol me with honesty and integrity and always working to be a better version of me.

So I asked another question, good thing I'm not a cat.

So following the ban I actually asked Splitcoastampers site what an SPR violation is and because honestly to be banned for a month really deserves a better explanation than the stat 2 word response. "SPR Violations"

"Hi Kristen -

Good to hear from you. I really do hope you are doing okay.

I am not a moderator - I am the Community and site manager. But we love and depend on our moderators! :) Here is the site posting rule you violated, which is the most important rule we have:

Members are cautioned to take the greatest care when they post new threads or create a response to an existing thread. We ask that no one creates or condones a post openly disparaging any individual, company or group of people.

I hope you have a good rest of the holiday season."

Now I just want to say I knew it was going to Site manager because none of the other relevant boxes sent it through - might have to do with the ban or might be a glitch, I honestly don't know.  I appreciate the kind response but am still puzzled how asking for clarifications from those who blur the line between person and business is "disparaging" especially given some of the threads I have read over the years about others in the crafting community on Splitcoast.

I did reply with the following (and of course now see a grammatical error! Yikes! and I know there are probably more).

"Many thanks for your reply.

What have I specifically done that has disparaged an individual, company or group of people after I was cautioned by PM?

I have ask about a product being Free of charge.

I have asked about disclosure of Free of charge products, how is that disparaging? That is Freedom of Information!

I have also ask in Current Events how Martha Stewart, as the example given me by a moderator, can be considered an individual in a craft world where she has made millions and is incorporated as a business?  Which considering the number of negative threads about other craft people such as for example PTI and Nicole Heady is puzzling and inconsistent.

In the past there has been a very specific warning if there is an issue.  The issue for this seems to be one of a click/clique where a moderator is a part of it and doesn't wish to questioned.  She specifically said in her response in PM that she didn't care who I included.  And then I am banned for quite a length of time?  That is just plain irrational."

Now if I thought for one moment everyone was being treated the same I would have no ongoing issue but there really seems to be a protective bubble around this product and the mentors of this product and how dare we question it.  I really like the SCS moderators, generally they have been absolutely brilliant over the years, even when I have have previous vacations, but I just think if you are participating actively in a thread and "liking" the "craft celebrity" posts that it might be best to recuse yourself from moderating that thread if there is a perceived issue.

Full disclosure, I really like the product, I just don't understand why it is so hard to say "I got it for free and think it was awesome!"  I have consistently said - get it patent protected (even when the creator of it said a lawyer said she didn't need it), get mass manufacturing to bring the price down.   So that isn't negative.

I just don't get the defensiveness and animosity when I asked quite legitimate questions.  

Why Blog Freebie disclosure matters.

What does it matter if a blogger receives a product free of charge, even as a gift, and proceeds to promote it?

It matters because, I, as a consumer, don't know their intent.  They can tell me their intent, their friends and allies can tell me their intent, however they can't tell me what I believe, that is my choice and opinion to form, not theirs.

I have no problem with bloggers blogging about freebies, just tell me it was free to you. There is no need to act all offended if I just want to know the truth and assess for myself.  Give yourself some credit that if you are blogging with honesty and integrity that I will come to the same conclusions that you have about the product.  When a blogger fans the flame which encourages others to fight on their behalf, it makes me question the validity of their claims. 

There is a big difference between "Wow, I just read the thread and now I'm going to defend myself" and "Oh yeah, I got this FoC and it is a great product" - one fans people to jump on the bandwagon and keep attacking, the other places the focus back on the product.  

Secondarily, I am disappointed when a moderator of a forum participates in the discussion and openly takes sides.  At that point they really should hand it over to another to assess and moderate because they are involved whether they are besties or just in awe of the poster, then to couple it with false accusations in PMs as a moderator is beyond the pale.  I don't and can't have a personal issue with any crafty blogger because I don't know them personally.  I know them as an online persona or a business persona.  To be accused otherwise by a forum moderator is strange and biased.  It seems like a very bad day at the office, just wish my vacation was a paid one.

Banned for asking FTC questions on Splitcoastampers

Tt says -
"You have been banned for the following reason:
SPR violations

Date the ban will be lifted: 01-27-2015, 09:00 PM"

Got to laugh - apparently you aren't allowed to ask if Jennifer McGuire has received a product for free and promoting it without disclosing that to her viewers.  And what is an SPR violation?

Shouldn't a full explanation be given?  I've been repeatedly attacked on the MISTI thread for asking questions.  Many got very defensive that I would dare to ask a question.  It is important to me if a person is promoting a product they received FoC and every person I have asked away from the forum has told me exactly the same and even the Federal Trade Commission addresses it.  

It is like a rapid pack on forums if you cross the wrong elite crafter nobody is protecting the little guy.  Buyer Beware!

Is Martha Stewart a person or a business?

The following is from a thread I originated on Splitcoastampers which I expect to be deleted.  I am posting it here to protect its contents.

I know I am asking this at the risk of a vacation, but I think it is an important question. So is Martha Stewart a person or a business?

Background. On a tool thread I ask if a well known blogger who earns a living blogging about craft stamps and tools by representing many companies had received that tool FoC. Since asking people have been quite adamant that it didn't matter. I pointed out that it DID matter and that is why the FTC had regulations about blogging. It was pointed out by the creator of the tool that she had approached the blogger to represent her to Hero Arts (that sounds like business to me).

A few days ago the blogger who NEVER has mentioned sponsored product (followed her for years) goes to great lengths on social media to say this is being promoted for a friend -  - honestly, at the time, I felt it was a dig at me (right or wrongly, it doesn't really matter, if someone feels that way that is how they feel). I posted that here, had a think about it and was going to delete it but someone had replied. I didn't want to dishonor the person so replied that I was going to delete that post but since they had replied I felt that would be disrespectful. Then the blogger posts and really has a pretty direct go at how anyone could think that she would promote a product she didn't believe in (which I never said and how many thread are there about people being on DT and not liking the product etc.) and all the popular kids told her this was going on, so she had to sweep in and save the day and post but she was far too busy and had an employee that dealt with her comments on social media. (Person or Business has an employee for social media?)

Another poster then had a direct go at myself for thinking as I did. And I reported it. Mod involved and I was told that the blogger that earns a living crafty blogging is a person and that this was an attack on a person and against the terms of the board. I said I have no reason to attack a person and this was a discussion about business practices. I was told that

Quote:

The rules are very clear and simple and you are well acquainted with them as a regular contributor here. Every human on earth is protected here by our rules, regardless of whether they have a personal brand or not. Martha Stewart has exactly the same rights as Jane Doe.

Honestly I am confused. Martha Stewart is a brand. She is incorporated as a brand and if Martha Stewart posted here I would consider it PR to promote her brand.

Additionally there are many threads all over this board about owners of different companies and their bad customer service and this wasn't even near this level. 

I get it that I am not crafting elite or a popular "kid" but honestly I don't get the vitriol on this. If a person's online persona is how they make money they are a business.

What do you think? and I may not get to reply because I am expecting this to be deleted and to be sent on vacation for asking a legitimate, Federally regulated question.

(I also got accused of having a problem with the blogger. I have no idea where that came from. That was just weird, especially as I stated multiple times that I don't and there was nothing personal in my questions. I don't know what is so hard about "Look what my super talented friend gave me, let me show you what it does!")

So after full disclosure, is Martha Stewart a person or a business?

Read more: http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/forums/current-events-f65/martha-stewart-person-t595235.html#post20849409#ixzz3N7BnHuHx

Joy to the World!

The challenge this week for the High Hopes blog is Silver.  So I took this image and colored it in with copics trying to emulate Sandy Allnock and then used Sakura metallic and glitter pens to make the stars silver.

I wanted to emphasize the silver without detracting from it so I matted it on gray.  The purple came from the lowlights on his headdress.  I used a cutterbee piercing bug to add interest and allude to the faux stitching on his robe, around the image and on the sentiment.

Ingredients:
Card size - 8 1/2 " x 5 1/2 "
Cardstock - Recollections white 110lbs; white, gray, purple 65lbs;
Stamp - High Hopes Stamps - Shepherd's Awe; Inkadinkado - Hope; Studio G - alphabet;
Ink - Memento: Tuxedo black, Nautical Blue, Grape;
Color - Copics;
Accessories - Cutterbee piercing tool

Butterflies of hope bookmark.

Another Gina K Stamp TV Stamp Out Cancer challenge - this was anything but a card.

I made a bookmark with a tranquil scene and a butterfly to honor each close friend and family member whom we have lost to cancer.  The colors correspond to the cancer they fought so bravely.

Jim - 52
Steve - 28
Teenie - 69
Kathy - 41
Anne - 51
Cooper - 56
Shug - 67
Aiden - 1 
Martin - 47
Aaron - 37

You can't see it in the photo, but I added stardust glitter pen to the butterflies as well.

Ingredients
Size - from my scraps;
Cardstock - Recollections 65 lbs: white:
Stamps - Gina K Designs Sending Sunshine;
Ink - Memento: Tuxedo Black;
Color - Copics;
Accessories - Sakura Stardust Clear; White Organza ribbon.

Pink Hello!

Another card for the Gina K Designs Stamp Out Cancer Challenges.  This one was to create a card of encouragement/support and the main image in pink.  Well for me the first step is getting in touch so I used this cute as a button phone stamp to say "Hello".

Ingredients
Card size - 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"
Cardstock - Recollections 65lbs: black, white;
Stamps - Gina K Designs: Just Calling to Say, Assorted Greetings;
Ink - Gina K Designs: white; Black Onyx; Memento - Rosebud;
Color - Copics
Accessories - American Craft ribbon.

You make my heart sing.... pink...

Another one of those cards that looked so amazing in my head and just didn't quite work in real life.  I think I should have mirrored the flow of the notes in cutting the vellum so it showed off the merge of the black and pink.

In my head, there is a cool ombre effect change from pink to black with the musical notes echoing the flow of the transitition... in reality it just looks like I butted up some pink and black glitter paper and then covered the seam with vellum. *sigh*

Anyway it is a Stamp Out Cancer card and the challenge was to used a lot of Glitter and to use pink AND black.

Ingredients
Card size - 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"
Cardstock - Recollections: black, white;
Stamps - Gina K Designs Gleefully Yours;
Ink - Versamark;
Accessories - Martha Stewart glitter; Detail black embossing powder

Birthday Hoot!

I made this card for a Stamp Out Cancer Challenge at Gina K's Stamp TV but didn't get to upload it because I reached my limit.

I like all the separate elements but I'm not certain I like them together.  Any thoughts?

Ingredients
Card Size - 8 1/2" x 5 1/2"
Cardstock - Recollections: 65lb white, pink; 
Stamp - Gina K Designs: Birthday Owl;
Ink - Gina K Designs: Color Companions Black Onyx;
Color - Copics;
Accessories - American Craft Ribbon.

Comfy All Star

I made this card as part of  Stamp TV's Stamp Out Cancer Challenges.  This one was "Comfort".  Honestly, what is more comfortable that a comfy hoodie/tshirt.  There is just nothing like putting it on after a hard day.

I used the solid star in the set to make a background panel that I cut apart in unequal sections to add a bit of interest.

Ingredients
Card size - 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"
Cardstock - Recollections: 65lb gray, white;
Stamps - Gina K Designs: Just So Sporty;
Ink - Gina K designs Color Companions Black Onyx; Memento: Rose bud;
Color - Copics;
Accessories - dimensional tape.

Gobble?

Wow! it has been a while.  I have been stamping, just not uploading.  You should see the queue of cards in my drafts that just need a few words put to them!  Anyway this card is for High Hopes Stamps challenge - Challenge 245: Photo Inspiration .  The picture is gorgeous and I hope I did the inspiration justice.  I wanted to make a card to send to my eldest at university so I took inspiration from the colors Red, White, Kraft/Brown and the dots.  If you look close you can see where I improvised and used an embossing folder to create a dotted background with Versamark and clear embossing powder.  I wanted that subtleness of the glisten of the ice in the picture. 

I decided early on to make his wattle (I had to look that up!!!) out of a ribbon scrap I had from making velvet bows for Christmas.

Ingredients:
Card size - 4 1/4 in x 5 1/2 in;
Cardstock- Recollections white 110lb and white, kraft, red 65lb;
Stamps - High Hopes Stamps Tom Turkey; Studio G alphabet;
Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black, Love Letter; Versamark;
Color - Copics; Multiliner;
Accessories - Detail clear embossing powder; Polk Dot embossing folder; Scrap of ribbon; 3M foam tape.

Tickled Pink Elephant

Just missed the cutoff for this - oh well there is always next week.  Made this for the High Hopes Blog challenge to make a card with some Pink for Breast Cancer awareness.

Stamped, colored, fussy cut, mounted, stamped.  That pretty much sums it up.

Ingredients - 

Card size - 4 1/4" x 5 1/2";

Cardstock - Recollections - white 65lbs; Pattern Paper;

Stamps - High Hopes Stamps: Elmer Elephant; Gina K Designs: Gnome One Like You;

Ink - Memento: Tuxedo Black;
Color - Copics;

SuperOwl!

I made this card for our friend who is a huge Sheffield Wednesday Supporter.  I love how it turned out.

I found this cute little owl stamp in the dollar stamps for Halloween at Michael's and think it works a treat!  I knew I wanted him as the focal image and a creative way to pop him so I decided to use my star dies and to cut a "ball" out of the front of the card.  It reminds me of a champions league football from a few years back with the stars in the pattern.  I stamped the footballs on in a bit of a pattern and then adhered the stars to the front and back of the circle cut out for stability.

Ingredients
Card size - 8 1/2" x 5 1/2"
Cardstock - Recollections 65lbs: white, blue;
Stamps - Recollections: soccer ball; See D's: Boys toys - soccer ball; Craftsmart: SuperOwl; 
Ink - Memento: Danube Blue, Tuxedo Black;
Coloring -Copics
Accessories - Spellbinders: Circles, Stars.

You're A-maize-ing!

I have made this card for the High Hopes Blog challenge Fall/Halloween.

I just couldn't resist doing a pun card with these cute stamps!

I guess this is another one for my stash of encouragement cards.  I tried to amp up the coloring of my scarecrow to make him pop after watching Sandy Allnock's video on "Wow Copic Coloring" .   I'm still not certain I did enough to make the scarecrow pop.  The only thing I didn't do is retrace him as I stamped the scene in brown not black.  I did retrace the crow as he is colored "black".  Maybe I should take the risk and just do it!

Ingredients
Card size - 4 1/4" x 5 1/2";
Cardstock - Recollections 65lb white, black;
Stamps - High Hopes Stamps: Guard Duty Rudy, Corn stalk; Studio G alphabet;
Ink - Memento: Rich Cocoa; Versamark;
Color - Copics, Copic Multiliner, Sakura gel pen white;
Accessories - Glossy accents; Detail Clear Embossing Powder.

No Peeking...

Oh my! I made this card for Christmas with my nephew and his fiancee in mind.  I thought it had just the right bit of fun innuendo and fun for them for Christmas.

I colored the Three Pane Santa with Copics a while ago and dug it out of my stash to create this card.  Initially I was going to leave it as is but the image got lost on my large card so I decided to cut the Santa's out and stack them down the card. This card was a definite make it work moment.  I took paper out of a Recollections pad I got last Christmas that played on the whimsy of the Santas and the colors but added a bit more color as well.  The ribbon is from my stash and I think the whole color combo reminds me of Christmas treats and sweets.

 I placed the Santas so I could get the spacing for the wording.  The wording is stamped in white ink and I love the unexpected contrast with the black.  Honestly, I toyed with the idea of putting something in the bottom right corner but felt that it would be too much and I like how the empty space seems to ground the card.

Entered in High Hopes Stamps Blog - Sentiment on the front challenge 

Ingredients:
Card size - 8 1/2" x 5 1/2"
Cardstock - Recollections - 110 lb white, 65 lb black, red; Neenah Classic Crest Solar White 80lb; Recollections - Fa La La La paperpad;
Stamps - High Hopes Stamps - Three Pane Santa, No Peeking, Poking or Shaking;
Ink - Memento Tuxedo black;  Gina K Designs Color Companions White;
Color - Copics;
Accessories - American Craft ribbon; Dimensionals.

Sparkle/Glitter Snowman!

Another High Hopes challenge to make a card with a High Hopes stamp including sparkle/glitter.

I stamped and colored the snowman with Copics.  I then fussy cut him out and added glitter on his berries and coal.  I stamped the background with white and accented the snow with Stickles.  The snow drifts were cut from cardstock and inked with Distress Ink and I added the Martha Stewart Snow glitter to the edges.


I decided to get a head start on my Christmas cards.  I haven't decided who is getting this one yet so I have left the greeting off for now.  I think it might also need a drift or a shadow under the snowman...

Ingredients
Card size - 8 1/2" x 5 1/2";
Cardstock - Recollections 65lb white, blue, kraft;
Stamps - High Hopes stamps: Gimme A Hug! Snowman, Snow Background;
Ink - Gina K Color Companions: Black Onyx, White; Distress Inks: Broken China;
Color - Copics
Accessories - Stickles: Diamond; Recollections: Red, Black; Martha Stewart glitter: snow

Purple daisies

 

Using so many of the techniques (and confidence) I have picked up from Lindsay, the Frugalcrafter, I stamped this ink a Memento brown so that I would get more of a watercolor look than with a strong harsh black.  I especially like the way I pointed in the centers of the daisies.  They really pop in real life.

I would love to say that I planned this card from the beginning but the card was made around the watercolor.  I found paper to match in my stash and remembered this sweet ribbon which just has an edge of the blue in the sky.

Ingredients
Card Size - 8 1/2" x 5 1/2"
Cardstock - Artist Loft watercolor; Recollections 110lb, Bright & Basic;
Stamps - Stampendous: Daisy Thanks;
Ink - Memento: Rich Cocoa;
Color - Koi Watercolor;
Accessories - Ribbon

Dragonflies with a watercolor wash

This card isn't perfect by a very long shot!  But I like how it turned out.  I had been watching videos by Catherine Pooler and she was into using Distress Inkpads and a Hero Arts stamp to create so lovely cards.  Well, I had neither the Distress Inkpads nor the beautiful Hero Arts stamp so I improvised and used this Inkadinkado set.  I stamped the flowers and dragonflies in Versamark and then embossed them with white ink.  I then used my watercolors and put a wash over the entire card and left it alone to dry.  After it dried I felt it needed more so I stamped in some of the Flourishes from the set.

I found an appropriate Happy Birthday greeting and stamped and embossed it on vellum. 

Ingredients
Card Size - 8 1/2" x 5 1/2"
Cardstock - Recollections 65lb white, black;
Stamps - Inkadinkado: Mindscapes; Kitchen Sink Stamps: 3 step Daisy;
Ink - Versamark; Memento: Rose Bud;
Accessories - Embossing Powder: Zing! white, Ranger Detail black; rhinestones.

Art Journaling - Tagents & Tactics No. 2 - Cup Half Full

Following the prompt Cup Half Full on Daisy Yellow Art, I thought about this quite a bit.  I decided I wanted the visual effect of looking down into the cup and the feeling of half empty or half full.

I journaled this page first.  For half empty I knew it was a process with an end because I journaled from the outside to the middle.  Whereas half full had/has endless possibilities because starting small and working out it ended when I was ready for it to end rather than when the space ran out.  I splatted the Half full page with many colors because that is what makes life with so many endless opportunities, even the darkest days but I didn't want that to be the focus.  I wanted it to be bright, airy and warm and hopefully expressing hope and optimism.  It is almost rising off the page.

Ingredients
Canson XL Mixed Media 14" x 11" pad
Copic Multiliners
Micron pen
Koi Water Colors

Art Journaling - Tagents & Tactics No. 1 - Starburst

I did it! I finally got rolling (properly) with my Art Journal thanks to this thread on Splitcoaststampers and these prompts on Daisy Yellow Art.  And yeah, I started thinking about this page when the prompt was put to my attention on Splitcoaststampers.  It really took me that long and several attempts to get to this point where I am happy with it.

I will be honest.  I was very hung up on doing it "right" instead of just doing it.  Finally I decided it is my journal and whatever the prompt I can't do it wrong because I am doing it for me and if someone else likes it then that is ok too.

This first page for me was a trip down memory lane.  Every time I wanted to start the Starburst screamed Sunburst to me and "Here Comes the Sun" by the Beatles.  So I based this page on my memories of that song including writing out the lyrics and journaling about when it was "my song" in a play.

I think my favorite part of this page is the floating feathers and maybe the multicolored rain! oh and the blue and green waves...

Ingredients
Canson XL Mixed Media 14" x 11" pad
Copic Multiliners
Koi Water Colors

New Home, New door, New step, New plaque, New plants...

So with just about everyone I know (slight exaggeration but only slight) moving this summer, at some point I came upon this idea that it would be cool to do a door/doorstep card and have light come through the glass of the door.  Although there are many beautiful door dies out there, I didn't really feel the need to invest in them.  I used what I have.  So with a combination of Spellbinders rectangles and long rectangles this is what I came up with after a bazillion passes through the die cutter.  Now, I know it doesn't look like the typical "American" door, but that is okay because it wasn't going to an American but rather to my MIL in England and they do have front doors like this (although I don't know what her current front door looks like).
  

They also have wall plaques with their house numbers on.  Again I don't know if she does but I thought she might appreciate the detail, though admittedly it is probably too small to read.  The vines around the door were a "save" I dropped some extra color on the front of the card after I was well into the construction process and had to camouflage the area to hide it.

I knew when I was laying out this card that I wanted a potted plant next to the door as my MIL loves to garden and has been a long time member of many gardening clubs.  I initially was going to stamp a Kitchen sink Hydrangea but the proportions were just too big for what I was trying to do.  I searched out my old, trusty See D's stamps and found just what I needed, well almost.  I found a beautiful bouquet in a vase.  Well, who sits a vase on their front step.  The same set had a flower pot, so I did a bit of masking and came up with this arrangement.

I played a bit with my watercolors and color mixing especially with the purple/yellow to get a brown middle that fits.

Now I just hopes she likes it!

Ingredients:

Card size - 8 1/2" x 5 1/2";

Cardstock - Recollections 65lb: Ivory, Red, Gray; Vellum;

Stamps - See D's: Floral, Whimsical Garden; JustRiteStampers - Special Occasions;

Ink - Archival ink, Memento - GrayFlannel, Cottage Ivy, New Sprout, Northern Pine, Pear Tart; Versamark, Delicata Golden Glitz

Color - Koi Watercolors;

Accessories - Spellbinders dies, UTEE

Yappy Barkday!

Giddy with excitement! I was drawn to win a High Hopes challenge a couple of weeks ago and then asked if I wanted to be a guest for a challenge.  YES! was my answer and here is my card.  The challenge is Blue, Brown, Cream/White.  OK, I have to admit to adding a bit of black in there, but it is only a little.

I added a bit of sparkle with Copic Spica Atyou pens. On the hats and bows/ribbons.  I have been having sparkle envy with everyone's Wink of Stella.  I think it is just enough especially as this is for a guy.

Ingredients
Card Size - 8 1/2" x 5 1/2"
Cardstock - Artist Loft: watercolor; Recollections: Kraft, Navy 65lb;
Stamps - High Hopes Stamps: Brutus, Scotty Dog, Odie Dog, party hat two, single present; Studio G: alphabet stamps;
Ink - Memento: Tuxedo Black, Nautical Blue, Danube Blue, Bahama Blue;
Color - Copics; Koi Watercolors; Spica Atyou;
Accessories - Polka Dots embossing folder; Dimensional tape; Eyelets; Twine.

You're snow n'ice

I made this card for the High Hopes Challenge Ice or Snow .  I knew I wanted to use this bear but it tested my abilities to make a slope and background. I accented the snow flakes with Stickles for a bit more pizzazz.  I think it works or at least I hope it does.  I based the coloring on my eldest's school colors so will probably send this to him at some point in the school year.

I thought of the blog title after I took the picture - I'll probably add that to the front somewhere because it fits before I send it off.

Ingredients
Card size - 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"
Cardstock - Artist Loft: Watercolor paper; Recollections: Kraft 65lb;
Stamps - High Hopes Stamps: Bearly Swooshin', Snow Background;
Ink- Archival: black; Memento: Summer Sky;
Color - Koi Watercolor
Accessories - Diamond Stickles

Crafting with Lindsay, the Frugalcrafter, - Hummingbird

We are so lucky to have someone like Lindsay to share her talents and teaching with us mere wannabes.  This is a complete CASE of her recent Hummingbird card tutorial.  This was another card I made for my husband for his birthday.  He loves birds.  He isn't a twitcher though has a friend that is.

I watched Lindsay's tutorial and then followed along a bit but did my own thing as well.  I will say I think I need to loosen up a bit with my drawing and paint strokes although I am quite happy with how this turned out.  Well, I'm quite happy until I go and look at Lindsay's original!!! LOL! gotta keep trying.

Ingredients
Card Size - 5" × 6-7/8"(127 mm × 175 mm)
Cardstock - Strathmore Watercolor card
Color - Koi watercolors, Twinkling H20s

Captain America die cut card.

This is one of the cards I made for my husband's birthday (the irony is he is English).  I hope by now he appreciates my humor.

I can't remember exactly where I saw this idea of inlaying the die cuts to create the shield.  It definitely isn't my idea.

I have to say if I did this card again I would put the shield a little higher on my card but generally like the way it came out.  It looks even lower in the picture.  It is centered on the card but looks low.

Ingredients
Card size - 8.5 in x 5.5 in;
Cardstock - Recollections 110 lb white, 65lb white, blue, red;
Accessories - Spellbinders Nestabilities - circles, stars.

What's Up?

I created this card for High Hopes blog challenge Fall Colors.  I always think of browns, reds, oranges and golds when I think fall and hope this card conveys that.

I have wanted to make this card for a long time, like ever since I bought the stamps!!!  So I thought this was a good opportunity to combine it with the challenge.

The image is stamped with Rich Cocoa and watercolored with Inktense pencils.  I'm still working on my Inktense technique.  I did run into a bit of trouble with the watercolor paper pilling where I was working it too much, but I like the effect it left.

I won't say I'm 100% happy with this card - I like the background and mat, I like the image and idea.  I wanted Henrietta to pop more - maybe some colored pencils would help but I'm a bit worried about introducing them when the paper was already pilling.  Think I better call it a good job done and move on!

Psst - that apostrophe on the "what's" totally had to improvise it from the "!".  I think it worked.

Ingredients
Card size - 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inches;
Cardstock - Recollections: kraft, red; Artist Loft: Watercolor;
Stamps - High Hopes: Henriettas backside, chicken prints; Studio G: alphabet;
Ink - Memento: Rich Cocoa;
Color - Derwent Inktense.

Art Journaling - 1st attempt

I'm not really certain that this page is finished but this is where it is so far. I think it needs something else but want to keep the pallet this time to the three colors. I want an image(s) but nothing has clicked yet.  I have decided to date my progress up by the orings, so each day I work on a page I put the date down, which reminds me I need to do that to my second page which I have started. Yippee!

The Post Office Ate My Card

I honestly was having trouble coming up with a title to the post.  Well the Post office solved that.  Yesterday, Friday August 22, 2014 I took this card to the Post Office counter and it and a SASE measured, metered, weighed, assessed, inside leg measurement taken etc.  And then posted it to my eldest to post back in time for my husband's birthday. Now I have good faith in the Post Office to do their job so imagine my surprise when today my husband received an empty SASE in the mail from inside the card. Not a happy camper.  From the condition of the SASE I would say a worker interfered with our post, not a machine, but I am sure a machine will be blamed.  My question is if their machinery couldn't handle it then wasn't that up to the postal worker at the counter to inform me?  Anyway, about the card -

I made the front of the card to look like a peg board.  I took inspiration from Lindsay, the frugalcrafter's card but kept it simple with the tools "pointing" to open the card.

In the inside I made a pop up toolbox.  I wish I could say it was my idea, I knew I wanted a dimensional toolbox but honestly wanted something more interactive than this.  You know, pull out drawers with tools inside interactive.  Yeah, I aim high!

So trying to work out how to do what I want I did an internet search and found this pop up card.  I decided with a few changes it was going to be as close as I was going to get to what I wanted, well.... this year!!!

All the tools are hand stamped and colored and then individually cut out.

And yes - this is a HUGE card with a top hinge thanks to some gorgeous grid paper and YES! paste.  Seriously, with YES! paste all things are adhere-able and nearly all things are possible!

I really loved this card so much that I almost didn't send it to my son to send back.  I nearly sent another but I thought this was the most appropriate one between them.  So here, I share with the world and hope someone in the US Post Office contacts us with what is left of my card (my blog I.D. is on the back) or an explanation for what happened.  I am not hopeful that it is still intact and if it is I am not hopeful that it wasn't deliberately opened.

Ingredients
Card Size - 8.5 in x 5.5 in
Cardstock - Recollections 110 lb - white, 65 lb - red, black; Recollections - Bright & Basic;
Stamps - Little Yellow Bicycle - Birthday; Technique Tuesday - Tool Time;
Ink - Gina K Designs Color Companion Black Onyx;
Color - Memento markers;
Accessories - Swiss Dots embossing folder; silver peel off strips.

Never Frogget!

I think we can agree I just went dotty over the High Hopes blog challenge this week - Polka Dot Mania .

I stamped the Frog Prince stamp and Mushroom Two stamp with Gina K Designs Black Onyx and colored in with Derwent Inktense pencils.  The mushroom is in my eldest's school colors orange and brown.  I then fussy cut the frog, cutting off his crown, and covered in versamark and UTEE and heat embossed him.  Doing this gave him a mottled appearance that I wanted.

Using my Polka Dots folder I dry embossed the base.  And I diecut the mushroom with circles to make them big polka dots.

To be honest I put the card together and then struggled as to where to put the sentiment.  Then I decided to do a half dot under the image and to look out the little $1 Studio G alphabet stamps I picked up at Michaels.  Couldn't believe that I had a circle one in the lot so of course that is the one I HAD to use!  A bit of dotty ribbon added just enough to help anchor the image.

Ingredients
Card size - 4 1/4 in x 5 1/2 in;
Cardstock - Recollections: 110lb (295 gsm) white, 65lb green, kraft;
Stamps - High Hopes Stamps: Frog Prince, Mushroom Two; Studio G: alphabet;
Ink - Gina K Designs Color Companion Black Onyx;
Color - Derwent Inktense Watercolor Pencils;
Accessories - American Crafts ribbon; UTEE; Dimensionals; Circle diecut.

Oops there goes another rubber tree plant!

I created this card for the High Hopes blog challenge this week - Buggin' Out using their iconic (IMHO) High Hopes Ant.  Isn't he just the cutest.  I played with mixing patterns and I think it worked.  I can't decide whether to send it to my mother as a pick me up or MIL as a moving card!

Ingredients
Card size - 4 1/4 in x 5.5 in
Cardstock - Recollections 110 lbs/ 298 gsm white, 65lb purple, pink, and paperstack.
Stamps - High Hopes Ant
Ink - Archival Ink
Color - Koi watercolors
Accessories - computer printed sentiment; dimensional tape.

21st box card!

A card for our dear niece who turned 21 in July.  I really struggled with this as traditionally in England it is "key to the door" you are an adult now birthday.  To be honest, the world has moved on so I decided to go fun and whimsical and pile it on.

Growing up she absolutely loved pigs so I am hoping that she will see this as a nod to remembering how much she loved pigs, a wee mini trip down her childhood memory lane.   

I wanted to make this card even more over the top than a normal box card so I decided in the great British tradition that she needed some birthday bunting to celebrate her big day.  Now that took a bit of thinking.  In the end I glued together some thick cardstock and patterned paper (both sides) to make them look a bit like carnival poles but keeping them flat for when the card was closed.

I did a few markings and I think I made the pennants 1 in long and 1 in wide.  I marked the bottom of the paper a half inch in and then every inch so I could cut the angles needed and cut enough for the front and back of the banner. Using a small alphabet set I stamped all the letters I needed and found a bit of thin white crochet thread in my stash and glue the pennant together, sandwiching in the thread.

Those "brads/enamel dots" are actually patterned paper scraps that I punched out, and used Versamark and UTEE to make to match!  I may never buy a "real" one again! 

The big problem with a card for an occasion that doesn't open and close is that there is no where to put a gift card/cash so I made a small envelope to match the large one and tucked it inside the box.  I went ahead and put her name on it so she will hopefully thought to pull it out.

 This is the card all closed up.  I was going to start my post with it but realized that if people are reading in readers they probably wouldn't look any further when confronted with such a dull image.  Oh yeah, what about that matching envelope!!!

Ingredients
Card size - 8.5 in x 5.5 in
Cardstock - The Paper Studio: Texture Cardstock, The Classics; 
Stamps - High Hopes: Pig, cake, presents, hat; Justrite Stamps: Curlz;
Ink - Archival Ink: black;
Color - Koi watercolor;
Accessories - Crochet thread;
Tools - UTEE