How I spent my summer vacation...

...or at least my first week off work (this past week):

The purpose of this post is to let my handful of bloggy friends know what I've been doing instead of visiting blogs and saying hi... Hi! I've been out of town and busy with friends and family! It's all good, but I'm soooo glad to be home!

In the pix above, you'll see my kids, my niece, my folks, and two of my best friends.  The flowers are all in my folks' yard.

As far as creative endeavors during the week away go, i made the rubber band tag for my mom... mostly to antagonize her-- she has strong irrational dislike for rubber bands. She detests them and does not keep them on hand. So in her junk drawer she has multiples of every possible office supply or tool you can imagine but NO rubber bands. I was laughing so hard. They should make a reality TV show about my mom.  She cray-cray.

I also made those lobster buoys which will be table numbers at Sarah's wedding.

Speaking of the wedding, Sarah picked her dress, and all bridesmaids (including me) got dresses ordered! The picture of me roughly in the center above is in the dress I ordered, except mine will be full length and navy blue.

So happy to be home! My husband even watered all of the flowers while we were gone, and he worked on the scrap shack! (He missed us!)

Cheers!

I'm CLEARLY late..

...for another Jingle Belles Challenge... this one is to use a clear element...

First of all, I love this challenge blog. Always cleverly written, and written well, and the challenges are fun and very do-able, whether you prefer basic supplies or a specific medium... and the mission is worthwhile: catch up on your holiday greetings through the year! I usually make tags,  but today I actually busted out a card:

Supplies:

• Teresa Collins star acetate 
• A white card inked with DIs then dripped with water then color
• I cut the chipboard tree out and inked it with Distress Embossing ink then heated up some green Stampeders EP on there
• Sentiment is October Afternoon market stickers... my old fave for scrapbook ingredients. Wish I had an endless supply 

Stamps and Stencils: Floral Frenzy

I plan to enter this into the current Stamps & Stencils challenge, which is Floral Frenzy:

This turned out so much darker and more autumnal than I originally envisioned as I set out, but this is where the colors lead me!

Supplies and notes:

• The scrap of paper was either from my stash or from Andrea. I think it started life as an 8x8", but it was 4x8" when I began this large tag
• The edges of the paper were inked with the following DIs: Aged Mahogany and Black Soot.  That's when this turned the corner from neutral to dark.
• I then used a Heidi Swapp stencil with some of my older paste mediums: Ranger Transparent Gloss and Faber Castelle TextureLuxe in Gold.  Use it or lose it, right?
• The flowers were all made months ago with Tim's Tattered Florals dies. The dark flower reminds me of the dahlias I have-- I'd take a pic, but they haven't quite flowered yet... soon...
•  The yarn hails from Tuesday Morning 
• The canvas greenery and pinecone come from a holiday set by Hand Made Modern found at Target.  I realize this is seasonal to many people, but not me... here in the Sierra, pinecones are definitely a familiar (and beloved) part of the landscape
• The flourish-y stamps are by Fiskars, inked in Archival and stamped under the embossing pastes

Cheers!

How does your garden grow?

This week at Shopping Our Stash, our host and fearless leader Alicia had selected the theme of  How does your garden grow?: Use anything that can be found in a garden... 

...so I used what I found in my stash!

Okay, this girl is adorable, but I just want to
clarify that that is in fact ribbon and
 not an old bra-strap binding the card! LOL!

Here's my second card:

OMG, how cute is she? I know this is pretty simple, but looking at this IRL, I just smiled and smiled!

Okay, let's see some projects, people!  Just think of the possibilities! Flowers, insects, fruits, veggies, a garden scene... I'm positive you all have some garden-related elements in your stashes!  Use 'em and join us this week!

As I embarked on my own stash-shopping trip, I considered making seed-packet holders, a decorated pot... even fairy-garden stuff! (You can pretty much do anything crafty with what you have on-hand... that's exactly what this challenge group is all about!)

Supplies and notes:

• The stickers (jars, farm girls, flowers, labels) are from an October Afternoon 12x12 from 2012
• The DP came from the same line... I think...
• The banner on the first card was made from a scrap of Crate Paper that's always been "country" to me, though I don't think I bought it at the same time. 
• The ribbon and button are both from my stash
• I added Glossy Accents to the produce on the first card and to the jar on the second
• I used all Viva pearls... these are my absolute fave liquid pearls. 

Have fun using your stash with us at SOS!

Simon Says Monday... went for gold...

Okay, I entered Simon Says Monday with THIS TAG, but I saw a post by Emma where she produced a "blackout" of bingo on the tic-tac-toe board and it was so cool, and I thought, "I'm going for it!" And here it is:

Here's that tic-tac-toe board:

Supplies and notes:

• Like the first tag, I used a scrap of CARDBOARD in my stash.  I had used it earlier today for some gesso, and when I was done using the gesso I painted the tag.  
• This afternoon, when I decided to go for the "blackout," I grabbed some Distress Crayons. First I scribbled with the Picked Raspberry and finger-painted it with water then heat-dried it.  Then I grabbed the Mermaid Lagoon (BLUE) and scribbled, then wiped with no water.  Delish.  All of the ribs of corrugation shone through.  Then I SPRAYED it with water and let it sit for a second then dabbed it up.  
• Next, a Fiskars STAMP was inked with Archival and pressed in a few places
• WASHI from Target was added to a couple places, and hearts were DOODLED on it with a Sharpie
• I made the shabby trim with a scrap of Tim's Eclectic Elements fabric snipped with pinking shears. It was colored by swiping it through some Mermaid Lagoon and Peacock Feathers Distress Crayons and water.  (This was an experiment and it worked fine.  I almost wonder if it will be better than using DIs for this purpose in the future because of the oil element in the crayons...)
• For the STENCIL element, a Heidi Swapp stencil was SPRAYED with Dylusions in Fresh Lime, then monoprinted in the opposite corner
• I added GOLD SEQUIN trim to Tim's bow.  I grabbed a few loose sequins and attached them with Glossy Accents.
• To top this off, I added a Melody Ross acetate pic... this is going to my hairdresser and friend.  She will love it.

Simon Says... play tic-tac-toe!

OOPS... my initial post was titled "SimAn says..."-- how embarassing...

Yay!  I love Simon Says... Monday and I love tic-tac-toe challenges!  Ready to go!

And here is the way I played:

Supplies and notes:

• I used an ATC-sized piece of cardboard  which originally came from some holiday salt and pepper shakers... as I typed that, I am wondering what I did to the shakers? Why did I dismantle their box??? I guess I'll find out after Thanksgiving...
• I peeled up some edges of the carboard and wiped it down with the dabber-end of Distress Paint in Weathered Wood
• Next, washi from Target was added in the corner where I decided to hole-punch it and string it with some of my fave yarn and a newly-acquired tassel from Michael's
• I added stenciled polka dots through a Heidi Swapp stencil with Distress Ink in Peacock Feathers, then I stenciled through a Heidi Swapp basket-weave stencil with Picked Raspberries (FYI, I just bought the mini DI pack with Peacock Feathers and Picked Raspberries when I was out of town last week... I've been waiting for that one.  Now I want the mini-pack with Abandoned Coral... waiting... waiting... maybe my next trip out of town in a couple weeks...)
• After that, I added more blue by running along the edges with a Distress Crayon in Chipped Sapphire (I use that one the most...) and wiped it in with my finger.  I love the way the faint corrugated lines of the cardboard showed through on the untorn cardboard.
• Finally a saying was added with a Pebeo Relief Liner in Imitation Lead: this is naturally another line from a Modest Mouse song.  The song is using metaphors for how somebody is "the good things," but the lines are like: "You're the loud sound of fun when I'm trying to sleep," and "You're the flowers in my house when my allergies come out..."-- actually, here are the lyrics, enjoy!  LOL!

 You were right I'm hangin' 'round because

Light and sound won't separate us from them

You were right I'm underground because

Slight of hand won't separate your body from the dirt you're standing on today

You're the good things yeah that's you...

You're the icing on the cake on the table at my wake

You're the extra ton of cash on my sinking life raft

You're the loud sound of fun when I'm trying to sleep

You're the flowers in my house when my allergies come out

You're the good things...

And help's not short when you're diggin' your grave

I'll help you dig it

So you're diggin' your grave now you're speakin' my language I'll help you dig it

I will send this to my Modest Mouse loving sister who actually introduced me to them back in the late 1990s.

Merry Monday #210

I'm on a kick this past month to finish incomplete projects.  This is one of them, and it meets the criteria for the current Merry Monday:

The current challenge at Merry Monday is to use one or all of the words inspired by this image:

Supplies:

• Library card base washed with Peeled Paint Distress Stain then edged with Aged Mahogany
• The lights were from an after-holiday sale at JoAnn's.  I made the wire with Pebeo Relief Outliner in Imitation Lead.
• "Joy" added with Thickers

Booyah! A finished product!  I'll share this info again: I use library cards for everything, but I specifically add them to holiday gifts and cards for coworkers and students.  They all seem to think it's a pretty cool use for these old cards! I do!

CASology

Here's a "Congratulations" card made for the current challenge at CASology:

Supplies:

• Tim Holtz/Adirondack alcohol inks in Wild Plum, Sunset Orange, Sunshine Yellow, and gold mixative
• Thickers letters

Et voila!  I am so into the depth of alcohol ink right now. I think I'm too craft-deprived and my brain is like, "Ooooh... pretty colors..."

Almost forgot to add the CAS CASology badge!

#lovethis

I am in love with this right now... don't be surprised to see more like this soon because I'd welcome the opportunity to use my stash to complete projects similar to this:

Supplies and notes:

• Alcohol inks in the following colors: Stream, Red Pepper, Sunshine Yellow, Sunset Orange along with blending solution and silver mixative.  I was inspired to mess with my alcohol inks after watching a Creative Chemistry 101 video.  I spent a lot of time deciding if I should spend the money on this class, but I finally did and I am pleased... my time has been so limited, though... this class is really bad for my laundry room...
• The stickers are by Thickers

That's about it for this one!  Although it is summer vacation technically, I spent the first week at work, then last week the girls and I went out of town for various camps and kid-classes and family time.  So funny: I brought a picnic basket full of craft supplies (and bought even  more... can't help it: when I am in a city, I love to shop every craft store!) and hardly got to use them... I was so busy chauferring kids and helping with my best friend's wedding!  Not much of a vacation until today when I spent every spare moment in the scrap shack!  Didn't even feel a smidge of guilt!

I plan to enter this into the following challenges:

• Mod Squad: All that glitters
• Share Joy #41: (I used colors)
  

Vitamin Sea

I started this months ago... last week during a cleaning spree, I had a bunch of unfinished projects that I decided I either needed to finish or toss... that is motivating!

Had to show this piece with the latest addition to the shack...

This image shows the awesome dimension of the Pebeo liner.  

This image shows the glorious contrast of textures: matte, glossy, and rough.

Supplies and notes:

• This started out as a piece of packing chipboard, and I built a box "canvas" and gesso'd it
• Next it was inked loosely with Broken China Distress Stain
• Then I added some Ranger Glossy Transparent Texture Paste through a Heidi Swapp stencil
• Pebeo Dimensional Outline in Lead for the quote, which I found on Pinterest
• Pearls from Want 2 Scrap
• The sand is from Pebeo also

I made this for my oldest daughter, who is one of those beach-people... she loves everything associated with the ocean.

I plan to share this at the following challenges:

• Happy Little Stampers June Mixed Media: Texture
  
• STAMPlorations Mixed Media and Stencil Sunday #49
  

SOS: Always a bridesmaid...

...sigh... then as we get older we become Matrons of Honor!

That will be my role in my best friend's wedding in September.  In fact, the big dress-shopping day (for all of us: the bride and bridal party) is this week! Wish us luck!

Speaking of shopping, how about shopping your stash with us girls at Shopping Our Stash as we use a dress or a dress form in celebrating the theme: Always a bridesmaid?! Okay, okay, open some champagne if it makes it easier! Pop!

This is what I finally ended up with:

Doesn't she just remind you of Delta Dawn just a-waitin' for her man?  (Anybody want to talk about old country?  I L-O-V-E it.)

Did you know Tanya Tucker was 13 years old when she recorded Delta Dawn?  I have an old Tanya Tucker disc in my CD stash... going to have to dig that out...

Supplies and notes:

• The Catrina Paper Doll is from my favorite stamp set, made by Invoke Arts, in my stash for probably 5 years.  Stamped it with Ranger Archival right onto some of Tim's Eclctic Elements fabric (newest addition to my stash... I'm keeping it from becoming some hoarded item...)
• I folded the fabric over and just did a running stitch with gold thread (in stash forever), and the value of the gold thread is lost on this step unless you actually see the doll IRL.  I then stuffed her with some "Fun Stuff" (in stash over 8 years) and got busy on her outfit!
• All of the fabric aside from the base has been in my personal stash for over three years, but before that, it was in someone else's stash... old-ish stuff.  I stamped the skirt cage and top  with Ranger Archival also then sewed it on with more of the gold. Didn't the top turn out nice?
• I embroidered D.D. into the back to stand for Delta Dawn... that's her name now.  Don't inspect my embroidery... I was never that good, and at this point in the project I just had to get the pig to the fair.  I added some French knots to her hat with the same wool floss (from my grandmother's collection), but these got covered by the tiny flowers...
• ...which have been in my stash only about four months... made by The Paper Studio
• Finally, I added some Liquid Pearls on the hat and as jewelry.  This bottle has been in my stash for probably 5 years... it's on it's last drops...

For the record, this project was oddly tough.  I used quite a bit of my stash on projects that I wasn't satisfied with!  I literally completed three projects and had three more I could have completed to submit for this challenge, but nothing was just right.  This morning I was about to just swallow my pride and submit something I wasn't stoked about when it hit me-- I would make a DOLL!  I hop you guys like her... For more inspiration, visit the gang at Shopping Our Stash!  See you over there!  

Sorry if I got Tanya Tucker stuck in your head...

Thanks for joining us at SOS!  Your craft supplies will thank you, too!

I'd also like to share this at Frilly and Funkie, as this project fits their current challenge of Pastels and Pearls!  Delta is definitely both frilly and funkie!

Animal Magic

I made this for the current Simon Says Stamp: Wednesday challenge:

Supplies and notes:

• This is the Millie stamp I carved a few years ago, colored with Marvy brush markers
• The sentiment was written with a Tombow brush marker
• The decorative lines at the top and bottom are from a Stampendous CORRECTION: Fiskars set

... and here is Millie today:

Darn dog... none of these are her normal face!

This card will go to my hubs from his doggy for Father's Day.